(no subject)
Despite my lack of updates, I do still check my friends list and see what you guys have going on. I figured I should throw a post up here just to catch everybody up - those who still give this thing a passing glance!
My summer is going well so far. I have more free time than I know what to do with. It's almost overwhelming. I've been applying for jobs in the Austin area, looking for a position as an elementary music teacher. I know, a little unexpected - I didn't expect to love it so much myself. I'm looking forward to my first year. It's going to be terrifying and awesome.
In the meantime I keep myself plenty occupied. I picked up a bike from the Bike Cave on campus and have been seriously enjoying riding it around San Marcos. It's surprising and nice to discover how quickly and easily you can get places on two wheels! The heat of the day can sometimes be a little suffocating, but I carry water and take my time. Tomorrow I plan on biking to the farmer's market and picking up some veggies.
Speaking of food - after a short period of thinking about going vegetarian, and contemplating it, and kind of starting it but then not really sticking to it, I went full out and decided to go vegan instead. This was almost two months ago. It has been an AMAZING experience so far and I feel so fantastic. I'm not 100% - I have a serious weakness for cheese! - but the longer I go, the more comfortable I feel with this new lifestyle. My body feels strong and healthy and I feel much more energetic. I sleep better than I ever have before. For dinner today I had a tortilla spread with a cream cheese substitute (which is so close to the real thing as to be almost imperceptible) and topped with lettuce, cucumber, carrot shreds, avocado, and some salt and pepper. That - and a cold glass of iced tea - was like HEAVEN.
My palate has grown. I have a taste for things I've never liked before! Green bell peppers - surprisingly delicious. Mushrooms? Not nearly as gross as I thought they were. Onions? Well, I still hate onions, and tomatoes. You can't win them all. I do more cooking with whole foods than ever before. I've started using ingredients I was completely unfamiliar with. Couscous! Which is WAY better than rice. Quinoa! TVP! I make roasted brussel sprouts quite often and they are the most delicious snack ever invented. Believe it.
I also do as much rock climbing as possible. Unfortunately the rock gym is all the way up in Austin, so it makes consistent climbing very difficult, but a handful of us try to carpool up there together. Anytime I am in the area I stop by and climb for a few hours. I've gotten a LOT better since I started six months ago. I'm now bouldering on a V3 level and working on V4 problems. And I've started lead climbing, which is crazy exhilirating. I just bought a pull-up bar to install in my doorway so I can work on building by upper body strentgh when I'm not able to go to the gym.
My hair is longer. Yeah. Life is good. I feel more self-possessed than I ever have. I have tried to address a lot of my insecurity issues and my dependency on Jeff. We're doing good - he just got a job in Pflugerville. I'm not sure where I'm going to end up, so things are kind of up in the air. Which, at this point, I am fine with. I feel like I am under pressure to figure out these major life decisions, and I still feel like a kid a lot of the time. I spend a lot more time on my own and trying to reach out to friends and spend time with other people besides him.
I grow tired of typing! I'm going to make myself a Strawberry Milk (soy!) and relax a bit. I want to get up early and do the Cycle Fit class at the rec. And then getting some work done! And then possibly river floating! And maybe climbing in the evening! Hooray! And maybe I'll even update this thing more often than every six months!!
My summer is going well so far. I have more free time than I know what to do with. It's almost overwhelming. I've been applying for jobs in the Austin area, looking for a position as an elementary music teacher. I know, a little unexpected - I didn't expect to love it so much myself. I'm looking forward to my first year. It's going to be terrifying and awesome.
In the meantime I keep myself plenty occupied. I picked up a bike from the Bike Cave on campus and have been seriously enjoying riding it around San Marcos. It's surprising and nice to discover how quickly and easily you can get places on two wheels! The heat of the day can sometimes be a little suffocating, but I carry water and take my time. Tomorrow I plan on biking to the farmer's market and picking up some veggies.
Speaking of food - after a short period of thinking about going vegetarian, and contemplating it, and kind of starting it but then not really sticking to it, I went full out and decided to go vegan instead. This was almost two months ago. It has been an AMAZING experience so far and I feel so fantastic. I'm not 100% - I have a serious weakness for cheese! - but the longer I go, the more comfortable I feel with this new lifestyle. My body feels strong and healthy and I feel much more energetic. I sleep better than I ever have before. For dinner today I had a tortilla spread with a cream cheese substitute (which is so close to the real thing as to be almost imperceptible) and topped with lettuce, cucumber, carrot shreds, avocado, and some salt and pepper. That - and a cold glass of iced tea - was like HEAVEN.
My palate has grown. I have a taste for things I've never liked before! Green bell peppers - surprisingly delicious. Mushrooms? Not nearly as gross as I thought they were. Onions? Well, I still hate onions, and tomatoes. You can't win them all. I do more cooking with whole foods than ever before. I've started using ingredients I was completely unfamiliar with. Couscous! Which is WAY better than rice. Quinoa! TVP! I make roasted brussel sprouts quite often and they are the most delicious snack ever invented. Believe it.
I also do as much rock climbing as possible. Unfortunately the rock gym is all the way up in Austin, so it makes consistent climbing very difficult, but a handful of us try to carpool up there together. Anytime I am in the area I stop by and climb for a few hours. I've gotten a LOT better since I started six months ago. I'm now bouldering on a V3 level and working on V4 problems. And I've started lead climbing, which is crazy exhilirating. I just bought a pull-up bar to install in my doorway so I can work on building by upper body strentgh when I'm not able to go to the gym.
My hair is longer. Yeah. Life is good. I feel more self-possessed than I ever have. I have tried to address a lot of my insecurity issues and my dependency on Jeff. We're doing good - he just got a job in Pflugerville. I'm not sure where I'm going to end up, so things are kind of up in the air. Which, at this point, I am fine with. I feel like I am under pressure to figure out these major life decisions, and I still feel like a kid a lot of the time. I spend a lot more time on my own and trying to reach out to friends and spend time with other people besides him.
I grow tired of typing! I'm going to make myself a Strawberry Milk (soy!) and relax a bit. I want to get up early and do the Cycle Fit class at the rec. And then getting some work done! And then possibly river floating! And maybe climbing in the evening! Hooray! And maybe I'll even update this thing more often than every six months!!