A very domestic Spring Break

So, I finally have some time to myself! Seth is lucky and has *two* week-long breaks--according to Brandeis they are called Winter Break and Passover Break, but really, they are two Spring Breaks. Unfortunately these don't mesh with my *one* break this week, so I can't really go travel. I can, however, catch up on assignments like a good student, but also research some new vegan recipes. Some neat things we have tried are orange-roasted tofu and asparagus, different sorts of tofu puddings to replace yogurt (chocolate peanut butter, pumpkin pie, and strawberry banana puddings have all come out amazingly well), and strawberry jam made in the bread machine. Actually, this jam was my favorite find--it takes only strawberries (fresh or frozen) and lots and lots of sugar--and it comes out so incredibly fresh tasting. As much as I appreciate not having to rely on store-bought jam, it is even nicer that you don't have to stand over the stove stirring a pot of simmering, sticky, sauce for ages--the machine does all the dirty work ;o)

Also, since early January, I have decided to start mixing up my exercise routine and resume focusing on my posture. I feel like I have really dropped the ball since swapping power yoga in the studio for practicing solo at home the past year and a half. In order to start challenging myself again I went to youtube :o) I found this really wonderful pilates instructor who has a website called blogilates.com. I noticed an instant improvement to my posture after the first video and I have continued doing 40-60minutes of exercises 3-4 times a week for two months now. The instructor might seem really cutesy and girly (maybe a bit too girly??), but she gives a really intense workout! Other perks include being able to do it at home, when it fits my schedule, and it is FREE :P

I will have to enjoy all the pilates and recipe testing now, while I can. I won't have another break until after exams :o( FSU doesn't even have a three-day-weekend for Easter, boo!

The winter that wasn't

I am sure it is very obvious by now that this winter has been very wussy. Though we weren't in MA last year, I was told the winter of 2010-11 was brutal. In fact, it was listed as the third 'whitest winter' (ie. greatest snowfall) on record. After this past October's freak snow storm I was afraid we would be heading down that same direction, but that surprise snow shower was pretty much where winter stopped. According to the Blue Hill Observatory located south of Boston, this winter (Nov-Feb) had the warmest average temps on record and was the second least snowy on record. I am sure there is still time for a few snow showers to sneak in, but it is not looking too hopeful.

I hope I am not alone when I feel that these extremes in temperature and precipitation are not normal. I do, however, feel like the minority when people praise our 'great weather' these past few months. Though I must admit to liking the convenience of not having to scrape snow off the car every other day and being able to walk in the streets without slipping on ice, and of course the warmer temperatures take the edge off the bitterness of winter, these are things I enjoy even more when they occur at season-appropriate times, like in mid-late spring. These extremes are indicators that something in NOT RIGHT. And though we might be having fun in our 60 degree (and today 70 degree) temps in WINTER, I am already very concerned over how sweltering hot our summer will be. To those of you who 'don't mind hot summers', try living without air conditioning for a couple years (or try doing some physical activity outside) and take some accountability for the totally unnatural changes we are making to our planet.

Since we can't beat the inevitable heat, Seth and I have totally been considering moving to New Zealand for the northern hemisphere summer. Either that or I can pretend to be an ex-camp counselor and apply for that nutrition internship in Alaska :o)