While you were out...

So I was contemplating our discussion about chasing happiness versus 'being' happy (or as my friend, you know who, would say- creating your own happiness). This friend was also reflecting some yoga teachings a few weeks back and mentioned the focus on cleaning, cooking, and gardening. While this sounds very anti-feminist, I actually relate to how this can bring you peace and well-being. A clean home makes me feel so much more, well on top of things (even if I didn't do the cleaning) and also allows me to relax a bit. Gardening.. well I can't really do that now. In the past I've complained that I wouldn't be interested in gardening and it seems like a waste of time but now I can really see the beauty in planting your own flowers and seeing them bloom.

I decided I would like to find some sort of focus instead of feeling so lost and miserable and I would like to focus on cooking. I hate the way I am eating lately (or the past several years, whatever) and I would like to incorporate more naturally-occurring nutrients and try new things. I searched some recipes and here is my goal list (I think I made the wonton soup before but everything else is new):

Shrimp Stir Fry
Minestrone Soup- This would help eliminate much of the sodium from canned soups I'm having such an issue with
Cucumber Sandwich
Lettuce Wraps
Sausage Primavera
Spaghetti Squash
Wonton Soup
Raspberry Mint Chocolate Soy Smoothie
Some sort of quinoa recipe.. I'd like to also try this 'superfood'

I know it sounds all hippy-ish of me but I would really like to spend more time cooking, since I enjoy it and if I get home at a reasonable hour (which I typically do) I can use it as sort of a catharsis instead of plopping down in front of the computer and being a zombie for the rest of te evening. I'm really enforcing the 'no thank-you bites' and Dylan has begun eating more things like tacos, and... tacos, but hey, tacos! That's a big deal!

I would also like him (and me) to eat more vegetables and less processed food. I've already taken steps towards organic meat and dairy, and I would like to start eating more foods where I can actually pronounce the ingredient list or know what is in it. I don't want to be one of those people who obsesses about food all the time and only eats vegetables or is lacto-ovo-whatever-vegan and went to vegan academy or what not, I just want to start eating more 'real' food, and cooking more.

I hope this brings me some sort of emotional peace (OMG I'M A TOTAL HIPPY NOW, WHERE'S MY GRANOLA?). But, you know, the focus of cooking dinner and serving a meal that is good for me (even though Dylan will likely take one bite and then gag and fall on the floor) will, I think, allow me to care for myself which is something I try to do in order to give more to those around me.

AND NOW the behaviorism aspect- I plan to make this a goal and create a calendar of when I will cook what to implement antecedents (i.e., scheduling) to the behavior (i.e., cooking) and eliminate barriers (i.e., not having ingredients) (i.e., do you think you can use 'i.e.,' in a sentence as many times as I just did? I BET NOT).

(And overuse of parenthesis).

(A comment that was made as feedback for one of my reports stated, "Your wordiness hinders you. Frequent use of parenthesis make it somewhat unclear.")

(I wonder what they meant?).