FALLING STILL.....

Today was:
Magical
Blissful
Empowering
Transforming
Fun
Totally awesome!

Today was
successfully raw

Does anybody know what this means? I thought i did last week! I thought i did 5 months ago! I even thought i did yesterday. But ya know, now i'm thinking maybe i didn't afterall!

Ok, that said...there is no one right way to eat raw. There are so many amazing possibilities its quite miraculous. I attended the successfully raw event today not really knowing what to expect. I knew the progam and what was going to happen but you simply cannot fathom what really did happen.

First, the energy in that room was so palpable, so evident, so obvious you could reach out and grab it. I really can't explain it. I suppose its the fact that everybody there, was there for the same AND different reasons. Some to listen, some to learn and some to network and exchange ideas and recipes!

First speaker was the lovely Karen Knowler, raw food coach She spoke for 2 solid hours and basically coached us! She gave us some cool handouts and is quite personable! I'm thinking of contacting her in the future. I love the quote she ended her lecture with:
Be humble, you are made of earth
Be noble, you are made of stars
Yep, gives you lots to think about and absorb.

Next up was Joel Odhner(private chef)
Joel Odhner. Interesting dude! He presented a raw food demo. He made a lovely green smoothe with spinach (my favorite) apples and bananas and water! Thats it...put it all in the vitamix and in about 20 seconds there was a green smoothie in all its glory! Simple, easy and quite delicious. Next up, massaged kale salad. This should be a staple in everybody's raw food arsenal. Real easy and massaging it pours the love and dedication right into the kale and then right into your body and cells. How cool is that? VERY!!! Last was something Joel called simply a burger. Almonds and carrots in the FP. Then diced very finely celery, red pepper, onions and this is most important...ground flax seeds! The flax is the binding agent here. A little salt and your done. The rest is up to you, maybe wrap the burger in some collards or romaine, stuff a pepper..its endless the possibilities!!! Amazingly easy and really quite tasty! So, here are 3 things that can be made cheaply, fast and most importantly it tastes good!

Now on to the good stuff...and please forgive me if i forget the essentials here. We were treated to an extraordinary lunch from
Jill Pettijohn over at Jill's Cafe in (gasp) Brooklyn, NY! Lunch was great! I believe it was a raw pizza accompanied by a nice salad! I do not know what it was made of except the zucchini pasta on top. It's all good though...:O). Dessert was either a chocolate thumbprint or a strawberry thumbprint! I chose strawberry!

After lunch, 3 dynamic speakers that i am proud to call my friends. Philip
loving raw Great job! So inspirational. Read his story, it will literally make you want to go 100% raw overnight. Nuff said! Then, my good friend Anthony
raw model He's dynamic, funny and really adorable! He ROCKS! Great guy Anthony is! Read
his blog and get to know him. Last speaker of the day was a great man Dhrumil over at
we like it raw. Spiritual, energizing and a great way to end this amazing day! He instilled in us (me) the virtues of falling still. Taking the time each and every day, more than once a day to just "stop" what your doing, be conscious of your breathing and your thoughts and take the time to just be. It's great and i will be incorporating this into my everyday life!

It's funny because when i left the event and entered the chaos and unpredictibility that is Manhattan, somehow it didn't scare me. People were coming at me left and right and sideways but i took it all in stride. I think i was even smiling to myself. That must have went over big...hmmm look at the crazy raw girl smiling! What's up with that??? What's up with that is i was completely at peace, serene and even looking forward to the train ride home.

Today was:
Magical
Blissful
Empowering
Transforming
Fun
Totally awesome!

I feel happy!!! I think i'll skip to bed now.

"What you are seeking, is also seeking you"!

One....Word....Survey....

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.
Not as easy as you might think.
I.
will.
add.
a.
few.
more.



1. Cellphone: On
2. Relationship: None
3. My hair: curly
4. Work: blah
5. My sibling/siblings: phenomenal
6. My favorite thing: running
7. My dream last night: disturbing
8. Favorite drink: water
9. Dream car: mercedes benz
10. The room I’m in: livingroom
11. My shoes: crocs
12. My fears: panic attacks
13. What do I want to be in 10 years: alive
14. Who did I hang out with this weekend: anthony, dawn, dhru, philip
15. What I am not good at: dancing
16. Muffin: sure
17. One of my wish list items: new ipod
18. Where I grew up: brooklyn, ny
19. Last thing I did: take out garbage
20) wearing: boxers
21. Not wearing: bra
22. My pets: none
23. My computer: dell
24. My life: confusing
25. My mood: serene
26. Missing: sister
27. What I am thinking about right now: food
28. My car: old
29. kitchen: clean
30. My weather: rainy
31. Favorite color: blue
32. Last time I laughed: today
33. Last time I cried: today
34. School: boring
35. Love: life
36. Fruit: mango
37. Mood: serene

So, blogger friends please do this on your blog and let me know in a comment! I would be interested to see your 1 word answers...this was fun! Thanks
hihorosie

Just don't do something....stand there!

I knew, somehow, that I had to stay alive. Somehow. I had to keep breathing. Even though there was no reason to hope. And all my logic said that I would never see this place again. So that's what I did. I stayed alive. I kept breathing. And one day my logic was proven all wrong because the tide came in, and gave me a sail. And now, here I am. I'm back. . . . And I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?


-Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks), Cast Away









My buttons were pushed today, to the 1000th decible! I do not do well with stressful situations. Never did. I am learning though, at least i thought i was till today!

I needed to speak with customer server/technical support over at T-Mobile! Something that i thought would be quite simple and maybe a 15 min phone call. Boy, was i wrong. The issue, it seems required various trouble shooting techniques. I had to shut off the phone, put it back on about 10 times. Then, i had to remove the battery AND sim card about 7 times, then put it back. There were also various amounts of tech support calling my number without me answering. Just to "test".

Nothing worked. I mean nothing. I slowly started feeling the agitation build up. Slowly, i might add. This is not who i want to be. I thought as i embrace a new and improved lifestyle my moods and stress level would morph into something i could easily handle. It may be happening slowly, but to slowly for me.

I'm impatient, i know this. I want things to happen yesterday or even last week. These are things i have to work on. I want to work on. So i guess everything is a learning process. You know i always think the learning process stops when you are a responsible adult making a living and living your life. Nope! In fact, it gets more interesting as you get older. I feel like a sponge, i want to soak it all in but more importantly i want to absorb it into my feeble brain.

In other news...I am very excited, this event successfully raw
is happening saturday! This will bea great raw event and the first one ever that i am attending. I do not know the exact head count but i heard somewhere near 200 people! Wow, wow and did i say wow? I am psyched.

Other things that i notice about myself, is i always feel rushed. I am not in a state of contentment yet. I do not handle time very well. I don't see time in the sense of days, or times. I feel we should try to live without these things, it is just a better flow of energy for me. Or is it? I like flow. Flowing dresses, flowing flags, flowing energy, flowing minds, even flowing food. Don't ask!

I am enjoying reading all of my friends blogs. They are all awesome each in their own way. Another way to flow i suppose.



Spent time with family. Sarah, my young cousin wrote a story about me. I told her i thought i was pretty and she said "don't be so full of yourself"....HA, she's 9 years old. She likes to be sarcastic, and i like that she likes to be sarcastic!

Sue....my sister, my friend, my confidant. She understands me in a way i don't even understand myself. Yes she does. She's patient with me and i love that!

Anyway, i'll leave you with a funny....

Message hanging on fridge:
someone from the Gyna Colleges called. They said the pabst beer is normal. I didn't even know you liked beer!

Lesson here: never let your man take a message from your "woman" doctor!!!

The little things in life......it makes me happy!

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "WOW! What a ride!"




I am excited by the little things in life.




I also stopped at The Gap. I have not been in this store in a very long time. Mostly because i was 20lbs too heavy to wear the jeans i like. Today, i had a good feeling that i would somehow get my fat ass into the size i wanted. I did. Size 6! I do not even remember when i was a size 6 jeans. This excited me and i left the store smiling so broadly that i really think people were staring.

It's the little things in life...

Ever hear of Jamba juice? I got the fit and fruitful..It's made with passion fruit-mango juice blend, frozen strawberries, frozen mango, lemonade, frozen peaches, ice and weight burner boost...jamba juice I am not even sure if this is raw but it was quite lovely. I can only describe it as sweet and tart.

The little things...

There was lots more. I strolled the green market just taking it all in. Oh, i went to
Jack Rabbit just the best running store ever. The people who work here are so very helpful and nice. Yeah, i bought some stuff. I'm a runner, and i want to look good.

The little things....

Manhattan just calls for me. Hey, deep down i am a brooklyn girl, but there is just this intense energy and vibe that i love in Manhattan. It's city life but you can always find a park or place to chill where its quiet and lowkey.

The little things...

End of day, was my therapy session. Gotta say this..Liz is almost a CSC lifestyler. I lent her my copy of Kris Carr's DVD and she is into exploring this amazing way of living. She's not going raw but she is a long time vegetarian. So, a shout out to LIZ!

Now, i am winding down and checking emails...then i will continue reading book 2 of the Anastasia series. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live like she does? Well, sure but i still need a dose of "city" every once in a while....

It's the little things that make me happy.


Knock knock!
Who's there?
Ya!
Ya who?
I didn't know you were a cowboy!?!

Saturday nights and Sunday mornings.....

Yesterday was an interesting day to say the least! I was in Manhattan to meet up with some friends over at Bonobos. Nice casual live vegan restaurant. Their slogan is Eat Well - Feel Well - Look Well...in that order! It was fun. I ordered a nutmeat nappa sandwich, really nice...

After, we did some serious strolling. You really can only stroll in the city because afterall it was Saturday and there were others strolling as well. It's really an art to stroll because it involves a lot of maneuvering and falling into place. Sort of like a maze but without the high fences all around.

So, we got to our destination which was the Union Square Greenmarket. I seem to be spending a lot of time there lately which is cool because its oh so much better than going to a bar or smokey pool hall. So, i noticed lots of white feathers floating all over the place. Anthony said "oh yeah, there is a pillow fight today"...HUH? I did some reseach and here is what i found:

A massive pillow fight in New York City! Feathers fly and teddies soar as we gather for a massive urban pillow fight! Swing and whack as you evade pillow-wielding assailants. Bring a pillow to Union Square and wait for the signal. Pillow fight!

This year's pillow fight is timed to coincide with pillow fights in cities all over the world.

The Rules

Soft pillows only! + Swing lightly, many people will be swinging at once. + Do not swing at people without pillows or with cameras. + Remove glasses beforehand! + The event is FREE and appropriate for ALL AGES. Wait until 3:00 to begin. + This event is more fun with feathers!

Costumes and funky pillows encouraged :)



The Cleanup Effort: Volunteers Needed!

This year's goal is to clean up most of the feathers left behind, and 100% of the litter. If you would like to help clean up, please bring some trash bags :) We will distribute gloves and brooms.

This is what i was most concerned with. The cleanup! Didn't look to me as if any cleanup was about to begin. We had to literally walk with our mouths covered for fear of feathers invading our throats. I certainly did not want to breathe a feather into my mouth. Nor did my friends.

So, anyway at that point we were ready to say goodbye and went down into the bowels of the train station. Low and behold, feathers everywhere. On the train tracks my friends! Now, ask yourself...how can this be cleaned up? It can't. This upsets me because i am so anal about keeping this earth clean. Don't get me wrong, i don't spend my time picking up garbage but i do my part in my own way!

I realize this pillow fight was done primarily for fun, and i don't want to seem like a kill joy, i just thought it was kinda strange.

My friend Duane posted something funny! second annual sunday source peeps diorama contest Check it out, its amusing and creative and oh did i mention funny?

Good news on the project i'm working on. Let's just say everything is falling into place and i like that. I like tidy work, where you have an idea and make it happen! I will keep you posted as the time draws closer.

Tomorrow, i take another trip into Manhattan. Lots of stuff to do, i will get an early start. I ran a 10.29 min mile today! 6 miles total. I FEEL GOOD!

Happy Easter to my peeps!!!

Purim, and all stuff springy!!!

So, being jewish i thought i would talk a little bit about the holiday of Purim which is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar, which is usually in March. Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.


The story of Purim is told in the Biblical book of Esther. The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity.

The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king. Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people. In a speech that is all too familiar to Jews, Haman told the king, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your realm. Their laws are different from those of every other people's, and they do not observe the king's laws; therefore it is not befitting the king to tolerate them." Esther 3:8. The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews.

Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned. Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, and Haman was hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai.

The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of G-d. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to G-d. Mordecai makes a vague reference to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that is the closest the book comes to mentioning G-d. Thus, one important message that can be gained from the story is that G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck.


The word "Purim" means "lots" and refers to the lottery that Haman used to choose the date for the massacre.

Dressing up in masks and costumes is one of the most entertaining customs of the Purim holiday. Children in particular enjoy dressing up as the characters found in the Scroll of Esther, including King Ahashverosh, Vashti, Queen Esther, Mordechai, and the evil Haman.

Costumes and masks are worn to disguise the wearers identity. Mistaken identity plays an important role in Purim, possibly originating from Esther's concealment of her Jewish heritage or in Haman's mistaken belief that the King's reward was ment for him

It is also evident in the Purim saying "that you are to drink until you can not distinguish between Haman and Mordechai." But what ever the origin, masks and costumes help to make Purim a very festive holiday.

I forgot to mention the graggers! Oooh fun...

Graggers are the noisemakers used during the reading of the Meglliah. Every time the name of Haman is mentioned, everyone boos, hisses, stamps their feet and twirls their graggers.

In addition, we are commanded to send out gifts of food or drink, and to make gifts to charity. The sending of gifts of food and drink is referred to as shalach manos Among Ashkenazic Jews, a common treat at this time of year is hamentaschen (my favorite) These triangular fruit-filled cookies are supposed to represent Haman's three-cornered hat. Not raw, i know this...but i partake! My mom used to make them homemade every single Purim, but she's older now and not in the best of health so we have to settle for the bakery version! Still, i partake.

It's a fun holiday, in the sense that it involves children, they love it! Today as i was out and about i noticed many people walking the streets in costume! It felt like halloween, only it wasn't. Just a terrific holiday in every sense.

There's other stuff. Running has become more and more of a joy to me. It helps in so many ways! I always used to say, and i still do that you either hate to run, or you love to run...i love it! Simple. I feel free when i run, i feel light and happy. See, i'm not hard on myself if i don't run 5 miles or can't run 5 miles. I listen to my body. A good 3 mile run to me, is so much better than a bad 5 mile run. Plus, running is basically free! Well, of course you need a good pair of running shoes and some cool looking running outfits but thats it! After that, its pretty much up to you where you want to take it. Long runs, runs on the beach, runs with friends or just with your ipod...so many choices! Love it!

I'm happy today! I do not know if its spring time that is giving me this high or just me. I love to wake up everyday with a smile on my face and face the day head on. To me, there is no other way. I guess in a way i am an all or nothing kinda gal. Is this healthy? I do not know. I guess its one more thing to discuss with my beloved therapist!

I am considering doing some sort of planting in my neighborhood. Mostly wild edible greens.( dandelion, purslane, lambs-quarters, and plantain). I have talked at length to a friend of mine about this and he will be doing the same. He says "Why not replant all public spaces with wild greens?" I agree, don't you? It is not expensive, very easy to do and wild greens spread! So, once they are planted you just have to wait for them to grow and grow and then partake in the natural goodness!

So, life is good! Lets celebate the goodness that is life. Purim, Easter, Spring, and all things green!!!

Spring has sprung my friends!!!!!

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.



First, HAPPY SPRING TIME!!! This day rocks in so many ways! I feel it! What is it, you may ask? Well, may i dare to say i feel "raw"??? Juicy raw, sprouty raw, fruity raw and most of all NOT gassy raw! This reminds me that as soon as the door closes behind us, the one in front of us is wide open for all of us to enter! It's really that simple.

I did a lot, and i mean A LOT of thinking since my last post and somehow my mind led my ever so gently back to the place i need to be! I don't want to get to philosophical here but i believe there was a higher power leading me and i was smart enought to follow.

If i ran the other way, where would i be? Maybe, laying in bed with my comfy comforter over my head? It's a big possibility! Maybe, moving from said bed to kitchen to eat a yodel, ding dong or [insert gasp] twinkie! Possibliity? Maybe, burning my running shoes? Slight possibility...I am not saying i am weak. Far from it, but these thoughts ran through my mind when i was spending QT with my porcelain friend (thanks monica). Fleeting thoughts they were, but somehow as i was spending time with my friend, i saw yodels floating by! By gosh, they were there, in all their chocolatey glory!

Ok, shaking my head, hair flailing i closed my eyes and imagined the biggest, most colorful salad floating by! Sprouts starting falling, jicima smelled oh so good. The scent of basil just totally hooked me. By the time i exited the bathroom, i was hungry for more. Eager to learn, excited that today is the first day of spring! This means so many things...Rebirth, renewal, colors, bright sunshine, love, life, health, relationships, reading, music, music, more music, starting book 2 of Anastasia, greenmarkets, nature walks, running....what else???

I feel happy today! I have a wonderful new project i am working on, which will enable me to hone my writing skills. This excites me to no end.

I've been given the gift of having some wonderful friends here. This helps tremendously in more ways than i can articulate. So, here's a shout out to you all!!! TO YOU ALL!!!

Gotta say this: Somehow i find this funny, yet simple. Ready?

"Lets hug it out bitch" Nothing like a good hug right??? Let me end the way i began!



Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.

A never quiet mind....and sometimes it hurts!

Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress.







So, i'm thinking this post will be a sharing post. Me, sharing. You, reading. Me, feeling like a fool. You, possibly laughing. So, lets see...

I feel like a loser today! Lots of reasons, but mostly i'm questioning my decision about eating 100% raw. Yeah, i know this sounds like something so very not loserish...but its really bothering me.

Here's what happened. Last week, all excited, i bought some beautiful kale. I decided instead of juicing it like i normally do, i would actually eat it whole. So, my friend told me what to do, and i did it. I carefully cut it in pieces, put in ever so gently in a big bowl, added the sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice and massaged away.

Now, don't get me wrong. This salad was absolutely delicious. I am proud of it, the color, texture and even smell was lovely. I ate it 3 nights in a row. I enjoyed it 3 nights in a row. Then the dreaded happened. I got GAS!!! Like picture the worst gas you ever had and then triple it, no gas x 10 is about right.

It hurt. The bathroom was my friend. Yeah, i like to have friends but the bathroom is not one of them. I like to get in and out, fast!!! So, it was with sad trepidation that i kinda spent a good portion of the weekend in THEIR!!! It wasn't fun. I got discouraged. I asked why? Now i'm pissed.

So, today..on my way to therapy i stopped at a nice little local coffee shop and got a coffee of the day and a very nice looking piece of cake. It was called cinnamon raisin something, it just called to me. It also tasted quite good to me. My therapist was absolutely surprised to see me with this pastry. It was great that she said "Michelle, put that away for now, its too distracting"...so i did. Later, i took it out again and Liz (love her so) said "How about, you give me that pastry, and i'll deal with it?" I literally threw the damn thing at her...she caught it in mid air, said "are you sure?" Oh yeah, i am!!!

Still, i feel discouraged today! I'm going to seriously rethink my decision to go raw! This is bad, i know. I am thinking i may lose a lot of readers and possibly friends???? I may even have to rename this blog. Don't know.

It's a big world, with so many choices. I have to narrow down my choices to what works for me and me alone! Does this make sense? I have learned so much these past 5 months. More than i ever hoped to learn. I've met wonderful people, each and every one of you, i love so much!

I just feel sad, confused and needed to get this out! I don't want the bathroom as a friend. Nope, not ever! OK?

Tag your IT.....

Ok, it was bound to happen! I have been officially tagged by: yardsnacker which means I get to share 5 things about myself that you don't already know. I've seen this tag floating around the past few days and to be honest i never thought i'd be hit but yep i am so....here goes:

1) Well, i ran and finished the 1991 NYC Marathon ! Yes, folks and it wasn't easy! I am proud of myself for having the will-power to keep on going even though my legs were screaming at me at every STOP sign to literally stop!

In the same vein, in 1995 when i was training for the same marathon (well not the same, it was 4 years later) I was in Los Angeles for a friends wedding and on a run, i got hit by a car and fractured my left ankle! It was aweful, i was alone (sis was back at hotel). I remember falling to the ground and ripping off my sneaker and sock only to discover the inevitable swelling. I also remember actually asking the policeman on the scene if he thinks i could still run the marathon, as if, if he said yes, it would all be OK! Long story, short, i had to undergo surgery
open reduction internal fixation to place pins and screws in my ankle, spent 2 days in hospital, flew home in a cast up to my knee extremely disappointed. I have never run another marathon since, but completely healed and can run 5 miles perfectly!!!

2) I am a huge fan of foreign films! So far my favorite is The lives of others last years Academy Award winner for best foreign film! It's out on DVD, put in on your Netflix queue! Next film i need to see is The Counterfeiters.

3) I've decided to purchase a backpack (knapsack) no not a fanny pack, wouldn't be caught dead wearing one of those, but a true backpack! I'm thinking of this one: ogio atrix I kinda like the description: The atrix is to backpacks what the iPod is to music: (ok that line reeled me in) sleek, stylish, and oh-so-techical. A single entry pack with contemporary lines, this bad features an organizer panel, dual-side mesh water bottle pockets and a fleece-lined weather proof audio pocket with a headphone exit port - for your iPod naturally! Now, i don't know about you, but doesn't everybody need a headphone exit port? I know i do! But the reason i want this backpack is when i am out and about shopping for a weeks worth of produce at the greenmarket, i really do need a way to transport it all. I remember on more than one occassion shleping at least 5 bags home on the train! Not fun...Plus, i like to have a few books, magazines and possibly my portable DVD player available to me, because hey you never know when you may need to watch a film!!

4) I used to be painfully shy as a child! I mean crazy shy to the point where i felt myself blushing, it was as if the blood in my face was slowly rising from my neck up to the tip of my head in slow motion! It was quite embarassing to me. Even to this day, when i meet somebody new i may blush just a bit. I am so happy that all that is behind me. Now, i can hold my own in pretty much any conversation except (and i'm not happy about this) politics. I just never seem to know enough to add anything useful to the conversation. It bothers me, which is leading me to read up on it as much as possible!

Also, and i am proud of this...I am a Dork! Or is now a Geek? Or Nerd? To me, being a dork or geek or nerd is a from of coolness! It's being different in the face of mediocrity!

5) I cannot read or use my computer without my reading glasses! Yep, i am blind as a bat! Also, at restaurants i need my glasses to read over the menu! It's a bit of a pain in the ass for me, because true to form i am always forgetting to take my glasses when i go out! So, to remedy that, i purchased one of the cheap reading glasses you find at CVS or Walgreens. I was looking for something like this: cool black frames because, well they are cool black frames...but..i ended up with a sort of rounded metal frame that serves the purpose of reading when out and about. Not really cool but thats OK!




Well, that wraps things up for now. So I get the pleasure of passing on the "torch" to 5 other people! Here are the rules: Link to your tagger and post these rules. Share 5 facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them). Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs. So, here's my list...

Karen CLL Dork

Duane Prizefighter

Baldylocks

Buellers Kitchen

Britanie rawfaith

Monica Luckymojo

(I cheated and tagged 6 people)...

The super-sweet joy of kissing the sky and touching your toes all at the same time!

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” -- Robert Frost






I haven't talked about what being raw means to me! In one word: freedom! Ok, other words that come to mind...light - love - community - friends - understanding - learning - eating - smiling - bright - interesting - dynamic - tasty - crunchy - sweet - green -.....

It seems that every single day, without fail, i learn something new! Wheter it be a recipe i want to try, a new supplement that was recommended to me, or even a new friend that i meet up with! It's quite incredible!

I've also been ordering lots of interesting stuff online. Just yesterday i received a lbs or organic tahitian vanilla beans that i orderd here: organic vanilla beans They are great! So fragrant and lovely.

I'm very much into goji berries and i love Pure's raw grawnola with almond milk! You can't go wrong with an apple slathered with almond or hemp seed butter! Plus, seeds...hemp, chia and flax! I am a chia convert now so i will not say anything bad about them.

I enjoy spending time at the Union Square Greenmarket!
Union Square Green Market

Tomorrow, i will be shopping at Lifethyme: Lifethyme I have to say i'm pretty psyched about it all! I fear exiting the store with about 6 bags of produce, treats, maybe 1 of each and definitely check out the natural vitamin section.

Thursday, is dinner at Pure! I've only heard great things about this raw food restaurant and it is a great opportunity for me to meet and socialize with other raw foodies! How great is that??? Pure

There's so much more. The list goes on and on and on. See how open those hands are at the top of this post? See the map on those hands? To me, this means that being a raw foodist is an open book! You can taylor it to your needs and wants. If juice feasting is what you need to do, than by all means go for it...If you love chocolate, partake in some raw cacao powder...chocolate pudding perhaps? It's all there right in front of you. I say JUST DO IT! But, only if you really want to!!

Follow the day AND reach for the sun.....

“Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away.”






I entered the outside world today when it was still dark and quiet. I actually got quite excited at the prospect of watching the sunrise, or at least being out there when it was happening. The sunlight makes me feel good. Plain and simple. Is it the vitamin D that the sun radiates or is it the warmth...could be a little bit of both. I love running when its sunny, everything looks crisp and bright! I don't like dullness. It's like somebody covers the sun with some curtains and dulls the world and the way i see it.

I've been in a bit of a strange mood as of late. Not to go into too much detail i just feel like having an attitiude. But, using that attitude to help me write and create. I want to show the real me here and everywhere basically! There is simply no reason to pretend to be someone or something your not. Just not cool in my book!

So, today at my therapy session with Liz, i swaggered in and didn't pull the headphones out of my ears until my song was done. She gave me a funny look, but i could have been imagining it. Then, i was wearing my new t-shirt with the single word 'Freak' on it! You can check it out here:
chucklenut t-shirts Then, as if to make matters worse i put on an old ratty pair of sweatpants with old sneakers, plus and here's the kicker, a black hoodie, with said hood up and on! Cracked me up. Halfway through the session, it was as if she woke up and said "Michelle why do you have your hood on, can you please take it off?" Reluctintly i did. After that things got deep and turned hard. She's good but i'm better!

I seriously think i'd make a great therapist. I kinda enjoy trying to analyze what a person says and why? I can probe and delve in with the best of them...I read something in this past weekend's magazine section of the NY Times...it says that the show "In Treatment" which i've been viewing faithfully since it started in January! The article stated:

'But are Americans and Israelis watching the same show? Yes, and of course no. "In Treatment" represents an extremely faithful - not to say lazy - nearly word for word adaptation of "Be Tipul". The dialogue on the American show is really little more than a straight translation of the Hebrew. Be Tipul makes clear that "In Treatment" is American only on the surface. Its psyche is entirely Israeli!

So, here i thought i was watching cutting edge cable tv on HBO! Hey, american writers can come up with stories about lets say "Desperate Housewifes" (crap) but not In Treatment??? Shame on you HBO!

Anyway, so tomorrow i will be reaching for the sun...maybe i'll even touch it this time!!!

Lets have a PAR-TAY!!!

Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that you don’t have all the right answers, and the courage to learn to ask the right questions.-Anonymous








I realize this may be a bit too happy, but i need to stay focused on that thought. There are lots of things happening that would, should and could make me unhappy but i know that that is not the way to go!

Today, dawned cold, nasty and rainy. The perfect day to sleep in and be lazy. As i lay awake in bed, i thought to myself...hey why waste a perfectly amazing day in bed? So, i did what every other respectable human would do, i signed online. Checked email, wrote some comments on friends blogs and then signed off. My eye caught the book Anastasia with my bookmark sticking out. So, i read. I read a lot and i learned a lot!

I am enjoying this series of books very much, even though i am still on book 1. Just so much to absorb and think about. I think i will start carrying around the book in a knapsack so i can read anytime i have a free moment. It is recommended to read these books in a quiet setting away from interferences from artificial noises (motor traffic, radio, tv, household appliances etc) Natural sounds, on the other hand such as the singing of birds, the patter of rain, the rustle of leaves on nearby trees, or my absolute favorite...sitting on a blanket on the beach listening to the sounds of the ocean.

On to other things...its another Saturday night and i am spending it at home. But, you know i simply do not care. I like spending time at home. Its my safe haven, my comfort zone. It's my way of keeping in touch with all of my outrageous CSL friends, my sis, some relatives and it gives me the opportunity to do what i love most. To write.

Writing has become my passion. Somehow, and i do not know if this is a good thing, but somehow i can express myself through my writing so much easier than when i talk outloud. Oh, don't get me wrong, i can hold my own in conversations and i crave intelligent conversations on nearly any subject (except maybe politics).Sorry Brian! But when i write all my feelings and thoughts pour out. I did put forth the idea of possibly writing a book, to my therapist and at the time, she thought it was a terrific idea! So, i'll see. The thing is, i have so many ideas in my head but i need to pick and choose whats most important to me and run with it.

Oooh good news! I am officially co-group leader over at CSL with a very nice woman, Amy! What this basically means is we are in charge of NYC meet-ups, organizing it, picking places and dates, make sure Kris can attend, getting information about restaurants, lots of fun stuff. The way it went down was Kris saying "How about if you and Amy become the group leaders? Simple right? And so it was meant to be!

Now, i am flying high! I just got the ultimate compliment that i'd like to share:

Michelle,

I want to thank you for your amazing input to this community. You're a major part of setting the intention of the site - your posts are thoughtful and cover a wide range of topics, the kind of things that interest all sorts of people. Kris and I enjoy reading your stuff....
Peace,
Brian

Is this cool or what? Nuff said!

Lastly, i'd like to share that at 10PM tonight a major global prayer is going out to my good friend Dee! She means the world to so many of us and i really do think that this prayer will do the trick for Dee! I know i posted this video already but i feel compelled to post it once again. This is one of Dee's favorite songs and a song that many of us will be playing along with our praying tonight! Take a moment to listen to the words!

Falling Slowly



Somehow, music makes everything seem so much better, and a little less scary!

I must share this.....

There are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet!

Simply put, i met a new friend! I thought there was a complicated explanation but there is none. Think about it, you meet someone. He/she may or may not have similar interests, thoughts, loves, dislikes and if it clicks it clicks!

I am finding as i reach deeper into the raw lifestyle i am finding many many people who have the same core values as myself. For me, its simple....eat, pray, love...hey thats a book isn't it? It is. But my point is it can be that simple always! Why stress and be unhappy! There is quite literally millions of things to be happy about! Of course, i know we all have "days" but i try to make everyday a "good day"!

So, i met a new friend! I think many of you know of him....checkout his blog here: Raw Model He is quite a guy! Lets see if i can explain. We met at the designated place and he was right on time!!! To the dot! We start walking and talking and immediately i felt at ease! Thats saying a lot because most times i am quite shy!

He was eager to share with me his vast wealth of knowledge about the raw lifestyle and i was like a sponge soaking it all in. He was excited in sharing and in turn i was excited in learning! Have you ever met a new friend like this? He tooke me to a place called live-live Nice place, a bit small and on the expensive side but they have some very interesting products! We looked around a bit, he pointed out stuff and then we left.

So, we decided on lunch at Quintessence I asked him to choose our menu for the day and he did so! We ate the Fofu Moroccan Platter and Italian "sausage" pizza, both of which were excellent! I enjoyed not only the food, but the company as well. I'm still perplexed at how the good folks at Quintessence can make nuts taste like cheese??? This is somthing i am interested learning. I was told a lot of it is experimentation something that Anthony is getting quite good at. He calls it reverse engineering! He says: dont know if those brownies would be worth ordering...maybe once so you can see how they are made and then copy it. Reverse engineering....ha love it!


After lunch, we walked east (i think) but in all honesty i was just following Anthony! It's funny, i've lived in NY all my life but i almost felt like it was my first time seeing the sights! Crazy! Anyway, we walked to Jubbs Longevity. It is a wonderul little spot in the east village! It's basically a "take-out" sort of place but they do have a full menu! Anthony wanted me to try the Anut Salad which had an uncanny taste of tuna! Delicious! I have no clue what it was made out of but it sure tasted good. Oh and i tried for the first time, brazil nut milk! Silky smoothe and quite yummy. 45 minutes later we walked out with some delights. A strawberry parfait, some tarts and a cupcake! Each more delicious than the next. Funny, as i was riding home on the train, i took delight in comsuming the parfait and i swear i felt like all eyes were on me! Jubbs conducts lectures every Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm. And the best part, they give free samples! Can't get any better than that, really.

Our day was coming to an end, but it was a really great day! Anthony even made me a CD of various interviews..."Best Day Ever Interviews" David Wolfe, David Jubb and Annie Jubb, Peter Ragnar and Gabriel Cousens, MD! All interesting. I already put it on my ipod for when i run.

So, there you have it! I had to share!!

Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure.

Today, i had a lot on my mind. Namely, a good friend of mine. She is currently in the hospital after a surgery she had. She is such a wonderful human being and really doesn't deserve what she is going through. The thing is, she is also one of the most, if not the most positive person i know! It's hard to explain. Here's something she said to me recently:


"You DO have a crazy sexy life woman, you need to embrace that shit and
rock it till the wheels fall off!"

I love that! I love that shit!! Here's more:

All of your support/love/kindwords/gifts/bunnysdrinkingbooze(coughcoughinsidejokecough)/flowers/jokes and constant just all around amazing-ness, means more to me than I can ever express in words. I look forward to hearing from all of you (send me those crazy sexy emails I know you all are so amazing at! I'll need good stuff to read! And seriously, no pun intended...) and hope this finds you all well.

I love you all like lovers! *twirls about* :)

I love her like lovers too!!! I want to tell her that i am twirling around in her honor flinging glitter all around! I want to tell her that the world loves her too! She really is just this amazing whirlwind of a woman! Knows so much about everything!

Ah, i don't want to give her a swelled ego but hey, someone has to!!!

So, yeah thats whats been on my mind today! Thanks Nessa by the way!!

Lots of other stuff to. Global juice feast started March 1st! I had decided a while ago to forgo doing it this time! It's just not the right time for me! I am pretty sure, there will come a day when it will be my time! I just don't feel it right now! I am rooting for and thinking about all the greatness thats going on out there! Juice feasting taken to the 1000th degree! It's quite a miracle and a life force like no other.

I've been running daily! 4-5 miles. Woah, its amazing and making me feel oh so good! I'm rockin it, so hard! Pushing past the comfort zone but being in the zone. If i get past a certain point i am home free! There's more to it but thats the simple explantion!

My sleeping has been terrible lately! I keep experiencing this...I'm lying in bed, drifting off to sleep. Just as my thoughts become a whirl of images, and my body drifts into a lesser consciousness, In my mind I stumble and fall and my body actually feels like it's falling! I jerk awake and feel like i'm falling into my mattress, without ever really moving I wonder, "What in the world just happened?"

"It's called a hypnic jerk! At this stage of sleep, you're still easily awakened, but your body is preparing for deep REM, during which muscles aren't "allowed" to move. During transition, the larger muscles of your body might contract suddenly, causing you to wake up. That you happened to be dreaming about falling is, in this scenario, a coincidence. Other folks believe your muscles contract because of your dream, as they're not yet restricted from movement by the brain. Whatever the reason, it is this mild jerking motion which startles you, and it's not anything to worry about."

It's kinda creepy! I hope it doesn't happen tonight! Goodnight!

Goodbye my almost lover.....

"You're nothing short of my everything."



This song touches me! It takes me back to past relationships and brings back lots and lots of memories. I find myself listening to this song over and over so i thought i would share!

Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy

Your fingertips across my skin
The palm trees swaying in the wind
Images

You sang me Spanish lullabies
The sweetest sadness in your eyes
Clever trick

I never want to see you unhappy
I thought you'd want the same for me

Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Can't you just let me be?
So long, my luckless romance
My back is turned on you
I should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do

We walked along a crowded street
You took my hand and danced with me
Images

And when you left you kissed my lips
You told me you'd never ever forget these images, no

I never want to see you unhappy
I thought you'd want the same for me

Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Can't you just let me be?
So long, my luckless romance
My back is turned on you
I should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do

I cannot go to the ocean
I cannot drive the streets at night
I cannot wake up in the morning
Without you on my mind
So you're gone and I'm haunted
And I bet you are just fine
Did I make it that easy
To walk right in and out of my life?

Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Can't you just let me be?
So long, my luckless romance
My back is turned on you
I should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do

Do i look fatiqued, pooped out or whacked???

“Talking much about oneself may be a way of hiding oneself”






I was told by somebody special to me that i look extremely tired. "I see it in your eyes Michelle" she said. It struck me as kind of odd. Even though, i usually do feel kind of rundown, i never thought i looked the part!

It makes me wonder, what do others see in me? In my face, my body language, the way i talk or don't talk. Is there something i'm missing about myself? I'd like to think i know me, afterall i should know all about me as a person right? Well, i don't. Not really.

It is remotely possible that it is generally indicative of my personality that I insist that if i look pooped i want to know right away so i can pretty myself up. Maybe, some concealer under my eyes, maybe even heaven forbid, close up computer and hit the sack early!!!

See, i just don't believe it when i personally look in the mirror and stare at what i see! What does tired look like? Am i sick? Do i worry too much? Am i eating enough? (yes no problem there :O)....Maybe, because my mind never really shuts down, it is making my outward appearance seem haggard, whacked, fatigued, maybe even droopy!

So, whats a girl to do? To me, its a lot to think about. I am on a journey right now and when i get where i am going, i guess i will have the answers. For right now, i will accept just the way i am, and strive...always strive to get to the next level!!!