"Five Things I'd like to do", Fridays...

Towards the end of the week I start thinking about what my weekend will look like. Or at least what I hope it will look like. Sometimes there's no getting around the 'must-do's' such as: Laundry, house cleaning, organizing, car upkeep and the like. But since I have an unusual schedule (early morning and evening clients) and since I don't want to waste a chance to spend some quality time with my hubby,  I try and get those things done midweek.  By Thursday I get to thinking about how I'd like to spend the weekend.  So, since I adore making lists (don't you?)  I thought I'd start a "Five Things I'd like To Do Over the Weekend" list and post them on Fridays.

Without further ado, here it is:

1. Read
2. Movies
3. Museum
4. Window shop
5. Breakfast or dinner with friends

I'm getting a head start and enjoying the start of the weekend by sipping a delicious herbal chilled tea in one of my favorite cafes. An honest-to-goodness Italian cafeteria. Where the cappuccinos remind me of the year I spent in Europe.  (Hence the tea, as I may have to give up dairy due to yet another possible food intolerance, sheesh!)

Anyway, there you have it. My small list of things I'd love to do this weekend. By no means is this an exhaustive list so stay tuned for next weeks installment. I'd love to know how or where you'd like to spend your weekends so leave your top 5 in the comments below.

The weekend is here, I feel better.

Hoopcamp 2011

As you all know I hoop.  And you might say I'm a bit addicted to it.  It's fun, freeing, calming yet an exciting way to burn some calories and increase my joy level.  So it won't come as a surprise that I was at Hoopcamp 2011 this passed weekend.  Yes, there is an actual hoop camp and boy was it amazing.

On the road to Hoopcamp 2011

Some people look at me quite confused when I tell them about Hoopcamp because, they say, "How much can you do with a hula hoop"?  How about...

or...

 or even...

And as you can see the guys rock the hoop as well! Here's Rico Titou (presenter) showing his vertical hooping skills. 

Hoopcamp 2011 was held at the Pema Osel Ling retreat in the beautiful hills of Santa Cruz, CA.  Four days of outstanding and amazing workshops taught by some of the best Hoopers around surrounded by beauty.  I was in heaven.  I left there with a better understanding of myself within the hoop AND outside of the hoop, met some wonderful people and was sore as heck!

Pathway to my cabin 

I love "hoop" clothes! Fun, fun, fun!

Watching and listening VERY carefully at a workshop

Getting "Air Brushed"

This weekend-long workshop definitely pushed me and got me out of my comfort zone but also allowed me to recognize that everyone has their own style and that I just need to relax or flow into mine.  Learn what is valuable and meaningful to me and just let go of "stuff" that hinders.  A lot of philosophy for a silly little hoop, no?

Flow, you'll feel better.

Hoops float!

Well, it happened.  Since we hoop next to a Lagoon it was inevitable that one of the hoops found it 's way actually IN the Lagoon.  But no worries, hoops float! We just waited till the current took it to the shore...1/2 an hour later, HA!  So now we know we can hoop like crazy and our hoops will just float back to us...love it!

Eat Homemade...

If you're using the six days good, one day bad rule go ahead and eat a delicious HOMEMADE cookie.  The ones YOU make using the best ingredients you can buy. Use REAL organic butter, xylitol or stevia in place of sugar, some ground flax seed and anything else that can up the nutrient scale.  Just remember to make a small batch (you don't need two dozen cookies to tempt you)  and enjoy without the guilt!

Eat homemade, you'll feel better.

A Little Weekend Inspiration...

I Believe in Books

I am sad to see the typical brick and mortar stores go the way of the Dodo bird as more and more people become digitally connected: email, music, books, shopping, etc. Even my cherished libraries are having a hard time justifying staying open. Seems like everything will be digital soon. Just this past week I went into a local Borders bookstore only to see rummaged and pillaged shelves with their discounts listed on garish signs. My heart ached for those remaining books who seemed to call after me to buy and adopt them, take them home and give them a loving bookshelf in which to slumber. Oh, but it was not to be.

You see, I have become the enemy. I own a Kindle and as hard as it was to do this (I do still believe in the printed page) I went ahead and purchased my ereader simply because I just don't have space for all my lovely books. Each year I'd try to purge my collection and donate them to my local library. But over the years those purging sessions became few and far between. So I found myself putting up shelves, buying bookcases and just plain stashing them where ever I found an open spot: closet, bathroom, nightstand, under the nightstand, in the nightstand, you get the picture.

I'm sure there has to be a few Dodo birds out there like me who feel the same heartache regarding books. So I have an alternative to share with you. Instead of feeling guilty of buying a book or two (or three) and not having space for it, I can buy new and use books from a fabulous bookstore and when I'm finished I can sell it back to them. An honest to goodness brick and mortar store that takes up a whole city block located in beautiful Portland, Oregon. But, Sharon, it's in...Portland. Are you expecting me to fly there every time I need a book, I hear you saying. Well, no my darlings. All can be done through the mail. Yes, the mail. We haven't done away with that...just yet.

So when the guilty pleasure of an actual book (or books) calls out to you, stop by Powell's Bookstore and buy one.  (You can check out what's on my bookshelf here). Read to your hearts content and then sell it back or not. No harm, no foul. Yes, I love the convenience of digitally downloading a book whenever and wherever I want, but I still believe in the loveliness of books.  Don't you?

Keep a book or two on your shelves, you'll feel better.