Monday, April 22, 2013

What Are Your Favorites?

I've read several versions of the following questions on various social media, but I don't recall ever blogging my answers to questions about my 'favorites'.  So in the spirit of getting acquainted, I decided to list and answer the following 'favorites' questions.  I alphabetized the questions. (Actually I used the alphabet for inspiration.) Feel free to copy and paste these questions into your own blog post and insert your own answers ...

Favorite automobile: Mazda (first car was a GLC, now own a Mazda 2)

Favorite bird: penguin

Favorite color: orange

Favorite dessert: cookies or ice cream

Favorite eastcoast city: NYC

Favorite fiction book: "I Was Amelia Earhardt" (I don't usually read fiction, but recently read and liked that book)

Favorite game: Go Fish with Hawaiian species (Do you have any Hummuhummunukunukuapua'a?)

Favorite holiday: Wedding Anniversary which we celebrate in Maui.

Favorite ice cream flavor; Green Tea or Chocolate (I can only eat one brand which contains none of my allergens. Those are my 2 favorites of the 4 flavors I can eat. However, I can make in my blender and icecream maker many allergy free flavors, but that's more work.)

Favorite jewelry: Delicate, long earrings or lightweight necklaces with coral or freshwater pearls

Favorite knick knacks: My deceased aunt's colored glass pitchers.

Favorite lyric from a song: "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."

Favorite musician: Enya (singer) or Geoffrey Castle (electric guitar player) for instrumentals

Favorite nonfiction book: "Waiting to Fly: My Escapades with the Penguins of Antarctica" by Ron Naveen

Favorite ocean beach: Kamaole Beach 2 in Kihei, Maui, HI is nice for swimming, but I prefer the beach behind the Lahaina Shore Condo/Hotel also in Maui for just walking and beachcombing.

Favorite perfume/scent: White Ginger

Favorite quotation: "(Y)ou'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." (Phillippians 4:8 from "The Message" translation)

Favorite restaurant: Tropica at the Ka'anapali Westin, Maui, HI (The chef loves making allergy free entrees with fantastic sauces just for me. I love the special attention and tasty meals.)

Favorite sport (either watch or play): I like to watch figure skating but actually skate occasionally. I like to play tennis during the summer.

Favorite tv show: "Project Runway" or "Once Upon a Time"

Favorite umbrella: animal print umbrella which matches my inifinity scarf

Favorite vacation destrination: Lahaina, Maui, HI

Favorite westcoast city: I like Seattle where I live, but San Diego is also fun to visit.

Favorite xanthum gum use: Gluten free cookies, breads or cupcakes.

Favorite yogurt: Amande raspberry yogurt with additional raspberries.

Favorite zoo: Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, but San Diego's SeaWorld "Penguin Experience" is the best penguin exhibit I've seen.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Little Known Facts About Me

I was inspired by a friend's blog post about funny things about her and another blogger's post of 5 things people don't know about her.  So here's my list of little known facts about me:

I'm a penguin freak. I collect stuffed penguins, penguin clothing (not tuxedos LOL), jewelry, penguin ornaments (our Christas tree has penguin lights and ornaments), books about penguins, etc., etc. When I was very bloated with undiagnosed CD and food allergies I often described my body as 'penguin shaped'. 

I'm addicted to fashionista blogs.  I read them daily and get inspired to improve my style.

I prefer sewing (making new garments or altering old ones) to almost anything else.

As well as penguin paraphenalia, I collect clothes.  I make them, buy them, alter them for better fit.  When I travel I buy clothing 'souveniers, like tee shirts or dresses.

If I ever won the lottery, I'd buy a house on the beach in Lahaina, Maui, HI.  I've been to Maui about 8 times and always return to Lahaina.  The manager of Lahaina's Serendipity boutique knows me well.

I walk 45-60 minutes daily to keep my bones strong. I lost 1-1/2 inches of height during the years I had undiagnosed celiac disease.  Several NTX tests proved that I'm no longer losing bone, because I'm no longer eating gluten. So I can easily absorb calcium from my diet.  However I still take daily magnesium and vitamin D for bone health,  I also lift weights daily.

I weigh 40 pounds less than I did during my freshman year of college. Instead of the 'freshman 10' I gained 25 pounds during my first 3 months of college.That was the first time I could eat freely without teasing or critcizm from my family about my weight (which was 115# when I entered college).  Of course I'm 1-1/2" shorter now, but I'm happy that I no longer worry about weight, thanks to a healthy metabolism with thyroid supplements.

I'm 4 years older than my husband who won't be able to collect full SSN benefits for another 4 years.  (Do the math.)

Like my friend, I need to do something with my hands when I walk or stand. If I can't put them into pockets or carry something, my hands, arms (wings?) automatically slip into full penguin position.

That's enough for now.  I feel a little embarrassed after revealing all that  ... SIGH



Thursday, April 11, 2013

April Update

After 1-1/2 months of not posting I realized that I prefer enjoying my life to writing about my activities, health, beliefs, etc. Nevertheless I decided I could at least post a monthly update.  Friends who read my blog tell me that they enjoy reading about my day to day activities. However, I get the most 'hits' on posts about my medical experiences. So I'll share my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual news:

PHYSICAL:  I'm still doing very well on 55mcg daily of liothyronine (T3 supplement). Over a year ago I stopped taking my T4 supplement and started T3 only therapy.  After 8 months I reached my effective T3 dose and have stayed at that dose for the past 8 months. 

However, a week ago I accidentally consumed a small amount (1/2 teaspoon) of chocolate sauce which contained vanilla (one of my diagnosed allergens to which I strongly react).  After 7 days of cramps, bloating and reflux I'm finally feeling almost normal digestion again (and my typically flat stomach).  I was so angry at the sales person who gave me that tiny sample. I specifically asked what ingredients were in the chocolate sauce. She told me "only cocoa and agave". AFTER I tasted that, I looked at the label on the container and saw the word 'vanilla'. I asked the salesperson why she didn't tell me it contained vanilla. She tried to wriggle out of the situation by saying she didn't think the company added vanilla, but the cocoa already contained vanilla.  Just the same, the label stated vanilla and she lied by omission by not telling me when I asked.  NOTE TO SELF: Always read the container. Never trust the salesperson. SIGH

EMOTIONAL: This month began on a high note. A longtime friend spent her vacation seeing my city and spending time with me during the first week of April.  We packed so much into the four days we spent together. We shopped for clothes, ate lunch together every day, did the 'house tour' of my home, walked around my local lake and fed crows and coots, prepared and enjoyed a meal at my home, visited the art museum and waterfront aquarium, rode the Space Needle to the top and took lots of photos, saw the Dale Chihuly Glass Art Museum (first time for both of us) and enjoyed dinner at the Whole Foods Deli one night and at PF Chang's before she boarded the train to the airport and flew home home.  While doing all that we talked nonstop and learned so much more about one another. We walked so much each day that at one point I reminded my very tired self that I could return to my usual relaxed pace the following week. However, I felt rather numb during the first few days after she left. I didn't feel anything. Then yesterday I had to go into town to run errands before meeting my husband for dinner and a meeting at our church. When I returned to one of the same shopping malls where I met my friend several times during her visit, I realized why I felt numb. I really felt sad. I had just spent a wonderful week with a great friend, but now I was visiting those same places alone.  Just acknowledging that sadness and realizing how much I missed my friend helped me move on.  That experience reminded me that I used to feel numb, rather than face unpleasant feelings. I became more aware of my feelings several years ago. So that 'numbness' took me by surprise.

MENTAL: I still enjoy altering clothes that don't fit or flatter my body as well as I'd like.  Every garment is a new challenge, although some garments require alterations which are similar to previously altered garments. Of course, every successfully altered garment is like a brand new piece of clothing. I previously donated to charity (or tried to sell in consignment shops) clothes which no longer fit well (or never fit well, but I didn't really know when I bought them).  Now I love to pin, rip and resew anything I can find.  I haven't followed any patterns to make new clothes since last year.

SPIRITUAL: After reading "A Course in Miracles" cover to cover (in 3 months) and attending a study group about the "Course" for almost 8 months, I took a break from that group while my husband and I battled a bad cold. (The group met in the leader's small living room, where we could have easily shared our cold virus with the whole group.) After a few weeks away, I didn't really want to return to the group. We did return one night, but decided to stay away for awhile, at least until after the first week in April, when my friend visited.  However, on Easter on minister announced that she would lead a class on affirmative prayer during April.  We have attended Unity of Seattle for 8 months, but we're still mystified by that church's approach to prayer. So both my husband and I attended the first class last night and decided to take the whole course (another 3-4 weeks).  I realized after the first class that reading "Manifest Your Dreams" by Wayne Dyer familiarized me with the logic of affirmative prayer, without actually calling the approach 'prayer'.  (Maybe he could sell more books by not calling it 'prayer'.)  I know a bit more than I did before the first class, but I'm still struggling with practical application. Of course, that's why I took the class.

I'm uncertain where 'gardening' fits into my categories (physical? emotional?) ... but I wanted to mention that we started our vegie gardens. I transplanted brocolli plants (from a local store). My husband and I planted seeds for lettuce, green onions, kale, carrots, golden beets.  We will wait until we have warmer weather in May to plant zucchini and green bean seeds.  I still need to clean out the strawberry patch and transplant some strawberry 'volunteer' plants which pop up wherever birds (who eat the berries) drop the seeds.  Our raspberry and blueberry bushes are blooming, but we won't see signs of life from our grape arbor until after a few more weeks. My cold weather herbs are doing well. I need to use or freeze the rosemary before summer, because it thrives during cold weather and barely tolerates heat.