The Great Outdoors - Ebenezers

Our Ebenezer

We had an impromptu visit to Phoenix this weekend. Making a little mini Pittsburgh Reunion. Because it was Phoenix and we were with Pittsburgh friends of course we spent the whole weekend outdoors hiking. Our friend Jen happened to be in a boot from a broken foot and so we keep it somewhat simple. The last time we went to Phoenix we built an ebenezer and this time we spent our Sunday morning doing the same thing. We hiked through Superstition Canyon. It ended up being a great hidden place in the wilderness. It made you feel like you were the only ones up there, there were no signs of urban sprawl or civilization, aside from the other hikers. It was absolutely fabulous and in more ways than one breathtaking.

Relapse - Part 2

I had finally gotten a handle on my last relapse. I was doing P90X again, biking, climbing; it was wonderful. Then we decided to move and everything got all gummed up.

Thankfully California is a great place to get back into healthy habits. Ben and I have been biking, walking on the beach and visiting some great hiking places around. All of which would not be normal middle-of-January activities. More importantly I have getting myself back into the normal routine of activity. I don't have any new "advice" to share since my last relapse, but I still wanted to post on this maybe just for some level of camaraderie.

After going back and forth about whether or not to run again, I finally decided to do it. For me running feels good. Today as I ran only about a mile I remembered that it makes me feel like I am going and getting somewhere. My lungs were burning and my legs were saying B**** please, but I keep telling myself that was because I haven't ran in probably 6 months. Soon the burning will dull and my legs will remember what it's like to work. As long as I keep pushing myself, keep getting out there, keep going. Maybe a great analogy for many things in life.

Hopefully this will be your encouragement to get out there and just do it, no matter how little or long, how slow or fast, how far or short. Thanks to my running friends for your unknown encouragement, especially Lauren and Jen.

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is today."

Primal Apple Crisp

I mentioned previously that I was taking a trip into Primal land. If you don't know what that means then you can go here to check it out a bit. Basically, it is a theory that we should eat as our ancestors ate, our cavemen ancestors. Meaning a heavy reliance on meat and animal fats, no grains, legumes(beans), sugar, vegetable oils or potatoes. That is a very basic take on it, but if you are interested I encourage you to check out the website.

Friends of mine are also doing the Primal thing so I decided to make a dessert we could all enjoy. I was thinking that fruit dessert would be easiest, and decided to modify an apple crisp recipe. Below is what I make and I think it turned out pretty good. As I was making it I forgot that honey is an "acceptable" sweetener, so this is made without any additional sugar. However, if I made it again I would probably put honey on the apples, though it was sweet enough without it.

Primal Apple Crisp

Prep Time 30 mins : Bake Time 30 mins : Serves 12
Ingredients
8 Apples¹
1/2 Cup walnuts
1/2-1 Cup Raisins
1/2-1 Cup Craisins(Dried Cranberries)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
nutmeg, optional
ginger, optional
cloves, optional

1/4 cup quinoa flakes²
1/2 cup coconut flour³
1 cup almond meal⁴

1/2 cup butter(1 stick)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Core and slice the apples. If you are particular about your apples then feel free to peel them as well.
2. Place the apples, walnuts, craisins and raisins in a bowl and toss them with whichever spices you have chosen to use, but with at least the cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine quinoa flakes, coconut flour and almond meal in a bowl. Use a pastry blender to mix in 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick).
4. Spread apple mixture into a 9x13 pan. Use remaining 1/4 cup butter by cutting into pads and distributing over the mixture. Spread topping mixture evenly over the apples.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are bubbling and topping is browned. Like any crisp, this too would be delicious with ice cream or whipped cream, though not necessarily primal.



Foodnotes
¹Often times apple dessert recipes call for granny smiths or special baking apples. Anytime I bake with apples I use whatever apple I want or is on sale. I am sure there are reasons for using specific apples, but I have never had issues with any of the ones I've tried. This time I used gala, pink lady and braeburn.
²I have only found out about this craziness of quinoa flakes, they had them in bulk at our food co-op. They are suppose to work very similarly to rolled oats and they substituted marvelously for this recipe.
³The coconut flour I found was Bob's Red Mill. I am sure you can find some online, though I got ours at our co-op. The package said it could be substituted for up to 1/3 of the flour in recipes. I used only it because I wasn't actually baking a cake or bread or anything that needed to rise in anyway.
⁴You can buy almond meal, it can get rather expensive sometimes. But my almond meal I made using my food processor. This recipe also had some walnuts in the "almond" meal.

Kill Your TV

...no really.

I am not a crazy anarchist, or even an extreme activist, but I have seen great benefits come from not having a television or mass amounts of media in my life recently.

About 3 months ago, I would check IMDb at least once a day. I am a film person, I went to university for it, and so it was quite an interest of mine. I wanted to be caught up on what movies had come out, who was working on this, who was being honored with awards and, yes, a little bit of who was dating who. For a few days I had been busy and for one reason or another hadn't gone onto the site. Then I thought, maybe I should see if I can not go on for longer, can I really do this? I think at the point when I really wanted to go to it and had to shut the computer and walk away, was when I realized I guess I was slightly addicted to it. Now, I am at a place where I could kind of care less. I actually hadn't realized that X-Men: First Class had come out until I saw an ad for it on Google. This was the first step in me understanding what role I want media playing in my life.

When Ben and I were in China, especially this last trip, we were on media overload. I basically slept, ate, watched television and exercised, while watching television. I was watching American Idol, like we had to get home from dinner so I could watch it. Now I understand this was partly because I was feeling incredibly isolated and wanting my own culture and interaction desperately. Either way, I had become accustom to watching television, which I hadn't had before. When I got back home, that feeling of being starving for community could be fulfilled by hanging out with anyone I ever knew, any time I could, leaving no time or longing for TV. We had a television in the living room that we used mostly for movies or gatherings. I decided I didn't want it taking up space anymore, and we chose to move it out of the living room. I was never a huge fan of television and aside from China, I hadn't watched television much since high school. But even with the level that I watched, getting rid of the TV was one of the best decisions I have made in recent history.

Recently, Ben and I were doing some moderate yard work. He looked at me and said something like I hate yard work, why did we buy a house? I responded that I didn't mind it so much. What else would we be doing? We both looked at each other and said watching TV? That was confirmation enough to me that living without a television was a good idea. I have so much extra time and so much less thought spent on media. I feel like I am going over to the dark side of hippy-ism by saying this, but my brain feels less cluttered. This combined with my listening primarily to NPR or our local station, WYEP, have made me rather unaware of what is going on in mainstream media. I have become ignorant to who the rising star is, what films to look for and, right, who is sleeping with who. This is an ignorance that I have been glad to accept, one that has made me a happier me.

I would encourage you to take some time away from your television and media. I have heard before that people do media fasts or have one day a week without media. I am sure that this could be effective. Though, I would prefer the extreme of turning all of the televisions into fish bowls.

How much television do you watch? Do you consume it via the interwebs? Have you tried to do a media fast or decrease your amount of watching?

Relapse

After all of my zeal and motivation, my excitement and perseverance, it's happened to me too. I have relapse into laziness. Well maybe not exactly laziness, but definitely not a regular exercise schedule and definitely not eating well. When I realized what was going on, I decided to take a step back and look at what happened. After some examination, I figured out why things had changed and set up ways to stop it from happening again.

Time

This is an easy one, one that we all share. Where does all the time go? It is also the springboard for everything else. When I started working at my new job, everything had to be consolidated. I went from having five days to fill, to one day. That was difficult. I don't understand how all of you full-timers do it. I really don't, let me take this space to applaud you for your amazingness. ::applause:: But when it comes down to it everyone knows that we all make time for the things we find important. If you really want to watch TV, then you stay up late and watch it. If you have to read your favorite blog, then you sacrifice your lunch hour. Why not do this for things better than TV, but don't stop reading blogs :)

Buddies

Can't possibly get up to run in the morning, run in the evening with a friend. Exercise buddies are the best. If you pick the right one, they help keep you on track. If not, they can become your ice cream buddy instead. You want to pick someone who you can stand up to and who can stand up to you. When you don't want to go, they do and vis versa. They need to be able to push you without it feeling like criticism. That usually means someone pretty close to you, like a best friend, but not always. Here is more on exercise buddies, specifically in the area of running.

Combos

I have had the pleasure of being able to ride my bike to work. It has been a time effective way for me to exercise, get to work and have some time to myself. Try to think of ways that you can combine different activities in your schedule. Maybe you too can bike to work, it is really awesome. Maybe you can take the bus, which usually causes you to walk more than driving. If you have to drive to work, park as far away as possible and walk to your building. You know those people you see on lunch break, wearing business clothes and tennis shoes. Become one of them. If you have an hour break, it doesn't take an hour to eat. Or even a half hour. Join a co-worker or two and walk around your building or a few blocks during lunch. See if your boss will let you replace your desk with one of these:

If you can't get away with that, ask if you can switch out your desk chair for a stability ball. Here are some super easy "exercises"/stretches to do at your desk. You can even try walking to the grocery store or farmer's market when you are only picking a few things up. Take advantage of the great summer weather and get outdoors.

Plan

You can read all over the interwebs that meal plans are cost effective, help you lose weight and waste less food. I believe wholeheartedly that this is true, but that doesn't make it any easier to actually do. When I do have a chance to plan, one "meal" that I feel gets lost in planning is snacks. I don't think that snacks are horrible, and I think it is unreasonable for you to think that you will never snack again in your life. Situations happen, especially the mid-afternoon my-brain-is-melting-into-the-keyboard-ooo-cookies. I try my hardest to pack a snack. Usually this consists of some almonds and a mix of other nuts we have in the house. Sometimes it will be a piece of fruit or craisins. I have recently started doing a Primal thing and anticipating my craving for crunchy chip/cracker type things, I got roasted seaweed snacks. If you are a fan of seaweed or sushi, these are simply nori-like sheets that are salted and, in my opinion, super tasty.
Also, when you are planning, have back ups for your back-ups. Remember that time when your friend told you their hard drive crashed and they lost everything? And you responded with, well don't you have an external drive? Yeah, but I hadn't backed it up recently. I am not going to lie, I love schedules and plans. I find it really fun to figure out timing and writing up menus and making lists. But sometimes you forget your list, or the avocados are way too expensive. This is when you need a back up. Have some extra meal ideas that take less time in case you had to stay late at work and the chips and salsa dinner is calling you when you get home. When you do have time to make dinner, make extras. Then package them in lunch sized containers. I have leftovers for lunch everyday, it's so much more satisfying than say a sandwich.

I realized that I also have to be patient with myself...again. While getting back into habits and routines that you once had, times can be difficult. I know what I use to be able to do and in my mind I should still be able to do it. But you have to realize that you aren't going to be able to go from where you are now to where you were. It is going to take time...again. The positive side is that you know you can get there. You know you are strong enough, you're good enough, you're smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!

Anybody have any other advice to get things rolling again after a relapse?

Fermentation Update

I posted earlier about my new venture into fermented foods. I put the glass jars on top of one of our kitchen cabinets so that I wouldn't look at it everyday and mess with it. Which was a rather good idea because I totally forgot about them after a while. When the month had passed we pulled them down and found some interesting things.

First, the sauerkraut has shifted. Apparently I hadn't pressed it down enough, because it expanded above the liquid level. This made me nervous, but there didn't appear to be any mold on the top. There were little stripes of white, but they didn't look like mold. The carrots also had some white that settled at the bottom which I couldn't remember if it was there before or not.

At the time Ben and I were both really sick and so we decided to wait until our immune systems had recovered before putting potentially harmful food into our bodies. A couple weeks later I got around to remembering that the fermented foods existed. We happen to be sitting down with some friends and asked them what they thought of their condition. We decided to open them up and see how they smelled. The sauerkraut was very strong smelling, but not unexpected. The carrots smelled like carrot wine, or at least what I think it would smell like. It was very interesting. Ben and I decided to each try a little bit of the sauerkraut and see if we'd die through the night.

::suspense:: We didn't die! We also didn't feel ill which would be a lot more likely.The sauerkraut taste was everything I imagined and more; definitely the best sauerkraut I have ever had.

About a week later we tried the carrots. When I went to the presentation, it was explained that they would be like carrot sticks. This is not what I they were like, at least not the carrot sticks I think of. They became entirely mushy once you try to remove them from the jar. They are also incredibly strong in flavor, and that's coming from someone who likes strong flavors. I am not sure if we let them go for too long or if I cut them is too small of pieces, but we won't be making them again. Right now I am trying to come up with an idea for how to use them in a recipe or something. I am thinking of trying to make a kimchi and adding them to that.

Verdict:

Sauerkraut will definitely happen again, I have been enjoying it a whole bunch. Carrots might happen again, but maybe using this recipe instead.

Is anyone else going to try it? Or have you fermented foods before?

CHICKENS!

I have always been a city girl. I love going camping in the woods, but rural areas kind of give me the heebee geebees. That is why we bought a house in the city and I went to college in the city, I just love "the city". Recently though I have been having these incredible urges to just want to do manual labor. I started having these thoughts that maybe I was wrong and what I really desire is to be a farmer. Which seems crazy because I don't have any experience with handling animals. I have barely ever been on a farm or really seen even a chicken in real life. But I do have a longing to reconnect with my food.

I am not exactly sure when I first had the thought that I wanted chickens. It was somewhere after deciding that I not only really liked eggs, but, more importantly, felt it was okay to eat them. This thought, like most, grew into an idea, and then slowly became a reality. It started with looking up the local laws and regulations. I thought that this would be easy, I guess I forgot I live in Pittsburgh. Then I had to actually do research into what type of chickens, how big of a space they would need and what type of coop I would want to build. I started with going to a friend who also has chickens and asking him for advice. Gleaming knowledge from him and the people he referred me to made me confident that this was something I could actually do.

The Basics

Chickens are one of the easiest "farm" or livestock animals to have. The reason that urban backyard chickens are popular is because you can actually have them in an urban environment, they don't require much care or space. (though more space than some factories would have you believe)

Local Laws & Regulations
We live in a society, and world, filled with rules and restrictions. The first step towards owning chickens is understanding what you can and cannot do. Some cities/towns/boroughs have general laws, others are very specific. One law here in Pittsburgh says we are not allowed "fowl at large". Sometimes it is very difficult to figure out what your specific legal boundaries are and when you do it might still be difficult to get the right permits. Two of the best online compilations of chickens law are City Chicken and Chicken L.O.R.E. But do some of your own research as well.

Also, though it usually isn't part of the law, you should really talk to your neighbors, at least the immediate ones. They might be just as clueless about chickens as you were. You can help to quell some of their potential fears and concerns, and share your newfound poultry knowledge.


Space & Housing

I have seen some pretty creative ways people have housed chickens in small areas, but here are some things to think about.

Coop
The henhouse is where your chickens will sleep at night. The coop needs to be completely sealed and protected. At night chickens enter an almost trance-like state and will not be able to protect themselves or even run away from predator.  For the coop you want at least 2-3 ft² per chicken. You also have to have a "roost". This can be anything that resembles a branch. The chickens actually roost at night, they sleep on the branch.

Fenced Area or Run
In most cities, you can't have your chickens just wondering around and you don't want them to be. Depending on the chicken and if they will be supervised while out, will help determine what kind of fence or run you need to create. Sometimes also clipping the chickens wings, which is completely harmless to them, can make it possible for you to have a shorter fence. The chickens we have are really docile and haven't flew over the 3 ft. fence we have, yet. For a proper run, you should have at least 4-5 ft² per chicken.

When you've determined that you have enough space in your backyard to house a coop and a run, you need to decide how you are going to get them. You can purchase already built coops or you can make them yourself. You can pay thousands of dollars or you can build something with all scrap.There are plans everywhere for coops, search online until you find one you like and is equivalent to your skill level :) If you want to go the pre-made way, the Eglu is supposed to be rather cool, but expensive.


Breed
Once you've figured out that you can legally have chickens and have physical space for them, you need to find which breed is the best for you. What are you looking to get out of this? Eggs or a pretty pet?

The Sultan chicken on the left is going to produce much fewer eggs than say a Rhode Island, because they were breed for their looks not their eggs. Also, you need to think of what environment you are in. Some breeds are more hearty while others require cooler temperatures.

You also need to decide if you are going to raise the chicks or get laying (grown) hens. Since we received our chickens at a year old I have no real experience here. I have heard that chicks are really cute, but can also be work. There are also specific laws about buying chicks vs. chickens. Most of the people I know ordered their chicks online, which seems really ridiculous. To learn about raising chicks, go here.

You can find a complete list of breeds and their various characteristics here.

Care
When you finally get your chickens, coop and run, you'll want to know what to do with them. The chickens need to be let out in the morning. They will roam around and graze, mostly just eating and pooping. Because of the poop, you will need to hose things down. Depending on what method you use  for litter, you can clean the coop every 1-2 weeks or 1-2 times a year. This is the Deep Litter Method. As it gets dark, they will naturally go back into the coop and settle onto the roost. You need to close and secure the coop. Sometimes they need a little encouragement with returning to the coop. If we know we are not going to be home by sundown we put them back in their coop early to avoid any danger. They also need water, especially on hot days like we have had recently, and food, though the amount they consume will vary depending on how much they've grazed or been given treats. You also need to be aware and watch for their health. Here is a little guide to some basic issues.

Links
Urban Farm Store - They have some great resources, I would also highly recommend their book "A Chicken in Every Yard" it is really easy to read and super informative.

Backyard Chickens - A wonderful online resource with pretty much everything you can think of.


All that is left to do is enjoy the eggs and the entertainment your flock brings. I can watch scratch-scratch-peck for hours. And how large and delicious the eggs will be!


This is in no way a comprehensive guide to chickens, but it is at least enough to get you started thinking about it. Do you have chickens or advice to give? I love hearing chicken stories!

Baked (Fried) Green Tomatoes

I don't really remember this movie, because I saw it so long ago. But I am pretty sure I really liked it.

Tomato season is soon upon us, and if you check out your local farmer's markets it has probably already hit. I was lucky enough a couple of weeks ago to find some beautiful green tomatoes. I was unable to resist their color. The classic fried green tomatoes is what I decided to make, but I wanted to see if I could make them tasty if they were baked. The result was pretty delicious, without the dripping oil.

Look at that amazing green

Baked Green Tomatoes

Prep Time 10 min : Cook Time 30 min : Servings 10

Ingredients:

Breading¹
1/2 Cup Cornmeal
1/2 Cup Unseasoned Breadcrumbs
1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
Hot Paprika
Salt
Pepper

Buttermilk
6 Green Tomatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the tops off of the tomatoes and continue to slice, crosswise, down the fruit.²
2. Combine the breading ingredients in a shallow bowl and mix well.
3. Place the buttermilk in a bowl, I usually start with a little bit (1/2 Cup) then add more when I need it.
4. Set up the breading train. Don't worry about keeping you fingers clean, your efforts will be futile.
5. Start with the buttermilk on both sides and then the breading.
6. Spray or grease a baking sheet. Place breaded slices on the sheet and the sheet into oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the slices over and bake for another 15 minutes.
7. They should be golden brown and delicious. Serve immediately with homemade ranch dressing, because they are the best piping hot.

Foodnotes
¹This isn't a precise measurement. It will depend on how well you bread each slice and how much they want to hold. You may need to add some more to the mix.
²One of the great things about green tomatoes is that they are firm and super easy to cut. You can use all those extra little tops and bottoms in a green tomato salsa.

The Great Outdoors - Trekking through the Desert

We are lucky enough to have a friend who is temporarily living in Phoenix. He has an apartment and so we planned a trip there to take advantage of the opportunity. We planned to start in Phoenix and stay there for a few days before driving up to Las Vegas. If I would have went back to Phoenix two years ago, we would have spent our time hanging out, going to a movie, eating tons of Mexican food and maybe sitting by the pool. But my lifestyle has changed. I wanted to get outside and do things, hike, climb, etc. I wanted to soak up as much Vitamin D as I could and work for it. Most people would look at this as a good change, and I do to, but that doesn't mean that lifestyle changes are any easier.

Camelback Mountain - The Railing of Doom

After climbing up some nice sized steps and weaving a path along the edge of the mountain, this was what awaited us. The rock was so steep and smooth that they decided to put up railings to help people get through this section of the trail. This was where I had my first freak out of the trip. My hands were too sweaty and I didn't trust my feet to hold. I tried to just boulder up it without using the railing, but it wasn't working. I was scared that I would get to a certain point and then not be able to go up or down and resolve to just live my life on the middle of this rock. I kept thinking, this is silly, there's a railing, it should be the easy part, but it wasn't. I was setting up a mental block on getting up this part of the trail. I was thinking about it too much rather than just going, doing. I watched as person after person passed me and climbed up to the top. At some point the Jillian kicked in and started yelling "Are you going to let that dog show you up?" I stopped thinking about it and climbed up. It was still really scary and I was thinking about what would happen on the way back down, but I stood at the top with some satisfaction.

South Mountain - Just a pile of Rocks

South Mountain was much more of your average hiking trail. There wasn't any even mild bouldering and aside from the gradient, it wasn't much work. (We even did some trail running to help liven things up.) When we reached one of the peaks we saw this strange pile of rocks. We decided it was an ebenezer. Ebenezer is translated to "stone of help". We all picked up rocks and told God what we were thankful for. Where we had felt his presence and his help in our lives. Then we added our stones to the pile. It was a really awesome moment. It might have just been a pile of rocks that were moved away from the trail, but we made it an ebenezer. We saw God in it.

Right before the rocks was an old stone sacrificing table. We used it too.

There was definitely something spiritual happening up on that mountain.

Red Rock - It Doesn't End With Me Getting to the Top of the Mountain

Red Rock is one of the most beautiful natural areas of it's kind, especially that I have physically been at. The rock is literally red in areas from the iron deposits and it has created one of the greatest climbing areas in the country. There are all different levels of hiking/climbing, from strolling through the desert and admiring the beautiful colors to lead climbing up a rock face. We settled somewhere in between. There was some bouldering and some "difficult" hiking. There was no definitive path, just kind of finding your way up the mountain. To date this rock has pushed me farther past my comfort levels than most other things.(Especially if I qualify that with things in this country that don't have to do with cross-cultural experiences) There were multiple freak out moments, much more significant than Camelback. This was mostly because falling was much farther at Red Rock. There was a lot of "I can't do this. I can't do this" in the crazy girl voice.

In the end, I didn't get to the top. I didn't conquer the rock. I didn't look it in the eyes and tell it I wasn't scared, because I was scared. But I did go farther than I thought I could. I still pushed myself past points I didn't know I could be pushed. I very rarely have moments where I can physically see "cliches" in my life. Usually I just know that they exist in the world. (In fact the cynical person in me can't believe I am even writing this, especially using these words. But I am so I am trying to get over it.) But for me Red Rock that day was about not always reaching big goals, but pushing past limits you set up for yourself, most of which end up being subconscious. I might not have made it to the top, but I tried my hardest and I got farther than I was expecting. I showed myself that if I can push to this point, maybe next time I can push to the top.


I don't know what exactly I am trying to say with all this. You don't always reach the end, but that doesn't mean you've failed. You can find God and His presence in many places, even when you're not looking. Little freak outs along the way can be good for you, they sober you into appreciation and recognition. Arizona and Nevada are really beautiful country and you should go there. I'm not sure, but it was a great trip. I feel like I changed a bit and therefore it was worth sharing with you. I hope at least someone enjoyed it, it was for you.

The Great Outdoors - Biking, part 2

This is continued from last Friday's post.

Map Your Route

Not knowing where you're going sucks. Not knowing where you're going when you are biking, sucks more. After you've been biking around and are tired, or it's started to rain, the last thing you want is to be circling around an area. We are incredibly lucky to have multiple resources to map your route in Pittsburgh. First, BikePGH has a free physical map that you can get at many different locations around Pittsburgh, including all bike shops and the East End Food Coop. For a full list of where to pick one up, go here. They also offer a "high quality rip-proof, waterproof paper" map for $10 available for purchase on the same site. Second, they have an interactive online map which you can use to map out where you're going. The online map allows you to see trail access, bike shops, where there are dedicated bike lanes and crash reports. (Here is a great article about why you should report a crash and how to stay protected.) Finally, Google maps offers a "bike" option as one of their modes of transportation under "Get Directions".

Ride With Friends

The more people riding together, the more visible you are. Though this isn't feasible for all situations, you be surprised who else bikes places. Ask around at your job or school and see if others are interested in starting a bikepool. Using your bike to commute even once a week, can make a big difference. Here are more resources on how to start or join a bikepool. One of our favorite spring, summer and fall activities is going for a bike ride with friends. It is a great way to hang out and explore the city together. Also, because biking isn't always as cardio-intensive, you're able to carry on conversations easily with each other.

Ride Often

Like anything, the more you do it, usually the better you are. When I pull out my bike for the first time in a season, I need to re-learn and re-adjust to using a bike again. This biking season my goal is to ride my bike as much as possible. I want to act like I only have a car to use when a bike just won't work, because I would like to think that I could survive without a car. This season is my experiment in that, and it is going well so far. It doesn't help that we live at the top of a hill, but then again it's Pittsburgh which is all hills. Also, it isn't nearly the biggest hill around.

Some Things That Don't Fit Into Categories

Always, I repeat ALWAYS wear a helmet. I see some of my friends riding around and other strangers without helmets, and it makes me really sad. I don't care how stupid you think it looks or how hardcore you think you are, it isn't and you aren't. I was hit by a car once on my bike and I thanked God that I was wearing a helmet, my injury could have been a lot worse without it. Helmets come in so many different styles, pick one you like and wear it every time.
Get a lock! Preferably a U-Lock, but at least a nice chain lock. You don't want to spend months fixing up a junker at Free Ride just to have it stolen. Also, if you only have a U-lock, lock your front tire AND frame to a secure apparatus. You don't want this happening:

If you are going to ride at night you need a bike light. You MUST have a back red light that blinks, and ideally you should get a front, white light that has a solid and blinking setting. Our house really like Planet Bike, in general, but especially for their front, white bike lights.

I hope this has been helpful and encourages you to ride in the city, or to just ride in general. I find bike riding very rewarding. Often times I get nervous or whinny before I start a ride, but once I get out there I am happy that I made the right choice and I have a great time. What good times have you had on your bike? What's your favorite ride through Pittsburgh?

The Great Outdoors - Biking, part 1

It's that time of the year again, when you go dust off the bike you've been neglecting all winter and go for a ride. I personally would love to be one of those hardcore bikers that rides all through the frigid, ice-filled winter, but I'm not. I try to tell myself one day I will be, but we'll see. Now that the weather is nice though, I take every opportunity to ride my bike. It is great for so many reasons, environmentally better, more healthy, and it builds character. When I first started riding in the city, back in college, I was very apprehensive. It was scary, there were cars and pedestrians, and I wasn't all that comfortable on a bike. But after some practice, I became versed in city riding and now feel like I am one of the cars. Don't be discouraged not to ride your bike; there are plenty of things you can do to make yourself more comfortable and, more importantly, more safe.

Like Your Bike

When I first started riding a bike again I was on a little mountain bike. I wasn't really comfortable on it, and therefore my riding experience wasn't that fun. Then I went to Free Ride and was lucky enough to find a great small road bike. It was an old Schwinn and I loved it. It made riding so much more enjoyable. Part of that was because it was made more for city riding, but more of it was that I felt comfortable. Last year I graduated to buying a new bike. It took a lot of debate, but I decided it was well worth the money. And it has been. When I was looking for a new bike, one of the guys I talked to asked if I was looking for a road bike, a cruiser, a hybrid, or a mountain bike. I said that I was going to be doing mostly city riding, so I guess a road bike. He asked if I was going doing a lot of long distance road riding? No. Then you don't have to have a road bike. Really? This changed my world. I like my hybrid because I feel like I have more control over the bike than I did, even with my beloved Schwinn.

My new commuter

And that is the key, the more comfortable you feel, the more confident you'll be. Confidence is what you need when you are riding in the city. So try some different bikes out, see what makes you feel comfortable. Talk to the people who your buying from. They should be able to help you with what you need and what type of bike will work best for you. If you want to brush up on different bike styles before heading to the store REI has a great bike page.

Have A Local Bike Shop

We are blessed in Pittsburgh to have multiple great bike shops to choose from. A local shop where you get to know the people is the best asset to have. You are able to stop in if you have a question, they can show you how to fix things on your own, and they can help when the job is too big for you (though I have been told that no job should be too big).

Thick Bikes

62 South 15th Street, Pittsburgh PA; (412) 390-3590
Located in Southside, this where I bought my new bike. The guys in here are really easy to talk to. They sell some used bikes as well as new bikes and various accessories.

Iron City Bikes

331 S Bouquet St, Pittsburgh, PA; (412) 681-1310
Located in South Oakland, and is probably Ben's favorite bike shop. They are a smaller store but can do orders if they don't have it in the shop. They sell new bikes and accessories. And have a local racing team.

Love Bikes

212 1/2 44th St, Pittsburgh, PA; (412) 235-7026
Pittsburgh newest shop located in Lawrenceville. They are mostly a repair shop right now, but plan to start selling complete and refurbished bikes soon. Unfortunately, I have not been here yet to have a personal opinion of them.

Ted’s Excellent Bike Repair

2110 E Carson St, Pittsburgh PA; (412) 224-2324)
Also located on Southside, it is suppose to be a pretty great repair shop. I haven't needed a repair shop yet, but have heard great things from many friends who've used them.

Kraynick’s Bike Shop

5003 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA; (412) 621-6160)
In Garfield, Kraynick's is the Yinzer of shops. Not the shop to go if you have an overwhelmingly expensive bike, but definitely the place to be if you need to be economical. Also if you want to work on your bike for free and be able to get some knowledgeable advice, come here. Many people can only sing the praises of how awesome this shop is.

Free Ride

214 N. Lexington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA; (412) 731-4094
Another great place to work on your bike for free. Free Ride does a great job of teaching you how to build and take care of a bike. They call themselves a "bicycle educational facility". You can literally start with a frame and build your bike, for free. I highly suggest you check out their website to see all that they have to offer. They also sometimes have finished recycled bikes for sale, which is how I got my Schwinn, but this is rare.

BikeTek

5842 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA; (412) 521-6448
Located in Squirrel Hill, these guys were pretty nice. I ended up getting my rack from them. They sell mostly new bikes and accessories, but they also do repairs.

There is REI(Southside) and Pro Bikes(Squirrel Hill). As per my experience, I am not a huge fan of either of them, especially Pro Bikes. But I love REI, so if I need an accessory I would go here, but I don't use their shop. If you aren't in Pittsburgh, do a google search or talk to friends who bike. If Pittsburgh has this many choices, chances are you city should have at least one.

Here is BikePGH's list of resources in and around Pittsburgh.

Check out Part 2 coming on Monday with the topics "Map Your Route", "Ride With Friends" and "Ride Often".

Fermentation

I don't know about you, but I love sauerkraut. I can eat it just by itself.

I was lucky enough to attend the Farm to Table Conference here in Pittsburgh. It is an awesome little conference where local farms and health conscious businesses come to share about their products. There were also speakers, demonstrations and kids activities. One company that was there was Zukay Live Foods. They are a PA company that specializes in non-dairy probiotic foods. They have juices, salsa, salad dressings and relishes, all of which are made with fermented vegetables.

Why Fermented Vegetables Are Important

Don't say anything about her, she is AWESOME!

Fermented foods are full of bacteria. Unfortunately in modern society, bacteria are equated with germs and germs are bad, so they are avoided like the plague(which is also a bacteria). However, not all bacteria are bad, our bodies are filled with good bacteria, or at least they should be. These good bacteria are all throughout our digestive systems making sure that our food is being digested properly so that we can get everything we need out of it. In most people now these good bacteria are far to low and can lead to digestive problems. This is why Jamie Lee Curtis is telling you to eat Activia, yogurt has the same delicious cultures that your digestive system needs.
These good bacteria can also be killed in our body by taking things like anti-biotics. Do I think you should not take these if your doctor prescribes them? No, but maybe up your fermented foods or yogurt intake afterwards to get all the good germs back.

Why it is important to eat RAW Fermented Foods

When you buy sauerkraut in the store it has been canned. This means that it has been cooked. When it's cooked all of the good bacteria has been fried alive! It no longer has the added help of the bacteria, it's just some tasty cabbage. When you ferment raw vegetables, you are keeping those bacteria alive and allowing them to prosper by breaking down the vegetables.


We were lucky enough to see a demonstration by Scott Grzybek of Zukay, who made two fermented recipes in front of us. They were so easy that I decided to share them with you this week. It's a TWO-FER!

Sauerkraut AKA deliciousness in a bottle

Tools
Knife
Ball or other type of jar
Bowl
Masher

Ingredients
Celtic Sea Salt (please read note)
Cabbage
Spring Water (please read note)
Fennel/Caraway seeds, optional

1. Do not wash your cabbage! You want all of that added goodness on there, this is why I bought organic as to ensure it was all good stuff and not chemicals. Remove the large outer leaves that are almost falling off³.Slice the cabbage as thin as you would like your sauerkraut.
2. Throw the sliced cabbage into the bowl and add salt. Scott said to add a few teaspoons, but looked like he was adding a few Tablespoons. He was my kind of guy with the non-measurement thing, but I added about two teaspoons to mine and it was doing fine.
3. If you have the time let the sauerkraut sit in the salt.

See the water pooling on the bottom

The salt will draw all the water out and make the sauerkraut cry. I had to go somewhere so I left mine for about an hour and a half, but 15-20 minutes would be sufficient. If you don't have the time to wait then you can force the process to move more quickly. You want to start "mashing" or beating down the cabbage. This will break it down more quickly. The purpose is to get as much water out as you can, because this water is going to ideally cover the cabbage once it is placed in the jar. If you don't have a lot of water, that's where the spring water will come in. Just work on the cabbage as long as you feel like it. You also want to add the fennel or caraway seeds in at this time if you are using them.
4. Once the cabbage is looking significantly beat. You can start stuffing it into your jar. Having a jar with a wide mouth really helps at this point. You want to squish out as much air as possible, so a small head of cabbage might not even fill your jar depending on what size it is. Just keep compacting and pushing the cabbage down, leaving no spaces or gaps. I also used a small ladle at this point because by hand couldn't reach the cabbage until it was much higher. The ladle really helped push it down.
5. When you feel confident that the cabbage can't possibly get anymore compact, look at the liquid level. If all of your cabbage isn't covered, this is where you need to add the spring water. Add enough to cover the cabbage, anything left out in the air is going to become moldy. Don't fill the jar all the way to the top with water, or cabbage, as it will expand when it ferments. Leave it some space.
6. Screw the lid on the top, but NOT too tight. As Scott explained, the pressure will build up while all the gases are being released and the bacteria are working. You want the weakest point in that jar to be the seal between the jar top and the lid, rather than the side of the jar. This is also why it is a good idea to place your jar into a casserole dish. This way if it leaks, which can happen, you won't have nasty, smelly juice all over your shelf or counter.
7. Place your jar in a place where it won't bug you for the next month. Ideally this place should be warm and out of direct sunlight. We put ours on top of a kitchen cabinet that doesn't get sun.
8. Wait a month. I know it is a really long cooking time. Scott said that at the bare minimum you should wait 3 weeks. But I want to make sure it is good, so I am waiting a month or more if I can take it.
9. Open and eat. You can refrigerate it after you open it, this will just slow down the bacteria. You can also freeze, though it might change the taste. Since it is fermented, it doesn't really have an expiration date, but hopefully it will be so tasty that you'll finish it quickly. Scott suggested putting it on the table with dinner and just adding some to whatever you are eating. If you can't tell I really like sauerkraut and love the excuse to have it every night.

Carrot Sticks

Tools
Knife
Ball or other type of jar

Ingredients
Celtic Sea Salt (please read note)
Carrots
Zukay Raw Veggie Medley Juice⁴
Spring Water (please read note)
1 clove garlic, optional⁵

1. Don't wash the carrots! You want all of that added goodness on there, this is why I bought organic as to ensure it was all good stuff and not chemicals. Cut the carrots into sticks or julienne them.
2. Put them in the jar, again rather snuggly. You want the jar nice and full of carrots.
3. There was some discussion as to whether or not the carrots needed salt, but I threw some in there because it wouldn't hurt. I put about a teaspoon. If you are adding garlic, slice the clove thinly and add it to the jar.
4.Add enough Zukay Juice to fill about 1/4 of the jar. Then fill the rest of the jar with spring water. Again, anything left out in the air is going to become moldy. Don't fill the jar all the way to the top with water, or carrots, as it will expand when it ferments. Leave it some space.
5. Screw the lid on the top, but NOT too tight. As Scott explained, the pressure will build up while all the gases are being released and the bacteria are working. You want the weakest point in that jar to be the seal between the jar top and the lid, rather than the side of the jar. This is also why it is a good idea to place your jar into a casserole dish. This way if it leaks, which can happen, you won't have nasty, smelly juice all over your shelf or counter.
6. Place your jar in a place where it won't bug you for the next month. Ideally this place should be warm and out of direct sunlight. We put ours on top of a kitchen cabinet that doesn't get sun.
7. Wait a month. I know it is a really long cooking time. Scott said that at the bare minimum you should wait 3 weeks. But I want to make sure it is good, so I am waiting a month or more if I can take it.
8. Open and eat. You can refrigerate it after you open it, this will just slow down the bacteria. You can also freeze, though it might change the taste. Since it is fermented, it doesn't really have an expiration date, but hopefully it will be so tasty that you'll finish it quickly. Scott said kids love these, because you can just pick them up and pop them in your mouth.

Foodnotes

1 You don't want to use table salt, this has been bleached and has had many of it's great minerals taken out of it. Scott suggested Celtic Sea Salt, Redmond's Real Salt or Himalayan Salt. All of which are available at the co-op. I personally used the celtic, oh man does it smell like the sea!
2 Don't use tap water to try to save money. The chlorine that most cities put into their water will kill the bacteria. I used regular Giant Eagle spring water, Scott says that they have well water where he lives and that works just fine.
3 All the vegetable remains in our house go into the broth pile. I don't get special veggies just to make broth, I just through everything in to a pot with peppercorn and a bit of salt and let it simmer.
4 Cabbage naturally has enough bacteria in it to ferment itself, other veggies need help. You have to add a culture to it, like Yogourmet Kefir Culture or something that already has cultures in it, like Zukays juices. I found getting the juice easier than having to deal with a powder. The juice is available at the co-op. The veggie medley is recommended as its flavor will work well with the carrots.
5 Our household has a saying, well it has a lot but this is one of them, "you can never have too much garlic". Apparently when it comes to fermenting you can. Be very careful with how much you add, garlic can add very strong (the bad kind of strong) flavor and smell to your fermented foods. Scott suggested never to add more that 1 or 2 cloves to a jar.

Please share if you have made your own sauerkraut, or other fermented foods, before or if you make this recipe. I would like to see how it has turned out for others.

Updates, Updates?

So, I totally suck. I will take it...I did what most do and posted a bunch and then it just stopped. But I am back with some news, so YAY!

Currently, all things are going well. I have been rather steadily losing weight. I have now lost a bit over 25 pounds, which is great. I definitely feel more energetic. I have gotten to a point now that if I haven't exercised, I don't feel like I have really had a complete day. Which much be better than feeling like I have to exercise and how am I going to do it??

Below are two new things that I have been thinking about lately. Enjoy!

Couch to 5K

Quite a few people I know have done this plan and really like it. I was talking to my friend Jen and she was explaining how it's hard for her to function in the fitness world without a goal. She was saying how weight can fluctuate, but when you run a marathon, you have run a marathon. This is a lot how I have been feeling lately, like I want a goal. So I decided to try out Couch to 5k . I think it will be fun. I really wanted to train for a triathlon, but I don't want to pay for a pool membership, and Ben won't let me swim in the river :(. I plan on doing the running on the recommended 3 days/week and other strength training things the rest of the week. I think it will work out fine and be a nice challenge.

P90X

I am not sure which of you have and have not heard of this series. I recently heard of it from a friend and then wanted to check it out.  Here is their website, which is a little informercially. It is a 12 DVD set, which targets different parts of your body or different movements, what they call "muscle confusion".  From their website:

"P90X^® is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days."

It is kind of like Couch to 5K, but with DVDs. So I was really interested in this, because it sounded like The Shred on steroids. And who doesn't want to be ripped. Apparently a co-worker of Ben's has some questionable copies of the series that we are going to test out to see if we like it. Our biggest reservation is the emphasis on the "3-Phase Nutrition Plan" and it's assumed reliance on fleshy protein. But we should be able to adjust.

I will try to update everyone on how these two go and, as always, if you are interested in joining me for either of them, feel free.

Sweat Pants Athlete Manifesto

Hey...I know another post so soon??

Well this one is less work because I didn't actually write it, but I wanted to share it with everyone because it was so encouraging to me.

This is from Jen Keogh, a really good friend and someone I love to geek out with about this stuff:

It's so easy to compare ourselves with others especially in terms of exercising.  There are the "real runners"  and "real bikers."  You know, the ones with aerodynamic spandex and calves that could cut diamonds.  The ones who are cover models for Runner's World and exercise in outfits worth more than my rent.  And if you're like me, you get passed while running or biking or swimming by one of these athletic gods and you think "Why bother...I'm not a real athlete. I'm just out here trying to get in shape...but I'll never be that shape."

So this manifesto is for us, to remind us no one is perfect and we're all in this race to get healthier together.

The Sweat Pants Manifesto:

We race to finish not to win.

We exercise in t-shirts from high school and sweat pants from Goodwill.

We get passed by moms in spandex pushing stroller's...when we're riding a bike.

We don't use energy bars or protein drinks; we eat ice cream after a run.

We aren't sure what a tempo run is.

We purchase running shoes based on how they feel, what colors they are, and where they were made.

We don't care how long it takes to run a mile but that we ran a little farther and a little faster than before.

We consider dancing alone in our underwear an aerobic routine.

We ride a bike to get from point A to point B.  It's efficient exercise.

It doesn't matter how much or how fast we lose weight but that we are a healthier version of us than a year ago.

We've run in the pouring rain, in three feet of snow, in 90 degree heat, and up and down the hills of Pittsburgh--but these things don't make us runners.  Choosing to get off the couch and taking our health in our hands makes us athletes.

We workout with friends or at the YMCA, and eat birthday cake at parties.

We shout obscenities at the aerobics instructor on the dvd and at our shins when it hurts to keep going.

Helping someone move is some of the best exercise.

We make up cheers, songs, chants, and crazy stories to encourage ourselves to keep going.

We eat healthy; We exercise so we don't have to all the time.

There are things worth spending some money on: good shoes, a reliable bike, and a bathing suit that is not transparent when wet.

We celebrate the small victories of walking up stairs without getting winded or getting to the end of the workout.

We exercise to be healthy so to enjoy life more, but exercise is not our life.

No matter the age, weight, fitness, equipment, clothes, or distance, we're all on the same path to becoming healthier, and we're all on that path together.

We don't exercise to be better than someone else; we do it to be a better version of ourselves.
---

Feel free to add and share.  I want it to be an encouragement for people.  It's a way of validating the work we're putting in and the results that come from it, no matter how the work or results compare to others.

Peace,
Jennifer R Keogh

Kari the Dietician

I just wanted to give a little update about what's been going on. I am not sure how many of you know this, but I didn't. For those of you who have Highmark insurance, you are allowed 7 visits per year with a registered dietician. Those visits are completely free and covered by your insurance.

I took advantage of this coverage a few weeks ago and scheduled an appointment with a dietician, and as the title suggests she was named Kari. She was really cool and really helpful. Below are a few of the things we talked about and some stuff I thought might be helpful to everyone.

Food Advice

1. Veggies - Though Ben and I are vegetarians, after talking to Kari I realized that we weren't quite getting our daily recommended value of veggies. We were getting some but not all. You are supposed to have about 3 cups of veggies a day. In case you don't know about the new cool food pyramid here it is.

2. Proportions - We have all heard that Americans eat insanely big portions, that are unnecessary and unhealthy. But through our discussion, I came up with some helpful stuff. First, we are now using smaller plates, like the salad sized ones. This helps because, clearly, you can't fit as much food on your plate. But it also helps because it doesn't make it seem like you're eating less, it is more visually appealing. Second, no seconds. Her advice for holding to this, don't put the food on the table. Serve yourself in the kitchen and then bring your plate to the table. That way you won't be tempted to have just a bit more because it's right there in front of you. Third, your plate should be about 50% veggies, 25% starch/grains and 25% protein. In the case of casserole or one-pot dishes, the proportions should still have the same representation, just mixed up.

3. Perfection - you don't have to have it! This might have been the first time in this type of situation that I have ever had a doctor, etc. say something like that.  It is always encouraging for someone to say you don't have to be perfect, no matter what they are talking about.

Exercise Advice

I had been doing a certain Pilates DVD (Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners) before going to see Kari. It was working well and definitely giving me a work out. She was a little skeptic of a Pilates routine for weight loss, but said that if my heart rate was up and I was sweating, then it was doing its job.

She also suggested some other DVDs, and once I tried some of them I realized how easy Pilates can be. She mentioned that she likes The Biggest Loser workouts, because you can mix and match them. I got the Biggest Loser Workout Vol. 1 and it has been great. There are 4 core routines to choose from, each 20 minutes, and a warm-up and cool down. One of my favorite things is that they use the contestants in the workouts, so it is informal and more real. Vol. 1 is led by Bob Harper, the male trainer, and he is super funny. "Oh man guys I am really feelin' this, I'm up here on this rock." (You'll get it if you watch the DVD).

Anyway, She also suggested Jillian Michaels' non-Biggest Loser DVDs. I was a little weary, the whole reason I got Vol. 1 was because she wasn't on it. With the fear of getting screamed at for an entire workout, I got the 30 Day Shred. I've only had the chance to do level 1, but man it is good. I ended up really liking it and she isn't as much of a jerk as I thought she was going to be. Warning: there are toned fitness helpers in her DVD, kind of a let down. ;)

If you're interested in some of the DVDs they are all at the library. That's how I tried them and now I am planning on purchasing them.

I am also thinking of taking a Zumba class, but I kind of don't want to do it alone. It is supposed to be really awesome and a total sweat-fest, which is kinda what I'm into now.  So if anyone would maybe want to do that, they hold classes at the JCC all of my Squirrel Hill friends.

That is all the update I have in me for now. I encourage you to check out some of the info I listed above. I am also more than willing to geek out about nutrition or exercise stuff with anyone who wants to listen.

The Beginning

This is less about jumping on the Blog-o-sphere wagon and more about me thinking that this might be the best medium for what I am trying to do, so bear with me.

This all started with my discipleship group. For those of you who don't know, I am a co-mentor for a discipleship group run by Ambridge Youth Ignite for girls and guys in high school. We get together once a week and share a meal and do something that has to do with God. Last month we did a joint group where Eric, Director of AYI and other mentor, led a discussion. Eric talked about one of Donald Miller's, author of Blue Like Jazz, etc., new books called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. We read an entry from Miller's blog, "Living a Good Story, an Alternative to New Years Resolutions" that focused on the point of the book. To summarize, we need to live our lives as if we are writing great stories. There are three elements: Want Something, Envision a Climatic Scene, and Create an Inciting Incident. "An inciting incident is the event in a movie that causes upheaval in the protagonist life." Since people don't want to change, they have to be forced to change. So I am volunteering you all to force me to change. Congratulations you are a part of my inciting incident! But what are you inciting me for you might ask? What do I want?

I have gotten to a point in my life where I am rather comfortable in my own skin. I am no longer the insecure, overweight teenager I use to be. Now I am just overweight. I could live my life and be comfortable. But, as you would see if you read Miller, I don't want to be comfortable, I want to be great. Not in the "look at me I am a great person" sort of way, but in the "I am happy to be me because my life has meaning". So I think that the first step in my new life of greatness is getting healthy. What do I want: To be healthy. More specifically I am going to lose 50 pounds before 2011, i.e. 10 months. A quick note: I have not talked to any professionals about this, I don't know if it is a crazy dream to think that this amount is possible over that time period. But I do know the common "it is healthy to lose 2 pounds per week" and 50 is well below. So it might not be that much or it might be more, but the number isn't the point. The point is getting healthy and I need to put a story to that.

My climatic scene? Right now it's this: December 31, 2010 and I am looking back on how far I've come and how much more I can do. In Miller's book, he's going to climb a mountain or something, but I am not quite ready for that. However, I hope to maybe be ready to commit to something like that in the coming months. We will see.

As for now, this is what I am asking: will you help me hold to my story? No you don't have to workout with me, and, though I would love it, you don't have to become a vegetarian. All I am asking is that you read this and know that this is what I am trying. That in itself, I hope, will be enough pressure to hold me to it. As Miller says, "If I don’t, there’s a social consequence. I will let my buddy down, and I’ll also look like an idiot in front of all of you guys. So bringing a friend into the mix, and going public with my ambition serves as an inciting incident."

So there it is, believe me this was hard to write and I know it is going to be even harder to send. I hope to keep updates on this blog, especially for those of you who don't see me a lot. Also, I have thrown around the idea of putting other things on here, beyond the scope of "my story", like recipes and stuff. Lastly, I wanted to encourage you to read Donald Miller's book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years or at the very least the blog entry I linked above. I didn't like Blue Like Jazz all that much and sort of wrote him off, but, thanks to Eric, I am almost done with A Million Miles and I already want to re-read it.

Thank you and I hope you'll join me.