The end of a "break," and a second Whole-30

After the comps, I deliberately took 2 weeks off of blogging. 

They were everything that you'd expect this exam to be at a place like Eastman. Immensely comprehensive, detail-oriented, wide-ranging. Did I mention that it was two consecutive days of 8 hours-per-day typing in the computer lab? 

(We are still waiting to hear the results).

January, as I've discussed on this blog, was a 30-day time of "no sugar, no sweets, Whole-30." It was one of the best things I could have done. Sweet "no-nos" no longer are as appealing, and when I do indulge, it is one of great moderation and reward. On Valentines' Day, Zheng and I had a little bit of port and one square each of Ghiradelli Sea Salt chocolate. Great indulgence, and it was different than eating an entire piece of cake. Equal praise can be bestowed upon an outing in Philadelphia with a dear friend, to "Tria" wine bar. Treats with gorgonzola and brie, paired with two glasses of Spanish wine, was delightful. I'm still savoring it.

February, I've decided, is another month of "no." What hits the chopping block this month?

Facebook.

I'm on Day "3" of the fast, and my husband has already noticed a difference in my personality. I'm less distracted, and I'm also less prone to travel the "Oh-my-goodness-x-person-just-got-a-job-and-I-want-a-real-job-..." path. Ignorance is bliss. I know plenty of people that live without the Facebook culture, and they are some of the happiest people I know. I have kept on my phone the "Messenger" app, which has never caused angst. (It's just like another email address). And I won't delete the account because I've stored photo albums from travel over the past few years that are really work keeping up. 

Other than that, birthdays download to my calendar, so I won't miss them. The ones for which "real" cards must be sent will still happen. Small electronic messages not getting sent anymore - that's alright with me. 

(I might check again on my birthday, however. That's not for another four months).  

PHOTOS: are from our Valentines' celebration. We would like to wish everyone a great (if not late) Chinese New Year and Valentines' Day!

In search of egg-cellence

Welcome to tech week, and to several countdowns:

3.5 days until opening night

5.5 days until the end of my Whole-30

6.5 days until Comps, Day 1

7.5 days until Comps, Day 2

8 days and 2 hours until Comps are over.

The show is going well. Yesterday was the long day - orchestra rehearsals in the morning and afternoon, plus piano dress in the evening. I felt great about the piano dress, and what's more, the orchestra didn't need a lot from me in terms of note-taking. 

So I used the time, and some time over the breaks, to FINISH outlining and writing down EVERY TERM from the Grout-Palisca, "A History of Western Music." I had been given this textbook as a gift for my high school graduation. It's getting a little worse-for-wear, but it held up. 

I am starting to feel like I am reaping the benefits of Whole-30-Paleo. I love how my clothes fit and how much strength and energy I feel that I have these days. Also, being on this restriction has kept me from stress-eating. Snacks are a lot of oranges and apples.

The hotel that we are staying in is absolutely lovely. Very quiet, cute decorations, nice en-suite microwaves and refrigerators. 

My normal routine when traveling is to unpack if I am staying longer than 24 hours. I have basically left things in bags, which will make an early check-out tomorrow easier. I travel tomorrow again to Ithaca to teach. I haven't been there since December. Here's to hoping that the weather cooperates. 

My one gripe with the hotel is that the eggs at breakfast are WRETCHED. Eggs are a major staple of Whole-30-Paleo, so I rely on them often for breakfast. 

This week, I have been getting down to breakfast before it closes, grabbing some sausage, and then going back to my room.

Behold, my egg poacher! 

And its progeny!

This is true egg-cellence. I will never travel without this again.

Discipline

Welcome back to Syracuse! 

Zheng and I pulled in last night to my new "digs" (until the end of January). As much as I love exploring new places, and seeing new people, it is really nice that I don't have to figure out this town or this engagement from scratch. There are some new faces, and the piece is new. But I knew how to drive in, to confirm my reservation before arriving, and even where we would be rehearsing and practicing. (And I also knew where to get great coffee! Cafe Kubal is here!).

Syracuse Opera, it is great to be back, and I am grateful for the opportunity. 

But a word on Cafe Kubal, in relation to myself. I indiscriminately got Pumpkin Spice or Chai Lattes while I was here in the fall. I was working amply, and (I guess) walking a lot, but I was really not thinking of discipline, financially or calorically. In arriving today, I knew the only things I could have were the Americano or the Espresso. I'm a hard-core Nespresso-espresso fan at home, so this isn't much of a hardship. Whole-30 / Paleo forbids milk, syrup, or sugar. 

There are two new "seasonal" flavors on the menu here:

"Orange Gingersnap Latte" and "Mint Mocha"

I won't be off of Whole30 until I'm officially done my engagement here. I'm considering bringing Zheng back as a "date" on closing day, so we can see the show together, and we can also sample the new drinks. (That would mean that I would be willing to drive three hours round-trip for a beverage. And some Piazzola). And as nuts as it is, I would be willing to drive on Sunday the 9th to see the show, more than be willing to "break" the Whole30 while it is going on.

[**please understand the slight facetiousness of my above words. Please also read slight correctly.**]

I wonder, with all of the reading I've done lately, of two camps:

DISCIPLINE: Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, Whole30, It Starts with Food, The Cloister Life

 - and yes, the whole business of Comps study

PLEASURE: The Devil Wears Prada; Happier at Home; Style, Sex, and Substance

Where is the bliss-line with these issues? While my husband teases my organizational habit of "budgeting" for things in the future (like budgeting some money every month for our upcoming move, or talking last night about the fact that our computers are both crooning swan songs), he can tease me all he wants. We don't have a problem paying rent, and when we had to shed *blood I mean pay for our immigration lawyer, visa fees, and a USCIS civil surgeon*, we were able to do ALL of it, at once, and not go into any debt for it. Tease me all you want. The bliss of being able to do that on a musician's and event planner's budgets is not to be dismissed. 

The fact is, I think there is great joy and bliss in keeping to a disciplined routine. I'm delightedly happy after a great practice session, and as much as it was a pain yesterday to roast a chicken overnight, carve it, pack it up into small bags, and then bring it to Syracuse, I now have beautiful food for the next few days that I don't have to go hunt.

(I'm imagining [with a smile] me running through the streets of Syracuse in a cave-outfit, hunting down a chicken). 

A Shot in the Arm

Greetings from Rochester, where we are knee-deep in:

(1) no(!) snow - at the moment

(2) comps preparation

(3) preparation for Syracuse Opera (my next production begins rehearsals this Wednesday)

(4) Paleo-Whole30 lifestyle, including cooking and eating cleanly, and abstaining from old habits. Like "no Java's cookies." (Java's is a coffee shop with FANTASTIC large cookies that I frequently bought and ate during my entire degree. Sometimes they were lunch, and in my defense, I would often by them, eat HALF, and save the other half at least until after a gym visit.) Whatever. That is over now, and I am on Day 8 of Paleo-Whole30. It is great.

(5) ongoing preparation of Zheng's immigration process. This includes the joy of getting testing for him of tuberculosis and syphillis, in addition to translating and certifying Chinese immunization records. We had a lot of good laughs about what diseases where called, what the symptoms were, and how you got them. 

We also got a great laugh at Walgreens, when Zheng had to get a flu shot (and then get proof that he got one).

WaW (Woman at Walgreens): Can I help you?

ZY: I would like to get a flu shot, please.

WaW: Well, what dosage?

ZY: What do you mean? It's just for me.

WaW: Are you over 18?

[insert erupting laughter from KDY and ZY here)

ZY: Here's my driver's license.

WaW: Oh (blushes). Well, then the normal adult dosage.

Good humor is sometimes just the "shot in the arm" that we need.

PHOTO: Sweet potato hash browns with fried eggs. Putting some new recipes, and our WONDERFUL double-sided Crate and Barrel griddle to good use!

Hello from the Cave

So, I had been thinking, after reading a lot about the "Whole 30" plan (www.whole30.com) and of my long-standing "it's complicated" relationship with wheat and dairy products ... 

I am taking the plunge and going whole-30. Today is Day 2 and it feels great so far! I think I need to get some recipes, though. Breakfast is going to be the toughest, I think. And -- thank GOD the plan allows espresso (just no milk or sugar), so my inner Italian is still strong (and I don't have caffeine headaches).

I was explaining the idea of the plan to Zheng, and he needed an explanation of what "Paleo" means. 

He has decided that I shall be called "Cave Girl." 

Some of the restrictions of the diet make sense to him (no sugar, no dairy, no corn, no grains at all). His reaction to, "What do you mean, no rice or soy sauce! ... Well, I am not going to do this with you!" was very funny!

The best reaction was when we made the grocery list after returning from Pennsylvania.

"This girl is not from a cave. This girl works at a bank!"

PHOTO: Zheng has proven to be an excellent "Cave-Husband" so here is some meat grilling on our porch! We tend to grill a lot, in Rochester, that means grill a lot in snow!