life

No Bueno

6 December 2011 / christmas, friends, life, pictures, sick, to do, universe are you listening?, wtf

I’m not doing so well today. I am worn down, exhausted, and have zero motivation to do a dang thing. Mercury is in retrograde and OH WOW is it showing.

1. Web browsers are acting weird. Google Chrome is acting weird with my WordPress dashboard, so I have to use Firefox to add posts. I also need Firefox to work on the newsletter for Moksha because Namaste Light does not play nicely with Chrome these days. However, Firefox is SLOW once it gets going and it really lags on my system. Plus, it doesn’t always play nice with LiveJournal. So now I get to bounce back and forth until one of them gets their act together.

2. Monthly newsletter went out and there were some hiccups AGAIN. I asked them if they wanted me to step down and she said no, that I’m doing a great job, and it was just one of those things. I’m doing a good enough job on everything else that they’re still going to trust me with January 2012. So, I will DO DAMN BETTER. I promise.

3. I ran MacKeeper to get rid of duplicate files, but it decided that many different original files were the same, so it tried to delete all those as well. I caught them, but now it’s a disorganized mess. Fortunately, I have backups of most of the organized folders, so I can just overwrite the messed up ones.

4. My iPod crashed. It crashed and deleted all of my music and playlists. I manually sync because I don’t have the same things on my iPod that I do on my computer. Saturday evening, a Tori Amos song kept erring out, and I think that’s what did it. iPod corrupted. Hours of hard work, selecting and sequencing those playlists by hand… gone. *sigh* The Christmas 2011 mix was the best mix I’d ever made, too. And the yoga practice mix? That was freaking hard to put together and now I have to do it again. But first, I have to get the thing to mount. And also to stop crashing and locking the library. Time to restore all systems, I suppose.

5. Computer battery needs to be serviced. Which likely means replaced. Which means bye bye $130.

On top of Mercury’s retrograde screwing with all my technology (and giving me an inexplicable urge to buy an iPad when I don’t need one at all), I’ve just been feeling like a poop log lately. Worn down, nauseated, and just generally tired. And my ear is hurting again. I have so much I need to do and no motivation to do it. This weekend, I was hit with a double whammy headache, one of them being a migraine that was extremely painful. Little appetite, just not feeling myself. I don’t like it. Oh, and the tip of my tongue has been burning the past few days. Feels like I burnt it with food or bit it a million times, but instead of getting better and going away, it’s getting worse.

I NEED TO GET BETTER!

Just to give you an idea of how worn out I’ve been:

1. I turned down a trip to Target. Adam knows that if I say “no” to a Target run then something’s seriously wrong.

2. I haven’t watched one Christmas program/DVD/movie. Not even A CHRISTMAS STORY. I adore A CHRISTMAS STORY. What is happening?

3. The apartment’s not completely decorated for Christmas. Honestly, Adam and I put the tree up Friday, I decorated it, then I was done. I haven’t made any effort to do anything else since. THIS IS NOT LIKE ME.

To add insult to injury? My new(ish) awesome glasses? They have a chip in the lens. I dropped a plate the other day and thought it had avoided the glasses, but I guess not. So it’s back to the ugly cheap frames for me until I can get them repaired or either get a new pair. I mean, I can *somewhat* ignore the chip, but I don’t know if other people can. Suck.

I have so much to do (in no particular order, it just all needs to be done on or before December 15):

01. Christmas newsletter
02. Christmas cards
03. reestablish iPod
04. finish decorating apartment
05. major litter box cleaning
06. organize closet and clothing
07. wrap presents
08. clean living room (this may as well be a permanent on the list)
09. plan Christmas menu
10. make Christmas food shopping list
11. return library books
12. finish Christmas shopping
13. buy cat food
14. laundry
15. two newsletters for Moksha
16. use Body Shop Groupon
17. send packages

Yea, whatever is bugging me needs to GET TO STEPPIN’. I ain’t got time for this mess.

As much as I love iProcrastinate, I didn’t like that it didn’t give me reminders of when things were due. So I decided to use Producteev. It has a reminder function. Except… it doesn’t seem to be working. I should add that to the list of things screwed up by Mercury’s retrograde. *sigh* Or maybe the software just sucks.

So now I’m on the hunt for another To Do program. I might have to break down and PAY FOR ONE. *gulp* I mean, what’s the point of having a productivity program if all it does it make me panic because it doesn’t tell me when stuff’s coming up, just when it’s due RIGHT NOW?

In spite of all this bleh, I had a good time Saturday night. I hung out with a bunch of former coworkers from Schawk. It was so good to see them all again. One can be glad to escape the craziness of the workplace, but the people will always tug at me.

Brad, JT, Hayley, me, Tyrone, Duane

I’m a homebody. I don’t go out a lot. It’s nice to get out sometimes, though. Although I think Saturday night might have done me in. Maybe I’m still recovering from that.

Also, did I mention that my birthday is in 14 days? No? Well, now you know.

Anyway, I’m off for now. Time for more resting so I can get better once and for all. I WILL get better. Hear that, Universe? I WILL get better within the next 12 hours.

Please send me lots of good vibes for many various things, OK? 🙂

Till next time….

13 Comments

[Insert Clever Title Here]

18 November 2011 / life, pictures, Uncategorized, yoga

I hadn’t planned on blogging today, but I’m sitting here and decided why the heck not? What else is there to do?

Oh yeah. CLEAN THE LIVING ROOM. Again. Because Adam and I clearly cannot keep this place clean for more than a couple weeks at a time. BUT. I will leave that until Sunday because Sunday is already going to be a super duper cleantastic day. Aidan will be here IN FOUR DAYS and his room is still a fall down mess. Sunday is do or die, man.

This is what I’ve been up to since Monday.

Two yoga classes. Tuesday’s class was more challenging because I hadn’t eaten anything before class (I woke up 12 minutes before class was to start! Good thing I live very close to my studio), and also because she had us do this pose I HATE, when you’re in plank but you pull your leg in toward your elbow and basically just hold it. Until I get stronger, I will hate that pose. Hate. Ironically, doing that pose will make me stronger. So guess what I get to do when I am done posting this?

Because quite frankly, I used to not be a big fan of Chaturanga Dandasana (think about being stuck halfway in a pushup) or Trikonasana (triangle) but I like them now because I am stronger. Although I almost changed my mind about triangle on Tuesday. Mia (my teacher) kept coming over and adjusting me, so I thought that I’d been doing it wrong. But then she said that she was picking on me; that I looked great but she wanted to push me to the next level. 😀

Finished my bathroom makeover. I actually didn’t realize I was making over the bathroom, but I did. New shower curtain liner, new hooks (instead of those annoying rings), new rug, and new trash can. It looks pretty spiffy in there!

More Christmas shopping. Yup. Amazon.com, Big Lots, Anderson’s Bookshop, Disney Store, and Meijer, I salute you for your fine selections. AND I got to visit my favorite hippie shop as well. Lots of new incense to try! Oh, and I finally got a plush tree skirt. I’d been wanting one for years, but they’re always too expensive. NOT IF YOU GO TO BIG LOTS. I got one for $10. I mean, it might fall apart after a couple years, but still. I have a plush tree skirt!!

Read two new books. One was called Giving Up the V. The book was OK and everything (the first chapter rocked my socks off, for realz, yo), but I could not get past the HUGE continuity errors in one of the chapters. The errors were within pages of each other, so it was a big miss. I know books go out with typos all the time–there’s just too much to catch and not enough time to catch it all. But these errors were BAD.

Visited the library. Checked out ten books. Think I can have them all read by December 7? I’ve already finished two and I’ve already dug into the third.

I’m really glad I look young. (I knew I’d be happy about that someday!) When I visit the teen space at the library, I don’t get a lot of crazy looks because I like YA novels. I still hate that the books are locked down at this particular library but they get the newest ones the fastest and they have the biggest selection in the city, I believe.

Attended the 90 Second Newbury Film Festival. This would have been easier to sit through if the person behind me had washed sometime in the past week. Strong sense of smell + a stranger’s B.O. = very unhappy Ronni.

Got my coat! It’s 80% down and so pretty! YAY!

Saw my friend Jen. I have a few friends named Jen. This particular Jen, I hadn’t seen in probably a year if not more. It’s a shame. We all live in this city, but busy schedules and traffic and long commutes make it hard for my friends and me to get together. Sad.

Officially broke out the Christmas music! Oh yeah, baby! And it was Adam’s idea! Considering he views Christmas with a *very* cynical eye (which kinda breaks my heart b/c Christmas is my favorite, man), I was really shocked. We listened to it in the car on the way to hit the ‘burbs for shopping today. I was happy. I don’t think he was.

Wondered why the fresh hell my neighbor wants to blast music with a lot of fast, angry sounding guitars at 9:00am. I understand it’s his “getting ready” music, but does it have to play over my head when I’m trying to sleep in? At least it only plays for 15 minutes or so. I should probably be getting out of bed then anyway, regardless of if I stayed up til 2am or later (which I most likely did).

Wondered what to do about my cat’s halitosis. I already got a solution to his stinky fur, and that was dump baking soda on him while he was sleeping and rub it in (pretending to pet him). So his body doesn’t stink, but his breath is kickin’. And seeing as he washes his body with that breath, it’s a matter of time before he stinks again. And I can always tell when he’s bathing because I can smell it.

He’s such a handsome bugger, too. He doesn’t look like he should stink so much, does he?

Smelly cat, smelly cat, what are they feeding you?
Smelly cat, smelly cat, it’s not your fault.

Started putting together my own yoga practice. I know right? What, you thought I was doing that all along? Pshaw. I should have been doing it all along–but I always liked guided practices with a teacher and sage and adjustments. Or a DVD at the very least. Heck, even a YouTube video–something to help a sister out. But now I finally feel comfortable enough to put together my own practice! And Suzanne Sterling’s music (along with some other lovely musicians) will help me do so. Now If I could just get the cat to stop sitting under me when I’m in Adho Mukha Svanasana (that’s downward facing dog for you non yoginis)….

So there you have it. A quick recap. It looks like I haven’t done all that much, but IT FEELS LIKE IT.

This weekend, well, you already know one of the things that needs to get done.

Clean Aidan’s room. God help us all.

Clean the living room. Cause, as I said, Adam and I can’t keep it straight for anything. And I want it to look nice. At least for a few hours. Or minutes. Whatever.

Christmas shopping. We’re celebrating “Thanksmas” with Adam’s family next Friday. Thanksmas is a combination of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adam’s mom does that when we can ALL be there for Thanksgiving, which isn’t often (plus Aidan will be with us–a first–and my first time having/seeing Aidan on Thanksgiving in five years) and we need to finish shopping for them STAT. Got most of it done today, will finish up tomorrow. YAY shopping. Maybe I’ll try to finish all my shopping tomorrow. And anything extra I get for people? That’ll just be extras/stocking stuffers. Yay.
I know what you’re thinking. Stop that laughing!

My iProcrastinate also tells me that I need to make my Christmas 2011 playlist (I listened to my 2010 playlist today), use two of my Groupons, and submit a time sheet by Sunday. Let’s see how many of those things get done. :p

Have a good weekend!

Linking up with:

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Night Owl In Full Effect, Yo

12 November 2011 / life, ronni, to do

source

I think I’ve managed to completely screw up my sleep schedule. Just to give you an example, this is what I did yesterday/today.

Yesterday, I woke up at 7am, and stayed up and read til about 8:30 or 9am. Went back to sleep until 11:25am. Got up and went to yoga. A NICE long yoga class. Came home and stayed up til about 6pm. Read, then crashed at some point. Woke up at about 11pm. Stayed up til after 5am. Got out of bed today at about… 1pm.

Y’ALL.
THAT IS MESSED UP.

(You know what else is messed up? I forgot to make a wish for 11.11.11. How lame is that?)

I *like* to get up around 10am at the latest. My husband wakes up at 6am or something crazy like that every day. So by the time I think about rolling out of bed, he’s been up for four hours already. It makes me feel bad.

Although it shouldn’t, because I am up really late at night so it’s not like I’m sleeping ALL THE TIME. I’ve been this way since high school, always preferring the late night to the bustling day. It’s so quiet, and I’ve lately been appreciating quiet very much.

In the Sing Yourself Awake! workshop, Suzanne Sterling talked about how yoga makes us more sensitive–so sensitive that we can’t tolerate certain things anymore. It’s true. I can’t stand to watch (or hear) movies/TV shows with violence, yelling, or lots of anger. (I used to love The Boondock Saints–I wonder how I’d react to it now.) I don’t like bars. In fact, I hate bars. Loud music or a TV show (that I didn’t choose) is like an assault on my soul and it gets me completely tense and stressed out.

So, to counteract that, I should be making noise of my own. Except as adults, we’re kinda taught that making noises is… weird. I mean, I get anxious when I’m out shopping because I don’t want to be bothered with all the other people (seems like no matter what I want to look at, a million other people want to look at it too even though no one had been there until I got there, but I’m sure as hell not going to squat down and make a first chakra noise to calm myself while I’m in the grocery store or the toy aisle at Target or avoiding being run over by a double wide stroller in the North Avenue Whole Foods.

(Seriously, what is wrong with the customers in that store? It’s really scary in there.)

I thought about getting up really early and heading downtown to do some shopping. Then I remembered that it’s Saturday and that I didn’t want to deal with crowds. I considered cleaning the fridge–then I remembered that we need more trash bags and Adam has the car, so I can’t go get any. I mean, I *could* but that would mean hitting CVS and seriously overpaying. Nope! Thank you! That leaves Aidan’s room. I really don’t want to tackle Aidan’s room. Aidan destroys it when he is here, and when he is gone, Adam finishes the job. But we need to handle it soon because Aidan will be here in ten days!! I told Adam to tackle the high level stuff, and that I’d handle all the little details he misses; the things that make the room look nice and smell nice and like a room instead of The Temple of Doom. BUT, with Christmas coming up, I want to make sure I have easy access to the decorations and things. So I WILL have to do a bit of heavy lifting so that stuff won’t get buried, buried, buried.

It’s a very delicate operation. And I have to try not to hurt myself in the process. Still, I think I WILL brace myself and head into Aidan’s room and see what I can do. Wish me luck!

Believe me, I’ll need it.

12 Comments

I Sang Myself Awake! (Pictures)

7 November 2011 / life, living in chicago, pictures, ronni, weekend, yoga

About 18 months ago, I decided to visit the website of yoga master teacher Seane Corn[1. I got the chance to study with Seane Corn in October of 2010. I only took one class that particular weekend, but when she comes back next year, I plan to take the entire workshop, even the hard class! I mean, there is always child’s pose if it gets to be too much–but maybe by then it won’t be!]. I normally don’t like it when a site plays music (I’m usually listening to music on my own and the interruption is jarring!), but the song playing in the background was beautiful. I had to find out who it was and where to get it!

In the bottom right corner of Seane’s website, there is a link that says Music by Suzanne Sterling. The song was called Om Mane Padme Hum. I couldn’t buy the exact version she was singing on the site[2. I later found out why, and it has to do with rights and all sorts of legalese, but Suzanne told me that she has the rights again and that I’ll be able to purchase it next year! YAY!], but I found another version and immediately purchased and downloaded it. Om Mane Padme Hum. The first time I ever sang this chant with was that mp3 that I purchased from emusic.com so many months ago. With Suzanne Sterling.

This past weekend, I got to attend a workshop led by Suzanne Sterling! It was called Sing Yourself Awake! and it was life changing. I haven’t sang so much in… ever.

Me and Suzanne

Suzanne taught in three sessions, each one comprised of a lecture, movement and singing, and a yoga practice that incorporated sound.

Here are some of the key points I took away from her workshop:

– The natural order of things is harmony.
– Every living thing vibrates, and those vibrations all give off sound (that we may or may not be able to hear). Those sounds impact us and can cause stress.
– We can use sound and singing to reduce stress and to release energy that is stuck.
– Every sound we make, every sound that has been made, is all out there in the universe. It will be out there forever.

Whoa.

Sit back and think about that for a minute. Pretty intense, huh?

It’s out there, and always will be.

Really makes me think twice about the things I say out loud, and what effect it’s having on the environment and living things around me.

source

Ever since I started my yoga journey, I’ve noticed that I’m a bit more outspoken, I don’t hold back if something’s endangering me, my way of life, my family, or my friends. I used to be that girl who kept quiet so as not to stir up trouble (well, most of the time), but not anymore. But I’m still inhibited. This workshop is still working, bringing out more of that inner me, the one that hid to keep people from disliking her or being mad at her. ‘Cause you know what? Just because someone told me, when I was 13, that I shouldn’t be in choir or chorus because I couldn’t sing doesn’t mean it’s true. I’m not Beyonce or anything, but I have a voice, an instrument, and I can use it to keep me healthy. I can shut that inner critic (and those old voices) up enough to belt out songs even when I find myself faltering because holy crap I was sitting right next to Suzanne Sterling and singing with her. I’m no longer hiding to please someone else. (You keep compromising yourself–it’ll never be enough for those asking it of you. And then when there is nothing left of you, they typically leave you behind. Sad.) Will I be trying out for American Idol anytime soon? Heck to the no. But I’m not afraid to belt it out, at least, when I’m home alone and there is a cat purring on my lap. And thanks to this workshop, I know how to belt it out safely.

I also got to learn a lot about an organization called Off The Mat and Into The World (OTM for short). Suzanne Sterling and Seane Corn are co-creators. The yoga community going into the world and doing good. It’s grassroots, it’s inspiring, it’s change. My yoga studio, Moksha Yoga, is having a November special. If you purchase a class package, 10% of the proceeds goes to Off The Mat, Into The World. I won’t be purchasing a package because I get free yoga in exchange for the work I do for them[3. If you go to the site and sign up for the newsletter, you can get my handiwork delivered right to your email inbox!]. I want to get involved with this organization and I’m trying to figure out a way to do so that’s more than just sending a donation.

I’ve been thinking about how yoga is so much more than doing poses and bending yourself into crazy shapes. It’s a lot more than just getting into shape and it’s definitely a lot more than stretching. There is so much to learn and I’m ready to do more. Is it something as simple as stepping up practice to four or five days a week instead of two or three? Am I ready to move on to a higher level class (1-3 or 2-3, rather than the 1-2 level that I feel so safe in?) What about teacher training? Hmm. Something else to meditate about.

I’m not really sure where I meant to go with this entry. Have you ever had an experience that hit you so hard, but you just can’t put into words how much it impacted you? That’s how I’m feeling right now. I just don’t know the right words to say to fairly describe how incredible this past weekend was.

I do know this, though. Three times during the workshop, I got to sing Om Mane Padme Hum with the actual Suzanne Sterling. How awesome is that? 🙂

What yoga has done in my life has been nothing short of incredible. I’m excited about what’s next.

.:Love:.

Wheel/Upward Facing Bow Pose: Urdhva Dhanurasana

4 Comments

An Up and Down Kind of Day

31 October 2011 / adam, life, ronni

Today was kind of a poopy day. I woke up in an OK mood, but then the people on the radio stopped talking about funny stuff and started playing their procession of really stupid songs.

I used to LOVE pop music. It was fun to dance to, easy to sing along with, and just generally bouncy happy fun for my ears. Now, it’s all these alarms blaring and people talking about what they’re going to do to someone that night and people getting drunk and having kinky sex on a Friday night and well… people can do what they want, I just don’t want to hear about it first thing in the morning. Or ever. And that stupid song about some chick wanting someone to take control and that screechy alarm noise GETS STUCK IN MY HEAD ALL DAY and nothing I do, not even HOURS of listening to other songs, takes it away. So, I think that I might be done with B96 in the mornings because they play that song to death and it really offends my ears.

I used to listen to Tom Joyner, but they took him off the air and replaced him with Steve Harvey. I haven’t bothered to see if they’ve rectified that yet. I also used to listen to another station that was just shenanigans in the morning. I LOVE radio station shenanigans. But then they replaced the one DJ I liked, got rid of another, and the new guy just sucks and all he does is say teasers instead of getting to the shenanigans. So there was that. Oldies don’t wake me up, talk radio is OK, but once it gets good, I have to leave. So, I don’t know. I miss 97.9 WNCI in Columbus.

So anyway, that song put me in a FOUL mood. Then Adam came home and was pacing, and I rarely snap at him about it, but this morning, I was just like “Adam, sit down.” We headed out so he could take me to work (I’m temping at an educational publishers for a few days–LOVING it, by the way), and I didn’t like the music he was playing. He asked if I wanted to put on the radio and well, I’d been burned by THEM already so I was like “No, they’re playing crap.” Then he was like “Are you OK?”

I told him I was cranky. So he bought breakfast at McDonald’s and they gave us an extra hash brown! Then I got to work. The licorice scent of the building calmed me instantly, and my work day was pleasant enough. I get paid to sit and learn World History, basically, and let me tell you, it was NOT this interesting when I was in 9th grade.

Heard from more than one person that they heard my husband on NPR this morning because he is JUST THAT AWESOME. That was cool. Then I found out that I’d screwed up some stuff in the lastest monthly newsletter that went out from the yoga studio–most unhappy about that. It was stuff that we’d never think to check because it never screws up, but this time, something funky happened all around and well, just crap, really.

Coming home was OK. Traffic, but not unbearable. I was exhausted, but whatever. McDonald’s for dinner because well, it was that sort of day. Free cookies–they were giving them out for Halloween. Came home, ate dinner, went to the corner grocer and paid way too much for two Whatchamacallit bars, but I really don’t care. Found out Crookshanks had not only pooped on the floor (again) but he’d also peed on the bed. Guess whose side?

Adam took care of the laundry and everything, then HE was off to work. I went to work on my website. Messed with code and made it all pretty. Then BAM. Suddenly, it was NOT working at all. You don’t even want to know what it was doing. I tried deleting and re-adding the theme. I tried a new theme. An old theme. Most of them were causing the same problem. I finally figured it out, and I am breathing a big sigh of relief.

One of these days I’m going to try to make a custom theme again. I used to do it all the time. I just have no idea how to code it for Word Press…but you know, that’s what Google’s for.

Now, Crookshanks is wailing. Just want I need to hear to rock me right to sleep right? Sike. It’s going to be all about the White Noise app tonight. Now if I can just get that STUPID SONG out of my head.

Night, y’all.

After I have something to eat first, though.

6 Comments