2010.02.02

• Colorful children running, playing, laughing.
• Today I indulged in a nice session of pampering: a hair mask, a face mask (with the leftovers used in hands and elbows), and waxing. I feel refreshened and exhilaratingly reconnected with myself :)
• Dancing. I had the house to myself, and cranked the music up and danced. It felt so liberating!

See more progress on: enjoy life

Week #3: Do calisthenics daily

I’ve been doing some calisthenics combined with some stretching. I’m adding this goal to my life list.

Weight: 182
Pounds: 0

See more progress on: lose 43 pounds in 43 weeks

Checking in: Week 3 - Recovering a Sense of Power

Morning Pages
Did the seven of them. They’ve become more like journal pages with not much introspection. It could be because I’m not writing them immediately after waking up. I should make an effort so they don’t become “afternoon” pages.

Artist Date
I took a long walk up the pyramid up to the church on top of it. I went around the atrium to contemplate the view of the big city of Puebla and, to the other side, Cholula with the volcanoes as a backdrop. I also went inside the church because, although I have photographed it plenty from the outside, I had never been inside. I found it follows the architecture and fashion of other churches nearby. There’s an appeal to see cities from above and the landscape in the distance. It gives you a feeling of wholeness, of belonging.

Synchronicity
I’m awed by all the synchronicity around me. I feel that I have moved, than I’m making things happen, and the responsive universe might actually be acting and reacting.

Other Issues
I have begun to be more constant in drawing; just for a 15-20 minutes a day, I’m doing one or two practice drawings, but at least it’s getting my hand “un-rusty”.
I’m a bit behind tasks. I’m missing one from wk 1, one from wk 2, and 5 from this wk. I intend to catch up in the next week or two.

Some quotes taken from the author Julia Cameron

• “Anger is meant to be listened to [...] to be acted upon. It is not meant to be acted out.”
• “[Answered prayers] imply responsibility.[...] We call it coincidence. We call it luck. We call it anything but what it is —the hand of God, or good, activated by our own hand when we act in behalf of our truest dreams, when we commit to our own soul.”
• “We’re much more afraid that there might be a God than we are that there might not be. [...] Most of us are a lot more comfortable feeling we’re not being watched too closely.”
• “Possibility is far more frightening than impossibility.”
• “Life is what we make of it.”
• “[...] the possibility of an intelligent and responsive universe, acting and reacting in our interests.”
• “The what must come before the how.”
• “It is difficult to avoid walking through the many doors that will open.”
• “[Art] illuminates us. [...] It brings healing.”
• “We must learn when criticism is appropriate and from whom [...] timing is very important here.”
• “As artists, we must learn to create our own safe environments.”
• “If you do one nice thing a day for yourself, God will do two more.”

See more progress on: Complete "The Artist's Way"

Jan boot camp grade=59

It’s been a loooong time since I’ve got a grade, but I thought it appropriate to grade myself here to measure my success: I accomplished 59% which could be translated to “Fail”, but, like ExGratia affirms, 59 is a lot better than zero, so that already is a success.

Observing my graph, I can see where I can make improvements, and today I “made up” by having a 2-hour pampering session plus a dancing session!! Ah! I feel so good today and very motivated.

I believe that the biggest success of this January Boot Camp is that it has gotten me going; I’ve gained momentum that is pushing me forward. So on to Feb’s boot camp.

I want to thank ExGratia for setting up these goals and for everyone who has joined. With a little or great amount of input, we have created a fabulous synergy that I’m sure will continue on :)

See more progress on: January Boot Camp - 10 new successes

2010.02.01

• Nice weather and breathtaking sunsets
• I walked Uma at an earlier hour than usual to avoid the ever-present firecrackers. Except for two or three, the walk was almost uneventful. It must’ve been their nap time.
• The design for the menus I’m working on is pleasing my client; I’m also satisfied with how they’re coming about.

See more progress on: enjoy life

A bit-belated birthday wish

I hope you had a totally rad birthday with many photo opportunities, but especially with lots of hugs and doggie kisses :)

See more progress on: On January 30, wish Mrsrad a totally rad, happy at home birthday, complete with hugs, puppy dog kisses, and tons of photo opportunities!

Chocolate street vendor

Last week, coming down from the pyramid, I spotted a street vendor who sold chocolate in tablets (pictured in the basket). She gave me a tiny bit to try, and I bought a pack to bring home.

My dad made some hot chocolate a couple days later, and he says it’s the best chocolate he has ever had. That is quite the compliment, since Oaxacan chocolate is even more famous than Pueblan.

Today I saw the woman again, and she told me that she makes the chocolate herself :) Could buying locally get any better?

See more progress on: buy locally

Entry #24: Last week

I maintained my success percentage from last week; no improvement :/

See more progress on: January Boot Camp - 10 new successes