Donut Seeds!

Donut Seeds are the Lord's blessing to those of us who like to watch our eating habits like hawks. He very graciously gave the gift of genius to the man at General Mills who came up with these wonderful round creations. Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Good Source of Calcium, Whole Grain, Good for the Heart, and the ability to be consumed with or without milk. And since real Donuts do not meet any of these qualifications, but are often craved, they had to be replaced with something.

Yes, folks, I am speaking of Cheerios! However, unless being eaten as a breakfast item, it seems much more appropriate to refer to them as Donut Seeds----lest any of you think I have reverted back to my toddler years.

I love Donut Seeds...........Honey Nut and Regular. They are a rather filling snack, believe it or not. Sweet enough to fulfill your craving for sweets, yet with all the right nutrients so that you don't gain weight.

I will admit, it does look a little funny caring around your bag of Cheerios as an adult. My friends were fascinated the first time I pulled out a rather full sandwich bag of my Donut Seeds. But they soon became used to it. They just chose to accept it as one of my quirky habits! :) Donut Seeds have truly become one of my favorite snack items. Who needs candy when you have Honey Nut Donut Seeds! I carry them with me everywhere----work, the mall, runnng around town, on my trips to IN--- or eat them while running around my apartment!

Everyone should have at least one quirky habit! Quirky habits are what make you you---they make you different from the next person! Eating Donut Seeds just happens to be one of mine!

Confidence, my friends! Do not be swayed by others to drop this wonderful and healthy habit. Donut Seeds can be enjoyed by everyone!

A Perfect Day

Today seemed like a perfect day...........finally, one perfect day in a long time!

After a long week of work........just lots to do.............I ended it Friday night by going to a jewelry party and just talking with friends. I didn't buy anything.......although I would have liked to have bought everything there (there were such beautiful things).........because, well, let's just say, due to a slightly dishonest physician, I blew my months budget on a medical bill. (Long story!) But it was just nice to hang out with friends last Friday evening! Of course, I ate a lemon bar that I totally didn't need! But I exercised it off this morning.

My Saturday! AH! What a wonderful day today was! I slept in til 8:00. Finally arose out of my bed at 9:00. :) Exercised for 45 minutes! Cleaned my apartment! Took my shower. Ate my lunch. Had a rather large cup of coffee that I felt I deserved. Did all this while listening to great operatic moments by Mirella Freni!(I have determined to go through my entire cd collection and listen to one CD a day. I finished Freni today and moved on to Natalie Dessay.) Talked to my mom. And finally left my apartment at 2:15 to run some errands.

I went grocery shopping! I love grocery shopping. I am terrible at it though! I always end up getting things that I totally do not need. But that is ok. I did alright today. I only bought healthy things and a few accessories.

Then I ran by the cleaners. Came back and unloaded my car. Finished my laundry. And went out with some friends.

What a perfect day!

The only downer in the day was that I severely cut my finger.....not the thumb though. But oh well! What's another cut finger! :)
Oh, and while exercising, I had to finish my routine inside because I almost gave my hands frostbite..........it is so cold up here in Chicago.

Yes, what a wonderful day. I feel quite happy and complete this week! Who knows what the next one may hold! :) (This is why I love life...........sometimes the uncertainties give me such thrill and excitement.........................SOMETIMES! :)

Can't Help But Miss It

Last night I went to a Viola Recital of a girl in my church. She was incredible! It was an hour and a half undergrad performance major recital. I heard music from every era---Baroque, Classical, Romantic, twentieth century. Fabulous! It definitely inspired and encouraged me!When she started playing----a Paganinni----I almost started crying. It brought back so many memories----hours of practicing, performances during my six years of schooling, lessons, fun with friends. I couldn't help but be a little selfish---wishing that I were on stage performing at that very moment. I miss it so much. I miss being around artsy people and talking about artsy things........and I just plain miss being artsy 24-7! And I miss Handel, and Beethoven, and Mozart, and Copland! Someday! :)

I watched her perform and place herself in that artistic, emotional sphere. I miss that too----being able to be in your own little world for just a moment of time, where everything feels perfect (even if the outcome isn't so perfect.........does that make since).

At the same time I couldn't help but learn from the evening. The idea of performing seemed so familiar, yet so new. I kept thinking to myself, "That is what I need. Why can't I just do that?" It is hard to allow others to see the inner you. And in performing, that inner you is fully exposed. So many questions go through your mind: Am I doing enough? Do I look stupid? What if everyone knew this is how I truly feel? What if everyone can see that I truly have no clue how this feels? And yet, if you don't try, sure you don't lose anything...........but neither do you gain anything.

Accident-Prone 101

I have never had a tendency towards being accident-prone...................that is until I was on my own. And I can say that with all honesty as I look back over my entire life. I kindof prided myself in not being prone to injuries and such like some people I know. Well, that all ended when I became an "independent entity." Was I that sheltered as a child? Or am I just maybe a bit too zealous? I don't know, but this is how my life seems to have turned for right now. After my thumb incident (remember: cut it with a papercutter?) things seemed to be ok for a while. I mean how much worse could it get........cut thumb, missed lessons, car accident, fire downtown and no parking, homeless for three weeks, etc.) Then came my flat tire. Did I ever mention that? Well, if I didn't, let me just tell you that it was as flat as a nail head. Couldn't use my car for a whole day! But it got fixed. Life was good. Until I went home for Christmas. :)

Yes. Home in Indiana for Christmas. Three "exciting" events immediately hit me.......

Another tire went bad.
I lost my retainer.
Fell smack-hard on my tailbone.

Yep, there you have it.

The tire incident wasn't so bad. We caught it before it went flat. So I had to buy two tires instead of one.....ok, I could handle that! Really I could. I just said several prayers of thanks and kept going.

The retainer. Yes, well. How embarrassing is it to say that after 8 years of wearing one, I lost mine. How did I lose it? Oh, just the top part. You see, I have TMJ. My raised retainer keeps me from locking down on my jaw. I went home for Christmas sick, got the flu while I was home, and came back to Chicago..........still sick. It has been a few years since I got the flu so bad that I was actually, well, to put it nicely, vomiting. So needless to say, I am not in the habit of taking out my retainer before I do such things. I did my business of getting sick, then did what most people do after that: Flushed the toilet.............I mean good grief, get rid of that stuff! Who wants to look at it! Yuck! Then! All of a sudden, I realized that I was missing one retainer. Well, oh well! Too late now!

My fall! Oh yes! Another exciting night. The day before I returned to Chicago (4 hour drive). Well, first of all, let me explain Avery to you. Avery is my 9 year old nephew. All boy! Loves to rough and tumble. Hates to be kissed! I asked him if he loved me! He did of course. So I preceded to get a kiss from him. We roughed it out! Without a kiss, mind you! I mean, he was flailing all over the place----kept trying to elbow me. So I jumped back. At the same time I jumped back..........in socked feet, mind you.........Avery decided to push me. And down I went! I mean my feet came off the floor. I fell smack-dab on my tailbone! Wow! I couldn't even get up!And all I could do was laugh and cry at the same time (And I got my kiss from a little guy who was just devastated). I had to go to my chiropractor that night, I was in so much pain. He worked on my for a good while...............once I almost kicked him, it hurt so bad! I could at least walk after that. And since, I have been on the road to recovery..........and am still recovering! :) How embarrassing though. I mean, you can't even ask for pity from other people in a "matter" like this. And it's not exactly an area that you can "cater to" or "protect."

Why, after all these years, am I so accident-prone? I am beginning to wonder if I should keep my eyes open for that lightening bolt that may be waiting around the corner.

So what is the moral of this story??: Keep our eyes open, your ears alert, and your feet on the ground.......and don't have socked feet when you're on a linolium floor!