Pasta night

Today I had a fun day! I wrote some, worked on a lecture and dealt with a participant who first moved her visit back an hour, and then showed up 30 minutes late! So my end time was pushed back 2 hours today- what a treat! It's always tempting not to cook when I get home, but a quick text to Dave revealed that he hadn't eaten either, and was in class starving.

I had flagged THIS recipe for Tomato walnut basil pasta last week from OH SHE GLOWS. It came together in about 20 minutes and was super delicious! Check out the recipe!

I'm going to try to get my husband to have dinner cooked for me tomorrow when I get home from work at 8 - we'll see if hell freezes over.

My Morning Smoothie (5?)

I've become a creature of habit in the morning recently. This I guess is a good thing, since I function much more effectively with structure. When I used to work with rats in my research, my schedule was so simple. 6am- gym. 8am - class. 10am - rats. 12pm- home to walk to the Dylan. 5pm- home! 6pm - long walk with Dylan. 7pm- make dinner, lunches, clean house. 8-10pm study. 10pm- bed.

Now I work with humans, who have jobs, and want to come in according to their schedule. Yesterday I worked 9:00am-8:00pm and had an off workout day. Today I'm working 10:00-6:00 and sneaking in a lunchtime workout. Everyday I have to evaluate my schedule and determine what I can get accomplished, if I can workout, make dinner, walk dog, etc. For a type-A personality like me it took some getting used to - and I get off track easily. But now that it's push-to graduation time, I need to get very regimented. My study ends next month and I will have NO obligations aside from writing - meaning I will be free to make a schedule conducive to me - hooray!

Starting with my morning routine (which no longer involves 6am spinning class, though it probably should. Everyday.) a smoothie and coffee.
My Morning Smoothie:
1/3 cup silken tofu
1 Tbsp stevia in the raw
1 tsp vanilla
1 handful spinach
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup unsweetened, frozen blueberries
1/2 cup almond milk
sprinkle cinnamon

Just mix and serve. I've been having this variation now every day for almost a month. It is good.

Time is fleeting

I cannot believe that I am finally finishing up school. I started my Master's degree in Summer of 2005, and my PhD in the Summer of 2006. It's 2011 and it's felt as if the end would never come. The first four years of my doctorate felt as if I were wading through molasses. Everything seemed to be difficult... there was one roadblock after another... and there were many times in earnest I never even wanted to finish. I just wanted to pack all of my stuff and move somewhere to work on a vineyard, or behind the counter at a coffee shop, or just spend the rest of my life drinking whiskey. But when it came down to it, I literally had no plan B. So I stuck it out and lo and behold, the end is coming near. Everything is in fast-forward right now, it feels as if I'm swimming in the fast lane and there's no time to come up for air... which is good, but stressful.

Believe it or not, I am slated to finish in August. I have been working a lot, but also traveling a bit now before I lose the opportunity. My committee meeting is tomorrow, and I am currently preparing these CAKE BALLS for them. Since I'm dipping things I've decided to dip some strawberries in chocolate also. Some may call is kiss-ass, I call it being resourceful.

I haven't been able to do much cooking lately - but I have made THIS CREAMY AVOCADO PASTA from Oh She Glows, and also this SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN SALAD.

Dinner tonight was a repeat of Brie, apple and arugula quesadillas, a beet and pecan salad, and a 2 BELOW beer.

Hope tomorrow goes fine! Maybe just one more beer.