Trouble with a Capital T and that Rhymes with P and that Stands for Pool!

Yesterday started out a bit troublesome for me. I started work in a bit of a fog, feeling discouraged about my inability to crack into a rather massive organization for some data acquisition. I had made repeated attempts to reach what I thought were key individuals, only to receive no response. C prepared for a bicycle ride while I prepared for a a quick drive to step away from work momentarily. I had just sent an e-mail to the organizational contact, and while driving, made yet another attempt to contact this individual by phone. I left a message, and a few minutes later I finally received the much anticipated return phone call!

The rest of the day flew by as I prepared a proposal for said organization. C returned from his ride to point out that I had worked the entire day away and now it was time do something fun. After checking to make sure that my belly still fit into my swimsuit, we went to the pool. I have relied quite heavily on non-aquatic exercise for years. My body has always been far from buoyant, so swimming requires extra effort. I discovered yesterday that I have developed an aversion to putting my face under water, so I focused on the breast stroke rather than my beloved back strokes. By the end of my workout I felt much better about breathing while swimming face-down.

After our swim we raced home to shower and were soon off for soup and salad at the Olive Garden. Zuppa Toscana, baby! Happy doesn't quite capture the emotions that pulse through my veins lately. It is almost unreal. Life isn't always happy, but it's these times that make you remember how worthwhile the hard times are, because your capacity to feel joy is so much greater! I love my adorable husband. He is just so good to me!

Oh, and lest you miss my late night mini-post: http://recursively.blogspot.com/2011/07/to-those-who-have-recently-commented.html

All that's Yoga and Right in this World

As I rushed through a CS assignment last night after receiving a "nurturing" e-mail from some stranger who failed to introduce himself as my new Student Advisor until after I sent him a, "Why are you babysitting me?" reply, I got to thinking. Maybe I am just a grumpy person! Of course, you can see from C's fab talk in the last entry that he is NOT a grumpy person. Truly, he walks the walk. I, on the other hand, have determined that cotton candy is my nemesis in every sense of the word(s). I am more like the brick that hits you up side the head. While bricks are really quite helpful, they also aren't the kind of thing that people flock to, and say, "Oooh! Let's go get a brick!" and everyone cheers.

While fluffy sweet is not my thing, I am pretty awesome at getting the job done and holding up against all kinds of weather. I work hard, and am loyal and true to what I am, and I don't evaporate in the open air like said nemesis. I don't waste time on petty things or being catty or gossipy. I just am what I am. When you really think hard about it, you'd much rather have a brick than cotton candy in the first place because cotton candy makes you feel great for an instant and then makes you feel like crap later.

I went to Yoga on Wednesday. Tyran's class, usually 5-7 in size, had almost 20 squatters last night! Very impressive! Tyran is quite possibly the best Yoga instructor in the state, in my opinion. He really has a gift, that man. None of this trashed out "aerobics" Yoga, or stretch-til-you-hurt-yourself stuff you find with the big-box gyms. No, this is an instructor who can make the very loud volleyball game next door vanish, and who undoubtedly invests more time and money than his compensation merits. He is there because I need a place to go when the stress fractures my nerves into bits of broken glass, and I am sleeping with my shoulders hinged up around my ears. He is there to make those demons seem less powerful, and to make my mind pay attention to the fact that my muscles are there all tied up in knots.

Tyran talked about stress points in our bodies and in our minds, and how they can get us stuck. As I listened to those ideas, I realized that I probably am not really such a grumpy person. I just need to believe that I AM that nice person who is patient and kind. I just really like genuine, sincere, real people, and get a little impatient with pretendy people. Maybe that makes me grumpy... But I am making progress, because I sat next to a pretendy today, and I didn't get as irritated as usual. I was nice. After all, pretendy's are really just insecure folk who don't know how to act around secure or intimidating folk, so they have this pretendy place they go in their minds that makes them feel safe and . . . well, that's my theory anyway.

Ahhh, Exercise!
Doesn't that word just make you feel energized? No? Well, too bad for you. I am so impressed that I have been able to run strong lately. I am still listening carefully to my body, but let me tell you, Vibram Five Fingers are really the way to go for mending plantar fasciitis. I have been gradually building back up to the same running schedule I was doing prior to my injury, and it is going very well! I am learning a lot about my body by running in them, and even did a full Jillian workout yesterday in addition to my nice strong runs and Yoga this week. One benefit from having PF for the last few months: my biceps rock right now. They giggle with delight anytime I get in close proximity to the chin-up bar. I just feel giddy when I see exercise equipment. I just want to saunter up and say, well hi there. What brings you to this place? How about I take you for a little spin?

We had a lovely dinner tonight. I invited over our starving student neighbors and sent them home with some extras. For once, I didn't simmer during dinner over that dish that just didn't turn out right. Everything was great! C stepped in to assist me as the overcooked food prevention committee. I made two types of trimmed lamb chops that I started marinating yesterday afternoon - Raspberry Chipotle, and Rosemary Dijon Mint. Ah - and they were perfect! The marrow bled out and they were perfectly medium rare. Only a fool eats tender, fresh Australian lamb well-done. It is perfection between rare and medium rare. You can't truly appreciate that fact unless you've had it both ways. Freshness is definitely a factor here for the ultimate flavor. Add sides of fresh pineapple, fresh steamed green beans, hand snapped, and whole-grain wild rice. Rice and beans were in the nude, to give emphasis to their full flavor potential. Oh, and whole wheat rolls from scratch, fresh out of the oven, with sides of sugarless apricot jam, clover honey, and ginger pear preserves.

With only two days left of work this month, things are looking bright and bleak all at once as I realize the time to complete my courses is vanishing like the sands of time. And this brings me to my latest dilemma: Thanksgiving. I am certain I sound like a hermit for saying this, but I just discovered there will be 23 people present. 23 people! SIGH. So here's the big question:

You prefer a Thanksgiving that is???

A. Small and sweet

B. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (ie - the more the merrier)

C. Somewhere in between

D. I don't care as long as I get to eat as much as I want