Ashley has taken to "Eat" and other such pleasures.

I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love again, this time all the way through, and I noticed something. I've adapted it into my life a bit. It's happened all quite unconsciously. (I haven't gotten to the Love section yet but I wouldn't complain if, due to no conscious effort of my own, love just fell into my lap kind of like the other aspects have.) Well it seems that ever since reading about her splendid, carefree, "pleasure"-filled, tasty time in Italy... there have been a few times since where I have just thought "FORGET ABOUT IT! I'mma buy me something tasty, AND ENJOY IT." Today's example is that I stopped by Taco Bell, came home to zero roommates, sat on the floor in my room and turned on a worthless and entertaining TV show on Hulu, and chowed down on yummy crunchychewycheesy things. I haven't watched a show in forever!! Last week I did something like this with a chile relleno burrito that I'd been craving from the place across the street ("because, WHY NOT?!"). It wasn't a special occasion, it was just that I didn't know what I was waiting for- wanting it and not partaking. I'm not so poor I can't buy myself a delicious $5 something. And last Friday night I went to Trader Joe's hungry (stupid, stupid, stupid!) and left only $35 poorer (could have been worse!). For breakfast the next morning, with my TJ loot, I constructed and indulged in 2 halves of a toasted english muffin with garlic-and-herb flavored goat cheese spread on top, with a warm over-medium egg on each, with a quickly fried slice of peppered salami placed on top of that. YESSSSSSS. I think I slow danced with myself as I ate it. Fortunately, my indulgence in food has coincided in an increase of exercise though. But I think food is winning the race :/

This Labor Day Monday I indulged in the pleasure of ... doing nothing. About time!!! This summer really has been exhausting (this REALLY IS how this summer was for me) and ironically, I spent the symbolic last-day-of-summer doing what I should have the whole time: sleeping in on a wonderfully soft bed, eating cake for breakfast, kickin' it with family (including a cute baby), washing an overly-filthy car, eating lasagna for lunch, laying out on the trampoline with a book- in a strategically modified bikini and shamelessly toasting my skin, visiting a friend, going shopping, and ending with a slumber party with my best friend. Great. Day. And thankfully I don't regret those days I "worked so hard" to have fun throughout the summer, because they WERE fun, just not relaxed. But it was a grand finale this Monday because I finally did it right. In large part it was due to the fact that I was at my family's house and not LA where I'm sure there would have been tempting social activities. But I don't want to bust my butt doing a million things anymore! I haven't accomplished anything for ME in a long time! I have a beautiful sewing machine and serger by my side, collecting dust. I have books to read, things to learn, people to share my time and attention with- instead of ladders to climb and dudes to worry about.

The part of the book that I'm almost done with is the "Pray" section, and I'm surprised to see just how much I identify with it and how the author's Eastern practices translate into my Christian worship. She, Liz Gilbert, is astonishingly similar to me. I wouldn't be surprised though, if a million of her readers have felt the same thing. She has a way of relating personally to people because she is just SO open and "raw". But either way, I think I'm a lot like her- just not nearly as successful and perhaps more scared and self-doubting. Anyway, she's an example to me and she's teaching me. Who knew that reading some book on the New York Times Bestseller list, written by a non-Mormon, could inspire me to pray more sincerely? I've also seen myself allow myself to be more still, since reading about her dealings with meditation. It's been so helpful to see what someone like me can do with their desires and faults and strengths. I'm thankful my coworker and friend Suzanne is such an intuitive wizard and knew to instruct me to pick up the book again. After reading a little through it and picking up some of the vocab I asked her if I could call her my Guru :) If you read it or have read it before, you'll know then that Suzanne is am important inspiration to me. A great person to have at my side for 8 hours a day. (By the way, she said no, she'd rather I call her my joyologist. Haha. Ok.) She helps me sort myself out and is very supportive, validating, understanding and encouraging.

And now, as far as the future goes, I think I'm skippin' town on my birthday! As long as it gets approved by my employer, I'm taking a half-day off of work in a few Fridays, and driving up with my family to Sacramento to see my brother and his family and MEET MY NEWEST NEPHEW and see him get blessed :) Yaaayy!!

Life is good.