mandalei

This last year was a good one, but if I look back on it, I remember it more as being tough.

Yesterday was my 33rd birthday. I am going to make this, the Big Double Three, a superluckyyear!!ZOMG!!! Let’s see how I do.

Strawberry Jam!

Making a Pink Lady Cake

So I started eating properly and exercising last Tuesday.  The results of last week’s efforts: down 2.5 lbs. I plan on keeping a weekly update on this.

I will say that I love the Apple app LoseIt!  If you have an Ipod touch or an Iphone, it’s free and AWESOME.  It gets your details at the begninng, and then calculates your calories based on the average amount of weight you wish to lose per week.  In my case, I said 1.5 lbs.  It told me how many calories I could have, and then I can enter my food and exercise into it (I am sure there is some fudge room in this, but whatever), and then it tells me how many calories I have left during the day.  If I exercise, it gives me more calories to eat, if I want.  I can choose to see how I have come in each day over the course of a week in a handy bar graph, even.  But today I found out the best part of the whole app:  as it tracks my weight, it readjusts how many calories I can have each day and how much I actually burn hen I exercise.  Fascinating, and oh so helpful!  (Chels, maybe something to keep in mind for patients?  Seems like something up your alley; in any case, have Chris load it, and check it out!)

There’s some intense stuff going on here.  This is a video and discussion that examines Palin’s church.  Please read through the entire post.  In brief:

If Sarah Palin may hold apocalyptic end-time beliefs or believes that she has a divine mandate to initiate an end-time conflict, American voters have the right to know about the doctrines taught in Palin’s Alaska churches. These churches are closely associated with a movement, called the Third Wave or New Apostolic Reformation, which holds views that are highly controversial, particularly among other conservative Christians who are most aware of this fast growing international phenomenon.  The activities of the movement have been condemned as heresy by the General Council of the Assemblies of God, to which two of Palin’s churches currently belong.  Accusations even stronger than `heresy’, decrying the “Third Wave” religious movement, have been launched from Fundamentalist and Evangelical Christian groups.

Our focus on Palin’s churches does not “bash religion” and has been praised by conservative Christians for its academic rigor. We are examining the religious views promoted at Palin’s churches because the Third Wave / New Apostolic Reformation movement rejects pluralism and its followers believe they have been anointed by God to lead a unified superchurch into the final age – both of which have public policy implications.

Sarah Palin has every right to hold whatever religious views she chooses but, by the same token, the American people have every right to know what Palin’s religious beliefs are – especially to the extent that they may include the view that all other religious and philosophical views but her own are under the influence of demonic powers and that believing Christians must conquer the Earth and cleanse it of evil in this final generation.

No, not the kind where I am being forced to post, but quick snippets since I can’t seem to find time for longer stuff it seems.

• When going camping, take a separate tent for the kid and pack-n-play.  This ROCKED.  Our first camping trip was a success.
• I finished the quilt for my grandaprents after 2 years.  I sent it next-day because I really wanted them to have it ASAP
• I am working on organizing my creative life, including starting a personal journal of projects and notes.
• This also means I am organizing my craft room.  heh, “organizing”.
• our third anniversary is tomorrow.  Well, I am sure our anniversary is tomorrow, but I don’t really remember how many years it has been!
• chipmunks are cute until they start destroying your property.  Then you start thinking of interesting ways for them to die.
• Jack will make a great umpire some day, since he can make the “safe!” sign when we yell it
• I need to do one creative thing a day, one housekeeping thing a day, and one outside thing a day.  And I need more day in my day!
• I got my first speeding ticket.  I know for a fact I was not going as fast as they say I was.  Suck

This recipe for Grilled Asian Flank Steak and Sweet Ginger Slaw from Je Mange La Ville was very, very good.  You should try it!