love in an envelope

I think we all dig when there is something in the mail other than bills and adverts right?



Even though I use email probably more than I should to communicate with people in my life, I still LOVE to send out cards and goodies in the mail. (I even have a favorite post office and a favorite post lady who is a character right out of a movie. She is plumb and wears her hair in the wildest up-do ever. She wears buttons and "flair" and always lets you cut back in line if you didn't fill out a form correctly the first time)
I like to imagine what the person looks and feels like when they see an envelope, hand addressed sitting in the box. When I get mail that isn't bills or credit card offers I always try to guess who it is from just by the handwriting on the envelope. I have a few friends that I can guess immediately just by the way my name is scrawled across the middle of the paper.
I love that.


And because I love that, I want to give a little "woot-woot" to a few people. Beacuse they have filled my mail box with joy.

A little thanks out there to a few people who have sent me things in the past month or two. People who I have never seen or met in person. My name written in a handwriting that is unfamiliar, yet totally fits...has been showing up in my mail box. It is exhilerating and wonderful- mostly because these people are sharing part of themselves with me. There have been things like photography and music and art work.Things like "lobster egg" gum balls and fabric and sweet sweet words. And plans are brewing to even meet one of these people to do a west coast version of this...
These things in an envelope took time and creativity and love. And these woman headed out to the post office just because I said I liked something they did. They were nice enough to put my name on an envelope and lick a stamp (or stick a stamp, what ever the case might be.
But those ladies help to make my trips to the mail box so much fun.


So here is to JesC, I have these hanging in my living room.
Stilt Houses 1
Stilt Houses 2
Stilt Houses 3
Stilt Houses 4

So here is to LeSophie, I have this in my car stereo.

So here is to Angela, I have this (or a version of it anyway)waiting to be framed (and a few others waiting to be passed on in the mail to others)

Thank you ladies for making my life a little fuller, a little more creative and for the connections....

Almost as good as a photobooth Friday

We never made it to a photobooth last weekend. There were so many things to pick from to do with ourselves. We could have filled up a week with running around and site seeing and still not hit everything the 5 of us wanted to do.
I snapped this as we were headed up to the shoe department in Nordstrom's (can someone please explain to me the draw of this place? (not the shoe dept, Nordstrom's) I don't get it? Is there any other store that people will proclaim on their license plate holder as a place "they would rather be"? Isn't Nordi's just a glorified Macy's, and isn't Macy's just a glorified Ross?)
Any way, like I was saying- I snapped this shot as we were headed up to the shoe department. Someone noticed that we were reflecting nicely in the elevator doors.... I took the shot and there you have it.


I took a few more as well. (I made them shut the doors and go up and down a few times- aren't I nice?)


I kinda like the ones where no one is paying attention.
I have known these girls forever. I have been roommates with two of them and known one of them pretty much since birth. I feel really lucky that we continue to keep in touch. I am also pretty impressed that we didn't strangle each other while sharing one room, two beds and one bathroom for the weekend...Come on- that is a small space and lots of blowdryers-.

___
Now for some real booth action, go on over to the new Flickr group that Hula created...

TILT 1-25-06

I must say, when I visit San Fran I often get totally overwhelmed by the humanity and the chaos and all of it. I want to look at everything, take it all in and then I realize that I have taken in too much. Like a sponge that has reached the point of total absorbtion I can't hold any more stimuli. This weekend's trip was no exception. I wound up with a head ache right behind my eye. But I rallied and downed some water and an Alieve and was good to go.

One of the best things I saw this weekend was a few guys in the middle of Union Square holding up signs stating "FREE HUGS" and it brought me back. I didn't get a chance to get my free hug, but just seeing this made me feel like I was a person again... hugs do that to a me- they remind me of my love of personal contact, one on one converstaion and love.
I am a hugger. It is just how I was raised. We hug and often time give big old kisses to each other (this by the way totaly caught my man off gaurd the first time hanging with the fam).

What can I say.
But doesn't giving someone your energy and you taking theirs feel so amazing?

Today's TILT is dedicated to all you people out there that I can't hug because you live somewhere far away- but know that my arms are wrapping 'round ya and I am giving you a squeeze- oh and this ain't no "butt poking out" kinda hug(you know what I mean, the fake kind, the I am not sure if I want to touch you kind), this is a full contact- full energy kinda hug- MMMMM!

doing less

Because so many of you responded to this post (Thanks by the way, for all of your responses, encouragement and sharing that you feel quite similar to the way I was feeling the other day.)I thought I would share a link to something that showed up in my in-box today. I love when things like this come to me, as if I had asked for them personally.

Oh, and speaking of things that "came to me"... I found a message in a bottle this weekend.
Yes, I did.
And here is what the message said,
"To the beholder of this letter: Love is the most powerful thing in the Universe. Only worthy of all that can give it. If you have the power don't keep it to yourself.
Give Give Give
I LOVE YOU, Andrew and Rose..."
The note was in Grolsh bottle of beer, crumpled and slightly burnt on the edges... the girls kept telling me there was just a wrapper in there, but I saw the little burnt edges and wanted it to be more- to have a message. I love this type of thing. Perfect- you have to open your eyes and take a moment to see things for more then they appear sometimes.

On the way...

Photos and a review of the weekend spent with the T-town girls on the way. I didn't have a chance to upload pictures last night. Didn't take quite as many as I would have liked, but did get some really fun ones.

We had a great time. It was such a pleasure to spend time with the ladies that I have known since such a young age. There was lots of shopping, eating, exploring and tea. Not as much drinky-drinky as there used to be, but that is a good thing I think.

Stories and photos tonight!

Where am I

I have been busy with work and teaching again this week.
I like that I haven't had much time to get on line, it is somehow refreshing. Has anyone else found that the more they look at blogs and the insane amount of creativity going on the more they feel like everyone else must be living in a different dimension? I mean when do these people find the time to create such amazing things, take such awesome photographs, birth such beautiful babies and still have a roof over their heads?

I am okay with it all, it is just sometimes I am truly amazed at what others are doing out there... am I just a bad time manager? hmm... how can you really manage time - Think about that statement for a second, go ahead I will wait....... time just keeps going, no matter what you do.


On Sunday I swung by JoAnne's fabrics for a bit of a fix. I have been wanting to make the pants from this awesome book, but needed a bit more fabric than I currently have at home. I thought about piecing together some of the fabric scraps I had, but decided for the first time around and because I am still learning to sew, I would go the easier route.
The fabric sits in the plastic bag on my craft room floor, untouched but not forgotten.... I will snap a few photos when I can get a bit of sun light. I really liked the colors I found and think these will sew up pretty easily.

I am getting more and more excited about my weekend get away with the girls.

There is talk of photobooths, dim sum, shopping, spa-ing, and bar hopping. I will have camera in tow and crisp dollar bills just in case we find a booth or two.

Andy and I have been cooking like crazy the past few days- I love being in the kitchen with him.



chopping, rinsing, giggling and snacking. He is quite the cook/baker and it is something we are finding that we really enjoy doing together. It is nice when that happens. Such a good way to spend the time we have after work together.

That sums it up kids. not much else going on here at the Noodle House.
- I promise to have loads of photos when I return next week.

Blur...

The week flew past in a blur.

Work was busy. Consultants, server conversions (when did I become an IT nerd?), deadlines and lots of phone calls from parents and the public. Teaching yoga after work got me home around 7:30 or 8 every night. Andy was equally as busy. He was up late writing staff reports and preparing for next week, which is a big one for him at work.



The new yoga classes went well. Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement!
I am thoroughly enjoying the use of my Christmas presents in class.
I have three enthusiastic 5 year olds and their mothers in my parent/child class. They make me laugh and I am looking forward to using the book, "The Giving Tree" next week to guide our practice. I love all the giggles and the excitement to pretend and make believe. When do we loose this gift? Do we keep it but just stuff it down? I wonder.... (actually been doing a lot of this kind of wondering lately... How can I bring in my imagination, playfulness and "self" back to my world every day? Working with these little humans is so good for me.)



The adult classes were both really great as well. I have groups who are not afraid to ask questions, and that is really great since I don't always know if I am making sense up there in front of the room. I have all levels and even some guys in the both the classes, which is really great. What I love most is that I leave class refreshed and re-inspired, something I hadn't expected after teaching (the inspired part, yes- the refreshed part, no).



We finally took down the tree and other holiday garb yesterday. (yes, I know. But I am not super woman and I don't have the time or the drive to always spend my weekends doing chores.) We also had a great dinner last night with friends and got to hang out with a two year old who loved Andy- I haven't seen him laugh so hard or turn that red in a long time. It was pretty cute.
Today was a sleep in day- I actaully stayed in bed until 9- a small miracle and tribute to how exhausted I am right now. It is lounge city here at the the Noodle House.

It is a short week coming up- what with tomorrow a holiday and Friday I take off from work and leave for a splendid weekend with 5 of my girls from high school. It should be a riot. We are headed to San Fran for choas , shopping and girl time. 4 of us are driving from Reno/ Nevada City and the other two are flying up from LA. I can hardly wait.
Road trips rock especially when they are with girls that you have know for so long and can be incredibly silly with.... lets hope the weather cooperates - the less snow the better.
Photos taken last April, on the beach in Cayucos, CA.
I am trying to pull from the archives, I realized how many photos I have that I need to look at again...

PS there is something fun going on. Wanna play? Check what Stacie has come up with now.

Full of nerves

Today is an ironic day...
We spent last night watching this basketball game. It was intense and I was over stimulated by the time I got home. I made some tea and managed to shatter it and spill the cup and all the boiling contents on myself. I had eatten crap before the game and my tummy was all a jitter. And to top it off I knew I had things to prepare for today, and had pushed them aside. Why do we do that to ourselves?
So today I am full of nerves because I start teaching once again. The irony is that I am teaching yoga, so nerves and ego should be peeled away. I should feel calm and collected about the whole thing. But I am not. I am nervous. I think it is because I am doing a Parent/Child class. I have taught adults and I am all good with that, but kids? What have I signed myself up for?
I keep telling myself that I will have a blast (which I know I will) but it is going to be SO DIFFERENT then adults. The room will be full of energy and imagination that isn't always present in the room when it is full of adults (sorry adults, we just don't have it like the kiddos do).

Will the class I have construted be entertaining?
Will it keep their attention for the entire hour and a half?
Will they be willing to play and learn?
Yes, they are kids, of course they will.
I am using an old book of mine that is all about space ... What could be bad? Outterspace is fun. Weightlessness and floating? The mystery of it all that is above us and the idea that it is our "Last Frontier".

I am sure that what ever happens I will become more flexible (flexing the mind is almost more important than flexing the body, in my opinion). I will learn so much today starting at 4:30pm. I bet I will learn more about myself and about yoga then the kids/parents will. But isn't that how it goes? The teacher learns more than the students?

So here is to being a teacher, here is to becoming more flexible, here is to LEARNING...

(these photos were taken about 2 or 3 years ago at Joshua Tree National Park, earl July (HOT people HOT) on our way to San Diego)

Reflecting

What an amazing past two days... I didn't have my camera, and that was okay (although this photo was taken at Donner Lake and is a perfect example of what we saw while shoeing along the beach). There were moments where I wish I had the camera in my hands, but then again I can't always take in the moment when I am looking at the screen of my camera.


Saturday was Acro Yoga and laughter with the Canary*. Helping my mom with some condo related stuff (anyone out there want to buy a condo on Donner Lake?). Decompressing from the condo related stuff by snow shoeing around the park at the East end of Donner Lake with my mom, my man and the dog. And finally, a stop and impromptu dinner with family in Truckee- Surf, Turf, and Coop was on the menu along with roasted butternut squash, grilled sweet potatoes and grilled eggplant- MMMM!

On Sunday, teaching yoga one on one to one of the most amazing 70 somethings I have ever met. Then hanging out with one of my girls who is preggers- so amazing, always amazing what is going on in a body of a woman who is pregnant... napping on the couch with the kratins since the puppy was out and about with the man, and finally dinner with some more friends and more down to earth conversation ranging from dating to acupuncture to work to working out.... so real, so amazing, so alive today.
Thanks everyone for such an amazing recharge this weekend... Next weekend will not be as luxurious. I must get that tree down and out of the house, vacuum and all that goes with cleaning up the house after the holidays, can't someone do this for me?

Sticking with a theme..

No photobooth today, but I thought I would put this old picture of me up just to show how long I have had this cowgirl hat obsession... I had no idea that I was such a cowgirl at heart.
I think I am about 3 in this picture, it is hard to say since I can't see my forehead... I have a scar from a fractured skull on the left side of my forehead (yep, fractured skull, 6 stitches, ICU, blood clot... in other words LUCKY TO BE ALIVE... and a very good reason why the bicycle helmet law is so very important!). The accident happened when I was about 3 and 1/2 year old....
I do know this was taken in Truckee (see the had says so) But since I have a jacket on I can't quite tell what time of year it is- it has been known to snow in T-town even in July...
This picture kills me... what a ham I am!

Happy Friday boothers and bloggers....
Go over to Hula's for a bit more of the real thang'
~~~
The weekend is promising to be a good one.. there is acro yoga (pictures from the last two times here and here), and teaching yoga (personal lessons are so wonderfully fulfilling and inspirational), and dinner with girlfriends. There maybe some ice skating down town and a bit of snowshoeing too... I need a nap!

morning.

It's raining out this morning...
I woke up to the sound of the drops hitting the side of the house and the windows. My orange cat walking back and forth across my sleepy body, trying to wake me up. He has food and I just cleaned the litter box last night, but he insists on waking me up at 6:30 every morning. I hear the dog stir in her box. Freshly groomed paws clang across the door, like a prisoner raking his empty cup across the bars of his cell... she is ready to get up for her morning sniff outside.
I finally roll out of bed, making sure I stretch out and in again before coming to my side and press my way up into the morning air.
I have finally gotten used to walking downstairs in the morning to the kitchen. Stairs are tricky when you are half asleep, and have a puppy weaving in and out of your feet.

A latte is made and the dog is chasing the cats around the house, much to their hidden amusement. Back up the stairs, shower, dress and kiss the man as I walk out the door... I have planned my entire outfit around the fact that today, I actually have a reason to wear my boots (which I was told the other day are known as "break-up boots" in Alaska because in the spring when things start to melt and "break-up" you have to wear these or else you will be soaking wet, I love it).
As I get out of the car at work, I am overwhelmed with the urge to STOMP through the puddles, just because I can. As I step into a puddle, I look up and smell the air full of rain and maybe a hint of sage, and listen... Only for a second, but it seems like an hour. It is one of those moments where I am/feel alive. That little flash where my mind is so clear, it is the same feeling I have when I am "in it" during yoga practice.

The grey sky is suddenly dotted with the v of geese... gossiping as they make their morning commute across town. Two sets of them fly over, I breath in their noise. I imagine that they love this weather and that they are giggling in enjoyment over it all.

good morning I say quietly to myself and I walk in the door of my office...