nothing really: just my day today

I was in my house today--at least physically although mentally i was residing in the town of Chester's Mill--as doing an "Under the Dome" marathon has definitely gone to my head. My cats are lounging as they do unless I am on my phone in which case Angelbaby gets jealous of the phone and has to go between me and the phone crying and blocking it from view. I have told her she is a better door than a window.

I note my breakfast on my diet log. I keep a small notebook to track my carb and general macronutient intake. I try to keep my carbs to 45 carbs a meal--complex carbs only and try to limit them to within an hour after exercise. Since I am not running 40 mile weeks I need to get more serious about my nutrition. Sugars, unhealthy fats, starchy carbs, limit on beer and alcohol and keeping more careful track of what I am eating and when. 

As I take a break from Chester's Mill I turn on Tori Amos on my Pandora stations. I have several stations--a  lot of stand up comedy stations. I am a stand up comedy addict. I know so many comics routines by heart as I am fine with hearing the same routines over and over again until even the cadence and timing can be done precisely. I love to watch stand up comedy on YouTube but mostly just listen to it for hours as background noise while I am home working on art projects, reading, cleaning or doing homework.

Time to take an exercise break:  Heading out to my bike The Minivan, armed with warmer clothes for riding the bike and my light long sleeved shirt for running and walking I ride my way down the B-line to Adams street then turn around and ride the B-line and rail trail until Church lane. Leaving my warmer clothes behind I take off on a run/walk routine down the clear creek trail about 2 miles out and 2 miles back.

I love seeing the red winged blackbirds and enjoy seeing the little songbirds in the wooden houses along the path--when they see me they fly away like "Nothing to see here..I am over here now. Nope, no babies around". I see several people today including my friend Chris running with purpose, a man in an M&M cap I compliment  him on and a birder with binoculars which I have a short conversation with about the fact that that is a huge crow rather than a hawk and asking him why the tiny songbirds chase the crows. He informs me crows attack the little bird's babies and will eat the eggs so they little birds actually take the initiative and chase and attack the crows before they get the chance. Brave little birds!!Those crows are four times their size. What a mother will do for her young.

I passed a house with a bunch of free stuff on the lawn. I took two nice water bottles, some weight lifting/cycling gloves; a warm coat (pretty big and long on me but very warm); a backpack and a slinky. I don't know why the slinky--maybe because i used to love them and never see metal ones anymore. 

Back home reading blogs and my natural health cures book looking for benefits of apple cider vinegar which I have started to take a teaspoon of every day interspersed with a bit of juice. I have started using coconut oil as well--for cooking but also as a hair conditioner. Once a week I coat my hair with some liquefied coconut oil, leave it in a shower cap overnight and then wash it out in the morning. It creates the nicest quality of conditioning I have found. I also use Argon Oil conditioner and spray. Grey hair can become wiry if not treated to conditioning. I only shampoo my hair about twice a week now so it is more conditioned than anything.

Witch Hazel has become my toner of choice as well. A bit of witch hazel and then a little coconut oil to add over the top. You would think coconut oil would add too much oil and cause blemishes but it actually helps my face to be moisturized without the blemishes. I am unlucky in some ways to be allergic to quite a few skin treatments including neutragena plus I have a metal allergy so no jewelry. Although I have some wonderful friends who have made me non-metal necklaces and such so I can have some jewelry to wear.


Night time is time to read and write. I am reading a few different books right now. Walden by Thoreau; The Shining by Stephen King and a book called The Search for Shrodinger's Cat.  I like to write poetry and stories and occasionally publish them in one of my three blogs. I come from a long line of writers and poets so it is in my blood I think. Both of my parents were reporters and writers. Pretty darn good photographers too. My mom even co-wrote a book about country and western stars in which she got to meet some big names including Johnny and June Carter Cash. She also interviewed some cool people like Jane Pauley, the Today show host back in the 70's and 80's.

I do some stretching before bed. Tomorrow I start my training for my certified recovery specialist certification which I am already getting set up to get a job at the local mental health center as a recovery coach. I am excited by it. I took this training actually five years ago previous to the personal training certification and got certified but was not able to find a job in the field. This time I have told them I am willing to take it over again but really will need to lead to some type of job. They are already starting the process so I am feeling fairly confident at this point. My personal training business is starting up slowly but that is the nature of new business. I now have about three clients so I feel good about that.


So there you go. Thanks for reading!