That voodoo that you do...

Pick an acupoint, any acupoint. 

Have you ever tried acupuncture? I confess, I was a long time skeptic of the traditional Chinese medicine, assuming that any relief it provided could be matched by a healthy does of Advil, but thanks to Dr. H (a long time user and believer in acupuncture for his back issues) last winter I decided to give it a try to combat my knee pain (THIS never quite fixed the problem). Well thank goodness for having an open mind because, I was quickly hooked on monthly visits which keep my knee from aching. And then there was my own back, which inexplicably tightened up into muscle-relaxer worthy spasms last week (when did I get so old!?) I paid a visit to my acupuncturist last night and not only did her magical needles instantly relieve some of my pain, but I woke up this morning feeling remarkably close to "all better". Praise ancient medicine!! 

Acupuncture involves placing hair-thin needles in various pressure points (acupoints) throughout the body. Though this sounds a little creepy/kooky, I assure you, the needles are nothing more than a slight prick before they are manipulated to create an incredible feeling of release (that will have you mentally scheduling your next appt before you even get off the table!) So what's the deal with this voo doo-like magical sensation!? According to Chinese philosophy, the body's 2 opposing forces, yin and yang must stay in balance for our bodies to feel good. Our energy, called qi ("chee"), flows along pathways throughout the body and that flow is what keeps the yin and yang balanced. If the flow becomes blocked, acupuncture can stimulate these points with needles, relieving obstructions in the flow of energy and enabling your body to heal. And if you aren't into that earthy/crunchy explanation of why acupuncture works, western thinking is that acupuncture works by stimulating the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release chemicals (neurotransmitters and hormones) which dull pain, boost the immune system and regulate various body functions.

A believer and now a preacher, I know others who love acupuncture for everything from pain relief to assistance quitting smoking (you go girl!) So next time you have an ache or pain that you just can't kick, I urge you to give acupuncture a try. Even if yins and yangs and qi aren't your thing, I promise the relief that a few pricks of the needle provides will be!

PS- If you're in NYC, my girl Bianca is the bees knees (and she schedules appts via email and text message which is about as convenient as you can get:)

But it has sentimental meaning!

Do you attach sentimental meaning to objects? A ticket stub from your first concert; the locket your parents gave you; a cheesy souvenir from a memorable trip? I for one, am an overly sentimental person - I can find “significance” in nearly every material item I come across (“but this napkin memorializes my trip to Disney during its 100th anniversary celebration!”) and I often struggle to part with things others would immediately label as trash (a warning sign for a future segment on Hoarders?) Last week I went to the Orthopedist and he said I no longer needed the cumbersome brace I’d been sporting for weeks (yay!) As I left the velcro-hinged contraption behind, I thought “but we’ve been through so much together...” before rolling my eyes and realizing that this was a bit much, even for me! I think it's important to save sparingly but "smartly". Once I get past the initial “do I even have a place to keep this?” analysis, I try hard to fast forward and guess whether in a few years the object will bring me back to the time or place where it gained its meaning. Dried flowers from my prom corsage? Not exactly stirring my emotions; old birthday/holiday cards? I am forever grateful to have saved handwritten notes from loved ones who are no longer with me. Some things become junk as time goes by, but others become personal treasures.  How do you decide what to throw out and what to hold on to? Have you ever thrown something away that you regretted afterwards? (THIS is a very cool idea; I could see myself making little rings for vacations, milestone celebrations, etc) Image via Pinterest

This, that and another thing.

It's not easy being green/gimpy

Lots of random thoughts floating through my brain... It's funny how a change in your day to day (like rehabbing a bum knee) can make everything feel so... different. In case you were wondering, I swapped my Sunday nap for a super-late wake up, but in honor of Friday's call to action, I did lay on the couch for several hours. / Did anyone else find the Oscars a bit... off? I felt like there just wasn't enough of what I watch them to see: rich beautiful people, wearing stunning clothing, giving each other awards. / Last week was a 4 day week, this week is a 5 day week. That always makes me nervous. / A good mani/pedi will always brighten your day. / This weekend I successfully took some internet inspiration and brought it to life. Most of the recipes and crafts were as easy as advertised and it felt cool to actually DO some of the things I stare at on my computer.

Pinterest isn't just a great place to procrastinate (though it's that too!) I brought several recipes from my "eats" and "delicious desserts" boards to life: 

Dr. H and I forgot to slice the giant "pizza roll" before we cooked it so ours didn't look this pretty,
but it still turned out MIGHTY tasty! (Note: we skipped the pepperoni). Recipe via Pinterest

This might be one of the tastiest things I've ever cooked!
LOVE a chance to use my slow cooker & substituting light cream cheese for actual cream!? Genius!
(Note: I did not provide bacon bits. I apologize). Recipe via Pinterest

My failure of the evening. These yogurt covered strawberries look so pretty on Pinterest,
but mine were lumpy and funky. Can't win em all I guess! 

I also took on a project posted by my crafty crush at OhHappyDay and it turned out great. Dr. H is skeptical about my "Snowflake Hole Punch" purchase, by I assured him that years of use will more than justify the purchase. 

My "Winter Blues & Snowy Whites" dinner party decoration

Lastly, you really should be using Fresh Direct. Cooking from recipes is a piece of CAKE when you can order everything you'll need online and have it delivered to your door the night before you need it for just $6 (that's the delivery fee). No more wandering the grocery store aisles looking for "seasoned salt" for this gal!

I have no idea how I got this to animate, but I freanking LOVE it!