What could I possibly paint that pretty much anyone can relate to, that’s not too complicated and that can offer some contrast?… Food!… and food related things. It took me about an hour per painting. A couple were a little longer, but not much. I used the Tempera paint that Justin’s family got me the previous Christmas and voila! Here’s the little bunch of paintings all together.

Now they are scattered all over the world… well, the US and France. Each person has a little piece of this project, a little piece of me.

Last week, Justin got me a super cute t-shirt with fruits all over it…

… they all have butts! Can you see them?

He knows me well.

In the past, I tried the hot kind, Bikram. It seriously annoyed me because I was feeling unusually hot, I was breathing everybody else’s hot air and then I was drenched in sweat and would go outside in the cold. Brrrrr.

After that experience, I convinced myself I hated it. Voices in my head would tell me “I can’t stay still”, ” I don’t like holding a pose forever, my brain gets bored and irritated”, “I need movement”, “I’m not a hippie”.

All of these voices polluted and fogged up the perception of myself and the different kinds of yoga I could try. I’ve been sticking to Pilates since I sorta stopped dancing and then I did nothing during the winter. Yes, my belly rolls have grown. So spring popped its head out (although today it still felt like winter) and I decided to try something new. I dragged my butt to a yoga studio a few blocks away from work and took a beginners Iyengar class. To be honest, I don’t know what that means.

The class was slow, it used props and the instructor twisted us in many directions. I have to say, I don’t feel like I got a workout from this class, but I got a massage. A nice, deep spine massage all the way up to my tight shoulders and neck. I will go back.

Bear with me, I’ll be back soon.
A bientot!

The geek in your life will also enjoy it… there are algorithms involved!

On a trip to Santa Rosa, we got some culture, molds and goat milk (at Trader Joe’s). The process was relatively easy… basically heat up the milk at a certain temperature, then add the culture and the rennet, stir and let sit over night.

In the morning, we scooped the coagulated curds into 4 chevre molds.

Checking them in the evening, they shrunk to about half their size!

The following morning we un-molded the now fairly hard cheeses to begin the air drying process.

We salted the whole surface of each cheese.

And the 3rd morning we made a delicious chevre omelet. Yummmmm!

Found via Facebook friends. Thanks!

It was time to give it a little life… therefore people. I also did a few light touch-ups.

Here’s a closeup of the people walking around the area, being in line for yummy ice cream or a having a pizza.

Next will be the bicycles in the foreground… my most dreaded addition! We’ll see.

The whole process:
Act I
Act II
Act III
Act IV
Act V

I guess without going into too much details, the second half of 2008 was so rich in events that I sort of built up this constant tension. When one thing happens after another, you don’t let yourself relax. Things are much calmer now, yet I have the hardest time to relax. Feeling like I have too much to do, too little time and let it take over my being.

Just lately I’ve been trying to take things with a little perspective. Sort of look at my anxiety from a distance which is sometimes feasible, but sometimes very difficult. I want to calm myself down. That’s my ’09 resolution and also why I’m so happy to let ’08 go. I need to be more attentive to the moment and take things from far away. It may take me all year to accomplish that, or even longer!

The worst part, is that I really love my life! I have everything I need and even more to give away. My brain just keeps me from enjoying it fully by adding soundtracks constantly. Quite useless soundtracks might I add. Shut up brain, give me a break!

And so I’ve decided to lessen my commitments (not that I have many, but the little I do are too much). This way I can start all over again or at least look at things in a different perspective. I want to do things (like blogging) because I want to, rather than because I feel I have to and think it’s been too long since the last post. Dance? No more ties to that either. Only classes on a drop-in basis when I feel like it. Work? Yeah ok, that’s the one commitment I have to keep. Wait, no the other commitment, which doesn’t take any work at all, that I’m definitely keeping, is Justin. The man is such a gem. I am amazed everyday by his heart generosity, understanding, support and the fact that he can take all the very numerous hugs I give him every day.

Man this turn out to be a tear breaker post! But look at it… it’s really positive! I’m making change. Oh and I got a haircut! That’s a different kind of change, but sometimes the outside helps reach the inside.