So another day of snowshoeing ends, and this is what I discovered. It is easier to sweat like a beast during the winter, no one looks worried at you,and also because the dog doesn't care.She understands the panting, she thinks I'm cooling myself off.
I've started to use my husband's ski poles, and I'll have to say it's been a nice addition, to what I am doing. They are there when I need to dig in, as I'm climbing up a hill, and are great for an impromptu calf stretch, plus it's another way to get my heart pumping.
I'd like to say , I've moved out of the panting,"oh my gawd, I'm so out of shape" mode but I haven't , though I know it's coming, I'm being impatient. I should probably concentrate more on that's a good thing, that I'm doing right now, instead what will be.
I read this little blurb on snowshoeing from easternslopes.com, it was helpful, and as you look deeper into the blog, there is more on advanced snowshoeing. I wouldn't call what I am doing advanced, but I'm a little more than a beginner.
So if I was to make a snowshoe 101, entry it would mention these things; 1. wear layers, easily opened ones, or ones that breathe,and keep you warm even if they get damp or snow covered. 2.Have a hat with you or earmuffs, a frostbitten ear is never sexy. 3. I would suggest gaiters, to keep the snow off the back of your calves, but since I have well rounded, don't fit into regular gaiters, type of calves, go back to suggestion number 1. 4. Used ski poles, they add another depth to the cardiovascular work out you are getting from snowshoeing, plus they make an impromptu tripod, if you have your camera with you, and you can use them to lean into to stretch after your walk.
Over the last 3 years, I have participated in some type of attempt at daily self portraiture.I began in 365 days, here the main focus was a daily picture, which at the time was a struggle, I have insecurities or had insecurities about how I looked, I got over that, and rarely cringe at photos of myself, there are times , more then not, that I enjoyed and found it to be very empowering. my attempts at year 2 , really were that attempts, I just really had been there done that before, and for me, it wasn't creative, it was more of an annoyance, and that's silly, to continue with something you don't really feel.
This spring flickr introduced video, which I thought cool, but it really doesn't apply to me. I never did videos of myself,i couldn't imagine it. Then I received my first invite to a group called "just say no, to video" and frankly I was intrigued, as to why I should say no.. So I started to do videos, and well It was exciting and creative, and huge eye opener.
If I thought I might balk at still images of myself, there are body angles,and chin doubling, you just can't hide in full motion video,so you either grimace, or get over your big bad self.
In July I joined 365 minutes,at Ipernity. A groups started by two friends from the original 365 days. At first, months before I started I felt intimidated,by what others were creating and then in July I got over myself and I jumped in.Though it makes me grimace to admit I have a less the firm chin,or belly or anything, that also the beauty of it, it's gone in a flash erased, by another action, or music, or image I am portraying. It's an honest views of my life, of me, of my need to be a poseur video rock star wannabe, sometimes, but mostly they are real, and fairly mundane. What will I do next July,when I finish, well i guess I will decide that in July.
I have been a print maker, steady for the last 6 years. Over the last year and a half i have done strictly relief,linoleum block, wood cut. I've pulled prints, full of line and form. I am mostly a representational artist, but I have begun to revisit my love of pattern and color. Before that I used to switch back and forth between etching and relief printmaking,then I decided in the Autumn of 2007, to just strictly do relief.
I didn't suddenly hate etching, I just wanted to focus, on one thing, at that time I figured I would switch back and forth on a yearly basis. When I came back in September to the studio, I thought alot about , How now it was 2008, and I should be doing etching, but I didn't really feel like switching, which frankly had my little obsessive mind worried,maybe I just didn't have any skill at etching , where I had skills at relief printmaking, and then some, maybe that's why I didn't want to switch. Then thankfully my inner wisdom, took hold of me and game me a shake, and said "there could be worse things, are you really questioning whether you should continue doing a type of printmaking that you are really good at?" Yes it's true, I can be that insecure about my art. So I took a deep breath, and realized I'm the one setting the schedule here, so it was up to me to choose. I chose to continue on with the relief.
Well that was until I joined in the soft ground practicum, where we experimented with soft grounds, and it was great, wiping a copperplate, came back to me, with ease, phew! It made me want to take a little break from doing relief printmaking, and concentrate on etching. Recently a artist friend and I decided to trade prints, she has one that I really like, and vice versa, it's also giving me the idea to return to an old set of plated, I haven't printed in years, and revist them, and possible go from there, and create another version of this quilt series, I started over 5 years ago. Either way, the possibilities are endless.
I am pleased to report, that I did commit and mostly do daily yoga.I am also pleased to write that it has changed the flexibility, and strength of my body. Are my arm rock hard, well they are firmer, and jiggley part under my arm, doesn't jiggle anymore. I found another benefit, It made me slow down and focus , on myself, get in touch with how I was feeling, and how I would feel after I finished. Which was empowered and relaxed. It also delighted my dog, in the fact I was down on the floor, and she could give me a nose lick now and then. Will I stop my daily yoga? No. Did it hurt my back? No!! Will I sometimes be too busy, yes, unfortunately, but you know on the days I had to skip, I was all the more determined to do it, the next day, and I did. Did I have to play new age music to get into the whole yoga thang? Nope! I found playing my new music obsession , named Adele, if you don't know her, you should, this girl can sing, plus her music is sublime. You should play the music the resonates with you, and that will do you the most good.
So will I return to my glory days as a couch potato, no. I will become a limber yoga-mama that sometimes sits on the couch. Yes ma'am.
Over the last weeks I have watched senators and,Sarah Palin, make statements about who are the real Americans. In my opinion we all are, no matter how diverse our views may be.We are all real Americans. We are all in this together, to face the issues of our time, as a nation.
I encourage you to show yourself, and this website brings that point home succinctly. Think about participating and letting your real American voice be heard. I am a Real American.
and so NaBloPoMo begins...and all I have to show for it is a lame video.
Today is the first day of my staycation.Yes, one of the newer words in the american lexicon, that I agree with fully. There is nothing like a home based vacation, it's fairly inexpensive, and mostly relaxing. Mine will be some of that, but it also includes preparing for Print Show North, which will occur next weekend. Getting ready for open studio weekend, is exciting, and tiring. And with the way everyone's finances are this year, I'm definitely going to price my prints accordingly,so they will be hopefully affordable.
Now back to my less the stellar video, in my excitement about being on staycation, and doing my first video for NaBloPoMo, but 124th video, for 365 minutes group at Ipernity, I realized I had only recorded 30 seconds, I need to fill a minute, for the group, so the rest of it I filled with pictures of myself...ummm I promise this won't happen again, really. I promise, cross my heart, hope to die.
So I've been continuing on my daily yoga goal, and it's been working, less pains, and twinges, more standing upright with better posture, in my past life I was a hunchback, and at times I try to return to that posture, as it's so attractive, on my flabby little body.
I have been doing daily rounds of sun salutation . Now would I just start doing sun salutation on my own without taking a yoga class at all, I don't think so, I think I would be confused, and not get the full benefit. But In saying that, I tend to obsess and worry about things, I'm not sure of, and that gets in my way of just following the directions, and figuring it out on my own.I think the link I posted, is clear and concise, so you could figure it out by yourself, but I recommend if you have the opportunity to try a yoga class, like an Introduction class. Do it!(now!)
So if your couch to 5K plan, isn't doing the things for you that you thought it would, maybe some daily yoga, would fit better.It would support those twingy knees, and sore backs, that sometimes speak very loudly, and won't budge. Yoga will quiet all that, make you stronger, more flexible, get you in tune with your body.
The other day, I joined my son on a trip to our local art museum. He's taking an art appreciation class, so he is required to visit a few art museums.He invited me to join him It was relaxing, we had fun and this video is a result of that visit.
Today was a good day, though it started out late. I had one of those surreal moments this morning in bed, as I looked at the time, it wasn't registering in my head why my clock read 8:15am, not 7:30. My brain briefly asked "why is the time, wrong on your clock?" Then quickly recognition came to me, " damn, I'm running late, there is nothing wrong with my clock!!" Uggh thud, out of bed I slow motion moved, to get showered, fed, and off to the studio, my plan to get there earlier wasn't happening today.Why I thought I would somehow wake up with out an alarm,is beyond me. What else is beyond me , is my inability to commit to exercise. It's annoying to me how I can find reasons not to do it, yet dislike the squishy over 40 belly I have become. You know what I'm talking about , that belly that showed up one year, in the forty somethings, like some uninvited relative that just won't leave. It just hangs around like a life preserver, for just in case, I drown on the couch!?! I mean honestly , what is my issue? When I begin regular exercise my body loves it, I get that endorphin buzz, I get more energy, more flexible, less concerned about my less than perfect body, I begin to accept it, because I'm more in tune with it.I actually feel , dare I say empowered. I unfortunately am really good, at falling off that wagon, over indulging on sweets, becoming more sedentary, more achy. Man, what a whiner I can be about this. I started the Ass project '08 in august, I was doing well, until I pulled some back muscles, I may want to hang with Mr. Bowflex, but I ended up overdoing it to the point of back spasms...which frankly sucked. It stopped me dead in my tracks, did it stop me from returning to a jiggling goddess? No! What saved my back muscles, and the soon to be developing hole in my stomach, from all the Motrin I was taking, was yoga. Yoga, that four lettered word, that frankly I should be wanting to hear, was my lifesaver, it stretched out my very tender muscles, it decreased my pain, and cripes, it even kept my arms firm.Without endless rep of bicep curls or tricep extensions.I made me use my own inflating weight, as the weight I would lift to keep my muscles strong, firm , and flexible. What a concept! This is the ultimate in no frills exercise equipment, I guess it's true, that all you ever need to succeed is yourself.So this may be the day to vent my flabby little spleen, but it's the first day, of my commitment to daily yoga. In 39 days will be our Print Fair North, at our studio, I'm using that as a small reasonable goal to aim for, daily yoga for the next 39 days, if it doesn't change my body, in strength, and flexibility, then I can stop. Become a couch potato, grow that third chin to accent the developing second chin, I've been growing, and wallow in self pity (waaah!)
But I believe, I will discover, the exact opposite.(fingers crossed)(see, more exercise)
My commitment to this project grows, as my ass is hopefully shrinking. I think I may have seen some results this week, no wait let me rephrase that I did see some results.
The other day as I got dressed , I put on my favorite turquoise colored t-shirt and my most comfy pair of denim shorts. It wasn't until I walked by the mirror, that I caught a glimpse of my shrinking belly roll . My body was more gravity defying. No, wait that's too strong a word, it was less jiggly. there was less jiggling going on.When I flexed my arm, I had a firmer muscle under there, a bicep and triceps, for cripes sake.
My brain has an Oprah moment, right then and realized simply that, exercise is good for my body!!! That exercise, that's right I'm using the E word again,helps build muscle tone. I am shocked and pleased at how frickin' simple this whole concept is, and why I let it allude me. I'm actually using moderation when eating. Moderation, not dieting. I eat two oreos instead of 6. I'm eating more fruit and veg. I'm still having my ice cream. And stop the presses!! I'm drinking more water, even.
I look forward to my visits to Mr. Bowflex,I no longer mock them,I'm getting more flexible, and strong doing a a few sets of yoga. Who knew endorphins could feel so good.So so so good.
As I don't want a lot of unwanted ass attention, I decided to post my proclamation on Thursday, beside the fact I just read the post over at Mrs.G's, today. But from here out I'll be posting on Wednesdays, about the disappearance of my double twin, I mean my chin. Over at Derfward Manor, a gauntlet was thrown, okay not really thrown, but it makes for some dramatic blog entry, if I say that.
It's all about the '08 Ass Project. A motivational tool to get off mine and get moving,A suggestion is to use the couch to 5k running plan. But I know myself, and sometimes repetition gives me a reason to rationalize to stop. So I'll be doing a mixture of that, and walking, and swimming, or something.
Other committed people(bloggers) will posts pictures of their body parts, as they firm up and get into better shape. Because I like to do things a little different I will post a little video , as I'm in the midst of a video Self Portrait over at Ipernity called 365 minutes.
So this the part where I roll the video, of my rolls.
There is something about the word holiday, as opposed to vacation that makes it seem, like it's so much more. In America we use the word vacation, in Europe they use the word holiday, which sounds like a better deal. But actually whatever word you use,last month I went to Amsterdam with my husband and my son.I had been there two years previous. I went with friends we stayed on a houseboat, we fell in love with the city. My plan was while I was there, I would blog daily, and write about it, but realistically there were 3 of us using the same computer, and well typing with any type of speed, is not my strong suit, so I opted for the moleskine method...pen and paper, what a concept, and portable too. So with out further adieu, I'll now blog about my trip.
Thursday June 5 Logan Airport- Boston, Massachusetts We just went through security, I remembered to wear my Ecco shoes, so i could slip them off, and walk through with socks. Not have to bend over untie. So here we sit, near our gate, watching the Big TV, which is on CNN, over and over it plays that Barack Obama has won the nomination for the Democratic party which I take as a good omen, for our trip, as I am an Obama Mama. They've just called us for boarding, I'm looking forward to getting back to Amsterdam, to see the houseboat, the canals, the cobblestones of the street. Our flight is your typical red-eye, and older smaller plane, where they have the little movie screens in the aisle, and the purser, who tells us, he won't make a lot of announcements, so we can all sleep, feels the need to go up and down the aisles, offering water...Water....WATER! i want to shove the water bottle somewhere...so he'll shush and be quiet.
Vridag -6 June Schiphol Airport, Netherlands We have arrived, 30 minutes earlier, which is nice but we have time to kill before 2pm, when the houseboat will be ready. We pass through customs, they are patronizingly friendly and ask us if we will be riding bikes around Amsterdam, I mention we are staying in a houseboat on the canal, they remain friendly, but the patronizing tone stops...does this mean we are cool now?
My husband and his little nicotine monkey need to walk outside, I am sleep deprived, and take every sign so literally, that I question whether it's okay if we go out the revolving door that's marked to buses and taxis...my husband silently rolls his eyes, and lights up, he and his little nicotine monkey take a deep inhale, and all is good. We stand outside in hot weather, like mid 80's degree weather...a thought circles in my head... that perhaps I should have packed more pairs of shorts. The weather report at home for Amsterdam, spoke of 60-70 degree weather....ah well welcome to global warming.I also discover my dual band phone, not so great, but luckily my son has a more modern phone, and it's quad band, so after figuring out I need to dial the country code, we connect with Rene, who is the owner of the houseboat, he tells us the should be ready at 2pm, and he'll see us then.
We go back into Schiphol, to keep cool and kill a little time, before then. We purchase some wi-fi and surf on Zack's Mac. I send of some local emails, I'm meeting up with a friend I have known from Flickr, and I send her off a email, to get an immediate reply, as we are now in the same timezone, she in Rotterdam visiting her boyfriend. As we kill our wait the people watching is fun, there is a young Mom and her Daughter, waiting for her Daddy to come home, It makes me think of my son, who is now a young man sitting across from me, and how when they are little they hang on your every word.
Finally it's time we take a cab, into Amsterdam. Our Cab driver is older, and speak only when spoken to,so we have a quiet ride, but we are all, a little sleep deprived,and not really talking either, so it's okay.
We arrive at the houseboat!! We have the great fortune of meeting Rene, the owner, what a great host, friendly, colorful, his personality fits the decor of the houseboat perfectly.We go over some new improvements of the houseboat, since I've been there last, he points out the magnet if we drop the keys into the canal, Tom learns how to use the Senseo coffee maker. I also enjoy how Rene speaks of the canal being a public road, so we should shot the windows on the houseboat when we leave, not that anything has happened, as far as theft, but we should be wise about it. If you saw the number of boats that pass by daily you would agree.
This time around it's a little different I know my way around the neighborhood, I'm familiar with the boat, it's still great to be back. We go off to the mini market,and pick up some breakfast things, and stop in one of the bakeries for something for lunch, which we bring home and eat on the houseboat, we also decide to take a little nap, which is great, before we go out for supper.
After sleeping for an hour or so, there were a few snooze alarm hits, we're up to find supper, that night we eat at Na Siam a wonderful Thai restaurant, on Kerkstraat, reasonably priced it costs 53Euros for the 3 of us, the spring rolls were light and crisp, the Singha, relatively cold. Our food was fresh, so delicious, and cooked to order, this is the night we discover they would let us sit for hours and hours, they don't bring the check until you ask for it. So we ask. By now our jet lag has caught up we watch a little TV, that has dutch subtitles, then we are off to sleep.
I don't have a remote for my camera, so I did this by timer, this was my first attempt, and my only successful one the others I was preparing to jump or had just landed. I was a little on the fence of posting it, but I said to myself "f*ck it,I'm gonna be brave and just do it. regardless of the bulges or my hot sexy Sorels(haha) and oh by the way it was 19 degrees out too!
I also love, Wilma in the background, thinking (again) what is that silly human doing, now?!?!
I figure I have 4years to either buy a remote, or perfect my timer jumping. Cheers to a great leap year!
yes it's my birthday. I am officially 45 years old. I wouldn't trade it for anything, I like getting older, I'm more comfortable in my own skin at this age, finally.
I notice as I get older, I am looking more like my Nana, I have her cheeks, her teeth. I'm sure i will turn completely grey like she did. But I'm taller than her, and I don't smoke, and I wash my cast iron skillet, after each use, unlike her, who left it "seasoned", as a kid it gave me the heebies, when she would offer to cook me eggs in that pan. She loved me fiercely and laughed at my jokes, and spoiled me just like a good Nana should. She also taught me how to shop for fresh produce, one of her jobs as a single mom was working at a produce stand,I know what to look for when I buy strawberries, and melons, and especially cherries. I remember picking out the fruit she would buy, and her being happy with my decisions. I felt pretty smart, accomplished, as a young girl learning that.
