simple lovelies

Picking out a new friend when two of your best friends just moved out together.

lighting incense.

writing a little blog, even if it's kind of feast or famine-y.

Happy tea in my kitschy little mug.

reading poetry (Marcie, this is a book I got that day we went to that estate sale(s).

juicy

I looove Jennifer Weiner's books. If I didn't already enjoy that they are easy reads about unconventional women, I'd read them for the decadent food descriptions. Hands down, I'm a foodie. Meal chronicles such as, "garlic and white-bean puree with truffle oil" tap into my best foodie instincts, and I'm ready to savour some words.

Literature + bubble bath = ooh. But how about some juice with that? Carrot juice with apple. Thank you Super Angel (pretty, pretty princess) juicer! Yesterday was my biggest juicing day yet with five whole juices, four of which were green.

And did I mention I'm caffeine free for something like seven days? I have recently heard caffeine dependency described as living off of credit: If you don't pay it back, your account suffers because you are essentially living off of a facade. Er, I think I get it. I may not even be a person who can have an occasional caffeine drink; it's indelibly easy for me to slip into the routine of using it to elevate my energy so I can do more. Do more! Do more! For example, right now I feel a little tired. In (seven) days gone by, this means I'd get some coffee, a whole jittery pot; since I'm not running to pour a cup, I have some foresight and think about the fact I slept 6 hours last night instead of 7 or 8. I need a nap, not a coffee. Naps are sustainable (yes they are); coffee is not sustainable in that capacity. Right. I don’t want it anyways. Yes I do. No I don’t.

Let's talk about all of the nutrition I had yesterday! Juice, man. I meant it when I said I was done with this sickness crap- and then with B’s mom and my mom both getting lymphoma in the same breath- it’s to much. So, my answer, or part of it: juice. Four green’s yesterday, and one carrot. That's about an entire head of romaine lettuce- those are huge! Also, a green pepper, three whole organic carrots and one green apple. And that's just for my juice! I ate food, too. And since I’m trying to shrink my arse, now that I know that every extra pound of fat is extra hormones your body has to regulate, I made sure to stay in my little calorie range. Iphones have a good app for this, called “Lose It.”

Where is she getting all of this energy, you ask? Something that's making an heavy impact is that B and I went to Austin to learn Transcendental Meditation. I had been considering it for a year or so, and once Bruce learned about all of the studies on TM, he wanted in too. I'm finding my meditation has improved HUGELY. I mean, I cannot even tell you how much better it is- life changing better. My perspective has just shifted in these past seven days that I’ve been practicing...I have more of a sense of the commonality we share. That's right, you and me. We are s to the ame.*

*I’m willing to hold nerdy white girl gangsta talk coaching sessions, but they are e to the xtra.

Pretties.

My great, great aunt made the quilt.  I LOVE it.  I have another that I also love, which also seems to be fashioned from moo moos but less matchy ones.  I love prints.  

वर्क आईटी.

Playing with bacteria-laden ball thingy dug up in back yard.
Ready for my close-up.

Here is my ball. Hint. Hint.

Preston doesn't get the air time he used to, now that we are a four pet (holy cow) family. We spent some quality time together outside on Saturday for a little photo shoot. He was faaabulous.

I don't know why my title is in another language. Well, now you know how to spell "work it," in whatsitscalled.

Reminds me of back in the day:
i think my dog is a hippie
morning ritual
awwww

birding: don't hate the playa, hate the game.

Fo shizzle, yo. I've been b to the irding.

There is so a great blue heron in my back yard right now. It's huge! It's sitting on top of this dam that goes across the creek, just looking for dinner. And I still can't find my camera. I did log it in my bird book! Said bird book has 43" written beside the name great blue heron. I think this means wing span. Holy heck!

I see why old people like doing this! Give me some plaid polyester, a bird book and I'm good to go. My husband thinks he'll make a great old person; he wants to wear questionable hats and spend all morning drinking McDonald's coffee with his old man buddies. I think I might be even better! I want to be that lady who sits at rabble rousing political meetings knitting tea pot cozies (I actually do know this woman and do actually want to be her.). Then, I'll go home and "look at my birds."

This reminds me that I really want to check out the new Dallas Audobon center and also what is apparently the "largest urban hardwood forest in the country." I'm not clear on whether that's two different places or one giant nature extravaganza. Maybe if I write that down right here, I will see it and actually remember to go!

maybe my longest blogger absence

Wow. I have not been around these parts for awhile. I have to admit, I haven't been writing OR reading. Usually, I at least keep up on my favorite reads...I have some major backtracking to do.

It has been a CRAZY year. As in school year. (Some of us still measure our lives in semesters.) New grade. New program. New resolution to be best math teacher ever. Recollection of desire for life balance. Scratch new resolution; just be a much better math teacher. Thank you, Mia, for the book. I have so not properly thanked you yet, except in the fact that I have really tried to put the book to use (I have a feeling you might appreciate this more anyways!), which I'll tell you more about later...I am not joking when I say it has REVOLUTIONIZED my thinking about primary mathematics instruction. I am a new woman. I am talking about this book!

Now, it is Thanksgiving break, and things have just recently started slowing down. Exhale. We are finally starting to work on the house a little (pictures coming), and also to get out into the world of 3 dimensional people a little more. We've been hitting what we call hippie church, and have very good intentions to go on walks in the neighborhood.

Since I was last here, I have been...

Honestly, I've mostly been teaching. And thinking about teaching. It's the new program and new grade thing...I hope next year I can feel what it feels like to do the same thing for two years. To be honest, I'm a person who does things better in spurts, but I've been working on my attention span, and I think I can do it! Seriously, I could go without the stress! I keep thinking that I cannot teach and have a baby at the same time, but I haven't even given myself a chance to see what teaching without a whole bunch of extra stuff and changes is like!

Eating good food. Really. And bad food, too. But lots of good food. B and I have been waking up and eating eggs and sweet potatoes cooked in olive oil every morning. Then, we read a passage from Pema and sit to meditate for 20 minutes. It is very balancing, and I have been much more 'present' at work, which is great, because what a waste to work with 6 year olds and not be present!

Working (or rather, giving very good suggestions to B) for how to feel super safe in our ghettoasis. For real, we hear gun shots almost every weekend now. We life in a great neighborhood, actually, full of pretty nice homes, but it's close enough to whatever seedy motel or wherever that we do hear them. Kind of a lot. When we call the police, the Cheers theme song plays. Coming from Little House on the Prairie, I just have to say, "um...are you kidding?" But to be honest, it's good for the soul. I feel like facing a reality that many of my students have faced, and just people in general, and just facing it only a tiny bit more than I did before, humbles me a little. Having said that, we have a super fab alarm system, and check out our peep hole! It's MAGIC! Thanks, B!


Oh, and seriously. I got a new president. Best one EVER!!!

now

So...

I was just at the house, as we're getting the inspection right now. So far, everything is solid, especially for a house built in the 30's.

I met my across-the-street neighbor, another teacher at another arts magnet (but the high school one, which is where Norah Jones went). He mentioned that he often made dinner for the prior owner of our house (noted!). He also said that the hood is a great group of people with an active home owner's association, which is trying to get some small spring-fed "lakes" back in the community. He said that there is actually a waterfall (well, over a dam. Not an Ansel Adams situation...but still!) that is right in our back yard once the water rises some! To be honest, the more we are there, the more I notice I love about it. It is the sanctuary I've been looking for.

And, I feel a little mushy about how I got here. Once again, a testament to letting go a little, accepting and loving wherever I am *now* and following my bliss. Mia, you totally had a part in this. Isn't it strange how much these weird little blogging friendships can end up changing our thinking and effecting our lives? When I was whining about no nature in Dallas, Mia said, (with great tact!) "bloom where you are planted." So, I did. We knew we wanted a greater sense of community, maybe a little more progressive-minded, diversity...so we started looking at houses. From there, we fell into this house, which we cannot believe they are selling to us for a price we can afford.

Inspired by Lori, I've decided I need a "me room," for uninterrupted meditation, introspection, etc. I thought it was going to be easy, as the garage is already partially converted: Make a little room. Done. The thing is, apparently, for a garage conversion to really matter for home value, you need to extend the foundation. So, not quite as easy as slapping up some dry wall. When I was sitting in stillness for a bit today, I remembered that I've always been inspired by little outdoor prayer chapels...So, there's an idea, and a pretty feasible one, I think. A little room, built outside with some good views, the size of a big closet just long enough for yoga movements, with electricity (in case I want to write) and nature all around, where I can be still and in total solitude. There is a part of me that feels guilty for wanting a room just for me, but I guess people just have different needs. Maybe it's because I grew up being alone a lot. My mom worked the night shift a lot, and even though we lived in an old trailer, it was on all this land. I enjoyed that solitude so much. I didn't feel lonely anymore when I was outside with my little dog, laying in grass. I miss that. I am never alone in nature, and I've realized that I will be deeply sad if my kids don't get to have a similar experience: Not a lot of stuff, but a lot of nature. Like anyone else, I lose my footing in life sometimes...but I'm so happy I know a place where I can find it again.

And deeply grateful that something so inspiring is probably going to be right in my back yard. More pictures coming.

ghetto bohemian birds, flowers, child life

I've mentioned that we've been house hunting. We have driven ALL over, trying to be more open minded versions of our actual selves. Guess what: it worked in a big, bad ol' way! Our new favorite local is North Oak Cliff. My teaching partner (soon to be) is in the process of buying there, and she opened our eyes to one of the best areas in all of Dallas-Fort Worth. They do things differently in the Cliff, more funky-like. That's the way we like it. Way cooler than me, to be honest. As you can see, even the birds have a style of their own. Anyways, learning about North Oak Cliff is exciting, because I only learned about all of the most fabulous parts of it after I started reflecting on the fact that we make our happy whereever we are, bloom where planted, yada, yada. AND, as if I'm not already happy with my proximity to work (5 mi), I'll be even closer! Wanna be my new neighbor? Check it out: www.cliffdwellermagazine.com OR www.bishopartsdistrict.com
Hydrangeas. Next best choice after I found out lillies could kill my cat (sorry Riley, I didn't know). p.s. Riley didn't ever actually eat the lilliess, but he did play it fast and loose, batting them around on a few occassions.
I miss my kids. I wish I could show you pictures of them; they are so full of life and each wonderful! Either teaching is THE best profession for me, or I am seriously still honeymooning. I cannot wait to get a whole new batch in a month! I know. Annoyingly excited. Barf. In spite of my enthusiasm, *H*, if you are reading this, I have been really thinking about going into child life at some point (I know I have been telling this to you for about 6 years now, but it has always been true!). I'm thinking of doing an internship next summer and a little volunteering in the near future. If you don't know what child life is, go to: http://www.mdanderson.org/topics/kids/display.cfm?id=1ac80c36-5a75-4c9e-bf278a114fa26830&method=displayfull (Sorry for the necessary cut and paste. As fabulous as Mac's are, they are not so good with some blogger formatting things, so you'll have to do to your own link. It IS a good article. Go!)

little tree at the fancy pants mall...oriental maple?

I admit it, even to my fellow garage sale and thrift store aficionados, I love the fancy pants mall. It is like going to a museum. I love to watch people in beautiful clothes, like moving art installations. I like to smell Chanel and to sift through Anthropologie's plates, fabric and clothes like I'm at the most expensive thrift store in the world. I like to smell everything at the Aveda store, especially the tea. And to try all of the different kinds of teas that speak out to me at the tea shop. I love how fancy pants mall excursions leave me close to Barnes and Noble, Half Price books and sad (for my pant size) to say, the most artful and, holy crap, tasty of cupcakes: Sprinkles.

you could be my umbrella. ella ella ella hey hey hey

Currently reading:

Just finished, "In Her Shoes" again. You know, as part of my Jennifer Weiner re-readathon. I only re-read two, but two was enough and they were good, even though I'm not usually into re-reading. Thank god I'm reading more fiction again...Something is wrong when you can no longer bear to settle into fiction. It is as if your mind will not tolerate something that does not result in some sort of "gain," whether it is professional, personal or spiritual. I find that as I've practiced presence more, reading fiction is back (replacing dumb, often regretted internet time) and I'm having fun with it. It makes me sad to think of all of the time I didn't read that kind of book...it's so good for the soul to invest in something that is made-up and just as and transient as the lives we are living right now.

and of course I'm still reading "A New Earth," by Eckhart Tolle.

In his book, Eckhart Tolle says, "The key to understanding 'this to will pass' is knowing that non-resistance, non-judgement and non-attachments are the (keys to) enlightened living. Once you see and accept the transience of all things and the inevitability of change, you can enjoy the pleasures of the world while they last without fear or anxiety about the future."

Love it. I love this book. I love the WAY he quotes Jesus...It feels like that final connection I've been looking for (consciously and unconsciously) to reconcile the Buddhist philosophies that make so much sense to me and have brought me the most peace with the intensity and intimacy of my childhood connection with Christianity. I love reflecting back on verses from the Bible that used to mean so much to me. I haven't known what to do with those for awhile, but they fit in so well with this paradigm of thinking.

I'm grateful for mornings with flickering candles and heavy cups of coffee...open patio doors...relaxing with books and slow, purposeful breathing. I'm grateful to go to work in an inspired setting with inspired people, and to share laughs with kids, to work in small groups at my little kidney bean-shaped table, with my window open behind me, listening to spring's birds, the old-school bowling alley-ish wood floors shining in the sun. It could all end, disappear, turn out to be a fleeting dream, one of a million bubbles on a fast-moving stream. There is nothing I can do to make the impermanent permanent. That used to cause me pain. But it is reality, and accepting it feels better than the mirage of stability.

Three Happy Moments

B's aunt and I both glowing b/c we had just eaten breakfast on a table set of a different set/kind of china for each person. People, I don't even like china; this was just fun, though. It throws aside all that I hate about china! Instead of having to have all out annoying perfection, every setting is unique, probably left over from some set somewhere with missing pieces...We each picked the set we liked the most...and ate fresh blueberry pancakes on china, in our pajama's.
Triple spooning. Best Buds. Not posed.
A Tico breakfast. Costa Rican, that is. This is pretty much what I have for breakfast each morning. Mmmmmm. I can't tell you why I like to photograph my food. Oh, and don't judge me for the paper plate. Full dishwasher. I actually really like the earth.

A Series of Awkward Moments

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!

Here is a tiny list of some absolutely random factors which are contributing to my smile today:

-Tonight, I'm going to see the new Bridget Jones movie with my good friend...to be followed by wine!
-B just purchased a really nice shelf to go above the desk that I have half-finished white-washing...so that we can put all of our books and crap up there...Thank God! The clutter is making me hate life.
-He also got me a space heater so that I’ll stop whining about freezing my butt off. (Note: I WAS freezing it off.)
-Mia added me to her links!!
-I got up on time today.
-It’s Friday.
-My dog is sitting here being freakin’ cute.
-I have holiday coffee—Yes, it tastes like Christmas. Christmas in my cup every morning. Let me just tell you, it’s a reason to wake up.

I’m sitting here with my space heater and Norah Jones and my cinnamon sugar candle…God bless everyone. I love being warm. I’m planning on getting some random things done…Already worked on the kitchen…It’s my day to walk Preston…Gonna do my Yoga sun salutations---Always, always, there is homework.

Oh, the fiancé and I have had to make a command decision to box up our “Friends” DVD’s for awhile…yeah, we like them…a lot…It’s soooo easy to watch...and yet sooo insidious. Put in one episode while you eat. Finish plate—but, there are still a few minutes to the episode. Re-fill plate, because you have to be eating to watch t.v., right? Episode is over before plate re-fill is gone. Start new episode…

Continue rationalization cycle until fatness reminiscent of Free Willy or Jabba the Hut—oh, and you’ve also gotten nothing done for the evening…”Friends” are NOT there for me. So, they’re gone. Did I mention that we don’t even have any channels on our t.v….Really, not one….Now, we don’t have our friends, either. Dang their skinny tushies anyways. I think I’m going to have to scratch Sex and the City off of my Christmas list, too.

number four?

Well, I’m off to exercise in about two minutes, so I’ll make this short. Great morning, here. I’m such a happy girl when I wake early... Well, once I get up, that is. Today, I’m planning for a 20-minute lower body workout and then 40 minutes of good cardio... and I shall have a hotty body by 8 a.m.! (if only it worked like that!)

On a freakishly happy note, I went to Wal-Mart yesterday, and all the Christmas shit is out...For someone who is not religious, I just cannot tell you how much I just love the holidays. My fiance is Jewish, as I have mentioned...For our cards, I'm taking a little pix. of Preston (our famous Lab.--ok, famous to me)--one with a Santa Hat and one with a Yarmulke (for all Gentiles out there, if I phonetically spelled this word, it would be Ya-Mu-Kah...there we go). I'm going to paste the two little square black & white photos on the card, and underneath them, it will just say "Happy Holidays." Oh--and for those of you who don't have a Jewish boyfriend, I get to have Chanukah AND Christmas, and you-ooh dont! :) The real victim here is the dog. Oh, and I don't usually actually follow through on stuff like this. But, ah, the intentions...