Day the 140th - Day 12 of 30 Days of Truth

Here we are...Day 140 and no, I haven't weighed myself since last week, are you kidding me? I know better than to get on the scales every single day...that leads to...burying one's head in a pound bag of M&Ms...But in very happy news, I have a reader in INDIA! Thank you, whoever you are! Last night, I did it. I made the Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse according to directions--with the exception of using 1/2 the amount of Stevia it called for. Or maybe the original called for sugar (actually, it did...and I used crystalized Stevia...3 T instead of 6 T sugar...which was WAY too much sugar for me...) First of all, it's creamy like pudding, not fluffy like mousse. That's okay by me. Second, it isn't all that chocolatey, even with the use of both CAROB and COCOA. Some experimenting is either in order or I need to adjust. Third, it tastes...not all that great. I think it needs more vanilla (I used vanilla soy milk but I don't think that was enough) and just a tiny amount of sea salt to sharpen the flavors. Very tiny amount. This next time, I may try using my hand mixer instead of the blender. I want to see what that does. I did use Fage Greek Yogurt to top it, and that was sorta...not great. So...I might sweeten the yogurt with a bit of something. And I'm also thinking of what might happen if I used some nut butter in it. Defo make a heavier texture unless LOTS of whipping with hand mixer, and an increase in calories (which isn't that big a deal because it's not going to be a monster increase and it's also going to be even more nutritious.) Of course, the Fage Greek Yogurt wasn't bad, so we will see. And I'm thinking of using Greek Yogurt in the recipe itself, and yes, that defeats the Vegan thing, but then, I'm not a vegan all the time. Or really, at all. I eat some animal products--not a great deal, but some. So no recipe-posting until I come up with something I really am pleased with. And of course, I'm letting it sit over night to see if that helps with the flavor, so now, there are 2 (because it didn't make 4; it made 3) sitting in the refrigerator in their crystal glasses covered with plastic wrap. Again, a bagel this morning...an everything with veggie cream cheese. Because I wanted it. I have to work on me. I always have a reason: "it's Sunday morning" "It's FRIDAY!" "It's...MONDAY" I have way too many reasons to have a bagel; the moving is over. I need to stop acting like I'm in trauma and can only be helped by bagel application... Today lunch with...work salad bar complete with lots of coleslaw. Defo have to work on this. I can make better coleslaw, and I have Julie's recipe at home. Tonight is a fun night--my wonderful housemate is out for the evening, so I will be pounding nails into the wall to hang pictures. I really didn't want to do that when she is here...I can't think that is ANY fun to listen to. And I might bake bread again tonight. Or at least try... And now...Day 12 of 30 Days of Truth. And the prompt is: Someone (Not A Family Member) You Admire And Explain Why Oh yeah, like I was going to just post a name and leave it at that...because that's just how I roll... Not an easy one...should it be someone famous? Someone famous and no longer living? Someone I know personally? Man? Woman? I'm gonna go with Keith the English Prof. He's not one of the Usual Suspects on my blog, but I do admire him. And here is why. He's a good guy. Keith and I have never been and are not and I cannot imagine us being romantically interested in each other--we are just far apart enough in age that neither of us are interested that way, and other interests that matter too much to both of us are just not shared. I mean, he hikes, bikes, backpacks, and I...go to movies. The "romance" thing isn't there, but what is there is a really good friendship. As in a really good friendship. We both hope that he finds the right girl and that I find the right guy. That's a friend! So, I'm gonna go for the easy and make a list (because Weltha loves her some lists):

1. He's a faithful friend--and that means a lot. He always sticks with me and is on my side.


2. He's an excellent college professor--students get a great deal out of his self-discipline and his orderly presentation of work. He grades fervently to get those papers back. Soon. That takes a lot of saying "no" to other things.


3. He's a really good son--his mother died, and he had the comfort of knowing he had spent time with her and been a loving son. His father is dealing with some health situations as he ages--and Keith is right there with him, visiting him on Sundays and helping him negotiate his later years.


4. He's funny! Keith has a wackadoo sense of humor and the ability to play on words. He makes me laugh.


5. He's intelligent. I mean, he knows stuff. I like that in people. Particularly in men (take note, fellas...I like 'em smart...)


6. We like some of the same people. A lot (don't you just love the folks who love your peeps? Yeah, me too.)


7. He's a guy I can hang out with who really respects women, who really is a sincere Christian without some of the weirdnesses that Tulsa can produce, and we never run out of cool things to talk about.


8. He takes great care of himself, and encourages me to do the same without being nagging or preachy. That's not easy!


9. He is willing to go to movies with me--in fact, I've see a few of my favorites with him.


10. He's a kind, disciplined, decent person. He cares about his students--many of them talk with him and open up about their concerns. He's a good listening ear and an adult who validates their real concerns.

I admire Keith a whole bunch. I'm so glad to have him as one of my good friends. Oh, he writes essays and poetry and is good at both. Really good--and he has encouraged me to write more.

I could have chosen loads of people, too. Bishop, Kathy the Cantor, Poodle, Woodstock, Dawn, Debbie, Mr. Debbie, Bill the Presence, and on and on and on I could go...and I chose Keith because he's not someone who thinks that he sorta deserves to be mentioned (not that the others do, either) as a person people admire.

But lots of them do admire him. With reason.

I said it before and I'll say it again--I'm glad he's my friend.

Independently,

Weltha