Bending Back

I'm now in the home stretch of a month long yoga teacher training program.

This week was backbends and inversions.  I learned so much about what these extreme poses can do to the body and mind in depth this week.  Throughout the week, classmates would burst into tears, be kept awake all night, and have serious body aches.  As for me, the backbends caused a temporary fit of narcolepsy.  I would literally fall fast asleep in the middle of class for a few minutes at a time after we were done bending then wake up and be fine.  My teacher attributes this to the wringing out of the kidneys and the intense exhaustion this causes to the body.  Clearly after living in Costa Rica for over two years, I have my more than my fair share of toxins to squeeze out of my kidneys.

Just one example of the intensity of this program.  Yes, it's fun, inspiring, and healthful, but it's not easy.  Greg has been a witness to some wacky mood shifts and emotional explosions these past couple of weeks.  His patience never ceases to astound me.

Going West

Greg and I have set out on our new adventure together... we're headin' West!

Exploding Watermelons

Usually when I hear about exploding watermelons I think about the wonderfully classic comedian Gallagher. This time though, it's in China, and they're not exploding at the end of a sledgehammer. They're exploding because they're as juiced up as Jason Giambi.

Food in China is scary. Check out the spontaneously combusting watermelons.

You Go Girl!

Nancy Lieberman, coach of the Texas Legends in the NBA Development League, has played in both men's and women's professional basketball leagues. She played professionally until she was 50 years old.

This article from ESPN asks the question, "Can women play with the men?"


http://w.espn.go.com/espnw/news-opinion/6495612/women-pro-sports-women-play-men

Women have come a long way from Title IX, but girls and young women still need to see strong female role models in all kinds of activities. Women should participate in coaching, playing, cheering, wherever they fit best!

--
Photo comes from the ESPN website - credit O. Kitsinger

Living La Pura Vida

On the next season of Annie McNulty: Living La Pura Vida, Annie finds herself living in a small beach town in Central America getting into more zany antics this time with her new pet and sidekick Sammy the Sloth.

Date Night with Billy Blanks

I'm going back for Round 2 tonight of Billy Blanks. Not that last week's first attempt at TaeBo was an extreme success but I need to move and it's here for me. Tonight is one of those nights where I could easily lay down on the couch (or bench in the case of my apartment) with a bag of potato chips and veg out until it's time for bed. I won't give in though.

The upside of doing TaeBo is that I end up laughing my ass off at my jerky uncoordinated movements as I try to figure out the complicated choreography - though, I swear, Billy messes up sometimes in his demos and obviously that can throw a girl off when suddenly you're double-timing your way through roundhouse kicks and upper-cuts.

Also, due to my extremely competitive personality and in spite of last week's unsuccessful completion of the Basic level, tonight I am stepping it up to Advanced. Vamonos Billy!

The Real Heroes

Last week, when the news broke that Osama Bin Laden had died, I tried to sit down and write a poignant piece about my thoughts on the situation. I first heard via text message from a friend, but quickly was inundated with the thoughts and feelings of about 500 of my closest acquaintances via Facebook.

News stories showed people all over the US celebrating at various impromptu street celebrations. One interview at Ground Zero featured a reveler voicing her mixed emotions while drinking a Bud. I like to imagine her also wearing a bikini top on the shoulders of a shirtless festival-goer, but the story did not confirm those extra details.

The US has been fighting terrorists in Afghanistan for about ten years since 9/11. I suppose that by killing Osama Bin Laden, one objective in that war has been fulfilled. It means that the many Americans who have lost their lives didn't waste them in vain. I guess.

Basically, what I'm saying, is that just like the Bud guzzling young woman at Ground Zero, I'm not sure what this all means. I couldn't write the sincere heartfelt Op-Ed essay I was imagining because the strange mix of pride, disgust, relief, and wonder that filled my head was too much to put into expressive words.

So instead I popped in TaeBo and cracked myself up as I awkwardly punched and kicked alone in my living room with the company of the even more inelegant "TaeBo Heroes." Billy's words, not mine.