It's me...SusanVee

"Who are you and what have you done with SusanVee?" If I had a dime for every time I've heard that question in the past three months, I would buy that Ipod Mini without so much as a flinch! This seems to be the question lingering on a few inquiring minds.

I admit, I have been doing some strange things lately, such as emailing salad recipes, opting to drink water when coke is available, and running 3 times a week!!! Indeed, this is not my normal behavior.

My cousin Lisa makes the best dern desserts on this side of the Mississippi...but before I was allowed to eat her dessert, I was forced to eat dinner, which included veggie lasagna and various other healthy based dinners. This would make me cringe. She and I were raised in polar opposite environments. I remember her mom making broccoli as a side dish for every meal we ever ate. Ding dongs were the side dish at my house. If we were lucky, it was served up with a can of ravioli. Mmm...mmm good. She grew up hating fast food. I grew up thinking it was fine dining. She stayed true to the lessons learned in childhood...like vegetable are important. But, so did I...dingdongs are invaluable!! So imagine her shock and dismay when I emailed her a recipe for spinach artichoke salad topped with fresh raspberries and light raspberry dressing!!!

The sound of coke as it pops and fizzles when poured over ice is the most beautiful sound...very much comparable to that of a baby's first cry....NAH, it's actually better! I can't even remember when the last time I partook in the joy of sipping on a nice cold one. I remember during our trip to Mexico, I went through a 24 hour span with out coke and felt so ill. Then I found out that the market on the corner sold 2 liters. My eyes dazzled like diamonds when my friend handed me one and I could feel the cool of the bottle against my hot flesh. My hands were trembling as I grabbed it from his and I clung to it protectively against my chest. So imagine Sheryl's shock when I told her that I kicked the habit and opted for water when Coke was available!!!

I've always went walking, but I have a severe case of the shin splints, so to think of running was BEYOND me. This is why I initially opted for biking. I'm not one who is really good at moving, so many people thought that this might be a bad idea considering my lack of coordination. Lord knows, I can't dance. When all my cousins get out on the dance floor and jam to our favorite 70's retro, I stand in the middle of them and take pictures. When they discuss trips to ski, hike, etc...I vote to stay at home. Running is way more movement than I am used to.

I'm not sure why the sudden changes are occurring. I'm not a head strong, determined person, so this is really quite unexplainable. However, one thing is for certain...I'm still the same old SusanVee. Be assured that I still talk too much, have random thoughts, know every word to 70's music that was made way before i was born, and my first love will always be Johnny Carino's Chocolate Cake....some things are just way too good to forget. I think I was just ready for a change. I'm tired of my sweaters, (RIP Black sweater that has been missing since January), looking pregnant in saris, and being identified as "the chubby girl." Most importantly, this gives me a sense of control in my uncontrollable life.