Naked Nails

For years and years I’ve had gel permanent french nails.  They made my stubby fingers look a bit longer, and I loved the fact that I never had to worry about filing and polishing my own nails.  Sure, the cost was a bit pricey at more than $50/month, but that’s  the price of beauty, right?

Well, last week, out of the blue, I decided that I was going to take my nails off.  Let my real nails “breathe” a bit, and save time and money by not having to go to the nail salon every week.  That was a major plus for me.  I had a standing appointment at the salon every other Monday at 4:30.  When school is in, making it to the appointment wasn’t a big deal; I’d just head there after work.  Now that summer has been here and my schedule is a lot looser, I really hated having that appointment time.  It was smack in the middle of the day and it meant that I had to carefully plan the Mondays around the nail appointment.

Plus, I was getting bored with the look.  Yes, my nails always looked neat and clean, but it was always the same look.  I longed for black nail polish, or red, or pink, or a light champagne color.  Being able to switch the color to suit my mood.  A bit of variety, if you will.

So I went into the nail salon yesterday and let them know that I wanted to have the gel taken off.  You would’ve thought I said, “please cut off my fingers,” from the reaction I received.  Every single nail technician in the joint came over and asked me why I wanted to take the nails off.  Even some of the regular customers asked me.  It was weird.  I just told them I needed a bit of change.  End of story.  I guess people are always looking for drama or a good story, but unfortunately, I didn’t have on for them this time.

So now my nails are “naked.” Yes, my fingers do look a bit more stubby.  But typing is so much easier!  Not that I had long nails, but my own natural nails are really short right now.  But they look fairly healthy for just having the gel removed yesterday.

So now I’m going to use manicures as a reward for weight loss.  I’m hoping to get them done once a month, but only if I make my goals.  I’m thinking of making different goals each month.  One month it might be to earn 25 Activity Points each week.  Another month it will be to have gone to a WW meeting each week for the month.  Another month it will be complete the EA Sports 30-Day Challenge or the 30-Day Shred DVD.  Something achievable but challenging.

I know this post is probably boring for most of you, because of its navel-gazing nature, but I just wanted to document the change.  We’ll see how long I can go with natural nails.  I’m hoping to go for the rest of this year, and beyond.  Why pay all that money for fake nails when I can maintain my own natural nails by keeping them healthy?

Actually, I think that’s what taking the nails off was all about for me.  I’ve been spending this entire summer trying to get my body healthy through a variety of exercise and diet.  I’ve made a huge lifestyle change in the past year as far as weight loss goes, and I guess keeping my own nails healthy and natural is part of that for me.  It shows I can take care of myself, because healthy nails = healthy Bella.

Doing my nails myself will be something of a novelty for me.  I was never very good at polishing my own nails, but maybe maturity has improved the steadiness of my hand?  I think polishing my nails once a week, maybe on Sunday evenings, would be a good way to do something nice for myself and prepare for the coming week.  Hmmm… I think I just thought of a new weekly ritual.

So now it’s time for me to go out and splurge on some fun nail polishes.  Any suggestion for favorite colors/brands?  I’ve always been a fan of O.P.I., but are there others out there that I should look into buying?

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Everyone is Beautiful – A review

I just finished reading Everyone is Beautiful by Katherine Center.

I absolutely loved this book, and I have to admit, I was a bit surprised. I wasn’t sure how much I could relate to the story of a married woman with 3 kids. But the story of Lanie Coates is the story of any woman who has seen imperfection in her own life. And really, which of us hasn’t?

One of the things I loved about this novel, besides the brilliant writing and laugh-out-loud humor, was the use of art (photography and music) to demonstrate the creative outlet we all need. I also appreciated the fact that Lanie admits that having kids isn’t all about baking cupcakes and smiling faces. She shows the real side, the very difficult side, that you sometimes wish you could get away from.

One aspect of the novel that I could completely relate to was the idea of reinventing yourself. Lanie goes on a quest to get her pre-mother self back. She starts taking time for herself, even when there doesn’t seem to be even one minute. She starts going to the gym, she starts taking pictures, and she starts being a little bit selfish. And in the midst of doing it, she not only regains her “self,” but she also finds the new woman who she has now become.

One of the quotes I love from this book comes from the last page, but it doesn’t give anything about the novel away:

Beauty comes from variety, from specificity, from the fact that no person in the world looks exactly like anyone else.  Beauty comes from the tragedy that each person’s life is destined to be lost to time.  I believe women are too hard on themselves.  I believe that when you love someone, she becomes beautiful to you (Center 233).

This quote made me think about myself.  So often I focus on the things about myself that I want to improve – weight loss, how to deal with my crazy, curly hair, a new foundation or lipstick that will make me look beautiful – and I forget to focus on the things about myself that I love.  My personality, my humor, my intelligence, and my lust for life.  I am beautiful, and this quote reminded me to think about that a bit more often.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written story but I feel like it should be mandatory reading for anyone who is a mother.

I look forward to reading Center’s other books, because she is an author with a gift for expressing the everyday in an extraordinary way.

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38th Birthday – 2 Years ’till 40!

Today is my 38th birthday, and I guess it’s time for a bit of reflection.  38 is definitely in the “late thirties” category, yet I don’t feel that old at all.  I feel as though I’m in my late twenties, maybe.  I guess that’s because I don’t have a husband, children, or a mortgage, and all of those other things that go with being a responsible adult.

Being young-at-heart runs in my family.  My dad just turned 69 and he doesn’t look it or act it at all.  He’s still so full of life and vigor, and it’s wonderful to see him enjoying his retirement.  (Although he retired 3 years ago, he still substitute teaches because he says the kids keep him young).  My mom is the same way – she’s 62 years old and you would seriously never know it.  She has a really energetic personally that keeps all of us on our toes, and I love it!

This birthday marks 20 years since I graduated from high school.  The summer of 1989 was one of the best ever because it was the one between high school and college.  The summer on the cusp of growing up.  The summer when there were absolutely no responsibilities.  This summer feels very much the same way to me.  It’s the first summer in years that I haven’t worked, and I’m absolutely enjoying every minute of it – even the quieter ones.

So, what’s on tap for today?

• Well, I started the day with my WW meeting.  The news was good, and the meeting really helped me get on the right track for this week.
• After the meeting I got the car washed – I love the feeling of a spotless car.
• Then I came home and did the Wii Fit.  I don’t know what it was, but I broke all sorts of records today.  Maybe there were being nice because it was my birthday?  Or maybe I’m just advancing!
• I’m planning on spending an hour or so today just reading.  I’ve been really lax about reading this summer (too active, I guess), and it is going to be nice to just sit with a good book.  I’m reading Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani.  Love her writing and I’m sure this won’t disappoint.
• Later this afternoon, my mom and I are going shopping!  She said that the gifts that I mentioned to her (she still likes us to give her birthday wish lists) were ones that she needed me to be there to pick out.  I’ve asked for some silver hoop earrings, a new coffeemaker, and a few other items.
• After the shopping, my mom is making me a birthday dinner – pasta with pesto, barbecued Italian sausage, and a salad.

A birthday spent with family – shopping and eating well – how much better can it get?!

Now to explain the title.  I know all of you can add, but to me, turning 38 is really a wake-up call to me to get back on track with my life list (aka Bucket List, only these are things I want to do by the time I’m 40).  So, I have two years to complete the following:

Things to do before I turn 40:
1. Lose 100 lbs. Working on it, but the progress is slow.  I’m vowing to do this, though.  It’s the most important thing on this list.
2. After weight loss, go on a shopping spree at Anthropologie and Ann Taylor Loft, knowing the clothes will look great!
3. Sky dive.
4. Own a convertible. I should complete this one in August, when I buy the new VW Beetle convertible!
5. Find balance in my life. (I’m so bad with the work/personal life balance). As I wrote earlier this week, I’ve got a great handle on this one.
6. Make spirituality a part of my everyday life.
7. Try yoga. I have not only tried it, but I discovered I LOVE Bikram yoga.  I haven’t been in a while, though, so I’m going to go this month.
8. Start meditating. I tried it a couple of times, but couldn’t seem to quiet my mind long enough.  It might be worth another shot.
9. Get a Brazilian bikini wax.
10. Go to the beach in a bathing suit and feel proud of how I look.
11. Go to NYC.
12. Go to Boston/Connecticut CTLB’s wedding in August ‘08. I’m hoping to go back next summer to see CTLB’s new house.
13. Run a 5K. (Maybe even a 10K). I’ve walked two 5Ks, and have another one coming up July 19th.  Not sure if running one will be realistic.
14. Meet “The One” aka “Mr. Right” and be engaged, or close to it.
15. Own a home (condo/townhouse), even if I’m still single.
16. Go on an exotic vacation to Bali or Morocco.
17. Learn to speak Italian.
18. Get some of my writing published.
19. Use my masters in educational leadership, either in school administration at my school or on the district level working with the new teacher program.
20. Adopt a dog.

So, you can see that I still have several of the items to work on.  Some of them are a bit unrealistic, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try.  You never know what you can do until you attempt it, right?

38 is definitely going to be a great year, I can just feel it.  There is no doubt that I will feel better than I ever have with my increase in activity, focus weight loss, and quitting smoking (July 15th).  There are so many things I want to accomplish, but like you know by now, I’m a girl who loves a goal, and I can’t wait to take some of these on!

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Update: Getting a Life

Ever since I started my weight loss blog, I’ve been writing much less frequently on this one.  Because weight loss is my main focus (almost like a part-time job), it makes sense that I have more to write about that topic than any other.  Still, sometimes I feel badly that this blog, the one I started blogging with, gets pushed back to second-class citizen status.

One thing that seems appropriate to write about here is how I’ve been doing on my quest to “get a life.”  Last August, I wrote a post where I vowed to take back my life and stop living to work instead of just working to live.

I’m happy to report that I am now a reformed workaholic.

It wasn’t easy.  At first I felt like I was really sloughing off on my duties at work.  “I really should go to the play this weekend.” “The students would really like it if I went to that football/basketball/soccer game,” etc.  Instead of feeding into this guilt trip I was laying on myself, I just said no.  I took myself off of the numerous committees I had been serving on and kept only those that I felt were the most important.

Did I feel like I was out of the loop?  Yes.  Did I crave being “in the know” the way I was when I served on lots of different committees and attended tons of school events?  Sure, sometimes.  But that feeling of being slightly out of the dialed in group was well worth the time and energy I found now that I wasn’t spending so much time and effort at work.

It was a strange year for me because CTLB, my best friend at school and one of my best friends in life, left.  I felt a lot lonlier than I had in the past 4 years, when were were “joined at the hip.”  But before you start feeling too sorry for me, I do have an amazing group of friends at school, and we all eat lunch together every day, so it’s not like I sit alone in my classroom and grade papers while I eat a stale sandwich.  (That would never, ever be me, by the way).  We also had a new principal this year, and that made for a lot of changes.  Good changes, but still, there were a lot of things going on this year that left me feeling out of sorts a lot of time time.

But my life outside of the work day was fantastic!  I found that I had tons of free time, and I used it to try new activities, reach out to old friends and make some new ones, spend lots more time with my family, and just enjoy myself by doing whatever I wanted to do – riding my bike, reading a great (or trashy) book, watching movies, cooking, etc.

It seemed idyllic until the school said they were looking for someone to teach a “summer school after school” class.  I saw dollar signs and knew that if I taught the class I would have the money I needed for a down payment on my new car AND I wouldn’t have to work this summer.  So, beginning after February break, I gave up 60 hours+ of free time and taught the class.  (This may not sound like a lot, but this is on top of teaching 5 other classes.  Not to mention grading and prepping for 6 classes).  It is something that I’m glad I did (for the money), but will never do again.  It’s just not worth giving up that much of my life.

All in all, I loved having my life back.  I felt like I was a better teacher because I could look at things from a well rested, happy point of view.  I plan on doing more of the same this coming school year.  Actually, it should be even better because I’m only teaching one honors class, which will dramatically cut down on my paperload.  Can’t wait.

Ok, enough writing, time to get out there and LIVE!

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Enjoy the Ride

AM sent this to me last week, and I just got a chance to view it today.  Overall, I love the message that it promotes.  It’s a good reminder that I have so much to be thankful for and I should treat each day as if it were a special occasion (sometimes hard to do).

The video is 3:20, and is worth the time, because it may just give you a little perspective on life that you needed to be reminded of.

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Sometimes it really is the little things

Is today really Monday?  Aren’t Mondays supposed to be yucky and awful and hard to deal with?

Today has been a fantastic day!  From the time I got up (early, before the alarm!) all the way until I got home, things have been going great.

Not only did I have time to sit down, read the newspaper, enjoy a cup of coffee and my breakfast at home, but I also got to work earlier than normal.  This is quite a feat for me, since I’m usually running to my classroom just in time to beat the 5 minute bell.  Unlike other jobs, teaching requires that I be there exactly at a certain time, with hardly any leeway.  It was so nice to be able to get to my room with plenty of time to prepare for the day ahead.  (Usually I make sure that I have everything ready, including writing the next day’s agenda on the board, just in case).

My classes went wonderfully, despite the fact that my honors students had a research paper due today.  Usually the days that papers are due are the ones that cause major stress for my type-A, overachieving students.  Today most of them were completely prepared and calm, which really helps set a nice tone for the day.  Plus, they’re really enjoying the new novel we just started, which is always nice.

Then, after lunch, I was surprised to discover that I got paid a day early!  Considering that I only get paid once a month, getting my check a whole day in advance was awesome.  I was able to come home after a few errands and pay all of my bills early.  It’s so nice to feel organized and ready for the month ahead.

I even had a bit extra this month, so I treated myself to some new makeup from Sephora.  Speaking of which, I’m not sure how you are, but I’m a really loyal to certain brands of makeup, and making a change is a really big deal for me.  For several years now, I’ve been using Bare Escentuals.  I like the lightness of the feel of the makeup on my face, but I am getting sick and tired of the mess it makes in my bathroom.  Seriously!  There has to be a better way to deal with the loose mineral makeup!!  The thing that fueled my wanting to switch is that last week, in a moment of rushing around the bathroom in the morning, I dropped the container with the foundation in it, and… SPLAT!  POOF!  Clouds of mineral makeup all over the bathroom floor, all over my shoes, all over everything!  UGH!  As if my mornings weren’t hectic enough already.  Couple that with the fact that I feel like the makeup looks a bit too “powdery” on my skin, and I made the decision that as soon as I got paid, I was making a change.

So what did I move to?  FMG raved about how much she loves Stila.  So I went to Sephora last week to check out their products and found some wonderful options for my skin.  Today I ordered:

• Illuminating Powder Foundation I love that this powder is packed and not loose.  Plus, it really does give the lightness that I liked in the Bare Escentuals with none of the mess.  I also really like the brightness that it gives to my face.  They aren’t kidding about the illumination!  It also has an SPF of 12, which doesn’t hurt.  (Now before you jump all over me about how I need more than just a 12 SPF, I know I do.  My moisturizer has an SPF 25, plus my skin is olive and doesn’t burn easily, so I’m covered already.  This will just be a nice little added protection).
• Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer I don’t usually use a tinted moisturizer, but I got this as a sample from Sephora a little while ago, and LOVED it.  It gives your skin a really beautiful, dewy glow, without a heavy feel.  It’s perfect for those weekend days when you aren’t going to be doing more than running errands or walking around the farmers’ market.  Since I’m taking this summer off, I figured this would be a nice item to add to my beauty bag.  It has an SPF of 15, which is a decent amount of coverage for my skin (see above).
• Convertible Color I like the idea of a cream blush, because I think it gives a really lovely, light bit of color to your cheeks.  If done correctly, it can be so much more natural than powder.  I bought it in Peony, because in my “research” on youtube, I think it will be a great color for my skin tone.  I’ve heard nothing but good things about this product, so I’m really looking forward to trying it.

After my online shopping spree, I made a healthy, delicious dinner myself and ended the evening with a nice dose of one of my guilty pleasures, Gossip Girl. 

Today was simple, yet perfect.  Gotta loves days like that.

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Bath Time!

This week I was able to take a couple of long, luxurious baths using my bath “chill pills” that I got from Hydra when I went with my sister earlier this month.

The best thing about taking a bath, to me, is that it is the ultimate form of relaxation.  You don’t have to worry about all of the million other things you should be doing.  Once you hit the water, all you think about is that moment, enjoying the bubbles, the scent, and the warm water.  It’s good for the soul.

I also think it’s something really good to do for yourself.  It’s a nice way to care for yourself, giving yourself a few stolen moments of peace and tranquility.

When I take baths, I always do it at night, for some reason.  I guess because the pace of the day is starting to wind down, and things move at a slower speed.  The laundry list of “to do” items have hopefully been completed, and all that’s left to do is relax and enjoy the evening.  At least, I find myself choosing evenings when this is true.

Before this week, it had been literally 6 months or more since I’d taken a bath, but I think I’m going to make this a weekly ritual, maybe on Sunday nights.  I really can’t think of a better way to get ready for the upcoming weekly craziness than to take some time out and enjoy the quiet and calm a long soak in the tub brings.

In fact, I think I’ll take a bath tonight, after the Oscars.

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3 Cheers for 2009!

2008 was quite a year, wasn’t it?  So many challenging things occurred around the world and here at home, but we made it through.  Some of us just barely, but we ARE here to live again another day.

Personally, 2008 was a pretty good year for me.

• I started on a serious weight loss journey that involved trying the South Beach Diet, medically supervised fasting, Medifast, and finally Weight Watchers.  I lost a lot of weight, but more than that, I gained a whole new perspective about how I wanted to live my life.  I decided I wanted to live in a healthier, happier way.
• I graduated with my Masters in Educational Leadership in May.
• I bought a beach cruiser and rediscovered how much I love riding my bike.  It doesn’t really matter what the destination is; it just makes me feel happy to feel the rush of wind as I pedal as fast as I can, or slowly cruise by.  I love looking at life and the things around me at a bit of a slower pace than normal.  It’s like I’m taking time to breathe when I’m on my bike.
• I went to CTLB’s wedding in Connecticut in August, and I was able to travel all over Massachusetts (Cape Cod, Boston, etc).  It was a trip I had been looking forward to for at least a year and half, and it was awesome.  I can’t wait to go back to  visit CTLB and her new hubby at their new place in Southie (South Boston).
• I made sure that my life had more balance.  I left work at work, which was HUGE for me.  Never before in my life have I had the sense that work is just work (although I love it), but that there is so much more to life than your profession.  I am still working towards figuring out how to define myself past what I do, but I know that will come in time.
• I started cooking for myself. All the time.  Delicious, healthy dinners.  And along the way, I discovered that I not only enjoy cooking, but that I’m really good at it.  I can’t wait to try out a bunch of new recipes (at least 1 a week) in 2009.  (I’ll be writing about those on Bella on the Beach, if you want to check them out).
• I started reading again in earnest, once I no longer had grad school books to read.  I’ve borrowed a ton of books from the library since May, and truly, it has been one of my greatest pleasures.  I even started a book club with some friends, something I had always wanted to do.  I really like the discussions we’ve had about the book choices.  Plus, it’s a great excuse to get a wonderful group of ladies together for an afternoon.
• I organized my life.  Top to bottom.  Floor to ceiling.  I feel in control, at ease, and happy.

Even with all of the positive things that happened to me in 2008, I am really looking forward to 2009 even more.  I have a terrific feeling about this upcoming year.  For myself personally, I think it’s going to be MY year, filled with many new triumphs and discoveries, capped off in October with my 20th high school reunion.  But thinking in a more global sense, 2009 means change.  Change in political leadership in our country, change in our perspective about how we should live our lives, and change in the way we deal with nations and people around the globe.

Tonight, New Year’s Eve, I am a bit sad that I don’t have that traditional “date,” but I know all good things will come in time.  HE is out there, I just have to wait and not settle for the Mr. Maybes of the world who might distract me from HIM.

As we welcome 2009 tomorrow, what is the thing you’re most looking forward to?

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2008: A retrospective

At the beginning of 2008, I posted what I called New ME Resolutions. These were commitments I was going to make to myself, in lieu of making New Year’s Resolutions.  I thought it might be fun to  take a look at each one and see how I did and whether they’re as important to me now as they were then.

1. Get more sleep. This continues to be a struggle for me, although I made great strides in 2008.  My goal was to get to bed my 11PM each night.  I didn’t always make my goal, but I did get a lot closer than I was in the past.  This will continue to be a goal in 2009.
2. Get into a nightly ritual. This involved cooking dinner, washing/putting away the dinner dishes, making my lunch for the next day, washing my face, brushing my teeth, and reading something for pleasure (not for school!!) before finally closing the light at night.  I did great on this goal, most nights.  There were of  course some nights that I was so exhausted that I went to bed without washing my face, or when I fell asleep on the couch, but overall, I did really well on this one.
3. Make exercise an almost daily activity. I had wanted to start Couch to 5K and get to the gym every other day.  This didn’t always happen, but I did make exercise more of a priority.  I bought a bike and found out how much I loved riding it.  I also made going to the gym a much more frequent habit.  I even entered a Turkey Trot.  I still have a ways to go with this goal, but it’s still a priority.
4. Quit smoking. I attempted to quit, signed up for smoking cessation classes through Kaiser with BFF, and stopped smoking for 3 entire days, which was huge for me.   But I picked it back up again, and for now, I’m not going to try to quit.  I know I should, but I’m simply not ready yet.  I have cut way back on smoking, and can go for much longer periods without a cigarette, which is a real improvement.
5. Cook dinner every weeknight. I did really well on this goal.  I didn’t cook every weeknight, but I did it more often than not, and found out how much I enjoy planning, preparing, and cooking for myself.  This will be a goal moving into 2009.
6. Continue to lose weight. I did really well on this goal in 2008.  I’ve changed my entire mindset, lost 4 pants sizes, and feel so much better about myself.  This is my main focus in life right now, and I write about this journey in my weight loss blog almost every day.  Check it out.
7. Live a balanced life. This meant that I need to find a way to balance work, school, and family/friends.  Once grad school ended in May, I did a fabulous job on this goal.  I’m really pleased to say that work is only one aspect of my life now.
8. Explore spirituality. This goal wasn’t a priority for me at all. I’ve decided to live a good life by being a good person, and doing good things for others, which is my version of The Golden Rule.
9. Leave work at work. This was really difficult for me from Jan.-June, but once the new school year started in August, I was amazing with this goal.  I decided to stay after school for 2 hours everyday to keep up with paper work, and vowed not to bring grading home at night or on the weekends.  I’ve succeed completely, except for 2 weekends, during grading periods, which is perfectly fine with me.
10. LIVE life. I definitely accomplished this goal.  I spent so much more time with family and friends in 2008, and started some fun traditions, like Sister Day (where my sis and I get together, just the two of us and hang out).  I hope to do even more LIVING in 2009.

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Break Time!

The past two weeks have been really busy for me.  I’m always busy at school, but the two weeks before break were CRAZY.

It just so happened that I had a journalism deadline AND a yearbook deadline within days of each other.  I’m really strict with my students about meeting the deadlines, no matter what.  In this case, “no matter what” meant staying in my room for the past two weeks, staying at school until 6:30 last Friday (Dec. 12), and going a little nuts when we ran into some technical difficulties.  But, I’m happy to report that both the newspaper and the yearbook deadline were met.  We got rave reviews on the paper, which always makes us feel good.

Couple these deadlines with the fact that I had a set of essays and 2 sets of research papers (think essays, but longer) to grade.  I was determined that I was going to grade these papers before I left for Christmas Break – no matter what.  There’s that phrase again.  This time “no matter what” meant staying up until 2:30AM on Thursday night, waking up at 5AM to continue grading, and still not finishing.  So, I stayed on Friday evening until 5;30 to get them done.  I may have been the last car in the parking lot (teachers clear out early when we have a long break like that), but I am so proud of myself for completely finishing all of the work I wanted to.

Which means I have two weeks off and ABSOLUTELY NO GRADING OR SCHOOL WORK OF ANY KIND TO DO!  (Ok, sorry for the ALL CAPS, but unless you teach high school English, I don’t think you can imagine the feeling of elation I have right now).

So, what am I going to do with myself?

• Read books. For pleasure!  Books like Sundays at Tiffany’s, Pledged: The Secret Lives of Sororities, and A Lion Among Men.  Looking at those titles, I know they sound like quite an eclectic mix, and they are.  Recent books I’ve checked out of the library.  I’m a voracious reader even when life is hectic, but especially when I have some time on my hands.  To see more books that I’ve been reading, you can click on my Good Reads Shelf to the right.
• Catch up on the stacks of magazines that are threatening to overtake my living room. That might be overstating it a bit, since the mags are all neatly placed in a magazine rack, but when I see 4 months worth of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Self, Real Simple, Prevention, and Women’s Health in front of me, I know it’s time to do some light reading.
• Workout or “be active” everyday. Today’s activity was cleaning the house from top to bottom (electric broom and mop the kitchen and bathroom floors, empty the dishwasher, do two loads of laundry, change sheets, clean the bathroom, and vacuum the whole place).  Whew!  I know I probably didn’t burn too many calories, but I did all of that in under 3 hours, and I am sort of sore as I sit here tonight writing this.  It’s been cold and rainy here, so I’m afraid that most of my working out will have to take me to the gym, but that’s ok.  It gives me a chance to catch up on my elliptical and treadmill time.  I am going to start Couch to 5K and see how it goes.  I have a few other activities planned for the new year, but I’ll discuss that more on my weight loss blog.
• Go to the movies. I love movies, but don’t find myself going to many lately.  I think part of it is that my schedule is so busy that I have to pick and choose which movies I have time to see.  There are two movies that I think look very interesting that I’m definitely making time for this vacation: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Seven Pounds.  Seven Pounds hasn’t gotten great reviews, but it intrigues me, and I think it’ll be worth $10 to find out what it’s about.
• Spend time with family and friends. There are so many people I can’t wait to see and spend time with.  I’m sure I’ll post about all the fun ahead.
• Go through my cookbooks. I have lots of healthy cookbooks that I’ve bought or been given in recent years, yet I find myself making my tried and true recipes more often than not.  I want to go through these cookbooks and mark several new recipes to try out in the new year.  I’m hoping to make at least one new recipe a week, just to keep things interesting.

So, there you have it.  Some rough plans for how I want to spend my Christmas Break.  I look forward to this 2-week vacation every year, and yet it always seems to fly by without very much getting accomplished.  I’m hoping that this year, I’ll make it a vacation to remember.

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Hiking Mt. Eden

On Sunday, I joined Cynn for a hike in the foothills of Saratoga, at a place called Garrod Stables and Winery.  It sits at the foot of Mt. Eden.

Cynn has been sending out emails about getting together to exercise, which I think is an idea that is fantastic in its simplicity.  She just turned forty, and as luck would have it, she was also in a really bad automobile accident just a few days afterward.  I think she’s decided that life is really too short, and it’s important to make the most of the time we have.  She wants to go on one of these hikes once a month, at different locations throughout the Bay Area.  I told her I’d love to join her, even though I hadn’t been hiking in over 20 years.

(The last time I hiked, I went with a friend of mine in high school.  She lived near Quicksilver Park and I had slept over at her house for a slumber party.  The next morning, she asked if I’d like to go for a “walk,” and I agreed.  I was completely unprepared for the hike, and had on espadrilles.  Not the footwear of choice when you’re running for your life from a bobcat, as we would later be doing.  Yes, we heard a bobcat near us, but weren’t sure where it was.  We head someone yell out, “Wow, that’s a big bobcat.”  And then we heard something in pursuit of us.  I have to say it is one of the scariest memories I have.  Literal fear for your life.  I thought this bobcat was going to tear us to pieces, and I vividly remember trying to run up this hill, in my espadrilles, and being so tired that I dramatically (but very earnestly) told my friend, “you go on ahead without me, I just can’t make it anymore.”  I thought I was done for, but somehow I gathered the strength to make it up the hill and we got out of harms way unscathed.  Looking back, I guess the bobcat wouldn’t have killed us, but being a city girl with no knowledge of wild animals, I really did think we were both going to die).

So, you can see why I haven’t become an avid hiker.

As vain as it sounds, my my concern about this hike was what to wear.  I had no idea what kind of clothing a hike required.  Cynn said I would be fine in jeans, a tank, and tennis shoes, which is what I told her I was thinking of wearing.  Even though the day was really warm (over 80 degrees), I was fairly comfortable the entire time.

I was also surprisingly physically ready for the hike.  Sure, there were times that it was hard for me and the thought of going up another, even steeper, hill made me cringe.  But I did it.  Mostly because I didn’t want to be the fat girl who couldn’t complete a simple hike.  But when I reached the top of the peak and saw an amazing view of Santa Clara Valley, I was so glad that I had done it.  I was proud that I’d not only completed it, but that I’d enjoyed it, and knew that this was another emblem of my weight loss efforts.

I’m not sure how far we hiked in distance, but it took about an hour to go up and about half an hour to come back down, so it was a fairly sizable hill.  It was nice to know that at the end of the “adventure” we’d be enjoying wine, cheese, and crackers outside at the winery.

All in all it was a lovely day.  A day filled with the celebration of life, of movement, of nature, and of friendship.

{As soon as I get the pictures that Cynn took, I’ll post them, because it was a breathtaking view.}

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Weekend with LC = Pure Bliss

It really doesn’t get any better than the day I had with my sister today.

As I wrote yesterday, we had a birthday dinner for her at my parents’ house last night, and then she spent the night at my place, since we had appointments for a spa day later this afternoon. Having a “sister sleepover” was so much fun, and I hope we get a chance to do it again.  LC said that not having anyone calling, “Mommy, mommy!!” was a treat in and of itself.  She was able to let her hair down and just take it easy this morning.  Even though she woke up at 6am!!!  Which was sleeping in for her!!!

I love sharing my music with LC, and I told her that since I had the new iPhone, I’d give her my older iPod mini so she could use it.  (I had given her my OLD iPod a few years ago, but it was time for her to upgrade).  I also told her she should look through my iTunes library and make a new playlist for herself of songs she wanted to take, and we could burn the cds.  Well, 331 songs & 18 burned cds later, she has a bunch of new music to groove to.  She was so excited about the new music, that it really made me feel good.

I was also able to give LC two of my dresses that are a bit too large for me, which is great. It helps her boost up her wardrobe a bit, and the clothes go to good use.  Plus, since she’s been losing weight herself, I’m sure she’ll be getting new clothes soon enough, too.

LC is one of those people that so appreciates any kindness or gift you offer her, which makes it so much fun to treat her to something special.  She’s a really kind, generous person herself, and it’s nice to be able to help her indulge a bit every now and then.  She certainly deserves it!

LC and I spent a good part of today at Burke Williams spa, and all I can say is that I feel so blissful right now.  I recommend everyone reading this blog makes it a point to get to a spa and get a much-deserved treatment soon.

We got to the spa around 11:30 in order to enjoy the steam room and some of the other amenitites before our services began.  LC was signed up for a massage, and I was getting a facial.  Both treatments were for an hour, which is the perfect amount of time.  Because it was her birthday, LC was able to get a free bath treatment, as well.  I think she chose a milk bath, which I’m sure made her skin silky soft, after all the toxins had been removed in the steam room.

Even the shower at Burke Williams makes you feel good!  Their shower stalls have 3 jets that hit you from all directions, maximizing the relaxing effect of the powerful sprays of water.

After we got dressed and ready to go, we had a wonderful dim sum lunch at Sino.  It was so nice to enjoy a great, exotic meal and just continue the fantastic conversations we’d had all weekend.

After lunch, we popped into the mall for a few quick purchases.  Nothing to write home about (or even blog about!), just a few things each of us needed.

Then, LC came back to my place to collect all of her belongings and head home.  I was so happy to have spent so much quality time with her that I was really sad to see her go.  But, I know she needs to get back home before it gets too late, since she has a lot of things to do to get everybody ready for school/work tomorrow.

My sister is amazing, and I’m so happy that she and I are back on track to being good friends again.  Not that we didn’t always love each other, because we did, but we did go through a period when both of us were under a tremendous amount of pressure in our respective lives, and we weren’t able to do things as often.  We sort of drifted apart, and it’s so nice to be back to being great friends, like we used to be in high school and college.  I was mentioning this to DRMK, and she told me I should definitely share these thoughts with LC, which I did, about a week ago.  She said she felt the exact same way and was so happy.

LC and I are planning to make more sister days/weekends as often as our schedules will allow, which probably means every 4-6 weeks.  We’re already thinking of a bike-riding trip in Half Moon Bay, a morning of yoga and a day in Berkeley, and a few other treats.  Can’t wait!!!

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Hitting the Labor Day Sales

Yesterday I went to the mall because there were a few makeup and skincare “essentials” that I had run out of. After I finished getting the things I needed, I decided to go over to Lane Bryant to see if they had anything on sale that I could use to add to my wardrobe.

I found some cute things and since one of the saleswomen had handed me a spend $75, get $25 off coupon, I decided to get them. So, for $64 (after all of the discounts), I got:

This dress looks GREAT on, and was only $23.99

This top is more of a burgandy/wine than it shows up in this picture.

I also got two tops: One is a red, johnny collar shirt with black, white, and yellow dots on it in a “splotchy” pattern.  I wasn’t sure if it was a bit too bright, but I figured with the right jacket over it, I could make it work.  Plus, for $12.99, how could I not get it.  The second top is brown, with small stone embellishments on it.  I have a skirt with a sort of subdued animal print on it that should work nicely with it.  This one was only $9.99.

I’m happiest with the dress, because it’s an 18/20, and my usual size in dresses has been 22/24 at Lane Bryant.  It feels so good to be into a smaller size!  Plus, the dress looks really nice on me, and I feel sexy in it.  What more can you ask for an item of clothing?

I think I did really well with these purchases, and they will help supplement my wardrobe nicely.  It’s difficult not to buy too many things, but I keep telling myself that I don’t want to spend too much money on this “transitional” wardrobe.  I’d rather keep the cash for my “real” wardrobe, once I lose all the weight.

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Taking back my life

For years, I’ve spent most of my time focusing on my work life – making sure I was the best at my career, whether it was working in industry (I worked at a famous internet company during the dotcom boom) or teaching. I give everything I have to my job, which leaves little for the rest of my life. When people ask me what I do, I always answer with pride, knowing that I have given everything I can.

The problem is that when the ask me about the rest of my life, there’s not a lot to say. Sure, I have great family and friends, but they always took a back seat to my work. My parents instilled a strong work ethic in both my sister and me, and I think I took that a little too far.

For years now, when school is in session, the rest of my life suffers. So much so that I become unhealthy – not eating well, not exercising, not going out with family and friends. Not living.

Many people think teaching is easy because of the short work day, but what they don’t realize is how much time it takes to grade all of the essays and other work that must be assigned in order for students to get enough practice so that they become better writers, analyzers, and critical thinkers. I think English teachers have it worse, because of the amount of writing involved in the day to day assignments (but I may be biased). I love teaching and interacting with students, but as I’ve written so many times in the past, the part of my job that I hate is the constant paperwork and grading that I have hanging over my head. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming that I can’t seem to look past it. So I avoid it, but I don’t do other things either. I’m stuck in a sort of limbo mode where nothing productive gets accomplished. I back myself into a corner where the only way I can finish all that I have to do is to stay up all night grading. It’s happened so many times in the past, and it leads me to living in a manner that I hate.

As this school year approaches on Monday, I am fiercely determined not to lose my life as I have in the past. Now that I’m finished with graduate school and all of the requirements I faced for the last two years, I’m really ready to start enjoying my life, even when school is in session. The plan for this year is to stay after school for two hours every day and grade as much as possible in that time period. Whatever doesn’t get done is going to be left for the next day. I am promising myself that I won’t take anything home with me. Not in the evenings after school and not on the weekends. (Unless I need to finish a few things during a grading period, but if I stay on top of the assignments, I shouldn’t have to do much of this).

I’ve made this plan several times in the past, but I’ve never executed it. I get so tired at the end of a school day that the last thing I want to do is grade papers. I take them home with me, but avoid doing them, and the piles just get bigger and bigger. And it leads to more frustration.

So I am telling myself that even though this plan hasn’t worked in the past, it will work this time. It has to. I cannot keep living my life only working. Because even though I may not have been grading, it was always in the back of my mind, and I could never truly enjoy my time away from school.

I want to be able to leave work at work, and live a full life. I want to keep up with the healthy habits I’ve put forth in my life, and I want to take those even further. I want to continue to enjoy my time with family and friends. And I even want to spend some time pursuing hobbies like writing, maybe through a non-fiction writing class.

It’s time for me to work to live and stop living to work. I know it’s easier said than done because I am a workaholic, but if I don’t change this pattern now, I know I won’t have the life I truly want to live.

I’m actually really excited by this new challenge I’m putting forth for myself. Because I have been unsuccessful at balancing my life in the past, I am that much more energized to do it right this time. I have a different mindset now. I know that my life is about a lot more than my job, no matter how noble my chosen profession might be. It’s ok for me to want to have a life outside of teaching, and it doesn’t make me a bad teacher, or a selfish person to want more out of life than a red pen and a stack of essays.

I’ll continue to check in on this blog with my progress, but I am hoping to have positive results to share. I’d like to ask any and all of you to keep my honest with this plan, and if you start to see me slipping back into old habits, that you’ll call me on it.

This is my chance to put me first, and I can’t wait to do it.

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Even their hobbies are cool!

I’ve been finding out little tidbits about the people I work with throughout my summer fellowship, and I have to say, they are a very interesting group of people.

For example:

My mentor (summer boss) co-founded Wired magazine. How cool is that?! I found this out from a bio she wrote for an end-of-summer slideshow presentation that I needed. Ok, so as much as I didn’t want to do the slides with everything else that’s going on with my fellowship, I ended up learning something pretty cool because of them.

The senior designer on the team plays the dulcimer. Do you even know what a dulcimer is? I didn’t, before he explained it to me. Here’s some video, showing someone playing a dulcimer. That way you can see what it looks like and hear what it sounds like. The designer has shown me a lot of dulcimer music this summer, and I’m drawn to the Irish folk sound more than the more “old timey” music. There’s even a group that meets weekly at a middle school in my neighborhood to participate in a group practice/performance with their dulcimers.  Who knew?  

The admin for the team is an avid horsewoman. Not only does she own a horse, but she goes on horseback riding vacations. Last year she went to the Masa Mara in Kenya, and this fall she’s going to Crete. I think it’s amazing that she’s going to ride horses in the hilly landscape of Greece. I would just love to travel to those countries, let alone ride horses, too. Although, wait a minute. I don’t really know how to ride horses, so that’s probably not something I would want to do in those countries, but still, the idea of it is cool.

I’ve never worked with a group of individuals who had such eclectic backgrounds and interests/hobbies. This is just a little example of what makes this company such a neat place to work, if only for the summer.

It also makes me want to truly explore my interests and invest time in practicing them. Right now my plans include continuing my yoga classes (I love how calm/refreshed I feel afterwards) and enrolling in a non-fiction writing course. I’m sure more hobbies or interests will surface (like finally learning to speak Italian!), and thankfully this year I’ll finally have the time to pursue them.

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