Keto-licious

Pic of the week 

Yup.  Phin got a flat.  Luckily it was basically just at a stop light and then it felt weird when I started driving again rather than blowing out going high speed around a turn - which is something that terrifies me.  After waiting for a two truck, getting him into the shop and getting a Lyft home, it ended up being a 3-hour endeavor.  BUT Phin is back in fighting shape.  Though who knows for how long.  My mechanic said he thinks Phin may not be long for this world and that I just to pay especially careful attention to oil levels.  When I bought Phin, they said scooters usually last about 40,000 miles and he's at about 62,000, so I think that's pretty good.  My mechanic said he wants to keep Phin on the road as long as possible and he'll do what he can.  So we'll see.

Quote of the week

"I was going to say the Coronavirus"
- A kid at a Story Pirates show letting us know what he thought the pineapple named Pineapple should have been afraid of instead of people.

What's going on?

What a week!

I went to the doctor on Monday since I now have insurance and an annual checkup is free.  I'm in pretty good health, so there wasn't much to talk about.  He did a little blood work and I'm going back in a couple of weeks to talk all of that over with him.

I talked to a guy about a potential new job this week.  I know.  I already have plenty, but this is basically an extension of my job as a Standardized Patient, it's just with a different company because it's more invasive stuff - testicular exams and rectal exams and the like.  And I'm all, "Whatever!  It pays so well!" So that'll probably be happening.

Big news this week - I started the Keto diet.  I've been thinking about it for a while, but decided to finally take the plunge.  I'm not generally very good at following through on stuff like this, but I've actually stuck to it this week!  And it's not so bad.  I mean, the diet is basically eat a bunch of meat and cheese and cream and butter, so it's comfort food city.  And there are so many keto-friendly treat recipes out there that though it's not quite like having a warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookie, it's close enough that I can do this diet for a couple of months.  I'll let you know how it goes!

What I'm cookin'

Even though I think the name of this website is problematic, this Instant Pot chicken tikka masala was so good.  If you don't have an instant pot, that's okay.  You can just do it in a slow cooker.

What I'm listening to

I thought this episode of Hidden Brain was interesting.  It talks about the idea that the people who are more "political" often treat it as more of a hobby than actually being involved in political change.  Get out there and vote, y'all!

Falling in love with love

Pics of the week 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Got health insurance (finally bit the bullet) and went in to have my foot looked at.  Doc said there are no fractures, and that it's probably just due to my posterior tibial tendon (which runs kind of right behind and under the inside ankle bone) getting tired while training and then because it hadn't fully recovered when I ran the race, my foot took a lot of the stress, so I just need to rest up and take it easy for 3-4 weeks and I should be right as rain.  I'm a little bummed because I genuinely enjoy getting out for a jog, but doctor's orders are doctor's orders.

Some friends and I got up at the crack of dawn to make it down to Disneyland for the new Star Wars ride: Rise of the Resistance.  Because it's new and fancy they're operating it with boarding groups, so you have to get a spot in a boarding group or you don't get to ride the ride.  Most days the boarding groups open right when the park opens and are gone by about one minute later, so you gotta be quick.  But we got a group and got on the ride.  This picture is really only about 10% of the way into the ride and already we were floored.  This is seriously one of the coolest rides I've ever been on. I can't wait to go again. (Also!  Look for that handsome guy in the maroon jacket in a new comedy on NBC coming soon!  I have famous friends!)

What's going on?

I was ostensibly recovering from a cold this week.  I really only started feeling human again on Thursday.  It was a brutal one.  Despite that, it was a very full week.  Disneyland (I know, but I did Disneyland BEFORE the doctor told me to take it easy.), Valentine's Day, doctor's appointments, Story Pirates trainings, two plays (saw What the Constitution Means to Me, and honestly, if you ever get the chance, you should ABSOLUTELY go see it.), and lots and lots of soup.

What I'm reading

Recommended by my good friend Tara and I'm loving it so far.  It goes through a very cursory timeline of the founding of Islam in one chapter, and the parallels to Mormonism are fascinating. 

What I'm watching

This show was fine. It's a fashion design competition show.  I think Tan France is a better fashion consultant than host, but it was still some fun, mindless TV to watch while doing taxes with a cold.  

What I'm puzzling

New Titles!

Pic of the week 

I ran a half marathon!  I was unsure if I was going to make it because one's 30s can be rough, but I did it!  That guy in the blue is my friend Duke who trained and ran with me.  Luckily he stayed with me the whole time, which was great because if he hadn't I probably would have walked the last 3 miles or so.  Nothing has ever tasted as good as the fruit cup I ate right after crossing the finish line (and regaining my balance). My official finishing time was 2:01:37.  And I'm pretty thrilled with that.  My foot/ankle have been bugging me all week, but I also just got health insurance this week so I'm headed to the doctor soon to get that looked at.

What's going on?

Just life and stuff, ya know?  I've missed a couple of weeks this year on this old blog and so this numbering system, I think, has run its course.  I'm just going to start giving these posts regular ol' titles. 

The day after my half-marathon I went to Disneyland with a friend.  I couldn't put a lot of weight on my foot and didn't think it'd be wise to hobble around Disneyland for a whole day, so I rented a wheelchair and it was honestly the best.  It doesn't really do much for you at California Adventure because all of their ride lines are wheelchair accessible, but at Disneyland it's great.  We were able to get on a ton of rides and really just had an awesome time all day.  ALSO - hot tip:  The Smuggler's Run (Millennium Falcon ride) line is wheelchair accessible, but the single-rider line is not!  Since there were only two of us that day we decided to just do single rider and they sent us through the fastpass line instead. It was great!  We also got preferential seating for World of Color and didn't even need a fastpass for it!  What a day.

The rest of this week I've been down with a cold.  Blurgh.  But I'm taking it extra easy this weekend and trying to fight it off the best I can. 

Not much else to report, honestly.  Story Pirates shows, and tutoring, and Kidville.  All the usual suspects. 

What I'm reading

A cute fictionalized book based on the true story of a gorilla who lived alone in a mall (meaning his enclosure was in a mall and he was the only gorilla) for 27 years. 

What I'm watching

This is on Netflix and is so funny.  I don't remember there being any language in this one, but maybe Google it just to be sure.

Vol. 2 Issue 43

Pic of the week 

It's happening.

What's going on?

Training them new baby Story Pirates, y'all!!!  They're culminating show is TONIGHT and I am stoked.  1 - Because this day is honestly like Christmas for me. It's my favorite night of the year.  2 - Because this time, I was in charge!  Like, I trained the new people (though it might be more accurate to say I oversaw the training of the new people), and put together the set list for their show, and it feels very rewarding!

Also got in some Disney time this week.  I randomly had a day where nothing got scheduled and the crowd trackers said it was supposed to be pretty dead, so I decided to go!  It was a little busier than I was expecting, but still not bad.  I spent too much on merchandise I don't need, ate too many treats, and probably spent too much time on my ankle (more on that in a sec), but it was fun!  A couple of friends came down to meet me and we had a delightful time.

So, I'm training for this half marathon, right?  Turns out something is out of whack with my right leg.  My hamstring feels super tight, and my knee has been bugging me.  I got a miracle of a knee band for when I run, but then my ankle started bugging me and it seems I've developed a bit of an overuse injury.  My race is next weekend, so I'm going to try my best to take it easy for the next little while and see if I can't get that ol' ankle in shape for the big race.  But it looks like I might just head down to Huntington Beach to pick up my t-shirt and cheer on my friend.  Fingers crossed I'm able to race as well!

What I'm reading

This is the 3rd book in the Scythe series and it's such a fascinating world.  Highly recommend this series.  Just read a brief synopsis so you know what you're getting into before you dive in.

What I'm listening to

NPR's Life Kit podcast. Practical advice for all kinds of things! This week I learned how to remove some stains and also some tips for reducing food waste!  Not every episode is applicable to everyone, but there's definitely something in there for everyone.  Check it out!

Vol. 2 Issue 42

Pic of the week 

Performed at Sketchfest in San Francisco this week with Patton Oswalt!  It was so fun!!!

Quote of the week

"And the winner of best kids and family podcast is...Story Pirates!" 
-Presenter at the iHeartRadio podcast awards.  I went to the awards show as the representative this year and accepted the award with my friend Mike.  It was fun!  And cool!  And now we have an award!  Check out our podcast!

What's going on?

What.  A.  Week!  I have been neck-deep in Story Pirates this week.  Had a bunch of training sessions with the new crew of pirates, a couple of rehearsals for a show this weekend, the podcast awards ceremony and performed in San Francisco at Sketchfest.  It was a whirlwind week, but so much fun!  I also managed to sneak in a couple of tutoring students, a movie, and some naps cuz I'm still kind of fighting a cold. 

ALSO!  It seems I have developed a bit of a repetitive stress/overuse injury in my ankle from the race training.  So as much as possible I've been trying to stay off my foot and give it some rest so that when I have to race in two weeks it's in tip-top shape.

What I'm watching

Honestly, I thought this was lovely. Go see it and bring tissues.

What I'm listening to

This fun new station I discovered on Spotify.  It's so peppy and lively!

Vol. 2 Issue 41

Pic of the week 

There is a magical place here in LA called Wi Spa.  It's a Korean spa.  I've known about it for years and have had several friends recommend it highly, but didn't end up going until this week.  Y'all.  I think I'm gonna go there AT LEAST once a month from here until the day I die.  That place is a dream.  Saunas, hot tubs, cold tubs, steam rooms, a rooftop patio, a sleeping room.  It's $30 to enter and you can stay for 24 hours!  They also have skincare treatments, massages, scrubs and the like, but that stuff costs extra and is a bit expensive.  I spent four hours there and felt SO refreshed afterward.  This a picture of my lunch.  A little miso soup and a smoothie.  It was perfect.  

What's going on?

We're back in the swing of life!  I honestly love my day to day.  It's always different and always an adventure.  This week included tutoring, Story Pirates training, hanging with friends, a trip to Disneyland, the Wi Spa, and a whole lot of napping.

I've come down with a cold again.  I can't tell if it's a new cold, or if the cold I started getting at Christmas just faded into the background for a couple of weeks.  Either way, I'm ready to not be sick.  I've got too much to do. I did still manage to run 11 miles yesterday, and honestly felt pretty good.  I was obviously tired at the end of it, but not yearning for death. I think it helped that I did a run on the beach at sunset.  The beach is always a fun place to run because A - it's gorgeous, B - it's almost completely flat (I run on the boardwalk/bike path), and C - it's FILLED with the weirdest people.  I love it.  My ankle is bugging me today, but hopefully it'll be feeling better by tomorrow cuz I gotta jump back in those running shoes!

And after writing all of that positive, uplifting stuff, I remembered that I saw this meme on Facebook this week that was pretty upsetting and was posted by a member of the church.  It was blatantly racist, Islamophobic, and laughably untrue.  At least it would be laughable if it wasn't so upsetting.  That same person has posted a few things that border on hate speech and I find it so saddening that someone who claims to be a follower of Christ could spread such hateful things.  Y'all.  We're all children of God.  With rare exceptions we're all trying to do the best we can with what we've got.  People who practice Islam are - just like Christians - in the VAST majority of cases, peaceful, loving, compassionate people trying to make the world a better place.  To imply otherwise is inhumane and the opposite of how a follower of Christ should behave.

Rant over.

Vol 2. Issue 40

Pic of the week 

This is a wish tree we encountered on New Year's Eve while wandering around the Venice Canals. (Yep.  Venice, CA has canals too.  They're adorable.).  It was lovely to read through people's wishes for everything from a Barbie Dreamhouse to world peace.

Quote of the week

"Happy New Year!"
-Everyone

What's going on?

New year, new me!  Just kidding.  Same old me.  And that's okay!  No big plans for the year, honestly.  I'm cutting out sugar, and for the most part dairy and refined grains for January cuz I need a bit of a nutritional jump-start.  Also trying to drink more water cuz kidney stones apparently run in the family and that's not a life I'm excited to live.

It's been a very chill holiday season - lots of napping and movies and friends and too much food. Just the way I like it.  But I'm ready and excited to jump back into life.

Training for the new Story Pirates started this week and Yours Truly was in charge of it!  First time.  It's been a blast.

I got an Instant Pot for Christmas!  I used it for the first time to make some soup.  Here's the deal - Instant Pots are pretty cool, but they're not as instant as they make you believe.  Still, they are pretty easy and help make the cooking more efficient, so I'm all for that.

What I'm reading

This is the second book I'm reading from a list I stumbled on titled "10 Books About Race To Read Instead Of Asking A Person Of Color To Explain Things To You."  (So You Want to Talk About Race was the first) I think it's important to understand perspectives different from your own and see and understand that the world can look very different to different people.  Understanding, celebrating, and cultivating diversity are big parts of what I do in all of my work.  I make lots of mistakes, but I'm trying to do better.  I urge you to do the same!  Warning for those who care - there is some language in this one.

What I'm watching

It feels like these movies are always controversial, but I really enjoyed it.  It wasn't perfect, but I thought it did a pretty good job wrapping up the whole saga.  I think Star Wars is too much of a cash cow for them to be done with Star Wars movies, but it appears this is at least the end of this particular storyline, and I thought it was a great end.

What I'm listening to

Season two is out, y'all.  Google it, find it, get it, live it.  I think EVERYONE needs to listen to this podcast, but especially everyone in Utah.  Season 1 breaks down the deal behind MLM businesses and how they're basically a racket.  Don't get sucked in.  Season two is out and going in a slightly different direction, but I am here for it.