Gleaned Regimen

Once a year...

2009-04-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

...it's your birthday. Mine is on Thursday. I'm totally breaking free from the diet and D is taking me to Belly for dinner. I mad this for my twin (it went along with Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)

I guess I'm really into striped garter stitch right now, because I just finished this and the part that goes around your neck is the only part that is too big (gauge is such a weird thing). I'm going to rip out the one seam, run the long part through my sewing machine, take scissors to it and reseam. I hope that will work - it's all I can think of except ripping the whole thing.

Off to make burgers with sheep's milk cheese, baked sweet potato fries and a salad...

spring

2009-04-19T15:46:00.001-07:00

I love the smell of spring in the Pacific Northwest. It's a relatively new smell to me. Growing up in Arizona, spring doesn't have this earthy, sweet smell. I was able to go for a long run this afternoon in the sun along a creek that wafts that spring aroma.

On the fiber front: I'm hoping to be done with a few large knitting projects soon and will post pictures.

I've been on this new diet, which has made me much more energized than during the dark, rainy days of winter. No wheat (I can have sprouted wheat, though), no dairy (but I get this amazing local raw goat milk instead), no sugar and no caffeine. After 4 weeks, I've now changed the "nos" to "stay away from" - this makes going out with friends and going to conferences (just got back from one in Portland) much easier. On the weekends, I let loose a little and it feels good. I still really miss pizza. I'm going to have to try a spelt pizza dough recipe to see if it's similar. Besides the higher levels of energy, it's helped me go back to something I have seen rarely since college - a flat stomach. Cutting out basically all majorly processed foods seems to really work (who would've thought...). Tonight, we're making homemade corn tortillas with sauteed italian greens, caramelized onions and sheep's milk farmer's cheese. I can't wait.

men knitting

2009-03-05T21:19:00.000-08:00

these made me happy to see today. knitting has been a therapeutic activity for quite some time:

Both from the National Museum of Health and Medicine flickr site

diet - the first three days

2009-03-03T22:28:00.001-08:00

I decided to try the blood type diet for a month. After three days, my commitment has shrunk down to a week. I am an O, so to match this "ancient" blood type, I am supposed to eat like a hunter gatherer (my interpretation) - think foods before agriculture set in. I'm supposed to focus on lean meats, nuts, vegetables and grains. I'm not allowed to eat dairy, wheat or distilled liquids (vinegars, liquor, etc.). The almost deal-breaker was no avocado and only sprouted wheat bread (or spelt bread).

This weekend, no matter how much I ate, I still felt hungry. I was not happy without my carbs. It's getting better, but it's not easy. If I was still in the restaurant business, I would definitely start a bakery that focused on gluten free and wheat free backed goods that retain their moisture. I can't find a bread that I can eat that isn't closer to cardboard than bread.

I had a business lunch on Monday (this was a big test as I refused to make a big deal about this new diet). Thankfully, my colleague suggested a Vietnamese restaurant. It worked out beautifully (I love pho and it's generally okay on this diet).

My next visit to the acupuncturist who suggested this is on Friday. His main reason for suggesting this diet was because he saw that my spirit was blocked and not coming out. I think this diet is a great experience, but my spirit will be crushed without a relationship to nouveau-French food (I've realized how much my identity is still wrapped up in my cooking background). I'll probably end up using this diet in spirit, but staying very flexible. I'll keep posting as the week progresses...

diet

2009-03-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me, even those who don't know me that well, know that I am in the "live to eat" category, as opposed to the "eat to live" one. I am obsessed with food and have been for a long time. It became official when my mom would find me when she got home from work in the kitchen with a big dinner project started (think pumpkin ravioli or chess pie). I cooked at fine dining restaurants through college and loved it. I didn't love the drama that sometimes surrounded the professional kitchen, though.

I have been fortunate enough to never have all this good food wreak havoc on my body. I've never been on a diet (the closest has been when I found out I was lactose intolerant, but that's just a minor modification in diet). Well, this past Friday, I decided to try a new diet. As a new years' resolution, I promised to try to get to the bottom of my long standing fatigue (I'm an extremely active person, but I've always battled through a level of fatigue that has prevented me from going to the next level like a triathlon). I went to the acupuncturist for the first time and I'm hopeful that the acupuncture will be a good approach. He also suggested trying the blood type diet. I said I would try it for a few weeks. I'm an O, so my blood type diet is very "hunter gatherer" - lean meats and no refined foods. I got home and realized what that would entail and have second thoughts. No dairy, no wheat, no avocado, etc. I think I can approach this diet in spirit, but not methodically. I just don't live in such a black and white world with food. Not being able to eat avocados and vinegars were almost a deal breaker in themselves. So, I'll use this blog as a journal for how the diet is progressing. I already have a post ready about this weekend and my struggle with the diet...

commerce

2009-02-05T19:32:00.001-08:00

So...after two official sales, I can now announce say it's official - I have an Etsy shop! It's diplomatica.etsy.com. I'm primarily selling vintage clothing, but hope to also sell knit items. I'm working on a group of balaclavas like this one for the shop...stay tuned.

Niche factor

2009-02-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about crafting ones own image and how that image grows. One of my co-worker's student employees referred to this as "being your own brand manager." How do we do that and where does it get us? I was lucky to start on my professional brand early. I was put into the niche world of electronic records preservation. It helped me earn a permanent position right out of graduate school and has kept me gainfully employed since. But did it steer me in the direction that I wanted to go? I hope so - it seems to work and I seem to get a lot out of it. I think the hiccups are more situational and day-to-day work grumpiness that most young professionals feel. And I feel that reflexivity on where your brand is heading is a good thing. I don't want my brand to end up washed up or being reinstalled at an inaccessible price point (see post on Woolrich re-launch).

Why am I talking about work on an exercise and yarn blog? Well, this link to crazy Swedish clogs made me think about this. It was posted on the "I love clogs" group on Ravelry. I am so amazed that this group exists on a social networking site for knitters, but yet it makes sense. A niche that is filled nicely, and I had the pleasure of a great laugh while perusing this Swedish website. I prefer my Skane Toeffln clogs over these, though.

Mine are like this thumbnail, but blue with hand-painted flowers on them. They've made me happy these past few weeks and brought color during several boring meetings and cold bicycle commutes.

Post-holiday

2009-01-25T18:37:00.000-08:00

I took a sincere vacation this holiday season. I unplugged for more than a week, and it felt good. After getting back to Oregon and getting back to work, it was hard to get back into things like flickr and blogging. I need to do this more regularly, but it also needs to feel right.
I'm hopeful to get back into the swing of regular swims (going well), runs (intervals are going really well) and bikes (not so much). Once it warms up a bit, the cycling should come. I just need to learn to like hills. I love them when I'm running, just not on a bike.
On the crafty side, things have been good. I got some xmas money and put it towards a spinning wheel! Hopefully it will arrive next month. I made my first garment out of my own handspun -

It was an easy pattern and nice to knit something other than a shawlette or scarf with that amount of yarn. I need to remember to spin regularly and not worry about "saving" fiber for the new wheel. I need to practice regularly to keep up this new skill.

back in the saddle and almost at the end of the race...

2008-12-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

Lots of goings on here in diplomatica-land. While d has been furiously finishing school work, I've been busy crafting and getting back in the normal swing of things with exercise. I've gotten the OK to bike again. I went out with ll on the bike path on Saturday. So much trepidation, but lots of fun. I went slow - it was the first time I'd been back on clipless pedals since my fall in July.

I started to take pictures of my vintage clothes for an etsy shop I'm going to open. I just need to wrangle d for a moment and have him help me create a banner.

I can see the end of the road from the goal of making my Christmas gifts. I just have one small snag - figuring out what to knit for d. I told him about the sweater curse, so that's out of the question, per his directions. I just need to make up my mind and cast on. He liked the cowl for his birthday last week, so at least my knitting mojo is okay.

Intervals...

2008-12-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

Exciting news! I really am running again! I didn't really post about this earlier because right after I started, I got a cold that has decided to linger past the Thanksgiving weekend. I've done several interval runs. It's great to actually run, not plod. Between my numerous lunges, calve raises and stretches, this is a great energizing activity. I'm hoping to have this jumpstart a better workout routine during the holidays.

I haven't been feeling the digital photo bug, so I'm woefully behind on spinning, knitting, cooking and exercising photos. I've been ordered to get back on my road bike for short rides, so hopefully this will spurn on some photos. It's just so dark here (besides the time I'm cooped up in my office). I think I need to make a light box.

Okay, off to drowsily celebrate D finishing his model and presentation for studio. He still has two more big assignments for the term, but this was the big one. After being awake for 36 hours, I'm not sure how much celebration we'll be doing. Probably a beer, dinner and falling asleep to our Netflix selection.

Fuzzy warmth

2008-12-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

It hasn't been snowing here in the Willamette Valley, but is has been quite chilly (and foggy - darn inversion) the past few weeks. It's made us turn on the heat and me crave knitting a warm, squishy sweater instead of the smaller, xmas gift knits I've been cranking out for awhile now.

One thing that's made it so much easier is the addition of the Monday night knitting group I've started to attend down the street. It's great to a) meet other people that love to knit as much as me, b) take the dedicated time to talk and knit purposefully for a couple of hours, and c) learn a few things (tonight was about slapping handspun yarn to help set the twist - a much better method than weighting it after soaking). Which reminds me, I'm actually getting a much better feel for spinning and plying. The recent skeins have really improved. I gave one to my aunt on Friday and she seemed to enjoy the color palette. No pics just yet since some of it is yet to be gifted...I'm excited to spin some recent fiber from a wonderful woman who lives up the hill from me. You can see her blanketed sheep as you walk up to her studio - so cool!

giving thanks

2008-11-24T16:55:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year to give thanks for what you've got. This has been a rough fall for me. Normally, I would smirk at what some would say has become just a tag line to sell more turkey and sweaters, but this year, giving thanks is more important for me. It's a good exercise to realize how fortunate you actually are, in the grand scheme of things.

This website about the Willard Suitcases was the aha! moment that made the thankfulness click for me this year.

Reading the stories of those that were at Willard State Hospital is moving. I've always wondered how I would have ended up if I had been born 100 years earlier - would this have been my fate after raising a stink in public or after a few unfortunate events. The eerie idea of the patients' suitcases left in the attic for years (containing their entire possessions). Most states had/have these institutions and these types of stories. Thankfully, many have returned the possessions or tried to give these people a story. That's what I like about this online exhibit - it gives a voice to those that were silenced years ago.

After reading their stories, especially Madeline's, it made me very thankful for my freedom and the endless opportunities still out there for me.

fiber frenzy

2008-11-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

Knitting, spinning, coveting woolen cardigans. These are all things that have I've been up to. It's definitely fall, nearing Thanksgiving. The weather, the excitement for Christmas and D's birthday next week have gotten me obsessed with making and/or acquiring woolen goodies.
On my recent stops to yarn and fiber shops, I scored this:

I've been drooling over Habu patterns recently and just found out some dangerous news, Knit/Purl carries Habu and various kits! I love this tunic and this jacket.

I've been spinning a lot, which has also helped with my craptastic past 10 days. Highs and lows. Bad work stuff and great personal stuff. Big news - I can run again! I'm doing running intervals, something new for me. I've done interval training in the pool, but besides the random fartlek on weekend hill runs, I've never done timed interval running practices. It's fun. I think I'll be enjoying my weekly exercise.

More pics after Thanksgiving...

Wool overload

2008-11-04T16:17:00.000-08:00

Lots to report -
- First, I'm learning how to spin fiber (not spinning on a bike, which two of my family members thought I was talking about - I've already been to many a bike spinning class). It's fun - but I'm still at the frustrating point where I'm still learning basic skills. I'm enjoying it. A colleague is letting me borrow her spare Ashford wheel.
- Second, I'm almost back to running. I'm now swimming a lot and doing my yoga regularly. Yoga has been amazing at improving my form in the pool. All that core strength really does make a difference. After I gain more hip strength, I can begin to run again. Soon...just in time for the cold, rainy weather.
- Last, sooo much knitting going on for the holidays. Obv, no picks for the gifts, but here's a picture of my new fall FO - a great wool stole that also seconds as as scarf:

Recouperation and Routine

2008-10-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

After a visit to the orthopedist, and x-ray and a huge shot of cortisone into my ankle, things are getting better. Oh, maybe it's the massive anti-inflammatory meds I'm on. Either way, it led me back to yoga. Without (full body) swimming and running, I was going bonkers. So, I finally found a use for my Borders Rewards coupons that fill up my spam folder. I bought a yoga CD set from Baron Baptiste. I've been doing it regularly and it really has helped in strength, flexibility and balance. Not to mention general toning and happy feelings. I had really let this injury make me feel defeated. Hopefully it will work out. I've been banned from my road bike with clipless pedals, but I'm now supposed to start swimming again. Yippee!

In other news, I finished Archival Clothing's sweater -

I got so inspired, I started my own February Lady Sweater with the other vintage, hardship wool. Today my wrists are questioning that decision and so I ordered some squishy yarn from Webs to counter it.

Okay, off to sewing class at the Craft Center. I'm trying to become one with my vintage Singer.

Summer injuries

2008-09-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

Well, it was all working out and then, like last year, something bad happened in July and I was forced to take a break from my gym time and fun swimming. Last year, I had to have a small operation on my toe and this year I had a collision on my road bike. After 8 weeks or so, I'm heading to an evaluative orthopedist next week to see what really happened. Icing after 8 weeks has gotten really old.

...Instead, let's talk about knitting. I've been doing lots since I've been somewhat out of commission. A nice shawl was started and finished this summer.

I finally finished my own log cabin blanket,

Now, I'm nearing completion on a sweater for archival clothing. Pictures to come soon.

For exercise - I might need to even stop my arm weights and floor work until I get back my ankle and hip strength. Today is the pool - a place that normally brings me joy and relaxation, that has caused me pain that last several times I've dove in.

MUFA, huh?

2008-03-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

I'm at home, trying to deal with this fatigue issue I've had for a couple of months. I've added Vitamin D, which has seemed to help a little, but not 100%. So I thought it would be a good time to talk about MUFAs - an acronym I was unfamiliar with until yesterday via this article about "flat-belly foods." Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), when taken a little with every meal (so the article says), can help reduce belly fat. I'm okay with this, since the MUFA categories are nuts and seeds, oils, olives, avocado and chocolate. Throwing a little bit of walnuts or cacao nibs on something is a good reminder to diversify at dinner time.

In other news, I gleaned some new free-weight arm exercises from a guy in the gym this week. I tried them out and realized that other than my swimming twice a week, I'm not really working out my deltoids. Next up, figuring out the medicine balls...

no-go

2008-03-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

So, technical difficulties decided that I didn't go on the 100km ride on Saturday. I was more than okay to go back to sleep at 5 am, so no worries. Instead, I did a round of household errands and a run along Pre's trail. Something must have happened on the run to my right knee and now something does not feel good in there. No make-up 100km for me today. Just a hopeful swim in the rec center pool (if the mechanical issues have been resolved in the pool) - primarily working on arms with the pull buoy.

On the food front - I roasted a chicken and mixed root veggies for dinner last night. Salad was another accompaniment.

Lots of knitting and brainstorming this weekend instead of the long bike rides. I want to start a full garment soon. I think my left-handed knitting skills are improving (or mirrored knitting, to be PC).

austere but powerful

2008-03-07T16:40:00.000-08:00

I was very proud of myself. Last night was a great dinner - couscous salad, raw celeriac salad with a bit of parm and a minneola. I splurged and made homemade chocolate pudding but subbed lowfat, lactose-free milk for the 1/2 and 1/2.

Now that I'm going to be doing another 100km bike ride in less than a week, I'm realizing austerity today and tomorrow won't be in my favor. It's time to eat up lots of calories in prep for tomorrow's snoozeville populaire. Last Sunday's 60-mile ride was my first to push the 40-mile boundary. It also had several miles of intense hill climbing scattered throughout the ride, an intense headwind and a nice pub halfway through that seemed so tempting to just stop at and have David pick me up later in the afternoon. Snoozeville has a lovely pub at the end of it, so that's even better...austerity returns on Monday.

live to tell

2008-03-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

This isn't an epic post about a near-death experience. The song of that title by Madonna was ironically going through my head for some of the 60-mile bike ride I did yesterday. The track on main rotation was the lead track on this album, by Iron and Wine. There were big hills, a massive headwind coming back to town and moments where I really wanted to get off the bike and run my bike up the hill (thankfully, I never succumb to this urge).

This ride signals a day off from the gym to recoup for tomorrow's lunch time fun. After doing that ride, I realize my neck and core muscles are still in need of some work.

minutia

2008-02-27T19:58:00.000-08:00

Taking stock of what you actually consume on a day-to-day basis can feel tedious. A food journal seemed too post-modern and touchy feely to me. So I decided to use a site I heard about. Logging my food and exercise into this website everyday has given me a new insight into what I eat in my idyllic world. Trying to find beet salad with goat cheese and local greens is tough. You have to de-romanticize your food and enter 2 cups mixed greens, raw; 1/2 cup beets, cooked without fat, 2 oz goat cheese. Nevertheless, it's a good exercise in looking at my meals and how it breaks down in terms of calories and vs. exercise.

Today was my day off from workouts. Tomorrow, it's back to the gym, where ideas for new exercises will be observed from various folks taking their lunch break to exercise, as well.

new blog info

2008-02-26T11:01:00.000-08:00

This post from my defunct blog spurred me to create Gleaned Regimen as a new place to talk about athletic activities and food habits gleaned from books, movies, other media and observations in the gym and in daily life.