Ok, so it's delicious and I like it in certain things. I like a good filet keeping some mash potatoes company. I love Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches (if those really count as beef, I mean, do we really know what that is?), and then there is my favorite...corned beef. I'm a fan of big juicy hamburgers (although, I'm not so sure it's the beef that I like there, but rather the pickles and lettuce and all those great condiments). Anyway, the point is that I like it.
My cholesterol however does not like it so much and so I have cut it almost completely from my diet. Now, my new war against beef comes at a funny time because one of my best friends, Cara, has just recently shared with me why she won't eat chicken. Her theory is that because chicken is sometimes so genetically modified (example, McDonalds making their chickens have huge breasts etc.) that it is terrible for you. She regaled us with grotesque tales of chickens with no feet, who never touch the ground blah blah blah we already know. I personally only get organic free range chicken and eggs when I do have to buy it so that I can at least THINK that the chickens weren't mutants before they were in my refrigerator. However, in this same debate (which by the way took place over some beers next to the lake with our fishing poles and some very confused looking guys that we had just met) I tried to tell Cara that while her theory about chicken may be true, eating beef and pork is just as disgusting and dangerous. I found the fact that she refused to eat only chicken on those grounds was ludicrous. She has this image of happy California cows out in a green pastures munching away on some lush grass. I tried to tell her that those farms do horrible things to them and feed them cow, etc., but she wouldn't listen. We started to scare our new friends at our heated livestock debate and so we let it go.
But I learned a new word today in biology class and that word is Prion. Ever heard of prions? I had not, so I am going to assume most of you hadn't as well and explain it to you (I took good notes). A prion is a protein found on cells in the nervous system. They're good yada yada yada. Now sometimes, prions mutate- it happens- you know, "Mutated Prions Happen".
Anyway, that is ok. But when these mutated prions somehow get loose from their cells (scientists still don't know why they mutate or how they get loose) they become really bad prions. When these evildoer prions meet normal, good citizen prions they mutate them as well. Eventually, they follow the nervous system up to the brain and mutate all of the prions up there (this takes a bit of time ) until the host of the said brain and nervous system loses coordination, gets dementia, and eventually dies...very slowly.
This my friends is Mad Cow Disease, Chronic Wasting Disease, etc.
The tricky thing about these mysterious mutated prions is that they are indestructable. Nothing kills them. While prions disease is very rare, it is in the United States along with both the other above diseases. A few years ago there was a man getting brain surgery (can't remember which state) and a few weeks later the doctors realized he had prions disease. Problem is that the sterilization process for surgery tools does not kill mutated prions and therefore any patient that had surgery with those same tools following his surgery could possibly be infected.
It is still very difficult to test cows for Mad Cow disease until they are 2 years old or older- this is often times older then they are when they go to slaughter. Not only is the public in danger from eating a slaughtered Mad Cow Disease cow, but the slaughterhouse equipment used to process the meat will contaminate every other piece of meat that goes through those machines.
They say the incubation period for these diseases is around 10 years so the people that could be effected by this disease won't even know for quite some time.
And that is why I am waging war against the cow. I'm sure it's too late because if I was going to get the disease I've already been exposed for a long time but I figure, it can't hurt my odds. Plus, it will help my cholesterol.
So, that is your biology lesson for the day compliments of me...and all you Atkins dieters out there may want to switch to tofu because nothing is safe now-you can cook that steak 'till the cows come home- pun intended- and those prions will just laugh in your face...duh duh dahhhhhhhhhh.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
I Watched 4 Movies Today
And it was awesome. I had a bunch of plans for the day, but I went to the gym, sat down on my couch afterwards, and never moved again.
I don't feel too badly about it though. First of all, two of the movies I watched were actually documentaries on a couple of very interesting topics. The first movie was called "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" and is about our twisted, biased, archaic rating system that is in use today for the media (mainly film). It was really interesting. I have always been interested in censorship issues and have known that the MPAA was a pretty insufficient system for censoring film, but this really enlightened me as to how much everything we see and hear is being fed to us. Pretty scary.
The second documentary was called "F*ck" and is about the word, it's origins, and how people's opinions differ about it. I love this topic because first of all, now that I am an adult, I can admit that I love using profanity. Of course, there is a time and a place, but I agree with many people in this film that profanity (especially the f-word in particular) is very helpful in really getting the strength of the point across, and I'm a fan. You can't use it all the time, or it would lose its magic. You have to save it for those special times when you can drop the f-bomb at the right moment and you can feel it shake the air around your face, you know? It is also really interesting to think about how this word has been around for hundreds of years (first published in the 1600's, but has been around since before that time) and originally only had one meaning. I think it says a lot about society (the American society in particular) that so much importance can be given to a word. A word that really isn't unlike any other word, but since people say it's bad, it must be. It's just funny, and idiotic. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but I personally think that if people (mostly in Americans) would just unclench a little, they would find that they really only need to be in an uproar about maybe 1/4 of what they're always bitching about. And it doesn't matter if the right wing MPAA (which by the way has 2 clergy members on their appeals board at all times, and I KNOW they don't share MY viewpoints) and the FCC bans the media from using the f-word, kids are still going to hear it out of their parent's own mouths or their friends mouths and it will never go away. So I vote we all get comfortable with it. It's just a little more emphasis you know? I mean, fuck.
I don't feel too badly about it though. First of all, two of the movies I watched were actually documentaries on a couple of very interesting topics. The first movie was called "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" and is about our twisted, biased, archaic rating system that is in use today for the media (mainly film). It was really interesting. I have always been interested in censorship issues and have known that the MPAA was a pretty insufficient system for censoring film, but this really enlightened me as to how much everything we see and hear is being fed to us. Pretty scary.
The second documentary was called "F*ck" and is about the word, it's origins, and how people's opinions differ about it. I love this topic because first of all, now that I am an adult, I can admit that I love using profanity. Of course, there is a time and a place, but I agree with many people in this film that profanity (especially the f-word in particular) is very helpful in really getting the strength of the point across, and I'm a fan. You can't use it all the time, or it would lose its magic. You have to save it for those special times when you can drop the f-bomb at the right moment and you can feel it shake the air around your face, you know? It is also really interesting to think about how this word has been around for hundreds of years (first published in the 1600's, but has been around since before that time) and originally only had one meaning. I think it says a lot about society (the American society in particular) that so much importance can be given to a word. A word that really isn't unlike any other word, but since people say it's bad, it must be. It's just funny, and idiotic. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but I personally think that if people (mostly in Americans) would just unclench a little, they would find that they really only need to be in an uproar about maybe 1/4 of what they're always bitching about. And it doesn't matter if the right wing MPAA (which by the way has 2 clergy members on their appeals board at all times, and I KNOW they don't share MY viewpoints) and the FCC bans the media from using the f-word, kids are still going to hear it out of their parent's own mouths or their friends mouths and it will never go away. So I vote we all get comfortable with it. It's just a little more emphasis you know? I mean, fuck.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Relapse
I have fallen off the wagon.
My friends and I went to our favorite bar last night (and Irish pub) and sang some Irish music, had a fun time. It never fails that around 1 or 2 AM I start to get hungry.
All it takes is for someone to mention food and I'm like, "SNACKS! we need SNACKS!". Now, usually, we end up at Village Inn eating pie. But last night, we went to the Denver Diner. Now this place is open 24 hours and is the greasiest greasy spoon you can ever imagine, but it's right in the city and it's cheap (and good).
But could I just have an egg or something? no.
Years of pent up craving for biscuits and gravy finally came to a head last night and I caved. I ordered them...and a side of hash browns, extra ketchup please...
And oh they were delicious. I felt my cholesterol rising with every bite I took. Luckily, my saving grace was that I got full really quickly. I only managed to eat 2 of the 5 (Oh Jesus, 5 BISCUITS with gravy...these people don't mess around) and about half of my hashbrowns.
The sad part is that I have been working out as often as possible since I got home from Italy, which equals about 4-5 times a week and yesterday was the first day I actually could notice my pants fitting a little better. So, the only thing I can do is pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back on the fat free, low cal, whole grain diet that I have been on. The first step is recognizing you have a problem....
My friends and I went to our favorite bar last night (and Irish pub) and sang some Irish music, had a fun time. It never fails that around 1 or 2 AM I start to get hungry.
All it takes is for someone to mention food and I'm like, "SNACKS! we need SNACKS!". Now, usually, we end up at Village Inn eating pie. But last night, we went to the Denver Diner. Now this place is open 24 hours and is the greasiest greasy spoon you can ever imagine, but it's right in the city and it's cheap (and good).
But could I just have an egg or something? no.
Years of pent up craving for biscuits and gravy finally came to a head last night and I caved. I ordered them...and a side of hash browns, extra ketchup please...
And oh they were delicious. I felt my cholesterol rising with every bite I took. Luckily, my saving grace was that I got full really quickly. I only managed to eat 2 of the 5 (Oh Jesus, 5 BISCUITS with gravy...these people don't mess around) and about half of my hashbrowns.
The sad part is that I have been working out as often as possible since I got home from Italy, which equals about 4-5 times a week and yesterday was the first day I actually could notice my pants fitting a little better. So, the only thing I can do is pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back on the fat free, low cal, whole grain diet that I have been on. The first step is recognizing you have a problem....
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Another Rainy Day
And I love it! this is my kind of weather...like the Garbage song goes..."I'm only happy when it rains..." I don't know what it is about this kind of weather, but I feel like even if I am incredibly busy, i'm getting a "mental health day." There's something so therapeutic about it. I find that after a good, long rainy day I feel a little more "resolved" for lack of a better word. My body clock slows down and things start working themselves out the second the drops start to fall. I love that. On top of that, I am so much more productive on rainy days. It doesn't make me stay in or veg out- It makes me focus and reorganize. Unfortunately, being that I live in Colorado and it has like 363 sunny days a year, I don't get to enjoy a good rainy day too often. It usually rains for about ten minutes (if at all) and then blows over and the damn sun comes out.
I've thought about how I should move someplace like Seattle, I would be the most productive, balanced person ever. However, I would also have a house full of dog poop because my little princess won't get her paws wet when there is even a drizzle outside. This will not do.
Today is the second day in a row that it has rained in Denver. I look at it as a little gift just for me : ) The sound of the rain on my sky light, the darkness in my apartment that comes only with a grey day, the splashing sounds from the cars on the street below. I love it all.
I've thought about how I should move someplace like Seattle, I would be the most productive, balanced person ever. However, I would also have a house full of dog poop because my little princess won't get her paws wet when there is even a drizzle outside. This will not do.
Today is the second day in a row that it has rained in Denver. I look at it as a little gift just for me : ) The sound of the rain on my sky light, the darkness in my apartment that comes only with a grey day, the splashing sounds from the cars on the street below. I love it all.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Ahhh... The Great Outdoors
I forgot how beautiful Colorado is. First of all, because of the wet winter that we've had, the foothills are more green right now then I ever remember them being. Of course, the mountains are breathtaking as well. I definately don't go up there as much as I should and it is so close that I have no good excuse. My goal is to go a lot more this summer.
We had an awesome weekend. Caught lots of fish and had a great time. I caught 3 big ones on Saturday- one of which is in the picture- Luckily, Kelly cleaned them and Cara cooked them. Still, I was disgusted at having what once was in the lake, then on my hook, finally ending up on my plate. I think I just can't see them alive and and then as dinner. It grosses me out, I am hopeless. But damn good at catching them I must say.
Over all we had a blast and much needed break in the wilderness. I got really sunburned today so I will be paying for that for a while, but otherwise, it was a great trip- and a fun picture!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Gone Fishin'
I am going fishing today. I am so excited to get out of the city and escape to the quiet of the mountains. I love the feeling of being swallowed up in the trees- like you kind of disappear for a little bit. I can't wait. Plus, my two best friends are coming up with me and this will be the first time all three of us have gone on a trip in a very long time.
I'm having a bit of a dilemma though- I love fishing. I love everything about it- the tackle, the anticipation, the thrill of the catch (on the rare occasion it occurs), and I don't even mind the smell that much. But, last time Kelly and I did this trip we caught a lot of fish. Like twenty something in two days. We didn't keep all of them, but the few we did keep, we ate. I found the process of catching, cleaning, cooking, and eating of the fish to be revolting. By the time we got to the eating part, I was I little disgusted. Then, I felt really guilty because the little fish on my plate could have been out there swimming around and instead, I killed him (presumably for dinner) and then left his little fishy body on my plate with just a couple of bites missing. He didn't fulfill either of his fish destinies and it was all my fault. I don't really know how to get around this hiccup, but I'm thinking about throwing them all back (which I also feel bad about because then really what is the point in the first place?) or maybe I will look into some trout recipes... I'll let you all know how it goes when I get back! Wish me luck!
I'm having a bit of a dilemma though- I love fishing. I love everything about it- the tackle, the anticipation, the thrill of the catch (on the rare occasion it occurs), and I don't even mind the smell that much. But, last time Kelly and I did this trip we caught a lot of fish. Like twenty something in two days. We didn't keep all of them, but the few we did keep, we ate. I found the process of catching, cleaning, cooking, and eating of the fish to be revolting. By the time we got to the eating part, I was I little disgusted. Then, I felt really guilty because the little fish on my plate could have been out there swimming around and instead, I killed him (presumably for dinner) and then left his little fishy body on my plate with just a couple of bites missing. He didn't fulfill either of his fish destinies and it was all my fault. I don't really know how to get around this hiccup, but I'm thinking about throwing them all back (which I also feel bad about because then really what is the point in the first place?) or maybe I will look into some trout recipes... I'll let you all know how it goes when I get back! Wish me luck!
Gone Fishin'
I am going fishing today. I am so excited to get out of the city and escape to the quiet of the mountains. I love the feeling of being swallowed up in the trees- like you kind of disappear for a little bit. I can't wait. Plus, my two best friends are coming up with me and this will be the first time all three of us have gone on a trip in a very long time.
I'm having a bit of a dilemma though- I love fishing. I love everything about it- the tackle, the anticipation, the thrill of the catch (on the rare occasion it occurs), and I don't even mind the smell that much. But, last time Kelly and I did this trip we caught a lot of fish. Like twenty something in two days. We didn't keep all of them, but the few we did keep, we ate. I found the process of catching, cleaning, cooking, and eating of the fish to be revolting. By the time we got to the eating part, I was I little disgusted. Then, I felt really guilty because the little fish on my plate could have been out there swimming around and instead, I killed him (presumably for dinner) and then left his little fishy body on my plate with just a couple of bites missing. He didn't fulfill either of his fish destinies and it was all my fault. I don't really know how to get around this hiccup, but I'm thinking about throwing them all back (which I also feel bad about because then really what is the point in the first place?) or maybe I will look into some trout recipes... I'll let you all know how it goes when I get back! Wish me luck!
I'm having a bit of a dilemma though- I love fishing. I love everything about it- the tackle, the anticipation, the thrill of the catch (on the rare occasion it occurs), and I don't even mind the smell that much. But, last time Kelly and I did this trip we caught a lot of fish. Like twenty something in two days. We didn't keep all of them, but the few we did keep, we ate. I found the process of catching, cleaning, cooking, and eating of the fish to be revolting. By the time we got to the eating part, I was I little disgusted. Then, I felt really guilty because the little fish on my plate could have been out there swimming around and instead, I killed him (presumably for dinner) and then left his little fishy body on my plate with just a couple of bites missing. He didn't fulfill either of his fish destinies and it was all my fault. I don't really know how to get around this hiccup, but I'm thinking about throwing them all back (which I also feel bad about because then really what is the point in the first place?) or maybe I will look into some trout recipes... I'll let you all know how it goes when I get back! Wish me luck!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
I Miss My Girls
It's not like I haven't been doing stuff. I've been going out at night and trying to be active and social. But I ache for Florence and my roommates. I know it's normal and why it is that I am having this, blah blah blah. I'm not looking for a solution out of you people, I know there isn't one (I'm the psych/soc. major, remember?) But I just want some bitch time.
I miss the beauty of Italy. The rolling hills of Tuscany visible two minutes after you've left the city. I miss the cheap groceries, the smell of the woodburning stoves, the cobblestone streets, taking the train to the beach, the mysteries around every corner, coming home and almost always having at least one roommate there to greet me. I miss Michelle's daily status reports on things like bodily functions that we all really didn't want to hear about but listened to anyway, Linda's constant upbeat attitude, Cara's tripping over her own feet at least once on the way to anywhere, and Danielle's constant "your mom" comments. It could be about anything. Michelle could say, "Kate, could you chop those carrots?" and Danielle would say, "Your mom chops carrots". The funny thing is that this is no surprise to me. At the time whenever these things would happen, I would recognize that those were the things that I was going to miss.
I can't tell you how many times I laughed so hard at dinner that I thought I would A) throw up B) choke C) All of the above. That is such a rare thing, to laugh like that, that often. And I just miss it so much. It's not that I don't like Denver or being around my friends and family, because I love them very much. But right now, it all just doesn't seem quite good enough. I don't know what to do about it except hope that it fades and I can once again sink into my life here.
When I left for my trip, I thought that the hardest part would be getting myself there- I never imagined that in fact the hardest part would be coming home.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The Unbelievable Mess That Is My House
So, i'm home (as all of you know). Things are o.k. here. I miss my roommates a lot, I miss Italy a lot. But there are some things about being home that I am happy about.
I am finding that my attention span here is really short. I can't even go to a movie without getting bored thirty minutes into it and wanting to go do something else. It feels weird to be sedentary and not be travelling around every weekend. What? I can't take a 2 hour train ride to go bask in the sun on the beach by the Mediterranean? Instead, i'm in the middle of the prairie...Colorado is a beautiful place...but it just doesn't compare. I went up into the foothills the other day with a friend and it was beautiful, but all I could think about was how much I missed Tuscany. I am planning on going to the mountains this weekend for a fishing trip and I am hoping that it will help me to settle in a little more.
Little Isabelle is finally happy to see me. She was giving me the silent treatment for a little while there but I think we're out of the woods and she is finally forgiving me.
So, I think I am going to keep the blog because it is fun to write in it and everyone has told me how much they enjoy reading it. Although it may not be as exciting as Italy, I'm still a quarky person who notices funny things here in the States too, so we'll give it a whirl!
Oh, and as for the title of the blog...my house looks like a "stuff" bomb went off in it. There is "stuff" EVERYWHERE. I can't even quite get a grasp on it because my attention span is too short to clean. So, as I get some put away, I pull more out and it is a never ending, losing battle.
Wish me luck.
I am finding that my attention span here is really short. I can't even go to a movie without getting bored thirty minutes into it and wanting to go do something else. It feels weird to be sedentary and not be travelling around every weekend. What? I can't take a 2 hour train ride to go bask in the sun on the beach by the Mediterranean? Instead, i'm in the middle of the prairie...Colorado is a beautiful place...but it just doesn't compare. I went up into the foothills the other day with a friend and it was beautiful, but all I could think about was how much I missed Tuscany. I am planning on going to the mountains this weekend for a fishing trip and I am hoping that it will help me to settle in a little more.
Little Isabelle is finally happy to see me. She was giving me the silent treatment for a little while there but I think we're out of the woods and she is finally forgiving me.
So, I think I am going to keep the blog because it is fun to write in it and everyone has told me how much they enjoy reading it. Although it may not be as exciting as Italy, I'm still a quarky person who notices funny things here in the States too, so we'll give it a whirl!
Oh, and as for the title of the blog...my house looks like a "stuff" bomb went off in it. There is "stuff" EVERYWHERE. I can't even quite get a grasp on it because my attention span is too short to clean. So, as I get some put away, I pull more out and it is a never ending, losing battle.
Wish me luck.
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