In a Nutshell

Well I had a great big recap of my week ready to post up here... but i can't seem to open gmail for some reason so here's a recap of things making my world turn at the moment...

Gaiam Yoga Club is something I'm starting this week. Rodney Yee is one of my fave yoga instructors and this is a great new club where you practice at home at your own pace. Best of all, the supply you with loads of meditation and practice podcasts.

Friends, I am becoming a runner. What's that saying?? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? Well yes, I'm imitating my bella sister who is now a runner. Yes - my sister, who gave birth to a gorgeous little LaLa not too long ago. And she looks good! So I'm inspired to imitate her, and have joined a running group. First session was last friday (at 6.15am!!!) and it rocked! The gal who runs the running club (hehe) is a runner herself and also a sports massage therapist, and she's all about technique and how to do it safely. I have signed up for a block of 10 and now just need to buy a headband to cover my ears (it's cold in the morning!)

I'm also back on the goal of cooking a dish from every one of my cookbooks before the year is out. I love reading cookbooks - and dreaming of what I'll create. But then I become lazy and just stick to the good old faves. But I have some delish looking recipes and I'll create tonight!

Meditation is something I need to pick up this week too. I saw my lovely counsellor and then had acupuncture this week, and a LOT of stuff came up. I'm still digesting most of it but i need an outlet for it, and just a way of dealing with it. So meditation might be the key. Another way of dealing with it is by being active - the yoga is good, the running is good, but I'm also (on the recommendation of my therapist!) taking up kickboxing. I'm looking forward to it!

So that's me, in a nutshell. Hope you are keeping smiley too! x

Happy Housewarming!!!

There was pictionary, curries for 16, water problems, water solutions, hula hoops, great friends and many glorious memories.

What a night : )

How on earth did I get here?

I guess I was never too worried about money... I mean, growing up, we didn't have any, so when I started earning it, I just spent it. It was a nice change. And then I got a loan when I moved to Sydney cause, you know, Sydney is an expensive city! And then the debts got bigger, the savings became non-existant, and here we are... a 30 year old in way too much debt and with no savings.

So it was pretty cool to read Too Smart about reflecting on getting into debt - reflecting on how the hell did I get to this crazy position! He says:
I've spent a week doing "reflection". Writing things about "how I got here". It might make for decent copy, but, as always, it's not really moving me any towards my goals.
This is a common problem with me. I have big ideas, big plans. I'm a great "thinker", I'm a horrible "do-er". I have to do something to improve my situation before I go to bed tonight.

Well - me too. It's really freaky that I have no savings to speak of, over 10k in debt, and friends around me who are now talking about putting down a deposit for a house. Oh My God. I don't even have a deposit for a holiday. And that has to change.

I've actually rejigged my whole yoga teaching timetable and I will start earning a good couple of hundred bucks a week, to go right onto my debt snowball. And of course I got paid last week, got all excited, and signed up for this course in true Shiny style - no debt repayments to be had. Sure, the course is gonna be good but it's not getting me any closer to being debt free! So readers, I'm taking my spending habits to the street. Well rather, my new savings habits to the people. I'm getting back to regularly updating my debt snowball page, and will include a listing of how much exactly I earn for yoga - and thus will be shamed into putting all of it onto debt repayments.

I figure if I work my pahooti off till the end of the year I can without a doubt get rid of my credit card and loan. Now THAT is a good thought.
x

Today i am grateful for:
* Friends coming together for a diner party on the weekend
* Yoga practice
* reading books while snuggled in bed on a cold day!
* lovely cups of tea from T2
* sticky date pudding with icecream and strawberries
* my counsellor

All that talk of food...

...got me searching & wandering around the net..... and so I eventually came across Wednesday Chef and TA DA this gorgeous recipe. All I can say is YUM!

So I haven't tried this YET but as I'm always on the lookout for yummy new recipes, I'm sure as heck gonna give this one a whirl. Hopefully you do too : )

Giant Lima Beans with Roasted Peppers
Serves 2 amply as a main course
1/2 pound giant white lima beans
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 roasted red bell peppers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste


1. Put the beans in a pot with ample water to cover (enough to come about 3 inches above the beans). Let sit for half an hour. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the flame to low and simmer the beans for approximately 1 hour, or until al dente. About 15 minutes before removing the beans from the heat, season with salt. Drain and reserve the boiling liquid.

2. As the beans simmer, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat, and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove the peppers from their oil and finely chop. Add them to the onions and garlic, and stir over medium heat for about 3 minutes to meld the flavors a little. Remove from the heat and add the beans to the pepper mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir gently to combine.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scrape the bean mixture in an ovenproof glass or ceramic baking dish. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the beans. Tuck a bay leaf into the center of the dish, covering the leaf well with the beans. Cover the dish and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beans are very tender and their centers creamy.

4. Five minutes before the beans come out of the oven, pour in the vinegar. Remove from the oven and serve. You can let the beans cool to room temperature as well and serve the next day.

Food, glorious food!

My new housemate follows a gluten free diet, and it's interesting. I followed a gluten/wheat/dairy/sugar/red meat free diet for 3 months a couple of years ago for depression and it was amazing. I felt so full of beans and energy and my skin was so clear, it was phenomenal... and very hard to follow hah!

But it's not a 'choice' for my housemate, she medically has to follow this diet - her body don't like gluten!!!!

And while I follow a very heavy vegetarian based diet (with some fish thrown in) and love my lentils, brown rice and vegies, and feel that I eat quite well, well... looking seriously at ingredients in diets is fabulous.

I recently found Green Bean Dreams and it has made me really explore diet and sustainable living. This book has also excited my interest in food. And this blog.

Now.. I'm off, and I'm hungry ;)

Till next time.. x

... maybe, whatever

Maybe it was the way that he looked at that other gal in the restaurant tonight. The blonde, skinny chick with the tight outfit.

Maybe it was the fact I just didn't want to go out with them cause I feel like I am too self conscious.

Maybe it is coming home and watching a gig on tv, of a band i used to work on when they were young, it was their first release, and now they're big and maybe it's all the bands I work on and now I wonder if even a handful of them will remember me. cause i certainly don't get the looks or the conversation i used to.

Maybe, and I think most likely, it's just because I am not happy with myself right now. And I haven't been for a while.

This isn't depression. This is looking back, when you've hit a significant age, and you wonder if it is where you thought you'd be. And even if not where you thought you'd be.. it's AM I HAPPY WHERE I AM NOW?

(this is a stream of consciousness happening here too!)

The answer... no.

Kachtus talks about a part of it. Me being a flubber is another part of it. And I suppose the thing is that it's not something that isn't able to be fixed. But it's still a bit blah.

I saw little LaLa today and it's like Sar and I were talking about... you know, I in no way whatsoever want a babe of my own at the moment. I am clucky, I love babies and I love lala more than i thought i could ever love someone, but I just couldn't handle one of my own right here, right now. But I'm not young. And I am perennially single. The prognosis doesn't look great.

But whatever, it's odd. I'm in an odd mood tonight. Cause I know that maybe one day things will become shiny. I doubt it, but I am in no doubt that it's possible. If that makes sense. *sigh*

Anyway, too much to digest. I am gonna go to bed with a book. It's about as much action as this chick is getting at the mo.

signing off x