Nature: None

It rain-ed.

Nature: The Dish

My Israel friend Aimee and I went down to Stanford, her alma matter, to hit up a nature trail. It was a three mile paved loop around this hill right off of campus, that reminded me alot of this hill I climbed in Edinburgh.

While walking, we had a really great conversation, much will be present in the reflection. Aimee is, in a lot of ways, what I have been. She is soo similar to me and I want to be like "Don't do this, don't say this," because I know the strife and turmoil that follows. But either way, it felt really cool to bounce my current ideas about life on her, as it kinda felt like I was talking to a younger version of myself. However, I know I wasn't ready to really hear it AND internalize it, in a way that would have saved me any major drama.

But Aimee is an amazing person and it was great spending the day with her!!

Nature: Redwoods regional Park

This is the first true Natura I've done in a while. I headed out with Aileen/Omari and Amy/Pat, for a 2 hour hike through the Redwood hills. It was super nice to be out in nature. It was also nice to be with both guys and girls, as being a teacher, and just in general I tend to be surrounded more by girls then boys. So that was nice as well. Plus, I was able to not only go up but also be ok going down a hill, which is a huge weakness for me.

AND I got to pet a real live horse!!

Nature: Aids Memorial Grove

After weeks of saying I wanted to go, Miquila and I finally went! We meandered around Golden Gate park for a bit, until we happened upon it! I love the idea of it being a grove, like Ferngully, like a protected little space. There was someone meditating there. All in all beautiful! Only pictures are on Miquila's phone though.

Nature: Santa Rosa

This isn't really nature, as most of them haven't been; damn cold AND rain!!

So on Thursday, I think? Ellie, who is home for winter break from Mexico, invited me out for dinner at her house with her entire family. How this is nature though, is the car ride up. While there was traffic through most of it, it was actually great to see the hills and the grasslands, and all of the other geographical features of the area. It was super calming, that even in traffic I wasn't super stressed out!!

Nature: Oakland Rose Garden

So by the time I got back from the city, I had like 30 minutes of light before darkness set in, so I decided to take myself to the Oakland Rose Garden, which I've never been to before. Ohmygosh it was laid out beautifully, its a huge open wide memorial grove and I am such a big fan!! I hope to go back and enjoy it for real!

Nature: nothing

So as I've mentioned I have massive OCD issues, I believe, and I hated that my numbers in the upper right hand corner were off. So I've been putting so much pressure on myself to get done all the things on the list so the numbers will stay even!

But, I couldn't do nature! Its cold and dark by 5, and it rained nearly the whole weekend, so how am I supposed to? I have a feeling December in general will be hard to do nature.

SO I have decided, that if I don't do one, I will explain why, so my numbers stay even!

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!!

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!!

Nature: Waterfront Park

After several tries, I finally was able to get myself to the Oakland estuary. The Oakland Estuary is a series of waterfront parks on the bay. I took Aileen with me and we had a good couple hour walk beneath some murky clouds.

Nature: Rose Garden

While we didn't stay for tooo long since it was raining there was an attempt to make some nature happen at the Berkeley rose garden, part of the WPA!

Nature: Buying Plants

Super cheating this week! I spent much of yesterday outside in the backyard, but today, which I had reserved for nature was raining. So my mom came up with a plan B, buy plants! So after our reading time, Manveer and I went down to Daly City, bought some clothes and Kohl's and then headed to Home Depot!

Since regular plants I have failed to keep alive in my classroom, I went with succulent plants. I mean if I can kill succulents, I just shouldn't have any living object depend on me for life!!

Nature: Cal Academy of Sciences

Ok, so its a stretch, but this week most everything is going to be a stretch. So we started off by having sushi OUTSIDE(the beginning of the "nature" activity) and wound up at Cal Academy. My favorite things were the Sea Dragons and the Ribbon Eel! I really enjoyed the Aquarium in general and also had a REALLY great Cantelope drink!

Nature: Lake Merrit

I missed nature last week. While I was in nature at the festival and just in general, I did not devote a period of time to nature, so I wanted to make sure to get it done this week. I went for a walk with Liz around Lake Merrit. When I first moved here the Lake was one of my favorite places in the area. While I don't go as much, I have to say it still is. In 3 miles, around this man made lake(it was originally a tributary), you see residential, public, commercial, a bird sanctuary, farmers markets, you name it! I love the lake!

I also realized that I really haven't been working out much! That three mile walk really knocked the wind out of me! My legs, back, I was even out of breath! I really think I need to be kicking it up a notch physically! I've been getting super stressed, and I always forget the power of physical-ness.

Nature: Lake Temescal

I did intend to go into nature for about two hours this week up to Lake Temescal to also get some reading done. Yet when the timing worked out, I was barely up there an hour. I am counting it for this week and already have a hike planned for next week to get more out of it next week!

Nature: Russian River

Worrying that I didn't fulfill my Jewish mission of forgiving and releasing my sins, I got my friends together for a little Tashlich get together.

We started by heading up to Russian River. We found access by a bridge about three miles from the exit and couldn't find a way down to the river, so we had "services" on the top of the bridge, throwing our sins(through the symbolism of bread) down to the river. We then, in our pretty little dresses, found a way to hike down to the river and hung out wading(except for Todd) in the river for a while before heading to wine tasting!

Nature: Hiking...Naked

Ok, so I did a little more then experience some nature at Harbin Hot Springs, in Middletown, CA. Harbin Hot Springs is a clothing optional Hot springs up in the mountains, near Calistoga. The main focus are the pools. There are three silent mediation pools; one luke warm, one super hot and one super cold. Then there are three regular pools; one super cold, one luke warm and a regular lap swim. There are wooden platforms all around. There is a kitchen(vegetarian only), a few restaurants/cafes, a massage center, a temple where people do yoga, a garden, greenery and hiking trails.
This weekend I did nearly all my list, but don't want to "use it" unless I need to. For last week however, I didn't have nature, so I am using this experience to get my nature credit. My the last day, everyone had left except Omari and Aileen who were gung ho about hiking. Against my better judgement I joined them. While I do enjoy a good hike(flat) and I love climbing I have a fear of going down. I have an equal dislike for slowing down people who are alot more athletically inclined then me(compared to the two of them I'm a slug). I went anyways, and within a 50 feet incline, I decided to go in the nude!! We first climbed up to a teahouse(no tea though...boo). We then met a few people along the way, and we meandered our way further up the mountain. We reached the summit, and then went down a trail called straight ascent. So going down it, it was unfortunately very steep and a straight descent! I feared for my life, swore a bunch and got super mad at Omari and Aileen, but really was super mad at myself for being such a baby. nearly two hours later our tumultuous and terrifying, yet liberating hike was over, and I went to the super hot and super cold tub to rest my poor body!!

Nature: Ocean Beach

My friend Peter has this theory. It's called "drop everything and go to the beach." It's a pretty simple theory. When its so hot or at least the sun is shining(it is San Francisco), its the heavens trying to get us to head to the beach. So we all saw the weather report, and saw that today was to be the best day of the week and likely the best day of the summer, so we brought our sunscreen(first time EVER), reading materials, camera and a special treat(Israeli purifying mud) and hit Ocean Beach.

It was amazing! It was not crowded at all, there were tons of dogs, the only real problem was parking! For a Tuesday it was a little ridiculous!! Overall though it helped me meet my nature requirement for the week and was an excellent end to an amazing summer!!

Work hard, Play hard.

I started off the summer pretty rough. I heard some upsetting news, and I went through a lot of change, which is something I suck at.

Yet, I overcame, and for over a month I had an absolutely excellent summer. For the first time in my life I completely enjoyed free time.

But the school year is starting again, and I tend to get super wrapped up in it and super emotional so I am trying to give myself an outlet, actually 8 outlets.

I have created a chart for myself, and this blog to keep myself accountable. Each week, in addition to all the things I need to do in order to keep myself alive(laundry, sleep etc), and the money flowing(work), I am committing myself to complete activities in eight categories.

Drum roll please....

Dress up-I tend to ignore my body and my looks. An entire day can go by where I don't look in a mirror. While I am not intending to be superficial, I would like to spend at least one day each week getting ready and taking care of myself. It could be for work, for a date, or for an evening out on the town.

Reading-This one is pretty obvious, but I am actually an avid reader, who can sometimes go for weeks without reading, since I ignore my need to learn.

Nature-Being outside, and breathing in the air, centers me and calms me in a way that little else can. I am committing to do this at LEAST once a week. It can be as little as sitting in my backyard for an hour or more, or as much as, hiking, paddle boating etc.

Physical-Except for getting physical. I mean Elle said it perfectly when she said "Exersize produces endorphins, endorphins make you happy and happy people just don't shoot their husbands." I mean I need to protect my fictitious husband right?

Cooking-While I am not an awful cook, I tend to stay towards the stuff that I know how to cook, which sucks really, because I have all these great cookbooks, so I need to cook at least one new meal a week!

Movie-So my house, the apartment I live in, is HOOKED up! They have, or can have nearly every movie I could ever want just by a click of a mouse!! Since I tend to stick to VERY girly movies, I intend to watch one new movie each week. This does not necessarily mean a brand new movie, it just means a new movie to me, one that I have not seen. This can be anything from the Godfather, to Inception. Please suggest movies that you think I should see!!

Cultural-This one is a late arrival, and might be a little difficult to always complete, yet I want to do something each week that is touristy in some way. This can be going to a new restaurant, heading to a museum, or hitting up an outdoor market! Since I do intend to go away, I will also count sleeping at a house not at my own(but not like just crashing somewhere else), to give myself a little wiggle room here. This category was initially going to be social, but since I do that pretty naturally, I wanted to expand it a bit. It should include others!

Creative-It is this category however, that I want to bolster the most. It is also the one I am most worried about succeeding at. I am by nature a very crafty person and even have an artistic bone or two in my body. Yet, I have gotten so lazy, or forgetful of my talents, that I had to buy a book entitled "Get a Hobby", just to remind myself of my own interests. I have rested on my interests being education and travel for so long, that I feel as though I am one dimensional. I am depending on this category to add some more dimensions, and passions to myself!

So tune in every few days, as I reflect on the different categories. I am publishing this, so I keep myself honest, but the benefit to you is you could learn about a new book, a new/old movie, a new hiking spot, something cultural in the area, a new recipe, a new outdoor spot etc. So please hold me to this!

I need to be a well rounded individual, and not a traveling, teaching robot!