Snow Days

Wow, so far this month has been *snowy*! Digging out a few times in the past couple of weeks, and trying to keep my frigid apartment somewhat warm.
Eating dinner in the warm bathtub is not unheard of, LOL.

School is under way, panic attacks and revelations all happening right on cue. Planning research projects, writing papers, increasing hours at the library all mark mid-semester. I'd like to take a few days off from work next month and go a little nuts on schoolwork. Focused time is precious!

Doing my own research study on weight gain, apparently, ha ha. It's titled 'How eating a lot severely alters which clothes fit'...

Spent last Friday and Saturday in a lifespan class, then had a celebration lunch on Saturday with my sister and brother in law, their two little ones, and my college roommate, her husband, and their 1 1/2 children...the '1/2' due March 6th. We went for Indian, indulging in our love for the cuisine and hoping the spice might kick my friend into labor...nothing yet :)

My lovely boyfriend and I celebrated Valentine's with roses, chocolate (for him), some music, and the Indian lunch. I'm very lucky to have him in my life and love him more and more each day; he's an amazing caregiver and takes better care of me than I do!
Yesterday he even took my kitty to the vet in the snowstorm for her annual exam, and then back at my place he set up my coffee pot so it was all ready for me this morning! It's the little things...I know.

Oh and I'm not even mentioning the Olympics! I'm relatively addicted and want to watch as much as possible. Last night I watched Lindsey Jacobellis disqualify, bummer! Men's figure skating, wow those are some flashy costumes! I'm amazed by these athletes, and also by their humanness, which I appreciate, given the level at which they perform. It reminds me of the value of imperfectionism as well as the difficulty of what they're doing (and how easy they make it look, overall!)

I'm an Olympic procrastinator, so I better get going on my tasks for the day.
Have a lovely one!

Food, Inc

Spring Semester has begun, and I'm feeling more calm this time around. I think I actually have more work than last semester, if that's possible, but either it hasn't hit me yet or I'm pretty confident that hey...it'll all get done. Always does!

My pre-clinical training class is really fun/interesting. We're taught exactly how a session goes and exactly...what to say, really. A beginning therapist's dream :)

Another class, Substance Abuse, seems chock full of projects/papers/books. I'm reading Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp and I totally recommend it. We were also asked to give something up that we do/enjoy every day, for ten weeks. I gave up chocolate, and instantly regretted it, ha! Maybe when the 10 weeks is done, I won't even want it anymore. I'll...keep you posted. Or, you'll hear that I've run off to be the editor at Chocolatier Magazine and am in full swing training my chocolate lab while learning the art of fondue.

Have brought my yoga practice out of the studio and into my living room, due to class costs and time restraints! Enjoying some David Life and Sharon Gannon DVD's as well as an Ashtange Primary Series on YouTube and a mix of a couple other ones. I want to develop my second bedroom into more of a yoga space...any ideas?

I got into a bit of a Netflix/iTunes movie groove this past weekend with Bob, and we watched Ashtanga, NY (with Pattabhi Jois!) and Food, Inc. OhhhhhmyGod. Please, please watch it. And please, please do what you can to stop factory farming by supporting your local farms and organic fare.
A common misconception is that if you support organic foods, you have to eat ONLY organic. That isn't true! There are certain animal products (meat, milk, eggs) and fruits/vegetables (pears, strawberries, grapes, bell peppers, spinach, potatoes) to name a few that are Must-Buy organic, but there are also lists of the same types of things that DON'T have to be organic. So, learn what's safe and supportive and go from there. You can find so much information online; it's easy, you have no excuse!
Awareness is the answer!

Progress, not perfection!

Wow.
I really need to start playing nice.
Lately I've been playing this game called eat-bad-food-get-really-stressed-yell-at-your-boyfriend.
Trust me, it's not a game you can win, so you may as well put it back in the box and send it back to the factory for an overhaul.

I know that I'm anxious about upcoming changes this year, and that finances really can hit me over the head and cause a bit of confusion and upset, but come ON now. Enough is enough and I'm making everyone around me probably want to run screaming.

Sooooooooo I'm trying to get out of this funk. Think of others, meditate, laugh at the little things and not take life so seriously.

This week: School starts Wednesday night! Saturday, Bob and I head to the city for a chant and meditation workshop. After that is a vegetarian dinner and Sunday morning, a free yoga class back in town. I'm excited for the block of serenity we've marked on our calendars and just hope my stinking thinking doesn't get in the way!

Tonight I had a peanut butter and fluff sandwich though, that was fun. And I got my haircut, which it needed. And I have the sweetest boyfriend in the world.

Just thought I should check in and remind myself (and you while I'm at it!) that there is so much to be grateful for and we're all here, together, one day at a time.
xoxo

Julie/Julia

Oh Julie/Julia. What a fantastic movie. The preview a few months back got me interested in the book. Reading the book got me interested in finally watching the movie. I do have a rule...if a movie and a book exist, and I'm excited about both, I always feel just a tiny bit better reading the book first. I know that seeing the movie first will mean that...I never get around to reading the book.
Boo.

Someday I'd love to be inspired to take on a project the way Julie Powell did. A commitment, an adventure! I could say that my grad school adventure is a project and a commitment, but it's a bit different.

It doesn't involve Beef Bourguignon!

Why hello again!

Jeez. I guess it's been a long time. I couldn't remember my log in information!

I have been having an excellent month off from school. However, in one week, it all starts up again! I'm actually rather excited and will be picking up my textbooks today at lunch.

What have I done over the past month?

Had a merry Christmas
Had a lovely New Years weekend in Vermont
Yoga Yoga Yoga
I will be visiting my friend this weekend who lives in Keene, NH, but we're meeting 'halfway' in Northhampton for a little shopping and yoga.

Oh boy....work is picking up! Better tend to the email that just popped into my Inbox.

Just wanted to say that I'm thinking of my stepbrother who lost his stepsister about ten days ago to an apartment fire. I'm also thinking of my uncle who is in the hospital after a ruptured appendix and complications from that. I am also thinking of my cousin who is now home with her newest daughter after an early delivery and some time in the NICU for Lilly.

Have a great day everyone, take it easy :)

Vermont or Bust

Soon I will see you, little cabin!! Looks like we'll be driving into some snow on Thursday and experiencing Vermont at its finest as we ring in 2010! Looking forward to a long weekend up North. Typical VT vacations include lots of time in front of the fireplace, some walking on the frozen lake, breakfast at our favorite little cafe (perhaps some fudge on the way) and some home cooking! The juicer will join us, as well as miss Raina! She is a Vermonter at heart; I got her 9 years ago in St. Albans when I was a student at UVM.

This week is quiet at work. There's plenty to do, yet the motivation is lacking when it feels like the office is asleep! Pushing through...

Yoga last night with Vicky and tonight with Mitchel. Trying to get a bunch of classes in before the long weekend off. Bow to the lotus feet of the guru...

Happy New Year!

Detox

I might have had the post-holiday blues. I woke up with a stomach ache and a less than bubbly mood, but I also woke up with the idea that a little detox would help get me back on track after the sweet holidays and shopping stress that always comes with the season. So, I dragged myself off to yoga, knowing I'd be glad I went once I got there. The Saturday morning class is a packed one. Good class, good teacher, at a good time. Tons of Surya Namaskars, some standing splits, half moons, and dancers pose, a little sweat and ujjayi breath, and my detox had begun!
Bob and I had salads for lunch (my body was like 'what IS this') and then ran over to the grocery store to stock up on beets, carrots, ginger, apples, spinach, lemons, and some other fruits to throw in the juicer we borrowed from my Dad. Y.U.M. My first juice was carrot-apple-ginger (and I certainly tasted that kick!) and his was spinach carrot ginger. He followed that one up with beet, spinach, carrot, and ginger. I sort of fell in love with the juicer and it's little robotic self, even with all the parts you have to clean and the neverending veggie juice that seems to seep out of everywhere!

I'm not feeling blue anymore. In fact, I'm feeling niiiice and mellow!

Yesterday was great; everyone seemed to enjoy their gifts and being together. The kids were over the moon about their new Wii and the little ones were glad to have the other to play with. Connor's congestion sounds better, too. It was a loud Christmas, as between my sisters, there are 6 kids under the age of ten! My nephew got a Red Ryder BB gun and he had the biggest grin on his face when he unwrapped the box. I think he was momentarily speechless, too!

I'm downloading music for my new iPod at the moment so I best get back to that. John Denver playing in the background, veggies in the tummy...I love the holidays...

Peace and Juice for the day after Christmas...