I had the loveliest sunset run tonight. It had been warm and sunny all day long (not my favorite running weather at all; I prefer gray and drippy), but by dusk it seemed cool enough, and my legs felt light enough, and I decided it was time to tackle hill repeats again. I added an extra trip up the hill — one more than the last time I did this workout — and it wasn’t until that last long climb that I felt any of the muscle fatigue that’s been bothering me during all of this Not-Quite Whole30 experiment. It was such a relief to feel like I was able to run well. Slogging up the hill is always hard, to be sure, but I felt capable the entire time. On the way down, I was flying. I like to relax and let gravity pull me down, no brakes.

What changed? I’d like to credit it to having oatmeal for breakfast. In reality, I have no idea if it was the oatmeal, but let’s say it was. Since that one time I ate quinoa (allowed according to my own super-special, rebellious, whole-grain exception policy), I’ve also eaten brown rice once and oatmeal twice. I guess what’s happening is, after three weeks or so fo following the normal rules, I’m now doing something like the Whole30 reintroduction plan, and I am reintroducing gluten-free whole grains. Sugar, dairy, and booze are still verboten until the end of the month. Good enough for me.

I feel a bit one-note over here lately, talking about nothing but food. Sorry. I’ll be back to normal soon. Just imagine the daily whining my boyfriend has to undergo: every time he asks if I need anything from the store, I come up with some ridiculous response like “A bottle of wine that’s not really wine because it has no sugar or alcohol in it, so, like water? Which I already have for free? But thanks for asking.” So I’m a real treat.

Here’s another topic: I really loved my outfit today. Maybe my closet boredom and blues are coming to an end. The dress is from Old Navy, and when I bought it a few weeks ago it was on sale for, I believe, $19. Go getcha one! (Yes, I’m still posting work outfits on tumblr; follow along over there if you like.)

In ukulele news, I am (hopefully) going to go visit a ukulele specialty store in Atlanta this weekend to play around with some and see how I like them. I am excited! Basically, as soon as I am done with the Great Not-Quite Whole30 Experiment, I will have a new topic with which to bore you: learning a new instrument.

(That’s me and my high school BFF marching in some local parade — I had to go dig this photo out of my personal archives last week when I heard that my high school’s marching band would be performing in the inaugural parade. Ah, happy band memories. I’m not sure why we were allowed to wear jeans and polos for whatever event this was, but I sure am thankful today that this photo doesn’t involve our military-style maroon uniforms complete with shakos and 18″ feather plumes. I wouldn’t want y’all to be jealous of how fucking fabulous we looked.)

If I had $2000 to spare, I’d get myself a baritone saxomophone just like my old one (which I never owned, rather borrowed from the high school) and jam out just like Lisa Simpson and Bleedin’ Gums Murphy. But I don’t, so I will have to settle for being super cool like my newest musical obsession, Sophie Madeleine. Go look at her YouTube channel, or listen to her albums. I luff her.

All righty. See? I drummed up some non-food content. Aren’t you proud of me?