A hamster in my head!

I feel like having a hamster and a wheel in my head!!! I woke up at 2.30AM because my mind gave up telling “it” to stop racing Read and snacked, an hour later I went back to sleep. At 5.30AM the race woke me up AGAIN!!!  Furious? Yes! Why? Because I started writing programming code, and that’s an avoidable side effect when I’m very into it! Definitely not Fun! So, I am praying to finish it ASAP!

On the positive side, I got the package from my secret valentine friend Jamie, and I was AMAZED by how thoughtful and sweet she is. Look what she got for me?  Two books about Happiness, yogi tea to help me relax and foodie fav snack larabars!

These gifts are chosen carefully, I can tell that definitely. She didn’t know about my blog but stopped by to read carefully about me, what I like and what I need. I really like every single item, I can’t wait to read these books, thank you so much Jamie!!!

I made steamed sponge cake on Sunday night, so I was excited about breakfast!

accompanied with soy & peanut milk!

After a long day of work, I rewarded myself with a nice balanced meal: sauteed lettuce with brussels sprouts

salmon marinated in mustard, soy sauce and brown sugar

microwaved japanese yam

The yam is DELICIOUS!!! Dense and just slightly sweet. I love it! I think if you’re like me that want to restrict intake of beta carotene, try YAM, it won’t dissapoint you!

Q1: Have you received any thoughtful gift lately?

Q2: What’s your favorite tea?

Notions of Love

Committed clarified something to me: what I was sure for >20 years about true love is actually not LOVE, but INFATUATION.

“Infatuation leads to “intrusive thinking” in which you cannot concentrate on anything other than the object of your obsession. Infatuation alters your brain chemistry similar to a cocaine addict. Infatuated lover, just like any junkie, “will go to unhealthy, humiliating, and even physically dangerous lengths to procure their narcotic.” Research shows that people are more susceptible to infatuation when they are going through delicate or vulnerable times in their lives. The new love seems like a EXIT from current problem. But infatuation is not the same thing as love. When you become infatuated with somebody, you’re not really looking at that person; you’re just captivated b your own reflection, intoxicated by a dream of completion that you have projected on a virtual stranger.”

I personally experienced all of the above and I’m glad I did. That was the most exhilarating sensations that I’ve ever experienced. Just as the author says, that kind of love makes you feel superheroic, mytical, beyond human. You radiate life; you need no sleep; your beloved fills your lungs like oxygen. As painful as that experience turned out in the end I would not want anyone to go through an entire lifetime never knowing what it feels like to morph euphorically into another person’s being.

However, I CAN’T LIVE that way!!! That’s not a possible lifestyle for someone who also wants a career, a family and friends, because that person would absorb all your energy and time.

oh…. Thanks Liz, it’s such a relieve to finally understand the difference between love and infatuation!!!

Okay. I won’t ask you if you had experience like that. Just tell me your thoughts about this

Now… lets move into something lighter just for your eyes pleasure. I don’t know… lately I enjoy more taking pictures of my food in a style or pure esthetic sense, like lighting, angle, color contrast, etc. Have you noticed that?

high-fiber & high-fat bread with milk made with soy beans, peanuts and red dates.

During my mini-breaks, I write note to myself

Opened a new tea. It’s called Detox tea, but actually it’s just mate, green tea and lemon grass.

colorful stir-fry with my favorite seasonings to please my belly and eyes

purple porridge made with steel cuts & black rice

and the no-matching chopsticks. I have a problem… I don’t know why but I can’t never grab the right pair

re-watching Sex and the city for the 1000th time!!

beauty drink (white fungus, red dates and goji berries) as dessert

I started to have a bowl of this every night before bed to help me to sleep. It’s the same porridge with lotus seed added.

it worked most of the nights!

Q: When was your first love?

Favorite quote from “Committed” & a recipe

As I mentioned, I started reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s new book Committed. I am a big fan of her previous book Eat Pray and Love and as I recently just got married, I have to read it. I haven’t finished it yet (1/3 to go) but I want to share my favorite quote:

“… the emotional place where a marriage begins is not nearly as important as the emotional place where a marriage finds itself toward the end, after many years of partnership.” “… there is no one special person waiting for you somewhere in this world who will make your life magically complete, but that there are any number of people with whom you could seal a respectful bond. Then you could live and work alongside that person for years, with the hope that tenderness and affection would be the gradual outcome of your union.”

I know.. it’s not a very romantic quote… but it is so true. Believe me, I wouldn’t agree with it 10 years. I’d say that passion is the most important element of a happy marriage. But life experience taught me that it might not be true.

What’s your thoughts about it?

Monday was quite productive, in addition to curse the snow all day long (I had a meeting with my advisor and it’s canceled) , I did some progress with work.

I started with a hearty breakfast: high in protein, fat and fiber! Black bean & black rice milk, high-fiber high-fat bread (recipe below) and 1/2 baked squash with greek yogurt.

high-fiber high-fat bread adapted from April’s recipe

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cup fiber one grounded
• 1 cup flax meal
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup black bean milk (you can use any milk)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp acai powder (optional)

Mix everything and bake for 30 min at 350F.

It’s dense, chewy and the addition of coconut oil gives it a great flavor

A quick stir-fry using these

baked german dumpling tastes even better as leftover!!! Love it~~~

School is still closed , I think it might not open until next week, more snow is expected for today and tomorrow! So, more stay-home for me. You guys enjoy the air and sun for me!

Q: How often do you declutter your house?