Today was a hard day for me.
There were lots of heavy things that I was carrying.
Yes, I know that it was Thanksgiving Day for my fellow Americans.
Yes, I did attend a Thanksgiving meal put on by my in-laws.
It was still a very heavy day.
My heart was laden with recent events that have occurred in this country.
The election & watching my countrymen allow a bigot to become our leader and world representative. (The impact of this was exponentially increased by me finding out last night that one of the people in attendance at today's lunch wanted said bigot to become president - because of the party he was running in and the values associated with said party... Um...don't get me started.)
Everything that has happened and is happening at Standing Rock.
The anniversary of the deaths of Jordan Davis and Tamir Rice the same week that James Means was killed.
Reconciling the Native American blood in my veins against the holiday itself - one that is introduced to children as a happy time when natives and pilgrims shared a meal. This particular aspect of the holiday was exponentially increased by the goings-on at Standing Rock.
But, I went to a lunch with my heavy heart.
I went with my camera -- it was my security blanket and gave me something to do in the silences. It helped ease my anxiety and allowed me to flit from room to room without looking lonely or lost.
I went with the appreciation of what the day has become - a holiday in which we remember all of our blessings and the things that we have to be thankful for - a phoenix rising from the ashes of genocide and misinformed histories.
I went with my husband, knowing that those in attendance would be people who love and support me. (The Republican presidential nominee supporter got lots of side-eye...I'm not sure that anyone who wanted that man in office could love me...)
I went with the wonderful challah loaf that I had to smell him baking last night.
I went and ate (probably) too much food. I went and drank my wine and coffee and ate the pie.
I am grateful to be home, and to be going to bed soon.
I hope next year it isn't too heavy.
Showing posts with label woodruffians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label woodruffians. Show all posts
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Prepping.
It's nearly 11pm as I start this post.
It's not unusual for me to be up this late on a Sunday, unfortunately, but this Sunday falls on Labor Day weekend, so I won't have to deal with drowsiness tomorrow.
I haven't been busy this weekend, but I haven't been lazy either. It's been a nice mix of both. My brain says I should devote more of my remaining free day being productive, since my to-do list remains hella long, but I also know there's beauty to be found in down time.
I got my closet reorganized yesterday. All the way, this time. (Last time it was just the shirts -- this time it was EVERYTHING.)
I have also spent a lot of time this weekend prepping for my interview on Tuesday. (That job I mentioned a few posts back? I'm one of three people interviewing for it!) It's a job in an executive-level office, so I bought a business suit the other day. I've been practicing answering questions. I've been studying the job description. I'm taking this seriously. I will still be sad to leave my current coworkers, but I would be so stoked to have this new position. I have also turned various social media accounts private in preparation for Tuesday.
I also finished what I could on a wedding project today. (At least one more trip to JoAnn's is necessary to get the final pieces.)
During a quick trip to Kay Jewelers, we sized Jake's ring finger today (10.25) and found out what thinness of band he prefers (5mm-6mm). Now he just has to find the right band.
I'm also prepping for my bridal shower on Saturday. Mentally anyway. Yikes.
And a finalish fitting of my gown is this week too.
As if that isn't enough, I'm also preparing to start the Atkins diet. Jake's cousin has been doing it for a month and has lost 17 lbs so far; I could stand to lose >34 lbs in the next two months. Holy crap the wedding is in two months!!
There is still a bunch of other things to do on my list (thank you, anxious brain, for never letting me forget). While I'm going to try to get the majority of them done tomorrow, there's also a lunchtime birthday party for my love tomorrow, so we'll see. *crosses fingers*
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Forgetful.
I cannot believe that I forgot to mention one other thing that I have wanted to be when I grow up!
It's so integral to my childhood, and even influenced some of the classes I took in college.
Writer.
When I was fourteen, I spent the better part of the summer writing a story that ended up being twenty pages long. I printed it out, glued the pages together, and it was something I was so proud of. It was full of love and romance. Before that, as a child, I'd never leave the house without a pen and a pad of paper to write things down on. Even now, I find things all the time that inspire me to include in the epic that I will one day write. (I have a Pinterest board and a tumblr site devoted to such inspirations.) A poem I wrote at the age of twelve made its way into a book. A friend of mine gifted me a set of nice pens and a notebook to use to write down my poems in. I took a junior-level poetry class when I was a freshman. I am seriously kicking myself that I didn't include writer in my first and original list, as integral to my life as writing has been. (And yes, I have seen myself as a published author many times, and I still do. I just lack the discipline to get stuff going.)
Also...
I left off another one.
Crafter.
I've had an Etsy site for a long time. My original intention was to sell handmade cards and bookmarks on there. Now it's evolved into also including photograph prints, felt crafts, and other handmade things. There's nothing for sale on there, currently. I've never had anything for sale on there. I'm not honestly sure what's stopping me. I think it's one of those things that I think I'll do when I have time, but I have yet to make the time. Also having made (and, let's be real, still making) things for my wedding and reception, I have lots of ideas of things to include for sale on my Etsy site. I still don't discount that I will do this someday. Maybe when I'm a stay at home mom. Maybe next summer. The way I have envisioned it lately is selling as a husband-wife team with Jacob: he'd make things like his foam swords or bits of furniture, and I'd make my stuff, and we'd be a wonderful happy Etsy couple. Or maybe I'd keep Etsy for myself and we'd branch off into Scoutmob for our joint venture. I still don't discount it. Maybe I'll have to wait until we have my family's land for this dream to come to fruition. Jacob would be able to have a shop. I'd be able to have a crafting cottage (and a photo studio!) and we'd be set. The dream of crafter has never been a stand-alone job for me -- it's always been in conjunction with something else.
Oh well.
Who knows what else my brain will remind me of in the coming days that I've forgotten to include on this list, so I may be back. :)
It's so integral to my childhood, and even influenced some of the classes I took in college.
Writer.
When I was fourteen, I spent the better part of the summer writing a story that ended up being twenty pages long. I printed it out, glued the pages together, and it was something I was so proud of. It was full of love and romance. Before that, as a child, I'd never leave the house without a pen and a pad of paper to write things down on. Even now, I find things all the time that inspire me to include in the epic that I will one day write. (I have a Pinterest board and a tumblr site devoted to such inspirations.) A poem I wrote at the age of twelve made its way into a book. A friend of mine gifted me a set of nice pens and a notebook to use to write down my poems in. I took a junior-level poetry class when I was a freshman. I am seriously kicking myself that I didn't include writer in my first and original list, as integral to my life as writing has been. (And yes, I have seen myself as a published author many times, and I still do. I just lack the discipline to get stuff going.)
Also...
I left off another one.
Crafter.
I've had an Etsy site for a long time. My original intention was to sell handmade cards and bookmarks on there. Now it's evolved into also including photograph prints, felt crafts, and other handmade things. There's nothing for sale on there, currently. I've never had anything for sale on there. I'm not honestly sure what's stopping me. I think it's one of those things that I think I'll do when I have time, but I have yet to make the time. Also having made (and, let's be real, still making) things for my wedding and reception, I have lots of ideas of things to include for sale on my Etsy site. I still don't discount that I will do this someday. Maybe when I'm a stay at home mom. Maybe next summer. The way I have envisioned it lately is selling as a husband-wife team with Jacob: he'd make things like his foam swords or bits of furniture, and I'd make my stuff, and we'd be a wonderful happy Etsy couple. Or maybe I'd keep Etsy for myself and we'd branch off into Scoutmob for our joint venture. I still don't discount it. Maybe I'll have to wait until we have my family's land for this dream to come to fruition. Jacob would be able to have a shop. I'd be able to have a crafting cottage (and a photo studio!) and we'd be set. The dream of crafter has never been a stand-alone job for me -- it's always been in conjunction with something else.
Oh well.
Who knows what else my brain will remind me of in the coming days that I've forgotten to include on this list, so I may be back. :)
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Things.
In mid-December, I was diagnosed with diabetes. Hooray.
I started taking the two medications that the doctor gave me, like a good girl, two pills at breakfast and a third at dinner. Every afternoon, like clockwork, between 2:30 and 3:00, my blood sugar would plummet and I would need something to eat -- fast. It didn't matter that I had already eaten lunch at 11:00 or 12:00. So, naturally, I stopped taking the medication, and then made an appointment to go back in and see him.
We're trying something new with the medication now, where I'm taking one of the original medications at breakfast and then again at dinner time with plans to increase that same medication to two pills at each bookend meal of the day.
I've been doing a lifestyle change with a program called Real Appeal through my insurance. I'd call it a diet, but it's really more than just changing how you're eating. It's also teaching you how to eat, what to eat, and what kinds of exercise you should be doing. The Success Kit came with a food scale, a Magic Bullet-like blender, a stretchy exercise band, a scale, measuring cups and spoons, a set of exercise DVDs, a portion plate, and a recipe book. There's an online class every week that lasts for thirty minutes. There's also a place on the website where each of the members logs his or her weight, exercise, and food every day. (Well, ok, the weight thing is once a week at least.)
This program, at its basic level, is very similar to the other two programs that I did, one through my insurance last year and one through the university for the six weeks before that. This program, though, came with all kinds of things to help you be successful. Where the previous program had the class every week and included a lot of the same material, this program came with a set of exercise DVDs and a recipe book. Those two things right there are huge when you're going down this path. Instead of just hearing your coach say, "You need to log in at least thirty minutes of work this week," you have something that you can go do -- you have the tools in front of you. There's even a workout schedule that is completely optional to follow, and the suggested meal plans are customizable. I feel that if I can keep on this program, I will be successful.
That's the problem though: keeping on the program.
I followed it great for two or so weeks, and then fell off the wagon and didn't do any extra exercise for three weeks...or was it four? All I know is, I'm supposed to be doing Cardio 2. This morning, when I decided to get back on the wagon, I put in Cardio 1 just to get my feet wet, and the tap-out jacks were killer on my arms. I was very glad that the same two exercises that I've had to modify in the past (jump ropes and jogging in place) were the same two that I had to modify today, and that I didn't have to modify any additional exercises. I didn't leave this morning's workout the most sweaty that I've left it before, but I also don't think I was pushing myself as hard as I could. The meal plans have never been something I could follow, but logging my food is super easy. (I had to do that with my previous program and getting back in the habit was easy.) The recipes that we've tried out of the book (namely the Baked BBQ Chicken and the Chocolate Pudding [made with silken tofu]) have been really delicious.
The real reason that I'd stopped exercising was that I was having a bout of depression. That nasty little beast likes to rear its fugly head in my life every now and then. The great news is that my weight didn't go up or down much more than its regular yo-yo pattern during that bout. I'm not sure what pulled me out of it, but I did set up an inspiration board in two places in the apartment so I can be reminded of why I'm doing this. These boards include inspirational quotes and photos of children, since getting healthy to be a healthy mom for my future children is a big reason why I'm doing this.
"What -- not your wedding?"
Losing weight will be a bonus for my wedding, but it's not the main reason that I have for losing weight. Sure, I don't want my arms to be bulks of jiggle that day, but it just seems like losing weight for my wedding is a selfish reason, and my innermost Self is Others motivated -- so: kiddos.
I don't know why this was the story that I wanted to share with you after nearly three months of silence, but it is. When I was thinking about it the other day, I felt like I should share it with readers of my blog. Who knows -- maybe it will help someone.
BTW: I have a wedding blog, too. I've got several posts in queue, but not many posts as of yet. Don't worry -- more are coming. If you care to follow it or peruse it, just click here and you'll be taken there. :)
I started taking the two medications that the doctor gave me, like a good girl, two pills at breakfast and a third at dinner. Every afternoon, like clockwork, between 2:30 and 3:00, my blood sugar would plummet and I would need something to eat -- fast. It didn't matter that I had already eaten lunch at 11:00 or 12:00. So, naturally, I stopped taking the medication, and then made an appointment to go back in and see him.
We're trying something new with the medication now, where I'm taking one of the original medications at breakfast and then again at dinner time with plans to increase that same medication to two pills at each bookend meal of the day.
I've been doing a lifestyle change with a program called Real Appeal through my insurance. I'd call it a diet, but it's really more than just changing how you're eating. It's also teaching you how to eat, what to eat, and what kinds of exercise you should be doing. The Success Kit came with a food scale, a Magic Bullet-like blender, a stretchy exercise band, a scale, measuring cups and spoons, a set of exercise DVDs, a portion plate, and a recipe book. There's an online class every week that lasts for thirty minutes. There's also a place on the website where each of the members logs his or her weight, exercise, and food every day. (Well, ok, the weight thing is once a week at least.)
This program, at its basic level, is very similar to the other two programs that I did, one through my insurance last year and one through the university for the six weeks before that. This program, though, came with all kinds of things to help you be successful. Where the previous program had the class every week and included a lot of the same material, this program came with a set of exercise DVDs and a recipe book. Those two things right there are huge when you're going down this path. Instead of just hearing your coach say, "You need to log in at least thirty minutes of work this week," you have something that you can go do -- you have the tools in front of you. There's even a workout schedule that is completely optional to follow, and the suggested meal plans are customizable. I feel that if I can keep on this program, I will be successful.
That's the problem though: keeping on the program.
I followed it great for two or so weeks, and then fell off the wagon and didn't do any extra exercise for three weeks...or was it four? All I know is, I'm supposed to be doing Cardio 2. This morning, when I decided to get back on the wagon, I put in Cardio 1 just to get my feet wet, and the tap-out jacks were killer on my arms. I was very glad that the same two exercises that I've had to modify in the past (jump ropes and jogging in place) were the same two that I had to modify today, and that I didn't have to modify any additional exercises. I didn't leave this morning's workout the most sweaty that I've left it before, but I also don't think I was pushing myself as hard as I could. The meal plans have never been something I could follow, but logging my food is super easy. (I had to do that with my previous program and getting back in the habit was easy.) The recipes that we've tried out of the book (namely the Baked BBQ Chicken and the Chocolate Pudding [made with silken tofu]) have been really delicious.
The real reason that I'd stopped exercising was that I was having a bout of depression. That nasty little beast likes to rear its fugly head in my life every now and then. The great news is that my weight didn't go up or down much more than its regular yo-yo pattern during that bout. I'm not sure what pulled me out of it, but I did set up an inspiration board in two places in the apartment so I can be reminded of why I'm doing this. These boards include inspirational quotes and photos of children, since getting healthy to be a healthy mom for my future children is a big reason why I'm doing this.
"What -- not your wedding?"
Losing weight will be a bonus for my wedding, but it's not the main reason that I have for losing weight. Sure, I don't want my arms to be bulks of jiggle that day, but it just seems like losing weight for my wedding is a selfish reason, and my innermost Self is Others motivated -- so: kiddos.
I don't know why this was the story that I wanted to share with you after nearly three months of silence, but it is. When I was thinking about it the other day, I felt like I should share it with readers of my blog. Who knows -- maybe it will help someone.
BTW: I have a wedding blog, too. I've got several posts in queue, but not many posts as of yet. Don't worry -- more are coming. If you care to follow it or peruse it, just click here and you'll be taken there. :)
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Much and Many
Thanksgiving was great. We made a traditional sage and bread stuffing for dinner, and it went over well. (No leftovers - huzzah!) The vegetarian something that we took was a Quorn Turk'y Roast, and it was delicious. So very much so, in fact, that I had to go buy another one to have to cook for later. (Even meat-eaters in the group enjoyed it!)
So much has happened since then, and I kinda feel bad about slopping all of it into one post, but ce la vie. (And it's honestly par for the course on this blog!) :)
Early in December, my parents and Jake and I went to a park to take some quick family portraits to put them on a Christmas postcard, and then we went to lunch. Of course, it was cold and windy that day, when the other days surrounding it were sunny and enjoyable. (Go figure.)
Jake and I put up our Christmas tree that evening after dinner, and as I was taking a few photos of it, he proposed to me! Hooray for being officially engaged!
I finished my class with an A. I signed up for an on-campus class next semester, one of the requisite writing classes. Huzzah. The book for this one should only be $25 to rent, so that's about an 80% savings from last semester.
We have done two Christmases -- one with half of his family (due to illness and traveling) and one with mine. One more awaits us on January 1. I'm not sure how awake we'll be that day, as we have a cocktail party in Denver on the 31st to celebrate his aunt's 55th birthday. We have possibly a third Christmas with the aunt and uncle, because I'm not sure they'll want to host the party on the 31st and then get up early and drive to Greeley for the Christmas, but who knows.
Now that Christmas is mostly over, we can start actually planning and talking about the wedding in a serious way. (Something that my Type A brain wanted to do the night that he asked me to marry him!)
Mom and I are going to look at dresses on the 31st at David's Bridal, as they're having their $99 sale until January 19th. (I fell in love with a dress on Modcloth, but we'll see what DB has.)
Jake and I have our engagement photos on the 2nd, thanks to my awesome, wonderful, and insanely talented friend, Krista, of Juhl Photography.
So, yeah.
Much and many things have happened in the last six weeks.
This post does seem a little summary, but sometimes that's what happens when you're typing a post on your lunch break while actually eating lunch. :)
So much has happened since then, and I kinda feel bad about slopping all of it into one post, but ce la vie. (And it's honestly par for the course on this blog!) :)
Early in December, my parents and Jake and I went to a park to take some quick family portraits to put them on a Christmas postcard, and then we went to lunch. Of course, it was cold and windy that day, when the other days surrounding it were sunny and enjoyable. (Go figure.)
Jake and I put up our Christmas tree that evening after dinner, and as I was taking a few photos of it, he proposed to me! Hooray for being officially engaged!
I finished my class with an A. I signed up for an on-campus class next semester, one of the requisite writing classes. Huzzah. The book for this one should only be $25 to rent, so that's about an 80% savings from last semester.
We have done two Christmases -- one with half of his family (due to illness and traveling) and one with mine. One more awaits us on January 1. I'm not sure how awake we'll be that day, as we have a cocktail party in Denver on the 31st to celebrate his aunt's 55th birthday. We have possibly a third Christmas with the aunt and uncle, because I'm not sure they'll want to host the party on the 31st and then get up early and drive to Greeley for the Christmas, but who knows.
Now that Christmas is mostly over, we can start actually planning and talking about the wedding in a serious way. (Something that my Type A brain wanted to do the night that he asked me to marry him!)
Mom and I are going to look at dresses on the 31st at David's Bridal, as they're having their $99 sale until January 19th. (I fell in love with a dress on Modcloth, but we'll see what DB has.)
Jake and I have our engagement photos on the 2nd, thanks to my awesome, wonderful, and insanely talented friend, Krista, of Juhl Photography.
So, yeah.
Much and many things have happened in the last six weeks.
This post does seem a little summary, but sometimes that's what happens when you're typing a post on your lunch break while actually eating lunch. :)
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Expectations
What is it with expectations in this society? As a student of anthropology, I am convinced it's a part of our culture. That being s...
