10 Things I Love, Early June Edition

1 ~ My Nia anklet, which I acquired from this maker on Etsy; it has a tiny bare foot charm, a butterfly, stars, and green and brown beads. 

2 ~ My new yoga mat and its matching water bottle.  I'm thinking of eventually getting another mat and using this one as a runner in my kitchen.  *laugh*

3 ~ The logo I designed for my bake sale goodies, Ahimsa Treats—I’m considering getting it as a small tattoo some time in the future.  Long story.

4 ~ The new live Broadway DVD of Rent, which is way better than the movie and almost better than seeing it live, which I also did (for the second time) on May 14th with my BFF.  The new DVD was filmed on the final night of the show’s Broadway run, and it's fabulous.

5 ~ This recent writing spree I've been on.  "What writing spree?" you may rightly ask, as I haven't been updating my blogs much at all, but I believe last 10 Things list I mentioned the novel I’m writing.  Well, I'm about halfway through it now, and I'm still in love with it.  Not only am I enjoying the writing itself, I feel...dare I say...passionate about the story, the characters, and the world they inhabit.  I've tried in vain for ten years to get a novel started, but I think it was just a matter of waiting for the right story at the right moment.  So much in life depends on good timing, doesn't it?

6 ~ I love that I've gotten over my trouselastiphobia (fear of stretchy pants).  As a young fat girl, I developed a pure and utter loathing for what I deemed "fat lady pants," those knit pants in all the colors of the rainbow (nowadays they come in Capri length) over which we were encouraged to wear a shirt with an anchor, a splash of roses, or a birdhouse on it.  No! I decreed.  It's jeans for me or nothing! And for years, I've worn jeans every day.  Luckily my job has practically no dress code, so this works.  But since I've been dancing more and doing Nia, I've come to understand the value of comfortable, flowy dance clothes.  I had S1ren make me a pair of dancy pants with big flared slit legs, and they've been one of my favorite garments for months.  I've even started wearing them around town when I want to feel more...like my dancer self.  I want my dancer self to be my everyday self.  This means I'm gonna need more pants.

7 ~  The music I’ve been listening to lately:  Bombay Dub Orchestra, Desert Dwellers, Chicane, Brandi Carlile, Lizz Wright, and the new Vienna Teng CD Inland Territory.

8 ~ Martha Beck.  I’m planning to do a full length review of her book Steering by Starlight soon, but for now suffice it to say that her work has changed my internal life drastically since I read Finding Your Own North Star.  As much as I hate to admit that one of Oprah’s Dial-an-Experts is made of pure awesome, well, it’s true. 

9 ~ I love that I have a long-term goal for the year.  I’m working on saving up money to attend the Nia White Belt Intensive here in Austin at the end of October; I’m pretty far from my $1600 goal, but I have faith that one way or another I’ll find a way to afford it.  I’m thinking of it as an initiation that I have to work toward.  For most of my “adult” life I’ve had trouble thinking of the future in any concrete way without panicking.  I lived purely for instant gratification because I didn’t think I was going to make it long enough to reach any sort of long-term goals.  Now I’m moving into my 43Things era and thinking of life as more than just getting through the next day. 

10 ~ My kitties.  Even though I routinely want to pitch Owen off the roof.  My fuzzbutts are much, much better roomies than people could be.  Well, except for the shedding.  And the litter box smell.  And Owen knocking books off the shelf into his water bowl.  But still—love the weemews.

Comments

[Susan]

Thanks to your descriptions of NIA, I will be taking my first class/dance tomorrow. As much as it sounds like it has done for you, I am really excited.

Is there anything we could do to help with your White Belt goal? Buy a book, buy some cookies, etc.?

[Dianne Sylvan]

Hi Susan,

I'm planning to do some sort of fundraiser type thing in the next month or so once I figure out what would work--possibly another ebook, or something to give out for donations. Of course people can always donate using the Paypal Tip Jar, but I'd like to do something to encourage a bit of extra assistance for this particular goal of mine. Suggestions are welcome.

~DS

[Susan]

Tip jar, done and done. If any other ideas cross my mind, I will let you know (and support any of them).

I have to thank you. I danced my first NIA tonight and...words fail me, which is rare. I may never have heard of it were it not for you, and I'm terribly grateful.

[Kim]

First I wanted to thank you for your blog. You have been a true inspiration to me. Because of you I've been looking for NIA classes in San Diego. Sadly in the beginning there were few classes and those few happened to be when I worked. I read this post today and looked again- lo and behold there are several that are on the weekends!

Oh! Speaking of dancy pants. I found this site http://tribes.tribe.net/melodiadesigns and they have some really great looking pants.

[maggie]

"Expecting Adam' by Beck is probably one of my favorite, if not absolute favorite, self-help type book - which is really not a self-help type book at all. It's just gorgeous, and so deeply spiritual...and kind of snarky. Loves.