I think Valentine’s Day is sort of cute. Of course, like many of you, I don’t see how showing love one day a year is better than showing it, say, when the car has a flat on I-25 on a snowy Saturday afternoon. But nonetheless, it’s cute. As it turns out, some people need the reminder– though I obviously don’t know anyone like that. Obviously.
Perhaps shallowly, when I think of some of what I love right now, I think of stuff. Along with gestures and sentiments and sap to make me happy, there’s stuff. Stuff so good I’d sing about it. If I could.
Food. Oh, yes, there’s food. Like my favorite snack (and one of the top five reasons I like to go out for sushi), edamame. There is an irrational edamame love over here, people. It started, oh I don’t know when, but I blame my sister. She and I would go for sushi when she was here last year and stuff ourselves on edamame long before anything else would arrive. Then, without even telling me, she started having edamame at home! Wow! What a concept! Steamed beans any time you’d like. And pay no attention to the amount of fat that may or may not be in edamame. It is bean fat, bean fat is good fat. Plus! Protein. And! Seasalt! Which everyone knows is much better than any other sort of salt. La la Laaaaaaa! (Sorry, sometimes it just comes out.)
What I’m also a little too thrilled with myself about right now is my many variations of lettuce wraps. I started making these mostly because, hey, it’s past January now and time to get serious about the running again. No more of these wussy little four mile runs and calling it good. Well, not so much that but more so the five mile race I had last weekend and the three (and counting!) days of soreness that followed. It was a sad but well-needed wake up call. So, yes, lettuce wraps.
Summary: so easy and good. We are advanced cooks around here, remember. So I bake chicken ahead of time, use the chopper also known as awesome (seriously, click on the link and look. I will wait. Because who would have thought something “As Seen on TV” could be so wonderful? Well, not me. But my mother did and she got me one and wow, we likey.) to chop the chicken and then heat it in a pan with a little olive oil and a few other things you love like salsa, or black beans, or maybe soy sauce and shredded carrots. And then pile it all onto a big leaf (or three) of lettuce and eat it. And love it. And never feel bad about one bit of it.
Me + Lettuce Wraps = La La Laaaaaaa…
And for no particular reason other than I am proud of myself, I’ll also show you that I made my own pizza. It may have just lasted that one night, but oh boy did I feel awesome. Then, to maintain that buck-up-girl-it-ain’t-January-anymore attitude, I got all nostalgic and made “dessert” something healthy from my childhood: apples with cinnamon. Yeah, I could have baked them and used sugar and all that. But who really needs that after four pounds of cheese and mushroom pizza?
And you know, it wasn’t even difficult convincing the men in the group that this was good.
Of course, that might also be because I was showing off my newest, bestest, most adorable, intuitive Valentine love so far.
I cannot lie, I love it. Not only does it do everything but bake pizza, but it’s a good reminder of my addictive personality and probably one of many good reasons I never tried drugs. Phone, email, pictures, music, internet, maps, movie listings, whatever, all right there when I want it. Instant gratification has never been so intuitive.
It’s a good thing I have this little piece of convenience around, otherwise I might spend all my time in my house, sitting on the couch with my computer, wearing one of two of my other favorite things I’m in love with:
My feet are cold when it’s seventy-five degrees. Imagine how they might freeze and fall off when it’s thirty-nine.
I am so thankful it is my friend, Gail, and not me living in Fairbanks. I would surely die. No cute, westerin-ish non-Ugg boot would save me from that. La La Laaa-choke, cough, lungs freeze, die.
Yes, that says -46 FAHRENHEIT. And they actually leave the house on days like that. They get up, shower, dry their hair, put on clothes, take the kids to school, grocery shop and everything else. I have no idea how. It’s twice as warm here and I could care less that we’re fresh out of maple syrup, you will not get me out of the house.
But if you did, if the grocery store was calling, I’d be wearing these wonderful Under Armor pants and a baseball cap. Not that you care, but these pants are awesome. No matter what you’re doing, no matter how the cold wind is blowing, you will be warm. Rarely do I think spending money on clothes that never go on sale is worth it, but in this case, because I could still feel my legs after a run, I do. They are worth it. And it doesn’t hurt that they’re so comfortable you just want to live in them.
And, oh yeah, I do happen to be in love with these, too. La La Laaaaaaa!
Are you in love with any stuff, or is it just me?
sizzle says:
mmmm edamame- yum! darn it now i want sushi.
February 13th, 2008 at 7:49 am
backofpack says:
Well, of course I’m in love with stuff!
Let’s make a short list:
Dove Chocolates - light and dark
Chocolate Chips - Nestle semi sweet
French Fries - (steak fries, Red Robin)
My beautiful new green car
Birkenstocks
My jeans
My tiara
And, that’s just the short list
February 13th, 2008 at 9:06 am
The Exception says:
Stuff… nah, I don’t really love stuff…
Well, except books, I love books, an my camera, my Nokia which I refuse to replace because Sprint no longer uses Nokia, my passport - despite the picture, good Italian food (but that doesn’t count as stuff, does it?), and the fun scrapbook pages that I can digitally do with my pictures.
(and Red Robin Fries are amazingly good!!!)
February 13th, 2008 at 10:15 am
barbara says:
That’s some fine loving you’ve got going on there. I’m with you on the edamame, also the pizza, and the wraps.
I do wish I had a crackberry to love, but will have to save my kisses for the laptop, I guess. And Radiohead.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:17 am
justrun says:
Sizzle- me too!
BoP- Oh, those fries. YUM.
Exception- Yeah, I know what you mean. I could go on and on. I could live without it all, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t love.
And you guys are killin’ me here with the fry talk!
Barb- I am sure they will be equally appreciative.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:56 am
nicole says:
I love
-those brown boots (where, please?)
-edamame (!)
-sunshine
-my ryka yoga/lounge pants
-time enough to go on longer runs
happy valentine’s!
February 13th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Jacinta says:
Oh yes I am also a lover of things… my new imac, my mini, chocolate, eating when someone else cooks, space, getting into a freshly made bed after a long day… so so many things.
Loved your list - and yes, I looked at the chopper! How could I resist?
Happy Valentine’s Day!
February 13th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
justrun says:
Nicole- They’re from a company called Bearpaw. I got them on sale (!) at a sporting goods store.
Jacinta- Oh, a freshly made bed. That is a good one.
February 13th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
MN Runner says:
Great photos! I am in love with a lot of stuff: -My Garmin, my ipod, my sunglasses, a good book, my bed, pizza, flannel pants and on and on and on.
February 13th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Nicole says:
I heart so many things.
My bathrobe, my running shoes, my mango pitter, I could go on forever…
But, your blog made me hungry so I have to go find a snack.
February 13th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
brookem says:
Yes! I love this stuff too! Oh man, especially edamame! WITH seasalt, YES! Good picks my friend!
February 13th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Danielle says:
Love definitely is more coming to pick you up on the freeway in a storm over the overpriced flowers and hard to get dinner reservation on this day…I just hate this day for the making you feel like a loser if you are alone…sigh…but I’m in MN where we haven’t been above freezing in a over a week and I’m suffering S.A.D….
Anyway, I love stuff too. Top of my list would be my Garmin and then my Sansa Clip (so much better than the Shuffle and so much cheaper!!). That pizza looks yummy and apples with cinnamin, never thought about that. Two good for you things!
February 14th, 2008 at 6:45 am
justrun says:
MN runner- Oh, the Garmin is a good one. Though I think mine is more of a love-hate kind of love.
Nicole- Mango pitter? Nice
Brookem- that’s it, we must go for sushi soon!
Danielle- I’m with you on the SAD, and we even had sun yesterday.
February 14th, 2008 at 7:01 am
JC says:
mmm. I loves me some stuff.
I have a pair of Addidas pants much like your Under Armour ones that I love..not for really cold weather, but I do want to live in them, always.
My car GPS makes me stupid-happy.
I hate being lost, and drive alone, often and maps, well me and maps = me pulling over to get directions.
Sweet potato (baked) fries and a tuna melt.
weight watchers carmel cakes.
L’occitane almond shower gel.
chapstick.
I think that’s it - for now.
February 14th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Cat Chaser says:
In descending order
- My goals in life
kidding )
- Car ( been driving her for 12 years now, I hug her everyday
- Surfing
- Pizza with lots of topings (not excluding chicken)
- Caramel Apple Pie
- Strawberry milk shake
- Mountain Dew
- Curly fries
February 14th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Aaron says:
Just you.
I’m still using an old 20gb iPod and a Crackberry.
February 14th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Nage says:
I got an iPod touch for Christmas and my cell phone contract runs out in August. I’m so so tempted to buy an iPhone based on how much I love my iPod touch. It’s such a great gadget.
Good thing you don’t live in Alaska, running would be much harder up there.
February 14th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Database Diva says:
I may perhaps have written a Valentine love letter to my iPod. I also love my car, and the wallpaper in my living room. OK, I love the artwork, too.
February 16th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
runliarun says:
You make me smile. All that emphasis on lettuce, and we end up with a huge pizza thingie.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:02 am
egan says:
P.S. on your recommendation, I suggested a blogger buy some YakTrax… and they did. You’re like so cool now.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
JACC says:
39 degrees!
I shout that out a lot.
The Jetta has a setting we can’t find or don’t understand; everytime it’s 39 degrees outside the dash goes “ding” and flashes 39.
iPhones are dumb
signed,
Jealousy.
March 8th, 2008 at 9:36 am