Atomic Girl

...out with the old, in with the waaaay too good for me...

2011-09-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me! I had a lovely day and night with various personas of lots of grata... or something.

I began with a lovely sleep-in with this character...

Then I went to work to interview and have lunch with my awesome work friends... Then I headed over to Viva Cindy's to spend time with her and Smita and talk all about Smita's upcoming nuptials while enjoy some lady time. I came home to my man-friend and some amazing flowers from him and my New Mexican Desert Rose Mellow-Von-Melchop.

Sean and I went to Farm Burger and enjoyed some fresh local deliciousness that included the best tasting gluten-free bun I have ever had and an awesome gluten free beer. To cap of the amazing night we enjoyed a phenomenal cake from Sally's Bakery in Atlanta (pictured above)- seriously phenomenal!

I got lots of sweet birthday cards and Sean came up with a whopper of a gift. I think I have Julie to thank for this since last week at dinner she put on some serious pressure and this is what he came up with...

Wholly mamma-jamma-

That's right folks, I went from this:

To this:

This:

OK- ok, you get it, but if you kinda don't this is pretty huge. I just upgraded from a rusted-out chevy celebrity to a Maserati. I actually loved the Soma but this is big news- BIG.

Come on down to Georgia everyone and let's ride some trails- this bike is waaay to good for me so I need some awesome people to ride with to even the score ;)

...girl blowing in the wind...

2011-08-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

I was looking at my blog stats thing morning and saw that one of the keyword phrases that someone searched, and in turn led them to me was, "girl blowing in the wind."

I really love that.

It just made my day.

Just thought I would share.

From

...times they are a changin'... for now...

2011-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Well after my mini meltdown things have picked up immensely- funny how that works, but I can't quite bring myself to trust or enjoy it fully.

The upside is that I was offered (and I accepted) a position as part-time psychology faculty at the Art Institute of Atlanta and began last Thursday. The downside is that I climbed a bit higher and now fear the fall even more than from that other lowly ledge I was clinging to. Does that sound pathetic? I am not trying to be weak or whiny, just honest I think. My first class actually went amazingly well, we talked about research methods, schools of thought- oh and I told them Humanism was like the sweet old aunt of psychotherapy that always makes you muffins (we are keeping it real simple ;)).

I remember a yoga class, or maybe it was during my training, when we talked about emotional life being like a wave- there are ups and downs. The only given is that you will in fact continue to float up and down until, I guess, you sink to the bottom. I eluded to my own malingering in the trough of the wave in my last post and now I may have begun the long climb out and I find myself hesitant to enjoy it. Isn't that funny? To a certain extent I got what I wanted and now I am afraid to play with it- lest I scratch the paint perhaps?

What is the point of getting what I want, or succeeding, or even just staying the course throughout the low times if I am not at least going to try to push myself onto my knees and surf that damn wave for a minute?

The upside: I have a wave to surf.
The downside: I might fall.

Time to do a fluffy design post, coming next I promise.

...tenuous ties...

2011-08-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

The world of employment has had tenuous ties to me for the past year and a half... Seriously, I am considering turning this blog into a unemployment chronicle- I would clearly have a broad audience!

I feel like a frustrated beaver (no double entendre intended) who continues to chew maniacally on a tree trunk never to have the pleasure of watching the tree finally crack and fall. I want to feel the success of working hard and seeing the benefits, I want to build my damn (or house, but whatever). But instead I seem to be on a hamster wheel spinning away and going nowhere (I may have mixed too many metaphors at this point since the picture in my head is now of a beaver in a hamster wheel which would certainly not work logistically).

Sean assures me that I am being negative and all the work I am putting in will help get me where I want to go. I suppose it is my first true test of faith, or fake it 'till you make it or something because I am still working at it; scouring the internet, networking at my temporary (for five months now) position and applying for anything and everything in higher education and market research that I come across. I am still working at it even though I don't believe I am getting anywhere, there are no sign posts and I cannot prove anything but here I am. It is like my own employment dark night of the soul (I have always known Mother Teresa and I had lots in common, not really but it's something to aspire to).

Anyway it has been a while since I wrote. On the bright side my pants button again, I just finished the 30 for 30 remix and I didn't buy one article of clothing for the last 30 days. I have been really busy teaching yoga after my day job and on the weekends (see I am somewhat of an asset to society) which is a-ok with me, AND I am about to go home to Pittsburgh for a visit and the marriage of one of my oldest childhood friends. In fact her wedding is at her home which I have have very fond (and rebellious) memories of and the parking is at our grade school down the street- nostalgia overload. I may wear a cotton terry dress to really bring home the point...

...Pinterest...

2011-06-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

Pinterest... my new online love... my inspiration kindle... love love love.

(and maybe a new time suck...)

I have a folder in the top bar of my firefox explorer that reads "inspiration,' one that reads, 'cooking' and one that reads 'shopping.' One of the reasons I was so down when my computer crashed is that I lost years worth of things I had saved to make, model or someday buy (me and non-attachment are well acquainted thankyouverymuch).

I let go of that and started anew with my new hard drive and have found lots of great stuff for decorating and remodeling (we finally did our master bath, coming soon to an atomic girl blog near you). Then I was introduced to pinterest and my world shifted. I was suddenly able to 'pin' the things I found online and loved and it was safe and outside of my own flawed hardware (it also saves a permanent link so whenever you click on the picture that you pin it takes you 'zing!' right back to the original website) and not only that it could be browsed and appreciated by others and I could in turn browse other people's pins- brilliant!

I have been enjoying it for a couple weeks now and most certainly recommend it for internet junkies out there that find lots of inspiration. Check it out and get lost in beautiful images and tasty treats...

In case you are interested HERE is my page.

...living with intention, aparigraha...

2011-05-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Aparigraha, yogic non-grasping, the cousin of the deadly sin greed and the fifth Yama. To practice Aparigraha we take only what we need rather than gathering all we can get our mitts on, or coveting what someone else has. This is big in my life right now, BIG, and to be honest I am flailing. I do however take heart that the thought that writing about it will in turn help me do better (that whole svadhyaya thing).

In a broad sense I think of non-grasping as being contented with what you have and who you are in life, always striving to be a better you but not someone or something else, with more and bigger and better and everything! On the mat this can manifest in taking care and pleasure in your own practice and where you are on your own path rather than looking at you neighbor, cursing their naturally 'perfect' flexibility/ balance/ butt and straining to the point of turning purple in order to somehow compete with them.

Off the mat aparigraha can be practiced again with contentment with our self and our lives as well as with more potentially obvious ways of practicing moderation (brahmacharya) in our consumer culture. The lather that people are worked into each time a new and better version of something is released could be an example of this (no judgment here just for the record).

Lately for me it is coming up in a way that relates to many of the other yamas and niyamas but today just sat best in the lap of aparigraha. I have been living with two injuries of late, one I acquired from kettle bells and I originally thought was a strained groin muscle but could potentially be my psoas having a spastic hissy-fit, the other is back spasms.

The groin thing has been going on for months, the back just went into spasms about two weeks ago and is actually healing quite well thanks to the clinic near my house, muscle relaxers, pain killers and Georgia Power for supporting my heating pad for two weeks straight. The funny thing is that when they both happened I allowed myself a break to heal, abouuuuut three days in each case after which I began to maniacally stretch and 'work-it' in an attempt to rehabilitate myself. The fact that I am in pain when I lift my left leg probably speaks to how well that is working. I couldn't let go (read can't let go, won't let go.... want to let go?) I want so badly to feel normal and get better that I am pushing and pushing and in turn perhaps making things worse. It amazes me how often this happens in life, continuing down a hurtful path for days, months, years, decades before finally looking up from my feet and saying "whoa, how did I get here? Time for a detour."

It does feel like grasping, grasping at straws...I will try to stop before I grasp at the straw that breaks the camels back... too much mixing of sayings here maybe? Probably.

At any rate, here's to settling down, letting myself and my muscles heal and not trying to be something I am not right now- in perfect physical shape with a left leg that will outwardly rotate.

Aparigraha-

a-p-a-r-i-g-r-a-h-a

Aparigraha.

...blog livin'...

2011-05-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled on a new-to-me blog (well google reader suggested it to me, my google reader knows me well and apparently can even bring me to tears, although Sean would argue that is no big feat as I cry at commercials and CBS Sunday Morning and my class as they move through sun salutations and you get the idea...) and I am just so touched I thought I would share. I have been reading it for a few days now and have almost covered the entire thing (think daily posts dating back to about 2006).

It is an inspirational blog for sure, especially for those of us who at times feel like the fact that our partner won't put the toilet seat down or that we don't have the right shoes. It took me out of myself as I watched a woman not unlike myself flourish (she sorta reminded me of a retro inspired Martha Stewart, which I can really get into) and then in a totally unexpected abrupt and tragic turn of events end up in a coma in a hospital bed for four (ish) months. That was more than two years ago and she has used all the physical, mental and spiritual strength she could muster (and I imagine that she had built up over her lifetime, like a 401K plan that she had to take out a little early and put to good use) to emerge again as a woman, wife, mother and community member.

For me, reading her blog was something like an exercise in mindful eating (you know the raisin exercise where you eventually end up wondering "how have I never noticed how amazing a raisin is before now?"). I found myself walking lighter on my feet and noticing how effortlessly I could move myself up a hill and how truly AMAZING that is. That I have this vessel that allows me to explore and interact in this world of ours and how in reality it doesn't matter what the vessel looks like but rather that we care for it and notice every once in a while how fortunate we are to have it for however long we are gifted.

This is all amazing, but we should also note that she has amazing taste, phenomenal shoes, a brightly and boldly colored home and lots of tasty vegetarian recipes to be found here at CuisineNie. If she and I hung out we wouldn't talk politics I don't think, but we would have a blast shopping, cooking, joking, walking... yeah all those other 'ing words.

By the way, 'she' is Stephanie Nielson and she can be found blogging at NieNie Dialogues.

...my pants are too tight...

2011-05-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Is that an over-share? Sorry, but they are. It has been sneaking up on me the past two months but the frozen yogurt place down the street is so delicious, and it was so fun to eat out with all our house guests, and how could I go to the gym or out to exercise when our friends were at our home????

Poooooor me!

I loved all the visits (and all the fro-yo) but now all I am left with are pants that cut off my circulation. Well... it isn't quite that bad yet but buttoning is a challenge and I feel uncomfortable. For the past two weeks I have been saying to myself, "self, we are going to get this under control. no more sugar! no more fat!! no more things that taste good!!! NO MORE!!!!"

Clearly this isn't working.

I don't appreciate being told no.

I don't appreciate having off limits tasty treats.

I may have hit my bottom this morning. Although, sometimes I think I hit bottom and low and behold it was just a short pause on an even longer drop, so we'll see.

At this moment though I am feeling energized about feeding myself healthy AND delicious eats. I have a short term goal, which is usually all I need, to get back on long term track.

Wish me luck.

Or, if you are an enabler, send me some elastic pants.

mmm.... elastic pants sound nice right now.

On the bright side, I should be posting some tasty recipes in the near future!

...101 Faces, by Eric Vorwald...

2011-05-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

We had another visitor this weekend in our home. The much anticipated arrival of Eric of Stacking the Cheddar brought with it good food, my first experience getting booted in a parking lot, camp fire, tiger woods golf, beef jerky (ick), mountain biking, Sean and Eric laughing AT me as I rolled around on the ground with intense leg cramps, the Twilight Criterium in Athens and then upon his departure the realization of the practical joke he left behind, as we just keep on losing. Holy run-on sentence batman!

Eric also had a recent release of this little gem of a video, check it out. It looks like the Wilderness 101 had fantastic weather this past year!

It was good to see you Eric, you had better get your locks changed now!

...may flowers...

2011-04-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

We have certainly weathered the April showers, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes so I am hopeful that May will bring a reprieve from the violent weather, as well as a month for me to practice contentment and non-attachment. Since the May flowers are coming up I am going to stop and take the time to smell 'em (even though I live in Atlanta and things have been flowering for a couple months now).

In order to appreciate these small, real, natural and free treasures that the world has to offer I am engaging in a buying freeze. That's right, a retail free month, a month free of bargain hunting and window shopping (maybe I will window shop...), I won't even buy a bottle of nail polish.

We are lucky enough (and Sean worked hard enough) to get to go to Aruba with his company on June 1st and from this Sunday to the day we leave the only store I will be in is the grocery store. Wish me luck or join me in a retail free month!

In honor of this small undertaking I will be skipping to the Niyamas of yoga theory (the observances) and kicking that off with Santosha (contentment) next week. Exciting business!

...loving vintage...

2011-04-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

After falling in love with a new blog, the Sartorialist who posted this lovely idea, I searched out some great oldies, brought them to work and had one of the little wipper-snappers show me how to use the newfangled scanner... I am so excited. Here is a sampling, I am still trying to figure out what I will do with them but I will keep you updated...

This is my Ma- steering the "Aphrodite", my Aunt Munch is on the left and Aunt Kathy on the right, I believe that would be Uncle Jeff's striped back (he is most likely getting into trouble back there if the stories are all true). This photo in particular looks timeless to me, especially with those fancy iPhone filters all the cool kids have, it could be over 30 years old... or yesterday.

Here is my handsome Pa looking especially dashing...

This is my Nanny Flossie and Pop-pop, my dad's parents on the wedding day looking stylish as ever, I really love this one.

So that's it for now, if you have any interest send some of you favorite images to the Sartorialist or even to me and let us revel in their appeal!

...Hello there remember me??...

2011-04-27T12:25:00.000-07:00

Turns out that last bout of unemployment didn't last too long. I have to say I really enjoyed the month off and my 30-day challenge went swimmingly which is really a good thing since we most certainly overdid the girl scout cookies this year.

In the midst of my month-o-fitness we also got a delivery of 15 boxes of deliciousness from those little temptresses in green and tan. We made rather quick work of that and went on to buy 5 more boxes from Sean's "supplier." I believe in my heart of hearts that the only reason I can still button most (read not all) of my pants is due directly to the 30 day challenge.

I have my calendar of achievement to post but most exciting was the call I got in week three of unemployment from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs/Education at the Art Institute of Atlanta asking me if I would come in and chat with her about a position. After the sea of rejection I have been swimming in this call was almost unbelievable but in I went and here I am. It is still a temporary position and when they get the funding approved I will have to apply, but for now I am the Academic Support Coordinator. Which sounds all fancy but really I am just....wait.... yeah... I am all fancy! Not reallllly but one can dream right??

Ha- I am running the tutoring center doing lots of day to day and learning a lot about corporate environments, management of people and (gasp) even budgeting for a department. Keep your fingers crossed for me to become permanent!

In other news I have not been blogging, perhaps you noticed? I have on the other hand found a couple more blogs that I love to follow.

Two of note are...

The Sartorialist, amazing and fun street photography and,
Recovering Yogi, "a refuge for the spiritually disenfranchised"

I was inspired by the Sartorialist to scan some old family photos that I will share soon- stay tuned.

I have some fun stuff to share, recipes, visits, and home improvement so hopefully I have shaken off the cobwebs!

...it makes my heart go pitter patter...

2011-03-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

I had a friend once that developed a personality test with his med-school nerdy friends (I type nerdy with love!). Their test involved, how do I say this... hmmm... excrement? Yeah excrement. If you HAD to eat this.... excrement... would you eat it baked, boiled or fried? It still makes me giggle and I was reminded when I did a little Facebook poll the other day about teen drama heartthrobs and peoples preferences. Could this be another personality test? What does it mean about us when we choose one character over another??

I decided a little pro-con list was in order... I am looking at (what I consider) three main characteristics as well as their enduring adorableness, all the following is anecdotal...

I am sure there are lots more heartthrobs out there and feel free to leave a comment with you favorite here but I am focusing on three, beginning with...

Officer Tom Hanson:

Ahhhh... Johnny Depp knows no limits.... He plays Officer Tom Hanson in 21 Jump Street.

Saxophone-playing bowling-loving Officer Tom Hanson, Jr. is a baby-faced cop with a bit of a sorespot over the constant teasing he gets regarding his looks from criminals and fellow cops alike. When this leads to a loss of temper after which his captain tells him he has a choice; he can get assigned to desk duty for a few years while he gets a handle on his temper and get a little older looking, or he can take part in a special secret project called Jump Street Chapel that takes young-looking cops, teaches them how to act like teens again, and places them in schools to catch perpetrators before they tun into hardened career criminals.

Hanson's not happy about the idea of participating in "fast times at Bust Your Buddy High," but he's wanted nothing more than to be a cop like his late father, and the idea of desk duty is far less appealing than than driving down to the chapel on Jump Street, and taking the assignment. By-the-book Hanson seems initially out of his element among the free-wheeling cops and captain of the Jump Street program, but his compassion for the kids he deals with on a daily basis soon distinguishes him--and gets him to break a number of regulations on more than one occasion--and he quickly becomes close friends with his fellow Jump Street cops, as well as his usual partner, Officer Doug Penhall.

Slightly edited from IMDB

Well, I am least familiar with Officer Tom, but Cathy this is for you! I am going to go with characteristics of Intelligent, Driven and Hot-tempered. Depp obviously has incredible staying power and still looks dreamy...

If you love Tom you may be a good girl with a taste for excitement. You like jazzy beats and a tough guy exteriors with well adjusted morally sound interiors. You like happy endings and clear boundaries along with immaculate bone structure!

Dylan McKay:

Luke Perry took on the role of Dylan McKay in the h-i-t show 90210 (or just 9-0 to those in the know). Dylan stole my heart with his nonchalant charm and deep meaningful stares (wink wink), not to mention his...

Enough about me, lets talk about Dylan!

"Mad, bad and dangerous to know. That was him and that's me." (about himself and his father).

Dylan's role on the show was initially that of the Anti-hero, and was often portrayed as a good person with personal demons. The character was reportedly based on James Dean's character Jim Stark in the 1955 film Rebel Without A Cause. Dylan is a true tortured, bad boy with a heart of gold.

He was a loner in high school before he developed his enduring friendship with Brandon Walsh. From these he found his first love, Brandon's sister Brenda, and they developed a meaningful relationship where they tackle numerous teen challenges, including sex, pregnancy and substance abuse just to name a few. He eventually cheats on Brenda with her best friend Kally while she is away for a summer. Dylan's life was fraught with drama including a felon father who is believed to die in a car bombing, alcohol and drug abuse and loosing the love of his life when someone makes an attempt on his life but kills her instead by mistake.

"Rule number one, the only person you can trust in this world is yourself."

Highly edited from IMDB.

I spent many an afternoon watching a 9-0 marathon and enjoying the scenery. Dylan's characteristics will be, Soulful, Protective and Rebellious. Luke is still looking good but we haven't seen him too much lately.

If you love Dylan you definitely have a rebellious streak and a love for deep and meaningful ambiguity. You love vintage style and live to melt the tough exterior of the tortured soul. You probably like the unexpected and a deep desire to heal the wounds of the world!

Jordan Catalano:

Annnd the youngest of our charmers is Jared Leto who played Jordan Catalano is the one season sensation My So Called Life...

Jordan is one of the best-remembered characters of the show. He is good-looking, popular, and rebellious, a major slacker who constantly cuts class and is on the brink of being expelled (in part because he is nearly illiterate due to dyslexia). He is Angela's main love interest, and during the series they have an on-again/off-again relationship. He reveals his emotional depth in his songwriting ability and his occasional — and seemingly accidental — profound thoughts.

Jordan Catalano can't read. He's always leaning, putting Visine in his eyes, and running his hands through his hair. Meet him under the bleachers for a cigarette or at Tino's before the Buffalo Tom concert. If you're lucky, he'll pressure you into sleeping with him in "Red", his beloved car. His band, the Frozen Embryos never took off. He showed tremendous potential, though, in his cover of "I Wanna Be Sedated".

From Wikipedia and IMDB.

Jordan was easy to love, and hate, and we all know Jared Leto has aged BEAUTIFULLY! Jordan's characteristics will be.... Misunderstood, Complicated and Wanderer.

If you love Jordan you are very drawn to pretty things. You are patient and caring and can't turn down a hesitant yet penetrating stare rather than an eloquent speech. You like rock music and style and love to live on the fringe rather than show off in the spot light.

Where do you fit? Have any suggestions??

...living with intention, satya...

2011-03-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Sooooo much for a monthly post, but here yet again is my living with intention post about Satya.

This is the second in a series that began with Ahimsa, or nonviolence which is the first Yama (as explained in the aforementioned post...) Satya, the second Yama, means truthfulness, both with others and with yourself. On the mat, for me, this often comes up when I believe that I just can't stay in a challenging pose for one minute longer. Then it is time to check in and discover if I really can't hold it for one moment longer or if in fact I don't want to stay in the pose. If I actually go through this thought process the pose usually ends and low and behold I have in fact held the pose and lived to type about it.

Off the mat this can be practiced in numerous ways, most obviously while not telling lies to ourselves or others. For me, living in a truthful way also means being myself. This means that when I enter a room, or meet someone for the first time I am myself; not what I think the other person thinks I should be or what I think I should be. For me to live in truth I need to keep my own wants and needs in mind and when I feel strongly about something to share that opinion rather than sit back and not "rock the boat." I am the queen of not rocking the boat and as I have gotten older I have begun to liberate myself from this, I am not all the way there but I am on my way.

I always see it noted when talking about Satya that truthfulness should never come at the expense of Ahimsa. In other words regardless of a truth if it has the potential to be harmful to others than it may behoove us to keep it to ourselves. This seems like a tricky balance because it also seems important to face difficult truths that may even be hurtful in the moment but will result in personal growth (this seems especially true when looking at personal truths but can also come when someone holds a mirror up to us that reflects something less than beautiful). So how do we balance truth and nonviolence? Is it OK to speak a truth that may be difficult to hear when we do it from an open place, a place from which we care deeply for the recipient of the truth?

Any thoughts?

...trying...

2011-03-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Since I left my job I have been trying to stay positive and motivated. I have seen lots of jobs in the mental health field and it is sooooo tempting to apply for them, because I know there is a good chance I will at least get an interview, but it isn't what I want to do. It is an amazing feeling to stop myself from applying and stop looking on websites that focus on small social service agencies and focus on were I want to go, rather than where I have been and where I expected to go for a long time.

I have been trying lots of little things to keep myself on track, my 30 day challenge to keep my spirits up, the new home office to make doing work as easy as possible and reading the Makeunder My Life: Design a Life with Intention. I really like this blog- check it out. It is also where I got this desktop wallpaper...

This is another tactic I have employed, each day when I turn on my little computer this is what I see.

I can only imagine that it helps- it is like a placebo... I believe it works so it does!

How do you live with intention?

...end week one of 30 day challenge...

2011-03-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

I have finished my first week of my 30 day challenge (not a full week because March began on Tuesday), and I feel great, still a little tight (that kettle bells is tough!) but great.

Day 3: 5 mile Chastain Loop and Kettle bells with Sean and Trey.

The walk around Chastain is so beautiful right now as the first blooms of spring happen here in Atlanta while school is still being canceled for my folks in the north!

Aphi's favorite part of the loop...

The Kettlebells was less of a workout today because Jack worked with us a lot on technique which for Sean and I was super important. We learned the Turkish Get-up, silver-back dead lift, swings and the goblet squat...

Trey should stop looking so excited (he skipped chest day at the gym for this, a real sacrifice... thanks Trey!)

Day 4:
Yoga and a one mile fast run (well fast for me...)

Day 5:
Kettle bell workshop with Sean, John and Jack: Another day of basics, Jack is super knowledgeable about body mechanics and kettle bells and I think we are all on the same page now and ready to move and shake. We did get a workout in at the end and those little weighted balls are unrelenting!!

Day 6:
5 mile loop and Yoga at Peachtree Yoga with Daniela who is also a pranic healer so as you can imagine we did lots of breathing... it was a nice class, my first with her, I would definitely go back!

So Here we go into my first full week of the challenge... I will check back in on Sunday!

Have a great week everyone!

...seven months...

2011-03-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow will be the seven month anniversary of my very first post. It is a little landmark I just thought about today when I was looking at my stats and smiling a big smile! Blogging has been a fun way to reach out to my people and keep me engaged during a difficult year. I really do appreciate all of you that have read my little posts (or posty-posts for the Espinoza's out there)...

Atomic Girl is definitely a little meandering but I am trying to find my groove and direction. Here's to seven months, we'll check back in on September 7th 2011 and see where we are!

All comments/ suggestions welcome!!

...Fitness challenge, 2 days down...

2011-03-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Well my legs are really still but my spirit is strong! Don't let the strip mall fool you, everything in Atlanta is in a strip mall, and Oni Fitness is a fantastic new space in Vinings...

This is where I just started teaching some more classes, and where the start of my challenge began in a kettle bells class with Diane and wow.

Day 1:

We had a good class size and some fun music and we just went to it. It was my first time and I used the lightest weights which I believe were 18 lbs. Here is a little more info on Kettle Bells, it was my first class but it won't be my last! Apparently there is a little bit of a fad doing this at home with a video but I definitely think at least in the beginning having an instructor is great to help get the form down...

We moved through three sets and I felt myself fatiguing through each but I made it through just fine... I though later that night that I felt great and headed over to Peachtree Yoga Studio for my regular Tuesday evening class with Todd (which is always a challenge, fun and deep.) I felt a little more tired than usual but the class was great.

Day 2:

I woke up on Wednesday though and wow, good morning stiffness. My arms were totally fine but everything from the waist down was totally seized up! I immediately got out of bed around 7:30 am and fed the pup and then walked the Chastain Park loop from our house (about 5 miles).

This is an Atlanta Gem with a golf course, horse riding, tennis, trails, a school, art center, sports fields, a babbling brook through the middle and walking and biking lanes. It was a great start to the day but I found my legs even more stiff afterward!

I tried to do some stretching to no avail and then jumped into a salt bath which was fantastic. I was able to stretch more after this in preparation to teach a class at Oni at 6pm. That class went well and I got in a few stretches myself. I was feeling good so I stayed and had a short private pilates class with Shelley (from Oni). This was also my first pilates class and I now understand on a whole new level why people swear by the ab strengthening series! It was great and I think it will make its way into my life as it targets your abs in a way yoga doesn't and help them learn to fire which took all the strain out of my low back (my problem area).

This brings me to the end of day two, with glorious stiffness and a happy mind. I am taking another kettle bells class today with one of the owners of Oni- Jack and I am dragging some friends along...

While I cannot tone anyone's butt from afar (Laura Kramer), you are welcome in Atlanta!! Come visit and we will work it out!

...design challenge: office remodel...

2011-03-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

I mentioned the other day that I was doing a design challenge to build a home office for Sean (me;). My goal was to obtain everything, or at least most things used and to spend under $150 for the entire thing.

My one big mistake was that I forgot to take before pictures! I think I actually did take some but lost them when my computer crashed. But it was a small room painted matte tan with piles of paper in the corner, an ironing board and one metal shelf that held my entire graduate workload along with some other random mess, overall not a very welcoming room. I began with painting, I wanted it to be a surprise for the man-friend so I did it while he was in Charleston for a weekend. I painted it a soft creamy white, and then it sat for a few weeks still a mess but with nicer walls!

I had been scouring craigslist for a table to use as a desk and each time I e-mailed someone I never heard back from them. I waited until Sean went to Florida for a weekend (he abandons me a lot) and after my Saturday yoga classes I found a table that had just been posted, called and immediately went to pick it up. It was not my most favorite, it was a laminate top, solid wood legs and some random holes drilled in the top, but it was a nice shape and cheap so it fit into my budget- sold!!

Here it is as I put it together on our patio, it is definitely sturdy and you can see where I began to patch the drilled holes with wood filler...

The holes before...

The holes after, I put the filler in really thick and then sanded it down later in the process...

All put together, at which point I began to think about how much easier it would have been to get into the house and up the stairs if I have waited to put it together...

Viva Cindy came over and helped me to cover this bad boy in spray paint. I visited my neighborhood Ace Hardware and they recommended a spray paint that is used for plastic and metal since the top was laminate, it has some kind of adhesive already in the paint. I went through two cans and got the legs well but the top was just eating up the paint and not getting very good coverage. Cindy was adamant that I should use a roller on the table top so at this point we carried the table upstairs together and I let it cure for 24 hours before beginning the process again...

This is the table in its spot, you can see how the top is not so fully covered here...

I saved some money here by using the gloss white paint we used for the molding in our house to roll the table top about 20 times, until it had a nice solid looking shine to it... what a difference...

Then I went to goodwill and a couple other places looking for office supplies but I didn't find anything really so I ventured over to target and got the cork board, lamp, boxes (for .82 cents on clearance) and the shelves. I had hunted for shelves all over craigslist and they were all about 30 dollars, they were solid wood but then I would have had to buy paint for them and this nice white bookshelf from target was $29.99 so I went for it...

I can't say it was a breeze to put together, nor will it last a lifetime, but it looks nice right now and certainly does the job!

Behold the table with the finishing touches on it, I did use a very fine sand paper after all the layers of paint to smooth it out and that also helped to make the top less tacky...

I really like the lamp (target) and the geode (tj maxx)...

The geode actually put me $10 dollars over the budget but isn't it worth it???!

I feel so official now when I am job hunting...

Aphi likes to keep me company...

Although, she may love the sun more than me....

Here it is! I came in around $160:

Wall paint: Valspar $25

Table: Craigslist $60

Spray Paint: 2x $5.99

Geode: $8.99

Shelf: Target $29.99

Lamp: Target $14.00

Cork board: Target $5.00

Green Boxes: Target 2x $.82

TOTAL: 156.60

...30 day challange...

2011-03-01T07:53:00.000-08:00

Well I have gone and done it.

I was not happy at my job for a number of reasons, and it was not at all leading me towards my career and personal goals and so I made the choice to resign. It is daunting to enter the world of unemployment again but Sean and I have gone into it with open eyes, clear goals and a much more positive attitude. It is amazing to think that I was in this exact spot one year ago- where did an entire year go and I am in the same place?!?!

Well, in order to help keep myself sane and positive I am beginning a 30 day fitness challenge. I wanted to do something that would motivate me to blog and live and stay happy and tone my gluteal area... yeah that last one is key... At first I thought I would join the 30 for 30 challenge that I think is great from Kendi Everyday- check it out, it would be a great challenge, but I felt like I needed something more...

Not to be outdone by Dean Karnazes (who is currently running across our country!), I am embarking on the challenge of one class a day for this entire month. I will be partaking in yoga (yay), kettlebells (today is my very first kettlebell class, tune in tomorrow for details), and pilates (matt and reformer, neither of which I have done before!).

I am still going to keep doing the things I do, but I am also going to get out of the house every day and partake in some sort of group activity to keep sane (and tone up a bit).

Still unsure if I will do a weekly wrap-up or check in each day- I think for this week I will check in daily and then resort to the weekly wrap up in homage to 'fit fridays'.

Check out Oni Fitness Studio which is where I just started teaching and where I will be taking a lot of classes! Wish me luck!

...love affair with herman miller...

2011-02-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

What better to do on Sunday while my 'program' is on (wow I am really getting old), and I am working on a design challenge to build a home office with under $150, than to drool over some herman miller... I will be working on the home office today (and I did some yesterday) and I will reveal it soon... But most unfortunately I forgot to photograph the room as it was before I began but envision matte tan paint and lots of junk!

I have actually come close to buying a replica of this chair, I really like it...
Eames Wire Chair

The tuxedo chair...
Nelson Swag Leg Chair

I would look so official sitting behind my desk in this...
Swoop Plywood Lounge Chair

I have thought about a small (twin) futon type chair that guests could sleep on... yes all you potential guests come on down!
Eames Sofa Compact

I would love to have the space to have a chaise lounge of chair and ottoman with this table, alas not enough space for such a statement...
Naguchi Table

Lovely simple desk, it reminds me a bit of scaffolding...
Eames Desk Unit

I won't be ruining the surprise to share (even as it pains me) that this will not be the desk you will see when I post my office makeover!
Nelson Sway Leg Desk

I have a very difficult time finding small lamps I like, but that is a beauty...
Leaf Personal Light

Eames Hang-It-All Rack
I have listed this before, I love it so much, siiiigh...

...puppy love...

2011-02-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

How much do I love my pup?

More than I though I could ever love such a tiny, hairy, wet-nosed, frito chip smelling beasty beast...

Aphi is the best.

...flank steak tacos...

2011-02-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

And here my friends is one more quick delish recipe for you weekend.

I got this idea from one of my favorite cooking related blogs, The Pioneer Woman. She used the marinate for 'beef fajita nachos' and I just adapted it to my purposes.

Olive oil...

Lime juice (key lime juice rather than fresh lime) (I also just noticed it was expired...oops)...

Garrrrrlic...

Weird scallions...

And delicious chipotle peppers...

The marinate...

⅓ cups Olive Oil
2 whole Limes, Juiced
4 whole Canned Chipotle Peppers, With A Little Sauce
4 cloves Garlic, Peeled
1 whole Handful Of Cilantro (I didn't have cilantro so I used scallions instead, weird I know...)

It is recommended to marinate over night...

Sear it up, a few minutes on each side...

Chop the veg. you would like on your tacos...

Let the meat sit and rest while you saute the veg. until tender in the same pan with all the juices...

Veg...

Thinly slice...

Accoutrement and warmed tortillas...

Very tasty...

...oreo stuffed chocolate chippers...

2011-02-11T15:20:00.000-08:00

Oh yes, I spotted this gem on a blog the other day, check out the original version from Becky Bakes here. I saw it, and I couldn't look away and immediately began plotting my attack. I bought oreo's and followed my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe found here from In Jennie's Kitchen and away I went. The cookie dough recipe recommends to refrigerate over night but let's be honest, I am not.that.patient(period)...

You will notice the mammoth size of my cookies, I am sure you could make yours a more decent size because we could only eat one a day it was so massive.

I literally had to cut this baby in half to dip it into my almond milk, and oh-by-the-way unsweetened vanilla almond milk is another new love, try it and love it, preferably with a 'cookie in a cookie.'

cookie dough recipe:

4 cups flour (18 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, softened (8 ounces)
2 cups sugar (15 ounces)
2 tablespoons molasses
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate discs

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, sugar and molasses until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until well mixed. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate discs. Let sit in refrigerator overnight before baking, and may be stored this way for up to two days.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper. Gently form dough into 1 1/2 to 2-inch balls and place 2 to 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes on middle rack. Remove from oven and let cool on pan for 2 more minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely if you have any will power left.
From In Jennie's Kitchen

I especially love these because they have molasses in the recipe and I think it makes them delish.

Now wrap dough around your o.r.e.o. and bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes depending on how enormous your cookie is.

ENJOY and happy weekend!

...just a moment of appreciation for our new kitchen...

2011-01-28T16:41:00.000-08:00

Well, any fellow facebookers out there may have seen some of our remodel pictures, but here are some more of the kitchen. When we moved into our little slice of home a year ago the kitchen was #1 on our list of things to spend money on. Now that we have settled in I had almost forgotten how much I hated the old kitchen and how lucky I am to have the new one.

Here is a glimpse of the old kitchen...

The back wall (soon to be blue)...

The old sink, ughhhhh...

I actually liked the butcher block part of the counter but we were told that it wasn't very hygienic, yuck.

Our new kitchen is almost totally from Ikea, and it was affordable and easy (in large part because we hired someone else to install it. All we chose to do was demo the old kitchen (which was a challenge), hang the shelves and seal the tile. In fact, I chose the tile because it was the least expensive and one of my favorites. It is just simple slate tile with a high gloss sealer, and I LOVE it.

Sean did all of the shelf hanging and did a superb job... I so love the blue wall and tile and it makes me smile to look at it.

The new sink and window wall, what a difference this is. From that little sink to this beauty, it makes me happy to wash things now (well things other than dishes, I will never love washing dishes, even if I figure our how to be zen with the art of washing dishes...)

This little detail (the tiled window ledge) was something the time-man did on a whim and we fell in love with. He angled it slightly down so it drains into the sink area and it looks so great.

Anyway, just thought I would share some ideas, and my love of my new kitchen, come over for some tasty-tasties!