live

Well, it has been done. It took me a year of hedging, searching, writing, rearranging, editing, redesigning, and proofing. But it is here.

My website has gone live. It lives and breathes on the word wide web.

RockstarYogaNYC.com

The finished html was sent to me months ago. Yet I did nothing because I felt so completely overwhelmed by the idea of how the Internet actually works. But as predicted my little bit of self-imposed work drama - coupled with a date who insisted that getting my site online would be incredibly simple - inspired me to jump in with both feet.

It was as promised simple to get my host and upload my site. Right on mr date.

What has surprised me is how quickly I am picking up the html code. Since posting I have already corrected seven link issues, rearranged some formats, and changed around some buttons.

Yes I still need to correct the "Contact Us" page so a form is there. But not to worry, it will be fixed.

Honestly I'm kind of surprised at how rewarding it has been to fiddle around with my site. Carbon and Hools had given me some layout suggestions that my wed designer couldn't really understand, so now I look forward to tooling around with them myself.

Also to come will be figuring out how to get my site to pop up on google searches. Because right now that ain't happenin.

So where do I go from here? Well besides the search engine debacle I get to find some neighborhood clients to start earning back the money I've invested in this business. Ideally just one or two a week to dip my toe into the whole thing. Thus I need to buy Adobe and start designing a direct mailing flyer.

Boy, it sure takes a lot more than just a yoga certification to start an instructor business these days.

decisions

Well, it came today.

"Congratulations BRIDGET COONEY!

You’re eligible for guaranteed entry to the race of a lifetime—the ING New York City Marathon on November 7, 2010. You must claim your guaranteed entry by March 15."

Okay, I totally know that I would tell someone else. Go ahead, sign up! You don't actually have to run it! You can train and then decide later to defer if you aren't feeling up to it this year!

Stupid me and my advice. If I don't take my own then I'm a total hypocrite. And those totally suck.

Dammit.

living in the uplink age

So far 2010 has not been a stellar year of dating for many of my friends. Quite a few people I know have gone through break ups over the past few weeks, it has happened so often lately that I'm really wondering what is in the water.

One of the hardest things these days for everyone to get through is handling the split...in the social network medium. Everyone knows ending relationships are difficult enough as is. Now there is the damn facebook phenomenon.

Changing the status from in a relationship to single - the biggest stress because you wish you could kind of keep it under the radar. Does everyone need to know right away dammit? Sympathy for being single again is easier taken in sips than gulps.

Staying 'friends' or not? Do you cyber stalk to see if they are dating again? Or just hide their updates so you can be the good guy and try to bury your head in the sand?

Mutual friends who comment on the ex's updates. You can hide your ex but if your buddies keep in touch, you painfully do too.

And of course these are the tip of the iceberg, just the obvious problems. We are so connected now that our Internet wires cross over and under and just don't fade away. What do you do? De-friend them and get your best friends to do the same? Is that even morally acceptable?

Yes, somehow we as a culture have made breaking up harder. Argh.

As luck would have it you can find all kinds of other online arenas to mess with romance. Let's take for example...hmmm...if you start dating someone from say OK Cupid, Match, or Eharmony. You go out for just over a couple weeks and things seem to be going pretty well. Lots of laughs, plenty of chemistry, good times all around.

And then you notice that the person has changed their primary photo in their online profile within the past couple of days.

Ouch.

Yeah, you don't do that if you want to keep seeing the same person. Nope, I can't think of one scenario where you would.

Thank you, online dating, for keeping it real. Actually you have to admit it is better to find out sooner than later that someone isn't feeling the vibe. You can't say the guy did anything wrong, a couple of weeks a commitment does not make. But call me crazy - I am looking for a guy who meets me and wants to give dating me a chance, possibly even forget about keeping his options open.

So am I the kind of person that can just chill out and enjoy the moment? Can I just date for fun knowing there is a shelf life? I'm not really sure yet. It has been a while since I've been here. So I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

the five stages

Things were moving along really well with my plans of world domination at the job...until the very end of the workday Friday. Then a HUGE wrench got thrown into the works. And my idea fell thru.

At first I was really disappointed. Sad. I was really getting stoked at the idea of taking on new challenges and a new role. Starting a new routine, learning a whole new job. How could they not want me? Am I actually not the best? Other people would be better than me? What did I do wrong? What if I had made my move sooner?

Then I got to the dinner party of the evening and stepped into denial. Oh well, such is life. It was worth a try but I'm no worse off.

After the party (which was quite fun) I fell headfirst into anger. What the frick is wrong with this company? Why don't they use my considerable talents instead of tossing them to the side? Even worse, why are they going to make things more difficult for me? The wrench in the works actually makes my life more pollitical and convolued. Argh.

Next of course came the bargaining. If I just wrote up a very detailed email listing exactly why they should let me take on the challenges the company will be better off. Lying in bed last night I couldn't sleep for thinking of all the things that will go wrong if they wouldn't follow my plan and why I should get my way.

Luckily I did fall asleep. And woke up with acceptance. This is the same company I got hired at three and a half years ago that is inefficient and mired down in red tape. My whole career there has been me fighting through the muck just so I can do the bare minimum, let alone really give it all I got. Which is why I have wanted for a while now to leave.

Shiny shiny had distracted me for a while. I'm really glad I tried to stretch my wings so I could see exactly how small the cage I'm in actually is.

That Kubler-Ross sure was a smart lady. Those stages really apply all over the place don't they? And of course I'm really lucky I have the high emotional metabolism to get through them so quickly. Onward and upward to something else!!

envelopes

This last week has been one for the record books as far as my job goes. In a good way.

On Monday I turned in my list of accomplishments for last year. They were impressive. My department instilled new processes and concepts that completely reinvented the way we dealt with titles that are difficult to produce. We significantly cut down on printing too soon (and therefore too much) and spending too much on the prints.

In order to do this it required us proving our reliability and gaining trust from the upper management. Which my staff was able to do with flying colors.

So I was already feeling good about my peeps. Next we had sales conference this week. The head of the division gave an opening speech to the entire Children's gang. Editorial, production, marketing, art...and so on.

While saying how well 2009 did after all he then gave a major shout out to me and my group. A big one.

That felt good, I won't lie. And having people come up later to congratulate me on the comment or agree with it also felt pretty darn nifty.

What do I do then? Why go onto salary.com of course. Obviously no good thing can come from doing that. And guess what? I'm underpaid. By a lot. And I mean a lot lot.

Great. Granted this is publishing, notorious for paying the low end of the scale. But my pay isn't even ON the bell curve, let alone the bottom of it.

Being me I wouldn't let that sit. So I gathered all my data and my accolades and marched into my boss' office, demanding a raise. And my biggest leverage to help justify the increase?

Ha. For this I may end up kicking myself later. I proposed I take on a whole slew of new responsibilities. Should I get this added workload every day will be a struggle. But the work needs to be done to prevent waste of money and time.

Of course I know I can do what needs to be done. And so does my boss.

Lord, what have I done? Oye. Guess we'll find out soon enough if people really do believe I'm a miracle worker. And if I'm worth paying a competitive salary.

Why couldn't I just take a compliment and revel in it? What in my nature makes me push the envelope? I really don't know.

Ha, at least it is a trait that pays well.

podcast love

Hello all - I just want to share my latest and greatest find. Over the last week I have discovered and become obsessed with the Nutrition Diva podcast.

From downloading about 20 different seven minute segments have resulted in myths being busted all over the place! For example I have learned that:

- dehydration is not as prevalent as we all think
- five eating tips to keep you feeling 30 when you reach 60
- top foods to buy organic because of pesticide residue
- drinking coffee is good for you, and is best if you have up to 3-4 cups a day
- your metabolism does not actually slow down when you eat less or fast
- vegetarianism is not as healthy as it used to be (hello processed foods)

And these are just off the top of my head!

Between This American Life, Stuff You Should Know, and the Bowery Boys my brain is getting filled with all kinds of random data. Bring on some trivial pursuit already!!

and for ne next caller

Never say I don't take requests. When I was home for the holidays my mother mentioned that she had been reading my blog. She said she liked it, but there is one thing she would like to change.

I braced myself.

"What?" I asked. Ready. Steel.

"Well," she replied, "That you change your picture. We miss your beautiful smile."

Ha. That one isn't so hard to fix. And heck, I did pay a pretty penny to white-ify my toothies.

So mom, this one's for you. *Look left*

dangers of small talk

As you well may know I tend to be fairly chatty at work. Or in general. If you at all look familiar (and sometimes even if you don't) I'll strike up a conversation if we are waiting around.

Earlier today when dashing into the elevator I recognized a co-worker entering at the same time. I immediately knew her to be a girl from my managing editorial department and recalled that she did not make it into work Monday because of travel delays.

Now I don't physically work with this girl very often. She attends a weekly meeting that I only join in about once every six months.

So we enter the elevator and I say "Hey! How are you? I heard you had some travel drama over the holidays?"

She tilted her head, wrinkled her brow, and hesitated.

"You were stuck at home Monday?" I prompted, "Couldn't make it into work?"

Then she smiled;

"No" she said "Holiday travels all went well! I was really lucky, no delays or anything!"

At which point I realize this is NOT the girl I know from managing editorial. And to top it off I therefore have absolutely no clue who this girl is.

So then I start to panic. Does she know who I am? Am I just some odd co-worker who asks personal questions to strangers? What if I really should know her but can't remember from where? Am I being overly friendly or am I failing as a fellow employee?

WHO IS THIS PERSON???

Of course this entire conversation and the whole panic in my head happened in the elevator traveling from the 4th floor to the ground floor. Not a long trip. But let me tell you it was hard keeping a jovial look on my face once I realized my mistake.

Now I'm a little paranoid. I'm actually considering wandering around my floor looking at faces and door tags to figure out who she is. Argh.

just a few stairs

Okay, I am compelled to point this out.

The annual New York Road Runners race up the stairs of the Empire State Building has filled to capacity.

That's 86 flights, a quarter mile of stairs. Which is a bitch in any form, now compile with the fact that you are running up in little circles up a narrow stairwell.

Seriously, it is full. It boggles the mind.

holiday 2009

Wow, that holiday went by in the blink of an eye.

Tell you what, only going to Michigan for four nights, working up until Christmas and then back to work again before new years really lessens the impact of the whole shebang. Last year's venture from Dtown to the Canaries seemed like forever - if only just the same week and a half.

Not that this holiday wasn't full of fun and games. Some highlights:

- Lots of family time. Spent time with the 'rents, was accosted two separate days by my five nieces and nephews. (Of whom only one maybe is old enough to remember me when I come back next year bearing gifts.) Also saw my godmother and her offspring with their offspring. Have officially had my fill of children for a score.

- Spent some hang time with Heath et al at the Oak Cafe. Got some of my Bell's fix in, delish. Why oh why won't they sell the stuff here??

- Sis and hubby got in a killer nerf gun fight. I got shot in the eye. Just like in the damn Christmas Story - only of course I don't wear glasses. Am doomed to get a red eye every holiday it seems.

- Got to spend some quality time at favorite Sidetracks for the fried dill pickles and was introduced to the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery in downtown A2. The beer is great, but don't try the pork special. I warn you because I care. Four o'clock in the morning I was unfortunate enough to experience it again the wrong way, so not worth that second time around. Stick with the truffle pizza and fries.

- Time with the 'marrieds'! Down to Paul, Julie, and Jen this year. Intimate but way great to see them. Maybe we should do a trip sometime this year?

- NYE in Queens with the Bonicas, Jules, and Jo Jo. Warm, dry, and fun. At least dry until I went to open some frozen champagne. Then it got messy.

- Somehow in there I was also able to squeeze in a couple of dates. One guy is out, but the other is holding on...will we make it to date three? He lives AND works in Jersey, so guess we'll see how that works. I'm a little skeptical about the idea. For gods' sake, that's an entire other state! With a whole river inbetween!! And a different transit system to get there!!!

cast iron tastebuds

Well I am glad to say that I survived my encounter with the PORK ON FIRE. To be honest it didn't seem all that spicy to me, I never felt the exquisite balance between pain and pleasure the reviews promised.

My date on the other hand was in quite a bit of discomfort. He got another highly recommended dish, the larb gai, which he couldn't even finish eating. I tried it, but wasn't phased at all by the seasoning.

Therefore I crown myself queen of all hot foods, warrior of the spice. My gullet may not be able to handle too many raw vegetables on any given day but by god I can eat spicy food. Bring on the next challenging dish!!

Oh, and btw yes you did read that I was on a date. So if on a second date the person talks about their job from sit down, thru ordering, appetizers, and then dinner do you think that is much? No varying from the subject either, my job (or life) didn't get a single inquiry. It was so bad that after finishing the main course I excused myself to the powder room and requested that upon my return we change the subject.

Not a good sign, right? Yeah.

To be fair I'm open to the possibility the excessive one sided convo could be chalked up to nerves on his part. So date number three will be in effect. A movie next Tuesday when I'm back from Detroit. Granted we won't get a chance to talk until after the flick...so we'll see then.

be brave

Ah, tonight I dine here. And do not be fooled, I will indeed try the Pork On Fire.

Can I take it? Well I guess we'll have to see...

filler

Well I did it. I ran my nine races to qualify for the 2010 ING New York Marathon.

To be honest I'm kinda 'meh' about it. You would think I'd be all proud, since I couldn't run at all at the beginning of the year and once I could I had to literally run every race (save one I was sick for) that was a qualifier to get where I am now.

This year I ran every NYRR race from July on. Even the last two weekends in the freezing cold weather. This past Saturday was a 20 degree 15k. That is a really cold temperature to run over an hour and a half.

Do I even want to run the marathon? I still don't know. I think I'm just looking for a new goal, something significant to work towards and another 26.2 acts as good filler.

You know, maybe I should make a really kick ass vacation my next goal. Believe it or not I only used half of my vacation time so I could carry the rest over. This means I have 22 vacation days to use in 2010. That is a whole month.

Or I cash out as much of my vacation time (which I can do, $$$$!) when I quit the corporate life to be my own boss.

Or maybe I could make some extra cash on the side as my own boss and still take that month long vacation. But is that the chicken way out? Doesn't everyone say if you want it you have to dare to do it? Conventional wisdom says that only those who take big risks get big rewards.

The naughts are over, seems like I need to get my priorities in check and pick a direction to head in. Enough of walking in circles, I've got places to go.

back to the drawing board

Well, it seems the raw diet really doesn't heal all.

Since doing the raw until dinner I have felt good about myself, proud of eating such healthy foods.

Unfortunately my Crohn's didn't feel the same way. I've had a couple of mini flareups. Nothing to send me to the hospital, just a couple of sleepless nights. Including last night.

So I'm going to back it up a bit. Still going to be as unprocessed as possible (now that I have the knack) but will eat myself cooked meals like the rest of the universe. Ayruvedic methodology never really supported the raw lifestyle, so maybe I'll read up more on that kind of diet.

But before I go back to whole foods I'll need to liquid it up a couple of days to rest the ole' intestines. Kind of like RICE therapy for running injuries (rest, ice compression, elevation) you gotta stay off the gimp leg while it heals.

Too bad I just got a fresh direct delivery...let's see how long that food can keep.

nature vs nurture

Are there certain things about us that are inherent? Great philosophers have debated this idea for centuries.

Me, I decide to give up coffee and start running in the morning and I come to some surprising conclusions.

Coffee makes me happy. There, I said it. This morning I woke up kind of dragging with a slight case of the stupids and I decided to treat myself to a cup of java. Just a small cup from Dunkin Donuts, nothing crazy.

One little beverage later and I am in a terrific mood. My thoughts are clearer and my work ethic has doubled.

Why did I even stop? The detox. And I did the detox was because I was so tired I relied on up to six cups of coffee a day just to feel baseline normal. Once my body was free of caffeine and toxins I promised myself to maintain my new found health. Meaning that I swore off my favorite beverage.

Yes, you read that correctly. I love coffee more than I love booze.

Also against what I perceive as my nature I decided to start getting up early in the mornings to run. So I began going to bed early and doing exactly that.

This lead me to realize that I hate my life when I go to bed early. Really, it is that simple. My life just seems so boring to me if I hit the hay before 10:30. Which just brings me down altogether. Once the thrill of being that person who gets up in the morning for a run wore off I realized I really didn't like being an early to bed kinda gal.

Thus I've decided that my state of mental well being outweighs my drive for certain kinds of ideals. I like being a happy, hardworking, energetic night person.

So is that my nature? Or is my nature to strive to be content? Then again maybe I'm just too judgemental about myself. I tried a couple of things out that didn't stick, there are things that have changed about me over the years. How quick we are to forget our accomplishments.

The key I suppose is to keep trying new things, because amidst the failures we can find the things that indeed will change us to better ourselves.

For me that journey will happen all the while drinking coffee (tempered qtys now, that is new) and staying up late.

if wishes were horses

A long time ago I discovered the advantage of goal lists. Not the kind that you write haphazardly on a cocktail napkin and lose, but the kind that you actually have in a place that you'll go back and check to see what kind of progress you made.

Most likely the reason I'm a fan is because for the longest time I felt like I never accomplished anything. Yet whenever I'd go back to my list I could check off 75% of what I had written!

We so quickly forget our accomplishments and focus on what we lack. Human nature I think.

My favorite place now to log my goals is the Lululemon Goaltender site. It is based online and lets you track your progress towards 1yr, 5yr, and 10yr goals for career, personal, and health. Not too shabby.

Diligently I have been working towards being a yoga instructor. First part-time to make some extra cash, but with future retirement plan potential. So my blinders have been on and I've been investing my time and money. Then today I re-read my career goals:

self. free. flexible schedule. comfortable. friendly. relationships. challenge. change. security. growth potential.

It hit me - right now in my full time gig I have six out of ten. Which is WAY better than I thought for some reason. It wasn't when I started, or even after two years. Heck in the beginning of 2009 I only had one I think.

So this change in my nine to five gig is good, I can let myself off the hook a little bit about the yoga thing. With corporate life going well there is no rush to be a yogi. Just a really great tax deduction on a business that is making a negative profit.

Sweet.

the whole crew

Sunny day, keeping the clouds away...

more muppet love

How long do you think it would take the count to get to 40 you think? Like two days?

worst. notice. ever

This note is posted in my building:

ATTENTION TENANTS

THERE WILL BE NO HOT WATER OR HEAT FOR THREE DAYS, TUESDAY 11/10, WEDNESDAY 11/11, AND THURSDAY 11/12. THIS IS NECESSARY AS WE WILL BE REPLACING THE BOILER BURNER. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

Oh, that will be a joy. Three days without hot water or heat. Maybe fate's way of encouraging me to get up early and run? At least then I'll warm up in the morning.

little things

My sis just sent me this. *joy*


Happy Friday!