Mango salsa

Greetings, members of the Temporarily Spouseless Club, and friends!

Today, we will put our idle hours -- not to mention our delicious payload of Cebu mangoes -- to good use by making mango salsa!

The scent of mangoes and cilantro will surely brighten up your mood and make you forget that it will be two more long and dull nights until your Traveling Spouse returns! It's like sunshine in your kitchen... and in your miserable lonely heart!

There are a number of useful mango salsa recipes on the web. If you find yourself staring at an inordinate amount of unused produce in your refrigerator (a clear sign that it's been a Temporarily Spouseless week!), you may want to just use these helpful suggestions as a base and throw in a few other odds and ends!

For my own version of mango salsa, I used the following:

• 2 ripe mangoes, flesh chopped
• 3 quarters of a large onion, diced
• Small handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• One medium red chili, de-seeded and chopped (I left in some of the seeds because I know my Traveling Spouse likes a little bit of warmth!)
• Juice and grated zest of two medium limes 
• A dash of sea salt
• A dash of pepper

Just chop everything and chuck it into a jar! Jamie Oliver likes to drizzle a little olive oil into mixtures like this to "loosen up" the flavors, but I think it's okay to skip this step.

Then, mix all the ingredients with a spoon and taste! Mmm... tangy!

Cover the jar tightly to ensure that the salsa will still be lovely and ready to enjoy when your Traveling Spouse returns! This will be great with pan-fried salmon or even some grilled chicken. Perfect for a welcome home dinner as he presents you with a plethora of gifts from his latest trip!

Till the next meeting of the Temporarily Spouseless Club... keep busy!

The Temporarily Spouseless Club

This weekend I know of two friends who are, like me, finding ways to while away the time while their spouses are away.

All three of us have been uncharacteristically active on Facebook, documenting our restlessness. Gerwin has been having the same kind of weekend as I am -- catching up on stockpiled movies and TV series, doing chores, doing short errand jaunts -- in Hong Kong while his wife Charlie and their newborn darling George are in Manila. Tria has been diligently occupying herself with art, music and the company of friends while her husband Peter is in Paris for work.

Unlike Tria, I decided to stay in all weekend. I figured that one of the upsides to Marlon being in Manila over the weekend was that I can stay in bed all day and not feel guilty about it. I am a hundred times more of a sloth than he is and he gets restless if we're still in bed after 10am. So I usually compromise and rouse myself from my hibernation.

So I gleefully made the bed my base of activities for the whole of Saturday. With the exception of cooking lunch and watching Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros in the TV room, I staunchly parked my ass in bed until about 4 o'clock.

At which time it began to get old. Really old. Which spurred me into a frenzy of activity.

After doing two loads of laundry, washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen, uploading nearly 400 pictures of Bohol to Facebook, reading various blogs,writing a blog post about Cebu, chatting with my mom, watching Food Inc on my laptop, and eating dinner, I was stuck. It seemed I had run out of things to do.

So I (GASP!) exercised. I walked/jogged 5 km, or five laps around the condo. Who would think that boredom/desperation would be my key driver for physical activity?

Today I woke up at 9:30 a.m, went to Mass, did the groceries (remembering to bring my canvas bag!), and had so much time to kill that I took the bus instead of hopping into a cab, and going home, obediently queued for 20 minutes at the taxi stand instead of fast-booking a taxi. Could it be that being single makes me more active, less impatient and more thrifty?

And all the while, I was accompanied by my short-time, temporary spouses -- an iPod Shuffle (which I never would have bought on my own! Thanks Ate!) and a good book. These must be the proverbial cards for card-carrying members of the Temporarily Spouseless Club.

Sew bad pt 3 + CHURCH

I ended up making Domer as a piece of clothing. It looks like a beggar/bomoh's clothes.


Church today. Camwhored a little...

Someone in my Church saw my blog and was surprised that I actually swear.
Oh yes, I do. I can swear in an oppressively vulgar manner.

But I'm gonna stop, ok? Swearing is repulsive. Yeah. Yeah. Especially for girls.
One last time, though.

Fuck!

Okayyy, so after this I'll keep my blog nice and clean. And if I need words to express anger I'll use fruits or something. Like, orange you! Or, what the strawberry was she thinking?!

Sew Bad pt2

My first machine sewn thingy!
The lines were crooked, but hey, it didn't fall apart.
(If you are an experienced sewing machine user, dont laugh, OK?)

I hereby name it Domer!

The sewing machine felt a bit violent to use. Needle was continuously stabbing Domer.
So sorry, Domer. I had to stab you with needles to make you.

I spent a good hour lolling over what I did wrong and realized I forgot to put in the bobbin for the lower thread. Seeing the machine wind the bobbin is FUN!

Sew bad.

Bought a sewing machine today. Wanted a Singer, they only had Brother.

I AM ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS TO MAKE FASHION DESIGNING MY CAREER

But I'm a thousand miles away.


See what I mean?

I can't even use a sewing machine, what more on constructing a garment!
I can sketch fashion, but making fashion is an entirely different matter.

But I will persevere. I can have crazy determination when I have a passion for something.
Ok, so for my goal this year, is to make a real piece of garment.

Or if I can't then I'll be a fashion designer for Sylvanian Families or something...I made their clothes! :D
See the pumpkin? It was merely drawn-on.

Chomping through Cebu

Whew! Finally managed to finish uploading all the photos from my Chinese New Year trip. Now I can start blogging.

So Chinese New Year this year was spent in Cebu and Bohol. Marlon and had originally not planned to take any days off apart from the Monday and Tuesday public holidays, so we figured somewhere with a direct flight from Singapore and minimum land travel was our best bet. Thus, Cebu and its ferry-able neighbor, Bohol. But then both my clients and design team decided to disappear for the rest of the week, prompting me to do the same. So a four-day holiday stretched out into a full week, which we discovered, was just about right.

Kate generously offered us a place at her house in Talamban, which was like staying at a boutique hotel or b&b for free. (Check out the guest house, on the left.) Not to mention her family fed us like pigs for slaughter. Her stepdad is an amazing cook, and it was a particularly sore regret we couldn't stay for his homemade lechon since we had to go off to Bohol the next day.

It was at Kate's family's table that I had my first taste of Cebu lechon. We woke up at noon on Saturday to find that Kate's mom had ordered Rico's Lechon for us.

Now, pork is my second least favorite animal product to eat, after eggs. I've only had lechon twice in my life, and those were forgettable affairs where I had to eat it or starve, because it was one of only a few items on a buffet. When I tried it, I didn't get what was so great about it, so I've stayed away from lechon since then.

My taste buds must have known what they were doing, because apparently they've been saving themselves for Cebu lechon all along. Like innocent young maidens saving themselves for The One, my taste buds turned into complete whores who couldn't get enough after the first taste. That first encounter with the salty, savory sinfulness of Cebu lechon set the tone for the rest of our stay in Cebu.

If it had been humanly possible to eat for 36 hours straight, until we finally set off for Tagbilaran, I'm sure we would have found a way to do it. As it turned out, sightseeing and shopping were only stop-gap activities meant to kill time until the next meal. It was definitely a disservice to Cebu to see only the Santo Nino Basilica, the Cebu Cathedral, and Ayala Center -- one we eagerly attempted to make amends for by sampling as much of its culinary delights as we could in only four mealtimes.

Kinilaw is one of my three favorite Pinoy dishes of all time (it's right up there with adobo and salpicao), and Cebu is its home. In honor of this glorious fact, I had kinilaw twice in as many days -- once at Jo's Inato (a Cebuano version of  chicken inasal), and another time at Chika-an, two fantastic Filipino restaurants on Salinas Drive in Lahug. For me, big, pink tender chunks of tanigue with the jaw-clenching sweet-sourness of coconut vinegar are a combination that's tough to beat.

Speaking of Jo's Inato, that's where I met up with Gids for dinner. He was in town to conduct a performance with an orchestra (his first!). I can't put my finger on what was so special about Jo's chicken inato, but I couldn't stop eating! I am not normally a bottomless rice kinda gal, but I swear I must have had about three helpings of rice that evening! It was Gids who recommended Chika-an (over the Cebu classic, Golden Cowrie) and we were not disappointed at all when we went there for lunch on Sunday.

Anthony Bourdain's anointed "Best. Pig. Ever" was a must on our list, and we managed to get a bit of Marketman's acupunctured Zubuchon on Sunday. There was barely anyone at Banilad Town Center, so the staff even gave us bits of crunchy skin for free! We snuck our package of lechon into Chika-an for lunch and had it with their bottomless rice. Sarap! I am not a pig lover but I ate so much of it sumakit ang batok ko pagkatapos. To be fair to Chika-an, we ordered a host of other stuff -- their monggo soup in particular is creamy and rich, something the miserably thin monggo soups of your childhood could only dream of becoming after seven lifetimes of settling karmic debt. I suspect it's cooked like Indian dal, with cream and butter.

We also tried out Oh Georg! at Ayala Center, and it was a struggle to make space for this wonderfully sticky toffee pudding. But for this dense, moist cake with its smoky sweetness of ever-so-slightly burnt toffee, the "struggle" was worth it.

After 36 hours of such frenetic eating, I was afraid of stepping onto the Supercat to Tagbilaran lest I single-handedly sink it with my weight. But to paraphrase the old adage: those who eat and sail away, return to eat another day...

The Perfect Wedding Reception Hall For Your Big Day

Along with allotment the absolute bells dress and the best bells bands in town, allotment the best bells accession anteroom is one of the best important aspects of planning a wedding.

The best of accession anteroom sets the accent for the bells and the affair afterward, and allotment that anteroom anxiously is actual important.

== Allotment The Best Anteroom for Your bells ==

Of advance one of the best important things to accede back allotment a accession anteroom is to bout the ambience to the wedding. For instance, a blaze aggregation feast anteroom may not be the best area for a formal, atramentous tie bells reception, aloof as the bounded country club may be inappropriate for a accidental column bells get together.

== Alpha Your Chase Early==

No amount what the appearance or affair of your wedding, it is important to alpha the all important chase for the absolute accession anteroom as aboriginal as possible.

You may be afraid at how bound the best accepted bells accession venues get booked, decidedly in the active summer bells months. If you accept one or two admired locations in mind, be abiding to analysis with them as anon as your bells date becomes official.

Failure to do so could leave you after a able abode for your bells reception.

== Allotment The Best Decorations==

After the anteroom has been chosen, it is important to accept the appropriate decorations to accomplish the bells added special.

A appropriately decked out accession anteroom can be bugged compared to its apprehensive beginnings, and the simplest auberge amphitheater can be adapted into a alcazar with the appropriate decorations.

Finding the best accession anteroom is one of the best difficult, but additionally one of the best rewarding, genitalia of planning a wedding.

Finding the best area for your bells accession will booty lots of adamantine assignment and planning, but that will pay off already your guests see the admirable bells accession anteroom decked out for the big day.

Don't Stop Believin' (or Breathing).. Whatever.

In one of my yoga classes this week, my teacher said, "Don't stop breathing." It's a perfectly normal thing to say in a yoga class, and I'm sure I've heard it a bazillion times. But for some reason, on this occasion, instead of helping me to focus on my breath and internal heat a song popped into my head. It wasn't Krishna Das.

It was this.

But instead of "Don't Stop Believin'" my head was filled with "Don't Stop Bre-eath-ing." It has been in my head ever since. It's driving me nuts, but at least it reminds me to take a full, deep inhale when I get to the made up chorus.

Does a pop song ever, ummm, pop into your head during yoga? What's the most common culprit?

"Hold on to the feeeeeeling..."

You Might Be a Spoiled Yogi If ... (Part 2)

6. You would NEVER attend a yoga class at the YMCA or a [insert name of a type of yoga you have an aversion to here] studio.

7. When you're tired of doing a particular pose, you stop the entire class to shout out, "Could I have another pose to work on, please?" (Unless, of course, you have an injury or are physically incapable, then it makes you smart not spoiled.)

8. You judge people based on their diet, yoga clothes, and how accurately they pronounce Sanskrit words.

9. You have more than two yoga mats (I have five!), more yoga clothes than work or weekend wear, or more than 50 percent of your book and magazine collection (and blog feed) are about yoga--but you never really look at it any of it.

10. You write more than one yoga blog ...

Farney!

Was too free in school and ended up doing this lovely portrait for shao yang. I couldn't stop laughing... hohoho... such uncanny resemblance.

He's always having fresh copies of newspapers and sits cross-legged.
I hope he doesn't flip when he sees this in my blog. :D

Everyone is still lethargic. Whatever. Tomorrow's holiday. I think the sun is sucking the life out of us.

Random convo today:
"I'm gonna be a good boy this year."
"Really?"
"I don't want to swear anymore. I'm trying not to say shit, fuck-"
"You just said it."
"Oops."

I want to stop swearing, too. :(
I don't want to be a repulsive cussing sort of woman.

I like to blog. I've got the blogging mojo (as Yenyi puts it).
It's... the story of my life. :D

Vintage salt & pepper shaker : A unique tableware collection!!

Turn cooking into a pleasure by using salt and pepper shaker. Pepper shaker can also be a unique introduction to your fine tableware collection. Classic design shaker is a great addition to your table that adds an elegant touch during any occasion.

Salt and pepper shaker not only jazz up your table decor, but also serve for practical purpose. One can get salt and pepper shaker according to their taste, as they are available in various material like glass, plastic, wood, metal or ceramic. Shaker set can be placed separately or they can be kept together in a condiment cruet.

A well decorated table for an at-home party can be beautified with a set of salt and pepper shaker that compliment your decor.

Sunflower Salt & Pepper Shakers: Blooming sunflower collection will be a sunny addition to your home. This salt and pepper shaker set has a metal top that dispense perfect amounts.

Crystal Pineapple Salt & Pepper Shakers: Add a little shimmer, spice up a meal and your decor with these stunning, 24% lead-crystal shakers! Bottom stoppers open for refilling.

One of these great item on your table will add an elegant touch to your decor. This is all you need for successful cooking and gracious entertaining.

So, check out these and other kitchen products from online stores like LillianVernon.com and Macys.com.

You Might Be a Spoiled Yogi If ...

1.You take your yoga practice for granted, and don't realize how incredibly lucky you are that this practice is a part of your life.

2. You get upset if your teacher gives the student next to you more adjustments than you.

3. You feel personally violated when you hear someone refer to a bolster as a "pillow" or a blanket as a "blankie."

4. You go to a yoga studio every day, and have never really learned how to practice at home.

5. If you get to class and your regular teacher isn't there, you leave immediately. Substitute teachers can NOT be trusted—they might unintentionally awaken your Kundalini or something.

To be continued...

Read Part 2.

Melting in the heat

HOT!

I mean the weather. The sun....is like a burning fire of fury.

Came back from Zhi Qi's house and quickly took a shower. Unwittingly passed by her house a few times before while walking my dogs.

She was also from Q'Dess. Creepy, eh?

People in my class keep snoozing. A little bored today. Glad that Friday is holiday.

Chatted with some ppl I've not seen for years on facebook. My msn sudah cacat.

It's easy to talk without being face to face, but I hate it when you have a lot to talk virtually, on fb, on msn, but in reality they act like strangers.

There was once, where I'd talk a heck load with this guy, and then in school we're strangers, when we pass by we don't acknowledge each other.

It is pretty weird and awkward now that I think about it.

And that is about all :D

Puppy Love

Every spoiled girl needs a spoiled little dog. I'm no exception, of course taking the whole ahimsa, non-harming, thing into account I opted for a rescue mutt instead of a prissy, little purebred dog. This is a picture of my cute little darling, Penny.

Now, to a spoiled Paris Hilton-type, a puppy isn't much more than an accessory. But a spoiled yogi like me sees infinite wisdom in her furry friends. My Penny has amazing yoga poses, of course, but I'm most amazed at how she gets so excited about simple things. For example, any time I go to the freezer to get ice for a drink, she follows me, happily wagging her tail because she knows I'll give her an ice cube to chew on. If only I could get that excited about an ice cube!

Here are a few other little nuggets of wisdom I've seen in my pooch.

-- If someone growls at you, that doesn't necessarily mean they don't want to be friends. Don't make any sudden moments, and be friendly again tomorrow. Growling back will get you nowhere.

-- There is really nothing more important in this life than grass, sunshine, friends, and food. What more can you possibly want?

-- Play! Play! Play! Sleep..... Play! Play! Eat... Play! Play! Play! This is the way to enlightenment.

How do your four-legged friends inspire your yoga?

Wedding Anniversary Verses - Top 10

There is sometimes a simple another to award bells ceremony verses, and that is to address your own. The anticipation of autograph verses or balladry can be an alarming one. The afterward is the top 10 tips to get the artistic juices flowing.

1. Music. Do you like music? Accept any admired adulation songs? Using the lyrics for account is a acceptable starting point. Before you alike alpha aggravating to address your bells ceremony verses, accept to some archetypal adulation songs.

2. Adulation notes, letters, emails, cards... What accept you got that you already wrote? Maybe adulation belletrist from a few years ago now, but you can use the accepted activity abaft those words.

3. Make a list. Ask yourself questions - why do you adulation them? What are some of their little habits that alone you know? What makes them unique? Why did you abatement in adulation with them?

4. Romantic poetry. Accept a attending at some of Shakespeare's work. There are abounding accomplished poets with abundant adulation balladry for you to draw account from.

5. Find a peaceful spot. Aloof sit and relax. Let your apperception wander. You will be afraid at how actuality airy helps the account to flow.

6. Address article down. Address annihilation - aloof start. Address your name, your spouses name, account will aloof alpha advancing to you. Starting is the important thing.

7. Acclimate a poem. Change it so it's absolutely yours. It can be sometimes easier to acclimate article than to alpha from scratch.

8. Accept baby goals. You are not in a chase (unless your ceremony is tomorrow!) Take your time, aloof attending up lyrics or balladry on day one. Address aloof one band a day thereafter... with baby goals beyond them will be easy! And you will accept created admirable bells ceremony verses from the affection - which is the abutting point.

9. Address from the heart. You ability not win a composition contest. But if what you address is from the heart, it is a abundant greater gift. Another actual acceptable acumen to address your own ceremony verses.

10. Present your bells ceremony verses nicely. Why go to all this accomplishment to address from the affection and again accord them on a atom bit of paper? Handwritten is nice, but if you accept absolutely bad autograph maybe accounting them up is better.

Skirts VS Dresses-- Revisited

We''l it seems to be a draw between the skirt and the dress. And since you asked, I'll let you in on our preferences:

Me

I'm all about the dresses, especially ones, that fit nice and snug around the waist and flare out after that. Think Marilyn Monroe. Oh yeah. To me, they're more comfortable because you never have to worry about your lower back showing or taking itty bitty steps. They flow :) Also, a dress always seems to cover up your knees better when sitting down, as opposed to skirts. Dresses are pretty and feminine and definitely overpower my "Sunday clothes" choices.

Adam

Now, don't be offended, I like me a skirt, but if I had to chose, it would definitely not be my choice. Yes, skirts are very versatile (everyday to formal) but so are dresses. But for some reason, my husband does not appreciate my large variety of dresses in my closet.
For example (which brought up this "argument" in the first place):

Me: Sweetheart? Since we're going to your friend's wedding reception, what do YOU want me to wear?

Him: Hmmm, I don't know... That's hard, let me look...

Me: (anxious to finally find out which dress he likes best) Okay, no rush

Him: I like this the best. Wear this (as he pulls out a simple black pencil skirt and striped button-up shirt from JCrew)

Me: Seriously?!? That's what you pick?

Okay, now seriously, that's what he picked for me to wear? Out of all of the pretty dresses I've made that fit me like a glove and make me look like Grace Kelly, he picked "business casual".

Case closed. I married a lunatic.

HELOOO

I like school, except sometimes it gets pretty tiring. Long hours. But I like laughing with friends. A lot of jokers in my class.

Ping Kuang as usual turned a beautiful mandarin song into an ultra lewd one.

Jin Fye keeps reciting "Beyond the Realm of Conscience" lines. He's a guy, and he's trying to imitate some vile concubine.


Tavia Yeung from the movie.
I like her acting.

In my class there were two unpleasant "aroma". Namely the deodorant spray thingy and durian sweets brought by Mei Yen. The deodorant is utterly repulsive when overused.

I think it would be a good idea to bring face mask. :)

Joann Fabrics ~ A place to get everything for Art & Craft

Everyone wants to decorate their home sweet home with beautiful embellishments that can enhance the beauty of their paradise on earth. Every corner of the house is decorated in a way that reflects person’s or family’s living sense. And decorating home with hand-made art & crafts is something that shows your undefined love towards art and home. Read More>>

14 ppl came

to school today.

But I don't really regret going to school so much, because I only came to school at break time. Counted as absent, though. I wouldn't do it normally, it was because Mei Yen told me there was sports practice. I hate sports practice, because sports also hate me. :/

During accounts I laughed too much until I convulsed and banged my lip. It bled a little. :D

Passed up my composition. Title was love. Mine was about a pretty girl who made herself fat to find true love and became a fat women's ambassador...

Am tired, but I'm not to complain since I had 8 hours of sleeeeep! Amazed that Sim Kuan managed to come to school with an hour of sleep! I get pissed when I'm sleep-deprived, which is kind of often...

ATE A LOT TODAY. :D

Give a new look to your style with classic tops!

Tunic tops are still ranking as an ultra-popular women's fashion trend for the Fall fashion season. These stylish tops are usually longer, fitted over the hips, with hem hitting right at or about mid-thigh. They come in many different shapes from straight, A-line, or empire waist.

Tunic is an excellent multi-tasking wardrobe item. It is perfect for casual wear, but combined with right item, tunic style tops can surely work in a formal environment as well. Thus tunics are much liked outfit by women. They have everything women want in her attire that is simple, sexy, traditional yet contemporary look.

Colorblock Tunic: A modern plus size tunic with rounded boatneck and short dolman sleeves, 33" long. Center block panel, detailed with front kangaroo pockets, 7" side slits, pure 12-gauge cotton, plus size tunic, tunics for women in plus sizes, plus-size tops and tee shirts. Get this and many more wonderfuldesign tops at Avenue.com.

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If you want to purchase stylish and new design tops, then you can easily do so with help of Internet. There are large number of online stores like Avenue.com and JessicaLondon.com, through which you have great choices about selection of clothes. Try to buy fashionable and trendy tops, which can go with most of your outfits.

Six Ways to Decorate Your Wedding Arch

Sometimes a bells accomplished is a breeze way to bandbox up your commemoration site. No-brainer, at least, until you absolutely accept one in your easily and accessible to decorate. Then it gets a little added complicated.

Thinking aback to prom, you ability anamnesis article vaguely gauzy, but that doesn't accord you abundant to go on back you accept that bare-looking eight bottom metal anatomy in your active room. Plus, maybe you appetite an accomplished that doesn't attending like brawl at all -- and personalization is what's activity to accomplish your bells tick. Here are some means to accord that accomplished a blow of your wedding's different flavor.

The Balloon Arch: Don't balloon this dramatic, fair another to the copse or metal arch. A bent helpmate (or ancestors member) can absolutely do this herself; helium isn't alike appropriate if you use PVC or can append microfilament from the ceiling. Just accumulate in apperception it's best to body the accomplished the day of the wedding, and capital to body it aural hours of the commemoration if you use helium-filled balloons.

The Classic Arch: Soften the adamantine basic of your accomplished by draping it in delicate abject actual (tulle, organza) and cottony garlands of ivy (or absolute grape vines).

Now emphasis with a ample cottony bow, a pomander brawl or "kissing ball" -- which you can accomplish yourself if you're accommodating to use cottony roses -- or a acceptable alignment of flowers at the top.

Or for a little added oomph, use the aphorism of three: one annual adjustment for the top, and at atomic one at anniversary base. DIY-ers are apparently best off afraid to silk, or at atomic application abridged flowers at the base.

The Gothic Arch: Use a simple atramentous accomplished that rises to a affecting point and leave the curve apple-pie and direct -- or attach broiled coiled willow for a absolute chilling touch. Hang an astronomic floral kissing brawl from the apex.

The All-Floral Arch: Dripping from top to toe in greenery and roses, the all-floral accomplished is the affectionate of academic active carve apparent in alveolate churches. The greens and blooms in this accomplished assume to float on air, with the flowers actualization badly abundant (they are) and the accomplished insubstantial. The all-floral accomplished is absolutely a job for the pro -- admirable and expensive.

The Woodsy Arch: Add some abrupt arrangement by beefcake adolescent angel or willow branches to the abandon of your arch. Or instead of a bolt or ivy base, attach garlands of ferns.

The Close Access Arch: Dressed absolutely in access timberline fronds, the close accomplished creates a sharp, affecting and hardly adult silhouette. This simple but arresting access is absolute for the accessible DIYer.

My Husband Hogs the Covers (and Other Stupid Complaints That Don't Matter)

Spoiled people are all the same. They spend way too much time complaining about how horrible things in their lives are when—let's face it—their lives seem unbelievably amazing to everyone else. That's why we hate them. And, frankly, that's one of the things that I hate most about myself. I'm a whiner.

Here are a few of some of my common whineys, which is what I will call my pointless complaints from now on, along with an explanation of why they are really REALLY stupid.

1. My Husband Hogs the Covers. I have two counter-points for this one, Self. First of all, you have a bed to sleep in and warm blankets. There are so many people that don't. Second, you have a husband! He actually likes to do dishes and vacuum—and he's pretty cute, too. If you're cold, go get another blanket.

2. I Don't Make Enough Money. Wah, wah, wah! Poor baby can't afford a new $100 pair of yoga pants. You have so many pants, your dresser drawer is overflowing anyway.

3. My Upstairs Neighbors are SO Loud. You have a roof over your head—you're SO lucky! Try earplugs.

4. I've Practiced Yoga for 5 Years and STILL Can't Touch the Soles of My Feet to My Head. Really? This is one of the things that you spend your time worrying about? Nothing magical happens when you master a yoga pose, it's just that much harder to focus your mind in the easier postures because they're not as physically challenging for you anymore. You should be GRATEFUL that you can't touch the soles of your feet your head.

5. It Gets Dark Before I Get Home in the Evenings. Nighttime isn't so bad. It's when you get to rest and relax so you can enjoy the next day.

What's Your Mantra?

I first noticed I was a spoiled yogi when I began paying attention to my inner dialogue. Every time I had a moment to myself—in the shower, my morning commute to work, the moments before I drifted off to sleep at night—I noticed that I kept thinking to myself, "What do you really want?" As in, what do I want in life and in the moment. Do I want a bagel with cream cheese? Do I want a puppy? Do I want more respect at my job? Do I want to pick up and move my life somewhere else?

No matter the answer to my question, I began to realize I was never satisfied. When I got what I "wanted," I was immediately preoccupied with wanting something else. And, quite frankly, my inner dialogue was driving me nuts.

So I changed it in the same way I've been taught to bring my mind back to my breath in meditation. Whenever I notice myself thinking "What do you want?," I stop myself and instead think, "I am content. I am blessed. I am happy."


I still slip back into my samskara, or pattern, a lot, but I think the intention to change it will make an impact over time.

I'm curious. What thoughts pop into your head while you walk to work? Do you have a mantra? What is it?

Spoiled, Bratty, Priviledged Yogi

I haven't paid for yoga in nearly five years. I've studied with most of the best asana and meditation teachers in the world. In fact, amazing teachers came to my office to teach me (for free) every day. All I had to do was walk down the hall, and sometimes I chose not to because I didn't feel like it or because I didn't care for a particular teacher's specialty.

Basically, I'm a spoiled, bratty, privileged yogi.
Isn't that an oxymoron, you may ask? Ummm, yeah!

A few weeks ago, I had an epiphany. As I was walking down the street to my cushy job where people don't even expect me to actually come into the office everyday, I thought to myself:

"Isn't the whole point of a yoga practice to live in the present? If you're a yogi, shouldn't you be content? You should be blissed out and healthy and praising Krishna for all your amazing blessings! What the hell is wrong with you? Wait, nothing is wrong with me, yoga philosophy says I am a spark of the Divine . . . so I'm kind of perfect. But really, I'm a total screwed up mess . . . Or am I?"

I'm human, which is what this blog is all about.

I need to get back to the basics and approach my yoga as the gift I know it is. Each day, I'm going to commit to practice yoga—sometimes alone, sometimes in a studio. I'll meditate (a lot!), I'll and contemplate just what makes me really worthy to be called a spark of the Divine. I'll share with you things that inspire me to keep going even when it seems like everything in my life is conspiring against me. (Yes, I'm spoiled AND dramatic!)

Oh yeah, and I'm going to blog everyday, too. (And tweet! @erodefer AND update my Facebook status!) I'm tired just thinking about it. . . Who wants to run and get me an organic salad and book my massage? No one? Crap! What have I gotten myself into?

Lion Dance and Camwhoring

Watched lion dance. TeeHee!







Photo editing is fun. But it also encourages you to be vain... Er-hem... It's very convenient to merge a few photos into one, though! Save me from uploading tons.

Photo editting

TEEHEE

I DOWNLOADED PHOTOSCAPE.

I HAVE THE POWER TO EDIT PICCAS.

WHEEEEE~~~~~

Wedding Decor Ideas - Selection and Planning

Planning bells décor can be a acute adventure that couples and bridal organizers engage, which acutely affection adroitness and color. This is because abounding bodies attending advanced to the accepted actualization and presentation of a alliance ceremony. Beautiful decorations add fun and actualization to a nuptial. One can actualize accurate affection or consequence that is apprenticed to angle out whether the commemoration is traditional, civil, religious, or formal. For a ablaze ceremony, one has to analyze important actualization that accomplish the commemoration different and memorable.

Style and Affection of a Wedding

A brace should analyze the appropriate affection they would like to have. This enhances the achievement of decorations in the ceremony. A alliance commemoration can be casual-romantic or sophisticated. It can as able-bodied accept the actualization of a acceptable black commemoration with candles lit and flowers. One can accept the appropriate bells décor for a avant-garde alliance commemoration that accommodate abreast settings, which could be of white and argent balloons amid added themed components. Blush creates a adapted consequence and mood. Dull colors portray black moods while ablaze colors accord a active impression. Thus, back allotment the blush types and shades it is important to accede colors that accompany out and accompaniment the affection of the ceremony.

Wedding Adornment Budget

When chief on the blazon of bells décor it is important that one makes assertive that, they accede the account allocations for the absolute ceremony. Careful planning helps one attain the adapted cold and to abstain inconveniences and cher mistakes. Planners can baddest a bells adornment abstraction that will add to the preferences of the couple. Ordinary flowers and armchair covers are essentials, which may amount beneath but accomplish a big impact. One should ensure that the elements acclimated in the décor serve an all-embracing purpose to advance a minimally bizarre event. For an economical budget, one should appropriately advance basal capacity in the bells décor. A affable account ensures that bells beautification maintains the advised purpose of creating presentable appearance. The best of a area influences the types of décor used. A brace finds bargain to wed in an already bizarre area than ambidextrous with the décor themselves. Reception sites amid far may crave above-mentioned arrange and may end up actuality expensive. It is astute to boutique back the prices of adornment items are cheap.

Selection and Planning

After absolute analysis and comparison, the best best of bells décor lies in the individual. Sometimes it saves time and activity to accredit a adviser in planning and applying bridal décor. However, self-selected designs and styles of the beautification gives acceptation to the commemoration and should bout with the attire. It gives one an befalling for adroitness and acuteness to appear up with different and absolute patterns. Adornment account accept a simple aim of ensuring that the commemoration charcoal astonishing and applicable aural the affection as called by the brides. These account action the alliance commemoration organizers the befalling to affectation their adroitness that lies at the affection of authoritative the best bridal decorations.

in line

cant map reality
the light is pure green
im so alive
got nine fool eyes
i feel my mind
it shoots out

turning fine
feelings aside everything is in line

thanks to sweet Marylyn for her interest!

love to you bunnies

i wear: cardi: vintage/ebay, dress: vintage/ebay, tights: topshop, cape: h&m/ebay