Life Past 30

November 27, 2008 will go down in history, at least in my book.  I am not a person who enjoys cooking and only do it because my body and my daughter require daily sustenance.  Cooking has never been an activity that I wanted to do often, but is quite necessary.  Besides my slight disdain for cooking, I am a good cook and my daughter enjoys eating what I prepare.  Admittedly, preparing and cooking homemade french fries from red potatoes is something I enjoy immensely and cooking anything else feels like a chore.  Thanksgiving of 2008 should go down in history because I cooked my very first turkey - ever!  My daughter and I buttered and covered with Turkey Rub the magnificent bird, then he was placed in the oven.  What was to be a somewhat experimental meal turned out to be a hit that received wonderful accolades.  What made it even more special is the fact that I LIKED cooking it.  Now, I cannot say for sure if I am willing to do it again.  I do not want to move too fast and make promises that I may not keep.  Being domestically inclined is one of my weak points, but I do what must be done anyway, you know, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. 

When my daughter tasted the first bite of turkey and stuffing, her eyes became large, although she did not utter a word.  I asked her for her honest opinion and had to wait until she had finished chewing and swallowing her food.  She looked me in the eyes and said, “Mom, this is the best turkey I’ve ever had.  It’s better than Grandma’s.”   Well, imagine how great that made me feel.  She then went on to suggest that I make Thanksgiving dinner EVERY year as I thought to myself, “What have I done?!”.  Anyway, perhaps I will cook one more turkey for Christmas and call it day.  Good things should never be overdone.  

A lot of people like potatoes.  Some even love potatoes, like myself.  My love affair with potatoes began many years when I was just a wee thing and it has never let up.  If anything, my love of potatoes has only increased throughout the years.  It does not matter how potatoes are prepared, mashed, baked, fried, or scalloped, I truly enjoy eating them.  With that said, I will admit that I have perfected the art of cooking homemade french fries and amongst other dishes.  My potato peeler was my best friend in spud preparation until last night.  I was peeling the spuds after washing them, as usual, and smiling at the prospect of sinking my teeth into delicious french fries cooked with onions.   

Well, when I was in the middle of peeling a very large red spud, I suddenly felt the blade of the peeler slice through the tip of my left index finger.  I immediately dropped the peeler and rushed to the bathroom to see the extent of the damage.  After rinsing my finger I held it up for a closer look.  It’s amazing, but half of the tip and a small portion of the nail were cut.  See how I am sparing the bloody details?  The cut is slightly deep and will take some time to heal completely, but I have not had an injury like this since 1996 when I served on Mess Duty in Okinawa.  That time, I was cutting onions with a large butcher knife and ended up completely taking off the left side of the tip of my ring finger.  The knife went left when it should have gone straight down.  That wound healed very nicely and left minimal scarring.  

Needless to say, my finger is in some pain today, but is bandaged properly.  I am not too sure if I want to use the peeler again any time soon, but I will have to eventually as I cannot stay away from the potatoes too long.  I cannot wait for it to heal so I can type without slowing down, too.  Now, on to planning the route I will run in the morning.

For the past week or so, I have added a few extras to my usual meals.  I feel guilty, but I have not been able to stop myself.  Sure, I will start training again in December, but the “bad stuff” has been so delicious.  My usual diet consists of brown rice, lean turkey breast, lots of fish, some shrimp, tofu, pasta, potatoes, and dark green vegetables.  Spinach is my favorite and has completely replaced lettuce in my salads for the past two years.  You can imagine how angry I was when spinach was recalled a little while ago.  I was forced to eat Romaine lettuce instead, but at least it is dark green and has more nutrients than lettuce.

Now, back to my recent unhealthy munches.  I have been snacking on chocolate, chips, and even had a few brownies.  The funny thing is I enjoyed every bite, crunch, and chew while feeling horribly guilty at the same time.  Is that even possible?  Apparently it is and I have proof.  When I went to the grocery store tonight, I bought a box of brownies that contains 6 packs (12 brownies total) for a $1.39.  I convinced myself that I would not have one until tomorrow while at work.  Well, I can tell you THAT plan did not work out well.  I had one pack because the creamy texture of the brownies was just too much to resist at that moment.

I believe this latest snack attack is the result of me wanting to run and not being able to.  When I was training regularly, it was a rarity for me to crave any kind of junk food, but I would indulge in chocolate every now and then.  The healthy lunch of steamed green beans and cod I had today made me proud.  I did not even look at the french fries that were laid out in all their golden splendor.  As of now, the junk fest ends.

Here it is, one week after the marathon and I am starting to feel like my old self again.  My walking pace is back to normal, my muscles are no longer sore, and my nutrition has been constant.  I’m planning on starting a training routine in around three weeks, but if I am not feeling up to it by then, I will wait until I’m ready.  As for my post-race diet, I have been eating veggies, fruit, pasta, potatoes, and brown rice.  Rewarding myself with a bag of chips was, of course, necessary and I included a couple of packs of GU for quicker muscle recovery.  Other than that, I have been watching what I eat because I don’t want to undue the benefits I’m reaping as a a result of completing the marathon.  I have been craving seafood, specifically shrimp and scallops, very badly and have been to the grocery store in search of something that will fill this void.  Last night, I ate a small dish of Alfredo pasta with carrots, red peppers, and shrimp, but it wasn’t enough.  My goal today is to find good seafood in an adequate portion. 

I enjoy eating food that appeals to my tastes and level of freshness, but when I come across something that jolts my palate, I find it hard to resist.  That’s what I’m going through with the veggie burrito from Chipotle.  This burrito is absolutely delicious, but it has to be made to my specifications, i.e., extra sour cream and guacamole.  This is in addition to the cilantro lime rice, onions, and green peppers.  There is, however, one tiny problem.

The issue I have with getting my burrito is dealing with a particular female Chipotle employee.   She seems to hate giving me extra guacamole and always says, “It’ll be $2.00 extra” with a slight sneer in her voice.  I tell her that I know about the extra charge and I always get extra guacamole and each time, she exudes a crappy attitude.  Normally when people try to be ugly, I’ll ignore them and let it roll, but this case is different because she doesn’t do this to anyone else but me.  When I say I want extra guacamole, I want it sans attitude.  She is oblivious to the fact that she is testing what little patience I have for people who act like she does.  As a result, she is running a very high risk of being publicly embarrassed.  I really don’t want to make a scene, but she’s asking for it.

Patience with the ignorant is something I don’t think I will ever fully develop.  It’s almost as though I was born with an aversion to ignorance and rudeness and feel compelled to counteract it when it’s in front of me.  I pray next week goes well for me since I’ll be going back to Chipotle.  If it doesn’t and she acts the same way, she’s going to get an earful…in front of everyone.  No more chances.