Throwing Parties, Making Invitations, and Being All Around Rad

I'm pretty sure there are more parties thrown during the month of December than any other month of the year. December offers a little something for everyone, even if it's just an excuse to make fun of drunk co-workers or avoid work for a few days. So, chances are good that, this month (well, in a few days...), you're either throwing a party or you know someone that is. That's why I wanted to give you a few 101 tips to make your party great. Specifically, I want to implore you to use these fandangled devices known as party invitations.

Now, the first thing any party needs is an occasion and a venue - because after you establish that, you can just add people. The occasion and the venue can dictate a lot - most obviously, they can dictate size - so if the occasion is a tea party, you probably don't want to invite a hundred people. At the same time, if the only place you can throw your shindig is the warehouse your uncle's renovating, you might not want to invite so few people that the size of the party echoes. Obviously, once you know roughly how many people you want, you can decide who those people are going to be; but of course, this is so much easier in theory than in practice.

Be mindful in planning your guest list. Smaller parties are going to require more careful planning, but even large parties need some thought, too. Sometimes it's just a matter of choosing people to introduce to each other - like Karen, who's a vegan straight edge drummer, and David, who has a spot in his vegan straight edge band. Other times, it's consciously keeping people apart - like Ellie, who is working towards recovery from anorexia, and Diane, who only speaks in pounds, inches, and diets. If it's the kind of party where extra guests are just assumed, don't make a point of inviting people you know will invite someone completely unwelcome, either - so for instance, don't call up the partner of a rapist that refuses to go through an accountability process and say, "Hey, want to come to my party!" because you're probably going to get the rapist, too. (And if you're welcoming unrepentant sexual assaulters into your party, you've got much bigger problems than whether or not to serve some Tofutti three days past expiration.)

Once you've established who you're inviting, you need to figure out how to invite them. Again, a lot of this will be dictated by the size of your soiree, but no matter what the size - do not resort to texting or social networking sites. Impersonal mass invites undo any and all personal touches. Sure, they save a little time, maybe money, but they're careless. Send real invitations. Real invitations are special because they affirm the person holding them as special. They say, "I consciously choose you to come to my party, and I'm so committed to that choice that I bothered choosing this invitation and making sure you got it." Plus, they distinguish your party. Let's say you're organizing a get-together on a night where there are going to be loads of them - a night like New Year's Eve, for example. You could send some invites on facebook to inevitably get lost in the thousands of other invites your facebook friends are surely receiving, or you could send an honest-to-goodness invitation people can admire aesthetically, tape to their fridges, and carry the accompanying directions from, in their car. Think of your invitation as an advertisement: you want people to come, so show people it's worth coming to. Otherwise, why bother with all this planning in the first place?

As for the invitation itself, there are a thousand different ways you can approach it. For bigger parties, use your computer to make flyers for doling out or mailing. For incredibly small ones, hand make each announcement. You can buy invitations, too, and while there are interesting finds at places like etsy, I prefer to keep my eye out for cheap and unusual cards at thrifstores, flea markets, and clearance sales. One time, I found the perfect invitations to announce a board game I'd made, at an art store's sidewalk sale. The invitations featured an early nineties glamor shot of this five-year-old dressed like a biker flashing a "mom" tattoo, so I used a really fine-tip permanent pen to alter it and read "Marx" because the game had Marxist undertones. Unfortunately, the game never got finished, but just subtly altering each one made them the best invitations I've ever bought. (And I've bought neon Batman invitations!) The trick is to be creative, so here are some ideas to get the ball rolling:

+ detail your event on pages ripped from a picture book (especially if the pictures relate to your party in some way)
+ draw the invitation
+ collage the invitation
+ send a message in a bottle
+ make a tape or CD with a recorded message, plus good music
+ make a mini-comic or zine about your party
+ use calligraphy
+ silkscreen it
+ embroider it
+ sew it
+ make objects into invitations (tshirts with the party details ironed on, boxes of candy with the info written on them, customized matchbooks, bubbles or jam with homemade labels, etc. etc.)
+ modify coloring book pages
+ use origami
+ graffiti your party details (erasably!) on friends' bathroom mirrors, fridges, etc.
+ turn a library checkout card into an invitation and hide it in books (NOT library books - like, books you'll give to your friends)

Be creative in your delivery, too. Mail and hand delivery are both fine options (especially in this digital age...), but there's something to be said about delivering an invitation that looks like a newspaper... as a newspaper. Or hiding your invitation to a clothing swap in your best friend's dresser. Or wheat pasting instructions to call you on the telephone pole outside someone's apartment. (You get the idea.) Even a tired old e-vite becomes cool when it's an email to a youtube video or a website made explicitly for this party. When you put thought into your party, people notice, and that thoughtfulness goes a long way.

Giving Thanks

I thought about trying to cram in one more recipe for the week, but then I decided that was silly; anyone that hasn't planned their holiday menu by today is just a loon, pure and simple. Besides, I want to hang tight to my holiday recipes because they're getting included in xveganx party... the zine! I've just started work on it, but it's turning into a very thorough (and thoroughly enjoyable) guide to good times completely cruelty- and substance-free. Some of the parties and menus will be more traditional (like Thanksgiving) while others will be more interesting (like a body paint party). In my wildest dreams, I'll have this ready for stuffing stockings, but realistically... it probably won't get finished til the new year. Doesn't mean you can't start getting stoked now, though!

And speaking of stoked, I've really enjoyed the different readers and bloggers I've talked to these last few months. I love hearing what ya'll are doing and eating, and I'm grateful to have this blog that connects us. With that in mind, I wanted to share a few things I'm giving thanks for this year, and I want to invite you to do the same. Tell me about your holiday traditions! What are you eating! Who are you eating it with! Seriously, I'd love to know, so share share share.

As for me, this year, I'm eating: rolls, salad, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and stuffing, and I'm doing this with my best friend, her roommate, and their families. We're going to play dorky board games! (hearthearheart) And then I might hang out with some other close friends for some vegans-only treating.

And I'm grateful for...

+ being healthy, fit, and able-bodied
+ going to my dream school
+ ... and having most of it paid for in scholarship money
+ my dad and all the sacrifices he's made to help me along the way
+ having really close, supportive friends (not all of whom are the best at keeping in touch but who understand what's truly important about being friends!)
+ Judd Apatow & the new kings of comedy - so much laughter on those lonely art school nights
+ getting on a solid medication assistance program
+ keeping it vegan, keeping it edge
+ cutecutecute boys (yeah, deep down, I'm a thirteen-year-old girl)
+ my car Ericco and his continuing functionality
+ art and writing opportunities I'm starting to cultivate
+ being uncompromising in my beliefs
+ ... and feeling strong because I know the important parts of me just won't bend
+ facing some of my demons
+ having the courage to try try try
+ the people that I inconvenience treating me like I am no inconvenience at all (*coughBen&Carolinecough*)

So how about you, dear readers?

Going Sweet for Potatoes: Sweet Potato Pie

I think it's every food blogger (especially every vegan food blogger)'s duty to contribute something when a food-focused holiday is on the horizon. And while this year, the only physical contribution I'm making to my Thanksgiving table is a green bean casserole, I wanted to share something with a little more... bite, shall we say, here on xvx party. In the last two years, I've adopted two Thanksgiving staples: the stuffed tofu roast from La Dolce Vegan and an all-pumpkin offshoot of Fat-Free Vegan's double-layer cheesecake. (By the way, the soy-seitan turkey she mentions - also amazing.) Unfortunately, I have to give them the pass; there's not much demand for a tofu loaf where I'm spending Thanksgiving, and making a pumpkin cheesecake would totally step on my best friend's toes, whose very identity is rooted in her delicious (albeit non-vegan) pumpkin pie. Still, to me, Thanksgiving without a pie is like Christmas without a tree: it's not like it ruins the holiday or anything, but c'mon, that little absence of motif echoes. So when another friend announced she'd be rolling through town this weekend, I decided this was a resounding excuse for a proto-pie of the non-pumpkin variety appropriate for Thanksgiving. And what better pie to tackle than sweet potato pie.

Sweet potato pie was never a staple in my household, and certainly, it never made any Thanksgiving cameos. Sure, sweet potatoes appeared on my family's table in other ways: mashed, candied, casseroled - but never pied. The only time I recall even eating sweet potato pie is when I'd go over to this friend's house around Christmas time. Because at Christmas time, her grandma would send her family a giiiiiiiant box of single-serving sweet potato pies, and they'd have so many, they'd unload a bunch onto my family. I have very vivid memories of gorging on these things: popping them out of their little foil tins, then sinking my teeth into their waxy tops for a full-mouth experience that can only be classified as rich. I have no recipe that recalls this kind of pie - only a detailed memory of this luscious and flavorful treat that will probably outlive all my holiday memories combined - so you can imagine my hesitance at going vegan with it. Just because I've been hesitant to try doesn't mean I haven't wanted to, though.

Now, truth be told, I probably won't end up taking this to Thanksgiving, but I had more motiving this pie than just tradition. For starters, I wanted to make it soy-free - one, because the friend I was making it for is a little soy sensitive; and two, because sometimes omnis can detect the soy in creamy desserts like pumpkin pie so I needed a soy-free technique. Another thing I've been hankering to try is this new So Delicious coconut kefir that just came out. Hannah Kaminsky used it in a no-bake coconut cheesecake, and I thought, "Hmm, I bet the fat from those coconuts plus the tang of the probiotics would be the perfect foundation for a custard-y dessert." I also wanted to try coconut oil instead of shortening in a pie crust. And thus, my sweet potato pie concept was born.

I can't say this pie tastes like its inspiration. This pie is smooth and rich but in a completely different way than those pies of yore. In the future, I might increase the sweet potato to increase its potato punch and try to harness that authenticity, but for now, I think it's a damn good pie - even if it's not the pie I remember. Serve it with a little coconut whipped cream and some hot cider for a truly autumn treat.

SWEET POTATO PIE
+ 9" pie crust

+ 1 c raw cashews
+ 1/4 c maple syrup *
+ 1/2 c coconut kefir**
+ 15 oz sweet potato puree
+ 1 t vanilla
+ cinnamon
+ nutmeg
+ ginger


* I used this much kefir and syrup in the original, which was not very sweet. Some people liked it this way, but some did not. If I were going to make it again, I would probably try 1/4 c kefir and 1/2 c maple syrup. I only used so little syrup because I ran out! ha!
** You could also substitute any "milk," plus maybe a tablespoon or two of cornstarch.

01. Soak the cashews in just enough water to cover them, then let them stand for at least three hours (but preferably overnight). When they're finished, drain the water, and throw the cashews in a blender or food processor with the kefir and syrup. Puree until completely smooth. Add the sweet potato and spices and mix until completely incorporated.

02. Preheat the oven to 350º. Roll out your pie dough, then transfer it to your pie dish and make it all purdy. Pour your pie filling into the pie shell, and give it a good shake to smooth out ripples in the filling. Any marks you leave on the surface when putting the pie into the oven, are marks that will likely still be there when you take it out.

03. Let your pie bake for fifty to sixty minutes until the center is set. When you insert a toothpick, it should come out fairly clean - and if it doesn't, it's not set yet! Then take it out of the oven, and let it cool completely before putting it in the fridge to really firm up. Enjoy with your closest family and friends.





Speaking of food for the holidays...

xveganxparty from Ben Dudley on Vimeo.

The Results are In

Remember when I said a recipe was coming? And then days and days lapsed, and it never arrived? Well, to say I've been busy in the interim would be an understatement. It's finals week, and I'm working on:

a two-foot-tall gingerbread house modeled after this hotel

a 10+ page paper on French avant-garde cinema as the prototype for independent film (have I emphasized enough that I'm a little bit of a cinemaphile?)

an 18" x 24" painting inspired by Chuck Close


... and a roughly 3' x 1.5' still life of nature drawings and religious artifacts
(Sorry, no pictures - BUT you can always see what I'm up to on my flickr.)

Yeah, my life is NUTTY right now. And yet, despite all that, I've managed to crawl onto my computer to belatedly announce the winner of the reader feedback give away. (Which really means, I got super exhausted drawing my still life, so I came home to decompress for a minute. I think I'm going to watch a movie and decorate some of my gingerbread landscape before going back. You had no idea my life is so thrilling and glamorous!) Gotta say, I'm a little disappointed more people didn't enter, but I really appreciate the readers I got to talk to and the feedback I did get. I may not have the most popular blog, but ya'll are pretty awesome.

That said, the winner is...

Jenny S.
Jenny runs the really cool blog Unbrushed which describes itself as "concerning health, veganism, feminism, personal style, and the like." I like reading her blog because it's a lifestyle blog that addresses many topics I see related to this one, but Jenny is simultaneously more theoretical and personal in her approach. If you've never read it before, definitely give it a read.

So Jenny, email me your address and some food preferences. I'm throwing in baked goods because you emailed SO MANY PEOPLE, and that's kind of effin rad. I can't get the package out for a week or two, but trust me - it'll be worth the wait.

Everyone else, thanks for participating. (And thanks for reading!) When finals are over, I'll post that recipe, and you can be sure I'll do another give away sometime.

The Best Tip for Beginning Chefs

I wasn't raised to cook. Sure, I grew up on my share of homemade meals, but kids certainly weren't invited to the kitchen to help. If it didn't come from a box, it was more or less a magic show: a mess of raw ingredients one moment, a complete meal an hour later. The first thing I ever learned to "cook" was Kraft macaroni, followed by some glazed chicken from a Martha Stewart recipe, the occasional pancakes or waffles, and then... well, I don't think I cooked again until I was almost seventeen. My interest in cooking didn't really pick up until I got a copy of 1000 Vegetarian, but even then, it was a slow going process because I was glued to the book, meticulously following each recipe, fumbling with my knife, and... well, generally proving myself a veritable kitchen disaster. I'd have to say, much of my cooking knowledge comes from obsessively watching the Food Network. (That, and working in food service for a few years.)

A vegan obsessed with the Food Network doesn't make a lot of sense. There's nothing particularly appetizing about a thousand shows all devoted to different ways of preparing dead animal bodies, much less preparing them with a bunch of eggs and dairy, but I've always been after the techniques they boasted. That's why I was so excited, then, to discover some amazing kitchen how-tos on Rachel Ray's website.

It's ironic, isn't it? That the only Food Network host I enjoy poo-pooing* is also the only Food Network host I've endorsed on xveganx party. I have to give Rachel Ray some credit, though, because she's not a pedigreed cook; so her entire empire is constructed with this "every(wo)man" attitude towards cooking. Her cooking videos skip all the dead animal parts and go straight to what's important: how to cut an onion. Making a pie lattice. The basic format for a gravy. (Roux + Stock + Seasonings) They're all generic cooking skills that anyone can adapt for their culinary preferences or dietary needs, which makes these videos positively PERFECT for the budding vegan chef - and it saves you that cable subscription.

Another thing I've found helpful over the years is youtube videos. One, I can view all sorts of old episodes of Good Eats on there. (Understanding the science behind baking really helps you figure out those hard-to-pin vegan treats.) Two, if there's a specific technique that I want to try and there's no one to show me, I can youtube it. Ever felt like, no matter how many times you've read a recipe, it just doesn't quite make sense? YOUTUBE! For me, youtube's been extremely helpful with cake decorating, but for you, it might unravel the hidden mysteries of kneading bread - or better yet, braiding it! When I made strudel for the Daring Bakers, I watched a video about stretching the dough because the written instructions were a real head scratcher. There's a lot of criticisms I can make about our techno-obsessed culture, but one of the real triumphs, I think, is the democratization of information which has fortified DIY living. So really, my best cooking tip isn't about cooking at all: it's about where to find the information to really hone your cooking skills. And that's varying sites with cooking videos. Ha!

Tomorrow we'll be putting those kitchen skills to the test with a real recipe (OoooOOOOOoo...). Don't forget about the reader feedback give away!




* Actually, Rachel Ray is not the only host I enjoy poo pooing. In fact, I don't think she's even my favorite. The real award goes to Sandra Lee. Because mixing two packaged foods together does not even broach "semi"-homemade, no matter how many cocktails you make during the show.

Questions for Readers & a Give Away

It's two weeks from the close of my quarter, and I've got a lot on my plate for the month-long vacation ahead of me. Some of those side dishes include xveganx party projects. Come February, my little blog baby will be turning one, and very much, it's still a little blog baby (a very cute one, though). This blog is ready to grow; I need to better realize my original vision (maximum xvx living!!!). So as I busy myself making plans for the month off, I wanted to open the floor for some reader feedback.


+ What do you want to see more of on xveganx party?
+ Is there anything you want to see less of?
+ What do you want to see that you're not seeing?
+ How frequent would you like to see updates?
+ If I made a zine, would you be EFFIN STOKED?
+ Anything else I should know about your xvx party experience?


To lure you into responding, I'm offering a copy of Colleen Patrick Goudreau's latest book The Vegan Table. Described as "200 unforgettable recipes for entertaining every guest at every occasion," this is the perfect addition to the vegan entertainer's cookbook collection. Leaving a comment gives you automatic eligibility - but wait! You can increase your eligibility by promoting xveganx party! There are three ways to do this: (1) announce this give away on your blog; (2) add xvx party to the link list on your blog; or (3) email a link to xvx party to some friends or family. (Just be sure to let me know, i.e. comment if you've put up a link or cc me in your email.) Doing all four will give you four chances to win. I'll announce the winner of the give away next Friday (the thirteenth!) so keep your eyes peeled, my little vegan straight edge chickpeas.

Gingerbread: One Cookie, Two Ways

If you're trying to suggest that's a color theory exercise under there, you'd be correct. Check out my flickr if you're curious about what I do at art school all damn day.
We make it into houses, we make it into people, we make it into disagreements: ahhh, gingerbread, that classic cookie for chilly weather* that quickly polarizes people. Some folks swear by gingerbread; it's the taste of fir trees and snowmen and foil-wrapped packages bursting with bows. Just saying the word puts them in flannel pajamas in front of a fire with Nat Cole crooning on the stereo and a mug of hot chocolate in their hand. Other people detest it, though. It's spicy; it's overpowering; it tastes like the cardboard carrying a crate of cinnamon candles to a holiday shop, and it's got a texture to match. Few cookies get the mixed reviews of grins and grimaces the way gingerbread does, but a few simple adjustments is all these cookies need to find some common ground between the two camps.

I don't often make gingerbread - this time of year or otherwise. I'm a little more, "Gingerbread? Gross!" than I am, "Gingerbread? Great!" I think it's the way the molasses typically punctuates the spices. Together, they probably have some chemical interaction like wine and cheese that exaggerates the molasses and spice flavors, making them group-pop in a way I find distasteful. If I can especially taste the molasses, I just keep passing the cookie tray. But then, I came across an inspired idea: cocoa gingerbread cookies. I gasped. Pairing my favorite flavor with the flavors of my favorite season? Uhh, hello, sign me up! I quickly made an excuse to whip up a batch, and they were good in all the ways I imagined them to be. Yes, they were good - good but not great. These cookies were one ingredient away from absolute greatness. What these cookies really needed were some chocolate chips.

I wanted to make some improved chocolate gingerbread cookies ASAP, but when I had a no-chocolate friend coming into town, I was very torn. On the one hand, I really wanted to justify making these cookies again, but on the other, I couldn't bake something that excluded my friend. I felt silly making chocolate gingerbread cookies plus something else, so I groped for some middle ground. I got to stroking my invisible beard - made long, deep pulls at it because this was a quandry requiring some serious contemplation, and you could only grasp how serious by imagining some very dramatic beard tugging. Then it hit me: pumpkin gingerbread cookies. Yes, of course, pumpkin gingerbread cookies! - because pumpkin and ginger go well together in every other baked good on the planet (muffins, cakes, pies, scones...), and my roommate had half a can of pumpkin in the fridge that was going to waste! Plus, I had a bunch of raisins I wanted to use up, so pumpkin gingerbread cookies would sort of be a hero.

And, oh, heroes they were. In fact, having both cookies at once was the most delightful balance of treats - a balance made all the more delightful by an absence of molasses! The chocolate version is dark and decadent: a luscious combination of sugar and spice that makes them a maturely mysterious cookie. The other is light and aromatic: a classically earthy flavor without that classic "snap" of many brick-like gingerbread cookies. (Ever notice that? That gingerbread cookies make more of a "snap" when you eat them than ginger snaps, which are usually soft and chewy? Yeah, language is funny.) Outfitting them in chocolate and raisins is another pleasant update to this baking classic, but you could keep it old school by omitting the add ons and sticking with icing.** Whatever your opinion of gingerbread, these new approaches make for a whole new taste experience, so start heating your oven because you'll want to make these lickety-split.



Yep, breakfast of champions - complete with vegg nog in my favorite mug. If that mug's not a sweet use of split complements, I don't know what is.
CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES
+ 3/4 c flour
+ 1/4 c cocoa powder
+ 1/2 c brown sugar
+ 1/4 t baking soda
+ 1/4 t baking powder
+ 1 t ginger
+ 1/2 t cinnamon
+ 1/2 t nutmeg
+ 1/2 t allspice
+ 1/8 t cloves
+ salt
+ 1/4 c oil
+ 1 t vanilla or almond extract
+ 1/8 - 1/4 c water
+ chocolate chips (optional)


PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD COOKIES
+ 1 c flour
+ 1/2 c plus 2 T brown sugar
+ 1/4 t baking soda
+ 1/4 t baking powder
+ 1 t ginger
+ 1/2 t cinnamon
+ 1/2 t nutmeg
+ 1/2 t allspice
+ 1/8 t cloves
+ salt
+ 1/2 c pumpkin puree
+ 1/4 c oil
+ 1 t vanilla or almond extract
+ raisins (optional)


01. Sift together the dry ingredients. The measurements for the spices are just a jumping off point, but personally, I never measure. I just taste and adjust as necessary. If you're scared to trust your taste buds, err on the conservative side; it's better to have a borderline sugar cookie than a spice explosion only your waste basket wants to eat. And trust me, with some of these spices, it's real easy to go overboard real fast (especially with clove! that sneaky little sucker!).

02. Add in the wet ingredients and gently stir to combine. You should have a moist (but not wet or sticky) wad of cookie dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for an hour or two.

03. Remove the dough from the freezer, and let it stand for a few minutes as it adjusts to the relative tropical wasteland of your kitchen. Set your oven to 350º, then lightly flour a flat surface. Roll your dough out until it's about a quarter inch thick, trying to maintain a rectangular shape because you'll maximize your dough's potential as a rectangle instead of a circle. Definitely shoot for a quarter inch here, though, because if you go much thinner, you'll wind up with really crispy dry-wall cookies, but if you go much thicker, your cookies will be more like cake, not cookies. A quarter of an inch is the magic measure here, folks! Then use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out amazing shapes. (Here is a pretty rad tutorial on making your own cookie cutters, but there's nothing wrong with defaulting into classic shapes like fetuses and charcoal grills. If you don't own any cookie cutters, just use a cup. PUNK AS FUCK!)

Pro Tip: Dipping your cookie cutters in flour periodically before pressing them into the dough makes a cleaner cut, which makes the cookies easier to remove and transfer to a tray.

04. Continue cutting cookie shapes, then re-rolling the dough and cutting more until there's nothing left to roll and cut. Carefully transfer your cookies to a lightly greased cookie sheet (use a spatula if you need some help), and take this opportunity to press on your add ons (raisins, chocolate, nuts, whatever). Then throw those cookies into the oven and bake for eight to ten minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for about two minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack or plate and allow them to cool completely.

05. Enjoy with a mug of peppermint tea or vegg nog while breathing in the crisp autumn air.



Each recipe makes approximately twelve cookies.







* As an aside, I wanted to write "chili weather" because "chilly weather" = "chili weather," but I wasn't sure how many people would recognize that as a play on words and not a typo.
** Here, I am hinting at a play on words. Because gingerbread cookies are most often made into gingerbread men (and women! and inbetweens!), and what do you use the icing for? Duh, gingerbread outfits. Geez, I'm on a roll..! (Originally I typed "role." What up, homonym!)
*** While I've already got you down here reading asterisks about plays on words, I wanted to tell you about all the pop culture references I wanted to make with the title, like "One Flavor Enters, Two Cookies Leave" or "Two Cookies, One Flavor." Eh? Eh? CLASSY.

Get Moving! Staying Motivated to Exercise (Part Two)

Remember that Your Life is an Example for OthersSomething I always try to keep in mind is that the things I do will always mean more than the things I say, and if I think healthy living is a virtue, then I can't just sit around blogging about it. A lot of what fills your life is things you've attracted, so if you want happy, healthy friends, be a happy healthy friend. It's kind of like that saying: "Be the change you want to see." I think there's a lot in this world that's physically and emotionally toxic, and while I can't necessarily directly challenge those things, I can put myself in a position to better deal with them by staying on top of my physical and emotional health. I want my friends and family to feel just as empowered, so that's one thing that really keeps me pumped about exercising.

Take Care of YourselfThis goes without saying, whether you're exercising or not, but especially if you're taxing your body, you really need to be taking care of it. That means getting plenty of sleep, eating enough food, eating the right kinds of food, staying hydrated, and using proper form and technique when working out. Throw off just one of these things and physical activity can seem like a total DRAIN. If you're constantly dreading exercise or wind up straight exhausted afterwards, your body's probably trying to tell you something. Listen to it.

Be Clear About Your Intentions
Remind Yourself of Them RegularlyIf you're not getting fit for the right reasons, your commitment is going to waffle. Ever wonder why you could never get yourself all the way to those washboard abs? Because deep down, you know that's dumb. Who wants to substitute a body part for an antiquated household tool that a washing machine substantially outperforms anyway. Of course, thinking in terms of abstracts like "I'll be healthier!" doesn't help much, either. Instead, be clear about your intentions but also personalize them. So, even if your overall intention might be "to be healthier," what does that actually mean to you? Does it mean fewer colds? Then think of all those miserable days you spent feeling too shitty to fall asleep and too exhausted to stay awake, last winter. Does it mean sleeping faster and easier? Then think of all the times you showed up for work or school totally drained and disoriented because you couldn't get to bed. Does it mean preventative care? Then think of losing your aunt two years ago to breast cancer. Understanding your intentions can affirm your commitment with context, and once you understand why you're doing something, you can figure out ways to remind yourself - ways like taping a picture of disgusting cough medicine to your fridge or framing a picture of your aunt by your computer. Reminding ourselves of our intentions keeps us on track.

Set Out Reminders in GeneralThere are all kinds of ways we can remind ourselves, whether it's post-it notes on the computer screen or hanging our gym bag from our door handles. My biggest reminder is subscribing to fitness blogs. The number one way I snap myself out of an exercise lull is reading about others' enthusiasm for working out. When other people are getting really fit and strong, I go, "Hey, I want to be fit and strong, too!" Find what really reminds you, then make sure it's part of your daily routine.

Track Your Progress... if for no other reason than, when you're feeling lazy or dissatisfied, you have a visual reminder to see how far you've come. And when you see your progress, you'll remember, "Hey, I'm fuckin' TOUGH."

Set GoalsFor some people, it's easier to get things done if they have a sense of purpose, so if that's you, set some goals. There's a variety of ways you can do this. Commit to an event like a 5k, then train for it. Incrementally build up to running a certain speed or lifting a certain weight. Decide you need to be walking at least 10 mi a week, then get a pedometer and start tracking your steps. Your goals don't even necessarily have to be fitness related. Your goal could be to workout at least thirty minutes a day, three days a week - and hey, maybe that's just in the short-term; in the long-term, maybe you want to be doing an hour a day, five days a week. If you understand why you want to move around, you can usually tailor your goal around that. Then savor the sweet satisfaction that comes with achievement.

Visualize Your SuccessThis is a common technique in goal setting (and a pretty well-substantiated one at that). Studies have shown that visualizing success is almost as good as physically preparing for success, so if you're struggling to stay motivated, picture your desired workout. This can be an emergency technique (e.g. you don't want to ride your bike to work one day, so you visualize a quick and easy ride that leaves you energized and excited) or it can be a maintenance technique (e.g. every day you struggle to get to the gym, you picture yourself with beautiful, bulging muscles six months down the road). The more details you include in your visualization, the easier the activity will be in execution, and the more successful your outcome will be.

Reward YourselfPositive reinforcement (rewards) work much better than negative reinforcement (punishments), so rather than beat yourself up about skipping a workout, reward yourself for doing what you set out to do. Reward yourself when you achieve a goal. Now, dieting websites say never to make food a reward for exercise, but I say, if you're not exercising to "manage" your weight, then who cares? (Just be sure you're not exercising to negotiate or justify certain food choices!) Beyond that, you can use guilty pleasures to reward yourself for exercising. I always feel guilty about playing video games - ESPECIALLY because they're the pinnacle of inactivity - so that's a good reward for me. Maybe you've been hankering for a book that's a little pricey. Hey, but you've been working out every day that you said you would, exactly how you said you would, for three months now! I think it's about time you got that book... Reward systems can be as simple as putting a gold star on your calendar on the days when you work out, but whatever keeps you feeling proud of what you're doing, go ahead and do it.

Get some Background NoiseThis is a no-brainer, but it can't be overstated! Listening to music is awesome, but don't just listen to your favorite songs. Listen to things that make you want to MOVE. Listen to things you can really lose yourself in. When I really, really don't want to workout, I reduce the intensity of my workout, then turn on a podcast so my mind's analyzing the podcast, not anticipating my finish. Whatever keeps you moving, just listen to it!

Make Exercise a PriorityWorse comes to worse, sometimes you just got to force yourself to do the things you know you need to do, and if that's how you feel about exercise, you have to figure out a way to make it a priority. One of the most common excuses when it comes to exercise is, "I don't have time!" but if you have time to watch a movie, make an extravagant meal, or check facebook five thousand times a night, then you have time to exercise. It's all about making it a priority. Obviously, the most simple way to do this is figuring out a way to maximize the physical intensity of your everyday experiences, but sometimes it's just about making time where you can find it. Get up half an hour earlier than usual. Turn that lunch date with a friend into a walking date. Only check facebook two thousand times a night instead of five. What are you doing that you could be doing less of? What are you doing that you could be doing more? Priorities, priorities, priorities!

What about you? Got any good motivation tips millin' around in the ol' noggin?

Get Moving! Staying Motivated to Exercise (Part One)

I think we're all on the same page that exercise pretty much rules. But you know just as well as I do that no matter how stoked we get about exercise, sometimes it's hard to keep up with. There are a million excuses: no time, no energy, no excitement, blahblahblah! Substituting excuses for actions is okay once in a while - hey, sometimes our minds are making excuses because our bodies need rest - but it's really important to make sure excuses are the rare, rare exception, not the rule. Exercise lulls are pretty normal, but if we don't handle them properly, we lose momentum. And if we quickly stop exercising, then why the hell did we start?

The easiest way to stay motivated to exercise is to recognize what typically de-motivates you. If you know what's holding you back, you can take steps to rectify it. Are you lacking some discipline? Are you constantly sore? Are you wondering what's fun about this 'exercise' stuff? I'll admit that my own momentum's not that consistent. I spent more time than I care to admit sitting in front of my computer playing Diablo, picking my nose, and eating pork egg rolls during early adolescence, so movement isn't exactly "natural" to me. For that reason, I know all the excuses in the book, and I've got some good ways to counter them. Here are some of the tips and tricks I've used over the years to keep myself in motion:

!!!HAVE FUN!!!The number one way to keep yourself moving is to make sure you're doing something fun. So many people equate the word "exercise" with "gym," which makes them feel clammy and panicked, but more movement can (and does) take place outside the gym than ever could take place inside of it. Start thinking less about exercises that "incinerate those calories" or "give you those rock hard abs fast!" and start thinking about what's fun for you. I love zoning out on the treadmill with my iPod, but my roommate thinks that's insufferable. She'd much rather run outside because there's those scenery changes, that sense of adventure, the fresh air. (Of course, to me, running outside sounds like "knee aches" and "humidity"). I have another friend that thinks "hitting the gym" is laughable, so he skates and rides his bike - and not because he thinks he "needs the exercise" but just because, yeah, it's fun. I may be the one lifting weights and wiggling to Le Tigre on an elliptical, but I'm pretty sure my friend is way fitter than me. And by "pretty sure" I mean "positive" - because he's found movement that's fun for him.

Incorporate Exercise into your Everyday Life... and, no, I don't mean, "Get daily exercise." What I'm really suggesting is turning up the volume on your everyday activities. A classic example is parking really far away from a destination so you're forced to walk further to get there, but there's tons of other ways to do this. For example, let's say you really need to clean your house. Now you could spend several days dreading this, then liesurely/begrudgingly sit around wiping down surfaces and sweeping across floors all the while wishing your were reading a good book in the park. OR you could turn on some loud, fast music, down a cup of coffee, and spazz out seeing how fast you can get it done. I've always thought parkour (alternately known as "free running") was an interesting approach to incorporating exercise into everyday life. As the wikipedia article describes it, all it is, is moving from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible, but in practice, this requires some ninja-level skills. No one could ever describe parkour practitioners as physically unfit, yet all they're doing to "exercise" is some routine travel. It's just, when they travel to the grocery store, they scale buildings along the way... Point being, there's always some way to make your life a little more active so exercise doesn't become this isolated activity that you have to "make" time for.

Start Slowly and Be FlexibleIf you're just getting into some kind of workout routine, don't get too ahead of yourself. Apart from running the risk of injury, it quickly leads to burnout. If you have fond memories of playing softball in middle school but you've spent the last ten or fifteen years sitting at your computer instead, it's probably not wise to run out and attempt joining a minor league softball team. Instead, try meeting once or twice a week for small softball games with friends at a local park or join an intramural softball team. In the same vain, getting fit may have become your True Calling, but intense workouts five days a week probably aren't wise if your second address is in front of the TV. Even with the best laid plans, you may realize you've thrown yourself into an activity just a little too hard, and rather than de-motivating yourself, just be honest and reel in your ambition. If you're consistent with your effort, you'll get to where you want to be in no time, so just focus on being consistent and having fun.

SmileExercise produces endorphins, but did you know smiling produces endorphins, too? Even if we're producing as much endorphins as we are sweat, that doesn't mean we're psyched about the exercise causing both, but I find that smiling through the especially tough parts of workouts pulls me through easier. Maybe it's knowing that I look happy to everyone who sees me, so I start tricking myself into thinking this is more pleasurable than it is. Or maybe putting on a fake smile makes me want to make it "genuine" so I think of all the reasons I have to smile about exercise. Maybe it is just the double dose of endorphins, but for whatever reason, it helps. So the next time you're struggling through a really intense workout and you just want to give up, try smiling and see what happens.

Workout with a FriendDoing anything with a friend is always better because it means you've got support and you're accountable to someone. It's also just more fun, and I think it makes it easier to expand how we think of exercise. For instance, you could hit the treadmill with your best gal pal and gossip about celebrity break ups while counting down the minutes on the gym clock OR you could head to the park with a group of friends and play freeze tag while pushing each other in the mud until the sun unexpectedly disappears. Your call.

Don't Take Too Many Days OffI can't over-stress consistency. The more time you spend not doing something, the more inconsistent you'll become, and the faster you'll lose momentum. It's just that simple. This is an especially big deal if you've made a commitment like one rugby game a week. If that one rugby game is your Big Activity for the week and you skip it, the ol' heart won't have gotten pumpin' for fourteen or so days! Plus, if you blow something off once, it's that much easier to blow off again, and your body is very, "Use it or lose it," about these things. A good way to deal with extended vacations from exercise is to put a calendar where you'll often see it, like beside your bed. Mark every day that you exercise with something you find visually appealing - cuties, lol cats, whatever. Then mark every day you don't exercise with something you hate looking at - your boss' face, a hairy butt, maybe some pharmaceutical giants. Nothing says, "Go ride your bike!" like a picture of grandma in her bathing suit, so whatever visually motivates you to exercise, plaster it all over that calendar and stop skipping so many days.

Maintain VarietyDoing the same thing over and over again gets redundant. If you're doing something you genuinely love - and I don't mean enjoy, I mean love - this probably doesn't apply to you, but for the rest of us, we get tired of the same old things, especially if we're pushing ourselves to do them because we know we "should." For that reason, variety is key, so mix it up a little. We know I'm a gym rat (sort of), but this need for variety isn't just about exchanging the treadmill for the stationary bike once in a while. I get bored even with my more everyday physical activities. Like, I live in a city (town?) that doesn't even have a ten-mile radius, so traveling without a car is easy. Sometimes I ride my bike, but other times I walk, and when I get bored with that, it's right back on my bike. (And when I'm lazy, I get in the car. haha.) Even a rousing weekly kickball game gets boring after a few months (Steve's always going to kick a home run, Ellen's always going to trip on her shoes, Mikey's going to make everyone sit through an endless stream of foul balls), so instead of losing enthusiasm, just switch to four square. Like I've been saying, the activity isn't what's important; it's the consistency, so keep things fresh and interesting.


Ooo... Tomorrow I'll post part twooo...

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPY IN YOUR LIFE?
(You can comment anonymously; I fixed the settings.)



Real post coming tomorrow.