A new chapter

[perth]

To transform the emptiness of loneliness, to the fullness of aloneness. Ah, that is the secret of life.

- Sunita Khosla

So, as of Wednesday the 12th, I have my own place and am living on my own again for the first time in about 5 years. It's probably vanity or insecurity, or a bit of both, but I wanted to share some things I've experienced since then...

I've become far more adventurous in my cooking. I'm willing to try things I never would have attempted before. I attribute this to the fact that I have no one to complain about my cooking but myself. Below is a recipe I tried tonight, but I'm not sure I liked it, feel free to suggest modifications:

Marinade:
Fresh lime juice
A tiny bit of soy sauce
Crushed garlic
Fresh ground black pepper
A fuckton of dill

Marinate chicken in the above concoction for about an hour. Place the chicke on a pan and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake until cooked through. Serve with rice, the sticky kind. I don't think dill and lime go together.

I'm no longer squeamish about touching raw meat. I have no idea how or why this happened, it just did.

I haven't craved cigarettes the way I always have. I still *want* one, but find it much easier to resist (though tonight is admittedly tougher than it ever has been before).

I'm cleaner. The kitchen is still spotless after 3 nights of cooking. That's just weird. Same goes for the rest of the house. I'm making my bed, for Pete's sake.

I'm losing weight. This has been going on for a couple months anyways, but I've dropped probably 10 pounds in the last 2 weeks. There's an old Onion article out there talking about someone getting back down to "dating weight" and thats what I call it, though I'm really not into dating right now. I'm down a total of 25 pounds now. Say, 30 more and I'll be really happy.

I'm happy. From the time Case and I decided to split until the moment I finished moving into my new place, I was absolutely miserable. I hated life, I hated myself and I hated Case. I don't feel any of those things anymore. I finally feel at peace. I feel like I can be friends with Case. We went to breakfast Thursday morning after filling out all our paperwork at the paralegal's office. And I felt like I was having breakfast with a friend. We have a child together, and I cannot tell you how pleased I am that I feel I can still get along with her.

So that's how I'm feeling now. Yay me.

[Beestie]

**clap, clap, clap***

Outstanding. Good for you!

And that quote rocks.

[elSicomoro]

Party at Perth's place...I'll bring a case of beer.

[perth]

Originally posted by sycamore
Party at Perth's place...I'll bring a case of beer.

Make sure it's good beer.

Actually, I'm thinking about having a party sometime soon. Problem is that most of my really good friends live about 2 hours to the north of here, in Fort Collins. I figure that's not such a bad thing, there's an "Irish" pub up there called Mulligan's and I've been missing it quite a bit. So maybe I can get them all to show up there. Good times.

[wolf]

If I ever get anywhere close to the Rockies I am SOOO there.

Look at the possibility expressed in your name ... the opportunity represented by Perthro. Infinite possibility, chance, and luck. May you have all of these.

[farfromhome]

These are the feelings I've been wrestling with for the last 18 months.Technically I'm still married.The ex and I had been together(legally)17 years.Living together close to 20.I don't know your situation Perth.But I know this.Things can hurt.Things can hurt for a long time.So be prepared to be patient.

[Skunks]

It's creepy how this is turning into the "guys going through divorce / women who've been violently abused" ... watering hole.

I wonder how my generation will regard marriage. If my cousins and siblings and friends will get married. If I will. if we'll have more successful ones for having witnessed the failures firsthand, or worse because we just don't give a fuck about making it work.

Good luck, at any rate. This thread's about perth, after all.

[DanaC]

Perth, you sound like you are really getting it together. Really good to hear. Both of you have an opportunity now to get the best of both worlds. You get to have a whole new start........and you dont even have to let that person leave your life. That's gotta be the best *smiles* Well, I think so anyway That recipe incidentally, sounds amazing.

[DanaC]

Skunk. You raise an interesting question. I do wonder what the future is for the institution of marriage....Perhaps people will still get married, but the culturally accepted norms of marriage will alter. Maybe the new terms will not be Til death do us part. It may be that the idea of marriage being a lifetime commitment is the aspect that is left aside( except for the exceptions) in favour of marriage being a "longterm" commitment instead. Long term marriages of 10-20 years may become more commmon and more expected than lifetime ones.....Perhaps

[Undertoad]

You are getting it together but don't be put off by the occasional romp through emotion-land. There are potholes around every corner. But it's still temporary.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally posted by perth

Marinade:
Fresh lime juice
A tiny bit of soy sauce
Crushed garlic
Fresh ground black pepper
A fuckton of dill

Sorry to hear you're suicidal.

Like UT said, there will be some hiccups but it gets better every week. You go, guy.

[staceyv]

it's good to hear that you're happy. i went through a similar emotional stage when i broke up with my live-in boyfriend of 2 1/2 yrs...weight loss, trying new things, that peaceful feeling, AND the tension and misery right before he left...i'm happy for you.
P.S. dill and lime go together


Broiled Dill and Lime Lobster Tail

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh snipped dill
1/4 teaspoon paprika
4 frozen lobster tails (8 ounces each), thawed



Lime-Dill Butter

This butter is excellent with salmon, scallops, ahi tuna, boiled potatoes, or baked potatoes.

Butter, 1 tablespoon
Lime juice, 1/4 tablespoon
Dill, ¼ teaspoon
Garlic, ¼ clove or more
Hand held garlic press



Zesty Dill-Lime Seafood Salad


1/2 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Light Mayonnaise or Just 2 Good!® Mayonnaise Dressing
2 tablespoons chopped red onion(s)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 cups imitation crabmeat (and/or seafood)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped cucumber(s), peeled


Dill Lime Salmon
4.5 oz Salmon (3 protein blocks)
1 tbsp Dill Weed
2 tsp Beau Monde (or 1 tsp celery salt + 1 tsp onion powder)
1 1/2 c Lime-flavored Sparkling Water
(NOT sweetened! Calistoga is a good one)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Bring water and seasonings to a boil, add salmon. Poach for approximately 3 minutes, spooning water and seasonings over salmon. Turn salmon and poach for an additional 4 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through.
Serve with a vegetable side dish and salad, equaling 3 blocks of carbohydrates. Choose 1 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar dressing for 3 blocks of fat.

Grilled Lime Chicken
8 chicken breast halves, skin removed
1/2 cup lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil
4 green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. fresh dill, divided
1/4 tsp. pepper

[Skunks]

I'm not sure what the "eat a lot of dill" thing is about, but you could try making some spanikopita. Feta, dill, and filo -- it doesn't get much more direct than that.

Hey, Perth! Glad to hear you're getting through a tough time. You may have a few down spells, but they always go away. And, hey, its Springtime in the Rockies and Colorado Rocks! You're gonna be okay, man!

[perth]

Yeah, today was a gorgeous day. I have an unobstructed view of Pikes Peak from my bed, so it makes for a nice "good morning". A nice cup of green tea and a plain omelette finish the effect. Today was a helluva nice lazy Sunday, I'm looking forward to many more. I really need to get my camping gear together before tourist season starts.