Reflection: Week 12

So first, I thought I'd share my analness. It really bothered me that on my label list that some had the number 11 and others 12. They were all of kilter, so I decided to balance them out this week by not doing cultural, dress up and movie, the three things I've done every week. I even went back and deleted a tag on the first entry so even reflection will be even with everything else.

So I guess I did another type of balancing then this week! I also have been loving the weather and therefore have been able to really do nature in a way that I haven't in weeks.

This week I didn't even begin my chart until Saturday, even though I had Thursday off. It just didn't happen. Even though I was working on it all weekend, I still had a pretty rough few days. As I predicted, social engagements would start to slow down, and I was in such a lull that I wound up telling people no, which only made it harder.

I am very conflicted about the purpose of social time. I was perusing facebook today and happened upon this article that asserted, among other things that in order to be happy most people require 7 hours of social time a day. If this is true, my job covers that during the week and I usually get it on Saturdays. It could explain why Sundays seem the saddest day of the week. However, I'm also concerned that sometimes instead of hanging out with people, I just need them for company. I'm sure we all feel like this, and I for one, do not like that dependence on others.

So this weekend I attempted to socialize very little, and of course, wound up still doing so, at the park, at my house, at the gym today, through phone calls, texts and IMs. But I still socialized less and felt it. This is also the first Saturday night I didn't go out and I really felt it. Even working out this morning did no good. I know its a fine line between comfort, and need, but I am constantly wondering when I'm stepping over that line.

I am undecided as to whether I am going to attempt my chart when I'm gone especially since I am not intending to bring my laptop. We shall see. Maybe, I'll be healthy enough not to be bedridden all week, unlike last year!

Creative: scarf again

SO I couldn't get any more creative with this week's creative then to work more on my scarf. However, I did do it outside in my beautiful backyard!

Physical: Zumba

I've seen this class advertised for years but have yet to take advantage of it. Until today. After not waking up early enough yesterday to go, I decided today, that I would go! I went to the Oakland High St. gym and attended the class! The teacher was great, super full of energy. I lagged in the middle, but overall did well! I think went to the sauna, steam room and hot tub.

However, usually when I'm feeling blaaa, exercising usually boosts me up. Plus, combine amazing weather with that, yet I'm still blaaa, I can't fix it and its getting me into trouble! What is going on??

Cooking: Butternut Squash Soup

I wanted to make something different tonight, but had no idea what. I decided to look up "healthy food" in google to see what came up. Somehow I stumbled on a butternut squash recipe with pears and such that sounded pretty good. I consulted my Israel friend Aimee and my roommate Dennis and found a good recipe on allrecipies.com, where I stockpile. I didn't fully follow the recipie, as it called for other vegetables. Never having tasted or cooked this soup I wanted to try it naked first, so I did. I did however, pair it with a pear/apple/raspberry salad!

Reading: Devil in the White City-part 2

Ok, so in four hours I was able to read about 50 pages, but this book is dense. I am really intrigued at the knowledge of architecture and landscaping that the author had to obtain in order to write this book effectively. Yet, he writes it in a way that I can actually understand and appreciate and don't want to merely gloss over. Overall, I'm still into the book, which is pretty impressive, as I usually tend to like books that have a love story, a female protagonist or espouses some philosophy. This book does none of those! Perhaps, I am maturing a bit?

Nature: Indian Rock Park

Wanting to enjoy this amazing 70 degree weekend I looked up parks in Berkeley! To my delight I've been to or know I don't want to go to nearly every one! I find this one I had not heard of called Indian Rock Park, which is in the Berkeley Hills. It is essentially in North Berkeley, near Tilden Regional Park almost in Albany! It is essentially a bunch of Rocks, or boulders. Once you climb to the top you have a full panaramic view of Oakland, San Francisco and the North Bay. It was beautiful and a beautifully clear day to go! I brought my book with me, and met some Aussie's as I often tend to do, and had an excellent little day!!

Reflection: Week 11

This week got alot better. I have calmed down so much. As I mentioned in the physical post, I really am convinced that proccessed foods are like poison. Even if I eat crappier natural food(like a ham and cheese sandwich for instance), it seems like it is better then the fruit roll ups I've randomly been eating lately.

I also think that it is season dependent, my moods, which sucks. Especially now that its daylight savings time and its 830 and I'm ready to go to bed.

I feel that this is definitely giving me an outlet but its not enough.

Dress up: Hair?

So I have done very little with my hair recently save putting a hair band in it. So since I have some time today, I decided to curl it. I want to know how long the curl will last before I start curling it more often, now that it is getting colder.

Reading: Devil in the White City-part 1

I finished part 1. This book is not exactly a page turner. It is also really tricky as it uses alot of primary sources making you think that it is super historical, but he also adds alot of his own anecdotes, which quickly gets lumped up as the same information.

Cutlural: Aileen's barefoot dance party

This is the first time since I began this chart that I did not have a real "cultural" event to go to! How crazy is that! 10 weeks of having at least something out of the ordinary to do. That was until Omari and I convinced Aileen to have a party, which turned into a barefoot dance party!! Soo much fun! Met great people and saw many more great people! Overall a "kick-ass" party, as Aileen would say! Happy Birthday Aileen!!

Nature: Cesar Chavez Park

Ohmygosh, it could not have been a more beautiful day! My friend Julie and I had been trying to do something in nature for a few days and had decided on Strawberry Canyon. Then in the morning I saw I had said maybe to a facebook invite for a shabbat lunch at Cesar Chavez park. We changed our plans and had a great Israeli lunch in a beautiful setting! We learned how to fly kites and met some pretty cool people!!

Movie: The Graduate

"Well here's to you Mrs. Robinson...."

I have to say other then understanding such a pop culture idea, I really did not enjoy this movie that much.

So Ben, is seduced by Mrs. Robinson, and in the middle of the affair, he meets and is taken by her daughter. Yet, when she finds out about her mother, she splits, leaving him to chase after her for the rest of the movie.

Overall, its unbelievable. An older woman would not just throw herself at someone like that. Also, the daughter would not be that taken by him, nor should he be that taken of her in such a short period of time. The characters aren't developed, or even remotely likable, except for the daughter. However, her likability goes down, when you factor in how rash she is.

The only cool part is when he goes to stalk her in Berkeley, he sits across from a book store that is like 3 blocks from my house. Otherwise this is the worse movie I've watched so far. I guess I'm glad to have seen it, to get the true history behind the song and cougar idea, but I have no need to ever watch it again.

Cooking: Red Rock Cod

I went to Berkeley Bowl and headed straight to the fish counter. I told the guy I'm not into fishy fish and told him to pick something out for me. He had me get Red Rock Cod and told me I just needed to pan fry it for a few and voila! I added in a bed of spinach, yellow tomatoes and some asparagus that my old roommate Jessica always made, and topped it all off with some lemon! Super yummy! and the best part is I have the same thing for another night!!

Physical: Kickboxing again

I had a really bad weekend and so decided to commit to more working out and eating healthy in an effort to make my body feel better. So I bailed last week, I couldn't bail again! I was a few minutes late, but got the workout. I felt super lethargic though, and realized something my friend Todd has been telling me for years now; processed food is poison!! On Sunday I had made a mixture of Macaroni and Cheese, tuna fish and bean sprouts. I have made this in the past, except with spinach and found it very comforting. Yet, since I have inadvertanly cut out almost all processed foods until recently, I've been noticing my body feel badly! So after reading a few articles I've decided to try to only buy food on the perimeter of supermarkets, and try to stick to places like Berkeley Bowl. Therefore I can really get my workout on!