Yum & Yuk

The process of becoming more moderate (and yet more diligent) about excercize continues. Yesterday I did 15 min of the 30 Day Shred, followed by 30 min of fast walking on the treadmill, and 15 min stationary biking. This is the sort of workout that would've seemed pretty weak to me a few months ago, but now felt solid and great. I guess it's just important to remember why you're doing what you're doing (i.e. are you training, trying to reach a goal, or focusing on staying mentally and physically healthy day to day), and also to remember (as tough as it is) that not every workout has to be a marathon. It's now been almost 3 weeks since I ran. After some warm up walking yesterday I decided to try jogging - but after only a minute or two, I felt a twinge in my knee, so I stopped immediately. I guess it just needs more time to heal.

After seeing this photo I sent the always amazing NK a note saying, "Hm, I want to try to make a sweatshirt cardigan..." to which she promptly replied with this link. I'm gonna get on it this weekend!

Image: source.

I'm playing around with the idea of committing to buying no new clothes for a serious chunk of time - like 6 months or a year. This month at church we have been talking a lot about money, how we spend it, what it means for us emotionally, etc. Nothing that is totally new for me to think about, but always important things to be reminded of. I guess my spending on clothes, even though it has SO greatly decreased in the last year, bothers me because of a few things: (1) I actually don't NEED more clothes; (2) it's often in response to low self esteem (and I don't like being part of that crafty cycle of consumerism and self worth); and (3) a lot of the retailers I frequent are not ones I actually want to support (in terms of their production, lack of environmental responsibility etc). I'm not sure exactly what form this commitment will take - still buying used clothes? (which would really only address issue #3) No clothes at ALL? Is a year pushing it? - but I'm hoping I can figure out a way to challenge myself, and make good choices for my pocketbook and peace of mind.

This month is a busy one, travel wise. I'm headed up to Portland this weekend for a friends graduation, then to San Diego next week for a conference, and then to Boston at the end of the month for a wedding and general good times. Plus I got tickets to go see some shows at Britt (our outdoor music festival) in the next month or two, including the Avett Bros! Even though it's still not hot here, all the activity is starting to make it seem like summer is a distinct possibility...