What Does THAT Have To Do With The Price Of Rice?

One of the things I say fairly often is "What does THAT have to do with the price of rice".  Lately I seemed to be taking that pretty literal as I am trying to figure out some more Budget Friendly Vegan Solutions for Meal Time.  I've done many of these mini blog posts throughout the years and I have seen a lot of veggie buddies doing VLOGS about $30 or $25 a week on a Budget when it comes to food shopping.  I would like to do more of that ASAP!

I was reading several articles about food prices lately.  The most recent was an article from May 2017 that said 2 person adult house hold with no kids spends anywhere between $400-$800 each month on food/groceries.  In a similar article on debt solutions it said to take the $400-$800 figure and try and only spend $125 on food each month per person.  So that's $250.  Which is only $150 less that the low end of each of those articles.  However, if you are able to save $150 per month right there that money could be used for something else, I suppose.  I guess it's the little steps, eh?

At this point in my post I should confess and say this entire post will just be one big BLAB.  I would like to see if I can challenge myself to do that but I'm horrible at planning because of everything else going on.  I think I will start with the weekly challenge. This blog will be a nice way to keep me accountable.  

Since it's already TUESDAY and our weekends are impossible to plan I can tell you that I already spent $7.50 on a HUGE salad yesterday.  That leaves me with $17.50.  Time will tell if I am able to start this week or next.  But I guess the first step is the thought - yeah - it's the thought that counts - right?  (insert frustrated laugh here)

(clears throat...nice segue, eh!?) I have been easily frustrated lately.  I need to jump back into meditation again.  Today I did some thinking - does that count?

Long story short - be on the lookout for more 'off the wall' vegan foods while eating on a budget and eating from your pantry.  I'll leave you with a photo of my darling niece TRINITY...

My Blissful Journey ~ Sleep & Meditation

I've been blogging here and there about my experiments with music and sleep.  It seems to be working.  In a round about way I had been pairing that with my own form of meditation.  I, for one, believe there is not a right or a wrong way to meditate.  I think it can be any form of prayer, it can be deep breathing, it can be yoga, it can be reading something positive and bright, it can be a walk in the woods or on the beach, it can be listening to music, or just that zone you get in before you fall asleep.

It took me a while to accept that.  I thought for years that I wasn't meditating correctly.  But that is like saying that someone isn't 'christian enough' or 'female enough' or 'pretty enough'.  Who are the meditation police?  We can't let anyone tell us we are doing something wrong if its improving our lives, right?

As for me - and what I have been doing LATELY - based on the first chart in this post is - for my ENVIRONMENT is my living room.  I actually sleep on my sofa.  I have for years.  I know it's not the best for my Sciatica, sleep, or back, but the dogs will not have it any other way.  That AND - DH goes to work at 4am. I rather get what sleep I can that be up and down and up and down every hour.  BUT ANYWAYS...my environment is my living room with low light and meditative beats on my iPad from YouTube.  I usually have Riley sleeping by my feet, Cricket sleeping on my lap or in the boat of my legs, and Paco sleeping above my head.  I know...it doesn't sound real comfortable but I finally have a system and so do they! LOL - Then for the 'set the intention' part - my intention is to get to sleep, stay asleep, and feel refreshed when I sleep.  I try and focus on healing any aches and pains I have, too.  For posture - I lay flat on my back - most of the time with my arms to the side and slightly above my head.  Sometimes under the blanket because I like to be warm at all times - or tucked under my pillow.  And as for Posture - I think a photo will explain it better but I've been sleeping in the Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).

So before when I was saying that Cricket usually sleeps on my lap or in the 'boat' by 'boat' I mean inside my leg area.  These sleeping choices could not be further from what I have been doing my ENTIRE LIFE.  Prior to this experiment I was sleeping in a ball - was a side sleeper - and had to have blankets over my ears - no matter how warm the weather was - and my arms hugging something - usually a pillow.

I have noticed that this has been helping my Sciatica on many days.  I have gotten used to sleeping this way - the thing that seemed to seal the deal was pairing all of this with Binaural Beats and Meditative Music!

Sleep & Music

The last couple of weeks I have been experimenting with different sleeping habits.  One in particular was the addition of listening to music while I sleep.

I have found that this is helping me get to sleep, get better sleep, and when I wake up - it seems like I can get back to sleep quicker.

I guess in a way I'm pairing this with meditation at the end of the day, too.  So I'm able to achieve 2 daily goals with 1 action.

Where am I finding 8-hours of Meditative Sleep Music?  YouTube.  You can even type in what kind of sleep music.  HERE I typed in for Fibromyalgia.

Obstacles & Progress

Just a quick update today...

So it looks like this is my set intake on superfoods and supplements over the last going on 2 weeks...

1 B-Complex Tab, 1 or 2 squirts of B-12, 1 or 2 squirts of D3, 2 tabs of Chlorella (M-F) and on weekends 2 tabs of Spirulina.  I've cut way back on caffeine intake.  Instead of 8 or more cups worth a day I'm down to 1 cup.  Others are low or no caff or herbal or rooibos or honeybush based.  I have been trying to add Turmeric to my foods at least once a day.

I'm going to try and incorporate the dreaded bananas once again.  REALLY trying to force myself this time.I'm trying to walk more and force myself to do more stairs in daily life.

Undergarments are still a challenge.  1 out of 3 seem to be ok.  The other two are better than what I had - I suppose.

I need to bump up my mini goals and be smarter and stick to meditation and yoga more.  I need to work on my anxiety and fears still.  I guess that's an on going process for any or many of us.

Sleeping situation is still questionable.  I've been able to adjust the way I sleep, however, which I think has been helping so far.  Actually I think most of what I am doing is helping.  I just have to kick it up a notch and continue, I think!

Progress in other areas...

I tackled my kitchen yesterday...that took a while but it's coming along.  I battled the recycling that was ready-to-go but out of hand.  I wish they collected every week instead of every other week.

I was able to relax a bit.  We took a trip down memory lane and watch movies like Titanic and E.T. the last few days!

What have you been up to?

Brain Break & Vegan MoFo 2015 PREP!

I took these photos/videos last week and had not gotten around to post them until now.

The purpose of these are that we all need a little 'brain break' every once and a while.

Sometimes I will eat my lunch in a nearby park or just sit there for a few moments to gather my thoughts.

Question of the Day: What do you do on your 'Brain Breaks"?  Comment below.

I figured this was a great time to post this because TOMORROW is the first day of Vegan MoFo!  YAY!  I can't wait!  Will you be participating in Vegan MoFo?  If so...let me know your URL if you haven't already!

Don't stress...

Take your emotions as they come - don't stress, no matter how you are feeling while you meditate.

Guitar Meditations

Guitar Meditations Vol. 3 (CD) - DJ Free (turntablist, flautist, all-around mystic) is an active musical collaborator who teams with an array of musicians from around the world via his musical collaborative project Soulfood. For Guitar Meditations Volume 3, Free partners with the gifted guitars of Robert McEntee, Ricky Fitzpatrick, and the band Ra Music to deliver powerful yet eloquently simple instrumental, guitar-based music. Ideal for meditation or yoga but still lively enough for driving or leisurely walks, the music on this third volume of Guitar Meditations is stirring, emotional, and suffused with classical music grace while always mellow in a barefoot-on-the-beach sense, warming the coals of the he! art with gentle harmonics, hazy shimmering slide, and moody, resonant strumming, and top-string melodies.
Listen To Sound Clips

Again, with the music, you say!? Indeed! Food For the Heart and Soul! Check it out!