First day of Winter break! I love teaching, but I love to recoop for a few weeks also. The day was embraced by waking up naturally instead of harshly with an alarm clock. Pale light greeted me as I opened my eyes to a crisp morning. I lingered over a second cup of coffee, cuddled with my cat for a bit longer, listened to Adele as I journaled, the wrote on my novel for a few hours. This afternoon was filled with homemade potpouri simmering on the stove. The recipe was given to me by a student yesterday. As the sunset burned in the western sky, with its ever changing deep colors, I started work on my vision/dream board. A content and peaceful mind.

Recipe for potpouri:

1/2 an orange
1/2 a lemon
1 stick of cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
water
Fill pan with ingredients and enjoy the wafting scent.

Last weekend I had the best time at a writing retreat. The whole time was truly magical. There was lots of productivity and many breakthrough moments in my writing. This could not have happened without the unconditional support, nurturance, and acceptance from my friend, editor, and writing retreat facilitator Carla Blazek! An absolute phenomenal time! Thank you Carla!

I tend to write and write and write. I get consumed by it and will lose many hours in writing, which is a blessing. It's a wonderful thing, but at the same time I should in tune to my body and what is going on with me. So she incorporated walks in the nearby woods by the lake, eating lunch outside, and we had LOTS of laughter! I value every second of this time I gifted myself with.

One of the many, many, many things I learned was things are not perfect, I know that on a cerebral level, but really internalized it last weekend. Flawed is a beautiful word. If we wait for perfection we miss out on life, it blocks us from life source which is filled with joy, elateable, exalted joy! We miss out when practicing perfectionism. I will write about several times when I stood in the flow of life, floating effortlessly downstream, allowing the moment to BE, to be full.

A song that has been coming to me all week is Pink's song, Raise Your Glass.
"So raise your glass if you are wrong,
In all the right ways,
All my underdogs,
We will never be never be anything but loud
And nitty gritty dirty little freaks
Won't you come on and come on and raise your glass,
Just come on and come on and raise your glass
Wish you'd just freak out (freak out already)
Don't be fancy, just get dancey
Why so serious?"

That's it! This song nails it! To me raising my glass isn't literal, it's living life fully, in a real, honest, and organic way! Truly living! Life is messy, flawed, and beautiful! I want to strive to write from this point of view, the real, raw, juicy, interesting, fire of life!

Yesterday was an interesting day. It consisted of reading The Paris Wife on the sofa, dozing on and off with my cat. The napping, the sychronized breathing of me and Mocha, my cat, completely relaxed me. Later, sitting in the window watching the world outside right before a storm, drinking lemongrass and spearmint tea I was inspired to write a poem.

There is always an intense calm
Before a storm
A time, a pivotal moment
When the storm could pass
Leaving a world of peace and tranquility,
Or it could come with strong wind,
Flashes of lightning, booming thunder,
And stinging hail
To hit you head on
Unprepared.

I am currently "flirting" with the idea of becoming vegan. In Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet, she says it's best to "flirt" with the idea first. In doing this, I am getting myself prepared for the mindset of being vegan. I'm coming closer to aligning myself wholly to becoming vegan. I find it a bit overwhelming right now because I'm constantly looking at labels on everything from food, to cosmetics, to hair products, to shoes because to me slowly becoming vegan means adopting the whole lifestyle. I do like fish, along with bread, which has dairy in it. At this point I'm slowly entering this lifestyle. I have one other friend who is a vegetarian and I want others to know that I'm not judgemental of those who are meat eaters. Being vegetarian and vegan to me means adopting compassion and acceptance for every living thing. I would love any suggestions on how to make this transition.

I want midnight
Garden parties
Me in sequence, spaghetti
Straps, and heels
Under the glow of the
Moon, glint of
Stemware
Shimmering maroon liquid
Flicker of candles
Laughter ringing out.

My heart goes out to the people of Japan. When the earthquake hit you were rocked to your foundation. Such devastation. I have been praying for you Japan and all it's people. I will continue to pray for you and send you healing from God. My heart goes out to you. You are in my prayers! There is hope and love always!

Through sleep
My hard edges
From the night
Before are
Rubbed smooth

Day dawns fiery,
Dynamic, bright, and
Brilliant
All possibilities of the
Upcoming day
Held within
One glistening,
Reflective
Dew drop
I relinquish all
Control, to let this
Day become what
It is supposed to be.

Thankful for all.