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Year Four, Day 328: Success at Last!! This is What I Do

Hello My Long Lost Friends! Or, perhaps it was I who was lost? And now I think I am beginning to find myself!  Under layers of fat, and self loathing!  How's that for an opening line!  Or perhaps the title of a novel:  Layers of Fat and Self-Loathing! Today I stepped on the scale.  I am weighing myself every morning these days. I was shocked! I told my partner the scale must be broken!  Yesterday I weight 186. Today 185! I have been on a strict intermittent fast for the past 10 weeks. I have officially lost 12 pounds!  And the best news is I think I not only can stick to this way of eating, I am actually beginning to really enjoy it!  And look how far I've come! I've been writing since May 12, 2015.  Over 8 years now!  I know this blog post says Year Four, Day 328, but there have been many pauses in blogging. For instance, when I am not pleased with progress or simply have no words! I was 53 when I first began blogging. I am now 61. I honestly feel better than I did 8 years
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Year Four, Day 327: I am the Warrior

 Dear Friends: I apologize for my long absence. Frankly, I have had not much to say. And I have been a little frustrated and ashamed of my losing my battle of the bulge. I've been continuing to exercise, but it has been said you can't outrun a poor diet!  But now that spring is here (at least that's what the calendar says!  I have heard rumors of snow mixed with rain this weekend - the last weekend in March!), I am feeling a nudge towards rejuvenation! My daughter and 3 of my granddaughters have been meeting my mom for breakfast in Vancouver every week since my father passed away in December.  It is such a delight to have this regular family time.  After breakfast, I walked up to the Vancouver Public Library. One of my favorite libraries. I used to spend a lot of time here when I lived in Vancouver. Me at my favorite library! :) Embarrassingly enough, my weight had crept up close to the big 200, closer than I would like to admit.  I have been self soothing with food lately.
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Year Four, Day 326: On the Concept of Time and the Passing of My Father

Hello My Long Lost Friends! Where does the time go?  My original goal for this blog, was to post daily about my commitment to self-improvement.  It has been roughly 4 months since my last post!  Ah, but so much life has happened in these last 4 months! OK, I must admit I just disappeared from my blog for 20 minutes googling "What is Time?" I have often pondered the concept of time. I found some fascinating reading material.  You should try it sometime!   Most articles on the subject of time, defined it as such: "Physicists define time as the progression of events from the past to the present into the future. Basically, if a system is unchanging, it is timeless. Time can be considered to be the fourth dimension of reality, used to describe events in three-dimensional space. It is not something we can see, touch, or taste, but we can measure its passage." ( From the article, "What is Time? A Simple Explanation" from the website "ThoughtCo"_ https:/
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Year Four, Day 325: My Essential 13

Hi Friends! Again, I apologize for my long absence.  No excuses. No shame. Just busy trying to find balance in this life. I've been quite successful about regular gym workouts. My goal is daily workouts. Mostly in the gym.  I am currently on Day 127!   I must say, if I skip a day of exercise, I feel miserable.   However, for all of my effort, I had not lost any weight!  Granted, I have become a tad more shapely.  Here are some pictures along my journey. The first one  was taken 02/07/2022 with my son. It was our 8th day of working out together. The second one was taken 09/07/2022.   The third was taken on 09/23/2022 after about a week of preparing most of my meals at home. And being pretty strict about no dairy, focusing on grains, veggies, fruits, legumes and Indian spices. At last, the scale moved a few pounds downward.   I am attempting at long last to follow the Ayurvedic principles of dieting.  It's not a fad. It's been around for thousands of years. Google it. Very in
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Year Four, Day 324: Ice in the Hood and the Return of the "D" Word

 Hi Friends! I'm back. In a much timelier manner than usual!  I have a few more short stories featuring the "Zma in the Hood" today.  But first, the return of the "D" word.  Depression has been a companion of mine my whole life. He comes and goes. I've learned to accept it. This morning I woke up feeling blue, struggling with depression and anxiety. I know the feeling well:  It starts in my head. A low level throbbing around my temples. Then it radiates to my eyes. I feel tears "behind my eyes". Then the sensation travels to my gut. I feel queasy and uneasy. My pulse usually quickens. I am short of breath. But behind it all, is that empty, achy cavernous feeling around my heart. How's that for a description of depression? Well, that is how it feels to me at least.  This morning while I was airing out the apartment, trying to cool it off enough for an afternoon of teaching, I could feel it coming on strong. It actually started last night. A bit
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Year Four, Day 323: Suffering Makes Us Better Musicians

 Hello Friends! Yet again I must apologize for my absence. There are times when I just cannot form meaningful words. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  In my experience, eventually the fog clears. And just now, it has started to lift.  So here I am!  Where do I begin?  Perhaps, as I usually do. Just start typing as see what comes up! I am sitting outside my humble little abode right at this very moment. It is 10:11 p.m. It is currently 84 degrees fahrenheit.  We are in the midst of a heat weave.  The high was 97 today.  The low is only expected to reach 66 degrees. Tomorrow and Friday the forecast is 101 degrees.  But come Monday, the temps will descent into normal Portland readings.  Hopefully we'll even get a smidgeon of rain! I'm not really complaining though.  I am a bit of a rebel, if you haven't noticed.  I rarely complain about the rain.  I get a bit snooty or in German: "Ich bin  hochnäsig", which I believe literally mean my nose is high!
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Year Four, Day 322: Little Old Lady in the Hood, Part II

 Hello Again Friends! What a beautiful morning, on this last day of May, 2022! It happens to also be my man's birthday!  I feel positive energy in the air.  Perhaps it is the sun's warm rays warming my little herb garden on my front patio.  I was overjoyed this morning as I opened the curtains and the windows to let in some fresh air. I peered out at my neighbor's cheerful red rose, and I spotted new sprouts in my herb garden!  I potted them a few weeks ago and do a happy dance every time I see a little sprout poke his nose out. At this point, my thyme, dill and cilantro has sprouted. I was worried with all the rain that they might not come up. There is not enough sun on my windowsill, so I put them outside.  I am thrilled to see they have survived, even a few of them! I started my morning with a strawberry/mango/pineapple/coconut milk with flax seed and collagen smoothie. Then I did my morning Qi Gong and a bit of hooping.  I have to admit I slept in, since tonight is my l
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