I'm loving The Daily Plate to track my intake/exercise pretty damn easily. It does help me to stay on top of things, but some days has the undesired effect of making me think about food all day.

The weather has taken a turn for the cold and I've come to realize that I am unprepared. I need to find a scarf, gloves, knit cap ensemb quickly! I've armored myself with fleece sheets at home and I've got to say that it was a brilliant move on my part. There is a set available from Costco (item #9701114 - I can't seem to find it at Costco.com, but they were at my local store) that is so soft, warm and pretty. I got a queen set in white for $28.69 and they are WONDERFUL!

I'm looking for a knitting group to join in the Portland area. Hopefully I can find a group that doesn't cost anything (or very much to join) and can learn to knit properly! I'm definitely going to need some cold weather gear and I'd love to knit it myself! This might be a great thing to do for Christmas gifts as well!

Making a move

We are planning to move to Oregon or Washington to live closer to family, live less expensively (currently we're in So Cal and it is PRICEY), and eventually buy some land that will allow us to live more self-sufficiently and green! I am bummed that my choices are so limited where I live now. Public transportation is lacking, merchants that have the eco-conscious consumer in mind are limited (or very expensive) and the general concept of less is more seems non-existent here in the land of status symbols.

Recently, I've read some great books and articles on living sustainably: from building your own cob house to human waste composting. I'm not sure where I fall on the green spectrum, but I am open to lots of the stuff I've been reading. It surprises me. There was a time when I desired Coach purses, held convenience in the highest regard, and loved what I've come to know as the anything-but-authentic lifestyle of this area.

Growing older, attending college and coming to terms with my successes and failures has changed my priorities over the last 3-4 years. It was not that "going green" is on its way to becoming fashionable. I'm stoked that these topics are no longer considered liberal, hippie drivel AND that due to this mainstreaming, more resources and accountability have found their way into our lives. Moving North will no doubt enhance this availability and that is exactly what I'm hoping for.

The Pacific Northwest

We are considering a move to Oregon/Washington sometime soon. My husband needs to be able to transfer his employment to another location (of which there are many in that area), but since the economy isn't so hot right now that might take more time than usual. We are dreaming of building our own home that is built with green living in mind, as well as the ability to be self-sustaining. We're talking solar panels, organic farming, a cow or goats, chickens, beekeeping and maybe a horse or two. I'm not sure if this falls under the category of hobby farm or not, but it would not be something we would try to do on a large scale. We want to be able to sustain ourselves and perhaps sell the extra stuff we'd make on Etsy and local farmer's markets.

The fact that I'm a clueless city girl has given me pause, but I am a believer in treading lightly on the earth, living healthy and above all, knowing how to live. I'm the first to admit that I have not been much of a homemaker up to this point in my life: most side dishes I've made in the past came out of a cardboard box. I do know how to cook and enjoy learning more about scratch cooking. But, I think it would be wise, healthy and fun to take it to the next step. Don't get me wrong, I love technology and my internets, but I want to find a way to coexist with the tried and tested healthy ways of the past and combine them with the smart, helpful technologies of today. I'm finding that smart isn't always healthy in today's world...while plastics, chemicals and other advents that were hailed as improvements to our lives aren't always worth the risk. What bums me out the most is that oftentimes these things are known to be unhealthy, but still marketed and used by companies that care only about their bottom line.

A good, green mix of the old and the new - that is what I'm looking for. It might take more effort in some ways, but everything I've learned thus far has shown me that everything I want can come from my own hands...and not in new, improved, convenient plastic packaging guaranteed to save me 5 minutes of time, but last forever in the landfill and soil. OK, I'm getting off the soapbox now (recycled and filled with my own handmade soap, ha!)

The Update

On the Green Front:

• I'm stopping water delivery from Arrowhead Water and going to this Pur Water Filtration/Dispenser that uses safer plastic (although, ugh...it seems so hard to get away from plastic entirely!)
• I've been reading a lot about scratch cooking and homemade cleaning products and I'm getting ready to dive in sometime this month
• I've joined the local Freecyclers in my area, which is how I acquired the Pur water system I'm going to be using. Free and recycled - very cool!
• I've been using and have fallen in love with Lush's Karma Komba shampoo bar. No plastic bottle, smells lovely (and not too hippie at all) and seems like it's going to last me at least 3-4 months. Eventually, I may go SLS free, but for now, this stuff is great!

I have read much recently about people who have gone what is called the no-poo method, but I have to say, I'm not quite there yet. In the process of educating myself I've come to realize that there is so much to learn and so many resources out there, but I haven't yet found The One Resource To Rule Them All. So, I'm slowly gathering up information and figuring out where I stand and what I believe will be the best way for me to live green.

On the photography front:

I've been spending so much time reading about eco-friendly living and doing homework for a QuickBooks class I'm taking online that I have let my photography reading fall to the wayside a bit. I feel pulled in a million different directions when it comes to what I want to read and study. I am determined to finish up my BA in the next two semesters which means I must resist the urge to take classes that will not help me do that (like photography, Spanish, QuickBooks, etc.)

On the health front:

Last week I was hit with a 3+ day stomach bug that was the worst I can remember having in a long, long time. Of course, I promptly infected my husband. We're both feeling better and looking forward to getting back to the gym once were all healthy and a little more chipper around here!

Green on the inside

I'm sickly today, so I've spent a good deal of time browsing some of my favorite go-green-0r-go-home sites, diy sites and other places that have just the faintest hint of patchouli. I've never been a hippie or a hipster...but something more down the middle, with a touch of damn-it-all thrown in there for good measure. I care about people, the environment and my responsibility to the aforementioned. It can be exhausting thinking about all the things I should be doing. I know the appropriate approach is to do a little at a time, and I do. But, I've been slowly making my way down Granola Way and I'm very close to turning in my Ziploc bags and salon died tresses for hemp bags and henna.

In my efforts to be healthy inside and out, as well as be conscious of my footprint it seems like the timing is right. I don't know if I'm going to run out and make myself some shampoo...but maybe I'll start using a shampoo bar.

Changeling

I'm making some changes in my life; some big, some small. One in particular feels like I have lifted a weight off my shoulders that I didn't know was heavy as it was. Another feels like it could be a step backwards, or maybe just a decision to take a break and sit down on the bench for a bit. I'm feeling brave, apprehensive, excited, and a little more peaceful. I'm a pretty hopeful person, but I'm no Timex - I'm hoping that these choices I'm making are the right ones and will put me on a path that requires less getting my ass handed to me and more contentment.

I got a root canal today and I'm a little loopy right now.

I hope the majority of the pain subsides quickly.

I hope I do/everything goes well tomorrow.

This is me being lazy honest

I am working towards not making sweeping, grandiose statements such as I will get up and work out every morning at 5am before eating steel cut oatmeal and meditating for 30 minutes. Yeah...that has yet to happen. Ever. Small goal setting is supposedly attainable, but never feels fast enough for my hurry-up and be brilliant idealism. Of course, I end up doing very little of my original ginormous planning, so I'm going nowhere fast.

I always say I dislike the gym very much. But, really, I think I just dislike the habit of getting up in the morning to go work out. No matter how much I romanticize the idea of being a morning person I think I should just face up to the fact that it is not going to happen. Working out needs to be an evening affair for me. It needs to be scheduled, preferably with other people to make me less culpable, and it needs to be full of fist-pumping, OMG-THIS-IS-MY-JAM play lists on the iPod. And, yeah, I'm not going 7 days a week. I'll shoot for going more days than I don't.

Me and Jennifer Aniston

Apart from being sickly the last two weeks, I have been approaching today: my 35th birthday. Birthdays are not usually a big deal for me. I enjoy them, hope there is not a big production made and like to get together with a few people and have a few laughs. However, there is something about this birthday that makes everyone (including myself) instantly reflect on how close I am to being 40. Not only am I 35 years old today, but guess what! I'm 5 years from 40! Whee!

I have been feeling this birthday slinking ominously towards me all year. I am acutely aware of everything I have not accomplished at this point in my life: no children, home ownership, college degree, satisfactory BMI, no world travel, no amazingness to me that I thought I would have accomplished by now.

Of course, I am working towards the things I want, but time is becoming a concern. Maybe it shouldn't be and I'm just overreacting. I've been in psychotherapy for a little over a year to deal with depression and issues stemming from childhood abuse that went on for a very long time. There are many hurdles; there always have been for me...but, I know that it could be harder/worse/more difficult.

All I know is that 40 is sitting up ahead of me with my womb, ambitions, and dreams and I'm wondering if I will have touched any of them by the time I get there.