A few years ago, my friend, Aisha, told me about this great magazine: Body + Soul (since renamed to Whole Living). It has great recipes and articles about health (both mental and physical) and she had a free issue sent to my house. I was hooked immediately!
The magazine offers great healthy recipes, varying by season, that include calorie counts and other nutritional information. There are tips and reminders to take time for yourself and they even give suggestions on what you can do or how you can do it. They offer recipes for home remedies using herbs and things you may already have around the house, instructions for yoga poses to help with certain aches, pains, or stressors in your life, etc.
One of my favorite things is when they publish their Challenge of the Day – and better yet – their 21-Day Challenges for the New Year. These challenges often come with recipes and exercises to help you plan ahead and stick with it.
A friend recently reminded me how possible it is to find inspiration and actually act upon it. I found inspiration in the December issue of Whole Living and here are some of the details of the plan that I intend to take on next week:
Whole Living Action Plan: 21-Day Challenge
Week 1
- Detox!
- Only fruits and veggies
- No dairy or processed foods
Week 2
- Experiment with more nutrient-rich whole foods
- Add protein back into diet
Week 3
- Reintroduce gluten-free grains and eggs
Things to Skip:
- Processed foods or beverages
- Added sugar
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
I am even planning on incorporating as many as their “7 Secrets to a Successful Cleanse” as I can into my plan.
- I have already set my goals for what I want to achieve.
- I have informed key people in my day-to-day life about the changes I want to make, including people in my online social networks for added support.
- I have not invited a friend to join me, however, because I’m not so sure anyone would like to partake in such a strict plan.
- Luckily, I have always watched my intake of water, and I’m confident that I can keep myself hydrated. (The magazine recommends EIGHT 8-ounce glasses a day!)
- This part will be challenging, but I’m going to put major effort into spacing out my meals instead of nibbling all day so I can even out my metabolism.
- For the week before my ‘detox’ begins, I have been practicing keeping a food journal to ease into it next week. Here’s the one I ordered:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0963796836/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details
And yes, you can opt to do this in an app on your phone or online, but I find it more satisfying to write things down in a notebook.
- I will do my best to stick to the menu of recipes laid out for each week without jumping ahead.
I plan to update the blog as the weeks progress, including which areas I have been successful in or where I’ve experienced failure.
Cheers!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Fresh Start
2011 has been a year full of challenges, losses, changes, and opportunities for growth. Many tears were shed, but, fortunately, laughter and love still found a way into my life.
Though I don’t want to dwell on the details of the sadness from the year, I will say that having experienced it with the support of my friends and family has given me the strength to come out the other side inspired to make positive changes in my life.
One of the major changes that took place this year was a move that took me from Cincinnati, my home of two years, to eastern Ohio, where much of my family lives and where I spent every summer growing up. My local support network changed from my Notre Dame-AmeriCorps group to several members of both sides of my family.
After being unemployed since the end of my two-year stint with AmeriCorps in July, a new job and regular schedule was very welcome this month. Feeling more secure in my career path over the past few weeks has allowed me to think more about what I want in terms of personal goals.
One of my personal goals involves a couple levels of self-improvement.
The first level is mental. I’ve already started working towards this goal by testing my willpower when it comes to healthier choices. For instance, I decided on November 27th, 2011 that I would no longer consume alcohol. I have made it through a full month and I feel much better physically, not to mention the satisfying feeling of my success in ‘sticking with it’.
The next is on the physical level. I’ve had arthritis for as long as I can remember and I’m pretty sure my metabolism has been slowing down steadily over the past several years. The past few months of lacking a regular schedule has hurt me in the ‘eating well department’. I’ve decided to take control and make some lifestyle changes regarding my diet and exercise.
My diet. I know the basics about what’s good for me and what’s not, but sticking with it is the difficult part and usually requires a degree of planning ahead when it comes to meals. I have a recipe box of some healthful meals that I’ll try from time to time, but I’m calling on my favorite magazine for help. Whole Living magazine is all about physical and mental health and happens to have a “Clean Eating Action Plan – 21-Day Challenge” that I plan on utilizing.
My exercise. I love to walk. I love how I feel after practicing yoga. I need to lose a few pounds of extra body fat. I would like to increase muscle mass. There you have it. My exercise goal is to do an hour of yoga 2-4 times per week, and walk 3 miles 1-2 times per week. I will feel better with all the stretching and strengthening, not to mention being able to brag about my long walks. :)
Another goal is to spend more time with the people I care about.
If 2011 has taught me anything, it’s that time with loved ones is precious and shouldn’t be taken for granted. I’m still working on the details, but living next door to Gramma and Grampa will prove beneficial to my reaching my goal. :)
I am hoping that blogging about my goals and progress will ensure my accountability to my readers (friends and family) and to myself.
Here’s to starting 2012 on the right foot and keeping up with new goals!
Though I don’t want to dwell on the details of the sadness from the year, I will say that having experienced it with the support of my friends and family has given me the strength to come out the other side inspired to make positive changes in my life.
One of the major changes that took place this year was a move that took me from Cincinnati, my home of two years, to eastern Ohio, where much of my family lives and where I spent every summer growing up. My local support network changed from my Notre Dame-AmeriCorps group to several members of both sides of my family.
After being unemployed since the end of my two-year stint with AmeriCorps in July, a new job and regular schedule was very welcome this month. Feeling more secure in my career path over the past few weeks has allowed me to think more about what I want in terms of personal goals.
One of my personal goals involves a couple levels of self-improvement.
The first level is mental. I’ve already started working towards this goal by testing my willpower when it comes to healthier choices. For instance, I decided on November 27th, 2011 that I would no longer consume alcohol. I have made it through a full month and I feel much better physically, not to mention the satisfying feeling of my success in ‘sticking with it’.
The next is on the physical level. I’ve had arthritis for as long as I can remember and I’m pretty sure my metabolism has been slowing down steadily over the past several years. The past few months of lacking a regular schedule has hurt me in the ‘eating well department’. I’ve decided to take control and make some lifestyle changes regarding my diet and exercise.
My diet. I know the basics about what’s good for me and what’s not, but sticking with it is the difficult part and usually requires a degree of planning ahead when it comes to meals. I have a recipe box of some healthful meals that I’ll try from time to time, but I’m calling on my favorite magazine for help. Whole Living magazine is all about physical and mental health and happens to have a “Clean Eating Action Plan – 21-Day Challenge” that I plan on utilizing.
My exercise. I love to walk. I love how I feel after practicing yoga. I need to lose a few pounds of extra body fat. I would like to increase muscle mass. There you have it. My exercise goal is to do an hour of yoga 2-4 times per week, and walk 3 miles 1-2 times per week. I will feel better with all the stretching and strengthening, not to mention being able to brag about my long walks. :)
Another goal is to spend more time with the people I care about.
If 2011 has taught me anything, it’s that time with loved ones is precious and shouldn’t be taken for granted. I’m still working on the details, but living next door to Gramma and Grampa will prove beneficial to my reaching my goal. :)
I am hoping that blogging about my goals and progress will ensure my accountability to my readers (friends and family) and to myself.
Here’s to starting 2012 on the right foot and keeping up with new goals!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Whenever Photo 8/18/2011
If I've learned anything from this crazy summer, it's that plenty of curve balls can come your way. I've decided to switch it up and remove the "weekly photo" from my now completely irregular routine. Instead, I'll just share a photo or two when I get the chance, making it a "whenever photo".
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| Clover on the Hillside, Taken on Scotch Ridge, Martins Ferry, Ohio - August 2011 |
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Keeping it Together this Summer
It's been a while! I've been meaning to get a lot done over the past 3 weeks - a couple blogs posts, etc. but some curve balls have been thrown my way!
Not only have I been bouncing all over the midwest, working different summer camps and preparing for my friend's wedding, but also dealing with a 5-day power outage at my mom's house and a computer meltdown!
I'm attempting to back up everything from my laptop, in addition to getting my sister's old desktop set up to my liking, plus creating a video for my Notre Dame-AmeriCorps closing ceremony on August 1st.
It's been a whirlwind of a summer so far and it won't calm down for me until the fall (probably mid-September or October)!
Some exciting and unrelated news: I won a bike in a raffle last weekend!! It's a refurbished 1977 Schwinn and I love it! I wish we weren't experiencing a massive heat wave this week so I could actually go for a bike ride without suffering a heat stroke. Anyway, here's my new beauty!
Not only have I been bouncing all over the midwest, working different summer camps and preparing for my friend's wedding, but also dealing with a 5-day power outage at my mom's house and a computer meltdown!
I'm attempting to back up everything from my laptop, in addition to getting my sister's old desktop set up to my liking, plus creating a video for my Notre Dame-AmeriCorps closing ceremony on August 1st.
It's been a whirlwind of a summer so far and it won't calm down for me until the fall (probably mid-September or October)!
Some exciting and unrelated news: I won a bike in a raffle last weekend!! It's a refurbished 1977 Schwinn and I love it! I wish we weren't experiencing a massive heat wave this week so I could actually go for a bike ride without suffering a heat stroke. Anyway, here's my new beauty!
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| My new bike! :) |
Friday, June 17, 2011
Week 1 of Summer Camp
The first week of Destination Imagination Accept the Challenge Camp has come to an end... I am already excited about running an elementary school's after school program in the fall, but this successful week of DI camp has inspired and motivated me even more to make the program all it can be and more!
I look forward to the day where my students can get as excited as these kids about building structures, writing their own stories, performing, and using their imagination!
I look forward to the day where my students can get as excited as these kids about building structures, writing their own stories, performing, and using their imagination!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Appreciate the Rain
Last weekend I went on a retreat with 5 other Notre Dame-AmeriCorps members and it was wonderful. It was close enough to Cincinnati to not be a long drive, yet secluded enough that it felt as if we left our busy lives far behind. The place is called Grailville and it's located in Loveland, Ohio. The property extends for about 300 acres and can accommodate several groups at once in its various farm houses. What really brightened my day was when I learned about their trails in the woods. I couldn't wait to go outside and "play"!
However, on the first day of the retreat it had stormed and continued to storm into the evening. Everything was wet and we didn't venture outside (much) for fear of being struck by lightning. I was disheartened and worried that my outdoor "play" time would be ruined by more storms. Luckily, only one more storm came on Saturday morning at 4am and the sun appeared for the rest of the weekend.
When we woke up on Saturday and made our way to the dining hall for breakfast, several things caught my eye and made me change my attitude towards the rainy weather. I had forgotten how rain makes ordinary things more photogenic and interesting, and I'd like to share some of the images that brought me joy - not only in taking, but also in sharing with the others on the retreat. Most of the photos below were possible because of the rain during the retreat... Therefore, I have learned to appreciate the rain because without it I would not have been able to capture these moments.
The word "play" is in quotation marks above because it is a word that now has a deeper meaning than it did before the retreat. Below is a quote from a handout we received during the retreat, and one I will remember.
However, on the first day of the retreat it had stormed and continued to storm into the evening. Everything was wet and we didn't venture outside (much) for fear of being struck by lightning. I was disheartened and worried that my outdoor "play" time would be ruined by more storms. Luckily, only one more storm came on Saturday morning at 4am and the sun appeared for the rest of the weekend.
When we woke up on Saturday and made our way to the dining hall for breakfast, several things caught my eye and made me change my attitude towards the rainy weather. I had forgotten how rain makes ordinary things more photogenic and interesting, and I'd like to share some of the images that brought me joy - not only in taking, but also in sharing with the others on the retreat. Most of the photos below were possible because of the rain during the retreat... Therefore, I have learned to appreciate the rain because without it I would not have been able to capture these moments.
The word "play" is in quotation marks above because it is a word that now has a deeper meaning than it did before the retreat. Below is a quote from a handout we received during the retreat, and one I will remember.
“Play” By Pegge BerneckerAn antidote for suffering, play is healing and restorative. At its essence, play is free, dissolves conflicts, and builds connections. Life-giving, play leads us to appreciation and gratefulness.When we play we discover our deepest self is seeded in creativity and generativity. Play is an act of restoration and remembering. Solitary and contemplative, or active and communal, play can occur anytime, anywhere. Planned or utterly spontaneous, play brings us into the present moment, embodied in time and place… Across gender, race, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status and geographical location, all people and creatures play. Play heals… We engage our senses and body, becoming refreshed and renewed.Playing can be a catalyst for spiritual vitality to burgeon forth within each of us. It is through a spirituality of play –interacting with matter—that we encounter the sacred, one another, and our deepest self. Play is a gateway to skip through to increase our ability to be present, to heal, and to grow in gratefulness. Who will accompany you in your next play date? How do you play?
Friday, June 10, 2011
Life Happens
Since my last real entry, I've had some weeks where I've strayed drastically from my raw-ish food regime. However, lately, I'm trying to make up for it by being more active: walking more, riding my bike around, etc. I just got the bike from my step mom for my birthday and I've already put about 7 miles on it. Not to mention the 14 miles I put on my mom's bike while I was back home for a visit. I hope to make it an active summer - as active as my injured knee (from falling back in February) will let me be. Today, in fact, I just bought a knee brace that will hopefully help me out a bit.
In other news, a close friend of mine and fellow AmeriCorps member, passed away suddenly on May 20th. Her name was Tebbe and once we got started talking we could go all night! We would carpool to our bi-weekly meetings from her work... it was like clockwork. As soon as our Site Director would send out the email about our upcoming meeting, Tebbe would send one out to me asking if we could go together.
She would often tell me stories about when she was a "hot, young thing" and when she was really into the music scene in Cincinnati. At least once during each story, I would have to stop her and ask what some of the slang meant! Tebbe always thought it was so funny that I was so clueless.
Tebbe was so young at heart and fully of spirit and positive energy. It was contagious! I know I felt it when I was around her and the other day I was able to hear one of her trainees from her work talk about how she had inspired him to turn his life around and make a difference. It was wonderful to hear how inspirational she was for so many people. I wish I had gotten more time with her... but I am so thankful that I got to know her as well as I did over the 2 years that we worked in AmeriCorps together.
~~~~~~~
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| Tebbe and I at the Jazz for Peace event she organized ~ March 2011 |
In other news, a close friend of mine and fellow AmeriCorps member, passed away suddenly on May 20th. Her name was Tebbe and once we got started talking we could go all night! We would carpool to our bi-weekly meetings from her work... it was like clockwork. As soon as our Site Director would send out the email about our upcoming meeting, Tebbe would send one out to me asking if we could go together.
She would often tell me stories about when she was a "hot, young thing" and when she was really into the music scene in Cincinnati. At least once during each story, I would have to stop her and ask what some of the slang meant! Tebbe always thought it was so funny that I was so clueless.
Tebbe was so young at heart and fully of spirit and positive energy. It was contagious! I know I felt it when I was around her and the other day I was able to hear one of her trainees from her work talk about how she had inspired him to turn his life around and make a difference. It was wonderful to hear how inspirational she was for so many people. I wish I had gotten more time with her... but I am so thankful that I got to know her as well as I did over the 2 years that we worked in AmeriCorps together.
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| Tebbe and I in the DC Metro ~ Feb. 2011 |
~~~~~~~
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Monday, May 02, 2011
Trial & Error: Raw Food
The past few weeks I've been learning about and trying out a modified version of "the raw food diet". I know it'll be near impossible to stick to it 100%, so I've been doing as much as I can.
I've been trying to limit or eliminate my intake of the following items:
And I've been trying to include more of the following, but I still have a lot of work to do in this area:
Items from the above lists were taken from The Raw Truth: The Art of Preparing Living Foods
. The author puts them into categories that range from "Bio-Destructive" to "Bio-Regenerative". This book in particular also says that 60% of your food intake should be items from the "Fresh Foods" category, 20% should be from the "Sprouted Foods" category, 10% should be from "Cultured Foods", and the last 10% should be from "Dried Foods".
However, I have also heard that as long as at least 51% of your food intake is raw, you're set. That way, your body gets enough of a break from processing non-raw food items.
Luckily, to help me in this food-venture, I have been very fortunate to receive a gift of a Vitamix blender/food processor from my Mom. With this new toy, I have been able to try all kinds of juices and smoothies that I couldn't have tried otherwise. To give you an idea of its power, this machine will liquify carrots!!
Since the above-mentioned book spoke so highly of sprouts, I have tried twice to grow my own sprouts and have had no luck. The first time I tried lentils - and they sprouted like crazy! - but I had put way too many in the jar and I had to give it up. The second time I tried garbanzo beans, and after a few days they just turned black in the jar. I'm guessing they should have been put on a tray or damp paper towel after the initial sprouts came out.
In terms of my diet, what I've been doing during the week is having one mostly-fruit/some-veggie smoothie in the morning, a mid-morning snack of a banana, a regular lunch (sandwich, salad, yogurt, etc.), then a mostly-veggie smoothie in the evenings. On weekends, I'll have 1-2 smoothies each day, allowing for 1 meal per day to be more of a social nature. (i.e. going out with friends to a restaurant)
I'll admit, it was very difficult for me to follow the above regimen during the week-long break from work since there was no real routine. I went to the grocery store today to restock on plenty of fruit and vegetables so I can try out 5-6 new smoothies this week and get back into it.
That's that! Hopefully, I'll be able to update again with some more progress!
I've been trying to limit or eliminate my intake of the following items:
- chemicals
- preservatives
- hormone-based animal products
- synthetic materials
- food cooked in aluminum
- artificial colors and flavors
- meats
- canned foods
- cooked oils
- overcooked and packaged foods
- old and rotting food
- foods frozen for too long
- inorganic materials
- processed foods
- unknown and unpronounceable substances
- cooked fruits
- cooked vegetables
- cooked grains
- cooked beans
- frozen foods
- foods dried at high temperatures
And I've been trying to include more of the following, but I still have a lot of work to do in this area:
- raw, live, organic food
- whole food
- amino-rich food
- enzyme-rich food
- food dried at low temperatures
- rejuvenating food
- sprouts and chlorophyll-rich food
- cultured food
- medicinal herbs
- fresh, wild, hand-picked food
Items from the above lists were taken from The Raw Truth: The Art of Preparing Living Foods
. The author puts them into categories that range from "Bio-Destructive" to "Bio-Regenerative". This book in particular also says that 60% of your food intake should be items from the "Fresh Foods" category, 20% should be from the "Sprouted Foods" category, 10% should be from "Cultured Foods", and the last 10% should be from "Dried Foods".However, I have also heard that as long as at least 51% of your food intake is raw, you're set. That way, your body gets enough of a break from processing non-raw food items.
Luckily, to help me in this food-venture, I have been very fortunate to receive a gift of a Vitamix blender/food processor from my Mom. With this new toy, I have been able to try all kinds of juices and smoothies that I couldn't have tried otherwise. To give you an idea of its power, this machine will liquify carrots!!
Since the above-mentioned book spoke so highly of sprouts, I have tried twice to grow my own sprouts and have had no luck. The first time I tried lentils - and they sprouted like crazy! - but I had put way too many in the jar and I had to give it up. The second time I tried garbanzo beans, and after a few days they just turned black in the jar. I'm guessing they should have been put on a tray or damp paper towel after the initial sprouts came out.
In terms of my diet, what I've been doing during the week is having one mostly-fruit/some-veggie smoothie in the morning, a mid-morning snack of a banana, a regular lunch (sandwich, salad, yogurt, etc.), then a mostly-veggie smoothie in the evenings. On weekends, I'll have 1-2 smoothies each day, allowing for 1 meal per day to be more of a social nature. (i.e. going out with friends to a restaurant)
I'll admit, it was very difficult for me to follow the above regimen during the week-long break from work since there was no real routine. I went to the grocery store today to restock on plenty of fruit and vegetables so I can try out 5-6 new smoothies this week and get back into it.
That's that! Hopefully, I'll be able to update again with some more progress!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Weekly Photo 4.23.2011
So, it's been about a month since I posted a "weekly photo". I guess time just got away from me!
Since there are only about 5 months until my trip to Brazil, I've been going through my old pictures and scanning them all. Believe me, this has been no small task as I have 2 large boxes of photo albums!
Here is a photo I took in 2002 on a trip with Belo Tours to Foz do Iguaçu, where we visited all 3 sides of the falls in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, in addition to 2 other cities in Brazil: Curitiba and Florianópolis. This is by far my favorite picture from that trip!
Since there are only about 5 months until my trip to Brazil, I've been going through my old pictures and scanning them all. Believe me, this has been no small task as I have 2 large boxes of photo albums!
Here is a photo I took in 2002 on a trip with Belo Tours to Foz do Iguaçu, where we visited all 3 sides of the falls in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, in addition to 2 other cities in Brazil: Curitiba and Florianópolis. This is by far my favorite picture from that trip!
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| Taken in June 2002, Foz do Iguaçu Photographed: Chris (NY) and Matt (OR) |
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Weekly Photo 3.26.2011
The countdown begins! My boyfriend and I will be going to Brazil in September, and in honor of that, here is a photo I took in 2002 in a place called Ouro Preto, Brazil when I was an exchange student. I'm so excited to be going back!
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| Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil; 2002 |
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Weekly Photo 3.19.2011
What can I say? I like bridges... So here's another one!
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| Taken 3.16.2011. Five Mile Trail, Anderson Township, Ohio. |
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Weekly Photo 3.12.2011
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| Taken in December of 2005: Brooklyn Bridge, New York City. |
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Weekly Photo 3.5.2011
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| Taken in 2006, Indianapolis, Indiana |
Enjoy the colors of the photo - as they probably help remind those of us in colder climates that spring is on its way.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Weekly Photo 2.26.2011
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| Taken 2.26.2011, Notre Dame-AmeriCorps National Conference, Washington, DC We Americorps members ARE the essential piece to the puzzle. |
New Book
I just ordered Living in the Raw: Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle
from Amazon. This might be my new project: incorporating raw foods into my diet, possibly replacing, but we'll see.
from Amazon. This might be my new project: incorporating raw foods into my diet, possibly replacing, but we'll see.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Weekly Photo 2.13.2011
In 2004, I lived in Miami, Florida and attended Florida International University. It was such a different time then! It was practically a requirement to know Spanish to leave the campus, but it was cool because the chances were higher in Miami to run into a Brazilian or two while roaming around.
One day, James and I took the 1.5 hour public transit bus ride to the eastern edge of Miami: downtown, to do a little exploring. In the front of one of the buildings we ran across this camera thing and we were amused. :) Memories.
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| Taken in 2004, Miami, Florida |
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Weekly Photo 2.5.2011
Yes, I'm going to go ahead and post another photo. I miss my maternal grandparents. Lately, a new project has been started in our family: to rebuild / repair the house my mom grew up in and my grandparents lived in until they passed. It's a beautiful old house that has a secret stairway that used to be for the servants - it is now closed off and the house has been divided up for renting. I am the oldest of the 3 girls in my family and I have the most memories of Gramma and Grampa, and that house. The following picture was taken a long time ago, and probably when I was either very young or not yet born. The location is the porch of the old house, where I remember swinging in that very same swing, probably singing to myself.
Weekly Photo 2.5.2011
This photo was taken my my grandparents when they visited me at college. It reminds me of another time.. I made a few good friends that I still keep in touch with today, I studied a language I love, and I had an awesome professor that was also a good friend. It's amazing how much a life can change (and how many things can happen) in a mere 7 years.
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| Taken some time in 2003-2005, Florida International University, Miami, Florida |
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Weekly Photo 1.30.11
I am posting a second photo this week because without realizing it, I skipped last week.
The reason for this particular photo is that I was reminded of it during a phone conversation last night with my Dad. His father's sister passed away over a week ago at the age of 103. We started talking about the cemetery at the small church on top of the hill on Scotch Ridge and I remembered the time I walked through there in 2007 with Grampa. The cemetery sits atop a hill next to the church that, up until a few years ago, was merely a one-room church with an outhouse. (They have since added on a gathering area, running water, and bathrooms.)
The tombstones date well into the 1800's and some are sinking or leaning over. Some are so eroded the names can't even be read.
At one point during our walk that day, Grampa placed his hand on the corner of one of the newer tombstones for leverage to walk back up the hill. I captured that moment with my camera and below is the resulting photo.
The reason for this particular photo is that I was reminded of it during a phone conversation last night with my Dad. His father's sister passed away over a week ago at the age of 103. We started talking about the cemetery at the small church on top of the hill on Scotch Ridge and I remembered the time I walked through there in 2007 with Grampa. The cemetery sits atop a hill next to the church that, up until a few years ago, was merely a one-room church with an outhouse. (They have since added on a gathering area, running water, and bathrooms.)
The tombstones date well into the 1800's and some are sinking or leaning over. Some are so eroded the names can't even be read.
At one point during our walk that day, Grampa placed his hand on the corner of one of the newer tombstones for leverage to walk back up the hill. I captured that moment with my camera and below is the resulting photo.
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| Taken in 2007, Scotch Ridge Church, Martins Ferry, Ohio |
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Cold Mountain, North Carolina
We are having a snow day today at work, but I've been awake since 4:45am. I ended up keeping an eye on the webcam I like to look at daily and I made the following video that tracks the webcam from 5am-9am.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Weekly Photo 1.17.11
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| John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, Cincinnati, OH; Taken Dec. 2009 during an urban hike (see the hikers?) |
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Chicago Construction Challenge!
It's been a busy week between homework for school, homework for work, and preparing to be out of town for the weekend. About Friday midday I'll be heading to Chicago to help my Mom with an event called Construction Challenge. Below is a quote from the website:
After I arrive on Friday evening, I'm sure I'll be helping set up for Saturday morning. Saturday is the big day and we'll be waking up super early and we'll be ready to start getting teams checked in by 7:30am or so. I'm not sure what I'll be doing after registration... My role might include taking photos, working in the score room, or any number of things! I can't wait to see what the challenges are this year - - and what the high schoolers come up with for their solutions!
"To help develop the workforce of the future, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), presenting sponsor Volvo Construction Equipment, and Destination ImagiNation® (DI) are kicking off the 2010-11 Construction Challenge. Construction Challenge provides participants a real-world experience that will inspire them to explore and pursue careers in the construction industry.I've been a part of this for a few years now, always because my Mom has been involved in some big way. At least twice she's been the Chicago Rally Leader and responsible for recruiting teams from across her region to compete. The latest update I've heard is that she's gotten 40+ teams to sign up!
High school teams will compete and solve transportation and water infrastructure Challenges using creativity, teamwork and problem solving. Teams of five (5) to seven (7) participants (plus an adult Team Manager) will compete at 9 Regional Rallies across North America, and the top 24 teams will advance to the Championship Finals at CONEXPO/CON-AGG in Las Vegas in March 2011." --ConstructionChallenge.org (http://constructionchallenge.org/index.php/who-we-are/about)
After I arrive on Friday evening, I'm sure I'll be helping set up for Saturday morning. Saturday is the big day and we'll be waking up super early and we'll be ready to start getting teams checked in by 7:30am or so. I'm not sure what I'll be doing after registration... My role might include taking photos, working in the score room, or any number of things! I can't wait to see what the challenges are this year - - and what the high schoolers come up with for their solutions!
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Friday, January 07, 2011
Back to School in 2011
This week was my first week of college classes since 2007, and I can see it'll take a little getting used to. Not necessarily to the classes themselves, but to the homework and managing my time at home. I'm taking undergraduate level classes again to get the prerequisites necessary for the masters I want to pursue.
My first time around, my classes were all related to language, but now I've got to level up to health science! That means "Hello, physics, biology, and statistics!" I never was too fond of math..
This quarter my first classes are Statistics for Health Science and Astronomy: The Solar System. Yesterday it became apparent that for Stats we make our own homework. We have to find practice problems on the internet or in a book that wasn't ordered for our class (and therefore none of the 10 students has a copy - though we do have a general stats book) and keep them in a notebook that we can keep in a notebook to turn in at the end of the 10-week course for credit. A copy of the book we don't have is in the Learning Center, but you can't even take copies of the pages; you have to use it in the Learning Center. I think I'll look into finding a copy at the library of the campus next to where I work.
Astronomy is set up in a more familiar way. We have 10 weeks of class, only meeting once a week and that means doing a lot of work on our own - but at least it's "read the chapter and answer these questions, then email them to me by Sunday". We have our first assignment due this Sunday and our first quiz is on Tuesday!
As far as the rest of this leveling business goes, the soonest I'll be finished with the undergraduate classes is the summer of 2012. That is, if I am accepted into grad school by that time AND I can take 3 courses packed into a compact 10-week summer course. If it doesn't work out that way, I'd have to take those 3 courses over fall, winter and spring quarters and I wouldn't finish the undergrad classes until 2013. We'll just have to see!
My first time around, my classes were all related to language, but now I've got to level up to health science! That means "Hello, physics, biology, and statistics!" I never was too fond of math..
This quarter my first classes are Statistics for Health Science and Astronomy: The Solar System. Yesterday it became apparent that for Stats we make our own homework. We have to find practice problems on the internet or in a book that wasn't ordered for our class (and therefore none of the 10 students has a copy - though we do have a general stats book) and keep them in a notebook that we can keep in a notebook to turn in at the end of the 10-week course for credit. A copy of the book we don't have is in the Learning Center, but you can't even take copies of the pages; you have to use it in the Learning Center. I think I'll look into finding a copy at the library of the campus next to where I work.
Astronomy is set up in a more familiar way. We have 10 weeks of class, only meeting once a week and that means doing a lot of work on our own - but at least it's "read the chapter and answer these questions, then email them to me by Sunday". We have our first assignment due this Sunday and our first quiz is on Tuesday!
As far as the rest of this leveling business goes, the soonest I'll be finished with the undergraduate classes is the summer of 2012. That is, if I am accepted into grad school by that time AND I can take 3 courses packed into a compact 10-week summer course. If it doesn't work out that way, I'd have to take those 3 courses over fall, winter and spring quarters and I wouldn't finish the undergrad classes until 2013. We'll just have to see!
Monday, January 03, 2011
Plants Update - January
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| Low-light hanging plant - I can't remember the name |
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| Lucky Bamboo |
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| (left) Spider plant rescued from greenhouse floor on 10.23.2010 (front) Cactus gifted to me by my boyfriend's uncle on 1.1.11 |
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| Dracaena (3 short ones in the pot) |
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| Spider plant rescued from the greenhouse floor in 2009 |
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| Cacti & Succulent pot - a couple have died since I got it in Oct. 2010 |
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| Wandering Jew, originally one short piece obtained from the greenhouse floor in 2009 |
Welcome to 2011
It's been a long time since I've updated my blog - and even longer since I've updated my website. For the new year, I figured it might work out best if I combined the two.
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2011 brings about many changes and challenges. I will be going back to school for Speech Pathology tomorrow, while still working full-time as an AmeriCorps member at an elementary school. Plus, a lot of health issues have come up in my family and my boyfriend's.
Aside from the challenges the year brings, in the early fall, my boyfriend and I are planning a trip to somewhere far away. We haven't decided yet between Brazil, New Zealand, or Japan, but we will start delving into our plans over the next few months.
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As far as this blog goes, I hope to update it at least weekly. I hope I can keep it up!
:::::::
2011 brings about many changes and challenges. I will be going back to school for Speech Pathology tomorrow, while still working full-time as an AmeriCorps member at an elementary school. Plus, a lot of health issues have come up in my family and my boyfriend's.
Aside from the challenges the year brings, in the early fall, my boyfriend and I are planning a trip to somewhere far away. We haven't decided yet between Brazil, New Zealand, or Japan, but we will start delving into our plans over the next few months.
:::::::
As far as this blog goes, I hope to update it at least weekly. I hope I can keep it up!
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