I've gotta crow...

I won't lie and say I don't like to toot my own horn. I LOVE to toot my own horn.
I'll toot it all the live-long day!

Lately, however, I have actual reason to toot aforementioned horn. (And not just "Oh look, I changed the toilet paper roll!")

I made a resolution at the beginning of the year that I've actually managed to keep up with some regularity. Not only have I been spending more time in the kitchen, but I've made a concerted effort to give a crap where my food is coming from.

Fast food joints are a thing of the past. I've still splurged with the kids on the odd weekend here and there, but they have been really good sports with my culinary experimentation.

I am the smoothie queen - and my freezer is half-full of berries and frozen juice cubes. I've finally converted to soy and almond milk (and so have the kids, by proxy) and couldn't feel better about it! I'm still a sucker for my cheeses, so I'm afraid I'll never be able to go completely vegan... it's the Irish in me... I gotta have my meat and potatoes!
BUT, we've been enjoying fresh salads, rice and steamed veggies, homemade chicken noodle soup, homemade lasagna (with organic - from scratch - tomato sauce), hummus, salsa, pita and tortillas.
That's right, bitches... we make our own bread products up in this hizzy.
And we don't believe in bread machines or perfect rice cookers.
In my primitive kitchen (which lacks a dish washer) we do things old school... which means I could almost certainly duplicate it in a crisis/post-apocalyptic/camping situation. (Yet I still haven't perfected mom's pan-fried potatoes and am convinced it's because I lack one of those circa 1979 electric skillets.) It has been far beyond merely edible... I've actually been making pretty damn good stuff! (And because I've always fancied myself a decent baker, but no cook... this is quite the accomplishment for me!)

In any case, I'm feeling much better about what I'm putting in my body food-wise. Now I just have to cut out the caffeine and quit smoking. Lord, I need to quit smoking. There are going to be a lot of demands on my voice in the next several months and I'm not doing myself any favors by dicking around. I need to get serious.

And there's hope! I've gotten serious (and been successful thus far) with some lifestyle changes and adopting more positive habits. The trick will be whether or not I can continue those habits through several months of production and high-stress.

I leave Friday morning for a return trip to NYC and am getting excited!! It's another quick turnaround, but I'm finding that I enjoy the short visits to the city. There's always something left on my list for "next time" as I still haven't had the chance to drink in every experience that I'd like to. It keeps me coming back for more.

I will definitely post about my adventures... My daughter has been touting this 'vlog' thing... a 'video' blog, apparently. Now, I rather enjoy the fact that I'm writing this blog in my tattered, coffee-stained robe, hair in a topknot and not a bit of makeup on my face... but I don't believe that the world is ready to see that. So, the vlogs will be infrequent at best.

It's not that I'm proud... I just seek to retain the dignity I have left in my life.

And on that note, I'm off to make plans to get stupid in the city with all my pretty little chorus boys and girls! :)

Cheers!