Self Indulgent

I have felt a little self indulgent lately (yes, that includes shopping) and am fighting these feelings of guilt. I know that it always is more fulfilling to spend time with family, learn, work, and serve, but some days I just want to frivolously shop a little all by myself. I am still not sure if I feel guilty because I am suppose to or if I have just conditioned myself to feel guilt because of a learned aversion to being too worldly or good to myself. I will try and figure it out going from store to store. Wish me luck.

Is it Breakfast or Dessert?

I am determined to get back to healthy eating. This morning I cooked one egg with chopped broccoli and a touch of mozzarella cheese. It tasted so good and felt so healthy that I decided I wanted to incorporate more vegetables into my breakfasts. I then wondered why there are so many breakfast dishes that look a whole lot like dessert, and it came to me that during the night our blood sugar drops and so we wake up craving sugar to raise it quickly. Of course we all know that a quick rise in blood sugar also results in a quick nose dive later, and thus we are on the sugar roller coaster ride fighting the craving all day long. For me, eating more vegetables and lean protein is the best way to level off the roller coaster ride. Boring, I know, but so much more healthy. Life is enough of a roller coaster ride, my blood sugar doesn't need join in.

Regret

Regret is a very destructive emotion because it is focused on the past and what can't be changed, and there is nothing more depressing than focusing on what I don't have control over.  Instead it feels so much more energizing to declare that even a past mistake was a great learning experience and can make the present moment even better.  If I ever even begin to feel regretful, I will just make sure I am currently making choices right now that will undo any of that regret.  There I feel better already.  

New York City Musicals

We just got back from a little trip to New York City doing one of our favorite things--going to musicals.  Here is a recap of what we saw with my amateur review.

 I can't tell you what the second half was like because we decided to leave at intermission.  I was excited to see Ricky Martin perform but the whole script was singing, which for us uncultured types, reeked a little too much of Opera.  Although I would have stayed trusting that the second half was easier to stomach, one of the other people in my entourage would have committed suicide if I forced him to endure the second half, so off we went to have dessert to salvage the evening.

I loved this musical.  The athletic dancing was incredible and the voices and acting equally phenomenal.  I thoroughly enjoyed this musical and would highly recommend it as electrifying and energetic as well as somewhat emotional entertainment.  I love it when the underdog prevails.  

I saved the best for last.  This was an incredibly funny evening and oh so entertaining.  Matthew Broderick was adorable and flawless.  This musical had it all--great scenery, costumes, dancing, voices, acting, and above all comedy.  This is a must see, especially if you like to laugh.  The script is clever and hysterical.  I would see this again.

Now you know what kind of entertainment I gravitate to.  No culture for me--just make me laugh.  

Live in the Present

This saying says it well and is definitely something to think about.  I am working at enjoying the present moment because it really is a gift.  Now that sounds so serious so I have the urge to say something funny, but I guess I just feel too peaceful to be funny.  Namaste. 

Appreciation

I am someone who has high expectations of myself (it's called an Unrelenting Standards Schema), and I tend to have those same expectations of others.  This morning it hit me that although I can kindly tell someone that I would appreciate that they do something for me, it is so much better to just appreciate something they have already done for me.  It is something that I should also do for myself--focus on the progress I have made rather than the progress I want to make.

Church Callings

Gotta love being a member of a church where on Saturday I sing (it was a comedy performance sang off key, of course) at our Relief Society Summer Social, and then on Sunday give a talk in Sacrament meeting and also teach young women's.  In a lay-member church, they get pretty desperate for participation, but it offers wonderful growing experiences.

By the way, for anyone reading this that was there when I said in my Sacrament meeting talk that I am grateful to serve in the young women's program because the girls make it a burden and not a blessing,  I meant to say it is a blessing not a burden.  I was just impressed the six young women that gave me a hard time about my mistake were really listening that closely.