Is this thing on?

Hey cats and kittens, it's been a while. So much has happened since my last post that I feel so amazingly bad for not posting anything. Trust me, that's going to change.

See, ladies, I went through a Gal-crisis. Here I was, unemployed and gaining weight, on the side of depressed, and honestly, not caring at all about how I looked. I found myself looking hard at my roots (not my hair, duh), seeing what I'd become and where I was going. Then things changed.

I got a job (which I LOVE), have the summer off from college, and put on another ten pounds from not being as active as I was and working in the presence of bagels and doughnuts. It was evaluating what was different and where my attention was that I reached an epiphany. I was not living by my own life motto: Nothing changes until you make it change.

So, my dears, I have made a massive change. I am back to eating a mostly raw and mostly vegan diet starting today (I've been easing into it over the last week -- I'm a realist, duh!). I'm cutting wheat and corn completely from my diet (don't get me started on how bad they both are for the human body). I'm embracing that I am, in fact, a geeky gamer gal, bringing all aspects of my personality into my fashion choices. I WILL rock that X-men T-shirt with a cute skirt and shoes.

What am I doing for exercise? Read on.

I'm a huge fan of Hatha Yoga. Even if all I do is the Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation), I feel calmer and more positive about my day, and all my little aches and pains disappear for the rest of the day. I haven't had to have a chiropractic adjustment since I started Yoga in January. I stopped practicing when I got more tired and busy at work, and have started incorporating it again. It's amazing how much of a pick-me-up the fifteen minutes I spend on a slow Sun Salutation makes me feel, and it keeps me limber.

What else am I doing? I'm actually going to start doing Para Para again and playing video games that keep my body moving. I miss playing Dance Dance Revolution and am strongly considering arcade nights again. I'm cutting my Warcraft and Mass Effect time to only a couple of hours, and I'm walking during my breaks at work.  I'm riding my bicycle to do errands. I'm parking at the back end of the parking lot when I go shopping. I'm watching my posture and doing ab exercises at my desk several times a day. I'm lifting more. I don't bend over to pick things up, I squat.

So what does all of this have to do with my Gal-crisis? Everything, really. Seriously, if you're feeling crappy for days on end and don't even want to look at yourself in the mirror, how realistic is it to think you're going to work on those falsies and bronzer every morning? For me, however, that's part of my personal revival. I'm doing my make up every day now, putting time into my hair. At work, I keep my look toned down for the most part, but I'm still being conscious. Being Gal isn't necessarily about pure vanity -- there's an attitude to consider.

I'm keeping my blog. I'm tracking it all. I'd love to see what you guys think about what I've said and get some feedback and suggestions for incorporating my inner-me with my outer-me. I'm a geek, a gamer, a personality, and I'm pretty sure I'm still Gal.

-J

Yoga Day

Hi, Gals! As I'm getting back into blogging, I'm going to make Tuesday a Yoga day. I'd love to see how many of you are interested in learning about my journey in the discipline of Hatha Yoga to improve my mind and body.

I know there are a lot of you out there who aren't the magazine-definition of Gal. Not everyone is skinny, has the same kind of proportions, or has time for hard workouts. I've learned that thirty minutes of Yoga every day can do wonders for physical fitness and mental wellness, so I wanted to dedicate a day to holistic goodness.

No, I'm not going Mori-gal on anyone, but I do believe that a strong mind is the key to a happy life.

-J

Foundation Tutorial

Sorry I've been absent, gals. Real life reared its ugly head and kicked my ass. In the interim, however, I will share with you an amazing video I found.

Now, I know not everyone has perfect skin without makeup, and this is a fabulous tutorial by someone with heavily scarred skin. I think she's beautiful without the makeup, but given the pressure on women to always look perfect, I think it was very brave of her to bare it all, as it were.

The thing I like best about this is that she blends very well and ends up not looking like she's wearing a mask or pancake face. Watch and learn, ladies!

-J