love – Personal Pondering of Mine

Lifelong Vegetarianism and a Balanced Life

Being a vegetarian is tough! I’ve never eaten meat a day in my life with the exception of the one time I threw up all over a Mexican restaurant’s floor because they served me the wrong dish and the time I tried chicken and cried for three days while having more stomach issues. That does not mean that getting the proper nutrition is easy.

During my adolescence, when mom made all the hard decisions, I never had to worry about eating right or paying attention to what I put in my body for two reasons; one being I played sports and two being the types of foods our fridge was stocked with. My mom never bought sugary products and always opted for fruit juice popsicles over the artificial ones. She was very careful about what she allowed in our house and always cooked with a lot of vegetables. We were always eating proper foods without even realizing it.

College enhanced my love of pizza as an easy thing to eat with friends without being the oddball that I am but also introduced me to all the artificial sugary products that I had never had before. You would think all the healthy eating my mom instilled in me would kick in and have me opt for the smoothie over the chocolate ice cream cone with sprinkles in the cafeteria or the oatmeal over the Trix cereal in the morning. Instead, it encouraged me to explore the different sugary – certainly no meat products – foods that I had never experienced. Boy did my body take a toll. From the end of high school to the end of college, I went from being a size 4 jeans to a size 10.

These days, I’m unhappily sporting a size 12 jeans and encouraging myself to crave broccoli on a more regular basis. After really examining what my body needs to boost it’s metabolism and encourage weight loss while keeping a balanced diet, I have made lists and plans to ensure that I am taking in the proper amounts of iron and other vitamins while maintaining about 60g of protein or more daily and a higher dose of fruits. But I know it doesn’t stop with what I eat.

Water is something I have been forcing myself to drink more of on a daily basis for a few weeks now (I have been forcing myself to drink a 1.5L bottle a day and have exceeded that goal on a few occasions. I have been taking my dogs on separate longer walks and even walking 2.6 miles to the grocery store and back when I only need a couple of things.

Calisthenics are something I believe in on a daily basis so I have also included daily sit ups, push ups, and planks. Next week we add squats. These are a challenge for me not because they are hard to do but because my aforementioned dogs think it’s playtime. When I block them out of the room they cry and scratch at the door incessantly. I’m hoping that more exposure to calisthenics will encourage them to calm down while I am doing my routine.

Having a daily routine has always been a terribly mundane idea to me however as I age I find that it is the most efficient way to have a good day. If you have a morning routine you are setting yourself up for success throughout the rest of the day. Working as a server and a filmmaker, my schedule is never the same so I have opted to create a routine that works for me on MOST days. I take the hurdles as they come and create alternative routines that get the job done.

I like to be up by 7 to walk the dogs and put some water on to boil. This is when I fill the dog’s water bowl, clean out my french press, and add some coffee grinds. With the coffee seeping, I like to take a few deep breaths and do a few stretches to loosen up. I take my coffee on our patio and reflect on the outdoors before feeding both dogs and putting on some sneakers. Here is where I walk them around the neighborhood long enough to break a sweat. Afterwards I fit in my calisthenics, eat some breakfast, and settle in to write.

With these lifestyle changes and monthly dinner charts and weekly routines planned out, I’m hoping that I can continue sticking to a happier and healthier lifestyle to lead to more confidence in my own abilities. Another great benefit is that I have been cooking at home more and I’ve truly been impressing myself (and my carnivorous boyfriend) with my recent vegetarian black bean soup and lacto-ovo Chinese fried rice.

Would you be interested in seeing my meal plans and charts? How about more recipes and food posts? I can create more of them if you are interested.

3 November , 20153 November , 2015 by Sam Categories: Change, Food, IdeasTags: balance, calisthenics, clean eating, diet, exercise, food, happiness, healthy, lacto-ovo, life, lifestyle, lifetime, love, routine, vegetarian, vegetarianism Leave a comment

Prompt 10: Friendship

10. Friendship: Write about being friends with someone.

((All caught up!))

Friendship is one of the precious elements of life. You cannot predict the future or know for sure who will be your forever friends, but usually you can guess. I have two friends that I have had the pleasure of having in my life since childhood. Out of respect for their privacy we will use first initials to separate stories. When we first moved to Florida I was 19 months old, I know what a baby, my mom began babysitting for a neighbor who had two girls. One was a year older than me and one a little younger. A was the younger one and we became best friends since diapers. Nearly all of my childhood memories include her and our silly games we would play. As we turned into teenagers, we parted ways a bit but as adults have become friends again. Our parents still live right next door to each other and we still have similar interests and a million memories together.

L and I have been friends since we were four years old. We had a Spice Girls group during recess in elementary school, made mix CDs for each other through middle and high school, took theater classes together and even started working at the local movie theater together. We also got in an insane amount of trouble together and learned about the realities of life together. She was my partner in crime throughout my bad ass days. Yes I went there. When college came, we both got accepted to the same school and went into the freshman lottery for housing. I’ll never forget when those emails were sent out that told you where you would be living and with who. I called L immediately to be sure she checked hers. Out of the thousands of students at our public university, we were randomly selected to live together. It was the best situation ever because we understood each other and are both creative and whacky and love life. We both ended up leaving that school and moving on with our lives in different directions but no matter how long we go without getting to speak, it is always as if no time passed at all. She is the one person besides my mother that I always try to see when I go home. Every single time we talk the conversations last hours and I always feel better about life and my goals and tribulations. She renews my faith in humanity and life itself. I don’t know where I would be without her. Today, we work on projects together and are both in long term relationships with men we believe we will marry. Of course they have met and get along – that night was one of the best nights ever.

The memories I have with A will last me a lifetime and inspire my creativity on the regular while L’s zest for life and happiness inspire me every day. She knows what she wants out of life and she is the most tenacious person I know, I’m sure she will make all the difference she wants to in our world. I’m so blessed to have some amazing friends that were there for me even when I was uprooted from my life for a year just to magically reappear. No explanation needed, just love from these two amazing ladies.

8 September , 20158 September , 2015 by Sam Categories: writing promptTags: friendship, love, memories Leave a comment

Prompt 6: Eye Contact

6. Eye Contact: Write about two people seeing each other for the first time.

You can look at the same person all your life and never really see them. You see their skin and the faint smile on their face, their hair blowing in the wind and yet you never see the pain hidden behind their eyes or the longing in their touch. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him – really saw him. It was the second day of my first year of high school and I had spent the whole night thinking about cooties and if they still existed. Based on my observations, cooties were a thing of the past. All the boys and girls had paired off in the hallways and looked at each other differently. As I dressed that morning in my usual jeans and old t-shirt I remember looking at myself in the mirror and thinking ‘nah, you will always have cooties. No boy would want you.’Glancing at the clock I slipped into my shoes, grabbed my rucksack off the counter, and shuffled out the door. Half asleep with my walkman blasting into my ears, I sat on the sidewalk waiting for my bus. The only other kid at my stop was much older and never showed up until the bus was about to pull away. I shut my eyes as my favorite song came on and began to sing along when two hands touched my shoulders. I screamed bloody murder. It was just my oldest friend, Shane. His bus stop was a mile away but he said he was bored and missed me so he came to wait with me. He brought us a joint to make the ride smoother. We giggled and played around with each other until the bus arrived. Climbing into our usual seat, he put his arm around me and I rest my head on his shoulder. I fell asleep. When the bus came to a screeching halt at the school, he caught my head before it hit the seat in front of us and laughed brushing his hand on my cheek. When I looked up, I saw the anger he held towards his family behind his eyes. I saw the compassion he had for me and the adoration as he carried my bag to class. I saw every muscle in his arm as he held the door open and I felt their strength as he hugged me goodbye. I could smell him on my clothes all class and my body tingled. When the bell rang he was there again. He would tickle me for an excuse to touch me and carry my stuff for an excuse to walk with me. If any other boy tried to talk to me he would cut them off and return the attention to him. I fell in love that day, I never looked at him the same.

4 September , 2015 by Sam Categories: writing promptTags: boys, cooties, eye contact, eyes, girls, high school, look, love, passion, see Leave a comment

Prompt 5: Food

5. Food: What’s for breakfast? Dinner? Lunch? Or maybe you could write a poem about that time you met a friend at a cafe.

I have a love/hate relationship with food that has stemmed from being a picky eater as a child. My mom never forced me to eat anything I didn’t want to and also raised me a vegetarian. When I was without her I would be afraid to eat anything different because I wasn’t sure if I could. Meal times were painful and I have always been the difficult one because I have been eating different than most people all my life.

If I wanted to make myself happy, I would feed myself breakfast for dinner and dessert for breakfast.

If I wanted to make myself proud, I would have a smoothie in the morning, hummus in the afternoon with carrot sticks, and some kind of all veggie entree for dinner featuring broccoli.

If I wanted to make my mother proud, I would drink lots of coffee and eat an apple in the morning, have a yoghurt for lunch and a funky salad for dinner.

If I wanted to make my grandpa proud, I would eat a big juicy cheeseburger for the first time in my life.

If I wanted to make a ninja turtle proud, I would eat pizza all day everyday.

If I wanted to make my boyfriend proud, I would cook all our meals from scratch everyday.

3 September , 2015 by Sam Categories: Food, writing promptTags: apple, breakfast, broccoli, burger, coffee, dessert, dinner, eating, food, Happy, hate, hummus, love, lunch, pizza, proud, salad, smoothie, vegetarian, want, woes, yoghurt Leave a comment

Prompt 2: The Unrequited Love Poem

2. The Unrequited love poem: How do you feel when you love someone who does not love you back?

Resign

I dream of us together side by side

Your eyes don’t hold the same passion as mine

My hands reach up to touch yours run and hide

The world is crashing around me – still I pine

My head will mend my heart which you have denied

Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine

Picking up the pieces to mend my pride

Traveling through the wonders of the divine

Our world is full of adventure untried

For that, my love for you I will resign

Wandering out to the other side

Purpose in hand to redefine

Possibilities are endless time to decide

Here I am, It’s the end of the line

31 August , 2015 by Sam Categories: writing promptTags: 2, adventure, create, head, heart, love, passion, poem, poetry, possibility, purpose, resign, rhyme, travel, unrequited love, writer, writing Leave a comment

Typewriters and Book Fairs

Today was one of the best days I have had in a while. I started my day with a nice kickboxing workout and then hurried through my morning routine with the dogs to attend a book fair.

On my drive to the Oxford Exchange, I saw a peculiar young man in a silver convertible brushing his teeth while driving on the interstate. Admittedly I laughed, but then I began to think about why one would do such a thing? What kind of world do we live in where people are okay with putting multiple lives at risk to brush their teeth in the car?!? A world where went care about our fellow man – which has been proven numerous times in this past year. It is so sad to me.

Back to my lovely day. I decided to go to the coffee shop because Tampa Type invited me to an event in which I could experience first hand typewriters from every era of history that have been hand restored to working order. Randy even had paper in them set with prompts for people to write a little bit too.

The event coincided with OE’s first Book Fair featuring a vast selection of local books whose authors were present. I left with a bunch of business cards, a book of poetry, and some leaflets on other books. I met so many interesting people with such wonder in their eyes you only find in those intelligent souls who seek the madness in life. On my way out, I couldn’t help but pick up a copy of Thoreau’s Where I Lived, And What I Lived For as a gift to my boyfriend.

Upon arriving home, I had a lovely lunch with him and our dogs and presented him with the book which he is ecstatic about reading. Personally, I’m about to settle in with my new signed copy of Middle Class American Proverb, a book of poetry by John Davis Jr, and a glass of wine.

3 May , 201519 July , 2015 by Sam Categories: UncategorizedTags: authors, book fair, books, coffee, explore, florida, good reads, happiness, local, love, networking, oxford exchange, poetry, stories, sunday, tampa, tampa type, tea, thoreau, transcendentalism, typewriter 1 Comment

February Reading

Well, it is a little late in the month but a friend’s mother let me borrow these three books so they have become February’s reading list.

The Paris Wife

Mrs. Poe

One Thousand White Women

17 February , 201519 July , 2015 by Sam Categories: ReadingTags: a thousand white women, books, bookworm, edgar allan poe, ernest, february, hemmingway, jim fergus, journals, journey, love, lynn cullen, may dodd, mrs. poe, paula mclain, read, reading, reading list, research, the paris wife, west Leave a comment

Wild with Witherspoon

Wednesday night on my search for inspiration I found myself at the only theater in town playing Wild with Reese Witherspoon (see trailer here). Although originally I had wanted to see this when it came out on Christmas, I still had my reservations because having a feature film based on one character being mostly alone in the woods could go terribly wrong.

I am happy to say that I misjudged Reese’s ability. She portrayed the ex-heroin and sex addict to the T. I felt her pain as she took care of her mom; it reminded me of what it was like to take care of my mom during her Hep C treatments. The way she spoke of giving up on herself and her life after her mom died I burst into tears. Her description resonated with me because nearly four years later and I am still trying to come to terms with my father’s death and realize my life again.

The director of photography did a splendid job! The shots were crisp and the scenery truly breathtaking. The smooth intertwining of flashbacks and the disillusionment associated with long periods of solitude were concise. I left the theater feeling as if I gained something important which, to me, is the true sign of a great film. If you haven’t yet seen Wild I highly suggest you go and check it out. You may just leave the theater a better person for it.

9 January , 201519 July , 2015 by Sam Categories: ReviewsTags: critic, film, heroin, hike, loss, love, pacific coast trail, reese witherspoon, review, sex, transcend, west coast, wild Leave a comment

Gratitude Jar

Today I made my gratitude jar and I am grateful that I chose to start such a great positivity enhancer in the new year. I am sure that this little jar will help me focus on all the good in the world and my life. It is long overdue. Time to let go of the past and realize the person I am meant to be.

I got to use some of the rub-on stickers my mom got me for Christmas for the sides and our pastel pencils for the front. It was a lot of fun to make – although I wanted to put the stickers right on the jar and failed epically in the process. The stickers were ruined and wound up stuck under my nails from scratching the bits that stuck off.

The idea for the jar came from an article I read yesterday; the purpose is to make you focus on the little things that happen throughout your day that you can be grateful for instead of falling into the trap that we are all guilty of – complaining about trivial things. Currently I work in the service industry and it is so easy to get stuck on the frustrating, rude things that occur everyday in the restaurant instead of that super nice couple with the adorable daughter that made you smile.

As human beings we remember hardship at the end of the year instead of the time we made a positive change in another’s life. Maybe one day you gave your lunch to someone less fortunate – put it in the jar. At the end of the year when you are feeling insecure, open the jar and remind yourself how amazing you are.

All in all I am happy with my finished product and I know it is silly but I feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders already. Finally I am taking steps toward positive change for myself instead of worrying about everyone else and putting myself on the back burner. While I’m on the cliché train, here’s to a new me in the new year!

3 January , 201519 July , 2015 by Sam Categories: Change, IdeasTags: 2015, diy, focus, gratitude jar, happiness, inspire change, love, mason jar, pastel pencil, project, stickers 3 Comments

This month’s reading list includes
Writer’s Yearbook 2015
Someone by Alice McDermott
The Lightkeeper’s Wife by Sarah Anne Johnson

Have you read any of these? Opinions? How did you feel about the style and tone? Were you moved? Did you find the magazine helpful? Any suggestions for next month?