What the.... Been too long

Oh my god, TOTALLY forgot I had this blog.... Looks like I began it in 2008. Five years ago! Obviously I was really serious about this project. So much has happened in five years that I can't even wrap my head around it. I guess I still live in SLC, Utah, and STILL work at 24 Hour Fitness as a Master Trainer, but somehow I feel like a different creature than I did five years ago... I guess they call that growing up? I sure have made a lot of mistakes in that time, experienced heartache and injury, financial setbacks, dental mayhem, was car-less for two years, unsure of my career as a long term choice and contemplated graduate school about a million times, experienced two herniated discs in my cervical spine, moved in and out with my then boyfriend about ten times.... but as a result I was stretched and grew to become the woman I am today.  I wouldn't trade any of that sh*t for an easy-breezy, picture-perfect existence. It all makes sense hindsight, like everyone always told you it would. Just sucked at the time to go through.

So what good stuff has happened in the last five years, huh?

I have acquired more NASM personal training certifications like Corrective Exercise Specialist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and Cardio for Athletes
I have a better clientele base at work and make more money : ) woo hoo
I competed in three figure competitions in 2011 and won my NGA figure pro card woo hoo woo hoo
I've visited Chicago twice, NYC once, Venice Beach and LA several times, San Diego to see my best
friend Lexie and her hubby and two beautiful girls, Las Vegas for the Olympia bodybuilding shows three times, Japan with Pop to see Granny, Seattle twice a year (of course), and get to go on a foodie
and drink trip to Portland this coming May : ) So excited!!
As a result of my two disc herniations and being forced to rest, my metabolism has responded again
and I feel in sync with my body. I've become less muscle-bound as a result and more flexible, so I've decided to try ballet again. I did it for thirteen years and have been off for fourteen, but I think I'm ready emotionally, somewhat physically, and definitely artistically to reconnect with my past.
I have my own little studio apartment now. Big step for me living all alone... And I LOVE it!
I am an auntie to little Amaya and Julian (on Lisa's side) and Noah (on Laura's side). I love being an aunt and getting to see these little ones grow up. Being an aunt is definitely the best job in my opinion. No poopy diapers, huge fits, sleepless nights, or work outs limited to two hours. Just a lot of love going on.
I know there is a lot more that's happened, but this is a good chunk of it. I think I just needed to write this all down for myself, so I could feel that time hadn't just disappeared somewhere. These years have definitely flown by, but I am so excited for the future! I really believe that we are makers of our own destiny. You get out of life what you put into it. You must learn to be happy with yourself now, because you are stuck with YOU for a very very long time. It is much easier loving and
embracing ALL of your experiences both good and bad, because that is what makes you unique. I'm
really excited to be blogging again. Past-passive-five-plus-years-ago Lani would normally say let's see if this blog-thing keeps up, but 2013 Lani says hell yeah I'm committed to this sh*t : )

Traveling

Places I want to go.....pretty much in order:

Thailand, Greece, Italy, Spain, Bali, Madagascar, Costa Rica, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Mexico, Prague, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Egypt

Places in the US I have yet to see....

Chicago, Boston, Savannah, Washington DC, Miami, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Maui, Hawaii

I have such a bug to travel. I can never seem content in one place. I wish I had a way to see this whole world, take work off, and have it all somehow financed. I would also love to learn more about photography and document my travels. : )

Sicky Sicky

So I haven't written in almost 3 months and I feel like a loser. I was so stoked on this blogging thing, and I just dropped the ball. Oh well. Time to pick it up. I'm at home, sick today. I went into work, attempting to train, only realizing it was a futile effort. My work is quite unique. I can't just sit back in a cubicle and blow my nose all day, you know? I have to be out there, smiling, on my toes for my clients......not sniffling, coughing, and sneezing all over them. So I called all of my people to reschedule, and they were more than accommodating. I stopped by the Smith's grocery store and loaded up on all kinds of meds. Strangely, everything I was searching for was buy 1 get 1 free....so I guess I'm good to go for the next 10 years of possible sicknesses. Cough drops, nyquil, dayquil, sudafed sinus, sudafed severe cold, orange juice, chicken soup....and some other odd suggestions. I've heard garlic oil for my stuffy ears, drinking water til my eyes are floating in my head, and sleeping til I can't sleep anymore....I like the last one best. So I'm hoping that this flu thing is the big shebang of the year, and that I can get this over with and out of my system for the rest of 2009. I hope none of you have to experience it either! PS This is my granny after her stroke. She was sick too, but preferred to wrap her head up to help her ear or something. So cute.

WaniWisa

So I got to see my sister Lisa with all of the Thanksgiving festivities going on. I was so happy that my entire family was able to get together this year. We had such a wonderful time. Lisa and I have a special bond and I am convinced we were in the womb together.....I just popped out a year and a half earlier than she did. Growing up I wasn't really able to appreciate our relationship much. I used to tell her to go away because she followed me everywhere, and to leave me alone at times. Man, I was a mean kid. I just got annoyed that she wanted to be my sidekick 24/7. We made up skits and performed them for each other in the rock garden behind our home in Japan. We rode the bus to kindergarten together and took ballet classes at Matsumoto Sensei's ballet studio. I think one of our favorite things to do now is to watch our ballet recital when I was five and she was only three. We are both giggling on stage and while I tried to remain serious as always, she was flopping around carefree.....so cute and still brings us to tears. Anyway, Lisa and I continued ballet together at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle for many years. I was so proud of her when she got to perform the main part of Clara in the Nutcracker....while I got to do Chinese for four years! I have fond memories of summer dance programs at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, with Lisa and my best friend Lexie. So many inside jokes were created those summers. And all of the early mornings getting ready for seminary before school....Lisa would sit there all sleepy eyed and watch me get ready. I would tell her to quit staring at me but I don't think she really knew what she was doing. Too tired and too early. Anyway, I am so fortunate to have a sister who still wants to be my sidekick 24/7. Although we live in different states now, I hope we will soon be able to reside close to one another. I want to be Auntie Lani and take care of little Lisas and Jeffs. Hint hint. I am so proud of Lisa and all of her accomplishments in social work, dance, counseling, church.....now I find myself being more of the tag along I think. I love you Lisa : )

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving and I'm already watching Elf. Christmas movies are a tradition for us Tamakis on Thanksgiving. Especially Home Alone. Went early to the gym to train a client, worked out a little bit harder and longer, and now for festivities. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I am truly grateful for your friendships and the joy you bring to my life.

My Uppers

I was just thinking about the little things in life that make me happy. Do you ever do that? You know, you're busy doing your own thing, and you find 5 bucks in your jeans pocket while you're doing laundry.......or you see a picture of yourself when you were 5 wearing that awful hand knitted sweater.....or you get a voice message from your dad that you decide you have to save because you laughed for ten minutes straight about it ......or someone totally trips right in front of you at the store and you try not to laugh? It's those little things that keep me going sometimes, and what I think really make up the best part of our every day lives. You know what I'm talking about right? And I think we all have our own little lists of things that keep our engines running. Forget the big graduations, birthdays, road trips, vacations, anniversaries, etc. Daily things we do or events that occur, to keep us smiling. Here are some of mine that I've thought up.

A Family Guy episode I somehow missed on Hulu.com and now get to watch it
Finding an earring I thought I had lost at the bottom of my purse
A client unexpectedly resigns early and I get a boost to my commission
My turkey meatloaf experiment turns out just right and Alex seems to genuinely like it
Sleeping in for 9 hours because I don't have work on Sundays
Looking at a picture of myself wearing uncomfortable laderhosen that Mom made me wear when I was about 4
Stepping outside and it is much warmer than I had expected
Werther's Originals in coffee flavor
Lifting heavier and feeling stronger in my work out
Coming back from vacation to see I've left my house clean
And old client returning to train again because they've missed working out with me
Finding ballet friends from my past on Facebook and seeing what companies they are dancing for now
Seeing that weirdo at the gym wearing his singlet and matching headband. All white on Thursday...yikes
Taking a big fat nap with no time restriction
Going to the Bayou on Saturdays
Sitting on my porch with Chelsea talking our woes away to Maverick frozen yogurt
Nice long hot shower with lots of water pressure and my favorite Loreal Body Vive shampoo...smells so good
Making dinner with Alex on a weeknight after work
Wearing my favorite hoodie and Nikes around
Sour watermelon gummies
Yellowtail sashimi
My Norah Jones CD is not scratched up like I thought it was
Sleeping on down pillows
Putting in a new pair of contacts
Seeing cute kids at the gym and getting them to wave and smile at me
Speaking with Granny and realizing my Japanese is still pretty good
Green tea chai tea from Beehive Tearoom
My Blackberry is scrolling down again after being stuck
Watching a Jazz game at Fiddler's Elbow (half off pitchers with Chelsea)

Anyway, these are my uppers. I resort to them once in a while and I think they are actually good for me. I'd be curious to know what yours are. Life is so much better when you take a hard look at these little things. Try it.

The Rents

I think I may have been a little over zealous about this blog thing. It was my way of moving away from facebook, but these days I can't find much time to update my blog. All I can say is that I am excited for my family to come visit for Thanksgiving. Although I'm nearly 29, I still yearn to spend time with my parents and wish I could see them much more often. I am really lucky to have my parents. They are my friends. Pop leaves me goofy messages on my voice mail all of the time. They are usually pretty cryptic. He calls me on his lunch breaks to tell me he is just checking in, and that he is walking along the Port Angeles waterfront for exercise. I think Mom used to go meet him more often on those walks, but she's been busy quilting and preparing lessons for seminary lately. My dad is really good at keeping in touch with me, and always has been. I remember going to Pennsylvania for the summer for ballet. I think I received a postcard from Pop almost every single day.....even it they only had a sentence or two written on them...and usually about what he ate that day. Anyway, Mom has been such a good friend to me all of these years too. I think I stalk her.....actually I do. Has your mother ever asked you to stop calling her? Yeah, me neither, but sometimes I think she gets frustrated because she's in the middle of making a quilt or preparing a seminary lesson or something. But Mom still always answers the phone when I call her. I think she likes that one of her daughters is still single and likes to communicate with her on a daily basis. She will listen to my woes about work being slow, boys, finances, and my political ideas. I think she is my biggest supporter when it comes to me finding happiness and fulfillment. And the coolest thing for me, is to see my parents walk hand in hand. It's wonderful to see best friends stay best friends for so long. I love my parents dearly, and am so excited to spend time with them and all of my family this Thanksgiving.