A Head

For the first time in my life, I needed "professional" headshots.
Thankfully my Sister is a seasoned and talented photographer. She is pretty much great at most things, including: making her own clothes, upcycling handbags, cooking, decorating, DIYing anything!, painting, and now photography!

We scheduled a bit of I'll-scratch-your-back-if-you-scratch-mine time one weekend. She needed a model for some new bags and headbands for her website and etsy shop and I needed headshots.

My Sister is also a great stylist,.. of course, so it was a bonus to have someone to fix my flyaway hairs and give me advice about what to wear.

These are the photos, courtesy of Marci Guthiel, that I submitted with the headshot request:

 
Aaaand one not so serious photo for good measure:

806

I attended a wonderful lecture a few weeks ago in which the guest speaker, a native of Albuquerque, NM, spoke so very highly of the city/town* of Lubbock, Texas.

*"city/town" is a term similar to that of a "man/boy". Not quite a man, not quite a boy. Example: "He's a man/boy."

The topic of the lecture was "color", how we are influenced by color, why we wear the colors that we do, and what colors we associate with or buy, etc. Pantone released the new "Color of the Year" -- Tangerine Tango! Passionate, exciting, colorful, full of life and hope. It's 2012 people!!
Definitely not my color but I can appreciate it for its modern attention grabbing edge. Recently, I designed a newspaper ad and graphics for a new TV spot employing -- THE 2012 Color of the Year: Pantone 1463!

During the lecture we formed groups and collectively decided 2 colors that were "Lubbock, Texas". The room was unanimous in picking: Brown/Gold and Sky Blue Pink. Leave it to a bunch of designers to pick 4 color blends for a 2 color assignment!

I imagine we all had an images similar to these in our minds:

My drive home from work. Lubbock, Texas 2011

  Sky Blue Pink. Lubbock, Texas 2011

Sunset. Lubbock, Texas 2011

Ooooor maybe we all had an images similar to this in our minds:

Arial View. Lubbock, Texas September 2011

 Haboob, reminiscent of the Dust Bowl. Lubbock, Texas Fall 2011

I learned that our beautiful, inspiring, humbling and unforgettable "West Texas sunset" colors are actually incredibly vibrant due to the amount of dust in our atmosphere.

The guest speaker raved that she had recently traveled in every major city in Texas: Dallas, Houston, Austin, and (as she said) "San Antone" and was pleasantly surprised to see more economic growth and construction in Lubbock than any other Texas city at the present time!

Most Lubbockites know that the cost of living in the Lubbock area is far below the national average. And as a result of this low cost of living both employers and their employees benefit from a higher standard of living for less than almost anywhere else in the nation.
We have real estate investment opportunities among us, a fantastic job market with just enough room to come together as a community yet friendly compete with each other. Oh, and we have a pretty great Art and Music scene too!

Now, if we could only get some water...

 San Marcos, Texas 2010

The Kind Life

Just as many do around the first of the year, I decided to make a few resolutions of my own:

- work less/make more time for friends
- embrace a complete vegan diet
- start a compost
- start a rainwater collection

I made great strides toward my first 2 resolutions in the first few weeks of the New Year. For my birthday, I hosted a Vegan Birthday Brunch.


I crafted these "paper balls" from an old newspaper and used them as a hanging center piece. (My girlfriend Claire crafted the really wild ones)

The simple recycled craft paper table runner dawned these beautiful fresh flower and soy candles.

The menu --
Cafe M's Vegan Benedict with Smart Bacon
Almond Cocoa Pancakes
Tiny Toasts with Grape Jelly
Fruit Salad with Soy Yogurt
Fresh juiced Orange and Apple juice

aaaand Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and Screwdrivers. Brunch staples.
None of my friends are Vegan (or Vegetarian) however, they are very open minded and tried all of the food. There were rave reviews!
The food was delicious and the company was lovely.
The attendees (a few neighbors, including one  that I met in yoga class and had never hung out with, a few old friends, and some very new ones as well) all got along wonderfully.

The Vegan Birthday Brunch is going down in my culinary experience as a success!

Sunshine

My arms and legs are still beaming from what could truly be considered a Yoga Marathon. My first but definitely not last.

It was my year of many many firsts:
- First year juicing
- First year strength training
- First year of working (not interning) at an Agency
- First year to buy a car (by myself)

AND - First year to complete around 100 of 108 Sun Salutations at Yoga Yoga Austin!

The class (marathon) began at 1:00pm on New Year's Day which to me really meant no acting wild on New Year's Eve. Which for the first time (another first) I openly accepted. Ringing in the New Year felt like wiping my slate clean. Which is what I have heard is the mental thought associated with A Sun Salutation. It all seems to align perfectly.
So, I spent the evening with a few friends in Austin. I had my obligatory glass of champagne at Midnight and shortly after I was off to bed!
I woke up bright and early on New Year's Day, a sense of renewal already brewing in my heart. I drove the desolate streets of South Austin to Juice Planet where I found a few other early birds. 1 Mean Green juice later I started feeling pretty excited.
I showered and dawned my yoga costume.

The studio was packed! As soon as I walked in the door I saw a sweet friend of mine from Art School! We squeezed our mats close in together. The entire room was filled with mats all around 6 inches apart. Wow!
Three rounds of OM left my ears vibrating with positive energy as we started in.

The Surya Namaskar A series went as follows:

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
2. Standing Backbend
3. Swan Dive to Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
4. Inhale and look forward
5. Jump back to Plank Pose
6. Up Dog (Urdhav Mukha Svanasana)
7. Downdog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), hold for 3 breaths
8. Jump forward to Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
9. Inhale and look forward
10. Standing Backbend
11. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

The first 10 or 12 were smooth. By 12 or 13 I started to sweat. A lot. Somewhere??, who knows where.. around 45 my sweat began to go up my nose -- because of the amount of time spent inverted: forward fold, downdog, forward fold. I began to cut my "hold for 3 breaths" to "hold for 1 breath" and spent the 2 residual breaths in Mountain Pose so my sweat could drip down my face rather than up. I also had to start using my shirt to wipe down my face. Not a great class to forget a towel! Eeekk.
My arms felt warm and the 8. Jump forward to Forward Fold began to seem quite difficult. This must have been the point when I took my first Child's Pose. Just a simple seated resting pose. I hoped back up and started again reminding myself that I should treat each Sun Salutation as it were the first. Retain integrity.
The first time I looked at the clock it was 2:30 - I decided in my mind that I was DONE. I was ready to roll up the mat and say "Good Enough" -- the class was come-and-go, a handful of students had already left and a few came in throughout the practice. Just as I was ready to quit, one of the instructors came in and announced "Alright everyone, we are at 80!" We all started to yell and scream. I quickly decided that if I HAD MADE IT TO 80, that I could certainly go all the way! Stick to it.
I took a few more Child's Pose throughout the last 28. And took a few forward lunges into forward fold eliminating the jump forward. WHEW~
Counting is a great technique that I use in my Strength Training sessions. I seem to work well in numbers -- So, I tried to count the last 28 in my head. My brain was focused only on the finish so I lost count somewhere around 4! But I rolled with it keeping in mind that this would end. It would not continue forever. Just as all things in life -- this challenge too would end.

I persevered on -- the instructor announced "LAST ONE!!!" We all started to yell and scream again! We finished the 108th Sun Salutation around 3:00pm. It was followed by an amazing cool down and a 5 minute Savasana (RELAXATION POSE).
The practice was followed with a loud round of applause. I reached over and hugged my friend, neither of us cared that we were dripping in sweat. We rolled up our mats and were greeted with warm tea as we exited the studio.

Right after class, I headed to pick up my riding buddy, as we were scheduled to leave for Lubbock that day. I ended up letting him take over and drive because my head was swimming in happiness, I couldn't get the grin off my face, and I felt high on life -- and on yoga. (Not sure if that is considered a legal intoxication).

This was truly one of the most AMAZING experiences. I predicted that I could get to around 75. I never dreamed that I could go all the way!! I am so thankful to have the ability in this lifetime to experience something so incredible.

So much happiness into the first day of 2012! Namaste

the only constant in life

Change.

The Holidays are usually a good time marker in which we can stand and reflect back on the past year and look forward to the new year upon us.

I was finally able to spend some time with my family which included a visit to see my Grandmother yesterday. She is a very strong woman living with advanced Alzheimer's. She told me, in Spanish, the same story over and over for about an hour of how she only had 3 children and was very naive when she married at age 19. She adamently said -- "it's wasn't like like it is today."

Being at my Grandmother's house reminded me of the part of my childhood that I somehow have not forgot.
Growing up, each year my Grandparents would have a New Year's Eve slumber "party" for all of the grandkids. We would stay up late and watch Grandma cook cinnamon buñuelos. We would pop open sparkling cider, sound our noisemakers as we counted down to Midnight! I think that my Grandparents enjoyed it just as much as we did.

Ah, to be young!

The Road to Grandma's House

This year, I received a special Christmas gift from my Parents--
A few months ago, I flew to Austin and somehow in the Airport shuffle I lost the ring that my Mom had given me on my 28th Birthday. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Austin but my hand felt strange because it was missing the ring that I had worn for almost 4 years. I called the Airport a few times but my ring was never reported or returned.
So, for Christmas this year,.. My Parents replaced the ring for me! Hooray, It feels so great to have my ring back! I slept with the ring on my finger on Christmas Eve and woke up with that excited feeling on Christmas day as I realized that I had my ring back.
I will aim to responsibly hold onto this one for as long as possible.

As I feel myself age into a more mature "Me", I feel so conscious and aware of my life, my past, and of course my future.
I feel that the past year was challenging and presented me with many situations in which really reinforced who I am. Not who I was, nor who I will become -- but who I am now.

I am so thankful.

+

The only constant in life is change.

I am a habitual creature of life. I enjoy seeing my living room rug lined up with the base boards, wearing head to toe neutral colors (mainly black and grey, but I am open to white, off-white, tan, or brown), eating meals at 8:00AM, 10:00AM, 12:00PM, 3:00PM, and 8:00PM, drinking 64 oz of water throughout the day out of my WholeFoods BPA-free water bottle, making fresh juice each morning, working out at the gym 3 times and taking in 2 yoga classes per week, and -- I like knowing what I am doing, how I am doing it, and when it will be done.

However. Within the past month. My life has changed.
For the better. I was recruited for a job as a Designer at the Price Group, which is a local Advertising Agency. My new work environment really reminds me of Sibley Peteet, where I interned in Austin in 2007. It is laid back, busy, creative, fun and overall a blast. My first 2 weeks at my new job I have designed: newspaper ads, a wrap-around label for a Voodoo mail piece, re-typeset an election letter for the Mayor, and I sewed a tiny Voodoo doll. Next I am working on our Company Christmas card and a proposal to build a new clinic for the Lubbock VA. All of that topped off with a staff Karaoke Happy Hour. wow.

I bought a new car! Which is something that I have not done in 9 YEARS! Cleaning out my little Cavalier that I have owned for the past 9 years brought a bit of nostalgia. It felt good to let go of one thing and welcoming embrace another.
I bought a new car that is very much me: simple, efficient, safe, modern, and of course black.

I feel so fortunate to be experiencing the vast amount of change in my life lately. It feels like things are falling into place. And my path is becoming clearer.

I am one lucky girl.

Momentum

Riding the waves of momentum.

Last night I saw the Junior Boys live. They are definitely one of my favorite bands and I had yet to see them perform live.. until last night.
They sounded crisp, clear, and beautiful. Just as I imagined they would.

I have felt this wave of perspective shift coming on me for the past few months. And now I believe that I am in it -- riding it like I am scared to do but know that I must.

Something is changing in me and my life. I have questioned myself, my being, my contribution, and my worth as I stood on the brink. And I have accepted that the only thing that I know for certain is that I do not have the answers.

I do not have it all figured out. I am far from knowing where I will go in life, how I will get there, or what it will be like when I am there -- That is the only certain thought that I have.

Strength

 
photo courtesy of Seane Corn Photobucket

As I have blogged about many times the past few years -- Yoga is an integral part of my life. It completes my day, balances me, and leads me towards my path in life.

I realized recently that my yoga practice has some what plateaued in that I have seen much progress in the past few years from having zero core strength to now balancing in headstand! -- however, the past few months have seen very little progression. I am not regressing -- thank goodness. But there are many poses that I would love to incorporate into my repertoire -- however, my body is simply unable. :(


So, I made the decision to begin Strength Training with a personal trainer.


For the sake of taking my yoga practice to the next level, I am all in. 100%.
My Strength Training began with an overall body assessment -- which was frightening and interesting all at the same time. My trainer determined that my diet was in tip-top shape however -- my work out habits were not. I, in fact, had plateaued my progress.

So, an hour after learning so much about the muscles of the body and how one does in fact build muscle strength -- I committed myself to 1 YEAR of Strength Training. 3 times a week. 45 minutes of either Chest & Triceps, Back & Biceps, or Legs + 30 minutes of cardio + 1-2 Yoga classes a week.
!!!


During my first work out, with my Trainer by my side, I felt the sudden impulse to spew. (sorry for the graphic content) ugh, yeah. I felt like throwing up. I held it all in and began to feel normal again a few hours afterward. The same impulse during work out #2. Ugh. However, we are on WEEK 3 and all is well. No more spew feeling. Just the feeling of accomplishment!
I am not going to say that I love going to the gym/working out almost every day of the week, and the thought of being dedicated to this schedule for the next year is almost too much to handle - however, it feels great to know that I have tackled this challenge and I am sticking with it. Progressing forward.

And, I am excited to see which yoga poses my strong future will afford me.
Hopefully:
Side Crow
Handstand
Forearm Balance

+ many many more :)

Namaste

Value

I haven't blogged in a few months -- simply because I have (again) been contemplating the value of my thoughts. With so many Twitter thoughts, Facebook thoughts, Blogs thougths, Articles, and "sharing" from around the world-- it's vast out there! --  it is easy to get lost.

Recently, I read an article (thank goodness for that online "sharing")
The Top 5 Regrets That People Have on Their Deathbeds
A bit of a morbid idea which translated into something quite beautiful.

#2. Regret:
I wish I didn’t work so hard. 

was the one that really hit home.

For at least the past few years I have been a serious workaholic. I let my work, stress me out, get me down, make me sick, consume my life, come between my family/friends and I, and I almost let it destroy my relationship. My life has been my work. And my work has been my life.

Upon closer examination of just how much my work means to me, I realized that my life and my happiness are worth so much more. I will never be the person who doesn't take pride in my work or simply doesn't work! -- but I realize that I have a life outside of work too.

With that idea burning a hole in my head, I decided to start limiting my "work hours" -- meaning: I realize that everyone (yes, even me) needs time off to stop, regroup, collect and breathe.

The first few nights of my new practice were hard. The thoughts of my To-Do list were looming in my head and I felt guilty for "wasting time". But the weekend rolled around and in between: yoga, running, swimming, cleaning, lunching with friends, hanging out with my family -- it seemed like nothing was missing but so much was gained.

And what is more, the past few weeks I start my week refreshed and ready to productively, efficiently and happily tackle my To-Do list with a clear head. The few hours + days off each week have really started to make me love my life more than ever before.

So, I look forward to my new and found again hobbies.
I remember a time when I was an artist..

March on!

wow.
March is over? Really!

The other day, I mentioned to my Dad how time in my life seems to passing fast lately. He said "there is a reason it's called 'Over the Hill' after you hit 40. When you get to the top of the hill -- that is your life passing slowly. When you go over the hill that is when your life starts passing fast."
I can't image how I will feel in 9 years when I am "Over the Hill" and snowballing down! Whew ~ I also can't believe that I am only 9 years away from 40. Where has all of the time gone? :)

When we stop, take time and notice the passing of our lives it can be a good time to reflect on where we've been, what we've done, and importantly -- what we will do next.

In my blog post from last June,  I boasted of my beautiful DAM (Downtown Art Market) find:

The circle in the image above is the same succulent that looks like this today:

3 of the succulents from the original, including this one, had transplants into new pots. This one has roots!, a long stem, and now a baby!!
In a little under a year look at how much this guy has accomplished. And next? -- who knows.. I see more sprout ling babies and an even longer stem in the future.

Life is exciting as it happens -- if you take time to notice people, places and things around you growing just as fast as you are.