Day 125

8) Eliminate acne Nature's Gate Organics Acne Treatment System purchased 5/3/07; Zinc supplement arrived 6/22/07; started Bikram yoga 6/23/07

According to all the articles I've read on adult acne, the skin should clear up after 3 months of using most topical acne fighting systems. I chose the one I did because I wanted to do it as naturally as possible, plus my skin has grown a tolerance to Pro-active. The skin has cleared completely around my forehead, upper cheeks and nose, but I still get outbreaks once a month (at that time of the month), that last about a week, around my chin, mouth, and lower cheeks. I've been taking the Zinc supplement a bit over a month now to fight from the inside, but whether or not it's helping I can't tell. It seems like my scars have gotten paler though. The yoga should theoretically eradicate acne with the reduction of stress and detoxing. But I worry about the heat and sweat being an irritant. It's possible that my diet is a factor, as when I went off sugar for 7 months it cleared up significantly only to go berserk in the last 2 months. This could have been that I stopped taking birth control at that time, which I was only taking to fight acne by balancing my hormones. I went back on the pill 6 months ago with no effect (accept my PMS is significantly lessened), but now I've stopped that so I can afford yoga. You know, I just don't care what my face looks like anymore. I have to admit that I don't really have control over it, as exerting all the control I do have gets me inconsistent results. The other thing is I keep thinking it's my fault. Like it's being caused by something I just haven't put my finger on, and once I stop doing that thing, or resolve that thing, it'll go away. I've still yet to do acupuncture and a cleanse, but in the meantime I just don't want to think about it.

46) Create a filing system for all your papers 8/5/07

I bought 2 files with 7 deep pockets each, labeled each pocket, and then filed my papers in their corresponding pockets. Voilà!

92) Attend 10 live performances (2/10) SF Mime Troupe: Making A Killing 7/4/07; Aladdin Jr. 8/4/07

This Saturday I joined with a good chunk of my family to see my niece perform in Aladdin Jr. She played one of the guards that chases Aladdin about in the beginning and follows Jafar's orders throughout. I was very amused that both the girl playing the carpet and the guy playing the genie could do flips! The theater was laid out so the stage was center and the seats surrounded it, like a coliseum. The play was much like the movie with a few changes here and there. Delaney (my niece) was very good about staying in character, while some of the others on stage looked bored.

33) Complete 35 books: 5 must be from Banned-books(0/5); 5 must be from Guardian's top 100 books (0/5); 5 you must already own (0/5); Total - (3/35) What Would You Do If You Had No Fear, by Diane Conway 5/2/07; Healing Emotions:Conversations With the Dalai Lama on Mindfulness, Emotions, and Health, Edited by: Daniel Goleman 6/28/07 Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class, by Bikram Choudhury 8/6/07

At the beginning of the week I finished Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class, which I bought thinking I'd do the routine at home. Before even going into the postures Bikram emphasizes the need for a heated room. The heat is there so A) you don't hurt yourself and B) you get the maximum stretch possible. I knew no plausible way to regularly heat a part of my apartment to even 80%, let alone 100%, so I was back in class three days after this book arrived in the mail. Another part of the book that got me... theme I should say, is the one where you do Bikram's yoga everyday for two months. I resisted this request at first, but Maggie was there to over hear me say, "but I'll probably try for 5 times a week." "No," she said calmly, "I think you should do it everyday." Having never experienced a Bikram class herself, I'm sure it was easier for her to commit me to such a daunting task. Nevertheless, I had to step up to the challenge. And here I am 10 days into my yoga marathon. This book stays at my bedside where it can inspire me each night; particularly Mon thru Wed nights, since the following mornings I have to rise at 6am. Granted I could go to the 7pm rather than the 630am class, but when my acting class starts, Tues and Thurs nights will be taken. So, how do I feel? At the moment I'm really tired. It could be physical exhaustion, or it could be that there's nothing to do here at work besides stare at this screen (half the office is on Vac, and August is our slowest month, for similar reasons). Nevertheless I have an overwhelming urge to take a nap. On the plus side I'm totally relaxed, clear headed, and I think I can hear better...