Restorative Yoga

So, today I went to my first restorative yoga class. Normally I don't get to go because between Weight Watchers and work, Saturday morning is pretty full. Because of the move, I was able to take today off...and while my Weight Watchers meeting was still on...I decided to try this yoga class. I have done only one other restorative yoga class, it was more like a workshop, the room was really warm, it was two hours and we used lots of props to keep ourselves into the poses...so the body could relax. Well, this was similar...not as many blankets...but holding poses and really trying to get into the stretch. Which, after a whole week of moving and physical labor...FELT REALLY GOOD! I was concerned. Sometimes my body doesn't bend and stretch the way everyone Else's seems to...but I only do what I can. My knees are my biggest block. They hurt 80% of the time...they LOVE to be walking but sitting or bent...sharp pains...and some days are better than others. I am trying to build the muscles around the knee cap...I have been told this is what my problem is...and if I can do that, I can strengthen them. But, let me encourage you, there are poses you may not be able to do, but as the instructor for modifications...or don't be afraid to come in and out of the pose if it is uncomfortable or painful...strengthen yourself first, THEN worry about being better at the pose. I have only been doing yoga regularly for about 6 months...and I feel stronger already. The 40 Days of yoga has really helped...although this week I kind of feel like a failure...I haven't been able to get it all in this week....but next week I will do better! Namaste!

Moving the Library

This week our library is moving from its storefront like location...with two different spaces...to a building, with colors and more room. This is such an exciting event. When I first moved here, they were trying to get a building with a community center and library built but alas the bond did not pass...now we are moving into a renovated building. It was amazing because at first glance our building was this warehouse of steel, cement and lots of undefined space...now it really looks like a library. Well, it is getting there. I moved a lot of stuff today...more moving to come for sure. But, as a staff we got to help pick theme, color, carpet, counters, furniture, it was a very fun and overwhelming process...but it is really coming together! We are sharing a building with the police department as well!! This has all been so exciting...and now we are REALLY moving!

Week 5..Yoga and Sorting stuff

So...we are starting week 5...75 minutes of yoga a day, 30 minutes of meditation...and supposedly coming off of a fruit cleanse...but I had to give that up! Anyway...the yoga is fine...the meditation is challenging me...and the diet...well I continue to do well with WW. I lost another 1.4 this week but I think it had to do with the flu I had Thursday. Oh Well. I may have eaten a little much this weekend too...but this week should be a good week. I continue to struggle with my mementos of my past. I have been sorting, resorting and organizing...and trying to make decisions. Do I keep every card, photo, letter, receipt, ticket stub, etc? My intention is to make scrapbooks and trash the rest...but when will I do it? Anyway...part of me wants to just chuck it all, not think more about it. But the other part of me is very sentimental and I want to keep things...make the scrapbooks and take them out every once in awhile! So...wish me luck! OR give me some advice!

40 Days of Yoga - Fruit Cleanse Experience

So, on week 4 we go to 20 minutes of meditation (which I am STILL struggling with), 60 minutes of yoga, and for three days we need to do a fruit fast...well eat nothing but fruit for 72 hours...so Tuesday I got myself all geared up for it and Wednesday I did it...ate nothing but fruit all day. I drank water and tea...and it was pretty good. And, just for the record...I had some different things...I had a smoothie (banana, peach and pineapple juice) for breakfast, tomato and avocado chopped with garlic salt for lunch...pineapple chunks and cherries, apple, applesauce, grapes, and fruit tea...so a variety and not tons of one thing! I had asked another person in the program about the hardest part...and she said dinner of the first day. So as I went to bed on day one (I only cheated once...my husband thought it would be a good idea to bring home freshly baked bread...EEK) I was feeling pretty good. I woke up Thursday morning thinking that this day would be as easy as the first...so I made my smoothie and sipped it throughout the morning...as I went through it...I felt like gagging! So...I started getting ready for work and once I was out of the shower...I threw up. And, I felt really nauseous. I called off work, grabbed an 8 oz coke and laid down on the couch. I felt absolutely miserable. If I even thought about FRUIT I raced to the bathroom. It took me 5 hours to sip an 8 oz coke to settle my stomach. I asked my husband to bring some 7up home...and I drank water. By evening I decided to eat...so I had a small portion of chicken sausage with marinara over whole wheat spaghetti...and the heartburn set in...so, was it the all fruit on Wednesday...I am sure this wasn't what I was supposed to feel. I managed to go until 6:30pm Thursday before I ate food...with the exception of the tiny sliver of bread Wednesday night. When I went to bed last night I felt like I could care less if I ever ate again. Today...I am afraid to eat. So...I will have tea for breakfast and take a lunch in case...but I feel like crap! I am sure this was a coincidence...maybe I was around someone with the stomach flu and I just caught it...but, I will try this again sometime...not soon though, because while I love fruit...the thought of it now makes me want to hurl!

Registering for Classes...

Okay, the reality of the situation has set in. I am returning to school. What is most funny is that I, a liberal arts major am attempting a business degree...can I do it? I know that in general, when I set my mind to something, I can do it...but I do have my doubts. So...all of you out there with the math minds...I may need your help!! I got online and was able to register for 3 classes...not the three I thought I would be taking...two that I planned for and the third is an online course...which makes it a little more flexible! What is especially nice is that once classes are done and exams are over I get to take a mini vacation to Seattle and spend some time with my two sisters Lynn and Liz!! So..I have a motivator! I can only hope I can responsibly juggle work (which is only part time), diet, exercise and classes...and do well at all of them. I start classes March 30th...so there should be some interesting posts as I embark on a new journey!

In other news...I have added another yoga class to my schedule...Sundays at 4pm...I really enjoyed this class and the instructor...she was very different than the other two instructors that I have had! In a very good way! I look forward to adding this class permanently to my exercise. My husband reminded me I need to add cardio to my schedule as well...so as the weather gets warmer...I see walking to work in my future again...but I should probably kick it up a notch and do something more. I have a friend doing spinning...I am scared to try it...I have heard stories. Another suggestion was that when I go to the gym for my yoga...go a half hour earlier and do the treadmill or something. So...maybe this is how I will add it in!

I have started reading THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE this weekend...what an incredible story so far! I am only 170 pages in...but it is good!

Jobs I have had...

So...I noticed in my info I said I had thought about listing all of my jobs...well, I think I am ready to take that walk down memory lane. I am going to try and remember all of them. I am going to start with most recent and go backwards through time...

• Young Adult Librarian
• Librarian
• Branch Manager - Librarian
• Student Supervisor/Library Clerk
• Library Clerk
• Paramount's Kings Island, shop supervisor, wood cutter, shop manager
• Work Study Student worker Information Commons
• Work Study Student worker Multimedia Services
• Pet Sitter
• Nanny
• Woodcutter - Flea Market, Mall Store
• Hostess at Ruby Tuesdays
• Sears Portrait Studio - photographer and sales
• Sears Portrait Studio - assistant manager
• Ralph Maltby Enterprises - technical support, night supervisor
• Gemco Machine and Tool - office work
• Sears Portrait Studio - photographer, sales
• Bell Tower East - movie theater, box office, concession, booth
• Bank Clerk - debit and credit cards
• Hills Department Store - cashier
• AMC Theater - Concession Stand
• Library Clerk
• Library Page
• Babysitter
• Pet Sitter
• House Sitter
• Mowing Lawns
• Paper Girl

I think that is everything...every so often I may look at this again and see if I remember anything I forgot. After all, I did start working about age 10 (with the paper route)...so it has been a long time! Take a trip down memory lane and post your list of jobs...can you remember them all? I will admit there were a few jobs out there I was offered and either turned down or never showed up to (okay I was young and immature). One was a Kroger cashier and bagger...I just couldn't handle the 6am training part...and the other was an interview at McDonald's, yes, one day my dad told me I should work at McDonald's and I told him I NEVER would. Yet..at one point in my life the opportunity arose...but, remembering that conversation I didn't take the job.

Happy Valentine's Day!

So...I have lots of reasons to celebrate this otherwise depressing holiday. First, I hit my 60 lb mark today...so I have lost 61.6 lbs!! I was nearly crying today at WW! I did a happy dance and yelled WHOO HOO! So...celebration time for me! Next, I get home from WW (I go to a 7:30am Saturday meeting) and my husband has made me a WW breakfast, Omelet Provencal with toast...and some black tea with splenda! There is a basket on the table for me...with a box of Dark Chocolate Cellos (chocolate covered cherries), two pairs of socks and a card. I was SOOO happy. He had said he wasn't getting me the chocolate because I didn't need it. He took half of it to hide for another week and said I could only have half a box now. I had one. Turns out they are ONE point per candy and a serving size is 3 for 3 points...what luck. The socks are awesome! I am a sock nut. I love brightly colored socks and if they are warm and fuzzy, even better! And...the card. He is so sweet! For years he has created fake conversation hearts online and sent them to me for VALENTINE'S DAY! I love it. The one year he didn't do it I was so pissed. Anyway, this year he found a Hallmark card with conversations hearts on it AND sent me a made conversation heart. I love him! I left for work...and he had asked me a month ago...eating out, or him cooking...I selected him cooking and asked for lamb! I came home today from work with the most incredible Valentine's Day dinner ever! He made roast potatoes in the oven with rosemary and salt...asparagus wrapped with prosciutto ham and lamb chops (tiny, two of them) with rosemary and garlic...we had a wedge salad...Boston Bib with bleu cheese and tomatoes and bacon bits with a vinaigrette (since creamy is so calorie high) and then a bottle of Lemberger red wine from Townsend, my fave local winery! It was incredible. He set the table with a table cloth, a vase full of red tulips...and had some classical music playing. Ah, I am spoiled beyond words! He told me that I need to keep him in check about his cooking though...so he doesn't get too full of himself! I love him..and February marks 10 years that we have dated and known each other (married for 7 in July). Embrace the ones you love...and for those of you who haven't found it. PLEASE DO NOT SETTLE FOR LESS!! He is out there and he is worth the wait! Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Chinese New Year (Late)

So...this weekend (well last weekend) I went to Seattle for a workshop. Which was incredible by the way...lots of fun, art projects and so forth, great ideas for the summer reading program this year. Anyway...Tim's uncle was going to be on Bainbridge Island and wanted to know if we would meet up with him at the Chinese New Year Festival on Bainbridge...WHAT? That sounded so cool For more info check out this website...http://www.bichineseconnection.org/ So, of course I agreed to meet him for a few minutes and visit. So, Sunday morning we headed out to catch the ferry to Bainbridge and ended up in Winslow (which I just found out is the name of the town that the ferry comes to). The festivities were just starting. We met Tim's uncle and ate a little breakfast at the Blackbird Bakery...they had tons of yummy things there. I ended up splitting a cheddar/green onion scone with my sister and a chai latte! Very good! Once we left there we headed to a little alcove of shops were there were several booths, face painting, calligraphy, tea tasting, etc. And just when Tim had to walk his uncle to the ferry, this is when the real fun began. They did the waking of the lion with firecrackers...which was really cool...and then the parade started, including a HUGE red ball that when bounced the audience should shout FU! Apparently the people of Bainbridge are a little self conscious...so while my sister and I yelled...many people around us seemed uncomfortable! Granted this was all small, but very fun and interesting. The really great thing was that they had some food booths in front of the local market and it was all donation based. Free with donations. They served a ginger noodle dish, some sweet and sour chicken, egg drop soup, crab rangoon, fried rice, and potstickers...all YUMMY. We would get one dish and share it...it was perfect. We showed Tim some of the sights right there...he was especially happy to see all of the sailboats at the marina! About 2pm we headed back to Seattle. What a fun day. I would recommend this next time you are in Seattle, check out when this festival is next year...it is about 15 days after the beginning of the Chinese New Year.

40 days of yoga...day 17

I was incredibly excited to discover today that I am really starting to succeed at a back bend. Mind you, not going from the standing and back...but lifting myself off of the floor with my legs and arms...about 3 weeks ago I would have said this was impossible. Especially since I have NEVER, not even as a child, been able to do this. I feel my body getting stronger...a little at a time, but I am getting stronger and I love it. I love how it feels and I feel a little more confident. Today I did 20 minutes of yoga first thing...I did a FUSION class (ballet, yoga and pilates) for an hour...and tonight I plan to do another 20 minutes of yoga to help me unwind. I still have the meditation to do...I am NOT going to give up! I will do the 10 minute guided if that is what I must...or I will try a new technique a past co-worker told me about...see if it works and if it does help...I will post it.

As a side note...my husband may be working in Germany this year...how exciting is that? Granted, we had just heard the France contract was a no go...and we were thinking things would calm down. Never a dull moment I suppose. Hopefully we will know soon if this is a reality!

Meditation Week 3 Day 2...

Okay, I am really struggling with the meditation. I was able to use the guided meditation for 10 minutes and just as I got comfortable with that...we go into week 3 with 15 minutes of meditation. EEK! So, today I sat down to do it...pulled up a chair...told myself that I needed to really just stick it out. I closed my eyes, put my hands together as instructed in the guided meditation...and thought about my hands...they glowed, I thought about my fingers...and they are resting in my lap...what am I going to wear today? I haven't had breakfast yet...I am not sure I am going to have time to eat anything until Lunch. Wow, school starts in just another month or so...why is the dog nudging my hand...open your eyes and see, no, I can't, I have to stay here until the timer goes off. She is nudging me again...she normally doesn't do that. I will bet she has to go outside. Oh crap...if I lose this, I am not sure I am going to make it back...okay, I will let her out...I wonder how much time has gone by...oh look, its been 5 minutes. (and, she really did need to go out)

So...I will attempt this again tonight...tomorrow morning I am going to do it as SOON as I wake up. I have found that if I do it first thing in the morning...I am doing better.

The other thing about week 3 is the don't go for the sugar this week...so, Monday I managed to go to bed without any sweets. Today...I made it until after dinner...no sweets, but then I caved and had a chocolate covered marshmallow. But...several times I have thought about having things...a donut (okay I had a little bit), a milky way (I said no), I had grapes and applesauce for a snack...sweet but fruit! But..I also had hot chocolate...but that is my night time snack anyway. The important thing is to avoid the CRAVINGS that we don't need!!

Facing myself...

So, on Tuesday of last week I started sorting through my pictures. I had already gone through all of my online pictures on Sunday...and had come to the conclusion that I was FAT!! REALLY FAT!! I hate that! I have been told all of my life that I am tall and large...when I gain weight I gain it evenly, so my size doesn't really catch up to me until I am HUGE! I knew I needed to lose weight...not because I want to be a thin person...I really want to be a healthy person. Now, nearly two years later, I feel like I am getting to the point where I am more healthy...although I still look at myself and see fat. Thankfully I am not able to stop eating...I love the taste, smell and texture of food too much...but I am starting to build a resentment to people who could take or leave food and don't gain weight. I have also never thought of myself as a pretty person (well on the outside). I decided when I was rather young that I wasn't pretty and I was never going to be pretty. So, I should definitely work on my other attributes, personality, etc so that people would like me. Of course...there was a part of me when I was young that wanted people to like me...but as luck would have it, I had a lot of factors growing up that would cause people to not like me...so as a teenager I embraced the I could care less if people liked me...and inevitably I would do something to piss someone off. Now, I really don't lose too much sleep about who likes me or don't, as long as I like myself...and I definitely don't like being FAT. I certainly enjoyed getting there though. I am not sure my love of food and being a healthy weight can live side by side in perfect harmony. So...as I take the walk down memory lane, I am considering making a collage of all of my FAT pictures. I will hang this somewhere to remind me of where I have been and hopefully a deterrent to stopping me in the future.

Meditation Week 2 Day 4...

So this week the meditation is up to 10 minutes a day. So far the only successful FULL 10 minutes was Monday and Today...today I tried the guided Meditation and that worked better for me. We were also supposed to make a list of the top ten things that go through our minds as we try and meditate (or just do!)...so here they are:

1. Is the time up?
2. What am I going to be eating today/tomorrow/etc?
3. What is the dog/cat doing?
4. Things I need to do next...
5. What is that tingle/pain/etc in some part of my body?
6. It is so hard for me to sit still, can I fidget?
7. I should be doing...
8. What is on TV tonight?
9. Have I been accepted into school yet?
10. Why am I eating so much crap this week?

Of course for every thought listed here, there are 10 additional thoughts that are just bizarre observations or random things that just float in and out. My brain is constantly active...I feel like I am constantly competing with the thoughts in my head. Sometimes they are louder than what is actually going on at that moment. Most of the time I can barely remember them as they happen...they come and go that quickly. Anyway, now that I have a list of the top ten, I think I can address them.

Thanks to all of my friends who are sending me tips on Meditation. I feel like I am getting the hang of it...and it will be good for me!

40 days of Yoga day 9...

So, week 2 of the 40 days of yoga started yesterday. I thought I would reflect on the past week and think about the week ahead. So...one of the things I needed to do was to check on my food intake and what food patterns that I could see. I track my food anyway with Weight Watchers so I listed the first 7 days of food and then tried to see what patterns I could make from the food I ate. Whether the food made me hot or cold, how it was prepared and food that made me either deficient or excessive...food that cleansed or food that builds. So...for this first week anyway, it looked pretty balanced. For weight watchers I need to eat a balanced diet anyway...and when I prepare my food I generally eat it raw, poached, steamed or boiled...occasionally I bake. I never deep fry....and when I saute or stir fry I use little oils. I have to watch how many foods I eat that cleanse. I have crohn's disease and too many veggies will often cause my body to have issues. So, it is even more important that I have a balanced diet. Now, having said all of that, I definitely still eat CRAP...food with little nutritional value. I crave it...or I want it...I haven't quite figured out which it is. This week is going to be hard because I have to eat more FRESH foods. I do prepare my own food...but I often use broth, beans, canned veggies or frozen veggies. I will attempt to be more conscious about what I am preparing...but I think I will try to not eat my prepared snacks (cookies, crackers, etc.) more so that trying to limit how I prepare my food. Of course I am already doing horribly...and it is only day 2 of week 2. I have had a multi grain frozen waffle. I also had a banana. For lunch I will have turkey chili, I made it, but I used canned items. So, we will see how it goes. I will at least try to be more aware of what I am grabbing and take a fresh option where possible! Last week I only missed ONE day of meditation...This week I need to try and remember what thoughts pass through my head and list them, and name them...last night during meditation I couldn't even keep track of the thoughts going through my head. Tonight I will try to make a list.

Scrapbooking and Organizing...

So, one of my new year's resolutions is to clean and organize our storage unit and garage. I also want to get all of my mementos together and sort, organize and throw away...making scrapbooks for items that I really want to keep and throwing away the rest. A daunting task indeed! My husband and I are going to spend our Sunday doing some of this...and I know it will be hard. I have always been a pack rat...but I hate having to move totes and files that I haven't looked at or touched since who knows when. I am hoping the madness can stop NOW!! Of course, what always happens is I open a tote of memories...and I walk down memory lane...I really need someone to just come and throw it away so I don't get tempted to look at it, read it, or organize it for the billionth time. So...my next few weeks will be spent going through every bit of paper, photo, play bill, etc. and seeing if I have the strength to only keep a select few...wish me luck!