Attitude is everything

So, it's been awhile... about three months if anyone is counting.  Probably not, but a girl can dream right? :-)  Basically I've spent all this time not blogging... just living.  Since I last wrote a post I have had to make some big changes in my life, specifically with my diet and exercise.  At first I really wasn't happy with these changes.  I didn't think things were fair; Why should I have to work so hard to be healthy when it seems like most everyone else has it easy?  Bad attitude?  Um, that would be a resounding YES!

My husband and I also lost our kitty just a few weeks ago.  Molly was the first pet we had together and she truly was part of our family.  Losing her was so horrible... and I think it is really only within the past week or so that I have been able to be at home and not feel like something very important was missing.  It's amazing just how integral to your life a 17 year old cat that yells at you for food can be.  It's been a pretty rough few months around here...  and I have had a whole lot to think about.

With so much on my mind, there wasn't a lot of time for knitting or spinning or anything really.  I don't think I touched a project for at least a month if not two.  I just couldn't settle down enough to enjoy the process.  I did do a fair bit of reading during my blog hiatus.  Maybe that was because it would occupy my mind so I didn't have to think about the serious stuff that was going on.  I read The Hunger Games, The Help and a whole bunch of other less serious books on my Kindle.   It was really nice to get back to reading for awhile.  In middle and high school, my nose was constantly in a book and quite honestly I really miss having all that free time to read.  Nowadays I seem to read voraciously for a few weeks and then switch to some other form of entertainment for much longer periods of time.  I think that's because when I'm knitting, spinning or weaving I can talk with people or watch tv and still keep my hands busy.

I find more and more that I can't just sit and watch tv, I need to have a project to work on.  At parties I almost always bring a simple project to work on so that I can chat with people and not be completely immobile.  It's funny that I used to get so annoyed at my mom for not being able to sit still and watch a tv show without getting up 5 million times to fold laundry or organize something while she was watching.  Apparently it just took until my 30's for that particular genetic foible to kick in...

With that I have been able to get into crafting of all kinds again in the past month.  I finished up a sock yarn shawl which I still need to block and take final pictures of and have started another small project for a friend of mine.  I also took an advanced weaving class and learned about using a pick up stick to make warp and weft floats in my weaving.  It's a neat technique especially because no matter what, the two sides of your woven project are always different.  I'm hoping to weave and spin much more this summer when the heat makes me not want to drape anything knitted on my lap.  I also have a afghan I am slowly crocheting.  That would be a very good summer project as well since the blocks are only 12" by 12". 

To go back to where this post started: In reflecting on everything that's happened in my life recently... I think I've grown a little wiser.  Admittedly, it's hard to change your mindset from feeling like a victim to realizing you are really blessed.  It's even more difficult to understand that the struggles you have been handed in life can mold and change you into a different and better person.  But, I have had wonderful people surrounding me and praying for me through all of this and my attitude has truly made a 180.

So, if you need the cliff notes version, this blog post is a very, very long way for me to tell you: 

Life is good and I am back on track!

Whew! That was a good workout...

So, I decided it was high time to start exercising again.  I have such a love/hate relationship with working out... I know I need to, but it just sucks.   I hate the gym and I don't want to take a class let alone pay for either of the two. 

A year or so ago, I bought a couple of workout dvds of Amazon to try to get myself to exercise at home.  I tried them out and they were both pretty darn good, but as usual, I ended up deciding I was far too busy to exercise, so they have been collecting dust since.  Recently my inner health specialist (yes, I have one of those, and she is quite annoying cause she is usually right about everything) started yelling at me to pull out the dvds again and give them a try.  After a week of putting it off due to clutter in the living room, I finally broke out of them one this evening and remembered just how cool it was. 

The dvd I shoved in the player happened to be The Goddess Workout, which is belly dancing.  Now belly dancing has always fascinated me a bit because traditional dancers are not tiny, but normal sized women and their movements are incredibly graceful.  Plus, belly dance is a great workout for just about anyone since it is non-impact (which is almost a must for me).  Below is an interview with Dolphina, who is the instructor.  You can see some of the footage from the workout itself during interview.    

I have one other dvd to re-introduce myself to, so if it's as good as I remember, I post about that one as well.  Hopefully (this time) the workouts will actually stick and I will continue to do them every day.  I must say, though I am now tired and a bit sweaty, it was a good workout and my arms and legs have that lovely feeling you get after you finish a workout.  I think it's really funny how I always feel great after the work out, but I can't seem to remember that when convincing myself to workout the next time.  Oh well, my phalanges are crossed that I can keep this up.... and blame watching to many Bones episodes for the phalanges reference.