Happy New Year!

It's 2012 and how do you plan on living it?

Here is my plan for the new year: Live every day like it's my last. I know that's a little extreme but I truly do want to enjoy every.single.day of this year. I'm not a complete optimist, I do know that I will have some pretty crumby days thrown in but I have a feeling if I really think about the day I will be able to find something enjoyable about it. Heck, maybe I'll even do a Gratitude Post every day!

Americans need to stop being so negative and ungrateful. Yes our country is going to Hell in a hand basket but how about if we all banded together to change that?  I'm tired of the stupidity of Americans (myself included). I'm so tired of how I've wasted so many years of my life accomplishing NOTHING. This year I want to actually accomplish something. Americans are lazy and spoiled and we need to wake up and realize how living that way is wreaking havoc on us all (as well as our country).

So this year I am focusing on my fitness (I've been into fitness and exercising for about 3 yrs now but I want to *really* amp up my focus this year). I specifically plan on focusing in on pilates and yoga. I've been interested in both exercises for a few years (bought the typical dvds a few yrs back) but never religiously used them because I got too distracted doing it in my own home. I also didn't feel like I was doing the moves correctly because it's kind of hard to tell what the instructor is doing on the tv screen. So, I kind of pushed those dvds into the back of the dvd shelf & said to myself how if I could afford a yoga or pilates class then I'd go. Nothing ever came up and when there was an affordable one it just didn't fit into my schedule so I was screwed for a few years.
Well, a few months ago the gym I go to hired a few new teachers and they now added new classes (Pilates!) & more yoga classes. I am psyched because I can now practice both all week long! Yoga is now available three days a week & pilates is offered two. I have been on Cloud 9 for a few weeks now. I have been going as often as I can & I absolutely love it.
Aside from that guy I'm married too, I have the most unflexible stiff body that I know of. It's kind of pathetic actually & I've always wanted a nice lean long dancer's flexible body. I recall reading an article years ago saying how Jennifer Aniston transformed her body from doing pilates. Transformed? Give me some of that! Pilates and yoga lengthen your body by stretching your muscles and creates and maintains lean muscle mass. Sign me up for some of that as well. I want that elegant posture of dancers because they appear leaner, which they are, but I have terrible slouched shoulders and I'm pretty sure when I become an old lady I will look like the Hutchback of Notre Dame. I want better posture and that was another reason why I've been interested in starting yoga and pilates.

I also plan on eating as natural, organic, clean, healthy - you name it! this year. I've been becoming more and more aware of how I've been literally killing my body with the stuff I've been eating. I have such a sugar addiction that I know I have really done damage to my insides. I, thankfully, don't have Diabetes yet but this year I really want to cut out most processed sugar from my diet. It's TERRIBLE for you, people. Sugar is should be your #1 enemy! Not only have I been wreaking havoc on my body with refined sugar but there are so many toxins in all our foods that we just need to be aware of it and try and prevent it. (I will have to do a whole other post on toxins in our food and how our gov't is trying to kill us all) :)

Overall, I just want to better myself. I want to actually make a difference in my life or in someone else. I honestly feel like I've wasted a good 10 years of my life - I've done nothing spectacular. The only real big things I can say I've done in those 10 yrs was get married and have a baby. That's IT. I need direction.. I hope this year I can quickly find the path that I need to get on to get direction and get running!

Things To Do In Hawaii - Oahu - Part 1

I figure, since I've lived on Oahu for the last 3 years, that I'd make a post about some ideas people should either do or see when they come to visit the island. (I'm also hoping if I mention Hawaii a lot that when people search Google for ideas maybe my blog will pop up & I can get some publicity) Heck, I'm desperate, I'll do anything to publicize this blog so I can get it up & running. (Hey, at least I'm honest!)

So if you ever decide to visit Oahu you should consider going to Waimea Valley. Not only is it gorgeous to walk around in but they also have a very beautiful waterfall in the valley.

 (A part of Lost was also filmed here) You are allowed to jump in & swim around too.

Next on your "To Do" list should be to visit the North Shore. I love the drive going to & from there because the ocean is right next to you & it's gorgeous. There are also several beaches to stop at so you can pretty much find one that is pretty & not populated. 

My favorite beach is this one. I don't think it has a specific name but every time I've been there it hasn't been crowded, maybe a few people. This particular day I was there it was empty.. probably because it was overcast but I still love it. One of these days I want to go back just so I can take a picture of the water & mountains when it's clear & sunny out. The water of Hawaii is such a beautiful color.

What else should you consider doing while in Hawaii? How about Skydive!?  And, if you *do* plan to skydive I highly recommend going through Skydive Hawaii. I recommend doing it while in Hawaii because the view coming down is incredible. I am so glad I sucked it up and went because it's definitely one of the better places to fall to your potential death, at least you have a good view coming down before you crash to the ground (let's hope you don't crash to the ground though!)

(That's me & my tandem master Scott Freeland - he was awesome, btw)

Coolest experience EVER & I highly recommend it. 

I also recommend NOT coming to Hawaii during the month of October, November, & December. I recommend not coming because it's "winter" then & most days are overcast & it will rain, on some part on the island, everyday. It never normally rains for long but the whole day can be overcast. My mother just came out in October and during her week visit it was overcast almost every day and rained part of the time. :( 

My favorite thing about the rainy season is sometimes we get so much rain that we get waterfalls cascading down the Koo'lau Mountains. The drive down the H-3 on the windward side of the island is gorgeous when there are waterfalls.