Spring, Glorious Spring! I'm Back . . . And Things Just Aren't the Same Any More (and that's a good thing!)

I thought what better way to resume my blog than with "A Wonderful World"! (To see and hear Louis Armstrong up close and personal, click here.)

This week finds me heading into three full months of Supercoach Karen Knowler's "Raw Passion" online program, a support and coaching experience that I share with about 10 other "Passionistas." (Check out Karen Knowler's Website and Karen Knowler's Blog).

For my efforts these past months and going forward, I'll "reward" myself in mid-September with a week in Sedona, Arizona where I'll visit a dear friend of mine who I met in Hawaii. We'll hang out together with a bunch of hippies at The Raw Spirit Festival.



I'll be blogging here much more consistently again now -- doing my best to visit every day, even if just to drop a short note or post a recipe, link to a great website, article, song, video ... whatever strikes my fancy. Might even chat about how this transition from SAD to RAW is actually going for me - spiritually, physically, emotionally -- because if there is ONE thing I know beyond any doubt, it's that this transition to eating mainly natural foods has turned into a whole-life experience. In other words, it's affecting me on more levels than just the physical.

I'll sign off now until Monday. My time from now through the next two months will be mainly filled with sorting and packing up my belongings, as I'll soon be moving out of my present digs into a new apartment (once I find it, that is). I'm so glad to be stepping into this brand new time in the Spring, of all seasons!

In closing, one of my best friends, Jami, has just debuted an on-line, call-in "radio" show with her friend of many years, Nancy. (I say "radio" show because they're hoping that soon it'll be picked up by either Serius or XM radio). Nancy is a licensed family/relationship therapist, and Jami brings to the show her years of challenges and triumphs in relationships as a wife, young widow, single mother and having had years in the "dating" world ... and now recently remarried to the boyfriend she had when she was 17! The show offers free advice with "schtick" to anyone who calls in on Friday afternoons. Feel free to call in to them ... you can remain anonymous, of course, if you like! They are taking calls every Friday afternoon from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. at 914-202-8661. Check out a snippet from one of their recent shows, "What Were You Thinking with Nancy & Jami," by clicking on the video below:

Back to Blog-Hibernation Mode . . .

Just too much going on to make the time to post! :-)

"Health Food Junkies"

Check out The Fresh Network's review of the Channel 4 show "Health Food Junkies" which aired in the UK on January 14, 2008 HERE.

To view "Health Food Junkies" -- what in my view was an extremely narrow (and negative) presentation of the raw food way of eating -- check out We Like It Raw and view it in three parts on YouTube. (Some of the comments after the YouTube clips are terrific, especially Jen's.)

IT'S IN EVERY ONE OF US!

Hibernation Time and Nonviolent Communication

I've decided going into hibernation mode for winter will be a terrific thing. Will return to blogging in the Spring -- that glorious time of new life. See you then. :-)

In the meantime, why not check out "nonviolent communication." This past autumn I started to listen to Marshall Rosenberg on the subject, and I think it's pretty cool stuff. There are three parts to his talk. Check out his website here: Marshall Rosenberg's Bio

November 27, 2007: Last Post on "Rawsome Life" Blog - Moving On

When One Door Closes another door opens wide. It's hard to believe all of the locked doors I've tried. And you can't pray for what you want or what you'd have instead. You can only offer up your heart and ask that you be led. Life's gonna take you where you never thought you'd go. When you finally think you've got it down, it isn't really so. There are windows and doors you're not finished with yet. It's not always getting what you want, but wanting what you get.

I wrote the other day, "There is nothing like the sense of being vitally alive -- feeling there are new and exciting vistas ahead -- new and wonderful people yet to meet -- and new and exquisite experiences yet to be had." That is how I was feeling when I thought I'd turned a "corner" on all these emotions I've had recently (some of which I've expressed in detail on this blog -- like a cathartic diary almost -- more of a personal letter, really -- but that I have since deleted). Turns out that it's taken me longer than I'd like to make some "sense" of the whole thing. The pain is hard to shake and I found myself "venting" yet again in the post below -- an effort, ironically, to let it GO. It's what I needed to do ... "better out than in" they say. Now, if only I had a doll to cathartically throw up against a wall a few times, I'd be perfectly content!

Nah, I'd only be content if I felt heard and understood by the one person I wanted to hear me and understand. All it would've taken is a simple acknowledgement ... something as simple as an "I understand how you may be feeling"

... something showing empathy over defensiveness. Like I said ... we're all just doing the best we can at the time -- so I let it go. I let it all go. One day I'll make some sense of it.

November 6, 2007: Sunlight through the Shadows

Sunlight Through the Trees

All of us have had deep disappointments regarding relationships in our lives -- at least if we've dared to risk and reach out to connect with another, to see if there is a lasting love or friendship -- only to watch the prospect of both die on the vine. The days that follow close behind can be some of the saddest ones we know. I've been in one of those periods recently -- still am actually -- but today I'm starting to see glimpses of sunlight amidst the shadows, and I'm thankful for the light coming in.

Today was a great day in terms of my fitness plan and goals. Made a great green smoothie for breakfast, had a lovely salad for lunch and a nutritious dinner. One day at a time, little black dress, here I come!

Gotta boogie for now.

November 5, 2007: Cleaning Out the Old. Finally!

Cleansed with pure water

I've been counting on a promise lately that there is a "purification" process I'm in ... and so images of crystal drops of water, splashing waterfalls, etc. have been catching my attention. Today, this simple photo of a kid delighting in clear, clean water at the shoreline -- just the playful innocence of it -- drew me in.

One of the ways I'm feeling this "purification" is that on every level I seem to want to just "dump the junk" that I've been carrying with me for way too long -- on every level -- but mostly emotionally and physically. They say there are "cellular memories" we keep locked in our bodies that are attached to emotional trauma or abuse -- and I'm ready to offload all of mine!

"Declutter" on every level -- that's what I want. We clean a clogged, gunky container by pouring clean, fresh, water in for however long is necessary to overpower and flush out the drek. That's exactly what it'll take for my body and mind to be "decluttered" -- purified. As long as I keep putting good things in -- eventually, the yucky stuff will find it's way out. Housecleaning beginning in my very cells is what I'm after. An inside-out kinda thing. Physically and mentally.

This morning I drank lots of water and had two bananas throughout the morning. Lunch was a medium salad of spinach, mesclun greens, tomatoes, red peppers, mushrooms and olives w/ a vinaigrette. Dinner will be a chopped kale and avocado salad, w/ a bit of freshly made summer squash "pasta" w/ raw maranra sauce.

I'm going to "declutter" a bit in my closet and dresser -- a little each day is all I need do -- and call it an early night.

Here's a little info sheet on chia seeds, courtesy of Angela Stokes. Chia seeds are one of those foods I've learned will help my thyroid get restored/rebalanced. Sea vegetables also help a lot. The only other time I ever heard of chia seeds was that god-awful "Chia Pet" that was popular years ago -- remember that? -- "chi-chi-chi-chia"! They were super-popular (like the pet rock was) for about a year! Behold the mighty chia seed:

Chia Seeds