Day 44 of my 60 days of celebration (Saturday, May 14) - Cuba on the brain....

Went to the first of two orientations for my trip to Cuba with City College of San Francisco's (CCSF) Study Abroad Program.

The program is Latin American and Latino/a Cross-Border Social Movements.  The focus is the Cuban Revolution and how it brought on profound changes in Cuban society and impacted much of Latin America.  The program will explore the changes in Cuban culture after the Revolution and the new institutions that emerged.

LOL LOL....as I typed above, I was taken back to middle school....I did not do well in world or american history or geography in middle school :-)  Anywho, I have come a long way since then.  I am no longer interested in making an "A".  Instead interested in the experience.  Thus will be taking the program Pass/No Pass.

Met CCSF's instructor (Greg Landau) on our program.  He has been going to Cuba since he was 5 years old.  His father was a film maker and Greg went there often as a child and now as an adult.  Excited to be going with someone who has connections with the people, music, and culture of Cuba.  And personal experiences.  He'll be taking us off the tourist path and for that I am grateful.

I love traveling off the tourist path as I enjoy seeing how people in another place live day-to-day.  Helps keep my perspective open.

Thus I am grateful to have the time and finances to go on this "planned deviation from routine" next month.

Thank You!

ascorbic acid aka vitamin C

May 9 and Day 39 of my 60 days of celebrating the transition from my 6-0 birthday into my 6-1 years of living.

A friend yesterday told me about this free 30-minute clip of a documentary (link below) where she learned about the benefits of ascorbic acid aka vitamin C.  She's been using ascorbic acid powder for about 4 months and definitely noticed a difference in her particular health symptoms and circumstances.

https://thatvitaminmovie.com/movie30/freescreening30/

I am ever reading about or looking into non-conventional medical methods for treating or preventing disease/illness that have proven successful for people.  With my past health symptoms and circumstances, I believe in balancing conventional with non-conventional.

And I believe in sychronicities.

--My friend today telling me about this 30-minute movie and her experience with taking water with L-ascorbic acid powder dissolved in it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner-time.

--Earlier in the week another friend with cancer e-mailing about her progress with a new MD and a new protocol since beginning of this year, that includes liposomal ascorbic acid.

--I just finished a book by Norman Cousins "Anatomy of an illness as perceived by the patient" who used laughter to heal his symptoms.  And in reading the book, I learned he also used intravenous ascorbic acid after he read various research papers.

--My food choices are relatively good.  And I did not eat fruit on a daily basis (until I did my raw fruit and raw veggie cleanse in March).  The first day of the fruit and veggie cleanse, I noticed that my low, low, low, low level of fatigue was gone.  Makes sense today - fruits have ascorbic acid (among other nutrients).

So I am most definitely having lots of my daily fruits (and veggies).  Plus taking 1 gram of L-ascorbic acid powder daily at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to see if that helps the wrist pain I sometimes have in either or both wrists.  And reading up more on ascorbic acid :-)

Here's to your well-being!

Day 35...May 5...what's there to celebrate?

It's way too early in the a.m. for this Queen of Sleep (as most of my close friends know I LOVE my sleep)....it is 4:30 a.m. and I have been tossing and turning since 2 a.m.  And got to thinking about being in the midst of my 60 days of celebration for my 60th birthday, that I began on April 1.  And looking back at the past week...I wondered what had I celebrated each day?  Because I think "happy" when I hear the word "celebrate".  And the past weeks had left me exhausted mentally, physically, emotionally.  And for that, I am not happy.

No wonder when the bank teller asked me yesterday 'how are you?'  I paused, took a deep breath, and responded 'I don't think I'll respond truthfully because I would be talking to you for a long while.'  She looked surprised.  And went out of way to help me with what I believed would be a simple transaction.  Turns out the branch no longer offers counter checks so this wonderful soul of a bank teller called to find out how I could do my transaction without counter checks.  Thank you bank teller named Pensom!

Anywho....since I am wide awake and have not blogged each day as I had hoped and intended, I decided to look up the word "celebrate" for some inspiration and insight into "what had I celebrated in the past week?"

Thank you Merrium Webster for the definition and Source for the idea!  This definition struck a chord "to mark (as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine". Specifically the part about "deviation from routine". Those three words are giving me the best belly laugh right now.  Belly laughs definitely feel good!

Most certainly each day since last Wednesday (when I returned from my trip to LA to celebrate my friend's birthday) has been a 'deviation from routine' for me.  NOT the deviations I planned and certainly a deviation!  And definitely "undesired outcomes".  Even being away from home is a deviation from routine.  Or having a purse stolen.  Or having family or friends stay with you.  Or traveling.  All Good....for a "deviation from routine" as I now see and feel....can be exhausting as well as informing me.  For me, the "deviations from routine" of the past week (even this being awake from 2 a.m. to now it's almost 5 a.m. or my time away in LA) certainly has me notice what I notice.

Thank you "Unplanned Deviations From Routine"!  You are testing me to see how I will respond!  Will my words and deeds match up?  Will I respond in auto-pilot?  When Unplanned Deviations From Routine or Undesired Outcomes, assault me :-) will I support myself with healthy choices?  Will I acknowledge my feelings, my emotions rather than dismiss or hide them?  Will I come out from behind myself into the conversation or checkout?  Will I be conscious or un-conscious?

As I look back over the past week, I am most proud of me and my responses.  And that's definitely something to celebrate!  And an awesome way to start a day!