Escaping the Box: Of Friends and Rest

Part of our haul from the Saturday Farmers Market: cauliflower, dates, gluten free russian tea cakes (!!!) and Rancho Gordo beans

You may have noticed that I’ve been quite relaxed in my posts in 2012. I think I started this blog project with much enthusiasm and forgot that sometimes life changes. Sometimes you just have to take time for yourself. And breathe. And rest.

A lunchtime workout: 15 minutes on the stairs

These past few weeks have been amazingly busy. For no real reason. Other than life and ski season. Here is a glimpse into my normal work day, one that sucks up most of my time:

6:45a: wake up
7:50: commute to work
8:30: work (meetings with R&D, email, more meetings, call a customer, etc)
11:00: snack on some fruit
12:00p: Gym
1:00: Lunch at my desk while I “work” i.e. surf the web pretending to work, then I work
4:30 or so: snack on some fruit
5:30: pack up and go home
6:30: arrive at home and make dinner
9:00: finally done with dinner and dishes
10:30: bed

As you can see, my *work* and my commute take up an amazing amount of time. I truly only have about 1.5hrs in the evening to do what I want to do. Usually, this is when I write a blog post, read, watch Dowton Abby or stretch/do PT exercises. This time sink of work is especially difficult lately given the fact that I’m not in love with my work. I think work is important, but my struggle has been to find something new which is proving to be challenging! I’m quite optimistic, however. It will change. Because it has to.

I *love* cherry trees! Here are a few near the building I work in.

Lately, I’ve had other things going on at night after work. Meeting friends for dinner, an acupuncture appointment, the Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine class series (which ends this Thursday), a Chai making class, laundry and cleaning the neglected apartment until late, and a few nights of true exhaustion and early bedtimes. No real time to rest. Throw skiing in there and last weekend my friend S from Seattle visiting and I haven’t had any time for me.

R and me overlooking SF Bay from the Presidio Park

Don’t get me wrong, I love this time of year and I loved seeing S last weekend. We had a lot of fun. I took Friday off and I *needed* it. I got groceries. Made a healthy lunch (specifically great for boosting the immune system). We went to yoga. Saturday was spent in the Farmer’s Market (I always forget how much I love it), resting and making another delicious dinner. Time spent catching up. Time spent together. Time with a few tasty glasses of excellent wine. Sunday we went on an amazing 30 mile bike ride in the gorgeous sunshine in the Marin Headlands, a short nap and some girl time shopping in the Mission. Sadly said goodbye on Monday morning and back to work. *sigh*

Me on the GG bridge

Winter is a time for rest. When you keep your body running, thinking, doing and active all the time, you’re depleting it of much needed resources and rest. Winter is a time to build up your body’s resources for spring and summer. This is exactly what I wasn’t doing. And I nearly got a cold! Luckily, when I saw J my acupuncturist on Monday, she worked on my immune system and also gave me some herbs: Gan Mao Ling. Three pills, three times a day. For when you have a scratchy throat (not a sore throat). I recommend this ancient formula - but will also encourage you to see an herbalist or acupuncturist! I avoided the cold. This time. Because I rested. Because I ate healthy foods. This weekend has been a much needed weekend of rest. Of food and cooking. Of time with R who has been travelling and working nonstop.

I cannot wait for a full 3-day weekend in Tahoe next weekend! And 10” of new snow predicted!