Oh HI BLOG

Oh HI everyone!




Yeah, I've just been thinking. Sorry about the delay. I can't believe it's been over a month since I've written. Like, almost two months! But, you know, better late than never, right? You still want to hear my stories, right?

Otherwise:


[VIDEO REMOVED BY YOUTOOB AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS -charity]

No, but seriously. Here's a quick recap of what has happened since July 31st.

1) I got another job: HOORAY! I'm so excited. It's going to be awesome. It's full-time, more responsibilities, more pay, more opportunities for professional development, etc. Plus I don't even have to quit working at my current place of employment, which I love! So blessed.

2) I went home to North Carolina to go to the beach in August and had an absolutely phenomenal time. Feel free to visit my Tumblr blog for photos, although you'll have to scroll through pictures of...

3) My birthday trip to Santa Cruz, which was also wonderful! Collin and I had a party for my birthday which was awesomely sweet, and then headed down to Santa Cruz, where we spent a lovely time at the Boardwalk (with tickets to spare, meaning we'll have to go back - score) and then stopped by the Winchester Mystery House on the way back, which has been a dream of mine since I was a girl! Totally worth it. Totally.

4) So obviously, I had a birthday. BIG 36! Literally (see #6, and next entry on cleanse for more details).

5) I went to a yoga workshop at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, and now I really want to go take a few classes there. I'm excited about that possibility.

6) I started seeing another acupuncturist (in addition to volunteering at the Yerba Buena Community Acupuncture clinic, which I will continue to do and love every minute thereof) who is helping me with herbs and such. She recommended an elimination diet for me and Collin so I'm starting that TODAY! I'm actually going to write an entry just on that, so I'll end this one here.

Overall things have been super swell. I can't complain, nor would I want to.  Life is good. Majorly.

Charity :-)

Wishing for a thing doesn't make it so. - Captain Jean-Luc Picard

re: Work today

Not Gon' Cry (MJB)

The Highwayman is Everywhere

When I was a child, I found a book with "The Highwayman" in it at my grandmother's house (Alfred Noyes, 1906).

Not this guy.

I remember reading it then and even now have the same experience when I do: the first part is just magical, the romance palpable. The ending, on the other hand, is devastating. The foreshadowing is so obvious, even as a child I knew what would happen and dreaded it, but I couldn't stop reading, hoping that somehow it would end differently, heartbroken when again it ended tragically.

Loreena McKennitt performing her beautiful musical version of the poem. 
Even as a child I was seduced by this Highwayman, with his lace and velvet and promises. I didn't know what a Highwayman was, obviously, but despite this (because of it?) I fell in love with him. Who wouldn't? And the maiden "Bess, the landlord’s daughter,/ Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair." A woman lucky (and beautiful) enough to be loved by him.

They're Everywhere! I had never seen the video of one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs, so I never realized it was based on the poem! 
Noyes later said "I think the success of the poem... was because it was not an artificial composition, but was written at an age when I was genuinely excited by that kind of romantic story." He wrote it before he knew that life couldn't actually be that romantic, I guess. But in doing so he captured the feeling so successfully that we are all able to escape back to that mindset when we read the poem.


A different sort of Highwaymen, with a different sort of romantic vision of Highwaymannery, but impressive enough in their own right to be included.
I wouldn't be myself without pointing out, however, that I always got pretty jealous that the Highwayman got to have his exciting adventures in lace and velvet while Bess had to shoot herself in the breast while tied to a bedpost. Doesn't seem entirely fair.

Guess in the afterlife she's still waiting around in her bedroom all day. (Image from this place.)

Oh well.

xoxo,
Charity :-)

But Seriously, Though

Today I volunteer at the Conservatory of Flowers, one of my favorite places in San Francisco. I shall spend all afternoon telling tourists how to find the butterflies and urging them not to miss the aquatic plants. The fact that I'm not paid, interestingly, makes me not mind dealing with the tourists. I find that aspect of volunteering fascinating and refreshing. It's like, knowing that I don't have to be there makes it feel like a gift I'm giving the organization, and the people, too. And there are so many wonderful people there that I always leave feeling about 10 pounds lighter and 6 months younger. Although that could also be all the extra oxygen I'm getting from standing in front of a wall of plants. LOVELY!

Another fun thing about Conservatory day is that Collin walks with me and we get a hot dog in the park. These days are always good for reminding me of how lucky I am to live in the best city on earth. Sorry if you're not here, but it really is.

A few weeks ago, there were some Morris Dancers just doing their thing(s). It was super. I thought, maybe that would be a fun way to meet people. Why not, right? At least it's a good excuse to be there "with bells on" (that's probably where the saying came from, actually)! I could learn more about my heritage, make friends, and get some exercise. Why not?

It's nice to know I have options. One problem is that relying on public transportation causes everything to take twice as long, and driving directly home from something at 10 pm is a way different experience than taking a one-hour public transportation adventure involving trains, buses, and walks down dark streets with SF crazies in the middle of the night. Seriously. Not awesome.

What it feels like:


What it is actually like:

But, yeah. It's an option.

xoxo,
Charity :-)

White Dude Jammin' Part Two

More Pianotivation!

(My mom once told me that another name they considered for me was Murphy. I like to think it was because of this dude.)

Charity :-)

Got to Keep the Yang Up!

Hi Blog,

I just wanted to say hi.

Last night I played the piano for a few minutes. It was fun but kind of annoying. I got a book of standards which I thought would be perfect, but it is not that great after all. Oh well, I gave it an effort.


I'm going to rephrase my goal "Start playing piano more" as "I will be that white guy in the Soul II Soul Keep On Movin' video," which I think might motivate me more effectively.

As for my other goals, I've been trying to do yoga more but so far when I do yoga at home it's more like stretching. I know that has value, but I wish I could do yoga at home and then feel like, "Yeah, I DID that yoga," you know? So I'll just keep working on it.

I gained some weight back, probably because of my dinners Wednesday (veggie burger and fries) and Thursday (veggie nachos), but that's ok. It's a process.

Yesterday I had an awesome acupuncture treatment. I think today I'm going to run down to Clement Street and pick up some Chinese herbs. My Spleen Qi and Kidney Yang need some help. Maybe I'll pick up some Yak Loin?

(Oh Eddie Murphy, you're so much better than all of us.) Charity :-)