This no running thing SUCKS!!! : .| (Excuse the %@#$&!)
I feel anxious and twitchy. A lot. All this un-expended energy running amok in my body. (Haha! I can still make a joke!)
I am allowed to
walk, however, as long as I don't go very far. Believe me, my leg tells me right away if I've overdone it! (Who knew it could communicate!) I
walked an entire 2 miles this morning. (The last run I did 3 weeks ago was 7.5 miles of hills, sniff!) Granted, it was beautiful and breezy, almost like a Cover Girl commercial. (Am I remembering that correctly?) Short
walks, along with lots of stretching, use of ice packs, myofascial release rolling over this foam roller, and some core stabilization work on my cool new fitness ball is the extent of my exercise these days. I am obsessed with my physical therapy. It's pretty much all I can think about.
While on this
walk, I scoped out some local real estate that is for sale. A 2 bedroom 1 bath
condo around the corner is going for
$425K. Uh huh. A 3 bedroom, 935 square foot
house is going for...
$620K! An itty-bitty, almost 50 year old house going for over a
half a million dollars!!! Can you believe it?! My dad always told me to save my nickels and dimes, but I think its gonna take saving a few quarters and maybe some dollar bills for me to come up with a down payment for housing here in the bay area. I should be able to purchase in about 5 years if I stick to my savings plan.
As if the no running thing wasn't depressing enough.
I've been having a pity party all week, but MadRetz came to my rescue today and helped to create a distraction by agreeing to make a trek with me to Bezerkley for some retail therapy and lunch. (Quiet you, voice of buyer's remorse! I'm on track for that condo purchase!) On the way we navigated potholes, road construction, the wall of death, gas-guzzling, monstrous SUVs, and cell phone talking drivers, finally arriving at one of our favorite scrapbook stores
Scrapbook Territory. It was jolly fun as usual, but honestly, just how many sheets of decorative paper and little doodads do I think I need? I could almost open my own store. (oooh, how I love art supplies!) A couple of hours later, we left the shop, happy, happy scrappers. (Again voice QUIET!) Now, to do something with all of these supplies.
All jokes aside, I find that the universe (GOD?) speaks to me. The PT and chiropractic with its physical adjustment, is also performing spiritual chiropractic. Being forced to
slow down and
walk, ruminate over the state of myself, I feel as if I am finding the path to the inside. As Julia Cameron says in
Vein of Gold, I am "outward bound for inner voyaging." An internal adjustment is occurring along with the physical therapy, scratching at old "scabs" and allowing for healing on all levels.
I'm not sure I'm explaining this well...Will I allow the healing? Lots of emotion anger, tears, but in the end, understanding that all is for the best. I'm trying to be patient.
Top shot obviously of my cool, new fitness ball and foam roller (and my very lonely mountain bike). Bottom shot of some of the goodies I bought today, Basic Grey, yay!!!
Really, I wasn't rocketing uncontrollably to the floor, really I wasn't! This expression is all for effect. Besides, Julie was belaying me, so everything was copasetic : .)
Made a jaunt over to Starbucks to have a chai tea latte, grande, non-fat, xtra hot, please, and work on the reading and exercises in the Artist's Way. Week three has touched on one of my favorite subjects, synchronicity. Jung's loose definition of synchronicity is "a fortuitous intermeshing of events." I equate synchronicity to asking and receiving. I think we often don't recognize the magical occurrence of synchronicity in our lives, we don't notice that some thoughts and events are interrelated. You're thinking of a friend you haven't seen in awhile and a couple of days later, the phone rings and its that very same person! You want to visit the Grand Canyon and you receive a email about a fund raising organization who sponsors hiking events there, combining your love for the outdoors with your zeal for community service. What delight we find in paying attention!
Afterwards, I went to Andy's Pet Store, which has stood on the very same corner for the past 56 years. I've lived in the Silicon Valley for almost 17 years and have never been there, so I thot I'd go in for a peek. I met a lovely Macaw named Ruby who greeted me with a clear "Hello" and admired the paw size of a beautiful Akita who was just 9 weeks old.
All month (what am I saying, all year!) I've been on this emotional roller coaster, alternating between joy and sorrow, grabbing happy and spilling tears, lots of them.
Oh, and I made this on Christmas day for my co-worker's little girl. I also bought yarn to do some felted bowls using instructions in One Skein. Turns out I need circular and double pointed knitting needles. Ragged, I am so gonna need help with the lingo..."CO45 sts?" "Working in the rnd?" "Dec as foll, changing to dpn when necessary?" Oh, and I also need to learn how to knit, since I only know one stitch. I wonder what it costs for a ticket to Raggedstown for lessons? (The lingo is actually not that cryptic..."cast on 45 stitches, working in the round, decrease as follows, changing to double pointed needles when necessary") hee!!!
The mid-term project was to collage an emotion. If your guess is jubilant, then you're right!
The final project was to do a self-portrait and then create a mask that is our alternate personality, fantasy, other persona. The drawing above is the self-portrait from the first class meeting, below is the self-portrait for the final project. I used pencil here also. I think I've improved my technique, altho' my eyes are way bigger than I realized : .)
I'm home now, with a full stomach and leftovers galore.
