Good Things Come

Vegetables

fighter_chick — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 01:31:16 GMT

No, seriously. The topic of this post is vegetables.

I need to eat more of them. And I am an abominably picky eater who's got no (0, zero, zip, zilch, nada) interest in trying to make peace with foods I already know I don't like. I am a grown-ass tax paying adult, and I know what I do and do not want to eat.* But I do need new veggie recipes. Especially recipes that take less than 10 minutes to prepare, or can be prepped in big batches and reheated. If you've got good recipes for anything on my Yes list, I'd love to know about them:

YES

Spinach
Chard
Kale (limited)

Beet greens
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Lettuce (all kinds)
Salad greens (arugula, cress, endive, raddichio, etc)
Cabbage (red, green, napa)
Broccoli
Potatoes
Mushrooms
Carrots (raw only)
Garlic
Tomatoes (in season only)
Basil
Cucumber
Artichoke
Asparagus

NO
Squash (Yes, pumpkin too. And spaghetti. And zucchini. Every. Single. Variety.)
Yams
Sweet potatoes
Peas (English and sugar snap)
Celery (raw and cooked)
Turnips
Parsnips
Rutabagas
Beets (all colors)
Cauliflower
Bell peppers (all colors)
Eggplant
Sprouts (bean, pea, alfalfa, pretty much all others)
Avocado
Lentils (most preparations)
Radish
Jicama
Brussels sprouts
Soybeans

MAKES ME PHYSICALLY ILL
Onions (red, yellow, white, green)
Leeks
Shallots
Chives

* Anyone who comments on this post to try to talk me into eating something on the NO or MAKES ME ILL lists will not be unfriended. Instead, I will tag you in a reply containing a paragraph describing what the vegetable you're hawking tastes like to me. Expect me to put vivid verbs and intense imagery into it. Do it twice, and I may bust into poetry.

10 Ways to Screw Up When Traveling With Pain

fighter_chick — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:12:32 GMT

Because sometimes the best advice is the kind you *don't* follow

http://travelswithpain.com/2011/11/26/100-ways-to-screw-up-when-traveling-with-pain-part-1/

Travel & Weight Management

fighter_chick — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:49:30 GMT

I have a guest blogger on Travels With Pain!

My friend Laina has just started a blog called Keeping off 200 Pounds. Which she's in the lifelong process of doing. She amazes me continually--in a world of fad diets and yo-yoing, she lost 200 pounds and has kept it off for more than 8 years now.

When I started reading her blog, it became clear that a lot of the tools she uses to maintain her weight are similar or even the same as the tools I use to travel with pain. And I know that it's tough to control food intake on the road. So I asked her to guest post with me, and she wrote these two great posts:

* http://travelswithpain.com/2011/09/20/how-to-travel-while-managing-your-weight-part-1-vacationing/

* http://travelswithpain.com/2011/09/22/traveling-weight-management-part-2-business-travel/

Fear of Traveling With Pain

fighter_chick — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:20:45 GMT

Traveling with pain is scary. No doubt about it.

Stuff happens on the road. In Amsterdam, my hotel room was robbed while I slept. On the balmy island of Moorea, a roach crawled into my ear and got stuck. I starved for five days in Tuscany.

All that (and more) happened back when I was under 30 and perfectly healthy.

Now the number of things that can go wrong has increased drastically.

Read more at http://travelswithpain.com/2011/08/23/fear-of-traveling-with-pain/

Jeans With Pain, Redux

fighter_chick — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:23:48 GMT

So one of the sponsor/exhibitors atBlogHer 2011 was Lee Jeans. I went up to their reps on the expo floor and asked the Big Question:

“I’ve got chronic pelvic pain, and jeans dig into all the wrong places, especially when I sit for a long time. Airline flights especially. But I love jeans. Do you have any that you think I could wear on the road and still be comfortable?”

One of the booth workers…wait for it…had an answer for me!

http://travelswithpain.com/2011/08/20/jeans-with-pain-redux/

Traveling Alone

fighter_chick — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:42:33 GMT

It's not quite my usual how-to post, but I've written a 4-part journal of a solo trip I took last week.

Traveling Alone, Part 1

To get to parts 2-4, click the link to the title of the next part at the upper right corner above the title and text of the post.

I'd love comments on this series. Is it a good read? Do you think it will help *you* travel alone? Do you think I'm right in how I travel solo, or that I'm a total idiot and it's lucky that I'm still alive?

Traveling Solo

fighter_chick — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 01:29:49 GMT

I've been traveling alone a lot this year. This is more a philosophy post than a how-to:

Traveling Solo: Advanced Studies in Traveling With Pain

What do you all think? Do you travel alone, and if so do how to you make it work?

internet powers, activate!

fighter_chick — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:45:31 GMT

This is a friend of a friend of a friend sort of thing. I'm planning to donate books to the fundraising auction.

Unfortunately, it's all too common for abuse victims to be hosed by the system that's supposed to protect them. And for a woman without independent means to pay for a shark lawyer to protect her interests--forget about it. My hope in this case is that the mighty powers of the Internet can help this woman to locate and hire said shark.

The Internet is perhaps the best single thing that's ever happened in the fight against domestic violence. Batterers rely on secrecy, on fear, on making certain that nobody outside the front doors will believe their victims even if those victims try to reach out for help. But with messages like this one going viral on the Internet, that precious secrecy can be blown to bits in a matter of hours. Suddenly, strangers from around the country and even the world know the story and offer assistance that the victim didn't expect and the abuser counted on her not receiving.

Let's make sure that this one abuser does not get the chance to destroy the life of a child.

Thank you. --Liz

Originally posted by kythryne at internet powers, activate!

Okay, people. I need you to take this viral, and fast.

We know someone in upstate New York who needs a good custody lawyer ASAP. I'm not at liberty to go into details publicly, but this woman is very afraid that her abusive boyfriend is going to get sole custody of her young child. She's presently being represented by a court-assigned lawyer who doesn't seem to care about the case, and she has very few resources left at this point. Her next hearing is on Thursday.

If you know a good lawyer in New York State who might be willing to take this case for a low fee or pro bono, or at least offer her advice or support, please let me know. If you don't know anyone, please repost this far and wide. As a mother and an abuse survivor, it makes me absolutely sick to my stomach to contemplate a child being left in the hands of an abuser.

I can be reached at kythryne@gmail.com if you have any leads or want to help.

The internet can work miracles. Let's go.

Edit, Tuesday afternoon: Huge, huge thanks to everyone who has signal-boosted, offered resources, emailed me, and otherwise been willing to help. Our friend is overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers. Amy and I are driving over to New York tomorrow afternoon so we can provide support in person, and we are working on plans to help our friend and her daughter get back on their feet once the custody case is over.

(If you would be interested in donating an item or service to a fundraising auction in the near future, please let me know. Our friend is a talented artist and a wonderful mother to a beautiful little girl who deserves a safe home, and it wouldn't take much to make a huge difference in their lives.)

Why I Travel: My Thoughts on Paul Theroux's "Why We Travel"

fighter_chick — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:08:19 GMT

This one may spark a few comments. Unlike most travel writers, I'm not a Theroux fan. At all.

I stand by my words. Don't travel to observe. Travel to live. And know that fun isn't something to be mocked or denigrated--we who live with chronic incurable illness know better than anyone that fun is a noble goal in and of itself.

Business Travel With Pain

fighter_chick — Sun, 29 May 2011 06:21:58 GMT

As requested, I've put together a whole bunch of travel tips specific for business travelers. I managed to think of so many that I had to split them into two posts.

I need to think some about other ways to ensure that my condition stays private. Do you guys have any suggestions? If so, please post them either here or up on the blog so other folks can find 'em too.

Business Travel With Pain Part 1
Business Travel With Pain Part 2

Traveling With Meds

fighter_chick — Tue, 17 May 2011 05:18:20 GMT

Here's a TWP post that probably speaks to all of us.

Traveling With Meds

I know this is really only an intro to the topic. Got your own tricks for traveling with your medication? I'd love to gather comments about this endlessly necessary subject.

San Francisco With Pain

fighter_chick — Thu, 12 May 2011 06:06:54 GMT

Headed to San Francisco in the near future? Or want to visit the City sometime? Here's a bunch of information about various destinations within the City:

Fisherman's Wharf from End to End
The de Young Museum
Chinatown
Hotel Triton

I'm planning to put together an eBook about traveling in San Francisco with hidden disabilities. It will be available on The Imperfect Traveler later this year. What attractions, neighborhoods, hotels, restaurants would you like information about within SF?

My book is out!!

fighter_chick — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:48:54 GMT

The Imperfect Traveler's Guide to Traveling With Pain is in print.

I'm so excited! Quite a bit of work went into this, and I'm thrilled to see that the book is now available for purchase!

Serious Stuff: AirTran, the FAA, and what "disabled" really means

fighter_chick — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:04:06 GMT

Unlike my usual stuff, this post on Travels With Pain is more of a journalistic article. The perpetrator of the incident that sparked this mess happens to be AirTran, but the fact is that this kind of thing can and does happen on every other airline.

Why I Think AirTran Was Wrong

What do you think? Should rules for exit rows be codified? If so, how?

Travels With Pain Airline Review: Alaska Airlines

fighter_chick — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:02:05 GMT

Upon request, here's the first review of an airline...based on criteria I've developed as a traveler with pain. I've also included information that will (hopefully) be useful to travelers with other disabilities.

Airline Review for Travelers With Pain: Alaska Airlines

What do you all think? Does this review give you information that would help you decide whether or not to fly Alaska Airlines? Is there different/more info you'd like in an airline review? Do you agree with my assessment of Alaska if you've flown them?

In Defense of Traveling ON the Beaten Path

fighter_chick — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 05:28:44 GMT

Here follows one of my rants about the travel writing establishment:

In Defense of Traveling ON the Beaten Path

Any thoughts? Agreements? Disagreements? Favorite on-the-beaten-path destinations?

Travel Budgeting With Pain

fighter_chick — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:43:07 GMT

This can often be the hardest part of traveling with pain--budgeting and saving up for a trip. This piece is just a primer--there's a lot to budgeting for a trip with pain or hidden disability. (See the comment by a reader who travels with her autistic son.)

Travel Budgeting With Pain

As always, comments and personal stories are welcome!

The Monterey Bay Aquarium With Pain

fighter_chick — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:58:41 GMT

This one's a place review--the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a major attraction in central California. If you've never been to the Aquarium, I can't recommend it highly enough! It's a fabulous aquarium, with unique displays and a strong educational bent.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium With Pain

Would you like to see me review other major tourist attractions? What about hotels and resorts, airlines, or cruise ships? I'd love to do more review posts, but I want to make sure that my reviews are the most helpful for the community, since there will be obvious limits to how much I can manage.

Let me know!

Business Travel - Conferences

fighter_chick — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:07:14 GMT

I'm starting a new series of posts on Travels With Pain- Business Travel. I'd love any suggestions for topics I could cover: What do you need help with when it comes to tackling business trips with pain? All suggestions welcome!

Here's the first one, based on my various experiences at writer's conferences and more recently at SATH:

Business Travel - Conferences

Travels with Pain: Pushing the Limits

fighter_chick — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:07:40 GMT

It's kind of ironic that I'm posting this one today, given that I'm in a spectacularly foul mood pertaining to my physical condition. But I suppose it's a good reminder that crappy moods don't last and there's always something new to do.

What I Learned at SATH Part 4: Pushing the Limits

Hiring a Professional Traveling Companion

fighter_chick — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 06:40:49 GMT

I know that sometimes what I need most when I'm traveling is another person present to help me out with things like carrying luggage, dealing with airline and hotel check-ins, and dragging me back to my room when I've overdone it and need a nap. But most of my family and friends have jobs, which means they can't always travel with me.

One possible solution: Hire someone!

And a fun little bonus post--a few enterprising airports are making layovers suck slightly less.

How to Rent Equipment When Traveling

fighter_chick — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 05:37:06 GMT

At the SATH World Congress last month, I met many great people and learned some nifty stuff. I'll be posting about it over the next couple of weeks. Here's part 1. For your next trip, need a mobility scooter? A shower stool? A mini-fridge? You can rent one!

What I Learned at SATH Part 1: How to Rent Travel Equipment

Traveling With Pain: When It All Goes Wrong

fighter_chick — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 22:56:58 GMT

So what makes me an "expert" on traveling with pain? In part, because I've made every possible mistake a traveler with pain can make while one the road. Sometimes several of those mistakes at once. Like last week:

A Bad, Bad Transit Day

Winter Travel Sans Skiing

fighter_chick — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 03:32:34 GMT

Here are a few fun things to do at a winter snow destination that don't involve strapping boards to your feet and sliding down mountainsides:

Winter Travel With Pain

What do you do when you're at a ski resort but not able to ski?

Trains With Pain

fighter_chick — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:40:46 GMT

Riding the rails is absolutely my favorite way to travel!

Trains With Pain