~ I was reading an obituary the other day and it said that the person ‘outshined’ others in some endeavor or other and that to me is awkward. ‘Outshone’ is what it should have said according to me (and my husband). Of course I then looked it up and ‘outshone’ is listed as the preferred but outshined is also acceptable. I realize that there are no absolutes in this world; that everything is shades of grey but I’m gonna stick with “if it sounds right, it is right”.  Tho I supposed there might be a situation where ‘outshined’ would sound correct.

~ Re: Removing Civil War memorial statuary. We moved to Northern Virginia (the first time) in 1996. We lived in the city of Alexandria. One of the first people I became friends with was a woman of color. We were driving around the area and she mentioned that the store  I wanted to go to was on Jeff Davis Highway. I said “What?” I was shocked as shit that there was a major roadway named after Jefferson Davis. I asked my friend if she didn’t find that offensive. She shrugged and said “It’s always been that.” End of conversation.  Interestingly enough the name was not changed until 2019 – yes you read that right. I grant you they started talking about renaming the road back in 2015. Now here is the other thing – in Alexandria City and Arlington County the road was Jeff Davis Highway in Fairfax Country it was always know as Route 1. Same road…

~ A couple of months back when I changed my eating habits I just naturally started eating according to a schedule that made me feel better. Turns out this, for me instinctive schedule, has a name – intermittent fasting. Who knew? Out of a 24-hour day you fast for 16 hours and confine your eating to the other 8 hours (the 16/8 method). This is very easy to do. I don’t eat breakfast, I cook a large-ish meal we eat around 12:30 and then, if I am hungry, I will have something light around 6-6:30pm, usually breakfast type food.

I very quickly lost about 10 pounds and have not regained it. I haven’t lost any more weight but am holding steady. Sometimes because I’m tired or I sleep late I deviate from this schedule and have a regular dinner in the early evening and I can feel the difference. I am so not a morning person and I hate to cook so this 16/8 eating schedule takes effort on my part. It would take less effort if I didn’t have to provide for my husband as well. To be honest, if I were my only consideration I would probably eat just one meal a day in the mid afternoon. Listen to your body, it will tell you what’s right for you.