Independently Me

on my mind

I've been working my way through the complete collection of Ernest Hemingway and came across this bit in the preface of the first section. It's been on my mind off and on for the last few weeks and last night it really hit home with me. I suppose it helps explain what in the crazy-world I am doing up here.

"In going where you have to go, and doing what you have to do, and seeing what you have to see, you dull and blunt the instrument you write with. But I would rather have it bent and dull and know I had put it on the grindstone again and hammer it into shape and put a whetstone to it, and know that I had someting to write about, than to have it bright and shining and nothing to say, or smooth and well-oiled in the closet but unused."

~Preface to "The First Forty-nine" Ernest Hemingway, 1938

So here's to this crazy experience of moving to Alaska and loving it.

weekend recap

I just had one of the busiest weekends I've had in a really long time.  There was everything from shopping to volunteering to working. And school starts tomorrow! No time for sleeping in anymore, it's all business from here on out!

My weekend started Friday with a coffee date to Nobrow Coffee and Tea, a fun little local shop. I had a 3.5 mile run to complete that morning so I decided to run to the shop instead of getting up earlier and running before. I'm so glad I did! It was a fun little experience. And the coffee was great! We went specifically to try a local roaster, La Barba, and it was wonderful. I'll be looking out for them in other places too.

Friday afternoon I met with the roommate and her boyfriend at The Leonardo, a museum downtown for an after hours event. They shared some interesting information linking information overload and science with visualization. Not stuff I would normally seek out, but it always turns out to be interesting.  After the presentation we headed over to Squatters, a local brew pub, for beer and dinner and it was so yummy. I've never really had anything there that I didn't like. It's a definitely must-visit if you are ever in the SLC area.

My favorite summer sandals while waiting for our table.

Saturday morning started with a bike ride to yoga and back. My legs and arms are sore a day later and I love it. Shortly after I got back from yoga the roommate and I went to Poor Yorick Art Studios to help set up for the Local First "I Am Local" photo exhibition.  I'm the media intern for Local First so it was part work part volunteer hours. The exhibit turned out really nice and it was fun to get all dressed up and head back in the evening to shmooze and chat up interesting people from the community. 

Open studio event posters from Poor Yorick.

Me and the roommate at the party.

Between Local First appointments I covered a story for the Salt Lake Tribune. It was a home invasion self defense class taught at a karate school in Sandy. I had never been to a karate class before and it was pretty interesting. I don't think I'll start taking any classes myself, but I would totally be interested in any future bambinos being involved. I really liked the things they teach kids about self-esteem, confidence and focusing on defense instead of offense.

The teacher is on the left. The kids loved jumping on each other when it was time to partner up.

After the Local First photo show I went with a good friend to his cousin's birthday party. We drank too much and stopped at Burger King for cinnamon rolls at 1 a.m. They were wonderful. Totally not paleo but so worth it.

Sunday brought early morning errands, a hangover headache, getting the last of my school supplies and grocery shopping. A volunteer meeting for the Beer Fest next weekend and my first day back at The Daily Utah Chronicle for editing and work for our first issue of the semester. It is still smokey and hazy here, we really need a good storm to blow all this nasty air away. But it was all sunshine and the mountains still look beautiful.  

I'm very much looking forward to school starting tomorrow. I'm excited to get into the flow of the newspaper and classes and homework. It's going to be a busy semester and I just can't wait.

 

 

 

back to climbing

The other night I pulled out these bad boys and slipped them on.  

It was as uncomfortable as I remember, and just as worth it. I was nervous on the way to the bouldering gym, it had been nine years since the last time I went climbing. But I've been thinking about trying it again, and the opportunity presented itself. So I went. 

Just another lesson that if I speak my intentions out loud the universe will deliver. It works every time. I just have to be willing to accept the form in which my intention is delivered.

We climbed for a couple hours. I completed a few, five I think, problems, the easy ones of course. Better to complete the easy ones than fall, get injured or tire out too quickly. And, apparently I can hardly do a pull up anymore. *Sigh* I'll have to work on that. My feet and hands hurt for a while after we finished. Nothing that a bit of conditioning can't take care of.

Today my hands are stiff and there are a couple tender spots along my arms and shoulders.  Love it. Hopefully I'll be able to go again soon. I'd love to make bouldering a more regular thing.

Do you hear that universe? Affordable and regular climbing please.  Thank you.

 

a visitor this week

The roommate offered to watch a friend's Boston terrier a while back and this week he decided to cash in. The pup's name is Dido.

I'm not certain of her age, but she is a hoot to have around.  Though it does add a different element to walking the dogs in the morning, now there are three.  The two dogs and I have our morning routine down pretty good so adding an additional pup has been interesting.

I can say that there have only been small scuffles and no fights. For this I count my lucky stars, three female dogs in the same house can be difficult. Other than a few jealousy moments they are all getting along fine.

Dido is quite the personality.  I've always thought of Ellie as spunky and I still stand by this. I would call Dido quirky. With her different colored eyes, pig-like snorting and deep snoring it's hard for me to call her anything but quirky. She's a doll to have around, obedient and not rowdy. Though she loves to go on walks and will pull your arm off until she finds a spot to releive herself. 

 

turn up your volume, don't watch, just listen to her snoring.

She insists on sitting in my lap which I'm fine with but is always a struggle. She is a few pounds heavier than Ellie and she does not sit still.  If you stop petting for a moment she quickly turns to lick your face and remind you what you are supposed to be doing. She cracks me up with her snorting and licks. 

She'll head home sometime Sunday. It's been nice having her around, and I'm sure I'll miss her when she's gone. I've enjoyed her enough that if there is ever a time in the future when I get a new dog, I'll consider getting a Boston. 

 

what do you eat instead?

Since starting school, when 2pm comes around I'm hungry enough to consider eating my foot. And since there are so many meal replacement/protien bars on the market these days, I decided to try them and find the best one for me.

I started with Pro Bar.  It's made in Park City and, honestly, that weighed heavily on my choosing that one to start. And it's not bad! Fairly dense and hearty, it filled me up and held me over until I could grab something to eat after classes were over.  

Y'know how some meal replacement bars have a kind of... dirty flavor. Like it's made of protein powder and gross dates blended up to hold the mass together? This kinda has that. But with the many flavors available (Cran-Lemon Twister being my favorite) it's not nearly as bad as say, a Power Bar. Because those things are yicky.

Next was the LaraBar. Which I did not like.  It was pretty lemon-y. And for way fewer calories but waaay more saturated fat and less protein... not what I was looking for.

Third was the Odwalla Berries GoMega.  It was pretty good, like one of those breakfast ceral bars. With less calories, fat, and sugars, it would be a good option. But it just didn't hold me over. 

I mentioned my little experiment to Lauren, she suggested I try the Special K protein meal bar. That was the one she liked. I wondered if it really could be that simple.

And you know what? It totally is that simple.  The fewest calories, double the fat, half the carbs, half the sugar, more protein... and it keeps me from gnawing on my foot.

I'll be sticking to the simple stuff from now on. 

(But if there ever is a time when I need something organic, vegan and non-gmo, I know where to go.)

skin care

Here's the thing, I'm not one to give beauty, fashion, or... any other kind of advice that would help someone look better. Not my thing. BUT, I had a bit of a struggle with dry skin when winter hit this year. I've been able to figure it out, with help of course, and I thought I would share in case there are others stuggling with their dry skin too.

Last year I spouted my undying love for Burt's Bees. While this love has not waned at all, I have an undisputable infatuation for the stuff, the cream I used last winter was just not cutting it this year.

I don't think this year is particularly more arid than last year, though the amount of precipitation has been measurably less, but I do believe that all my sun exposure during the summer months contributed to the discomfort of my dry skin.

A few weeks ago I came to a last resort decision, as no amount of face cream or thick hand lotion was quenching my skin's thirst. I smeared on a thin layer of A & E Ointment. Yep. Diaper rash ointment. On my face. But y'know, I don't even care because it worked wonderfully. So much so, my skin has healed up with no residual redness, itching, or dry patches. Yay!

While in Idaho for the Christmas holiday I visited with my newly licensed esthetician sister. She pulled some tricks out of her bag to help my sad but improving skin.  After a wonderful cleanse and REALLY good moisturizer, the next night we exfoliated with papaya enzyme cleanser (heavenly and really freaky cool).  She sent me home with a heavy moisturizer recomendation and when I found it at Target, I used my 15% off discount and snatched it up.

I've been addicted ever since.

So with A & D ointment at night, and CeraVe in the morning, coupled with a good exfoliation at least once a week, my skin feels, and looks, great.

And really, I feel so much better about my skin that I've showed up to work without makeup. At which point my boss proceeds to tell me I look like a 12 year old.

And that is not something I should complain about.

music monday

"What are you listening to right now?"

I frequently ask people this question.  I get all kinds of responses.  And I love it. There is a lot that can be learned about peopleby the music they listen to. 

Frequently the music I choose is about the beat, the lyrics, or the sentiment expressed, and it can be as simple as what sounds good at that moment.

When I'm looking for a new artist or an addition for my meager collection, I usually ask those around me what they are listening to. Or I'll check into my favorite blog and find out what they are listening to. Rarely do I check out iTunes for the most popular stuff. I'd rather find a new artist through someone I care about.

I really enjoy the artists that are authentic to themselves and their art. Then the music becomes more than just sounds coming through the speakers, and more about the lyrics and sentiment expressed. 

It's impossible for me to tell you what my favorite artist or band is. There are so many that I thoroughly enjoy. And it depends on so many factors, it's nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite. A more accurate question is to ask what I'm listening to right now. 

And as I'm writing this entry? It's She & Him, A Very She & Him Christmas

The artists on rotation at the moment? Drake and Beyonce

So here's the question: what are you listening to today?

laughter is contagious

Have you heard of Laughter Yoga?  A friend told me about it a couple years ago and I've been intrigued ever since.  I love to laugh (who doesn't really) and I'm plagued with an infectious snort.  What can I say?  It's an endearing trait.

Right?

Anyway, I noticed on my school page that the college was offering an hour long introduction to Laughter Yoga.  I'm trying new things so... I went.  

Turns out, it's actually a studied, developed, and practiced... thing.  And it's more complicated than people standing in a circle laughing at each other.  Who knew?  We all know laughter is good for the mind, body, and soul.  Apparently, the body cannot tell the difference between real laughter and fake laughter.  Huh.

The majority of the time is spent fake laughing.  Which, in all honesty, feels really weird.  But once I was able to concentrate on the sound I was supposed to make, as opposed to if I really thought whatever was going on was funny, it became much easier.  

And really, the fake laughter often times became real laughter.  Whether I was laughing at the absurdity of it all, or the person next to me snorted, or the girl across the way was having trouble breathing, I was laughing for realsies.  We spent the hour laughing at gibberish conversations, doing the pinky dance, and imitating sounds in laughter.

And it was so much fun.  I left the class feeling more energized and happy and with more bounce in my already cheery step.  

So I suggest it.  If you see a class in your area give it a try.  You might be surprised.

 

Pride Festival 2011

This last weekend in Salt Lake City was the Pride Festival.  I had been wanting to volunteer at an event or festival this year, when summer came around and I was ready to do it, the Pride Festival was the next one on the schedule.  And they needed volunteers.  So I filled out the application, got in contact with the coordinator, and was assigned a shift to work.

I was supposed to work Sunday afternoon from 4:30 to 7:30.  I checked in at the volunteer tent at 4, they got me in touch with the fork lift operator I would be assisting, and we waited for our work to start.  And we kept waiting.  And waiting.  We waited until 6:30.  You see, our part of the work was supporting the take down efforts of the group, which doesn't happen until the festival is over... at 7:00.

Since I didn't have anywhere else to be I let him know I was there to work as long as there was work for me to do.  So after the festival ended, the grounds were cleared, we finally got to work.  And we worked.  And worked.  We moved pallets and metal racks around the festival grounds for the volunteers to stack the tables and chairs on.  We consolidated the half full pallets to make room for more tables and chairs.  We moved dumpsters.  We stacked and unstacked pallets.  We emptied ice coolers.  We worked and worked.

About 11pm I realized I was not hearing the trains anymore.  Which was a problem since I had taken trax downtown so I wouldn't have to fight parking.  And now the trains weren't running.  I was kinda stuck downtown with no vehicle to get home.  I was able to call a friend who came to get me in the middle of the night.  Life saver.

I worked until about 12:15 when my ride home arrived to save me.  After rolling into my apartment just before 1 am, I slept like a log.  For about 4 1/2 hours until I had to be up to go to work.  The next few days have proved to be long and trying.  But I'm making it.

While the experience turned out to be a bit different than I expected, I'm so glad I did it.  I worked alongside some people I would not have other wise met.  They had a quirky sense of humor, they worked hard, and they had fun while they did it.  My kind of people. 

I found the Pride Festival to be quite the party.  It was loud, fun, and a celebration of individuality and acceptance.  And while I don't share their lifestyle choices, I felt accepted and appreciated for who I am, why I was there, and celebrated for my differences.  Next year I may not attend the Pride Festival, either as a patron or a volunteer, but I'm certainly glad I went this year.

This year was more attended than last year, over 25,000 people came through during the 2 day festival.  

Utah Pride Festival 2011

Utah Pride Center

on being a vegetarian

To be honest: I don't think it's for me.

I realized this during lunch one day while poking at the yummy salad in front of me.  It was convenient, cheap, and satisfying.  I probably would have gotten it even if I wasn't trying to master a meat-free menu.  Except that I had been craving fried chicken.  For a couple days.  And I had gotten a salad.  

And then I realized that the lettuce I was eating was not good at all and was actually lettuce-cicles.  Yep.  Frozen lettuce.  Eew.  And so not satisfying.  And really gross.  And suddenly I was wishing for fried chicken.  So warm and greasy and... satisfying.

Just like any kind of diet or restriction on the food I am "allowed" to eat, cutting out meat completely from my diet has proven to be futile.  Just like cutting out desert, strawberries, and red meat.  And anything fried.

Why?  Because I like to eat.  I like BBQ, sushi, hamburgers, pasta, and tacos.  I like it smothered, cheesy, grilled, and fried.  Veggies, fruit, meat, and deserts.  I don't discriminate. 

I also believe in moderation in all things.  So yes, I eat ice cream when I want to.  I just don't eat the whole pint in one sitting.  Or the whole bag of beef jerky in one day.  I get a small pizza instead of the one that will feed me for 3 meals.  

Cutting out red meat from my diet started 2+ years ago.  I noticed that I functioned better long term without the red meat.  But I miss it.  And I crave it sometimes.  So when I do crave it, I go out and make the purchase worth it with a good burger or indulging my weakness for beef jerky. And every time, it's so worth it.

But in the mean time I've discovered pork and haven't missed the beef much at all. It surprises me how easy it is to just make a different choice.

I think that maybe this no-meat-at-all stint was set to fail from the beginning.  To cut out a part of my diet just because I can?  Hmmm.  It seems to be not such a good reason for me.  For my health? For ideals? Principles?  Sure.  But even then, I'm allergic to strawberries, but certainly not enough to keep me from eating myself sick every summer.

Maybe what this is really telling me has nothing to do with my eating habits. Maybe it's more about a lack of willpower.  Or self-control.  Or something.  But I don't seem to have an issue with doing something because it's the right something to do.  So I don't think that's it either.

Maybe it really is all about the food.  And how much I love it.

 

image via weheartit.com