My current book from the library is Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant. This charming collection of short stories and essays recounts experiences of cooking for one or dining alone. It's fitting this is my book right now, because Chris is out of town whooping it up at his white water rafting bachelor party.
The book is interesting to me because it has so many different voices. Everyone reacts to being alone differently, some cherish alone time as a nice change of pace, some crave going solo, some have aloneness thrust upon them, some avoid being alone at all costs. I'm of the first camp, I like alone time, but I wouldn't want it for always. I get more done when I'm alone, I notice more things when I am by myself. This morning I was cleaning up the kitchen and washing my vase. The sunlight came through the window just in the right way to reflect a prism of shadow polka dots on my counter. It made me happy and I'm not sure I would have noticed it if Chris were with me - I also probably wouldn't have been cleaning the vase.
So what have I eaten in my alone time? Last night was leftover veggie soup and a pumpkin beer. Nothing special there. But this morning, started with my favorite almond vanilla tea (naturally served in a polka dot mug), and a piece of semolina toast smeared with just the right amount of blueberry preserves. I'm going down to make a large smoothie next. Cheers to being okay with being alone (for one weekend).
*Note: if you have a few minutes, go to the tea link above. If you click on Get Your Fortune, there is a cute little interactive tea leaves reading session. I was told I would be more successful if I had a plan rather than living moment to moment. I'll have to think about.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Stay Away from the Collagen
I'm sitting here with a ball of very sad kitty on my lap. Last week we noticed Prada's lower lip was really swollen. This happened last year about this time also, something to do with allergies to new bugs. Okay, I'm not really sure what it had to do with, but she went to the vet, she got a shot and the lip was fine. Until about last week. It looked like my sweet little cat had gone all Playboy bunny on us and sneaked out for collagen injections. Chris wrestled her into the kitty carrier and took her into the vet yesterday. Now the problem might be allergies, but is more likely an out of whack feline immune system. She got a higher dose of the shot than last year (it evidently wore off) and we are to keep an eye on her lip. If it doesn't go down in the next 5 days, she has to go back to the vet for a biopsy. Turns out the lip isn't really swollen, but has some type of crazy cell growth.
Poor little kitty seemed fine last night, but she is just sad pathetic cat right now. I'm not sure if the medicine is making her out of sorts, but I hope she's feeling okay. We're going to go take a nap now.
Poor little kitty seemed fine last night, but she is just sad pathetic cat right now. I'm not sure if the medicine is making her out of sorts, but I hope she's feeling okay. We're going to go take a nap now.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Light
That light is back, you know the one I mentioned when I said I feel a certain illumination coming from me when I'm teaching yoga. I know it sounds hokey, but I am really enjoying this experience.
It is making me a better communicator. I've been practicing for so long, I'm really tempted to just get into a pose and say you "just do this". But, most people can't "just do this" or that or even Triangle. So finding ways to communicate what Triangle is, how it feels and how to make it work for different individuals is all really just communicating. And I'm learning how to do that better.
A student came up to me after class today and asked if next time we could do alligator again, it's helping her build upper body strength and even though she struggles with it, she wants to keep trying. I said yes with a smile. Of course she meant crocodile, but I'm so glad the students I'm working with are finding their own favorite poses and their own personal nemesis poses.
It is making me a better communicator. I've been practicing for so long, I'm really tempted to just get into a pose and say you "just do this". But, most people can't "just do this" or that or even Triangle. So finding ways to communicate what Triangle is, how it feels and how to make it work for different individuals is all really just communicating. And I'm learning how to do that better.
A student came up to me after class today and asked if next time we could do alligator again, it's helping her build upper body strength and even though she struggles with it, she wants to keep trying. I said yes with a smile. Of course she meant crocodile, but I'm so glad the students I'm working with are finding their own favorite poses and their own personal nemesis poses.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Touring
Today I went on a guided tour of Columbus. I've lived here my whole life, so I didn't really need a guided tour of Columbus, but hey, it took up a couple of hours of the morning and we stopped at Cup O' Joe, so no complaints here. It's actually really helpful to me to know random facts about Columbus so I can parrot them to visitors and clients. Someone once told me the signs used in baseball for signaling base runs, etc, were developed in the 1800s at the Columbus School for the Deaf. Now, the park of that school has a replica of a Seurat painting made entirely of topiaries. Really.
Anyway, as I was sitting in the back of the van touring the city, I realized if I were to give the tour, my tour would be completely different than that of the tour guide. Instead of the proposed Scioto Mile plan, I saw the bike path where I rode past the Santa Maria with my aunt and her friends during a 27 mile bike ride. Rather than the once tallest building in the US, I thought of it as the building where Chris and I reconnected. I greedily remembered all the pages I explored at the Book Loft and how I used to fear getting lost in the maze of rooms and how I now welcome it. I grinned as we passed Helen Winnemore's, where my mom and I would explore the jewelry drawers. School field trips were brought to mind as the tour guide pointed out the Greek revival architecture of the Statehouse and modernistic Cosi. Near the Main Library, I noticed not this building made for learning, but the back of Egan Ryan funeral home where we have said goodbye to loved ones. And across the street, I didn't notice the insurance building, but rather pictured it as housing the huge nativity display it would house in a few months and has every year since I can remember.
All cities are made of history and buildings and legends, but each resident has their own story to tell within those city streets. That is what makes a simple city a hometown.
Anyway, as I was sitting in the back of the van touring the city, I realized if I were to give the tour, my tour would be completely different than that of the tour guide. Instead of the proposed Scioto Mile plan, I saw the bike path where I rode past the Santa Maria with my aunt and her friends during a 27 mile bike ride. Rather than the once tallest building in the US, I thought of it as the building where Chris and I reconnected. I greedily remembered all the pages I explored at the Book Loft and how I used to fear getting lost in the maze of rooms and how I now welcome it. I grinned as we passed Helen Winnemore's, where my mom and I would explore the jewelry drawers. School field trips were brought to mind as the tour guide pointed out the Greek revival architecture of the Statehouse and modernistic Cosi. Near the Main Library, I noticed not this building made for learning, but the back of Egan Ryan funeral home where we have said goodbye to loved ones. And across the street, I didn't notice the insurance building, but rather pictured it as housing the huge nativity display it would house in a few months and has every year since I can remember.
All cities are made of history and buildings and legends, but each resident has their own story to tell within those city streets. That is what makes a simple city a hometown.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A Practicing Teacher
I now have three yoga classes which I have taught under my belt, or mat so to speak. Considering how long it took me to get to the teaching step after taking the training course last year at this time, I am pleased with how things have gone. I've taken many yoga classes over the years, but I don't think I have ever given enough respect to the instructors. Teaching yoga is challenging. It's all trying to motivate the class, keeping them safe and properly getting them in and out of poses and reminding them to breathe is a lot harder than it seems. Not to mention keeping the left and right straight in your head. There are a lot of verbal cues I want to be giving the classes, but I don't have time. It only takes so long to stand up and I could say a whole paragraph about how exactly to stand. It's also hard to remind people to keep their heads down when your head is up because you are trying to see what the heck that guy is the back row is trying to do.
However, I am really enjoying the challenge. I feel like a better person when I'm helping others find the right posture. There are so many things I really love about yoga and I like sharing those. Not to be all corny and new age-like, but when I'm teaching I feel a light coming out of me and that warmth touching my students. I love that my students have come back three times now and my class is even growing!
There are a lot of things I need to work on, but this experience has so far been a good one. I also really like that I'm working with employees of a non-profit. If anyone needs the free stress relief I'm providing, it's these folks.
However, I am really enjoying the challenge. I feel like a better person when I'm helping others find the right posture. There are so many things I really love about yoga and I like sharing those. Not to be all corny and new age-like, but when I'm teaching I feel a light coming out of me and that warmth touching my students. I love that my students have come back three times now and my class is even growing!
There are a lot of things I need to work on, but this experience has so far been a good one. I also really like that I'm working with employees of a non-profit. If anyone needs the free stress relief I'm providing, it's these folks.
Monday, October 8, 2007
My Colors Could be Blush and Bashful
Who remembers the opening scenes of Steel Magnolias when Julia Roberts has a blood sugar problem and Sally Fields says "No wonder with all this running around and wedding nonsense" or something to that effect? Let me just say, it is a good thing I'm not diabetic, because I've been doing a lot of running around and wedding nonsense. This weekend we had the last of the showers, which was so lovely. It was hosted by my mom's friends who did a superb job of getting things together. Here's a wedding shower tip which they did and I adored: buy the bride her everyday glasses and use them as vases around the dining tables with unique flowers. The arrangements were great and I kept looking at the glasses saying, how cute, not totally realizing they were mine. Adorable!
Saturday night we gathered a group of girls and my brother to do a little bachelorette party. I've got to be honest here, I didn't really want one of these parties. My idea of perfect bachelorette party was gather a few girls, get pedicures and open several bottles of wine. That proved too difficult to pull off and didn't exactly appeal to everyone else. So my brother, who is my man of honor, hosted a great cocktail party then we hit a club. It was fun, and happily rather tame.
Best of all, the invitations are at the post office! We had a couple of late nights this past week getting those bad boys stuffed and Mom had to spend several hours doing them while we were at work, but they are finally done. I told Chris I felt like we were sending our happy good wishes out to people via the USPS and the cheery polka dots that grace the invitations.
Saturday night we gathered a group of girls and my brother to do a little bachelorette party. I've got to be honest here, I didn't really want one of these parties. My idea of perfect bachelorette party was gather a few girls, get pedicures and open several bottles of wine. That proved too difficult to pull off and didn't exactly appeal to everyone else. So my brother, who is my man of honor, hosted a great cocktail party then we hit a club. It was fun, and happily rather tame.
Best of all, the invitations are at the post office! We had a couple of late nights this past week getting those bad boys stuffed and Mom had to spend several hours doing them while we were at work, but they are finally done. I told Chris I felt like we were sending our happy good wishes out to people via the USPS and the cheery polka dots that grace the invitations.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Oprah Disclaimer
One benefit of getting DVR earlier this year is I now get to watch Oprah other than when I am home sick. Chris isn't a huge fan of hers, but say what you will, I like her and she has gotten plenty of people not only talking, but reading. On the backlog of my DVR, I finally got to watch her interview with Jeffrey Eugenides of Pulitzer Prize fame. Remember, what I had to say about Middlesex? Well, I think Oprah could have cut out a few commercials and gone into more depth in the interview.
I was a little dismayed upon the end of the show, to hear her new book club book is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I've been waiting to read this book, ever since I read this article and I only picked it up from the library last week (the waiting list was more than 100 people long - I should have known!). Even though I now sound like I am jumping on the bandwagon, I loved this book from the first sentence! Liz Gilbert has written lines in that book which I just want to savor (much like she did with the fantastic Neapolitan pizza). She had me at pasta and yoga, throw in soul-searching and a love story, and I could be the book's biggest fan.
I was a little dismayed upon the end of the show, to hear her new book club book is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I've been waiting to read this book, ever since I read this article and I only picked it up from the library last week (the waiting list was more than 100 people long - I should have known!). Even though I now sound like I am jumping on the bandwagon, I loved this book from the first sentence! Liz Gilbert has written lines in that book which I just want to savor (much like she did with the fantastic Neapolitan pizza). She had me at pasta and yoga, throw in soul-searching and a love story, and I could be the book's biggest fan.
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