Mutli-rave post

It's bee a while, and there are so many things I've experienced and I'm loving taking advantage of on a regular basis.

So, instead of focusing on just one rave, I'm going to talk about a few things that I'm loving at the moment.

"These are a few of my favorite things"

And now that that song is stuck in your head, let's plunge ahead. These are in no particular order other than how much atop my mind they are at the moment.

Yoga Toes - I've had these for a couple months now and though they're some of the strangest looking things, they're amazing.

At first, I could only wear them for about 10 minutes before my feet were begging me to take them off. But over time, I've come to crave them, especially after a run or a long day at work. They claim to be the cure for bunions but I just love how they make my feet feel. These came recommended to me by my cousin who wears them religiously, she even walks around the house in them, but I still find this a bit painful...they're definitely not made for walking, but lounging while reading or watching TV or even to wear to bed, they're fabulous!

Total Freedom - if you're looking for a good book that will give you a completely different outlook on life and self-improvement without being all self-helpy, this book is it. I'm not going to lie, it's not a quick read. But it's worth every minute spent with your nose stuck in it. It's one of those books that, once you get into it, you find yourself having a hard time pulling yourself away. A book like this is too good not to share with others. A must read.

Nutella - my new peanut butter substitute when I'm just not feeling the crunchy, peanutty spread. If you haven't tried it before, I highly recommend it. I'm a big fan of Nutella on my morning banana or on an apple in the afternoon. Punches up your favorite treats a bit. YUM!

Delta Airlines Wi-Fi - what would I do without in-flight wi-fi? Well, probably sleep or read or listen to music and just unwind. But, on those days where I need to get a client report out the door or I'm waiting for a response to keep a project moving, or even when I just want to write a blog post, it's critical. Sure, there's a bit of a charge, which you can buy by flight, 24-hour period or have a monthly fee for unlimited access for all you frequent fliers out there, but it's totally worth it!

MacBook Air - Apple got it right with this one, beyond right! I was issued an Air for my new position (oh yeah, did I mention I got a new job and I'm loving EVERY SECOND OF IT?) and I gotta tell you, it's amazing. As someone who has found herself traveling more than normal, I don't dread slinging my messenger bag over my shoulder for that long trek across the airport anymore, I can hardly tell I've even got a computer in there. And with the abundance of wi-fi connections, well, everywhere these days, there's no lack of internet connectivity. I'm going to love having this powerful little (and I do mean little) beast.

That's all for now.

Cheers!

-A

Doing nothing

As I was reading a book on my way into work this morning (for those unaware, I take public transportation, so I was not, at the same time, endangering the lives of others) I came across a chapter that discussed how Americans have the inability to relax.

It went beyond just that, but this first-hand account from an American who spent some months over seas, living in Rome, talked about how the American culture breeds us to be these gittery people, in more ways than one.

This really hit home as I find myself rather exhausted these days. I've found that there are moments where I crave doing nothing, literally.

It seems, that to most, "doing nothing" means plopping your body down on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching TV or a movie. Well folks, reality check, that may feel like nothing because it's "lazy," but it's not nothing...it's watching TV.

The American culture has this way of making us feel like we should be consuming our days with something productive all the time. And with typical religion that most of us either grew up with or our families instilled in us from morals that were passed down through generations, if we're not actively doing something, we feel guilt.

We're a very guilt-ridden society, turns out. I'm living proof of that. No matter what I do, I have this way of making myself feel like it's not enough - sometimes I even throw that back at others, as if it's them making me feel this way.

It's a sickness, I know. But admitting it is the first step, right?

Anyway, this isn't about me. Well, maybe it kind of is, but it is my blog, after all ;).

What it's (mostly) about, is the act of actually doing nothing - something I think I've been craving. The closest I came was last weekend when I decided to get a massage. For 1 hour I was nearly completely relaxed, with the exception of my brain that, to be truly honest, never really takes a break. Could be the source of my exhaustion...anyway, again, back to the topic.

The book noted that we Americans live in a culture of entertainment. When we do "nothing" we want to be entertained. (going to add my own thoughts here...this is not the book speaking) In other words, we don't take downtime to reflect on what's taking place in our lives. That gets pushed aside so that our time not spent actually working, or doing chores, or other life necessities, is filled with things that occupy our mind to the point where we don't have to take the time to learn and absorb what the world has shown us.

This is one of the things I really liked about yoga. Even though you were working out, there was this quiet peace about it. You had time to think, to reflect, to improve upon yourself. Something that, generally, we don't do enough here in the States. It's go, go, go. If we're not productive, we feel bad about that. And when there's too much downtime, there's too much guilt and that my friends is why we have psychiatrists.

Okay, so I very quickly jumped to that conclusion, but there could be some merit to that...think about it. If you have too much time on your hands, what do you do with it? Go out and find something to do, right? Spend money. Spend time with friends. But what happens when that money runs out and those friends go to their jobs or are busy. You've got downtime. You think. You get yourself and your mind into trouble. If it weren't for this guilt, I truly believe this society would be better able to literally do nothing every now and again and get some benefits from that.

Just a theory, of course.

But I find that there are a few people out there who think in a similar way. A quick Google search brought about a couple things that raise my eyebrows. First is an article from Zen Habits (if you're not following him on Twitter yet, I'd make it a point to). Here he talks about The Art of Doing Nothing, and how to master this practice. The second item in Google's list was a book called the Art of Doing Nothing, and it's about making time for yourself in a culture of overachievers. I didn't read much into it but honestly, this might be the next book on my list.

Both of these resources likely site and/or pull ideas from Eastern cultures and religions. I've found that these cultures have a way of being much more in tune to themselves, in a much different way than we are. Americans are bred to be proud, self-absorbed and arrogant. Eastern cultures have a way of making people self aware and generous with themselves and others. These, of course, are very broad generalizations...though I do believe there is truth to it.

Anyway, there's really no conclusion to this, it's just something I found interesting that I wanted to share with y'all on this Friday!

This weekend, if you can find the time ;), take even just 10 minutes to do absolutely nothing. Do it for yourself.

Cheers!

-A

A healthy start

All you resolutioners out there who have vowed to live a healthier 2010 would be proud of my efforts thus far.

The year started out not so great, eating pizza and Oreos on a regular basis, but after reading a few excerpts from this book I decided to get my act together.

I'm not one for gimmicky fad diets, they never work, but I like to read stuff like this and take bits and pieces and adapt them to my life to find what works best to keep me healthy - rather than "the quickest way to lose 10 lbs."

One of the things that the O2 diet mentions is putting lemon in your water for increased antioxidants. Since one of my goals is to drink more water, this has actually helped. I also brought in a fun glass from home that sits on my desk, taunting me to drink from it.

Not sure the glass actually helps, but I have been drinking significantly more agua than the previous couple weeks!

I've also added in foods I never thought of because of this book - like figs. And seriously, I can't believe I lived my life without them before. So scrumptious! Just add a couple dried figs to a pseudo-trail mix of heart-healthy nuts and dried fruit like cherries, cranberries and raisins and a handful of dark chocolate chips and you've got yourself a perfect treat.

In fact, I forgot this little concoction at home today and I'm bummin'.

I also decided to join a gym. Yep, the one that I ranted about a couple weeks back.

I know, I know...but one thing I pride myself on is giving people/companies a second chance. When I approached my contact there, he was friendly and accommodating. Needless to say, we worked something out and I am now a member.

So last night was my first workout experience. Compared to other health clubs I've visited, this one isn't nearly as crowded...huge bonus.

I hate people, after all - especially sweaty strangers.

I kid, I kid...kinda.

Last night was also my first yoga class at the gym. Surprisingly, it was exactly what I'd hoped it would be. A little loud for yoga, but it was power yoga at it's finest.

Sure, it's not a studio where you have a tailored class for your goals, a room heated to 85 degrees or peace and serenity, but it's also not costing me $13 a class. It gets the job done!

Needless to say, today I have a lovely soreness about me and I'm finding that my energy levels are up. I've even got ambition to head home after work today and tackle the chores that await. Laundry here I come!

So tell me dear readers, how are y'all doing on your resolutions?

Cheers!

-A

p.s., if you're interested in the skydiving world, be sure to head over to my other blog, Skydive Chick, to read and interview from THE skydiving photographer, Norman Kent. You won't be disappointed with this one.