Past year's reflection

I don’t “do” resolutions. I find them too broad and hard to fulfill. Train harder, love
more, procrastinate less? What do all those really mean and more importantly,
phrases like those do not provide any idea of how to accomplish them.
Instead, I prefer to look back upon the previous year. What went well? Where can I
improve? How can I make it better?

When I think on my frustrations for the year, it seems to boil down to time
management issues. And one diversion in particular – the internet. I spent way too
much time sitting in front of the computer screen. It’s like TV to me. (Since I rarely
watch TV, I guess that’s not too bad, but I still feel I spend too much time online). To
aid myself in correcting this, I am going to start keeping track of my time on the
computer using a timer. I’m sure it will be an eye-opener.

As for exercise and weight management (specifically the “Strength for Life” program
which I blogged about earlier). I am happy to report that the SFL program helped me
to shed my last 5 pesky pounds. But. It took constant vigilance to do that. I was
ferociously consistent with training. I didn’t miss a single day for two months. I was
also very strict with my food consumption. I ate very few sugary sweets, no soda, no
processed snacks (chips, pretzels, etc). I felt great, but I was pretty miserable. I felt
that my entire existence was centered around me and my physical needs. I don’t
mean to imply that I felt like I was depriving myself of foods that I enjoyed, because I
didn’t miss the junk. I was filling up on healthier stuff and just didn’t have room for
the junk. No, it was the feeling that I had to rush home and get my workout done. It
had crossed the line into an obsession. I have set some specific, measurable exercise
goals for 2009, but I’m going to try really hard to be realistic. If a day goes by without
exercise, I will be okay. I’ll just try to make sure it doesn’t turn into three, four or
more days without exercise. I will accept what I can do without settling into
complacency.

Enough with the psycho-babble. How did we ring in the New Year? Sleeping.
Really. I haven’t been awake to ring in the new year since 1999. I even got an extra
second of sleep last night because an extra second was added onto 2008. Boy do I feel
refreshed! We did treat ourselves to a movie (Million Dollar Baby) and homemade
popcorn. Forget about the healthy, air-popped popcorn. I delight in doing it the way
my father taught me – in a pan, over the stove with vegetable oil. And then I add real
butter, too (gasp!) And salt. Lots of salt. And we washed it down by splitting a bottle
of beer. Do we know how to party or what? It was a completely enjoyable evening –
a great way to say farewell to 2008.

I rang in the new year by going for a run with my uber-fit boyfriend. Well, truth be told, I ran and he jogged. I don't think he even broke a sweat. That's why we don't train together much, but it was fun to push myself today. The remainder of the day was spent cleaning up from the Christmas frenzy and generally organizing the house. Tonight we will cook a good dinner (seafood risotto with a green salad) and maybe even share another bottle of beer! Here's the recipe for the risotto - it's very easy and wonderfully delicious!

Seafood Risotto

3 cups each water and vegetable broth or clam juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (10oz.) can whole baby clams (optional)
3 cups Arborio or other short grain rice
1 cup HOLLAND HOUSE White Cooking Wine
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Ground pepper to taste

Simmer water and broth in pot. In other heavy pot, saute onion in oil over medium heat, 4 minutes. Into pot with onions, add garlic and seafood, stir 1 minute. Add rice, stir 3 minutes. Stir in cooking wine, then tomatoes.

Once above mixture is stirred well, add one ladle of broth water. Stir until absorbed. Repeat until broth is almost all gone. Stir in seasonings.

Dish is done when rice is creamy but still firm, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 (courtesy Holland House cooking wine)