Accidental Vegetarian

Well, maybe I should say pescetarian.  

I'll still continue to each fish, eggs and (my all time favorite) cheese.  I've always thought about becoming a vegetarian, but I wasn't sure if I could really do it. For a few years now I've unconsciously stopped eating meat. Every once and a while, I would have a piece of fried chicken or steal a piece of the hubbys bacon.  For the most part I eat a lot of sushi, salads and other things like that.  

A couple of my office mates decided that we should hold our own office Biggest Loser competition. We each put in $20, weighed in on the same scale and agreed that on July 31st we would come back together to see who lost the biggest percentage of weight. 

This got me thinking about my health and what I've been eating lately.  I know being a vegetarian can have a lot of benefits. I don't think I could ever give up sushi or my favorite shrimp stir fry dishes.  When Jason I go out for date night, usually he gets a steak while I order scallops.  I think I can do it, right?

Here are a few of the hardest places to stick to it that I see in the near future:

• Fast food.  In a perfect world, I could say that I never eat fast food. But seriously, there's always the time where you're in a rush or not in a good position to find food elsewhere. Usually Taco Bell is my first choice, but the one near work is the slowest I have ever experienced in my life.  This leaves McDonalds and Wendy's.  so far the best option I have found is at McDonalds. Sometimes I will order a Southwest Salad with no dressing and no chicken. The girl behind the counter always looks at me like I have 3 eyes, but with the lime slice, the corn bits and the little bit of cheese, this turns out to be a pretty tasty salad!
• Bacon.  On my own, I don't really eat bacon.  But when you marry someone who believes bacon needs its own food group, its often around and incorporated into everything.  
• Mexican food. I. Love. Mexican food.  My friends and I go out for it frequently to the nearby Mexican restaurant. I know margaritas are probably one of the worst things you can do to yourself when you're on a diet, but they're so good.  I usually order a chile relleno which sometimes is stuffed with meat, but most of the time is stuffed with cheese. I also often get enchiladas stuffed with squash and mushrooms drizzled with spinach sauce and sour cream. This is one of my new favorite dishes.

We'll see what happens.  For now, I'll continue to surf the internet to find articles like this for education, and snacky recipes like these kale chips to hold me through!  Here's to a skinnier tomorrow!

Beginning of a new chapter

Over the last year and a half, a lot has changed for me. Since the beginning of 2011 I got a puppy, got engaged, moved, quit my job, got married, found a new job/changed careers, bought a car, and now we're buying a house. Needless to say, it's been a busy year.

And I've been loving every minute of it.

Sometimes change can be scary. Fortunately, I've had a really good track record so far, and and every step of the way has been incredibly exciting (and a bit of a blur). Through all of it, today was really the first day that I stepped back and realised, "whoa... I really am a grown up." Not that before I was just pretending. Or was I?

It hit me when I saw a birthday card from my parents. It was addressed to "Mrs. Katie Rhine." I mean it took me a few months to get used to the new last name, but this was the first time I saw myself as a Mrs.  It's almost as scary as the dreaded Ma'am. Gives me chills like Frau Blücher!

Regardless, this year is another year of challenge, another year of change, another year of learning and self growth.  One of my biggest challenges is going to be taking a step back from the 180 degree turn around that has been my life, and see how I've changed yet stayed the same.  I still have the wonderful support of my family, and the support of new family.  I still have the dedication I did with my old job, but have fresh passion and motivation with my new job.  I still have great love for pottery, but a new skill of actually making round things.  I can hear my favorite college art professor ringing in my ears "it's simple yet complex..."  Possibly the most wisdom filled words I heard in college.

Goals as I begin my 27th lap around the sun:

• Get back into writing. I used to write all the time.  I've forgotten how refreshing it is to write down my thoughts, no matter how much they resemble brain vomit.  gross
• Stretch my creativity.  Before, I altered pottery because I couldn't make round things and so I had to do something else to make them good.  Now that I can make round things, I should be able to make even better pottery, right?
• Remember how important it is to love myself and love my body.  So we've all gotten... rounder over the years.  I want to get back to seeing myself as beautiful.  Even as beautiful as my husband sees me. 

Well, here goes nothing...

Also, I've decided I would like to close my posts with a Song of the Hour.  I have very eclectic music taste, and I'm going to broaden even more.  For now: Mrs Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel