Friday Feast Nights Haywood-style 3/30 edition

I have been so slack on updating my blog! My problem is that I think about something to blog and then my mind goes off on tangents and I never get to typing. So I decided to try to keep things simple to get back into the habit.

I've told you previously about "Friday Feast Nights Haywood-style." Colin's already met up with his friend for a little while and Kayla just headed out for a jog. I've placed our dinner order from Little Szechuan for Pierce to pick up on his way home from work, and I just took a fresh batch of brownies out of the oven...the house smells AwEsOmE.

We're on to another season of American Idol. Heejun is a hoot but not sure how he's made is this far, Phillip Phillips could be my Jon Bon Jovi if I were 20 years younger, and Holly is just a sweet little girl with a big voice. Could this be our last supper with Heejun?!?!

We'll savor the relaxing evening, as the rest of the weekend is filled with early mornings, AP prep sessions, homework, and baseball.

Happy Friday y'all!

fountain diet cola

I don't remember when it started.

I don't remember drinking much soda as a kid. I do remember that 2-liter bottles of diet 7-Up were a staple in my house, but I don't think I drank it very often. I know I had an occasional grape or orange soda when camping as a kid and Shirley Temples at Grandma Meyer's on holidays. I can actually remember getting sick on lemon-lime soda at the beach and swearing it off for awhile.

But I don't remember when the daily consumption began. I know there was a McDonald's in front of the grocery store where I worked in high school...did I stop there on my way to work? I don't recall. The fact is that soda fountains weren't as readily available when I was a teen as they are now. Anyway...

The first time I remember consistently getting a fountain soda was in college. I think the dining hall near the academics building was called "The Hub" and I remember slipping in there for a soda on my way to classes. White styrofoam cups, ice, carbonated diet cola, a lid and a straw. Mmmmm... Little did I know this was the beginning of a 27-year habit.

I don't know if getting a soda before class happened every time, but what I do remember is that when I was living in Rensselaer NY, I stopped at a McDonald's* for a soda on my way to work every single day. And it's been that way ever since.

When I'd go to visit my then-boyfriend's mother (now mother-in-law) she'd always have diet Pepsi for me because the closest fountain was about 30 minutes away. (I don't know when I switched from diet Pepsi to diet Coke but I cannot stand diet Pepsi now. At all.)

Getting a soda was part of me. We even went to McDonald's drive-through for a soda on the way home from our wedding...in full wedding attire! It was not uncommon for me to scope out the location of where the morning's 'bubbles' would come from upon arrival at a trip destination. I loved me some diet soda out of a fountain.

About six years ago I decided to try to "quit the addiction." I went through a little bit of withdrawal when I cut back on the caffeine (felt like I had the flu for a couple of days), but I never felt like that was really the addiction. That was just an added perk to the pleasure of carbonation on ice. At that time, it was when I tried to go without carbonation that I hit a stumbling block. It turns out that's what I was "addicted" to...the carbonation...on ice.

So I cut back on my diet Coke consumption dramatically, but not completely. And I've slowly crept back up, but not to the same point, thankfully. As a matter of fact, I can't stand the taste of diet Coke after 12pm. What's up with that?!?! It used to be my go-to beverage on the way home from work, when going out to dinner, etc. Whatever...this new-found distaste for diet Coke after 12pm worked in keeping my consumption down.

But now I've got lots of reasons to quit. And the number one reason is desire. So I stopped the caffeine with one night of fatigue and that was it. And I've stopped the carbonation with no withdrawal symptoms.

WAIT! WHAT?! No withdrawal from the beloved carbonation?

Well...what I did was treat myself to my second-favorite beverage during this first week of quitting...a Chick-fil-A diet lemonade. A non-carbonated yet tangy beverage to satisfy the craving. (By the way, I HAVE NO DESIRE TO REPLACE MY DIET COKE HABIT. I'm not going to start drinking tea or tonic or anything other than delicious, nutritious water. I am not looking for an alternative.) I just wanted to help myself adjust to the lack of carbonation since that was such a stumbling block last time and felt that the diet lemonade would soften that craving.

But what I've discovered is that what I thought was an addiction is actually more of a habit. Wikipedia says it best:

"Historically, addiction has been defined as physical and psychological dependence on psychoactive substances (for example alcohol, tobacco, heroin, caffeine and other drugs) which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the chemical milieu of the brain." Whereas a habit is "an acquired pattern of behavior that often occurs automatically"

My desire for a fountain soda has nothing to do with caffeine, diet Coke, or carbonation. My habit is to get up every morning with the first goal being to get ready and head out. I even start to look forward to this the night before, thinking about what time I need to get up to be sure I get my soda before the days tasks need to begin. No matter where I am -- at home, on vacation, visiting family / friends -- for as long as I can remember my mornings have consisted of getting up, getting showered & dressed, and heading out for a soda. Plans have revolved around this habit. If someone is picking me up for an early morning event, I will get up even earlier to head out and be sure I've got that beverage before the day gets started. This summer I drove 24 miles round trip every morning to get a diet Coke from McDonalds in town. It was, in some respects, the highlight to my day. The one consistent. The one thing I could control without question. At home, it was almost like Norm going to Cheers. I went to 7-Eleven on Huron Road 90% of the time and always knew someone there, be it an employee or a customer. I've made friends, networked, and cheered on others.

*Remember how I said I went to McDonald's in Rensselaer daily when I was living in Albany? The reason I remember that is that in order to get to the drive through I actually drove past the building and around. It got to the point where the person who always worked the drive through window looked for me to drive past and had my soda ready before I even placed my order. The first of many personal connections this habit created.

I feel better knowing that it's a habit rather than an addiction. I will survive without the caffeine, Aspartame, and carbonation. I've just got to find a new morning routine and THAT is going to be a challenge. The trips to Chick-fil-A end tomorrow.

The Positive Project: Summer 2011

My friend was telling me about a book called "The Positive Project." I'm not too familiar with the book, but what little she told me inspired to look back on the positives of this summer because I feel guilty about how happy I am that summer 2011 is coming to an end.

• Kayla spent a week with my parents in Florida


• Kayla successfully completed Algebra II, sticking it out for 7 long weeks of 7:30-1:30 M-Th classes (and I managed to get her there on time every day!)


• Colin swam for the HCRA Marlins, making it to practice every day and participating in every swim meet, even those which went past midnight or rolled into a second night


• Pierce volunteered at every swim meet


• I managed to keep the HCRA Marlins swim team board up-to-date until swim team picnic night


• I made it to the gym more this summer than last summer (despite missing an entire month due to illness & vacation!)


• Colin kept up his baseball training with twice weekly practice and/or scrimmages


• Kayla made money pet-sitting, babysitting, and cake making


• Colin's social circle quadrupled


• Kayla past her 3-day road test


• We managed to get together with some friends outside of kids' activities


• We made it to a Flying Squirrels game and two Washington Nationals games


• We made it up to New York to visit some of Pierce's family and the Kolariks


• Kayla participated in band camp


• Kayla got her drivers license


• Kayla was a Kick-off Mentor at Tiger Camp


• Colin completed a week of basketball camp


• We survived an earthquake


• We survived a hurricane


• We paid fees for 2 of the 3 free, public schools the kids will be attending this fall

Considering the list of accomplishments, it's hard to believe the list of canceled plans because I ran out of steam, missed doctors appointments, and forgotten tasks. What a summer! Between all of these activities and being sick for a month, there was hardly any time to breath and my house is a disaster zone.

My September calendar is updated and it looks like we'll actually have time to really enjoy Friday night lights, band competitions, fall baseball league games and family dinners!

Always a part of our lives: Roommates

I thought of this topic while on vacation last week. I never really thought about my roommate experience as a whole before. It was eye-opening to realize I didn't have many roommates. And made me wonder if perhaps I'm the one that was difficult to live with...or just savvy enough to have my own space whenever possible ;-).

Ah...college. I still remember the first day. I was so lucky...assigned to a "triple" (3 girls in a room meant for two), in "the nunnery" (the only all-girls dorm on campus"), on southside (which required a walk across "the tundra" to get to class.) I entered my room to find that roommate #1 (Joelle) had already moved in. She was on the soccer team and had been there for weeks. She had the one single bed, one of two desks, a chest of drawers (there may have actually been three of these, one for each of us...novel idea), and one of two closets. I can't blame her...she lived in there alone for some period, no sense in living in cramped quarters. Roommate #2 (Jackie) must have arrived soon after me and the three of us worked out our "territories." I got the bottom bunk, a closet to myself but I had to put my chest of drawers in the closet, and shared a desk with Joelle (but was never a desk user really.) All was right in the world and we had a fun kickoff to college life.
One of the girls in the room next door to us moved out after first semester, so I moved into her room. Roommate problem #1: I can't even remember my roommates' name! It might have been Wendy, but I really don't remember. It's not that I didn't like her (We were both preoccupied with boyfriends when we weren't studying. She was very quiet and I was still hanging out with Jackie, Joelle and the other girls on our corridor.)

Sophomore year my group of friends & I moved over to a short corridor in Onondoga. My roommate was Maria. She was also on the soccer team. I'm not sure what happened, whether she dropped out or failed out, but I had the room to myself at the beginning of second semester. I avoided a roommate for what seems like months. Eventually a sweet girl moved in. I want to say her name was Wendy but think I've used that name already; I do know her boyfriend's name was Aubrey so at least I remember something!

Third year, it was time to move off-campus and Marcy and Kelly asked me if I wanted to move into a house with them and a few other friends. The only thing was that I'd be living in a closet. Literally! They were looking for a 6th housemate to split the rent. That was fine with me. It was actually a storage closet, big enough for my twin bed, a chest of drawers, and a very small desk. Bonus: it was on the first floor so I only had to share the bathroom with one other housemate, Gina. There were four girls sharing two bedrooms and one full bath upstairs. This may have been my best year in college. Fun girls. No roommate changes. And freedom from dorm life.

Two of those housemates graduated that year and the remaining four of us moved down the street into an apartment. Guess what? I scored a single room again! My other three apartment-mates were education majors and would be student teaching, so they figured I deserved a room where I wouldn't be interrupted by their early alarm clocks. Unfortunately, our upstairs neighbors were not as considerate and often woke my roommates with their after-hours partying.

After college I moved to Pittsfield MA and shared an apartment with a fellow Geneseo alumni, Mary Ellen. We had a really cool apartment with fun neighbors and co-workers. We were slobs...and didn't care. This was also when I took on a pet, Yeti the rabbit. She fit right in, leaving hay all over the place and chewing up the wires.

After a little more than a year I went through a "mid-life crisis." I'd fallen in love with Pierce and was trying to find my way. I asked him if I could move in temporarily. That was twenty years ago. I finally found my perfect roomie ;-).

Always a part of our lives: Childcare Provider

Isn't it sad that people who were so important at a point in our life just seem to disappear?

My dad was a mail man (that's what they called them then...now they're called mail carriers) and my mother was a teacher (I don't believe there has been an update to that title.) When my mother went back to work, she brought my brother and I to the babysitter who "all" the teachers used...Justine Stouffler on Buttonwood Ave*. When we started, I'd say my brother was in early elementary school and I was with Justine full-time. I never went to preschool and the picture of me on my first day of school in my strawberry dress is in Justine's front yard.

I still remember little snippets of moments with her...riding in her car to pick another kid up from a school off of Route 202; lying on the couch in the living room when I wasn't feeling well one day; watching her make French toast; big tins of Snyder's of Hanover pretzels; and helping her sing "Rock a Bye Baby" to one of her littlest loves.

My first "boyfriend" also went to Justine's...Kenny Hershkowitz (do NOT quote me on that spelling!) I really don't remember him, but legend has it that when his family moved to Israel his mother confiscated my "love" letters to Kenny because he was so sick over leaving me behind. We were probably 6 because I do remember that he carried my books to class in kindergarten (probably only once...and what books did a kid carry to kindergarten anyway???)

I still remember the layout of Justine's house. I remember that her sister June lived down the street, and that they both had these "country" window boxes with seeds hanging in their kitchens.

But I have no idea where she is now or even if she's still living. I've tried searching for her online from time to time to no avail.

How is it that people who are so important to us just seem to disappear??? Gone, but not forgotten.

*If you're read this far through, I'm impressed. And if you went to Van Cort or Lincoln-Titus, this situation would explain why I went to L-T even though I lived in the Van Cort zone. Since I caught the bus from Justine's, I went to the school servicing her neighborhood. That made it kind of hard to make friends in my area, especially since my street was one of the few not part of a subdivision filled with kids my age.

Always a part of our lives: Church family growing up

Sometimes when I think back to all of the people I've spent time without throughout my life and all of the places I visited, it's sad to think that something or someone so significant at the time is no longer part of my life, yet still has a presence. Do you know what I mean?

I just came across the formal picture taken of my confirmation at The Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Peekskill NY. I actually still remember that day. I remember standing up to answer a question from the Pastor and suddenly getting cold feet. We'd practiced and the answers were all part of a creed we'd recited since we were toddlers, but all of the sudden the pressure was on and I got tongue tied (I eventually got the words out, passed the public test and made my confirmation.) Anyway...back to my point...

I grew up with these kids. We went to Sunday school together. We had lock-ins and retreats. We went to confirmation class together every week for two years. Yet I don't know where all but one of them are (thanks to Facebook, Flora & I are back in touch.)

I get heavy-hearted thinking that people and places so near & dear to me might be gone to me forever. I do think I can name them all: Richard & Heidi Gibson (twins), myself (in my awful long hair phase), I don't' remember the pastor's name, Flora Williams, Stacy Nigl, Tricia Fox & Eric Froelich. How'd I do Flora???

If today is an indication, I think I'm going to like this summer...

• Kayla arrived safely in Florida and woke up feeling a little better from the cold that developed yesterday morning. She's already played a round of golf and is currently clothes shopping with grandma.


• Colin scored some personal best times at last night's swim meet while earning some ribbons for placing too! But best of all, he had a great time with friends...I did too!


• I slept in but still managed an hour cardio class...and a nap later in the afternoon!


• I got a little bit of "work" (albeit volunteer-related) accomplished.


• Ended the day with Chinese delivery, visit with my brother and porch time with my neighbor.

My daily summer goals* are simple:

• Get kids where they need / want to be.


• Keep up my exercise & diet routine (the latter is going to be very hard)


• Accomplish something each day, be it housework, volunteering or part-time income


• Enjoy family & friends

* But the big goal is finding a job by the fall!