Life goes full circle

So I'm back in NYC yet again, this time for a conference. While I don't particularly feel excitement anymore coming to the city that never sleeps, I'll always be grateful for the opportunities that bring me here.

After my post last week, I spent a day each in Columbus OH, Washington D.C. (or close enough) and Atlanta GA (not really, but the biggest city near where I was) before returning home. By Friday night, I was exhausted and honestly ready to do nothing. I didn't even unpack.

Not that I had much time to relax: the weekend was so busy that M had actually thought to put together a schedule (which actually made sure we got everything done). Chores around the house was followed by a yoga session, training, a well-deserved massage (ahhhh), a long drive in traffic into Chicago, dinner at Chick-Fil-A (not the healthiest choice but convenience sometimes just wins out), a spectacularly wonderful Jason Mraz concert and a nightcap affogato. That was just Saturday.

Sunday was less crazy: EPL + workout while watching, packing for the next fortnight, the Dr Who season finale while doing some paperwork before heading to the airport, a plane ride than then finally arriving in NYC. 

Back to the Jason Mraz concert though. I'm always amazed how music can bring people together. I have my doubts whether M and I would have gotten together if it weren't for the music or whether it would simply have meant we would have gotten together later. Perhaps the latter, but music and the the eloquence of how it phrases our emotions is to thank for a lot of things being put into motion. And that's pretty wonderful.

Sitting at the concert, I was consistently filled with wonder and inspiration and occasionally got a little teary, not only because Mraz's voice and songwriting are truly magical (because they are), but because everyone finds that music resonates within them at some level. I love feeling emotion (for the most part, sometimes I wish I didn't show it as easily) as it makes me feel alive. Needless to say, it was a very blissful 3 hours for me.

My workouts have been on point this week and I even managed a jog around Central Park with a colleague during the day (slowly for 4.4 km in 27:14). I've been keeping up with the YogaDownload challenge every day even though some days it's been hard to fit in even 20 minutes worth, and finishing up the final stage of SHF. I'm getting strong and it definitely feels wonderful. Now to find the next program to tackle. Any suggestions?

Eating has been less on point, with little indulgences here and here, but on the whole, it's been a good week. This week will be challenging, but nothing I can't handle. One more day in NYC, before heading back to Columbus, then on to the UK and definitely looking forward to spending the weekend in Madrid.

Life is wonderful.

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
It takes some fears to make you trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished

Ha la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is so full of
Ah la la la la la la life is so rough
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is our love
Ah la la la la la

Full bellies and fall freedom

It's the end of another weekend, which is always sad but at least the last 48 hours were well spent. I'll get to that in a moment. First I wanted to reflect on an interactive Portuguese session with Rosetta Stone. It was humbling to say the least: you can learn vocab and phrases when it's multiple choice questions but come a real conversation, it's like your brain stops and there's suddenly a block on all the things you've supposedly learnt. Guess it's all experience and practice.

The weekend itself started off with a well-deserved sleep in, then some time in front of the TV watching the EPL (what a scrappy game Arsenal, but I'm glad we won). I also managed to squeeze in a 12 minute body-weight circuit of burpees, rocking planks, seal jacks and superman holds during the half-time. It felt good to get some morning movement in.

After a small snack and an hour long training session in the early afternoon followed by lunch courtesy of the perfect salad bar at Mariano's (plenty of berries, even though they're not really in season), some game time and a 30 minute yoga session to help my body recover equaled a wonderfully productive, relaxing and rejuvenating Saturday. Fueled with plenty of coffee of course. Where would I be without coffee.

We woke up Sunday morning with an invite for yum cha in Chinatown, Chicago. Of course we accepted! It's been so long since I've been to yum cha that there have been midnight cravings for it. We didn't have high expectation for MingHin, just given the quality of asian food in the USA we've had, but the restaurant certainly delivered.

Most of the classic dishes (har gao, turnip cakes, chicken feet) were true to flavour and downright delicious and even though it wasn't 'health' food, I feel great. There's something homely and satisfying that soothes the soul. Everything in balance.

Strolling around Chinatown felt great - I really do need to explore more of this city that's my new home. I'm a little regretful that I didn't push myself to go outside and walk by the river in this beautiful autumn weather but will make a point to get outside tomorrow, regardless of how busy things may seem.

I'll finish the evening with a 30 minute Forrest flow then it's time to tackle the week ahead. I've committed myself to taking part in a fall freedom challenge to prepare and reset my mindset for winter. Tomorrow is all about gratitude. Seeing as I keep a gratitude journal already, instead of writing, my focus will be on making more meaningful journal entries.

Wish me luck!

Weekends are for relaxing

And that's exactly what I'll do, for the most part. Plenty of time this weekend was spent in-front of the TV catching up on Band of Brothers and grudgingly admitting that M was right and I should have watched it a long time ago.

A decent amount of time was spent enjoying filling, warming food. An equal amount of time was spent moving my body to keep it, and my mind, healthy and strong. Because isn't that what weekends are about? Forgetting work and looking after yourself.

Forgetting work is pretty easy when you have these sights to look forward to during a morning walk.

Sure, the weather is definitely cooling down but nature is beautiful these days.

I'm expecting the week ahead to be filled with learning (JavaScript! D3!) and a few nice dinners out planned.

On the workout front, I'm planning on starting the third and final phase of a program I'm on, may go for a short run if the weather stays nice, will certainly train on Saturday, and have booked in for my first Bikram yoga class and hoping it goes well.

An active week planned so I'll take it easier with my daily yoga, I'm happy just thinking about it all.

Motivation for the week

What a difference an productive/enjoyable/relaxing weekend makes. I feel so much more motivated to kick of the week on a good note rather than fall into the Monday blues, both at work and from a personal perspective.

The crisp Saturday morning shined bright and was the perfect send-off for the local farmers' market. We put in our winter meat CSA order, bought some farm-fresh eggs and vegetables, and marvelled at the beautiful, colourful ears of corn.

Last year in California, the weather pretty much sustained farmers' markets all year round. It's a very different story in Illinois, and while it makes the winter sadder for me, at least I have next summer to look forward to. 

A few more errands in the morning was followed up an hour of training at the local Wushu school. I'm finally feeling like my body is getting back into the groove and the tiny, little muscles all along the shoulders, hips, legs and ankles are finally co-operating with me again. 

As a reward for training so hard, I baked Tim Tams! Not really. Well, I did back Tim Tams but not as a reward, but for a bake sale at M's work. They turned out to be a lot of effort, and are nowhere near as attractive as the commercially available ones, but I like to think they're even better because they're made with love (and certainly not because you can't buy them here in the USA without spending a fortune).

Sunday kicked off with a circuit morning workout which is always more fun when M decides to join me in the apartment gym, followed by the chore that is house-cleaning. Lunch and shopping with new friends at the outlet stores to stock up on clothes for the 'cooler ' months (puffy jackets seem de rigour for winter) followed by more baking capped the weekend. 

All that, plus fitting in some yoga and Rosetta Stone Portuguese lessons means I feel accomplished, but rested. Not a bad mindset heading into the work week. 

Time for a few work calls, then a sweaty workout, and more work calls. Monday, you're going to be awesome. 

Weekend Musings

Weekends always feel too short, I think we all need 4 day work weeks, and 3 day weekends. I'm still trying to figure out what to do when the weather gets even colder given how freezing it is, and quickly it got so. 

Thankfully there's always warm curry mee to sooth the soul. So, maybe my vegan plan got derailed this weekend. Between beautiful Malaysian food, and large home-cooked breakfast, there really was no argument. 

My goal is to eat less meat in general, so I guess that affords me some flexibility. Speaking of flexibility, a little wine is always appreciated at the end of a long week. I'm still learning to appreciate Californian reds given I'm used to the robust Australian reds. 

Everything in balance though - I did make time to go to training (which I've been missing), walked for 2.5 miles on the treadmill while watching TV, and stretched our my poor muscles with some relaxing yoga flows. Just enough to keep active and my body mobile. 

I still haven't planned out my meals and workouts for next week, and really should given I'll be on the road again for a bunch of the time. I know that I'll have to otherwise keeping on track will be more challenging than it needs to be. But sometimes motivation is just lacking. 

Thinking about my goals for the month though might get me back on track. How about: 

• 20 minutes of yoga each day to treat my muscles 
• As much produce as possible before the winter hits for my health and to nourish my body
• Setting enough aside enough time with myself to figure out what I need