In college at UCLA in 1990s, I knew I wanted to change the world. But I didn’t know what that meant. I sought the answer through volunteering, a lot. I spent my weekends distributing food to homeless people in West Los Angeles. I got really good at making hundreds of bologna sandwiches at a time….
Intermittent Fasting Update: August 2020
I’ve been practicing intermittent fasting since January, and I have zero regrets. It’s been quite the lifestyle change, but very little suffering from my experience. I’m at my target weight and feel as energetic as ever. I started, like most people, with an 16:8 schedule (16 hours of fasting, 8 hour eating period.) This was…
Growing Up as a Coconut
I spent most of my childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. That sounds like a great cultural landscape to grow up within, with its diverse mix of races and peoples from all over the world. My reality was quite different. Specifically I grew up in Pleasanton, California, a large town about an hour away…
One Month of Roller Skating: So Happy!
So I’ve been roller skating for about a month now. I can’t think of anything I’ve “worked” so hard at at the start. Pretty much every day I’ve put in at least 1-2 hours of practice. And when I’m not skating, I’m probably watching skate videos. I didn’t do anywhere near that much practice when…
Julianna’s eggplant boat with sauteed nuts and mushrooms (recipe)
Here’s a yummy vegetarian recipe from my colleague Julianna , who was riffing on this one. I made some modifications and added some steps to my version. Ingredients: Olive oil 2 medium eggplants, halved and scored 1 cup walnuts / pecans, chopped 1 cup mushrooms, sliced or chopped 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp cumin…
Nan’s Pancakes (via Maria V)
This recipe comes from Nan, a friend of my friend Maria in Holland. I’m still trying to dial it in, but love how fluffy these come out. Might need to steam them for a bit after frying on both sides. Instructions Sift together into a bowl: 2 cups all purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder,…
Family Tech Support in 2050
I did some tech support for my mom this morning, which she was a trooper about, I have to say. It inspired this conversation that I expect to happen 20 years from now, if not sooner. ME: Hi Aria, I can’t get this stupid virtual TV thing to show me Step Up 12. It’s broken….
How I’m Surviving the Pandemic: Moving, Meditating, Connecting
So we are in Month 4 of the coronavirus pandemic quarantine, which is unbelievable and weird. Time has no meaning anymore, as people are fond of saying. Despite not getting to go to most of the places that were part of my regular routine (the office, the climbing gym, dance clubs and bars, restaurants, bakeries),…
8 Weeks on 18:6 Intermittent Fasting Diet
I finished my 8th week following an 18:6 intermittent fasting schedule (18 hour fast, 6 hour window to eat). I’ve found it not as much of a struggle as I had feared! Typically I get to 19:5 without much extra effort. I’ve gotten my body used to eating two meals a day at noon-ish and…
Taking the US Marines Fitness Test at 51
This weekend, on a lark, I decided to do the US Marines Fitness Test, that marine corps’ regular physical challenge that all marines have to pass in order to stay in fighting shape. The test combines pull-ups, timed crunches and a 3 mile run. Basically a festival of pain. Here’s how it went. I find…