Row Row Row Your Boat... & other Life Lessons

Mood today: happy, tired

Craving today: a fatty grilled steak and kale salad from central market

Inspiring thought today:

 

Gratitude List:

Friends
Family
Boyfriend
Ethnic Food
Kale salad
The Lord

Happy Monday... it has been a few days and lots of fun things since my last post. First of all, I am now a year older as of last Thursday, Feb 9, 2012. This was by far the most amazing birthday ever, for many reasons, but most of all because I am present and thankful for where I am and who I am, at last! I'm still a major work in progress but so far I am so thankful for what I've learned.

For my actual birthday we kept it pretty low-key. First of all my hormones were raging and my hip injury was in full pain, so overall I was in a bitchy mood. So I asked the b.f. to come over and eat my leftover curried turkey for dinner, and just requested that he bring over my-favorite-kale-salad in the world... yum! He was so awesome and not only brought MFKS, he also brought the most beautiful red strawberries I've ever seen/tasted, a lovely bottle of organic red wine (which was a lovely gesture, but tasted like crap. sorry, just speaking the truth) and some amazing dark organic chocolate. What a great night! Totally chill and perfect.

Friday I had to work, which was fine, and then that evening I went to the gym for a good stregth training session and then ran home to get ready. BF met me at home and then we drove over to an Afghani restaurant that I chose, where my mom, brother and stepdad met us for my birthday dinner. It was amazing! I wish I took some pics but we got so many lovely dishes: eggplant curry in a tomato sauce, lamb shank with orange rice, chicken curry, chicken and beef tandori, afghani beef sausage, and some other rice dishes and bread and rose water/ice cream desserts. Tons of amazing food, and a very full and happy tummy!

Slept in on Saturday and went for a nice walk, then chilled out, went to the gym to steam/sauna and shower, and then got ready to go to Anvil and Etro for my bday party night with friends. It was 80's inspired so I bought an outfit, and it turned out that nobody else dressed up so I was the only one wearing a costume. Great! haha yeah not really, but it was a super blast anyway.

here is said costume... and a look of non-amusement, which turned into a look of happy after cocktails

Anyhow, Saturday night was soooo much fun. Seriously it was the best birthday party/night I've ever had. it would not have happened without my amazing bf. He is just awesome! and it's only been 3 months that we've been dating, so I'm just amazed. We met at Anvil for cocktails, then headed over to the 80's club Etro for dancing, and stayed and danced for almost 2 hours. Finally we got home and just collapsed. Ahhhhh.

I woke up super early on Sunday and could not get back to sleep, so instead I decided to be productive and do laundry, laundry, dishes, more laundry, go to the gym and walk, shower, and clean. By 4:30pm I was exhausted but since we had dinner at Jacsun and Iris's house at 6pm, I had to suffer....

I picked up the BF and we headed over to Jacsun's for a Simple Supper Sunday Dinner, and it was pretty interesting! For $10 Jacsun prepares this awesome vegetarian meal of salads, breads, soups, desserts, and beverages, and provides us with literature, readings, fun things to do, and always has a cool guest list. The Dinners are never more than 8 people and were 7, which seemed pretty perfect. There was a woman who was a holistic eye doctor, another Latino doctor woman, another Afrian American woman, a glass bowl musician, and an Asian bellydancer/healer/interpreter/businesswoman... it was quite the interesting night indeed. We had some creamy pea/potato/carrot salad to start, then a Hungarian Eggplant, Squash and Mushroom bisque, with wholemeal bread, and a blueberry clofoutti and ice cream for dessert. Jacsun also made a watermelon aguas frescas which was yummy.

Overall the weekend and birthday festivities were a true sucess and joy and splendor... thank you Lord!

Today I am starting a new plan: began with a 15 hour fast, then just having protein and veggies and fats all week till Friday evening. I did stregth training today and will be working out all week, then will have a carb meal on Friday and all day Saturday, and then start the protein/veggie/fat thing again on Sunday. I'm going to see how this works for me and my body and mind and spirit... it seems simple and my brain seems to like the idea of it. I worked out today after I ate some rotisserie chicken and salad, and now I will have more protein again for dinner, probably some salmon salad that I made yesterday. I'm feeling good about it, and feel like it will help me deal with my daily carb/sweet cravings. Knowing that I can have them but need to wait till the weekend does wonders for my mind! Because I was starting to feel anxious about letting myself have them. I need more structure so I need to be honest with myself and do what will work for me and feel good.

Okay well tomorrow is cardio of some sort and physical therapy, and more protein/fat/veggies. Saving my carb cravings for the weekend, yay!

Blessings, thanks and peace

dg