My body craves movement. My body craves nourishment. My body craves water.

I'm learning to listen to my body's cravings. Not just those momentary lapses when you think your body needs something when it really does not.

This week my body craved exercise. Cardio, weights, resistance and yoga. All of these make me feel more alive, more in tune with myself and healthier. Today yoga helped rid me of the pain that has radiated from my back and shoulders for days. Simple, yet necessary, movements can do so much for yourself. This week my body also told me to avoid alcohol. Drink in the refreshing coolness of water, drink in the aroma of hot tea or the sweetness of my morning coffee. I ate more fruit, more veggies and know that a little root now grows inside me, not from seeds or soil, but from the pure essence of nature's gifts enjoyed and consumed.

My mind craves music. My mind craves humor. My mind craves a challenge.

My mind craves learning.

I feel as though I have known for a long time what my mind needs-but do we really listen and know all of the time?

I need music to soothe, to invigorate and to drown out. I need humor to lighten the load that sometimes weighs on my mind. A challenge can make your mind feel as alive as exercise makes your body feel. If it's always easy, your mind can get lazy. Learning is an extension of a challenge. When I learn something new, whether it is in school and all new to me, or a story that I've read but see in a new way, my mind opens and I feel more free than before.

This week I have watched less TV and read more. I have chosen to walk instead of drive, listened instead of talking, picked up the phone instead of e-mailing, worked my hands instead of my mouth.

Today I feel more comfortable with my body, more open in my mind and more peaceful in my soul.

Connecticut Taco Stand

In honor of my good friends who love Tex-Mex food and are moving from Texas to Connecticut in a few short weeks, I found the following headline from today's edition of The New York Times on-line and couldn't resist it:

"You may never have had a really terrific taco, especially if you live on the East Coast. But the good news is that without too much effort you can, believe it or not, create an admirable taco at home. " (Sub-headline from The Taco Joint in Your Kitchen by Mark Bittman)

Boy is this statement ever correct!!! I had a fantastic taco last night...at a friend's home. It was a soft taco of excellent quality, freshness and taste and it was prepared with ground turkey with veggies and other fat free toppings, and it was just yummy. The trick? Warming those flour tortillas in the skillet with butter (or butter substitute in this case) and using that package of the perfect taco seasoning. The seasoning was on point and those tortillas were just soft and browned enough to make the taco just right. Mmmm...so good, I had to have TWO!!

This one's for you Jenn! Here's to your yummy homemade, soft tacos and all the wonderful things we'll miss about having you and your hubby in Texas that you're sure to make many, many people happy with that you meet while living on the East Coast!!! Hey, You could open a taco stand...

WHAT HAS "YOUR PRESIDENT" DONE LATELY?

DO YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT TO CALL YOUR OWN?

Many may think me nuts to think of Bill Clinton as "my president," and others will simply think me crazy to write about it in such a public way. He is a bit controversial and I do live in a predominently Republican city and state, so this step might be a bit unexpected. But I feel that if you believe in something, or someone, you shouldn't be ashamed of it, so here I am, proclaiming to the blog world that I consider Bill Clinton "my president."

What I mean when I say that is, I engage in conversation about this man, I am interested in what he has to say and what he does, I defend the positive accomplishments he achieved while in office, as well as the great work he is doing now, and I will not engage in negative conversations about him. I do not condone all of his choices, but I also do not believe that one's life should be judged on negative choices and decisions alone. Bill Clinton is also "my president" because he cares for people and he cares for so many whom very few others care about.

I am not comparing this man to any other, just merely stating how I feel about his work and his commitment to the U.S. and the world. And, to be honest, I think if Bill and I sat down and chatted over a cold beer, we would get along splendidly. He is open and candid and has a true charismatic nature about him. I think he is probably humorous and easy to get along with. He is just good 'ole Bill and I like him.

If you'd like to learn more about what "my president" has been doing lately, visit his foundation web site, www.clintonfoundation.org.

Ask yourself: Do you have a president? Do you know what "your president" has been doing lately?

In Scramble to Evade Israeli Bombs, the Living Leave the Dead Behind
The mayor of Tyre, Lebanon, announced that any bodies not claimed within the next two days would be buried temporarily in a mass grave-The New York Times


My biggest concern today is how much it will cost to get our AC units running efficiently and well.

My biggest concern yesterday was a disgruntled individual who questioned me and my decisions.

My biggest concern for tomorrow is whether I have good driving directions to the party we're going to in Austin.


What are your biggest concerns in life? What do you fear today and tomorrow? How does this headline make you feel about those concerns and fears?

Makes me want to hug my loved ones, tell them I love them and thank God each day that we live in America.

"The hardest thing is knowing if what I am doing is right."

One of the neatest programs that my work organization offers is the Mentor Program. People from across all 13 sites apply to be a mentee to have a mentor. Hundreds apply and only about 25 are accepted. One of those accepted this year was me.

And when it came time, I chose my mentor. Some people know who they would like to have, while others only know what sort of personality might work best for them. I chose my mentor and she was happy that I had chosen her.

My mentor is one of the few female executives at the top level. She is smart, witty, kind and she doesn't take crap from anyone, causing her to be viewed by some as abrasive or even mean. I happen to know she is not mean, though she might be abrasive about something she feels strongly about.

Yesterday, my mentor and I had lunch together for the first time since she became my mentor in June. She invited me to join her at a Thai restaurant, and I was ecstatic to see her restaurant choice as anyone would know had they read one of my previous blog entries about Asian cuisine. The lunch went well, she mostly wanted to know about me, but at one point I asked her about something I felt would be tough on her as a leader. She agreed that what I had mentioned was difficult, but then said that the hardest part of her job is simply knowing if what she is doing, her decisions and actions, are right. I assume when you get to be in her position, the black and white becomes very, very gray. I sort of pondered on what she'd said at lunch last night at home. As I grow within my own career and my personal life, I am realizing that life is less and less about black and white and more about gray, simply deciding if what I'm doing is the right thing when it's not that simple.

I truly admire my mentor as it can't be easy to do what she does and be so honest about how she feels in this way.

This is where I'd like to be.

On the beach, in a hammock, reading a good book.

Playing in the refreshing waves with my husband.

Taking a yoga class while in the sand and under the sun, feeling the wind against my body.

This is where I'd like to be.

Cuisine that end in "ese"

(I met an interesting woman this past weekend who told me she doesn't eat any cuisine that ends in "ese," or any of these cuisine's cousins, which originate from the Asian culture. I was flaberghasted at this as I had just, not so many hours before, told my Mom that my very favorite kind of food is anything Asian, anything that ends in "ese.")

I am almost always craving a fresh, ocean faire of tuna, yellow tail and salmon sashimi. I could even throw in some miso soup and fresh spring rolls with creamy peanut sauce. Yum-my Japanese.

I have had the steamy pho with the flavorful broth, rich vegetables, noodles and meats-comfort in a bowl. Steamy concoctions of interesting flavors, and so, very healthy and fulfilling. Yum-my Vietnamese.

I also love the fragrant taste of coconut chicken soup with coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, Thai spices, chicken and noodles. Or the wide flat "chow fun" noodle with special sauce, tomato, peppers and beef. And who could dislike the famous Pad-Thai dish with nuts and lime. Yum-my Thai.

I grew up on the crispy crunch and sweet & tart of sweet and sour shrimp and orange chicken and the creaminess of crab puffs with cream cheese (though I tend to assume this is not typical Chinese delight). I also delve into the salty essence of wonton soup with fresh veggies and shrimp, or steamed dumplings filled with fun. Can't forget those cute little fortune cookies with their interesting messages and that sugary munch. Yum-my Chinese.

I know I probably have so much more to learn about, and eat, from the various Asian cultures, but so far it is definitely my favorite!!

I guess I just take it as a compliment when I am asked to perform duties outside of my usual realm of responsibility at work. But sometimes I bust my ass on a project, feel great about the work, but feel frustrated in knowing full well that it is work that is a fellow co-worker's responsibility. Because some people are lazy, incompentent or proclaim to be overwhelmed, others pick up the pieces and make things happen. I would feel bad if I knew someone else was having to do extra work simply because I couldn't or wouldn't take care of my own work responsibilities. And what about the enablers? Why does the person who oversees those who are lazy, incompentent or supposedly overwhelmed let that person get away with sluffing their work on someone else. Remember, someone has to come to me and ask me to perform these tasks to begin with and it's not the lazy, incompetent, supposedly overwhelmed person asking me for help! So, what do I do about it? I vent and I move on. I get the job done and know that I am someone that people turn to for that reason and that I am here because I believe in the organization I work for and that, though the professional world is not always fair, I am here to do my very best in every way. I guess I just take it as a compliment.

Lazy Monday

I spent the weekend just as I had imagined...eating, enjoying family and friends and eating some more. There's something about the Southern way and the fact that food is the way to the heart from the heart. I ate some of my favorites and I felt truly loved.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my Mom, my grandparents, my niece, my nephew, my sister, her fiance and friends. A big birthday celebration on Saturday night reminded me of the sister I fell in awe of so many years ago-so carefree, so fun, so happy. I am so glad I could be there for her big night.

Another sweet enjoyment of being back home in Houston was spending time with a few youngsters that capture my heart. My beautiful, so smart niece is still the same today as she was when she first nabbed my heart 12 years ago as a newborn. She has an innocence and a pleasantness like no one I've ever met. She and I have a connection that I truly, truly cherish. My nephew is too handsome for words and he's got quite the wit about him-he made my grandmother smile with his knowledge about and keen interest in sports. My good friend from high school also visited me and I spent some time with her and her daughter, who is a doll. The time spent with these special people in my life definitely made the maternal clock tick a little louder.

As for today, I am full, fulfilled, relaxed and lazy. A lazy Monday...the after affect of a sweet, enjoyable weekend in my hometown.

"...as we always belong forever to people who have hurt us badly, or been badly hurt by us."
-Lost Hearts in Italy, By Andrea Lee

I was reading Oprah's summer book list this morning and came across this title by Andrea Lee. I stopped to read more about it, simply because I am out of school until mid-August and I want to read books that I simply enjoy, nothing too heavy. This sounded like something that fit that description: Italy-romance and mystery; Lost Hearts-love and loss; and great cover artwork. But as I read about this book, which is the story of a woman who cheats on her husband with another man, loses both men, remarries and then thinks about her lover and her ex, I came across this quote from the book. Though my interest in the book began to subside, my interest in this quote grew.

Do we forever belong to the people who have hurt us badly, or who have been badly hurt by us?

In love, have I hurt someone so badly that they still think of me and vice versa? Is it always hurt that makes us think about past relationships and matters of the heart? I don't have the answers for these, but they're all questions that are on my mind.

How does the past affect your present and your future?

Unkind Words

I guess we can all be unkind. We say things about others just to make ourselves look better, we say things to derive a reaction out of whomever is listening and we says things at times without thinking, just blurt out our thoughts without any mind to how it might hurt someone.

I had one of those mother-daughter "talking to's" yesterday. My Mother was told that I said something unkind about another and she wanted to talk with me about it. I admited to what I had said and explained that these unkind words were not meant to hurt anyone, but that they were said just as I was thinking them-thinking out loud, if you will. This is no excuse, and she didn't let me get away with it, which I appreciate, but she also did something else. My Mom listened to what I said that was unkind and said she could understand why I said what I said and why I feel the way I do. She also agreed that she needs to examine her own behavior in relation to similar things. What a remarkable way of handling the situation. She told me what I had done was not right and that it was unkind and that I should think before speaking that way, but she also reined in the "High Horse" by accepting what I said as understandable, not right, but understandable. That's tough and yet so refreshing.

Only a couple of blog entries ago, I wrote about someone who lashed out at me, spoke very unkindly to me and hurt me with her words. As my Mom spoke to me about my own unkindness, I thought of my verbal attacker. It's truly like a circle that spans for miles and for many. I would never want the person of whom I spoke unkindly to know I'd said what I did, I care for her deeply. A true lesson for me: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I am disappointed in myself and I can only hope that my words do not travel and hurt someone else.

Mom, thanks for the "talking to" that was unlike any other I have ever had. What an impact you have had with the manner in which you handled this situation. Thank you.

Happy July Fourth!

Today I am celebrating our freedom and independence and the men and women who have fought and do fight for our country. I celebrate in my heart and my mind not with hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill by the pool, while waiting for the fireworks. All of that is tradition, and I am all about tradition, but that is not the true meaning of today. I am filled with pride for this country I live in, where I can have serious conversations and debate with a fellow co-worker about politics and the ways of the nation without fear of persecusion or retribution. I am proud of all of the people who have come before me to make this country what it is, mistakes and all. America is the best place in the world to me. I am lucky to be an American. Enjoy this day, eat the hot dogs and hanburgers, swim in the pool and look in awe at the fireworks, that's tradition, but please remember what today is really about-our freedom and our independence and the men and women who have fought and still fight today for us to have freedom and independence. God Bless America!