What's on your menu today (Thursday) RNYers?

I went with a group of law librarians from Harvard (well, not everyone worked at Harvard, but most of the group did - and a couple of us weren't law librarians - including me.  I'm just a garden variety university librarian).  We went to study the....you got it...library system.   We were really freaked out, though, because about a month before we were supposed to go, the federal gov't (ours - not Cuba's) denied a request at the last minute for a bunch of neurologists who were supposed to attend an international conference in Havana on brain injuries.  Can you believe it?  Neurologists who were there to go to an international neurology conference?  Not the types who'd cause trouble - or even lie around on the beach sipping mojitos. But they were denied.  Like a week before they were supposed to go.  So we figured there'd be no way in hell they'd let a bunch of librarians go - but oddly, they did.  Whew.  It was a great trip and I'd love to go back!!  Although I think when the gates finally open to free travel (at least for Americans - everyone else has been able to go there for years - and some countries *never* banned travel there...), the whole character of the place will totally change, which is kinda sad.  I've traveled to a lot of places - including China - and Cuba is the only place I've ever been that doesn't have McDonald's and KFC's all over the place.  In fact, there are no McDonald's or KFC's at all...

I hate that our large corporation, fast food, crappy service, unhealthy food, CHAIN places go and take over everything!

I make it a point to eat local... and if I were in one of those countries, I couldn't' bring myself to walk into one of those stores... I'm sure we'll infect them with the unhealthy, super-sized, nutrition-lacking, GMO-filled craptastic chain places too! Ugh.

Can you tell this might be a pet-peeve of mine?!

I hope to visit one day... it's really not that far away... and to get to see their history would be fascinating (and I don't even like history!)

University libraries are my happy place. Harvard *******s would never let me in to Widener. And I had to sneak into Lamont.

we have those issues on our campus.  The graduate research libraries and professional libraries tend to be sticklers about not letting "outsiders" in.  Our library (the undergraduate library - like Lamont) and a couple others are a lot more laid back about it.  We don't check ID's at the door (except after midnight), and if someone is just sitting there quietly minding their own business, then we really don't care.

Cuba is a huge destination for Canadians.

I'm not surprised - it's a nice, quick getaway - easy to get to, and a tropical climate!  Oddly, a lot of Cubans assumed I was from Argentina.  I figured they'd think I was Canadian!

It tends to be cheaper too. I have never been, but a lot of my friends have been. Apparently the food isn't always that great so it may be a good place to go after surgery! lol

the food is definitely  underwhelming - and pretty expensive to boot.  They have restaurants specifically for foreigners, and that's pretty much where you have to eat, because most Cubans can't really afford to eat out.  And they gouge the tourists (like most touristy places do regardless of the country...).  I think at pretty much every place we had our choice of pork or chicken, and then there was rice and beans.  Occasionally there was a side salad - which I always ate if it was available - but probably shouldn't have because I was really sick coming home - might have been from eating the raw vegetables in the salad.  Nothing was really well seasoned, as I recall.  It's definitely not Mexico...    

There was one privately-owned restaurant we went to in someone's house that was much better (citizens can own these, but they're heavily regulated and they can only have tables/seats for a limited number of people).  In addition to the standard meat & rice & beans, they also had fried plantains, which as I recall were pretty tasty.  But anyway, yes - a lot of food was pretty bland and monotonous.

Daisy, I had constant ear infections growing up too! My eardrums burst multiple times!! I had my ear drums lanced when I was 3 and tubes when I was 5. I always had to wear ear plugs and a bathing cap when swimming. I was constantly made fun of. I had hearing problems when I was little. I used to say "fuck" instead of "fork" lol. Doctors said I would have hearing problems as an adult but I hear fine actually. It's a miracle!

Good morning from the frozen land of Texas (38 degrees this morning and windy).  Uhg!  This cold thing is rough now post RNY.  I was cold all the time before it got actually cold out...now I feel like I might just die.  I am at my desk wearing my winter coat and scarf with my little personal heater pointed at my feet. This is ridiculous!

QOTD: So many weird things about me but much of my weird you guys already know. Hmmm...I will go with this. I lived in Puerto Rico for several years as a kid and learned how to sail.  My family had a sail boat and we sailed all through the British and American Virgin Islands. I can read a nautical map, trim sails, and sand teak like a pro.

Menu: Greek yogurt, Greek yogurt, cheese stick...maybe steak for dinner.

Accountability: Full confession...my Guy turned up with the crud. Took him to the walk in clinic last night and he got antibiotics started. He is home today sick.  This process derailed my plan to make steaks last night and put a roast in the Crockpot for tonight.  He didn't feel up to eating and the kiddo was at rehearsal...so no sense cooking.  I had a fridge full of good protein forward choices.  No worries. Right?  Or so you would think. As it turned out...here is what happened.

I ate a few pieces of cheese, at least half a dozen Town House crackers, two Golden Double Stuff Oreos (WWHHHAAA?!?!), and wwwaaayyy more Smartpop White Cheddar popcorn than any person should eat(I'm thinking around 3 cups...could have been more).

And then I was sick the rest of the night. Uhg. I knew that was all a bad protein lacking carb high mess...but I ate it anyway.  In fact, when I went to the kitchen and grabbed the big bag of popcorn I said to my Guy, "I'm going to eat something terrible for me! Wheee!" He just grunted and went back to sleep. I went to town on that bag.

As I was feeling like I would have to die to feel better on the toilet retching and pooping all at once I had an epiphany, "Hmmm what if one day in the not so very far future I don't get sick from doing stupid things?  I need to get this **** under control." So...new day...new choices...go me. Here to a great day for all of us!

Weight today: 122

Peace and joy to you all!

~E