Oh Crap. I feel another phase coming on...

I'm feeling a phase I've had in the past trying to make a comeback. This is both fantastic and frightening all at the same time.  It is the "de-cluttering my life" phase. It's a dangerous place.

My de-cluttering phases of years past have usually grown out of necessity. When I moved from a 2 bedroom apartment to a 400 square foot studio, so I could return to school at the age of 30...I sold or donated tons of my stuff. It felt really good. I enjoyed knowing what all of my possessions were and I only kept things I needed.

After finishing school, securing a job and not being a starving college student anymore I began purchasing/obtaining/finding stuff I liked. Over the last few years the amount of crap stuff I have has grown exponentially. I moved into my current dwelling almost 2 years ago. I have a huge indoor storage/attic area that is full. I've only been in there once to look for something. Once. So that tells me that all of the stuff in there is really not important to me. At all. So unimportant that I don't even know what is in there!

I also have a glorified storage closet guest room. It too has become a haven for misfit items. From the guest closet (which, by the way, is bigger than the closet in my room) to under the guest bed. All areas that could hold stuff... have stuff.

So...you ask...how do I know this phase is trying to make a comeback? The proof is in the 9 garbage bags full of clothes I am going to donate and the 6 reusable grocery bags full of books that will be sold at my local Half-Priced Books. I have also filled my recycle bin with stuff...and have only filled one trash bag with actual trash (trying to be eco-friendly in my de-cluttering). Luckily most of the stuff I have can be given away or sold.  This part is the FANTASTIC part.

The frightening part, you ask?

All of this crap is from the guest bedroom/closet and the bookshelf downstairs. I haven't even opened the storage closet upstairs. And it is bigger than my whole guest room and guest closet combined.  I think I'm going to need to tackle that space with a plan (and a bulldozer).  No. You don't need to call A&E to let them know they have a new episode of Hoarders ready to go in ATX. Yes. I do have a lot of stuff, but luckily I also have a home that has lots of closet space. Space to keep crap I don't need.

To be honest, I kind of know what has spurred this little de-cluttering adventure. I am thinking about returning to school next year. If I do that, I know I will downsize and actually have a need to get rid of some of my stuff. I guess I am really just being proactive!

Thinking about going back to school reminded me of the last time I downsized... and I lived a pretty de-cluttered life then. Not just de-cluttered of stuff, but everything else seemed a little more organized. It was nice. It was simple. It worked for me... better than having all of this stuff.

I will be making a trip to Goodwill and Half-Priced books in the morning. My goal is to have the whole downstairs of my house clutter-free before I go to bed tonight. It might be a late night...I wonder if a glass of wine will help?


e~

200 Mile Radius

Last winter I decided my new phase was going to be all about eating locally grown/raised groceries.  Anyone who knows me knows that I dream big and deliver small when it comes to my phases. No, that isn't a typo.  I generally want to make HUGE changes.....I talk about them and the things I am going to do....and then the reality and size of the undertaking rears it's lovely head and I am knocked down a couple of notches.

I really don't mind this process though... because as I am falling down... onto the hard ground of reality, I generally tear away a few nuggets of knowledge that make their way into my daily life, making it better...or at least more interesting.

How was I going to do this? It started with a blog.

200 Mile Radius

Here is the outcome:

The blog lasted about two weeks. The plan was to only purchase foods that were grown/raised within a 200 mile radius of Austin. That meant that my food sources would have to be farmer's markets or from a delivery service that provided farmer's market products. It would also mean that I would only be eating produce that was in-season.

 I used Farmhouse Delivery and they were pure AWESOMENESS! I started this venture in the winter. That made it hard for me because I don't really care too much for many of the winter veggies. Honestly, there were several times when I didn't even know what some of the produce in my bushel actually was! One of the many genius things Farmhouse does is they send you a picture of the produce in the bushel that has the name of each item. They also provide some killer recipes!

Here is a picture from one of the bushels I received:

 I had them deliver for a few months, but it wasn't working out for me as I was working an insane number of hours at work and didn't even have the energy to make myself a PB&J...and the thought of actually cooking wasn't going to happen. I started giving the produce to a friend of mine so it wouldn't go to waste. It was too much for me to take on. So I cancelled my deliveries. That was the day the blog died too.

                                     
One day I hope to return to Farmhouse Delivery. They are that good!



Since I was working 10,000 hours a week, going to the farmer's market wasn't happening either. So I went back to my old ways....Starbucks for breakfast, maybe grabbing some almonds or string cheese for lunch, and dinner was something ordered through a microphone and given to me in a paper bag through a window... or delivered directly to my house by some teenage boy trying to buy new rims for his Kia.

I've learned that I am either "all in" or "all out" when it comes to most things. Especially healthy eating and exercise.

I'm either going to see my FANTASTIC acupuncturist/nutritionist  on a regular basis and following all of her advice. (btw....Marlene is the best! Even when I come back after a long time away she is kind, helpful and totally awesome. She is also very real. She "gets" it. She rocks!).....or the baristas at my Starbucks are creating my beverage of choice before my car even pulls up to the drive-thru speaker-box. (they are nice too...but they aren't really into helping me get on a road to health...they sell coffee that tastes like ice cream...touche´)

I'm the same with exercise. I'm either working out with a trainer 3 times a week, or you can see the imprint of my butt on my couch and I'm considering the walk up the stairs to bed my "exercise" routine.


My newest phase is to find my place "in the middle".

It's harder than you think.

I was raised on casseroles, juice from concentrate... and corn was the top vegetable in our house. The only thing that was green in our kitchen was the apple-green linoleum on the floors and the Formica counter tops. During my childhood I ran around with a permanent purple grape-juice mustache.

I have come a long way from the days of "cream of mushroom soup" being the staple ingredient in my meals but it isn't hard for me to return to those roots. My generation was the first to have Frakenberries and Fruity Pebbles....many of these sugar-laden cereals came out the year I was born.  Yeah for me! The processing of food hit an all-time high for my generation...and I have the big butt to prove it. I'm not blaming anyone for my challenges with food. The facts are that I love some "foods" that aren't good for me and it has taken me many years to change some of my bad habits, and some of my bad habits still have a vice-like grip on me.

One of the biggest "nuggets" of information I have learned in the past few years is how delicious real food can be! I know it sounds weird...but until you have eaten the goat-cheese salad from Blue Dahlia, you haven't lived.

I am going to work on balance in my eating. Farmer's market foods whenever possible, talking a walk around the block instead of having to have a $60 a month gym membership. I'm going to try to start small. This isn't usually how I roll....but I think it is what I need to do right now. No crazy stuff. Just getting back to the basics.

The 200 Mile Radius idea didn't happen as I wanted, but here are some of the "nuggets" I learned:

1. The seed to healthful eating has been planted in me and will hopefully grow slowly into good choices I will make for myself every day
2.  I know that it's worth taking the time to make it happen
3.  I am much happier when I am eating foods that are good for me
4. My brain works better when I'm eating healthful foods
5. Almond butter is awesome
6. Farm-fresh milk is sent directly from God
7. I don't like Cilantro or Anise...even if it comes from the farmer's market...ick!
8. Buddha's Brew is the best Kombucha ever!
9. There is something called pecan butter by Local Baby out there. Once you try it you will be willing to hurt people to get more of it. (please don't hurt people...just order it online... it's easier that way)
10. The best jams and jellies come from Confituras. There is no reason to argue this point. You won't win.

So I guess this is the reincarnation of a past phase in smaller more realistic "bites". We shall see....

Happy eating!

e~