delara, interrupted

A quick update: we still haven't gone to see Matrix Revolutions. Many of our friends are out of town at a conference in Nashville. It snowed yesterday and there was accumulation. Pretty!! I have serious heartburn at the moment for no good reason. It's frustrating. We have tentative plans to go into the city tomorrow (today) and enjoy the sights and sounds and cold air of the winter season. Mom rocked at bowling tonight. Oh yeah, we went bowling tonight instead of seeing Matrix because the IMAX screen was broken. Lame. Bowling was so fun though! Dalib is a great bowler, and who knew cuz Azin is so good!

Good times, good times.

Posted by Delara at 01:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm so full. And very grateful too. Farren is here, cuz Azin is here, we are reveling in old jokes, inside and public, reminiscing about fun times we have had over the years and just generally having a super fun time already. And it has been less than a few hours since Azin joon arrived!

Yesterday was way cool - we had a fun crew over for dinner, including dad, friends and such. We had GREAT food provided by everyone. Paulie fried the turkey - our first experience with that and it was awesome! Super yummy.

I went on a baking binge and baked 4 things. Then I put together a no-bake dessert as well. Again, yummy.

So, it is. And now I'm full. But there's always more room for good times and eating. And we shall partake starting tomorrow morning, after a bridal shower at a friend's in the morning. We didn't go to the Matrix the other night - typical - so I think we might add that to the sked tomorrow.

And it's snowing - did I mention that? I ordered it special for my cuz. It is so pretty!

Winter has arrived.

Posted by Delara at 09:54 PM | Permalink

Farren has arrived in full splendor. Let the outrageous festivities commence! We were off to a typical start as we exchanged toilet-humor jokes over dinner. I then belched rather loudly afterwards, brushed it off with an adorable "oops, was that me?" in my baby voice, and began to feel sleepy. Farren and Paulie headed downstairs to the CNN media center (my loving nickname for our over-the-top TV array) to play Soul Calibur 2, and I categorically lost my hubbie for the next 10+ days while F-man is here.

So far, par for the course.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving with the fam and our friends. Yippee for days on which it is perfectly normal to pig out like there has been a hunger strike for the past 2 years. Double yipee when you get to sleep in that morning because you are so tired from seeing Matrix 3 the night before on IMAX.

I am only sad I won't get to see my older bro Marc, who will not be coming to Chicago this year for T-day. How unusual...

I think that secretly he is running off to some exotic location without telling anyone. Can I come too?? I promise to walk Tessera every day, really I do!

Posted by Delara at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

It is not winter when it is 62 degrees and rainy outside. But for some reason this year, winter in Chicago is described just like this - balmy and mild.

WHAT??!??!??!!

Are you kidding me? Winter in Chicago is 2 feet of snow, 20 degrees below zero and 40 below with the wind chill. The chill is no joke.

So what gives this year? Maybe global warming and we shall soon see the glaciers melting into little memories. Maybe we just got a lucky break - after all, the Second City deserves a break every now and then.

Or maybe there was a tear in the space-time continuum and the whole winter season fulfilled its cycle within the span of a week (the one "cold" week we had) and now it is really May 5 but nobody realizes it just yet because the tear didn't affect our clocks.

Hm. Well.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Felicidades!

Posted by Delara at 05:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

In our lives, we have the opportunity to interact with all kinds of people. Those with whom we work, those we see at the grocery store, those who live with us, those we call our friends. I have been really blessed in that, overall, I am surrounded by nice people. I mean, <i>nice</i>. At home, at work, out and about - anywhere. Except maybe at the gym - everyone seems pretty much into themselves there. Except Terry, who is also nice. But I digress.

For example, for the last few days I have been working with some folks who theoretically have the potential to be not-so-nice. They're pharma reps. One hears many rumors about any kind of sales rep, but particularly pharma reps. But these lovely people were just so nice - genuine, friendly and sweet. It was such a pleasure working with them! One even invited me to give her a buzz the next time I'm in NY - which will be next month, and I am looking forward to hanging out. Oh yeah!

I guess it feels hopeful that in a world where many people experience such hardship and live in fear and where you really have to look out for yourself most of the time, there are some sincerely good people who are happy to extend the goodness within to you. And I am grateful to know a lot of them. And the list grows longer every day. Now that's living well.

Posted by Delara at 02:58 PM | Permalink

Seriously, and sadly, there are few things more enjoyable to me than shopping.
Pure, unadulterated shopping. And for anything - not just clothes! I could go shopping for Paulie for hours. Same goes for home furnishings, groceries, gifts for loved ones, books... I've realized over the years that it's less about the purchase and more about the experience - the smell of the store, the tactile extravaganza of different fabrics, the colors, the shapes, the patterns, matching things, or finding those things that are most diametrically opposed. In a way, it's about art for me - feeding my artistic eye.

Then again, I could never turn down a good sale item!!

Posted by Delara at 09:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Reflection: I am not sure if I actually like working out or not. I am, however, definitely sure I don't see any difference between when I do and when I don't. I only notice that when I don't my muscles don't feel hurt and sore and when I do I just sweat a lot.

I do, however, enjoy the feeling of meeting my workout goals. And eating goals for that matter, but those are rarely won. Knowing I went to the gym on a given day when I say I'm going to the gym engenders pride and satisfaction. But the feeling of disappointment and deflation when I don't go far outweighs the positive. It's a totally uneven pendulum.

Do I sound like Eeyore?

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. Just trying to find some speck of additional motivation, I suppose, to get my arse to the gym on a more frequent basis - something more than "occasionally" or "once in a while" would be nice.

At least I'm drinking lots of water these days - that's got to be good for the body. And of course I'm peeing much more often. That goes without saying.

Posted by Delara at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Recently, I have been in a bit of a funk. And that has felt both goofy, as in my fatal memory lapses and clumsiness, and profoundly troubling, as in my anxiety and avoidance of people. I had a breakthrough this weekend though when I realized that at exactly this time last year I was going through probably the worst time of my life with the possible exception of my angst-ridden high school years. I was under such stress and was experiencing such pain last year that I really just wanted to check out of life. Not literally - don't call the psych ward just yet - but I just wanted to step out of my life and into a completely different scenario far, far away from this one.

Thankfully things have changed quite a bit since last year. One could say that my perseverance paid off. One might also say, based on keen observations, that almost all of the huge stressors in my life last year are no longer a significant factor as they have been taken out of the current scheme. Eliminated. Ala kazam! Poof!

But there is something about this time of year that seems to mentally bring back all the bullshit from last year, just not quite as strongly. And I seem to be feeling spiritual or emotional aftershocks. I have remembered and thought about specific incidents or people from last year quite often recently. And it generally causes my body to completely tense up and my stomach to turn over. Ick!

If I dwell long enough in yester-year, I am baffled by the complete insanity of what was happening - that people were just clueless about the totally destructive behaviors they were spilling out all over the place. And I feel disappointed, angry and tired all at once.

And then I think this clever little line I recently read or heard somewhere: "This is a story that doesn't have to happen." (I wish I could credit the source, but alas - my fatal memory loss strikes again.) And my thoughts dissipate, like steam evaporating into the air. Invisible and gone. And I am once again thankful for what is. For the most part.

Posted by Delara at 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

'Nuff said.

Posted by Delara at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Normally, as you well know, I get SO tired during our meeting weekends. Not for a lack of stimulation during our consultation, but just because our days are loooong and I get no time off between Friday and Monday for many weekends in a row. But this time, I am so energized! This could possibly be attributable to my fabulous workouts this week (two cardio and one strength training sessions yesterday, yo!), but more likely it is because we are enjoying a greater sense of unity as a committee. Brilliant.

We are so unified, in fact, that at dinner tonight, we all ate at the same pace. Hilarious.

So, I just wanted to assure you that things are good in work-life.

Personal life is another story at the moment. But whatev.

Posted by Delara at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I am IN LOVE with <a href="http://homestarrunner.com">Homestar Runner</a>!! This is one of the funniest websites I have had the pleasure of experiencing! Seriously... If you've never tried, it be sure to check <a href="http://homestarrunner.com/firsttime.html">Homestar's intro</a>. And definitely check out the <a href="http://homestarrunner.com/characters2.html">cast of characters</a>.

Brilliant!!

Posted by Delara at 12:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Today was a glorious day. Except for the wind, but you have to overlook that on a day like today.

It all started when I was able to sleep in this morning - until 9:30 am! Unheard of, and quite enjoyable, if I do say so. Then, I awoke, sleepily brushed my teeth, and admired my pearly whites, which looked particularly nice this morning. I proceeded to tidy up our room a bit, putting away my laundry from yesterday's loads. In a weird way, I actually like doing laundry and folding clothes.

After making the bed, I went online to surf. And do a little bit of work, but it was a small enough bit of work that it really didn't factor into my day much. That rocked!

In case you haven't already figured it out, today was a day off from work. That happens when you work at the administrative offices for your religious community and it's a Holy Day for that same religion. Fabulous! Today was the day we commemorate the birth of Baha'u'llah. <a href="http://us.bahai.org/global/progressive.htm">Look it up</a>, if you are interested.

So, I showered, dressed and ventured out into wildly-bizarre-for-November weather that was just lovely. Again, although windy, it was 60 degrees outside and it was beautifully sunny! WHAT?!?? Believe me - not in Chicago in November, for goodness sake.

I joined some of my friends for a leisurely brunch/lunch in Andersonville, we then went to see <a href="http://www.loveactually.com/">Love Actually</a>, which was SO funny and cute - we were laughing out loud quite a bit - and we topped it off with a fashion show and dinner out in honor of lovely Sonia's birthday. Yay us!

And yay November 12, 2003!

Posted by Delara at 11:37 PM | Permalink

1. Finally saw "School of Rock" - hilarious and oh-so-cute!!
2. Called my FABULOUS <a href="http://www.itsokaytobesingle.com">brother Marc</a> to send some love
3. Completed Ruhi Book 3 and felt so confident about teaching children's classes in the future
4. My fingernails
5. Feng Shui planning for our home
6. Purchased fun art supplies - I never knew copper mesh had so many applications!
7. Hosted one of the best women's nights ever - thank you, Dr. Shannon!
8. Ate WAY too much sugar and dairy
9. Basked in the glory of having accomplished my workout goals for this past week
10. Watched the first snowfall of the year - and while I do NOT like freezing cold weather, yipee for snow!
11. Caught up with Faithie's life - like one can every really catch up
12. Had wonderful friends over for dinner - thanks, Mom, for cooking something awesome!
13. Reflected on financial planning goals
14. Hugged my Mom

Posted by Delara at 01:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

My life has been turned upside down lately and it is starting to lose its novelty for me. At first, being clumsy and absent-minded was cute, maybe even charming. But now it is just plain annoying! And why, you might ask, have I been clumsy and absent-minded? Well, it is these little things called hormones. And they really are your friend, most of the time - they help you adjust and adapt to the world around you. And mine are super effective at their job!

But when they are off-balance, like they have not been eating their Wheaties in the morning, well - then - that is a completely different story.

They go haywire. They make me crazy! Moody, unfiltered (my own personal term for not having any tact and saying out loud that never-should-be-spoken, constant stream of thoughts in your head) and clumsy me has been amusing my friends but driving me nuts. Yes, I do realize how hilarious an off-kilter Delara is - it has made me giggle once or twice as well. But enough is enough!

So, I hereby declare things will be normal again. Then again, it is just my hormones talking.

Posted by Delara at 01:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

It is official - I have worked out 4 days straight this week! WOO HOO!!! Go me!

And then I learned tonight that workouts are MUCH more effective first thing in the morning, before you eat. You burn many more calories then. And, of course, more fat too.

Alas, my precious body just will not get up earlier in the a.m. I'm just not hard-wired that way! But I am also INCREDIBLY tired of being as chunky as I am. It is not that I do not love my body - I do love it! But it is somewhat unrecognizable as "mine" these days. And it definitely is not recognizable to my wardrobe. I know this because just about every morning, as I open the closet, my clothes look at me and say "It's not you, it's me - we just aren't a good fit for each other." Sad.

So, any ideas for how to haul my a** out of bed earlier each morning? And coffee doesn't cut it for me - caffeine, for better or worse, has no effect on me in terms of providing a kick. Any added energy I need has to come from sleep and natural vivacity.

Anyway, before I wax philosophic any longer, I am open to suggestions for early morning cardio routines that are motivating enough to get me out of bed.

Posted by Delara at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I need to vent about one of my recent pet peeves.

What is it with "Best" as a closing for a letter or email message? Is it short for "I best be going now" or "With the best regards" or "Best wishes"? And are we really that short on time that we can't write the whole closing out?

Give me a break!

Even I, possibly the world's 10th busiest person, have time to write out "With loving regards" or "Sincerely" for goodness sake!

Anyway, my plea is for people to find more creative ways of closing letters or messages. Exploring replacements for "Dear" at the beginning isn't a bad idea either.

Best,
Delara

(ha ha!)

Posted by Delara at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)