sprouting

Growth is happening – within and around me.  I can feel it stirring and whirring and burrowing under my skin, into my sinews and sucking my marrow.  I’m transforming.  It’s happening now.  Yes, right now.  Do you feel it, too?  My inky early mornings still find me dragging this bag of bones to the mat. Some days begrudgingly, some days joyously, most days both, as I practice the art of opening my Self, my soul, my joints, my hamstrings.  I am practicing being me.  I am practicing shifts in perspective.  I am practicing love.  And truth.  And beauty.  And freedom. 

bakasana - crow pose

It feels good.

holiday weekend and an update

I realize it’s been an inexcusably long time since I’ve written.  But I’m going to excuse myself nonetheless.  I do apologize for my tardiness, and only offer up some seriously lacking time management on my part as explanation.  I hope you’ll forgive me.

In the time since I last wrote, so much has happened! 

The most notable is that I started school.  You may recall that earlier this summer I made the decision to go back to school for esthetics training.  I am now one month into the program, and I’m happy to report that I absolutely love it.  I love what I’m learning.  I have a lovely instructor and a fantastic group of classmates.  I am so happy that our class is not only small, but also very diverse.  We each bring something completely unique to the learning experience and it seems to be working beautifully so far.  If I had any reservations about this decision, they have all been quelled.  So far, we’ve learned hand treatments, mini facials, and facial waxing.  We’ve also begun practicing makeup application and applying facial masks.  We spent a little time on life skills and time management (yes, I’m working on it), and a lot of time on sanitation practices in the esthetics workplace.  Fun, fun, fun!  Our clinic opens to actual customers in a couple weeks.  I’ll keep you posted, or if you want to experience it for yourself, let me know and I’ll get you hooked up. 

Since school began, I have had time for very little else other than class and work.  I get up at 4:45a most mornings.  Yoga practice every day and calisthenics/cardio work about four days a week.  I have had some health issues the past week and a half that have been keeping me from the workout, but I am trying to figure that out so I can jump right back into the groove.  Otherwise, just trying to get adjusted to this very new schedule and to get as much sleep as possible. 

I did manage to get out of town this [Labor Day] weekend for a friend’s wedding in the mountains.  Sister went with me, and we had a grand time touring through NC and Tennessee.  The wedding was in Erwin, TN, which is just across the NC border. The ceremony was followed by a back yard reception and cabaret in historic downtown Erwin.  A buffet spread of good Southern barbecue and tasty Venezuelan dishes kept everyone fed and happy.  Then, with full bellies and bevvies in hand, we sat back in our chairs to enjoy the show as various friends and family performed for the bride and groom.  With so much talent under that tent, we couldn’t help but enjoy ourselves out there under the trees.  Thanks to Robert and Camalge for inviting us to celebrate their nuptials.  Buena suerte a ustedes! 

So, now the weekend fun is over, and I’ll be spending tomorrow recovering and studying for my upcoming test.  I hope you had a fun and festive holiday weekend, as well.  Happy Labor Day!

xoxo,

Melanie

PS:  I don't know how to layout my photos, so apologies for the boring 'one after another' situation below.

the happy couple 

check out the spread!  so delicious!

performers take to the stage ...

and party-goers take to the dance floor!

a birthday wish

Today I'd like to take a moment to celebrate my sister.  It's her birthday, today.  I am so happy she was born!  I hope you'll take a moment to celebrate her with me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIS!

I'm wishing you a day lifetime full of unicorns, bubbles, faerie friends, giggles, candy-coated wishes, and all the joy and wonder the world has to offer!

I love you!

- your big sister

(Please join me in raising a glass to my wonderful sister on her birthday!)

Big News and a Plea for Help

Greetings, gentle readers!  I have some big news today, and will be brief sharing it as I am super excited to get things rolling …

After meditating on the matter for some time now, I have finally figured out the next phase of my journey.  I am going back to school.  No, not for a masters degree or anything so time intensive.  I am going to get my training and certification in esthetics.  In layman’s terms I will be learning all about skincare.  I’m super excited.  It’s something I’ve considered doing for years, but the timing never seemed right.  But now it does! There’s a program in town, and it’s on the bus schedule, so I will actually be able to get to it without a car.  It’s not quite a year long, so I won’t feel like I’m tying myself down to one location for an excessive amount of time.  And the class hours fit with my current schedule beautifully.  Plus, I’m still in time to make the deadline for the fall semester!  It’s destiny, I tell you!

 The only hard part is funding the tuition.  While it isn’t a grand sum, it is grander than my budget allows at present with my measly schedule of a few hours of scattered part time work each week.  While I am looking around for more part-time work that will still fit in with the new school schedule, I am swallowing up my pride and asking for help.  (I’m not very good at asking for help, so please bear with me if I don’t do it so eloquently.) 

I have set up an indiegogo campaign to try to raise funds for tuition and supplies costs.  Here is the link!

Please do not feel obligated to donate, but if you are moved to do so, I will forever hold you in great esteem and gratitude.  I will very likely need folks on whom I can practice my new skills, too.  So, if you are local, get ready.  Preference will be given to those who contribute to the campaign, of course, but I’ll do my best to fit in all interested parties at least once.

Please take a moment to read through the campaign spiel.  If you are moved to donate, THANK YOU!!  If not, then thank you for at least taking the time to consider. 

This is one more step closer to living my dreams, people!  I’m so glad I get to share it with such a lovely audience.  I would love to hear about your dreams, too, so tell me all about them in the comments section, okay?!  We can keep each other motivated! 

Happy experimenting!

xoxo,

Melanie

Experiments in … Experimonth!

My friend, Erin, who left NC for IN a few years ago, is a pretty amazing lady.  She has a beautifully curious mind, an artist’s eye,  and such a generous heart.  Erin is a woman who experiments with life, as well.  This month she participated in a program called Experimonth, a program organized by the Museum of Life and Science here in Durham.  (This is Erin’s former employer.)  This month’s Experimonth theme was “Trade It Up”.  The idea was to encourage folks to give you something that you would then trade to another person for something they had on offer … and so on and so forth for the duration of the month.  Erin took it a step further by tacking on her own rule that everything traded had be to be something created by the giver.  The word created was given some freedom in this context.  Basically the item had to be made or crafted or explained or verbalized or physically enacted, etc. for Erin, and likewise she would trade this craft/experience/activity/whatever to the next recipient in the same manner. 

Here’s what I sent Erin:

I went a little overboard due to the fact I’ve not been a good penpal since Erin moved away.  I wanted her to be able to actually keep some of what I sent for herself.  So, I gave her the option of choosing what she kept and what she traded.  Enclosed in the package I sent her were some peanut butter bacon cookies (ala Joy the Baker) with recipe card, a pair of handmade mother of pearl earrings, a personally blended tin of herbal tea, and a card made out of a photo that I took during my visit to Greenville earlier this year.   I also got crafty with the packaging by wrapping various yarns around aluminum cans and jelly jars for some added pizzazz.  

The earrings were traded. 

This is what I was traded in return:

It’s a beautifully rendered recipe for homemade "world class" macaroni and cheese.  Delicious!  And I love the artfully drawn recipe image.  I haven’t made this yet, as mac + cheese seems more appealing in cooler weather to me, but I look forward to whipping up a bowl of the creamy goodness once Summer begins to fade into Autumn. 

Thanks, Erin!  And thanks to the Experimonth participant who contributed this recipe.  I’m sure to enjoy it!

Hoping all your experiments are blissful ...

xoxo,

Melanie

Experiments in ... patriotism.

Happy Memorial Day!  And thank you to all of you who have served to safeguard the lives of Americans - in whatever way you may have served.

xoxo,

Melanie

Experiments in … bliss: Sweet Saturday

Yesterday was sweet, indeed.  Although to many this weekend is a holiday weekend riddled with meticulous plans and high expectations of fun and frolicking, for me, it’s just another weekend.  Now, don’t get me wrong … I’m very thankful for those who have risked much so that I might experience the freedoms that I do.  It is not my intention to belittle the significance of Memorial Day.  I just mean to iterate that I have an unconventional work schedule, and, therefore, the fact that Monday is a “bank holiday” does not affect my schedule the way it affects the majority of Americans. 

Now that my disclaimers are out of the way, I’ll get back to my sweet Saturday. 

Yesterday was only a casually planned event.  And that’s using the word ‘planned’ in the loosest of definitions.  It started out with a trip to the farmers’ market with Sister.  As usual, we had mentioned a proposed meeting time the night before.  Also as usual, we ended up meeting about an hour after that originally proposed time.  So, I got to her house around 9am, and we strolled through town toward the market.  Once there, we were enveloped with the telltale signs of the impending arrival of summer on the farm:  the brilliant greens, yellows and reds of the vegetables on every table; the mouth-wateringly heady aromas of freshly baked breads and pastries; gorgeous bouquets of flowers; the promise of pie reflected in the rows and rows of strawberries, blueberries and peaches; and, of course, the throngs of people emerging from hibernation to celebrate the return of this hot-headed southern sun that lords over us as summer comes to call. 

We were blessed to run into our good friends Chris, JD, Theresa, Lula and Shady.  Isn’t it always nice to share unexpected encounters with the people we love?  I think so.  We strolled the market together for a few moments, made plans to have lunch soon, and parted ways feeling even warmer than we already had in the early morning heat. 

The market and the surrounding areas were even more bustling than usual yesterday.  Apparently there was some kind of road race (or, possibly, a triathlon?) happening downtown.  It generated a good crowd of jolly townsfolk and athletes and even a very stylish gentleman with the most delicious hat I think I’ve ever seen. 

After filling my bag with some of Durham’s finest and freshest produce, Sister and I proceeded to Parker + Otis to share a drink and some conversation.  She had a soda. I had tea.  We both ogled the fine wares of the shop longingly.  We enjoyed sitting for a spell in the fun atmosphere and the good company, before parting ways around noontime.

After coming home to unload my market loot, I headed back into town and to The Carolina Theatre.  This weekend marks the last days of the Alfred Hitchcock retrospective.  I treated myself to a double feature of Strangers on a Train and Notorious.  (Isn’t Cary Grant just the dreamiest?)  I had never seen either film, and enjoyed them both a bunch!  (Today I’ll be seeing Spellbound … Gregory Peck, anyone?)  Then it was back into the sunlight of the early evening for a lovely promenade home. 

I had made no plans for my evening, but after practicing my Spanish during all my walking trips, I decided to lie back on the couch and watch the Spanish-language film, La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon).  I’ve wanted to watch it for ages, and I wasn’t disappointed.  It is such a beautiful story of the bond between a mother and her son.  It also portrays the plight of illegal immigrants in a very poignant way without being overly sentimental about it.  It broke my heart over and over again, but also gave me hope and some valuable insights into a growing group of people who are finding themselves in a sort of purgatory between two cultural identities.  I totally recommend this film.

As I was getting ready to turn in early (yes, on a Saturday night), the phone rang.  As if my day wasn’t already wonderful enough, my parents were calling.  We managed a relative glitch-free trans-world skype video call.  It was great catching up with them and hearing all about their adventures and upcoming birthday plans!  Mom and Dad, if you’re reading, I’m so glad we got to talk last night!

Then it was to bed to read a little before succumbing to the comforting embrace of Sleep.  Aaah.  What a sweet Saturday!

How was your Saturday?  What did you do?  I hope it was sweet, as well!

xoxo,

Melanie

PS:  I'll leave you with some photos from my walks around Durham yesterday.  Durham is beautifully in bloom!