Being Schlo-Hard: March 2013

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Cherry Blossoms and Homework Treats

Bloomin' Cherries!

The cherry trees have started to bloom! The beautiful cotton-candy-pink blossoms are a lovely sight after the somewhat grey last few months. Paired with the daffodils and crocus opening their petals the DC area is revealing its splendid color.

Delicious Homework Interlude

Swamped with school work, Saturday night I did the only logical thing.

I cooked a delicious meal.

Asparagus with Egg

lemon infused olive oil

2 cloves grated garlic

dash of salt
shaved Dubliner cheese
bake on 400 for 30 minutes

I paired the asparagus with English Breakfast Tea (necessary late evening caffeine) and...

Crispy Chicken-
Two drumsticks with skin
Tab of butter inserted under skin
Salt- do not skimp on the salt! It makes a crispy skin!
Bake 400F for approximately 45 minutes.

Love & Light... and cherry blossoms :)
JSchloHard

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Ten years ago

Ten years ago today I walked out of my job. I was 20 years old, had little baby dreadlocks, and was living in Fairbanks AK.

Before that day some friends and I started a group at the University- the Campus Coalition for Civil Liberties. We organized a march in downtown Fairbanks on March 15th that many people attended. We joined with other groups from town like No Nukes North and demonstrated at the federal courthouse. We gathered with other concerned Fairbanksans and protested the ramp up to the Iraq war on the corner of University and Geist road twice a week. We felt it was up to us to warn people of the very real threat of war in a country where we had no right to be in the first place. I was very outspoken about my beliefs back then.

I remember feeling crushed when the rockets were launched, when the . I immediately left work. Not the most responsible thing to do, but I felt compelled to leave... and I was not going to be welcomed back.
I did not know where to go, I felt alone and unsafe. I may have been very far from this violent action but I felt sick to my stomach and like the world had let me down. I was so disappointed.

At the time my favorite accoutrement at protests was a giant cardboard painting of a peace sign. That night I took the sign to an impromptu candlelight vigil at the Cushman Street bridge and when I left the vigil I went back to the corner of Geist and University rd and stood there...... holding my peace sign... heart broken.
An older man on crutches, haggard, with only one leg approached me. He looked at me, asked if I was ok, (I said I would be), and then..... and then he stood up as straight as he could and..... saluted me.
I started crying. He gave me a hug and continued on.

Ten years have passed. TEN FREAKING YEARS!!!!

People suffered and continue to suffer from this anniversary.
I knew then that the country would never be the same... and I remember where I was that night.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Walk, Run, Red Face... 30!

By night I am a super hero. We all know this.

By day...

By day I walk peoples precious pets so the furry ones can relieve themselves and be calmed with human interaction during the stressful hours their beloved owner/parent/partners are away.

Like the mailperson- "Rain or shine, snow or sleet, I walk your dog." Or something like that. Yeah, I pick up shit for a living. It's fine.

I feel really connected to the weather and progress of seasons in my job as I am outside all day. The weather has had some lame effects on my skin, but being outside and using my body for a significant portion of my day has been fantastic for my mind and body. I get to release my brain from school work as I tour the neighborhoods of Arlington with (usually) pretty cool dogs. I have gotten to really love a few of the dogs and I'd say I am pretty well versed on the N. Virginia style of architecture by now.

Besides dreaming about Mr. Dear and my future travels, I have decided to make these walks with pups into a very serious daily workout routine. I mean, THIS GIRL turned 30 (!) two weeks ago. Time to get serious about the way I feel about my body and the health of my future self, dude.

I got shit to do and things to live (well) for!

Suck it, Jillian Michaels!

Anyone who knows how much I like secretscupcake and how much I despise embarrassing myself by running (First rule of cupcake... don't talk about cupcake. Second rule of cupcake...) will be a little surprised by this next bit-

The last three days of my dog walks- I have run .5-.75 miles.

I have also been doing way more crunches and sit ups per day than I have since my back/spine exploded in my mid-twenties. May not seem like to anyone, but I am sure proud of myself.

Suck it, aging process!

This MAY not seem like much to you awful people who think working out is second nature and that the human body was made to run. SCREW YOU!! I mean... I AM SO PROUD OF YOUR 3,012 mile RUN! GO EAT 12 SECRETCUPCAKES!

But really, the hardest part isn't the starting... it is the continuing. I will try to try to continue this workout endeavor. My friend Sam and her related love of notsosecret cupcake... and her hate of Jillian Michaels has helped inspire me to do whatever it is that I can do. (read her awesome blog)

Walk, Look. Pick up poop, Look elsewhere.

I see a lot of cool little things when I am out walking. Between the running, there is MUCH walking. Fascination of February on the Eastern Seaboard? Flowers blooming. Not like home. The following I like to think of as 'Simple Things I Seen...'