Trader Joe's

We have TJ's here in Arizona (all the California transplants probably demanded it, and I'm very thankful!)... so tonight I went in and shopped for dinner, knowing I wanted to make homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and knowing I needed chicken and noodles and more chicken broth, and the rest could be improvised once I looked up my favorite recipe site: www.allrecipes.com .

I tend not to call TJ's my 'regular' store -- it is small, with too many carts it is a pain to get around in, but it isn't that expensive and they have extremely cool stuff. This is where I get marscapone cheese and I think they have the best cinnamon graham crackers around -- a little marscapone on a TJ's cinnamon graham and it is like a wee slice of cheesecake. Yum.

I was happy tonight with what I found and the prices I paid, so definitely will be going more often on my way home from work. :-) And the Chicken Noodle Soup was awesome!!

Found this quote that just flew at me and stuck today:

"One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must g i v e u p before you get it." ~ Author Unknown.

I've been thinking about my quartet and how much I miss singing harmony, but how much I'm enjoying not having to be responsible for it. I've been thinking about how changing our lifestyle and eating habits is going to take me giving up sitting on the couch vegging out watching the boob tube for 3 or 4 hours a night after eating frozen crap for dinner. And as much as I don't want to give up music right now - my health (our health) needs to be the priority, and it is hard to make changes.

Sacrifice.

Self-denial.

It isn't just about making right eating choices, it is all-encompassing. What do I want and what am I really and truly willing to give up in order to get it. Do I want it enough... whatever "it" is.

Start with the end in mind, as Stephen Covey says.... what do I want people to say about me at my funeral? How do I want to be remembered? "It" isn't all about me... what positive energy/vibe/influence do I have? How am I going to live my life once I know what my end result should be?

Tricky.

All the messages we get from advertising, media etc... is that we can have it all -- we shouldn't have to give anything up. I don't agree. Giving something up makes us stronger. And I am so weak. So very weak.

I haven't formed any conclusions. I am not sure where I'm headed in this self-discovery. I'm not even sure that I haven't thought it before now... and I'm just being reminded.

What am I willing to give up? In order for me to reach goals I have, I need to give up time, and time is so precious. hmmmmmmmmmm.