food, food, and more food

i swear, all i've done today is eat. no exercise. and whole foods is the mecca of my roly-poly existence. only a 5 minute walk away! -sigh. but some things are so expensive! i love all the healthy and ethnic options, but i know since its the only high-end grocery store in my yuppie area, it must be making A KILLING. a major killing. still, i like it. took home 2 big loads of groceries in my reusable canvas-tote bags (how green am i?!) so i came home and made amazing dinner- spicy vegetarian chili, veggie-burger meatballs, and later, banana bread pudding, sort of similar to the picture below.

yep, that good. except BETTER! see, i had made some banana-chocolate muffins which hadn't gotten around to being eaten, so i made them into a pudding with more fresh banana slices and a fresh honey-spice icing. wonderful!

also got some nori (seaweed, like the kind they use for sushi) to toast for snacking. i don't eat potato chips or anything like that, and i tend to go a little crazy when there's nuts around, so this is a nice substitute. you just dry-toast it over the stovetop. its very light and salty with a crisp crunch.

speaking of sushi, i've been talking about it ever since i got home. this is the second time i've been to whole foods and not gotten any. my only two friends here i know probably wouldn't even try it, and i haven't even been able to sell my mom on the idea of some, even if we got the cooked kind. it frustrates me so bad when people just flat-out refuse to try something that could be amazing (and i'm not talking about drugs or purging here, and i'm talking broader than the sushi spectrum). i mean, you only have one life. why limit yourself? if it tastes bad, you spit it out and don't have to deal with it again. continue with life. but what if you end up liking it? again, broader than the range of sushi, i find that no one around me considers the things i think are important to be important. i get fed up when i feel so passionately about certain issues, and it seems that every person i hold close to me could care less, furthering my feelings of isolation.

i did get out today, at least, to push my mom, in the wheelchair, to the grocery store. the trail is just great. i can't stop raving about it. see:

and it just keeps going like that, all the way through virginia. i mean, there is some variation, but i just love it. period.

another thing i love- terry goodkind books. if you love fiction at all, find the sword of truth series, by terry goodkind, in the library. even of you're one of those "i don't like sci-fi, i don't like fantasy" people, trust me. GIVE IT A TRY. i promise, you will tear through this series like whoa. i got the first one in...hmm, i guess it was like early high school. the series is like 10 or 11 long now, enough to keep you occupied for awhile. and i have all of them. and yall, i don't buy many books. only if i plan on readng and re-reading them will i buy, and this has been a a worthy investment. i haven't read through the series since high school, and since i suddenly now have so much free time on my hands, i figure what better time to start? so, i've finished oh...about 374 of the 836 pages in the first book, and will probably read some more before bed. don't be intimidated by the big numbers- you'll be so immersed they'll fly by.

ok, enough of that. jeez, i'm like an info-mercial or something. well...i'm going to go try to do something productive with my evening, and finish my 3 daily liters of water, so i don't feel like so much of a healthy-eating-habits (it's not a diet. i can't call it a diet- there are negative connotations there) disaster. oh, and try not to verbally bludgeon my family (excluding my mother). yep.

later

biking was the perfect thing i needed this evening. my 10 miles were a time of bliss. the sunset path, people of all types, passing deer and rabbits as the sun went down. almost cold the weather was amazing. it makes me so grateful to be alive...how corny does that sound? and speaking of people, how passive-aggressive is the bike trail? sheesh...most of the bikers are pros, and guys too. i always make an effort to get significant eye contact with almost every person i pass in the run of a day, and the trail is no exception...i know other people feel like they are getting sized up just as badly as i do, but that just provokes me to come out even more. and i always send encouraging thoughts and a hint of a smile to the people i pass, especially those who look completely mortified to even be out in public. but then again, i do have to say men in virginia, at least my area, appreciate women. i'm not trying to sound conceited, and no person likes to feel like a piece of meat on display, but i feel a tiny tinge of satisfaction every once in awhile, realizing all my huffing and puffing is not completely in vain...now, only to start making some friends (and lovers?!) out of it...

and on the fashion front: this spring was all 50's menswear. side-parted nerd hair, white mens undershirts, skinny jeans, converses, simple white sandals, cardigans, and pastel colors (if any color at all), working in some 80's styles and high waistlines towards the end. the hair was supposed to be platinum, but going from red, it ended up kind of yellow. (it has to go.)

this summer...still keeping the simple white and jean combo, still like the high waists, 80's neons, nerd glasses...also maxi dresses, keds, upscale gypsy looks. trying to get used to jewelry again, it's been so long. don;t know what to do with the hair...shoot for platinum or try for a beachy brunette. i just dont want to end up green (NOT GOOD).

forecast for the fall: totally mens inspired. sweet hi-tops, graphic hoodies, skinny jeans, vintage tees, high waists. transitioning into winter with muted colors, rich dark brown hair, LOTS OF BLACK. check out gucci ready-to-wear fall 08/09 and mary-kate and ashley olsen's "the row" video (i think it's been around for at least a year, and i still love it) at style.com. also, anyone looking for inspiration, take a browse through the hel looks exhibit. i'm sure you'll find something you love. oh, to live anywhere but america! here's just a sampling of my favorites:

why, oh why, are european men so much steamier and alluring than american ones! europeans can always look infinitely more stoic and nonchalant in photos than americans can. it's just not fair. only one solution- to travel!

useless day

time spent in DMV- 3 hours
useless rude employees- 3
replacement licence received- no!
oh yes, i was pissed
on the plus side, me and my mom got chinese food! woohoo for general tso's-style tofu
think i'm gonna try for a long evening bike. today' sstress levels have been mildly assuaged so far with way too many chemicals and artificial sweeteners

etc

triple posting in one night...GEEZ, i know...let's just say i have a lot of thoughts, and trouble keeping them all to myself, and not very many people to tell them to.
let's see...i LOVE cooking and am seriously considering culinary school after my bachelor's which right now is on an IDIS major, music minor- sort of path
i'm very vegan-friendly and macrobiotic-minded and think it is the healthiest lifestyle, but i'm not going to split hairs over a little cheese or a taste of barbeque once in awhile...i AM a "southern belle" after all (a strong part of my identity that i call upon all the time)...(mind you, the barbeque has to be made the right way, though)
i absolutely loved my intro to philosophy class this past semester and truly have been transformed because of it...every person should start by going out and reading the autobiography of gandhi RIGHT NOW
i have few close friends (maybe because i end to tell things like they are...my life is kind of serious), and my family presents significant problems, to say the least...and my living situation is completely negotiable- hooray!
ok, guess that's it for now...enough for you to chew on, right?

oh! and i love fashion...being eccentric is all part of the fun. and interior design, especially really modern, eclectic styles.

north carolina pulled pork bbq and cole slaw...can't beat it! one of the best comfort food meals ever

me, on the left, singing in campus choir...one of my favorite things to do! i wouldnt trade the near-every-day practice for most anything. we could do without the ancient robes, though.

background

must i give background? no...we'd be here all day. maybe 2 days. you'll have to pick it up, hansel-and-gretel style. so...what do you do when you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the "easy" solution would involve you telling your traumatized mother, "hey ma...you really need to get that divorce...like, pronto", and that's just so your mom's friends and church family can step in and help? yep...welcome to amy-world.
oh- so sorry i wont have new pictures. you'll have to do with the archives already on my compy. i know...it's killing me, not having a camera (since my previous one died in march)... but so is life- poor, in my case

lazy evening

well, this is something i have wanted to do for a long time. i tend to wear my heart on my sleeve nowadays (it's easier to be frank), especially when typing, so feel free to send me some feedback.