Productivity
I guess my productivity is like condensation in New England: when it rains, it pours. Before i had showered, eaten, blogged, or even stretched yesterday morning, I had my laundry going. At 12, it was done and my bed looked like this:
Unfolded Laundry
Amazingly, I resisted the urge to put on freshly washed pajamas. Don’t lie; we all want to do that when it’s fresh out of the drier. Instead, I folded and put everything away, and worked on the first of my 3 history midterm essays while I waited for my dad to come at 2. I would have thought I’d get hungry by then but I think I was so immersed in writing I didn’t notice anything. I did grab this for a little pep:
Zevia Cola
Did you know all of Zevia’s sodas are caffeine free except this one? That’s because it’s naturally flavored and the kola nut naturally has caffeine. That really is making me wonder what’s in caffeine-free coke, though I suppose that’s so unnatural to begin with it doesn’t matter. When my dad did show up, we had a good laugh.
Frying Pan
He brought a package that came for me in the mail over the week. Neither of us knew exactly what it would be or who it was from. It turned out to be a frying pan I won last month; doesn’t everybody need a lightweight frying pan for their dorm? We put it back in the box to bring home. Because it was 2pm, I started wanting lunch, so we stopped at Whole Foods to hit up the salad bar.
Grilled Peppers, Lemon Rice, Gobhi Matar, Aloo Baingan, Chicken In Chettinad Sauce
Weighing food is the worst idea ever; don’t let me know if I’m about to eat well over a pound of sauce-laden goodness. This is actually one of the first times I ever had Indian; it’s not a common cuisine around my town and it smelled so good I thought I’d try it. I liked it but I bet there are better dishes out there to try. My favorite was probably the chicken, which was a very fatty cut of meat but very delicious as well. I consider eating ethnically to be productive because it’s expanding my horizon. I didn’t actually finish it all. I intuitively ate the first half, then ate another 1/4 because it was damn good 🙂
On the way home we also stopped by Market Basket; no matter when you go that store has the longest lines, and everybody’s cart looks like they’re coming from BJ’s. They didn’t have vitatops this time or the bread I was looking for, but we did get something for dinner, pumpkin for baking, gardenburgers, and Oikos and soy yogurt from Whole Foods. In the car ride I wasn’t able to write but I did come up with a decent thesis for my Epic Poetry paper.
When we got home I plugged in my computer and got to work(there might have been some Montana scrubbing in there somewhere). I finished my first essay and started on the next. Along the way, I needed a study snack.
Vitabrownie And Plain Soy Yogurt
The hug was entirely K inspired. Note: soy yogurt doesn’t hug quite as well as regular yogurt, but it kind of looks like a pillowy cloud if you ask me. This vitabrownie definitely needed a hug because it got a little squished in the freezer. Time in the microwave was totally the medicine for that. I was a bit more productive(get the theme of this post?) until it was time for dinner.
Mahi Mahi With Soyaki, Corn On The Cob, Beets
Wow is all I can say. It seems so simple and like the dishes I had all Summer but for some reason this was so much more welcomed yesterday. I think I haven’t had corn on the cob in months; talk about your whole grain. And the beets were fun if only because I haven’t had any in months again. They left behind a lot of red juice and I joked with my mom(sort of serious, though) that she should collect it to make red velvet cake. Did you know Whole Foods sells natural food coloring for the holiday season? Expect to see some come Christmas time. Also, the mahi mahi was much better than Friday’s chewier fish, and the soyaki sauce put it over the top.
Well what helps productivity more than a full belly? After dinner I finished my second essay(booyah) and printed some recipes I was planning to make, as well as catch up on DVRed shows. Like I said, when it rains it pours. Ice cream was a well deserved treat.
Purely Decadent Snickerdoodle Soy Ice Cream
Unfortunately, I finished off this flavor. This was definitely my favorite find from the Summer. And it seemes like they carry it at more and more stores these days! How exciting. I also had some coffee and worked on this blog post(see how productive I am doing things ahead of time :-)) Unwrapped was having a marathon on The Food Network = heaven. Heaven like these oats:
Pumpkin Oats With Butter Toffee Peanut Butter, Maple Syrup, And Pumpkin Molasses Cookie
Chocolate, maple, ginger, peanut, pumpkin, etcetera, etcetera. These were delicious fuel for… well lounging around and translating Latin. That takes energy, and plenty, trust me. My dad bought an 8oz container of chocolate butter toffee when he placed his Naturally Nutty order(ps. If my dad has placed an order all his own, what’s slowing down you cool cats?). It’s ok, but I think I like butter toffee peanut butter and chocolate chips better for the contrast.
Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin With Cream Cheese
One last snack and I was done. I wanted to try my dad’s maple butter he’s always loved that comes from our grandparents. There’s no butter in maple butter, it’s basically just crystallized maple syrup you keep in the fridge and spread like maple syrup. It was awesome! Though I could easily see myself going a little overboard with a tub of this in my dorm, haha.
Well remember how yesterday morning I had hoped to write 2 essays, pick a thesis, and translate 3 odes, and I thought that was a crazy amount? Well, I did everything but about 30 lines of poetry! I had no idea I’d actually get that much done. But I’m glad I did. What should I set myself for today? 1/2 my Epic essay sounds like a good goal. Let’s keep the productivity rolling. But first, this welcomed sight:
Recipes
Ingredients
I love MB. I have gotten into a new habit of shopping there pretty much every week, which is crazy since the closest one to me is half an hour away. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that part of the reason for my new infatuation is that Stonyfield Froyo is 2.69 there and 3.89 at Hannaford.
Wow, good job getting all that work done. I love days when I am extremely productive!
Errign
November 8, 2009
i love me a productive day! send some of that motivation my way (as well as some of that pumpkin oats 🙂 )
marathonmaiden
November 8, 2009
Haha I’m totally with you on weighing salads… I feel like such a hoss knowing I can eat over a pound of salad. But I guess if it’s veggies you can’t feel too bad about it!
Michelle
November 8, 2009
Love the WF salad bar.
I could use some productivity mojo if you have any to spare 🙂
MelissaNibbles
November 8, 2009
Hey! I just found your site. Great stuff. I love production days too. Which is what I needs to happen today! haha. OMG, your pumpkin oats look awesome. Im so going to have to try that combo out. I have to say I think oatmeal is my favorite food. It can either be super sweet and dessert like or incredibly savory. I love the versatility. Ultimate comfort food. Anyways I look forward to reading more! I just started my blog a short time ago and its super fun!
Chrysta
November 8, 2009
Yes, indeed that sounds like one heck of a productive day! Your food photos are making me hungry, though. I think I’ll go toast an English muffin and then have some Purely Decadent! I’ve got some Chocolate Brownie Almond in the freezer, but now you’ve made me hunger for the Snickerdoodle flavor!
Katherine
November 8, 2009
WF salad bar is pure love.. expensive love 😛
and yes, so is Unwrapped 😀
and diners drive inns and dives. (hehe)
pumpkin oats look like HEAVEN! for sure!
Devan G
November 8, 2009
I wish they didn’t have to weigh the salads… so that I didn’t have to pay a whopping $10 a pound over here! Hahah. It’s not hard for me to spend $25+ when I go.
Productive days are awesome. Looks like you got a lot done!
Kate
November 8, 2009
I love WF salads, but they really are freakin’ expensive. I always overload on the toppings cuz I refuse to pay $8 for a pound of lettuce….though I have to say, it’s time you experiences some real ethnic foods dear. hahaha at least WF tries! I find their Asian seaweed salad and dumplings not at all like the stuff I get at home, but yummy nonethesless. Like you said, might be the grease? hehehe
Nice hug there! Though the soy yogurt is a little bit scary looking. Good job with trudging through all your work. What exactly are you majoring in?!?! You have such interesting homework assignments I can’t help but ask.
luckytastebuds
November 8, 2009
Right now, just classics. I also have interests in History, and I’ve definitely taken a good amount of math that I could go for an applied math major, but this semester all my courses are Classics concentrated
Evan Thomas
November 8, 2009
I got a couple things. First, why does putting away the laundry seem like so much work compared to the rest of the process? I have no idea. Second, I watched the Unwrapped marathon a bit as well, even though I’ve seen them all and half were Marc Summers circa 2004 with darker hair.
We don’t have Whole Foods here (if I haven’t mentioned that a million times…bitterly) but I’ll look on the bright side and say maybe it’s saving me money? Right…great looking eats once again and big props for the productivity!
Abby
November 8, 2009
Those productive days are the best! And yet are so tragically rare, heh. Especially with SO MANY GOOD FOOD BLOGS TO DISTRACT YOU!
Lele
November 8, 2009
I am so terrible about washing tons of laundry and not putting it up right away- working on that one 😉
I’ve been wanting to try the Purely Decadent Coconut based ice cream- they were half off at my Publix- I think I will go back and buy some 😀
Melinda
November 8, 2009
YAY for getting stuff done!!
Marissa
November 8, 2009
you’re the most productive person!!!
Lynn @ The Actors Diet
November 8, 2009
koodos to you for being so productive — wish I could say the same!
that maple butter sounds amazing — your dad should definitely sell the stuff.. I’d buy it!
p.s. I vote you email your professors, Evan 🙂 what do you have to lose?!
Jenny
November 8, 2009
i wish brown had a comm program for grad school. i so wanted to go to that school. I want to visit the east coast, and RI seems like it would be so lovely!
sorry, i know its random, i just always think about it when i read your blog :p
maple butter sounds SO GOOD
dee (the apple hill adventurer)
November 8, 2009
You eat soy yogurt?? What’s your take on soy? I’ve heard mixed stuff about it and being difficult to digest, not good for you, processed, etc. I try to stick with tofu that has a few ingredients, but it’s still not perfect I doubt.
Also do you have a good veggie/bean/something? type of burger to recommend or recipe? Thanks!!
eatmovelove
November 8, 2009
Wow! You ARE really productive! I’m mighty jealous, cauz I got NOTHING done today…
Ack, how can you like soy yogurt? I tried them, but couldn’t finish it. But I guess everybody’s taste is different!
burpexcuzme
November 9, 2009
i ❤ the whole foods salad bar. so much.
Lexi
November 9, 2009
Evan, you have the best blog posts! They are always so creative.
And every time you feature Blue State, I totally crave it!
Erin
November 9, 2009