It’s time for a round-up of some of my favorite Instagram accounts, bloggers, vloggers, and podcasts!
As we are STILL stuck in COVID world, social media has been an often pleasant, sometimes informative, sometimes agitating, way to fill the void left by not being able to go out and see friends as much. I’ve tried to feature some legendary, great people who cover these topics, but also some lesser known folks who I love to follow as well!
He’s got a long running podcast about a variety of wellness topics. He is a legendary ultrarunner and triathlete. He also wrote the amazing book Finding Ultra. You can follow him on IG as well @richroll
She provides excellent guidance on healing from childhood trauma. Plus, she’s got a new book!
Talking Points with Kia Rae
@talkingpointswkiarae
This is a new podcast from a good runner friend of mine, Nikkia Young. Her first episode was about setting boundaries. I’m looking forward to hearing more!
He writes a truthful, heartfelt commentary on life in America that is often humorous. I’ve really enjoyed his recent posts. Another blog that deserves more attention!
So if you need some inspiration, check out these folks!
In Richmond, we are bracing for another round of winter weather. It has already started! We had about an hour of sleet before it changed over to snow. On Saturday, it’s supposed to ice. I have a feeling it will be an interesting commute to work!
Who do you follow for inspiration? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
As I rolled over in bed early Friday morning, my old nemesis vertigo re-emerged. I was hoping the feeling was fleeting and that by the time I woke up to get ready for work, the sensation would resolve itself. Alas, my hope was extinguished when I tried to pop out of bed with my alarm only to be met with overwhelming, nausea inducing waves of vertigo, which sent me right back to lying down. After several attempts of trying to slowly get out of bed, my husband woke up. He was able to get me into the bathroom at least. And that was that. No working for me Friday. I’ve spent most of the weekend on the sofa, sadly. No running. Not much of anything at all.
I’ve definitely succumbed to BPPV, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This is when calcium crystals dislodge in your inner ear, settling in your ear canal, exciting parts of your ear that detect movement. The crystals give your vestibular system false information about where your body is in space, eliciting that lovely room-spinning sensation. Unlike last time I had vertigo when my eustachian tube was clogged, this time is worse, and definitely more persistent. I’m certain that I had a mild case of BPPV last time in addition to the tube issue.
I had so much planned last weekend. Work on Friday. My daughter’s birthday celebration that evening. 9 mile run Saturday. Running some errands. Enjoying the snow Sunday. My time on the sofa was spent watching the rest of Schitts Creek and lots of college gymnastics.
I talked my husband through the torture that is the Epley maneuver, one of the treatments for BPPV. We tried the left ear first, since that was the culprit last time. No symptoms until he flipped my head to the right. Oy. So much vertigo! So I had him try again the next day starting with the right. Then I got symptoms both initially and again when he flipped my head to the left. Sigh. I should have known to do the right ear first, since turning on my right side when sleeping brings on the vertigo, indicating the symptomatic ear. After the second Epley, I just felt like I was floating on a boat in the middle of the ocean. And then, predictably the next morning, the vertigo returned.
So what does a PT do when her knowledge of her medical issues is exhausted? She reaches out to colleagues who know more about the topic than you. I have a classmate who is a former collegiate track and field athlete who I reach out to for ortho/running issues. But for this? I asked my friend Melissa, who is a vestibular specialist. Vestibular issues require a special set of skills that are really in a category of use it or lose it. They are not difficult to learn, but so easy to forget if you don’t use them frequently. She gave me a different maneuver to try for BPPV. I was hoping this would fix it, but I again woke up this morning with terrible vertigo.
I tried to work this morning. My drive there was OK, until I got out of the car. I was nauseated. Too much head movement. It did resolve, but I ended up abbreviating my schedule, and a colleague did another Epley on me. Everyone got to see nystagmus who wanted to. That was fun.
Here is the great debate in research for BPPV: do you stay upright after treatment, or is it safe to lie down? In my personal experience, I think I’m going to try sleeping sitting up in a recliner tonight, as I seem to be re-settling the crystals every time I sleep in my bed. I think (I hope) that between the Epley and that, I will feel better soon. Because if I wake up again like this tomorrow, I’m going to have to pay money to see the doctor. And that is something I don’t want to do!
I do have good news to report. My in-laws were able to get vaccinated for Covid-19 this weekend thanks to the Hanover NAACP. They helped to align those who qualified for the vaccine in Hanover County with appointments for a clinic on Saturday. So grateful for them! My own mom was able to get her first dose last weekend through a clinic that her primary care doctor held. That’s one benefit of being a part of a big medical practice, for sure! We’re still waiting for my dad, who is supposed to get his through his dialysis clinic. I feel a bit of relief that at least ¾ of my elders have their first dose.
And Sunday, we got more snow, sandwiched between two episodes of very cold rain. And, of course, there was that little football game. I hope your weekend was better than mine!
My dog Ellie watching the snow fall!
Did you do anything fun last weekend? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
The Blue Ridge Marathon is held in Roanoke, Virginia, and is dubbed the world’s toughest road marathon. It is featured by Race Raves as one of the toughest road races in North America. Like most of the races in 2020, it was cancelled last year due to the pandemic. So far, this race is on for April 17th. Organizers have promised a socially distanced, in-person, awesome race experience.
Photo courtesy of Blue Ridge Marathon
My friends who have run the marathon and half marathon all say how well organized, friendly, and beautiful the courses are! The half marathon has been a bucket list race for me. They also offer a 10k and a double marathon. Choose your poison!
The Roanoke Star! Photo courtesy of Blue Ridge Marathon!
All of the races are as scenic as they are challenging. For the half marathon, we will climb 2 mountains, including Mill Mountain with the famed Roanoke Star at the top! I can’t wait for that! The full marathon will take you onto portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 10k course will also take you to the top of Mill Mountain to see the star. So none of these courses are fast and flat, but they are beautiful! Not ready to race in person? They have virtual options as well.
If you are interested in joining in the fun on April 17th, you can use my discount code to earn 20% off registration! Use code ANNE20 for the discount.
Are you looking forward to racing in person again, as long as COVID precautions are taken? Have you run any in-person events since the pandemic began? I’d love to hear your thoughts. As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
For the first time since 2018, the Richmond area had an appreciable amount of snow! Now, I follow the meteorologist DT from WxRisk (you can find him on Facebook), and he is usually on point with forecasting, often calling it correctly days before the local meteorologists. Well, this go-round for the east coast Nor’easter, he was wrong! And our beloved Andrew Friedman with NBC12 had it right. We got about 5 inches of snow near Ashland before a solid dose of freezing rain and sleet on top. DT was calling for closer to 6-8 inches in my area with all snow, with more snow on Monday. He had to update his forecast to reflect the move of the low pressure system further up the coast.
The obligatory back porch snow photo!
What we got sure was pretty, though! I even managed to get out and complete my long run in the mess. I know. If I were smart, I would have run Saturday before the snow. But I had to work! And then after work, I chose to brave the Kroger for some last-minute supplies like the rest of Richmond. And then it was after dark. Sigh.
My tracks!
But truly, running in the snow makes you feel 100% more bad-ass than any normal run day. It helps to have the right gear! So, what do I wear in the cold and snow?
Layers. So many layers! It’s important to keep your core warm! I start with a running tank, followed by a technical long sleeve (bonus if it has thumb holes) topped with a running pullover of some kind, preferably with microfleece lining. I will pull my thumb holes over my gloves, and put my Garmin watch on over the long sleeve, but not the pullover. I have a unisex and a ladies Sport Tek ¼ zip that meet this criteria as well as a Nike pullover. My cold gear running tights are the same material. I was surprised how well it kept me dry on my run through the freezing rain.
Taken after my run when I was nice and warm! Notice the amber lenses on my sunglasses. It was 30 degrees with cold rain/sleet/snow mix on my run.
Gloves. On average cold days, I can get by with the cheap $1 knit gloves, taking them off and stuffing them in my bra for safekeeping if I get hot. But when it’s really cold, I need technical gloves with the mitten windbreaker overlay. If I get hot, I’ll fold back the mitten layer. On Sunday’s run, these were a godsend, keeping my fingers dry and warm. Several companies make these. The ones I own are made by Hind, and I bought them ridiculously cheap at Marshall’s, but many running gear companies make these!
One example of running gloves with mitten overalys. These are from Nathan.
Ear warmers. I will use these if it’s under 20 degrees. I do tend to get hot, so typically this comes off by mile 1, and I take it off, looping it through my hydration belt for safekeeping.
Hat. Full hat, especially if it’s raining or snowing! You lose 10% of your body heat through your head, so keeping it covered really helps keep you warm, while the bill keeps rain out of your eyes. (You can also trade a hat and ear warmers for a warm beanie. I tend to get too hot for these!)
Sunglasses. Yup. Snow creates lots of glare, even if it’s actively precipitating. Using glasses with amber lenses cuts down on the glare without making it too dark while also keeping flakes out of your eyes. My favorites are from Goodr.
Crew length running socks. I want to make sure my ankles are covered! In the snow or cold rain, I will wear these, as well as if it’s under 20 degrees.
Trail shoes. For snow, this helps so much. I really got to put my Hoka Speedgoats to good use yesterday. They have Gore-Tex, so my feet stayed dry! I could feel the cold when I went through puddles or slush, but my feet warmed back up quickly. The tread was also really good at keeping me from slipping. Trail shoes are a wise investment if you take to trails somewhat frequently or encounter winter weather often, even if you are primarily a road runner! They will, for me, last a couple of years because I run roads more frequently than technical trails.
My Hoka Speedgoats and my favorite Nike cold gear run tights with microfleece lining.
Hydration belt AND SPIbelt. Here’s a tip: your phone will die quickly in the cold. If I keep my phone in just my hydration belt pouch, it stays way too cold! But in the frigid temps, using the SPIbelt to hold your phone between layers works wonders with maintaining battery life, taking advantage of your core heat to keep that battery warm! When I’m running alone, I never run without my phone. I also play my music straight from my phone’s speaker. That way, I can hear my surroundings, and can definitely hear my music. No one else really can unless they are right beside you.
I hope you find my experiences helpful!
I was back to work today, with the roads in much better condition than yesterday, thank goodness! We still have enough on the ground to look pretty, though!
Did you get to run or play in the snow for those of you East Coasters who were lucky enough to get snow? What are some of your favorite items/gear you love to run with in the cold and snow? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
One of my friends recently posted an article on Facebook from Sheryl at Moms of Teens and Tweens (see link below). For those of us with older kids, this is such a sweet idea to honor them and let them know our feelings. I was so taken by the idea of posting a heart on their door every day that I’m going to take her advice!
I’m a recovering scrapbooker, so this craft is right up my ally. Granted, my teenage daughters are almost grown at 15 and soon to be 19, the older one in college, but I’m still going to do this for both of them. My older daughter will be home this weekend and next, so I’m hoping she will enjoy the surprise!
How does this go? Post a heart on their bedroom door each day from February 1st through 14th, kind of like an advent calendar for Valentine’s day. Each heart has a note about something you love about your kid!
Both of my girls are making the best of a less than ideal situation with the pandemic: one learning virtually and missing her friends, the other grieving the loss of her senior rites of passage followed by a rather strange initiation into college life. This week, my younger daughter is enduring the stress of exams, something she really didn’t deal with quite so much last year due to schools closing, but this semester with the added stress of condensing an entire subject into one semester.
Teenagers are just as tired of dealing with the pandemic as the adults in their lives, yet may not have all of the tools they need to manage all of their feelings and disappointments, all with the added burden of possessing a keen awareness and understanding of what is going on in the world. All of our kids are living through unprecedented challenges right now. I’m hoping the heart project will add a bit of light to their lives!
My tradition in the past has been to buy them a small box of chocolates. Last year, they went mostly uneaten! I’m hoping this will be more meaningful.
Does this sound fun, but you don’t have time to make hearts? Use sticky notes. Even a simple card on Valentine’s day with a note about how much you care about them I’ll bet would mean a lot!
Sometimes wellness means lifting our family, too. Do you have any traditions for Valentine’s Day with your kids? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
First of all, I am incredibly grateful and lucky to have received the Pfizer vaccine. I’m also incredibly fortunate that the company I work for had the resources, knowledge, and structure to implement a successful vaccination plan for its employees.
After my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, waiting for 15 minutes for the all clear that I’d passed the window for an allergic reaction.
For those of us who have received the vaccine, most are in direct contact with COVID+ patients. Others are exposed on a daily basis to the community at large due to teaching, essential work, etc. An interesting phenomenon? Feeling guilty about getting the vaccine. I’ll admit that at times, I wonder how I got so lucky, especially since I don’t work in the ICU or ER. However, treating a few patients last week who were COVID+, I am relieved that I have more than just my PPE to defend myself. I am now fully vaccinated. If you’re lucky enough to be offered it, don’t waste the opportunity!
It’s been well documented in previous posts my decision making process in getting the vaccine at all, and then how the second round went. I updated the second post to add that I did have a much stronger reaction the second go-round. This was to be expected and, in fact, a welcome sign that my body had an appropriate, albeit unpleasant, response. My story is not unlike that of my colleagues.
So, what were the issues? As follows, after the second dose, most people reported:
Arm soreness that appeared more quickly. For the first dose, it was about 12-18 hours after, lasting about a day. The second dose, this soreness appeared within hours, and seemed to last longer overall.
Chills. Most of my colleagues reported this issue about 12 or so hours after the first dose. This only lasted a few hours. This sensation may or may not have been accompanied by a fever. My highest recorded temperature with chills was 98.8, but I had a couple of colleagues who spiked fevers over 100 degrees.
Brain fog. Again, a fairly universal complaint. Arising a few hours after the injection, and lasting about a day. This was most apparent while performing detailed work like documentation.
Temperature regulation issues. Hot flashes were common. For some of my colleagues, it was the same day; others, like me, had this the next day.
Headache. Some of my colleagues reported a headache that responded well to ibuprofen. I actually started day two after with a mild headache and took a dose of ibuprofen myself.
For those who had Covid recently, their reactions to both doses were anecdotally worse than those who likely don’t have antibodies to the virus.
For me, for most of day 2 after my second dose, I felt amazing. No pain. No fatigue. Great mood. I actually went out after work and ran my fastest 5k in months. I was not the only one of my colleagues to experience this sensation. I honestly wish this gift to all who get the vaccine!
I came across this article about why some people with Covid-19 don’t have symptoms, and it was fascinating. It has to do with the spike protein of the virus binding to pain receptors, essentially nullifying any sensation of pain. This is a very sophisticated virus. It still doesn’t answer the question about why some of those infected have no symptoms, and others have severe effects. But since the vaccine utilizes the spike of the virus as its tool for stimulating the body’s immune response, was this the reason why I felt so amazing? Had my white blood cells working to recognize the spike also pass the binding information to my pain receptors? Or was it the early morning dose of Advil to stave off a potential headache? Who knows. Any effects from the ibuprofen would have certainly worn off by the time I ran that afternoon, though!
The most important thing to understand is that everyone I know who has received both rounds of the vaccine have had a full recovery from the immune response. And, well, yay for 95% immunity! I feel very lucky, indeed.
In Virginia, we have moved into phase 2 of vaccine administration: group 1b. I’m so excited to see pictures of my friends who are teachers and non-hospital based healthcare providers with their CDC cards! Don’t know where you fall in line with receiving the vaccine? You can visit the Virginia Department of Health website or for that of your state for more information. The Good Rx website also has a page with multiple links to resources, including national pharmacies who are ready and waiting to administer the vaccine when it becomes available to the general public.
As far as the rollout is concerned, there are already problems. It’s been slow, and seemingly chaotic. According to usafacts.org, only 16.2 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and only 2.8 million have completed the series. That’s less than 1% of the nation who are fully vaccinated. There are many who have already missed their second dose. There are already reports of shortages of the vaccine.
And another hurdle? The shortage of skilled clinicians who are available to administer the vaccine. I had this conversation with a fellow runner who has been volunteering for the State of Virginia’s Medical Reserve Corps testing, and now vaccination clinics. I now have 2 friends who are a part of this effort! She says it’s been really challenging to find nurses and pharmacists who are not working elsewhere and are available to assist with these clinics. So, the plea by President Biden for retired medical professionals qualified to give injections to help is warranted.
Speaking of President Biden, I’m encouraged by new federal leadership taking over, hopefully forming a more organized rollout of the vaccine than we’ve had thus far. We need to give the new team, including a new CDC director, time to get their acts together, as the transition was not smooth at all. In fact, it was well into January before they were allowed access to vaccination data. I’m happy to see Dr. Fauci in his element and able to speak freely about science. I’ve even seen posts rolling out from the US Department of Health and Human Services providing science-based information regarding COVID-19 on social media. Amazing. Science is real. Public health education actually works. We just have to provide it.
A welcome sight! Public health information from the federal government on social media.
For those of us who are generally following the rules, wearing masks out in public, avoiding large social gatherings outside of our quarantine circle, it’s enormously frustrating to see others who deny science and don’t do their part to control the spread. I have been guilty of losing my patience in the grocery store when I see maskless shoppers. This phenomenon has been dubbed “panger.” And trying to explain the benefit of wearing masks even to some of my patients who question the practice is often like talking to a brick wall.
Even though the vaccine is rolling out, we still must follow public health measures to control the spread. We still don’t know if those who are vaccinated can still carry the virus. And based on the numbers, we have a long way to go before we reach herd immunity. We also don’t know how the emergence of new strains will affect the efficacy of the vaccine, although scientists are optimistic for now. We will have to wait and see.
Have you received both doses of the Covid vaccine? If so, what was your experience, and which one did you receive? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Hallelujah! We have a shiny, new President and the first female Vice President of the United States. Both of them have the experience, temperament, and appropriate focus to actually lead this nation out of darkness. It felt like it took forever to get here.
“We must end this uncivil war.”
President Joe Biden
The tyranny and error of the past 4 years is hopefully over. I spent most of that time feeling anxious and in disbelief of all that had been revealed about the ills of our country. He gave misogynists and white supremacists permission to come out of the shadows and into the mainstream. Because of him, we have an attempted rapist on our Supreme Court. Because of him, we have a resurgence of white supremacist groups in the form of Proud Boys, etc. Because of him, we had an attempted coup, aided by sympathizers in our own government. In my conservative county, Trump flags fly almost more than the American flag. And just Monday, flyers with swastikas were posted all over the small town of Ashland in my county. It was one last, desperate attempt to scare those fighting for social justice.
Pearls in honor of my sisters in the Panhellinic Council (my sorority’s jewel, too!) and Chucks for Kamala!
But ladies, watch out! Make sure you’re wearing your shoes. There’s glass everywhere! Kamala Harris has broken the glass ceiling! I enjoyed seeing posts from my friends who are Alpha Kappa Alpha members like Kamala. My best friend from graduate school is not only an AKA sister, but also a fellow alum of Howard University, just like Madam Vice President. I thought about them all day. Like them, I also wore my pearls and Chucks on Inauguration Day. We have much to owe Black women in restoring our faith in American democracy.
What a beautiful ceremony! I’m grateful I had the day off to watch it all live. It was lovely, despite the weirdness of the circumstances as the dangers of the pandemic and threat of violence from white supremacist terrorists loomed, forcing limits to the crowd size.
Although I loved Lady Gaga’s interpretation of our National Anthem, and I appreciated the performance of Jennifer Lopez, I was most impressed by the poetry of Amanda Gorman.
“The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
Amanda Gorman
Such poignant words from such a young soul. I remember the idealism I possessed at 22 years old. But by no means did I have the wisdom and way with words to express my feelings like Amanda. She is simply outstanding.
I was admittedly nervous that something terrible would happen to prevent this day from culminating. But I’m relieved that the inauguration is complete. Let the work begin. There is much to do. Because now, the status quo is not enough. We must be better. We must seek and demand justice and truth. We must drive hate back into the shadows from which it came. And we must find the light.
But at last, I feel like our country has leadership that’s here for the people, not for sheer power or to reap the benefits of office for themselves. That, in and of itself, is light.
I hope you are finding the light this week. As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Southern Tour Ultra team relay in Wilmington, NC on January 18th
One City Half Marathon in Newport News, VA on March 1st
Taco Trot Virtual 5k
Monument 10k virtual
Marine Corps Marathon virtual
Longest run: 26.2
Longest ride: 23.8
That’s it!
With my crew awaiting the start of the relay race!
The year began in splendid fashion by taking a road trip with several friends to Wilmington, NC to run the Southern Tour Ultra as a team relay event. I think I ended up with 16 miles by the end of the day. It was fun, cold, and muddy! But a fantastic way to start the year!
After running my only in person race of 2020, the One City Half Marathon.
I’m so grateful that I got to run the One City Half Marathon. It was the last big race in person before the lockdown started. I really enjoyed running in my hometown. If I knew this would be the last “normal” race for the foreseeable future, I would have soaked in even more of every moment! The Shamrock Marathon weekend was supposed to happen a couple of weeks after that, and it was canceled, along with a slew of other races, as we know.
Last year was my first as a Nuun Legacy ambassador! I’m thrilled to be back in 2021! I have been using this as my primary electrolyte replacement for several years now. I really fell in love with the new Nuun Endurance last training season. It has more carbs than Nuun Sport, and it made a big difference with how I feel during long runs. And, in these pandemic times, I have enjoyed Nuun Immunity so much!
As the pandemic wreaked havoc with access to gyms and in person races, I took to my bike for cross training. In the early days of the outbreak, my bike provided a much welcomed respite from the 4 walls of my home. Although my bike is more of a cruiser than a road bike, I pushed it to its limits last year!
Biking the Capital Trail as my team ran 20 from Dorey Park. Here with Pink Nation head coach, Blair!
I also helped coach the Pink Nation, one of the Sports Backers Marathon Training Teams. And although the 2020 training season was weird, it was still meaningful, and Sports Backers ended up having a fantastic fall marathon event from Dorey Park along the Virginia Capital Trail. They truly made the most of a difficult situation.
Crossing the “virtual” finish line of our MCM course in Richmond.
Running with the team helped me in my training to run the Marine Corps Marathon virtually. Although we picked a rather awful weekend weather wise, punctuated by remnants of Hurricane Delta, we were successful in completing our race.
I ended the year with the Runner’s World Run Streak, running at least one mile every day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. 37 straight days of running. I’ve never done that before!
The final day of my run streak!
What has this year taught me?
I can do really long runs on my own. My longest solo run now has been 14 miles.
Running solo is meditation time.
Virtual races, although not as exciting, can be meaningful.
The Richmond running community is absolutely amazing, and without them, I would not have been able to run my marathon nearly as easily.
Running has been slow since I got sick in August, but I’m finally starting to build up my endurance again through consistent training.
Doing a run streak will not kill me, and might even make me stronger mentally and physically.
Thanks for reading about my year! I sincerely hope that 2021 brings better adventures.
How did your year in running go? Did you do more than you realized? What do you hope to run in 2021? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Oh, behold the versatility of the chickpea! Where would vegans be without them? Of course they turn into delicious hummus, but you can also mash them to become a nice substitute for chicken. Much like the recipes I’ve shared for Vegan Tuna Salad and my Buffalo Chickpea Salad, this one is the same method, just different seasonings and add-ins.
Extremely forgiving, you can add in whatever diced veggies you like to add crunch or pack in extra nutrients. Try adding diced celery or shredded carrots to this mix if you choose. Adding a bit of finely diced onions adds a punch of zest; use whatever you have on hand. I like red or green onions especially.
The key spice for this salad is dill. Using a bit of dill relish and a touch of dill weed with a dollop of spicy mustard adds the flavors I would typically incorporate into a traditional chicken salad. Use whatever vegan mayo is your favorite.
The other tip of mine when making salads with mashed chickpeas is using a pastry blender to cut and mash the beans. It works so much faster than a fork, and you have great control over the degree to which you break down the chickpeas!
A pastry blender makes fast work of mashing chickpeas!
So without further ado, I give you the basic recipe for Vegan “Chicken” Chickpea Salad!
Most of the ingredients I used for this batch of vegan chickpea “chicken” salad
Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
About ¼ cup sliced green onions or diced red onion
¼ cup vegan mayo
1 T spicy brown mustard (or use whatever you have on hand. I like my mustard zesty!)
¼ cup dill relish
1 tsp dried dill weed (I love the Lifehouse brand)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a medium sized mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas using a pastry blender or fork until mostly broken down.
Add all the other ingredients.
Mix until ingredients are incorporated well.
Serve on bread or toast or in a wrap or add to a leafy green salad.
Now that your mix is made, you can use it in multiple ways! As a sandwich, I like to add more mustard and sliced pickles to add more kick. I’ll also add sliced tomato when they are in season. You can also make this into a wrap, adding whatever veggies you like. Or simply make it a great addition to a garden salad. Just like most salads, there is no exact science to making this recipe. Make it your own! This makes enough for 3-4 servings. Enjoy!
Prior to mixing
After mixing
Served on a sandwich!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Take a picture, post to Instagram, and tag me @annecreates. As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
It has now been one week since the attempted coup. I had prepared what I thought was a carefully laid out, well researched post about my feelings in response to last week’s events at the Capitol, and I even posted it. It was really more of a temper tantrum when I continued to look at it. Some of you actually saw it. But I decided to pull the post. It conferred too much of my own emotional response to the events than I wanted to convey.
My post alluded to finding joy in the misery of those who caused the insurrection now that they are beginning to suffer the consequences of their actions. I also talked about the role religion has played in the recent events. The fact is that most of us are angry. Those who protested were hoodwinked by their party and bought multiple lies about not only the election, but about the virus and wild conspiracy theories as well. The rest of us are still in shock that it happened, especially considering obvious cooperation from someone in charge of security.
But finding joy in anyone’s misery dehumanizes them. And it makes those on the “right” side who do that not so moral as well. Dehumanizing any living being is how atrocities against others begins. (And, yes, I feel this way about eating animals, too.)
We have substantial, long standing, structural problems with the architecture of government and societal norms in America. The ideals of meritocracy upon which our country was built are not working in its translated state. Do we actually believe that everyone is born with equal opportunity? That everyone who works hard will have the same chances to succeed? To state that you do is disingenuous. The truth is that anyone not born white and male has to pull their bootstraps up some, or perhaps what seems like forever, to reach equal ground.
As a white person, I know I have certain unspoken privileges. And to have conversations with my Black friends about the talks they have to have with their children about things I have never considered discussing with mine… things like how to survive getting pulled over by a police officer… is really overwhelming. And in my time as a home health provider, I was witness to how the most marginalized people in our society survive. My privilege smacks me in the face.
But the idea of meritocracy in America has devolved into something that looks more like rugged individualism. We have lawmakers and leaders who preach the notion that those who are white and in hard times are not to blame for their own misfortune. They have taught the lie that it’s immigrants, liberals, people of color… the list is long… who are to blame. Lies were also spewed about the origin of Covid-19 and the severity of the disease. And we have been conditioned as a society to care about ourselves first; the sense of community isn’t what it once was.
As a side note, science does not care if you don’t believe in it. It will carry on anyway. The climate will continue to get warmer if we don’t reduce carbon emissions. Species will become extinct if we don’t halt practices that destroy their homes. The earth will not be able to sustain us in time. And the pandemic will never end if we don’t wear masks, socially distance, or take the vaccine. But just like there are no atheists in a foxhole, there are no science deniers on a Covid unit.
The fact is that we can all benefit from governmental reform. There is a growing wealth disparity in this country that has only gotten wider during the pandemic. We need to end loopholes for the very wealthy that help them avoid paying their fair share in taxes. Trickle-down economics doesn’t work. We need to raise the minimum wage. We need laws that end wage disparities. We need to work to end policies that promote systemic racism. We need to work to promote equality and safety for LBGTQ persons. We need a fair, just, affordable, and equitable healthcare system. I firmly believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. We need policies that protect our environment. We need to end corporate influence in our government. And we need a legislative branch not paralyzed by gridlock between parties. Our government should work for the people, not corporations or religious entities.
We are the most prosperous country in the world, and yet many of our citizens live marginally. What’s worse is that it seems like it’s designed to be this way. Our mental and physical wellness can be much more robust if we have a government who supports efforts to improve how it works for everyone, not just the wealthy. Right now, this is not what we have. And although I never meant for my blog to be about politics, I feel like my readers need to know where I stand on these issues. To not discuss them is a bit tone deaf, and I don’t feel like I can carry on with fitness topics and vegan recipes without touching on my feelings about recent events first.
I’m feeling weary and tired, much like the American flag pictured in this post, which I photographed in my town. I am so ready for power to transfer to the new administration. I have to trust that justice will be brought to those who were guilty of insurrection. I’m not ready to work on unity, especially because reports are swirling that this isn’t over. But I am taking a moment to try to understand how those who are guilty reached this place, because I have no desire to allow history to repeat itself. If it can happen in Germany in 1923, it can happen in America in 2021.
I know emotions are running high right now, but a bit of empathy can go a long way in deciphering how America reached this place.
Today, I’m watching the impeachment trials. I hope our Congress does the right thing. Those who are guilty of contributing to the dismantling of our democracy must answer for their transgressions. I’m just idealistic enough to believe that our country will, eventually, repair itself, emerging from this rubble as a better, more equitable nation.
How are you doing since last week’s events? I’m here to listen. As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Anne the Vegan 