At least you have your health...

Has anyone ever said that to you?

Well, when someone says this to you... you are usually complaining about something ill-fortuned thing that has happened to you. And in that moment... you think to yourself, "Yes, I have my health, but I am still very upset about this other dreadful happening!"

Well there is nothing like actually being sick to straiten you out and remind you that your health really is the most important thing to a happy daily life. And when I say you I mean me. This week I have been sick, and working none-the-less. I have decided to use the vacation days I have left to do some advocating for federally grant funded educational programs in Washington DC- so I cannot miss anymore days. So here I am sitting at work. My head feels like a beef and vegetable stew that has sat in the refrigerator for 3 days too many. My throat feels like an airline runway and my body feels like it did three rounds of ultimate cage fighting last night. When you are sick, it feels like a big black cloud has landed on you and you just can't see the light through the fog.

Tomorrow is a very important day for me. Hopefully I will feel better by then. I'm loading up on Vitamin C, Sambucus, and Water. Heartfelt reminder: Take good care of the body, without your health- life can feel pretty disheartening. There's nothing like a cold hard dose of the sicky-ickies to put things in perspective. Over the past few weeks, I have slacked off on vitamins and increased my activities. So, beginning this week- my daily vitamins and supplements will take their rightful place in my daily priorities... like the top. ;)

Start the day YOUR way

Last night I ran 1.5 miles on my own! Although I was tired from a long day at work, I herded my dogs in my car, dropped 57 shirts at the dry cleaners (really 57 and he still has plenty more) and headed to my new favorite running spot- quarry lake.

On my way, I passed the sad IRS building. Yesterday afternoon an angry and loony man set his house on fire and then jumped in his plane and sent himself to his fiery grave in the side of the IRS building on 183 and 360. Just yards away from my childhood church campus, blocks away from my house. Said man was mad at the government and at the IRS... big brother had screwed him, so to speak. He published six pages of reasoning on the internet which culminated the fact that he has exhausted all other avenues of trying to send a message to the government and now suicidal violence was the only way he could see. Thankfully, no one else was fatally injured. I was saddened to be slapped in the face by the gray and ugly parts of this world.

As I ran around the lake at sunset, the colors reflected in the water, and I pushed myself to keep running even though I was tired out and a deflated after such a terrible ordeal. My dogs took turns running the laps with me- thrilled to bits to run in a new interesting spot. The vibrant colors of dusk and the smiling, panting faces of my dogs reminded me that beauty exists and prevails in spite of sadness and evil. I have to choose what I will dwell upon.

Psalm 37:7 (New Living Translation)

⁷ Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

So, today I started my day with a prayer and a promise. I prayer for vision and a promise to see beauty and to bring beauty. In spite of anything that may cross my path, I will chose to goodness. I will start my day my way. I hope you make your day your way.

Image: Quarry Lake farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3294415552_b8c5a..

Thoughtful Thursday

T - Thankful tomorrow is Friday
H - Happy to have a hot cup of tea in the morning
U - Understanding that a challenging week is good for me
R - Rest and Relaxation this weekend!
S - Saturday and Sunday, Sleeping in, Selling the Scooter, Sealing up Boxes
D - Dogs to the park, Dogs to the greenbelt, Dogs to the bath
A - Apples, Broccoli, Fish, nothing but healthy good food to fuel the body and heart
Y - I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20

I feel surrounded by faith, vision and the tiny tip of insight. The more I depend on my faith and release the illusion of control of my circumstances and mentality- the more free I feel. I want to let go of the anxiety that rides of the coattails of the unknown and planning. This is an unspoken mental battle which sometimes happens on a daily basis. But, I think I'm starting to see the light. Growth is not easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.

Photo http://www.jimmygekas.com/photo.php?id=225

Unlucky to Lucky

From Wikipedia: A mood is a relatively long lasting emotional state. Moods differ from simple emotions in that they are less specific, less intense, and less likely to be triggered by a particular stimulus or event.^[1]

Moods generally have either a positive or negative valence. In other words, people typically speak of being in a good mood or a bad mood. Unlike acute, emotional feelings like fear and surprise, moods often last for hours or days.

Mood also differs from temperament or personality traits which are even longer lasting. Nevertheless, personality traits such as optimism and neuroticism predispose certain types of moods. Long term disturbances of mood such as depression and bipolar disorder are considered mood disorders. Mood is an internal, subjective state, but it often can be inferred from posture and other behaviors.

Etymologically, mood derives from the Old English mōd which denoted military courage, but could also refer to a person's humour, temper, or disposition at a particular time. The cognate Gothic mōds translates both θυμός "mood, spiritedness" and ὀργή "anger".

According to psychologist Robert Thayer, mood is a product of two dimensions: energy and tension.^[2] A person can be energetic or tired while also being tense or calm. According to Thayer, people feel best when they are in a calm-energy mood. They feel worse when in a tense-tired state. People often use food to regulate mood. Thayer identifies a fundamental food-mood connection^[3] , and advises against the reliance on food as a mood regulator. The low energy arousal coupled with tension, as experienced in a bad mood, can be counteracted by walking. Thayer suggests walking as a means to enhanced happiness.

A recent meta-analysis found that, contrary to the stereotype of the suffering artist, creativity is enhanced most by positive moods that are activating and associated with approach motivation (e.g. happiness), rather than those that are deactivating and associated with avoidance motivation (e.g. relaxation). Negative, deactivating moods with an approach motivation (e.g. sadness) were not associated with creativity, but negative, activating moods with avoidance motivation (e.g. fear, anxiety) were associated with lower levels of creativity.

So. What's with moods anyway? Can I be consciously in a good mood and subconsciously in a bad mood?

Don't feel creative, rather - tired and out of gas.
I feel faithful and safe, but not so motivated.

Luckily, I ran 2 miles yesterday and I hope to go to the gym again tonight. According to Wikipedia's Thayer, exercise is a healthy mood regulator.

Unluckily, by the time I left work, ran, got groceries, put away groceries, fixed dinner, cleaned up dinner, and sat down with a glass of wine... I had no spunk left in me to clean my house. I bent down to hug Little and love on her.... and Maisie charged me, tried to steal the love from Little and in the process smacked me in the nose with the back of her head so hard I saw stars. The wicked, throbbing headache that followed really put a damper on the rest of my evening.

Luckily, my schnoz is hard as a rock and is still in one piece today.

Unluckily, I still have a pulsating headache and a house to clean.

So. It's time to turn the day around. There's no better time to change my mood than NOW.

Lord, give me patience and insight.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice and be glad in it.
I will rejoice that I have a house to clean.
I will rejoice that I have a spirited dog.
I will rejoice and be glad in it!

I hope your unluckies turn into luckies today.

My Love

Love and Marriage... Love and marriage... Fit together like a horse and carriage...

FOUR years ago we were falling in love on a carriage ride through down town Austin. It was our second date.
FOUR years later, we are married and are working like the horse pulling the carriage!

We spent Valentine's Day working in Houston. With each passing hour, I adored my husband more and more. His work ethic, creativity, generosity, vision and brilliance make him my inspiration and joy. After a long day, we drove home in the 40 mph winds of a cold front.
I prodded him, "Will you be my valentine?"
He replied like a true wise-cracker, "I have to be. I am contractually obligated to be your valentine for life!"
"Haha!" We laughed. We looked out to the horizon as we drove home like tired zombies. We held hands and sang to the music of Frank Sinatra. Love made a day of work into a day of vision and promise.

We arrived home with our dogs; they hit the hay after a play-filled weekend. The kitties were waiting patiently for us in their cozy media room spot. Neil and I ate pizza, drank wine and watched half a movie before our eyes began to close. I treasure the sense of reward gained from working alongside Neil, and the joy I find from simply spending time together in our home. He is my dear Valentine... both contractually and chosen.

Dogs Days of Winter

I am so glad my garden will be looking good. I am so glad the lakes are filling up. A week of rain has quenched our thirsty central Texas.

However, my dogs have had enough of it. And, I have had it with them. My mother-in-law says, "Your dogs prepare you for your children." (She's had both, so I believe her.) That being said, I am in trouble! My tenacious, un-phasible Maisie, relentlessly begs to go outside. She is oblivious to the ice cold rain and frolics and sprints around like she just won the doggie lottery of bacon treats. She is bored to pieces with the back yard, so she effortlessly clears the fence to explore the front yard. I just can't get a bit of rest. NO Maisie! COME Maisie! Don't eat the piece of paper Maisie! Oh! You pooped in the neighbor's yard in the pouring rain... great! Let me go inside, wipe muddy paws and find a baggie, an umbrella, a coat and my shoes, re-find your poop and pick it up with my precariously baggied hand while I hold the umbrella and try to keep my coat off the soggy ground.

And as I finally arrive back inside, remove my wet shoes, coat and umbrella. I navigate through the garage to the trash to dump the poo. I finally get back to the task at hand... I suddenly feel a wet nose poking me. It's a little black dog... who's tired of being cooped up inside all week.

I can't say I blame her; the poor girl needs to burn off her energy. But, please Mother Nature, enough with the rain! I'm tired of chasing my furry child around in it! If this is birth control... it's working! ;)

Life the Balancing Act: Take 2!

Even though we balance our schedules and trod along to the beat of our daily drums... life is sliding by. I am rudely aware of new wrinkles and curves as my own body reminds me that TIME is, in fact, passing. Our days ARE our lives. So, if we are to enjoy our lives, we must enjoy our days. We must choose to align our priorities in such a way that we are able to find joy and happiness in the midst of daily tasks and chores. So, part of my current quest is to trade one mind-set for another.

Out with the OLD mind-set:
"I'll work hard now, so I can enjoy later. I'm livin' for the weekend!"

In with a NEW mind-set:
"Enjoy working hard. I'm livin' for the moment!"

Here are my latest tips for increasing daily joy:
Smile at people as soon as you see them, even if you don't feel like it.
Take short breaks when you feel tense, even if they are only one minute long.
Exercise in some way as much as possible, even if it is only 10 minutes in your living room.
Set aside a task that can wait and reward yourself or a loved one with a simple pleasure. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify.
Say, "Joy is a gift. I will gladly receive it."

Tabata Squats

You'll need a partner who will time you or a watch with a second hand.

For 4 minutes, 20 seconds on with 10 second breaks. Do as many squats as you can for the 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. I promise you will feel the fat burning right off of your future buns of steel.

Here are more details on how to do tabata squats.

Breakfast and lunch- vitamin shakes, organic fruit and protein bar. With a side of water, water, and more water.

I am motivated!

Run, Forest, Run!

I went to the gym last night. 4 miles on the bike on level 7. Then, 1/2 mile run on the track. Did you know that there are different ways to run and deciding on the best way to run is highly debated and researched? Me neither! There are heal-strikers, mid-foot, and fore-foot runners. I was previously a heal-striker. Now, I am trying out the mid-foot style of running which put the burn on your calf muscles. Apparently, this mid-foot/fore-foot style of running lowers the chances of running-related injuries by helping the feet and legs perform with spring-like motion. You also run faster with this style. As you focus on landing on the forward part of your foot, instead of your heal first, your body angles ever-so-slightly forward. So last night I ran faster than ever... BUT it also made my calves burn like the dickens and my heart rate shoot through the roof. Sooo... I only made it .5 mile. Gotta start somewhere.

One day down, three to go!
As my grammatically correct and spunky mother posted on facebook last night... " How do you like those apples?"

Humble Hopeful Monday

Humble: I did not train 4 days last week as planned.
Hopeful: I will train 4 days this week, starting this afternoon!

Humble: Neil asked me, "Do you really think you can finish this triathlon?"
Hopeful: I met the Team in Training group at an event we did on Saturday. I saw a former classmate's mother there which made it all the more fun. TNT is awesome and I plan to connect with them in the future.

Humble: Neil said, "We need a clean house."
Hopeful: I cleaned all day yesterday and I proudly say- ALL of our laundry is clean and put away in an organized closet. Floors are vacuumed and mopped. Dishes are clean, and the house is dusted. Housework- it's never finished. Although, I am starting to enjoy it again.

Humble: I was so pooped on Friday that Neil and I ate CPK pizza for dinner. And to add calories to calories- we had some yummy hefeweizen that paired quite nicely with the garlic chick and onion.
Hopeful: I started the week on the right foot with vitamin fruit smoothies for breakfast and lunch today.

Life is a dance of waxing and waning. We can only do so much in a day. Let's hope we can get our priorities in check before the Son comes up.