10 Reasons Why I Blog

The Domestic Diva challenged her readers to post why they blog. Who am I to turn down this challenge? :)
Besides, many of you, my readers, may be curious - especially my Real Life friends who might be wondering why their usually private friend has opened her doors, bared her bum, and is airing out her laundry - albeit clean and sweet smelling! :)

In turn, I challenge all of my readers with blogs to post their reasons too.
If you do, be sure to let me know in the comments here so we can come and find out why you blog.

Okay, in no particular order, here we go...

1: I blog to express myself creatively.
I design my blog's layout, pick the pictures from outside sources, showcase photos I take, and be as funny (or unfunny) as I want to be. I create something out of nothing from the crap in my head.

2: I blog for the money.
Okay, not a heck of a lot happening in that department right now, but I am experimenting with blog monetization, trying not to turn off my readers or be an ad-whore. I would truly love to make this my fulltime work especially when the kids start all-day school.

3: I blog to be with the most important people in my life.
Blogging helps me connect with the outside world (whenever I want to), while I am physically at home with my kids watching them grow up.

4: I blog to meet people from all over the world.
I've met the most interesting people online through lifecandy and via twitter. I'm happy to call some of them friends.
Also, I firmly believe that learning about others in other countries helps you appreciate other cultures including your own.

5: I blog to be my own movie star.
I've always wanted to have my own IMDB page. Unless I find myself with a successful showbiz career, this is the closest I'll ever get to that dream. :)

6: I blog to document my life.
I used to journal in real life, and I've documented my kids' development too. I like looking back at old entries and revisiting memories. Since I type faster than I write, this is considerably easier and just makes sense.

7: I blog to satisfy my nerd side.
As my friend harmzie likes to say to me, "once a nerd, always a nerd". She's right. I still love to program. I think I always will. And with my blog, I can flex my coding chops. I just have to figure out when to stop!

8: I blog to practice my writing skills.
I used to write short story erotica. Now, you won't find that kind of material on this blog, but I want to practice and improve the skill of translating my thoughts to words, so when I get back to that kind of writing, it should be easier.

9: I blog to share with others the stuff I like.
This is to give people more insight into what goes on in my head and heart, as well as how I like to live my life. And hopefully, this will also help with #2 above.

10: I blog to prove mainly to myself that, including "Mommy", I am many other things.
This is one of the reasons why I don't just write about parenting. I have other aspects of me, and by living more-than-a-mommy life, I can remind myself of those other sides... and generate writing material at the same time!

Okay, now you! :)

Poll Results: My Favourite Place on Earth

Image: Hawaii Faves by Dan Zen

Happy Earth Day!
Last week's poll asked if you've been to my favourite place on Earth: Hawai'i. More specifically, I asked which Hawaiian Islands you've visited. Sadly, most of you have never even been to one!

My 4 months living as a local in the fine town of Hilo on the Big Island, getting to know the people and the places, were among the most idyllic and enriching in my life. I highly recommend it as a vacation spot, especially if you get out of the "tourist-y" spots and make the time to visit the historical monuments and heritage sites. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Now, we all have our preconceived ideas of The Islands. Before I moved there, my views were limited to hula dancers, beaches, and luaus. But there's so much more!

Here are my list of the top 6 things that surprised me about Hawai'i... maybe they'll surprise you too...

1: Aloha Fridays
Fridays are a special day where the Aloha Spirit is celebrated. Men don their best Aloha shirts, and women dress to the nines in their sundresses and muu-muus. Whatever you wear, it must have a tropical Aloha pattern. And everywhere you go, you hear the It's Aloha Friday song on PA systems and speakers.
My husband has continued this tradition of wearing his Aloha shirt on Fridays here in Winnipeg.

2: Cockroaches
These dudes are EVERYWHERE! They're big, and they fly! When I moved there, Roomie had already duct taped every opening he could find to keep them out, but once in a while, one STILL found a way in. You could find them on your toothbrush in the morning, in your bedside glass of water, and in empty pop cans. Yuck...

3: Largest Cattle Ranch
Bread is expensive in Hawai'i because many ingredients have to be imported. A loaf could cost $4CDN. But a quality lean 2 inch steak could also cost just $4CDN because beef doesn't have to be shipped in. Why? The largest contiguous ranch in the US is in Hawaii. The Parker Ranch has about 480,000 acres of land.

4: Oh, the aromas!
The Hawaiian Islands are ripe with the scent of flowers, beach, coconut and ocean. But don't breath too deeply! My husband occasionally complained that, during his bike-ride to work, tempted by a whiff of something sweet and beautiful, he would inhale deeply only to catch a smell of animal manure, rotting vegetation, or animal carcass, when the wind would shift. Lovely.

5: SPAM
And I'm not talking about the email kind! Hawaiians love this canned pork product. All Hawai'i McDonald's have added it to its breakfast menu; Hawaiians developed a Spam sushi (which you can get at 7-Elevens); and there's even an annual festival in Waikiki called Spam Jam. Many call Spam the "Hawaiian Soul Food".

6: Most Observatories
Hawai'i contains the world's largest collection of telescopes and scientific observatories in the world. They are all on the summit of dormant volcanoes. My husband worked at one on Mauna Kea. He took me on a tour. It was cool. :)

Okay, it's Earth Day. Get out there, and enjoy your little corner of the world!

It's Aloha Friday! v.II

Image: Kalua pig being removed from the imu by tweber1

It's Aloha Friday - No work till Monday!...

It's another Aloha Friday, so let's swig some mango juice, dig up that kalua pig, grab the hula sarong & aloha shirt, and celebrate with a sweet mix of topics...

1) A big THANK YOU to friend and fellow bloggista Jami at Bionic Beauty for nominating me for a Blogger's Choice Award in the Hottest Mommy Blogger category & Best Blog About Stuff category :)
Some people don't get excited about awards, but I do! Frankly, the hottest mommy thing has me blushing a bit, but hey, it could be an award for best trepanation technique or best merkin design (both of which I DON'T have on this blog, by the way), and I'd take it! :)
So, please head over there and vote for me!... because we all know I deserve it. Okay, just kidding ;)

2) It appears that I may have been channeling when I wrote No More Plastic Water Bottles, the My Earth Monday where I ditch plastic water bottles for an aluminum SIGG bottle.
You've all probably heard by now about stores pulling all bottles made with BPA or bisphenol A, a plastic chemical with links to potential long-term risks of breast and prostate cancer. These are baby bottles and workout water bottles, including brands such as Avent and Nalgene, among others.
Makes me thankful my little ones went from breast straight to straw/sippy cups.
Be sure to look through your plastics and look for the recycling triangle with a "7" in the center... those are the ones you need to get rid of.
Go. Do it now. I'll wait...

3) My SIL and her hubby are coming to stay with us for a week next month. They are very nice people, and I want their stay to be a comfortable and pleasant one. But that's not going to happen if I don't declutter this joint! I'm going to have my hands full these next few weeks getting rid of stuff and rearranging furniture. This is the push I need to get me off my complacent bum and get things done. I'm really looking forward to it!

4) I need to stop eating yogurt... I'm becoming addicted again. :)

5) I swear my son is Hermes Conrad. Over the past few months, he's been making me fill out forms, talk through an intercom, and understand his cross-referencing scheme with catalogues, item numbers, and his birthday list (which is tacked on the fridge). And he does a mean limbo! :)

6) Meanwhile, my daughter is becoming quite the little daredevil. I bought both kids big fluffy floor pillows, and I know this weekend will mainly consist of me trying to stop her from launching herself off chairs onto the big pile of pillows... and other potential pointy things underneath.

So, what are your plans for this weekend? Are they as exciting (or nerve-wracking) as mine?

It's Aloha Friday! v. I

When I lived in Hawai'i, I really enjoyed Fridays. Instead of dressing casually, people all over the Islands put on their best Aloha shirts and muu-muus, beautiful flower leis, and hair flowers (left side for married, right side for singles), and we celebrated the island culture.
And of course, in every store and mall, you'll hear the fun-loving rendition of "It's Aloha Friday - No Work Till Monday...." Fun and festive!

Inspired once again by Zandria and her Random Friday posts, lifecandy will also have its own "It's Aloha Friday!" posts of random interesting, bizarre, noteworthy, etc. things I've come across throughout the week. This will only happen from time to time, depending on how interesting my life is on a given week. :)

Okay... Here we go...

Jami of Bionic Beauty will be on Blog Talk Radio TODAY at 2pm! To catch it, visit the Loose Lips NY radio site at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/looselipsny. And to call in, dial (646) 716-8862.

Some really great friends of ours, Rob (who was one of Roomie's groomsmen) and the lovely Val, have left for Oahu for some R&R and sightseeing. Yes, I'm envious... I wish I could've gone too... They didn't even offer to stash me in their luggage! What friends!!! :) Seriously, they're fabulous, and I hope they have a great time. They've promised to bring back a bag of poi powder for us... so, yay! Can't wait to see the pictures. :)

The stray cat we found in December - who we named "Neo", but according to the tattoo on his ear, is actually "Mustachio" - will have to find a new home in a couple of weeks. He is seriously skittish and twitchy, and has scratched our frightened children more times than I can count. He was the answer to our prayers when we had the mouse in our kitchen, but when it comes down to "Who goes? The cat or the kids?", well, my kids don't shed as much. We made posters and put them up this week...

Roomie and I took the kids to an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner a few days ago. They just ate the injera (bread used to scoop up the meat and veggie stews), but they liked it!

I've called Goodwill for another pick-up. They're coming to get our boxes of stuff on Tuesday... Woo Hoo!!!

The Big 8 of 2008

Photo: happy new year 2008 #3

I love the start of a new year. It's a time of re-birth and new beginnings... a time when the sins of the old year are put behind us, and we can start fresh. It's like the Vegas slogan. What happens in 2007, stays in 2007.

This year, I've asked my Neo-Citrin-addled brain (yeah, I'm still sick) what I'd like to accomplish before the end of 2008. What are my goals?

Now I hesitate to call these 'resolutions'. Traditional resolutions make me think of those well-intentioned life changes that I likely drop by Ground Hog's Day or get me whining like my 3yo when she's been told to clean up after a tea party with the cat.

No, these are goals. And they have to be SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Furthermore, these are personal goals... just for me... a part of my campaign to focus on myself a little more.

So, here they are... my Big 8 for 2008:

1) Get down to 24% bodyfat
And I plan to do this via CRON, yoga, tabata and hula.

2) Learn to play poker
I can't believe I'm 38 and I still don't know how to play poker. Maybe Roomie will teach me if I promise him a game of strip poker...

3) Learn to sing properly
I will actually take singing lessons this year... so I can sing for longer than 15 minutes, and not have people leaving the room when I do...

4) Hit -4.00 in each eye
I've been remiss in my eye exercises. I was improving for a time, then I got lazy.

5) Do 25 REAL pushups
This is going to be the toughest thing on my list... I just know it!

6) Finish work on Livingroom & Diningroom
Getting the clutter out, rearranging existing furniture, and setting up new stuff. This shouldn't take too long, but I'm giving myself the whole year to do it. Someday, I'll get the whole house done, but for now, one room at a time...

7) Make $100 more per month online
I have a few websites other than this one, so if I put in the work, I may actually be able to pay for domain hosting! :)

8) Create a book of recipes for family meals
Healthy, much-loved everyday dishes, so I can plan weekly meals and make grocery lists easily and quickly. I've been wanting to do this for ages.

10 Musings of 2007...

One last look back...

1) Most Notable Addiction:
Facebook
I know I'm not the only one! At the peak of my addiction, I was on every day, several times a day. It was great reconnecting with past friends & long-lost family, but it was getting ridiculous. These days, I maybe get on once a week to check in and change my status... maybe.

2) What Gave Me The Purest Light-Hearted Laugh (Outside of My Kids or Roomie):
HappySlip
Christine's YouTube videos remind me of the incredibly cute, quirky, and lovable side my Filipino heritage. Stuff I used to be so embarrassed about and took so seriously growing up, now I giggle fondly at. Thanks to Christine, my kids can experience the lighthearted side of their Filipino half.

3) Good Habit Acquired:
Putting on Lotion after a Shower
I used to be inconsistent with this, sometimes slathering, sometimes not. Now, I have a method, a "lotion application strategy", if you will. This is important living in an area with a very dry winter... especially now that I have *gasp* older skin!

4) Most Life-Alerting Decision I Had To Make:
Closing the Hula School
I LOVED teaching hula & tahitian dance as much as I loved dancing it. And after 2 years of being in operation, I'd filled up my classes and was getting booked so often that I had to pass gigs on to my cousin who was a big help. Eventually, I had to turn away performances when neither Glo nor I could make it. This schedule, obviously, interfered with my family life. I started resenting the whole hula thing for tearing me away from my kids, so closing was an easy decision to make. I love what I do now... blogging at home with my family.

5) Act I Wish I'd Seen Live in Concert:
The Police
I saw them in the 80s. They were hot then - they're hot now. Need I go on?

6) Celebrities I'd Love to Party With:
Rosario Dawson and Rihanna
They both seem cool, fun, and smart. Girls' night at the karaoke bar would be such a blast with these two as companions... and you thought I was going to say Brit and Paris, right?! ;)

7) Movies I Wish I'd Seen at the Theatre:
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Spiderman 3
Movies with great special effects MUST be seen on a big screen... at IMAX, if possible.

8) Most Notable Food Discovery:
Volcano Roll
Spicy, rich, and very creamy, the sauce for this maki sushi is probably the daily calorie limit for a small woman, but OMG, it's so tasty! I had it at a sushi lunch with my girlfriends... holy moly, I'm sold.

9) Notable "The Universe is Smiling on Us" Moments:
Water Heater, Toaster & Neo
"I wish I could take longer, hotter showers" - the next month, our 25-year-old tepid-warm 30-gallon water heater blows, allowing us to get a new 60-gallon water heater... WooHoo!!!
"Okay, the toaster's kicked it" - the next day, we get a beautiful new toaster... for free.
"Oh, crap, a mouse got into our crawlspace!" & "Mommy, can we get a cat?" - the next week, on a cold night, a shivering stray cat appears at our door... LA names him 'Neo'... with the Humane Society coming to a dead end and no owner to claim him, he stays with us... and catches the mouse... he's still with us today. :)

10) Favourite Song of the Year:
"Umbrella" by Rihanna
LOVE it. Wasn't it released in the late-spring/early-summer? And here I am in winter, still singing to it... "ella, ella, ella, ay, ay, ay..."

Those are only 10 of my many musings of the year. I think a lot. :)
Hope your 2007 was good too. See you in 2008!

Happy New Year!!!

Books & Movies of 2007

I love this idea! Like Zandria , I'm listing the books I've read and movies I've seen in 2007. As this is my first annual list, I have also included the titles of books I've re-read.
The lists are much shorter than I'd like. Maybe one day I'll have more leisure time for reading and watching films. I'm really into health & wellness, historicals, sci-fi and erotica, and my selections reflect that.

Books:

1) Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui - by Karen Kingston

2) Joshi's Holistic Detox - by Nish Joshi

3) The Longevity Diet: Discover Calorie Restriction--the Only Proven Way to Slow the Aging Process and Maintain Peak Vitality - by Brian M. Delaney and Lisa Walford

4) The 5 Factor Diet - by Harley Pasternak

5) Outlander - by Diana Gabaldon

6) Dragonfly in Amber - by Diana Gabaldon

7) Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence - by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin

8) Fascinated - by Robin Schone (Author), Bertrice Small (Author), Susan Johnson (Author), Thea Devine (Author)

9) The Secret - by Julie Garwood

10) The Bride - by Julie Garwood

11) Honor's Splendour - by Julie Garwood

12) Saving Grace - by Julie Garwood


Movies:

1) 300 - Starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Rodrigo Santoro. Directed by Zack Snyder.

2) Transformers - Starring Shia Labeouf, Megan Fox, Jon Voight. Directed by Michael Bay.

Guilty Pleasures...

Roomie refused to get me anything on my Wish List for my birthday this year. Actually, it's like this every year.

Why? Because my list is populated with things I want for the house... a new credenza for the dining room, a new grill machine, a new storage ottoman/coffee table for the livingroom, etc. He says that gifts should benefit the recipient alone, not his/her spouse or kids.

Okay, he's got a point.

So, after thinking long and hard, I asked him for the latest issues of my favourite girlie-girl magazines, In Style and Allure.

I love these suckers! They're fun, inexpensive, and something I wouldn't normally buy for myself. I love seeing what's on the runways this season and how the hottest celebs are wearing their hair and makeup on the red carpet.
I used to buy them all the time, but these days I just can't justify the expense. I can't imagine spending $6 months every month for a book of advertisements that will ultimately end up in the recycling box! Argh!

So, they will forever more be a birthday treat.

Anyway, I was flipping through my lovely InStyle, and on the last page, was their regular feature on Guilty Pleasures. November's was Keri Russell's. I was inspired.
So, because I'm still sick and still too cranky to write anything too deep or profound (that would be too painful), you get another glimpse into the fluffy side of Nenette's brain through my own list of guilty pleasures...

Accessory Addiction?
I'm not really into bling but I rarely ever leave the house without my bracelets -- a dark green jade tortoise woven bracelet, a gold teddy bear charm bracelet, and a gold watch bracelet -- all worn on my left wrist. Bracelets on my right wrist bug me when I write.

Fashion Passion?
My sarongs! They're a cool, airy skirt in the summer and a soft, warm scarf in the winter. Everyone should have at least one of these babies! I got turned on to them when I started teaching hula again. Now, they're my summer uniform here in my hot and humid town.

Karaoke Song?
Donna Summer's Last Dance and anything by Barbara Streisand. My girlfriends and I have spent many a drunken night singing "You don't bring me flowers"... ah, good times...


Bad Movie?
Grease 2 holds a special place in my heart - although Roomie would say that my favourite bad movie is Mr. Baseball. Michelle Pfeiffer is super cool in this movie. I knew every single song and would sing to them. I don't know how many times I've seen this show.

Midnight Snack?
Garlic Fried Rice. A yummy, yet high cal, way to use up last night's leftover steamed rice. My ultimate comfort food that reminds me of my lola (grandmother) who raised me my first 3 years on this earth.

Beauty Binge?
Fruits & Passion's Jasmin Body Milk. I use this in place of perfume, and smooth it on my neck, wrists, and cleavage. Reminds me of my other lola who used to grow sampaguita bushes in her front yard in the Philippines.

Celebrity Crush?
Guess. (Hint: If you don't know, you need to read more LifeCandy!)

Okay, now, your turn. What are your own Guilty Pleasures? Hit Comments and let us know!

Just for Me

When did buying tealights and mascara become a luxury for me? Why do I feel guilty every time I buy a new lipstick at Aveda even though I completely scraped out my last tube the previous month? And how often does Roomie have to nag me to make a massage appointment for myself before I actually feel like it's justified?

These were the questions that went through my mind on the way home from my friend Cindy's candle party (where I bought the tealights, btw). I was actually giddy with my new purchases... it was almost absurd. LOL

I think back (way back) to the days when I used to consider going for massages, getting regular pedicures, and having weekly sushi dinners scheduled activities, things "we just did", and de rigueur. Now, they feel like extravagant, wasteful dissipation.

The only yet extremely significant difference is that I'm a parent and homeowner now. Time, money and energy are all going into the care of my kids and the maintenance of our home.
Spa facials, dinners at posh restaurants, and a night of dancing are fleeting and pale in comparison to the warm little hugs, the stories and funny little jokes shared, and the unsolicited "I love you, Mommy"'s which will be with me forever.

But is this way of living actually doing me more harm than good? Am I compromising my effectiveness as a parent by not allowing myself a break, a treat, time just for me? And what am I teaching my children about treating one's self with care and love? Am I unknowingly telling them that I'm not worth it, and that when they become parents, they must forgo any personal pleasures for their families?

Good heavens, I hope not!

I started this blog to express myself as more than just a mom, and as I write this, I see that I've been remiss in honouring that non-mom part of me. This has got to change. Oh, I'm not going to go back to monthly massages and weekly sushi again - I still have a mortgage! But I will make it a point to enjoy the pleasures that life has to offer a little more often.

8 Things I Love About My Body

"My Body is a Temple" ~ Nenette Alejandria Mayor

I love my body, therefore, I practice CRON.

Many CRON detractors would consider that statement an outright lie. Why? Because these uninformed masses claim that CRON is an eating disorder, and an aspect of EDs is the hatred of one's body.

I love every inch of me, and because I do, I want to honour this Temple by eating vitamin-and-nutrient-packed foods in quantities that don't overload me or put stress on my system. And CRON is the scientifically proven way for me to keep this gorgeous body of mine for as long as possible.

So, in this day and age when talking about your own lovely bits could be considered gauche, conceited or offensively braggart, I throw caution and modesty to the wind and tell you the 8 things I love about my body. I will then tag 8 of my CRON bloggers to do the same.

And if you don't practice CRON, that's cool too. Please share your list of 8 Things. It can be anything about your body... from head to toe. Don't be modest! Everyone should have a healthy self-esteem. It may feel weird at first, but you'll be happy you did it. After I did my list, I loved myself even more! :)

So, do it! Be proud of who you are, take very good care of yourself, and love your body.

Okay, I love my...

1. short-waisted torso - it makes my legs look longer
2. breasts that after nursing babies for 5 years straight still have some buoyancy
3. skintone - aka the island-girl perma-tan... a friend once described me as "the girl with cafe au lait skin"
4. broad shoulders - kinda makes my head look small, but they look phenomenal when bare
5. thick black wavy hair, that at times has a mind of its own!
6. posture and how I carry my body, sometimes accident-prone but for the most part quite graceful
7. long piano-playing fingers which, although not used for piano-playing anymore, are great at typing out my thoughts at great speed
8. my lips - not too thin, not too Angelina Jolie, just right

Okay, your turn!

This post inspired by April's CR Blog post "I've Changed My Mind: I'm Ready For You This Time".

Press

Shall We Dance?: Wake up your workout with a bit of hula, ballet or bump and grind
Flare Magazine September 2005 / By Carly Baillie
The Prairies may be a far cry from the islands, but Makana Aloha’s hula instructor Nenette Alejandria Mayor teaches her pupils to conjure up the warmth of the aloha spirit by working up a good sweat.

My Pictures...Finally...

Warren suggested I post Before-After pictures... so here they are!

It was tough finding pictures because I'm the shutterbug of the family with my wee ones as as the subjects... but I managed to find a couple with the camera turned to me... :)

Oh, and I included a picture of me at 18 from 1987... just in case you needed a laugh!

Pre-CRON

This was taken in July 2005 at a friend's son's birthday party. I may have been looking at the birthday cake. LOL!
I have my daughter on me in her beloved sling.












Post-CRON

Taken one year later in July 2006 on my couch with, once again, my daughter draped over me. LOL
I'm about 10 pounds lighter here than I was the previous year.













And here I am at the tender age of 18 in 1987. I kept the hairspray companies in business back then!

Okay, let the mocking begin...

No, I don't drink, but I can swear like a sailor...

I lead a pretty clean life, but I have one of the worst pottymouths around.
And yesterday just before the family came over for Easter dinner, my husband and I were discussing the whys of foul language usage (tangentially, he was surprised to find himself saying the words "chicks with dicks" - not in a demeaning way or as a swear - but it was odd nonetheless, especially in a conversation at the dinner table with his 79-year-old mother listening).
He thinks it's because most of us, at the moment of extreme emotion, do not have a grasp of the language to properly articulate and convey these feelings to others.
I don't know. Personally, I just find it really satisfying to vent my spleen with a good swear... out of earshot of the kids, of course.

I guess this is the stage of my life at which I find myself - easy-going, laid-back, not sweatin' the simple stuff or what people will think of me. Take me as I am, pottymouth or no.

But I never used to be like this. In my 20s, I never swore. I used to be so conscious of how I appeared, how others would perceive me, and if I was making the right first impression... to the point of near-paranoia.
I also drank to "stupid drunkenness" (which took only 1-2 drinks anyway) once a week.

And it wasn't until I was at the end of that phase and moving into the next one that I really understood what I'd accomplished thusfar and why I really earned my new-found confidence.
I was a university educated engineer with over 12 years of software design experience. I was well-traveled, and although I'd been with my partner for over 10 years (at the time), I'd enjoyed a great deal of independence, unlike many of my peers who literally went from their parents' home to their husband's.

The next phase was motherhood. And if I hadn't grown into my skin by then, I think my effectiveness as a mother would be questionable. Now, I don't need (or want) that fast-paced, high-tech job -- which I was never suited to anyway, nor do I have to prove anything to anybody anymore.

Oh, I still wear my Iron Ring on low days when I need to remind myself that I do have more than a couple of brain cells... especially when the most intellectual conversation I've had all day amounts to telling my 2yo daughter why she has to wear clothes (which does not bode well fast-forwarding 14 years from now).

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that, I LOVE where I am now. I'm a mom, a wife, a dancer, a writer. I feel good. I'm looking better. I'm incredibly happy and optimistic about the future phases of my life.

And practicing CRON has been such a catalyst to that because it's a lifestyle that, at the very heart, embodies quality of life, enjoying who you are NOW, and knowing that this enjoyment can go on for a very, very long time.