Re-Greetings

I dare say it's been quite a while since I have even looked at this blog. Thanks to my heavy science university course load and a lot of forgetting to go write on my blog I guess its been around a half a year. What's the New Year for though, right? New beginnings? Or re-beginning old things you've forgotten about... I digress. I had a wonderful and difficult semester, had to sacrifice this blog, however I did achieve a 3.7 GPA in a science program so I feel like my blog can take the hit. This semester is going to be just as hard and just as busy, however, I've been completely slacking on my healthily lifestyle, especially this Christmas (Pretty sure I ate my body weight in chocolate, and I'm no even hyperbolizing) and hopefully this blog will help keep me honest! (:

I received quite a few Christmas presents centred around healthy living this season and will include some pictures later on.

Cheers to the frickin weekend....

Wish I could think of something more eloquent to name this post, but alas, it sums up my feelings.

So this weekend I've been working and dog-sitting for some people; this experience has done nothing but reinforce my dislike of small dogs. Ick. Yappy little things. My plan is to get some studying done today as I fight off the urge to make cinnamon buns.

This weekend there was a festival going on in town on Main Street complete with a Mid-Way and all that jazz. I steered relatively clear, but my daddy and I did peruse down the street once. Later he surprised me with a sterling silver claddagh ring (symbol of our irish heritage: love, friendship, and loyalty, and a locket with a white cameo. He is the best father ever! Knows me so well. He's off to pick up my little brother this weekend; I miss them already!         

 So, I desperately try and stay away from alcohol, because it has the worst effects on me. My friends convinced me to go out on thursday night. This is the aftermath, and this is why, with the exception of a casual glass of wine, I will not be drinking again.

Rainy day

The weather where I'm staying this summer has been absolutely atrocious the last couple of days. I mean that, while rain is beautiful and I love walking in it etc., it takes a great toll on my psyche. I had a really obvious case of the 'bad weather blues' so... after I finished reading 2000 pages of novel, magic happened. Just kidding, I tried out my first oil painting of a forest-scape. It turned out alright so I elected to show you all.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Wrote this the other night out on an inspired whim (: might add more later!

In Good Company

The concept of sexual promescuity has always escaped me; however, I’d have to throw myself under the bus and say that I am egregiously guilty of emotional promescuity. If you don’t follow, its completely understandable. My mind is a little bit of a labyrinth, superimposing random concepts together in a way that seem logical and sequiter to myself, but often not to people like my English Professors. For as long as I can remember I’ve been a bit of a self rightous space cadet, threading arbitrary trains of thought which culminate in what I like to think of as an epic epiphany. My apologies for the tangent, but it explains my dizzing logic a little. However, in digression: I am guilty of the heinous crime of fraudulent falacious feeling (I hope you’re loving the alliteration) It’s not that I go up to random men and act like a glib barbie doll, casting a web of insidious charm around them- though ostensibly I am quite the “Irrestistable Temptress” Don’t laugh, it’s actually been thrown around. But I do absent mindedly flirt with my masculine friends and may uninentionally without fail give them the wrong impression. The song, Why Can’t We Be Friends? is constantly on my mind. Yes, I kiss people that I don’t care about in that way, and it can be fun, and no I have no intention of dating them and yes sometimes their hearts are broken. I salvage my conscience slightly because I am 100 percent honest the entire time that I don’t want a relationship right then; however; thats stopped helping me get to sleep at night because its still not right. Ideally, no kind of physical relationship would exist between me and someone I did not have incredibly strong feelings for- someone I could not see myself dating and marrying. Alas, the hormones, Awkward. Now I’m still the same old me, waiting for PC (Prince Charming) and all that jazz, but I met someone at college, and he was a hottie. He was a little swarthy for my particular taste, but still smoking. We had a couple sleepovers, completely PG, scouts honour! (We played bubble shooter and watched Disney movies) but he wasn’t my boyfriend and I didn’t think I could see myself dating him. He’s a gigantic hormone and started sleeping with this Random after I said, for the third time, that I just wanted to be friends. Not to reference to Gatsby too heavily, but he was the equivalence of my Jordan Baker, sexes being reversed of course. We’re still friends, but it made me see how toying with the emotions of people around me, even unintentionally so, can harm them. I think I did hurt him, and I didn’t realize it until 4 “I think we should just be friends” later. My sincerest apologies Jordan. Then it struck me, kind of like lightening but evidently less morbid: How can love and lust not hold the same company? It was/it beyond me. Yes I could kiss someone and not care, but I still felt terribly guilty and even a bit skanky- how does that whole one night stand thing not tear people apart from the inside out? It sure would me. Personally, I blame society, or lack there of good society. Oh where, oh where has the moral fortitude gone? Utterly spent and wasted on a deafened generation who participates in casual sex as if it was musical chairs. Good analogy. This was one of the many things I discussed with my Armory Blaine, the role of sex in society: our illustrious small talk. We’re both introverts so I suppose it is understandable, discussing the weather is frightening by comparison. Anyway, we came to the brilliant conclusion that society albeit media induced, was so obsessed with sex that it became nothing. Where I come from, its suppose to be special- preferably something you do when you’re married. Contemporarily, its because as common-place as brushing your teeth. Its everything so much, that its nothing. Actually, this reminds me of a quote from the movie the incredibles “Everyone is special is just another way of saying no one is” same logic applies here. If everyone is having it, unbounded by any statue of limitations, it takes the meaning away. For example if a man or a woman was to have an intimate long-term relationship with someone, it ends after say four year and they automatically go out and have some kind of instantly gratifying romp, it steals the meaning and crushes the vulnerable moments that were shared with the person whom you claimed to love. Sad. It’s also setting the stage for bitterness and dilapitated meaning in future physical relationships. I don’t understand how people can walk around having chunks taken out of them like that, cause it does, everytime it takes a part of you that you can never get back- and thats why there are so many cat ladies. Each cat fixes the hole a little bit? 

Liberty Banana Muffins!

Why Liberty Muffins you make ask? 

How astute!
Because they are Gluten-free, Lactose-free (I'm lactose intolerant by the way), and refined sugar-free.

hallelujah.

Early this week, while perusing Pinterest I found a recipe for Paleo-Banana Bread. Aha! I said to myself, a baking shenanigan was long overdue. In consequence of my father new diet, I had to find something without flour, without refined sugar (white or brown), no oatmeal etc... and believe you me, baking under those kinds of restrictions can get a teensy-bit tricksy. However, I did find this one and with a few alterations, created my very own Liberty Muffins (however- while bananas are naturally chalked full of carbohydrates and have a high glycemic load (when considering fruit) these seemed like the best bet for a health-ier treat). He loved them!

So here is the recipe! (Also, the batter is delicious but be careful because it has eggs in it!)

Liberty Muffins 

Ingredients:
4             Brown bananas
1/2 cup   Almond flour (Coconut Flour Subs.)
1/2 cup   Natural nut-butter of choice
               (I used almond this time around because I had it, but I have a slightly questionable life long                                       love-affair with peanut butter, and will probably try it with that next time)
2             Eggs
1/3 cup   Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 cup   Cinnamon
1 tbsp.    Cocoa powder
1 tsp      Vanilla extract (be generous)
1 tsp.      Baking Powder
1 tsp.      Baking soda
1            SMILE!

Extras: 
Now if you have an abominable sweet-tooth there are a few things that you can do to make the finished product sweeter because some of the sweetness burns off while the muffins bake.
1/3 cup  Honey
(I despise honey, it is actually so gross, but if you like it, your muffins will be sweeter)
1/2 cup  Semi-sweet chocolate chips (Love to, but can't)
1/2 cup  Crushed walnuts or Pecans (This will add to the total calories but your muffins will be crunchy)

Directions:
Heat oven to 375C
Add the ingredients to a large bowl in this order:
1. Bananas
2. Almond Flour
3. Nut Butter
Stir!
4. Eggs
5. Cinnamon
6. Cocoa powder
Stir Again!
7. Coconut Oil
8. Vanilla Extract
9. Baking Powder, and Baking Soda
10. Extra (If you did)
Stir For the Last Time!
Fill muffin tins using discretion (approx. 3/4 full)
Insert Muffins into Oven
Bake for around 15 minutes, and sprinkle cinnamon on the tops when they come out!
Should make 12-14 Muffins depending on how generous you are with the filling the pan!

Enjoy!

Progress! Post-Heart Attack Dad Boot Camp!

Halt! Before you ask yourself: Why is she so scantily clad?! realize that I've asked this question myself! Also, please refrain from looking at the background, geez. I suppose I've done it now haha well if you're gonna look, then at least don't judge. I don't become super cleaning lady until the late afternoon and these were taken in the morning. While I'm pretty sure I'm not really as thin as I look in the third picture, I wanted to put these up is because I'm really proud of my progress over the last two months. My father is recovering from a heart attack so I came to Manitoba to stay with him over the summer and we have both been hitting the gym and practicing healthier eating habits. There's more of a story to follow below!

My father is 50 years old and has been drastically overweight most of his life :( I went to college and the freshman 15 found its way onto my backside, even though I went to the gym almost everyday. Both of us reeling from poor habits had decided to get together for the summer. Then my father had a "Cardiac Event" and I swore I would rush to his aid to personal train him (I obviously needed some training myself haha). Since April 30th he's lost approximately 20 pounds just being active and yes, you know it: eating his vegetables!  We swim together, go to the gym together, and believe you me, some of those late night yoga sessions have been a struggle, but not in vain!

Here is a picture of my Daddy and I (Remember what I said about having the same face?) Yes we do!

Thats all for now folks! (: 

Cheerio.