Or maybe things have been all effed up for you this week too.
Look, is there some kind of solar storm I don’t know about? Can I blame all this on a recent eclipse? Give me something to pin this mess on!
Whatever the cause, sometimes it seems there’s no way around it but to go right through the middle.
Yeah, I’ll tell you about my mess and you’re welcome to tell me about yours. Maybe together we can find the culprit. Deal?
And I promise to share with you 3 rescue tools that I put into play that are helping me out. Maybe they’ll help you, too.
What up?
Nothing rare and unusual.
Hard drive crash. Just when I was sure it would never happen to me.
Just one little loophole. My backup was my backup. D’oh! Unclear on the concept you say? OK, lesson learned, embarrassed, hanging my head in shame.
There went my Fit Quickies Cookbook images and recipes, multiple video files, image archives…don’t get me started. As a matter of fact for days after it happened, I purposely avoided thinking about what was on that little Seagate.
But the thoughts found me anyway. You know how it goes. 3 o’clock in the morning and your eyes pop wide open in anxiety.
Feeling sorry for myself lasted about 20 minutes
Tick tock. Time to see what files I can find on old computers, documents elsewhere…a process that still continues.
And 3 important strategies I put in place to help me cope and get on with it.
That’s where the 3 G’s come in.
1) Greens. Knowing what a toxic and acidic condition anxiety can produce in the body (and mind), I decided to alkalize in one of the surest and quickest ways possible. I pulled out my Vitamix and made me a tall, effervescent, healing green drink with dark greens, peaches, and berries that brought my body into happy balance. I’ve got my basic recipe for you here: Green drink resurrection
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2) Go in. Had meditation taken a back seat in the bucolic ride of summer bliss? Don’t be mistaken, spending that time watching and being adds an extra buffer that you feel all day long.
It’s one of those things quick to go, kind of like stretching enough during our workouts. But meditation deserves a lasting place at the head table. I invited it to pull up a chair.
3) Get moving. Always a healer. Reborn perpetually after a date with my muscles and getting fully present with the body, a workout is a standard first line of defense for me. When muscles are charged up, you feel like you can do anything, right? You know I am!
Me? Still sleuthing out files on old computers, though many I know are not to be found anywhere except up in hard drive heaven. And bringing my attention back to the present, with so many projects looking for their mistress. Looking to land in the lotus as often as I can.
How about you? Is all perking along smoothly or is something else going on? I promised to listen to your woes if you listened to mine. Tell me all about your stress-protection strategies by going to ‘leave a reply’ below.
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I’ve had this happen before and it’s a nightmare! You do feel helpless and it takes so much time to try to get to where you were before the ‘crash’.
So, my sympathies and though I find it an impulse to just want to rebel and eat all the wrong things, I find that staying active helps with stress and I always make sure to fit it in. I like what you said about meditation, it’s so easy to find other distractions, isn’t it?
Thanks for another great blog!
Jennifer
Jennifer! You too? I never thought the hard drive crash would be me, but…there you have it.
I’m glad you find workouts a sure thing too. Nothin’ like it.
Thank you SO much for the share today – I feel not so alone in my ‘crash’!
Lani
Hi Lani – sympathy, sympathy! Why do we need a crash to remind us about a proper backup system? I guess it’s our eternal optimism that serves us so well in other circumstances. When it happened to me several years ago, I was able to take my disabled old computer to a shop that rescued most of the files (for a hefty fee) – I suppose you’ve tried that already. I was comforted to have them, but truth be told, by then I was onto new files and didn’t need them very often. The good news is that you will now get that external backup system. We have one that is easy to use and backs up just the changed files each day. We keep one copy here and one at the bank that we replace every few months. I’m lucky my husband is the techie in the family and set it up (where was he before the crash?). I’m stressed a bit too with preparation for a long sojourn in France (poor me!) with just tons of details involved in such a move. But eating well and exercise and remembering to look after me, as you say, along with taking it one bite at a time keep me sane. (My sister always reminds me when I’m feeling stressed – How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time – not that we would eat anything with a face, of course.) As they say in French “bon courage”! Lana
P.S. I’m including your veggies La Spinosa in VegE-News July issue, out soon.
Lana, you’re right, once you have the experience….New plans made!
I did get a new hd backup, this time I’ll remember the idea of a backup is not that it is your only copy. And I did find out I could have (possibly?) those files retrieved starting at $1,000 – so I’m doing what I can with other avenues.
Are you moving to France? for how long? That sounds quite interesting and I’d love to hear more! I see you know about my veggie-travel articles as you mention one of my faves, La Spinosa!
Looking forward to your adventures – and the July Veg-E news!
Lani
Lani, THANK you for reminding me. As you always say, it’s really so simple, but not always easy.
Because of your newsletter early today I made myself a solid green breakfast drink and already feel more energized. Stress? Well, it’s an every day for me and yet so easy to slip out of the simple practices that make it more manageable.
I’ve got my ipod all ready for a Fit Quickies workout later this morning. That’s 2 of 3 – how am I doing?
thanks again,
Gwen
I am sorry about your hard drive crash. I empathize on many levels.
Good luck Lanis – on your technical/hardware problems.
I continue to have a “ghost” problem with Internet Explorerer 9 that closes my browser and email on an ongoing basis. It is interfering with my scheduled updates for my spyware and anti-virus programs. My tech. husband can’t find anything on my machine – yet…
Additional stressors: four layers of roof discovered, roofing crew uncovered a split pipe in the wall when they filled water bottles which flooded inside the walls and in the bedroom, remediation was somewhat successful but there is still an odor – so on to checking the slab and pad for uric acid (via black light and probe) this afternoon. So the previous seller of this home patched problems and did not solve them. These issues were not included in the disclosure during the sale…
The plus is having found wonderful plumbers (wife included) who give me lots of detail and are solving the ongoing problems we continue to discover. I have also found a wonderful carpet cleaning specialist to help with the carpet, water damage, smells and other upcoming options to be able to sleep in my bedroom eventually. And he understand those sensitive to chemicals and smells.
Rather than dreading problems – I am grateful for those who I can collaberate with to solve the problem. I am grateful to have the means to pay for the work being done.
To cope – I am doing Tai Chi daily, getting deeper sleep via a sleep mask, using a timer to work in 15 minute increments (with a break) to feel successful and continue making progress. Pleasant music is playing in the background.
Janis
Janis, you say
If that ain’t an attitude of gratitude, I don’t know what is!
The Tai Chi sounds like heaven. Sleep mask too. Is there a word for sleep that starts with “G” so it can be the 4th?
Thanks for stopping in to share!
Lani
Lani,
I use Carbonite. It’s worth every penny. It backs up constantly all day in the background and doesn’t annoy me. You ought to consider it. The company is nice to deal with, too.
When I’m stressed, I do Kundalini Yoga. It realy helps. Good luck recovering your files. Maybe they are still there somewhere.
Denise
Denise, thanks for the tip on Carbonite.
Kundalini – is it your fave yoga flavor? Have you been practicing for a long time?
Lani
Oh Lani….. I hear you….. and not dismissing your woes but I have to admit that your second sentence had me laughing out loud. And the eyes popping wide open at 3am? Been there, done that.
But you giving it only 20 minutes is the reason why I’m along for the ride on the Lani-Train!
My eating and head-space hasn’t been the best for the last few weeks, but I feel I’m really back on track. day 3 and I feel great!!! For me I decided that I had to buy myself a couple of books and really study up on why this food plan is so good – for my own stash of knowledge and so that I can answer folks intelligently when they ask why I’m eating this way.
And yes, exercise has always been 1 of my tactics for getting out of a bad place – especially a combination of FQs, yoga, walking and burst on the bike. They all seem to play a part.
And boy, do I love those green smoothies! I guess I really hadn’t paid attention to why it is always my breakfast of choice when I’m heading out to a zumba class! But it certainly gives me a kick before the major kick of Zumba!
Thanks for sharing Lani, and best of luck to you!
Nancy, I gotta hand it to you on the books trick. It’s why I have an overloaded arsenal of references surrounding me in my office, studio — reaching for food and fitness edification is an easy reach at any time of the day. And I have my favorites that I read cover-to-cover at least once a year. So stars on your chart for smart!
Day 3 – you GO and day 4 is right around the corner!
Thanks so much for popping in and telling me about YOU today!
Lani
Dear Lani
My husband said that harddrives can be recovered if you take it into a Computer Specialist. He says just because you can’t access it….doesn’t mean it is gone or not there!!
Call someone who fixes computers (not someone who just sells them!)
Hope this helps!!
Angel
Hey Angel, well, 2 sources I spoke to including Seagate themselves as well as a local tech service – said quite possibly, with opening price of $1,000, so I had to decide accordingly. Beats me why it would be so dang pricey! Thanks so much for your encouraging words
Hey Lani,
So sorry for your loss! I’m glad your grief lasted only 20 minutes…well maybe a bit more? There is a full moon this week, maybe that’s what put everything over the edge. 🙂
Wish I could send over my computer wiz of a son out to give you a hand at reopening those files. He recently turned a computer that he built a couple of years ago into a server for our home network that backs up our three laptops each day. (I don’t know exactly what that means, LOL, but I’m learning!)
Ask around, you might know someone at the college/university who knows someone who might know how to retrieve files from a crashed hard drive. We once had an old PC fixed (twice) by the friend of a colleague who used to do IT work. He managed to retrieve tons of photos that I had neglected (never again) to back up. If you have to fork over the bucks, $1000 is a lot of money, but a small price to pay in the long run for all of your work you put on to that computer. Those files are probably still on there, just need to be recovered.
Anxiety, yes, a big one in my headspace, as you know. Now, I know why I “have to” start every single day with a spinach/blueberry/nectarine or apple green smoothie! Didn’t know that greens can help with stress, but it makes sense.
Listening to Deva Premal (I like “Dakshina” a lot) or Krishna Das helps me to chill. Oh, the BEST music to chill out to zen state? Liquid Mind’s CD called “Liquid Mind V: Serenity. Thinking of you!
Jennifer, thanks, yes I must admit frustration lasted more than 20 minutes, it’s the self pity that I kicked to the curb, worthless!
Good idea on sleuthing down a college student and how sweet to offer your son’s skills! I’ll have to ask around and see what I can come up with.
Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions! May I come to one of your yoga classes this week? You can just talk me through it if nothing else! It’s so fun to have someone else do the instruction for a change! 😉
me
Lani, Your Newsletter couldn’t have come at a better time. There is nothing like reading other people woes to realize yours aren’t as bad. I have never had a hard drive crash, but I am sure it’s a royal pain in the patootie, I feel for you my dear.
There must be something in the air cause this week has been very stressful for me as well. Vehicle died, financial worries, not enough work, and then on top of it I ate food that would only hinder my health and weight loss and knowing full well that it would do this, can you say “glutton for punishment”? As if that grilled cheese would make my life better.
So how will/do I handle all this. Gratitude, Staying in the present, Rally my Village, Hike in Nature. Stay nourished with healthy, cleansing foods, and breath. It’s funny you mention the juicing, cause I have been debating the pros and cons of juicing and I have decided to go for it. I am not a fan of leafy greens and this would be the best way to get all that is good from then with out having to enduring eating them….
Thanks again Lani for all you do…
Christine in Cali
Lani, Your Newsletter couldn’t have come at a better time. There is nothing like reading other people woes to realize yours aren’t as bad. I have never had a hard drive crash, but I am sure it’s a royal pain in the patootie, I feel for you my dear.
There must be something in the air cause this week has been very stressful for me as well. Vehicle died, financial worries, not enough work, and then on top of it I ate food that would only hinder my health and weight loss and knowing full well that it would do this, can you say “glutton for punishment”? As if that grilled cheese would make my life better.
So how will/do I handle all this. Gratitude, Staying in the present, Rally my Village, Hike in Nature. Stay nourished with healthy, cleansing foods, and breath. It’s funny you mention the juicing, cause I have been debating the pros and cons of juicing and I have decided to go for it. I am not a fan of leafy greens and this would be the best way to get all that is good from then with out having to endure eating them….
Thanks again Lani for all you do…
Christine in Cali
Christine,
You’re right about realizing we may not have it so bad after all. At the same time I’m not one to get into pzzzng matches about who’s got it worse, because when you’re in it you’re in it, right?
As if on the grill cheese, you are so right! It helps to understand that there’s chems in them thar cheese chunks that give us a biochemical ‘feel better’ – as in casomorphines. No wonder!
BTW, I didn’t say juicing, the green drink is whole foods whirred up in Vitamix. So the fiber is disrupted, but at least it’s there. And YES this can be a great way to get some veggies by stealth. Hey, I feel a blog coming on – veggies by stealth! Thanks!
So, have you a blender/juicer toy in mind?
Lani
Actually I have a blender/food processor. Will that work? I hope so cause I’d like to keep the fiber….thanks for clarifying.
C in C
Christine, if it can stand up to the fiber, frozen fruit or ice. That’s the kicker. It’s got to have strong blades and a robust motor so you don’t kill the machine. You could start with softer fruit, and water, add in shaved ice, then piece in chopped greens until you get a feel for your machine.