A Mindful Walk

Recently I have been attempting to take a walk (or ski) each day. A while back I had went to a yoga studio where they had a class to practice Mindfulness. We would eat a berry as slowly as possible admiring the taste and texture, or walk a long the edges of our mat very slowly taking in each step and feeling the different muscles we use and what walking does for mankind each day. Most of these classes began with a few minutes of talking and then the rest was silent. It was great!

So I took it upon myself to get in the habit of mindful walking- (because walking for me doesn't require very much motivation). As I walked down the windy trail I chanted Om Shanti Om with my mala and later moved on to another joyful chant. When I came upon a tree that I could sit on (there is snow still on the ground) I sat and saw snowshoe hare tracks which i didn't know were in this park.

I quieted the mind and began focusing on Niko smiling and laughing, I can tell he is reverting back to his springtime depression-not how it was last year but every once in awhile i can tell it comes quickly and leaves quickly. I don't know how long I sat there, but after i felt it was time to go i stood and took a small side trail and walked as slow as possible feeling each step.
I jotted down these few thoughts that came to mind:

Sometimes its harder to slow down than it is to be quick, but its better to be slow and mindful than it is to rush and forget what your doing in the first place.

The more that you dwell on the annoyances and discomfort the more it will affect you.

Reading these seem like common sense, but for me it may feel and look like common sense but my brain doesn't wrap around these things easily unless i figure it out myself- or if i have some revelation -like on this walk!

I highly recommend getting out there and trying it yourself! Oh ya and when i got home and Niko and I were talking he said he had felt very happy that morning(same time as i went on this walk!)
Below are a few pictures from skiing...The Buddha silhouette was comforting to see, because I didn't expect it!

A Valentine's Snowshoe Trip

So yesterday me and Niko spent our day off together out in the woods.We had planned a camping trip for Valentines Day, but of course the weather turned last minute and with the blizzard we decided against it. We decided to take a little day trip on Sunday instead.

The next morning I woke up and made breakfast (something i try to do each Sunday- I also make Sherpa an egg each Sunday)Then we lazily got around and left by 12. We left Sherpa at home because we had to drive Nik's truck since the roads were pretty snowy (his truck is only a two seater and sherpa refuses to ride in the back) She knew we were headed somewhere when she saw us putting on layers of clothing, she wasnt very happy with us.

 When we got to Eklutna, we saw a few other groups out x-c skiing. It was nice and quiet though, the sky was mostly cloudless when we first got there but a few moved in throughout the hike.
These were the snacks we brought...

After our leisurely hike, we came back to town and stopped by Summit Spice and Tea and picked up some Lady Grey( one of my all time favs) and some Green Bancha which i never tried. Then we went home had some tea and watched BBC Human Planet which was really interesting!

Usually we get a little Something for each other on V-day I bought Niko two shirts, a coy fish tea cup, and a book, and he got me a pair of keen slippers:

Here are some of my favorite pictures of the trip...

Overall our day was fantastic! What did you do for valentines day?

Driving Home in a Rush

So typically every day after work, i almost sprint to my car and hurry my way back home. Whenever i come to one of the 7 lights i cross my fingers that it wont turn red (one in particular i dislike because it takes forever to turn green...) But yesterday was different, after a slight scare from ice and rain on the roads, i vowed to slow down. So yesterday i saw an over sized snow truck about to pull onto the main road that takes me away from my job, i took my time to warm up my car and scrape the ice off the windows. You see, where i work there is one directional lane in and one out....so there is no passing, and the speed limit is 25mph, and if there's a snow truck in front of me that means he is plowing on going probably 20 mph. This one lane road continues for about 5 or six miles so it takes about 15 minutes just to pass the truck, which it typically only takes me 15 minutes to get all the way home, but yesterday was different. I told myself that i got home whenever i got home, a few minutes won't make any difference! I chanted my way home and low and behold i hit only green lights.... on top of that after the snow truck disappeared from my sight, i didn't see him on the road at all....he must have pulled over at some point. I got home in 15 minutes, just like my regular travel time. The only difference was the few minutes to prepare my vehicle which i had to do regardless.... It made me realize this whole rushing about thing doesn't really work...You all know what I am talking about, I'm sure everyone has experienced the speed racer. That speed racer speeds dangerously past you in all types of weather and then you are right behind or next to them sitting at a red light. He didn't get very far ahead by rushing, and in the meantime he is putting his life and others life in danger...This is something to avoid. When you are not worried about getting somewhere faster, you enjoy getting there. This was an eyeopener!

My Little Sanctuary...

For some reason I love to see where people live...It gives me a better idea about who they are, and what they like. I am sure there are more of me out there. So I decided to put up some of my photos from my apartment. I think it's cozy enough...i have one other room thats not on here...its more of a storage room for camping gear/ Niko's 'workshop' like he likes to call it...he mostly likes fixing things on his little desk and trying out all of his tools. I love our aparment when the sun rises it rises in our living room and sets in our bedroom. What do you think?

Home Sweet Home

So me and Niko, are back from Missouri! It was really nice to both have a break from work and to enjoy family time, but i am glad to be back home. Last night we took a nice long walk after dinner (we started walking after dinner just recently and it has become my favorite part of the day) and enjoyed the crisp cool air.. I am so happy to live where i do, although our apartment is in the ghetto, inside is a comfy clean place and outside we are close to all of our favorite places and restaurants.....
we also went on a 2 mile run yesterday which was refreshing but also hard on our soft bodies...it has been awhile since we worked out, hopefully that tradition will stick so we will be back for hiking season once summer rolls around! i added two pics from our trip below!

What a Weekend...

So this week has been quite hectic...Me and Niko are taking a trip at the end of the week to see his wonderful family in Missouri. We are very excited! But with what comes with all travel we have to have arrangements made for our dog and our apartment. We have a great friend who offered his services to watch Sherpa, and hopefully he won't go crazy without internet/cable, since we dont have those. Anyways, my parents offered their car to me so i sold me old Pontiac. I put it up on craigslist and at midnight someone called to schedule to look at it. We had to clean it out the same night and make sure it was ready, and i washed it and the next day the man bought it.  After that we purchased my parents red Toyota Yaris, which i already fell in love with, (it has large windows and its small- but big enough for me Niko and Sherpa), and then headed to the DMV which was closed for Martin Luther King Day...Today we have to do some last minute shopping, and also get groceries for our friend to have soemthing to eat while we are gone, and then touch up the apartment. I am grateful that everything has come together quickly but will be very happy when our trip comes around and we can finally just relax after these crazy weeks! Sometimes its nice to just stop everything, catch a breath, and ponder about what is happening that moment! On a side note check out your horoscope with Susan Miller...mine was dead on....


this is a good song to listen to while relaxing...

Alan Watts...My hero!

Growing up in a Baptist church, I was taught many things...mostly to do with spiritualism and what was required of me at all times...Not telling lies, treating others with respect, avoid stealing, obeying elders...All good ideas to live by, i will agree with that, but it is impossible to uphold all these things at all times, and being treated as if you could live up to these standards while you watch your elders not doing the same made it that more difficult. I saw a lot of backstabbing, hypocrisy, and lying within the fellow Christians, and the worst ones seemed to have the most power!

I never understood it, not then, not now...

So a few years ago I started to research quite a bit on other religions, trying to find something that made sense to me, and finally i came across Buddhism. It was like a veil was lifted off of me and i finally felt like something in the world makes sense. I UNDERSTAND i wanted to scream! but at the beginning of my research i felt guilty for just looking at another religions direction. That's when i realized i was pretty much brainwashed. I had went to a private Christian school and attended church 3 times a week until i turned 18. Then i didn't go to church at all except maybe about three times within the last 6 years. It has taken me two years to shake off the guilt and to move on, and i am still doing it. Its hard to just say OK I am not going to hell because i believe this, especially after being told you would certainly burn in hell  if you didn't believe in Christ your entire life. Then a coworker showed me Alan Watts. We began listening to his dialog just about everyday for awhile, and i started listening to him at home. I feel better at the sound of his voice...I feel at ease, i don't feel the pressure of society telling me i need to be doing something else at this exact second, or the pressure of religion telling me i should be doing something else as well.... His words changed my outlook on things and continues to do so on a regular basis!

“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” ~Kimberly Howard

I just read this saying on another blog. What a great saying!

I ,for one, am horrible at apologizing and not adding an excuse to the end of it like and end marking. When me and Niko have an argument words are thrown out of our mouths liberally and without thought, we have a cycle that we both understand. We start with something minor, i say lets stop talking about this Niko says one last thing to egg it on and then that one last thing sets me off and then he's all the sudden ready to drop the conversation...

I wish we could just end it at the beginning but we are both hardwired into this routine. It's not as bad as it was when we didn't realize this pattern. At least now i can expect and accept what is about to happen. But in the end when we make up if i feel at fault then i apologize but then add an excuse like, "next time lets stop talking about it when i ask to stop talking about it." or "i only did this because of what you had done leading up to that."  Thank God we hardly fight now days...

It is hard to take ownership for your own flaws, but there should be no excuse. I need to learn to just say "Sorry," and be done with it...but our relationship specifically entails that both of us want the last word, and just saying 'sorry' wouldn't feel fulfilling... This is something i intend on working on, now i just need to remember it while we have an argument and not afterwards....

Is Olive Garden Really that Great?

So I will warn you, if you like Olive Garden stop reading now....

A year or two ago Olive Garden finally came up to Alaska....whenever any southern chain restaurant finally comes up here, everyone acts like there is a hidden treasure in the building there and they must be the first ones in it to find it. Then for months and months the restaurant is packed tight and there is always a waiting time of about 2 hours. Then everyone asks you just about everyday if you have been there yet, and if and when you finally tell them yes then they stop asking.

Finally my time had come!
This last Saturday we went to Olive Garden. We were suppose to meet a friend there but he bailed because of the road conditions (which at the time were horrendous). The waiting time had dwindled and we were seated quickly. I ordered a lasagna classico.
 First off  the tables are right next to each other, its as if I am dining with strangers, not only that but the chairs are so close i my as well sit on their lap. We waited while we were fed bread sticks and salad (which they pre-drench in dressing) and tried not to listen to the woman directly next to me talk on the phone about her husband who was jumped and robbed in the street, while her poor son just sat there twiddling his thumbs.
The restaurant i realized was to get people in and out as soon as possible. They ask if you want cheese on everything! I declined because the lasagna it seemed was made of cheese itself! After not being able to finish even half of it, we decided to get out of there. Thankfully, our waitress was fantastic, very nice and helpful. She brought us our bill and gave us our leftovers. Later that night me and Niko's stomach felt sick, sick as in we felt like we should just sit down and do nothing. Since we have become pescatarians we have been eating very light mostly salads each night every once in awhile fish... We weren't accustomed to the constant carbs....My brother happened to go that same night to Olive garden with his wife, and the next day he had food poisoning. Thank goodness me and Niko were fine after hours of sitting still and wishing we haunt eaten there.

Needless to say we haven't touched the leftovers....

Its Cold Everywhere Except Alaska!

So i have been reading a lot of my friends post about how cold its getting in the lower 48 (all states south of here minus Hawaii) and i find it hard to believe that we are experience the weirdest winter I have been alive for. First off we haven't had much snow, and this is the second warm wave that hit us! Right now it is 48 degrees! The snow is melting as you can see in my photo (taken moments ago) there is flooding everywhere... I work at a xcski park and this is what it looks like right now... grass is poking through everything! I am not complaining- the roads are okay for now and only parking lots are very slick.. but i wonder how everyone is complaining about the cold down south and we are getting these little heat waves!
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ101

Whistling- Changing Your Attitude

The first time i whistled was when i was very young....my oldest sister, Sarah, would whistle every morning when she woke up at 5 a.m. and started cooking breakfast for all 10 of my siblings. I would skip behind her and watch her cook, and everyday i tried to whistle with her, and one day i finally did it! Soon after my sister left for college i abandoned the act and pretty much forgotten about it. You are right that is not to big of deal, but then i started working at the park that i am now and a coworker would whistle every night as we locked everything up. Again i didnt think much about it, until a few weeks ago.
I was driving home during traffic and i was getting very upset (road rage) up her in AK the lines on the road are obscured by snow, so people drive in all sorts of made up lanes. You have to know the road to know where the invisible lines are. Since i have been working here for a few years i happen to know where they are located and when people drive in the middle of two lanes i get visibly aggravated! I realized how stupid i was getting mad over something so mundane, its not that big of deal as long as they dont cause an accident...So i started whistling, now i whistle the entire way home...i whistle to classical music specifically "the Four Seasons" (i didnt say i sounded good;) but it really puts you in a good mood! I stopped getting angry, the whistling kept enough of my concentration in order not to focus on the crazy drivers, but not enough for me not to be paying attention...if you have the same road rage syndrome i encourage you to try it!

BEER

I love beer! I dont like dark beers but anything else I will say yes too. My favorite is the Alaska White Ale...hmmm and then the Mooses Tooth Apple Beer (which is only available on tap). I am looking for a new beer to try anyone have any suggestions?

Conquering Janusirasana

So last night while doing yoga with Niko, we compared our abilities now with what we used to be like. For instance the pose called Janusirasana (a mouthful i know) which i also like to call head to knee pose-looks like this:

I used to not be able to do, and then after a month of practice i was able to touch my head for a short time to my knee, and then last night i was able to hold it there as long as i needed without discomfort! And thats not all i can also do Uttanasana with my head touching my knees (or standing forward bend) now:

The crazy thing is both of these poses were difficult for me and miraculously last night i was able to do them with ease. Niko has also made major improvements, he is a broad shouldered guy who used to not be able to touch his shoulders behind him, or straighten his legs at all while he was bent forward, can now twist his torso further, he can touch his back, and touch his toes while his leg is straight. It was a very exciting night to look at how humans adapt and reshape themselves when allowed. This is going to be my next goal....i am sure it will take quite a bit of time! WISH ME LUCK!

Sick

So I have a cold. I tried for days to tell myself i didnt have a cold, but everyone around me notified me that I did. I Dayquil it up during the day, and Nyquil it up right before bed, but my ears are still popping. I cant release that pressure....does anyone know how to get rid of that? Also My nose has dry skin from tissues ( i got the tissues w/ lotion) i cant seem to stop it, i might try some Burts Bees hand balm on it or bag balm...anyone have any other remedies? i try to stay natural but my nose has been burning for the last few days...hopefully it will end soon so i can go back to enjoying my days. On a positive note my New Years Resolution was to do yoga at least once a day, and up until today i have done it 2xs a day. I do AM/PM Yoga, Power Yoga, and Weight Loss Yoga. Niko typically does it w me at night, but tonight is my little brothers last day to hang out before he goes to basic training, so we will skip our session tonight!

Princess

I read this book the other day, and truly felt sick. My stomach turned in knots at each chapter. The thought that females are still treated like this today is a sobering thought. Read it if you have a strong stomach for injustice.....