emeraldcitychic

Photo source: Google Images.

It is now officially one month since my seizure at work. One month since I’ve driven a car. One month of walking, asking for rides. One month of seeing my little corner of the world in a different light. My nose has all but healed from being broken, though I swear there’s a still a slight bump right in the middle, though my nose doctor swears I’m a “narcissist.”  I can’t help but to see it differently. To me, it represents yet another change along with every other change in my life since the seizure.

Sometimes I wake up thinking that the last month of my life has been a dream. Then I look outside and notice my car is missing and then reality hits when I remember it is parked outside of my parents’ home. Still, I have to admit, I have been taking it quite well, for someone who has gone through a sudden change. I’ve only broken down twice. I have decided to look at this time in my life as an opportunity and not as a tragedy. After all, everyone has something they are going through. This is my something.

So, rather than obsess about my looks (my face and nose are still scarred), I am using this time to focus on more important matters like the fact that I need a new job. And I have immersed myself in my writing, finding healing through sharing my story with others. I may not ever be able to return to my previous life, or get over the fear of me seizing at any time, but I can make the most of today while looking forward to tomorrow.

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Clothes from my closet.

I am planning a trip to Ecuador at the end of the month, and so I have been looking for ways to save money in general as well as on Christmas presents.  I discovered that I have been either throwing away or giving away a lot of my clothes that are in need of minor repairs such as broken zippers, torn lining, and missing buttons, so, I collected a bag and took it to my tailor. I never realized how much money I could save by fixing clothes that I already own as opposed to going out and buying something new. Definitely a lesson learned!

In keeping with this theme, I have also begun to search through my closet and pick out items that I could mix and match in new ways: pairing a skinny belt to a plain sweater or layering tops and adding a different colored scarf. I made so many new combinations and have been complimented on my “new” styles!

As for Christmas shopping, I have stuck to low and mid-priced gifts for my family and friends. For my 12-year-old-going on 22-year-old niece, I bought her a few basic long-sleeved tops to mix and match with skirts or jeans, and some $2 hair accessories from H&M and Forever 21. Since I recently handed over a huge bag of clothes that no longer fit me, she has a brand new wardrobe to work with. I’m waiting for my too-small wool coat to come out of the cleaners and to give to her.

For everyone else, I am sticking with basics such as body lotions and oils, writing journals and books. And I have been creating pieces of jewelry and putting together sentimental gifts, such as small tokens/reminders of my friendships through framed photographs and old letters tied in bows. I have decided against gift cards as they typically need to have higher amounts in order to be useful.

I hope all of this works!

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Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

Ok, so I admit I have been having trouble with becoming a vegetarian (read: “How to be a Meat Eating Vegetarian”). But I’ve lately been inspired by three things that have made me think twice about eating meat. 1) A friend of mine has recently decided to give up meat for health reasons. Watching him eat salads while I downed blackened penne pasta with chicken, I suddenly felt a pang of guilt shoot up my stomach.  2) I browsed through a book on the dangers of eating meat. 3) I bought a book called Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry, which has 150 recipes for vegan soul food dishes.

The last item has really inspired me to become a vegan. As a child of a southern mother, I grew up on soul food.  Cornbread, collard greens and black-eyed peas were common at our dinner table.  It was not unusual for me to see my mother tossing a large piece of fatback into a frying pan and cooking it in some collard or turnip greens, or to watch her pour a pound of butter into a boiling pot of grits.  Therefore, when I saw the book, It seemed like an oxymoron. Vegan soul food? It couldn’t be possible, I thought.

Vegan Soul Kitchen has already had my mouth watering, by simply reading the recipes. I can’t wait to try the Spicy Smothered Green Cabbage or the Not-Too-Dirty Rice.  There are also a number of soup and dessert recipes and mouth-watering cocktails.

I have also found a couple of restaurants in Washington, DC, where I live, that offer vegan dishes including Founding Fathers and Busboys & Poets.

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