Bag Lady

On most visits to the grocery store, I try to bring my own reusable tote bag to bring home my food stuffs in. However, I do sometimes forget. On those days I usually run into a bagger who thinks it is his or her job to make sure each customer leaves with a more-than-needed amount of plastic bags. Even when I bring my own tote bags, I have arrived home to find that the bagger helpfully has bagged all the food in plastic and then put it in the tote.

Most of the time when I forget my own bag, I ask for paper bags. When I run into these situations, I am used to getting a dirty look for asking for paper. I've had baggers tell me they don't like using the paper bags because they are harder to fill and separate. I don't really care. While I know some people debate the merits of paper versus plastic, I like that you can fit more things in the paper bags. I also like the old-schoolness of paper bags. When I was little, paper was the only choice. I now sometimes wonder what school children cover their text books in.

Today, though, I was only getting a few items. So I asked for plastic, but to please fit all the items in one bag (I bought an onion, a small amount of green beans, two filets of fish, a box of Kleenex and a bunch of flowers). I'm sure the woman who was bagging the order thought she was being helpful, but in spite of fitting all the items in one bag, she double-bagged the whole order. Ah!

I kind of wish Columbus was one of those cities where plastic bags were outlawed.

Passion at Work

The other day I met a man who was so clearly passionate about what he does, that it made me smile. Well, first I wondered if the guy was for real, then I stepped back from the judgement and thought that even if he was faking his level of excitement, I should give him some credit for being so convincing. As this man poured me a glass a wine and lovingly talked about the mission of his concept, I couldn't help but to be jealous. To have that level of commitment and devotion to a job is not something I easily relate to at this point in my life.

Then this weekend, I took the second level of my journey to become an official yoga teacher or RYT-200. As I folded, twisted and inhaled and exhaled my way through the two-day class, I thought this is where that passion for me lies.

While for right now, the cubicle-dwelling me is the one who pays the bills, I also know there is another part of me who is being strengthened by beginning on a yogic journey. I'm not sure where it will take me, but I hope one day I can pour someone a glass of wine and lovingly describe the mission of a work for which I have a passion.

Lift

It shouldn't have felt so relaxing to be getting an eyebrow arch, but for some reason I almost fell asleep. Sure, the aestician was pouring hot wax on my brows and then ripping it off along with any stray hairs. Sure, it hurt. But for some reason today, it felt more rejuvenating than painful.

Getting my eyebrows done is one luxury I won't be giving up. Ever since I discovered this salon service during my years college, I've been addicted to my bi-monthly(ish) treatments. I've even gotten my mom going in to have her arch done.

Having a well-defined arch lifts not only the face, but also the spirit. At least it does for me.

The Day After

The day after Easter might as well be known as the I don't mind if I do have another piece of chocolate day. Seriously, I don't think I have ever eaten this amount of chocolate in one day. If the chocolate is shaped like an egg, it's fair game, right? Right?

Creating

Today we found out some bad news about the health of one of my very cool aunts. Because doing a search on stage IV ovarian cancer was doing nothing to lift my spirits or ease my mind, I decided to just do something else.

Several years ago I went through a beading phase. Well, actually, more of a buying beads phase as only three bracelets were ever made from those few months. Today I pulled out my stash of beads along with some funky felted beads two of my cousins gave me for a wedding shower. I have been meaning to do something with these colorful and textured nuggets since August, but today the time seemed right to put that thought into action.

So I spent the afternoon matching colors, swearing at knots and wondering why my bracelets always turn out a little big or a little too small. I lit my healing candle and sent good energy to my aunt. Because while making bracelets won't help the situation, it can't hurt either. And creating something is better than feeling sad and helpless.

I've been fooled before, but I can't help but to see the first crocus and think it is going to be sunny until June. Coming so early in the season, croci always seem so hopeful and brave to me.

Trying to Spring to It

Despite the traces of snow on the cars and ground this morning, today is the first day of Spring. I can't frickin wait to greet the season again. Sun. Gardening. Fresh veggies. Long walks marveling at the daily changes in my neighborhood. Daffodils. Tulips. That amazing iris in our backyard which was such a nice surprise last Spring. Seems to me it should be in full bloom around Mother's Day. Which from this vantage point is a long way off.

The transition from winter to spring is a tough one. It's an awakening, but a gradual one. Just as I can't seem to jolt out of bed in the mornings, Spring can't seem to come all at once. Like my hitting the snooze button four times, Spring takes some false starts, some rainy, and even snowy days, before it really arrives.


Today in my yoga class, we'll be focusing on easing this transition from lethargic winter to energetic spring. We'll hold poses longer and focus on postures which help to alleviate the build up of mucus in our bodies. I'll talk about spring diets and the wonder of the neti pot. For those following along at home, check out this article.

Happy Spring to all, but remember to cut yourself some slack if you are feeling tired, down or stuffy. Like our homes, some of us need a good cleaning before we can really embrace the season.