Loving this Life

It's fair to say life's pretty good at the moment. Here's my list of things I love right now:

• Naked Organic's range of products, in particular their Pea and Lemon Risotto. Add a little grated parmesan, some freshly torn Basil, and serve with hot bread rolls straight from the oven and a green salad. Divine!
• How to be a Princess - I walked past this book whilst on a mission to buy pain killers this morning and fell in love. So much in love that I had to email Leonie about it, then go back out into the cold to buy it, take photos with my Nokia and email them to her. It's full of beautiful cartoon imagery, lush colours and lots of advice on how to be a real princess. Normally I wouldn't go for the girly stuff, but this has just enough attitude to make it something special.
• Mighty Mighty - Hamish and I visited this bar for the first time on Saturday night, and I can't believe it's taken us so long. A lovely long bar down one end, and an intimate Cabaret style venue down the other - complete with Twin Peaks styled red curtains. I always love venues with red curtains!
• Cassette - I love a little alt-country/Indie rock with my lemon, lime and bitters! Thanks to these lovely guys I have my going-out mojo back. Plus, you have to love a singer who can get down on his knees and sing backwards (Twin Peaks stylz).
  
• Adidas running gear - Ok, I admit it, I'm a sell-out. I'm aware my highly expensive shoes and my attractive, beautifully styled wind parker are probably made by some poor sweatshop worker earning two cents an hour, but when it comes to running gear I've learned that it pays to pay top dollar. It's no coincidence that I discovered new speed the first night I ran in my latest Adistar Contro, or that I've been running pain free ver since. And when I was running along the Hutt Rd yesterday in a stiff Northerly I was running fast partly because I was wearing my wind parker with my matching shoes, and a small corner of my mind was thinking "I look good", and every time I thought that I moved more quickly. If I were wearing cheap cotton I'd be chafing and getting cold and wet. If I were wearing cheap shoes I'd (still) be getting injured all the time. I may wear $20 boots from the No. 1 Shoe Warehouse all day at work, but you'll not get me out on the pavement for anything less than $230.
• My No. 1 Shoe Warehouse boots. I have never been a shoe person. I own two pairs of high heels - one pair of which is ten years old. However I recently spotted the most divine pair of dark pink suide boots in the window of the aforementioned shoe store. They go perfectly with my pink Annah Stretton fish-tailed jacket, and with the skirt I bought at the market at Uprising over New Years. A week later I was back buying one pair of black boots, and one red pair, $20 each, or $30 with the 'buy one pair get the second pair free' deal. I'm going to pay for this in the 'ethical shopping' purgatory for several years. But hey, I'll look sexy while I'm suffering!
• Running - I'm the lightest, mot muscular and fittest I've ever been. I haven't had a cold in around three years (even when everyone in our office bar me came down with the same virus within weeks of each other). I haven't had any tmj problems since the running. My former generalised anxiety disorder wouldn't even dare to raise its head, nor would the depression. I have so much energy it's stupid. Not to mention the fringe benefits for Hamish!
• Body Balance - Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates in an easily digested capsule. It's kept me at least minimally supple for the last year. Now it's time to move on. Or rather, it's time to go back to the place where I first found a yogic home.

There's more, but I don't want to bore you any more with the obsessiveness of my own joy for living at this particular stage in my life. I will finish by wishing the same for you, in your own way, through your own path.