So this is the new year...

... and I don't feel any different.
Just kidding. I do. Those are just the opening lines from a DCFC song I like a lot.

Yes, yes, 2014 has arrived whether I like it or not. 2013 was a pretty good year for me. I learned more about myself, I got back in to school and I've more or less accepted my situation and learned to embrace it and make the best of it. Not like it was bad to begin with, I just feel residual impulses to be constantly moving, because that's all I've ever known. But I am happy where I am and who I'm with. I'm happy with my work and school situation. I'm happy and grateful everyone I love is still alive, so it's never that bad, is it?

Even though my situation was good, I'm trying to make it better in 2014. I set resolutions. Real ones. That I am committed to keeping. No. Matter. What. See, one thing I learned about myself in 2013 is that I don't give myself enough credit. I am capable of great things. But I've never accomplished anything way super significant because I get lazy and unmotivated. But not anymore. New year, new me. (Well, still the same me, but with enhanced motivation!)

So, here they are.

First, I will eat better in 2014. Not like my diet is terrible, but it's a far cry from the awesomeness it was a couple of years ago. Carson and I got stocked up on neat kitchen appliances for Christmas, so now I really don't have any excuses. Hello, green smoothies and delicious, nutrient dense crock-pot meals, I will devour you! Mostly this resolution has a lot to do with me not being lazy when it comes to my self-care. I feel better when I eat better, and I know this, so I have to do this.

Second, I will get back in to yoga in 2014. Again, nothing compared to where I was 2 years ago. It's sad watching my flexibility and strength wane! Besides consulting my multitude of books on a regular basis, I intend to make use of online resources like no one's business. Plus, I thought of something fun and challenging to do (in January at least. I'll probably be ready for a switch up come February). For January I decided to do one more sun salutation a day than I did the day before. I started on January first with one sun salute, and I will keep adding so that on the last day of the month I will do 31 sun salutations. If you would like to see how I progress with that particular resolution (and what I decide to do the rest of the year to keep me on track) you can follow my yoga blog.

Third, I will be participating in a Spending Fast in 2014. I found the inspiration for this resolution here. This girl and her blog seriously rock. I get so many awesome money-saving tips from her page that I decided to completely throw myself into her get-out-of-debt strategy. I'm not the worst spender in the world but I could be much better with my money. By far my biggest challenge will be to not buy little trinkets and nail polish from work (I have a small fixation with nail polish. That's all we're going to say).

Did you set any resolutions you'd care to share? Good luck and best wishes for 2014!

April Commitments

Spring cleaning. I love making new space in my life, and spring is the best time to do that! (Plus, I know I have clothes in drawers I'm not wearing, that are in good condition, and will probably make someone else happy.)

Manage my stress better. This includes taking deep breaths, drinking herbal tea (I'm a big fan of Traditional Medicinals organic blends right now), nature walks and/or singing. (I don't have the best pipes, but I can't deny that I LOVE singing. It makes me feel good!)

Cut back on caffeine and sugar-- and junk foods in general. Working in a cafe where I'm surrounded with freshly ground beans, sugary drink flavors, cookies and ice cream is going to be quite the challenge! But I really need to start eating healthy again. I've had my reckless-winter-health hiatus and I'm ready to be back in control.

Exercise more. Yoga, long walks, cycling, maybe even some weight lifting. I've been feeling very skinny lately and I want to see if I can't tone up and get some extra pounds on me this summer and be a little more curvy!

I've had a lot of support and encouragement from my friends and family lately. I can't express enough gratitude to them for continually inspiring me to be the best me! I know I'm stronger than I give myself credit for most of the time. I'm ready to embrace my power :)

my latest gripe

Congress has pissed me the hell off. I know, I know, Congress has a lot of problems. But this particular one struck a chord with me today. A deep, primal chord.

Click here and become outraged.

I read about 4 different articles this morning, all on the topic of how tomato paste on frozen pizza is counted as a serving of vegetables in public schools.

..........!

Okay... first of all, tomatoes are FRUITS. That's silly, considering the gravity of this proposal, but still a little, uhm, ignorant. Second of all, you need at least a half cup serving of anything for it to count as a serving! [the link above addresses this] Not 2 tablespoons of processed paste, ridden with sugar additives and sodium.  Really, how pathetic is that?! Third of all, I thought the goal was to make school lunches HEALTHIER, not bring them to a screeching halt!

We all know I'm a health nut. Nutrition is vital to a happy, healthy life. We wouldn't survive without food; eat REAL, WHOLESOME FOOD!! As adults, we know this. We've read enough, we've eaten enough junk to make us feel like shit, we've seen what can happen when diets lack essential nutrients. Kids have a different perspective entirely. They are vulnerable and 100% subject to the effects of negligence. IT'S NOT FAIR! It's cruel to dupe kids into believing that frozen, cheese pizza is healthy for them. What sort of adults is that mindset going to breed? I'm terrified.

Since I don't have kids of my own, I'm very protective over my nephews and niece. I told my nephews today how incredibly lucky they are to have a mother that makes them meals, from scratch, every single day. They get to snack on dehydrated apples and homemade fruit roll ups and apple sauce. Being home schooled, they're not forced to eat the processed, frozen, high sugar, high sodium foods that are pushed on public school kids.

This issue really, truly makes me very sad. Children are the light and future of this world. To see their needs and rights being bought out by Congress and Big Money lobbyists is cruel, terrifying, and rage inducing.

Coconut oil

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Ayurvedic medicine loves coconut oil. It's one of the most important oils in this ancient science (sesame oil might take first place, though). Coconut oil is known to speed up skin regeneration after wounds and helps prevent sagging skin and wrinkles. Here is some of the science behind it. It's really very interesting to see how our body uses the lauric acid found in coconut oil to prevent diseases.

It's also excellent for hair, making it shiny and adding necessary proteins. It even helps prevent hair loss! I have yet to try it on my hair (treatment post coming soon) but I did trade in my sesame oil for coconut oil as a skin moisturizer for a few weeks. I must admit, I wasn't thrilled with the direct application on my skin. It felt wonderfully silky going on my face, but I noticed that my complexion was a bit red and it didn't help my blemishes at all. I know of people that adore coconut oil for their skin, but sesame oil works better for me. I think it's because my dosha is primarily Vata, and sesame oil is the most calming to that airy element (to find your dosha, take the quiz). Coconut oil is known to help balance Vata and Pitta doshas, but I think for me it's best to stick to ingesting it instead of direct application.

What have your experiences with coconut oil been like? Do you prefer a direct application or ingesting it?

so sweet

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Apis mellifera

Breaking news (at least for me): SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL HONEY MONTH!

I had no idea that my most favorite of sweet things in the entire world has an entire month dedicated to it. I'm so happy!

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Making honey, yum!

So. Honey. It's sweet, natural, anti-bacterial, and even contains trace amounts of essential nutrients the human body needs. There are, of course, a ton of other reasons why honey is, quite literally, the bees knees. Here is a fun post I found about the many, many uses of honey, including some awesome tips for DIY projects (fruit preserves, hair care, and skin care, to name a few!)

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Laden with pollen

Since it's National Honey month I'd like to express my concerns about the perilous state the honeybee is in now. Did you know honeybees pollinate $15 billion of produce every year, and that the almond blossom can only be pollinated by the honeybee? It's true. Life as we know it would cease to exist without the help from these noble, beautiful little creatures. Colony Collapse Disorder is real, and if people don't start wising up, pretty soon we'll be facing enormous health and agricultural issues. Please, please, please support local beekeepers, plant flowers that attract honeybees, preserve spots where wildflowers grow in your community, and for the love of almonds don't kill them! A little bit of research will show that there a lot of ways people can help save the honeybee. I mean, we sort of owe it to them to make sure they don't die, since they've been ensuring delicious produce for humans for centuries. You can start here, at the Save the Honeybee Foundation.

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Honeybee pollinating an almond blossom