Things I'm Loving: Yoga, Yummies, & another tiny RUN!

This morning I did NOT wake up at 4am, pin a bib to my shirt, enjoy a breakfast of chocolate gu and gatorade, and run 13.1 miles through Chicago.  Instead, I slept late, enjoyed a breakfast of yogurt, oats, and blue berries (with a brownie on the side...I am guilty of having breakfast dessert any time there are baked goods in the house...tell me I'm not the only one...), enjoyed some leisurely blog stalking, and went to a vinyasa yoga class.  A pretty great morning, but I'm not gonna lie--I was pretty bummed not to be running the Rock 'n' Roll half marathon that I'd been looking forward to for MONTHS.  Last months, when I came to terms with the fact that my body was NOT responding well to training and decided that this summer, 13.1 just wasn't going to happen for me, I felt very much at peace with the decision.  I was listening to my body and doing the right thing.  But over the past few weeks, I've been just a little bit sad that I wouldn't be racing.  Waking up to a cool, cloudy, breezy morning today made me even MORE disappointed--a cool race = a fast race.

Oh well.  There are so many other races in my future; this is just a "little deal" (as I tell the kiddos).  One thing that I love about blogging is that it helps me to consistently assume a positive attitude and look on the bright side of a bad situation.  I figure no one really wants to read my whiney rants about my class or injuries.  I think blogging is a big part of why I was able to keep a much more positive attitude about school all of last year than the previous year (that and I was just a better teacher after my first year!), as well as why I've been able to stay positive overall about the injury fest that has been my running life this year.  Sooo, that being said, instead of being bummed about the race that wasn't, let's focus on some happy things from the past few days!

First, I ran again!  (Don't you kind of love the small celebration that is each and every run after an injury??)  After a successful 2 mile run Tuesday, I decided to get up at the crack of dawn and try another tiny run Thursday morning before summer school.  I have to say, even though I'm not a fan of waking up at 5am, there is something so comfortable and nice about my early morning run routine.  Every time, it's exactly the same, no matter the length of the run.  The night before I lay pick out my clothes and lay out any gear I need.  Sometimes that's pretty involved.  This was the gear "spread" before my 10 mile run last month...

This was all the gear I needed this time...

(Note: that's a pre-run gu.  I definitely didn't need to fueling mid-run for a distance this short!)
I also change into my running clothes the night before.  This serves a few purposes: it saves 5 minutes in the morning (every minute of sleep counts!), and keeps me from backing out!  Seriously, it's just depressing to have to change out of running clothes after skipping a run.  As I got ready for the run Thursday morning, my tiredness was outweighed by my eager anticipation for the run.  Knowing my muscles are still a little screwed up, I take every run as a gift: I have no expectations, no goals.  Instead of getting nervous about how my legs will react, I commit to respect my legs and listen to my body, pushing myself only as much as I know is healthy.

I ended up making it 2.55 miles before my muscles and hip flexors decided they'd had enough!  I loved every minute.  There is something so special about early morning runs where you feel like you are one of the only people awake for miles.  I ended up running on a new trail--there's a little bike path that goes through the office park right across the street from my new apartment.  While it's not as isolated as my other trails, there are some ponds and trees and wildflowers along the way, and it was a nice little path.  I have missed these early bird runs!

On to another happy of the weekend--the YUMMIES!  Since I wasn't settling in for an 8pm pre-race bedtime, I invited College Friend over yesterday evening for an evening of pizza, funny TV, and baking.  I found a recipe on Pinterest last week for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies and have been drooling over the picture ever since.  Last night we made them and were NOT disappointed!  I will definitely be making this recipe again (although they tasted best chilled).

Swirling the cheesecake and brownie batter...

Controlling our hunger while waiting for the brownies to bake by eating some frozen pizza...

(We were very amused by this label...seriously?  Do people really try and eat without baking??)

BROWNIES!!!!

Yet another thing I've been loving lately is YOGA!  While I've always enjoyed yoga, I have never had a consistent yoga practice.  After a few people suggested to me to try some yoga to help loosen up my legs, especially these tight hips, I decided to try to get in the habit of attending two classes a week at the gym.  Hey, I'm paying for them as part of my membership anyways, right?  I have to say, I am in love.  The classes I've been going to are a perfect level for me--challenging but not impossible, both strengthening and relaxing.

What little things have YOU been loving lately??

What is your favorite dessert? It's so hard to pick just one, but red velvet cake is definitely at the top of my list! YUM!

Productivity Fail & What I'll Miss Most about Summer

I had big plans to be productive today.  Do you guys ever do that?  During the week, plan all of the productive things you're going to get done come Saturday?  If you're like me, you sometimes PLAN to do a little more than you actually do...After falling asleep on the couch last night and proceeding to sleep there until morning, never mind that my bed is 20 feet away from the couch, I continued to be lazy all morning long.

Eventually I convinced myself that I had laid around long enough, got in a quick workout (weights + swim...I am officially no longer afraid of the weight machines at the gym! woo!), and headed to panera to work on my school schedule and lesson plans for the first week back.  When I got there, I realized I had forgotten my flash drive that has my school files.  OOPS!  I had to be content with blog stalking and eating delicious food...

When I got home, I grabbed that flash drive and sat down to try to get to work AGAIN...only to find out that the files I needed are still on my school laptop!  I never copied them on!  Gahhhh.  School work attempts FOILED.  Clearly some part of my brain is refusing to admit that it's almost time for school to start.  (I have my last two summer school days Monday and Tuesday, then institute days Weds/Thurs and Mon/Tues next week.  Kids come a week from Wednesday!)

Speaking of school starting, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO SUMMER???  I can't believe it is already almost over.  Things I will miss most: hours of reading time, scheduling my entire day around working out if I feel like it, staying up late for no reason, beach days, easy cash tutoring, and no grading papers.  Oh summer, you are so wonderful.  See you next year...

What will you miss most about summer?

Are you productive on weekends?

Check!

Quick Side-Note: I've been getting a lot of comments and emails lately asking me about my Word Work activities.  I haven't had a chance yet, but am planning on doing a post describing all of my activities and choices, as well as materials management.  Stay tuned!!!

I'm a list maker...big time.  Post-it notes, planners, and to-do lists are my friend.  Here's an example of one particularly epic to-do week I made during an especially stressful week at school last year...

A few weeks ago, I realized that I'd been neglecting some of the little chores I usually keep up with pretty well: my apartment was disorganized, I'd been "too tired" to floss my teeth before bed (because it takes so much energy?!?), my bed had been unmade for days (confession: one night of that time involved me actually sleeping with NO SHEETS on the bed because I had taken them off to wash and never put them back on)...you get the idea.  I know not everyone cares if they have a few stray things on the floor and their bed is unmade, but I start to feel sloppy when things are messy, and feeling sloppy makes it easier to let other things go too.

My affinity for lists being what it is, I remembered a post I had seen on Healthy Tipping Point awhile back.  Caitlin decided to start making a daily check list for the little things she wanted to remember to do each day like cardio, sleep 8 hours, etc.  I decided it was worth a shot, and made this no frills version of Caitlin's chart:

(All the while making this, I was thinking, "God I am such a teacher.  This is exactly what I'd do for a forgetful and/or lazy kiddo...)  Turns out, it worked (mostly)!  I think all it takes for me to get my act together is a REMINDER that these things are important to me and worth taking the time to do.  Honestly, each individual act takes almost zero time, minus the workout, but since I'm not in training, I need a daily reminder to make time for that too.

My list:

• Take vitamins
• Make bed
• 3 real meals (I can be a big grazer and am a total lazy cook, so this one is tough...)
• Daily Sweat
• PT Exercises
• Floss teeth
• Nightly Cleanup (This is a new one: I'm trying to get in the habit of walking around the apartment every night before bed and putting away/picking up the little things that are left out.  Remote, coasters, dishes, stray shoes, etc.  No deep cleaning--just quick and easy tidying.)

That's it!  Last week, I had 3 blank "Make Bed" squares in a row...I think when I skip something for a couple days, I start thinking it's not so important.  On the other hand, when I have done something almost every day that week, it makes me want to keep doing it!  Funny how that works. :)  This week, I've been falling short of the "3 real meals" goal...with afternoons spent working in my classroom, lunch has looked a lot like this lately:

Tonight my "dinner" was a PBJ on this...

LAME, even by my lazy cook standards.  (Note to self: add bread to the list and actually bring the list to the grocery store with me!!!  I've gone twice in the past week and forgotten bread both times...)  I'm not sure if I'll keep up this silly check list long term, but hopefully it will at least help me stay on top of the little things once school starts (it's so easy to let the little things slip right around school starting...I think summer school starting last week is a big reason why I started to let the little things go in the first place!).  Also, once these things become habit with the check list for a few weeks, they will hopefully STAY habit without it!

INJURY UPDATE:

Last week, my PT decided he thought I was ready to continue my strength training and exercises on my own without continuing to see him.  While I still have work to do, he thinks I'm headed in the right direction and have a good self-treatment plan.  (Because of my HMO insurance, I need to seek a referral for every chunk of sessions of PT, so I can't just go indefinitely.  The good thing about that is that I pay $0.  The bad thing is that, well, I can't go indefinitely!)  If my problems continue/worsen, I'll go back to my doc and ask for another referral to start over again.  Cross your fingers that I don't have to do that!  (But it's nice to know the option exists.)

Anyways, I managed a nice little 2 mile run Monday!  It actually was really enjoyable.  My hip flexors were tight at the end, but not as bad as last week's run.  I'm planning on stretching them out REALLY GOOD tonight with some yoga and extra stretches at home, and trying another 2 easy miles tomorrow morning bright and early.  Wish me luck!

Are you a list maker?  How do you stay organized?

Book Review: Your Child’s Writing Life by Pam Allyn

“No matter the age, people are fascinated, preoccupied, consumed, fearful, enchanted, and delighted by the power of the written word.  But children especially love, love the power of words and stories.  And they are, so naturally, living a writer’s life.  A life of observation, of wondering, of memory and imagination” (pg. 2).

I feel as though I have always been a reader and a writer.  Reading and writing are so much a part of who I am and always have been—in fact, it is difficult for me to remember a time when reading and writing were not an important part of my identity.  While I have had many wonderful teachers who have inspired me and pushed me to grow as a reader and writer, I know that my passion for words started before I ever entered a classroom.  I recently saw a bookmark with this quote:

This quote is so true, especially for my own life.  My parents made me a reader with so many of their actions.  But also, children are made writers first in their own homes.  I wholeheartedly believe this, so when I was given the opportunity to read and review Pam Allyn’s new book Your Child’s Writing Life, I absolutely said yes.  Earlier this summer I read Allyn’s book Best Books for Boys—read my review here.

While I am not a parent, I think that Your Child’s Writing Life would be immensely helpful to parents who wish to help their children grow as writers but aren’t sure how.  We all know the "secret" to raising a successful reader: read to them, read with them, read, read, and read some more.  I don’t think early writing gets as much attention, both from parents and teachers.  We already know that kids who grow up in text rich homes and who listen to stories and “read” with parents from a very early age are at a huge advantage academically over peers who do not share the same intense exposure.  Early writing offers this same advantage.  Urging readers to see that writing is not something that needs to wait until intermediate grades to be taught, Allyn cites a research study from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Research.  Allyn writes, “The researchers asserted that when we practice writing with our children from their first year onward, our little ones will do better in school, enjoy self-expression more, and be more self-reliant” (pgs. 3-4).

While I already believed in the importance of early writing before opening this book, Allyn made me even more convinced--if that’s possible!  In the first chapter, she gives three main reasons why writing matters for even the littlest ones:

1.  “Writing fosters a child’s emotional growth.” Children are empowered when they have the opportunity to own their experiences, both positive and negative, through writing.
2. “Writing helps develop critical thinking skills."  Children can learn about differing perspectives when they write and tell their own stories and compare them to the stories of others.
3. “Writing leads to guaranteed improvement in academic achievement." There are enormous amounts of writing on standardized tests!  Students who are not practiced writers do not have the stamina to perform up to their potential on the writing sections of tests.

Allyn urges parents to let go of any preconceived notions from their own schooling that writing should always be structured, grammatically correct, and have a certain format.  In fact, when we are writing for the pure JOY of it, it can be so much more powerful if it is unstructured!  Writing does not always have to be essays.  (In fact, how often in our own adult lives are we writing "essays" anyways?!?)  Often in the classroom, we feel limited to teaching the standard narrative, expository, and persuasive genres with our students.  Last year I made a concentrated effort to foster a love of creative writing in my students as I implemented a Writing Workshop structure for the first time, and I am not exaggerating when I say I saw magic happen.  My students became WRITERS, and more importantly, at least 90% of them grew to love writing, many for the first time.  They were writing meaningful stories about topics they cared about.  They were writing things they WANTED to write, and because they WANTED to write, they were practicing and thus getting better.  It’s not complicated.  Sometimes I did worry that I wasn’t doing enough of the basic expository, narrative, persuasive genres, worry that I was “wasting my time” on creative writing.  But is helping my students grow to love writing really wasting time?  In my heart, I know it isn't even in the slightest. 

Similarly at home, parents can easily foster a love of writing by making writing a part of a child’s life from the very beginning.  If it becomes a natural part of the everyday (more importantly, a joyous part of the everyday!), writing will never be a chore for children.  Allyn writes, “As parents, our biggest job is to teach our children to fall in love with the things that will transform them, make them better students and give them the skills they need to be successful” (pg 10).  As I mentioned earlier, I know that I would not be the reader and writer I am today if my parents had not fostered an early love for reading and writing in me.  From my first years, I knew that these things were fun, and I read and wrote for hours upon hours.  It makes sense, then, that when I started school I was already a strong reader and writer, and that I continued to grow. (Now, if only my parents had also helped me fall in love with math!!)

Once she has you convinced that encouraging a writing life for even the youngest children is of the utmost importance, Allyn then goes on to give parents a guide for how to do this in the home.  She offers and explains 5 “Writing Pillars” (Stamina, Creativity, Fluency, Phonemic Awareness, and Organization), areas that we can continuously work on and develop with children.  Most helpful (in my non-parent opinion!) were Allyn’s 5 Keys to “Set the Stage for Forever Writers.”  These 5 Keys follow the acronym WRITE: Word Power (creating a rich vocabulary), Reading Life (reading as a means of writing coaching), Identity (personal writing style and preferences), Time (making time for writing in children’s lives), Environment (creating a writing place with your child in your home).

The chapter in which these keys are explained and those that follow are packed with simple (beautiful) ideas for “setting the stage” for your child’s writing life, including suggestions for each year from birth to age 10+.  I loved these tips because they are so simple, yet can make a big difference.  For example, Allyn suggests that parents create a “word jar” in which they can “collect” and store their favorite words, offer to email stories to grandma after children have finished as a means of “publishing,” taking “writing walks,” and journaling together about the school day instead of just discussing it.  Additionally, towards the end of the book Allyn provides helpful suggestions for what to do when your child (as most do at some point) resists writing.  I know many parents who have fought those writing homework battles (I have fought some myself while tutoring!) that would greatly appreciate this gem of a chapter!

There is so much more in this book, but I think I’ve already gotten a bit carried away!  As I’ve said, I am not a parent, but I know in talking to students’ parents on a daily basis that while they may feel confident in reading with their child or drilling math facts, many parents aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to helping their child grow as a writer.  This book is the perfect starting place, and I so enjoyed reading it and feeling Allyn’s own passion for literacy and writing literally dripping from every word.  I plan to recommend it to my friends and family members who are new moms! 

Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for this book review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. :)

Affirmations

By now you probably have noticed that I am a big time believer in positive mantras.  Not only do I use mantras to get me through almost all of my runs, whether they're keeping me from quitting or pushing me to a personal best, I use them in my life too.  I swear, the mantra "Trust the Process" got me through my entire sophomore year of college.  So, you can imagine my elation when I attended a 5 day Quantum Learning training earlier this summer and saw positive affirmation posters all over the walls of the gym we were meeting in.  AMAZING!  If you are unfamiliar with Quantum (I was until this summer), I don't even think I can scrape the surface of describing it except to say that this training was unbelievable--in every moment, I thought to myself, "This is the kind of teacher I want to be."  Quantum is basically a teaching style (not a program!) that is designed to help kids LEARN in the ways that work for them and teachers teach their best while enjoying teaching.  (<--That's totally my interpretation of the experience, not their official motto or anything.)  It's energetic, exciting, and every piece of it is backed by research on how the brain works, so you know every tip and strategy you're given is really based on kids' brains and real learning.

ANYWAYS (that was a long tangent...), one small piece of Quantum is the affirmation posters that were all over the room.  Quantum research says that even when kids are just looking around the room, their brains are constantly taking in and processing information on the subconscious level.  They suggest putting posters with positive, first-person affirmations on your walls. From the Quantum website: "These supportive and inspiring posters can set the tone for a classroom and help create an environment of trust and safety – the kind of place where students learn best. In a students’ study areas they’re a good reminder of the things they need to remember about themselves."   So, even though I am not an artist and loathe my handwriting, I decided to tackle making some affirmation posters of my own yesterday.

Teacher Mom is very artsy (she used to do professional calligraphy and everything!), so you better believe I brought construction paper and markers over to the parents' house last night and enlisted her help...

Thanks, Teacher Mom!

(Guess which signs Teacher Mom made?...)

It's such a tiny little thing and these posters won't in themselves make a difference, but I love this concept.  I know that for me, if I were struggling on a test or an assignment, seeing a poster that says, "Everything I do deserves my best effort," just might help a little bit.  No, they won't change the world.  But will those random cutesy posters we buy at the teacher store change the world?  This year, my walls will still have anchor charts and math definition reminders on them, but you better believe that every free space is going to have an affirmation poster. :-)

Channel your inner 10-year-old...What affirmation would motivate and encourage YOU??

Classroom Progress, Painful PT, & Positive Thoughts

^The teacher in me WISHES that title could have been complete alliteration...alas... :)

I put in another 4+ hours in my classroom after summer school today and made a TINY bit of progress.  It is still tough to see an end, but it is definitely looking more like a classroom and less like a #$&! pile these days!  (Still kind of a #$&! pile, but less so than yesterday at least!)  Today I decided to tackle one of my absolute least favorite tasks and cover my bulletin board.  Teachers--is there an easier way to do this?!?  I ALWAYS wrinkle the paper.  Our butcher block doesn't cover the board fully and I'm too cheap to buy the fancy fadeless paper at the teacher store, so it always looks a little patchwork.

This will be my Writing Workshop tools and anchor charts board.  Obviously it is still a work in progress, although the real work will be done once the kiddos arrive and start their writing!!!  Check out the sports boarder I snagged yesterday!  I bought it to go with my sports theme for the year.  It's also on my white boards...

Sorry about the awful glare...but look how cute those subject magnets I bought yesterday look!  This board will be for my schedule, HW, and clip chart.  The bulletin board to the right will have our classroom rules and agreements (more on those to come).  (I have another large white board on another wall that I use for teaching purposes.  This one is the miscellaneous board...)

I also got my Word Work station and choice board set up to use with Daily 3 (read more about how I run Daily 3 in this post):

Of course, there is still a layer of rubble littering the room...

But look!  You can actually see the floor!!! :)  After sweating it out in the classroom. it was time to sweat it out at physical therapy!  Seriously, I MISS the days when I first started going when I did like 5 exercises and they were all easy.  Man, they really give me a workout these days!  When I told my PT about the hip flexor pain from yesterday, he showed me a few new stretches to help with that...then inflicted upon me the WORST PAIN I HAVE EVER KNOWN.  Seriously, it was that bad.  He prefaced it by saying he was going to "dig in my abdominal muscles pretty much to my spine" and compared it to "abdominal surgery without anesthetic."  While I don't know if I would go THAT far, it was pretty grueling.  The hip flexor does feel a little better now, but holy god.  It was a rough time.

After that I decided I needed to eat ice cream (obv).  I knew I didn't have any at home, so I stopped at the grocery store on the way back.  Remember how yesterday I showed you what happens when I go to the teacher store without a list?  Well this is what happens when I go to the grocery store without a list...

Not so much overbuying as RANDOM buying.  Fruit, fancy ice cream, and soy products.  Clearly these ingredients will fill my fridge and help me cook delicious meals...  (Who am I kidding, I don't cook anyways.  Hence the fake chicken nuggs.  Which are delicious in case you are wondering!)  Anyways, I'm currently relaxing on the floor with my laptop, ice pack, and a mug of key lime gelato listening to a thunderstorm.  It's been quite a day, so I'm fairly certain I'll be in bed by 10 tonight.  Love those nights. :)

But before I go, I want to share this wonderful pinterest find that is currently my desktop background and my wish to all of you...

Have a wonderful night!

BACK TO SCHOOL?!?!? & a little injury update

Hi Friends!  It's been awhile!!!  Blogging has just gotten away from me lately...between a wonderful high school friend's wedding and other festivities, getting ready for summer school, and wasting one billion and one hours on my new favorite site of all time Pinterest, I've been a bit distracted!

^This Girl got married Friday!  

(Yes, that is Friend & Me at Disney Land senior year in high school dressed like 5 year olds, 

complete with princess backpacks...)

In other news, I tried running today for the first time in 3ish weeks!  [Side note: Running at night in summer is all fun and games until someone gets a bug in their nose...GROSS!]  While I was so happy to be out there and moving (my legs have literally been ITCHING to run lately!), unfortunately I still had some aches and pains.  The good news is that nagging shin thing that I thought was a stress fracture was totally fine (phew!).  The bad news is that the ITs are still tight, my hip flexor is hurting again, and my knee's hurting more in the miniscus area in addition to the IT band area (PT doesn't think that's a big deal tho--let's hope not)...soooo that's all fun.  I'm trying not to be bummed out because it could be worse--a stress fracture would for sure be worse--but it's definitely not fun.  Oh well.  I plan to take another week off and try to loosen up these muscles (especially the hip flexor!  what the heck!), and I will give it a shot again next week.

ANYWAYS, enough about my lame attempts at running...

Today was the first day of Summer School!  When my alarm went off this morning, the single thought in my head was, "WHY THE HECK DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS?!?!?" After the first day, I think it's going to be pretty painless.  I'm coteaching with another teacher which is SO nice, plus there are only 12 kids in our class!  Why aren't all classes like this?!  Because summer school is in a different classroom, I've been able to work in my room little by little without worrying about it being functional for the time being.  When I came in a week or so ago for the first time, I was greeted with this...

Desks stacked 8 high!!!  Cut to me climbing on top of other desks and unstacking these babies...let me just say that between this, climbing on cabinets to hang things from the ceiling, and let's not forget when the projector screen fell and HIT ME IN THE SKULL, some of the scariest split seconds of my life have taken place in my classroom...YIKES!

Anyways, the furniture is pretty well arranged now, but there is still SO MUCH work to do.  Today my project was to tackle my cabinets.  Since last year I have been organizing and reorganizing them in hopes of coming up with a system that makes sense and maximizes space.  Well, somehow today this involved me taking EVERYTHING out of cabinets and throwing it all over my room...

Messy Desk :(

It drives me crazy that sometimes cleaning involves making everything hella messy first.  Hopefully it'll be worth it in the long run!  (Hey, I did get to break out the label maker, though, which makes any day a good day!)  The few cabinets that are actually finished:

Neatly labeled math manipulatives 

More math manipulatives plus math and literacy series & materials...

Even if the organizing is still a work in progress, 1 thing I DID accomplish though today was to make this beautiful (if I do say so myself!) clip chart!  I've been seeing the Clip Chart behavior plan on so many blogs lately, and after I read the ebook by the mastermind behind this system, I was sold.  (Special thanks to Mrs. Sunny for explaining the Clip Chart to me!)  I will post more on how I plan to use this in another post, but here she is in all her glory...

After a long day of summer school and cleaning insanity, I told myself I had earned a trip to the teacher store aka HEAVEN aka "Where did my $$$ go?!?"  Teacher Mom and I always say that we are not allowed to go to the teacher store without a LIST and a PLAN.  Today I went with neither...and WANDERED the store, grabbing things right and left.  Oops...between the teacher store and a trip to Staples, I did some damage today, and unfortunately it has only made me want to go buy more classroom goodies...

My favorite purchase (which was totally unnecessary) was a set of cute magnets with the names of subjects on them that I plan to use for my homework board.  They are adorable!  I figured if I was this excited about them, even though I totally don't need them it's worth it. :)

Anyways, I feel like this post was super lame, so I apologize.  I promise I'll be back in the swing of things soon. :)

Have you started setting up your classroom yet?
What impulse buy have you LOVED?  Regretted?
ORGANIZING: Love it or Hate it?  I love it, but HATE the mess that tends to come mid-way through!

On Being a Vegetarian: Does it Make a Difference?

Some of my recent reflections on vegetarianism and my diet:

On Being a Vegetarian

On Being a Vegetarian: The Gelatin Question

On Being a Vegetarian: The Egg Question

This post is not about teaching or running, but is again about my thoughts on a vegetarian lifestyle and my own experiences as a vegetarian.  I'm not sure why my veggie diet has been on my mind lately, but in writing this I hope to breathe some life into the thoughts that have been swirling around in my head lately.

In June, I read an amazing book entitled Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.  While I’d been giving my diet and vegetarianism in general a considerable amount of thought in recent months, this book changed something in me.  I’ve felt for a long time now that I cannot morally justify eating meat, which is why I ditched the meat in 2007 and never looked back.  That being said, Eating Animals shocked me.  I knew how terrifying the meat industry is in the United States.  If I thought it was rainbows and sunshine, I probably would still be eating meat.  But I was astounded when I learned how ignorant I truly was.   When people asked me in the past why I live a vegetarian lifestyle, I’ve always answered that my choice is based on a respect for life; I am ethically opposed to eating another living creature.  Sweet and simple.  But even though I've always been convinced that this choice is important and worthwhile, a question I've asked myself many times is,

“But what difference will one vegetarian make?”  

See, I’ve always been something of a bleeding heart.  I am passionate about many things and would idealistically daydream as a teen and college student about one day “changing the world.”  Can my diet, the diet of just ONE person in the world, actually make a difference?  Is it even worth bothering?

Gandhi famously said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”  This is a favorite quote of mine, and I know it is a favorite of many others too.  It is especially meaningful to me when I think about my diet.  It’s true that when I order pasta primavera at a restaurant or bring my own veggie burger to a barbeque I am doing nothing radical.  I am not fighting a great battle against factory farms or the meat industry.  But I am doing what I can, one person, to work for change in small ways.  Foer beautifully addresses this idea towards the end of his book:

It might sound naïve to suggest that whether you order a chicken patty or a veggie burger is a profoundly important decision.  Then again, it certainly would have sounded fantastic if in the 1950s you were told that where you sat in a restaurant or on a bus could begin to uproot racism.  It would have sounded equally fantastic if you were told in the early 1970s, before César Chávez’s workers’ rights campaigns, that refusing to eat grapes could begin to free farm workers from slave-like conditions.  It might sound fantastic, but when we bother to look, it’s hard to deny that our day-to-day choices shape the world.  When America’s early settlers decided to throw a tea party in Boston, forces powerful enough to create a nation were released.  Deciding what to eat (and what to toss overboard) is the founding act of production and consumption that shapes all others.  Choosing leaf or flesh, factory farm or family farm, does not itself change the world, but teaching ourselves, our children, our local communities, and our nation to choose conscience over ease can.  One of the greatest opportunities to live our values—or betray them—lies in the food we put on our plates (258).

Don’t mistakenly take Foer’s analogy to mean that he equates his fight against inhumane treatment of animals to the noble, brave fights of King, Chávez, or our founding fathers.   He understands, “Human oppression is not animal abuse…. [but] we interpret the Chávez and King legacies—we interpret America’s legacy—too narrowly if we assume in advance that they cannot speak against the oppression of the factory farm” (259).  I don’t think anyone can deny that even the smallest of choices we make on a daily basis can have great effects on both our own lives and the lives of others.  I am not naïve enough to believe that I can “change the world” in the way I dreamed of someday doing as a teen.  But I can make a difference, and I have seen firsthand the smallest of ways I have inspired change through my choices.  Foer writes, “…the influence that this simple dietary choice has on what others around you eat can be surprising” (261).

source

I’ve noticed when I eat at restaurants with friends or even stop at Subway for a quick lunch with a coworker, they tend to be more likely to order a vegetarian dish when with me than they normally would be.  Let me clarify—I don’t criticize others for eating meat or comment when they do.  Vegetarianism is a personal choice and I dislike when others criticize my food, so I extend to them the same courtesy that I expect in return.  But even though I don’t push for it, I have seen it happen naturally that friends will reconsider their usual meat preferences in favor of a vegetarian entrée when dining with a vegetarian.

Also, while I don’t demand others cook special vegetarian fare when I’m coming to dinner and always offer to bring my own food, it tends to happen naturally that meatless food will make its way to the table at dinner parties when a vegetarian is invited.  I meet with a two girlfriends every few weeks to share food and talk about books.  Neither are vegetarians, but every meal we’ve shared together has been completely vegetarian.  I don’t ask for this special consideration, but it’s the pattern we have fallen into, and I assure you that none of our meals have ever lacked substance or flavor.

Similarly, my diet has resulted in my parents’ eating vegetarian more frequently than in the past.  I lived with my parents after graduating for two years, only just recently moving out, and my diet prompted my mom and dad to make small changes in their cooking.  They now cook vegetarian chili and always use vegetable stock in soups and other recipes.  Dishes like pasta are always meat-free.  Neither of my parents will ever be a vegetarian—it’s not important to them in the way it is to me.  But when I think about how much less meat they have consumed out of their own volition since my choice­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ to stop eating meat, I know that my choice to eat vegetarian has made a difference.

Last but not least, choosing to eat vegetarian sets an example for others that it is possible to give up meat without sacrificing nutrition or taste.  When I eat spinach ravioli or leftover tofu stir fry or quinoa with black beans in the teacher’s lounge at school, it invites questions.  It invites intrigue.  It might expose someone to a new vegetarian dish or plant a seed of thought about the ethics of eating animals in their head.    

It has always been a pet peeve of mine when someone comments that someone else’s food is “gross” or distasteful.  As I’ve said, food is deeply personal.  When I made the decision to become a vegetarian, I made a pact with myself that I would never look down on others for their food choices; I can only choose how I will eat and live.  It’s true that the only ones we can really control are ourselves, but even making a change on a personal level can inspire more tiny effects than we may ever have dreamed.  

Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness.  
Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. 
-Scott Adams

If you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian and are unsure that it is worth the “hassle” to make what might feel like is such a minuscule difference in the world, think again.  One person cannot change everything that is wrong in the meat industry, but by changing ourselves, we can make a difference.

I still miss running...

…but there are other things in life…right? :)

As the title suggests, I am still on a “running vacation” as I’ve taken to calling this time.  The good news is, though, that I am 90% sure that I DO NOT have a stress fracture.  My leg is feeling WAY better since I saw the doctor on Monday, and I know from experience that stress fractures do NOT heal in just a week.  I still have a tiny bit of pain from time to time, especially if I am walking around a lot (shopping…), but it is definitely healing.  I’m not sure what the problem was, but I’m going to give it at least another week before I push things and try running again.  My IT bands have unfortunately not decided to take this time to heal up—they’re still tight and annoying, but I’m continuing to stretch and foam roll them as I would if I were running…

After talking with my PT last week, he told me that if he were me, he wouldn’t take my doctor’s advice and just “quit running” (Note: my doctor did not tell me that I HAVE to quit running as his medical advice.  He merely suggested that perhaps running is not the best sport for me to pursue given my recent injury track record.).  He did suggest that I back off running for awhile, focusing for the time being on cross training and strengthening exercises (hence my “running vacation”).  In a few weeks when my legs are feeling up to it, he suggested I start running again in chunks of about 3 miles (or however long I can make it without pain).  Stick there for a few weeks before adding on about a half a mile.  Continue progressively building up mileage ridiculously gradually, while still staying conservative.  He suggested I take fall and winter to just “build a base” and heal/strengthen, and pursue another distance goal next spring. 

I think this is a smart plan, and it is certainly one that I can live with.  As I described in my “epiphanies” post, right now I care more about just being able to run than I do about distance or my upcoming half-marathon (which I will not be running).  After my recent pain and the past 2 weeks not running at all, a conservative run 

around the block sounds pretty good to me!

While I am still missing running, my life is not completely empty!  One of my close friends from both high school and college was visiting from out of state this week, and it was WONDERFUL to catch up!  Tuesday night I mentioned how much I adored the most recent Harry Potter movie, and while High School Friend read the books years ago, he remarked that he had only seen the first 3 movies!  You can imagine my response.  Obviously I couldn’t stand by knowing he was missing out on the goodness that is the Harry Potter movie series, so we watched movie #4 the following evening. 

Little did I know that I was creating a HP movie addict!  The next day, High School Friend rented movies 5, 6, and 7 part 1 only to watch them back to back before texting me at 9:30pm to share that he pretty much NEEDED to see 7 part 2 immediately. Of course I couldn’t miss out on another opportunity to see Harry Potter, and let me tell you it was just as wonderful the second time!  Also, I must note that seeing this movie meant that High School Friend watched over 10 hours of Harry Potter in one day.  AMAZING! 

Today instead of getting up early to RUN, I got up early to host two dear college friends for breakfast!  Miss R, Ms. M, and I went through the education program together and while Miss R and I see each other regularly to get our doses of teacher talk, Ms. M moved out of state after graduation.  It was wonderful to see her!!!  The spread:

The girls:

In true teacher fashion, this brunch involved a read aloud…

Haha I swear I don’t force guests to sit and listen to me read picture books!!!  Instead, the girls saw this book on my shelf and when I was showing it to them, they insisted I read it aloud. :)  I feel so blessed to catch up with old friends this week.  Is there anything better than seeing people after a long absence and realizing that nothing has changed?

It continues to be crazy hot around here, so what better way to end a Saturday than with some pool time?  Coach Lauren and I met this evening to lay by the pool...

And we even squeezed in a couple of laps afterwards...

All in all, a beautiful Saturday. :)

Are you still in touch with friends from high school and college?

How do you stay in touch with friends who live far away?

What made your Saturday beautiful?

7 RANDOM Things About Me

The lovely Melinda at I Hate Running gave me a Lovely Blog Award last week!  Aww, thanks Melinda!  Melinda is a ROCKSTAR because not only is she a MOM and a Girls on the Run coach, but she manages to squeeze RUNNING into that busy schedule too!  

Now I guess I have to share 7 random things about me?  Okay, here goes!!!

I can’t snap my fingers.

There isn’t really much to elaborate on for this one…people have showed me how to snap countless times, but I’m convinced there is something wrong with my fingers.  I just plain can’t do it.

Before I took my teaching job, I was deciding between teaching and entering the Peace Corps.

I actually filled out an application, interviewed, and was nominated for a program in the peace corps (a preliminary step before receiving your final “invitation”), and while it was a hard decision, I opted to revoke my application after being offered my teaching job.  While I still dream of service abroad, I know that this was the right decision for me at the time.

It took me until last summer to run my first 5K (even though I’d run off and on for years) because until then I’d been convinced that it wasn’t okay to walk during a race.  Seriously.

I honestly thought that everyone racing in a 5K ran the entire time.  I don’t know why I was convinced of that!  It seems sooo silly to me now! 

My hair color “changes” every few months.

My hair is naturally a very dark, dirty blonde.  I started bleaching and highlighting my hair to be blonder when I was about 15, but before I left for college I decided I was in need of a radical change and dyed it dark brown.  Since then, I have never thought for a minute about going back to blonde, and have experimented with almost every shade of the spectrum between light auburn, medium brown, reddish brown, and dark almost-black brown.  I love shaking things up with a new hair color. :)

Although I've ALWAYS wanted to be a teacher, I went through a phase in 5^th grade where I legit wanted to be a magician.

Ummm embarrassing, but true.  No, I was not capable of actually performing any good tricks.  Yes, I put on short magic shows for family anyways.  I am mortified admitting this, and will probably lose at least 10 followers because you will all decide I am way too lame to be friends with anymore...  

I have never *really* stolen anything, but...

...sophomore year in college, my roommates and I *borrowed* a full-length mirror from a random room in the commons building that my roommate discovered while working for the school catering.  It was apparently filled with random full length mirrors, and we decided that one wouldn't be missed if we borrowed it for a few months!  During her catering shift, my roommate hid the mirror in the little meditation chapel in the building because that room was open all night.  Later, we went back in the middle of the night to retrieve it.  I'll bet we looked amazing walking across campus at 1am carrying a huge mirror...and it was snowing on top of everything.

I have been a vegetarian for years and have been a healthy eating nut for longer, but my parents still like to give me a hard time that as a child my favorite restaurant was Kentucky Fried Chicken. 

To say the least, KFC is no longer my “cuisine of choice.”

Now, I'm tagging some other LOVELY bloggers!

Sanity & Sweet Tea

Sarah @ RunWriteConquer 

Penny @ Pink Hat Runner