Worth Remembering

"May you never forget what is worth remembering, nor ever remember what is best forgotten."
--Irish Blessing

Worth Remembering in 2008

Barack Obama
Sarah Palin

The Fifth Wish

Double-Unders

Plank Push-ups

CFED's First Year

The Park

Mobile CrossFit Unit

Passing the Pigs

Abraham

Happy Grateful Bits

Tooting Your Horn

Pink Shanties

Hilda

24" Box

Duy Huynh
New puppies, JC & Ami

Melvin's 9th year

March trip to McBee

The Cabin

Shopping with Jack

Jack & Leela

Christmas in Suceava

Abbie all grown up

Joseph not far behind

Mama & Lamar enjoying life

Sisters I love

A Full Life.

Merry Christmas

No one says it better than Linus.
--from A Charlie Brown Christmas

Wishing you peace and joy in each moment, and hope for the future.

Merry Christmas, friends.

Much Love,
Pat

The Fifth Wish

“There is hope in dreams, imagination, and in the courage of those who wish to make those dreams a reality.”

Jonas Salk

Last week when we shared our Wish Lists, Sheryl's fifth wish was "The secret wish that shall be revealed shortly." I chimed in a little later that I also have a "number five." Sheryl and I are both very close to revealing our fifth wish. Dreams really can come true.

The Power of Now

"Rebirth"
by Duy Hunyh

Eckart Tolle wrote a booked called The Power of Now. I have not read it, so this is not a commentary on his book. But I have had my own revelations recently about the power of now. In each moment, we have the power to create our reality by the choices we make.

Yesterday was one of those days for me--one of those days that could easily have become a really crappy day. I even thought of a great blog title for it, "Oh Crappy Day." And when I googled "Oh Crappy Day", I found lots of people have blogged under that topic. There are songs and videos with that title. I checked out a couple of the blogs that popped up in my search, and not surprisingly, I found a litany of bad news and complaining. I found case studies in how to squander the power of now. I found a lot of victims.

Looking back on my day, I see the tremendous power in each moment and in each choice that I made. And for the most part, I chose well. I tried to remain positive. I was aware of my choice to be optimistic or to cultivate a negative situation and make it even worse. I did my best to lean in a positive direction, to reach for something better instead of something worse. I did my best not to take on the role of the victim--the one with no control--the one with no power.

Towards the end of my day, as I settled into my truck for a two-hour return drive home, I found myself pulling into one of those Travel-America places. I didn't need gasoline. I needed sugar. I needed to numb my feelings. I bought a Haagen Daz ice cream bar and a Pay Day candy bar. Before I got back on the expressway, before I even unwrapped the ice cream bar, my cell phone rang. It was Kath calling just to check in. Too strange! How did she know to call me at this exact moment? Her call interrupted me long enough to snap me back into reality...to remind me of the power of now...my power to choose. I never told Kath about the pit stop I had just made or the ice cream bar melting in my lap. I was dishonest in withholding this information. I still ate the ice cream when we hung up. And later, I ate the candy bar. I'm not proud of these two choices. But I am proud of many of the other choices I made throughout the day. And I'm proud now of my decision to own up to my short-comings and be honest about my frailty and show you more of who I am.

I am proud of this now, this moment, this choice.

Get Your Hopes Up

"Peace and Hope"

by Duy Huynh

How many times has someone said to you, "well, just don't get your hopes up." Maybe you have thought it yourself or said it to someone else? Why say such a thing? It's not because we don't believe or have faith; it's because we do believe. We believe that we will not or cannot change, and we expect more of the same. When we say, "don't get your hopes up," we are basically admitting that we expect to fail--that we do not expect to have what we want. You cannot in one breath say you believe, and in the next breath say, "but I'm not getting my hopes up."

Yesterday we shared our wishes and dreams for the future. Our challenge now is to get our hopes up and expect our dreams to be fulfilled!

Wish List

"Wishlist"
by Pearl Jam

I wish I was a neutron bomb, for once I could go off.
I wish I was a sacrifice that somehow still lived on.
I wish I was a sentimental ornament you hung on
the Christmas tree, I wish I was the star that went on top,
I wish I was the evidence, I wish I was the sound
of fifty million hands upraised and opened toward the sky.

I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me.
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me.
I wish I was a messenger, and all the news was good.
I wish I was the full moon shining off your camaro's hood.

I wish I was a living being, at home behind the sun,
I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on.
I wish I was the pedal break that you depended on.
I wish I was the verb "to trust", and never let you down.

I wish I was a radio song, the one you couldn't turn off,
I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish, I guess it never stops.

________________________________________

My Wish List

1. A lean body
2. Kipping pull ups
3. My "Mark Darcy"
4. Way more than "enough"
5. A long, happy, healthy life without decline
6. A gracious, kind, patient spirit with everyone
7. Success in all my endeavors
8. Running water and plumbing at the cabin
9. A clean, orderly home and office (right now!)
10. A good nights sleep!

Identifying what you want is half the battle. Saying it out-loud to yourself and others must account for another 10-20%. Expecting and believing gets you the rest of the way. I never understood that saying, "when you least expect it...". Well-meaning, misguided folks have said that to me over the years, especially in regards to meeting my "Mark Darcy". These people had no clue what they were talking about, and it always really aggravated me when they said it. No one could possibly have had less expectation in this regard than me. And that's the problem. Expecting your dreams to come true is absolutely required. I expect to have a lean body in 2009. I expect to get pull ups in 2009. I expect to have "way more than enough", to have a wonderful relationship, to live a long, happy, healthy life up until the moment I die.

I'm expecting good things. What about you? What's on your wish list?

Lose the List

"Amy"

Life is too short to spend one minute listing your perceived flaws. While you are making your list and checking it twice, reciting it to anyone who will listen and providing hard copies for those who won't, life is grooving on by. And who knows what (or whom) you are missing in the process?

I'm done with pointing out my flaws. And when that voice inside my head attempts to remind me of them (like right now), I'm just plugging my ears and shouting at the top of my lungs, "I can't hear you anymore!" I like me. And I don't even need to make a list of reasons why to convince myself or you. I just like me and think I'm pretty cool.

Now I think I'll go outside and see if anyone is calling my name. ;-)

Party Girls

" Party Girls"
Naomi, Kath, Ashley, Pat, Sheryl, Shana

I hope everyone had a restful weekend. Or productive, or fun, or whatever kind of weekend you intended to have. I went to Sheryl's party Friday evening, and that was a lot of fun. I got to see her friend, Katrina again. I first met her last year when I "crashed" Sheryl's party. Katrina remembered me, and that made me feel good. It's funny how a little thing like that can make you feel good. It's good to be remembered. I also met Sheryl's sister, niece and nephew, hairdresser, and other friends. Sheryl has a lot of friends! I'm not surprised. And of course, I got to hangout with some CrossFit friends which is always fun.

I ate before going to the party. That was my plan for staying away from the party food. I managed fairly well, but I did succumb to a sliver of the chocolate cake that Jax made. It was worth every calorie! And after the 150 box hops, 63 130-pound dead-lifts, and 90 pull-ups I had done in the WOD earlier, I figured a couple of bites of cake would be okay.

I was reasonably successful the rest of the weekend with my efforts to "Begin Again." I kept a food journal and did some good work on emotional eating. I intend to have a good week -- in every respect, not just the food arena. I hope you do as well.

Begin Again

"Moment of Clarity"

by Duy Huynh

I am tired. Tired of accepting less than the best for myself. Tired of disappointing myself and others. Tired of failure. Tired of taking two steps forward and five steps backward. Tired of not allowing myself to have what I really want. Tired of making excuses. Tired of sabotaging myself. Tired of putting up barriers and stuffing down feelings. Tired of carrying around this burden. Tired of starting over. Tired of avoiding. Tired of waiting. Tired of talking. I am tired of wandering around just outside my Promised Land. I am ready to go on inside and take what is mine. I am ready to do the hard work required of me.

It is time to begin again.

The Fragrance of Apology

"The Offering"
by Duy Huynh

"Apology is a lovely perfume; it can transform the clumsiest moment into a gracious gift."
~Margaret Lee Runbeck

On Tuesday morning, I stopped in Dancing Goats to have coffee and get a little work done before heading across town to Marietta. I bought a coffee, grabbed one of the comfy chairs, pulled out my laptop and got to work. A little while later, immersed in my work, I was interrupted by two mothers with toddlers in tow. The women instructed the children to climb into the chair right beside me. (Yes, that is two children in one chair right beside me.) They then placed two chocolate milks and a crumbled mess that used to be a muffin on the side table right next to my cellphone and laptop. Oblivious to the rest of us, and most definitely to me, the two women headed over to sit on the sofa a few feet away, leaving their toddlers to irritate the you-know-what out of me. I felt the indignation rising up in me. But I decided to be nice and just move to another location. But "nice" is not what came out of me. Rather than saying, "I'll let you have this space for your children," I snapped something like, "well I guess I'll move since you have taken over this space." Ugh. As soon as I said it, I regretted it. Before I said it, I regretted it. As I walked away, I felt like a big, hulking, child-hating feminist. I felt mean and ugly. With every step to the opposite end of the building, I felt worse. And then it occurred to me that I did not have to let this ruin their day or mine. I could apologize. So I walked back towards the two women to offer my apology. As I approached, they looked afraid. Maybe it was my imagination, but I think they both held on to their children a little tighter. And then I said the magic words that changed everything. "I'm sorry." Immediately they beamed and said, "no, we're sorry." The conversation went back and forth about how we were all sorry for the situation and wished we had handled it differently. They thanked me profusely for coming back over to apologize. As I walked away the second time, I found myself smiling, feeling gracious and beautiful.

Happy 30th Birthday, Gnomes!

"Time and Tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty."

- Robert Frost

I Wish For You...

Comfort on difficult days,

Smiles when sadness intrudes,

Rainbows to follow the clouds,

Laughter to kiss your lips,

Sunsets to warm your heart,

Gentle hugs when spirits sag,

Friendships to brighten your being,

Beauty for your eyes to see,

Confidence for when you doubt,

Faith so that you can believe,

Courage to know yourself,

Patience to accept the truth,

And love to complete your life.

--author Unknown

A Second Chance

"Dreams of Flight"
by Duy Huynh

Every breath is a second chance. To give your bad mood a makeover. To stop checking your 401(k) balance. To wean yourself from Wolf Blitzer. To remember the cloth grocery bags instead of leaving them in the car. To break out of an old holding pattern. To cultivate compassion from the inside out--we all need a little Me Tenderizer. To shrink your elastic waistband. To become a dog person. To read yourself around the world if you can't afford a ticket. To bail yourself out of debt. To talk face to face instead of on Facebook. To change the plot of your life story. To do a somersault--how long has it been? To give wings to your grounded dreams.

--from the December cover of Skirt Magazine

Decking the Halls

This past weekend was prime time for decking the halls. Many of my neighbors have lights twinkling in the window, outlining the house, and draped over shrubbery. It's pretty. And the cold weather makes it even more beautiful.

As for me, I managed to break out my favorite Christmas candle, "Aunt Sadie's Tree in a Can." It smells just like the real thing. I wasn't feeling well on Saturday so I lit this candle, crawled under the covers and stayed there all afternoon. It was wonderful. I bought several of these candles this past week at Heliotrope in Decatur. Sunday afternoon I drove over to visit my mom and sister, and I gave each of them a "tree in a can." It's become a tradition--I give this candle every year as an early Christmas gift for each to enjoy throughout the season.

After a short visit with my mom over coffee, I went over to my cabin to string the Christmas lights around the perimeter of the porch. I use the old fashioned ones--like Snoopy has in the picture above. The lights are on a timer so they come on every night at dusk and stay on for several hours. With the trees now mostly naked, you can see the lights in the distance, through the woods from my parents house. The lights are my Christmas card to my mom and step dad--wishing them a Merry Christmas every night of the season.

Burning it at Both Ends

I burn my candle at both ends,

It will not last the night.

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends,

It gives a lovely light.

by Edna St. Vincent Millay

I have been burning my candle at both ends for a while now. When you do this, you get more done in the short term of course. The "light" you produce is brighter. But then comes the burnout if this goes on for too long. I'm looking forward to this weekend so that I can burn my candle at just one end.

Sorry for neglecting this blog. Hopefully, today's post provides an explanation.

Soup's On

" Still Life with Soup Tureen"

by Paul Cezanne

1839-1906

Mmmm. Soup. It's a good thing. It feeds both body and soul. It warms you when you are cold. It comforts you when you are blue. It soothes you when you are sick. It is easy to make and easy on the budget. It is actually better the second day than the first. It's a complete meal in a bowl. What could be better than that?

Several of you expressed interest in Melissa's Taco Soup recipe, so I asked her to share it with us (see below). And I am sharing a recipe that I first tried several years ago. It's called New Year's Day Soup, but it's great any day. It has become a winter favorite of mine.

Please share your favorite soup recipe, if you have one.

Taco Soup
Courtesy of Melissa Riegert

1 medium onion (diced)
1 large green or red pepper-or both (diced)
All chicken breast meat from rotisserie (shredded)
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans beans (pinto, kidney, black, whatever) (drained and rinsed)
Frozen corn (1/2 bag, whole bag, whatever)
Frozen veggies (I use whatever I have around, ie. Green beans, spinach, etc.)
2 packets lower sodium taco seasoning
1 ½ boxes lower sodium chicken broth

Directions: Sauté Onion and green pepper in large stock/soup pot until mostly soft. Add shredded meat, tomatoes, beans, corn, veggies, and taco seasoning. Mix a little. Add chicken broth to cover. May need less or may need more than above (Depends on amount of veggies added). Mix well and bring to a boil. Once boiling cover and let simmer maybe 10 minutes. Soup is done. I portion it out into plastic containers and freeze them. Before I freeze them, I also add 1 tsp olive oil to each container. Just grab one and go for lunch.

New Year's Day Soup
Southern Living, January 2000

Yield: 10 cups

Ingredients
1 cup diced lean ham
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, undrained
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Garnish: chopped fresh spinach

Preparation
Saute first 5 ingredients over medium heat in a Dutch oven until vegetables are tender. Stir in black-eyed peas and next 4 ingredients; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20-30 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups spinach, parsley, and pepper at the last minute. Garnish, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 144
Fat: 1.4g
Cholesterol: 7mg
Sodium: 538mg

The Most Fattening Time of the Year

It's the Most Fattening Time of the Year

by Bob Rivers

(a parody of  "The Most Wondering Time of the Year")

It’s the most fattening time of the year
With that pumpkin pie filling
and everyone swilling down eggnog and beer
It’s the most fattening time of the year

It’s the lip smackingest season of all
while your shopping you’re cheating
impulsively eating that junk at the mall
It’s the heav-heaviest season of all

There’ll be turkeys for basting
and stuffing for tasting
and giblets and gravy will flow
there’ll be cookies that mom baked
and leftover fruit cake from a christmas a long time ago

It’s the scale flattening time of the year
while your diet you’re blowing
there’s calories going straight down to your rear
It’s the scale flattening time of the year

There’ll be after meal dosing
and arteries closing
cholesterol levels will grow
it’s too cold to go jogging
to brisk for tobogganing
so pass me a hot buttered roll

It’s the most fattening time of the year
All those gingerbread shingles and
chocolate Chris Kringle’s will tremble in fear

It’s the most fattening time,
it’s the belt loosening time,
it’s the most fattening time of the year