Life with a weekly day off!!!

So, during November and December we did a run of 6 weeks without a single day off...and let me tell you, that was brutal.  In January, we've had Mondays off and it is such and amazing thing what a day without drag queen makeup, full-body inversions, and sitting through songs that repeat such phrases as "ladidadida" and "diggadiggado," can do for one's soul.  We've not wasted these precious Mondays.  The unfortunate thing, however, is that museums are closed on Mondays.  So, creativity abounds and I have compiled a list of Monday activities found by the Aerialistas.

1.  Sleep
2.  Eat
     a.  leftovers in the fridge
     b.  Kuchen (Viv)
     c.  Maultaschen of all varieties
     d.  something alcoholic ( we can't cross the day off the calendar unless there is a forbidden workday
          beverage in hand)
     e.  chocolate of the Rittersport or homemade variety
3.  Explore
     a.  last Monday I took and epic walk across the city to the Fernsehturm tv tower, felt like a journey
          through Hansel and Gretel's woods
     b.  Shisha lounge  (not for everyone, but I really like this tradition)
     c.  Birkenkopf (Sara found this one)
     d.  miles and miles of Kraeherwald (local woods)
     e.  sometimes we explore the shopping wasteland that is Konigstrasse, but that can be the most fatiguing. 
          Germans like to walk straight into you.
     f.  The Spa!!!!  Swaebisch sauna spa experience.  nothing like it in the states...we will do this one more
          time before we leave.
4.  Movies:  we've been on a nostalgia kick.  movies from childhood primarily, like Legen, Princess Bride,
     Flight of the Navigator, etc.
5.  Did I mention sleep?
6.  Most importantly, what we don't do....training of any sort :)

View from Fernsehturm...A German friend asked me, "what??  were you bored?"  German efficiency does not allow for long walks through the woods apparently.  I thought it delightful, and with a very very  nice payoff of Bailey's and kaffee at the top.

Bizarre sculpture of a snake above the traffic light in Ludwigsburg

"modified" sculpture I pass when I run by the Neckar R.

This is the Schloss at Ludwigsburg as seen from the summer palace.  Sara's parents took the Aerialistas on an awesome day trip to the palace.  Thanks Steve & Jill!!!!

Viv celebrating 30 with cake on the face.

Lara's special party hairdid.  Cindy-Lou Who?

Wow! a review in English.

Hmmm...aerial-burlesque?  Not so sure about that label.

http://www.stuttgartcitizen.com/article.php?i=18761

More Pics/ Less Words

 church in a pond in Stuttgart

 view from BirkenKopf.  This is a man-made mountain constructed of rubble from WWII

 Rubble on Birkenkopf

Another view from Birkenkopf

 Espresso machine at Herbert's

 I love this fountain on my walk to the Pilates studio

 In case you didn't know where to sit on the ledge.  German efficiency at it's best.

 Hair with Honey Lulu

 Moira in the Pilates studio.

We finally found a dive bar.  I wore Sara's hat.

My wish for 2012

So, every year I read a bazillion really "nice" wishes for 2012 on people's FB pages.  They usually contain these elements in some way shape or form.
     1.     Last year was difficult
     2.     Moving forward
     3.     Going to shed my self-doubt and take life by the horns
     4.     I'm thankful to be surrounded by amazing people
     5.     I'm so lucky to be a (fill in the blank...ex:  mom, wife, healer, friend, etc)
  
So...imagine I said all of that stuff already.  Good stuff!  And I'm so thankful that people stop and take the time to reflect.
It seems, though, that the really amazing New Year's posts that grab my attention and make me believe that change is possible, have one thing in common.  A plan of action.  It does not matter if the goal is general or specific, but the plan must be specific.  If someone wants to become healthier, they make appts with body workers, nutritionists, naturopaths, etc.  If someone wants to have more confidence, they decide to investigate what they truly love, and explore that power they draw from happiness. So what happens if all of your plans, goals, and understanding of your place in the grand scheme of things start to unravel and then completely explode right before the new year?
I write this blog not only as a way to share with folks I'm not close to geographically at this time, but as a way to truly reflect upon my new surroundings and experiences.  I never could keep a journal because there was only the accountability of myself...not enough.  While I don't get super duper personal because I have no idea the extent of who reads these, the blog still serves as some an external thought proccesser and does the trick, I think.
So for this New Year, 2012...

I am going to make a plan of inaction.
I realize I'm being vague and, yes, a lot has happened here this last month and especially the last few days. There will be updates devoted to those things when the time is right and there is time for reflection versus real-time processing..  But for now...

I am not going to walk through doors just because they are open.
I am going to sit with my breath before all major decisions (I mean it this time)
I am going listen to my gut, which is telling me to pause.
I am going to focus on the who I am now instead of what I'd like to be.  (What does this person need?)



So, I begin writing on January 2, 2012, and maybe this will be posted tomorrow, or possibly next week, or next month.