Sushi JACKPOT

I'm writing this post with my friends Elena and Chrissy in mind.

My life is almost complete now that i've found you.

Anyone that knows me is aware of my severe sushi addiction, mainly salmon. Raw, delicious salmon. Cooked? Seared? Get that away from me! When I go to Seaworld, Shamu makes me cry and the fish make me hungry.
I found this website a few days ago when pondering the thought of cutting out the expensive middle man and making my own sushi.
Long story short: I've already gone through a pound of this stuff. I have 2 lbs left in my freezer.

I'm sure I wouldn't consume as much if I were eating rice, but right now I'm knocking carbs out of my diet for a little bit to get myself back on track. Maybe in a few weeks I'll make some sushi and rolls with brown rice. I was munching on my Cucumber-Seaweed salad when I was overcome with a delicious idea.

I had ordered Nori with my fish, and apart from the amusing packaging, it is something that is amazingly delicious.

The choicest NORI, the seafood is delicately seasoned and baked. It
brings to your table not only a smack of the sea but also a good health.

So here's what I have deemed Michelle's Amazing Do-it-yourself and Not Go Bankrupt roll..

Quarter up your nori, add your salmon and avocado, and roll it! Then eat it. Don't stand around and take pictures of it, because nori loses it's crunch rather quickly when you don't have rice to keep it from getting soggy.

That's all. Apart from it being pretty darn healthy, my entire meal was also raw. Sometimes I think people go a little overboard on raw diets, but I can see how it can be appealing. I feel nice and satisfied. And if you're ever a guest at my home, you'll be subjected to it. And by it, I mean the sushi thing. I'll leave the nice and satisfied thing up to you and your significant other.

the "Urban Hunter/Gatherer" diet

Although I feel very inconvenienced (but still fortunate in a hierarchy of needs scheme of things) I have noticed some nice aspects of not having a car. Apart from not spending money on gas and polluting the environment (dear god, she's turning in to a hippie!), I am forced to walk to the store. I have to make the simple barter that has existed for centuries that we all take for granted:

Trading your energy, in the form of exercising, for sustenance.

It sounds so simple, right? No one does it anymore. I can't even remember the last time I walked to the store. Well.... in Mexico I did, but that's the way everyone does it, and cities are built accordingly. It's ridiculously easier to walk to the market everyday to purchase the items you need for the day and support the local farmers than to drive to the Gigante and buy in bulk and make a giant trip to spend money on things that are from who-knows-where.
This could easily go into a discussion about local economy and small business vs. EVIL CORPORATIONS, but I will not digress. Danielle nicely sums up her experience about that here.

So as soon as it got down to 100 degrees or so (that would be 6pm in this lovely desert) I began my 1 mile trek to the grocery store. iPod? Check. Debit Card? Check. Water? Check. Mean face for the passing motorists who comment on my ass and or legs? Check.
Apart from drivers' blatant disregard for pedestrians such as myself (does a car stop at the first white line, or second one?), it was a nice little adventure.

I grabbed a basket and proceeded to fill it. When I was almost done, I became tired of carrying it. Then I realized that I needed to be able to schlepp my stuff home. Another 20 minutes were spent playing Grocery Survivor as I cast my vote for most important items, based on a) My stock of it at home, if any, and b) when would I really need it? Some items were switched out for smaller sizes and others were cast out of my basket to be picked up at another visit. You don't really ever notice how heavy a damn onion is. It didn't help that my list consisted of things like soy sauce, rice vinegar, Worcestershire, and tomato sauce.

I purchased one of those reusable grocery bags that no one ever buys and walked out of the store, only to feel horribly unbalanced. I quickly ran back in, bought another, and did my best to personify a pack mule. I made it home just as it got dark, so my total time was about 2 hours.

I've made a pledge to myself to get more exercise. Yesterday I took Diego for a walk around my neighborhood, which was only .8 miles. It was such a chore. Having a goal, like getting food, made this 2 mile walk seem effortless compared to yesterday. I just can't get exercise for the sake of exercise; I need to be doing something else that results in exercise as a side benefit. This may sound so very simple, but it's been what has been keeping me from getting into better shape.
Another obvious feature of the "Walk your ass to the store and carry your ingredients home" fitness plan is that you have to plan your meals ahead. Fast food is not an option; I am not going to walk a mile to eat crap that will only last one meal. I'd rather grab some groceries that will last me a few days. And I am not going to carry a gallon of ice cream home. I could just always eat it on the way home before it melts. I have a limit as to what I can carry and it's more practical to get things that are good for me.
By changing the [convenience to get there : longevity/quality of ingredients] ratio, meals suddenly become a lot healthier.

That's all. It all sounds so basic in retrospect, but I think it might be a simplified cause (one of many) of the the obesity crisis happening around us. In all fairness, I can't imagine following the above plan to feed a family of 4... which brings me to my discussion on why having too many kids... nevermind! haha. To each their own.

Oh, and one more thing: No more bottled water. I encourage you to read about just how lucky we are to have good drinking water flowing out of the tap. And while you're at it, read about what Dasani and Aquafina really are: Tap Water! It's the most ridiculous waste of money ever!

Don't like the taste of tap? Put a lemon in it! They aren't even that heavy!

Food and Thought

Miso soup: Simple, delicious, nutritious. I made a large pot of it that should last me a few days if I control myself from having it at every meal.

This is also the first meal I've cooked in a very long time. My kitchen has been somewhat of a construction zone for the past couple months, and although it still is not complete, it is finally in working order. Finally.

You mix soybean paste and hot water. That's essentially it -- but take care not to let it boil -- and when the temperature is right, sip it straight from the bowl. Add more ingredients if you like; I always throw in some seaweed, little tofu cubes, and scallions.

Mark left today. The house is quiet and empty, save a few pieces of makeshift furniture here and there. Most things in my house are vaguely categorized as miscellaneous, making them ridiculously difficult to deal with. A pile here, a pile there, unmoving, waiting to be assigned.

I like keeping my ingredients simple and balanced. The seaweed weightlessly dances in the broth, tofu stays anchored, and scallions scatter on the surface.

Then there are the things that need to be done, those errands that have been escaping me but still surround me. I can see them in my peripheral vision, like a stranger that is following me, but I'd rather not turn to look. I don't want to deal with these tasks just yet. Now that I'm alone, I'm sure they'll start taking precedence. Maybe I'll get to them tomorrow.

And then there are the stationary things strewn in my field of vision. I put my youngest ferret, Ricky, to sleep on Thursday. Friday marked six years since my father died. I was in a car accident last week. I'm still not completely certain that I'm going off to school until we get approved for a lease, which has become increasingly difficult. I don't have a car, but I really don't have anywhere to go anyway. My only real task is to finish sorting my house and my life.

I'm ready for it to be September already, I am ready to move, I am ready to focus on the things that I love. I'm ready to call this long-distance relationship a thing of the past. It's time to start a life together.

I'm ready to be myself again.