Oooh, Etsy

So I've basically always avoided Etsy. There are too many things from which to choose. It's overwhelming and I give up after twenty minutes of searching.

But today! I found a really unique business card holder - I hate my leather one that I have, my cards always still end up bent/smudged. I have been looking for a metal one forever, but wanted something a little different. This one has polished lizard leather on its front. Weird... but amazing!


I also found this seller.


I'm thinking I could rock this in my office. Thoughts?

The Point... is Flex...

So after not attending a single yoga or pilates class in all of 2008, I recently had a full physical. My results came back this week and I learned that a normal people have a score of 32 on this flexibility test I did. My score was 19. Yikes! (In good news, pretty much all else was highly positive and my muscular/cardio endurance were scored as excellent, whew.)

So I went to yoga today - I did a 1.5 hour Hatha class.

I was really bad! But it was good. I'm patient about this sort of thing (probably the only area in my life where patience legitimately arises, hah) and get that this will take time to rebuild. The class was small and my instructor was really helpful, spending a lot of time helping each person directly to ensure proper form, etc. It was also followed by half an hour of Yoga Nidra, which is effectively a guided meditation. So calming! So cozy!

I really want to get back into it. It's hard to fit in classes during the week with my work schedule - not even just because of the hours, but because of working outside of the downtown core. If I want to attend even a 7:30PM class, I have to do the following:

• Arrive at studio at 7:15.
• Arrive at home by 6:45 to drop off car, get stuff ready, and walk over.
• Leave work at 5:45 to ensure I get home for 6:45 with traffic constraints.
• Be done work at 5:30-ish so I can get out the door by 5:45.

This? Not so do-able. Now when our office moves downtown, I think it will far more feasible as the steps will change as follows.

• Arrive at studio at 7:15.
• Leave work at 6:45-7 with yoga stuff in hand, walking over.

The official office lease end-date is May of 2009, but the real estate consultants think we'll likely be moving more like March. Location and office selection should be complete in November/December.

God, I can't wait. My phsycial flexibility is dependent upon this work flexibility!

In the meantime, I will do my best to go on one weekend day and Tuesdays, when I'm already downtown for the day at school.

Six more months...

Nerdliness is Next to Godliness

Eee! I started my PhD this week. Flex time. Faculty of Information. U of T.

I can't explain how much it ruled. We talked about philosophies and methologies and grant applications and research and ahhhh! I can't even believe how lucky I am to get to do this kind of thing. Dreamy.

I have my own little office at the university! It's overlooking Spadina. I swear to you, it is nicer than my work office, which - while more spacious - overlooks a parking lot and the 427.

I have a supervisor, who is super smart and has really great positive energy. She also took me to the adorable Faculty Club to celebrate my beginning this thrilling challenge!

Sigh.

I wish to be a nerd forever. Or at least for the next six to eight years. Hah.

The Reality Sets In

So, okay, it's been nearly three months sans land animal products. And it's felt relatively easy to date.

But this weekend? There were a lot of Wendy's Baconator commercials on during the last few days of the Olympics. (Um, what? I know.) And, yeah, ew, right? But I've always loved a bacon cheeseburger. Salty. Melty. Delish. And then the reality set in: not only will I never, ever have a burger again, I'll never have a steak. I'll never have a lamb chop with mint sauce. I'll never have a glass of milk with ice cubes in it to accompany my tuna sandwich. I'll never have a cheesy, creamy omelette. I'll never have my beloved nachos.

I miss food. I am feeling all worn out and slightly queasy - I think mostly because I've been pushing too hard again and am maybe not getting enough iron (have had iron issues in the past, will be making an appointment with doctor and nutritionist this week) - and... I would really just like some ham with scalloped potatoes. Hah.

Anyway. I'm really just feeling rather sorry for myself. I googled reluctant vegetarian and found this. The recipes look great, but the person doesn't seem particularly reluctant. Do you know anyone who's made such wholesale change with reluctance? I tried hunting for message boards or anything of the sort tonight, but found only an assortment of hardcore veggie snobs who would hate that I still eat fish, and people whose posts I could barely understand (yeah, that's the snob in me talking).

I don't even know what the point of today's post is. I am just feeling rather sorry for myself and am not much for complaining out loud. No need to respond, this is pure vent!

Laptop Bag Stalking

Okay, so I may or may not have mentioned my obsession with my new MacBook Air. It's so slim and darling! In any case, I am bored with my current laptop bag and searching for a (few) new fun one(s). So what will house my adorable new friend?

I am thinking perhaps this cutie or its cousin for everyday use?

Or perhaps this little gorgeous glamourama in grey?

Or maybe this little fashion plate in plural fossil?

Help!

PS: Have you seen this? LOVE. Talk about fueling my stalkery.

Vegenaise!

I am not kidding.

This stuff is golden. I would never, ever have known it wasn't the real deal.

I can have tuna salad again!

Seven Weeks Down

So it's been that long since I've had meat, eggs, and dairy.

It's weird to me.

Last night I went out with some ladies for gossip on a patio. There were nachos and a platter of delicious appetizers on the table. The only thing I could consume was the calamari. Strangely, it didn't entirely bother me, though I did make up for it later in the evening with plain tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole.

But this does kind of surprise me. I thought going out would be the toughest part, and it's actually pretty easy.

Any favourite non-land-animal-product foods when you're out and about?

The Starbucks Experience

So I remain endlessly disgruntled that Starbucks doesn't do a soy version of the Frappucino. I mean, Frappucinos are one of my favourite summer snacks, and what is a trip to Starbucks without them?

No matter, I've been stuck with the iced green tea soy latte.

So what is with the fact that this is never made properly? So I don't get the whipped cream on top and I don't mix it with green tea liquer as pictured (hah), but I have never seen one look remotely like this!

Every second sip I take involves clumps of that green tea stuff. And it's never frothy, instead just being randomly stirred with a metal stick for a few seconds.

I like the general taste when it joins forces in my mouth, but the inability of the baristas to actually make it taste like a consolidated beverage rather than a combination of green tea bits, soy milk, and ice or the inability of Starbucks to put together a method of production that is a little less difficult for said staff? So very unfortunate.

Perhaps I should just switch to iced coffees for good.

Some Updates

Hey! There apparently is a word for what I'm doing: pescetarian. Who'd have thought?

In any case, things have been fabulous since we got our barbecued. I grilled tuna steaks for Dave's birthday with lemon and fresh herbs. I've been making some delectable salads, and am particularly re-loving my baked homemade french fries (curried is best). I've even started having soymilk on my cereal without a problem.

You know what I don't like, though?

At the cottage last weekend, I was a little forlorn at the lack of steak action, but veggie burgers with steak spice helped me out. However! When Dave was having his amazing Italian sausages, I decided to try out some veggie dogs. Now, I hadn't had veggie dogs in probably ten years, and when I had them, I completely hated them. But my sister swore to me they were great again, and I gave 'em a shot.

Dave called them Not Dogs and said they looked like Tootsie Rolls.

They were sick. Sick. I couldn't even finish a single one and hated them so much that I actually threw them in the garbage.

Nonetheless, when I found soy chicken nugget looking things and soy chicken strips, I still bought 'em. Sigh.

Amy's Organic Veggie Burgers

These are yummy.


I barbecued mine and Dave had a regular burger. Made some guacamole and topped heavily. Threw a side spinach salad alongside it.

Delish!