Topic: Biking, sewing, and whatnot.

There’s a lovely biking trail between San Ramon and Danville. I think it’s at least 10 miles one-way, but the distance doesn’t seem that far when on bike. My aunt, sister, mom, and I have only tried 2-3 miles of it (although it was actually a round trip of 4-6 miles), but we were there for less than an hour as it was close to night. It’s an easy path too - gravel and flat. However, it’s been a long time since I’ve done more than 30 minutes of mildly intensive physical activity, so I was breathless once we were done.

I like biking. It’s relaxing and not very hard to do. I don’t look like a fool when I bike (as compared to when I play soccer, volleyball, basketball, etc). It’s also a good excuse for a workout.

My mom bought these bikes that can be folded up, and I used one of them. God. It hurt. The bike has the narrowest seat that I’ve ever seen (and felt). It only took 30 minutes to cause 2 days’ worth of pain. I don’t know if a guy could actually ride it…

Anyways.

One of my jeans ripped when I was kneeling down. Right at the knee. I was so mad since I’d just bought those jeans! And I couldn’t bear donating it - it fits rather well and they were rather pricey too. So I brainstormed a whole bunch of ideas to patch the 2-inch tear: lace, buttons, applique, ribbon flowers, embroidery.

I finally went to Jo-Ann’s to see what I could do. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised by the applique selection they offered at Jo-Ann’s. They had some really exquisite flower/bead designs that were tasteful and not at all tacky. I bought an iron-on applique (embroidered flowers) using one of Jo-Ann’s handy 40% coupons (I usually snag a coupon from one of the in-store weekly ads they have in the front). Craft stores usually over price their items, but for the quality&price of the applique I bought, I got a pretty good deal.

So today, I sat down and finally sewed the applique on (I prefer to sew it before ironing it since it’s more likely it’d stay fixed in place). It took me most of the morning and afternoon - for such a little patch, it takes a long time to tack into place. But then again, I was focusing on making my stitches less noticeable, so that may explain the delay. And it became increasingly hard to pierce the needle through the fabric as denim is quite thick.

I think it was worth the time and effort though because my jeans look as good as before (I tore it). And now I won’t need to buy another pair of jeans…*sigh* this would have been a really good excuse…

But back to the subject.

I googled “safe cookware” in order to determine what type of cookware would be safest to use. According to my research, stainless steel & iron cast cookware are among the best to use (if you don’t want to get poisoned). However, I was really sold on the iron cast after I learned that you can get your daily serving of iron by cooking your food in an iron cast pot/skillet (I guess the iron rubs off?). And iron is one of those essential minerals that the body needs. Furthermore, iron cast pots last for a really long time, are inexpensive, and can also double as bakeware (you can put it into the oven too). As long as the pot is “seasoned,” food won’t stick to the bottom of it.

In order to “season” an iron-cast pot (you need to do this before you use the pot the first time), you coat it entirely with a thin layer of vegetable oil and bake it for at least an hour. This ensures that you get a non-stick pot that will not rust over time. Lodge, one of the leading manufacturers of iron cast cookware, sells pre-seasoned cookware so that you can use it immediately, but I think I’d still season it again to make sure. 

Iron-cast cookware also retains heat very well (heat is evenly distributed), which makes it really great for precision cooking. No more unevenly cooked food! Lodge makes all of their products in the US (thank goodness…I don’t really trust cookware made in China because they have lax manufacturing/food safety rules.) The only disadvantage so far is that it’s incredibly heavy. It’s a real workout lifting one. Damn. But on the upside, I’ll burn some of the calories that I cook!

I really want to get one, but I’m still waiting to see if my meal plan will be reduced (I have the full meal plan so far. Uggghhhh). Once I get the okay though, I’m 99% sure that I’ll get an iron cast pot! My mom won’t be happy about it…but when she sees how healthy/versatile/inexpensive it is…maybe she’ll change her mind.

Speaking of which, one of the chief arguments my mom and I get into is over whether or not I’m “materialistic.” I’m not materialistic. I’m just a firm believer in aestheticism. I like living in a visually-pleasing environment and wearing flattering clothes.

But she also argues that because I’m “materialistic,” I’ll tire myself out working to pay for my “materialism,” and that I’ll die because of my “materialism.”

What?! It makes no sense to me. Especially the part that I’ll “work myself out.”

I’m the type that doesn’t sit idle. I like challenges. I like working. I like knowing I’ve achieved and done something. And after what has happened to me this year, I feel the need to do something even more. I don’t want to do something easy. I don’t want to feel rested all the time. I’d just be so, so, so bored.

How do I know? Because I didn’t do anything in high school. I just studied and studied. I didn’t participate in ASB, I didn’t play sports, I didn’t join the newspaper, I didn’t do anything I was proud of. And I regret that. I only had schoolwork to do, and that was so boring that I decided to create drama for myself, which of course only resulted in catastrophic consequences.

What is the use of living when you can’t really “live?” I live when I do work. When I overcome obstacles. When I meet new challenges. It makes me really happy. Of course  it’s frustrating at times, but when I accomplish something, it more than makes up for it. Besides, I can not escape from Death. Therefore, while I’m still ahead of its grasp, I’d like to do something with my life. I want to be proud of what I did. I want to know that I’ve done something that I can be proud of. I want to make my own life meaningful.

I know my mom wants only the best for me, but I wish she’d realize that I don’t wish to live like that. Ironically enough, it’s only stressing me out and making me really unhappy. The more I think about how she wants me to stop doing anything that will “tire me out,” the more stressful and stifled I feel. I can’t and don’t want to live like that.

Maybe that’s why I miss the “old” mom. I feel like there’s always something that I’m not doing right and that I’m just going to “die” because I’m not doing things/living the way she expects me to.