An Update

Announcement: I'll be blogging a bit more at this site. I've loved this site for a long time. This blog has been scattered - much like my journal entries. I've outlined my journey with weight...I've reflected on diversity...I've stumbled through SAD. And this blog has been great to me. But I've been inspired by one of my best friends to start a new blog. I've also been reading some of the blogs that inspire me...and I think I need a fresh start. I'm sitting in a newly clean house, the door is open while Kenley walks our new dog and I'm amazed that it's the middle of February. Since I began this blog I left my former place of employment, I started hanging out at a new place of employment aka a place I like to call therapy...and I'm coming up on my 30th birthday. As I looked at this blog for inspiration for a new title...I saw my list of 30 till 30...and dang. I actually did some of this stuff...let's see...this is a nice way to close this blog for a bit.

• Design new tattoo - yep! Jason is helping!
• Get professional photos taken for birthday - I'd like to say i'll do this in my 30th year
• Keep in touch with friends and family - doing this in new ways with my new job...random afternoon hangouts in a friend's garden...that counts
• Make Savings Plan - somewhat 
• Meditate, Pray, Journal in Mornings - have gotten better at journaling in the morning!
• Not watch Fresh Prince and SBTB every morning - well, with my new schedule I can't do this...all of the time
• Participate in no spending month (August) - have been doing this in February...looks like we're doing it in March too!
• Plan 30th Birthday Vacation Package - I need help and inspiration with this
• Run Outside - YEP! Have done this...two times this week!
• Sign up for swimming lessons - Did it and swam! Fun!
• Start and Complete P90X - That's a hard one...I can't find inspiration in our basement right now...hopefully after we clean it I will! 
• Start and complete Turbo Fire - same thing
• Track Meals Daily (calories/points/being full/hungry) - rejoined WW and need to actually do the plan. dang. 
• Write a chapter to the book I want to write about health & being a black woman - Dear friend Mandy gifted me an amazing book on spiritual practices and writing...I hope to get back into a better practice of writing again...after all...I went to school for two degrees that sort of taught me how to write. 

bikram...writing...and more

I practice Bikram yoga. I'm entering into my second week...I'm in absolute love with Bikram. I sweat. I vomit (today I threw up). And I love how I feel after we end our practice.

I'm writing more...i'm about to finish my first audio project...like...so close to finishing. I'm excited. I love hearing how the music finds the perfect way to complement the words...oh how I love it.

Breathing, Reading and the like

2011 came quietly for me. K and I celebrated by staying in for the evening, playing a bit of wii and telling each other I love you when the new year actually arrived.

My dear friend Liz wrote about 2011. And I was very much inspired.

This is what's happened in 2011 so far...things i've thought about...read...and the like :)

Breathing and yoga. I've known that yoga needs to be a part of my regular routine for a LONG time. I'm going to enjoy a two-week trial with a new friend and coworker this week. We're going to be friends with Bikram yoga...I love to sweat...I think :).

I am on a teaching sabbatical from the Y. I began feeling bitter when I would arrive to class on Saturdays and one person would be there...and that person would expect me to just teach for ten minutes and then leave. It wasn't helpful for anyone. I'm already ready to go back and teach sometime in the spring. I've enjoyed taking different classes. I went to Council Bluffs to try out a bootcamp with an awesome friend...and then tried out Zumba at the Omaha Ballroom....it was AWESOME.

Welcoming...We welcomed a new dog into the house. K and I took a little staycation in Omaha. I loved planning it and just being tourists in a familiar city. Our first stop was to the humane society...whoops. :) But oh how we love this new dog. His name is Buddy. He's half chihuahua and dachshund. A puppy...year and a half and full of energy. He's jet black and is freaking adorable. Pictures soon. I miss Dolly every single day still. She had such a presence and grace about her.

Work. I enjoy Trader Joe's a lot. It's been somewhat of a place of therapy for me...I arrive and leave without stress or pressure. I'm processing the past five years of my time here in Omaha through bagging groceries, making small talk with customers and giving stickers to rowdy children.

Writing. I love to write. A few writing opportunities came my way recently through facebook and questioning...I'm writing a reflection for a mother who wanted to mark this sacred time of her life. I interviewed her with my computer and writing...and will provide somewhat of This American Life audio....and a written reflection. I will also interview a couple who will be entering into the realms of long-distance love because of circumstances beyond their control. Hmm.

Reading. I'm trying to read a lot these days...from A Course in Weight Loss to the Widow of the South...i'm reading. What are you reading?

Friendships. I've always had this problem...there comes a time when I feel (note, I feel, not think or know) that I've been the only one in the friendship who has done any pursuing..that's not always the case, but sometimes I convince myself that it's the truth. I've made an effort to be more spontaneous with my time - working retail and all of that jazz...:) and that's been a huge joy to me. Going to Delice with Daphne to playing the Wii and having dinner with Cald and B...and lunch with Mar...and more. It's been a fun way of growing friendships :) I've got to get ready for lunch with Liz aka Dotty now!

What's 2011 been like for ya?

2011...what's been good?

What's been real real real good about 2011 so far?

I love that I'm learning to smile more and more.

I love learning to cook more. I love being inspired to eat better and cleaner. I love laughing. I love dreaming!

Working Retail and Working Out

For those of you who work retail (or have schedules that change fairly often) how do you find the motivation to work out when all you want to do is nap, catch up on emails, watch tv??

For instance, I'll have a 5 am shift, i'll get home around 1 and all I want to do is sleep.

Even if I have time to get up and work out, I'll still want to take a nap.

And then the other question is...if you work a 4-12 shift...do you eat when you get home? I will usually have breakfast around 11, eat my 'lunch' around 2 (which might be a protein bar) and then have my dinner at some point in my shift...and then get home and might be hungry...thoughts?!

Boundaries and no overbooking

I just put it out there all over facebook and twitter that I'm supposed to be doing a pretty time-intensive hair style. And i'm blogging. This will be a quick blog.

I've overbooked one too many times. And I'm feeling it. Today I taught my last Turbo class for a few months. I'm taking a few months off of teaching. I will still continue to take classes, but I need to listen to my body and care for it in new ways. I realized that I kept thinking of self-care in terms of when I used to take care of myself that way or when I was like that and it hit me...this isn't just a new year, it's a new me. I'm tired of living in the past and trying to relive the past...i'm enjoying 2011 already.

Oh and I'm not overbooking myself in social situations. If you want to hang with me, find me :) or i'll find you. Hey, we'll find each other.

Now, I have a date with my hair stylist. Me.