Weather: It Happens

It's subzero again!

There definitely is a threshold somewhere, between 13*f to 25*f which just feels awfully cold, but below 13*f its just cold, and then exhilarating. I have now come to love it, but aah the finger and toe pains. It may be frost bite setting in, but its manageable if you find a place to thaw.

Going to watch "Frozen" today... how apt is that?

Anyway, we always let weather affect us, our moods, our chatter, how about we affect weather! Be happy at it... if anything the happiness will just bounce back and make you giggle. Just don't let weather get you down, cause then things just go downhill from there.

Yeah am pretty sure this crazy weather is a culmination of many factors, geographic, environmental, etc. In the end we have to just deal with what we are handed, so let's make the best of it? Complaining, blaming, and signing petitions... (that last one might help, I don't know), won't really stop the coldness from freezing, or the heat from droughting, so suck it up, pull yourself together and be!
Then choose to be happy!

Breathe!

Brave

Brave is a wonderful animated movie, I would recommend it to everyone to watch. The movie hit a note in my heart: my mother and I. The movie is about Merida and her mother. Merida is a tom-boy, who doesn't want to get married to some guy her parents picked out for her. Another theme I am so familiar with in my own life. This movie resonated with me. As I watched it I shivered, even more, cause apart from the story, there'something about the Gaelic, the Celtic music style, and the Scottish accents, that speaks to my soul. I felt at home, in a different sense. I've always fantasized about the green forests of Ireland, and hills of Scotland, the country side, the dancing, the culture, the people... something about the bagpipes, something about the music, something that sings straight to my heart. What is that something?

(now i'm sitting and listening to as much as Celtic music, or songs sung in Gaelic as possible.)

Thoughts: So often we get so caught up in our identity today, now, me- me - me, I- I- I... ie. I'm a proud Indian, with rich cultural heritage, and I like strawberries, and I like only reading classics, and I like to be well mannered, and I like to wear black boots, etc. etc. Then some one is like, I am American, and USA is a great nation to be from; Or I am Chinese, and Chinese culture and older than India's... and so on and so forth. When I was young I was so enthralled by diversity, culture, languages, religions, practices in the world, that I wanted to be a citizen of the WORLD. As I grew up though I encountered organized religion which told me that one religion was less than another, and that one country was superior to the other. However all these people, and countries had citizens or members who were kind and giving... so confusing! Pride - giving? Ego - kindness? Total opposites? It might be a totally different thought process to meditate upon.

I wondered what if in my last life I was a Scotsman? Or an Irish lass? What if I was once a native american princes? or a Japanese Samurai? What if in another lifetime I was an Mesopotamian trader? DO we lose the big picture when we identify with what we are in this life time? I could have been anyone, thus the saying in Isshinryu Karate - the way of the one heart - We are all one. I could have been you, and you me... 

Then again your religion is better and superior than mine and doesn't believe in reincarnation... so go ahead and be mean to be. But aha all religions preach teach and maybe practice - forgiveness, kindness, giving, and love!

Going back to the big picture... I'm an Indian now and know my culture, but what if I had been an Irishman in my past, and Italian, can I embrace those as ME? or must I be only what my birth certificate says? I know the law is in place to help us, but why not be a global citizen at heart? Why don't we realize that our fates are intertwined with the earth as a whole, with each other, and its not separate? Why do we limit ourselves so? Why aren't we brave enough to embrace all?

Breathe

Any good Gaelic/ Celtic music recommendations? I can't wait to go over there one day!

The Best Year Yet!

Two weeks ago it was the 1st day of the New Year, and I realized a lot of things. On social media everyone was saying Happy New Year, this will be the best year yet, but I couldn't feel that excitement or joy. Why are people so excited for the New Year? Or are they just happy to be at a party? Life flows, I never really see any clear demarcations, some events stand out more than others. From a financial stand point, sure the Newish fical year begins, but hey we still have to pay bills from last year, etc. So what are we really celebrating?

My boyfriend, Ryan, and I had a quiet New Years Eve together, and we watched Space Balls. In the middle we watched the ball drop in Times Square, New York City. It was another year beginning for sure. He played Auld Lang Syne for me on the guitar, which was lovely, as I felt the frenzy and rush to text everyone I know. Highly overrated. I felt the need to drink copious amounts of liquor, cause that just seems the thing to do on holidays.

I was trying to help me feel excited but deep in my heart I knew the truth. If I thought 2013 was tough, 2014 will be tougher still, it maybe my toughest year ever! There are decisions to make, big changes and let's not forget taking risks. So, here I am trying to feel excited like everyone else, but it was not going to happen. I have this enormous task at hand, which is my path, my life, it's no one else's, and it seems really daunting, if not overwhelming. I have so many goals set forth this year- improving my health, losing weight, running more, climbing more, yoga-ing more, writing more, maybe changing my job, maybe starting a business, maybe switching careers...

This year I turn 31; So far I've gathered I'm not a normal human being. Yep, I'm 31 and haven't "settled down", at all, not even in life. Let's say normal is the net in a tennis court, I'm a little past the service court boxes, the weird and outlandish are at the baseline and the crazies are like where Nadal hits his awesome shots from with those grunts, way back near back-screen where the ball boys await. (anyway in tennis, Olympics and football mode since the Australian open is upon us, and World Cup and Olympics soon to be!) Anyway, I dunno why I can't just settle down, maybe cause there's still so much to see, learn, do, experience, live, explore...

So far I think I've been dealing with what this tough year has thrown at me pretty well, I had to give up drinking, cause it was a major downer, and I need me to pick me up! I was overwhelmed, anxious about this new year, I felt bad that I could not say this will be the best year yet. All I thought to myself was this will be a tough year, and I found myself facing the Moguls skiing; hitting each bumps, gaining speed rapidly heading down hill, obstacle after obstacle looming, and me losing control. I should quit right now, I thought, but it was no solution, I knew, and as I tried to take a turn I crashed. Yep no more drinking for me, I picked up the pieces and realized if I don't flip my attitude it would be the worst year yet, if not just the toughest.

This year has been challenging and will continue to be so, and I am ready for it, although I did shed a tear or two, I know I can handle it. I will drive forward into midfield, maneuver through the defense and kick that goal! It will be a long game, so need to build my stamina, strength, and willpower, not to forget motivation and determination, and I know I will see myself through. And tough does not necessarily mean worst, flip that negativity to positivity. Flip that attitude, kinda like a flip in Aerial skiing, always landing on your feet! Bring it!

I hope everyone else has a lovely year! And I know I will too, now, I know I will.


Breathe!

Half Way Through At The End Of The Year

I like Capitalizing the first letter of all the words in my headings, I don't know why.
Ok let me get

I am writing a fictional novel. It's a supernatural thriller, for young adults or grown ups not sure yet. It's more work than I thought it would be, and it's funny how the book grows as I grow as a person. I don't think it will be my best work, but I am pouring my heart and mind into this. I feel like i am writing it in a rush, because i gave myself a deadline, but because of Teacher Training, holidays, and my new boost for getting back in shape, I have fallen behind. I do hope to make hedgeway as I thought it was called, but then Ryan corrected me, and I know it is headway. It's going to be a fun book to read, creative and imaginative.

This book takes me places in my mind, and makes me people I am not! Can't wait to share it with you all eventually! Writing this blog, makes me feel like I've finally come clean, in regards to my absence from blogging. I mean I have blogged, but its not as incessant as it was. In fact am proud to say last year I published 137 blogs posts. My blogger stats tell me the most number of views were in July and Nov 2013. USA rules with most readership, followed by Russia! India follows in at third, and European countries including UK follow after that. I just have to say thanks for reading to all my readers! I hope you all will like my book!

Most people view it from a Windows computer; 28% from a Mac. Oooh! 48% view from firefox, and only 20% from Chrome, (chrome is personally my preferred browser. It's fast and better all round). 15% of readers still use IE, whyyy!!!! There's so much other info from the stats, but this was supposed to be about the book I'm writing, how I got carried away!

I'm half way through writing this book. YA(young adult books are usually 55k to 60k long, and I am (a grandmother figure in my life, told me to never measure/ count progress but to get through it), 26k in. Which is half way for the 50k goal, ok plus there will be more added. However for sci-fi fantasy "they" say a 6 figure range is better... really?

Trudging along then!
I can do this!


Breathe!

The Thing About Resolutions...

It's 2014! Happy New Year, readers!

Resolutions? Well I have a few, but the thing about resolutions is after the first quarter it disappears! So why do we make them?

The idea of a resolution is to change our habits, to grow, better, and to make this positive change a habit and integrate it into our being. The thing is if we don't see it as a part of us from the beginning, it's never going to work. One has to be mindful, and conscious of this new aspect throughout the year, until it's an old aspect. Right?

Let's take for example losing weight. People work out for the first 3 months, until they lose 10 lbs! They are like Yay! The thing is then they leave it. The thing about weight loss is continuing with an active lifestyle. Plus eating healthy, etc., as I have mentioned in my other blogs. Kind of like weight loss, lets look at giving up a certain behavior pattern, for something better, ie. being more positive, quitting alcohol. These are tough changes, and more psychological than what a "resolution" represents these days. Instead of trying to become more positive, start by saying I am positive person, and follow through with a positive action. While breaking a bad habit, such as quitting drinking, or coffee, is weaning yourself off it, substituting, and disassociating with that thing (in this case alcohol).

So a resolution is in fact a lifestyle change often, right? Unless it's something like, this year I will connect with my high-school friends, or will go on a vacation this year. Sometimes those too include lifestyle changes, making time for new people in your life, or saving up for that vacation.

Here I am able to finally explain my resolutions:
1) to be more present, especially in the presence of loved ones. This means being more conscious of my actions and behavior over all. I do feel meditation can help me. Staying true to myself too.
2) I will, try to be less attached to my cell phone this year. I will try to curb my Nomophobia.
3) Follow through with my book plans, which means less TV, and less Xbox, more focusing on projects.
4) Lose weight. Going to the gym everyday to get either 15-20 minute work out in, or for a whopping two hours. Whatever the duration of the work out, goal is at least 10-14 miles a week.
5) Eating healthy, it starts at home! I'm going to learn to be happy and satisfied, binge-ing on carrots... actually as my personal trainer says, if you want some cake, have it, 1 small piece, just remember to do the work for it.
6) Save more money, spend less!

Those are my small - big goals! What are your "resolutions"?


Breathe!