in's and out's

in's:

1. my new camelbak waterbottle. leakproof hydration, seamless in design. i am a big fan of this one because it is easy to throw in a bag without worrying about leakage, quick to flip the bite valve top and take a swig, and most of all it makes me excited about drinking water, which i am trying to do a lot more of lately.

2. green tea. okay, so i have a problem drinking water. i like things to taste like something. my new favorite beverage is lipton's instant tea, for pitchers (peach flavored) and waterbottles (mandarine mango flavored). lipton's website says, "an independent panel of nutrition experts recommended that tea is second only to water as a healthy beverage." it is high in antioxidants which help protect your body from molecules in the environment that damage body cells. it also thought to help prevent certain cancers. and health benefits aside, it is really yummy. (and easy to make now that i have found the instant powder kind.)

3. facebook obsession. oh yeah, still going strong. i noticed that when i started, i was very hesitant to ask people to be my "friends" if i didn't know them all that well or especially if i had lost touch with them. but my shyness has disappeared, and i feel that i am becoming a less inhibited person in the area of facebook friendships which is a good feeling. i know all of that sounds really dorky, but in a weird way it is making me less judgemental.

4. mama fu's. anyone been there? (memphians, it is next to moe's on poplar near massey.) it is very pf changs-ish...even more similar to pei wei actually. their ginger sesame chicken salad is soooo yummy. i usually don't finish salads, but i eat every bite of this one.

5. lady in the water. we saw it this past weekend and i LOVED it. most people i have talked with did NOT like it, which is an indicator that perhaps it should go on my "i like weird movies" list. i love when a movie has symbolism that you can pick out and mull over. this movie has tons. and the characters are hilarious and creative. i saw on an interview with m. night shamamalama (or whatever) that this movie script started as a bedtime story that he was telling to his children. with that in mind as i watched the movie, i was so impressed by his extrodinary storytelling capabilities and his inventive way of molding his fairytale.

out's:

1. summer. of course the air conditioner in our offices is funky today, so the thermostat is reading 87, and the forcasted weather is supposed to reach a heat index of 102 outside. oh joy. i am ready for some cool breezes for optimum running weather, colored leaves, "a freshly sharpened bouquet of pencils" ("you've got mail," anyone?), and college football. i'm also ready for that schoolyear routine that will return to our house (as my husband is a full-time grad student). bring it on, baby.

2. coffee. in my desire to pursue a more healthful life, i am now beginning my 3rd week without coffee. i used to drink about half a cup in the mornings...i love the taste, the feeling of a warm mug in my hands, the ritual, and the act of love from my husband (as he is the one who prepares it each morning just for me). but it brings too much sugar and caffeine dependency into my life. so i'm ridding the habit. instead, i drink hot citris-blend green tea or nothing at all. this doesn't mean that i am done with coffee forever. (don't leave me out of your starbucks invitations!) i am just trying to get rid of the habit.

3. mean comments on blogs. what is the deal with this? several of my friends have been dealing with anonymous mean comments. not cool.

4. spiritual monotony. yup, it on the out's. i have felt so dry and stuck for awhile now as far as my relationship with the Lord goes. this is extremely pathetic seeing as i am working with two different ministries. i am ready for a breath of fresh air.