Elyse on Life

Stop Internet Censorship NOW!!

2012-01-18T11:17:00.003-07:00

I am sure many of you have noticed the blackout of Wikipedia, Reddit, MoveOn.org, and the Google logo today. These internet giants are making a statement about the freedom of information on the internet, and how SOPA and PIPA, two pieces of legislation in the House and Senate right now, could endanger everything the internet has come to represent. If either of these legislations pass, the internet would be a very different place. I don't need the lobbyist dollars of the entertainment industry to dictate what I am or am not allowed to see.

Now is the time for the American people to make a stand. If our government is still for the people and by the people, then our united voice should mean more than millions of dollars in lobbyist money from a few companies.

Protect the free exchange of information. Stop internet censorship. Stop SOPA and PIPA. Learn more at https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T10:26:00.005-07:00

Happy New Year, world! Welcome to 2012. 2011 was quite a year for me, full of life changing events. My biggest event of 2011 was my marriage to my wonderful husband in July! We had an amazing wedding in Santa Barbara, CA and spent a fabulous adventure filled week in Kauai, kayaking the Na'Pali coast, zip lining in the jungle, and hiking to waterfalls. We sent 2011 off in style by spending the weekend climbing in Joshua Tree and visiting with friends. I am ready to hit the ground running in 2012!

The start of a new year is a great time for evaluating ones life and accomplishments over the past year, goal setting, and renewed determination. So what kind of goals work best for a new years resolution? Any kind! They say that the best goals are attainable and measurable. For example it is better to make a goal of losing 15lbs by June (or 20 or 30 or whatever) than to say vaguely "I want to lose weight." You are more likely to "go to the gym twice a week" than "workout more." Etc.

So what are my new years resolutions? Well, I have a few!

Resolution #1: Eat Paleo for six months!

That's right, the dear husband and I have decided to kick off this year with a Paleo diet/lifestyle change. The general idea of the Paleo diet is to eat hunter/gatherer style. Basically, if people make it, you don't eat it! This means no post agricultural revolution marvels such as wheat, rice, dairy, etc, and no processed foods. Your diet consists of nutrient rich veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes, and lean meats. It is a very clean way to eat, and I am excited to get started. We ate paleo for a number of months leading up to our wedding, so we are no strangers to the practice. The plan is to be strict paleo during the week, and be a bit more relaxed on the weekend (while still eating healthy). I plan to stick to the Paleo Diet until my brother's wedding in May!

Resolution #2: Complete 10 hot yoga classes in 8 weeks!

This is about as measurable and attainable as resolutions get. Why is it so specific? I bought a Hot Yoga groupon for a studio near my house. It was 10 hot yoga classes for $39, but you only have 8 weeks to complete them all once you start. Groupon is a great way to try new things, as the deals are great, and there is usually a large variety of fitness deals available. Hot yoga is the practice of doing yoga in a room heated up to 105 degrees! Wish me luck!

Resolution #3: Write at least 2 blog posts a month!

That's right, I am going to try to keep up with the blog a bit more. I think that is doable.

So those are my three resolutions. I have a lot more I want to do this year, and many professional and personal goals I would like to accomplish, but these are the resolutions I will use to get the year moving in the right direction.

Good luck to everyone looking for a fresh start, and congratulations to all the people who are continuing to accomplish their goals every day. I hope you had a successful 2011, and I hope 2012 is a great year!

Mortality.... Using the time we have

2011-04-21T09:25:00.008-06:00

Hello to all my lovely readers. I know I have been seriously neglecting you since the engagement, but wow have things been busy!

Erik and I have made the move to California! We are now settling in to our new place in Cardiff by the Sea. The location cannot be beat, and it is great to be back in the Golden State. Erik is toiling away working for the man, and since I have yet to secure full time employment I figured this would be a good time to catch up on my blogging.

This last year has had many ups, and a few downs. The weekend before last I lost my Grandfather. He was 90 years old and lived an amazing life. This man was and is an icon in our family. He grew up on a ranch in Texas during the depression, and went on to become a fighter pilot in WWII and Korea, get a petroleum engineering degree, become an oil executive in the south and midwest, and raise 3 healthy children who went on to have 4 grandchildren (myself included.) He always seemed invincible, and in a way he is. He is a legend and a hero that I will tell my kids about. He made you want to be better, and to always make him proud. I will miss him dearly, but I know that his life was long and full of accomplishment and love.

Dealing with mortality is always difficult. The realization and fear that our time on this planet is not infinite can come as a bit of a shock to someone my age. I am still young enough that something like mortality is a distant thought. I can stay healthy and strong, and I won't have to deal with old age, like, forever, right? Do people have bad luck and get in accidents? Of course. Do people get sick and die? Sure. With modern nutrition, exercise science and medical practices, is almost seems like we can get out of mortality. It is a multi-billion dollar industry after all. If I just try hard enough and do everything right, it won't happen to me. But Grandad was invincible, until he wasn't. No matter how well you live, and how strong you are, either way the end will come eventually.... Bummer.

However it does give us the opportunity to reflect on our own lives. When someone close to you passes it is impossible not to examine your life and see if you are living it to your fullest. I have been doing my best to live my life well, however recently I feel I have fallen short in some categories. Sometimes it is difficult to separate societal expectations and a personal fulfillment, however in this case I think my personal fulfillment is also suffering. Generally my report card looks good. But there is one glaring flaw:

-Family: Great job. Relationships with all relatives are good.
-Friends: Satisfactory. Need more local social connections, but I just moved so i get a pass. Distant friends are supportive. :)
-Health: Good. Healthy diet, active. However activity level should be improved.
-Love life/domestic: Excellent, gold star. Marriage in three months!! :)

***-Professional Goals: NEEDS WORK! Hmm...Got a great scientific degree (geology), worked as a geologist for a couple of years, with a break for some ski resort work. Decided to take a break and work some retail and recreational jobs. Then kind of lost my... train.... of........ thought.....um... right.

I have never put much weight on professional success, however over the last few months I have been feeling the societal pressures of being unemployed, as well as feeling low about not contributing much to Erik and I's financial situation. While I have made myself useful in other ways as the mistress of the house and executive assistant, it just isn't as satisfying.

While professional success has not been the top of my list, I have realized that I do want to do something "meaningful" with my life. But how does one define meaning? My family and friends often ask me what I want to do, and the honest answer is, I don't know. I know I want to help people. I love the outdoors and the environment. I want to make positive changes in the lives of those around me. How do I accomplish this while still paying the bills? Many of the positions I had the most personal satisfaction from payed the worst and had the worst hours. Working at the bike shop was fun and rewarding. How can you not feel all warm and fuzzy all the time when you are helping people get into a sport that you so enjoy. But $9.00/hr while working weekends and holidays all over the map? It may have worked when Erik was in school, but now we like our weekends to ourselves.

So I will continue to search and try to find the missing piece of the puzzle. And for now keep trying to focus on enjoying the opportunities that present themselves. I hope to do some volunteer work so I can at least give back to the community while trying to decide on a path to take. And I know my Grandad would be proud, no matter what i choose. As long as I am satisfied that I am living to my full potential.

Engaged and on our way to a happy life together!

2010-08-23T10:30:00.004-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, Erik and I are now happily engaged to be married! I promised I would post some pictures, and here they are. He proposed on the shores of Lake Tahoe on a perfect blue sky day. The ring is lovely. It was the most amazing moment I could possibly imagine.

The happy couple! Aren't we a knock out together? :)

The ring!

We then proceeded to Lake County to brag about our engagement, and my man was able to exert his mountain bike dominance over others. ;)

Erik is ready to kick some ass and take some names!

In San Francisco we visited the California Academy of sciences and immersed ourselves in in the latest in technology and innovation.

Learning is fun!

Till next time!

I'm engaged!!! Plus Snowboarding, Mountain biking, hiking update! Summer fun galore!

2010-06-22T10:58:00.007-06:00

Wow, have I been busy so far this spring/summer! This seems like a good time to update on all of my activities at once. It has been great! I left my job at GNC for a position as a sales associate at Performance Bikes. It has been a lot of fun. I am learning a ton about bikes and bike accessories, and it is wonderful to be able to help people choose an awesome bike that they will love to ride! Everyone in Boulder should have a bike. I could not imagine living without one. When the weather is good I ride my bike everywhere. There is just no reason to drive in a town with such amazing bike paths. When someone comes into the shop and tells me "I haven't owned a bike in 20 years, what do you have?" and I am able to hook them up with a cruiser or hybrid that they are comfortable on and will want to ride around town, it is a great feeling.

But on to adventures and engagements! I will go over the main adventures of the summer, and from now on I must update more often for some in-depth trip reports. Skip down to July if you want to read about my engagement!! :D

In March we had an awesome weekend snowboarding in Breckenridge with a bunch of cool people. We all rented a condo and had a blast for the weekend. The weather was sunny and glorious with some good snow still left on the slopes. We spent an afternoon shredding the half pipe, soaked in the hot tub, and ate lots of good food. Excellent times were had by all!

Later in March, Erik and I tried to escape the lingering winter and head to a warmer climate. We drove out to St. George Utah for some camping, mountain biking, and national park time. The campsite we found was great. We stayed at Quail Creek State Park, which is located on a huge reservoir. We spent the first day poking around in St George and relaxing. We had a ton of gear and were definitely comfort camping. The next day we rode Church Rocks. This ride is 12 miles or so of fun flowey single track with some slick rock and technical sections. Some sections of the trail were pretty sandy, so I would think this is best in the early season. The weather was perfect, and the ride was awesome!

Quite comfy in an erosional feature.

On the way home we booked it to Zion National Park. Zion never ceases to amaze. The spectacular canyon walls on all sides are dizzying. The park was packed but since we have a National Park pass we got to skip the line! We decided to hike Angels Landing, as it is one of the most spectacular hikes in the park but is still pretty short. It hike straight up a huge spire in the center of the park. The view from the top is breathtaking, and the climb can definitely suck the wind from your lungs. It was amazing.

A dizzying perch atop Angels Landing in Zion National Park

My birthday was at the end of April. My family came to visit Boulder over my birthday. We watched prairie dogs, went out to some fabulous restaurants and I finally had tea at the Dushanbe Tea House. Jen and I had a joint birthday party out on the town. It was definitely a rager, ending with all of us riding the mechanical bull at Shooters. I woke up with some bruises!

We are taking advantage of the Boulder Open Space trails and did Gregory Canyon on a rainy morning a little bit ago. The water was so high the trail was a creek in places. This is a great loop. We started at the Chataqua parking lot and hiked along baseline before continuing up into Gregory canyon. The Gregory canyon lot is a fee lot, but Chataqua is free! Afterwords we decided to stuff our selves at an all you can eat Indian Buffet. Maybe not the best idea... :P

On Sunday the 20th of June we planned to summit our first 14er, Mt Bierstadt. But sadly the road to the trail head was closed. To salvage the day we decided to hike around Echo Lake near Idaho Springs. This is on the Mt Evans Scenic Byway. We had a great hike out towards the Chicago Lakes and did a little bit of exploring on the National Forest Service land.

4th of July we returned to the area for a three day backpacking trip out into the wilderness. It was simply amazing! We hiked in on Saturday night and camped along the trail to Chicago Lakes. In the morning we discovered our stove fuel was leaking and thus had to cook all of our food and make coffee on an open fire for the rest of the trip. The next time we go backpacking with a working stove it will feel positively luxurious. We packed up our gear and continued on the the lakes themselves on Sunday morning. The views from the upper lake are incredibly spectacular. We found an excellent place to camp nestled in a grove of pine trees off the trail. This protected us from some of the variable weather that came in on Sunday evening (rain, hail, lighting, etc.). Before the storm we had a chance to hike up a cascading waterfall that fed from the upper to lower lake. It was definitely and adventure!

A view of Erik above the Lower Chicago Lake in Mount Evan Wilderness area.

The waterfall that connects the upper and lower Chicago Lakes

After the fourth we set of on a cross country epic in the van. We loaded our camping gear and mountain bikes up and set out to drive from Boulder, CO to the Bay Area in California (with no air conditioning). Erik had booked some hotels along the way, which was nice. We were so sweaty and disgusting after spending a day driving across the Nevada desert without A/C that I think I would have died if we were camping in the desert. The thermometer in the van read 100+ at the hottest. I was taking ice from the cooler and wiping down our necks, arms and legs so as not to overheat. It was pretty brutal to say the least.

When we arrived in California we decided to make a little side trip to Tahoe City, where we met. We cruised down to the Dam Cafe (our favorite coffee spot in town) and got some breakfast burritos. Erik decided it would be nice to eat them down by the lake, and i agreed. He grabbed his backpack and the burritos and we walked down along the crystal blue water admiring the gorgeous views. After finding a nice spot on the sand, I plopped down and started getting comfortable, but before I had a chance Erik pulled me up to standing. He put some music on his iPhone (Jason Mraz: I'm Yours) and bent down to grab the burritos from his pack. But instead of handing me a burrito, when he turned to me he dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes with tears in my eyes! It was the most beautiful moment I could have ever imagined. We are now engaged and planning an outdoor beach wedding for next summer! I have yet to upload the pictures from that day, but they are forthcoming! :)

In California Erik did a 24hr Mountain bike race with some of his old buddies. It was really cool! I was support crew, along with another accompanying girlfriend.

I then spent some time in San Fransisco and and had a chance to catch up with my old friend Christine. We went to San Carlos to visit some of my extended family and announced our engagement!

Erik then left for a friend's bachelor party in Tahoe, and I went and spent a week in Mission Beach with my family basking in the ocean and feeling the soft air against my skin. We are both now back in Colorado. I am working at the bike shop and Erik is finishing school this semester. It has definitely been a full and exciting spring/summer!

This coming weekend we plan to hike Longs Peak. Woo 14er!

Till next time when i manage to sit down at the computer for long enough to post! It's been real.

Finally got my internet back!

2010-03-24T10:13:00.001-06:00

So I have been on a small hiatus due to changing internet providers, but i finally got it back! I hope Qwest works better than comcast, but so far things are not looking good. I just want the internet to work all the time! Is that so much to ask in this day and age? I feel like Boulder has the worst provider choices and the worst connectivity I have ever experienced. How can the internet be working for all google sites, but not facebook, weather, hulu, aolmail, etc? It just doesn't make any sense! Now time for more long customer service phone calls trying to figure out a problem that will probably never be solved. :/ Boooo!

Stay tuned at some point in the future for updates from the awesome Breckenridge weekend. This week Erik and I are going to St. George to mountain bike and camp. Should be awesome! Later guys!

Less is more when it comes to healthy eating!

2010-03-16T11:25:00.003-06:00

Erik and I have decided to begin phasing out most animal products from our diets. In this day and age I believe it is just a healthier choice. We are starting with red meat and cheese. Soon we will hopefully be able to give up chicken and eat only fish for a while. I think the toughest thing to give up for me will be yogurt. I would be okay with a diet that included organic yogurt and fish even though they are still animal products, we will just have to see. Phasing out milk in my coffee will also be tough. I am going to try rice and almond milk and see what flavor/texture works best with coffee. I have found some great blogs for vegan lunches, which i believe is the hardest meal to plan for as it has to be portable. This is a great one http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/. Wish us luck!

Milk business. Best picks in the dairy industry!

2010-02-27T11:50:00.005-07:00

Cow 1: "Moo?" Cow 2: "Moo!"

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted! I kind of fell off the P90X bandwagon. I've been snowboarding so much and going to the mountains to snowshoe and hike a lot (I got some Ice Trekkers for winter hiking, fun!) I just haven't had the time or inclination. But I have still been staying very active and going to the gym regularly for cardio, weights, and to sit in the hot tub :).

I have also been working at GNC, which is very interesting! There are so many products out there with so many uses, it is very fun to learn about all of the nutrition products available these days. I, myself, only take a multivitamin, extra vitamin C, fish oil, and protein shakes (and occasional protein bar), but the array of products and uses is truly astounding!

But on to our current topic: MILK! If you are a milk drinker you probably want to read this. I was just reading an article over on http://fitnessachievement.com/ talking about some of the nastiness found in factory farm milk (antibiotics, hormones, and other bodily fluids that should NOT be in milk). Many people have switched to soy, rice, and almond milks to avoid these issues. That is a great solution, but I just can't get over how weird soy tastes in my coffee!

If you must drink milk, there are some very good companies. Going organic is a good idea but it doesn't end there! The USDA grade of Organic does not mean the cows are well treated, happy cows. It just means they are not treated with hormones or antibiotics, and must be allowed some access to the outdoors (this can be only minutes a day!). Some of the big so called “organic” brands are almost as bad as factory farm milk (like Horizon). But if you go for a small, local, organic brand you can know just what you are getting.

I get Farmers All Natural milk whenever possible. http://www.farmersallnaturalcreamery.com/index.html. It is from the Midwest and not available everywhere. The cows are raised on small family farms, and free grazed during the growing season. It is non-homogenized (cream top), organic, and all natural! And you can go take a tour of one of their farms if you want to. They only keep a small number of cows on a farm. I only really use milk in my coffee and cereal, but it is nice to know you are using a quality product.

This is a great site where they rate all the dairy companies based on farm size, hormone and antibiotic use, grazing practices, if they get milk from outside sources (factory farms) etc. http://www.cornucopia.org/dairysurvey/index.html. I try to stick with brands that get at least a 4.

Before pictures for P90X.... have not been taken yet....

2010-01-25T13:37:00.003-07:00

I said I would try to post before pictures on here for P90X, and I have failed. :/ Sorry! You see, my camera is in my hiking backpack, which is in the trunk of the car, that is parked kind of far away and it's really cold out and, and..... I am full of excuses. I am still sticking with the program though, and I finished my first week! that is what's important! I do still plan to take a picture. Tomorrow I am off work, so that would be an opportune time.

I did the Kenpo workout the other day, and that is far and away my favorite disc! I have done a fair amount of kickboxing in my time, and it is always a fun cardio workout. Doing the Kenpo disc made me want to take a kickboxing class again, or buy a heavy bag! Shadow boxing is all well and good, but nothing is as satisfying as that loud thwack you get when you connect with a pad or bag with a strong kick. My ideal home gym definitely includes a heavy bag!

Today was Core synergistics, and it's a great core workout! When they say core, they really mean your entire core, not just abs. The core is what holds everything in, and keeps your back strong. A strong core also helps prevent injury. Some of the moves are quite awkward for me, but I am sure they will become easier with time as I continue the program! That is definitely the theme for the first week. Just stick with it and I'll get better and more fluid!

Look forward to a before picture and some point, and keep checking back for more updates and reviews about P90X and my progress.

Product review: Magic Bullet and Protein Shake recipe

2010-01-20T23:00:00.014-07:00

I have always liked protein shakes. They make a great quick breakfast or post work-out snack. It is said that eating 5 or 6 small meals a day boosts your metabolism and keeps it at a higher level than eating 3 big meals a day. Protein shakes make great "in-between" meals. However, many people may not enjoy the benefits of the protein shake because they can be such a pain to make. My full size blender was such a hassle to clean, it wasn't even worth it. And if I accidentally made too much and stuck it in the fridge, it inevitably separated and got all nasty. But now, everything has changed. The world, as I know it, will never be the same (overly dramatic?)! I now blend all of my smoothies in the Magic Bullet! Here I present to you my review of the Magic Bullet, followed by a healthy, nutrient packed smoothie that tastes awesome!

The magic bullet is a great little mini blender/food processor. There area few methods to buy this thing and it's not cheap. It sells on TV for $99, but you get one free (feign enthusiasm here). I don't know why you would want two magic bullets (aside from offloading one to a family member who really wanted Guitar Hero for Christmas) but I guess whatever floats your boat. Or you could do what I did and get one at Target for half the price, and split the cost with my boyfriend. Now that's more like it!

The Magic Bullet takes up very little space on the counter top, however the attachments and accessories take up an entire shelf in the cabinet. There are two blades (one for blending, one for chopping, grinding and whipping) a small and large sized blending containers, a pitcher attachment, four cups with threads, colored rings for the cups, a shaker lid, a strainer lid, and some solid lids. The lids are great because you can make pancake batter or whatever, use half of it, then screw on the lid and throw the container in the fridge. The containers are microwavable, so if you are making nacho cheese or Alfredo sauce, you can microwave it right in the container you blended it in! Hooray for less dishes while cooking!

There is also a recipe book. Some of the recipes work better than others, but it is fun to try them all. To use the magic bullet, you attach the blades directly to the container you would like to blend in and just press down. The pressure activates the motor and spins the blade. It's quite cool. It is great at blending, and does really well with certain foods, though for some it under performs (destroyed onions and garlic to a chunky mush, and salsa became frothy weirdness). We grind whole bean coffee with the flat blade in the small cup every morning, and it grates a killer nacho cheese! Though in our attempts to make guacamole usually some of the chunks never get mixed. I have found guac is easier the old fashioned way (smash avocados and other stuff with a fork).

The cool thing for shakes is that the cups are threaded, so you can make smoothies by twisting the cup right on the blade and blending them one cup at a time. That way you don't end up making a way too massive smoothie that then gets funky in the fridge. You know exactly how much your serving size will be. Also, once a blade is screwed on a container it completely seals (except for the pitcher). This means you can take it off and give it a good shake if you need to! No more trying to scrape honey or chunks of protein powder off the side of the blender with a spoon or knife. Just shake it up!

Here is what I put in my Very Berry Vanilla Protein Shake:

A handful of fresh or frozen berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries)
2 cups Vanilla Soy Milk
1-2 oz. Acai puree
1 oz. liquid multi vitamin
1 oz. liquid glucosamine
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (Whey or soy. Muscle Milk, Myoplex, or just your standard store brand protein is usually whey (dairy) based. For a vegan and non-dairy alternative, be sure to use soy protein!)
1/4 cup of raw oats

(To make a chocolate version, simply add 1 - 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder!)

Screw on blending blade (four prong) press and hold down until shake is mostly blended (5-7 seconds). Take the cup off of the magic bullet base and give it a vigorous hand shaking (three or four shakes) to mix up any liquid or powders that are stuck to the bottom.

***A note on the order of adding ingredients: It doesn't really matter, as the magic bullet is a powerful blender, and the shaking step I include usually mixes any straggling items. That being said, I like to add frozen fruit first, then liquids and liquid supplements, followed by any dry ingredients. This way when you screw on the four prong blending blade, the dry ingredients will get blended completely as they are closest to the blade. And we continue....

Return the shake to the base and blend a bit more (around another 5 seconds). Now take your smoothie off, unscrew the blade and rinse it (for next time), and screw on one of the little colored cup lips. You can drink your shake right out of that cup without dirtying another dish! This is huge!

Why do I choose these ingredients and supplements?

-Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are all rich in antioxidants, not to mention totally delicious. Strawberries are packed with vitamin C
-Vanilla soy milk is full of healthy soy protein. It is also rich and creamy while still dairy free. You can use plain soy milk for less added sweeteners.
-The Acai berry is an antioxidant super food. It is said to have 1000 times the antioxidant power of blueberries. This means it scavenges free radicals in your system that can lead to premature aging and cancerous cells. All I know for sure is that it I feel good when I drink it, and it tastes good too!
-Liquid multivitamin is more easily and readily absorbed than solid multivitamins. Think of it this way, how would you vitamin pill do in the dishwasher? Now imagine how much work your stomach has to do to break it up. Liquid is much easier for the body to process, thus you get more nutrient benefits.
-Glucosamine supports the natural lubrication and elasticity of your joints. In a liquid form it is quickly absorbed and put to work helping your tired knees or creaky shoulder!
-Protein is needed to build and maintain muscle. If you work out vigorously, or are attempting to reshape your body, adequate protein will help you gain and maintain lean muscle and achieve your goals.
-Raw oatmeal is a whole grain. It is loaded with soluble fiber and helps maintain proper digestion. It also aids in lowering cholesterol, and is said to be a natural antidepressant. It ads a great flavor and texture to the smoothie!

The overall result is a creamy, rich, delicious healthy protein shake packed with vitamins and essential nutrients! If made with soy protein this shake is also 100% non-dairy/vegan.

I hope you enjoy the shake! I am going to go make one right now!

P90X Lean, Day 4: Yoga

2010-01-20T14:22:00.003-07:00

I just finished the P90X Yoga DVD (Well, not finished per se....) and it is rough. Flexibility is definitely one of my weakest points. I made it through the first half or so, and then the poses became quite difficult for me! But hey, hopefully by the end of the program I will be able to finish the whole DVD. That's a great goal to have!

The Yoga DVD starts with some breathing and warm-up stretches, then dives in to sun salutations. These sun salutations are the foundation of the entire yoga video. A sun salutation is performed between every single sequence, which can get a little old. They start out simple with basic downward dog, plank and upward dog, then adds warrior one and two. The program continues with triangle poses that then started to tweak my back a bit.

The twisting poses are uncomfortable for me, but it should get easier as I get more flexible. I don't want to push it too early and pull something, so i am taking it easy and stopping when it seems too much. Right now my downward dog is definitely not a pretty picture. My heals are nowhere near the ground. Man the yoga is tough! I have a lot of work to do on this one!

I have decided that I will take my "before" picture on Sunday, as that will be exactly one week in. I can then continue to track my progress at 30, 60, and 90 days.

Today is also my first day of work at GNC. I suppose I should go get ready!

P90X Lean! Here we go!

2010-01-19T11:20:00.005-07:00

Everyone has seen the infomercials about it, and a lot of folks have finished with fantastic results. Sadly, many more have attempted this program and encountered road blocks like injury, fatigue, and time constraints. I am not going to say they failed, just that they have yet to succeed. Yes, I am talking about P90X!

Last summer Erik and I purchased P90X and began the P90X classic program. We lasted about 2.5 weeks before my knee started bothering me, and his shoulder started to hurt. To avoid further overuse injury we put the program on hold, vowing to return to it and complete the full 90 days. Now it is winter, and with no lovely weather drawing us outside and away from the workouts we are back in action and ready to take on the challenge with P90X Lean!

Three days ago we decided to give P90X another go around. Here is our progress so far!

Day 1: chest and back +ab ripper
Man, I could barely lift my arms yesterday because my chest muscles are so sore. Killer workout!
Day 2: plyometrics
My legs are definitely sore today, but not as brutal as the chest and back
Day 3 (Today): Shoulders and arms + ab ripper. And we came to a decision regarding the program....

The last time we tried P90X classic and ended up injured, so this time around we will be completing P90X Lean. Lean is a higher cardio, lower impact workout regime than the Classic. instead of Plyometrics (which is all jumping) they swap in Cardio X. There are also less push-ups and pull-ups in the first month of the Lean program. By doing the Lean, we hope to avoid overuse injury and complete the full 90 day program. If at some point Lean is no longer challenging enough, or if Erik wants to lift more and develop his chest (I could care less about developing my chest, lol), he can sub in the Chest and Back disc for some of the core synergistics days in the Lean program.

To be successful in this program I need to get my nutrition back in gear. With winter upon us we have been making really yummy, but kind of rich food. Erik made a huge pot of fabulous chili that is amazing on a piece of wheat toast, but we have also been making a ton of rich Indian food and probably overdoing the tacos/burritos. We plan to make a lean beef stew and freeze a bunch of it. Now that we have started P90X I should be more motivated to eat leaner and healthier. Especially since working out after eating junk feels so nasty. I am totally amped about this endeavor!

I also start a new job at GNC tomorrow, so I will be able to get discounts on various supplements that will help us through the program. I have another interview in the morning with a new gym in town. If all goes well I will land that job as well (+ free gym membership). So I would work part time at GNC and part time at the gym. I will have everything set up for an awesome winter of indoor fitness to pair with snowboarding and snowshoeing, and get super fit for the spring/summer!

I will try to post some before pictures on here at some point. I want to post progress pics at 30 and 60, then after the 90 days I can throw some after pictures up. How exciting!

Holidays, and losing a friend.

2009-12-31T11:46:00.005-07:00

Wow, have I been busy! The holidays are such a crazy time, I am definitely ready for a little break. Over thanksgiving Erik and I went mountain biking in Fruita, CO and Moab, Utah, then flew to PA to visit his parents.

Christmas has been an exciting affair. I flew out to Santa Barbara for two weeks to visit with family and be generally overwhelmed by rich food, drink, and social interaction. Now I am back in Boulder and am pretty much wiped out. I pick up Erik at the airport today and am very excited to see him. However our happy reunion comes with a veil of sadness. Our first pet, Ping pong, has passed away. :(

Ping pong was a Chinese dwarf hamster that I purchased over a year ago when I was feeling very isolated and lonely out here in Colorado. She helped me through some rough times, and while she was small, she was a great comfort. She loved her yogies and running on her wheel. I had trained her to crawl into my hand, but if I wasn't holding a treat she would generally bite me. While i was training her to come to my hand, she was training me to have a treat! She was the best hamster anyone could want. Her quirky personality and would always shine through. Adorable. She had a good long life for her species, and was very well loved. She will definitely be missed.

You will always be loved and remembered.

Mountainbikes, Snowboards and hiking boots, oh my!

2009-11-19T10:43:00.004-07:00

It's been a little while since I have posted here, but for good reason! I have been busy living life, which aside from my current lack of incoming funds is pretty sweet right now.

Erik and I went on a mountain bike ride a couple weekends ago up at Hall Ranch in Lyons, CO, and man is that some sweet singletrack! The ride up is pretty mellow, and the ride down is a ton of fun. I've heard that Hall Ranch is some of the best singletrack in Boulder County and I'd have to agree. With plenty of water bars and natural features, it keeps you on your toes. The section of tight switchback at the bottom is great for whipping around those corners. I'd say cornering is my weakest point, so that little tight section is great practice and a lot of fun! We saw a group of deer on the way up. Very cool.

A deer at Hall Ranch

Erik's friends Jimmy and Kayna stopped through on their way from Montana to Texas and we went on a nice hike up to the Flatirons. It was a perfect day for it. Now I think it would be more of a snowshoe than a hike. Speaking of, it's about time to break out the snowshoes!

It has been snowing in the Rockies!

In case you didn't get the memo, it has been a great early season here so far! We have already had 3 big snow storms, and many of the ski resorts are already open. I have managed to make it up to the mountains twice so far. Once to Loveland and once to Breck on opening weekend!

The loveland trip was pretty sweet. Erik's friend hooked us up with a couple of free passes and the snow was very good for this early in the season. I bet it is even better now. The drive up was a fiasco, however, and I ended up out of the car pushing the escort up a section of I-70. We will never take that car in a storm again! We ended up buying chains in a small town off the highway, so we were able to make it to the resort with a couple hours left to ride. It was all worth it though to shake the rust off the old legs and get back into the groove!

Breck was a ton of fun. I drove up with my friend Jen and we got to the resort at ~11am. There were crazy long lines, but the slopes were pretty open! We went on a couple runs, then met up with some friends and had a margarita. On our last run we cut a corner and got some powder turns in! I was nervous that I was gonna trash the base of my new board, but the call of sweet powder won me over and I decided to risk it. It totally paid off, and we got some great turns in with no damage! Hooray!

Erik and I are going to head to the mountain this weekend with the snowboards, mountain bikes, and hiking boots and see what adventures we can get into. The plan is Friday snowboarding, then out to Fruita, CO or Moab, UT for some riding. Hopefully we can get out to Moab and hit the Whole Enchilada, but the top might not be open due to snow. There are a ton of good trails out there though, so we will have a blast!

Then it's off to the East Coast for thanksgiving. I just got a bunch of new clothes with some giftcards I had laying around, so I am super stoked. I got a sweet argyle sweater and a bunch of Roxy long sleeved thermal shirts, so I am ready for winter! I'm off to Costco to return some stuff now.

Check back soon for an update of the Thanksgiving break festivities!

First snow in Boulder! Whaaaat?!

2009-10-14T11:18:00.004-06:00

It is my day off today so I thought I would catch up on some blogging. This last weekend we had some crazy weather here in Boulder. I woke up on Saturday morning and was greeted with this view from my balcony:

Winter wonderland!

Quite the snowy site! This much snow in early October? What is the world coming to? I was expecting snow from the weather report, but not quite so much! I have been riding my bike to work as I live extremely close, but today with all the snow I decided to walk. Here are some shots of the walk across Scott Carpenter Park that morning:

Bike path through Scott Carpenter behind the sledding hill. There were a few kids out sledding! :)

More snowy bike path!

It is now sunny and crisp out, with some high clouds. This weekend we will be hitting the low 70's! Quite the switch. Colorado has some serious weather! You know what they say, "If you don't like the weather in Colorado, wait 5 minutes!"

Well, I'm off to contact my landlord to get the heat fixed. We just can't manage to keep the pilot light lit, and if this crazy weather keeps up, we will definitely need the heat. Especially since Erik is recover from a very sudden but brief onset of pneumonia. He is doing much better now and is on antibiotics, but he was really sick for a couple days. His midterms and this crazy weather must have lowered his immune system. I'm glad he is better though. So stay warm and stay healthy everyone!

Bye!

New layout! Huzzah!

2009-10-08T20:41:00.003-06:00

I decided to change the layout of my blog. The other one was just not jiving with my vibe. This one is much better in my opinion. In other news, Erik had a lovely dinner waiting for me when I got home from work. He made some fabulous apple chicken sausage in Jalfrezi sauce with white rice and garlic naan. It was totally delicious! What an amazing boyfriend I have!

We popped open a bottle of 2007 Muir Wood Pinot Noir to enjoy with the meal. I highly recommend this wine! It has a strong fruity nose, and tastes of ripe berries and oak. Very smooth, mellow tannins. Really nice finish. Erik is now studying at the kitchen table and I am in my PJ's and down booties, ready to settle in and watch Fringe on Hulu. I am working a lot this week, which is good because it will make up for some of the days I missed going to grandad's 89th birthday! The trip was a big success. It was so nice to see everyone, and hang out in San Francisco and San Carlos. My little cousins are still as adorable as ever, and the weather in SF was perfect! I can't wait for my parents to come and visit me here.

Boulder is definitely experiencing fall in full force. The air has been crisp and very autumnal. The leaves are changing just brilliantly. Every day I walk along the creek to work, under the shade of yellow and red maple, aspen, and cottonwood trees. It is a lovely little walking commute, though today it rained and snowed! It was cool though, because I got to wear my Marmot down puffy that I have so missed. That is the warmest most fluffy jacket ever. I am so glad to be working so close to home, and able to stroll across the park right to the front door. I hope the leaves have not all fallen by the time my parents visit! And if they do, there is nothing quite like seeing the flat irons dusted with fresh winter snow.

Next post I promise some more pictures.... Probably. ;)

Boulder Gear Swapmeet! We need one!

2009-10-08T08:48:00.003-06:00

Between the two of us, Erik and I have a bunch of gear we want to unload. Our condo isn't huge, and all the extra stuff just creates clutter. We have enough stuff (and good quality) to have a very nice garage sale, but here's the rub: we don't have a garage, yard, or driveway! So how do we unload this stuff?

The stuff we want to get rid of:
-vintage road bike (needs some love to be ridable)
-road bike helmet
-women's snowboard with bindings (good condition)
-a couple of mens snowboards (good condition)
-some extra bindings
-a variety of alpine and cross country skis
-miscillaneous outdoor clothing, snowboard jackets, goggles, etc.

I know I could sell it all on craigslist, but that would mean writing many a CL post, and having to be home and available for a lot of people to stop by. I just don't want to deal with all the back and forth. I would rather sell the stuff for less money if it meant less hassel. So I came up with an idea. I want to have an informal Boulder gear sale/swap! The seasons are changing and many people need to suit up for winter, or might want to unload some summer excess. A gear swap would be the perfect solution!

It would go like this, I would talk to all my friends about it, post it on facebook, craigslist, a bunch of forums etc. and name a date, time and location. Then everyone interested would bring all the gear they don't want to this location at the specified time and date, and sell or trade it to all interested parties who show up. I think it would be an excellent solution! The only problem is I don't really have a place to do it. I was thinking the park by my place would be a good spot (Scott Carpenter park, with the skate park). I'm not sure what the rules are in Boulder about having this kind of thing at a city park or something. I tried to look up holding an event at Scott Carpenter but came up empty handed. Maybe there is a warehouse or events center somewhere? The other issue would be weather. Now that it is getting cold and with rain and snow on the menu for the rest of this week, it makes an outdoor event like this a little tough. I would like to have it on a nice sunny day where people would be inclined to browse, etc. The weather here is pretty unpredictable, so my guess is there will be more warm weather coming up before winter really settles in.

I think an event like this would also help build community. People could come and hang out, talk gear, and help each other out. I don't know if I will get it together to organize something like this, but it would be cool....

Maybe I will just sell it all on craigslist.

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park: Chasm Lake

2009-09-10T11:47:00.013-06:00

This last Sunday I embarked on a 8.4 mile hike with a group of friends in Rocky Mountain National Park. The destination: Chasm Lake. This trail offers everything a hiker could ask for: wildlife, creeks, waterfalls, wildflowers, a gorgeous lake and spectacular views. When hiking at elevation it is always important to be prepared. The weather can change quickly in the mountains, and a lovely summer day can turn to a hypothermic rain, snow or hail storm in minutes. Be sure to pack some warm layers and plenty of water. And definitely bring rain gear. Get below tree line if a storm is on its way. Lighting danger is very real! And remember to tell someone where you are hiking and when you plan to be back, so if you don't show, someone will know to call the authorities and look for you!

The Chasm Lake hike begins at Longs Peak Ranger Station on the east edge of the national park. The cool thing about this trailhead is you don't have to drive all the way up to Estes Park (a nearby town and the general gateway to RMNP) and you don't have to pay to enter from this area! There are restrooms near the trailhead in the camping area, and it would be wise to use them before setting out. The trailhead is located at 9400 feet with an elevation gain of 2360 feet over the 4.2 miles to the lake. This puts the lake at 11760 feet in elevation. This can put an amazing strain on the lungs and legs if you are not acclimated to the elevation. Luckily, living in nearby Boulder that sits at around 5600 feet, the elevation is not too crazy. But you can definitely feel it!

Yay water features!

We started on the trail at around 10:00am, though later we wished we had embarked a bit earlier to have more time to enjoy the lake at the top. The hike begins with a steady climb on a nice wide trail through pine trees and boulders, with the occasional squrrel in the trees. While winding up through the pine trees hikers pass near several creek and waterfall areas, as well as a few creek crossings with convenient little foot bridges. The areas near running water are green, mossy, and cool, and make excellent rest spots to catch your breath.

Pretty little waterfall!

After hiking through the trees, and a cascading creek crossing, hikers are greeted by a lighting warning sign! When you see this sign you know you are about to bust out above treeline. It is important when hiking to be sure you are below treeline if a storm begins to move in. With lighting it's one strike, your out!

Warning! Lightning Danger!

As you come above treeline the pines and evergreens get shorter and stumper, and are eventually replaced by shrubby groundcover and windswept rock. The first view of Long's Peak as it bursts over the horizon is stunning. I can't wait to hike to the top of that monster!

The first view of Long's Peak

A meandering but nevertheless strenuous trek across the open boulder-field brings you the the Long's Peak trail junction. Here there is a hilarious little solar powered bathroom that desperate hikers can take advantage of before continuing down the trail another .7 miles to Chasm Lake, or branching off to head up a grueling 10+ miles to the summit of Long's Peak.

Crossing the boulder field

From this point forward, the trail is dizzyingly spectacular. A wide singletrack contours the edge of a steep slope. The Diamond on Long's Peak (a famous granite rock face for climbers and mountaineers) looms in the background, while the forground is the cascading Columbine Falls. Look for Blue Columbines, the Colorado state flower, when you near the falls and the waterways that follow.

The goal is in sight!

Beyond the falls lies a wetland area filled with ponds and streams. Watch for marmots and pikas near the trail. They make for an adorable photo-op! There is another solar powerd toilet in this area located near a picturesque emergency ranger hut if the need arises. If you are hiking late in the season this area is easily negotiated, but in the earlier season it can be packed with snow and ice, so tread carefully!

Blue Columbines line the trail

After a short yet lung busting scramble up the final leg of the trail you are greated with the site of Chasm Lake spanning before you at the base of the Diamond. This vista is massive. The scope of the peak before you is hard to grasp.

Chasm Lake with Long's Peak in the background.
I couldn't fit the whole thing in the shot!

Here we sat in the shadow of the mountain, eating our lunches and chatting, when the clouds started coming in. We made a quick exit as hail started to fall, and made it down below tree line well before the lighting and rain kicked in. Luckily we had all packed rain gear and some warm layers. Our hike back through the pines was a wet one, but what an experience! I definitely recommend Chasm Lake to anyone looking for a little morning adventure. I can't wait to hike Long's Peak one of these days!

And then there were cows!

2009-09-04T16:16:00.008-06:00

Cows!!

This last weekend Erik (my boyfriend) and I decided it would be a lovely day to go on an easy mountain bike ride. I chose a trail that I thought would be pretty mellow based on distance and technical ability. The trail I wanted to ride is called Foothills trail, which goes in a big loop. It is a wide, level path with only a few easy uphills and one slightly technical downhill section, but there are gorgeous views of the plains and the mountains. This trail is located just East of Boulder, and winds through the open plains and around some picturesque ponds and reservoirs. But the coolest thing about this trail is that it cuts right through the center of a working ranch!

Now riding through a ranch is very interesting, as we discovered. There are a lot of cattle gates that you need to go through to connect with the bike-able portions of the trail. These gates are spring loaded, and if one isn't paying attention it would be easy to slam your bike frame in a metal gate (ouch!). I usually dismounted to go through these gates, but Erik became pretty skilled at balancing on his bike while opening and shutting the gate gently (he refuses to unclip from his pedals unless absolutely necessary. I ride with flats, so I don't have the clipped in obsession).

Erik during a rare dismount

But the thing I did not expect on this ride were the cows! We had to ride our bikes quietly and carefully through an entire herd of cattle! I was pretty crazy riding slowly next to a huge animal like that, hoping that the squeak of your brakes doesn't startle it into running you down (I am told cows are docile animals. I still think they are kind of scary)! There times when I was forced to get off and walk, or drag my bike off the trail to make room for a passing bovine. One gate presented a particular problem as there was a huge bull standing just on the other side (pictured above). We hung out at this gate for a while trying not to make eye-contact with the big bull, and eventually he decided we were not a threat and moseyed (or maybe it was more plodding) off. Plus the trails had a fair number of steaming cowpies deposited conveniently in your way.

Careful...careful...think calming thoughts....

All in all it was a great late morning/early afternoon ride in an area of Boulder we don't spend much time in. This weekend we are hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park to Chasm Lake. It should be awesome! I will definitely post about the trip. My goal is to hike Long's Peak at the end of the month. Chasm lake is only 8.4 miles round trip, but Long's Peak is a rugged 16 miles! Not bad for a day hike! Long's Peak is one of Colorado's 14ers, so named because it is over 14,000 feet in elevation.

Wish me luck this weekend, and on my journey to the top of Long's!

Climbing: Totally and ridiculously fun!

2009-09-01T16:35:00.005-06:00

So last week the boyfriend and I finally took the plunge.... We joined a climbing gym (were you expecting something else?). We joined the Boulder Rock Club, witch is a totally sweet climbing gym in Boulder with free massage and yoga classes (yes free!) and unlimited climbing during the length of your membership.

Climbing indoors has become a popular way to keep in excellent climbing shape during the off-season of the cold winter months . Some people climb indoors year-round to practice technique and stay in the best shape possible. The stronger and more skilled the climber, the safer the sport. Now I am not in any particular climbing shape as I am just getting into the sport, but man is it an intense workout! I have never experienced anything that is quite so full body and complete. A climbing gym allows you to tackle this dangerous sport in a relatively safe controlled environment.

Traditional climbing requires a multitude of expensive protective gear, ropes, anchors and devices. To climb in the gym, all you need is a harness and belay device. It helps to have climbing shoes, but they are not necessary. A harness and belay device can be rented at the gym if you don't have your own. Every climber in the gym is required to pass a belay test before they can climb. Belaying is the act of holding on to the other end of the rope that keeps the climber secure. The rope is run through a belay device, or ATC, and the belayer if able to use the device to create friction and control the speed of the rope running through it. With this technique the belayer can catch the climber if he falls. It is very important that your belayer knows what they are doing and is trustworthy and attentive, as they are the only thing keeping you from falling to injury or possibly death (hence the test!).

A climbing gym is set with routes, which are hand and foot holds you use to climb the walls. These routes are marked with colored tape and the difficulty is posted. These routes include everything from easy vertical routes to cracks, overhangs and extremely difficult sport routes.

Another option that does not need much protective gear or ropes is bouldering. Bouldering is like climbing, but the routes undertaken by boulderers generally keep you closer to the ground and are often incredibly difficult. A boulder "problem" as they are called, can take many attempts to solve. Often boulderes will use crash-pads in case of a fall. This is a thick mat placed under the climber that they can fall on to prevent injury. For even more control in a fall, there may be a spotter that can guide the climber's fall. Bouldering can be undertaken anywhere. There are often bouldering areas in a climbing gym. It is normally undertaken on any big rock or rough surface. I have seen people boulder on the sides of stonework buildings!

So far we have climbed at the gym a number of times, and it is crazy fun! I have this amazing ability to completely trust technology, and I am naturally comfortable with heights, so I think I am on my way to becoming a good climber!

I bought a new harness yesterday (pictured above), and I am so stoked about it! It's a Black Diamond Iris women's harness. It's contoured to fit, and very lightweight and comfortable with auto-locking buckles. It was a little more expensive, but so comfortable I couldn't say no. This harness will be supporting me in a life or death situation, so I think it justifies spending a little more money. I also got a new belay device, so I will no longer have to swap back and forth with the boyfriend. I can't wait to get back to the gym!

Climbing works out every muscle in you body, but the big ones are the forearms, shoulders, upper back, and grip strength. The day after my first big climb I could barely cut things with a serrated knife! In climbing when your forearms are totally worked, it's called being pumped, and man were my arms pumped! I also felt some nice muscle soreness in my shoulders and arms. As the weak links in you climbing get stronger (usually forearms and fingers) you start to feel the burn in other areas, like your core. Have you seen climbers? They are almost always totally ripped (men and women) with those perfect, lean, yoga-bodies. I'm totally hooked!

This is a good example of how getting fit is so much easier if you have an activity that you enjoy and are passionate about. Going to the gym and spending two hours on the elliptical in tortuous boredom will not help you get as amped about fitness as spending a couple of hours mountain biking or playing sports with your friends. Find something you enjoy, start small, and keep with it! It's amazing how much it will improve you mood, health, and general well being. I find that getting started is the hardest part. Once you are going, momentum can see you through. And if your fitness activity is something you look forward to, that's the best! I can't wait to

Till next time, I'll see you on the wall!

California here I come!

2009-08-03T18:01:00.005-06:00

After much deliberation, careful planning, re-planning, canceling those plans and making new plans, the BF and I have decided to embark on a long, arduous journey of enlightenment and self discovery. Well, not really. In actuality we have decided to drive to California to visit my family for a few weeks (it probably will be kind of arduous, but whatever...).

Whenever I am preparing for a trip, I always make a detailed packing list tailored specifically for the adventure ahead. This trip that we are taking will have 4 main elements involved. Those elements are as follows:

-Cycling
-Camping
-Beach
-General social gatherings

These 4 activities all have very specific packing requirements. One of the reasons we decided to drive instead of fly was to allow ourselves the luxury of bringing our road bikes to California with us. These day it costs about $150 to check a bike on a plane, and that is if you are incredibly lucky with the weight and surcharges of your particular airline. This cost does not include the stress and inconvenience of having to lug an enormous bike box around in an airport. Been there, done that, not looking forward to repeating it. So the bikes will be on the roof rack on the drive to CA.

The camping aspect of the trip will primarily take place on the drive to and from CA. At 17 hours, this trip is nothing to scoff at. And if you are a weeny like me, you definitely do not want to drive 16 hours in one go. This would entail all the camping gear be easily accessible in the car. It will be much more important to be able to find my headlamp than my hairdryer when pulling up to a sketch-ball campsite at 3am in the middle of nowhere (note to self, don't forget headlamp).

The beach is fairly easy to pack for: Bikini, towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, done. Let's hit the sand.

Now for the social aspect of the trip. As i will be visiting many friends I have not seen in a while, it is important that I make an excellent impression. The general idea being that I look fit and happy, and that we have a blast doing whatever. It is hard for me let loose and have fun if I feel severely under or over-dressed for the occasion. This means a variety of outfits must be packed, including, but not limited to: bonfire-wear, club-wear, restaurant-wear, party-wear, hiking-wear, chillin-wear, etc. Many of these items will be able to cross over, but forgetting any one thing could be very inconvenient.

The most important thing to remember is your wallet with valid ID, money, and a credit card. If everything above is forgotten, anything essential can be purchased. I'm going to California, not the African rain forest, jeez. Remember this simple exersize to help anyone avoid Pre-trip "Oh my god, I know i forgot something" Panic Syndrome:

Think: What am I really doing on this trip? If you forget to take your Italian leather boots spelunking, does it really matter?
Look: What do I have on me right now? If you have the clothes you are wearing, comfy shoes, some money and an ID, you can get out of almost any scrape in this fine country of ours. A cellphone makes it even easier. If you are leaving the country, add passport to that list, and you're good to go.
Relax: Take a deep breath. Hysterical panic avoided. Bon Voyage!

So now that I have a detailed checklist, have mapped out my activities and planned for every possible situation, I will probably just wait until the last mimutet and throw a bunch of stuff in a duffle bag. Awesome.

As long as I have my bikini, wallet, and sunglasses, it's going to be a good trip. :)

Till next time....

Stepping into the unknown.... (Ditching a job in an unstable economy)

2009-08-01T19:12:00.007-06:00

On Thursday the 16th of July, I gave my two weeks notice at the job I have held for the last year. I finished my last day of work yesterday, and I feel relieved, nervous, and excited. Many people have questioned my decision. How could I quit my job in such an unstable economy? Do I have another job lined up? The answer is no, I don't have anything in the works. I quit my job with very little idea of what I am going to do now. I needed a change.

Millions of people drag themselves to work day in and day out to a job that they can't stand just to pay the bills. I respect those people for keeping at it, especially if they have a family to support. But I refuse to be held by the "Golden handcuffs," as my boyfriend refers to them. The golden handcuffs are what holds you to a job you would otherwise have left long ago. It's the fear of losing the money, holding you this position. What if you can't find another job? What if you can't make enough money somewhere else? What will my friends and family think? It's easier to stay and be miserable than to take a risk. This is why so many people are unable to leave jobs they hate, no matter how depressed they may become. No matter how negatively it has impacted the rest of their life. The golden handcuffs have chained them to their desk. I have decided to find a new direction. I want take a break from the 8 to 5 and find out if I am really on a path that will lead to my happiness. I don't know how this story will play out, but I plan to see it through to the end. I am nervous about finding another job that I enjoy, nervous that the job market is not as good as it once one. Employment is no longer a guarantee for a young, educated girl like myself. But it is a chance I have decided to take.

During this time of change I plan to focus on myself. I not only want to make changes in my professional life; I am on a mission to improve my health, nutrition, and general well-being. I want to get back into taking care of myself and maintain the active lifestyle that keeps me happy and healthy. And to eat the foods I that will make me feel energized instead of exhausted. Regular exercise, healthy foods and good nutrition, and spending more time in nature. I have been neglecting these things for the past year, and it is time to take this chance to refocus. It's time to live clean!

Later!