A way to capture the spirit of each week…

{image source — we heart it }

tasting :: burger/fries/onion ring/xmas cookies combo, roasted butternut squash pasta bake, daily green smoothies, hot lemon water before breakfast, earl grey tea in the bath.

hearing ::  the waiting by tom petty on repeat in my head.

smelling :: bergamot in the tea and the bath.

seeing :: how this restorative yoga business really helps deal with stress. {for real. try it. even one pose a day makes a HUGE difference}

feeling :: grateful and loved.

wishing/hoping :: my little family members very happy birthdays.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

Um, hello end of the year. Where did you come from?

Since my birthday is about three months away, I decided I better take a look at what is left on my birthday list. It’s a good thing I did because I have more than half the list still to do!

The List:

1. Take my birthday (March 20th) off – no work, no obligations – just fun.

2. Take an anti-gravity yoga class. – I researched a found a place fairly close to home with regular beginning classes on Saturday mornings. Seems do-able still.

3. Road trip to Portland with Ruby. Revised to plane trip to Portland  July 2012

4. Take Ruby to see live music. June 2012

5. Read 43 books. – Good lord, I have a LOT of reading to do. Seems do-able-ish.

6. Put my feet in the ocean with Ruby. January 2012

7. Pick berries. – I doubt I can do this before my birthday in March, but I think it’s going on the Life List. I ate myself sick on u-pick cherries when I was little and I want Ruby to have the same opportunity. Do you have a favorite u-pick place in Northern California?

8. Go on retreat. November 2012

9. Teach an active yoga class. – I need to schedule myself on the It’s All Yoga Free Friday calendar. Will you come to my class?

10. Go to the movies by myself. {Yep, I’ve never done this. I have, however, gone to a rock show on my own so don’t feel too sorry for me.} – I did it! Several times! Movies seen in my own company: The Artist, Chimpanzee, Friends with Kids, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I am totally sold.

11. Attend a service at a Universal Unitarian church. – Must schedule soon. Still do-able.

12. Explore the Taiwanese culture in Sacramento. – Working on what this looks like. Will definitely be on the Life List.

13. Learn 10 words/phrases in Mandarin. – I have three for sure. Still working on it. Also on the Life List.

14. Run a 5K. – Um, yeah. I need to download that Couch to 5K app STAT. This also may be on the Life List.

15. Write a fan letter. Two! I wrote two! – August 2012 and October 2012. I highly recommend this activity. It’s a feel good, win-win.

16. Rent a house at the coast or in the mountains. – Scheduled cabin visit in January. Do-able.

17. Teach a class on social media and blogging to teachers. – Going on the Life List. I’m too far out of work mode for this to happen any time soon.

18. Sleep outside. – Let’s be real. I missed the opportunity this year. I’m thinking Life List.

19. Do a swim workout. – Le sigh… I quit my fantastic gym, so no more pool…

20. Watch my first students graduate from high school. –  Scheduled for June 2013

21. Spend a week away from the Internet. – Strikes terror in my heart. So it sounds like I need to get this one on the books – STAT.

22. See a play. – Looking at a show in January and have enlisted a friend. Seems do-able.

23. Go to a sing along at the Crest. – Scheduling nightmare in progress. Seems do-able.

24. Take a photography class.  September 2012

25. Take a cooking class. – Investigating several options – Seems do-able.

26. Take a private yoga class. – Currently scheduling. – Seems do-able.

27. Actually make something I’ve pinned on Pinterest.  11/27/11 – post

28. Go to the ballet. – Investigating several options. – Seems do-able.

29. Have a family portrait taken. – Scheduling now. Seems do-able. Or as much as a very active toddler will allow.

30. Watch a movie outside in the backyard. – Too cold. Maybe next spring or summer.

31. Take Ruby on a hike. Babies are ridiculous. They really just want you to carry them. — July  2012

32. Help a friend start a blog. – I’m going to have to go retro on this one. See comments below.

33. Build an outdoor shower. – Consider it moved to the Life List.

34. Make a wall of bookshelves in the dining room. — November 2012 – now to just make them pretty….

35. Redesign the entryway and make it pretty and useful. — In progress.

36. Start a mom/play group in Midtown. — I’m not sure I need this any more. I think I’ve found my peeps one at a time.

37. Teach a class at my gym. — No more gym….

38. Organize the pantry. And I didn’t even take pictures. Just know, one of the best things I ever did. — September 2012

39. Get rid of all the shoes I don’t wear because they are uncomfortable. — April 2012

40. Take a nap in a hammock. — What!?!? How did this not happen this past summer? Oh, I have a toddler. Moving to the Life List now.

41. Host a baby shower. — July 2012

42. Take a photo every day {for a month}. REVISED 1/8/12. I’m thinking February.

43. Make the Book of Me into a book. – Hmmmmm…..

Do you have a birthday/life list? Do you want some company on your adventures? Leave me a note in the comments.

As part of my 43 Before 43, I’m reading 43 books.

If we’ve spoken in the last three months, I’ve probably told you to read this book. It it so interesting! I simply couldn’t put it down.

Let me start with what I really liked about the book:

• The title. Sometimes I can’t stop talking even though I want to. It’s so hard to be quiet when it’s our cultural default to fill up space.
• The introvert quiz. I liked figuring out where I fit on the spectrum.
• It made me think about students in my class and how some simply will work better in quiet, with more time and less interaction.
• It also helped me understand my serious introvert friends’ need for alone time better.
• I loved reading about all the super smartypants introverts – amazingly creative beings!

What did I not like?

As lame as it sounds, I couldn’t find anything I didn’t love about this book.

The all important question – would I want to be friends with the author?

Absolutely. We could sit next to each other and read. And then talk about books and then be quiet again. Can someone set us up on a friend date?

Should you read Quiet?

Yes!

But first, want to know if you are an introvert? Take this quiz to find out. Even if it turns out you aren’t, you may sit beside one at work, or be married to one or maybe have given birth to one.

I took the quiz and found out I’m an ambivert {someone who is in the middle of intro and extrovert}. I do have introvert leanings. I chalk it up to my quiet yoga practice. I’m sure this will surprise many, especially those that don’t know me well. I am a nervous talker which I think translates to extrovert.

Not only do I highly recommend reading Quiet, please take 20 minutes and watch the author’s TED talk.

Have you read Quiet? What did you think?

A way to capture the spirit of each week…

{image source — photo credit: we heart it }

tasting :: pumpkin bread, sprouted bagel with goat cheese, minestrone soup, roasted butternut squash/pancetta/pea risotto, vegan chili in the slow cooker.

hearing ::  birds in the trees on morning walks and ruby yell “love ya!”

smelling :: vegan chocolate chip cookie bars baking.

seeing :: my reading pile shrink by the day. so many good books!

feeling :: better, but still with occasional deep sads. been going on for weeks and i’m just now starting to feel better.

wishing/hoping :: i feel better soon. i’ve got to make sure i take care of myself.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!