the thin line between optimism and delusion…

So, I’m a terrible friend, and I forgot Denise’s birthday.  Then I apologized, and all she asked for in restitution was for me to write a blog entry for her.  Have I done that?  Obviously not.  But that is to be remedied immediately.  Per Denise’s request, I have four topics on which to touch upon during this blog post.

Tervis tumblers are not necessary, but they definitely can make life easier.  For instance, James left a Burnett’s vodka tervis tumbler at my house a while back, and I had no idea how much better my homemade milkshakes would be in this particular tervis tumbler.  I am also comforted by the thought that he probably received this particular tumbler as a free gift from the liquor distributor, and that I have not absorbed into my life permanently an object that cost him money.  In case you were wondering, my milkshakes include trader joe’s ice cream – either the joe joes in cream or the mint chocolate chip.  I mentioned to James recently that he might never get that tumbler back, and he seemed okay about it.  It is the perfect size, and keeps my little hands from getting cold.  In similar news, I have one of those oversized koozies that I got from the big oyster roast at Boone Hall a couple years ago – the ones that fit over the pints of ice cream.  It is awesome and makes me happy.  Not like I sit around eating pints of ice cream and drinking milkshakes.  Most of the time I sit around eating cookies and brownies.

Emotionally abusive relationships are terrible.  I think this term is probably thrown around a lot, but I also think a lot of people have been in some pretty horrible relationships.  And they don’t just have to be romantic relationships.  Some people have emotionally abusive relationships with a parent, or a boss.  It can be really hard to realize what is going on until later.  Then when you date someone who treats you right, or you get a job where you are treated like an adult and respected, it can sort of all crash over you and make you seriously worry about yourself that you would put up with such awfulness.  It can make you doubt your own decision making skills, and self esteem.  Don’t do that.  It happens to the best of us.

Sweet potatoes are something that I rarely want to eat, but the one time I really do want to eat sweet potatoes is at thanksgiving, in the form of a casserole.  So, my mom was sick this thanksgiving, and I was suppose to make the sweet potato casserole, but I waited til the last minute, and it was a total bust.  Maybe the biggest failure of my cooking career.  I was frazzled, there were a lot of things out of my control, but all I know is I did something WRONG.  I threw the whole thing away right after dinner.  Everything else turned out excellent, and my mom is doing better, so NBD.  I am still perplexed about what I did wrong, because sweet potatoes + butter + sugar + eggs + pecans = what in the world could go wrong and how could that not taste good?  Maybe the pecans were bad?  Life mysteries.

And Finally – this last one is more like a public service announcement –

You know those people in your yoga class who don’t wear shirts?  Guys, or girls in sports bras?  I find this irrational and confusing.  I went for a time where I liked to run in a sports bra, but that was short lived, because in general, if you are going to sweat, wearing a shirt is necessary.  I enjoy mostly hot and high intensity yoga, so I can’t imagine not wearing a shirt in yoga. When you don’t wear a shirt, the sweat has no where to go, and you just end up dripping sweat all over your mat, or on the person next to you.  Or a large puddle collects and the people in the next class have to deal with it.  When it is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hot outside – like, July at 6 pm, and I run a few miles outside, when I finish – I might take my shirt off.  Mostly to mop the sweat off my face or something.  But not while I’m running.  And you should wear a shirt during yoga for the same reason.  To soak up the sweatiness and save us all from sweat puddles.

I have a lot of other thoughts about yoga etiquette – my dad likes yoga – and he and I discuss these rules on occasion.  If you are male, in a yoga class, try to not talk until you get out of the yoga room.  Honestly, these rules apply to males and females, and mostly involve common courtesy and boundaries with strangers.  Once out of the yoga room, if you must talk to a stranger, try to refrain from ever mentioning any part of the body to a stranger.  Examples – do not inquire as to how that hip opener made the stranger in your class feel, or make any comments about surrendering into the pose, or observations on the other person’s body.  Awkwardness is not a competition.

In other news, Denise and I made Christmas cookies on Friday night.  Here are some pics.  We made a mess, but it was worth it, and I’ve eaten enough to make anyone sick.  

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