1/29/11 Saturday Going Back To Nature and GOING OUT TONIGHT! WooHoo!!

Afraid of Nature

Nick and I walked around University City while waiting for Luke's presentation (see below.)  We walked to the Institute of Contemporary Art on 36th and Spruce and saw a cool exhibit by Shary Boyle and Emily Duke.  The illustrations were accompanied by writings that told the story of a man, Pegleg and his lover Bloodie.  The story was very abstract and the illustrations a little grotesque, but I enjoyed it.  One of the pages from the story was titled "The Obvious Answer." (Couldn't find a picture of it.) A large green tree was the focal point and there were children and animals (?) attached to it like cords. I don't remember the words but the message was go back to nature to live and grow old, society and structure makes you demented.  This concept resonates deeply with me, and I can't help but feel truth in this statement.  When I leave the city and go back to nature it's like something inside of me remembers something important.  It's not a formed thought I remember, it's more like an instinct I am unconsciously recalling. Ayurveda says that being in nature heals us and brings the doshas back into balance.  I notice this consistently throughout my day. When I walk my bare feet through the cool grass or gaze up at treetops swaying against the sky something changes inside of me and I feel...connected.  Even recalling those times just now brings about that feeling of connectedness.  I notice the feeling as soon as it comes up because I have been practicing being aware of which sounds, sights, activities, feelings soothe my doshas and which aggravate them.  Luke and Nick tease me constantly about it.  If I ask, "Can you please turn the music down?"  One of them will pipe up with, "What, is it disturbing your dosha?"  Funny guys. 

Notes from the day:
Went to bed last night at 10:30 pm. Woke at:6:30 am to get ready for the First Lego League Championship that Luke and several other classmates were  competing in.  It was held at the Irvine Auditorium on 34th and Spruce.  I had never been there before.  The auditorium was beautiful but it had a very noticeable pee smell.  It was like a hot wave that washed over me as soon as I opened the door.  It was gross.  After closing my mouth (so the pee smell wouldn't come in. :-/ ) I looked around immediately to see anyone else noticed it as extremely as I did, but it didn't seem to bother people at all.  I guess it didn't bother me terribly after I got used to it, but it was there, and I kept my mouth closed as much as possible. 

Nick and I had been confused about Luke's competition for weeks.  The name suggested it had something to do with Lego's, but Luke's team were presenting a rap and a play to show that many children are experiencing hearing loss due to headphones, and listening to music too loud.  It turned out that half the competition was a robotics competition and half was a science competition...weird.  But it was good. Luke and his classmates presented beautifully!!  I was so proud of Luke.  He did so well!  The judges asked some serious questions. One of his classmates did most of the answering but Luke interjected with some really thoughtful remarks when the speaker didn't know the answer.  I was so impressed.   AND I learned that if you listen to headphones (ear buds are the worst)  at 85 decibels for only 5 minutes a day it will kill off the tiny microscopic hairlike cells in your ears that enable you to hear.  The louder you listen, the more hair falls off and the more extreme the hearing loss.  Poor things...they seem so delicate.  They recommended keeping volume at 60-70 decibels max.

After the competition Luke's dad picked him up and Nick and I went to visit Nick's family who were visiting from the west coast.   We met them at the Radisson in King of Prussia and had a really lovely meal at a restaurant called Chumley's.  Hi-larious.  I have to admit, the scallops app was quite good.  I had a lovely time with Nick's family, and though I don't know them well, they seem to be amazing people.

After dinner we left King of Prussia and met friends at North Bowl where they had a lane reserved for us.  Had an awesome time, but had way too much to drink.

And the night didn't end there!  We went back to our friends' house and became fully immersed in conversation until 2:30 am.  The whole thing was a lot of fun until I got home...what followed you ask? Spins, nausea,  sitting up straight and eating crackers (my ritual to get rid of drunkenness.)  In this case, I had no crackers so I ate corn chips and waited for my stomach to settle while I watched the rest of 500 days of summer.  I hate not knowing how movies end...even movies I don't like.  By the time I made my way to bed it was 3:45am...Crazy.  Part of me wanted to experiment with my limits and see what my new, pain free body could handle, but mostly I just wanted to let loose and have a good time.  It was worth it. 

Food:
I ate terribly today because we were out all day and I had decided to go off my diet and see what happens.
Rice and shine for breakfast and decaf coffee with cream.
Tacos in the Irvine Auditorium cafeteria...ugh.
Dates with salt as a snack
Alka seltzer before dinner.
Dinner: 1 1/2 scallops and 1/2 a burger.  2 glasses of pinot noir.
After dinner:  3 Jack and Gingers
2:30 am 10 handfuls of corn chips.