Friday, March 12, 2010

Funky Friday, plus SUSHI.....hmmmmm


It has been a few days since I last posted! Honestly, I have not had anything as funny and embarrassing as my 'light bladder leakage' story in the last few days, so I have been absent.


I have NOT been to the gym to work out since Monday. I have done some walking to log my daily 30 minutes, but nothing strenuous. I am still battling the 'crud' and pretty much feel like a walking zombie most days. I have done very well with my fruits/veggie/whole grain consumption, so I am proud of myself for that dedication.


Speaking of the 'crud'....I went back to the doctor again today. This makes visit #3 within the last 8 days! I am still coughing and having severe throat pain. Today she said it looked as if I was growing cauliflower in both of my tonsils. (I know....GROSS) She has started me on a new antibiotic, that is in a different drug family from my last prescription. She also told me to gargle with Listerine. Yeah....not sure that is going to happen! I can handle salt water and doing a sinus rinse, but I am pretty sure that Listerine would make me vomit. She also recommended that I have my tonsils removed. I am scheduled to see the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor next week, so we will see how that goes! I have heard that tonsillectomy in adults is very painful. I do have chronic sinus and allergy issues...so I am hopeful that the ENT doctor will offer me some helpful recommendations and guidance.


I almost forgot....I had sushi today for the FIRST TIME EVER! I know, I have lead a sheltered life. Honestly, I always thought that sushi meant raw fish. That always turned me off and I shied away. However, after visiting with several friends and then being invited to lunch at the sushi restaurant, I decided to check out the rave. Here is my official review of my experience:


First of all, the restaurant had a distinct aroma. Not that it was bad, but it was different and nothing like the fragrant scents that fill my favorite Chinese restaurant. The table was properly dressed with four round sushi plates, four sauce dishes, and four sets of chop sticks. I followed along with another patron and ordered the hot tea. I sat patiently and read over the menu, all the while taking in the atmosphere. My friends slowly arrived and they all chattered about what kind of sushi they loved the best. My tea arrived and I added a packet of sweetener. I could not find a spoon to stir in the much needed pink packet of sweetness, so I unwrapped my chop sticks and used those. I noticed that the lovely Japanese waitress was watching me, and my lack of sushi etiquette was amusing to her! We ooh and ahh'd over the plate that was delivered to the table next to us. I pretended to know what the heck they were talking about, but I pretty much felt like Joey from Friend's, just nodding and smiling and laughing as the others would laugh. After much thought and some wonderful guidance from the ladies, I ordered the house salad with ginger dressing and a simple cucumber-avocado roll. My salad arrived first and it was super yummy! The dressing was not very pretty, but it was super yummy! Slowly, our sushi rolls arrived. (Not all at the same time either....so what is the eating etiquette on that???) One of the more experienced sushi eaters at my table was using her chop sticks like she had been born with them in her hands. Another friend awkwardly used the chop sticks, all of the while giggling. The third gal just picked up her sushi with her fingers and enjoyed it that way. My salad was now finished, so there was no more delaying of the sushi eating. Now, since I had a fork from my salad, I attempted to use my fork to pick up a piece of my cucumber-avocado roll....yeah, did not work very well at all. So, I ended up using my fingers and popping that puppy into my mouth. HOLY COW is the best way to describe the experience. There was sticky rice, some weird seaweed paper, and some veggies...all wrapped into a tidy little roll that looked much better than it tasted. It was NOT what I had expected. I tried to control my facial expressions, but I fear that my nonverbal communication said more than I ever would have dared say. Now, the other girls were all dipping their pieces into soy sauce, so I thought, what the heck. It can't get much worse than it already is, so just dip and get on with it. I filled my little sauce dish with some soy sauce and attempted for a second time to pick up my piece of sushi with my fork. Again, it did not work. So, I took my previously used tea-stirring chop sticks and decided to go for it. I had nothing to lose! Guess what...I was actually able to pick up a piece of sushi, dip it into the soy sauce, and get it into my mouth! This time...it was MUCH better. The soy sauce was the magic. I enjoyed yet another piece and watched as my lunch mates mixed something green into their sauce dishes. I assumed it was guacamole, which seemed odd since we were in a Japanese restaurant and not Mexican, but whatever. I finally asked what it was and they told me it was Wasabi, a/k/a Japanese horseradish. They said it was spicy, but good. I took a small amount and blended it into my soy sauce and then dipped my fourth piece of sushi. This was not so pleasant; so I decided that I did not like Wasabi. I had four pieces left, so I drizzled the remaining pieces with soy sauce and enjoyed my fifth piece. We chattered about the differences between raw sushi, vegetable sushi, and sushi with cooked meat. I decided that I would like to try sushi with cooked shrimp. One gal at my table offered me a piece of her order, which had spicy tuna, veggies, and some tempura 'stuff' in it. I really enjoyed this piece and decided that if I ever do attempt sushi again, it will definitely have some cooked meat. We wrapped up our lunch and two of the ladies took the leftovers with them. I had three pieces left, so I sent them on their way to be enjoyed later by someone who would appreciate them. For dessert, I enjoyed some Whoppers Robin Eggs. You can take the girl outta the country....but not the country outta the girl. All in all, I am very pleased that I had this life experience of sushi! My only regret is that I did not try the miso soup.


You only get one ride on this carousel of life. Enjoy every moment!

Dance when the music plays! Sing loudly in the car!

Embrace the joys that surround you daily!

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