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I think it's time for a new blog posting simply because I don't feel like the tone of my last any more.

I started a new workout program and made a decision to change my unhealthy eating habits. Laziness and fast food are out. Fresh foods and whole grains are in. I knew what was good for me before, but I never really had to make a concerted effort because I was so active. I was performing in a belly dance troupe (Najmi's Spirit... we're on MySpace now... hint, hint ), for God's sake. I lived in an upstairs apartment and therefore had to run up and down stairs several times a day. I also worked in a mom-and-pop type occult bookstore/ massage facility where I was lifting boxes of books every day, carrying display tables in and out, running up and down stairs to restock towels, lifting the boards of the steam room floor and seats, etc, etc. I never really thought about how much exercise I was truly getting every single damn day.

I also smoked about a half a pack of cigarettes a day. I know it seems cliche, but it does suppress your appetite. I quit when we moved here. I've been smoking one about every three or four days, but I see that as huge progress and pretty much don't care to work on it any more, especially with the stress of being overseas. I've figured out that I was pretty much self-medicating when I smoked pot daily back home. I haven't had any in... wow. 5 months now. I still miss it and I will again if and when the opportunity presents itself, but for now, I think the medication is very good for me. I feel better. I still think about things the way I did before (i.e. our ridiculous dependency on social conformity and fear of human suffering), but it doesn't seem to be overwhelming me any more. This is very, very good.

One of my good friends (and Najmi's Spirit member) back home has asked me to help design a tattoo for her, so that's a project I'll start working on. Her son's name is Falcon and her daughter's Ivy, so those are the two motifs I have to work with. I used to do a lot of henna work for my troupe, so it feels good to know that they approve of my artistic abilities.

So there you have it. Oh and I love WarCraft.