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‘Life’ Category

  1. Set Fire to the Rain

    October 3, 2011 by Jennie

    fall

    Rain! Real, honest-to-goodness precipitation!

    It’s dark and cozy in the house, and, as always when it’s like this, I’m drawn to the kitchen. There are lingering smells of milk bread for the boys, breakfast links (lunch!), baked chicken breasts for later, and of course a pumpkin candle. Now I’m hunkered down in the dimness with the internet and a pot of that delicious pumpkin spice coffee.

    Category Life | Tags: | 2 Comments

  2. Maybe I’m A-maze-d

    October 1, 2011 by Jennie

    Not everyone appreciates my insistence on comparing the Giant Corn Maze to the third Triwizard Tournament challenge.

    D: This thing should have a center. Some kind of goal.
    J: Yeah! Like a Triwizard Cup.
    D: No, NOT like that.
    J: Oh, it would be a PORTKEY.
    D: No, it would NOT.
    J: And you would get transported to the beginning.
    D: No, you would lose your Pottermore account.

    Category Books, Life, Media | Tags: | No Comments

  3. Eat It

    September 18, 2011 by Jennie

    After the whole gestational diabetes debacle, I was really looking forward to a big postpartum breakfast of donuts, orange juice, toast, and maybe a small vat of maple syrup to drench the whole lot in for good measure. Well, I didn’t go quite that far — just a glass of juice and some toast with jam — and an hour and a half later I was spiked up past 200, much much worse than any number I’d seen in pregnancy. To say it was a harsh blow would be an understatement.

    So I kept on keeping on, logging my cursed food and pricking my damned fingers, but now while caring for a newborn. It was not fun and I was most definitely not looking forward to my two-hour glucose test at six weeks, where it seemed that they would tell me I’d be put on Metformin forever, because apparently what was supposed to have been a temporary condition might really have been developing all along. But, quite surprisingly, I chugged that 75 grams of nasty and came out pretty well on the other end. Not great — certainly borderline — but not diabetic. What I’m considering pre-diabetic. I was advised to reach and maintain an ideal weight, and remain cautious with my diet. Both of which I’ve taken mostly to heart and continue to do. I also send drops of dried blood to a lab every quarter, where they measure my A1C; so far the results have been acceptable. I’m currently about ten pounds to an ideal BMI.

    This is what I’ve found my best working diet should look like, more or less, to achieve both goals:

    ideal food distribution on flickr

    As you can see, it has very little to do with the currently recommended food pyramid. Or plate. Or whatever subsidized grain-heavy gimmick is now in common use. But it works, when I can stick to it. This summer I strayed, and gained four pounds. Of course vampirically hiding inside from the sun had a bit to do with that too.

    Statistically, my risk of developing Type II diabetes within ten years increased 50% above that of the general population with my GD diagnosis. But, statistically, subsequently changing my habits and reaching an ideal weight will drastically reduce that risk. I’m not a gambler, and it helps to remember the odds while I’m daily battling a very deeply-ingrained lifelong adoration of baked goods.

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  4. Up

    September 12, 2011 by Jennie

    What is? Well, to summarize:

    • I’m taking an eight-week screen design course — my first true blue artsy fartsy class (until now, everything had been nuts-and-bolts, with little emphasis on design). I just finished week three last night. So this prefab template won’t last long. Other than that…

    • …there hasn’t been a whole lot of creativity happening. But we are looking forward to Halloween this year, and Daniel’s costume is fun. Pinterest is giving me all sorts of ideas, if not the time and energy to execute them.

    • I’m trying to balance a moderate-fat diet with a smart carb one. I can only tolerate so much tofu, so it’s been a challenge. There’s a lentil loaf in the oven right now; this is new. Sardines, broccoli, edamame, and almonds have become some of my go-to foods. And now that fall is nearly here (hooooorraaaaay!), walking and hiking are definitely back on the menu.

    • In kid news: D just started 2nd (SECOND!) grade. He loves tennis, and everyone concurs that he’s a natural. O is 16 months old and walking like a veteran. He’s  just getting over a horrible cold, and that, with lots of teething, has created a perfect, sleepless storm.

    • In media news: I’m watching Breaking Bad and Warehouse 13 and Haven and Doctor Who.  I can’t believe I’ve read over 40 books this year so far; The Magicians by Lev Grossman has been my favorite, and I’m breathlessly waiting for the sequel to show up on the hold shelf at the library this week. Kindle is wonderful (though I’m still hoping they’ll allow for library lending of titles soon). I cheered and sobbed over the last Harry Potter installment. Crazy Stupid Love was very much fun.

    • And, oh, yeah. I’m turning 40 on Wednesday.

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