Exercise Obstacle # 1

This cartoon really hits home because it's happened to me a gazillion times. There is no way I can lay on the floor to do exercises without my No.1 fan wanted to be even closer to me!

And, if I'm trying to practice dance - she will lay smack dab in the middle of the little area of floor I was trying to move it.

It really teaches me how to be SUPER aware of my surroundings!

Getting better with age?

When I was in my late teens, I was in pretty good shape. I was on the high school track team, tennis team and grass hockey team. I also did some bodybuilding and even worked at Gold's Gym for several years. In my 20's I worked in offices and believed I could climb the corporate ladder. I gave up fitness and spent my days working overtime and on weekends and traveling for work for extended periods of time. I lost all that muscle definition I had in my teens and even went to doctors for sore knees and back. I couldn't wash my face without holding onto the counter, and bending over to brush my teeth also hurt. I was quite thin because I never had time to eat. I lived on several cups of coffee and some cigarettes.

In my early 30's I experienced three significant life changing situations and lost who I was. I gained weight and had trouble going up and down stairs - we'd take the elevator at the shopping mall because my knees hurt so much.

But by the end of my 30's things changed - I got myself together. I regularly did pilates and then yoga, and then I started dancing. And once I got a labrador puppy I committed to walking every day  - every day except if one of us is hurt or injured.

Now I feel like I am in really good shape. I'm not skinny but I'm healthy. I have energy. I feel strong. I can run up and down stairs without knee pain, my back rarely hurts (usually only following something silly in the garden).

And minor issues seem to have subsided as well - I was diagnosed with a heel spur and was told it would never go away. I bought orthotics and wore them daily for a year. Now I only wear them during my dog walks and don't feel that pain.  And, for years I suffered with sore throats and mouth ulcers. A diagnosis told me that they were caused by a reaction to things I've eaten - not an allergy, so not to bother with allergy pills for this symptom. I decided I'd notice the pain but I would also ignore it. And also not bacterial. I haven't gone to the doctor or antibiotics for my throat in several years.

I thought the best health in our lives was our twenties, but for me it seems like now is pretty good. Is that what they mean by middle age? Am I at my peak now and will I decline from here on out?

There are lots of inspirational stories on the internet about people that are in fantastic shape and going strong in their 70s and 80s and even nineties. Can we get better with age? If we put our minds to it, how much control do we really  have? If we don't go 'overboard' and wear ourselves out how much illness can we prevent?  What do you think?

I'm a little tired

Yesterday I took part in a dance intensive - it was about 6 hours of training with Sharon Kihara - an instructor who came up from San Franscisco. Wow, it was amazing. She was amazing- love her personality and humour and teaching style and immensely admire her talent. She made a good point, that for the audience they may view slow, graceful moves that look easy but really there are so many muscles that the dancer is required to engage that it's fascinating just how hard the body is really working. Not only did I learn technique and moves from her, I was also reminded how out of shape I am. I must get back to yoga!

In our first 3 hour session, the first hour was yoga. Intense yoga. Moves that I should've been able to do better, moves that I used to be able to do better but no longer can since I quit yoga about a year ago.  She also mentioned that we should all be doing Pilates as it's extremely beneficial for our style of dancing as well. Looks like I got me some homework! (Well I always had homework but now I've been reminded that I'd better make this a regular part of life!) 

I'm glad that 1 only took the one day workshop as I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to make it through  the 8 hours today, but I made a promise to myself that I will get back to yoga/pilates and the next time one of the famous instructors comes to town, I'm signing up for the whole weekend. So far the next BIG BIG one is in 2014 so I have about a year to prepare - it's almost like training for a marathon.

Eco and I already went for a big walk this morning and I'm just going to take it a little easy today, I definitely have a FULL BODY ache happening - but each move I make, each time my muscles yelp, I'm reminded of what I need to do for my body. Especially now that I'm "middle aged", I feel it's important to keep my body moving well - I don't like the proclamation that says "that the average person spends the last 10 years of their life in pain. " I don't want to go through that - even if that phrase is just some advertiser's mumbo jumbo, I don't want to prove them right if I can help it.

How tired was I? I slept 10 hours straight! I can't even remember the last time I did that!

My Lesson for the Week

In yoga philosophy we are to practise "ahimsa" which means nonviolence. Not only physically but in regard to the body, speech and mind. Usually I don't have an issue with this, but earlier this week I had an eye exam where my Optometrist put some drops in my eyes. The drops were painful and I was surprised that my first reaction was anger. I wanted to punch him in the head. Really! I even told him that I no longer liked him and he replied that he would not take that personally.

After my exam was over with the Optometrist I was sent to a technician who was to take a photo of my eyes. This was after the pupil enlarging drops which made me very light sensitive. Kaboom!  A large flash of light in my right eye and instantly I wanted to curse and punch her in the head. Kaboom! Flash of light in my left eye and same reaction. I never noticed before, probably because I'm not frequently in these situations, that when someone else hurts me, how I react. I was a bit surprised with how quickly this emotion came up and what I wanted to do to that person. I can understand how a person can be 'driven' to react when they or a loved one is hurt or being hurt.

So not only do I need to practice nonharming in my own mind, but I will also need to practice refraining from harmful thoughts about others. Thankfully, I don't think I'll have to be in too many situations where others inflict pain on me and for that I am grateful.

And as I ponder this, may I say Happy Thanksgiving my friends. I wish you all a wonderful long weekend.

I'm getting back into it

Maybe because it's frickin' pouring rain (sorry mom) and maybe because it's almost fall, but I'm slowly getting into the craft thing again. Oh and also because I've been thinking about some things I want to make for Christmas presents (don't worry Jp, I won't make anything for you).

This weekend I started on some socks. First I tried a toe-up pattern on two circular needles after learning Judy's Magic Cast-on  thanks to a video by the charming and wonderful Cat Bordhi. However,  without 2 of the same sized circular needles, it wasn't working so well so I decided I'd better do things correctly, and wait until I get the correct needles. Meanwhile, I frogged what I had done and started a pair of socks from Sock Innovation a book by my favourite sock designer Cookie A. All of Cookie A's sock patterns work for me, she has never let me down - so I'll give it a whirl until I get the correct sized circular needles and can try toe-up socks again.

I'm also thinking about starting a crochet project, some lacy arm warmers to go with the shorter sleeved jackets and coats for this season. I always like crocheting. I just need to wind the yarn into a ball (it's in a hank right now) and then I get get started with some lovely undyed baby alpaca - mmm, soft. And filling up on some inspiration from this site - Nicole Gastonguay.

Work is not going well for me these days. It's very frustrating and exhausting but I kinda need to stay there for a while so I am looking for things that will restore what it takes out of me. If feel so drained by the time my day is done, and if I let myself I'd probably spend all weekend in bed vegging in front of the TV. Maybe forcing myself to work on some crafts will help, along with some deadlines (Christmas shipping!). I'm also taking a course from the community and getting back into yoga again after taking August off. I'd like to find something for Eco and I to do again - some more trick classes or something but so far I haven't found anything that's not too far away - which is frequently a problem living this far out of the city. I think I might have a little chat with my doctor as well - see if there's another reason for my ennui.

If you know of anything that would help me - please leave me a comment (except if it's for Viagra or one of these other spammy messages!)

The Wind Down

As our yoga studio prepares to shut it's doors in two weeks, each visit seems to present something new. Piece by piece the studio is coming apart. Last night there was no more internet or computer so no more scanner to sign in, and we had no candles for our night class - correction - we had ONE candle which was placed on the floor in the middle of the room.

As a customer, I didn't think it would affect me, but the studio isn't like other businesses. We become comfortable and familiar with the other people that attend the same classes and they seem to be going through different emotions as well.

Have you ever been through something like this?

The Bad News and the Good News

Friday night I received an email telling me that my yoga studio was closing at the end of April. I was very sad. I really liked the people, the instructors, the environment, the energy. What was I going to do now, go to the Rec Centre where it's smelly and loud and just not the same? (okay, maybe not the first two, but it is definitely not the same).

I decided to ask people in my Saturday morning class where they were going to go. Many thought the Rec Centre was their only option too, then our instructor came in and told us that she was going to offer classes in her house  - the same classes that I was taking! But she only had room for 6 people, and it was first come, first served. I tried very hard not to think about it during my class but I really wanted to be one of the six.

After class, I got in my car and started to drive home but decided I couldn't wait any longer, so I pulled the car over and wrote her an email from my Blackberry, right then, right there -  that I wanted to be on her list!

The good news - I'm in! Yay!