Undesired Outcomes....

....."undesired outcomes that offer a learning experience"....

.....I came across these words in reading this morning.  And smiled knowly, as I resonated with them.  As well as with those times when undesired outcomes caused me to think (operative word...think) I am a failure.  Or that I made a mistake.  Instead of causing me to learn.  All good, because as I am reminded as I learn español, mistakes and failures are all part and parcel to the learning process.  They show me what I do know and what I do not know.  They guide me to be comfortable with mistakes and failures.  And to be kind in word and deed with myself when I make a mistake or fail.  For in doing so, I will be kind in word and deed with others when he/she makes a mistake or fails.

All Good!

May you see the learning in the undesired outcomes that come your way today.....

change in routine...

Yes...I encourage myself and others to take time.  Two days...seven days...30 days...and take a break from the daily routine.  The entire daily routine...not just bits of it.  To refresh.  To replenish.  To restore.  To notice what I/you notice.

I notice my appreciation and energy level is different.  Often increases.  I notice I return to the daily routine aware and awake.  Less on auto-pilot.  More on choice.

Yes...I encourage myself and others to balance between routine and taking time away from routine.

Salud!

P.S.  I looked up the word "routine"....a sequence of actions regularly followed.  And I realize that the first step is to take a break from one sequence of actions that is regularly followed and notice....before diving into taking a break from one's entire daily routine.  All Good!

a food-for-thought quote

El 16 de agosto de 2015...

Read this quote today...

It caused me to pause and think about the daring adventure in my life!

Loving my daring (for me at least) adventures...partnership with Tom...stopping work at an early age...

Salud to your daring adventures...

Savor the moment....

Great article...

http://www.dailygood.org/story/1100/stop-worrying-about-how-much-you-matter-peter-bregman/

Day 3 --- check back....

Yes, all it takes is for me to travel outside of the US to humble me.  To show me how much I have access to where I live.  To remind me how "rich" I am...not in financial terms.  To remember the important things in life,

I intended to at least upload photos of my cooking learning adventures while taking the City College culinary study abroad program.  After arriving in Oaxaca de Juarez, I was met with slow upload Internet speeds so nix that idea.  Instead I have been enjoying life without ready or immediate access to Internet.  It's wonderful to sit in the park or walk down the Alcala or be in a restaurant and see folks conversing with each other and not their phone.

I notice my walking pace slowed down.  And yet even here...the pace of workers is fast.  So I am grateful to enjoy a slow pace....here and at home.  To be like this cat...resting :-)

All Good.

Savor Life!!!!!  ¡Buen Provencho!

Day 2 of the Oaxaca Cooking Adventure (1 July 2015)

WOW...the sheets of rain coming down as the taxi approached the Houston airport!  Have not seen such since my summer days in VA or NC.

Trusting my standby status on the only daily flight to Oaxaca will clear me a seat on today's flight. And as importantly...the weather permits all flights to come and go without peril!!

Meanwhile...12:30 pm Houston time and a meal after 24 hours of snacking on Trader Joe's rice crackers, handful of nuts, sunflower, & pumpkin seeds, a bite-size Lara bar and a Kind bar.  A liter of water.  Sending thanks again to the lady in the Customer Service line with me, who gave me half a sandwich after I was rebooked.  She had just returned to the line and knew all the airport food places had  just closed.  For once, I traveled without my usual meal :-) in a Lock & Lock container.

And a dose of inspiration while I eat...

http://m.dailygood.org/story/1066/the-crossroads-of-should-and-must-an-intelligent-illustrated-field-guide-to-finding-your-bliss-maria-popova/

GREAT article!!!!!

3 pm Houston time...leisurely lunch and now 2 hours to stroll the airport....

Thankful I carry The Qlipter with me, even around town.  For times like this as this bathroom stall has no hook...I create my own....

Lots of delays and cancellations announced over the airport PA system.  I feel for those in the long Customer Service line.

6 pm Houston time...decide to eat healthier for dinner :-)

6:13 pm departure to Oaxaca delayed an hour.  That keeps changing.  First it was 2 hours.  WOO HOO....I am first on the standby list.

YAHOOOO...thank you Source...I am on today's flight!!!!  Now Weather Gods...safe departure and arrival for all here including our flight!

I love repurposing.  They made serving glasses by cutting off the top of a wine bottle.  ¡Salud!

I guess the original 2 hour delay was accurate.  Meanwhile...yet another example of using The Qlipter--when the hook is on its last screw and looks rather dubious that it would hold much weight :-) Love The Qlipter!

We have lift-off.  Photo does not do the moon justice...

12:30 a.m. Villa de Campo.  Night All!  Happy I paid the single supplement to room solo!!!!!

Day 1 -- Terminal 3, United's Terminal at SFO always interesting!!

It's 30 June 2015 and heading out on my Oaxaca Culnary Cooking Adventure :-). Little did I know when I started this post what the day would entail (see towards end of this post :-)

Good thing I left at 8:30 a.m. and traffic was moving.  The car service driver whose name now escapes me, was delightful to chat with and carefully moved us through the morning traffic.  Arrived SFO in a timely fashion.

Stepping from the sidewalk into the terminal with my luggage in tow, I was met with not the usual snaking S line of travelers with luggage queuing up for the next gate attendant.  Instead each gate attendant 'kiosk' had a line in front of it.  Oh well...I have one hour and 15 minutes to get my one bag checked.  And then 45 minutes to go through security before the flight leaves.

Thank you gate attendant 'person' who came up as I maneuvered through the kiosk screens to assist not just me, those lined up after me.  She was cheerful.  As was the attendant behind the counter busily moving to and fro to grab the luggage tag(s) from the printer while attempting to match them with owner & luggage & check ID.  Envision about 10+ kiosks and three attendants behind the kiosks.  Dance amidst the chaos :-)

Thank you Source...as my boarding pass said I could go through the TSA pre-screen line.  Wow, that line was only several folks...

10:10 a.m. and I am through security.  My flight leaves at 10:56 a.m.

I always love the Terminal 3 United walkway past security and before you get to the gates...because they have interesting and informative displays.  Just wish I had more time to browse and read :-). This time it's Art Deco.

These suitcases are great for car travel.  Not when they are full & I am walking through an airport :-)

How's this for pick nicking in style!!

Loved this one as I am a waxed paper user :-)

These little black glasses make me think of the little green ones I received from my mother.

This one's for you June!

Love this dress!!!

Next stop..change plans in Houston.  If we ever take off...we boarded and not leaving the gate.

12 noon SF time and Houston, we have lift-off.  Source...have my Oaxaca flight wait for me in Houston as we are delayed in  leaving SFO.

Welcome to things beyond my control!

Welcome to Life!

Welcome to Traveling!

The adventure continues!

3:31 pm SF time and we are landing soon in San Antonio.  Air traffic is backed up in Houston.  Yup it's June and thunderstorm weather.  Been a long while  since I lived in VA with this type of weather.  Oh well, we need to land, re-fuel, and wait for further instructions.

Back to playing Rummikub on the iPad Mini :-)

6:31 San Antonio time.  Good news...the flight from Houston to Oaxaca is also delayed to leave in 30 minutes.  Alas, I am still in San Antonio.  Good thing I have snacks and water :-)

9:05 pm Houston time..we landed and all are waiting patiently while the EMT assists a passenger off before we de-plane.  I later learned that security escorted a passenger off the plane who shoved a stewardess.

9:26 pm Houston time -- here I am waiting in the Customer Service line.  Alas the flight from Houston to Oaxaca left without me :-| Yes...that is the line behind me.

Not bad...10:35 pm...and I have progressed from the very light sign hanging in the background (beyond the very visible black and yellow) to the S area :-)

12:41a.m. Houston time...at last a place to stay. Super 8 in Humble near the airport.  Will make standby tomorrow and be in Oaxaca tomorrow night!

Heavens...the price of this Super 8 room...and I thought the discounted price of $70 plus tax was high :-)

Good Night All!!!!

español and practice...

It's 20 June 2015...so much for my thoughts of blogging after my birthday :-)

I have to smile and laugh at myself...as I reflect on where I've spent my time and energy since 12 April.

Mostly taking two beginning Spanish classes at City College of San Francisco from January to May.  Three nights a week..two hours each night.  What great classes even with the homework, language lab, posting en español on the class internet-forum.  Great because I am taking this class to learn the language not to satisfy some requirement.  I reminded myself of this (as did Tom) whenever the old thoughts creeped in before taking a test.  The test results just showed what I had learned and what I had not -- that's all.  I do not need to make an A.  And taking the classes showed me that as with all things...practice assists with getting it in my bones.

Mostly I write simple present tense sentences so that covers my writing practice.  And what I have learned this far -- we ended the semester with preterite (past) tense and I am still wrapping my brain around the conjugation!

Conversation is another story--¡estoy nervioso!  And have not gotten a fluent conversation buddy...yet...to challenge me.

Next month will challenge me -- I will be in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, México.  Most of the time will be in cooking class (City College of San Francisco's culinary study abroad program) --taught in English.  And when there is free time -- practicing my Spanish conversation!  I find when I am immersed in a place where English is the second language...I fair much better in conversation.

Yes...practice makes things easier...and less daunting.  I have found that with a lot of things.  Cooking for one.  Replacing old non-beneficial habits with beneficial ones is another.

Cooking -- I consider myself an improv chef now.  Mostly because some nights I look at what's fresh in my icebox and put together a meal of mostly protein and veggies...healthy :-) ... pleasing presentation .. tasty ... easy to prepare.  The other night I had tilapia, so I mixed up 2 TBS of avocado oil and 1 TBS of goat milk yogurt and put the tilapia fillets in that mixture.  Then dredged the oil/yogurt coated fillets in a mixture of pecorino cheese, dry chervil (since I did not have fresh or dried parsley), and paprika.  Baked at 400 degrees for about 15 or so minutes.  The veggies - raw summer squash and carrot spaghetti tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper.  I must remember to take photos of what I cook :-)   Definitely in cooking class :-)

Replacing old non-beneficial habits -- that's a whole other blog post :-)  The short version:  this article Walking Your Talk:  The Path Of Personal Integrity...certainly had (and has) me reality check -- are my deeds and words in sync?  Am I allowing the Inner Bully, the Inner Doubter to rule my deeds and words?  And what about the External Bully or External Doubter?  As I like to say...Awareness Is A Great Teacher...and I continue to learn from this awareness.  And practice replacing old non-beneficial with new beneficial.

Link To Article

Next stop....Oaxaca CIty...

Feliz Mi Cumpleaños! continues.....part 2

It is such a beautiful day out and I have no plans except to en-joy the day.

Melissa and I meet up for a walk and no plans!  Well almost no plans as I want to return empty honey jars to the beekeeper at the Sunday Fort Mason Farmer's Market.  So a-walking there we go!

Oops no photos of the usual beautiful walk along The Bay or the Farmer's Market.  We are so darned blessed to have convenient access to all this beauty!!!  We came across another friend of mine who was also heading to the Farmer's Market so we three chatted as we walked.

YUMM...local honey...this one from San Bruno Mountains...to keep allergies at bay :-)

This Farmer's Market is just the right size for me because it is rarely crowded.  Meanwhile Melissa has an entré into the Vintners Market which is going on at Fort Mason.  So next stop is two minutes walking from the Farmer's Market!  I LOVE IT when I have no plans and Source provides things to see and do!!

This is overwhelming because it is wall to wall wineries tasting and selling!  Lucky for us we arrived as they opened so woohoo, minimal crowd...unlike now :-)

And it was FUN to just wander and wonder where all these wineries (that I had not heard of before) are located!!  And local Bay Area distillers were represented as well.

Often the labeling is fun...,

And then there was the photo booth :-)

And I am all about food before imbibing so there was a food truck out front.  With sliders while we sun & eat!

And Melissa sees a friend from our neighborhood.....

And I practice with my selfie stick.  Thank you June for recommending this one to try! It's a breeze to use!  I need to practice :-)

Mission accomplished!  Fun on my birthday!  Or any day for that matter!

Feliz Mi Cumpleaños! continues...part 1

Well more rainbow reflections!  This is the most I have seen in one day!  Thank you Sun for making my day!!!!!

In the hallway

In the kitchen

Another one in the bedroom

This one blended into the rug in the pic AND it popped out in real time :-)

WOOOWWWW...another two at one time

And then three which are hard to see in this pic

El 12 de Abril de 2015 - Feliz Mi Cumpleaños!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Look at the beautiful rainbow reflection on our bedroom wall that greeted me when I woke up.  Love how the colors shifted each moment!

It is a fabulous-so day!

And then a first for me...two rainbow reflections on the wall!!!

Thank you Sun!

And then I get to spend a few quiet moments with this view...before I see what the cards have to say to me! Thank you for that beautiful blue in the sky!  And the mist on the horizon!

And the cards are saying such spot-on things for me today!  And for you as well! Love It!

Si, soy un mano curiosa!

Enjoy your day as I enjoy mine!

Balanced Hugs!

WOW...another rainbow reflection!!!  Thank you Life!

And what an awesome birthday card in our kitchen!!!  Thank you Tom!