I think for the past week or so, I�ve been in recovery from the stressful situation at work. Things got better, but it took me awhile to feel �normal� again.

The fact that I didn�t completely lose my mind shows how far I�ve come in the past year or so, since I�ve started spending so much time trying to take care of myself, so when stressful situations come around, I don�t completely lose it.

I had a great weekend. That I was able to enjoy it is another sign that the recovery is actually happening, and not some vague hope for something better.

Friday night, I went to a friend�s house. We had a �girl�s night� which was also a potluck and movie night. So, ten women got together ate, talked, joked, and watched a movie. No competition, no mean-spiritedness, no grouchiness, no darkness, but there was plenty of support, kindness, consideration and honesty.

You know, these are people I attracted as friends, years ago, when I was a much more balanced and sane person. Attitude IS everything when it comes to attracting friends. Sane and balanced people end up with sane and balanced friends. We�ve all individually had our rough times, but we are all the kind of people who pull through, and are better for it on the other side.

Also, it occurred to me that if you want to have a nurturing night, the best thing to do is spend it with women.

Even when it comes to my friends.

The majority of which are single and childless, by choice. And yes, they�re tough people. They�re people training for major races, ex-elite athletes, martial artists (out of 9 women, 3 were black belts), serious snowboarders, serious climbers, and yes, (the toughest of us all) a child psychologist. Not just that, but they are also highly educated, intelligent, hard working, and successful.

When I think of the word �nurturing women� I wouldn�t have exactly pictured this kind of assembly, but there it is. Among them, a person couldn�t be more taken care of.

So, that was my Friday night.

Saturday, I loafed around. Eventually, we went to the dance supply store, so I could pick up some dance sneakers. I needed them because I started taking zumba classes and my regular sneakers were sticking to the floor, which put pressure on my knees.

The zumba is offered at the dance school where I�ve been studying salsa. Whenever I walked past a class while it was in session, I looked on enviously. I love dance aerobics, I always have. Call me crazy (and many people have).

After the dance supply store, we went to our favorite vegan restaurant. It was nearby, and really, the only way I could coax Adam into going to a dance supply store. The allure of gourmet vegan food is irresistible to this guy.

After a fantastic meal that finished later than we predicted (partially because I ate an unexpectedly spicy dish really, really slowly, and partially because someone needed to stop inside every sporting goods store between the dance store and the restaurant (not me, and why are there, like, 5 sporting goods stores in a row?)), we ended up getting to the car two minutes too late, literally, which resulted in a parking ticket. These people are like ninjas. It�s no wonder there�s a show about the Philadelphia parking authority.

As a result, I was able to pout my way into some vegan dessert at another restaurant. There was a vegan restaurant that we frequented because it was nearby Adam�s old apartment. The place was a real dive; dirty, ugly decorations, scary bathroom. It went out of business and was bought out by someone who understands that just because the food is vegan, that doesn�t mean it�s ok to petrify the patrons in other ways. The new place is clean and inviting and the bathroom wasn�t scary.

The menu is similar, a pizza place with vegan desserts, so we each had a slice of cake.

Stuffed and satisfied, we headed home. Adam went back to preparing his lecture for this week at school. I folded laundry, and decided to take a �quick nap� around 8:30. I slept soundly until 2AM. When I realized this happened, I rolled over and went back to sleep and slept soundly until morning. I've been sleeping A LOT, lately, but I think I'm making up for the month prior to this when I was stressed out and hardly sleeping at all.

It�s time to go teach yoga. I�ll talk about Sunday later, maybe.

0 comments so far