Rolling out the Red Carpet at Whole Foods

Hungry and in a rush to grab some groceries and dinner on Sunday night, I parked at the grocery store and began trekking across the parking deck behind a very European-looking couple that was taking their time, holding hands and being very affectionate with one another. Both were wearing dark colors, he in a denim jacket and biker boots, and she in a turtleneck, skinny jeans and combats. Just as the doors opened to welcome us into the edible dream that is Whole Foods, I overheard the guy say something with an Australian accent, immediately making my ears perk up and my curiosity peak. I had a good inclination who this couple could be at that point, but needed to make sure - so I followed them to the bakery/candy aisle (needing a few items from this section anyway, I couldn't be labeled as a full fledged stalker). At this point I was certain that I was in the precense of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. I've spotted him in other Nashville locations and really didn't have an interest, but this was my first encounter with her. Having been a big fan since her Far and Away days, I couldn't help but take in the radiance of her skin and feel a pang of jealousy at what daily spa visits can do.

They quickly left that aisle (he wanted Easter candy, while she looked around seemingly uninterested) and headed to the prepared foods and hot bar area. As luck would have it, I was getting dinner for Jeremy and myself, so I mentally took notes of what she was grabbing as I laddled my own food and picked out a few things for Jeremy. Just as I was grabbing the tongs to get some chicken wings for him, Mr. Urban walked up beside me to read the labels on those same wings. Nicole walked up at the same instance and stood on my other side, and both talked above my head about the selections they had to choose from. I silently prayed she wouldn't think the sticky glazed bird limbs were mine as I stole a glance at her bowl and noticed it was spilling over with colorful vegetables and not a drop of sauce.

Very soon though, I had had my fill of celebrity, so I grabbed a cart to continue my shopping and check off the items on my page-long list of ingredients for the week ahead's meals. The experience was fun, but I was ready to get on with life and back to my hungry partner.

Good Things Take Time...and Many Ingredients

I've begun a lifestyle change of sorts where my eating habits are concerned. Included in this, I've stocked up on organic produce, haven't had any dairy or red meat, and I'm actually turning on my oven. Typically, we either eat out or pick up food from a restaurant at least 5 times a week, but this week marks a huge change in our house. It's not really even a matter of finances, but more the contents of the food that has me whipping out the cookbooks from now on. I've already noticed a pretty significant difference in just a few days of bringing loads of veggies for lunch, fruit to snack on, and protein bars to keep me energized....picture a child that has had too much sugar on a long car ride, and you'll get a picture of me right before I can leave work in the afternoons.

Tonight I'm making roasted artichokes and butternut squash with some balsamic chicken. However, what I had thought would be pretty straight forward and simple has become a bit more daunting as I've looked over the instructions from the recipes I've found. Who knew that an artichoke had to be clipped before preparing? I'm up to the challenge however, if for no other reason than I've loved springing out of bed for Yoga in the mornings without the typical groan escaping out of me (quite as much).

We're All Mad Here

What makes someone odd isn't a particular way of dressing or hair styling. It isn't a certain mannerism or way of speaking. What makes someone odd is simply not being like those around them, no matter what the majority of the people look or act like. I thought about this today as I drove down the road and observed the flightless birds that were jogging by my car (Oh wait those stick figures are women, oblivious to the fact that the world is meant to live with food involved). Then there was the enormous man smoking an even bigger cigar, who sped through a red light driving a...Mini Cooper. So large was he, his stogie, and his inflated ego that he had to roll his window down and hang half his body outside. Turns out though, he wasn't odd either. I was the odd observer in this culture of less is more where food is concerned, and more is more in regards to status, price tag, and self consumption.

Today I'm loving my self. I want to be odd, quirky, and different when it comes to the normal ways of our media driven, money hungry culture. I'll be a vegan or a carnivore only to please myself and my health, and I'll only buy according to what makes me and my little family happy. Thank you Lord, for making me as Mad as a Hatter!

Preventative Measures

At my office, each person is allotted a certain amount of PTO days (paid time off) which rolls all vacation, sick, and personal time off of work into one lump sum to be taken at your whim. Unfortunately, what this has meant for me in the last week is that I've caught whatever vile sickness has been passed around from person to person for the past month. No one wants to waste their time off being sick, so they drag in their infestations, allowing it to cover all surfaces and contaminate everyone else. It's spreading like wildfire, and I'm just now getting over it myself.

Today I was asked if I was on antibiotics - I'm sure the person questioning me was trying to assess whether they would be the next victim. Unfortunately for them, I've decided that I'm coming to work with only Dayquil in my system, not wanting to waste any precious PTO days inside when I could have spent it at the beach later this year. A smart boss would stop this madness by quarantining the less than healthy employees until any trace of the cold virus was gone. Unfortunately, it's continuing to latch on to unsuspecting victims.

Fairie Tales and Pitchers of Ale

I've begun my campaign early for a St. Patrick's Day trip to the far away land of Leprechauns and limericks within the next few years. Surely if I can save up a bit here and there (not counting my other planned getaways between now and then) I can be wisked off to Ireland where St. Patrick's Day is more like Independence Day, not just an excuse to drink yourself into a state of oblivion.

After our recent trip to Dublin for our honeymoon, I didn't want to leave. Everyone we met was a friendly face with sound advice, all of our meals were full of flavor, and our castle hotel was one of the most memorable parts of our entire trip.

Now, I'm going to go ahead and discuss the upcoming trip as if it is destined to happen; that way maybe I'll wish it into existence! WHEN we go, I would like to stay in a smaller area of Ireland and tour the countryside, exploring ancient ruins and green fields as far as the eye can see. I know I'll spot a pot of gold while there, but that may just be my own savings I've taken with me, ready to spend!