Once again catching up on yesterday's post September 1, 2015

Today's message of my picture is very simple, but at the same time very powerful and more important than ever in today's world. Especially in light of what's happening across the pond in Europe, and the Mediterranean, with refugees from all over just trying to get away from war, destruction,  and threats to their lives. This post is for yesterday's picture contribution, I used oil pastel crayons, to very simply give you a light of peace for the world and it is to remind everyone, everywhere in the world or in the lives of those where peace is direly needed: the night is always darkest before the dawn. 

Artwork of the day August 31, 2015

As I mentioned earlier I had to catch up one piece, because I couldn't finish my work yesterday. Therefore all I could produce today was a study of a castle or church window that I'm hoping to expand eventually into a full building picture. Today I found my inspiration in a history series I found on the web, about Germany and German kingship and emperorship. This, as you would imagine, had  lots of our Castles and Abbies depicted. Hence, i arrived at today's Gothic arch with the view out onto a field with trees.

Picture for August 30th, 2015

I started it yesterday but wasn't able to finish. A bit too ambitious. I will try to make it up today. This picture is inspired by Yosemite national park, which we visited on a long US road trip this summer. We took our shoes and socks off and walked in the ice-cold stream, with all these smooth river rocks and little plants, even a family of ducks visited. The views were awe-inspiring! An amazing trip. The boat was not there, but I added it for ambiance!

No inspiration, no problem. -That' what Nature is for!

This morning I woke up with no ideas in my head. No inspiration, no matter how hard I thought about it. I went downstairs to make a cup of coffee and while it was running I looked at my yard. Thinking about the impending hurricane/ tropical storm that's coming in and how I should go out there ad tie off the shrimp tree and the bougainvillea so the wind won't damage them. My thought was interrupted by two butterflys looked like they're chasing each other or dancing.  

There was my inspiration for today. I hope you like it. 

Also feel free to answer my new poll on the left, it is anonymous and just for fun!

Artwork of the day August 28, 2015

I kind of felt geometrical today got some straight lines some straightforward figures and unfortunately right now I'm a bit limited by my color selection since I'm in a moving situation so I apologize for the slight dullness of black gray and red that I have available to me at the moment. I also have some color

pencils that I'll be using in the next few days but this is my contribution for today

Artwork a Day

We have all seen the Julia Stiles movie, I forget the name right now about the girl that cooked one of her French cookbook recipes a day for a year. We've seen the one that I personally found impressive, sewing a new dress out of a thrift store find each day for a year.

I would like to put on my own challenge. For all my life painting and crafts and artwork has been an integral part of my identity. I've always found it relaxing, decompressing and very gratifying to engage in any artsy activity, especially painting. This part of me has escaped me for quite some time now, and I feel not having this outlet has deprived me and changed me, not for the better.

By taking on the challenge of producing one artwork a day, I can self-impose my best outlet for any kind of feelings on to myself and thereby force myself to let them go each day instead of dwelling on them. A second plus will be, though they will not all be award winners, it helps me create a portfolio of my work.

So starting today, August 27th, for one year I will post one piece of artwork, weather it is a painting, sketch, drawing, papers criss or glue kind of thing or anything else that requires me to sit down and be creative, I will post the outcome here on my blog. Hold me accountable, check in, let me know how I'm doing good or bad, I'd appreciate everyone's support!

Weight Loss -A Tale of Accountability, Apps and Convincing Yourself That You ARE a Runner

This post was written and meant to be posted some time in January.  I forgot and have since actually gotten some new insight, which made me chose to still post it now.  So here's my two cents on Weight Loss.
Losing weight is hard. No news there. Losing weight on a schedule, like say the company health insurance weigh-in in less than a month....impossible? Maybe. Motivating? Oh yeah.
More than anything, I've learned that losing weight really is an exercise in beating yourself and your inner nay-sayer more so than beating the pounds. I was always under the impression that I cannot run, unless I am being chased... by a very large animal perhaps or a mass murderer... then it turns out, feeling bad about the dog not getting enough exercise and/or attention, got me to run with him. He picked up on how to run nicely next to me, really quickly, and he too, seems to be building some muscle. Nice, we both win.

In addition, of course the eating habits have to be adjusted. Luckily I have never had a particular taste for fried stuff, I can easily do without. My only vice is Pizza, but I can have that, in moderation. The hard stuff is giving up as much carbs, as I would like to eat, --as would any respectable German meat and potato girl. At my house, we have long replaced any white carbs with the whole grain version. Rice, pasta and bread, pretty much only exist in brown in my house. Also helpful. But we have been doing that. Still got heavy doing that. Now it's time to adjust portion sizes. Tough, but do-able.

So I started 12 days ago at 166lb at 5'4", running, I was able to do 2 minutes of running at a time, pretty much breathing like a freight train, but I didn't give up, what I couldn't run, I walked, and tried to supplement with riding my stationary bike and doing some elliptical.

12 days in, I ran 20 minutes with my dog Jack the day before yesterday, running most of the way, 12 minute miles still but hey, I've come a long way. Still get home and get on the bike or elliptical. Well here we are at 158lb. Not bad but still a ways to go.

My target weight is 144lb for my next weight-bracket for the health insurance, and I intend to hit that, if not that weigh-in, then on the next voluntary one. I've always struggled with my weight and there has come the time, where I decided healthy is more important than pizza, resting on the couch, taking a bath or whatever else the distraction or excuse of the day is. I've never really been hard on myself when it came to working out or eating right, weirdly, because I can be hard on myself for just about anything else.

Great motivators are my friend Sarah, who helped get me started and who has become somewhat of an accountability buddy. Helps immensely to have somebody who doesn't have a bad influence on you, but suggests to have a half caesar wrap for lunch and whom you in turn convince to not have the chips with that but the fruit cup instead. Dream team!

Since I wrote this first portion a few key events have me looking at health, especially my own, a little bit different. I never gave my health much thought, yes, we eat brown rice, brown pasta etc. lots of veggies, not much of the bad stuff, but otherwise I've never truly considered it, mainly, because I never had health issues.

Meanwhile in January one morning I find myself just randomly keeling over in the bathroom, and hit the deck pretty hard. Still didn't think much of it, dusted myself off and went to work. When I told a co-worker what happened, she scooped me up, stuck me in the car and drove me to the E.R. First time I've been at a hospital for me since I was born. Super low blood pressure and the doc ordered every test known to man and then told me they're keeping me over night with a overnight EKG and IV attached to me. Did not see that coming.  Everything turned out to be fine, values returned to normal the next day and no one really could say what happened other than that I randomly passed out. Puts things in perspective though.

Even more cause for perspective on health, is the stage 4 breast cancer case of our friend Andrea, born the same year as me, 2 small kids, and so much to live for. If nothing has had me consider health lately, most of all, not taking it for granted, this was it! Knowing a person your age is fighting for her life really has you consider some things in life.

Today I found out that a friend of mine has to be on an intensely strict diet due to a heart issue she just was told she had. Also born the same year as me.

Needless to say, back to the workout routine it is. One of these days I will convince myself that I am a runner. I need to get back to the routine. #icandothis #itsnotthathard #veggiesaremyfriend #ilovekale #right?

Rome wasn't built in a day, but every start is a good start....