Ch Ch Changing

That title is from a song. Do you know it?

Do you know any songs with the word ennui in them? I do. If you do, too, please share!

But to the point, I'm thinking this blog is changing again.

It has been my experience that for a blog to have a reader base there has to be a theme. You know what you are getting. You read that blog when you are in the mood for it's stated theme. Fine.

I have tried that and found myself feeling claustrophobic, in a sense. What word would Lucy from Charlie Brown's gang use to describe feeling trapped by theoretical confines I, myself, created? I have enjoyed writing about travel and will continue to do so but what about everything in between trips? For a while, I thought the in between would be filled with my pursuit of home loveliness and personal domestication. And sometimes it is. But more often the in between, the real stuff of life, has no theme. Life, at least mine, is an ongoing balance of work vs play, should vs want, mind vs body, etc. "Aspiring to the Middle" was always about finding a balance between the different parts of my life, which sometimes clash up against each other. And my goal has long been to be successful in all sorts of varied arenas, not to be the star in just one. So really, it makes sense that trying to box myself in to just talking/writing about a couple of topics felt yucky.

As a result, I hereby reclaim this blog. It will be not just about travel and home but everything and anything in between. As Cartman from South Park would gloriously say, "I'll do what I want". Some days I might write about television because it's all I can think about. Like last night I stayed up until 3:30 am, unwise the night before staring my new work week, so that I could watch multiple episodes of Downton Abbey and be up to date. And sometimes I might write about the books I like, a funny experience I had, or something more serious like a cause I am passionate about. You won't really know what you are getting if you choose to read.

But I'd encourage you to think of it like reaching into a goody bag of candy you filled at the bulk candy aisle of Wegman's; you will like whatever you pull out. Most of the time. Unless you get a stomach ache. Because I would argue that I am one of the quirkiest people I know and I think that makes me endlessly interesting. How's that for modesty? Even people who have known me for decades don't always get it right when they try to guess what I will think about something or what my reasoning behind something is. My brain works differently. My view of the world is different. And I hope that variety will entertain you, even if you don't see it coming.

So there you have it. Recreated.

Oprah: The Ultimate Achievement

The Lost Girls, who write a blog about three friends traveling and a book about the same (here), posted a link to an article by Oprah today that I felt the need to pass along. It comes on the heels of me and a friend having a recent conversation about how recognition from Oprah has become a sign that you really made it for women of our generation. Whether you like her or not, there's some little part of you that wants to be unique enough, special enough, amazing enough, inspirational enough, innovative enough to be invited to be a guest on Oprah's couch. To have her proclaim to the world that you are just wonderful. Look what it did for all those authors?! And Dr.Phil. And Nate Berkus or whatever his last name is (the point is Target carries his line now and the only thing more universally great than Oprah may be Target).

Once, I actually tried to contact Oprah. This is such an embarrassing story because it's super dorky to think you have an Oprah worthy enough idea that you actually research how to contact her. Do you think all the super special people she had on contacted her or were they humbly sitting at home not even expecting her adoration? They would like you to believe the latter but we all know it takes some good PR to make yourself known to the most influential woman on television. (Let's not even delve into her leaving her show and starting her own network). So anyway, back to my budding friendship with Oprah.....I admit that I was one of the people who loved Oprah's book club. I may not have liked every book but it was a good guide and I read quite a few of them. Around the same time, shortly after college I got a job as a case manager at a homeless shelter that housed women and their children. I truly wanted to mix things up and bring some valuable groups and programming to the organization. Here is where I bring it full circle, guys: I decided to start a book group with the homeless women using Oprah's recommended books!! While a local bookseller was kind enough to donate some books and I was able to create a library, it was much harder to get a number of the same book so we could all read the same thing at the same time and then get together to talk about it. This is where Oprah comes in!! I reached out to "her people", I think via email or something which, at the time, was as good as it got. Here I am thinking, "Oprah is going to eat this up! Book club, homeless mothers!".........

I have to trail off because the reality is just too bleak. Not only did I never get invited to the couch but no one ever responded and even sent me any books for my book club. Sad, right? I know you feel a little heavier in your heart right now and I thank you for your sympathy.

My rejection aside, time has passed and I can accept that Oprah is a busy lady and "her people" probably didn't give her the memo or I would be writing a very different version of this story to be featured in this month's "O" magazine. Since I am confident in that knowledge and I still dream of Oprah starting her show again and somehow shining through in some area and being recognized with the greatest honor that can be bestowed upon someone, I can still enjoy the wisdom that Oprah emanates. And so I give to you The-Top-20-Things-Oprah-Knows-for-Sure. (#s4 and 8 are my favorites).

I went missing again

I went missing again. Sorry. This time it was because I ran off to Costa Rica. But more on that later....
This was officially my last trip of 2011. It has been a great travel year. At first, traveling a lot this year was about doing the things I couldn't do once I started a family. A last hurrah, if you will. But it ended up planting a seed of learning about different ways to balance life. How to reduce stress but not run away. How to relax and be active at the same time. How to appreciate other cultures while recognizing my own. And, most of all, how to be grateful for the life I have created for myself at home. 

 

Musings of a Thirty Something

This weekend I celebrated my 31st birthday. Last year, hitting the milestone of 30 felt like a big deal and cause for a party, as I ushered in a new decade and a new number with which to start my age. 31 feels like the 1991 of ages. 1990 is still too much like the 80's to be distinct but '91 starts to really be "the 90's". Using this logic, 31 means I'm really in "my 30's" so I spent this weekend quietly reflecting on what that means, both to me and in the broader society. 

Some researchers talk about the concept of a "thrisis", a wordsmash for a thirty-something crisis. (By the way, what is it about the world these days that everything has to be combined....brangelina? speidi? Are we really in such a hurry??) The premise is that people have bought into an idea of happiness that includes getting married, getting a house, getting a good job, etc. but once they get those things, they finally step back and wonder if that's what they wanted all along. Unlike the mid-life crisis we grew up seeing in movies and expecting in our 40's, thirty-somethings realize there's still time to make changes and get life on track. The trouble then becomes defining what happiness means to you, as an individual. 

On the flip side, most people I talk to express that their thirties were the most fun. They often talk about being confused and figuring things out in their twenties and getting to sit back and enjoy their thirties. Many people relate to feeling more confident, less worried about what others think, as they leave their twenties behind. It seems like we have set ourselves up to be molded up to this point and get to really define ourselves now, a true coming-of-age experience. I definitely find myself keeping a smaller social circle and investing more in myself and the people and activities that really bring me joy, rather than trying to keep in touch with everyone. But maybe that's just because Facebook keeps everyone in touch all the time! (not in an unwelcome way, in my opinion)

So I look forward to 31 beginning a new chapter. I can be proud of the things I have accomplished, going down the checklist: marriage, home, education, career. People can continue to bug me about the next item on their checklist: baby. And maybe that will be next, who knows. But I can also revel in the fact that these things have brought me to a point where I can create opportunities for myself. In many ways, at 31 I have more options open to me than I did at 21. Real, viable options that can come to fruition in a year instead of a decade. I have enough stability to pursue my love of traveling and enough youth left to make those adventures really exciting. For an example from real life last week, in one day I met with the sheriff about prison programming and went to a Poison concert in a mini skirt at night. Here's to the 30's being the most fulfilling decade yet!

   

Self Care: More than a Concept

Right after I wrote up and published my post about my blogger identity crisis, I had a bit of what Oprah would call an Aha! moment. It's like airing my personal frustration and putting it all out in the Universe cleared my mind again.
The things I write about actually have a common thread of which I wasn't totally aware. They are all about "Self Care". Unsure of if this term is actually used in the real world or if we just made it up in the human service field, let me clarify that this self explanatory phrase is just a shortcut to capture any activities that help you replenish yourself. For me, these things include physical activity, spirituality, mind numbing pop culture, reading, humor, fixing up the house and, of course, travel! Those are the things I tend to blog about, too. They are the things that bring me pleasure, relaxation, escape.
At work, people sometimes tease me about being the self care queen. Part of the ritual I have worked into the closing of our support groups is to have everyone "check out" at the end of group with one thing they will do that week to take care of themselves, treat themselves. Sometimes it's as simple as getting a fountain soda! (I actually had a woman call me last week to let me know she had bought her very own soda, not to be shared with her kids.) One survivor of domestic violence that I have worked with for years, when asked what the organization has done for her so eloquently reported " taught me about self care as a concept and that I was deserving of it".
How amazing is that? What a gift! That, to me, totally speaks to the "give a man a fish/teach him to fish" proverb.
Maybe that's what my posts bring to the blogging world: A reminder to do the things that make you happy. To indulge a little bit each day. To take at least a brief break from nurturing everyone around you to nurture yourself.

Blogger Identity Crisis

The blog has been quiet for a few days because I'm having a blogger identity crisis.

Do I write about whatever I want to on a given day or do I need more of a theme? Is there anyone out there who would be interested in the same things I am? At the moment, I'm addicted to reading other people's travel blogs but I don't think I travel enough yet to warrant that being my only focus. (I'm working on it, though!) A couple months ago, I was all about home decorating blogs (but then I ran out of rooms to keep playing with).

A friend who runs a writing group told me that some of the unique categories I fit into would be interesting fodder for a blog: domestic violence victim advocate, religious minority, triathlete. But here are some problems with that:
1. I am pretty sure I am the only not-great-at-practicing Mormon who is passionate about social justice and is a mediocre multi sport athlete.
2. Which gets to my next problem of not being great or conventional at most of those unique categories.... Religiously, I practice in a way most others don't and hold some beliefs and behaviors that are clearly outside the norm. Athletically, while I love to swim, and like to bike, I don't have very warm feelings or strong skill sets around running and am only doing one race this summer.
3. On the work front, I usually can't write about specifics because of confidentiality and safety and, let's be honest, it's not what I look forward to coming home and expounding on after a long, hard day.

So the point is that I don't know what my point is. Most days I want to write about what I am most excited about, which, at the moment is traveling. But some days I just want to write about the wacky story in the news, a good book I read, a great movie I saw, or the fun I have found in every day life that week. Most of my friends write Mommy Blogs so may not have run into this existential crisis:)
I am open to ideas, here, folks!

The Lost Girls

I just finished reading The Lost Girls, which I now want to recommend. It's about three girls who leave their NYC jobs to do a round the world trip for a year. I was immediately drawn to this when I stumbled across its existence while indulging my current favorite time suck of reading people's travel blogs.
I have dozens of pages earmarked for future blog inspiration and am definitely passing my copy along to my "road sister" Siobhan, who I know will start creating spreadsheets about future trips to at least a handful of the countries the Lost Girls visit in the book. Thanks to their travels, Laos may have just been added to my to-see list.
Speaking of, what's on your to-see list? I think I need to commit mine to paper ala the Bucket List. (I do have a mini bucket list already jotted down, do you?)
I can't wait to discuss some travel epiphanies with someone else who reads this. Thanks to the authors for representing the nexus of the quarter life crisis with wanderlust!

Hold on to that Feeling!

Do you know what song that line is from? I will reveal the answer at the end of this post:)

In line with the vacation glow post from yesterday and how to hold on to it, we actually spent some time talking about this in one of my meetings at work today. Just being able to right that is pretty cool-that I work someplace that thinks that's a valuable commodity worth discussing as a group.

I thought I would share some of the ideas that popped up:
Each day, instead of writing a to-do list, write a "done" list to show what you were proud of doing that day.
Keep a gratitude journal. Write three things each day that you are grateful for. It helps you focus on the good stuff in your day instead of the bad. I did this for a while and found myself being grateful for landscapers planting tulips for me to look at. Kinda extreme Pollyanna but a great sentiment, nonetheless.
Keep a more stringent work schedule. 8 hours. Don't be proud of yourself for being stressed out. Don't buy into the culture that it's cool to work 12 hour days and be stressed out all the time.
Take local trips. Sightsee in the city nearest you!
Remember that work is just a job. Even if it's really important work. Save a little something for your life with your loved ones and your hobbies.
Focus on the ways your job is easy, not the ways your job is hard.

Not bad for a Monday and my first day back at work after a two week-first trip to mainland Europe-fantasy getaway, eh?

Oh, I almost forgot to post the answer the trivia question! It's from Don't Stop Believin'

Health and Fitness: Splurge or Save?

I come from big people. My family is intimately knowledgeable about procedures such as gastric bypass. I'm not a hater but it's definitely something I have to be aware of for myself.
I was not an athletic kid. I didn't do much by way of teams in high school. I have what famous female triathlete Sally Edwards coined "adult onset athleticism". I have had very positive experiences training for things with groups. First, I raised funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and hiked in the Grand Canyon (I'm strongly considering fundraising and hiking with them again). I met great friends that I still see frequently five years later. The best thing about those friends is that we share an interest in hiking so we can get together on the trails instead of just going out to dinner.
Right on the tails of that experience, I signed up for a training group for my first triathlon. I paid for the training group, which I attended twice a week. I went the all women route for comfort for my first race and I loved it and was totally hooked. I have been a volunteer workout leader with the same coach every summer since then. Again, I have made a wonderful group of friends who I can meet up with swims, bikes, and runs, as well as a few dinners.
Through my experiences, I came up with a little list of things I think are worth splurging on and other things I think you can save your money on.
Splurge:

• Gym membership. I currently have two. One I love for it's classes. I, myself, am more motivated to get to the gym if there's a specific time I have to be there. The other gym I go to for it's total convenience. There are no classes but it's open 24 hours a day and I can walk from my house. Of course, you can totally do amazing workouts without a gym but I think if you are just starting out, a little structure can help.
• Healthy foods. Produce can get pricey but if you love strawberries so much and you know you will eat them, they are worth buying even if they are not on sale. Since for me the alternative would be snacking on something that will make me need to go to the gym for, it's better to just spend the extra dollar or two.
• Fitness magazines. I get three of these sent to my house. The articles and tips give me new ideas and help get me back on focus. Just seeing the cover of my Runner's magazine reminds me that I need to schedule a run.
• Proper footwear. I get fitted for my sneakers to make sure I am buying the kind that best suit my run/walk. Knock on wood, I have never had a foot/knee/leg injury thus far from running.
• Music. I get excited to workout if I have new songs to listen to on my Ipod.
• Race entry to an event you really want to complete. Having a day on a calendar that you have to work up to is extremely motivating. Don't set an unrealistic goal; start small. But it's doable!! Races can be expensive so don't go overboard and sign up for a ton. Pick wisely-read up on what kind of goodies you get, look at pictures to get a sense of the race environment and pick something that fits your style. I think women's races are super supportive and I try not to do a race that doesn't have a shirt I want:)

Save: 

• Fancy workout clothes. Unless buying a snazzy new outfit motivates you to go, I find I have collected a ton of wicking fabric shirts from the races I have done. You will likely find there are a few specific items you really want to purchase. For me, it was tri shorts, which are like bike shorts with a little less padding but they really help the comfort on the bike. But the first year I hiked, I didn't go out and buy fancy moisture wicking underwear and gear. I wore wool sweaters and casual swishy pants instead of the high tech zipper pants. 
• Supplements. If you do a tiny bit of research, you can find natural food sources that replenish you as well, if not better, than workout products. For example, chocolate milk after a muscle workout. I now use a powdered drink mix on my bikes and runs that I love but it took a good amount of learning about what my body needed before that was a good purchase. When you are starting out you don't need to load up on products.
• Fancy equipment. Again, don't spend a ton of money on a hobby that you aren't sure you love yet. If you start biking and love it, you can buy last year's model for a cheaper price. I started on a cheaper bike my first season and only upgraded year 2 or 3, when I knew the hobby was going to stick around.
• Name brand stuff. Kind of back to point one, you can get a good sports bra at Target for a fraction of the price you would spend at one of the specialty stores in the mall.
• Workout videos (if you don't actually use them!!). You can also try a bunch of them out on Netflix.
• Personal training. Ok, this one is controversial. I think personal training is great and motivating. I just think that you should get to the gym and try out some of the cardio machines to see if you can really roll with this environment before you spend big money on something you don't want to stick to. 
• Low fat foods/Frozen yogurt/diet products. Low fat foods tend to have more sugar than the original. Get the foods you really want, regardless of whether they are low fat or not and eat in moderation. If you deprive yourself of something entirely, you will go nuts focusing on it. And diet products are generally not healthy and are just gimmicks. I knew a woman whose sister dropped dead in her 30s from appetite suppressants. They mess with your heart. Do it the healthy way and load up on fiber and water.

I hope this helps some people who are starting out! I'd love to hear from other people about what works for them, too.

Why do you travel?

 Being between two major trips, I have been thinking a lot about travel....and trying to find all sorts of eloquent ways to rationalize spending way too much money on it.

Yesterday I saw a post on facebook of a man holding a sign with all sorts of inspiring mantras. I would give the appropriate credit to the author if I could read the writing at the bottom of the sign but I can't. Alas, one of the wonderful little tidbits is "Travel often. Getting lost will help you find yourself." I find this to be very true. You learn so much about yourself when you travel.

My friend Siobhan, who is the mastermind of the Spain trip a few weeks from now, asked me in an email while I was in Iceland if I had any "travel epiphanies" yet. At the time I wasn't totally aware of having them but then I realized I had been noting all sorts of differences and weighing the comparisons to what I knew and placing a judgment. In doing so, I learned the things I appreciated about my life. I also bring a travel journal with me when I go away. On my last trip, which came at a time I desperately needed a break from work and my regular life stress, I took notes on what I was doing on vacation that was helping me feel relaxed, that I could possibly bring back to my "real life" and incorporate. You can find a post about that here.

http://everything-everywhere.com/ This is another blog to check out if you are interested in travel. I think of this guy as the Rick Steves (http://www.ricksteves.com/) of blogging. Yesterday's post was "Seeing things for yourself: Another reason to travel". He recounts a travel story that was strikingly similar to one I had with a welcoming, long haired man at an Icelandic nightspot. The moral of the story is that the media sometimes feeds us an image of certain places and people but you have to experience certain things for yourself! And you will likely find the world is actually a little kinder than you have thought....


POST SCRIPT: http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/why-did-you-start-traveling/ Too appropriate not to add!

Power to the Peaceful

Last night I had a dream about being at a Michael Franti concert and it's totally shaping my today. If you are not familiar with this music, please close this page and go to itunes immediately to hear some. OR you could go to his website http://michaelfranti.com/ and hear some samples and learn more about him.
I think he is wonderful, clearly. I love music but I also love passionate people with a good cause. I get both from Michael Franti and Spearhead. Two years ago they played a show with the Counting Crows, who I LOVE LOVE LOVE. The show was so energetic and dynamic!!! I left feeling great and with a new band to follow.
One of the things I love about Counting Crows, other than the delicious Adam Duritz and his crooning, meaningful lyrics, is that he always makes announcements about local organizations to help. At each show, they have local non-profits tabling to let folks know about ways to volunteer or otherwise support the good work. To sweeten the pot even more, Counting Crows always has a local domestic violence agency as one of the highlighted organizations. Be still my social justice seeking heart!!!!!!!
Similarly, at one of Micheal Franti and Spearhead's shows at the Boston House of Blues, I got to write a letter to my state representative to express issues I care about that I think government should, too. You can register to vote at the concert: music helping young people be more responsible and aware! And Michael Franti's music is all about peace and love. It sounds so hippy but the music has a reggae flavor and you jump along to it. Oh, to be there now....
So, I saw, via facebook, that they are coming to Connecticut in June. Some parts of CT are very accessible from the Boston area. Alas, when I mapquested the spot they are playing, it's about 3 hours away on a Monday night. That's a no-go with the gas prices the way they are. And so far there are no closer shows. I am Jack's overwhelming sense of disappointment (Fight Club reference if you were wondering).
Since I can't go live my dream, I thought I would at least share it with you. Enjoy the music!!
PS.Did I mention that he hasn't worn shoes in like a decade?? Awesome!

Born to Run

I'm having trouble posting from my cell today so I can't share any pictures with you but here's what I have coming up: pictures from my Etsy shopping spree and pictures of Stella the model-cat with my new curtains. If that doesn't pull you back to read my next couple of posts then I don't know what will. Haha.

So have you read Born to Run? It seems like people everywhere I go are talking to me about the book and the concepts behind it. You can learn more by clicking here. In the shortest summary ever, it's about the history and rationale of the barefoot running movement. Despite the obvious goofiness of the appearance of the five finger shoes, the movement has a lure akin to a charismatic leader (and there are other versions of shoes that don't outline your toes). My chiropractor (Dr. Chris) was one of the more recent people to talk to me about the book and he offered to let me borrow the book on CD. With a couple long car rides under my belt to visit my bestie who is in town for the week, I have gotten to the second disc in as many days. Point being, I am still a novice to the concept of barefoot running but am very interested in it.

Another thing Born to Run mentions is the benefit of chia seeds. A few of the ladies I do triathlon training with have mentioned chia seeds in the past and two of them sell Mila, a form of them which you can find here if you are so inclined. I think I am going to give this a try, as well.

The point of this post is not to bore you to tears with running theory if you are not a runner (which I can barely identify with because I am horrible at it and slow but it is part of my training when I am doing that). The point is to 1. talk about what is on my mind 2. set forth a public proclamation that I am going to get back in gear in terms of fitness and want to set the stage for me to follow up on that here 3. potentially recruit some like minded friends who would like to check in with me, too, about fitness goals and how they plan to achieve them.

From May-early October, I usually do a pretty good job of staying active. Winter in New England takes a toll on me and gets me a little too comfortable staying warm on a cushioned surface than it should. So it's that time of year to get motivated again. Who is with me???

Boston Marathon!

The Amazing Hoyts! If you don't know about this father/son pair, you need to read up on them, which you can do here. The father, who has now had multiple heart surgeries, pushes his son in the marathon every year. They have also done Ironman triathlons, where he pulled his son in a raft behind him. Talk about inspirational!!

Need a porty potty?

The start line!!

Runner's village, where the athletes are prior to the race.

Look at all of them!!

The runners go off in waves so this is a point where they are a little more spaced out.


The runners loved Mr. Bagpipe Man and so did I!! His daughter was running so he was waiting for her and playing for the runners in the meantime. It was moving to see so  many people give thumbs up or thank you waves to him. He left about halfway through to go see his daughter at another spot along the race route. Please note that he is wearing my amazing Iceland glove things to keep his hands warm:)

And so, the 115th running of the Boston Marathon passed on Monday. It was a little chilly for viewers but perfect race temp for the runners and lots of personal records and even questionable world records were set (there's a long story there). It was awesome to see Kara Goucher go by-can't believe she just had a baby and has abs of steel!! I had about six friends running and saw about half of them go by. I love hugs from runner friends along the course!! One friend even threw her gloves and fuel belt for me to hold onto so she could go the rest of the long route with less baggage.
Going to the marathon each year is one of my favorite family traditions. We stand in the same place every year and cheer for the athletes, especially Team in Training. While they are all sore from running 26.2 miles, I have a sore forearm from so much cowbell ringing! 

PS, I really need to learn more about my mobile blogger so I don't have to post the pictures first and write all of this immediately after.

Happy Monday!

For once, I actually feel like my weekend was long! I didn't do much that is noteworthy this weekend. What about you?
Here's what I did do:
I slept a lot. I think I have the sleep equivalent of a tapeworm. The need for sleep is really insatiable. I took naps both weekend days. In fact, I went to church yesterday and was basically excused to go home by my mom and my bishop because I was so tired I was like out of it. You would think I was doing something exciting on Saturday night! But no, I stayed in all day Saturday, with the exception of a walk to the grocery store.
Oh, and I bought frames for the products of my Etsy binge last month. I got three really cute pieces that now just need to find their home on the wall. One piece was a larger, odder size. I looked into matting and framing it but it was going to have to be a custom order. Do you have any idea what that costs?????? Coo Coo amounts. So, while it would have looked nicer matted and in a frame to size, I trimmed the edges and crammed it into a regular frame and saved $230. I'm sure it wouldn't have looked $230 worth of nicer so I feel great about my decision.
I made a yummy fruit salad to mimic one that I had at work last week. I skipped the raspberries, my favorite, because they were $4.99 for a small package. I did include pineapple, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes. Yum. I also made my favorite salad and some chicken and ravioli. That should feed me for a couple days:)
I caught up on a bunch of DVRd shows. I adore my DVR and the convenience it has brought to my life. Remember when you had to run home for your favorite show? Or worse, you had to find someone to tape it for you?? I watched  hours of Secret Millionaire. So good and inspirational. I finally watched the Teen Mom 2 reunion show, a show on the Challenger from January and an episode of the Colony that has been on there for months.
To balance out the tv time, I did also read. I wish time would stand still when I read. I really want to keep seeing what happens with the story but you can't really multitask while reading so I never have enough time. Or it segues to a nap.
So, I hope your weekend was as restful as mine and perhaps more noteworthy!

Helllllooooo again!

A wonderful little thing called vacation tore me away from you for a while. It was sooooo needed and I feel very refreshed. I took some notes on how to hang on the the vacation hangover.
Some ideas:
walk more, spend time outside, read, journal, make fewer to-do lists, soak in warm water, tv is good, don't try so hard, be less scheduled, sleep, sightsee, try new restaurants, care a little less about the details, spend less time on the computer, empty your head, fantacize about life lists, plan your next trip, think about what you are grateful for.
Most importantly: work isn't life-just a means of funding experiences.

The best part is that my next vacation is only six weeks away! Then it will be full blown summer!! Hooray! (That deserves an extra whoop of joy since it snowed today-nice April Fool's joke Mother Nature). Case in point, below is a picture of Iceland yesterday; THIS is a picture of Massachusetts today. Really?

A walk in the park

I'm so bad at downloading my pictures! (Why I need a fancy new phone) But since the cord has been found, here are some photos from my walk in the park. I was feeling not-so-great and needed some rejuvination. Some fresh air was part of my solution. It was really beautiful out there!

I have to admit that as picturesque as this scene is, I'm super glad that the snow magically melted over the weekend and dead grass has emerged. Hooray for Spring!

Thoughts on Marching to her Own Drum

http://www.mormonwomen.com/2011/02/09/marching-to-her-own-drum/

I really enjoyed reading about the drummer from Neon Trees and her journey to unite her religion with her musical life...until she realized that they didn't have to be two separate things. For me, it ties back to my first blog post in which I talked about aligning my own work with  my religion. In contrast, my work life seems much easier to meld in since my church life focuses on service, as does my work life. But maybe I need to make more peace with them being less distinct. Of course it's more than that, though. It's lifestyle and belief system, not just work.

Elaine Bradley talks about feeling like God didn't want her to be happy, which, in part, I believe has to do with feeling this dichotomy is necessary. When I think about something as small as my nose ring, I really don't believe it's God that takes issue with it; it's the woman sitting in front of me at church. And like Elaine, I like to think honesty is an overriding theme in my life. I am a lot of things but I am not fake. (I will admit this has led me to some trouble at times!!) While some wear their hearts on their sleeves-good fit for nearing Valentine's Day?- I wear my social justice in my nose. I can't make myself feel that my Heavenly Father dislikes that about me, as much as the collective "you" may want me to.

This woman really gives me pause and inspiration. I hope she will for you, too.

Gratitude

"Selfless and noble acts are the most radiant in the biography of souls"-David Thomas

Yesterday in church we talked about gratitude.

Before I even got there, in my car I had been thinking about ways to verbalize my appreciation for a family who was moving across the country and giving their goodbye talks that day. Oddly, the word "glowing" kept coming to mind. I thought it was just my non-morning-person brain functioning at a low level, able only to think of how shiny all their blond hair is. It turned into a metaphor, though. Glowing also relates to being a "shining example" and not hiding your proverbial light under a bushel. What I wanted to express gratitude for was service, fellowship, and example that was offered to me. Later that day, when I sat down to write out a card, I looked up quotes to aptly say thank you and the one above was the first one I read. Pretty amazing that it would follow the visual lighting theme of the day.

Part of the lesson about gratitude posed the question, "Are you thankful for your challenges?". Obviously, that is a harder task than being grateful for the wonderful things in the world like tulips, Nutella, and indoor plumbing. I will spare you my launch into the woes of my life and the requisite lessons I have learned from them, which are the silver linings for which I am grateful. I encourage you to give pause to this thought, though.

Both Oprah and a former clinical supervisor of mine recommended keeping a gratitude journal. There's plenty of research that shows that people who focus on the things they are grateful for each day are happier people. This is often a tool used in couple's therapy, too. I have a palm sized notebook that I can carry with me or easily keep next to my bed, and I try to list at least three things from that day I appreciated. I try not to duplicate these items from day to day but to find new things to be grateful for each day. It's pretty cool how this opens your eyes to see the good in the world, certainly not what we are used to hearing about!

I am by no means Pollyanna. Complaining is a favorite past time, in fact. Curmudgeon comments are a favorite quirk of mine. I guess I have to have something to balance that out, though.

So, in an effort to do so today, I will share my list with you and encourage you to share yours with me or someone else or just to write it down someplace. I always start the same way.

1/24/11
I am grateful for...
1. The turquoise sweatshirt I bought this afternoon
2. The sudoku book a client brought me today to keep me happy at court
3. A warm coat (It was negative two this morning!! Oh, and I still saw a man wearing just a t-shirt; we are hearty folk here in New England!)

Lululemon Manifesto:Aspire-ations

 If you would rather read in a more linear fashion, you can see it here http://www.lululemon.com/about/culture

Two of my favorite suggestions from the manifesto are:

 Dance, sing, floss and travel.

Aren't you excited when you get to see new places and cultures? Don't you feel proud when you remove particles from your teeth? And speaking of dancing, have you tried the Just Dance game(probably not the actual title) on Wii? It's awesome!

Write down your short and long-term GOALS . Two personal, two business and two health goals for the next 1, 5 and 10 years.

This is huge in the company's culture. I interviewed for a part time position there (which I am still nursing a wound from not getting-I didn't realize my graduate degree didn't qualify me to hang sports bras in an aesthetic manner) . Regardless, I still love the message and culture Lululemon embodies. I saw something similar in one of my SELF magazines a couple years ago and cut it out to glue into my journal. It really helped me to focus on getting where I wanted to be. I set a goal to be a homeowner in five years but just sitting down and coming up with that goal put it at the forefront of my mind and we bought our own place within the year! Ok, that goal might have been pushed to the front of the list because we were living in a school with 20+ teenaged girls to look after, just saying.

Anyway, this is nice, concise list of little tidbits of things to aspire to (which are cutely placed on all of their reusable bags) .  I have exercise on my mind after my first long-ish run in months last night and the resulting sore legs today. I still wish, though, that some of those New Years resolution folks would give up, already, and leave some space in my gym classes....