Update: A Few Weeks in Review

School

I’m official a student at Worcester State College, enrolled in classes for the summer and already up to me ears in debt. I’m excited about the classes and the prospect of learning but a little uneasy about being in classes with 18 year olds, having enough time to devote to studying and having to dissect animals. I’m not squeamish at all. It is just that I think the animals are raised for that purpose. I’ll have to look into it… perhaps into artificial alternatives.

Health & Wellness

I’ve been very consistent with my gym schedule on average, I go 6 days a week in the morning before work. I take two aerobic weight training classes, do two days of interval cardio, one day of cross-training and core strengthening (usually yoga and pilates) and then when I can make it I go to Kwando on Saturday mornings. There is enough variety to maintain my interest and I may be a little addicted to working out. I also rely heavily on my music to keep me going. I’ve just figured out how to splice my own interval mixes, which is cool and makes my running easier.
I’m really very close to my fitness goals. For the first time in my life, I look in the mirror and think I look good. This is an ex-ballerina talking here… this situation is nothing short of a miracle. I’ve got maybe two pounds I wouldn’t mind shedding, but I am not stressing it. You can see my top abs – so what is that a two-pack? I wouldn’t mind toning my arms a bit more. I have a shoot this week with me in a bathing suit, a bikini to be specific and I think I may actually like the results. Crazy.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been practicing a raw vegan detox diet. It really has helped me turn around some bad nutritional habits I was forming. I was beginning to eat a great deal of processed foods, sugar and very few veggies. So inspired by a good friend taking on the same diet, I got a guidebook and began the detox. Essentially my daily diet consisted of: juicing in the morning, salad and a raw soup for lunch, and for dinner, I would have something like avocado on sprouted bread. Throughout the day I snacked on fruit and veggies as I wanted. I didn’t really have any weight to lose, nor was that the point, but even so, I believe I lost about a pound. Now that the detox is over, I have decided to take on a 50% raw diet with less processed non-raw foods. I feel great and I find my body’s cravings for foods like sugar and highly processed carbs has diminished. Even anyone is looking for a jumpstart to a healthier lifestyle, I would highly recommended this approach. (If you are, I have about 50 raw recipes that are quite tasty... so let me know)

Employment

I am continuing to work as a Quality Assurance Specialist at Expert Satellite. The job suits me – it is detail oriented, meaningful to the company, and I know that my work is contributing positively to the company’s development. My schedule was cut by a day due to lack of sales but that allowed me the opportunity to pursue my modeling more intently.

I’m a little concerned about how my job will mesh with my fall schedule but my summer schedule seems to work out fine. The only issue is my part-time status makes finances tight. This is currently the case and I may have to drop a day to accommodate my classes but my focus needs to be on my education.

That brings me to modeling. This was never a major pursuit but it has become a more significant part of my life as of late, with one or two shoots a week. I’m constantly in search of more opportunities and to network with others in the Boston and Metrowest area. So please, if you know folks in the field, feel free to give them a heads up about the model/actor/dancer person you know!

In the world of modeling, some really neat things have been happening. Firstly, I was the featured in an article in Pulse magazine. So go pick up a copy or you can Google it. Just this past week, I worked with North River Art Society in Marshfield as a portrait model (pictures forthcoming). I’ve also had the opportunity to work with many photographers in the Worcester area thorough various Photography Clubs, which has been a really interesting experience. I never quite felt like a star till I had 5-6 photographers surrounding me shooting like paparazzi. The biggest problem - where to look.

I’ve learned modeling is not as glamorous as it might seem. There is a great deal of competition of course, but there is also a pressure to conform to a certain body type. Natural signs of age are frowned upon. And often, it is assumed that one has a wardrobe full of the latest styles of clothing on hand. There are expenses incurred even if the gigs are paying – makeup and such. I had an incident this month that was a blow to my body image, temporary but still meaningful. I realized I was getting caught up in the negative aspects of the career and so I took steps to rectify that. Hopefully, this renewed reality check will hold.

Personal Practice

My personal practice, specifically meditation, has been lax. I intend to get up early each morning but to get up that early and then go to the gym is proving difficult. Perhaps, I could meditate in the evening. That is not to say, I haven’t pursued daily meditations in my life. Everyday, I try to reflect on an email I get through a subscription. I work on certain active meditations – treating every person you encounter as if this was their last day to live. It’s amazing how compassionate you become. The other meditation is to consciously take your time with every action you take – chewing your food, driving your car, bathing - every little thing is treated with the utmost significance.

I got the wonderful opportunity to see the Dalai Lama earlier this month. His first talk clarified a few point about certain tenets of Buddhism, namely the Noble Truths and the idea of the permanent soul. The second talk was very simplistic in its message – we make our own happiness because every emotion we are capable of is a choice. We choose to view an external event in a certain way due to our internal orientation. This was very refreshing, but also a great deal of personal responsibility.

Social Life

I auditioned and was cast in CTRF for 2009. I am going to be street cast, which considering my going into school full-time for the first time in a long time is most likely for the best. I’m looking forward to finally being back with my friends and faire family. It seems like its been years… oh wait, it has.

I’m very excited to be starting belly dancing once more. I’m studying at the Dancing Gypsy in Spencer, MA. It’s been ages since I’ve had the privilege of being able to take a dance class. I can’t wait to get my hip-wiggling skills back.

My work with VegWorcester has been going wonderfully. We just reached our financial goal to print 5,000 full color copies to be distributed to various, schools, hospitals, colleges, businesses, and hotels in Worcester. We are working on organizing a monthly vegan buffet a la Grasshopper at a local favorite, Buddha Hut. All still in the works though. Not specifically VegWorcester, but most of the peeps from that group took part in a great day of messy dining, a local vegan cupcake-on-a-string eating contest. It was a lot of fun, with mystery flavoured cupcakes and delicious favorites by the dozens. All provided by Worcester’s exclusively vegan bakery – Barely Legal Baked Goods.

I had a great time celebrating a friend’s 31st with his 31st century dystopian birthday bash. Much joy was had by all. And the cake is not a lie… I saw it myself!

Bits & Bobs

The computer. She is a beauty – that I have yet to touch really. I haven’t had the time to dedicate to getting her ready to go and I must admit I am anal retentive enough that I do not want to transfer my unorganized files and muddle her HD. Yeah, I’m weird… I know.

My mom and I constructed a raised veggie garden in the backyard. I have high hopes that come July-ish we will be eating lush homegrown salads.

I have a confession to make (and I hope that making here on LJ will make me more accountable) I have been a complete slacker on my own website. I want to make my modeling/acting site more than a manipulated blog – but I don’t have the time to manage a full website that’s almost completely galleries. I like widgets that don’t look like widgets. So I’m thinking Wordpress is the way to go. If anyone has any input… please feel free.