The current issue of the Bellingham Review includes “Moon Snails”, a creative nonfiction piece I wrote describing the spirals of moon snails,  my brother,  my family, my body and the sea.  This week I am heading to the  NonfictionNow conference at the University of Iowa where I will appear on a panel put together by Bellingham Review Editor Brenda Miller.  It is an honor, and I am grateful for the opportunity.  Many thanks to Brenda,  the Bellingham Review, and my family.

Blood star, Henricia leviuscula

found on Bainbridge Island,  Washington state , Salish Sea

Thanks to Ted Leung, Chase Jarvis and Strobist.com for inspiration…
oh yeah, and the Strobist commercial 2.0 too…

I think my husband was more upset than I was over my broken blog. My main concern was with retaining my eponymous url. If my blog was dead, it might be time to start a new one. Anything other than Movable Type certainly appeals to me, I confess. I didn’t want julieleung.com forever associated with a site I could not change or move.

Ted though came home last night and began working on my blog again. I went to bed earlier than he did, as I often do. When I woke up, I found an email from him dated in the early morning hours, announcing that he had rescued my blog. Hurray!

Jenny described the love languages in her family. I think that Ted wanted to fix my blog, not because it was a challenge to his skills or perhaps even insult to his pride, but because he loves me. He’s always supported and encouraged me in all my blogging endeavors and he understands how much of myself I’ve poured into that Movable Type installation on our server. Ted worked and hacked, eventually finding a solution that would allow me to use my blog again, out of his heart and passion for me. Perl is a love language.

Everything comes around again. In particular I remember one of my classmates in eighth grade bringing the liner notes Synchronicity to our class on Homer’s Odyssey, pointing out to the teacher that the lyrics to “Wrapped Around Your Finger” referred to “Scylla and Charybdis“, characters we recognized from Odysseus’ journey. Around the time The Police announced their reunion tour, my daughters and I were finishing a history book, a book that contained the story of Cyclops as an excerpt from Homer’s tale.

My weight gain from 2004 to 2006 can’t be blamed on blogging alone. Certainly typing must burn some calories. And I can’t blame blogging for my own bad choices.

However, the hours I poured into posting converted into pounds on the scale. As I focussed on blogging, I developed a lifestyle and habits that were not healthy. Often I stayed awake long past midnight, reading, writing and linking, sedentary in a chair, rising too late to fit effective exercise into my morning routine. Caffeine disguised as chocolate and delivered in the shape of cookies also contributed, as I snacked on sweets to fuel my fingers.

Blogging can be good for your health

While blogging can be bad for your health, blogging can also be good for it too. Through the past year, many bloggers inspired me as I’ve tried to make better changes and choices in my lifestyle, results reflected in my new wardrobe.

Today, a year after my desperate search for a conference outfit, I can wear my Bloggercon skirt. In contrast, the pants I wore to Northern Voice a year ago are no longer hanging in my closet, too loose to be comfortable. I am at the lowest weight I’ve been in seven or eight years, and certainly in the best shape I’ve been in for a while, perhaps since my days of competitive running in high school.

Running again

Running again has helped me meet my goals, and I am finishing week 3 of an 18 week marathon training plan. Who knows if I’ll actually run the 26 mile race: my previous attempt at training last fall resulted in injury after only 4 miles, accompanied by a detour through the world of physical therapy and podiatry. But so far, complete with new orthotics, I’m up to 7+ miles this time and feeling strong. After taking nearly ten years off from intense running (initially intentionally due to infertility) I’d forgotten how good physical fitness feels.

Thank you!

I want to acknowledge and thank a number of bloggers, in no particular order, who have encouraged me by their examples, lives and posts. Thank you for helping me become healthier. I want to give credit where credit is due (forgive me please if I’ve missed you).

Liz Lawley

Susan Mernit

Jeremy Zawodny

Chris Pirillo and Fatblasters

Jen Zug

Maryam

Jenny Lauck

Lisa Williams

Beth Grigg

Jenny on the Spot

Back in skinny jeans

songs of experience

(As I’ve been putting this post together I’ve seen a number of links to Jason Calacanis‘s fatblogging…)

Helpful books

Four books in particular have helped me. From Dadtalk – and his example – I found The Okinawa Diet Plan. From mipmup’s post on the Blogher blog I discovered The Great American Detox Diet by Alex Jamieson (fiancee of Super Size Me’s Morgan Spurlock) whose recipes have become part of our family’s diet. Somewhere I also found The China Study, and although I can’t recall the first source (was it here?), I know Joi Ito has been referring to it in his recent changes. Lisa Williams recommended Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Health Eating.

Diet changes

I’ve been interested in going vegan for a while and although I can’t say I am quite there yet, I am enjoying a low-gluten, low sugar, low fat, low sodium, low yeast and low animal-product diet. My exceptions are chocolate chip cookies, salmon, and social situations. For two meals a day I prepare three different options at each meal (one for Ted who likes meat but can’t have dairy, one for our three girls and a vegan one for me) but sometimes at dinner I eat what the rest of the family is having, for simplicity’s sake (and, I confess, I still crave meat or eggs every so often). Fat Free Vegan Kitchen blog has been a wonderful resource, with savory photos and recipes. Brown rice has become one of my favorite foods – breakfast, lunch or dinner – as well as millet, spelt, fruit and beans.

Kathy Sierra continually inspires me, and if she tries something, it’s probably worth trying. However, despite her endorsement of the Shangri-La Diet, I found it didn’t work for me. Shangri-La certainly has its devotees who have discovered how to make it work for their bodies. After a few attempts, I soon realized that I would need to ingest multiple tablespoons of oil a day in order for the benefits to kick in for my body. I also didn’t like watching the clock and adding more things I had to remember to my schedule. At the time I was undergoing some medical care and I couldn’t see myself trying to explain to the doctor why I was swallowing tablespoons of oil a day. Shangri-La also requires its share of discipline and patience, and for those who are willing to go the distance, I imagine it may be worthwhile.

What worked for me

What worked for me, though were the basics. Exercise and diet. I’d also make these recommendations.

1. See a doctor. Medical care played a big part in my return to health.

2. Try fasting occasionally. Do this with #1 above – only fast if it is something you can do medically. Fasting helped me realize that I felt better when I didn’t eat certain foods. I started fasting for spiritual reasons but I believe there are also physical benefits. I like the simplicity and clarity of a short (1 – 3 days) fast. Plus it is a great way to contemplate life, develop discipline and mental strength.

3. Keep at it. Push through the days when the exercise is difficult or when the sweets seem tempting. Set a goal you want to meet.

4. Find some encouragement and support for the journey. That may include finding some blogs to read to put some motivational posts into your RSS feed. Blogging can be good for your health!

The One World Everybody Eats foundation is an outgrowth of One World Cafe in Salt Lake City, Utah. The cafe began with an epiphany by owner Denise Cerreta in mid 2003 to begin feeding people. With no experience in the restaurant business, she started with sandwiches and coffee at a small, downtown location. About 9 months later, she expanded her offerings to an all-organic fare with the help of excellent staff. Since then, she’s gained local, national and world-wide notoriety for her pay as you go prices, no menus, a living wage, minimum food waste and healthy meals all for community benefit.

The idea that clients eat what they can, choosing selection and sizes from healthy organic dishes, and then pay what they can resonates with me. I have been concerned about hunger and my most recent employment, prior to motherhood, was at a non-profit that offered food, shelter and other services to the needy. While living on Bainbridge Island, I have considered starting a baked goods catering company and donating the profits to charity. The island could be an excellent place to start a restaurant/non-profit and the “pay what you can” would help offset the increased cost of living here. I’d love to be involved in an organization such as One World Everybody Eats and I’m wondering if anyone here in the Northwest knows of any similar local ventures. I hope the Time article encourages others to consider starting and giving this gift to the community.