Tap That Keg!!

Last week was a busy one for me. I’ll be writing about the events I attended in addition to sharing a few highlights from a conversation I had with a girlfriend of mine while visiting at a party we attended at a winery in Iowa, about living with silent diseases. I think that particular blog post shall be of interest to my friends living with thyroid diseases. It’s Monday, I hope the day is good to you and this finds you all doing you, and doing it well.

On Thursday, February 17^th, Great River Brewery introduced the Quad-Cities to Aaah BOCK. I surely had myself a pint.

The crew at Great River Brewery is always serving up some cool, refreshing goodness. From the Dirty Blonde – an amazing brew with chocolaty goodness, to the La Jefa, my fav, I enjoy my visits to this QC brewery. I made a stop at the tapping just before attending a martini shake-off event, for charity, which I will write about soon, I promise! My taste buds have been on a tasting frenzy.  If you were to take a trip to Great River Brewery, in Davenport, Iowa, you would find Paul Krutzfeldt and Scott Lehnert, my favorite brew masters, brewing up some tasty goodness, socializing with locals and possibly tapping a keg in the Brewers Lounge.

It was the end of 2008 when Great River Brewery moved its operations from Iowa City to Davenport.  They have a good selection of brews, check them out! Wednesday nights at the brewery are really a good time to see area musicians, who perform in the Brewers Lounge. They are a riot! Hope to see you there soon!

Love Stories, The Ballet

Hello everyone! I hope your week is going well. Over the weekend I saw Love Stories, put on my the Quad Cities Ballet. I love the ballet. I’m a huge fan of the performing arts and literary, of course. Love Stories  showcased romantic moves, songs and the language of love through ballet. I am really glad I got to see the performance with my sister Marissa and our dear friend Cameo. Support the arts in your local area.

My First Concert of the Year

Last night I was introduced to Fitz and the Tantrums by a few of my dear friends. Their sounds are soulful and jazzy with a splash of indie rock. They literally had everyone on their feet during their entire concert. It was great. It was one of those concerts you could go to blind, and leave feeling like you’ve been listening to them forever. I love the variety of instruments played, smooth vocals and swanky style. Check them out online, run to the nearest concert, and start grooving today!

Snapshot!

I like taking pictures of my food. My mom and dad are amazing cooks, I do ALL RIGHT for the few things I do love to make, and I like to try new things. I think salads, sushi and soups look amazing when captured digitally. I am going to share more pics within my blog of dishes I make, eat or find delicious in appearance for you, my readers.

One thing I’ve learned about myself, living with hypothyroidism, is that a diet rich in food closest to its most natural state is beneficial to me and my digestive track. I’m sure most of the general population shares this sentiment. I try to eat a lot of salads, with protein, consisting of that good stuff that is found within the perimeters of our supermarkets.

Pay attention to your body. It knows what’s best. I’ve a lot of allergies, so if I’ve carb-loaded on simple carbs as opposed to complex carbs, my body tells me. I read a lot of books, magazines and articles on health and dieting, especially since I’ve developed hypothyroidism, because I want to know what works best for those of you struggling with this condition, and what could work best for me. I will share with you what some of my favorite feel good meals are and maybe you’ll enjoy them too!

Bon appétit!

Me & My Hypothyroid Self ~

Sometimes I miss the “former” version of me. The version of me prior to having my thyroid removed. I’m still in fact the same person that I was before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, but sometimes I miss the following:

1. AMAZING Zzzzzz’s. I used to sleep like “normal” people. I’d put my head on the pillow, fall asleep within minutes, wake up when the alarm went off (with a snooze from time to time) and begin my day rested. Now, I can sleep almost anywhere, but it’s not really sleeping that I do. I nap. I nap anywhere, whenever. And when my head hits the pillow now, it’s not for a peaceful nights rest, it’s for an additional nap, similar to the one I’ll have this afternoon at home after work, but a little longer, since it’s going to be dark outside. And when I wake, I’ll feel like I need about an additional one or two hours to feel like a star. I miss amazing sleep! However, my relationship with coffee has grown stronger.

2. Metabolism -  I miss my old metabolism. It was  the bomb. It existed. Now I feel like it’s technically non-existent. But, it will suffice.

3. Short-term Memory Loss – I cannot remember what I ate at lunch, and it was mere moments ago, I think. I forget what I’m looking for when I step into my office, open the refrigerator door, who I’m going to text when I pick up my iPhone, and which side of the building I’ve parked my car on when I leave work every day. Once I was totally convinced it had been towed away, before I realized I’d parked on the opposite side that day. My short-term memory is lame, but I still have my long-term memory to be proud of. WOOT WOOT!

4. A Clear Mind…Gone, Thanks to Brain Fog – Brain fog is a terrible thing. I know there are people who experience it who aren’t living with a thyroid condition, but I tell you what, for those of us who developed one later in life, we can tell the difference. Brain fog can be episodic. Sometimes, I’m not as sharp as I could be, I can’t focus, I feel distracted and feel like I’m talking in slow motion. With hypothyroidism, in my body has slowed way down. Brain fog is terribly annoying when it hits.

The list could go on, but these are a few of the things that I’ve experienced issues with, and I’m sure those of you living with this condition have stories of your own. Maybe you fell asleep during a meeting like I did…or spent a year sleeping. The year I spent sleeping is a chapter in my book that I’m working on. I’m so glad I woke up! Now I continue my journey with thyroid balance, as it is commonly referred to, much like work-life balance. I’ll be blogging more about symptoms, and how I’ve overcome some and struggle with others, in addition to a host of other things like the color pink, what’s in my purse and umm, umm, a few other things I’ve forgotten about at this time. Stay tuned!

Xo,
S;)

10 Things You NOW Know About Me – I’d share more, but I gotta save some things for the book!

1. Green is my favorite color and Oprah’s too, in addition to my second grade teacher. I remember thinking, in the second grade, that green was too many places (duh, grass is green and everywhere, except the desert), and I preferred the color purple like my first grade teacher. But, I fell in love with green late in life and so began my love affair (plus it looks good with pink and brown).

2. My sisters are my best friends. They are amazing! Without them I’d be lost. I’m thankful to my parents for giving me two loving ladies in my life who will eternally put up with all my crazy shenanigans and crazy ways because they are my sisters.

3. I’m an Eternal Optimist.

4. I love to travel.

5. I don’t leave the house without my: iPhone, inhaler, lip gloss and key fob.

6. My first job was in a newsroom, and I went on to study journalism and work as a journalist.

7. I didn’t speak a word for the first two years of my life. When I did start talking, I never shut up.

8. I played tennis my senior year of high school.

9. I started college as an undergrad at a state school and graduated from a private school.

10. I get my news online every morning via NPR, the Today Show and Twitter before I get out of bed.

I love books!

I have quite the library at home. I add books to it monthly and take recommendations on the regular. I tend to read two to three books at a time. I just finished reading Priceless, a novel by Nicole Richie. It was an awesome read, entertaining. Read it! She does a nice job of developing her characters and describing various scenes. I easily visualized the series of events that happened in the lead character's life.

I am not giving you a synopsis. Read it and enjoy!