Soul Food

We are food people. Definitely. When we travel we talk a lot more about what we ate than what we saw.

Food is culture, family, love, tradition, and just a darn good experience that we get to have multiple times a day.

I wish more people would stop and think and take pleasure in what that put in their bodies. I wish they would think about it more. I try to. But in the modern world I know it is easy just to grab a prepackaged, lifeless box or bag of crap and mindlessly eat it while working overtime in front of our computers. It is worse than bad for your health, it is bad for your soul. Soulless food that gives nothing and takes everything.

In my little home, a weekend (and sometimes even weekday) morning celebration comes in the form of eggs. Egg sandwiches most often, but sometimes omletes, fried eggs (I like mine over easy) Scrambled or poached. On Saturday we have them at home while reading on the internets, on Sunday we have them at my restaurant as we get ready to make good food for other people too. It is a good thing. Good for the mind, body and yes the soul. Good food is a gift we owe ourselves and others.

PS- the recommended pairing for an egg sandwich? English breakfast tea, of course!

Out of Sorts

No particular reason. Just feeling out of sorts, at 6's and 7's, odds not evens, feeling tired and stressed and prickly. Even making tea did not set it right. Maybe something in the air today. ick. Seems to be a little bit of everything just knocking me on my butt. Tried to nap, no go. Feel dry and thin and stretched beyond the beyond. blah

Staying Focused

I have a lot of hopes, plans and dreams for 2011- but they will require a lot of focus and honesty and clarity with myself. I tend to let my unchecked optimism color my decisions but I have to temper this with realism. I plan to go over some tools, ideas, and my own writing in week 2 of 2011 and take stock. Lifehacker had a good post on making your resolutions really happen.

I am happy to have my Mantra for the year, and now I have to really make some concrete steps to getting things done and making it happen! Things are in place, it is time to go-go-go. These first 10 days of the year I have stalled a bit. Progressed on some big stuff, but still dragging on some other really important things.

Time to get back on the bandwagon. 

Small Steps and Little Celebrations

I have had this clock bugging me... battery was dying and there were no new ones in the house so consequently it has been getting slower and slower. It was the one right at the door that I look at all the time... but just never got around to fixing it.

until today.

This year is hopefully going to be all about getting things done, step by baby step. minute by minute.

My 2011 Mantra

 

Coming out of 2010 I decided I was going to follow in the footsteps of my friend and HRH Of Queen Sweeping I decided I was going to try to chose a word to live up to and define 2011. I wrote and searched and wrote some more and I decided that I am going to focus on 3 not 1. Kind of like a mantra of steps to move forward and out of the troubled times and into a more prosperous and strong future. 

Clarity, Simplicity and Sustainability. 

I am first going to be clear, crystal clear with myself and my closest and dearest. 

I am going to simplify and strengthen with each decsision and step forward.

And I am going to pursue courses of action that I can sustain and that can sustain me and those around me far into the future. 

It will certainly not be easy to put away rose colored glasses for the clear lenses needed right now- But it is past time for clarity. So Here we Go- 2011- I am going to face you full on. I am going to be clear about what I need to do, what I want and how it is going to look. I am going to simplfy and break down everything into to do-able steps and check them off a clean master list as I climb this next hill. And finally I am going to build a foundation for sustainable projects, process and life.

I will use this tripod approach to get stable and I will focus my lense with each choice I make.
And through it all, shiny, clean, 2011 -- you and I will become great friends. We will reach Dec. 2011 knowing that we have had good times, great adventures, and made smart choices together. We will toast the new year into 2012 knowing that this past 3 years of transition was worth it. And we will be ready for whatever comes next.

Onward.

At the Core of the Matter

Core Story - What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? - #reverb10

I think central to my interactions and being is community, starting groups, helping groups, meeting new people and providing opportunities for people to come together and do more as a group than they could have done alone. I like to think that my restaurant too is a place where people can come, be, and talk with friends and strangers who are destined to be new friends!

I am best when I can participate in these kinds of mutually helpful groups.

In 2010 one of the best ones that sprang up was our Small Biz Women's group. What an amazing and dynamic group of ladies. It thrills me to talk with them. Truly.

Also the hackerspace continues to be interesting though still difficult financially. Have to commit to find a way to keep that going and working in 2011. It is on the cusp of being sustainable as are so many of my 2010 projects- just need to push it to the next place.

Community and Mutual Support. Core values, and core experiences that help me thrive.

How do I share it? I try to look at how to help and how to help others help each other. I examine where people individually are and try to see where we can go as a group(s). I try to talk story- as they say in Hawaii. Share with people my own tale and ask them about theirs. Listening is key. I struggle with that at times but I think I have gotten better.

Maybe 2011 needs to be a year where I
1. write down my own story
2. share it
3. Listen to others key stories.
4. learning from those around me

lather-rinse-repeat.

I need more reflective time in the new year to look at where I have been, where I am going and staying true to my story. Time to learn about meditating...

The World To See and Friends to See it With!

Travel - How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? - #reverb10

I am still finishing all these posts though we are already on 1/1/11 here in Japan. For me 2010 was a great year of travel. We went to South By Southwest in march, I had two DNC meetings one which included the SNOMAGGEDON, had a wonderful summer trip which included my 25th Class reunion. WOW I am getting so old. Went to San Francisco and had a pilgrimage to Alice Waters temple of food. Saw friends on that trip and had so much fun. Was awed by redwoods, and inspired in the Stanford Library. And ended the year seeing nieces and family that had been too far away for too long.

In 2011- I am hoping some long lost friends will come and see us in Japan. Also we are planning a return to Castellejos to bring in the new year NEXT year with any of our folks who want to come join us. We are also returning to SXSW and have some little jaunts planned in-between times. I am hoping to go spend some time in the attic at my mom's in Feb-March. Should be a good year.