DATE: 08/24/2007 12:43:10 / MOOD: disapointed


Yes, I admit it. I like to wear coats in 90-degree weather. I prefer parkas, but a good stout overcoat might do, too. Of course, I prefer wearing them *inside*, where the air conditioning has lowered the temperature to flash-freeze status.

But there's one condition to wearing said coats: my condition.

Until a recent trip with my mother, a nursing instructor who lives in St. Augustine, Fla., I didn't realize I even had a condition; I thought my hands and feet turned to tundra in the air conditioning because I come from heat-loving, Mediterranean-dwelling people.

That was until my mom grabbed up my frigid hand, gave its pallor the once-over, and declared that I have "Raynaud's Syndrome."

I had barely begun making out my will out on a paper napkin when she stopped me.

Turns out, it's not a big deal. It just means that the little blood vessels in my fingers and toes constrict, reducing the amount of blood to my extremities. That causes that -brrrrr- feeling I constantly have in air conditioning.

It turns out, it's not that uncommon.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (which splashily dubs it Raynaud's "phenomenon") says that the ailment affects 3 percent of the population, mostly women.

Most, like me, have the milder form. Our fingers and toes get frigid and might go numb but we are otherwise not put out.

We are the people others think of as "cold-blooded" rather than "prone to losing digits."

The therapy, says NIAMS and the American Heart Association, is simple: Warm up.

And if you have to, wear a coat! Or mittens! Or a hat! Or all of them!

It doesn't mention this on the big, national health Web sites, but I am willing to guess that most people with the syndrome have a.) already figured this out and b.)like me, get lots of wise-acre remarks about our coat-wearing propensities.

So, to all of you Heckle and Jeckles who like teasing this Nanuk of the North: Have I answered your question yet?
So there. If you see me wearing a coat when it's blazing hot outside, you know why. So quit asking, already.

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DATE: 07/03/2007 10:34:54 / MOOD: happy


Here at the Midland Reporter-Telegram, we believe in only the best for our readers.

Or, at least intrepid Craig Campbell, of the paper's creative services department, does.

Campbell, a Big Spring native, sauntered into the lifestyle office today, a well-executed and multi-colored painting in his hand.

It turns out that he painted it with a supernatural (or nearly so) brush.

With the air of Bruce Campbell picking up his shotgun in "Army of Darkness," Craig Campbell intrepidly nibbled the end of the legendary paint-spreader.

"It's a Kolinsky sable brush -- number ten," he said, twirling the end in his mouth.

"It comes from a rat. Or a possum. Or a wolverine or something."

The mythical brush is no longer produced, he explained. And nothing can rival its sleek, aerodynamic shape. Or the hairs that come from ... what again?

"A weasel," says the Internet. "From the tail, where there are fewer hairs to choose from."
Undaunted,Campbell says he will soldier on with the brush he bought half off -- for TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.

"It's God's gift to watercolor brushes," he said.

Check out the MRT's lifestyle section in late July for a gander at the painting that weasels, and Craig, built.


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DATE: 07/02/2007 16:11:02 / MOOD: dont know

In research the McHomard for a travel story (that's McLobster to you and me -- those crazy Canucks), I came across a yet-more entertaining dish offered by McDonald's.

It's called SON OF MAC. For abuckninetyfive Australian, you can eat a scion of the blight known as Big Mac.

And unlike the Japanese and Canadian MONSTER MAC, which features FOUR hamburger patties plus all that Big Mac crap I've never eaten, the SON features but one patty and all the fixings.

Those crazy Aussies. Don't they know Macs are for trucks?


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DATE: 06/29/2007 16:13:18 / MOOD: in love

It's back -- the reason I moved to West Texas in the first place.

The scorching, sizzling, sparkling summer heat that I absolutely adore has returned. Nothing can compare to the dazzlingly bright sun and the enticingly cool interior of a brightly-colored Mexican restaurant.

For those of you that have lived here all of your lives, the ambiance is probably lost on you. But to those of us from out of state (read:Me), there's still a thrill to living in the desert and so close to the border.

Fall used to be my favorite season. Maybe that's because, on the mild and balmy Florida coast, that's when the temperature changed the most noticeably. We hardly had any color change, but we did all fire our fireplaces up as soon as the weather dropped below 50. Good times, good times.

Now, I think my favorite season is West Texas summer.

Ahhhhhhhh.


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DATE: 06/28/2007 09:03:44 / MOOD: full of life

It's here! It's here!

"The Complete Guides to the National Parks of the West," the brand spanking new guide put out by Random House imprint Fodor's, is finally out!

I just got my very own copy in the mail, since I got to write all of the sections about Big Bend, Guadalupe National Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, Alpine, Marfa, and all the little towns in between all those parks.

The guide puts the spotlight on stellar national parks, including our own out here in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico.

If any of you check it out, e-mail me and let me know what you think: jedwards@mrt.com.

-Jenn

P.S. Day 4 of lemonade fasting and I feel great! Down to a size 4 and I'm not hungry or tired. Right on!


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DATE: 06/27/2007 08:37:39 / MOOD: happy

So I wonder why I am the only one blogging on West Texas Circles? I would looooove to read some local blogs (hint, hint).

Anyway, for those of you that know and/or care, I figured I'd give an update about the water fasting fiasco, especially because my deadline is looming in 7 days.

Here are the major happenings:

1. My family and friends and even some coworkers freaked out about the water-only fast and no amount of research was going to convince them it's not only safe, but natural.

2. Three full days was the longest I made it on the water fast, before I succumbed to the urge for a meal. I still lost weight and I was able to do a couple of 3-days, a couple of 2-days and two or three one-day water-only fasts.

3. My fiance conceded the bet we had riding on the fast just so I would a.) eat b.) stop talking about being hungry.

4. I am still working on a 10-day fast, if only for morale. However, I'm going to go the lemonade route. So far, I'm going strong on day 3; the lemonade helps me not be hungry.

5. I have lost about 10 pounds.

6. So that should be the complete update. I leave for the Mediterranean July 5 and I'm hoping to get down to the 115-range by then. That's only a few pounds away.

Thanks for reading. Caring is optional.
(smile)
-Energized Jenn


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DATE: 06/21/2007 18:28:13 / MOOD: disapointed

So just an update on my Xtreme water fast.

It's been a struggle to subsist on just water for weeks at a time; I've managed to do two three-day water fasts and two one-day water fasts. In between those, I've eaten a meal here and there and this past weekend, I ate a lot of fruits, veggies and clear soups in Quebec City.

I just couldn't pass up the cuisine at the Hilton, where the Addiction Studies Workshop for Journalists was conducted. That was an AWESOME time, but I digress.

I am back on my final 10-day water fast, but I have noticed a distressing side effect -- I get REALLY sick some mornings. Take this morning for instance -- I threw up my toenails, probably because I took my multivitamin and drank some green tea together. I think maybe the reaction poisoned my body.

 
That said -- if you are intending on trying a water fast, it is worth it. I am bikini ready, tanned and toned so it accomplished its purpose. But if you DO fast, do it on a non-work day and DON'T take ANYTHING, even a multivitamin.

Nuff said.

( :

Jenn

 

 

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DATE: 06/12/2007 08:24:29 / MOOD: other

The body is a wonderful, a marvelous, a severely underrated organic machine.


Man as machine is not a new concept, but over the past few days I have been startled and astounded by my own humble clay temple.

I had no idea one could go so long, and so proficiently, with no food at all; or with little of the caffeine to which I am accustomed.

Though I have been feeding my body about one meal per three days (it's all part of the modified water fast), my body can still do three hours' worth of cardio, solve long division in its head and tool together long articles.

It can run, leap, hop, skip, and push a car out of an intersection single-handedly.

In such a land ofplenty, and in a culture of three to five rich, rich meals a day, I am grateful to know that even the sparest of the spare is enough to keep the machinery running.

That said, this water fast is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Over all, it hasn't been bad -- I get tired more easily but am otherwise doing fine.

However, two things continue to plague me -- the first is mild to severe nausea, partiularly in the mornings. I don't know why this should be -- since I have nothing in my stomach to upset it -- but I do get very green around the gills in the morning. Sometimes, I get that way after a long workout. It is no fun.

The other problem is the hunger pangs. Yes, they are still here. They don't come around nearly as often as they did in the beginning, but when they come around they are very uncomfortable -- and very loud. I disturbed my seatmates in jury duty and I had to slap on my tummy to keep my classmates from hearing what it had to say.
On the other hand, my sense of smell has become overpowering. It is amazingly acute -- I never knew that common smells like plastic, acetone or even chicken roasting could be so powerful they envelope the senses. Wonder why that happens?

It's worth it though; my size 8 pants are hanging on me and I am one step closer to my own personal slave. ( :


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DATE: 06/08/2007 12:30:05 / MOOD: other

I forgot to mention one other thing that detractors might approve of: As part of the fast, I gave up smoking. To be honest, it wasn't really hard; I only smoked 2-3 ultralight 100s (max) and somedays I didn't smoke at all.

But still, that's good because even smoking one a day triples a person's risk for lung disease and heart problems.

Apparently the cleansing aspect is working because I have been coughing non-stop for the past two days. That's what happens when the little cilia that clean out your throat and lungs wake up from the paralysis that smoking enchants them into. This is a good thing.

I also gave up red wine weeks ago, which I love to have with dinner about once a week. I missed it at first, but not at all now. In fat, I'm not even hungry right now.

Anyway, enough from me. I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing two billion blogs from me -- kinda like seeing that wretch Paris Hilton's name and mug in the news. Yech!

Bye!


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