Karuna's Alternative Universe

Need I say more?

2010-04-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

it's been a while....

2009-10-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

yesterday was abu's bday. His mommy (me) has been down w the flu and quite frankly still hasn't felt completely recovered from her last illness in July where she was sick in bed w fever x 2 weeks. wow, that was bad. Anyway - it was nice to be here for Abu's bday yesterday. He got clippers for his matty bits and a new catnip toy. Lucky boy!!

test post

2009-02-19T05:28:00.001-08:00

testesttest - ok it worked. thanks for standing by.

no postin' lately.... whassup with dat?!

2009-02-18T19:36:00.000-08:00

I dunno I guess that with everything else there just isn't much time for me to share. Between myFace and SpaceBook and myTwit(ter) and all those other crazy websites occupying my time and filling in folks on what's up, I wonder why even blog?
Kitty update: featured here is Cyclops, who is moving out with her mama at the end of the month. Abu and I will miss her!! My boys are fine though Pablo brought in a half dead baby mouse the other night which was disturbing. And he spends too much time outside at night (it's too cold!) but it's his choice.... Abu, well, Abu mostly sleeps on the bed and gets up to eat and poop. Me, I've been busy working and finally feeling more confident and competent in my job which is good. Not all the time, but more and more. I'm lucky to have such a great job with such wonderful people - makes it worth the commute. Life is good on the man front too - Scott, my fabulous partner, just keeps getting more and more kind and wise. Lucky me!

Pablo needs some attention

2008-11-30T16:35:00.000-08:00

he just walked by and told me. He's been going missing from time to time which I don't like, I prefer to keep him safe and warm here in the house. But he's a wild thing and needs to go out and fight, hunt and generally prowl. He's a most meow-ey guy who will eat just about anything - and in record speed. Really, he's that fast, the other kitties have had to start eating faster lest Pabs gets their food before they are done. He's the kitty formerly known as Oliver; sometimes being called Pablover and Pueblo by his uncle Tones. Awwwww... we miss Uncle Tones!

Finally!

2008-11-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

A president who doesn't make me ashamed to be an American!!! YEE HAW!

vote!

2008-10-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

dig the wig!

Download.... and Vote!

2008-10-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

Download the Obama Mix by DJ z-trip...and vote people!

VOTE!

2008-09-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ok people, I haven't signed in for a while and I don't have many words for you this time except please please please get registered and VOTE! Thanks.

triathlon, check. job, check. kitty health, check!

2008-07-08T20:04:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Yes, I finally did the triathlon. So watch the video! It was about a month ago and let me say it was one of the hardest things I've ever done! and it was a mini one! .5 mi swim open water in a lake (hello - i could have gotten sick from inhaling so much water?!?!); 18 mi on the bike (ouch) and a 5k run. I finished in the top 3rd for women in the swim but it all fell apart on the bike where I ended up in the bottom third (ok, the top of the bottom third!!) and stayed there for the run. I couldn't believe how much the bike kicked my ass. Guess I'm not really about speed on it - after the first 3 miles of torture (seriously - after the swim, transitioning was so hard!) I started to sing and enjoy the scenery (think AIDS ride) & folks were passing me left and right (well hopefully on the left). Anyway, it was a good experience overall and I may be doing another in a few weeks tho I haven't been training.... triathlon check!

The new job is fabulous. I can't say enough good things about it. The MDs are incredibly helpful and supportive of me in my role as NP. I'm learning tons and thoroughly enjoying the challenge of my new career. I chose well - career and job wise! Check! Check!

Kitty health hasn't been optimal lately. Abu turned up Thursday eve a little drooly (technical term) and I just assumed he was being a messy eater. But Friday AM (4th of July) he is really drooling all over himself and I took him to the Kitty ED. 4 hours and 400 bucks later, we find out he has an ulceration on his tongue that occupies approx 1/3 of the surface area of it. Poor thing! This would be like a canker sore that takes up almost half of your tongue! No idea how he got it tho I suspect it was some green thing (nettles?) outside that he ate (he loves his greens -just like his mama!) that caused it. We came home from the ED to our 4th of july party (just what he needed!). Since then he's been on antibiotics and pain meds and he appears to be healing up well. He's eating and drinking again which are good signs. Back to the vet tomorrow to follow up. Kitty health, check!
UPDATE: Abu has no infection in his mouth but does have an inflammation of his peninsula. he's been 'peninsula tongue kitty' since he was a kitten and cut his tongue on some glass. He had to get little kitty sutures on his little kitten tongue! o can you imagine?! Anyway, he's always had a little chunk of tongue missing (hence the peninsula) but apparently it became infected from something (did abu bite his tongue? the mystery of it!). I gotta go pick him up from the vet and see the pics they took of his tongue. good news: no more meds for him for now!!! you can check is old blog detailing his first kitty ED experience (dx: constipation!) here and check out his primitive kitten site: abuNation! If he weren't so lazy he'd make himself a new site since his technical skills are so much more grown up but he'd rather sleep...
Namasthe!

Finalmente!

2008-05-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

I have found a job that I want that also wants me! I wish I could find a photo of the Celo health center on the web because it's a beautiful, warm, inviting building - looks like Grandma's house, with a front porch overlooking the S. Toe River. A little about the Celo Community

still searching....

2008-03-20T14:26:00.001-07:00

for that perfect fit of a job. It's my main focus these days.... but I'm also trying not to freak out & to have faith that I will be lead to the right place at the right time. I've decided that in addition to my personal makeover (inside & out!) that I'm training for my first triathlon! I'm not sure when or where but it's going to happen... I've been wanting to do one for years! This being said, I've spent a bunch of time at the gym this week which feels good after about a month no gym. Which is not to say no exercise! During my two and a half weeks in SF I was biking & walking all over and doing karate three times a week as well as tai chi & yoga. But now I'm focusing on swimming, cycling and running in addition to yoga and some new martial arts tricks I'm learning - in the very beginning stages of learning anyway. My spiritual makeover includes getting back to my daily meditation practice which I decided to jump start last weekend by doing the Shambhala Warrior Level II training which was FABULOUS! So life is good, really good, except the fact that my car may be dying....but that's really just a minor irritation and possibly problematic since I have no income currently. But to keep it positive: one of the best things that's happened is the fact that Hannibal, my delicious road bike (featured below) has arrived from SF. Thanks Youngblood for putting him together for me! Can't wait to get out on the road - maybe tomorrow when the weather warms up! Meanwhile, still spending a few hours a day on the 'puter looking for the right job. I've got a lot going on but I feel happy and healthy. Praises!

now what?!

2008-01-24T11:29:00.001-08:00

So here I am. Family Nurse Practitioner. Certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and I can't get a bloody job here in Asheville! I'm considering moving but really don't want to leave my sweet house and this nice town but I may just have to. Meanwhile, I may be taking a road trip with an old friend to help out her dad who has cancer. Is it going around or what?! Maybe a trip to the ashram in the next couple of weeks just to get away. Not that I just got back 2 weeks ago or anything. :) But I feel like I should take advantage of the time I have free now b/c it won't last forever. I'd love to go do another Vipassana 10 day retreat (am I crazy or what?! I call it 'vipassana prison'!!) but there aren't any near by enough for me to get to. Who knows, meanwhile, trying not to stress about money and cultivate other parts of myself. I have a lot to do - the relationship I just ended really showed me that! But this I will go forth and do GENTLY. Peace, love & light.

Peace

2007-11-14T15:17:00.000-08:00

I've just returned from a 10 day silent retreat outside of Chicago. It was life changing. Check it out: www.dhamma.org. It was a total roller coaster - but well worth it. I can't really say more, just that I think everyone in the world should do one of these retreats at least once. Our world may become a nicer place.

Unpaid holiday....

2007-10-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm on one. No longer interning, just hanging out in Asheville. I'm actually reading books that aren't textbooks or that have anything remotely to do with medicine!! Sending out love to Otto in his effort to defeat cancer. Also to Tony and his family, battling a similar demon, and Massimo and his family - ditto. Seems to be going around. Big love to Megan and her family for their recent loss. Hugs and peace all around.

FNP-C....how 'bout a vegan cookie?!

2007-10-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hello good people!
I took my certification exam yesterday and although I don't have results yet (snafu.... damnit) I'm fairly confident that I passed it. So it's almost official: more initials after my name: MSN, FNP-C. yee haw! Now about that job and some money.... sure would be nice! Meanwhile I'm taking a little break for the rest of the week before heading back to the clinic where I'm interning - hopefully for $ soon!!! I'm not sure how working full time is going to feel after being in school for so long but we humans are highly adaptable so although it may feel like a bit of a burden at times, I'm sure it will be well worth it! Stay tuned!

C'est la vie en Asheville

2007-09-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hello good people! Well, I must say that my new home is treating me quite well which is making things problematic! weird, huh? well, there's this push pull thing i've got going on in my mind: asheville vs. sf. argh.... we'll just have to see where the Universe lands me. Meanwhile, life is grand. I've just returned from a week long cycling trip in the Rocky Mountains which has reminded me of how much I just love to cycle. Wish I were on the bike now.... what else, oh yeah, I've GRADUATED!!!! yee haw! I'm currently studying for the FNP certification exam and am scheduled to take it next week. In fact I'm procrastinating.... more later. Namaste.

I have arrived!

2007-06-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hello good people! I have arrived in my new home with most of my things, self & animals intact. I'm happy to be here... come & visit! Of course, I miss my Nash folks, wrvu and blasting music whenever I want but things are cool. I've got a SWEET pad atop a hill with a great deck & roommate. It's groovy. Come & check it out!

yo, people, it's the end of an era!

2007-05-03T05:35:00.000-07:00

so TUNE IN
while you can!

mi compleanno

2007-04-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hey, this is Massimo. He came to visit me on mi compleanno (bday) here in the Nash a few weeks ago. It was a blast. Eating greens at 11 pm (good for digestion!), rockin out to crazy, dirty southern hip hop (Lord T and Eloise - crazy white dudes from Memphis), Madame Butterfly at TPAC, Antibalas and of course, Little Rock with Tiffany and some famous DJ who I've never heard of (surprise, surprise). Mass is pictured here in my clothes since his luggage was lost on a direct 90 min flight from Chicago. We shopped for some new fashions for him and returned to the airport several times, searching for the missing bag. It turned up in time for his return flight.... since then I've been underwhelmed with final exams (whew, done now) and now finishing up clinical with the Peds but am down for the count since i can't move very well (damn back!). Found a new home in Asheville and am moving at the end of May. O man, i hope my back is better in time for me to screw it up again moving!

Ode to Tones

2007-04-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

I just want to express my love for my GIB (Gay Irish Brother) who is just too cool. I miss fighting with you GIB, then making up 5 mins later in tears. So sweet!
GIB just got even cooler: he made a trip to the post office to pick up my burning man ticket for me! yee haw! GO GIB!

Listen to my radio show or get the paw

2007-03-27T17:59:00.000-07:00

Abu says LISTEN
damnit!

Much needed R&R

2007-03-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

"Yoga believes in transforming the individual before transforming the world. Whatever change we want to happen outside should happen within. If you walk in peace and express that peace in your very life, others will see you and learn something."
- Sri Swami Satchidananda

Yes, oh yes! it was SO good! Left The Nash last Sat. for Asheville (soon to be my new home) for the weekend. Good times. Sisters. Friends. Food. SLEEP! I left AVL Tues for the ashram in VA, about 6.5 hours away. The first 24 hours are always the same; kinda a 'what the hell am I doing here' feeling... but I get over it fairly quickly. Yoga twice a day (yes, 6 am sucks when I'm going to the clinic or class, but when it means stumbling downstairs for yoga it ain't so bad!), vegan food, meditation, pujas, sweet old friends and new ones, mindless work in exchange for a cheap nightly rate to dorm. Once I get used to the idea, I'm totally in my element. Lucky for me, I always end up with sweet roommates there. This time it was Sangita who just completed teacher training in Mexico - lucky lady! Good times there. Really good. The kind I like - sweet people to meet and connect with, lots of good yoga instruction and oh, did I mention the great folks up there?! I'm one lucky woman to have found this community - the mother of the Integral Yoga Institute, my SF yoga family. I feel rested which apparently was just what I needed, even though I didn't realize it. Sending you love and peace.

yeah baby

2007-03-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

First of all,
This is worth watching

First: re: the above picture of my Muppet boots. They are gone. I gave them away to my burner buddies to enjoyi in the desert. Adios Chewbaca boots! Meanwhile, i'm almost there. Almost on spring break. sigh, I can't wait til I'm actually done with this test I'm going to take tonight (fun Friday night, eh? acutually gonna go party once it's done.... GotTo!). but then I'm outta here. Heading east tomorrow to AVL to see the siblings, a few Burner buddies & meet with the MD i'll be working with this summer. North on monday to chill with the swamis, yogis and yoginis in Yogaville. Yes, Yogaville. Right up my street, eh? The Satchinanada ashram near Charlottesville, VA is where I'll be all week cooking (& eating!) vegan fare, getting up at the crack of ass to practice yoga & meditate. The first day or two is always difficult, but once I'm on the schedule, I never want to leave. Such sweet brothas & sistas up there, reminding me that I'm in the home stretch of the insanity (grad school) and my mind & body will soon be free from the ties that currently bind me. August (graduation) is right around the corner.... Praises! In the meantime, check this out.

yee haw!

2007-03-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

I'm moving to AVL in May.... praises!