30 Day Challenge (part 2)

5. Something you're looking forward to. 

This morning my cat Moka never came home. After a night out, this is highly unusual... She's usually eager to come inside and eat/drink something. I'm super worried that she's either hurt, kidnapped or dead!! I am so looking forward to seeing her again and giving her a big hug. I promise to spend more time with her, pet her and give her some long overdue affection. Please please come back Moka!!

Update: Moka came back this afternoon! She's acting strange, avoiding the house but she's around... Phew!
Update part 2: One week later and I still haven't given her much attention. Such a bad person.

30 Days Update

The 30 Days are over (finally!) so, as promised, here's the update:

8. Eat vegan for 30 consecutive days: Chocolate junky

It's no secret that I have a chocolate addiction, but I realized this month that I have a serious chocolate addiction. My initial plan was to cut all chocolaty goodness out completely, but during the first few days, my cravings were just too strong; thankfully, Miko helped ease my withdrawal symptoms by bringing me some dark chocolate... on more than one occasion! I didn't actually buy it so how could I refuse? This is how I rationalized my consumption... Then Oreos (vegan btw) were purchased... but does that really count as chocolate? Midway through the month, on a particularly busy Monday, I caved and bought some dark chocolate at the dep close to work. As I savoured my first bite, I noticed, to my horror, that it contained milk ingredients!!! I quickly hid it far back in my desk and texted Miko to let him know what had happened (and for some moral support). The next day, I had another bite. And the 35 grams were shamefully finished before the end of the week. There was also another case of mistaken identity last week with a similar piece of dark chocolate... To my credit though, major will power was exercised considering all the Christmas chocolate I received (and bought on sale)- none of which I touched.

Chocolate wasn't the only non-vegan food I ate this month though. There may have been milk ingredients in a (ok, 3) cookie(s) that I ate on day 1, parmesan cheese in a soup that I bought at a restaurant (it was only after the soup was ordered that I noticed it in the ingredient list), I may have eaten gelatin (not vegetarian btw) on one or two occasions, some fudge & ginger cookies my boss had made, some chocolate cookies (the shame), and spring rolls were eaten almost every time I ordered sushi (are those vegan? I never bothered to ask). Last week, Miko (vegetarian btw) and I went to a restaurant and ordered Ramen soups. In discussing vegetarian options, the waiter mentioned that all the broth was pork/beef based. We got the soups anyways because it was cold out, and we wanted warm broth, and the alternative was leaving... in our defense, we felt really guilty that evening and I got a stomach ache.

Despite these (mostly junk food related) failures, I think I did pretty well. I bought less coffee at work, and when I did, enjoyed drinking it black (although, I did indulge in $4 soy lattes from time to time). I brought my lunch more often, and ate lots of salads and fruits and nuts all that good stuff that makes you feel good too. Almond milk is actually a hundred times better than cow's milk and will now become a staple in my fridge. I found vegan tea biscuits that did the trick. And Nutella, well I missed that, and I'm looking forward to eating this.

Merci Miko for doing it with me for almost the entire month! I'd say we did the best we could, and will continue to choose more vegan options when available.

15. Do Pilates everyday for 30 days: Pilates kitty

Done and done! I may have cheated a little by rushing through the movements to shorten the workout on those days when I really wasn't feeling it; but, without fail, Pilates was done everyday for 30 days. Moka found her place on the mat beside me almost every time, including that one time I did it last minute at 1:00am and groggily at 7:00am. I did it once with the door closed (Miko was over) and when I opened it, I found her scowling for having excluded her from our workout!

I promise to keep it up, maybe not everyday but at least alternate with gym days. I actually do feel stronger, slightly more flexible, but never got a flatter stomach like the ladies in my DVD... Maybe it's because of all that chocolate!

Always Good

Yesterday my friend Tza asked me how I was doing, and I responded with "always good". He then asked me for my secret...

It's true that  I'm super sensitive and, in the moment, I can easily let my feelings get the better of me... but my sadness is always fleeting and I believe that it's this same sensitivity that allows me to be open to a lot of beauty. It's there when I see a couple holding hands on a park bench, when I listen to great song, when I see Moka drooling in her sleep. It's there in that silent moment amongst friends, in my dad's art, in my mom's eyes when she's thinking about her family. Examples are everywhere, endless, and I'll always be good because of it.  

Land of Sea & Sun

So I spent my birthday week/vacation in beautiful sunny Antigua Barbuda with my papa!!!

February

12- Moka wanted to come with...

13- View from our hotel

Walk on the beach

14- Visit to St-Johns, the capital

15- Our daily walk

16- Pool-side reading

17- My birthday!!

We had planned to take a boat ride around the island, but it never left the dock!

18- A relaxing day, soaking up the sea & sun

Sun is shining, the weather is sweet

Make you want to move your dancing feet

sun is shining- bob marley


king & queen- richie spice & alison hinds

redemption song- matisyahu

Cold

Last time I had a cold was when I was a little kid, and I've been so proud of that fact! ... But my streak has ended because this weekend, I've been pretty

All stuffed up, soar throat, headachy, shivery, phlegmy, tired, no appetite... Yesterday I stayed in all day, a first since I moved out in the summer. I watched too much TV and 3 movies (Billy Elliot, Intolerable Cruelty & Crazy Stupid Love) and cuddled with Moky Beara whose sick too! She's been throwing up all over my apartment... Cold sickly winter weekends are no fun!

Weekend

- Moved boxes into my new place*
- Spent too much money on my new place
- Lots and lots of cuddling with my new love Moka
- Listened to some new tunes:


dondante- my morning jacket


waves- tribes of the city


into the night- azari & III

* Last month, I got a new apartment (!!!) on the same day I got a new job (!!!)

:O

Moka had her first Vet appointment today, and it turns out she's pregnant!!!

To be continued...

Meet Moka

I'm so excited!!

My friend Hugo started feeding a bony homeless kitty, and soon enough, she wouldn't leave! Already having a cat of his own, he needed to find someone to take over and provide a good home for her. He had asked if I knew anyone who could adopt a cat, but I said no. It was only when he asked me a second time that I considered adopting her myself...

So tonight I picked her up! After a few hours of hiding under the couch, she quickly warmed up to her new environment. Thank you Hugo (& Hugo's mom for giving her such a cute name). Meet Moka: