The 30 Day Ghetto Mocha Challenge...

. . . has commenced!

I know, I know... Here I go with this Bikram yoga crap again.
I have completely failed at my 2011 resolution to "Stretch my comfort zone" and I have yet to complete a legit 30 Day Bikram yoga challenge (which also happens to be #12 on my list!).

BUT... over the year, I have acquired a new Bikram accountability partner:  Ghetto Mocha!

We both love the benefits of Bikram, and we both want to complete a 30 Day Challenge... so to help light a fire under our butts, we made a little wager to make things interesting :)

Starting today, the first person to complete 30 consecutive days of Bikram wins the challenge.  If we go 5 days, but miss Day 6... we have to start all over.  We have both purchased $50 gift cards for Lululemon Athletica (our favorite store), and the loser of the challenge has to hand their gift card over to the winner, giving the winner a total of $100 to spend!

It's gonna be a long and difficult road, but regardless of the winner, we will both reap the health benefits!  Other than losing some weight, I'm gonna attempt to regulate my sleep-- AGAIN.  I also wanna see how my appetite changes, and if yoga will help curb my cravings...

Day 1/30

breakfast (645am):
grande sugar-free hazelnut soy latte
swiss miss hot cocoa
small S&S saimin

snack (1045am):
an pan with cream cheese

lunch (1230pm):
grilled cheese sandwich with tomato and salami

dinner (7pm):
tocino and rice
small salad
coffee

Total water intake for the day: 2 liters.

Had to drive into work early to avoid the Honolulu Marathon traffic.  Today was sucha LONG work day!  I wasn't sure that I would make it outta Bikram's class alive!  My balance was completely off, and during one of the floor poses, I felt so SICK, I actually had to take a break and lie down.

I blame the grilled  cheese sandwich.

Felt a little tired around 830pm, but I forced myself to stay awake.

Why did I do that?!
Tomorrow we'll see what time I wake up, and I'll do my first weigh-in :)

Let's hope this works . . .

616 Chronicles...

...it's about time I told you.

For the past few years, I have been spotting 616 everywhere and in every combination and situation imaginable:

At Paper-Souce.com while shopping for a new calendar...

At work in the morning...

At home in the evening...

In my car...

Driving behind other cars...

When choosing passwords...

On my chocolate expiration date...

Even imported chocolate from France...

On Snapple boxes...

While unfolding boxes...

Seriously, the list goes on.

Now the reason why 616 stands out to me?  It's my birthday.

The weird thing is, it only started to become more of an occurrence in the past few years.  Every year, for the past 4 years, I keep expecting something BIG to happen on that day.  Nothing.

I think the universe is trying to tell me something, but I haven't quite figured that out yet.

Hmm...

Today is the Day...

. . . that #22 gets crossed off my list of "30 in my 30's! :)

After a fun 2 year relationship on the road, and 6 1/2 years as the tenant of my garage, my little Mia is finally going to Scrap Yard Heaven!

My little Mia :)

After my '91 Civic Si got stolen from right in front of my house (the memory still makes me sick to my stomach), I purchased this Miata to fill the void.

I loved this car!  I could fit in the smallest parking spaces, zip in and out of traffic, it was great on gas, and I never had to give more than one person a ride home!

I remember getting my first speeding ticket in Hawai'i with this car.  My roommate at the time and I were driving home from work.  I'm a Californian, so I naturally have a lead foot.

Roommate:  "Aren't you scared of getting pulled over?"

Me:              "I haven't gotten pulled over yet."

***5 miles later, blue lights behind me as we're driving down Red Hill***

Roommate:  "Sorry."

I also got into my first car accident on 'Oahu with the Miata... I was driving to work on my 23rd birthday in stop-and-go traffic.  I was at a standstill right below the Pali Highway sign.  A fast approaching mini-van in my rearview mirror caught my attention.  Quickly realizing the mini-van wasn't going to stop, I brace myself for the impact.  After the crash, I step out of my car to check the damages.  The first thing I see is the front of the mini-van completely smashed in.  I was scared to see what the back of my little Miata looked like.  When I first bought my car, people would always tell me that if I got into an accident my car would be totaled.  To my surprise, my bumper was only cracked down the middle.  Even my trunk still worked!  My little Mia was SOLID.

I'm gonna miss her.
It's bittersweet.  As sad as I am to see her go. . .

. . . I'm really happy she's gone.

I can't wait to transform our garage!

Temperature check...

. . . say "AHHH..."

So it's just about a quarter into 2011, and it's time to see where I stand with the promises I made to myself for 2011... (it's a good thing one of those promises wasn't to be a consistent blogger!)

1)  Thanks a Latte a little less...
Surprisingly, it seems that I have successfully curbed my Starbucks habit so far.  I was lucky enough to be blessed with a little over $100 Starbucks gift cards from Christmas, and when the year began, I loaded $50 of my own money to kick-off my resolution.  I am happy to report that I still have a balance of $72 on my card :)  A few key factors helped: My Keurig, having REALLY good coffee available at work, and giving up Starbucks for Lent this year (a few more days 'til Easter!).

2)  Stretching my comfort zone...
I'm ashamed to say that there has been NO stretching of ANY comfort zone.  I keep making excuses and not setting myself up for success.  We just started crating Wally, so for awhile that was my excuse for not going after work.  My days off I am so exhausted, so my body refuses to get up in the morning.  BUT... tomorrow is another day, and hopefully I can get the ball rolling sometime NOW.  What's really irritating is that I'm wasting $100 every month when I don't go.  You'd think that would be enough motivation, right??  I need an Accountability Partner :(

3)  The Great Purge of 2011
When I clean, I tend to make a big mess first.  So I'm cleaning things out... but my house is a complete MESS.  Seriously.  It's terrible.  Another problem I'm finding is storage space.  My house just doesn't have enough of it.  I know, I know... it's a process, but I'm still fighting to get out of the "paralysis by analysis" mode.

*sigh*

Bonus)  10K for a rainy day...
Up until yesterday, I was doing GREAT.  I was a little ahead of schedule, and it looked like I was gonna smash the 10K benchmark.  Then came TAXES.  I didn't anticipate paying $1700 in taxes this year, so now I'm behind.  I'm a little bummed, but I think I can make it up in the 2nd half of this year.  I just gotta make sure that I stay within budget for my planned trips this year (O.o).

On the other hand...
My Lenten sacrifices have been holding up exceptionally well!  This year I chose to give up Starbucks (not only Starbucks coffee, but also coffee cake and anything else inside of Starbucks), soda and my credit card.  I did indulge in half of a can of Coke, but it was on a Sunday, and technically that isn't considered cheating :)  The most painful (and most proud) moment was purchasing my Indy airfare without using my credit card!  Ouch.

Five more days 'til Easter!!  Man, I can't wait to have a root beer float...

My Life...

. . .according to Facebook?

I rarely play around with apps on Facebook, but I came across this particular app and I was curious to see what I chose to share with the Facebook world in 2010:

This app displays less than 20 of your statuses, but it's interesting to look back on, nonetheless :)  Overall, 2010 was a good year (The San Francisco Giants won the World Series!!) and I have lots to be thankful for... 

One.One.Eleven.

. . . 'tis the year for resolutions to be resolved!

Obviously my big goals of 2010 were a bit unrealistic.  I may have been too ambitious?  Maybe I should have taken the time to put together a plan of attack?  I mean, seriously, how did I end up blogging LESS than 2009??  That's just sad.  My most recent failure?  OPERATION:  Insomnia Kicked My Ass.  Yeah, that might have been a little too ambitious.... (but that won't stop me from trying again!)

Excuses aside, I think that after a year at my new job I am finally beginning to settle into a consistent schedule and I'm starting to get into a groove.  I can feel it.  2011 is my year to get things done!

I don't want to set myself up for failure.  My greatest weakness is taking on more than I can handle.  I usually start with this huge list of things I wanna accomplish by the end of the year, and then after looking back at the list, I enter "paralysis by analysis" mode and NOTHING gets accomplished.  Not much of a confidence booster.

In an effort to rebuild my confidence (I can set goals and achieve them) and still keep my over-ambitious self happy... I have decided to set a few comfortable goals, and one bonus goal that is a bit of a stretch to accomplish.

1) Thanks a Latte a little less...
I'm putting myself on a Starbucks budget of $50 a month.  I know what you may be thinking... $50 a month on Starbucks sounds like a lot.  If you only knew how much money I averaged per month in 2010, you would understand that $50 is gonna be a stretch!  But never fear, I have devised a plan!

I scheduled to auto-reload $50 onto my Starbucks card every month on the 1st.  $4 for a tall soy sugar-free hazelnut latte breaks down to about 3 times a week.  Since mom-in-law bought me a Keurig coffee maker, I plan to brew my morning coffee at home before I leave for work and on rough days I keep those mini cans of Starbucks Doubleshots handy!

When I say $50 a month, I am only factoring in my own money.  Gift cards will be a bonus, and will not count against my $50.  So if I receive a gift card, I can indulge in a grande latte and coffee cake!  Any balance left over at the end of the month will roll over to the next month, so I can save a few bucks one month and I can splurge a little next month :)

2) Stretching my comfort zone...
I have been telling myself for years that I want to practice Bikram Yoga on a regular basis.  YEARS!  2011 is the year to make that happen!  I can go to the 5:30am class on one of my days off, and the 3:30pm class 2x a week after work.  When you break things down that way, it seems simple enough right?  The hardest part is convincing myself not to auto-pilot home after work...

3) The Great Purge of 2011
I have lived in my home for a little over 8 years.  In that time, [PW] and I have both left our old sales manager positions and have emptied out our offices into our home.  I have had 5 different roommates who have all left at least a few things behind.  Over the years my garage has served as a storage unit for several different friends, and only God knows how much crap I have accumulated.  I do not wanna end up as one of those sad people on Hoarders.  Sad thing is, I think I'm getting pretty close.

Considering how much crap we have, I am giving myself one year to complete this task.  I do mini -purges and I think I'm making progress, but no matter how much crap I throw away or donate, there's no change.  This year, there WILL be a change!

Bonus) 10K for a rainy day...
I am big advocate of saving money.  I love to save for a rainy day!  Unfortunately, at the end of the year I always look back and wish I had saved more.  This year I wanna set aside 10K.  That breaks down to about $835/month.  I know that's gonna be a stretch, which is why I have decided to make this my Bonus resolution.  The little things add up, so things like cutting back on Starbucks and not eating out as much will hopefully help the cause.

It's the first day of the year and I'm proud to report that I haven't had Starbucks, I haven't spent a cent, and I just threw out a couple of old pillows! :)

Baby steps, baby steps...

The Battle Continues...

. . . and Insomnia is kickin' my ass.

As you may have guessed, OPERATION: Insomnia Sucks! isn't going too well.  I've been feeling under the weather, so I have been catching up on sleep this past week.  I want to say that it has helped tremendously, but then I would be lying.  My cat naps have been during the day, so my nights have been... sleepless.

So here I am, Night #19, it's 2:51am and I'm back at Square One.

Alright.  Maybe curing my insomnia in 30 days was a little ambitious.  You think I can do it in 60? :)

Holy crap...

. . . is it really December already?!

Every year, I look back on the holidays and think to myself:  Next year I'm gonna be better prepared 'cuz I don't wanna be one of those stressful "crazies" running around all month.

Although the holidays have completely snuck up on me this year, I am happy to say that I am almost done with my Christmas shopping :) That's pretty impressive --> especially for me, Queen Procrastination... AND considering the fact that I have 20 children to shop for on my list!  INSANE!!

Now my REAL obstacle?  Actually sending out my gifts.  Last year I didn't even send them out.  My family JUST got their Christmas gifts this past October.  I'm terrible.  But this year I am determined to send everything out in time for the Fam Bam Christmas party :)  Judging by my progress so far, it's looking hopeful!

So let me update y'all on OPERATION: I Wanna Wake Up at 4am Every Morning and Not Feel Like Crap...

I tried my best to keep track of all my stats, even though I have been the usual sucky blogger :)  My sleep times have been ranging from as early as 10:30am (usually induced by food coma, example: Thanksgiving) and as late as 2am (thanks to Black Friday online shopping and Cyber Monday deals).

Nights #3, #4 & #5 were looking hopeful... I was waking up around 4:15am every morning. :)
Night #6 I actually fell asleep fairly early (before 11pm)!  But I ended up waking up throughout the night, every 2 hours until I finally got up at 4:30am.  Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED that day at work.
Nights #7 & #8 were close calls!  I completely slept through my alarms!  Actually, let me rephrase that... I don't remember shutting off my alarms and going back to sleep.  Luckily [PW] was nice enough to smack me awake!  If not, I would have been completely screwed.  I think that 10 straight days of work wasn't helping the cause.  My body KNEW that I owed it a day off!  Hahaha...
Night #9 (last night) I don't remember what time I passed out.  It didn't matter 'cuz today was finally my day off :)  No alarms, my body woke me up at 6:13am.  After my initial freak out (What time is it?! What day is it?!  Do I work today?!  Am I sure that I'm off?!), I went back to sleep and finally got up at 10:06am.  :)

I went back to yoga today :)  My body is seriously feeling *blah* and I know that I need to dispense energy in order to gain energy.  The first day is always hard, but I'm feeling much better already...

Seriously.  Could I add any more things to my already full plate??

Oh wait.  We start planning for winter guard tomorrow night.

*sigh*

Operation: Sleep is My BFF - Night 2

Staying creative with my experiment titles will keep me motivated!  (...at least this is what I tell myself)

I know that it is only the second night, but I think I can do this...

Night Two Stats (November 22, 2010):

Time attempted to sleep:   12:15am
Last glance at clock:   12:38am
# of times waking up before alarm:   0
# of times hitting snooze:   1 (that I can remember, [PW] would beg to differ)
Get up time:   4:31am  (Getting better!)
Work start time:   5:30am
Work Energy Level (Scale 1-5):   Early shift, 2.5.   Tail end, 3.
Post-work Energy Level (Scale 1-5):   3.   Started off okay, but I hit traffic again.  :(  I didn't realize how tired I was until I took a 2 hour nap around 4pm.  That isn't gonna be helpful when I'm trying to force myself to sleep tonight.  Damn.
Caffeine Log:   1, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso at 7am & 1, 12oz Coca-Cola at 2:30pm.

I left home at 5:00am, so I didn't make it outta the house in time to pick up Starbucks, but at least I had my trusty Starbucks Doubleshot handy!  Those things are clutch! :)

Forcing myself to sleep early may be a mistake.  I find myself stressing out about falling asleep vs. putting myself in a relaxing state to make falling asleep easier.  Maybe I'll try gradually get ready for bed earlier each day?   I'm trying to jump in with both feet here, but what I may need to do is just ease my way in and acclimate!

"Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach."  --Tom Robbins

As If My "30 in my 30's" List Wasn't Ambitious Enough...

. . . I also plan to cure my insomnia in 30 days! :)

(-_-) 

I know. My track record is exceptionally terrible, BUT let me give you ONE reason to have a little faith in me... *drum roll please*

As of July 2010, #5 on my List has officially been crossed off!  Yep, after 5 years of service, I have FINALLY left Shokutopia!!  *applause*  Now I don't really wanna get into that right now.  I have another post drafted that discloses my feelings about that accomplishment, which I will post one day in the (near-ish) future. :) 

Right now I wanna talk about Operation: Cure Eds' Insomnia!

Who:  Me, of course!

What:  A quest to re-program my sleep habits and cure my insomniac ways!

When:  30 consecutive nights, starting the night of November 21, 2010.

Where:  Wherever I lay my head to rest :)

How:  I haven't quite figured that part out yet... maybe force myself to sleep early?  Count sheep? Eliminate naps so that I don't stay awake too late?  Yoga?  Cut-off caffeine at a certain time?  This is all about trial and error...

Why:  I have this job that I really love and I used to start work at 6:30am (which was painful, but I learned to deal with it)... BUT starting this week, I now start work at 5:30am!!  (Ouch!  I know, right??)  So, instead of focusing on the negative, I see this as an opportunity to get myself together and conquer this sleep disorder that I have learned to love, but that no longer vibes with my current lifestyle.

Night One Stats (November 21, 2010):

Time attempted to sleep:   10:30pm

Last glance at clock:   12:37am

# of times waking up before alarm:   0

# of times hitting snooze:   I can't remember :(

Get up time:   5:01am (EEK!)

Work Start time:   5:30am

Work Energy Level (Scale 1-5):   3.  Productive :)

Post-work Energy Level (Scale 1-5):   2.  Headache.  Probably from driving in traffic.  (Stupid Coors Light truck broke down on H-1 West-bound, causing unnecessary traffic)  Ugh.
Caffeine Log:   1, Starbucks Doubleshot at 8am & 1, 12oz Coca-Cola at dinner (8:30pm) <--Not good.

Was I late?  Yes.  By 3 minutes.  (It's a good thing I was smart enough to take my shower before I went to sleep!)  I left my house for work at 5:12am, and I clocked in at 5:33am.  That's pretty fricken good time.  But I don't wanna keep the habit of rushing to work every morning.  Definitely a habit that I need to break...

What am I gonna do different tonight?  

I'm gonna try to fall asleep earlier.  I am definitely gonna set an extra alarm!

Speaking of, it's getting kinda late and I haven't taken my shower yet.  Discipline!!

Wish me luck...

"The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep."  --E. Joseph Cossman

30 'til 30...

30 days from today, I officially make my (not-so-grand) entrance into my 30's.

Where the LL Cool J did my twenties go?? 

In hindsight, I must say that I definitely took my twenties for granted.  The "twenty-something" life has been great, but I thought my twenties would have more to show for itself.  Maybe a small part of me thought my twenties would never end?  Yes, I know the difference between twenty-nine and thirty is minimal... but the bottom line is, being twenty-nine means you're still in your twenties, and being thirty catapults you into an entirely different category!  The days of checking the "25-29" age group box are gone.  I am now bundled into the "30-35" category... *sigh*

Looking on the brighter side of this... event, I have decided to make a bucket list of 30 things (in no particular order) that I look forward to checking off in my *ahem* thirties:

1) Get outta debt

2) Start a family (eeek!)

3) Learn a new language

4) Learn how to swim (Don't judge me! I'm from California...)

5) Leave Shokutopia... for reals.  completed July 2010

6) Work in a spa as an LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist)

7) Take the NCBTMB exam and get nationally certified in massage and bodywork
8) Go back to school and become an Acupuncturist

9) Learn how to play my guitar (Yes, I own one. No, I don't know how to play it)

10) Hike Diamond Head and Koko Head (Again, don't judge me!)

11) Buy myself a grown up desktop computer! An iMac, of course :)

12) Complete a Bikram 30 Day Challenge --the legit way
13) Document memories by scrapbooking

14) Be a frequent blogger vs. the erratic blogger that you all know and love

15) Learn how to use all the functions in Excel.

16) Transform our spare bedroom into my massage space. (YAY!)
17) Pick up archery as a hobby
18) Learn how to cook at least one dish... Really well.
19) Paint a picture and be proud enough to hang it on the wall
20) Get back into black and white photography
21) Sing karaoke in public-- sober. (Another story, another time)
22) Get rid of my old Miata and reclaim my garage!  completed July 7, 2011
23) Own a bottle of wine worth over $250
24) Finally liquidate our Cutco inventory on eBay
25) Learn how to sew more than just sewing on buttons
26) Finish "inking" my back.. Hopefully before having kids  completed December 9, 2010
27) Become better at mailing out gifts and cards
28) Add at least 2 more stamps to my passport
29) Drive a motorcycle
30) Plant and maintain a garden (even if it's just a rock garden!)

There you have it. 

My bucket list of thirty things I look forward to tackling in my... *ahem* thirties.

I won't go into detail about them now, but I'll be sure let ya'll know when I cross one of the list :)

*whew* 

This list should keep me busy in my... *gag* thirties...

It's a GOOD thing I'm giving myself 10 years to complete it...

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For the First Time...

. . . in the 9 years that I have known him . . .

. . . the 7 years since we have been dating . . .

. . . and in almost 2 years of marriage . . .

. . . I have witnessed my husband cry.

There's not much more to be said about it.  No story that I wish to share.
But it is a milestone in our relationship, and I felt the need to document it in some way.

In love, you never stop learning and you never stop growing.

"In the Weeds"

INDEED.

"In the weeds"

-restaurant slang meaning that a server is so swamped with duties that he/she is "lost in the weeds" and can't possibly do all the work.

-a colloquial expression used when persons are near or beyond their capacity to handle a situation or cannot catch up. Struggling. Very busy. (taken from the Glossary of Restaurant Industry Terms)

Yeah. That pretty much describes my entire adult LIFE...

Can I just tell you that there are so many things that I need to get done, but I have NO IDEA where to start...

I need to steam the carpets.
Wally needs a bath and a vet appointment.
I still need to send out wedding Thank You cards (over 1 year LATE!!).
I still need to MAKE my wedding Thank You cards!
I still have to pick up my wedding video!
My old car needs to get donated.
I have to take my car in for maintenance and repairs.
We need to fix/replace the fridge.
Still haven't sent my Christmas presents back home to my family.
I need to write choreography for our winter guard show.
Gotta file my taxes.
It's time to renew my car insurance.
Need to start studying for my NCTMB certification exam.
Need to do laundry.

...and the list goes on. *sigh*

Now, when you're "weeded" at work, your only option is to hustle and get shit done. Granted there are days when I am fully in the weeds and I am one bitchy customer away from walking out the front door saying "Fuck this bullshit," but for the most part, I end up surviving another day at work... and I come back to work the next day to put myself through the whole damn thing all over again (I'm delusional, I know)!

Now, bringing that mentality to "real life" isn't as simple as it should be.  I'm kinda in that "paralysis by analysis" mode.. I'm thinking too much about what needs to be done and I'm so overwhelmed that I end up doing absolutely NOTHING.

I mean, seriously... how the heck did we get here?!?

How did we get from the days of hoping for rollerblades for Christmas, to putting together a budget for how much we're gonna spend on Christmas gifts this year? What happened to looking forward to summer break, instead of looking forward to a break --period? And when did "saving for a rainy day" turn into "saving for a down payment on a house" or "saving to start a family?"

Somehow the days keep flying by, the "To Do List" keeps getting longer, and the income goes faster than it comes.

Yes, I am DEFINITELY in the weeds...

It will be mine...

. . . oh yes, it WILL be mine :)

While everyone else in the world is going gaga over the new Apple iPad, I happen to have my sights set on something else...

The Amazon Kindle.

Hello Lent...

. . . Good-bye COFFEE, SODA and FAST FOOD CHAINS
I mean c'mon... It's ONLY 40 days, right???  *sigh*

It's been a LONG while since I have blogged.
You know how things can get...

You get busy.
(and lazy)
You go on vacation.
(and spend all your time daydreaming about the next one)
The holidays come and go.
(and you and your wallet are still recovering)
Or you catch a cold, or the flu.
(3 TIMES!!)
Your favorite TV shows come back in full swing.
(I LOVE Grey's Anatomy & 24!!)
You pick up another job.
(and you're too delusional to leave the old one)

You know... LIFE.

But in the spirit of Lent, [Sweet D]and I are making a conscious effort to blog every day.

In all honesty, I can't promise ya'll that I won't fail you (you have seen my track record), but I WILL promise to make every effort to provide you all with as much daily entertainment as I can :)

Deal?

What a Difference 10 Days Makes...

. . . As of yesterday morning, Day 10, Class 10 of my 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge is complete!

Although it has only been 10 days, it has been quite a journey so far.
I am happy to say that I am well on track to achieving my 4 Goals...

1. Routine:


My insomniac tendencies have been kept at bay.  Waking up at 4:20am every morning has quickly made an impact on that.  Unfortunately, my narcoleptic tendencies are still at large (Those naps are so damn tempting!!).


2. Flexibilty:


I have my good days, and I have my bad days.  I am learning that your body is different every day.  Sometimes I am able to put my forehead to my knee, and other days I'm struggling to grab my foot!  Either way, gaining flexibility is something that takes time.  I'm working on it...


3. Weight Maintenance:


It's kinda hard to tell if I'm losing weight, but I do know that I don't feel like I am gaining weight?  :)  I also feel less bloated, stronger, and I am starting to love the feeling of tight muscles.



4. Personal Sense of Achievement:


Come on, now... Waking up at 4-something in the morning, EVERY DAY for 10 DAYS in a row??  For me, that's a pretty fricken' amazing achievement in itself!


There are a few other unexpected's happening...

+My cravings are being curbed.
I normally enjoy french fries on a daily basis.. almost daily.  (Gross, right??)  Ever since I began this challenge, I've eaten fries probably twice-- Without even trying!!  That's odd for me.  *sigh*  I kinda miss my french fries...

+Caffeine intake has gone down.
That's a good thing.  Both for my body and my wallet :)  I haven't been taking advantage of my "treat receipt" at Starbucks by going back for a second trip after 2PM, and my headaches are less severe.

+More energy.
I definitely feel less sluggish.  That fact that my body is getting used to a schedule is probably a contributing factor :)

+My appetite has gone HAYWIRE!
This could be a combination of my increased activity, combined with my monthly-female-you-know-what paying me a visit soon.  But I am constantly hungry and constantly thinking about what I want to eat next!  Oooh... Cinnabon sounds SOOO good right now!  I wonder if I have time to pick one up before work... ??


So there you have it.  I am 1/3 of the way there, and already starting to experience some changes in my body.  Definitely looking forward to seeing the progress at the 2/3 point.

As a 1/3 of the way reward / motivation to make it all the way to the end, I bought myself a new mat:  Breathe  I LOVE IT :)

... and next time I'll tell you about some "characters" at my 5:30am class.  It's interesting...

My dearest blogspot...

...

We have always had an honest and trustworthy relationship, so I want to be upfront with you.
I've been spending a lot of time with a new friend.

His name is Tumblr.

I have no intentions of replacing you, blogspot.  You are definitely still my #1.  You waited for me, even when I wasn't ready.  You were a constant, even when I was flighty.  I appreciate the relationship that we have, and it's something I want to share with others... especially Tumblr.

Please don't be upset with me.  I'm doing this for us.
I think that this new development can bring us closer together.

I can understand your hesitation.  But I know that once you meet Tumblr, you'll see all the great things I see in him. One day I hope that all 3 of us can become really good friends.

edlynizms.blogspot.com , meet edlynizms.tumblr.com

I truly believe this is going to be a match made in heaven :)

*  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  * +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *  +  *

...on a side note: Day3, Class3 of my Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge is complete...  Yay!  :)

Are you...

... in need of a "feel good" moment?

... thinking that you just might be as good at what you do, as you think you are, but you're too scared to take that leap of faith?

... feeling as if you have a great talent, or a passion for something SO amazing, that you just want to share it with the world?

... feeling as if it's too late to pursue something you truly love?

... looking for something to inspire you to do great things?


I think I just might have what you're looking for right here:

Was it as good for you as it was for me?

I'll admit... I have a soft spot in my heart for The Wonder Years (one of the greatest TV shows EVER!!). So for me:

this display of passion

+

a handful of nostalgia

=  a "feel good" moment that I plan to keep in my pocket for rainy days :)

What a great way to start my 30 Day Challenge!

...and by the way, today I completed Day 2, Class 2 of The Challenge!  Yay me :)

*sigh*

I have been moved.
I'm moving....
I am on the move...

Namaste, ya'll...

This morning, I completed my first class of my 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge... *whew*

I am not a beginner to Bikram Yoga.
Actually, I've been taking classes here and there for the past 3 years.
I have never been able to discipline myself to make it a habit... and I should have.

For ya'll who don't know what Bikram Yoga is, allow me to copy and paste a spiel from one of my favorite sources:  Wikipedia :)

Bikram, or hot yoga, is a series of yoga poses done in a heated room, which is usually maintained at a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Yoga at this temperature promotes profuse sweating, which is believed to help rid the body of toxins. It also keeps the body very warm, and therefore more flexible.

There are many benefits of practicing Bikram Yoga, and different people have their own personal reasons for putting themselves through this "torture chamber."


I have decided to share a few things that I hope to achieve from completing this 30 Day Challenge:

• Routine

I consider myself to have insomniac tendencies.  I blame it on [Kuya ].  He is definitely an insomniac.  Me? I only have tendencies.  Sometimes I just can't force myself to sleep.  And other times I can knock out for hours.  Or fall asleep in the middle of the day.  Wow.  I may have narcoleptic tendencies, too.  Crap.  Even more so, my body needs a routine.  I'm hoping that going to yoga every morning will help mold my body into the routine it so craves.

• Flexibility

So, I used to dance.  (I'm not gonna say that I used to be a dancer, 'cause I believe that I still am a dancer at heart, it's just unfortunate that I have been outta practice for awhile)  Being outta practice, you start to lose things- like your flexibility.  It sucks.  Getting older makes you realize these things.  I plan to start dancing again, so I'm using this challenge to help regain some of that flexibility.

• Weight Maintenence

Notice I didn't say weight loss.  Not that I wouldn't mind losing some pounds, but that isn't my main focus.  I'll just say it:  I love food.  I do believe that one can find happiness in french fries and cheese and coffee.  I want to be able to enjoy the foods that I love, and not have to worry about being overweight because of it.  I have come to terms (for the most part) with my curves, and I am no longer ashamed of them.  I just don't want to add to them.  :P

Besides, I just bought 2 pairs of Super Skinny jeans from American Eagle, and I want to be able to fit into them whenever I feel like wearing them!  Haaa...

• Personal Sense of Achievement

What can I say?  I am a competitor at heart.  My greatest challenge will be overcoming myself.  It takes a lot of mental strength to force myself to sleep early, AND to force myself to wake up early so that I can squeeze in a class before work.  I want to believe that my will is as strong as I know it is.  I almost feel as if doing this will remind me that I have the mental capacity to do anything I set my mind to.  Sounds kinda cheesy, right?

Fortunately, I have an accountability partner, [Japapino].  Hooray!  He has happily agreed to embark on this journey with me.  Hopefully we can keep each other in check and make it to the finish line together..

So here are the details of the Challenge:

• All participants need to complete 30 classes in 30 days, starting the first class attended between September 19-21 (I started today, the 19th).
  
• All participants may complete up to 2 classes per day to make up missed classes, or classes that you will miss.
  
• There is a mid-term.  To continue the Challenge and to bypass the mid-term, participants must have 14 classes completed by the end of the 15th day.  If you don't have 14 classes, you have to pass a mid-term, which is rumored to be DIFFICULT.  *Yikes*
  

Here's MY challenge:

[PW ] and I leave for our Honeymoon / 1st Year Anniversary trip on October 15th...

Which means I gotta double up classes on 4 days... CRAP.

Ha.  I'll keep you posted.  Namaste, ya'll...

Fly Like an Eagle

[photo credit: Carl Chapman ]


"Life is meant to be a never-ending education, and when this is fully appreciated, we are no longer survivors, but adventurers."

David McNally

Even Eagles Need a Push