Do you guys ever feel like your life needs a little spring cleaning? I have!  I recently quit a job that was making me terribly unhappy. It was a scary decision to make given the instability of the economy and the Mount Everest of our unemployment rates, but, at the end of the day, it was an easy decision.  I decided what sacrifices I was willing to make to stand up for my self-worth because, at the end of the day, I was getting a paycheck but clearly digging myself an early grave.  I feel like the convictions and passions I had often sacrificed to be a “player” in this world, are no longer pushed aside or put in storage.  Instead, they’re all off their shelves, and I’m dusting them off and cradling them because it’s just been too long.  It’s never too early or too late in our lives to do a little spring cleaning, don’t you think?

When you were little and people asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” what did you say? I doubt any of you defined your future selves in terms of a physical goal with clearly defined parameters.  In other words, did any of us really answer, “I want to be 135 pounds, svelte and toned!”  Doubtful (*I hope*), which is why I’m finding it ironic that now in my older age, I have been so preoccupied with such arbitrary and superficial goals when, clearly, I had it more together when I was a little girl and answering that question with the variety of answers that included: 1. a killer-whale trainer at Sea World; 2. a singer; 3. a fiction writer; 4. a veterinarian; and 5. a baker. Those goals of what I would “be” really were related more to whom I was and what I was passionate about than anything else.  Reflecting on those goals, I see so little has changed over the years in terms of what I am passionate about! Have your passions changed much over the years?

The future Feed Me I’m Cranky

I think it’s important to continue to ask ourselves “what (whom) do you want to be” — no matter how “grown up” we get.

Spring Cleaning of Life = Eating of Clean(ish) Food
Squash the Negative & Eat A Pizza

Ingredients

• One pita (I use Western Bagel Company’s Alternative Pita) — 110 calories, 0.5 g fat, 8 g fiber, 7 g protein
• One garlic clove, crushed – 4 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.2 g protein
• 1/2 tomato, chopped — 15 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.75 g fiber, 0.5 g protein
• 1/2 yellow squash, sliced — 20 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein
• 1 oz. low-fat mozzarella cheese — 45 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g fiber, 5 g protein
• Dash of oregano, red chili pepper flakes
• Nutritional information for entire pizza: 194 calories, 3.6 g fat, 9.85 fiber, 13.7 g protein
  

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
• Spray the pita with one spray of Pam Cooking Spray and spread crushed garlic evenly across the pita
• Add sliced squash evenly on top of pita
• Add tomato evenly on top of squash
• Sprinkle the cheese over the squash
• Add oregano and red chili pepper flakes to taste
• Place pita on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until squash is tender and cheese is melted

Noteworthy in the News & BlogLand

• Eating Bender‘s Interview with Hungry Girl (8/6/09) here– I love the discussion that goes on in the blogging community about Hungry Girl, processed foods and a healthy lifestyle.  I ranted a bit in the comments section (what else is new?), but really seek out your opinions on what a “healthy lifestyle” actually means to you and how the Hungry Girl lifestyle either does or does not fit into it.
• Living Healthy in the Real World‘s blog posting on “Defining Eating Disorders,” (8/7/09) here — How would you define an “eating disorder”?  Do you think calorie restriction is a form of disordered eating?
• Science Daily‘s, “Fat Hormone Influences Baseline Dopamine Levels And Our Motivation To Eat,” (8/7/09) here

Give-Away Round Up

• Win a $100.00 grocery store gift card (nota bene — you will have to register with the site before you can enter) here
• Sign-up for a free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios and a $1 coupon off the cereal here

p.s. Speaking of passions…did you notice the singing-related link that very inconspicuously appeared in my About Me page?

What are you weekend plans?!  The boyf and I are going to an art museum and going to the beach as per usual!

<3, The Cranky One