Project: #greenthumb

I've decided to start my own herb garden/mini-farm. I sort of cheated because I bought my cilantro and rosemary from Sprouts.  BUT, I did grow my basil from seed. Also, the trick really is to keep the plants alive once you have them. That's always been the hard part.  I'm excited to grow plants!

I've also decided to try and grow celery, green onion, and potatoes. More to come! I'm going to track my progress on my "Project: #greenthumb" tab up above.

On another note, I was thinking the other day, "I'm so glad I finally learned to do my brows..." It only took 30-something years. :) They are really important, so please do them correctly!

Maybe I should've called out fat.

Work tonight was uncomfortable. And by uncomfortable I mean I felt like Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Look here if you don't know what I'm talking about. Ugh.

...So last night was date night. We went downtown to The Vig on Fillmore and got a bottle of wine (the Malbec, to be exact) and some food (they've got a great deal--a bottle of wine and an appetizer for $22 on Tuesdays). Afterwards we went to Crescent for a couple of drinks (well, 1.5 for me, and .5 for him, if we're counting), and then went home. Once home, we finished the bottle from the restaurant, and then had the rest of the bottle that was open from the night before. I then decided that I was starving, so proceeded to make myself a waffle with peanut butter, jelly, greek yogurt, and some cinnamon. YUM. And then I decided I was still hungry, so I ate my leftover salad from the night before, made some popcorn, a tortilla with cream cheese, and baked 5 or 6 chocolate chip cookies (of which I ate all but one). YUMMM.

Oh yeah, I probably should have prefaced all of that with, "I sat in the same spot on the couch all day and ate, incessantly. Up until a little before we were heading out to eat." Haha. Oh. My. Goodness.

I hate going to bed on a full stomach. Like, a really full stomach. I always feel like a stuffed sausage the entire next day.

Hmm... it could've been the 3/4 bottle of wine. Or the 1.5 drinks. Or the bowl of salad. Or the waffle. Or popcorn. Or tortilla. Or the half-dozen chocolate chip cookies right before bed. Or everything else before all of that. BTW, thanks for telling me the ice cream was a bad idea, babe. ;)

#fatkidproblems

You cannot know the strength of your faith until it has been tested.

This quote is such a powerful, true, and moving statement.  It is something that pertains to everything and everybody... regardless of how you apply it.

It is something that makes me stop and think about myself, about my life.

This is one of those things that, when you put your heart, your mind, and your soul into the deepest meaning of it, you see who you really are.

This world. myworldyourworldourworld.

What you see is not what I see.  What you hear is not what I hear.  This means that neither you nor I is wrong or right.  And this is where we agree to disagree.  This comes from the simple, undeniable fact that we are all individuals.  We are individuals with our own unique pasts, with our own unique experiences... down to our own unique molecular makeup.

To one, the sky may be blue.  To another, light blue.  To another, pale blue.  To yet another, a bluish-white.  However, we all agree at some point that it's some sort of blue.  Yet again, maybe not!  ...And that's okay too. 

I may be in the same exact room and participate in the same conversation as someone...yet experience the whole thing in a completely different way!  Trust me, it's happened before....  Sometimes, it just amazes me.  But then I remember...

People need to draw themselves out of a self-centered existence.  It is equally important that people are aware of themselves as well as others.  There must be an understanding and acceptance of the differences (and similarities) that we have among ourselves.

All in all... my reality will never meet your reality.  Don't expect me to understand things the way you do...for that is purely selfish.  Instead, do your best to communicate in a way the person you are speaking to will understand... be open and unassuming.

ASS.U.ME

I'd like to share a conversation from work the other night...

An older man and his friend (I would guess that they were both in their mid-to-late 40's) were sitting at my bar enjoying some cocktails and food.  I ended up talking to them for a while since they were sitting directly in front of my well.  They asked how long I had been working there, if I did anything else besides bartend, what else I wanted to do, etc....the usual conversation I have with anyone that stays for longer than a couple of drinks.  After learning about my background (both educational and occupational), the one man exclaimed, "wow, your parents must be doctors!"   A little confused at his response, the rest of the conversation went something like this:

Me:  Why would they be doctors?
Man:  Because you are really smart, so they must be really smart.  Where did they go to school?
Me:  Yes, my parents ARE very smart.  And, actually, they didn't go to school.  Well, my mom finished the 6th grade, and my dad barely finished high school.  But they are definitely some of the smartest people I know.  They aren't doctors, they've owned a restaurant for almost 30 years and have done alright for themselves...

It's interesting what people assume...  There are plenty of smart people that didn't go to school, and vice versa.  But who's to say I (or anybody else, for that matter) am smart or not?  What is smart?  There are so many kinds of "smart".  Everyone is smart in one way or another.  Except maybe this person.  Hah, I kid.  But it's interesting how close-minded people can be.  Open up!

HappyHappy 5

Happy 5th birthday to Solstice!  For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about (and for those who do), let me explain... 

I still remember my first experience at the then unfamiliar-downtown-club, about 5 years ago.  Before I ever made it down to Bar Smith, I remember my friend Sean (Senbad) telling me to get downtown and check it out.  I kept putting it off because it seemed so far away (where is downtown Phoenix, exactly, and how would one get there???), and the whole idea was so unfamiliar to me (a club in downtown Phoenix...huh?).  Finally, one summer night I made plans with a group of good friends to check it out, some of which had been going already (thanks, Leah!).  I remember thinking, "wow...I've never been to anything like this before.  Everybody here is so different than what I'm used to.  The crowd is so diverse, and everyone is so nice and open .  People are really here to enjoy the music, dance, and have fun...TOGETHER...weird!"  Weird in an amazing way, of course.  Upon leaving, I remember thinking, "WHY has it taken me so long to listen to Sean??!"  After my first time, I was hooked and went back every Saturday...that is, until I started working there.  In which I was still there, but just in a different role.

On the surface, Solstice is just another night at another night club...now ongoing for 5 years.  It's a night that brings a very diverse group of people together from all demographics...something that is very apparent from the moment you take a look around. 

Dig a little deeper, and you know that the night is about good music.  With good people.  Who bring good energy.  Everyone there enjoys each others' company and are united by the music...whether you like house or hip-hop.  Because we only play good shit.  Haha.  No, but really...

For me, on the deepest level, Solstice has become family.  As cheesy as it sounds, it really has changed my life.  I have made so many amazing friends, and have gotten to know so many interesting/talented people because of it.  It has helped me develop a major part of who I am.  It has broadened my view (I now know where downtown Phoenix is, I can tell you how to get there AND other places to go LOL).  It has made me feel like a part of something.  Most importantly, it has brought some of the most important people in my life into my life.  (See, I'm not just some bitchy girl...lol PH)

Who would've thought that I could get all that from just another night at another night club... ;]


Thank you, PSE, for your vision and continuous hard work.  Thank you Everyone for making it what it is, because we all are Solstice.

Okay...enough for being sappy, but happy to show my appreciation.

Much love and good vibes!

The Master Cleanse

So I've never done anything like this before, but I've been feeling a little sluggish and not all myself lately, so figured a good detox cleanse couldn't hurt.  Now, this was something I've known about for probably 6 years and thought that anyone that would do it was crazy (since I like to eat, and usually don't like going more than 4 hours without eating something).

For those of you who don't know what the Master Cleanse is, this is the breakdown of what I'm doing:

I can drink as much purified water as I want.  (I've been drinking quite a bit of water, which is very abnormal for me...usually I don't even drink 8-oz. a day, unless you include my morning coffee.)

My "meals" consist of 6-12 glasses of:

• 2 Tbsp. organic fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. organic Grade B Maple Syrup
• 1/10 organic Cayenne Pepper (or more if you can handle it)
• 8-oz. purified water

Then I take a laxative tea at night.
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Let me just say that I've done the total body detoxes that you can buy in a box from the store (two weeks long), and I've always felt the same before, during, and after.  Basically at the end, I just felt like I gave up coffee and alcohol, but coffee, most importantly, for two weeks for nothing.  If I'm going to give up something I love, I better feel fucking amazing!  Hah.  So I was definitely skeptical (and a little nervous) in doing this extreme cleanse.  The cleanse is supposed to be 10 days long...currently I'm going for 5.  I might go longer, depending on the color of my tongue (read below)!

BTW, before I started I gave fair warning of my potential bitchiness to coworkers and friends due to hunger.  Hangriness, if you will.  Haha.

But this is how it's gone so far:

Day1 (Monday, Feb. 13):  I worked all day, so it was nice to keep busy.  There was only one instance where I felt my brain had left me and I couldn't seem to focus...and I thought it was funny.  I then had a glass of the concoction and I felt better right away.  Oddly, I never really felt hungry...the opposite of what I had expected.

Day2 (Tuesday, Feb. 14):  Again, I worked all day.  Woke up feeling great...with lots of energy and not hungry at all.  I actually went through the entire day and night feeling better than "normal".  I realized that my body wasn't hungry for food at all.  It's more the taste of food and the physical act of eating that you miss.  Definitely miss the taste of coffee!  But it's great not having any caffeine in my body...I've got so much more energy than "normal", and it feels real.  Also, at work I spoke with a guy who told me when your tongue turns pink, you are done cleansing.  Interesting he mentioned that because there is a white film that has developed on my tongue...it's part of the detox process.  Glad to know it's working!  To get rid of it, you just use a tongue scraper.

Day3 (Wednesday, Feb. 15):  Had so much energy I woke up a few times during the night, but finally got up at 10 am to get to the gym.  Did a light workout, then took a nap a little later in the afternoon.  Again, I feel like I have so much natural energy.  No coffee, no Red Bull!

Day4 (Thursday, Feb. 16):  Today, again, a lot of energy!  I woke up at 9:30am (don't remember the last time I could really get up in the morning) and got a lot done.  There were a couple times where I got hungry and was really wanting food.  Good news...my tongue is pink!  I may be done, but have not yet decided.  I would love a crepe from Jobot.  haha

Day5 (Friday, Feb. 17):  ...

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So I decided to stop after Day4 because my tongue was pink and I felt like I was done.  I felt like I could've gone on forever, but I figured my body didn't have much to give up, so I should start eating again anyway. 

On the first day of the ease-out process you are supposed to drink orange juice/water; on the second, juice your food; and on the third, eat raw foods.  I decided to go to Yardhouse and eat normal food (Seared Ahi Salad) because I know my body adapts really well to anything and everything.  I wasn't hungry so had a hard time deciding what to order since I usually order off of cravings.  I've been trying to monitor my food intake to make sure I'm getting enough calories.

Overall, I realized that what I missed most about eating was the social aspect of it...catching a bite to eat with a friend, or meeting up for a coffee to sit down and chat.  My body never really became hungry, and I felt more clear, focused, and energetic than ever.  I was skeptical at first, since I've used the boxed cleanses you can buy at the store, but it is so simple, it totally works, and I feel great!  I seriously recommend this to anyone that wants to make a change and is willing to try it!