Ay, que fuerza!

Today I did a solo 5 mile run after getting my ass handed to me for the third consecutive time with Matt since recovering from the plague.  I think part of the reason I felt so good today was because I was alone.  I've had a bunch of stuff rattling around in my head that just needed to wander out and the only way I can do that is to go for a quiet run, sort of like a moving meditation.  I never listen to music when I run, a fact at which people gasp.  The other reason I think I did so well was because my allergies have been killing me on top of the fact that I still have a cough from that plague that I caught, so I took a Claritin D.  It has pseudo-ephedrine in it, but I hear they're not testing at the park, so performance enhancers abound...

At about 4 1/2 miles, two road bikers that I see there all of the time rode past and one says "Ay, que fuerza".  To my credit, I was feeling full of energy and was running really well, especially for 4+ miles in.  In the first three miles, I kept thinking 'I better slow down if I want to make it all the way around', but I just didn't feel like it.  I'm glad to be back.

On a soapy note:  I have pictures of my first big batch that I will write about later tonight, it just takes forever to upload pictures and I just couldn't wait to brag about my awesome run.  Plus, my oils are melted and I think it's time to mix and pour.  I'm currently making a big ol' batch of Mint Meditation.

restoring momentum

Part of taking the amazing three week trip to Alaska meant some sacrifice in two very important areas of my life: exercise and soap.  Pretty much all winter I'd been running 4-5 miles a few times a week to the point that my abilities had surpassed those of my usual running partner.  I'm talking about Matt, a very athletic 26 year old who would go do six gap (pictured left) or take the podium in a mountain bike race earlier in the day and then come run the hilly 5 mile loop and still challenge me.  Granted, he hadn't been running much, but he could still make me look like I was standing still on a bike any day of the week.  I definitely took the chance to brag about "winning" on several occasions.  My favorite celebration was raising my fists to the sky and then making gun noises while jabbing my fingers into thin air.  If even for a couple of weeks before the trip, it felt really good to be a 31 year old female putting a hurtin' on a 26 year old dude while running.     

I had gone full force back to the running and biking immediately upon my return to Atlanta but it was short lived as I promptly got hit with the plague.  So, yesterday I went for my first run since recovering from the black death.  Matt and I went to Stone Mountain Park (pictured here at the top of the mountain during sunset last summer) and ran the entire 5 mile loop, not including warm up and cool down distance.  I'm a bit sore today, which is unfamiliar these days, but I feel better both physically and mentally.  Now that I know that I'm still capable of doing the distance, I can work back up to running it faster and faster.. not to mention that once my lungs are fully recovered from the epidemic that infested Atlanta, I'm sure it won't hurt as bad.  Also, as I build momentum, I'll be paying closer attention to my diet so that my body doesn't feel like lead.  It hurts so much more with poor nutritional choices. 

As for the sudsy life, I had to unlist all of my Etsy items while I was away since I could not ship anything within a reasonable amount of time.  I have not been selling thousands of items like some shops I've seen, but I'd pretty much been in one treasury or another consistently and even had one of my products featured in the everyday gift guide, compiled by the Etsy staff.  I was getting at least one sale per week which allowed me to re-list regularly and remain visible.  It's easy to get buried beneath all of the new listings that are constantly being posted.  This week, I've been in four treasuries and today I finally made my first post-Alaska sale.  Not a bad start considering it took me about five months to figure out how become somewhat visible in order to make some sales.  Also, I'm still a soap vendor for the distribution company I mentioned in my 'Greener Pastures' blog.  In fact, I've just sent them a disc with my product pictures for their website after a phone call from their marketing director.  I'm not sure what will come of this, but there is still plenty of potential.  Of course, with warmer weather comes festival season where I made the majority of my sales last year.  This year, I've been accepted into the Inman Park Festival - which is huge - as well as the Grant Park Festival where I grossed the most sales last year.  I also plan to set up at the Fool's Gold Mountain Bike Race & Festival hosted by Namrita & Eddie O'Dea.

My heartache has eased up a bit as well, or at least it has a different source.  After an emotional conversation somewhat initiated by the events in my previous blog, Peter and I decided that it's not impossible to imagine visiting one another every couple of months.  Time goes by so quickly as an adult and I'd rather not throw away such a strong connection with someone because of geography and the perceived obstacles it creates.  The way I see it, finding ways to remain connected to him and maybe/hopefully grow closer emotionally/geographically is exciting.  Forgive the corniness of my analogy, but it's like a puzzle.  The real adventure is in the process of putting it together, trying different pieces, the excitement of finding one that fits, all the while working towards becoming whole.  I don't mean whole in a ridiculous "you complete me" kind of way (besides the fact that the movie this line comes from makes me want to lose my lunch), I mean that taking a chance, ignoring fear and actually allowing myself to be open emotionally, no matter the outcome, can only result in me becoming more whole as a person.

I celebrate with cake.

I am celebrating my "(200)8 is Great!" sentiment, as I've recently passed my first test when confronted with a difficult situation.  It's easy to feel good when things are going well, so I feel like I handled this with less worry and stress than I would've before my recent change of mind. Some things are in fact going well, so I choose to celebrate with cake.  However, since I am not so good at making cake worth eating, I will celebrate with some gratuitous, drool-worthy soap cake pictures.

It turns out that the people at the distribution company like my product, so they have decided to include me as one of their soap vendors.  Yay!  One step at a time, though.  There's nothing in writing, but I believe that there is a lot of potential here.  This company distributes to about 500 stores that are either green or going green and has plans to expand.  They also operate under the philosophy of working exclusively with small businesses.  They were once very small and choose to continue their growth through allowing other small businesses an opportunity to grow with their help.  To that I say, thank you and Wheeeeeeeee!  To celebrate this, I give you the original soap cake that opened the door for more soap cake...  Lemon Charlotte:

  

Also, I have been running much more consistently over the past couple of months.  It's funny how I'm too lazy to get all dressed in cold weather gear to ride my bike in these temperatures, but motivated enough to run 4-5 miles every other day.  I think the reason that I like biking more as a warm weather sport is that feeling of freedom that comes with it and cold wind and several layers make me feel constricted.  Biking is one sport where in the hot and muggy summers, sweating actually works to cool you down.  So, it stands to reason that it's a lot colder moving at 20 mph than at 6-7 mph.  Also, there are a lot more things that I have to be aware of, like traffic, potholes, grates, people, etc. on a bike whereas with running, though I am still aware of my surroundings I can clear my mind, focus on my breathing and create a moving meditation of sorts.  When I am running, I let thoughts float in and out, and usually one of two things happens.  Either I come up with a new and creative idea, usually pertaining to soap; or  I sort out whatever internal conflict I've been dealing with, or at least come to peace with it. Sometimes both if the run is long enough.  Regardless, I always am in a better mood, have more energy, am more capable of dealing with stress and more confident with myself.  I can't believe I used to hate running so much.  To celebrate, I present:  Mint Chocolate Chip, a timeless classic.

 

Finally, I have been invited to set up a booth at the Fool's Gold endurance mountain bike race by Namrita O'Dea.  I've only actually raced in one, and it was on a team, so it wasn't really all that endurance-y, but the atmosphere at those things is super fun since mountain bikers tend to have a lot of personality and fewer inhibitions about the stupid crap that afflicts most people.  I wouldn't be racing, but I'd be in the mountains of North Georgia which always refreshes my spirit, I'd be exposing my soaps to a whole community of people and I'll likely meet a lot of new people and have a ton of fun.  So, to celebrate this, I give you Chocolate Raspberry Torte which incorporates a bit of pink, just like my biking outfits do.