I have no bread. But I did have cheese. And more cheese. Brie-esque local creamy gooey cheese. I ate all that up. And some local cheddarjack kinda thing, which I ate half up. With crackers. Now I am full full full of cheeeeeeeese!

I realized the other day that giving up bread would not actually be that difficult for me at all. I hardly ever have bread on hand at home. But giving up carbs? Crackers? Granola? Noodles in my pho? Uh, no. Not happening.

I think I need to do with bread (and other things) what I've done with bacon and am attempting to do with other meats. Give up anything but the best. So, supermarket bacon - out. Crappy bread - out. The super thick, meaty, expensive bacon from the local farm - okay. Grass fed beef - okay. Homemade or other really good breads - okay. Free range eggs - okay.

I'm not going to eat those much, and when I do, I expect to enjoy them thoroughly. But this method cuts way down on my consumption day to day consumption without losing the stuff you really appreciate, and makes me put my money where my mouth is w/r/t sustainability and animal care. Need to investigate some things a little more, but I'm going to try pushing this a little bit further anyway.

(This is mostly for at home eating, but I need to do more of that too.)

I'll never give up bread or cheese. They are sacred.

I do not have bread. I have pie. rhubarb pie, that is all mine. Matt doesn't like it and even if he did he is in Portland for the next 10 days - so it would still be all mine

That's one of the things Michael Pollen stresses in his latest book: quality not quantity. If you use that mantra it generally helps you eat less and usually means you're supporting sustainability, etc.

ETA: I'm finally leaving to go put on some pants!

7.9 earthquake in China. Many dead.

Wallybee lived in Chengdu until she was 12.

Wallybee lived in Chengdu until she was 12.

Does she have family there, bt?

It's worrisome.

Ugh, I can't imagine how she's feeling.

Does she have family there, bt?

No, her (uni-educated) parents were both sent to Chengdu from Shanghai as part of a policy to develop the hinterland (and to keep possible bourgeois elements out of the way). Sent separately, they met there, which is kind of cool. All her family is back around Shanghai or Zhejiang province. But Wallybee called home anyway, given the shocks could be felt over most of the country.

Ugh, I can't imagine how she's feeling.

Yeah, she's been clocking a lot of time on the Chinese news sites.

I was talking to one of my coworkers today who spent the summer after she got married in Chengdu -- not even anywhere near spending her childhood, and yet she was just about in shock over it. I'm sure it's a hundred times worse for Wallybee. Much love coming her way.