Well, after my youth cream debacle, I checked out a life expectancy calculator I saw on MamaKat's site. Good to know that I have a life expectancy of 102 years old. I'll make a cute old person, I think. I saw a bunch of centurians on Good Morning America this morning before I left for work. I could see myself in their shoes, saying things like: "I may be 98 but I don't feel a day over 70!" Hee Hee. Not so good to know that in order to reach my "ideal weight for longevity", I need to lose 9 pounds.
And speaking of losing things, I'm continuing to lose the clutter. Last week, I reached the bottom of the paper and can recycling pile. This week, I plan to get to the bottom of the cardboard pile. Little by little, dumping it into the work recycling bin, but not too much at once. My hope, by the end of this week, to have it to the point where I can just keep up with, not pare down of the piles of crap-o-la. I also got rid of all the catalogs in the magazine basket that I am not going to order anything from. One more week of paring down! It's getting easier to think since I'm not surrounded by as much clutter. If I keep this up, before long, I'll be solving all the world's problems.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Magical Youth Cream
Still paring down and purging: got to the end of the aluminium recycling pile on Friday, dontated the bag of clothing on Saturday, as well as cleaning under the bathroom sink and throwing out a few tubes of expired sunscreen and lotions that smelled rancid. Finally, today, I recycled the plastic bottles and donated 3 magazines to the gym rack. (they are getting old there) Five more days to go!
The other thing that has been occupying my mind lately is the condition of my skin on my face. Normally, I don't give much thought to it. I put some tinted moisturizer with sunscreen on in the morning and I'm done. But a few weeks ago, on a Costco run, I noticed a big markdown on a giant batch of wrinkle treatment cream. I've got to be honest, I never really agonized about wrinkles. I don't have a whole lot of em. But, my birthday is creeping up and I do have a few fine lines around the eyes. Plus, I'm kind of obsessing about the age difference between me and Nerd. So on a whim, I bought some.
The first time I used the stuff (at night, right before bed) I noticed a little tingle where I had applied. "That's strange," I thought "why is it tingling?" Turns out, the tingling sensation is normal. According to the directions on the tube, it happens until "your skin adjusts" to the product. Plus, the directions suggest using the cream every three days for two weeks, then every two days for two weeks, finally working your way up to every day at the end of a 6 week adjustment period.
Right about now, warning bells SHOULD have been going off in my head. What the hell kind of skin cream needs a 6 week adjustment period for your skin to get used to it? And what is with the tingling? I decided to just keep on with the every three day schedule. I don't have THAT MANY wrinkles. I'll just do the lite method for this product that is supposed to make me look younger.
I can say this: the anti-wrinkle cream definitely made me look younger. The last time the skin on my face looked like this, I was worried about the state championships for soccer and stressed that I did not have enough time to study for my French test. I have break-outs of adolescent sized proportions on my forehead, chin, and along side my nose!
You'd think I would have known better. I trialed some anti-aging serums a while back, after my 35th birthday meltdown. I bought some coQ-10 cream and some retin-A crap and who knows what else. Every single product was a bust. If it didn't burn my skin and leave it red and blotchy, then it gave me zits or caused a bumpy rash along my cheeks. I ended up tossing all of them and adopted my present regieme of tinted moisturizer.
So now I have a Costco sized batch of blemish producing skin de-conditioner. I may see if I can pass it along to somebody whose skin is not as sensitive as mine. Maybe I'll check out some Burt's Bees products the next time I'm in the store....
The other thing that has been occupying my mind lately is the condition of my skin on my face. Normally, I don't give much thought to it. I put some tinted moisturizer with sunscreen on in the morning and I'm done. But a few weeks ago, on a Costco run, I noticed a big markdown on a giant batch of wrinkle treatment cream. I've got to be honest, I never really agonized about wrinkles. I don't have a whole lot of em. But, my birthday is creeping up and I do have a few fine lines around the eyes. Plus, I'm kind of obsessing about the age difference between me and Nerd. So on a whim, I bought some.
The first time I used the stuff (at night, right before bed) I noticed a little tingle where I had applied. "That's strange," I thought "why is it tingling?" Turns out, the tingling sensation is normal. According to the directions on the tube, it happens until "your skin adjusts" to the product. Plus, the directions suggest using the cream every three days for two weeks, then every two days for two weeks, finally working your way up to every day at the end of a 6 week adjustment period.
Right about now, warning bells SHOULD have been going off in my head. What the hell kind of skin cream needs a 6 week adjustment period for your skin to get used to it? And what is with the tingling? I decided to just keep on with the every three day schedule. I don't have THAT MANY wrinkles. I'll just do the lite method for this product that is supposed to make me look younger.
I can say this: the anti-wrinkle cream definitely made me look younger. The last time the skin on my face looked like this, I was worried about the state championships for soccer and stressed that I did not have enough time to study for my French test. I have break-outs of adolescent sized proportions on my forehead, chin, and along side my nose!
You'd think I would have known better. I trialed some anti-aging serums a while back, after my 35th birthday meltdown. I bought some coQ-10 cream and some retin-A crap and who knows what else. Every single product was a bust. If it didn't burn my skin and leave it red and blotchy, then it gave me zits or caused a bumpy rash along my cheeks. I ended up tossing all of them and adopted my present regieme of tinted moisturizer.
So now I have a Costco sized batch of blemish producing skin de-conditioner. I may see if I can pass it along to somebody whose skin is not as sensitive as mine. Maybe I'll check out some Burt's Bees products the next time I'm in the store....
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Today, I got rid of a book from the ol' homestead. I usually divide books into two piles: books I will give to friends and books I will give to the Book Barn. (Book Barn books are books that I either did not like or am embarrassed that I had to begin with) However, I had one that just did not fit into either category. It was cute, but I couldn't think of who I wanted to give it to. So today I brought it into work and put it on the patient book cart. Done and done.
Today is also Writer's Workshop Day, compliments of MamaKat.
The prompt I chose is: "I would walk a mile for ____"
I would walk a mile for the simple fact that I CAN. In the morning, I am able to walk across my freezing cold floor into the bathroom. I can walk to the refrigerator to get a drink. I can walk across the street and sit by the pond on a warm Saturday morning. Do we really need any other reason to walk?
It's amazing when you think about it: all the different factors that go into the seemingly simple act of walking. We need the strength in our legs and trunk to maintain an upright posture and propell ourselves forward. We need adequate range of motion in our joints. We need good balance, coordination, and overall motor control to coordinate the movement pattern. Walking has been described as the act of continuously losing and regaining your balance in a coordinated manner. There is even evidence that when we walk on varying surfaces (like going from a sidewalk to grass) we operate not on a feedback loop but a feed-FORWARD loop. Our bodies anticipate the needed changes in the walking pattern and adapt BEFORE we even hit the grass. Like our own personal spidey senses! How is it that we are able to do all of this without even thinking about it?
I realize that I analyze walking more than the average person. (after all, gait analysis is a vital part of my job description) But I'm referring here to analysis in a more philosophical sense. Oh, the joy of pondering the act of walking. Or pondering the act of walking for 6 months straight. (Another life goal of mine, walking the entire Appalachian Trail) Someday, someday...
Until then, I'll have to have to settle for walking across that cold floor every morning.
Today is also Writer's Workshop Day, compliments of MamaKat.
The prompt I chose is: "I would walk a mile for ____"
I would walk a mile for the simple fact that I CAN. In the morning, I am able to walk across my freezing cold floor into the bathroom. I can walk to the refrigerator to get a drink. I can walk across the street and sit by the pond on a warm Saturday morning. Do we really need any other reason to walk?
It's amazing when you think about it: all the different factors that go into the seemingly simple act of walking. We need the strength in our legs and trunk to maintain an upright posture and propell ourselves forward. We need adequate range of motion in our joints. We need good balance, coordination, and overall motor control to coordinate the movement pattern. Walking has been described as the act of continuously losing and regaining your balance in a coordinated manner. There is even evidence that when we walk on varying surfaces (like going from a sidewalk to grass) we operate not on a feedback loop but a feed-FORWARD loop. Our bodies anticipate the needed changes in the walking pattern and adapt BEFORE we even hit the grass. Like our own personal spidey senses! How is it that we are able to do all of this without even thinking about it?
I realize that I analyze walking more than the average person. (after all, gait analysis is a vital part of my job description) But I'm referring here to analysis in a more philosophical sense. Oh, the joy of pondering the act of walking. Or pondering the act of walking for 6 months straight. (Another life goal of mine, walking the entire Appalachian Trail) Someday, someday...
Until then, I'll have to have to settle for walking across that cold floor every morning.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tag, I'm it!
I got tagged again today, and it looks like a good one: check out Heather's blog. She makes me laugh.
So part one is to open the closest book to you, turn to page 56 and write the 5th sentence on that page. My computer is next to my bookshelf, so I reached out for the first book I came into contact with without looking. It turned out to be My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir. It just so happens that this book says a lot about me. My love of nature, of hiking in the mountains, and of the author, himself, who founded the Sierra Club. It was also a gift from M, which I guess at this point, is neither here nor there.
"The serenity of this mountain weather in the spring, just when Nature's pulses are beating highest, is one of its greatest charms."
Part two of the tag: name 6 things that you value and 6 things that you don't.
Six Things I Value:
1) Adventure: May seem weird to top my list with something like adventure. But life without change, life without something new to explore, life without adventure is, to me, no life at all.
2) Friendship: I am still best friends with the same people I called my best friends when I was 12. My mother's best friend died last year and the most greatest tribute to her, in my eyes, was that at her memorial service, no fewer than 5 people said: "She was the best friend I ever had." I would like to be remembered that way.
3) Education: We never stop learning. Life is full of new things to learn every day. I always strive to continuously build knowledge not only in my field, but in totally unrelated areas. Well, at least that's how I rationalize spending money on classes.
4) Family: They are the reason I moved back home after 10 years away. And though I often joke that I love my family...in small doses... I am eternally grateful to have the family that I do.
5) Physical Activity: That may not qualify as a VALUE. Yet it is a central theme in my life. Physical activity is vital to good health, emotional and physical. My very livelihood is based on that idea.
6) A Sense of Humor: make me laugh and I'm half way in love.
6 Things I do not value:
1) All or nothing thinking: It burns me up to hear people say that if you are not like me, then you are wrong, you are a bad influence, you are dangerous. Though I often cannot understand other's points of view, at least I try to recognize that it is not wrong, just different.
2) A big house: A cozy home is nice, of course. We all need shelter and a place to feel comfortable in. The plethora of shows on TV right now, though: Cribs, Million Dollar Realtor, Design Challenge, etc. I think they just perpetuate an unhealthy desire to lust for homes out of our reach. House rich and experience poor is no way to be.
3) Safety: Ok, I wear seatbelts, helmets, don't drink and drive, and all of that. But safety in life isn't in my book. I need to go out of my comfort zone.
4) Fashion: I've never been one to keep up on latest trends, designer clothes, fashion and style. Maybe that's why I look like the "before" people on What Not To Wear.
5) Tradition: I loved "Fiddler on the Roof", don't get me wrong. The idea that there is a certain way to do things and we should continue to do things that way simple because that is the way we've always done it just doesn't fly with me. Mix it up! Create new ways of doing things! Sometimes they way it's never been done is better.
6) Wealth: Money is nice to have. It's a great tool to achieve things we want to achieve. But money has been given too high a priority by too many people. It's certainly nothing to base your core life values on.
AND last but not least: today I polished off the rest of the paper recycling pile! What's next?
So part one is to open the closest book to you, turn to page 56 and write the 5th sentence on that page. My computer is next to my bookshelf, so I reached out for the first book I came into contact with without looking. It turned out to be My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir. It just so happens that this book says a lot about me. My love of nature, of hiking in the mountains, and of the author, himself, who founded the Sierra Club. It was also a gift from M, which I guess at this point, is neither here nor there.
"The serenity of this mountain weather in the spring, just when Nature's pulses are beating highest, is one of its greatest charms."
Part two of the tag: name 6 things that you value and 6 things that you don't.
Six Things I Value:
1) Adventure: May seem weird to top my list with something like adventure. But life without change, life without something new to explore, life without adventure is, to me, no life at all.
2) Friendship: I am still best friends with the same people I called my best friends when I was 12. My mother's best friend died last year and the most greatest tribute to her, in my eyes, was that at her memorial service, no fewer than 5 people said: "She was the best friend I ever had." I would like to be remembered that way.
3) Education: We never stop learning. Life is full of new things to learn every day. I always strive to continuously build knowledge not only in my field, but in totally unrelated areas. Well, at least that's how I rationalize spending money on classes.
4) Family: They are the reason I moved back home after 10 years away. And though I often joke that I love my family...in small doses... I am eternally grateful to have the family that I do.
5) Physical Activity: That may not qualify as a VALUE. Yet it is a central theme in my life. Physical activity is vital to good health, emotional and physical. My very livelihood is based on that idea.
6) A Sense of Humor: make me laugh and I'm half way in love.
6 Things I do not value:
1) All or nothing thinking: It burns me up to hear people say that if you are not like me, then you are wrong, you are a bad influence, you are dangerous. Though I often cannot understand other's points of view, at least I try to recognize that it is not wrong, just different.
2) A big house: A cozy home is nice, of course. We all need shelter and a place to feel comfortable in. The plethora of shows on TV right now, though: Cribs, Million Dollar Realtor, Design Challenge, etc. I think they just perpetuate an unhealthy desire to lust for homes out of our reach. House rich and experience poor is no way to be.
3) Safety: Ok, I wear seatbelts, helmets, don't drink and drive, and all of that. But safety in life isn't in my book. I need to go out of my comfort zone.
4) Fashion: I've never been one to keep up on latest trends, designer clothes, fashion and style. Maybe that's why I look like the "before" people on What Not To Wear.
5) Tradition: I loved "Fiddler on the Roof", don't get me wrong. The idea that there is a certain way to do things and we should continue to do things that way simple because that is the way we've always done it just doesn't fly with me. Mix it up! Create new ways of doing things! Sometimes they way it's never been done is better.
6) Wealth: Money is nice to have. It's a great tool to achieve things we want to achieve. But money has been given too high a priority by too many people. It's certainly nothing to base your core life values on.
AND last but not least: today I polished off the rest of the paper recycling pile! What's next?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
So I was back at work today, and again hauling some things to the recycling bins. Three cardboard boxes and a few cans later, the recycling pile is almost to the point where I'm just keeping up, rather than paring down.
Sometimes, I feel lucky to have the job that I do. Yeah, it has its share of frustrations, like any job. But then again, I get to meet some wonderful people, some interesting people, some fascinating people. Even better than that, I get to help make their lives a little easier. What more could I possibly ask for?
Sometimes, I feel lucky to have the job that I do. Yeah, it has its share of frustrations, like any job. But then again, I get to meet some wonderful people, some interesting people, some fascinating people. Even better than that, I get to help make their lives a little easier. What more could I possibly ask for?
Monday, October 20, 2008
Playing Hooky
Today, I was feeling pretty foul, so I did not make it into work. I'm still not 100%, but wildly better than this morning. Ya just need a sick day every now and then.
I did get a chance to putter around the apartment for a bit, and I was able to actually repurpose a few of the things I had been hanging onto. It's funny, the less you have, the more useful those things become. So a few of the plastic pouches I had kept seemed perfect for packing away the summer weight sheets, curtains, blankets etc.
I'm also able to see the "projects" more clearly that have been sitting around gathering dust. I'm thinking that next month tackling the projects will be inline. One goal flows naturally into the next, I suppose.
My goal for tonite is to get to bed early so I can get to work tomorrow!
I did get a chance to putter around the apartment for a bit, and I was able to actually repurpose a few of the things I had been hanging onto. It's funny, the less you have, the more useful those things become. So a few of the plastic pouches I had kept seemed perfect for packing away the summer weight sheets, curtains, blankets etc.
I'm also able to see the "projects" more clearly that have been sitting around gathering dust. I'm thinking that next month tackling the projects will be inline. One goal flows naturally into the next, I suppose.
My goal for tonite is to get to bed early so I can get to work tomorrow!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Chilly October Morning
With the place rearranged and the clutter slowly paring down, it's really starting to look neat and homey around here. Plus, I can better determine where to put my Halloween decorations. I don't have alot, but I always enjoy decorating for Halloween, just like Christmas. Today, I attacked the top drawer of the dresser. I repurposed some elastically-challanged undies into one-time-use-rags for those extra tough jobs, and I gave away two pair of perfectly respectable socks.
Today, I got up at the unnaturally-early-for-a-Sunday hour of 5:45 to drive to a group bike ride on the Cape. It was also unnaturally windy with a chill creeping in. That translated into a very small group for the bike ride. So small, it wasn't even really a group so much as a pair of riders. The other rider was none other than Potential P! I haven't spoken to him in a while, so it was a pleasant surprise to run into him this morning for a brisk morning bike ride.
We rode along a very nice Rails to Trails bike path that runs almost the entire legnth of Cape Cod. It winds in and out of towns, along salt water marshes and ponds, and through long stretches of piney woods. It is sensational!
During one of these stretches, I looked down the path and it was almost surreal. The clouds were low and pewter colored, the wind was gusting and bending the tree branches, the leaves were swirling in little eddys across the bike path. It was like a scene from "Something Wicked This Way Comes".
P and I raced along the path, panting our breath, and yelling over the sound of the wind as we caught up on news. My hands were freezing, my legs were sweating. We rode as if something wicked was, indeed, chasing us.
In the end, I was sort of glad that the group didn't show. I know we wouldn't have ridden as fast. I'm also pretty sure I would not have been as aware of my surroundings. I may have missed the picturesque beauty of a chilly October morning that foretold the coming of winter.
Today, I got up at the unnaturally-early-for-a-Sunday hour of 5:45 to drive to a group bike ride on the Cape. It was also unnaturally windy with a chill creeping in. That translated into a very small group for the bike ride. So small, it wasn't even really a group so much as a pair of riders. The other rider was none other than Potential P! I haven't spoken to him in a while, so it was a pleasant surprise to run into him this morning for a brisk morning bike ride.
We rode along a very nice Rails to Trails bike path that runs almost the entire legnth of Cape Cod. It winds in and out of towns, along salt water marshes and ponds, and through long stretches of piney woods. It is sensational!
During one of these stretches, I looked down the path and it was almost surreal. The clouds were low and pewter colored, the wind was gusting and bending the tree branches, the leaves were swirling in little eddys across the bike path. It was like a scene from "Something Wicked This Way Comes".
P and I raced along the path, panting our breath, and yelling over the sound of the wind as we caught up on news. My hands were freezing, my legs were sweating. We rode as if something wicked was, indeed, chasing us.
In the end, I was sort of glad that the group didn't show. I know we wouldn't have ridden as fast. I'm also pretty sure I would not have been as aware of my surroundings. I may have missed the picturesque beauty of a chilly October morning that foretold the coming of winter.
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