The day is the same number of minutes but I am trying to stuff lots more things into them so time is getting all strange on me. A week from Saturday the one act play competition will be done and my life will get less stressful.  Today I had beans and flour tortillas for lunch, and a black bean burger on very tasteless not quite bread stuff.  Also had lots of potato chips for no good reason.  I have a complicated relationship with salt--it makes me feel horrible the next day and is very very bad for my blood pressure  but the swelling makes my back less painful for a while because extra fluid in my tissues takes the pressure off my spinal cord.

Long day at work drifted into a long evening on the campus.  Almost 10 days till competition, sets not done, costumes not done, main character doesn't yet  know his lines.  Had bean wraps at lunch, leftover lentil soup and fresh cornbread for dinner.  Vegan cornbread better  than non-vegan, yeah!:)

I had an amazing lentil soup Kensie made for me for dinner, but then I had too much peanut butter on vegan crackers as a bedtime snack.

The stress is building on me. Working on relaxing. Learned  new guided imagery routine to help me meditate easier.  Pain has been a problem for my zazen practice for quite a long time.  Have to let go of traditional postures.  Had veggie frito pie for dinner, and beans and cornbread for lunch.  Lovely perfectly ripe pear for breakfast.  New day tomorrow. Must remember to breathe...

Had veggie chili for dinner made with the pinto beans I cooked in the crockpot yesterday. Very long day. After school Tracy brought me a bean and rice salad with almonds and dried cranberries which I ate on the way to my class at Tech.  There was an incident at the medical school the other day, but everybody okay.

It's been a rough couple of days but have eaten okay. I am losing some weight but my blood glucose is still too high and I can't seem to get a handle on my life. Working on stress relief every day. One act play competition over the 8th of February and things will get simpler.  Had rice and veggies with a sweet and sour sauce tonight. Yesterday had fun with Kensie making vegan and gluten free applesauce muffins.

Last night I had a vegetable rice pilaf and tonight Mexican food.  Still eating a bit too much  salt.  Soon I want to give up artificially sweetened drinks, but I direct my first one act play competition in 3 weeks and none of my kids know their lines yet, so will wait to make more changes.  Losing weight every week-huge calorie deficit from when I was eating cheese.

I was a little concerned the weekends would be harder but I am really happy with a vegan diet; i was very upset today and had an urge for self-destructive behavior but recovered without eating badly.  Didn't have a healthy dinner tonight-plate of steak fries instead.

I had a snack every couple of hours at work, and drank too many cans of diet Pepsi. I had leftover black bean soup on brown rice for dinner. It was very yummy. My graduate classes start Monday, things will get more complicated.  My brain will be better with more exercise. Started lifting weights in the evening as well as morning today, with just light workout after dinner.

Made a very nice black bean soup for dinner and had a good day at work. I need to keep busy with small jobs I can do without hurting myself.  Annie is stressed about getting married and really just trying to look past the spring semester -- she struggled in the fall.  I'm trying to help Tracy find work, it's been a long 3 months since she lost her last one.  I am managing stress better and my head is working better now that I am eating better.

I had a good first day back with my  students.  Spring semester all the teachers get tense over the high stakes testing, because really the teachers are being judged WAY more than the kids:) Lots of stuff about the interface between politics and the  schools is way messed up, a vast disconnect  from reality and common sense, but I am not going to eat any  comfort over it.  Actually I stay pretty relaxed.  I am grabbing a piece of fruit too often for my  diabetic health, but in general all the quick and easy  ways to combine carbs with  fats(especially fast food) is closed to me now and I am feeling better in the mornings especially.

We had pasta for dinner, because it was quick  and we were out late shopping.  Had planned a black bean soup with corn bread, will have it tomorrow night.  I  had steel cut oatmeal for breakfast and fruit for lunch.

Had to work today but no  students till tomorrow.  My morning blood glucose is too high, a healthy person maintains bg between 80-120.  As a diabetic I should wake up between 120-145, and I'm not there yet but it will get there.  Had beans and rice for dinner-mucho bueno!

Healthy snacks all day.  Made everybody pork chops and fried potatoes and had a lovely  salad with  beans and corn chips.  Just had a banana for bedtime snack.  Back to work  tomorrow.  Feel rested.

Had lunch with a teacher friend. Restaurants will take some time to figure out; this is not a vegan friendly city. Had a late supper-leftovers and a salad.  Back to work on Monday.  Looking forward to my morning coffee. Kensie is proud of me for eating better:)

Spent the holidays saying goodbye to meat.  Spent yesterday beginning a life of strict vegetarianism.  I've spent years as an ovo-lacto vegetarian but never just a plant-eater.  Don't think I will adopt the vegan label because I will certainly continue to wear leather boots, shoes, and coats.  Kensie made me a lovely  dinner last  night. Woke up feeling pretty good.  Vegetable heavy spaghetti sauce and whole grain pasta and an amazing salad. I have to try some vegan ranch dressings though:)