Slice #12: Collect the Most Happiness

Today it was really nice to come home, after a fulfilling day at work and spend time with a full family dinner, cleaning in the kitchen, doing some laundry and then spending time having a family game night. Today we played Tokaido, a game we have had for a while, and one that everyone seems to enjoy a lot. The write up and video at the link does the job of explaining the game WAY better than I could in writing. If you are interested in learning more about the game just go there.

On our journey the family including my wife, sister, brother-in-law and nephew (4.5 years old) has enjoyed learning a new game together while taking turns having the most enjoyable journey along the road known as Tokaido. This connected Kyoto and Edo (Modern Tokyo) and was a many day journey. Along the way we saw beautiful panoramas, soaked in natural hot baths, filled our packs with trinkets.

In the end, the goal of the game is to collect the most happiness and remember life is about the journey and not the destination. I will try not to be a sore loser, and hold a grudge at my nephew for winning.

Slice #7 Adventures in the Ktichen

Grocery Shopping

To be honest, no one ever taught me how to plan meals, and grocery shop for the week. At a stage in my life with dual incomes, the 'convenience' of eating out is often tempting and it always leaves us pondering the question "What do you want to eat?" This year has been a learning process, and Lindsay and I have been going together. Digital coupons are awesome and I love seeing the savings roll in when you scan your perks card.

If I could cook at home like the healthy and wholesome fast casual place my wife loves to frequent I might be consider myself a culinary adept. Today's task was to make one awesome salad. I found a recipe for a cranberry pecan and blue cheese salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette dressing. This salad has been cooking in the back of my mind since our last grocery trip as a couple, but I missed a few key remaining ingredients, namely the lettuce. 

Walking down the aisles I found myself doubling back to the produce section unsure of my choice. Is there a real difference between red and green leaf lettuce? Should I be using romaine instead? Should I spring for the 'packaged' organic romaine hearts? These are all questions that ran through my mind and caused some anxiety. First trip around I bagged a red leaf lettuce, but then ended up coming back and picking a head of romaine as well. Better safe then sorry.

Salad Chef

I remember now why I don't make salads at home, mostly because I am the only one that ever eats them. It is truly amazing how much lettuce (volume) comes from one head. After peeling some cucumbers and slicing them thinly, I then tossed the mixture. Remembered that you are supposed to shake the salad dressing (especially vinaigrette) before using after I started pouring it on my first small bowl. I garnished with the cranberry, walnuts and blue cheese and enjoyed the vegetables/fruits of my labor. Once I started there was no stopping, I enjoyed the heck out of the whole big salad bowl all by myself only to realize I really wanted this salad for the combination of balsamic vinaigrette, cranberries, walnuts and blue cheese and it has very little to do with the lettuce at all.

Slice of Life #4: Books as a Portal to Another World

As a Child...

I, along with many muggles, might remember the magic of reading Harry Potter series for the first time. Staying up way past 'bed-time' lost in the adventure and escape provided by this series of books is one strong memory from growing up. The power of words just like the magic in Harry Potter can have a reader feeling spellbound.

A Reader Once More

A few good recommendations from my reader friends and coworkers has me falling in love with reading again. I just finished one book, starting another this weekend and am a comfortable 100+ pages in after just a few days. Reading online is so different than the way that I am able to get immersed into a novel. Yes, I may be reading science fiction or fantasy, but if you don't enjoy what you are reading it is okay to find something that you do.

Mark Hamill Likes Reading

A Note to Prospective Readers

Ask your friends, or even better yet a librarian for a book recommendation to get you back to reading.

Consider using social sites for book readers as well! I will be trying to be active on it and hold myself to the goal of reading 24 books this year which would be about a 20 book improvement on what I accomplished last year.

GoodReads is one my friend Trina introduced to me.

You can find my profile here!

Slice of Life #3: One Foot In Front of the Other

New Year's Resolutions

We have a pretty awesome community at our high school. We encourage each other through many ways, but one such way is a community focused 'biggest loser' challenge. While there is a cultural obsession with weight and being thinner, there are real benefits to leading a healthier life style besides being focused on a number.

There are many weekly challenges that to be honest I haven't had the where-with-all to commit to. I was happy with being active, trying to be sensible with food choices, and drinking enough water. My start running this year came from beginning again on ZenLab's C25k program that I swear as the best way to get you from sedentary to jogging over the course of 8 weeks.

I was going strong, and the feedback from friends on my occasional updates via the social media celebrations and progress tracking really had me fired up. Taking pictures of my progress all the way through by always snapping a 'post-workout' data report, would help me see the process even if it was made one day at a time.

This time doing C25K was different. I had a singular goal that was Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic or Time Bound. My resolve was to be able to run a 5k (race or distance) in under 25 minutes by the end of the 8 week program. I made it to week 6 when I got stopped by an obstacle.

Run in the Sun by Lucas Favre

Stubbed Toes and Excuses

There are two things that happened that I can identify as reasons why I am not running a my aforementioned 5k distance right now at that blistering (possibly literally) sub 25 minute pace. My first obstacle was a door frame that decided to move in the path of my foot as I made my way from our laundry room to the kitchen. Clumsy, careless, and now extremely bruised my poor toe became a gorgeous maroon. (I will spare you the picture because eww...) Now I knew I needed time to heal.

After a reasonable amount of time (1 week?) I still had not made it back to the YMCA to resume my progress. I couldn't "find time" even though I had become engrossed with a video game, often playing with my friends, and somehow managed to log 142 hour since I have gotten it. Where did those 142 hours come from? They came from running time, they have come from sleep time, they have come from some quality time spent with my expectant wife.

The time spent on these games are entertaining and yes sometimes social, but they don't make me feel 'alive' the way the other activities do. So my key to a better life is do more of the things that fill  my life.

• Marvel at the wonder and love of a child and spend quality time playing, reading and teaching my nephews.
• Be a better listener, whether as a brother, a friend or a husband. I can practice being present in the lives of those around me as well.
• Read more, watch less. I have started checking out books and have a little catching up to do buy am going to make it my goal to read twenty-four novels this year. (Finished Born a Crime and The Martian so far...)
• Run often and focus on enjoying the process while not just focusing on the progress. Running outdoors is way different than running on a treadmill. I need to remember that progress is putting one foot in front of the other.