Uncle: You look like you're 13.
Me: No I don't!
Uncle: Yeah. You're too skinny.
Me: I'm getting fat again then.

Fresh Pasta

I've been up since six this morning, I've been on my feet all day and I just got done making tomorrow's pasta dough. Such a great day.

I love food.

And you already know that if you've seen my last few posts. Fudge...almost my whole blog is about food. It's just too good. What can I say? It's a necessity. Even if it wasn't...too good. Anyways...I'm on a raw food diet thingy, so I never get to cook for myself. The most 'cooking' I do for myself is peeling a cucumber. I've taken it upon myself to cook for the fam the last couple weeks and it's been great! For me. They are probably gaining weight. Haha. Sucks for them. You are probably thinking, "What the heck are you doing cooking, when you can't eat what you make?" Or, "I bet you probably just make the fam. stuff you don't like, so you don't get the urge to eat it."
I spent all day in the kitchen today. I don't think I could've spent the day a better way. I made a creamy, cheesy fettucini alfredo with garlic infused shrimp. The color was gorgeous. The fragrance was intoxicating. I made the pasta dough this morning and stretched it out and sliced it into fettucini strips just before I cooked it. The freshest pasta I've ever made. So much better than the store bought stuff. The texture of the pasta is so different. Cooking time is much shorter. And the taste of the actual pasta itself is apparently way better. It smelled amazing, looked amazing, and tasted amazing (or so I was told). I almost gave in. I was stoked to see my family gobble it down with a side of toasted and buttered slices of italian bread. Not a noodle was left on plates. I made a gooey chocolate brownie souffle covered in chocolate frosting and pecans for dessert. More than half of it was gone in the first five minutes.
My parents are impressed with my cooking skills but even more impressed with my will power. I think it's so funny to hear them talking about me not eating any of the food I make. What they don't know is that it is so much easier to make food and not eat it, than it is to see food being made, get offered food, and have to say no. It's so much easier to only have to say no to one person. And that one person is yourself.
I've been hooked on cooking lately and trying out a whole bunch of different recipes. In the last couple weeks I've made cheesy jalapeno poppers, cheddar bay biscuits, stuffed manicotti, deep dish pizza, burgers, lettuce wraps, garlic knots, chocolate chip pancakes, pecan pancakes, breakfast omelettes, cheese bread, shrimp scampi, and cinnamon raisin french toast. My next endeavor? Homemade mozerella cheese. I already know how to make fresh cheese, mozerella is next. Definetly will be made later this week. Oh and biscuits with sausage gravy! And fruit tarts! Oh my!
I love being in the kitchen. I'm starting to think it might be a pretty good career or side career. Maybe even back up plan. Maybe? Maybe.

"So much salami, call my mommy."

#1 show on tv right here!!! Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. It doesn't get any better.

Mike Mo Sponsor Me Video for Spitfire from dlxsf on Vimeo.

Baby Say Goodbye -- Wavves.

My favorite song on King of the Beach. 

The only channel I really ever watch on tv is Food Network. It is rare to see anything else on if I'm watching tv.

Unwrapped is my second favorite show.

This week..

I'm going to try to get to bed before 2 a.m...and wake up before 9 a.m.

Such a good song.

I think I want to go to this.

Waiting.

I've been listening to the radio alot lately.

What I want to do right now is skate outside, on concrete, without my helmet on.

Raw Food Update

Down 20 lbs. Feel better than ever. Skin's cleared up again. Super happy. Never tired. In the mood to learn stuff and read and be active. Super stoked on life! Keep it coming!

I just started reading the China Study a couple days ago. So far...super interesting. I'm still not that far into it or anything but it's good. It's about nutrition.

Just had the worst sushi craving ever. It was so strong I actually could smell sushi. I swore I smelt rice and soy sauce. My mouth went all sweet tasting. What up?

Seven months down. Two more to go.

Tonight for dinner I made some ceviche (without fish of course), jicama "fries", and some jalapeno poppers (for my mom and uncle who eat regular food).
I never had jicama before today and was actually scared to try it. I saw it a Whole Foods today and was just inclined to get it. Jicama is a brown, bulbous looking veggie that is white in the middle and is sweet. Its usually eaten raw with lime. Or it can be seasoned with different spices to imitate french fries. I went the french fry route. I cut the jicama up into french fry looking strips and tossed it with a little organic olive oil, sea salt, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and parsley. They were delicious!

What I like best about this whole raw thing is getting in the kitchen and just experimenting with flavors. I could just have a salad every night and be totally fine, but that gets a little boring sometimes. I like the kitchen anyway.  

Fishless ceviche. So good!

Brushed and straightened my hair twice this week. What an accomplishment!

Cousin It

Time for a haircut, bro.

"Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life."

— Bob Marley

I hate heel bruisessss! They are terrible. I never knew why some people complained so much about them. Now I know! Just as you think they are gone and all the pain has subsided, BLAMO, its back! One false move and you're in pain for another week. And another week. And another week. And another week. I'd rather have major swellbows than any types of injury to my lower extremities. Solution? Stop skating until it's all better. Pfft, what a crummy solution! 

I might get a job!

I might get a job! I might get a job! I might get a job! I might get a job!

This job has so many perks, its insane. I get to skate all the parks in the area for free. I get 50% off apparel and shoes at any of their stores and 30% off skate stuff. So excited!! My fingers are super crossed.

For the next 83 days...

...I will eat nothing but raw vegan meals.
Meaning: Nothing but veggies, fruits and nuts...uncooked. Why?
Reason #1: To prove to myself that you can do anything you set your mind to.
Reason #2: To detox from all the crap I've been putting in my body for the last couple months.
Reason #3: To lose a little weight.
I started March 7th. I end June 7th. 90 days. I think know it can be done. I've done it for a month before. I think know three are possible.
Up until today, it's been easy. I haven't put myself any where near temptation. Today after skating I came home to a cheese pizza my uncle brought home from Hungry Howie's. My stomach was greatly tempted. My mind said no while my stomach screamed yes. I didn't let my stomach win.

Dinner

Social Distortion is awesome. It reminds me of the photo class I took in high school. My teacher was my wrestling coach. He is the coolest teacher I think I've ever had. One of the coolest dudes to be around. He introduced me to Social Distortion. Always had music playing in his room. Whenever I decided I would eat lunch I would go eat it in his room just because it was better than eating in the cafeteria.

Had a dream I had a baby kitten that everyone was trying to take from me. Dreamt I was super stressed about taking finals, which led to me waking up all stressed and cranky. I'm not even in school. It's raining outside. And...I'm Sick again!!!

Dad: You're going to make me dissapear on this diet.

"Why? Are you scared of falling in love?"

Terrified.

My parents have dad has decided to do the raw vegan thing with me! Super happy!

Why?

A couple weeks ago after one of our chickens died, my parents got 4 baby chicks. They are all over the place and aren't scared of anything. They peck at full grown saint bernards with no fear. Today one of them was taken by some big bird. He just swooped and snatched. We're now down to three.

My new favorite toy.

I love singing in the shower and being sick doesn't stop me from doing that. If someone walked into my house while I was in the shower today, I think they would've sat there laughing uncontrollably at the sound of my voice.

This would've been an insane show to go see.

What the heck happened here?

The Flaming Lips singing the lyrics of Moving to Florida by Butthole Surfers to Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes?! Huh??

Avril Lavigne - What the Hell

I listened to this song on the radio the other day and was hooked.


All my life I've been good but now
I'm thinking,"What the hell?"

soo good.

Skin and Bones

I've been looking all boney lately.

Mumford and Sons - The Cave

This song is really good.

I am

sicker than sick. I have a sore throat and a fever and the room is spinning. I'm downing cough drops disregarding the directions. I have a heel bruise that is a major pain. Literally and figuratively. I went skating today anyway because I wanted to have fun. And I did. I don't regret it, except now I feel worse than I did before. I would like to cry, feel like it's okay to cry, but only babies cry. Speaking of only babies doing the crying, here's a song called Only Babies Cry by Paul Baribeau. He's awesome. Enjoy.

even more.

The path in my grandpa and dad's woods.

Walking in the dry riverbed.

Moss covered tree.

My grandpa had a horse that died and was buried in his woods. We found his jaw in the dry riverbed. This skeleton looks amazing. I've never seen a real skeleton before.

 Speaking of horses...

While we were walking a storm broke out so we took refuge under a tree. These horses came to hide out with us and see if we had any food. It was so cool to just have a horse walk up to you and be able to pet it.

We went to a rodeo. My first and last one ever. I didn't like it at all. People were kicking the bulls in the neck and pulling their tail when they were in the pen. It was terrible. People that had guns were getting drunk. All I could imagine was a fight breaking out and someone getting shot.

How many cowboy hats do you see?

Maybe I shouldn't say it was all terrible. The singing was pretty good.



More pictures from the trip.

 Chick. My aunt bought a whole bunch for her little farm.

Molienda where cane is processed into honey or candy.

 Cane Honey. So delicious. 

Packed the essentials for the trip home.

 30 Rock for the flight to Miami.

Jose Cuervo Tequileria in the Miami Airport.

 

Skeleton decoration in the front of the restaurant.

Vegetable Quesadilla

My uncle's dish

Plane. Miami airport.

Esquipulas, Guatemala.

Random shot of a street in Guatemala