Reds and the Rest

Ben and I don't get out much. I know, I know -- that's obvious. However, we had a couple of adventures this past week. Firstly, Ben's work had a Cincinnati Reds Day. This past Tuesday, Ben and I watched the Cincinnati Reds play in their super duper fancy stadium with a lame name, The "Great American Ball Park". I count the name as one step better than Energy Solutions Arena, but no more.



It really is a nice stadium. They have restaurants within the stadium and the big scoreboard (as you can see) and, of course, a beautiful field. Here's me, ever so excited for our first Reds game:



Okay, I'll be honest, I really didn't watch much of the game. Ben didn't either. We're not bi baseball fans. But we had a great time chatting with all of Ben's coworkers and I enjoyed the free Coke (ahh, a rare cherished treat) while Ben scarfed some delish hot dogs.

Yesterday (saturday) Ben and I enjoyed another Cincinnati cherished tradition: Taste of Cincinnati. They have about 5 blocks of downtown Cincinnati that they turn into a pedestrian friendly smorgasbord of food stands from over 40 restaurants in Cincinnati and you can (for a small price) taste their dishes. Here's Ben in the crazy street frenzy:



I ended up getting a Tuna Salad Nicoise from La Petit France. It was delish -- aside from the sardines they put on them as garnish . I discreetly chucked those in a nearby trashbin before digging in. Ben got a very delish Chicken Kebab Sandwich from Taz (lebaneses & greek food, if you were wondering). I'd have to say, his was incredibly flavorful. I was a little jealous.

As we walked down the street, at the very end there was this beautiful park in the middle of the city with a canopied walkway that had arbors covered in the foliage of these inredibly cool, viny-trunked trees. See below:



On a personal note, I have been trying to keep up my mileage for the last two weeks with the idea in mind that I am preparing to prepare for marathon training. :) I'm upt o 6 mile runs without too much trouble. We'll see what happens when we get to the 8's and 10's.

Do I Look Green to You?

I believe that a person who can accurately see themselves in the world as they are and as other people perceive them, including the ability to accurately acknowledge their own flaws and circumstances is a person who has great power. Without the knowledge of knowing who you are and where you are in life and in the pecking order, how are you to get to where or become who you want? And how do you know how to or, in fact, how you actually do relate to others? This kind of self-knowledge is very powerful. And I used to think I was, in recent years at least, doing really well on this score. But I think I'm wrong. In fact, I am finding this year that I have great cause for concern. Great cause, people!

I have been learning a lot of new things about myself this year. Earlier this year, in a conversation with my very perceptive co-blogger, I came to the realization that I am ........(drum roll) a competitive person. Really, I had no idea. But, according to him, that was more of a "DUH" kind of a thing and should not have been very shocking to me.

Earlier today, and a few times before (amidst years of scandalous dating behavior and an ongoing shoe fetish) I realized that, on some subconscious level, I live my life as a mormon version of Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. She may be the role model of my subconscious. I'm not sure. But I do like her. And the most recent supportive evidence of my suspicion in this regard came from browsing some popular celebrity hair styles on MSN. I realized, as I saw Sarah Jessica Parker's hair-do amongst the fashionably coifed celebrity slides, that her hair was exactly what I was going for. I had no idea all this time I've been growing it out until that moment(I swear). But I can't help myself. She finally made big hair good-looking! And I have big hair. Maybe that's where my love for her began....



I digress. Forgive me. Onto this other thing about me. Well..... I haven't quite figured it out. Maybe you can help me.

See, I was talking to a co-worker this morning at my new job. She asked what exciting thing I was doing this weekend. I explained that I was very delighted because I was finally planning on going to Findlay's Market tomorrow morning. For those who don't know, Findlay's Market is the big farmer's market with locally grown food & other goods located in downtown Cincy. It's cool and trendy and fun and all that jazz. And they have food, which my kitchen does not have. I've wanted to go for so long, and I think I actually have a shot of getting there tomorrow.




Anyhow, my coworker and I somehow went from Findlay's Market to the topic of being "green" and I mentioned that I am often, to my surprise, perceived as being very green by others, even though being green is something that I have a hard time with sometimes.



Kermie relates to me on this front. It's not easy being green. And I do have a hard time. For instance:

1) I bring reusable bags with me to the grocery store now, but I have YET to actually remember to bring them out of the car and in with me to the grocery store to use! I can't remember for the life of me!

2) And while I like the idea of going to farmer's markets and eating locally grown food, tomorrow will be the first time I've actually shopped at a farmer's market. If I even get there.

3) I also waste a lot of water doing the dishes. I refuse to wash dishes in a sink full of stagnant water, progressively getting dirtier and dirtier, dish by dish. It is just so gross to me.

4)And I keep my cell phone charger plugged in to the wall socket ALL THE FREAKING TIME. I'm terrible.

5) I also have no garden. Green people totally have gardens.

6) And I'm totally not PETA-approved either. I've owned a vest made of rabbit fur (I sold it on Ebay though, so I don't have it anymore), and even right now as I am typing I am wearing a leather jacket, a leather belt and leather cowboy boots. I totally kill animals. And my jeans are from BeBe. I hate BeBe (or at least their ad campaigns), and yet I carry their label on my keister. But that's neither here nor there. I'm getting off-topic again.

7) I eat ice cream on an almost daily basis. And I'm addicted to sugar. So I may LOOK like a healthy eater, but I'm really not that good. And green people are typically healthy people.

Despite these non-green attributes, I admit that:

1) I was incredibly hippie-ish in high school.

2) I used to be vegetarian and still don't like to eat meat very often. To wear animal is one thing. Imbibing it is another.

3) I love the outdoors and believe nature is just gorgeous and fabulous for adventuring and I even like camping sometimes.

4) one of my favorite perks about our suburb is the recycling bins that are so close by.

5) I turn off lights that aren't being used (my parents probably won't believe that one, but it's true).

6) I try to find ways to use the plastic grocery bags I DO collect.

7) I use ziploc bags more than once.

8) I use soymilk

All in all, I really don't mind being perceived as a "green" sort of person. I kind of support green (in practical, efficient and that-actually-makes-sense kinds of ways. I don't believe every green idea out there meets this criteria). Green is also perceived as being liberal. And I seem kind of liberal sometimes too. So, all that's fine with me. Really. I don't know if I deserve it, but I'm good with that label of green.

Here's the rub for me: I don't understand how I appear to be green to other people. I don't think I just talk green. I think I LOOK green! I have friends who have voted me most likely to buy recycled toilet paper. And I get it when it's friends because they have gotten to know me over the course of our relationship. But now I find people think that about me even if they don't know me! It's true! And it has just been validated again this morning. The moment I said I am often perceived as being green to my new coworker, she piped up and admitted that she was on the list of people who thought I seemed "green" to her. And I've only spoken to her, like, twice. And here I thought my wardrobe and hair were much improved since high school. I totally don't wear tie dye. I don't even think I know how to spell it.

So, enlighten me. Exactly what is it that makes one's greenness so visible to the stranger's eye? And by "one" I mean me. :) Because I'm more likely to be caught in Prada than Patagonia and I really didn't think I looked like this:

Getting Acclimated

I have been in Ohio for a little over 2 weeks now. So far, so good. I must say, not having a job has been a pretty easy adjustment for me. Not having an income is another story, but the whole job thing is ... well I almost wonder how on earth I ever found time to work. I'm so busy still! Of course, I do different things now. I look for bargains for things we need online and all over craigs list. I have decided to put off getting a gym membership for now and work out at home (admittedly, that is a BIG sacrifice for me). And instead of shopping for clothes, I cook stuff. Who knew that the one hobby would satiate the cravings for the other? I had no idea.

I also find that I have just a little more time to read. I REALLY like that. So far I've read The Hiding Place and These Is My Words. Both excellent. Next on my list is The Measure of A Man, which I've been wanting to read for a couple of years now.

There are still a couple of things I have yet to make time for. Funny how I have all the time in the world, and yet I still haven't gotten to everything....
Anyhow, I hope to be able to start playing the guitar again. That is something that has completely gone south for about the last 2 years of Ben's and my courtship. And I miss it a bit. I'm also deathly afraid of all the songs I won't remember and all the calluses I no longer have on my fingers. :( The other is designing dresses. I NEED to fit this in, and I need to fit it in this week, as a matter of fact.

Married life has definitely changed things. It's really weird when I think and realize the only reason I am out in Ohio is for Ben (and me). I have absolutely nothing else here. Frightening! You'd think I wouldn't have just dropped everything. And everyone. But there I went and did it! Not that I think it was a bad decision, and not to say I regret it. But it's alarming nonetheless.

Hopefully, from job searching, I will eventually have something come up. But I'm not too hopeful right now. I'm more hopeful about a few months from now. And I can't say I'm too upset about that. Money's tighter, for sure. And we are wondering if we'll be able to afford to go to London next year like we planned. But it gives me time for the dress business fashion shoot, time for adjustment, time for cooking and time for all these little things I haven't had time to do for years! If I can just figure out how to get a paycheck WITHOUT having a job. THAT would be perfect happiness. :)