I tried very hard last night to watch the Golden Globes. I used to adore watching awards shows. I have watched the Academy Awards every year since 1972. Never missed a year. I've watched the Golden Globes also, many times. Not any more. Here's how it went at the Golden Globes last night: 5 minutes of awards show, followed by 5 minutes of commercials. After I had sat through about a hundred commercials I said enough.
I sat through Amy Schumer using the c-word [which I find as offensive as the N-word] while "bantering" with Jennifer Lawrence. I cannot stand Amy Schumer. I don't know why that woman has a career. She isn't funny. She isn't talented. She isn't clever. Not attractive. All she does is make jokes about sex. Call me old-fashioned. I don't care. Not funny. I posted that on Facebook and a number of people in my age group agreed with me. So maybe only people in my son's age group would disagree. My son thinks she's funny. He's 19.
Jennifer Lawrence is a talented young actress. I have liked her ever since I first saw her in X-Men: First Class. Then she became friends with Amy Schumer. Now I think Jennifer is showing terrible taste. Hopefully her horrible lack of friend judgment won't affect her work.
Then Ricky Gervais was awful to Mel Gibson and Mel was awful right back. I don't want to watch that either. Be professional, both of you. Good Lord. [I will admit here I have always liked Mel Gibson the actor and director even while I was appalled at his personal behavior.]
Finally, Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell came out in stupid New Year's Eve glasses and did a routine that was very not funny. When the camera panned to people in the audience laughing they seemed to be just laughing out of embarrassment.
Let's see, what else can I bitch about...
Matt Damon won as best actor in a COMEDY for The Martian?!? A guy trapped on Mars and trying to stay alive is a COMEDY?! Haven't seen it but that sounds incorrect. However, Matt Damon seems to always be trapped somewhere in the movies, expecting somebody to come rescue him. If you want to see something really funny, look here.
The dresses were appalling. Kirsten Dunst was showing MOST of her boobs! Yikes. I've seen hookers more covered up. I know she hasn't gotten many juicy movie roles lately but really, flashing your boobs? That's supposed to get you respectful attention?!
I cannot believe Melissa McCarthy didn't win Best actress in a Motion Picture Comedy - Spy was hysterically funny. Jennifer Lawrence won for a movie, Joy, which doesn't exactly look like a laugh riot.
I turned off the Globes after about an hour, and actually sat and read a book for a while, because it was preferable to watching that horrible awards show.
I only made one resolution this year and I know it's a cliche but here it is: I've got to get back to healthy eating habits and drop some weight. I had lost about 20 lbs. last spring but then I put it back on after my surgery, when I started feeling a lot better.
Losing weight used to be easier. Now that I am over fifty, however, it's a different ballgame. I can't diet like I am 25 and work out like a fiend every day and watch the weight drop off.
No, what I have learned in recent years is that the changes that last need to be made gradually. Eating everything I want one day and a very strict program the next day just doesn't work. I feel deprived and then I start to obsess over food, and next thing I know I'm reaching for chocolate.
Years ago when I quit smoking I had to find substitutes for cigarettes, even though I had gradually cut down over a period of years - from 2 packs a day of regulars to 1/2 a pack a day of ultra lights. The day came when I had terrible bronchitis and I had been getting it over and over, and I was tired of being sick all the time. I was exhausted from coughing, and every time I took a drag off a cigarette I started coughing. So that day I bought several packs of gum, and a bag of baby carrots, and every time I wanted a cigarette I either had gum or a carrot. I also started sitting in a different chair when I watched TV. I drove with the windows shut. When I was on the phone I sat in a different spot. I made all those changes so I would get in the non-smoking habit. The first 3 days were really surreal. I was NOT happy. Then again, my coughing lessened tremendously and I finally began to get really well.
For months afterward, I dreamed about smoking. I never went back to it, though. Nothing in the world could induce me to take that up again.
The problem with food is you cannot cut it out of your life. You have to eat. So it's a tougher proposition, breaking those habits.
The thing I have learned over decades of dieting is that if one can cut out refined sugar it really helps. One way most people get a lot of un-needed sugar in their diets is through beverages. I cut out sodas years ago, and although fruit juice tempts me I try not to ever drink it because it's so high in sugar. Now I drink only water and one cup of tea in the morning. I put about a teaspoon of honey in my tea. The rest of the day I drink water. No alcohol - it turns to sugar in your body.
Cutting down to mostly lean meats and veggies, and a little fruit, really speeds up weight loss. If I can cut out potatoes, bread, rice -- basically all starchy stuff like that, it really helps. Those starches just turn to sugar in your body.
But back to my original premise - gradual changes. I stopped buying potato chips a while back. Mother loves them but she's having dental issues right now so she can't eat them, which is just as well because they aren't good for her anyway. Now Michael loves potato chips but he doesn't eat them often.
For breakfast, I usually eat two eggs, scrambled or over easy, and a cup of tea. Late in the morning, a banana. For lunch, instead of bread or potatoes, I am trying to saute some fresh spinach or cabbage in a little olive oil, along with some turkey or chicken. Around 4, I eat a snack. Trying to just eat some almonds and dried fruit. Dinner is a piece of meat and a veggie. Right before bed I eat some Greek yogurt. I do keep Nature Valley chewy protein bars on hand in case I get to feeling empty, but they are low sugar. Hopefully, over time, I can cut out what few processed foods I do eat because I know that it's better to eliminate that stuff.
I am still working on refining what I eat. I also need to walk Lola more.
How I talk to myself makes a huge difference, though. If I cheat a little and eat one Hershey's chocolate kiss I don't beat myself up about it. If I eat a few of Michael's potato chips I don't beat myself up. The first couple of weeks have to be a gradual weaning away from the unhealthy foods, and your body has to adjust. More importantly, YOU have to adjust your attitude towards food, which is the hardest part about it all.
The biggest thing I keep reminding myself of, to motivate myself, is really simple: If I eat good I feel good. Eat bad = feel bad. Ungrammatical but powerful motivation. The more fruits and veggies I eat, the better I feel.
My worst weakness is my sweet tooth. I have found a great substitute for candy and unhealthy stuff -- see image below. Don't laugh. These are the sweetest things ever, and eating one satisfies my cravings. I highly recommend them.
The focus of the past week has been a car for Michael. We finally got in the insurance money and I found a Buick in Marietta that we felt was a good deal. The buyer brought the car to us, which was a blessing. So now Michael is back in a 2003 Buick LeSabre, pretty similar to the one he had before. It's a great car for him because so much of the controls (radio, heat/air) etc. are on the steering wheel, so easier for him to manage with the left hand.
I am reading Boys in the Trees, Carly Simon's autobiography. She writes really well. She grew up wealthy. Her dad was the "Simon" of Simon and Schuster. Her mom was quite a character, having an affair with her son's male babysitter for years, even moving him into the house. Carly suffered from anxiety and stuttering as a young girl, but the singing helped the stuttering. It's fascinating how her music has sort of been a backdrop to my life, over the years. I was in elementary school when "You're So Vain" came out but I could sing it word for word, and all my friends could, too. When "Mockingbird" came out, the duet with James Taylor, that was great fun to harmonize to; I think I was in high school. I haven't gotten to the part where she is married to James Taylor but I've read some reviews. Apparently he was serially unfaithful and a heroin addict during their marriage, so no wonder it didn't work out. I love his music though; always have. I hope after I finish the book it doesn't cause me to not want to hear his music any more.
Sometimes I get so disgusted with an actor or musician I just don't want to see any of their work..
Many of her later songs were sort of the backdrop to my life, like "You Belong to Me" and "Haven't Got Time for the Pain." The song "Let the River Run" came out just around the time I started grad school and it made me feel powerful. I had a cassette of one of her albums and I used to play it in the car so much I finally wore it out.
The video below is so much fun to watch, despite everything, because you can see they are having a great time and the harmonies are amazing:
Lots going on in my world, not all of it bloggable, but I will try to get readers caught up with us. The biggest thing, to me, is that winter has returned with a vengeance, and after wearing shorts on Christmas and for days beforehand, this morning I go outside with Lola and the water in the birdbath has frozen solid. I think it was in the low 30's. For Atlanta, that's brutal.
Had lunch on Saturday with my cousin/BFF Lesleigh, who is living back here now in Atlanta. Hated having her so far away in Texas. We had a good lunch and it was good to catch up a bit.
Michael has a friend who was having a lot of issues at home, and all day Sunday we discussed letting the boy stay here for a bit, finally bringing him in Sunday evening. However, he left yesterday, with his mom promising to work on being more civil to him. Hopefully things will work out. I didn't mind the boy staying here for a little respite for a few days, but I didn't want to raise another young 'un. I feel like I'm done with that, as Michael is pretty responsible and we get along pretty well these days.
Michael wrecked his car back on Thanksgiving and it took forever to get the insurance company to say whether it was fixable, then to send us a check since it was totaled. Finally got the check yesterday but we won't have cash in hand until probably tomorrow. We have another car picked out which we are hoping to purchase this week, if the mechanic thinks it's in decent shape. It's another Buick. Good, reliable car, and not too bad on gas mileage. Fewer miles than the one he wrecked.
Had a followup with the cardiologist this morning and everything looks good. The tiny computer in my chest has to be "downloaded" every 6 months and they look at how it's working. So far, so good. I told the doctor it has been an adjustment, though, just getting used to the pacemaker.
I keep reminding myself that January is the month when I try to get all my stuff together to give the accountant, for tax season. Not looking forward to that.
I will close with a photo I unearthed recently. That's me and Dad, the summer I turned 15. Dad had quite a tan going. I call this his "pirate" look. I think he must have some Mediterranean blood back there somewhere. He never wore sunscreen and he tanned beautifully..
Many years ago, my mother found a recipe for Tex Mex Dip. She started serving it at parties. People would make fools of themselves eating this dip. I've never seen anything like it. About a year ago, we made it and watched Michael eat it like crazy -- which is a very good thing because it's got guacamole and chopped tomatoes and olives and beans. It's fairly healthy.
Michael invited his friend Eric over to Granny's little birthday celebration last night. We like Eric a lot. Nice boy, very polite. He brought Mother some roses. I sent Michael to the store for last-minute supplies while I made the birthday (rum) cake. He asked about making the Tex Mex dip. I told him all the ingredients and I said IF you buy the ingredients, you and Eric can make it, with supervision from Granny of course.
Much to my surprise, the boys got all the ingredients. It only took 3 phonecalls from Kroger. LOL
I asked Mother to walk out to the kitchen and supervise because I'm not as good at making it as she is. I let the boys do it all except I chopped the tomatoes. (Chopping is a laborious process for Michael although he can do it just fine.)
Anyway, the photos below tell the story, and I've included the recipe -- which is in a cookbook Mom and I wrote years ago.. If you ever have a party, make the dip. Buy Tostitos or Fritos scoops, because you want a big chip to hold the dip. Mother advises folks to dig straight down, through all the layers. Michael usually just spoons a bit bunch of dip onto a plate and sits there and dips off the plate.
We also made Mom's famous shrimp spread [fresh shrimp, cream cheese, mayo, herbs] and Alton Brown's Onion Dip. Our friend Bronwyn came over and had a good visit, too; I just didn't get a photo. So it was a fun evening.
I hope 2016 is a terrific year. Lord knows 2015 was difficult..
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