"Now" is Working

Focus on the "Now" is what I keep on saying to myself. Well, I'm practicing what I'm preaching. My friend Darlene called me to rollerblade since it was beautiful out. At first, I told her I would let her know if I had the time. After I hung up the phone with her, I realized that I was worrying about being at work on time. So, I picked up the phone and told her I would meet her at one.

Needless to say, I had a wonderful time. We rollerbladed for almost two hours and I even went down hills (I fell once going down hill, and I've been scared ever since). Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the spring like weather we experienced today. If I would have focused on work, I would have never gone rollerblading. As a result, the rest of the day was fun.

See, you could do it, too. Slow down a bit and enjoy what's going on around you. It will make the day much more fun, and you'll probably get more out of the day. Have fun!!

Stress

I pride myself in meditating about every single problem that comes up. With all the meditation I do, I should be in a monastery somewhere speaking to no one but God. Yet, I can't get my face to clear up (although, I think I'm making a breakthrough). My problem is not the meditation, but me. I worry about every single little thing. I wake up in the morning and I'm already thinking about whether or not I have enough time to do what I want before I leave to work. Or I try to play out every single solution out in my head. I don't seem to enjoy the moment because I'm thinking about later.

However, having said that, I think I finally accomplished living in the "Now" today. I had to be at work at 9:30am for a meeting. Instead of leaving super early like I do for work (I worry that I'll be late even though it only takes me 25 minutes to get there), I left at nine. I stressed about it for about a minute, but the day was so beautiful that I was engrossed in my happy thoughts. After the meeting, Dan I decided to drive around and enjoy the day. I was having such a great time that I could care less about anything else.

Living in the moment is so important and gratifying that I suggest everyone try it at least once a day. Do something that you enjoy and thoroughly enjoy it. Don't think about anything else that's going on in your life. Just think about what you're doing at that moment and nothing else. In fact, I dare you to dedicate ten minutes a day to this activity. Call it your self-time or whatever makes you happy and try it. Once you become comfortable with the idea increase it to other things you do throughout the day, whether it's exercising, cooking, or reading. Really, whatever it is that you enjoy.

I'm going to practice what I preach. My goal is to spend the entire day living in the "Now." I feel we tend to sabotage our feelings and luck because we worry about things that haven't occurred. We all do this. This brings us to attracting negativity. I remember, way back when I was single, that every time I would start a relationship, I would always envision the end of it. Each and every single time, I would think about how we would break up and why. Every single time we would break up and for the reason I thought of. This was also true when I fell in love with Dan. Except I didn't think about breaking up, but being together.

Our thoughts create reality, whether you believe it or not. This is why it's so important to think of the moment. By enjoying the moment, you create positive vibrations that will enhance your life. Don't you see that when you are depressed or sad, things just don't go your way? Things haven't been going my way because I don't enjoy the "Now" in my life. Worrying does nothing but bring more negativity into your life.

Homeless Man

As you know from my previous post, I went to the movies with Dan last night. I met him and his coworker (he was going to the Film Forum to watch a different movie) in Port Authority. As we are walking to catch the 1 train, we come across a homeless man. Both Dan and his coworker are in front of me. I glance at the homeless man (because he's slightly to my left in front of me). You could tell by looking at his face that he wasn't on this planet. He seemed lost, but happy (he was smiling).

The next thing I know, he hits me across my head with either a bag or something really light, and keeps on walking. You could imagine how surprised I was. I grab Dan's arm to tell him what happened, and he was in more shock than I was because he missed the whole thing. We then tell his coworker and he's also shocked.

All three of us started laughing. What's even funnier is that when Dan saw the man, the first thought that crossed his mind was the guy hitting me. I guess he should listen to his intuition more often. I'm glad it wasn't serious and we were able to laugh about it. Stuff like this always seems to happen to me. I guess I attract the weirdos.

Film Forum

Dan and I went to see a documentary called "State of Fear" by Pamela Yates at the Film Forum in Manhattan. Anyone interested in Latin America should watch this film. This film is about the twenty plus years of struggle Peru has with terrorists and former dictator Alberto Fujimori. This film is very touching and disturbing. In fact, it's in your face type of terrorism from mass graves to babies being pulled up dead. It's hard to sit there and watch the grotesque images on the screen. Seeing the horror Peruvians were put through is unimaginable. Watching documentaries like this one, puts things into perspective. If it happens to be showing anywhere near you or you want to fork over $300 to purchase it, go ahead and watch it.

Most Fertile Irish Man

I'm not going into the article, but I am posting a link to it. Just read it. It's fascinating.

Scientists discover most fertile Irish male

Relax!

For someone who meditates very often and takes nice long baths, I sure don't relax. I don't mean physically relax, but mentally. I've been up since 7:30am, which is pretty early for me. I was so exhausted last night that I passed out on the recliner until Dan woke me up at 2:30am. I have no idea when I knocked out. All I know is that at one point I was meditating and the next thing I knew I was stumbling into bed. I guess I slept enough.

As you can see, I have the rest of the day ahead of me. I'm going to the gym in a bit to get a nice workout. When I get home I want to make some pancakes (from scratch) for Dan (great meal to have after working out...lol). Then I have to busy myself with hummus. I'm going to a potluck dinner with some coworkers and that's what I'm making. I don't have to be at my friend's house until around 6pm. We made it a point to get together about every or every other month for a potluck dinner. We each make something to eat and bring a bottle of wine. We've all been working together for so long and become close friends that it's nice to see each other outside of the work environment.

As you can see, my day isn't hectic. I'm doing things throughout the day, but nothing that would cause me much stress. Well, I've been sitting here for the past hour doing exactly that--stressing! I keep on going over what I need to do today and trying to hurry myself up. I do this all the time, too. As you can see, I just realized how I stress myself for no apparent reason. Why am I doing this to myself? I have no idea, but it needs to stop.

I also do this on days that I work. Since I work nights, I spent my day worrying about when I have to be at work and if I'll have time to do all I have planned out. I always have plenty of time to accomplish whatever it is I have on my to do list. No wonder I'm still breaking out! I'm worrying myself sick. I need to focus on relaxing mentally. There's no need to worry about what I have to do and if I have time for it. I can't believe I'm doing this to myself.

I guess it makes some sense. Usually, excluding outside forces, you cause your own stress. You get stressed out because you think about things and the main concern is if you could handle it. We worry ourselves sick. Next time you start freaking out about something, stop and think if you're stress is being caused by someone else or you. Most likely it's the reaction you're having to that situation that's causing your anxiety. That's what I did right now, which inspired this post. Of course, I'm not stressing about anything important, but I have done so over important situations. I'll just have to apply this to those situations.

I Hate it When This Happens

Last night one of my wonderful tables (I'm not being sarcastic), personally handed me a tip. Most people don't do that. They just get up and leave. Maybe if you're lucky, they'll say goodnight. This table wanted to let me know that I gave them excellent service. With the tip was a pamphlet. The lady went on to tell me that the pamphlet was about Jesus Christ. The reason for them giving me this bit of info on Jesus Christ was to let me know that he cares about everyone, including me.

I'm not going to criticize them. They didn't mean any harm. I just don't like it when people try to push their religion on me. It just bothers me. If I would have turned around and said "I don't need to be saved and I don't need others to tell me that Jesus Christ cares about me. In fact, Jesus Christ was a person that had a true connection with God or the Supreme Being (however you like to call him/her) and we could all be as great as he was if we look inside ourselves." They probably feel I'm being blasphemous and not very comfortable with my answer.

That answer is really mean, and I would never say that to anyone. I try not to be mean to others. Sometimes it does slip out of me, and I then try to correct the situation. I don't try to push my spirituality onto others, either. The only person that ever hears what I truly believe in is my husband (my friends know of my spirituality, but don't know the extent of my belief). He actually doesn't buy into some of it and I'm so fine with it. Everyone is here to fulfill their own reality. I also don't like sharing this with others because I feel it's very private (although I've been thinking of starting a separate blog dedicated to my spirituality).

Starting a blog is totally different. If you don't like what I'm writing about, then you don't have to read it. If you're handing me a tip with info on religion, then you're kind of forcing me to listen to you. See the difference? Besides, I don't find it appropriate that you're doing this at someone's job (it doesn't matter that you're having dinner, it is still somebody's job to take care of your dining experience).

Calorie Restrictions Good for the Heart

Eat less and your heart pumps better. That is what the article by the AP "Study: Low-Calorie Diet Keeps Heart Young" states. A study was done where scientists looked at the heart function of 25 people of the Caloric Restriction Society. Their hearts were functioning at a much younger rate. The recommended caloric intake is anywhere between 1400 to 2000 a day. Of course you should make it healthy calories. Now they can't guarantee that these people are going to live linger, but if your heart if functioning at a rate of 15 years younger chances are you will.

Get Healthy or Get Fired!

As I was reading the morning news, I came across an article that caught my attention. The article, "Can boss insist on healthy habits?" talks about a company called, Weyco, which as of last year fired people who didn't quit smoking. Now, it wants to mandate its emloyees to take annual medical exams or else their insurance premiums will go up.

Can employers do this? Apparently there is nothing illegal about enforcing these rules. The fact of the matter is if you are overweight/obese, you will most likely cost the company more money because you are unhealthy. But I'm not sure I feel all that comfortable with this. I see the benefits of people developing healthier habits, but should my boss tell me to do so?

If they tell me to lead a healthier lifestyle, what else will they tell me to do? If I have more than 2.5 kids, will I get fired because I'm costing the company more money? Or if I engage in extreme sports that could cause bodily damage, will I loose my job because I'm a high risk employee? I know these examples sound out there, but so does if you don't practice being healthy, you'll be fired.

What companies should do instead of firing people for being unhealthy is open up gym facilities at their company. I know some big companies do so already. They should also have daycares at these facilities. This way men and women have the opportunity to workout and not have to worry about their kids being picked up from daycare. Get rid of the vending machines or at least supply the vending machines with healthy alternatives.

If the company is not that large where it doesn't have the room for a gym and a daycare center, then find the nearest gym and try to get some kind of discount for the employees. Do the same with a nearby daycare center. People have enough going on in their lives to be forced to lead a healthier lifestyle without any help.

It's easy for me to sit here and tell you should workout everyday and eat healthy when I don't have kids to worry about. Actually, I'm pretty positive if I did have kids working out would be a lot tougher. So employers need to help out with the cause if they want their employees to be healthy. Don't point the finger if you're not going to make it easier for others.

Risotto

Ok, I'm in a recipe sharing mood today. I love making risotto. So here's an easy recipe that anyone could make.

This one is a green bean risotto that I made last night. The great thing about risotto is that you could substitute anything. I've made spinach and asparagus risottos, also.

2 cups of Arborio rice
About half of a medium yellow onion minced (if it's a large onion, just a couple of slices will suffice)
6 to 7 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of parmessan cheese (buy the one they sell in the deli aisle, it tastes better)
1/2 cup of dry cooking wine
2 tablespoons of butter
olive oil
(this the basic recipe for risotto, now for the green beans)

A bunch of green beans
2 garlic cloves minced

Ok, here's the prep for risotto:
Put some olive oil in a pot, heat and throw in the minced onion. Do not let brown. About two minutes, throw in the two cups of rice. Sautee for few minutes (again, don't let it brown). Add salt and pepper (about a teaspoon each). Then add the dry cooking wine. Wait until the wine is absorbed into the rice and begin adding chicken broth 1/2 at a time. Constantly stir and wait until it's absorbed. This process will take about twenty to thirty minutes. Test the rice to make sure it's soft. Add the cheese and butter to finish off the rice.

Now with the green beans:
I cut up the green beans about an inch and half long, boil them until soft, and sautee with garlic and olive oil.

Let's mix it up:
Throw in the green beans into the the pot with the risotto and mix. And there you have it. Green bean risotto. If you don't like green beans then add spinach or asparagus. Same recipe. I hope you try it and enjoy it.

Hummus

I love eating hummus. In fact, I could eat it all day. I like making my own. If you have all the ingredients available to you, it comes out cheaper and you know what's in it. So, I'll share the recipe with you. I have to warn you though that some of the ingredients I use, I don't measure. If you have some type of cooking sense, you'll get it. Ready?

Two 15 ounce cans of chick peas (garbanzo beans)
3 garlic cloves (more or less depends on how much you like garlic)
1 lemon
2 tablespoons of Tahini dressing (sesame seed spread) or if you can't find Tahini substitute with creamy peanut butter (1 tablespoon)
3/4 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Place chick peas, minced garlic, juice of the lemon, Tahini dressing, and water into blender. While pureeing (I'm not sure if that's a word), add salt and pepper (I add enough pepper where I could begin seeing it throughout the mix). Then start adding the olive oil. Add enough that mixture is blending smoothly, but still has a thick consistency (think of McDs shakes).

Obviously try your concoction when it's done to see if you need to add more salt or pepper. Then place in the fridge for about three hours. This will allow for all the ingredients to come together. And voila!

The hummus I made yesterday was by far the best I have ever made. I happened to have found Tahini dressing, which made all the difference. I usually make it with peanut butter, but I always find that it's missing something. It tasted perfect when I tried it right out of the blender. I could only imagine what it tastes like today. Enjoy!

Seven Years of Heaven

That's right! Dan and I are celebrating our seven years of being together. A week after his 21st birthday (I waited until he could actually take me to a bar) we became a couple. It was an incredible day or actually night. That kiss of his sure was dreamy and still is. I knew then as I know now that we were meant to be. Hope to be celebrating this date for many, many years. Love ya Dan!!

Retirement

I'm thirty years old and the hubby is 28 (yeah, I rocked the cradle). We've been together seven years (tomorrow is our dating anniversary) and married for five and a half. The first few years we were both in school, which consumed our everyday thought. Now, we're out of school and on our own. So what consumes my mind? Retirement. Hey, time flies. When Dan and I started out, he was twenty-one and I was twenty-three. Next thing you know, we'll be in our fifties.

I want our retirement to be filled with tons of traveling and no worries about our finances. This requires money saved up, and lots of it. Dan received an awesome book written by David Bach called "The Automatic Millionaire" from his aunt and uncle for his birthday. I read through the first twenty-six pages and was very intrigued. What's funny is that he hasn't said anything that I didn't already know. The problem? It's all in my head. I always think about the money I put aside. And guess what happens? I end up needing it because I constantly think about it.

Well, things are going to change. I asked Dan to go into work today and have ten percent of his paycheck go directly into savings. I'm a bit different because I make cash right on the spot. But I'll be automatically putting money aside before my shift. We also need to start looking into money market accounts, cds, and the works. Most importantly, we need to stop the wasteful spending. That my friends is a more difficult task. David Bach calls it the Latte Factor. Substitute Latte for any other word and you get the picture. Another big thing is not putting anything on your credit cards. Dan and I have been practicing that approach for the past two years (except lately we've used our cards to get stuff for the apartment). If we can't buy it cash, than we won't. Same goes for vacations. We can't pay for them cash, then we can't go on them.

Since I believe that like attracts like, the more money we have saved up, the more money will come to us. Wealthy is what I want us to be and that is what will happen.

Weight

My second to last semester in college (I was taking 21 credits), I decided to ease up my load and take a few fitness classes. I believe I took a total of three exercise classes, but it was three years ago and my memory is failing me at this moment. I was exercising every single day and loved it. OMG do I love exercising. Yeah, there are days that I don't want to get out of bed. And when I first start an exercise program, it takes me a good two to three weeks to get used to the new routine, but then it becomes part of the norm.

I took these classes at the height of my fatness. Yes, I was fat. When you weigh 202 pounds and are only 5.5, you are fat. I was busting out of my size 16 jeans. I resorted to wearing sweatshirts most of the time because they wouldn't press against my stomach. Tying my sneakers was a hassle. I would loose my breath. Actually, I would have to hold my breath in order to tie my sneakers. If I didn't, I would get winded. Another major thing--I couldn't cross my legs. I could put my leg up over my other leg, but I wouldn't be able to cross them like thin women do. Strangely enough, I was only able to lift my left leg over the right one. I guess my left leg is more flexible (come to think about it, it always has been). If I tried crossing my legs normally, it would also make me loose my breath and hurt my bulging stomach.

I hated being fat. I wasn't attractive. Yeah, my insides are great, but the first thing you see is the outside. Not that I was trying to pick anyone up, but I was quite embarrassed being naked in front of Dan. I would sleep on my side, and my stomach would just hang over. There was no way in hell I could sleep on my stomach. It actually hurt. Let's not talk about the double chin I had. Oh and my favorite--back fat!!!! You know what I'm talking about. The fat that hangs right below your bra strap (I still have a tiny bit of it left). I remember Dan bought me an orange ribbed sweater that was very adorable. I preceded to wear it one day that we had gone out shopping. I caught a glance of myself on a three-way mirror and saw the back fat. I was mortified. I became so upset that I left the store and yelled at Dan for not telling me that I had back fat. Since the color of the sweater was orange, you could imagine how pronounced my back fat looked.

I could go on about how horrible I looked and felt. I'm not quite sure how I let myself get this way. Or why I let it go on as long as I did. Especially since throughout my fat years, I exercised. What I can say that once I had enough, I had enough. Loosing weight is actually quite simple. I hate to break it to you, but it is. Ready for my remedy? STOP EATING SO MUCH AND MOVE YOUR FAT ASS! I like eating as much as the next person. In fact, I eat all day, but I control my portions. I have to admit that when I'm getting my period I do have a harder time controlling my appetite. Try it for a month. Eat half of what you normally eat and I guarantee that you'll drop some weight (unless you have some type of medical condition, it will work). Or if half is too much for you, then leave a quarter of your meal on the plate. You just have to want to do it. That's the secret. You have to really want it.

Fifty pounds later, I feel great. I worked out and watched what I ate. Even though I have stopped dieting, I still watch what I eat. I try not to overdo it. Loosing another 15 lbs. is my next goal. I want to become very fit. I want to look at myself naked and feel good about my body. I also want to take fitness upto the next level by becoming a spinning instructor. This will take some time because I haven't been on a spinning bike since that class I took in college. There are only six months left for summer to come around and I'm wearing a two piece to the beach.

Happy Birthday Dan!

I'm still waiting for you to catch up to my age, but I guess that'll happen in another life time. I hope this year brings lots of great opportunities and may you always feel the love I have for you. You mean the world to me and I love celebrating your birthday. Happy 28th!!!!!! I love you!

Happy New Year!!!!!

Even though I was stuck at work until 1:30 a.m., I had a great time. I was with some old friends and Dan. We were watching tv and laughing up a storm. Now I'm home and a bit wired. I was reading through some blogs and began thinking about what 2005 brought me. I was actually going to write about it, but the past is in the past. To follow my own set of rules, I will not think about last year and hope for a wonderful new year. I know it's going to be an excellent year because I got to kiss Dan at midnight. So I wish you all the very best 2006!!! Good night.