A Day in the Life of Living Simply

I had a wonderful day yesterday after a pretty rough start, so I thought I would share! 

I woke up feeling like crap.  After an hour of yoga and a long, hot shower, I was finally ready to start my day.

8:30 a.m. Made coffee, then called mom to commiserate about cramps.

9 a.m. Made breakfast and read my BBC News app

10 a.m. Gathered everything I would need for the day, and put it into a bag that would fit on the back of my bike

• Business cards & marketing goodies
• Client file
• Notebook
• A Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer (to lend to a client)
• The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin CD(DONA)
• Lavendar vanilla massage oil & room scent
• Rebozo
• small purse
• heavy sweater
• spare tube, wrench & pump
• water & snacks

10:30 a.m.  Left home and rode 9 miles to Chino Hills for Doula Appreciation Day at AquaNatal Birth Center



East End Avenue toward Chino Hills
Photo by Living Simply

10:50 a.m.  Not even halfway through my ride and I feel 100% better!  Physical activity produces the most awesome pain-relieving endorphins.  (Not to mention that it was an utterly gorgeous, sunny yet crisp, Southern California day)  How can you help but smile and feel well?

11:15 a.m.  Arrived at AquaNatal Birth Center, where I met many wonderful women committed to helping mamas birth the way they want to!

1:45 p.m.  Left birth center and rode a mile to catch a northbound bus.

2:10 p.m.  Got off bus and rode 2 miles to my client's house.

2:20 p.m.  Had my last prenatal meeting with clients before Baby B decides to come.

4 p.m.  Left client's house & rode two miles to catch another northbound bus.



French bread from Some Crust Bakery
Photo by Living Simply

 4:30 p.m. Got off bus and rode two miles to the Claremont Village to buy a loaf of fresh french bread from Some Crust Bakery to go with the baked penne with meat sauce I planned for dinner.

4:50 p.m.  Rode one mile home to prepare dinner and spend time with my best friend in the world!

Halfway through my long ride in the morning, this song came on my shuffle and made me smile for so many reasons.  It is such an appropriate song to describe my simple living philosophy.  And, of course, you can't go wrong with a little Harry Connick Jr. in the morning!

Song: Nowhere With Love
Album: Come By Me
Artist:  Harry Connick Jr.

"In a way, I really don't know much at all
And if you say that I'm simple, you're on the ball
On the ball to say that I'm going nowhere
But I'm going nowhere with love

They all say that I'm not impressive at best
That's okay, I've got nobody to impress
My impression is they'd rather be elsewhere
Oh, I'm staying nowhere with love

Well, it's better to be happy in a cardboard shack
Than to be alone in a castle
All you get for your money is a heart attack
I'd just as soon alleviate the hassle

Everyday I watch the go-getters go by
Even they say that the ladder is much to high
Why should I go high, I'm happy below there
Right here in nowhere with love"

Get Out Of The Car & Into Simple Living

Los Angeles Union Station
Photo by Living Simply

Rapidly Rising Gas Prices Give Public Transit Riders Highest Savings in Two Years
"Using public transportation is the quickest way people can beat high gasoline prices,” states William Millar, president American Public Transportation Association (APTA).  Los Angelinos can save more than $10,000/year when a two-person household lives with one less car. 

While most people in Los Angeles will tell you that it is impossible to live here without owning an automobile, I am here to tell you otherwise. 

First, let me be clear: owning an automobile is NOT a necessity.  It is a convenience-providing luxury.  Besides being stupidly expensive to purchase, use and maintain, autos add to the pollution stew that we have been cooking for the past century here in LA.  And they make you lazy. I know people who will drive less than a mile to buy a quart of milk.  It just doesn’t occur to them that there are options beyond driving.  I call these people Auto Addicts. 

Why not combine things you have to do with things you want to do?  For example, if exercise is important to you, save some money on transportation AND the gym membership by walking or cycling to the market to do your grocery shopping.  Walking, jogging, cycling and taking public transport are great ways to save money and improve the health and economy of our community.  The fewer cars we have on the road, the less traffic and pollution there will be, and isn’t that better for everybody? 

Utilizing public transport requires just a little bit more thought and time budgeting than using a car, and therefore many people don’t even consider it as an option.  But in this age of technology, utilizing public transport has never been easier!  Smartphones have made it possible to have bus and train schedules available to you in an instant.  Google Maps has increased the ease of surface travel in general, but it has completely revolutionized travel by public transport. 

In addition to driving directions, Google Maps offers detailed walking, cycling and transit directions to one’s destination with options for departure/arrival times, mode of transit, and routes with the least walking or transfers.  You simply click on the icon above Point A that applies to the type of directions you want.
(See Photo)

The most common argument I hear by Auto Addicts against public transport is that it takes too long.  I could not disagree more!!  At rush hour, trains are always faster than freeways!  Most commuter or express buses get you where you need to be in approximately the same amount of time as if you had driven.  For this reason, these routes are usually a little pricier (but still cheaper than driving).  Local routes can take a little longer to get from point A to point B, due to the increased bus stops and street traffic.  However, this is not lost time! 

Whenever you are on a bus or train, you can do so many things to conserve your time (things that are virtually impossible if you're driving).  For instance, you can catch up on your emails or blogs, check your Twitter and Facebook feeds, read a book, do your homework, watch TV on your smartphone or close your eyes for a quick cat nap.  (Just don’t forget to set an alarm, so you don’t miss your stop!)



Just another empty bus on this rainy Sunday!
Foothill Transit Line 492
Photo By Living Simply

I understand that very few people will voluntarily opt not to own a car.  But, even if you do own a car, it doesn’t mean you can’t set one day a week aside to utilize public transport.  Spice up your family “staycation” by charting a map with your kids and exploring your city by rail! 

And lastly, if you must drive, please be responsible about it.  First of all, yield to cyclists and pedestrians!  Second, please carpool!  It breaks my heart when I am on a nearly empty train, riding down the middle of the freeway (which actually resembles a parking lot).  I see so many cars, trucks and SUVs with only ONE person inside (and these are the people who have the nerve to complain about traffic).  For the sake of everyone’s lungs and your pocketbook, please carpool!