Do something patriotic today.

Happy 4th of July! Celebrate real independence by donating to Wikileaks: https://wikileaks.org/donate/

Oh, Lent, how I love you so

I've been dreading this post. Ok, I'll admit it: I stopped thinking about Lent and didn't keep up with the penalties...but I still view Lent as a success. Every year it is my excuse-catalyst for change.

While many people consider vanity a negative trait, I am thankful for it. I love food a lot more than the average person. My vanity prevents me from getting fat. It is such a driving force that I will work out for 3 hours a day if I need to--and I have. I refuse to be fat.

From my difficulties this Lent, I am much more aware of my sugar intake. I successfully quit tres leches for good and enrolled in a clean eating course to get back on track with everyday eating.




Science says that how our bodies looks is 80% diet, 10% exercise, and 10% genetics. My genetics are horrible; fat runs in my family. One binge session and it is visible on my body. On the same token, one good workout and my body shows immediate improvement. Now, imagine if I could just break the sugar addiction! I've done it before and withdrawals from sugar parallel detoxing off drugs (what an idiot I was for letting sugar back into my life). It is my goal--no, wrong word--it is my expectation that I will break my sugar addiction again this year. No penalties, no deadlines, this is the lifestyle I want to live and am headed towards again.

I have free weights at my house and work out using Body Pump videos at home. But, I only average 10 minutes before I stop. Why is this when I am able to do a full hour at the gym? Laziness. Body Pump is intensive and works each muscle to the point of exhaustion. At the gym, I'd be embarrassed to leave early. The combination of out of shape people not quitting and the gorgeous women who have my dream body keep me motivated to stay. At home I don't have such obvious motivators.

My time right now is limited. I study a lot. At the same time, I've known that working out at home hasn't been cutting it. Recently, I joined the closest gym to my house. They have classes, but not Body Pump.  :(  Using weights machines again is working my muscles differently and--combined with my 10 minutes per day of Body Pump at home--and has quickly increased my strength. Now I have a dedicated place where I can't justify anything other than exercise.. Those who know me, know that I am a weight lifting girl...but I expect to coax/trick/bribe myself into going to a few cardio classes in April, too.

Cursing.. Hasn't this been on my Lent list of sacrifices every year? Maybe.. A few years back, the F-word flew out of my mouth far too often. Now, the majority of my cursing occurs as silent/soft murmurs to myself when something isn't proceeding as expected. Rarely do I curse in the course of conversation. Huge improvement!

Ok, this blog post covered food, exercise, and cursing. I thought I had more than that on my Lent list for this year, but I don't remember and am tired of writing. Happy Semana Santa!

I'm Not Your Valentine

Don't ask me to be your Valentine or wish me a Happy Valentine's day. Valentine's Day is for lovers, and I have none.  I am single because the man whom I believed was the love of my life proved he wasn't. When you wish me a Happy Valentine's Day that is the same as wishing a friend whose mother died 4 months earlier a Happy Mother's Day. Not appropriate nor polite. Think about that.

 

Thanksgiving is a day which should remind us how to be every other day.

During previous Thanksgivings, I've had to really think about what I should be grateful for (!!). Thankfully, I expanded my focus to see abundance all around and am now grateful everyday--for what I had, what I currently have, and what my future will bring. This year I'm even lucky enough to be spending the holiday with family creating happy memories-to-be. YEA!!


  "The one person I am with forever is me. My relationship with myself eternal, so I choose to be my own best friend. I choose to love and accept myself and talk to myself as I would to a beloved person in my life. I saturate all the cells in my body with love, and they become vibrantly healthy. I relate with love to all of life."  -- Louise L. Hay

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2013...and every other day too!

~ This is the way to live. ~

Mother's Day

In addition to thinking about our mothers today, let's think about Mother Earth. What are YOU doing to keep her healthy? What are you doing to hurt her?

No Sugar-coated Kisses

It is sadly ironic that Valentine's Day this year falls during Lent...

No sugar-coated kisses, chocolates, or cake for Trixie. :(

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

While looking for images for this post, I stumbled across the one below and learned that sugar is now genetically modified!! There are many reasons to avoid genetically modified (GMO) foods. Learn how.



No Frankensugar!!

It is scary just how our food supply is becoming a science project. While we know that genetically modified crops are killing the honey bees (!), we don't know the long-term effects on humans yet. What an unbelievable and stupid risk!    Have you seen Children of Men?

Celebrate your freedom

      Today in the United States; we celebrate our nation's independence. Why not take a moment to celebrate your independence as well? Whether you've found freedom from an addiction or from codependency, or you've discovered the freedom to live your life as fully as possible, take a moment to honor and acknowledge how much that freedom means to you. It's good to identify our problems. Through the awareness of what's wrong and what's broken, we learn what to repair and fix. It's good to focus on the health and the goodness in our lives, too. Becoming aware of what's right and what's working is how we discover joy. Look back along the winding road of the path of your life. See how far you've come? It looks good to me. How does it look to you? Hurray! We're finally free! God, thank You for setting me free.
(Taken from The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie)

Today isn't just a National holiday; for me, it is also a personal holiday. Three years ago I left an unhealthy relationship. At the time he didn't realize the significance of my leaving on Independence Day--but I did. The month after leaving him I got sober and have been ever since. I "fixed" my life and unchained myself from addiction to drugs, alcohol, and sex. I am happily free.

Happy Independence Day!

Don't forget these moms on Mothers Day

Mothers Day comes only once per year. Even if you rarely communicate with your mom, you should go out of your way to make her feel special today. And, after you have, other "forgotten" moms deserve recognition too:

(1) Single dads. Yes, they are both the mother and the father of the children they raise.

(2) Widowers who lost the mother of their children, and children/adults who've lost their mother. Share a happy memory you have of her with the survivors and offer a hug.

(3) Any woman whose child passed away (either as a child or as an adult) especially needs to be acknowledged. Trust me, she hasn't forgotten giving birth nor her parenting memories. A lot of people are afraid that saying something may make her depressed. In reality, not saying anything will cause the greatest saddest and make her feel as if nobody remembers.

Make more than just your mom feel loved today. Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Easter/Celebrity Zombie Day

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Lent's over, how did I do?
Cursing: While I wasn't able to quit, I made a dramatic reduction. Honestly, I had no idea my mouth was so foul. *sigh* Quitting cold turkey is asking too much. This was still a good exercise, though, and I am going to continue monitoring my cursing so hopefully by next year bad words won't just "slip out" unintended.

Masturbation: It was tough at first, especially since I was reading erotica and participating in adult chats. When I quit doing those things, it became much easier. I will admit to having a similar lapse in judgement a few more times; however, I successfully made it through by choosing not to masturbate.

Now excuse me while I play catch up... ;)

To my Valentine...

Happy Valentine's Day!!
Thank you for making today the happiest Valentine's Day that I've had in almost a decade.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Mother's Day

Is it more important for your children to fit your ideal "mold" or to be expressive people who are happy with themselves? As adults, do you still want to control their lives or trust them to make their own choices?

This video with Halcyon and his mother is perfect for Mother's Day:

Conversation with Mom from Belief Buffet on Vimeo.

If it wasn't for our parents (and grandparents), we wouldn't be the people we are today. Everybody grows up in different households. My parents are open-minded, tolerant, and understanding hippies--and taught me to be the same. I love that about them. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you.