#resound11 – prompt 15: discovery

What discovery did you make in 2011? What kind of impact did it have on how you view the world today?

Running: I like it. It’s hard and my boobs get in the way, but I feel so good when I’m done. It gave me a way to compete with myself.

Yoga Pants: I was a fan of track pants for lounging around the house until I started wearing The General’s yoga pants. Now I love them a lot.

America: I also discovered America. By myself.

How will you resound?

#resound 11 – prompt 14: home

When did you feel most at home this year: in your life, in your space, in your career, in your skin? What factors make that situation feel like home? Do certain comforts make your space feel like home? Does being with certain people make you feel complete? Is there an activity in which you excel that makes you feel like you’re doing what you were meant to do?

This is your life. Where do you live? Where is home?

Man, I like this question. A lot. I think about it all the time. Feeling like I’m “home” is just a pure sense of relaxation and not worrying about a darn thing.

Our house feels like home for me. It’s the first time I’ve ever had to not worry about roommates or someone living above or below me. I played Just Dance 3 the other night (Christmas gift from The Kid!) and, man, there was a whole heck of a lot of jumping around that a downstairs neighbor would totally have not enjoyed. We have pictures everywhere, art that actually works for both of us, and the house actually fits us. Sometimes we forget it’s technically not ours.

I knew I felt at home in the Twin Cities area the first time I visited it. Yes, it was huge and I was lost regularly when trying to drive and I knew nothing about it, but it didn’t matter. It just felt like home. And it still does. More Minneapolis than St. Paul, but that’s probably because I haven’t had my house broken into or ran into anyone with my car since living in Minneapolis.

How will you resound?

#resound11 – prompt 13: best gift

The holiday season is typically a time we focus on others, sometimes at the expense of ourselves. I can get so caught up in the expectations of the season that I have a hard time remembering to enjoy the peace and wonder of the season. I can forget to take time to care for myself. So lets look back on how we cared for ourselves. Maybe we’ll inspire each other to take a few minutes for ourselves today.

What was the best gift you gave yourself this year? Did you buy big, fluffy towels? Did you have a massage on a day when you really needed it? Did you forgive someone and give yourself the freedom from that grudge?

I had to reread this question (and by reread I mean The General had to explain it to me) because I was going down the wrong gift path. There’s no way I could have picked the best gift someone else gave me this year.

One of the best things I bought myself this year: goggles. Seriously. I was burning myself out with the elliptical and getting frustrated when I couldn’t run as much or as fast as I wanted to, so I decided to give swimming a try. Best thing I did all year. I forgot how much I love it and how easy it is to forget how hard you’re working when you’re going back and forth like that.

My membership lapsed (they were closed for a week in September – DUMB) and I’ve been keeping enough freelance work going to not give me all that much free time. Thankfully, we’ve been eating healthier and eliminating crap from our diet so I’ve been able to continue working on getting healthy. But the pool and my goggles are the biggest things I’ve been missing.

How will you resound?

#resound11 – prompt 11: best meal

What is the best meal or best food that you have eaten all year? Did you make it? Did you get it at a restaurant? Do your best to describe the food and the experience with us.

Three come to mind.

1) The General and I had dinner at Fogo de Chao this year for Minneapolis/St. Paul Restaurant Week. I joke around about loving meat, but I really do. And to have guys wearing billowy pants running around with freshly cooked meat on sword, just dropping chunks of delicious meat at any given time, well, it was kind of awesome. I couldn’t say no to anyone, of course, because why would I want to turn down any type of meat? It was delicious. So darn delicious. I don’t know that we’ll go back often, mainly because meat sweats aren’t always pleasant, but it was so very, very delicious at the time.

2) The Kid, The General and I stopped at Mesa Pizza in Uptown yesterday after haircuts. It was on a whim, wasn’t planned and totally not something we usually do with The Kid, because new restaurants are a little overwhelming for him sometimes. We each grabbed a slice, which is perfect for our three varied tastes, and took advantage of their all you can drink water buffet. It ended up being the cutest little meal the three of us had had in a long time.

3) Thanksgiving dinner. I ate duck meat. I was surrounded by wonderful people. And that made it one of my top three meals of the year. Easy.