Random McRandomness

Lilacs
there are lilacs!!!!

I had a good weekend. I spent Friday relaxing and reading. It looks so pretty outside, but it’s still so cold. I don’t know about you, but 50F in January feels a lot warmer than 50F in April, and the temps have barely been making it out of the 50s these days. I know this is typical here, and I know I whine about this every year, but the fact is that I am so ready for it to be warm that it’s not even funny. Oh well. At any rate, I didn’t go anywhere Friday because I just wanted to stay inside where it was warm and dry and full of cuddly cats.

It’s not fair that it looks like this outside:

Around The Neighborhood

…but feels like this:

Wicker Park

(At least the lilacs are out, right? They smell so good, you guys! I love lilacs!)

Anyway.

Speaking of cats. Helena is back to peeing in bad places again.

It had been years since she’s done that (although I’m just suspecting that maybe she’s been doing it all along and I’ve been mistakenly blaming Crookshanks, who is more apt to poop in a naughty place rather than pee, but he has a history of that as well), but it started again when I bought a bath mat for the tub. You see, our tub has gotten slippery over the years and I didn’t like feeling like I was going to slip when I went for a shower. So I got a bath mat from TJ Maxx which was probably my first mistake because it had a nasty skunky rubbery scent to it. But it was comfy and kept me from slipping! Then, Helena started peeing on it. We got rid of the mat and she just kept peeing in the tub. Now, as far as a cat peeing somewhere naughty, the tub isn’t the worst place, right? I even joked that it was time to start toilet training her. She had the room right, you know?

But then it got worse. Adam got a new couch, identical to the one we had before. (Don’t ask what happened to the other one. It’s a long sordid story best left in the past.) Not the most comfortable couch ever, but it does the job. Except I started noticing a pee smell from the slipcover. Adam would wash it, and then it would appear again, this time in a different spot. We removed the slipcover, and Adam put a table cloth over the couch. The table cloth looks and feels like fabric, but it does not absorb liquid. If a cat pees on it, the pee gets on his/her foot, thus theoretically discouraging further elimination on the couch. HAH. HA HA HA HA!! See, I wasn’t completely convinced it wasn’t Crookshanks because as I said, he has a pretty checkered history, that one. THEN Adam actually CAUGHT Helena in the act.

Seriously? Seriously? WTF Helena. She’d been so good all these years! (Or maybe not, now that I think of it.) We have THREE litter boxes for those brats. I’m tired of cleaning up after cats who can’t/won’t eliminate in the proper places. Hmph. Maybe I’ll just start peeing anywhere *I* feel like it. How would you like that, huh?

Cats are the gifts that keep on giving. IN THE ANNOYANCE DEPARTMENT. Why does this happen whenever I practice yoga at home??

Every Damn Time!
every damn time!

Hmph. Well I’ll just keep lowering from chatarunga (which is hard enough as it is!) on to him every day and see if that changes his tune.

They’re lucky they’re cute and cuddly and so darn loveable.

Yesterday, I went to bookstore because although I have a couple of eBook copies of The Secret Garden, I really wanted a hard copy. I found a paperback that wasn’t too expensive, and a copy of the Bhagavad Gita that was also very nicely priced. πŸ™‚ Yesterday evening, I watched Juno and Mean Girls, played some games, and read The Secret Garden–the hard copy. I PARTY HARD, Y’ALL.

So, randomly. I LOVE getting packages. And sometimes that means I go shopping online just so I can have packages arrive for me. Today, I finally used some of the $35 I had in Amazon credits to get a copy of The Secret Garden/A Little Princess DVD combo pack, a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s baby mild soap, and the black and white Skull Shores Frankie Stein Monster High doll. So excited! I used to collect all the Monster High dolls, but now it’s just out of control. There are too many. I decided to focus only on Frankie Stein because she’s just awesome.

Frankie Stein
This pic is outdated. I’ve gotten at least one new one since.
I wish I was more creative with posing them. Some people are great at it.

Once I get this particular doll, my collection will be complete, at least until they come out with a new Frankie Stein. Then my sights will be set on the Katniss Barbie. WHO IS AWESOME.

Today I read and read and read. Then I headed out for a hatha yoga class. The class was fantastic, even though we had to do that blasted utthita parsvakonasana which I hate! (There are some poses which make me all verklempt when I have to do them, this is one of them. I should make a post about that someday.) Anyway, I was rewarded with a lot of wonderful forward folds and deep twists, and you guys know how I feel about forward folds, right? The teacher would say something like: “When you’re ready, come out of the pose” and I’d be thinking “But I’m not ready to come out of this fold!” But I’d come out because well, I didn’t want to be stuck behind everyone else in the class, right?

So, Sunday is winding down and another week begins. Here’s what’s on my plate:

· yoga classes
· yoga teacher training
· yoga teacher training lecture
· yoga teaching practice
· library
· urban priestess workshop
· master teacher roundtable
· reading
· homework
· farmville (shut up, it’s fun and relaxing)
· life

What about you?

4 Comments

Stay With The Feelings

**If you’re visiting from the Ultimate Blog Party, see my introductory post here!**


Streams...

Earlier this evening, I stumbled across something that irritated me in a big way. Without going into detail, I can tell you that I was wishing, even while I was experiencing the emotions and venting to a few people, that it didn’t affect me like it did. And I kept going for that and going for that, trying to flush the feelings out.

You see, I don’t like to stay with certain feelings. Feelings like depression? I can get with. I’m comfortable there. But anger? Nope! I’m not comfortable with anger and I always feel guilty when I experience it. Anger is violent and out of anger arises the desire to harm. Harming isn’t necessarily physical. It can be in mind and speech and well, and let me tell you, it definitely was there in my mind and speech. I didn’t like it so I worked to get rid of it. But then I realized that I needed to experience the anger before I could let it go.

I dug through some of my notes from teacher training (because this was echoing in me, like deja vu) and sure enough, one of the Sutras is Ahimsa: Non-Violence. I am trying to practice non-violence in my life. The way I acted, although I didn’t go out and beat the crap out of someone, was violent regardless. I gave into the anger and let it drive me to say and think harmful things. And those thoughts echoed in me, making me feel uncomfortable and icky. And yet, I know that if I’d have tried to tamp it down, it would have popped up another way, another day.

So where do I find that balance?

I have to practice compassion and love for myself. I can’t do anything about the thing that annoyed me this evening. The situation is out of my control and frankly, not worth my time. But I can learn from the way I reacted to it, and also NOT punish myself for reacting as I did. But going forward, I know better. I need to learn how to experience emotions like anger without letting them drive me to act in ways that are hurtful. It’s not the emotions themselves that are bad. But giving in to the desire to hurt as much as I feel that I’ve been hurt? Nothing good ever comes from that.

‘Til next time.

8 Comments

It’s Party Time!!

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

YAY! This is my first year participating in the Ultimate Blog Party at 5 Minutes For Mom. Cool.

If you’ve popped by from the party, WELCOME! πŸ™‚

I’m Ronni.

Photo on 04-13-2012 at 11.48 a.m.

I’m a 30-something mom living in Chicago. I’m a freelance copy editor, a big reader, and a wannabe author. I’m currently in training to be a certified yoga teacher, and my favorite colors are purple and pink.

This is Adam, my husband.

My Yummy Husband

He’s a ghost tour guide, an author, and all around smart ass.

This is Aidan.

Aidan and Crookshanks

He’s nine years old and most definitely the BEST kid in the world. Smart, resourceful, creative, kind, and funny. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be famous one day.

We are a happy family. And we love going to Disney World.

It's Us!

We have three cats: Helena, Crookshanks, and Fi.

Beautiful Helena

Crookshanks

Fi

Adam and I live in Chicago all year, and Aidan lives with us 1/3 of the year. (He spends the rest of the time with his dad in Ohio.)

Down the Block

Life is good. πŸ™‚

It’s nice to meet you. Sit back, relax, and stay a while. I hope you subscribe and come back again. In the meantime, let me know you stopped by!

Happy Friday! πŸ™‚

30 Comments

Two Good Days

Random Tuesday Night

This week is already awesome. I mean, Aidan is here so how can it be bad anyway, right? πŸ˜€

Yesterday started off with a great phone call from a client, then a trip out to Oakbrook for some shopping. Aidan tried out the really fancy $3000 massage chair that has zero gravity, scans your body to properly determine the massage, and it is AWESOME. Aidan asked why the Easter Bunny didn’t bring him one of THOSE.

Aidan Trying Out The Fancy Massage Chair at Brookstone

I’m pretty sure that Brookstone is the real life version of SkyMall.

We also had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory where Adam managed to find something that was kosher enough for Passover. I had chicken romano, like I always get, and my favorite dessert, the lemoncello.

Yum!!!!

Frankly, Cheesecake Factory isn’t my favorite place to eat. The portions are way too large, even the lunch sized ones. But that dessert. Gah gah gah.

Yoga teacher training was good today. I was kind of dreading it because as you know, I’ve been feeling really tired and listless. But it was good! I got my front seat again, and I got to teach with my favorite partner again. Today we did a lot of standing forward folds, including my favorite, Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Fold). Y’all. I think this is my favorite standing pose EVER. Even more than Warrior I or II, and DEFINITELY more than Side Angle or Triangle.


Source: yogajournal.com via Ronni on Pinterest

Doesn’t it look heavenly? I can’t get my head all the way to the floor. I have to use a block. But if I keep practicing, one day my head WILL touch the floor. Touching your head to the floor drains all the worries and stress out of you and gives it to the earth. It’s true. I feel a hundred pounds lighter when I come out of the pose. Awesome.

Tomorrow I will take it easy. I have to start studying hardcore–big quiz on Tuesday. I have a lecture tomorrow, but it’s not until the evening. Should be good.

I need a massage so badly. It’s time to go ahead and schedule one for next week. Maybe a pedicure as well for good measure–as long as the weather warms up nicely enough for me to wear the flip flops home. The cold is certainly not giving up easily. We’ll get a day in the 60s but then we have to pay for it with a day like today, when the high didn’t get out of the 40s. I’m really OVER that cold bite in the air. I’m ready for mild temps. It LOOKS like Spring outside, but it still feels like November. Bah.

So. Not sure if you remember I got an Erin Condren Life Planner recently. I have to tell you one thing. IT IS SO WORTH THE COST. I use it every single day, and I take it everywhere. It’s been so helpful. AND the 2012 ones are on sale now. If you’re looking to try one out, now’s a good time to do so. I definitely plan on getting one for 2013. Wonderful investment. πŸ™‚

And now, I leave you with this cuteness.

My Pretty Girl

OK then. ‘Til next time.

8 Comments

Still Tired

Hi
yeah, this picture is from the same night as this entry. u mad?

Bleah. I am still tired. I wonder if it’s the change of seasons. Or something. I remember feeling this same way right after Thanksgiving. I don’t know, but I don’t like it. I want my energy back.

I’ve also not been feeling very well. My stomach’s been sensitive the past few days, and my appetite’s not been so good. My cravings have been off (did I tell you that one night I turned down sushi? I KNOW RIGHT??), I’ve had some nausea, and I’ve been extra thirsty, so I’ve been drinking a lot of water and juice. It’s weird. Although, Wednesday night, Cassidy and I both had bottomless pits for stomachs. We ate a ton for dinner, then we ate dessert from the bakery on the corner, and not even an hour later, we were both seriously hungry for another dinner. We managed to hold out ’til we were in the movie theater, but it was hard! Ever since then, though, my appetite’s been weird. I’m avoiding anything too rich.

The pain that I had in my right side last April is back, so that means going back to my Omeprezole regimen until I feel better again.

Despite not feeling 100%, I have a lot of reasons to be happy. πŸ™‚ Adam’s family visited last week, I got some more hours in at VSA, I got to see The Hunger Games again, and Friday, Aidan arrived!!

Aidan and Meta Knight

He’s been getting a LOT of use out of my iPad. As I expected he would.

Other random stuff:

– After we got Aidan on Friday, we ate Home Run Inn for lunch. Their pizza reminds me of the pizza at Pizzafari at Animal Kingdom at Disney World. It’s pretty good for a chain. Probably because it’s a local chain rather than national, huh?

– It rained in our kitchen today. It did it a couple of weeks ago, and all I could think was “Oh no, it’s like Yaxley’s office!” Fortunately, we know the solution and we’re friendly with our neighbor upstairs, so we got it resolved without a mess.

– I love Downton Abbey so much that I want to watch the first season all over again. But I keep going to episode three of the first season for some reason. Curious, that. At any rate, my iPad has Netflix. I just sign in with Adam’s account, and I can watch it in my room and not bug anyone.

– I still need to organize my playlists on the iPad. I only have a few songs on there now. I should at least have some of my favorites.

– Adam’s observing Passover–or Passover Lite more accurately. We didn’t clear out all the stuff or anything because I don’t observe. (Getting rid of all the spaghetti? Can you even imagine, though?) He’s just avoiding everything leavened. It’s been a challenge, as he craves pizza all day every day as it is, and now he can’t have it, so I can only imagine what the cravings are doing to him now. He’s been making matzoh pizzas: matzoh crackers, mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce. Tonight we had matzoh ball soup for dinner.

– Aidan won’t let me sing along to Bekah Kelso because he says he’s trying to draw another Meta Knight and he needs to concentrate because Meta Knight is “really hard” to draw. But he’s already drawn one?

Aidan's Meta Knight

I think he just wants me to stop singing. And also play AlphaButt (a song by Kimya Dawson).

– So fine, he won. I played AlphaButt and now we’re listening to random songs from the Doctor Who soundtracks.

We watched that new Muppet movie the other night. I thought it was OK. I did tear up in a few places, but there were some things I found REALLY problematic about it and some of the messages–I am not sure I’m comfortable with Aidan internalizing them even though he won’t really even realize it right now because he’s a kid. And I don’t know if I would have noticed them as much if I’d not been forewarned, or if I wasn’t extra sensitive because of recent events… but I probably would have.

Oh well. This entry has no point, but I really felt like blogging. But now I am going to take a warm bath and relax. I have a busy week coming up (Aidan’s here, a phone call tomorrow, yoga teacher training on Tuesday and a lecture on Wednesday, and a sattvic nutrition workshop on Thursday (Aidan is SO looking forward to that–NOT!). This’ll be the first week since coming back from Disney that I haven’t been in an office at some point, so as long as nothing comes up, I get to be nothing but a student and a mommy for the next week or so.

Til next time!

4 Comments