Undertaking a regular practice takes discipline. I have had to adjust my schedule, my dinner plans, my work, but it has all been worth it. So far this year I have gone to the center 3 times, and I am growing more comfortable with each visit. The people there are very warm and caring, and no one is such an “expert” that you can’t have a conversation with them about where you are in your practice. It’s very rewarding.
“Vaya a contarselo a su tia (abuela)”
Go tell it to your aunt (grandmother)
When to use: When someone is putting you on, giving you a line, or asking you to believe something outrageous
I am fasting Friday to acknowledge the need and suffering of people around the world, but victims of the South Austalian Bush Fires specifically. My heart goes out to the people who have lost their lives in this terrible situation, and the many, many more who have lost everything they own and have worked for. It is easy to become complacent, or view our own inconvienances from a selfish perspective, without appreciating what it would be like to suffer a disaster in our community of this magnitude. I am hoping this time of self-denial and reflection will open the doors for other opportunities to help those in need, around the world and close to home.
I reworked my NOW list to include somethings that really struck me while reading someone else’s 43 Things. The list is made up of things I long to do or daydream about doing, with the NOW catagories in parenthesis. I’m going to start working toward these items, knocking off what I can. Maybe some will show up on day on my 43 Things list.
My NOW List:
Kayak the Coast of Florida Circuit-down the east coast, around the Keys, up the west coast (test your limits)
Ride an elephant in India (take a leap of faith)
Save someone’s life (face your fear)
Kill in order to eat (test your limits)
Meet or become a true sage (take a leap of faith)
Have a best friend (male) (rediscover your childhood)
Be a part of a grassroots movement (take a leap of faith)
Be part of a community of people that are sincere, kind, feel something deep about art, laughter, food, nature and really care about and take care of each other and the planet we live on (take a leap of faith)
Passionately kiss a total stranger (shed your inhibitions/express yourself)
Invent something practical and useful (break new ground)
Have a threesome (shed your inhibitions/express yourself)
Travel extensively (get lost)
Trek across a dessert with a compass/water bottle/ friends/ camera (get lost)Live a raw food lifestyle (test your limits)
Make everything I can from scratch (rediscover your childhood)
Be Real World physically fit (test your limits)
Trek across a jungle with a machete/beer/friends (get lost)
Travel to Tibet and give out little pictures of the Dali Lama to the people there (aim for the heart)
Be so good at Tarot divination that people are a little scared (aim for the heart)
Dance so amazingly well that everyone stops to watch (shed your inhibitions/express yourself)
Have a presence that radiates through walls (take a leap of faith)
Make women notice… in a good way (shed your inhibitions/express yourself)
Publish something that has a real positive effect on someone (aim for the heart)
Barter for things often (rediscover your childhood)
Make my living honestly and without remorse (take a leap of faith)
Be mistaken abroad for not being an American (get lost)
Tour the British Isles on a motorcycle (get lost)
Crush grapes with my feet at a winery (rediscover your childhood)
Pursue knowledge for the rest of my life (break new ground)
Cook my own food, my own menu, for someone famous (face your fear)
Start my own business as a personal chef and caterer (take a leap of faith)
Start and lead a Tarot Meetup group for Atlanta (aim for the heart)
Learn to properly handle conflict (face your fear)Hike to the top of Blood Mountain (test your limits)
Volunteer to cook for a charity purpose (aim for the heart)
Go on a spiritual retreat (break new ground)
Got to a nudist camp (shed your inhibitions/express yourself)
Build a yurt (rediscover your childhood)
Spend a day – 24 hours – in jail (face your fears)
Try latex (shed your inhibitions/express yourself)
Get 2 more tattoos (shed your inhibitions/express yourself)
Get my own kayak (break new ground)
I’ve initiated not one but two blog spaces, although everything on them will be practically identical. Right now it is going to chronicle my “Eat Raw and Vegan for the month of March” goal, but may grow from there. When they are fully constructed and underway I will put up the addresses and complete the goal. I couldn’t create a blog for the longest time because I just didn’t think I had anything to post. I probably still don’t, but at least I feel like I have a purpose.
“Plato de segunda mesa”
To be a plate of a second table
To be put off or not treated with consideration, second class, second best.
When to use: When complaining you are not getting the primary attention, if someone is being inconsiderate, or you feel like you are playing second fiddle.
Hard times abound. People around me are getting laid off left and right. I am doing a super job where I am and getting rave reviews and have the support of my co-workers and other higher ups. I hope it will be enough. If we can get through the next four months I will begin to breath more easily. I am definately better off than I was in my previous position, but not much safer. Fingers crossed this passes me over.
Monday, February 2nd, I am switching from coffee to my favorite tea. I will sample and experiment with several teas, but my favorite will be my base. I am going to stash bags everywhere to help me out; in the car, on my person, in my desk, by the bed… anywhere it will help keep me focused on tea over coffee. For February and March I will be totally coffee free, then use a cup of joe now and again as a reward for goals met. Not the bitter, murky brew I have been getting, though. Only the finest, freshest, highest quality fair trade percolate from now on. I am already getting jittery.
I created a blog and am doing a lot of reseach and resource gathering. It seems a lot of people who start this are unable to stick to it. I want to learn what tripped them up and sidestep those obsticles. I want to start a slow immersion process during February so that the switch to total raw and vegan won’t be too dramatic. I am excited about doing it. There are tons of resources available and I can’t wait to try some of the recipes.
“hecho un almibar”
To be made a syrup
When to use: When someone is acting very friendly and affable, all sweetness and light; when, someone is really kissing up to you or acting nice after being an ass.
“Camiseta puesta”
With the t-shirt on
When to use: When someone all fired up, describing a real fan or enthuisiast. Ex: “Con camiseta puesta, Yanet apoya Obama.”
“corazon en un puno”:
With the heart in a fist
When to use: When talking about someone being stressed out, in a situation of anxiety or depression. Like work or a bad relationship, or worrying over a doctor’s appointment.
Right now I’m going about every other day, but going on days when I’d rather just go home, so that is a success in willpower.
Its not that I get angry and blow up and upset people. My main issue is anger with traffic, almost as a reflex. It sets my mind in a bad mood, and has a negative effect on my day. Also I get angry with other people and I don’t express it but when I am alone I rant. I don’t want to confront them with my anger, I just don’t want to be angry at all. I want to choose my responses, and not make anger one of the choices.
I have attended two online meetups, which are nice, but I’m not going to count them, since they are not face-to-face meetups, which is the whole point. I have been to 2 Raw Foods Vegan Meetups and 1 Drum Circle Meetup. Both were a lot of fun and are opening doors of opportunity to me if I can get organized enough to take advantage of them.
Last Sunday I made my own vanilla yogurt, and started a batch of sprouts. The yogurt came out fantastic. It may still be too cold in the kitchen for spourts, they were very slow to emerge.
I bought a simple Insignia camcorder for shooting videos. It is an HD, and I got an 8meg smart card to go with it. I will probably get another one in a few months, but this is good to get me started.
”!Estas como lo receto el doctor!”
You’re just what the doctor ordered!
When to use: If someone does me a favor, or if someone is dressed up nice, or if someone cooks something that tastes really good.
This is the first full moon of the year, the Wolf Moon. It is also the closest the moon will be to Earth this year. Since January is named for Janus, the Roman god with two faces, representing beginnings and endings, this is a good moon to work on setting goals, beginnings and conceivings, new projects, and new directions.
Okay, I have to get up by 5am weekdays because my new job starts by 6am most days. Today I slept in until 7:30, and tomorrow I probably will, too. I am going to make a slow transition to getting up by 5am daily. There are things I can do that early in the morning when I am not working. But a little extra sleep is a great reward.
