Disconnect to Reconnect

Oh Facebook, what would we do without you?  We can check in on people and always know what they're up too...who has kids, who has dog-kids, who loves their life, and who is airing their dirty laundry (generally rather passive aggressively).  We get caught up in it, I get caught up in it.  Sometimes we need to remember to keep in mind that FB is really only what others want for us to see (in some cases, in other cases people put it ALL out there!).

That being said, be sure to check out Prettypalooza on Facebook...I'm up to about 20 likes, cause I'm kind of a big deal.

In the past couple of weeks though, I've been contacted by a couple of people who I had lost touch with (in real life).  One was a person that I'd been in school with pretty much the entire of K-12.  The other was a former co-worker who I used to hang out with a lot...but then you know, life got in the way.  I guess it's what some would call an "A-ha!" moment, where I realized that there was more going on in our lives than FB would have me believe.  Sometimes we do just need to carve out some time to sit with each other and connect person to person...like when something isn't working and you turn it off then turn it back on.  

While catching up you may learn that not only does she
not exercise, but also that she's never
had any official dance training.  

I dare you to meet up with someone sometime soon in real life and spend some time really catching up.  Phones only for showing a couple of pics here and there and maybe setting a timer if you only found 2 hour parking.  (Bonus points if you are having such a nice visit that you have to go move your car, because that's what I had to do!).  

Cheers to you, and have some fun!

Five stretches for a good night's sleep

Now that I've been working out more, I seem to have found some additional muscles that I didn't know I had.  So right before bed and first thing in the morning I've been adding some stretches to help with any stiffness or soreness.  These are some of my favorites (bonus being that you don't even need to get out of bed to do them).

Keep in mind that I'm not a doctor or a yoga instructor...I've just found that these combos have been working for me.

In any order:

1. Legs against a wall: helps to lower heart rate 

2. Pigeon: hip opener

3. Bridge pose: calms brain, improves circulation

4. Cat and Cow: good for posture, relieves stress

5. Child's pose and or Happy Baby: both good for calming body and mind

Again, I'm not a professional or anything, I just know these feel good and I've been getting to sleep easier and it's a nice way to wake up in the morning. Go ahead and check with a Doc, do what you need to do...it's the only body you've got!

If you need info on how to do these poses, or want more info on the benefits I found this website helpful: cnyhealingarts   

BOSU, for me...and maybe for you??

I've seen those BOSU balls laying around the gym before.  I've even seen some women with rather enviable bodies gracefully planking using the BOSU.  I had never dared picked one up at the gym though...I'm not what one would call graceful or coordinated. 

I did opt to try a class over at Equilibrium Fitness in La Verne.  The class sizes are small, so far between 4 to 6 and our teacher.  What I like about this class is that we do a bit of everything (legs, abs, arms) and work at a variety of paces.  I'm still at a place where I go a little slower so that I get the movements right (for the most part). It's kind of like a step class, meets a little kickboxing with some light yoga stretches included.  

Maura the instructor is super nice and welcoming and takes time throughout the class to check on everyone.  On my second visit we were balancing on the flat side of the BOSU and she actually came over an held my hands until I was up and balanced...twice. She came over and held my sweaty little hands, that's how nice she is.

It's a good workout, a get you sweaty and heart racing, leaving with wobbly legs kind of workout.  With a few more classes under my belt I may even feel coordinated enough to try it myself at the gym...during the off hours when not too many people can see me. 

Fab find: Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask

I like samples...no, make that love.  I love getting samples of little things to try.  Sometimes the actual product is so far out of my price range that it's laughable, but I enjoy my sample nonetheless.

Lucky for me the other night I was looking for a night cream sample and I found The Body Shop's Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask in my lovely sample collection.  I put a little on and instantly my skin felt so soft and hydrated.  I can not remember the last time my skin felt so wonderful so quickly.  In the morning, my skin still felt great.

As far as price point goes, I consider it completely affordable at $30.00 for 3.1 ounces.  For a night time mask, that you maybe use once or twice a week (more if you have more dehydrated skin).

So glad I found this sample, looking forward to trying more from this line as well!

too snarky for inner peace?

I enjoy my evening walks in nature, I do.  Right up until some joggers decide to run around me (it's not like I'm in the middle of the road, I hug the edge), or some mom with a stroller decides to pick up her pace right as I'm about to go around her.  So, for the most part I really like my walks.

I wanted to bring my mindfulness up a notch though. I downloaded the "Stop, Breathe & Think" app for my phone.  They have a "mindful walk" meditation and I decided to listen to it while walking.  Be more in the moment, not irritated by my fellow walkers.  As I listened to the app, I took time to breathe deep, and look at my surroundings.  I was looking to the sky and the trees and missed the sprinkler and tripped...didn't fall though, caught myself.  Then as I was supposed to be focusing on my breath and the scents around me I noticed that I was passing by the bathrooms...so not focusing on the scents over there!

I switched over to the "gratitude" meditation...and it was working for me.  Then this kid with training wheels caught up with me and started yelling at his parents to hurry up...at that point all I could feel gratitude for was the fact I did not have children.

I am a work in progress.  I do like the app, it's free and has a bunch of options for list of meditations.  Most tell you to be seated, but the ones I listened to were good while walking.

What do you listen to? Have you tried any meditation apps? Are you innerly peaceful?

Why Spa and when?

I am still working to get my post graduated certificate from International Dermal Institute.  I am also trying to work out what kind of Esthetician I would like to be.  I think that I would really like to focus in on skin care and body treatments, and not so much on waxing.  Waxing has just never been my thing (maybe because I too feel the pain that we have to suffer walking around letting our hairs grow out prior to a session).

Personally, I'd rather go the shave and laser route...to me it's just easier (especially if you consider how many deals are to be had on things like Groupon and Living Social).

Bunny applauds going cruelty free

 Here's what I do know, I want to provide a cruelty free experience (bunnies of the world rejoice!).   I would also like to focus on facials and things like body wraps and such.  These are the treatments that I enjoy, and I'd like to think others do too...I could be wrong.  I know I don't go as much as I'd like, do you?

Adulting isn't easy but it's necessary...apparently.

Lately I've noticed that everyone on my facebook is being a grown up... Babies everywhere, or the kids that were once babies are in high school.  High school, my high school friends now have children entering high school. What is that??

And I'm all over here like, um, yeah my last job didn't really work out.  So, I'm taking some classes while being unemployed.  Kids? Well no, no kids for me.  Sure I like them, I just don't have any.  I like fancy cars, boats, and horses too...but I don't have those either.

I hope that I live to be 120 years old or something, because then I feel that at some point I will have mastered the grown up thing.

Old Hollywood reads

 

I love history...my high school self would be shocked.  Perhaps because there is so much outside of the HS curriculum and so many different stories to tell.

I also love old movies.  Night clubs and big theatrical numbers.  Black and white (or color, I'm flexible).  Musicals, love them...especially if they throw in some tap dancing (now my elementary school summer self is shocked).  

Combining these, I found some fun stories regarding Old Hollywood.  One is fiction, one non-fiction...something for everyone (everyone looking for books on a very particular subject).
Life at the Marmont and The Garden on Sunset.

 Life at the Marmont is a behind the scenes look at where many Hollywood stars stayed in the early days.  A little glamour, gossip and name dropping...like a 1920s tabloid, easy summer reading and a fun look at the past.

Which leads me to The Garden on Sunset (part 1 of a series).  It's a fictional account of three people aspiring to make it in Hollywood amid celebrities and studio big shots.  Not the most well written book, but it was free on my Kindle.  Hops around a bit and ends rather abruptly (so you can go on to the next book).  Just OK, but I couldn't beat the price!

plotting out my mom's future

In the last year or so my mom has begun to get her affairs in order...and it's kind of terrifying to me.  The talk of wills and living trusts and the occasional topic of where she'd like to be buried, it's a lot to take in.  I crack a lot of inappropriate jokes to ease my tension. 

(Image brought to by the artist Josh Agle...aka SHAG)

Very recently she began actually pricing cemetery plots.  What I've come to realize is that death is very expensive.  This last week we went to visit my father's mausoleum and my grandparents' cemetery.  Yes, I have a very small living family.  Upon visiting my grandparents we wandered into a garden, a pretty nice one (if you leave out the part about being located in a cemetery...and that it was filled with cremated people).  There were trees, flowers, a fountain and small memorial markers.

My mom made her decision...she would like to be put to rest here.  We visited the mortuary together and left with a "double" under a tree, near the fountain.  When the time comes, I have a space too (if need be).  So somehow I now have a permanent resting place.

As awful as it is that I will eventually have to come to terms with losing my mom who is one of my very dearest friends, I guess that it's one less thing to worry about.  It's still terrible to think about though, I don't know how I will even begin to cope.  Here's hoping that it won't be for a very very (very very very) long time.

Anyone else out there with older parents?  How do you handle the eventuality of it all?