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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Unexpected

I've been contemplating the events of the last few days. I heard a lot of ideas, thoughts, personal stories, and inspiring directions while I was attending a School for Conversion at Communality in Lexington, KY.

My head is full and I have not reached a point where I can coherently write my reflections and experiences down yet.  However I keep coming back to one unexpected thing, and this is a big one for me.  As I've previously stated I am big on community, on being around others, and loving those who I share my life with.  While I was in Lexington this past weekend, I felt like the people I was around were people that I had known all my life.  I felt instantly comfortable and enveloped in love the moment I stepped in the door.  

Some of these people I never really expect to see again, but for the time that we shared space on a sunny and extremely warm spring weekend I felt that they were somehow part of my distant family.

This is fairly unexpected for me.  With the general anxiety that I deal with on a daily basis I consistently feel uneasy in the presence of new people.  Even my strong desire to be with others is often overcome by fear, anxiety, and insecurities.  This often leads to missed opportunities.

I went to Lexington to see and to listen to community, with no expectations.  Any fruit that the weekend bears will be unexpected.  However, for now I am practicing delayed gratification, and not beating myself up over perceived missed moments, because the moments that I caught are worth more.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Being Proactive

Today I had my yearly gynecological exam. I write so much about fibromyalgia and trying to make myself better, but I thought I should say something about being proactive about our health. I am speaking both to the men and the women who read my blog. There are a lot of steps out there that everyone can do to make sure they are keeping themselves as healthy as possible.

Obviously a healthy diet and exercise are usually one of the easiest steps. These things get complicated by busy lifestyles that leave us grabbing the most convenient foods, and not having enough time to go to the gym or a jog. But by keeping pre-made healthy meals and snacks in the fridge and freezer solves part of the problem (I am not good at doing this, but I at least try to keep healthy things around.) Also if you don't have time for a long work out during the day take short walks throughout the day, or park your car farther away when running errands. You've heard this all before right?

When we don't get the nutrients we need through our diet it is also important to take a multi-vitamin to supplement what foods we do eat. And women, you should be taking extra calcium as well to support bone health. Ask your doctor for recommended dosages.

Speaking of doctors remember to get regular check ups, people who rarely get sick may not see their doctor enough to notice high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. These are all easy tests and do not require much extra time. Of course there are also the exams themselves, which while from time can be uncomfortable, are a necessary part to keeping ourselves healthy. The good news, these things usually only need to be done once a year or every other year depending on doctor recommendations. And if your doctor is like mine, they will try to get it over as quickly as possible.

There are also tests like mammograms and colonoscopies that are recommended for people of a certain age. If your doctor recommends something, it's probably a good idea to do it. Early detection is key to the best treatment when dealing with any kind of disease or illness.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Next Two Weeks.

I haven't had a heck of a lot of energy for blogging lately, and nothing going on to speak of. A few things are on my list for the next few weeks. I am going to School(s) for Conversion at a community in Kentucky next weekend. I will need to be working on my pre-weekend reading and reflection. I'm hoping for some renewed energies around faith and community to come out of the weekend.

I also have 2 doctors appointments and I really need to schedule a massage.

I am anxious to get blood tests back and hope for some more answers. While there have been some high points in the last several weeks, there have also been some serious low points. I've had days where I've struggle just to keep my eyes open and others where the weather has made my body so sensitive and painful. Spring in Ohio is not a happy one at the moment. Hopefully things will come around soon.

I've also realized the need to rediscover my passion for creation and the environment. I haven't been participating in the conversation about our environment much lately, and I'd like for that to change.

I've been utilizing Twitter to mini update my blog, follow friends, and also learn about faith and environmental organizations. I believe it is going to be a good tool. This might be the only full post for the next two weeks, but I will attempt to Twitter often.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Twittering

I set up a twitter account so you can see twitter updates from me on my blog to the left. I haven't felt a whole lot like writing recently, so this way you will at least know what is on my mind. I'm working on some deeper faith related stuff that I will post soon, it just needs to marinate a little longer before I can post. Keep an eye out.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The Latest Popeye

Popeye has been being his regular cat self. He's been spending a lot of time in the window watching birds, and the wind moving the branches on the trees. He's also recently been banished from the bedroom at night, doctor's orders so I can get a better night sleep.  
However, we get to spend a lot of quality time together and recently Ryan caught some of those moments on the camera.  
From 2009
From 2009


From 2009
From 2009