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November 11, 2008
Road Tested
South Beach Diet Bars. A variety pack. 4 peanut butter, 2 chocolate, 2 apple cinnamon. And 6 little pre-measured bags of whey protein. And genmai cha tea bags. Lots of genmai cha. Can't live without it.
If I were just going to Austin to hang out, I wouldn't be packing so much food, as I hear that Austin is a good town for food. But... I'm going to work. So the events will include bagged lunch, a reception with no doubt very heavy food, and then being in a hospital doing meetings. So if I don't bring it myself, I'm not counting on finding food. I will be so sick of South Beach Diet Bars by the time this is over. I've been stocking up on my heathy foods for days now, trying to get as good nutrition as I can before I hit the road.
The other thing about my work, as opposed to say, MR's job, is that what I eat simply can not be an issue in my work. I have to blend in. I can't be doing weird stuff like weighing my food. I can bring some of my own, but I can't let the issue get attention. I can't make time to run around shopping for food like MR does when he travels, and I have to travel light and be prepared to have no refridgeration. So I do the best I can.
When I'm on the road I often enjoy the opportunity to try new foods, but this time I'm really needing to focus, and if it's at all like the conference we went to in September in San Francisco, the food will be plentiful and heavy at the Austin event. Then we'll be going to Houston to work. I'm looking forward to it... I love being immersed in "the bubble" as Susie likes to call it, and going with Susie and Jeannie will be fun, as will be hanging out with our new friends. I've been isolated in the PARSNIP bubble for so long that I'm like a kid at Christmas when I meet other grown up organizers. I didn't realize how lonely I was until I started meeting others.
Anyhow, we're getting ready for our trip, and I'm about to pack my one bag. I never travel with more than one bag. It is an article of faith. Airlines like to lose my bags, so I don't let them.
Then I'm doing a once-over of the house so it's all nice and clean for MR. Weekends are my usual cleaning time and we get back super late on Sat night, and then... it's MR's 38th birthday! Yes, happy birthday to MR! The man whom I feared was too young for me when we met because he was 33 is now safely on the right side of 35. My mother warned me not to date anyone under 35, and she was right. MR was unusually mature for his age, but he improves every year. I love his birthdays. He looks younger but gets older. Perfect.
Appropriate rally clothing, two days worth of meeting clothes apparently. And then a whole lot of easily packed food. And my workout clothes... I can't go without working out. It makes me an unpleasant person, and Jeannie and Susie won't put up with that, so I'd better make sure I'm in a good mood. That means either cardio, Pilates or yoga every day. Or better yet all three.
Time to get dinner on the table... something cruciferous for me.
Posted by april at November 11, 2008 2:28 PM
Comments
to the madonna of CR and goodness,
you go girl! Texas and open buffets with tons of cheese cannot and will not deter you. Because, you've got the knowledge, the understanding and the faith in food and life and most importantly, you're prepared. You're truely the Madonna (both in the pop and biblical sense, but for me, they deserve the same kind of admiration) of CR, at least for me. I look up to you. I like your way of life.
z.
Posted by: zeynep at November 11, 2008 3:25 PM
Thank you Z-mu! You are so sweet!
a
Posted by: april at November 11, 2008 4:02 PM
Thanks for posting regularly again, April! You help me remember that I'm doing this to live longer so I can do good work in the world.
Posted by: sue at November 11, 2008 6:14 PM
You're going to Austin!? You simply MUST contact Little MR! I'm sure she would bring you delicious, nutritious, measured and analyzed, genuine CR food and if you're really, really lucky, she'll take you to her wonderful home for a couple of hours of R&R. Besides, Austin seems to encoursge all things "weird", so have no fear there! IAE, good luck on you trip, April. MoMR :-)
Posted by: Judith at November 11, 2008 6:28 PM