Friday, March 28, 2008

Not Exactly Normal (Sharing A Food Idea)

Okay, so I'm working on some simple twice-baked potatoes.

What I'm using:
 
-18 potatoes (not a joke)
-2 whole sticks of UNSALTED butter
-pepper (enough to taste)
-shredded chedder and jack cheese (about 16 oz.)
-Chardonnay oak smoked sea salt (the aroma alone makes it worth while)
-several sprigs fresh thyme
-1 tablespoon crushed rosemary (use a bit more if it's fresh!)

Steps:

1. Wash potatoes
2. Bake them at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes
3. Take potatoes out, cut them open length-wise (about 1/3 of the way towards the center of each potato).
4. Scoop out most of the insides, leaving a little of the insides.
5. Put insides (and the cut-off parts) into a bowl, along with the butter, pepper, salt, and other ingredients (except the cheese).  Mix.
6. Scoop mixture back into potato hulls, top each potato with some of the shredded cheese.
7. Bake until the cheese has melted.

Pretty damn spiffy (and the 18 potatoes is an awfully large amount, obviously use less if you're only cooking for a few people--1 potato per person, perhaps?). 

Enjoy it.

Monday, March 24, 2008

The Thomas Jane Factor

Baby, just burn.....

Yeah.  I'm hopped-up on straight-firing adrenaline after stepping on the scale this morning.  I've dropped another few pounds, reaching 176 pounds.  This means that I have come within 16 pounds of my "goal".  My brother is encouraging me to reach into the depths of my resolve in order to go the extra mile--why not shoot for an even healthier 150 pounds?  I think I can do that.

After I hit the ground with my weight-loss, it will be time to maintain.... and possibly develop the Thomas Jane "Punisher" physique.  THAT would be me in ABSOLUTELY amazing shape.  I can fucking do it.  I can push myself to destroy..... OBLITERATE.... the little wimp that I was for the last 2 years.

Don't give me oil, just gasoline!

I just got back from one of the toughest cardio sessions at the gym that I've ever pushed myself to go through.  I started sweating about 6 minutes in, and didn't stop for an hour.  I wouldn't be surprised if I sweated off a pound.  I did, however, notice that I got way too involved in pushing myself.... nearly to the point of my heart giving out....  I need to keep a more watchful eye on that.  I know that I've done longer sessions of cardio, but this session... this was so high impact!!!

Baby, just burn!

See what happens when you start going to the gym!??!!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!

That's right....  start me up, I'll never stop.  

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Plastic California

I'll never understand being part of a possessive relationship (although one might argue that I was a bit possessive of Ashley, I think that that notion waned over time due to the fact that she turned me into a pathetic mess).  Personal freedom is a great and wonderful thing, and restricting friends because of gender?  That's just plain idiotic.

Not that anyone in such a relationship is a bad person, but what is it that pushes someone to stay in such a predicament?  Oh, I'm sure love is there, but if someone loves you, they won't get angry/jealous/possessive of you being around someone else.

Christ, all I wanted to do is hang out.... and I got shot down because of the whole jealous boyfriend factor (if you ever read this, yeah.... you're one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen, but it isn't difficult for me to say that and do nothing other than hang out).  Shrug it off.  I'm always ready and willing to hang out, so if the situation changes, I'll gladly be up for it.  Until then, my opinion is that you should dump his ass if he really is that way.  

"You got to get up, and climb that hill again" -Tom Petty

That should be a new mantra for me.  It works on so many levels.  Gym, women, culinary, life....

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Get Up And Climb That Hill Again....

What is it that kills my motivation (I guess this is more of a continuance of the last entry)?

I haven't been to the gym in just over a week.... I've still lost a pound with little effort (if you can believe it), and right now I'm trying to gather the strength to get off my dead ass and actually go do some cardio!

At least it will be much easier in three days or so, after I have gone every day up to that point.  Then, the gym will be a drug again.

Ugh.... this is going to be dreadful, but worth it.  Especially tomorrow, my "marathon" day.

Friday, March 21, 2008

I'm Alright (You Gotta Go There To Come Back)

 Ahhhh, capricious youth.  Something I don't quite remember ever touching on.

Instead, I seem to lead a boring life peppered with the infidelities of a few surprising little actions..... I don't really see it as being some complex dichotomy of self, just a way to describe the little hiccups that seem to create an illusion of splendor.

So... in other words, I'm going to go back to my boring-ass life and play a little bit of the ol' Lunar:  Silver Star Story Complete on my PS2, go to sleep with an unfulfilled expectation that I might take a *crossing fingers* good "new" friend to a concert tomorrow night (as I shamelessly keep my phone within the waiting grasp of my all-to-eager hands for her call), and wake up with the urge to spend more than six hours at the gym tomorrow morning.

Where does my ambition go sometimes?



Saturday, March 15, 2008

Needless

I had the energy to write in this a little while ago, but that has since left my body.

When it returns, I'll write.