2012 Intentions

I'm very late to the New Year's resolution party (it seems like I blinked and it went from October to January!), but I still thought it would be worthwhile to post my 2012 intentions here.

~Read at least 80 books.

~Eat a healthy vegan diet, particularly adding in lots of greens.

~Move more.

~Take a knife skills class.

~Journal regularly.

~Visit at least one new city.

~Visit an animal sanctuary.

~Savor turning 30 and all that lies ahead of me.

My word for 2012 is committed--to myself, my health, my growth, my relationship and my happiness.

{Image from Martha Stewart}

November Intentions

I'm a few days late on these because I've spent all my free time connected to my heating pad and in bed with a bad back. November is going to be very hectic for me. Keeping that in mind, my intentions are to:

-Spend quality time with my family this weekend and enjoy my godson's christening on Sunday

-Get back into an exercise routine, even if it is just walking (pending orthopedist approval today)

-Make a list of holiday gifts to get for family and friends.

-Volunteer again with The Lost Dog and Cat Foundation.

-Soak up as much as possible during my work trip to Peru from November 13-19

-Enjoy every minute with J's family in Maine during the week of Thanksgiving

-Prepare for our trip to South Africa: read the guidebooks, make a list of places to see and things to do, find veg-friendly restaurants, make a packing list, purchase travel essentials.

-Use my yearly performance evaluation as a way to have space to reflect and a chance to find ways to grow in 2012.

-Journal lots.

-Take life one day at a time.

{Image from pen3ya}

Autumn Wishes

It's finally here. The best season ever has arrived! It was a long, extremely hot and humid summer here in the D.C. area. I'm so looking forward to cooler weather, the leaves changing colors and all of the fun and excitement that the last quarter of the year brings. Here are my wishes and happenings:

~Nationals vs Braves game

~DC VegFest

~Brad Paisley concert

~Ray LaMontagne concert

~Get back into my yoga practice

~Apple and pumpkin picking....make an apple pie afterward

~Trip to Texas in October to go to the Texas State Fair and Texas State Veggie Fair

~Meaningful and inspiring Jewish high holidays

~Lose 25 pounds

~See Ron White do a comedy show on October 15th in NJ

~Regular exercise schedule

~Possible trip to Peru for work in November

~Lots of quality time with J's family over Thanksgiving

~J gets into the grad school of his dreams (still unclear which one that is, ha!)

~Amazing, once-in-a-lifetime 10 day trip to South Africa in December

~Lots of quality time with my family in late December

{Image via Denis Collette...!!!!}

A Season of Change

For me, September has always been about new beginnings. For 20 years of my life, if we include college and graduate school, it was the start of the school year, complete with a new schedule and new school supplies. It's almost the Jewish New Year, which is a time for reflection on the past year, as well as a time to set intentions for the upcoming year. As the weather changed and the leaves turned colors, it was always the best time of year for me to make changes in my life as well.

In the spirit of new beginnings, I'm back on the wagon in terms of healthy living. Jesse and I had a date at the gym on Sunday (and I am still sore from lifting weights!), we've been taking walks on Shabbat, and I have other workouts marked in my planner. Our fridge is stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. I'm incorporating a lot more leafy greens into my lunches. I am getting back into a regular yoga practice if it kills me. I'm going back to spinning and Zumba. I'm going to try to get more sleep and journal more often.

This time around--because, let's face it, there have been many times around--I'm focusing on being healthy in a way that is sustainable for a lifetime. Previously, I have wanted to be perfect. One slip up and I was convinced I would be a fat failure for life. I used to refuse invites to hang out with friends if they involved food. This time, I'm focusing on living life but in a better way.

One. day. at. a. time.

August Intentions

1. Spend time perusing South Africa travel guides and make a list of must-see and would-like-to-see places. We also need to decide which of the optional activities we want to add to our tour.

2. Enjoy a few bliss-filled days in Maine mid-month with Jesse and his family.

3. Get into some sort of physical activity routine. In these terribly hot DC summer days, late night walking speaks to me. I also want to get back into going to yoga more regularly. I like the idea of having times for exercise to write into my planner.

4. Write in my paper journal or art journal at least three times a week.

5. Save money towards our trip!

"In August and everything after, I'm after everything..."~Adam Duritz

Healthy Habits

Dear Readers, here is the post where I admit that the healthy habits I worked so hard to cultivate over the past few years have gone wayward.

I developed a bad back problem last summer that continues to plague me (three degenerative discs, one bulging disc, inflamed facet joints and something known as "miserable alignment" due to the pain it causes) and got off track with exercise and yoga. It has been an endless cycle of work out-hurt-get better-workout again-hurt some more. Rather than focus on the bad, I want to use this post as a starting point for moving onward and upward.

Here are the healthy habits I am proud to say I have maintained over the past few years:

1. Drinking lots and lots of water. Lots. I fill my 32 ounce water bottle at least four times a day, often up to six or seven. I also have tea many times throughout the day. Sometimes I feel like a camel that needs to store it up.

2. Getting more sleep. When I lived alone, I used to let myself stay up very late reading, watching TV or doing things for grad school. Now that I've finished my master's degree and moved in with my boyfriend, we almost never hit the hay past 10:30 or 11.

3. Taking vitamins. I take a multi-vitamin everyday. I also switch up additional supplements, like B-12, flax oil, vitamin D, powdered greens, probiotics, spirulina, chlorella and Natural Calm magnesium during the week. I try to get everything I need from food but I think this is good insurance.

4. Not eating meat. I know everyone's body is different, but my mind and body feel better knowing that I'm not eating animal flesh. I can get plenty of protein elsewhere, so nothing needs to die in order for me to eat.

5. Learning my way around the kitchen. Before quitting meat, a typical dinner for me (I kid you not) consisted of chicken nuggets, canned corn and maybe a baked potato. Now I experiment with all kinds of (non-animal) proteins, grains and fresh veggies. I love cookbooks and read them like regular books. I am constantly trying to challenge myself to learn new things in the kitchen. I obsessively purchase cookbooks, read a million food blogs and, most recently, joined Spork Online, which posts one vegan cooking class a month.

Here are some of the healthy habits I'd like to adopt or get back to incorporating on a regular basis:

1. More green smoothies or green drinks. I know all of the benefits. I know I want to have a more alkaline diet with much less sugar, processed food and other acidic things. I've just been lazy. I need to get better about making these everyday.

2. Kicking the diet soda habit. I know, I know....I said that I was going to do this once before. However, the diet coke monster took hold again. But then last week I saw this. I've known that diet coke makes me crave other sugary things but that article is scary stuff. I've had one diet soda in the last week and a half. Pretty good but I can do better.

3. More exercise. Because of my back issues, this will have to be a slow and steady thing that will involve lots of listening to my body. I love to lift weights but I think I'll mostly need to stick to walking and yoga for the time being.

4. Smaller portions. My employer buys my lunch every day, which is a nice perk, but restaurant lunches are usually at least twice what any one person should be eating in one sitting. If I wasn't also trying to save my pennies, I would just bring my own lunch. However, I know I can make smarter choices when it comes to lunch.

5. Write in a journal. Journaling what you eat is good and well but I find old-fashioned journaling about thoughts, feelings, hopes, worries, aspirations, etc. has a positive overall affect on my health.

Basically, I want to live by these rules.

What healthy habits are you proud of yourself for sticking to and which ones would you like to bring into your life in the second half of 2011?

Please support me!

On Saturday, April 16th, I will join others from the Washington, DC area for the National 5k Walk to End Violence Against Women. Globally, up to six out of every ten women will experience physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime. This figure is too frightening to ignore.

I'm walking in memory of women like Jayna Murray. And Hena Akhter. And the countless women around the world who have been killed, harmed or suffer in silence on a daily basis.

I've set a modest fundraising goal that I would very much like to meet and then exceed. Please consider making a donation, no matter the size. You can do that my visiting my FirstGiving page. All donations are secure and the funds are sent directly to the US National Committee for UNIFEM.

If you are in the area, you can still sign up to join me and walk for this worthwhile cause! Register here.

30 Before 30

It's official--only 365 days until I turn the big 3-0! For now, turning 29 today is shocking enough. I figure the only way to gracefully hit 30 is to accomplish some things, big and small, along the way. And so I give you.....

My 30 Before 30 List

1. Try out art journaling

2. Get a facial (I've only ever had one in my life!)

3. Take a Zumba class

4. Meditate for 30 days in a row and blog about the experience

5. Visit Annapolis, MD. I live so close and I've never been.

6. Learn to cook food from a different culture

7. Adopt an animal from either Poplar Springs or Farm Sanctuary. Maybe go visit my adoptee!

8. Travel to a state I've never visited before

9. Travel to a country I've never visited before

10. Go to a Phillies home game at Citizens Bank Park

11. Bake a pie from scratch

12. Take a tour of the US Capitol Building (lived here 11 years and never officially toured it!)

13. Go camping

14. Learn about different types of sea vegetables

15. Volunteer my time for a great cause

16. Bake whoopie pies from scratch

17. Pay off one of my credit cards

18. Create 1, 3 and 5 year goals (personal, professional and financial)

19. Get a full astrology reading

20. Read one book on each of the following places: China, Africa, North Korea, Iran

21. Tour a winery

22. Work up to being able to run a 5k.

23. Get to know Washington, DC better. I spend 95% of my time in Northern VA, Foggy Bottom, Farragut West and DuPont Circle. So much more to explore!

24. Perform a random act of kindness.

25. Go on a picnic.

26. Learn to read a crochet pattern.

27. Lose 50 pounds.

28. Host a New Year's Day brunch (I'd like to make this a tradition!)

29. Go apple picking

30. Spend my 30th birthday somewhere fabulous surrounded by the people I love!

January Goal Recap and February Intentions

My goals for January were:

-Finish Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. DONE! I thought it was good but not as good as The Corrections. I felt like it could've been edited down a lot. And I should've bought this on my Kindle because it was a pain to lug a book this giant around on the metro. Lesson learned.

-Lose 5 lbs. DONE! In fact, I lost 10.

-Pick an international travel destination for my anywhere-in-the-world tickets. PARTIALLY COMPLETED. We want to go to South Africa, but we need to take some time this upcoming weekend to check out prices, dates, etc. to see if it is feasible. If not, we'll try a different location.

-Get back into a regular yoga/gym routine. IN PROGRESS. I went to the gym with Jesse on Friday night (aren't we so wild and crazy??) and to yoga on Sunday. A massive head cold really got in the way of developing a routine this month, but now I am motivated and ready to keep going.

February Intentions

-Lose 5 more pounds.

-Continue a regular gym/yoga routine.

-Celebrate my birthday (February 10th!) and Valentine's Day with wild abandon!

-Plan out a trip to California and a big one to South Africa (or some other exciting locale!).

-Begin a meditation practice.

January Goals

My goals for what remains of January:

-Finish Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. It's a whopper of a book and I'd really like to find something more metro-riding-friendly to read once I'm done with this one.

-Lose 5 lbs. Seems simple enough.

-Pick an international travel destination. As I mentioned yesterday, I won two tickets to anywhere in the world. We've tossed around some ideas (Greek Islands getaway? South African safari?), but we need to settle on one and book it.

-Get back into a regular gym/yoga routine. This will mainly depend on how my back feels, but I am looking forward to scheduling in some exercise.

A Fresh Start.

Let's not talk about how I fell so far behind on Reverb 10 that I gave up trying to get my posts written (though the prompts are in my journal!). Or how I failed at the new start I wanted to make here back in October. It's 1-11-11. The perfect day to breathe some life back into this blog and begin anew.

What have I been up to, you might be wondering? The holidays, parties, nearly a month with my family in New Jersey, a horrible cold and a snowstorm later, it is back to the real world. To be honest, as much as I love December, I like real life better. I like getting my fruits and veggies, 8 hours of sleep a night and taking my vitamin. I like having a schedule and sticking to it. Another reason that I am glad to be back? I'm SO excited for all that 2011 will bring!

Here are my 2011 intentions:

-Get healthy/Practice Self-Care: Jesse and I joined the gym together, which will give me even more motivation to go. I'm 90% sure that I am going to end up getting a Vitamix, making green smoothies a whole lot easier. I'm giving the new PointsPlus program at Weight Watchers a go. I'm commiting to taking my supplements. Cooking healthy meals. Getting back into having yoga be a regular part of my week. Eating mostly vegan. Taking long hot baths. Trying to develop a meditation practice.

-Travel: Through a perk at my job, I won two airline tickets anywhere in the world that have to be used within the next year. Jesse and I have had some fun throwing around ideas, but I welcome any new suggestions! We also both have tickets to use on Southwest by August. We are thinking a trip to California needs to happen. This year we will also be headed to North Carolina to celebrate his friends' wedding and to Maine for some rest and relaxation (as well as Thanksgiving). Jesse also got a car in late October, which makes day trips and spontaneous weekend getaways a lot more feasible.

-Write: Journal regularly, write here on the blog and read lots more about getting a book published

-Work: Figure out my passion. Plan for next steps and where I see myself in 3, 5 and 10 years.

-Cook: Bake bread, macaroons and whoopie pies. Experiment with new grains. Use a whole lot more tofu. Figure out exactly how to use miso and then do it!

What are some of your 2011 intentions? How are you feeling as we slip into this new year?

June Goals

It's been hot--REALLY hot--in the DC area this past week. I've been dreaming of beach trips, picnics, fresh cherries, sundresses and lemonade. I've also set out a few small goals for myself this month so I don't get lost in the lazy days of summer:

-Finish up the unpacking and decorating

-Get back into exercising and yoga-ing regularly. For real this time. I mean it.

-Learn to be okay with free time. This is a struggle for me.

-Read through How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job. I am still not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but more and more the government is looking like it might be an okay way to go. I need to do a lot of research on this one.

-Catch up with friends that have seen very little of me since....oh, when I started my master's degree three years ago.

-Cook at least three new recipes

-Celebrate Jesse's birthday (June 26th!) in a fun and festive way!

{Photo credit: zanastardust}

Happy April!

And just like that....it's April! I feel like I was just bundled up in my house as snowed literally poured down on the DC area. Now the sun is shining, everything is in bloom (my allergies can attest to this!), including the beautiful cherry blossom trees, and we've smacked into Springtime with full force.

So how was my month? Here were my March intentions:

1. Complete the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart Success! And it was great.

2. Try out at least 5 new recipes Yes! I made spicy tomato chickpea soup, sweet chili-lime tofu and crispy sesame kale from Vegan Yum Yum, banana chocolate chip muffins from The Joy of Vegan Baking, cran-apple muffins from 1,000 Vegan Recipes and last night I made the Happy Herbivore's chickpea tacos! I've also made about 10 different variations of a green smoothie over the course of the past month.

3. Get back into a gym/yoga routine This was going pretty well for the brief period there before I fell at Whole Foods and messed up my knee/hip/back. Just the thought of twisting into a yoga pose or making it through a spin class these past few weeks has been painful! I'm getting back on track this week (more to come on this in a later post).

4. Write in my paper journal on a regular basis Giant fail. I say I want to do this nearly every month and it's the first thing to go out the window when I run out of time. Any thoughts for making this more of an automatic habit?

5. Get a head start on my big research paper that is due May 3rd Hmm, on the one hand, I did write a three page paper proposal that helped me to consolidate my ideas. I also gathered a bunch of research. However, that research is sitting in a giant pile in my bedroom and I only have an introduction written, so that's not much of a head start. My goal is to read and get through writing 10 pages this coming weekend and then 10 more the following weekend. Then I will just need to add a few more pages, edit it and voila! My last grad school paper ever will be complete!

My April goals:

1. Finish my last class and paper for graduate school (preferably without going insane).

2. Get back into journaling!

3. Eat well/work out lots/lose some weight. I don't want to put strict parameters on this one but I do intend to get back on a healthy track. More on this in a later post!

4. Let go. There are a lot of things in my life that have the potential to change in the next two months or so. My type-A personality has me making list after list, over planning and trying to guess and/or control the outcome of all of those things. None of that is good for one's stress levels! Right now I feel on the verge of potentially an entire new life. It's scary and refreshing at the same time.

I wish you all a wonderful April full of flowers, time spent basking in the sun and fantastic new beginnings!



{Photo credit: *yasuhiro}

March Goals.

I can't believe it is March already! So many possible changes and new directions on the horizon. Spring is on it's way and the sun will start to stay out longer. The cherry blossoms will soon be out in the DC area. Now that two of my three grad school classes this semester are over with, I will have considerable more free time. I want to focus on spending that time as wisely as possible.

This month my intention is to do the following:

1. Complete the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart
2. Try out at least 5 new recipes
3. Get back into a gym/yoga routine (time to work on the sweat part of the "Sweat and Save")
4. Write in my paper journal on a regular basis
5. Get a head start on my big research paper that is due May 3rd

Those seem like such simple goals but I know that they will make a huge difference in my outlook on life and my stress levels. I also think that focusing on these five things will have me in a much better place for what the coming months may bring.

Happy March, everyone!

{Photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography}

Sweat and Save 2010

I've been remiss in blogging since mid-December. I immersed myself in an extended vacation, time with the family and enjoying the holidays. As 2010 neared, I also got sick. Nearly two weeks later, I am still battling the end of it but I am finally determined to start my 2010 intentions now (not resolutions--those are made to be broken!). This year I am calling my intention plan "Sweat and Save 2010".

The Sweating Part of the Plan

This is my way of saying that I need to get back into an all-around healthier way of life. My healthy eating habits and workout plan have really gone out the window over the holidays---the holidays being roughly October to now. Oops. I have to get back on track. I am determined to get in all my veggies, water, whole grains, protein and vitamins. I would like to lose some weight. I need the exercise so I can get those endorphins going. I am committing to working out at least 4 times a week. I used to work out 6-7 times a week and there was simply no way to keep that up while working full-time and going to graduate school part-time. I want to try new ways of working out: zumba, running, maybe a new kind of yoga. I feel so much better and happier when I work out on a regular basis so I need a schedule that I can actually do and not feel frustrated. I need meditation, journal writing, yoga and 8 hours of sleep a night in my life in order to stay sane.

The Saving Part of the Plan

I am the worst when it comes to saving money. I like lululemon yoga clothes, shop at Whole Foods and order books from Amazon.com like it is going out of style. Bad. This year I want to pay off my credit cards. I want to open an IRA. I want to make a list of what I spend my money on so I can more clearly see where I can cut back (ahem, lululemon....I'm looking at you!) I want to get ahead because starting in November, I will need to start paying back my (ridiculously enormous amounts of) student loans. I also know that sooner rather than later, I will want things like a car and a house, so I need to start saving NOW.

I can do it. I WILL do it.

Here's to Sweat and Save 2010!

{Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt}

Rest.

So far my vacation has been blissful! Snuggling, a fire in the fireplace, hot bubble baths, freshly baked cookies, homemade meals, a Chanukah party with close friends, presents all around, outlet shopping, TONS of snow, sleeping in and a few movies.

I realized that blogging was becoming something I HAD TO DO RIGHT NOW OR ELSE during this vacation, so I need a small break until the New Year. At that time I will return with my New Year's goals and some retrospection on 2009.

I wish you and yours the best and the brightest that the holiday season has to offer! Can't wait to catch up again in 2010!

December Goals

I can't believe it is already December! My goals for this month include:

-Finish up my send-to-last semester (!) of graduate school with good grades and low-ish stress levels.

-Finish holiday shopping and wrapping everything by December 20th

-Take deep breaths and enjoy making new memories with my family, friends and boyfriend

-Catch up on blogging

-Start crocheting and cooking often

-Get to the gym regularly

-Research different ideas for career paths

-Rest and relax

My last day of work for the year is December 11th. I can't wait to have lots and lots of totally free time!

{Photo credit: Muffet}

My Mondo Beyondo List!

Ever since I took the Mondo Beyondo e-course, I've been constantly refining my "Mondo Beyondo" dream list. They encourage you to dream big and then dream bigger. I've hesitated to put it out there in the world but now feels like the right time. I'm looking forward to seeing how this list grows and changes over time, how I incorporate these things or accomplish them and hearing any input/advice/suggestions/comments from all of you!

-Get to my goal weight

-Run a 5 k

-Complete the 200-hour yoga teacher training

-Complete the holistic health counselor training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition

-Live in New England (or at least spend summers there--soooooo beautiful!)

-Go to massage school

-Become a gourmet vegetarian cook

-See the world: Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, more parts of Mexico and Israel, Greece, Brazil, India, Germany, and lots more of the United States.

-Swim with dolphins

-Learn Hebrew and Portuguese

-Make my own tallit

-Own my own house with a huge kitchen and a wrap-around porch

-Publish a book

-Teach prenatal yoga

-Sponsor a child through a relief organization

-Sleep underneath the stars on the beach

-Work at an organization that helps women and children

-Become a journalist and/or a freelance writer

-Teach something

-Camp at the Grand Canyon

-Pick my own apples and make a pie with them

-Become a doula

-Pay off my student loans (because this would equal freedom)

-Bake bread

-Volunteer my time

-Have children and raise them to be amazing human beings

-Work to legalize gay marriage

-Open my own yoga studio

-Plant a garden and make dinner with my own vegetables

-Get a Boston Terrier puppy

-Take a painting class

-Have a gorgeous but simple wedding

-Own a new (and not just new-to-me) car

-Hear Salman Rushdie do a reading

-Take a few types of dance classes

-Host Thanksgiving (minus the turkey) for my family

-Take self-defense classes

-See a zebra up close in its natural habitat

-Slow dance somewhere totally inappropriate

-Learn to make my own pottery

-Design my own website

-Trace my family tree

-Own a pair of outrageous high heels

-Become a tea snob

-Fly first class (just once--I want to see what it's like!)

-Crochet a beautiful blanket (after I learn how to read a crochet pattern, that is!)

-Keep kosher and Shabbat

-Complete an adult bat mitzvah class

-Go on a meditation retreat

-Take a workshop at Kripalu

And, because this list can be a bit overwhelming, things I've already done that would have appeared here: Travel (to Israel, Venezuela, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Italy, Spain plus lots of US places), put a prayer in the Western Wall in Jerusalem, gave horse riding lessons to handicapped kids, got a BA with a double major and a minor, completed a Spanish immersion program, been kissed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, completed the first level of yoga teacher training as well as pre and post natal teacher training at Tranquil Space, waited tables (I firmly believe everyone should have to do this at least once in their life), worked in human rights, completed a wine course, visited the mikvah, read at least 70 books a year since I graduated college, interned at the Holocaust museum, received my boating license, lived in the nation's capital, interned at my Congressman's office, started a blog, lost 70 pounds, wrote a newsletter, worked in retail, met Margaret Atwood and Adam Duritz, heard Elie Wiesel speak, voted for change, survived a near-death experience, saw a show on Broadway, been to a ballet, had several pen pals, mailed "just because" packages and cards to friends and family, raised a puppy, took leaps of faith, read (many) books in a foreign language, counted stars, wrote a letter to my member of Congress, amassed a serious collection of books and loved someone with all my heart.

{Photo credit: jillallyn}

Happy November!

I can't believe it is already November!  October seemed to have flown by.  This month is incredibly busy for me.  It will include:  Writing four papers, putting together and giving a presentation, a Spanish language proficiency exam for my master's degree, my yearly performance evaluation at work, attending a few events and spending Thanksgiving in Maine with Jesse and his family.

My goals for this month include:

-Find time for me.  I want to get back to a regular yoga and gym routine, read at least a few things for fun, continue journaling and get enough sleep.

-Finish as much of the list above as possible before I leave for Maine.  I want to spend my time with Jesse and his family in as stress-free a manner as possible.

-Get as much accomplished at work as possible.

-Begin thinking about how I want to spend my winter break (no work or school from December 11 through January 4th!).

{Photo credit: lordog}

Adios, September....Hola, October!

Fall is my favorite season and as the weather here in the D.C.-area starts getting crisp, I can't help but get excited for all the things the next few months will bring!

But first, a check in with my September goals:

-Stay on top of my reading for class. Program "study time" into my Planner Pad.   Fail, at least on planning study time.  But I did get everything done!

-Work out or do yoga at least 5 days a week.  YES!

-Eat healthy and hopefully lose between 5 and 10 lbs YES!  Lost 11.4 to be exact.

-After a procedure I am having done on my legs on September 18th where I can't work out for a week, still get on the treadmill and do some doctor-approved walking. I took two days off and then went right back to working out at full speed.  Probably not what the doctor wanted but at least I didn't just lay around, right?

-Do a lot of journaling, especially as it gets closer to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, particularly around the topics of renewal and forgiveness. Got morning pages written at least three times a week but this one was a general fail.  I wish I had the time to write more often.

-Study up on advanced Spanish grammar so I can pass my oral exit exam for school.  Um, no.  Not even a little bit.  When I was writing out my September goals (before grad school started up again), I clearly thought I would have more free time than I actually do.  Asi es la vida.  

October goals!

-Lose 5 more pounds.

-Work out or do yoga 5 days a week.

-Continue to eat healthy.

-Really and truly stay in the moment and enjoy my trip to Maine and Cape Cod during Columbus Day weekend.

-Get an early start on all my papers so I have at least a bit of free time.

-Make a decision about whether or not to do yoga teacher training this Spring or wait until 2011.

Happy October, everyone!

{Photo credit: Muffet}