We Interupt this Banana for an Important Bulletin: Project Bittman

I did not come up with a new project last week, nor this week, but I swear I have a good excuse! I have undertaken a project rather larger in scale that has kind of been taking up my energy.

I read the book FOOD MATTERS by Mark Bittman and I was totally inspired. I've been really trying over the last six months or so to eat less processed food, and that's been reasonably successful. But Bittman takes it a step further with the idea that we should eat more vegetables, less meat, and be overall more conscious about where our food comes from. And of course, since I live for a project, I decided that I wanted to really make a change to the way we eat.

Over the last two weeks I've been trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and less meat and junk, sort of trying to ease into the whole thing. I realized that the only way this way of eating will be successful for D and I is if I really take the bull by the horns and get cooking (more than we already do). So this weekend I kicked it up a notch, and when we were at the market picked up some grains (farro and couscous), beans (red kidney and cranberry romano), and a bunch of vegetables.

I bought this amazing salad last week at one of those salad places where you can put virtually anything in a salad and I wanted to replicate it. I roasted red peppers and beets tonight, I'm going to slow roast some grape tomatoes, and I need to do something with zucchini. Now I can assemble salads or combine the veggies with couscous or beans for something totally delicious.

It's a small step, I think, to a way bigger change in attitude to eating and life but I'm excited to make it.

Project Bananas: Week Seven: Don't Be a Couch Potato

Project Bananas: Don't Be a Couch Potato has actually been surprisingly tough. On more than a couple occasions I've wanted to just collapse on the couch and watch something comforting but I've stuck with it. There were even a few times where I just turned the TV off and used my computer in silence because there wasn't anything on that I hadn't already seen. Considering that I like to have the TV on as a backdrop, this was a big step.

But talk about first world problems, what I'm really having a problem doing is catching up on my PVR. It could be a reflection of the fact that life is a bit stressful right now, but all I really have the energy for is 30 minute sitcoms. Anything longer than that and it feels like too much to commit to. In addition, those 60 minute shows are all dramas, and I think maybe that's because I just need something lighter in my life. Even tonight, I'm watching Say Yes to the Dress (episodes I haven't seen) instead of anything on my PVR.

This weekend is going to be pretty nutty, but I'm hoping to find a couple of opportunities to hack away at the PVR. I get a strange sense of accomplishment from clearing it up, and lord knows I can always use more of that feeling,

Project Bananas: Week Seven: Don't Be a Couch Potato

So, I kind of forgot to tell you about Project Bananas: Week Six. It was pretty unremarkable though, and I think I'm going to put it in reserve for another week when I need an easy but life affirming project (it's a good one! You'll like it!).

But, for week seven, I'm back on track with both Project Bananas AND blogging about it. Project Bananas: Week Seven is to not be a couch potato (I couldn't think of anything cleverer to call it). My definition of couch potato is a little different though. I'm allowing myself to watch TV, but only if it's something I haven't seen before. This means yes to catching up on my shows on my PVR (Bones, NCIS, and The Mentalist) but no to watching Friends on TV (or even worse, DVD). What I'm hoping is that this will allow me to waste less time watching shows that I've seen before and more time doing stuff that I actually want to do.

Here's the thing. Watching Friends is my happy place. I've seen the episodes so many times that I can just rest, relax, and let the gentle humour wash over me. Of late, I've been pretty stressed out and have been allowing myself to spend more time than is strictly appropriate watching reruns. I have a lot of things I'd like to accomplish. I want to read more, write more, practice violin more, play wii more, and exercise more. I'm not sure watching reruns is 100% physically preventing me from not beaching myself on the couch like a whale, but I do think taking a break from reruns might make for some space in my brain.

So here goes. Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, and Joey, I'll miss you. Until next week.

Who needs therapy when you have a blog?

I think we can all agree that Project Bananas is not going quite as I had planned. It's not that I'm not achieving my goals, per say, but I'm definitely not blogging about them in the way I'd hoped. In order for this all to be successful, there needs to be a record.

I actually spend a goodly amount of time thinking about Project Bananas and this blog. If there was a way to take blog entries that I compose on the treadmill directly from my brain to the screen, I would be prolific. Sadly, there is not, so I have to find a better way to manage this. I convince myself that I have too much to do, that there isn't enough time, and that my right to relax in the evening is paramount to everything.

But take this evening for instance. I went to the gym after work and got home at 6:30, ready to make dinner. It turned out that the pork tenderloin I defrosted was short ribs, so D and I had to quickly make an executive decision to cook them. While the ribs started in the oven, I practiced my violin. As we speak, the ribs continue to cook and I'm getting a blog post in. It's 7:45. Who says I don't have time?

My problem is that if I'm not doing 100%, then I want to give in. In a sense, practicing my violin every day is easier than 4-5 days a week because with daily practice there are no excuses. With 4-5 days, I can put a day off to do later and before I know it, I haven't practiced at all.

So Project Bananas: Become Violin Virtuoso continues until Sunday. I was unexpectedly out of town for the weekend, so that was a bust, but I practiced Monday and today (Wednesday) so far. I'm trying and it feels good.

Project Bananas: Week Four: Become Violin Virtuoso

The hope for Project Bananas: Become Violin Virtuoso was that it was achievable since I had a violin lesson last week and this week (usually they are every two weeks). The results were pretty good, but not as flawless as I had hoped. I practiced Monday, had my lesson Tuesday, practiced Thursday and Saturday. Upside? That's four days out of seven that I practice. Downside? What was my problem Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. It only takes 20 minutes to practice, at minimum, so I should be able to find time for that every day.

I'm struggling with trying to decide whether my expectations of myself are too high or I'm not trying hard enough. It felt good going into my violin lesson yesterday feeling like I was somewhat prepared, even though I'm still on a steep learning curve. I don't think practicing every single day is every going to be doable. But practicing 5 out of 7 days? I think that is very achievable.

So I think that maybe Project Bananas: Week Five will be an extension of Become Violin Virtuoso. I had my lesson yesterday and I haven't practiced today (cooking, doing my taxes, and website stuff occupied my attention). So that leaves five more days that I need to practice four of. I think I can do it.

Project Bananas: Week Four: Become Violin Virtuoso

This was supposed to be easier. I mean, I knew it would be a challenge, and that was the whole point. But I never had any idea that it would be this hard this soon. It's been one thing after another. First I was traveling, then I was sick, then I was traveling again.

What I keep reminding myself is that the whole point of this project is to push myself into achieving more. The success rate is not going to be 100%, and that's ok.

So, week four. As it turns out, this has actually started pretty well. I restarted taking violin lessons at the beginning of the year after 10 years of lessons followed by 10 years of not playing. My lessons were my Christmas gift from my parents. I thought that it would be way easier this time around because as an adult I`m more responsible now and I might actually practice once or twice. Turns out, I`m no more responsible than I was 10 years ago.

Project Bananas: Week Four is Become (a) Violin Virtuoso which is to say I`m going to try to practice almost every day. I practiced on Monday, had my lesson on Tuesday, worked late on Wednesday (so no practice), and practice tonight (Thursday). Three out of four nights isn`t bad. I think I may actually be able to pull this one off.

Project Bananas: Week Three, Day Six: Become Bestselling Novelist

Just a little bit of housekeeping... Project Bananas needs a little bit of tweaking to make it more workable. Starting a new project on a Friday doesn't seem to be working for whatever reason so from here on out, new projects will begin on a Monday. That means Week Four is actually going to start Monday, April 5th. Project "Become Bestselling Novelist" will thus have another 5 days in action (counting today) which with the addition of the two days from Week Two will make an entire weeks worth of projecting.

As you were...