You Can Find Me @ My New Home....

Just wanted to remind everyone that this blog is no more. But don't be sad, my friends! You can find my Rantings, Ramblings, Revelations and MORE at my new blog!!!

In addition to favorite posts from this blog (Music Therapy, Wanna Wanna Wednesdays, Let's Talk Tresses), I'm sharing new music, a weekly roundup of the best (and worst!) of the internet, and WAY more fashion... (Including OOTD posts!). Here's a snippit of what you've missed!!

DIY DOPE HAIR Naptural 85's Effortless Beach Waves

Song Lyric OOTD: "Yo Soy Como El Chile Verde, Llorna... Picante Pero Sabroso"

Music Therapy: Self Reliant

Plus Size Style Board: Movie Night

You've missed out on all of this and SOOOO much more! Please update your bookmarks, and catch me at my new home, AudreyCan.com!!! Be sure to leave me a comment on my recent post letting me know you found me! See you there!!!

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye...

 

It's kind of funny. I have known that this moment was to come, but now as I write these words... I find myself filled with resistance. I guess this is the standard fear that comes with saying goodbye.

This will be the very last post of Miss Moon's Musings. It's been a fabulous six years, and I've been nothing but grateful for and continuously amazed by all the support you have given my rantings, ramblings and revelations!!!! From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much!!

Everything ends, but this farewell I assure you is bittersweet, because I do have some good news for you...


 

That's right... I am starting a new blog!!! You thought I would just leave and ride into the sunset?!? No way!!!

 AudreyCan.com is launching June 9, 2015 (If you remember, that date is very important to me.) and (I hope) it will be everything you loved about Miss Moon's Musings and so much more! I'm so excited to be sharing this new side of myself with you!!

In the meantime, between now and June 9th, feel free to keep in touch with me on Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram, and even Pinterest (I'm a Pinterest junkie... I admit it)!! 

And if you have any questions, comments and/or suggestions, please feel free to drop me a line! I'd love to hear from you!

Goodbye for now, and..

Miss Moon's Musings About: Job Searching

I very much wanted to step away from my hiatus to share an amazing lesson I've learned about job searching, and about patience. You all know I am a firm believer in sharing a good thing! ;)

I've been unemployed for over six months now, and have consistently looked for a new opportunity in that time. I have had interviews, and although I've had great conversations and the people I've met with seemed to like me, I haven't found a match just yet. In the past, I would take job loss as a sign that I need to look for something new: a job that will motivate and challenge me, and give me the opportunity to gain something I value tremendously... wisdom. So with a clear idea of what type of job I desire, I would start my journey.

Obviously anything worth obtaining doesn't always happen immediately, Intellectually, I know this... but when it takes too long I allowed my own fear of failure to stop me. I would panic, take "just any job": one that offers no fulfillment or security just for the sake of being employed. It never ends up well and a year or two later... I am back where I am today. Jobless and looking for an ideal situation.

No more of this. This time around... I'm sticking to my guns. I will not deviate from my plan. I know with all the certainty of a zealot that somewhere in NYC there is a company looking for someone with everything I have to offer. And in return, the company will give me the challenge and opportunity to grow I am looking for. It will be a great match.

I used to think that job searching was like a crap shoot. You roll the dice and hope to win. Now I am starting to see the experience as cultivation. Each application, each resume sent is a seed you plant. You nourish each seed with patience, optimism and with the knowledge that you deserve to receive the opportunity you desire. And in time, you will most certainly reach the harvest you have toiled for. I believe and have faith it will happen for me. And if it can happen for me, it can definitely happen for those of you like me who are on the same path! Keep trying!

Checking In...

Hey Everybody!

As I am sure you all know, Miss Moon's Musings has been on hiatus for the last several months. This is because I am presently without internet access in my house.

Last summer, the frequent rain caused leaking in our apartment, which resulted in two large gaping holes in our ceiling. Our living room ceiling wasn't the only fatality as our home computer (and the modem) was totally fried as well. The holes are still very present on the ceiling as I write these words... Seriously.

My family and I were hoping that we would move out by the end of last year, but I also received a giant middle finger from the Universe in the form of losing my job. After putting my health scare on a shelf for the sake of pitching in and being loyal to my former employer... they kicked me to the curb, along with countless others.

Fast Forward to March, I am still stuck in this apartment that shows no signs of being repaired any time soon, I am diligently searching for a great job, and most importantly I am working on myself. I believe that a lot of the hardships that have come is a sign that I need to focus on what I am doing to create struggle. I am committed to breaking some negative patterns in my life. I feel like this could be my last chance to start over... and I really don't want to screw it up. I am working on a major life overhaul, and despite missing the blog, I need to really put my focus on fixing this mess.

So Miss Moon's Musings will continue to be on hiatus for the time being. You can feel free to keep in touch with me on Instagram, Twitter, and of course, the Miss Moon's Musings FaceBook page, as I am always on Instagram and Twitter (Especially on "Scandal" night! lol) and have vowed to be more active on Facebook as well.

I really just wanted to check in and say that I'm alive and that Miss Moon's Musings is NOT dead!!!



Audrey,
Miss Moon's Musings

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
~ Audrey Hepburn

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."
~ Groucho Marx

" Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life."
~ Omar Khayyam

In May, what was intended to be a routine check up with my new doctor turned into months of fear, worry, and anxiety. He called me and said that there was something wrong with my blood tests, and that my white blood cell count was unusually high. He couldn't say why, but that further tests was needed. In subsequent visits the doctor did very little to assure me or give me some idea what could be the problem. I did what most people (FOOLISHLY!) would do in that situation, and took to the internet to look into what could cause this abnormality. And I ended up scaring the hell out of myself in the process.

So for these past few months, I lived with this fear not far from my thoughts: Am I sick? Am I dying? What would my family do? Will I be a burden on them? And with the stress I gained twelve pounds, upped my cigarette smoking to a pack a day, and discovered two new gray hairs rest comfortably on Miss Mooch.

All of this worry was immediately alleviated when I went to see the Hematologist. He saw my fear, he saw the tension and spoke to me like I mattered. He said I did not have Leukemia (Which was the biggest fear, as I have a family history!) and whatever the cause... it was not life threatening! I wept with relief when I heard those words.

This journey is not over... there are still test results to look into, and I still have to figure out how I can get this resolved and fast. But in the meantime, I am going to express gratitude for each breath that I take, and each step that I make each day.

For this week's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon, I wanted to pick a happy, upbeat song that reflects the state of mind I am in... I am ready to get my life back on track! I am ready to get back to everything I had set out to do on my path before I got stuck in this fog of fear! With the lyrics included in the video, I hope you all will celebrate with me to "Coolin' in the Streets" by Andra Day with a bit of help by Ziggy Marley!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy... 13 Minutes at a Time!

The above photo shows four days worth of workouts in the span of two weeks. But what it signifies is much, much more! It's a photo of baby steps. It's a photo of my progress, thus far. It's a photo of the beginning of what is to come!

It's been a month, and I've been doing a really great job with going to the gym. I'm starting at going twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on the other days I walk from my job to the West 4th Street train station to get home (which is about a mile). And so far, I feel a great deal of relief to be back on track!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy.... And TOTALLY Rewards Herself with Food!!

I know, I know... I've written in the past about how you shouldn't reward yourself with food, and I'm proud to say I've stuck by that resolution. But....

Rather than dedicate a whole paragraph to an excuse or any other justification I pulled out of my bum, I'm just going to post a picture of this:

That, ladies and gentlemen is a GREEN TEA LAVA CAKE. Say it with me, y'all: green...tea...lava...cake.

Everything about that makes me scream "Get in mah stomach!!", but even though I discovered this culinary proof that there is a Divine presence in the Universe that loves us weeks ago, I haven't magically materialized to Spot Dessert Bar here in NYC to partake. Oh no...

I've decided that I'm going to make a little deal with myself. If I go to the gym 10 times starting this week, I will treat myself to this confection next month.

Am I a huge hypocrite? Yes... is it backsliding? Absolutely....

But look at that picture!!! ROTFLMAO

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And Joins a GYM!!!

As I promised, I bought myself an early Valentine's Day present: A membership to the Planet Fitness here in Brooklyn!! And let me say here, that I will not be one of those people who post on FaceBook.... all the time! LOL

I'm super excited. I plan on making my first visit sometime this week!! Hooray!! So for the months to come, instead of walking stats, I hope to be sharing my gym stats! And when the weather warms up, I will be back to walking in addition to the gym! Hooray!!!!!

This will be my first time visiting a gym, so if you have any tips or suggestions, let me know!!! I hope I can do it!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: November Stats

So I was terribly disappointed by my walking stats for November, and I had almost contemplated not posting them out of embarrassment.

But upon further reflection, I started to understand that I did damn good this past month, considering.... Considering what? Considering the fact that I work full time now. Considering the fact that I've been racking up a butt load of overtime. Considering the fact that NYC was hit with a Super Storm and a Nor'easter two weeks in a row!

So I've revised my feelings and I am now quite proud that I walked almost forty miles last month. And the best news of all is that I've (kind of) reached my goal!!! I am now a size 18 in tops... though I'm still a 22 in bottoms! Whomp! Whomp! LOL

HORRIBLE picture of me: Just home from working 8 hours and walking 3 miles, so I was not looking very glamorous... But I am wearing a size 18 top, so YAY! LOL

Reaching my goal partly has given me the motivation to reach it completely. I don't know if I'll get there by the end of December, which was my original plan. But I know with certainty that I will reach it, and that I will keep walking (weather permitting.. it's getting cold here!) And I will start eating better than I have been to get myself back on track!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: October Stats

I'm back with last month's walking stats and my Miss Moon Gets Healthy progress. I did really really well this past month, I think. The only hindrance was the appearance of Super Storm Sandy, because as a result I didn't walk for an entire week during the clean up process.

I actually had the golden opportunity to go shopping to get a few new items for work, and the funniest thing was that I was so hesitant to get a smaller size. It was like I was paralyzed with fear that if I bought these smaller sized clothes, go home and they don't fit... I will feel like a failure. I had to pep talk myself with the obvious statement that if they don't fit, I can return them for a larger size. And the most fabulous thing was that I didn't have to return them. The smaller sized clothes fit me just fine. And it was a bizarre concept to me... I am actually two sizes smaller than I had been for YEARS!!!

I am so very close to my year end goal, and now that I'm working, I understand the importance of keeping the walking going. I don't know if I can realistically walk 20 miles a week, so for November I will shorten the goal to 10 miles a week. Once I get used to the process, I will up the ante. I also would very much like to join a gym by year's end, because once the weather gets colder here in NYC, I'm not going to want to be walking around for an hour and a half a day! LOL

On a side note, my tee shirt says, "My Vote Rocks"... because it TOTALLY does!! And so does yours! So be sure to get out there and vote today!!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: September Stats

I did it, y'all! I kept the promise I made to myself at the end of August. To paraphrase the song, I picked myself up, dusted myself off... and started all over again. I had a great month, to be honest.

This month, I am keeping momentum going. I've put myself to the challenge of walking at least 20 miles a week, and I aim to stick to that goal. I really need to improve the food I eat, as I've slacked more than a little bit. This month, I will work my arse off to improve this, too.

Me in my "Post Walk Un-Pretty" glory!! LOL

I am looking forward to the challenge, as I feel like I have the endurance required to achieve my goal for the year!!! Super duper close to it, can't turn back now!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy... and Realizes She HAS Lost Weight!!!

So Picasa has this new feature (Perhaps it's old and I'm just noticing it) that recognizes faces and groups photos together based on the photos. It was in perusing that album containing nothing but my face (a cringe-worthy at times, but fun experience) that it finally dawned on me that yes, Audrey... you've lost weight!!! Pictures don't lie.... unless you use Photoshop! LOL

I remember reading an interview Ricki Lake had given about her weight loss where she said that for years after she had lost the bulk of her weight it was difficult to look at herself in the mirror and not see her former self. I think this will most likely be the case for me as well. Despite all the evidence that proves I've lost weight, it's still a difficult concept to accept for me.

As a matter of fact, I think Ricki and I might be "weight loss twinsies", because her story sounds a lot like me earlier this year. Fingers crossed I'll have similar results!

This month has proven to be a great one for me, as I've returned to my "Get Healthy" routine full throttle, and I am very excited to see if I can reach my goals for the remainder of the year. And this time next year, wouldn't it be great to post a three picture comparison?!?! Yay!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy... By Staying the Course!!

I find myself at a crossroads in my "Get Healthy" journey. On one path, I see myself the way I'd like to be if I continue on my journey: healthier, slimmer, more energetic, feeling loads better about myself. 

On the other path, I see the destination if I allow myself to give up my goals: I become the inactive, unhealthy, unhappy woman I was before I started on this journey. 

Regretfully, there will be no walking stats for this month, because I honestly did not walk. I managed to leave the house and walk briefly around my neighborhood for various errands each day, and I still manage to eat far better than I was.... but I haven't been giving it my all. The heat rash was a big reason, but I think that the main reason was fear of what will happen when I reach my goal. I've come to realized that being a big woman is so much a part of my own personal identity for myself that it scared me to see myself dropping the weight and getting smaller so quickly.

I know I have to get over this, because it's my health I'm doing this for... not for becoming some skinny minnie. I don't want the diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol concerns members of both sides of my family face. I'm discovering that this is the greatest motivation out there for someone like me.  

I am two sizes away from reaching my goal for 2012, and quite realistically, I can achieve this goal if I continue on the path I started at the beginning of the year. I kept it simple, and I reaped the benefits. 

So I promise to you all... Audrey is going to stay her course. She is going to walk.She is going to eat well, she is going to stay motivated, and come October, she will be sharing her September stats with all of you!! And I am going to need your help and support more than ever now!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: July Stats

July was a much better month for yours truly! I had (many) moments of not feeling very motivated, but I still managed to get out and walk this past month. I am noticing that I'm walking less and burning less, but I really want to improve that. I have to... if I want to reach my fitness goals by year's end.

The same reason why there is no present picture is the same reason why I haven't been able to walk this month yet. I broke out on my face and neck with a horrible case of prickly heat (which is a nice way of saying heat rash). Sweating makes it worse, which makes it difficult to heal, so I've been sustaining from walking just now until I feel better. Now you know what my last post was about as well.

Fingers crossed the rash clears up very soon, so that I can be out and about and getting healthy!!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And Drinks Water... Lots and Lots of Water!!!

I know for a lot of people, drinking water is a huge bummer. A necessary one, but a bummer nonetheless. And you all might consider me a bit of a weirdo, but I happen to LOVE the way water taste. I happen to think that cold water is the yummiest thing when you're hot and thirsty! I love it, my body definitely loves it, so I drink it.

When I started on my journey to getting healthy, I knew that one of the first things I needed to do is to remove all the sugary sweet drinks I consumed and replace them all in water. And I did... in the past three months, I can honestly say I've had a diet soda once, an iced tea, and a vitamin water. I can literally count the non-water drinks I've had. Everything I drink (with the exception of my daily green smoothies.. yep, that's still going on!) is water. Don't believe me?

Pictured: LOTS of bathroom trips!!

I snapped this photo this past weekend to show the amount of water I consume in a single day. Three 50.7 fluid ounces of filtered tap water (in a smart water bottle, 'cause I'm fancy like that!), and I enjoyed a 25.3 fl oz bottle of Perrier with dinner (it's a great way to fool yourself into thinking you're having a soda with dinner!! lol). All together, that makes 177.4 fluid ounces of water I drank. In one day.

Some days I drink a lot more, some days I drink a bit less. But on average, this is what I work with. When I don't pick up a Perrier (or a Pellegrinno, which is my fave!), I will drink another 50.7 ounce of water. Frankly, my love affair with water is waning a bit, but still I do it. Why? Here's a few great reasons:

Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories. 

Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.

Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.

Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.

Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system. Follow this link for further information on how lemon water can improve your health.

Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.

Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.

So drink up, everybody!! 

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: June Stats

June was definitely a redeeming month for yours truly in regards to my Get Healthy plan! I successfully gave up meat for the entire month, embraced and conquered my 30 Day Green Smoothie challenge, and reached new heights with my walking!!!

71.9 miles is fantastic considering I dropped my daily walks down to once a day!! And I am very, very happy to announce the most exciting results of them all....

Not my most glamorous picture, but I'd just came back from a walk! 

I've gone down TWO sizes from the beginning of the year, and have gone from a size 26 to a size 22!!!! My aim is to reach a size 18 by the end of the year, and if I continue on this path, I am confident that I can do it!!

The goal for July is to continue the Green Smoothie challenge (I'm loving it!!), keep walking (I will need some new sneakers, as I mentioned on the Miss Moon's Musings FaceBook page), keep motivated,  and keep pushing on to my goals!!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: And Learns to Eat When She's Hungry!!

I'm a woman of my word, what can I say?!? LOL

I've never been the type of woman who stereotypically overeats when depressed or sad. When life hands me lemons, I don't immediately run to the tub of ice cream. Quite the contrary, when I'm depressed, I seldom eat. I don't get much of an appetite in those times.

Life has been going very well for me lately, so of course I've been eating regularly. In starting my "Miss Moon Gets Healthy" journey, I've noticed that the potential for overeating doesn't happen when I'm sad... it happens when I'm BORED!!

As I've mentioned before, I've dealt with insomnia for most of my adult life. And on many nights, I'd be up, wide awake, and watching Bollywood movies on my laptop on Netflix. My mind would wander to thoughts like, "Mmmm.... some potato chips would be great right now!". And I would pause whatever movie I'm watching, which most likely stars hotties like ShahRukh Khan, and run to the bodega around the corner of the 24 hour 7/11 in my area. 

Recently, such a thought popped in my mind. I was immersed in the film, "Swades" (Great movie, by the way! Check it out! It's streaming on Netflix!). So I paused the movie, got dressed, and went outside to visit 7/11. This was around 3 o'clock in the morning. When I got there, I was staring at the bountiful display of potato chips, in every flavor imaginable, and a single thought popped into my mind -

"Will any of these bags of potato chips help you to reach your goals?"

The answer was a resounding "No!", so I walked over to the beverages for a big bottle of water, grabbed a green apple, and went home to munch, sip, and swoon! LOL

I wish I could say that since this moment, I've steered clear of chips, cookies and other things that taste great, but aren't great for me. But alas... I've succumbed. But I am learning how to stay away when boredom strikes me, and I am confident that I will use my self-control to reach my fitness goals!!

Miss Moon's Musings About: Natural's Night Out 2012

Boy, did I have a fabulous time at Chic n Kinky's Naturals Night Out 2012 this year! They promised to provide a bigger and better event than last year's and they did NOT disappoint!!

Danielle of Curls: Lovely hair and lovely smile. She was very sweet and answered all of my questions about Curls products (Can you believe I've never tried them before?!?)

I was super psyched to meet Nikki of Everything Under the Moon as we've been bloggy buddies for a WHILE now! I eagerly stole borrowed this photo from her Instagram.

My partner in crime for the night's events, Sudana of Creative Urbanista, who debuted her brand new 'do! Looking great, girl!

Check out Sudana's recap of the night by visiting her blog! Great photos (Like this one!) !!!

Adorable tees were available for sale from Haus of Swag, one of the night's fantastic vendors!

Ginger + Liz was on hand to offer attendees manicures! They were also having a killer sale on their polish!

The Lovely Monique of Cotton Beauty Pantry and I (Why does Ms. Mooch look like Prince Humperdink in this picture!?!? LOL)... We met at last year's Natural's Night Out! Check out her FaceBook page for her pictures from the event.

I look icky in this picture, but I'm including it because Courtney of CutieKinks looks adorable!

Naturalistas of every size, shape, color and texture hanging out on the patio.... I cannot wait to see what's in store for next year!!

Miss Moon Gets Healthy: May Stats

May wasn't a great month in the "Get Healthy" universe for me. But I am learning to really appreciate the miles I did walk and the calories I did burn, instead of criticizing myself on the distances not traveled. 

I admit that I was beating myself up... big time... because I started to falter with my walks and missed a lot of opportunities to take a walk for several days. What really turned me around was a photo I snapped of myself last week when I was visiting my Dad at his new residence (He's doing great, and really loving the new place.. especially the food! lol).

Getting dressed that day was especially fun for me because not only was that shirt one I purchased YEARS ago and had not worn because it didn't fit, but those pants I was wearing? They are my favorite pants EVER, but I had to lift them up every five minutes because they were literally falling off of me (I still chose to wear them because they're my favies! LOL)

For June, I am making some exciting new changes to the food I am eating... I'll blog about what I'm doing next week. And I will be walking only once a day now. I decided to drop the number of walks primarily because my walks are getting really longer. Instead of walking for under an hour, lately I've been walking close to two hours. I am hoping that by the end of the month, I will be walking once a day five days a week, but for now I will start with my usual four days and see what type of progress I make!

Here's to a Happy, Healthy June for us all! :)