This recipe was one of my favorites from Friday night. It's a complete departure from my usual cooking style - the Standard American Diet (SAD), as I like to think - as it brings in all kinds of new spices, aromas and flavors not usually found in our home. Submitted by my friend Michele, as soon as she entered the house, I tracked her dish to the table and tapped my fork impatiently, wondered silently when we were going to start eating. Roasted to a lovely yellow hue, cauliflower with potatoes sizzled happily in their dish. Man, I was all in. I wanted some of those 'taters. 

So I happily share this dish with you. I haven't made it yet since I'm still enjoying the leftovers (the benefit of hosting!) but it seems fairly straightforward. It's hearty enough to enjoy as an entrée and would make a great dinner as the weather cools off. I'm a fan of any complete meal you can eat in a bowl. Can't wait to curl up with this next winter. Or for those of you in the Midwest, that would be tomorrow. Has it stopped snowing?

Major thanks to Michele for opening my eyes AND taste buds to a new and very welcomed recipe!

Gobi Aloo (Indian Style Cauliflower with Potatoes)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp ginger paste

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 ground turmeric

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 garam masala

salt to taste

1 pound cauliflower

1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional; I recognize cilantro is a polarizing herb. If you are in the "hate it" camp, just omit it)

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the cumin seeds, garlic and ginger paste. Cook about 1 minute, until garlic is slightly browned. Add the potatoes. Season with turmeric, paprika, cumin, garam masala, and salt. Cover and continue cooking 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Mix the cauliflower and cilantro into the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Stirring occasionally, continue cooking 10 minutes or until potatoes and cauliflower are tender.

Serves 4 (or two if you are very hungry...)

Ah, what a question. I probably get it three to four times a week now.

The simple answer: I have no idea.


The longer answer? It's a process, one that is evolving over time. Each day, I learn something new.

First, what is it? Technically, veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. So no butter, eggs, fish, meat, and cheese. It does include grains, beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables and all of ways you can combine those ingredients (giving you an infinite number of options).

For me, the idea of living a meat-free, dairy-free, animal-product-free life came about last October. I honestly didn't think athletes (and I'm very cautious to refer to myself as an "athlete" - those are people that are super fit, right? I'm just a girl who likes to run) could exist on a meat-free diet. We need protein, right? Lots of it! But after reading Born to Run and Eat & Run, both books heavily promote a very simple, very clean plant-based diet. I have yet to purchase a sack of pinole, but let me tell you, Christopher McDougall convinced me to start eating chia seeds. And they are delicious.

It was really Scott Jurek and his experiences (and recipes!) that made me feel like this was possible. And not just possible, but actually necessary if I wanted to run long distances. I read Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet back in January 2013 but it wasn't a good fit. The story was compelling - she cured her stage 4 liver cancer through a complete overhaul of her diet, namely removing all animal products and juicing up a storm of organic veggies. But at one point in the book, she addresses exercise and states, yeah sure, workout two or three times a week, you know, if you can.

"...if you can..."???

I shuddered when I read that.

My five-day-a-week boot camp schedule combined with running was not optional. Hill Day was rigorous enough that I would not survive the hour on kale and beet juice alone. I put the book up on the shelf and never looked at it again.

Then Scott Jurek came into my life. If he can train, run, and WIN 135-mile ultras, well, I'm all ears.  He has to eat protein in order to build and recover his muscles and still maintain a huge store of glycogen to help him get through those runs. His experience was much more applicable then Kris' advice. 

(Perhaps you are wondering just how much protein we really need? Here's a helpful tip: per Runner's World, the average human needs about .5 grams of protein per their body weight per day. So if you are 140 pounds, you will need 70 grams of protein each day. For "athletes" - again, not sure if that's me, but I am running 45 miles this week - the number goes up to .7 grams of protein per day, so about 98 grams of protein.)

There are all kinds of plant-based proteins out there, too. Check it out:

With the recipes in Scott's book, along with Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Robert Martin (photos by Quentin Bacon! Does anyone else think that is funny, too?), I slowly - slooooowly - started subbing animals out and bringing plants in. Taking chicken out was by far the hardest, since I was eating it at least once a day. I started adding beans to my salad instead: Garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans, anything that had additional protein in it. Quinoa became a staple in our pantry and a permanent fixture on our tile floor. (Love quinoa but man, that stuff gets everywhere. It's like the glitter of the grain world).  

I'll occasionally add in a vegan protein shake (25g) after a particularly tough Hill Day or long run, and I'm good. I'm not concerned at all about not getting enough, since my diet is chock full of all of the things listed above (minus peanut butter. I use Justin's Almond Butter and am fairly confident I've developed a dependence on that nut butter...)

I noticed around Christmas that I just felt better. Maybe I was still high from the marathon, who knows. I felt freakishly strong and seemed to recover faster and faster from tough workouts. I noticed my upper arms leaned out. My face became more narrow. The scale hadn't moved since the pre-marathon days but my jeans (the new ones!) were loose. And best of all, my tummy wasn't a mess. I literally felt lighter.

I really made a push to maintain really meat-free through the winter. It was weird not ordering steak or shrimp cocktail at Flemings. At Carnevino one night, I requested a vegan entrée and they literally brought out a giant plate of grilled vegetables. I'll admit, it wasn't the best or most creative dish, but it still fit within my dietary parameters. Formerly a huge fan of their bread and that butter-y dipping sauce (it's lard, let's face it. That's why it tastes so good), I didn't have a bite. I actually felt better mentally and physically for passing on that one.

Despite that disappointing plate of vegetables, I felt more empowered than deprived. The healthier I ate, the more I craved healthy food. "Cheat" meals were no longer appetizing. The thought of McDonald's hamburger actually makes me gag, and ditto for those fries. Any food that does not decompose within weeks of sitting at room temperature should NOT be consumed by human beings. It should be burned at the stake and its ashes disposed of properly. I get a little giddy at Whole Foods these days, poking through the grain bar or studying the dried beans. Vegan chicken salad made with seitan at the deli? Yes, please!  

Obviously, I'm still learning. Just a few weeks ago, a waiter brought my salad over (we were at a mostly vegan café) and apologized profusely. "I believe your salad dressing has honey in it," he explained with remorse. "That's fine..." I replied slowly, not understanding. Then it dawned on me - oh, honey is an animal product! And then I got annoyed. Really? Really?? As my friend and fellow veggie-lover Gabi succinctly put it, it's not like we are whipping the bees. Don't they just do that..naturally? Are any bees being harmed in the making of this product?

And that's when I realized how complicate this whole thing was - and how, like anything, it can be taken to many different levels. Many Asian restaurants use fish sauce in their dishes. Gelatin is an animal product and frequently used in frozen yogurt. The list of "sneaky" animal products, as I like to think of them, can go on and on. I don't want to become obsessive and I don't want to become neurotic, where every food is off-limits or potentially harmful. I just want to feel good and run long distances (without dying).

So am I vegan? I don't know. Brian still offers me bites of his steak when we are out at a restaurant. I usually take him up on it half of the time. I've been dairy-free for almost five years now, which happened rather expectantly. It's really been a blessing especially when you picture your colon digesting cheese (ew!). Eggs continue to be my huckleberry, whether they are for breakfast or tucked into a delicious baked good like a scone or lemon cookie...my legendary sweet tooth has been tough to tame.

Did you know Skittles are technically vegan? You can find a whole bunch of "technically" vegan products but it doesn't mean you are healthy. "Avoiding animal products" is not the same as "eating a plant-based diet." Back in college, I was a vegetarian. At the time, I think I did it just to piss off my parents (sorry, Mom). It certainly didn't mean I was eating healthy - far from it. I was a Cheetoh-eating, Coke-drinking "vegetarian." But I felt strongly about not eating meat and even had my own column in the school paper ("Going Green" by Kim Scott, complete with a tiny headshot.) Ironically enough, my vegetarianism ended on my first date with Brian in 2002 when he offered me - what else? - a bite of his steak.

(Aw, he was even sharing his food with me back then.)

Is vegan for everyone? I don't know that either. The thing is, I just feel better. I think I was always meant to eat like this. On a whim, I read up on blood types and diet. I'm A+ (or A plus, as I like to think), and the description made me laugh out loud. "My people" - us Type A'ers - pushed through the north of Africa, having exhausted the the great game herds, into Europe and Asia...eventually we were able to forego the usual hand-to-mouth eating habit of hunter/gatherers and establish stable communities and harvest grains. Over the years,  we evolved to the point that the digestive enzymes that break down and metabolize animal protein and fat were phased out...making the vegetarian lifestyle the ideal one. 

So it's all starting to make sense...I'm a slow-moving, grain-loving grazer. No wonder I've never been 100% comfortable eating cow...perhaps I am one.

Science or pseudoscience? I have no idea. But it's interesting to note, particularly when I read Brian's Type O description. It said in no uncertain terms should he adapt the vegan lifestyle. Type Os are "aggressive predators" and thrive on a diet rich in lean meats and veggies. He breathed a visible sigh of relief when I read that, since nothing makes him happier than a good steak.

(Check out your blood type here. If it's not accurate, at least it's fun!)

So there you have it. Vegan, non-vegan, you decide. Am I going to give up honey? I don't know. Do I want to eat animal flesh? Not right now. Is being vegan a challenge at times, particularly when dining at a friend's house? Absolutely, and the last thing I want to do is put someone out of their way. So I like to think of myself as "vegan with benefits," doing what I can with what I have. After all, flexibility is a good thing.

(And in honor of veganism, I'll post a few of my favorite recipes this week! Stay tuned.)

What started as a simple idea blossomed into something truly remarkable this weekend.

Back in early May, my friend Kat and I (same one doing the ultra with me in August) were chatting over Facebook about some new vegan recipes. (She also happens to be a Scott Jurek-devotee, hence the meatless slant.) Our other friend Michele joined the conversation and casually asked if she could come over while we are cooking, since the recipes sounded so good. We laughed, traded dates, and then suddenly...

...VeganFest 2014 was born.

It was a gorgeous night full of awesome food - appetizing, pleasant, savory, scrumptious. I absorbed more about vegan cooking on Friday night than I've learned over the past six months. I realized that going vegan isn't about trying to find alternative to animal products, but instead, truly eating a plant-based diet. Those are two very different things when you really think about it.

(You are probably wondering - when did Kim become vegan? That's a great question. It will be addressed in tomorrow's blog entry along with a number of other pressing concerns in "So...Are You Vegan Now?")

The food - let's get back to the food. It's really amazing what you can do without meat or dairy. And at the end of the night, I realized I wasn't worried about spoilage or the food sitting out too long. There was no risk of meat going bad, the mayo turning, or cheese developing that oily surface. There was just an overabundance of healthy, veggie-based dishes, each more colorful than the next.  

Check it out:

This is just a tiny sampling of what was offered - since most people brought a dish, food arrived in shifts. Just as we were sitting down to eat, a fantastic sweet potato and long grain rice concoction showed up. Then right before dessert, this phenomenal spiral pasta with a chunky tomato sauce and soy sausage arrived. People went back for seconds, thirds, even fourths. Those blondie brownies that I posted way back in January were a huge hit. I mean, it was like VeganThanksgiving. So much food, so many happy people...the wine was flowing and the conversation was deep. I literally couldn't stop smiling.

As I told a friend the next day, it was meta.

Paul Graham, the "Vegan King of Las Vegas" and purveyor of that pasta, was also in attendance. He recently wrote a book called "Vegan Eats in Vegas" and is known as the authority figure on all things vegan here. (check out his blog: http://eatingveganinvegas.tumblr.com)  I had no idea but Nacho Daddy has a vegan nacho option or every single restaurant in the Wynn has a vegan menu. Nice. So many great places to go without feeling like you are the only one not diving into the petite filet or cheese appetizer. I commented to him how zen the night felt and he replied, "When you take animal products out of the equation, kindness emanates."

Indeed, Paul.

The overall consensus was VeganFest must go on. Maybe in the fall months when it's a bit cooler (and I'm not getting up at 4:30 to run). I'd love to host again. Best, what I learned the most is meat-eating friends should definitely come. This is not an exclusionary event. The amount of ideas exchanged in that five hour block of time would help anyone with meal-planning options/getting healthier, whether you are meat-free everyday or just on Monday. Or very, very rarely, like my husband.

I can state with authority - Brian had a good time too. Yes, he went to BBQ with Scotty and Uncle Jim before the party and yes, he posted on Facebook (for the fifth time in his entire Facebook presence) that they ingested "a whole chicken and half of a pig." But by the time he got home, put the boy to bed and grabbed a beer, he had fun chatting with everyone, too.

See? Kindness emanating. Everywhere.

Carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore...everyone is welcome. :-)  

I received a lot of questions (and compliments! Thank you, thank you) on the dress I wore to the recent Junior League luncheon. It was fun to wear - pink, poofy, and totally girl-y. Best of all, it had pockets. POCKETS! I waxed poetic about the pockets in the dress for a solid twenty minutes to anyone who would listen. A lover of function more than form, pockets mean one thing to me: snack-storage.

Events can be long, exhausting affairs. Almonds and jelly beans are a girl's best friend.

Before I head down the pockets-rock-path again (several people at the luncheon who were present during my pocket soliloquy just rolled their eyes), I'll give you the specs on the dress. Made by Theia, it's their "Fuschia Palm Party Dress." Necklace by Kate Spade. The dress retails for $438 and the necklace goes to $348.

Are we that flush and dropping $800 on an outfit for a luncheon is the norm? Of course, darling. We also bath in champagne and light our cigars with hundred dollar bills.

Hell no. No, no, no. This is not Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous...more like, Lifestyles of People Who Shop at Costco (with Coupons).

I didn't buy my outfit. I rented it. 
 
Yup, rented it - for $90. $75 for the dress, $15 for the necklace.

Same for the Gala dress I wore back in March. A Carmen Marc Valvo gown that retails for $1275, I wore for $140.

Tacky? Brilliant? Both? You decide.

My dear friend Tiffany first told me about Rent the Runway back in February. She showed up for a fun night in Vegas wearing an amazing blue dress with a darling scalloped edge. Super cute and it fit her like a glove. When I complimented her, she told me with a giggle that she had rented it. Initially, I was confused. What if you spill on the dress? How much does it cost to return it? What if you order a dress and it doesn't fit? 

She patiently gave me the deets: you browse through as many dresses as you'd like on their website or app (www.renttherunway). There are also two stores in the US where you can actually go in and try on dresses - one in NYC and one here in Vegas (what an incredible stroke of luck!). The pop-up store at the Cosmopolitan doesn't have a huge inventory, but it does have incredibly helpful employees called "Go-to Gal" that style you from head to toe. Kind of like a best friend, but more honest.

The website is organized by event - Black Tie, Cocktail, Bridal (bridal?? That's so smart!), Daytime, Beach, City, and Get Recommendations. As you read the reviews on each dress, you can also see real people (with real heights and weights listed) offering their own experiences. Like with the Carmen Marc Valvo gown - it runs short. Even though I'm only 5'6" (and essentially the standard height for women), I ordered a long AND made sure to pair it with two inch heels, not sky-high 4"-5" ones. And it worked out just right, as the hem gently grazed the top of my foot. For the Theia dress, the back was completely open. Aside from my cringe-worthy racer-back tan lines from running (whoops), I knew I would have to wear a strapless bra to make it work. It was nice to know what to expect before the dress arrived.

Back in March, with Gala just a few weeks away, I drove down the to Strip to check it out. Locals get an additional 20% off if you come in on Monday nights. I love a good discount, and this just kept getting better. My Go-to Gal patiently worked with me to try on as many dresses as she could carry - and even then, when I couldn't find anything I liked in the store, she sat down with me and scrolled through the website, pointing out dresses that would work with my body shape. We nixed every strapless, one-shoulder and unstructured dress on the page; super model proportions, I do not have. But she didn't make me feel self-conscious or embarrassed. If anything, I walked out after selecting my dress feeling as my dress was just right. And it was.  

Once you've selected your dress, they send you two sizes, just in case. (Whew!)  It arrives two days before your event and you ship it back in the pre-paid envelope. If your event is on a Saturday, the dress will arrive Thursday night and you'll put it in the mail on Monday morning. Easy-peasy. Also factored into the cost of the rental is dress insurance, so stains, normal wear, and the cost of dry cleaning is already taken care of. I don't know what happens if you trash the dress...but we are all ladies here, right? No one is going to trash their dress...

When my Gala gown arrived, it fit beautifully but there was a serious rip in the delicate gold overlay, right on my right thigh. It wasn't noticeable unless you looked closely, but I was worried a long night out would make the rip bigger, especially as I sat down. I frantically emailed the company and got an immediate response -- they would ship a brand-new dress to me overnight, arriving on Saturday morning, no questions asked.

Sure enough, when I opened the door that morning, my brand-spanking-new dress was waiting for me. The dress was so pretty my only regret was that I couldn't buy it too.


Ditto for the accessories. The Kate Spade Solarium Bib Necklace from the May Luncheon was so gorgeous that I just had to wear it again. So I paired it with my Mother's Day dress this past Sunday.

During brunch, two separate tables stopped me (one woman actually grabbed by arm, not letting me pass) to comment on my outfit. I felt like a million bucks standing by the donut bar. That $15 necklace rental just turned into a $7.50 cost since I got two wearings out of it. Mmm, tiny donuts.


A friend once counted the number of dresses in my closet - it was over 80. (and this was several years ago...). I don't need any more dresses. Purchasing a dress - and wearing it only once or twice - is a giant gut punch to the budget. But renting them? I could get away with that. More room in the closet, no old gowns collecting dust. And best of all, I can wear something new for every event!

I just signed up for their PRO service - for $29 a year, I get free shipping and insurance on all rentals, including a FREE dress for my birthday! What?? I don't really celebrate my birthday, but now that I get to wear a pretty (new-ish) dress? Well, looks like the celebration just got a little bit bigger. I have four months to pick out the perfect outfit...

Have you tried Rent the Runway? Did you love it? Comment below as I would love to hear your experience. And just to be clear, this was not a sponsored post. I just feel the need to share this since dressing up is fun, regardless of how old you are. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Like many mothers, we had a great day over here. Perfect weather, lovely flowers, an amazing brunch. But best of all, I received the best gift I could have asked for, courtesy of his school - a glimpse into his tiny brain. His teacher helped him fill out a few questions for an "About Mom" project, giving me a rare (and brutally honest) chance to see how he views "Mom." I think it's funny, too, because I get so caught up in the day-to-day banality of it all, trying so hard to be a good mom (but failing spectacularly on many, many occasions) that I occasionally forget that he has an opinion about all of this. And me, apparently. Who knew?

Some of my favorite responses:

-- My mom really likes to...go to Shark Reef.

(Bit of transference, perhaps?)

-- Things in my mom's purse...jellybeans.

(Shh, kid! That's our secret!)

-- My mom's hair is...brown.

(Yikes, time to touch up my roots...)

-- My mom always forgets to...get gas.

(Well, this is a less-than-flattering portrayal)

-- She is as tall as...a wall.

(dying)

-- My favorite thing about my mom is...that she cooks.

(huh? You don't eat anything, especially my cooking!)

-- My mom is happy when...I jump on the couch.

(Keep believing that, my child, and you'll keep going to time out).

And finally, he capped it all off with a picture of me, complete with red eyes, fangs, and made of rainbows.

What can I say? He's his own little person. With thoughts and opinions and feelings.

And frills...and food in his mouth.

::sigh::

I'm just so glad he's mine. :-)

Since I began running almost three years ago, I've witnessed some of truly amazing acts of kindness at races and with other runners. These events that have reawakened my belief in the good of the human race - seriously. I say that without a trace of sarcasm. It's hard to be acerbic when friends show up to races with cupcakes, smiles and signs. Or when you see parents pushing wheel-chair bound kids so they too can experience that feeling of "flying." Just recently, one of the major stories out of Boston was about four runners who literally carried another runner, each holding a leg or arm, over the finish line, messing up their times (and possible PRs) but allowing this guy to finish. I couldn't finish the article without wiping away a few tears.  The positivity, the compassion, the charitable good-will -- this is running. And it's an amazing thing in which to be a part.  

Except this Saturday. I did not experience an ounce of anything good during my long run.   

I will admit, I made some mistakes. First, I got out of the house too late. We've been on a bit of a Lego kick here in the Boschee home, so when Scotty woke up at 7:15, I went downstairs to build with him. (It all started with a deep desire to restore the Lego castle to its former glory. Once we rebuilt the castle, I organized the rest of the pieces and couldn't stop. Legos are fun!)

My early run morphed into a "later morning" run. No problem.

Then, I grossly underestimated the weather. It's been windy in Vegas for the last few weeks, making the temperature seem cooler. My weather app told me we were looking at a high of 97, but we hadn't hit any highs lately so I dismissed it. I packed 20 ounces of water for 10 miles - a ridiculous amount, if you asked me. I mean, just the day before, I run the exact same route (minus five) with not a drop of water. It was at 4:30am, but I was fine. I had done seven earlier that week with no water. I'm training myself to be a camel.

Very bad idea.

By mile 5 of this Saturday's run, I was completely dry. I couldn't believe I had sucked down both bottles - and my throat was still parched. The wind, hot, dusty, and unrelenting, was killing me - it was like a hair dryer blowing directly in my face. A quick temperature read showed 88 at 10am and climbing. My path had zero shade and the Vegas sun was downright unforgiving. I knew I was rapidly overheating, so when I saw an errant stream of water shooting over someone's brick wall, I scampered up the embankment and just hung my head in the stream for a good two minutes. It felt heavenly.

Brian and Scotty flew by me in the car on mile 7. They mistook my frantic waving to be an overzealous acknowledgement of their presence. With no phone, I couldn't call Brian and tell him what was really going on. Plus, they were late for swimming lessons. I decided on the next best thing: stop by a store and ask for water. Even better, maybe I could refill my bottle and be on my way. After all, I'm in civilization. Water is plentiful and people are kind, right?

When I burst into the PT's (a local bar/tavern type establishment for you non-Vegas folks), I caught sight of my reflection in the doors. My face was beet-red and caked with salt. I was soaking wet from my sprinkler shower. I looked like a disaster. I ripped my ear buds out, paused the Garmin, and made a bee-line for the bar. There were only two people in the whole building; the bartender and a guy eating breakfast.

I explained to the bartender I was out for a run and ran out of water. Would she be so kind as to help me? She started walking towards the cups but then paused. "Are you ordering food?" she asked. I tried to not let the surprise register on my face. "Um...no," I told her. "I'm out for a" [gesturing to my clothing, watch, hydration belt and general disheveled appearance] "long run." She frowned. "You aren't supposed to get a drink without ordering food," she stated curtly.

I nodded like, sure, sure. Of course. Rules, love them! "Totally get it," I said, trying to not let my annoyance show. Just hand me the water, lady. "That's so nice of you to still help me, really appreciate it." I smiled at her like, we're in this together!  Honey, not vinegar. By now, she had filled the plastic glass and I could literally hear the ice cubes clinking together. It sounded like church music. I think I may have stuck a dry tongue out in anticipation.

She slowly moved to my end of the bar (slowly...so slowly). With the glass in hand, arm outstretched, my hot, sweaty hand clawed for it. She paused again. "Do you have your ID?"

I must have looked surprised because she pulled her arm back. "I can't give you this without ID."

I blinked. "What do you mean, ID? I'm running right now. I'm -" I turned my Garmin so she could see the watch face "- eight and a half miles in to a long run. I don't have my ID with me."

She paused. And then dumped the water out.

"Sorry."


You know the expression "seeing red"? I get it now. Because that morning, on that run, in that PT's, I saw red like I've never seen. Having a glass of cold, thirst-quenching water within arm's reach - and then to watch it be so unceremoniously poured out - made something in my brain explode. Vibrant hues of crimson flooded my vision and that very important connection between my brain and my mouth, the one that censors what you think versus what you actually say - unhinged. 

I don't know how coherent I sounded, dry mouth and all, and I don't remember everything I said. But I may have put a pox on her house. (Kim goes Shakespearian when angry...who knew?) I may have told her she was unchristian (aren't they supposed to give drink to the thirsty?). I do know several expletives came out in a choked fashion and I shouted "Shame on you! SHAME! SHAME ON YOOOOOOUUUUUU!" multiple times. (I know, really hit her where it hurts. Disapproval is my only weapon). My attempt to burst through the exit door was thwarted because it was too heavy, making me unable to slam it shut. It closed with a gentle "whoosh." So much for a dramatic exit. 


And there you have it: liability trumped basic human decency. Instead of doing the right thing, she chose to follow the rules. Kohlberg's theory on moral decision making, anyone? Milgram's study on obedience? Let's rise up and become post-conventional thinkers. Rules are not absolute. Basic human rights, such as life, liberty and cold water -- these are things most important, particularly on a hot Saturday morning.

What is even more concerning, if you play it out -- what if a sixteen year old cross country runner came in, desperate for water? She would refuse because he is underage?  That seems downright cruel, particularly given the minor status. I'd like to think that if I saw anyone (anyone - even cyclists) in need, I, much like, you, would do everything in our power to help them.

(Even cyclists...)  

I made it home safely, obviously. I reminded myself people on "Naked and Afraid" go three days without water; my 90-minute jaunt was merely uncomfortable, not dangerous. I was fine. And like every bad run, there was very good lesson to be learned: put the Legos down, pack more water. And go to Starbucks instead.