Anxiety, depression, laziness...Can the nameless wonder change? page 279

[namelesswonder]

Got Boyfriend's foot stuff (got Lysol for the boot, CVS brand anti-fungal cream for his foot), but didn't get to the grocery store.

Nameless Wonders: And guns and swords and uniforms
Holy balls, it's cold out! It was 2*F last night. My weather app says it feels like -2*F right now and the dew point is -4! I feel like this winter is such a contrast compared to last. I had forgotten what cold winters are like! Note: I'm not complaining. I don't like it *this* cold, but we have heat & adequate clothing and I don't have to be outside for long. Feeling the sharp air on my throat this morning, I was reminded of walking to school in this kind of weather. I don't do enough walking now.

I picked up Boyfriend early from work yesterday. He was feeling sick and somewhat delirious. No fever. It's probably just a bad cold. He's staying home today. Part of me is glad because it means I get to see him this evening.

Sleep: Read in bed. Not sure when I went to sleep, but I am sure it was before 11, maybe not long after 10:30. Woke early (before alarm), but was too cold to get out of bed. I've been getting chilled even under all our blankets for the last couple of nights. I'm always toasty when I fall asleep so I don't think wearing clothes will help. I'll figure something out.

Food: We had pizza last night. I've been wanting a meat lover's pizza from our favorite place for about a month now. I know it was not the best choice for either of us, especially with him sick. It was not as tasty as I'd imagined it would be, but I was happy we got it anyway. I don't think I'll want pizza again for a while, and that was the whole point (the crust was really good though). We watched A Knight's Tale, one of our favorite movies. I felt that even though the nutrition wasn't great, I was helping to take care of him and he appreciated it. The HCL helped mitigate any lactose issues. My stomach gurgled a lot later, but no gas or bloating (still a little bloated this morning from shark week). I had 3 slices of pizza. Boyfriend can finish the other 2 for lunch today. I cooked up a pork chop this morning & will have it with broccoli for lunch. I forgot to bring fruit. I had eggs & a banana for breakfast. Tonight, I'll do that grocery shopping so we can have lamb stew soon! The lamb pieces have sliced bones in them. I'm excited to try and get the marrow out. I will probably sear the meat before I slow cook it. If we don't do a movie night tomorrow, I'll prep the stew tonight & cook it tomorrow while I'm at work. I'll ask Boyfriend to turn the crockpot on because I'll have a slightly longer day due to my therapy appointment and don't want to overcook anything.

Body: Knee feels fine despite pizza! Thanks, HCL? Whatever. I busted out a bunch of body squats yesterday. Maybe it has something to do with increased estrogen while I have my period? Not complaining! I need to do more sets of them so I can get sore, otherwise I never feel like I'm making progress. No acne or other side effects from the pizza. My acne is completely cleared up at this point.

Supplements: I used the neti pot this morning and did a full pot on each side. It really cleared things up! I will definitely continue to do that in the future. My sore throat and post nasal drip came back after a few hours. I'm hoping if I use it again tonight, or just continue using it regularly, it will stay away for longer. I am also hoping this remedy continues to work in the summer for my regular allergies. It's a bit of a hassle, but feels better than taking drugs. Nothing else keeps my nose clean! I do feel like the HCL is helping. Now that I'm taking it before/mid-meal, it keeps any heartburn at bay, but it's not helping with my constipation issues. I think I'll keep taking it through Sunday, then stop & see if my heartburn returns. Maybe it was just holiday stress or all those clementines. If it was going to help with the constipation, I don't think it would take this long to see a change. I think I've been taking it regularly for 4 or 5 days now.

[namelesswonder]

More body: I was thinking I might put my $25 Amazon gift card towards minimalist shoes, but I realized that the only place I could use them right now is at work (too cold), and I'm going to make moccasins. So I'll keep saving it. I think wearing minimalist shoes most of the time is going to make a big difference in keeping my legs even. All of my shoe soles are worn unevenly because of how I was walking. It's a lot of work to try and wear them level again. In this area of the country, it's not reasonable to expect to be able to wear the same pair of shoes year-round, so moccasins in-doors will have to do for now, and I'll invest in or make some outdoors minimalist shoes when warmer weather comes around. Huaraches seem pretty simple & look comfortable.

To start with, I'm going to strive to spend a little time on my denim test moccasin every weekend (I could probably finish it this weekend). After that, I will begin accumulating supplies to make my first pair. I may make a denim test moccasin of both types that came with the pattern kit before I get supplies, so I can decide which I want to make first (and buy the appropriate amount of suede/leather). I do want to use real suede or leather, for comfort & quality. I'm afraid even the best pleather or faux-suede wouldn't breathe the same.

Budget: I'm not bothering to calculate my budget spending last month. My mom said that my grandmother has to wait to pay me back for the gifts I bought on her behalf, not sure why. I don't really need the money yet, but my mom said she would pay me if I need it. I feel comfortable with my spending habits right now. I'm tempted to blow my money on certain things, but I want to have a reasonable amount in savings right now. We're going to need it, if Boyfriend doesn't get asked to stay on at this job.

[jenn26point2]

In this area of the country, it's not reasonable to expect to be able to wear the same pair of shoes year-round, so moccasins in-doors will have to do for now, and I'll invest in or make some outdoors minimalist shoes when warmer weather comes around. Huaraches seem pretty simple & look comfortable.

Same here. I wear my Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats at work and running shoes when I'm outside. I need to find a pair of minimalist shoes that will work in winter weather (thinking Nike free or something), but haven't look at costs yet.

There is a site (I can't remember what it's called at this point) that has make-your-own kits. If I find it again, I'll share it.

[namelesswonder]

How to make huaraches. DIY instructions for barefoot running sandals. | InvisibleShoe.com
This one?

Merrell makes a decent looking minimalist snow boot. I am not really worried about snow wear, just need some decent sneakers or something. Everything I've read about the Merrell sneakers is that they're very thin, which wouldn't do for even just going to and from the car. I wonder if I could make something like Toms, but line it with flannel or a light faux-sheep skin (would have to buy some Vibram sheets for the outer sole). Payless has some Toms-like slip-ons that look fairly thin, but they are also very narrow and I don't know how comfortable they'd be. I'm taking my time with these things. First thing is still making the moccasins. I might get some vibram sheets to put on the outer sole for longevity.

For the past two days, I've been wearing my thrift-store-find knee-high faux-suede boots. They have laces up the front (decorative) & have a side zip. They're kind of like pretend mukluks so I love them. They keep my calves very warm, but the faux-fur in the shoe part was already worn in when I got them so they're not very warm. I need to refresh the weatherproofing spray on them. They have nearly a 2" heel and 1" at the front (though it's wearing down everywhere), so not very minimalist! They are less worn in (crookedly) than all my other shoes though.

[namelesswonder]

I was just reminded that I was going to take Maca Root for the first two weeks of my cycle. That means I should've started on Tuesday. The Vitex is really helping my energy and focus. I probably don't need it. Maybe I'll try it for a day or two, but if my knee or hands get achy, I'll stop.

[jenn26point2]

That's the one!

Your boots sound cute.

Good to know about the merrells. I was considering getting some.

[namelesswonder]

Sleep: I was very tired last night. Read from 10-10:30, then sleep. I was out quickly. I snoozed the alarm till 7. Feeling tired, but functional.

Food: Last night was chicken quarters & broc. I snacked on some soy/dairy-free chocolate chips before hand & had a banana & an apple (with the rest of the almond butter). Got a bit of a headache from the chocolate chips. I wasn't hungry this morning. My appetite will probably appear right before I have to leave for therapy. I have a banana, apple, and sardines for lunch today. I also brought the all-natural peanut butter I bought for Boyfriend's peanut butter blossoms. I'll probably get more almond butter when I get groceries (was feeling too worn out to go out last night). I haven't had peanut butter (aside from in the cookies) in ages. We are ordering out tonight (probably maki rolls for me).

Body: I can never decide if neti pot stuff should go under Supplements or Body. I used a full pot, but only on on side, last night. I was feeling run down & my throat was sore. It helped. I used a full pot on each side this morning. I think I might be fighting off a cold (want to get Tazo Zen and Tazo Calm tea to get in on this Kill Everything bit). I think doing random body squats is helping reinforce proper hip alignment because my foot feels much flatter today. In other news, I really miss swimming, but the most convenient pool (in the gym two parking lots away) is incredibly over-chlorinated. I know my skin/hair would not thank me for that.

Supplements: I set the bottle of Maca Root out on the counter so I will remember to take that once a day until the 15th. No HCL yet today since I haven't eaten yet. I've been out of Vitamin D for at least this week, probably longer, and feeling okay (except that it would probably help right now to avoid getting a cold). I think I finally got my D levels respectable! I will maintain at something under 5000 IU once the drops arrive (Tuesday).

Mood: Getting nervous about Boyfriend's appointment today (finding out if he needs surgery or what's next in recovery process). Also nervous about my appointment on Tuesday. I keep reminding myself what I want to ask for: testing of any kind, including FULL thyroid (free T3 and free T4). I want to know what's wrong!!!

WTF, paycheck?! The $30 for the FSA isn't being deducted, but my paycheck came out to $2 less than it used to be! Federal, social security, medicare and state are all deducting more than they did last year. Is this something to do with that stupid fiscal cliff thing? I don't understand MONEY.

I wish I could invest somewhere and get rich. I'm glad I have a handle on my expenses, but it's frustrating having to manage them all the time. I wish I had more leeway.

[namelesswonder]

Nameless Wonders: Links & a plug for a free erotic serial!
I got on the "street" team for this author's free erotic serial so here's my plug. I will be writing a review sometime between the 10th and the 15th. I haven't written a full review for anything since college days, so this should be interesting. I'll probably even spend some time editing it!

[justyouraveragecavemen]

Money is not the hard thing to understand, it's our tax system that's the problem homeboy.

[naiadknight]

It's not even the tax system that's the problem. It's the fucking legislation.