Sunday, January 10, 2010

Lazy Sunday and Oatmeal Pancakes

Good morning! I am seriously wishing this Sunday could last for a few more days. I am completely exhausted and coughing my head off.

I promised yesterday I would tell you about the delicious pancakes I had for breakfast yesterday! I used Tina's recipe for Oatmeal Pancakes except I put some sliced apples in mine and then just dipped it in a little real maple syrup.


These pancakes tasted delicious and they were PACKED with protein from the oatmeal, egg whites AND greek yogurt. Yet, for some odd reason I was hungry about an hour after I ate them. I'm not sure if it was because I woke up late and then went to the gym, so I ate kind of late? No idea. I really enjoy eating them though so I am going to make them again on a normal morning and see how they do at filling me up.

So last night I went to dinner at this delicious Italian restaurant that happens to be in the town that I teach in. I've been there 3 times before without running into anyone, but I know it's obviously a possibility that I will run into one of my kids or at least their parents. I'm okay with it. However, last night just as I was finishing up dinner this guy I have never seen before sat next to me and said, "Looks like we are eating dinner with the kindergarten teachers tonight" and I was like huh?
I quickly recovered and realized it must be one of those, he knows who I am but I have no clue who he is type of things. He went on to explain that he has a daughter in another K class, introduced himself, made some joke about how I must not be able to go anywhere in this town without being "recognized" etc etc. Not a big deal.

However, these kind of situations always make me laugh. I consider myself a relatively social person, but I am not big on initiating awkward situations for no reason. If I see someone I know, but not well and I know I have nothing to say to them, I will definitely look the other way unless I know they have seen me too. I am just not one of those people who purposely goes out of my way to have the, "so what are you doing now?" conversation with people. Before you think I am completely anti-social, I don't mean if I ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in awhile I would pretend not to see her. I mean random people I was never friends with, but maybe had history with me in 8th grade.

If it was me in a restaurant and I saw a teacher that didn't know me, but I knew who she was... I'd probably just sit down and later mention to my imaginary daughter, "I saw Ms. So and So at dinner tonight."

I brought this up on the way home and Eric said that the guy probably thought I'd see him around school and be thinking "ugh, I sat next to him at dinner and he didn't even say hi!" Haha. Yeah right, like I would ever remember who was sitting next to me at dinner OR expect someone I do not know at all to say hi to me. But I see his point...I also just think some people enjoy chatting with random people more than I do. What are you like? Would you introduce yourself to someone random like a teacher at your child's school that you don't know? Would you go out of your way to chat with someone you do not know well?

I find this stuff fascinating. Maybe I should have been a Sociology major...

Anyway, on tap for today is finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good mystery. I'm hoping to start a new book today since my goal is to read 4 books this month. Not sure what kind of free time I was expecting to have with that goal in mind! But I'll try anyway.

I hope everyone has a great Sunday, and that my Elliptical Challengers get some minutes in :)


25 comments:

  1. I totally get where you're coming from. For one, I hate small talk, and I'm also awful at handling myself in awkward situations. I always tell people that I'm not stuck up, I generally just don't speak unless spoken too (ie, I'm typically not the person who initiates a conversation). I'm more of a smile, "hi, how are you" type person, and move on.

    Also, I NEVER bug people in restaurants. I hate it when people come over to chat and I'm like "helloooo, nice to see you but my food is getting cold!!" :P

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with you about awkward run-ins. If I see someone I recognize but don't know that wel, I will just walk the other way...especially if it's in the grocery store and I am in sweats without make-up...or especially if it's a student or family from school. I am actually surprised how little I run into students/families around here since I live SO close to the school, but it hasn't really happened that much so far...

    ReplyDelete
  3. All of my teacher friends always say it's super awkward when they are in the grocery store and run into students....especially if they are buying beer!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Those pancakes look really delicious and hearty!

    And I totally agree with you about the awkward encounters! lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. I used to work at a doctor's office and I ran into patients all the time. Of course I would forget who they were by the end of the day and ALWAYS had the awkard moment of acting like I knew who they were! I am an expert at being awkward :)

    Have a great day- those pancakes look fabu!

    ReplyDelete
  6. that does sound awkward! but i am totally guilty of chatting with random people. when i was a kid i was so embarrassed when my mom would do that, but now i do exactly the same thing!

    by the way, i DID get to the gym yesterday and i was on that elliptical trainer for 90 minutes! i did not know they turned off after an hour, i feel so cool that i know that now. am feeling it in my thighs and calves, BUT i went to the christmas gathering afterward and felt no guilt about eating since i had burned well over 600 calories that morning :)

    and if it weren't for your challenge, i probably would not even have gone. whoo hoo! thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am so on your side with the random person coming up and talking to you. I wouldn't do that. If I were out and saw someone that I kind of recognized but don't really know and they didn't recognize me, I would keep my mouth shut and keep going on my merry way! lol

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hmm I definitely will be trying those pancakes. They look delish!

    ReplyDelete
  9. why do people feel the need to be so damn awkward sometimes? I feel the same way about people who feel the need to fill in the silence with generic, mindless conversation.

    those pancakes look great, girl!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am just like you in the sense that if I don't know someone well and I don't have anything to say, I am not going out of my way just to talk. That makes it so awkward!

    ReplyDelete
  11. The pancakes look great!
    I'm one of those annoying people who talks to everyone, I'll admit it. Sometimes I'm not in the mood to chat, and I even hate it when people talk to me randomly, but 95% of the time I AM THAT PERSON. haha. I don't know why I am like that, I think I got it from my mom. Nick thinks I'm crazy. Maybe I am :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I will add to that though...I wouldn't ever randomly sit next to someone I didn't know, and eat next to them. No way. I just like to talk in grocery lines, or make small talk out in public, not when sitting down for a meal. I'd rather be alone that with someone random I don't know...or even barely know.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I started it once but then started reading something else. I heard it was great, must pick it up again soon!

    I saw your comment on Melissa Nibbles and just wanted to tell you that I do think doing the Core Fusion DVD once or twice will show you results. They say 3 times a week is what will really transform your body though, but even when I used to go to the class sporadically I noticed changes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. i can totallllly see where you must get chatted up all the time!! I hate small talk and I'm not very good at it, so I have been trying to work on it because I figure it's just a fact of life

    ReplyDelete
  15. Just thought I'd stop by and leave a comment! I've been reading your blog for awhile and wanted to say hi!

    Definitely the same way for awkward encounters.. not a fan!

    -Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  16. shoot, i tried to remember everyone, but i failed :( next time we might need to find a bigger location!

    those pancakes look amazing, and if i was in the least bit hungry, i might even make them for dinner. seeing as it's 9:30, i think i ate too many cookies :/

    i don't strike up random conversations, but i've been thinking i should try and be a bit more relaxed when there's a conversation starter like that!

    ReplyDelete
  17. My grandpa is the type of man who will talk to ANYONE and EVERYONE he sees! It's actually pretty funny to watch because he puts anyone at ease and can get them to open up about ANYTHING!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I make pancakes like that pretty often and I find it helps to bulk them up with squash, sweet potato, or a banana!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I wouldn't start up a conversation with someone I didn't know. But I am just shy that way. I would think to myself, "that person won't remember me." I kind of admire folks who can be forward like that. But there is a place in the middle, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am not real good with this kind of situation..but I am pretty introverted. The hub is not at all so I leave this to him.
    Pancakes do not keep me full at all unless I eat a ton of them so I stay away.

    ReplyDelete
  21. im not great at that stuff, most of the time i pretend i didnt see that person, unless its someone i hung out with in school.. or its their parent.. i run the other way! most of the time if im out im on a schedule and can weasel my way out of a trapped conversation fast. haha.

    ReplyDelete
  22. haha awkward encounters are the BEST...I mean not really but I love hearing about others peoples encoutners, when it happens to me..not so funny LOL

    the pancakes look SO GOOD and delicious and protein packed=big bonus!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. It's been about 2 weeks since I've had pancakes. Yours look delicious! Haha. Now I just need the motivation to make some.

    ReplyDelete
  24. my teacher friend (middle school) always complains about running into people out in public. shopping, eating, whatever. haha. i'm glad you don't seem to have that issue :)

    i'm not a-social but i am quite awkward. i'd probably avoid the person... especially if i'd never talked to them before.

    ReplyDelete