What did you have for lunch today?

not green beer...

This is what I'm having:

Half a cucumber
A few stalks of chopped kale
Two carrots
Handful of sprouts
Half an avocado
Teaspoon or so of agave nectar
Entire juice box of coconut water
Entire tray of ice (because I was trying to water it down)
Sprinkling of dried coconut
Hefty, hefty portion of courage

Blend, smell and sip.

At first I thought I wouldn't be able to get it down. It was really, really cold ('cuz that's what happens when you use an entire ice tray) and that actually made it worse for some reason. Once it warmed up a bit (and I realize that does not sound any more appetizing) it wasn't so bad. The carrot, coconut and agave nectar really sweetened things up though the sprouts were still the most distinct flavor. I don't love sprouts but I'm managing. I've made it about halfway through my first pint (though it's taken me about an hour). There's probably another pint and half left in the blender though so I could be drinking green vomit all afternoon. Yum. The weird thing is that despite all the water in the veggies (and the ice), the smoothie is making me so thirsty that I'm needing to drink a glass of water along with it. Huh.

I was inspired to make the veggie smoothie after watching Crazy Sexy Cancer with my mom last week. It's a documentary based on the film's writer and director, spunky 31-year-old Kris Carr, who was diagnosed with an incurable cancer which first showed itself in the form of twenty-four tumors on her liver. The life-affirming documentary follows Karr and a handful of other Crazy Sexy ladies as they all accept and explore their diagnoses. Karr also documents her transformation into a "healing junkie" which included a total diet overhaul and, yes, vegetable smoothies. I'm trying out some recipes now so when I tried to feed one to my mom I'll at least have a palatable concoction figured out. Or not. Karr also created Crazy Sexy Life, a fabulous website that I often visit for sound mind/body health advice.

So I'm drinking my smoothie, writing, and listening to a freshly downloaded Carole King album. This past weekend Dan and I took in the Carole King and James Taylor Troubadour Reunion concert in Boston and I haven't come down from the high of seeing a rocking 68-year-old King with her sexy blond curls moving all over that stage. James Taylor was James Taylor. His voice distinct, his songs enduring classics. He did not disappoint at all. But Carole King just absolutely engaged and floored me with her warmth and passion and vim. I knew some of her music though I wasn't familiar with her extensive list of songwriting credits or her God-given beauty, sass and general badassedness. It's like Tina Turner meets Mick Jagger meets Joni Mitchell. Her voice and presence is full of soul, the wisdom of her years, and a knowing heart. She was just so clearly enjoying herself and brought everyone right with her, connecting somehow with the massive TD Garden audience (as well as with just me alone). She really just pumped me up (as the best singers do in concert) and inspired in me a hunger for living that I've been out of touch with lately. I want to dance, I want to seek out adventures and I want to be able to rock black stilettos at 68 (even though I can't do that now). I have a massive, massive lady-crush.

So that's how today is for me. I don't really know how a hunger for life translates into a veggie smoothie but it's a start....

And a finish...time to refill.