Gay Pride Parade Pictures, Vegan Banana Split Challenge & Vegan Bananas Foster, Hypnosis

Hi Friends!  How was your weekend?  Mine has been awesome!  I had a wonderful time with Scott and Skylar at San Diego's Gay Pride Parade on Saturday.   Today I went to: Trader Joe's, Whole Food, regular grocery store, and the bank.  Thank goodness everything is literally within 6 blocks from each other and from my house.  I could never pull off that many stores otherwise!  And Skylar being with Scott for a few hours also helps me shop at warp speed.  Not possible to shop at the break-neck pace I enjoy with a 3 year old in tow and carseat jockeying in, and out, in and out!  

 I also got in some great workouts from power walks to runs to yoga and lifting.  I used my New Polar F6 that I mentioned I got and for the most part, have really been liking it.

It's a little weird to have a chest strap on me, even one that doesn't slip very much.  There is still a tiny bit of slippage but tucking it into my sports bra a little seems to do the trick.  Just the compression of the strap, if you will, I notice it while I am working out but I'm sure I'll get used to it in time.


Thanks everyone who chimed in on my Sugar Doll Award and Random Facts Post.  I loved everyone's random facts!  And I'm glad you liked mine!
I was asked quite a few times about my Legal Name Change.  I didn't like my old name, I don't feel like it fit me, and although there are a few people who still call me by my old name, the majority of friends and family, I'd say at least 98%, call me by Averie.  For the most part, people don't even "slip" and call me my old name and if they do, I don't make a big deal out of it.  I just correct them and say, Averie.  And I think they actually feel bad about the slip but it's not a biggie.

My parents are the last holdouts.  They don't call me by my old name, but they don't call me by Averie very readily, either.  They just address me without saying any name.  I understand it would be hard for parents, and although I wish they could be more on-board with my name as Averie, I understand the reluctance and issues that my name change may bring up for them.  I think about how I would feel if Skylar changed her name and so I am patient with them.

And many of you asked what my old name was.  It's a part of me that's "gone" and since I didn't like that name to the point of taking the drastic steps to legally change it, there's no point for me in discussing it.  Inquiring minds will just have to....wonder.  Hah!  My life is pretty much an open book on the blog but I do have a few things I keep private.

Moving On to some Gay Pride Parade Pictures!
















And these are some of the things that were thrown off floats that we caught:


Grape Poprocks for Vodka.  The concept is put the poprocks in your mouth and take a shot of Vodka.  Plenty of people had coolers of vokda with them and were oohing and ahhing about these.   I wasn't going to do any vodka shots at 11am to find out.




After seeing about 100 Floats, we left and walked 1 block home.  No parking hassles was key!  There were apparently 250+ floats and everyone was in a great mood, everyone was having fun, it was just such a fun day and a great way to celebrate our diversity and to bring awareness that yes, Gay is okay!  Like my rhyming there at the end?

Moving On.... 


Snack:
"Spicy Doritos" Cheezy Dip with Raw Veggies...




Dessert:  Foodbuzz, Electrolux and Kelly Ripa are raising money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF).  In honor of the Food Buzz and Banana Split Challenge, for every banana split posted, Foodbuzz will donate $50 to the cause.  I've seen Heather, Jessica, Anna and many others already help out.  I thought I'd remind you about my version of a "Banana Split". 


Vegan Bananas Foster




If Bananas Foster isn't your thing, how about a Vegan Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Coffee Softserve Sundaes?


Gym & Weights Workout Today From This Tab: Back/Abs

Tip of the Day: My $100 Shopping Spree CSN Stores Give Away!


Questions
1. Best Thing You Ate or Did This Weekend?
Me = The Pride Parade and being with Scott and Skylar.  And it did feel awesome to bang out a zillion errands toward at warp speed.

2.  Do you "save up" your grocery errands for one day?  Or do you find yourself running to a different store, nearly daily?  
I try to make one afternoon "grocery day" because otherwise I feel like I live in a grocery store!  The only thing I really buy from WF's anymore is Vegenaise (everything else I order from iherb.com  My code is AVE630 to save $5 bucks).  But between TJ's and the regular grocery, if I don't plan and "stockpile" errand day, I could conceivably be in one or the other, daily.  So, I force myself to plan ahead and be organized and not just go in on a whim because it's those "whim trips" that suck up my time, and cash!

3. Have you ever been to a Gay Pride Parade?  Would you like to go to one? 
I've never been to Mardi Gras but I think Pride Parade is a small scale Mardi Gras in many ways, but I don't have a basis for comparison.  I'd love to go to Mardi Gras, too!

4. Hypnosis.  Have you ever been hypnotized?  Do you think it's possible to be hypnotized?  Would you like to try? 
I am very much into being in control.  My mind does not easily let go of the here and now.  Meditation has been a lifelong quest; not something that came easy to me a decade ago.  I think it's because my mind is active, always thinking what's next.  In hypnosis you really have to let go, give up control, and trust in the hypnotist.  

I never thought I would be able to be hypnotized because I thought I would fight it, but I was able to go into what I'd call a light hypnotic state about 7 years ago.   That was the only time I've ever tried.  My goal in doing so was do do a past life regression analysis.  Yes, I believe I have lived prior lives.  I wanted to see if being hypnotized could help me uncover some of that.  It did, and that's a whole other story.  If you're interested I can write about that this week, but in talking about these things, people have to have an open mind, because I realize, it can sound really far-fetched and loony bin material otherwise!

With hypnosis, some people have a goal of quitting smoking, losing weight, uncovering repressed childhood memories, you name it, many people try it.  Would you ever like to be hypnotized?  And I am not talking about doing crazy stuff, someone putting you under a "spell" and you walking around barking like a dog or something.  What do you think of hypnosis?  Hocus Pocus or Not?

Stay Tuned For a great Vegan GF New Recipe...