SimplyComplexJen

I put off the conversation last year.  I narrowly missed it this past Christmas skillfully distracting to other topics.  Unfortunately, I was ambushed today.  With tears. Real tears, the kind that usually accompanies words like "I think the fish is dead." or "remember that thing from India on the shelf you told me to never touch?".

I don't remember this moment in my life.  I do remember being told by the Kindergarten teacher not to tell the other kids.  I don't remember the real anticipation of seeing what Santa brought.  I also never heard the story of Santa and how he can be so much more than an elf in a red suit.  I wanted more for my little one.  Hopefully today, I put a story in her soul that she can share in 30 years with her tearful daughter asking for the truth.

Long before I had kids (and thought I ever would), I ran across a story about a Dad who shared with his daughter that The Spirit of Santa Doesn't Wear a Red Suit.  It was heartbreaking for the author too.  I'm not sure why the story stood out in my mind, but here I am 10+ years later reading the story to my daughter.

There is no ending to my story that talks about swimming lessons yet again, or my mileage logged for the week, or how in yoga my touched fingers in a pose I had never been able to before (yay me!!).  This is about the type of things that happen in between running, work, and all the other things that are on our neverending to-do list.

How did I smooth over  the broken heart of tonight?  Quite simply lots of hugging, a small glass of sprite, and letting her stay up 1/2 hour past her bedtime to watch an episode of The Simpsons.  It worked.  She is calm, and knows theSanta that is in her heart is shared every time she helps others, and is shared when she thoughtfully gives something of herself.  She came to the conclusion on her own that she can be Santa anytime she wants.... and promptly found me a toy to add to the Hope House pile growing in my room.

Yes, Santa is alive and well in our home long after the red-suited elf has died.

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Just a quick note, if you're tired of trying to remember to keep your head down, turn, breathe, kick less, kick more, etc. (all of which can be overwhelming to a new swimmer), I have a suggestion.

Don't think about it.  Seriously.

I was swimming laps yesterday at our community pool while my little one was discovering her newly found love of going off the diving board (first time!).  Luckily, the lap lane is next to the diving area, so I didn't miss much.  After all, I did catch the first dozen or so times.  But I digress...

While swimming a man I was sharing the lane with made a suggestion, relax.  Enjoy. (um, ok.)

He suggested either singing songs that don't require a lot of thought (such as Mary Had a Little Lamb) or coming up with games in my head, such as running through the alphabet.  For example, A is for Apple, B is for Bat, etc.  He says games like that require thought, and make you "think less" about swimming.

Seemed counter-intuitive.

I tried it.

Children Songs definitely pass the time a bit, but don't distract me too much from form.

Thinking games?  Maybe I need to wait until my form is a little more improved.  I definitely took on some water with that experiment.

What I learned:  I really do need to relax and while I'm not sure if my legs had less drag this workout, I went about 100 more yards than I normally do.  Win.

Conclusion?  Not sure if it worked, but I appreciated the advice and will tuck that nugget away for future use.

Environmental hazards that are part of our everyday existence.  It's not everyday that I can tell you about a book the profoundly changed the way I look at what I buy and the environment (self-made) around me AND how you can buy that book for $5 and change.  I'm happy to be able to do that today (and frankly, bought 5 copies when I realized how cheap it was, hoarding for next Christmas season).

The Friday Recommend of the day is:

The Body Toxic: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Well-being

I realize that doesn't sound like a very exciting topic to most, but once you get into it, you'll be enthralled by what you learn.

Did you  know that the FDA does not test or check the submittals by chemical companies?  If the company submits XYZ is safe for your baby to lick, and can provide the reports to back it up, it is taken as truth.  That is, until someone gets sick or proves otherwise.

What do you know about what your family is being exposed to?

If you are worried about the rising rates of cancer, ADD, leukemia, autism, asthma, and other diseases, read this book.  Learn what the plastics we use in our baby bottle, the chemicals in our carpets, and other every day items do to us.

Do you think eating organic is worthless?  Then you should read the chapter on pesticides regulation in the US (or lack of).

Environmental hazards that are part of our everyday existence.  The question is, which ones can you control?

The book is full of documentation for you to follow up on and do your own research.  Baker's book traces the path of atrazine (a common pesticide), phthalates, flame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), bisphenol-A, Teflon (perfluorinated chemicals) through their impact on humans and the environment, and through any relevant (though mostly absent) government regulation.

This book is also where I found the link to the website where I check the safety of my moisturizers, sunscreens, shampoos, and other personal care items: http://www.ewg.org/.  I certainly look at nail polish differently now.

In short, this book makes me angry and increases my resolve at the same time.  It reinforces the point of view, that as consumers, we really are at the mercy of corporations and it's up to us to make informed decisions the best we can. 

Each time I make a purchase, not only do I ask myself if it will end up in the goodwill donation box in the next 3 years, but also have started asking myself the impact on my house and my family if I buy this.

This bok is one of the reasons I bought a previous Friday review: Organic Housekeeping.  I felt I had to start with small steps with making the environment for my family better.  After all, what is the use of making my house organic dairy/organic produce, if I'm just going to introduce toxic chemicals when I clean up after dinner?  It all matters, and as the book points out, it's cumulative.

It's an eye opener.

It's definitely a "must read"

My Rules of Friday Recommendations.
1. I've read it (probably more than once)
2. I would loan it to you.
3.  I would then buy a copy in case you didn't return it because I loved it so much I want to keep a copy in my house.
4.  Even if you didn't return it, I would be happy to have blessed your home with its pages.
5.  I'm pretty sure you'll get something out of reading it too.
(rules subject to change weekly)

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Tuesday June 15th:

It appears that not swimming for 7 mos did not improve anything.  (shocker I realize).

So, I googled once again, "learn to swim".  The google masters promptly took me to a post that I remembered reading in January(ish) 2009.

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/08/13/total-immersion-how-i-learned-to-swim-effortlessly-in-10-days-and-you-can-too/

I remember buying the book from Amazon, but not the DVD (due to funds at the time).  MAny of the workouts I found on youtube and also found elsewhere.

The little one has outdoor swim lessons for every week in June Mon-Thursday.  I can work on finishing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and getting a little sun on my legs OR try and conquer this beast that seems to be mocking me.

I hate to be mocked, and the legs can get some sun while flying a kite with the kiddo at the park.

Game on TI.

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My basil, rosemary, and tomatoes all doubled in size while I was on holiday.  The broccoli is showing signs of edible parts, and so are my pepper plants. 

My strawberries did not survive (it appears), nor did my arugula. 

My inbox is overflowing and if you don't hear from me in 20 min, you might check out my office.

I have over 300 unread emails in my box because I refused to be a slave to the blackberry while I was gone, and I'm not sure I'll go read them all.

My knee doesn't hurt anymore, so will also resume training today.... although does it count if all I want to do is 90min of yoga?  What if I do 90 min of yoga, and a quick 1.5 mi jog?  After all, I should probably ease back into it after 10 days off... (or so I'll say).

All in all..... the dog missed me, the kiddo missed me, and my routine is back.  Bonnaroo is checked off my bucket list.

Yes, it's good to be home.

Now, what trip do I plan next.....?

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I realize this may not be the most fun topic to tackle, but it's worth a post in my opinion.

About a year ago, I bookmarked an article so wittily called "Cycle Training".  (insert groans here).  There is no earth shattering news in this article, but gives a good breakdown of what your body may need during each phase of your cycle.

A few days ago, I was reading in Yoga Journal about inversion poses and menstruation, which I thought gave good balance to the argument of doing (or not doing) inversion poses during that "time of the month" (hereby known in this post as TOTM).

That got me thinking about in all of my preparing for a triathlon last year, and my years attempting yoga ..... surprisingly this topic rarely comes up.  So I thought about it and of course Googled.

In short, there is lots of advice out there, and more information than I care to think about.  Most of these studies and "rules" were done by men (who probably didn't bother to ask their wives for input).  What it boils down to is that, as with most things, you need to exercise your individual choice for what works best for you.  Listen to your body, maybe write down changes in your workout log, and go with whatever you decide.

From my experience, Western (or at least American) culture has deemed our period as "dirty" or almost like a disease to be cured (take this pill and skip your period, which I'll admit to have doing in the past).  But the reality of it is, it is a natural process and we should embrace it and try to understand how it affects us.  That includes our workouts.

I found this article to be interesting regarding TOTM and Yoga: http://yogapilates.suite101.com/article.cfm/practicing_yoga_on_your_period

TOTM and Triathlon Training and Racing: http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/triathlon-training/the-challenging-periods-for-women-in-training-001342.php


Iron Deficiency and Nutrition: http://www.trifuel.com/training/health-nutrition/triathletes-and-iron

And on a lighter side, of course I run across a similar musing by a triathlete who wonders if you have a greater risk of being bit by a shark during TOTM and open water ocean swims.  http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/post/for-females-do-you-swim-in-the-ocean-while-mentruating/

Be sure when you (if you're a woman!) line up at the start of  Tri, or in a room full of women waiting to do Downward Dog or Warrior, be assured you're not alone when it's TOTM.  As with anything, be sure to listen carefully to what your own body is telling you and work with your body, not fight it. 

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Yes, Giraffy  , I'll admit... Pacific Soups in a box.  I guess I can't claim, "there's no good lunch that will come out of a box" anymore.  The tomato soup is also good (and can be bought at Costco!).  It's a little runnier than I make my black bean soup, but is still delish.

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"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."~R.W.Emerson
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

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Today's Friday Recommendation.


 Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck


To give you an idea, I refer to this book at least once a month.  It's starting to look like it too.  I'm fighting the clutter-bug urge to keep a "clean" copy around.

Chapter Highlights:

Chpt 1 - First Things First, Everything in Moderation
Chpt 2 - The Kitchen: You Are What You Eat
Chpt 3 - The Low-Maintenance Bathroom
Chpt 4 - The Bedroom
Chpt 5 - Laundry
Chpt 6 - General Cleaning
Chpt 7 - Indoor Air Quality
Chpt 8 - Hazardous Material, Fire Safety
Chpt 9 - In and Around the Garden


There is a recurring theme in the book about decluttering and routine, which for some may seem second nature, but for me is a struggle.  Not only do I want my home to be physically as chemical free as possible, I would like it to be peaceful as well.  Clutter is my burden.  I'm shooting for the healthy body / healthy mind connection.  It's definitely a journey, not a destination.  I consider this book one of the top 5 books for that journey.

If you're interested in how to clean more with vinegar, and salts, and lemon, and more natural ingredients, then this book is for you.  Mother Nature provided us with some natural anti-bacterials and cleaning agents.  Let's leave the laboratory created chemicals behind.

In short, it is uncommon good sense for protecting our health and the planet.  If you have interest in being more green, then your own home is a place to start.  Under my kitchen sink used to have as many chemicals as a chemistry lab, and now I can say we've reduced that amount by half and each month work on eliminating more.

Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck



Ask your local library if they have it.

It is my understanding it is available on the Kindle as well.







My Rules of Friday Recommendations.
1. I've read it.
2. I would loan it to you.
3.  I would then buy a copy in case you didn't return it because I loved it so much I want to keep a copy in my house.
4.  Even if you didn't return it, I would be happy to have blessed your home with its pages.
5.  I'm pretty sure you'll get something out of reading it too.
(rules subject to change weekly)

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.Photo by Ivan Sciupac

Last night while cleaning house, and about 27 hours after my self-proclaimed crappy run of 2010, I noticed my bum muscles were a little sore.

Maybe those hills, even at a slooooow pace did some good.

To the commenters who said doing a crappy run was better than no run....

YOU WERE RIGHT!


Thanks for your support.  Now, off to my cozy 3 mi lunch time run on the treadmill.....

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I love when I'm done with a run, and on the inside I feel like the girl in the picture.

Free.

Happy.

Ready to do it again.

Last night wasn't one of those runs.


Up at 5:45 to start getting ready for the day.  A to school by 7:50.  On the road by 8:30 to visit a client.

As a side note, if there was a highlight of the day, it was the fact I didn't eat any of the dozen Krispy Kremes in my car on the way to said client.  I bought 12.  I delivered 12. 

After a 3 hour drive, I had the pleasure of taking client and team out to lunch at the only diner in town. It was yum, but the daily plate (enchilada) might have been heavy.  Not to mention I haven't had red meat since before Christmas, and I'm thinking the ground beef shocked my system a bit.

Then after 2 hours on site, another 3 hour drive home.  Scenic, quiet, and if anyone asks... my blackberry gets horrible service and that is why they went to voicemail.  Sometimes, you just have to enjoy the ride.

I got home about 90 min before the after-school care closes, so I thought I'd squeeze in a hill run near my home.  My first run outside in months (I run 4 days a week on treadmill at lunch at gym).  This is where it went bad.

91 degrees.

90% humidity.

6 hours in car plus heavy lunch.

Result?

2.75 miles in 31 minutes.

Fail.

I even walked home the last quarter mile.

Not only did I run slow (yes, it was hills, but that's besides the point), I think because of the humidity, I was sweating like I had just done a 10k.  I showered and went and picked up the little one. 

It's one of those runs when you're done, you're glad you're done.  I could blame it on a lot of things, but in short.... I just need to get my butt outside more and just run.  Indoor lunch runs on the treadmill are making me soft.

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Whether you agree with the sum of the list or not, let's agree that there are some great choices on this list.  I'll admit a few made me scratch my head puzzled, and a few I was embarrassed I wasn't familiar with.  A quick trip to both iTunes and the Amazon music store fixed that.

100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time

I was happy to see Magnetic Fields rank as high as 11, but disappointed no Death Cab for Cutie was in the top 10, but did make a showing at #14.  Pixies at #8 got a nod from me (if that matters).

I have no doubt, you ask 100 professional (paid or otherwise) music reviewers, you'll get 100 different lists.  In fact, in reading some of the comments, some people are down right angry about some exclusions to the list.  That made me giggle a bit. 

Really, the only thing we can all agree on is that there is more good music out there than I could have find or have time to listen to.  What is forced down our throats by the mainstream music media, in my opinion, has never been representative of the best that is out there.

What do you see missing from the list?

Anything on the list that makes you question the sanity of the author?

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I read the book, HAPPY BACK, based on a recommendation. I loved it's simplicity and real life applications of simple exercises. In fact, I recognize a lot of the daily stretches from my yoga classes. The product summary from Amazon summarizes it best:

Happy Back is a self-help, how to book about caring for your neck and back on your own. Neck and back pain books typically focus only on exercises and stretches. Happy Back not only demonstrates effective spinal stretches, but also focuses on the ergonomics of daily living to avoid the accumulation of spinal stresses which may lead to pain. Over 140 pictures show readers do's and don'ts of standing, sitting, driving, working out, computer postures, bending and lifting, and even golf. Happy Back teaches you the simple stretches and exercises which are taught to each patient in Dr. Fuller's chiropractic office. These effective stretches only take a couple minutes a day.

It also helps that I know Dr Fuller personally and can vouch for not only him as a Doctor, but also his advice in the book. If you're dealing with the "normal" and everyday aches and pains of sitting in front of a computer 8-10 hours a day (pretty sure humans weren't designed for this type of activity), then this book will be a blessing to you. At least it has been for me.

I had no specific injury to set my general discomfort in motion but have a stockpile of reasons for stress and anxiety in my life, not to mention sitting at a desk in front of a computer for 8-9 hours a day. If you add on the high impact of running 20-30 miles a week, back discomfort was not a stranger to me. After I implemented many of the exercises in the book, I find my back hurts less, I have more energy, and feel more relaxed.

It only takes a few minutes a day, and is cheaper than bottle after bottle of Advil to relieve the back pain and aches ;)

Happy Friday!

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Through the power of Facebook feeds I haven't blocked (sorry Aunt J!), Hope House reminded me that tomorrow was the last day to sign up for the Hospital Hill run under their team.

I had been on the fence about it, but Hope House is an organization I can get behind, so getting off the fence was an easy choice.

Then came the hard choice.

5k?

10k?

Half?

I love running a 5k. It's quick, it's relatively easy, and they are always fun... even if you walk them (hint: sign up for one TODAY with a friend, try Couch to 5k program. I swear it works.). The problem with one of the most popular 5ks in town? The crowds.

A half marathon seemed daunting with pending sprint triathlons on the schedule.

So, to avoid (some of) the crowds and also not to put too much on my (already full) training plate.... the 10k was the obvious choice! Figured it would be good for the triathlon training (right?) anyway.

So, another race I'm officially signed up for AND I get to raise money for Hope House.

Despite feeling overwhelmed and behind., the summer is off to a good start. Garden started, shed built, Bonnaroo less than 40 days away, school is almost out, and races on the credit card.

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Overwhelmed.

It's a word that has such depth, but is seemingly simple.

I know we (I) bring a lot of it on ourselves. So much to accomplish, so little time.

There's so much I've been trying this year (much to the detriment of my triathlon training) to make our lives simpler and more organic. What I didn't plan for in all my planning for our garden and hiking and other activities is what I was going to remove from my life to accommodate all these changes.

Planned workouts seemed to fall by the wayside the easiest, but I haven't let them go. Meaning, everyday my planned workout is on my list, and every day for the last 3 weeks (except 4 days), it's gotten bumped for other things.

Tomorrow's yoga? Bumped by having a 2 week late birthday dinner with a friend on my night where bebe is at her dads.

Today's lunch workout? Bumped by the fact I need to go to Lowe's to buy fencing supplies for the workers that will be there tomorrow.

Last night?  Stay up late working on project for Bebe's school program this Saturday.  

and on and on it goes. I thought I was working closer to balance, not throwing myself off more.

a Repost from :


http://www.zentriathlon.com/home/2010/4/21/on-test-moeben-arm-sleeves.html

Arm sleeves are a great invention. Thinner ones warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer. They stop sunburn and bright ones can help you be seen in traffic.  They are a fast way to do all of the above because they go on and off in seconds, even while you ride.

And don't call them arm warmers.  The thin material actually keeps you cooler once you start to sweat. Compounded with the prevention of sun exposure, you'll finish a hot ride in better shape than if you went without them.  Just make sure you wear lighter colored ones in the hotter months and you'll be fine.

Now, since my only tri-goals this year include sprint triathlons, I'm rarely on my bike long enough to get sunburned, but this post by Zentriathlon has me thinking about my sun exposure and riding time.

Time to check out his links....

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A twitter feed today caused my ADD to itch.  Combine that with industry mags I get at work telling the woes of how the bee populations in our country are slowly dying and you have my google time suck of the day:


I don't like bees.  In fact, I have a strange suspicion based on a sting reaction when I was 11 that I am allergic to them.  Did I let those two facts stop me from researching the possibilities of bees in my backyard?

Nope.  That would just be silly!


I now am following:

http://twitter.com/beekeeping_Tips

http://twitter.com/abeeorganic

http://twitter.com/HelpSaveBees

and have a few google books boomarked (here's ONE for tonight's reading) and will report back on the feasibility of this project.

Want to know what groups and association of backyard keepers exist in your area?  Try going to this site:  State Honey and Beekeeping Associations.

 Organic bees in my backyard?  This strangely appeals to me. 

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A few years ago I did this crazy thing and walked a few hundred miles across the Indian countryside, looking for the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. And I found them. At the time, I had plastered myself with the following labels (and many more):

"chef, farmer, organic, local, healthy, vegan, pure, conscientious, clean, dedicated, serious, relaxed"

Labels, like everything else, are exactly what they are: nothing more and nothing less. They're not good, they're not bad, they're just labels.

The funny thing was that with all the penniless walking (the no money was part of the experiment, the contract with the universe) and 100 degree temperatures, the labels started to peel off. And the harder I tried to stick them back, the more of that gritty stuff got between my skin and the glue, and eventually I just had to give up.

Like with the chai. Indian tea, chai, was exactly what I didn't drink. It's made from low-quality over-boiled black tea, assuaged with full-fat (7%) buffalo milk, mountain ranges of refined white sugar, and a few tasty spices. In terms of labour and environmental politics, the tea and sugar are a cocktail of misery and oppression. And it's a far cry from vegan. And it's what I had every day, maybe many times a day, because I was a penniless pilgrim walking through the wilds of countryside and compassion, and the chai was my ticket into people's hearts.

The next step was the cookies. These damn ubiquitous wafers branded "Parle-G" and pronounced not in the French way at all, but rather, "parlee-gee". Refined wheat and refined sugar. Nothing whole or healthy about and yet, it's what the "common man" swears by in India, from villagers to urbanites to wandering holy men, all bow down to the temple of the "Parle-G". So, as you can probably guess, I could literally watch myself, get more comfortable with the little atrocities, relax into enjoying their sweetness and crunch, begin to savor their texture after dipping them in my chai. It's a matter of relaxation, of relinquishing control, and understanding "This is where I am, and at every moment, I must start where I am".

So maybe that's relevant to you. Maybe you're not thrilled about what you normally have for breakfast, or the roles you're playing or the scene you're building. That's fine. But what I've seen is that your ticket Out of There is not through resistance or hatred or pressure but through acceptance. It's where we are. Once we stop thrashing ourselves about it, we can see clearly, and start to deal.

written by Ankur Shah, author, chef, farmer and Spiritual Care Jedi.
http://www.mangolandia.org/

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We used to have a habit in our house that somehow we slid away from.  It wasn't that we just stopped cold one day, but you know how it is.  Let's skip this tonight, there's too much homework.  Or there's laundry to do.


You know how these things go. One thing leads to another and before you know it, you're out of the habit.  I'm not talking about my gym habit (although that could apply), but our board game tradition.

It used to be every night after dinner, we'd play a game.  Or a puzzle.  But it was something, just the two of us, no tv, no music, just us on the floor playing a game with no mercy.

This week is both Turn off the TV week (aka Digital Detox week) and Earth Week.

As I was thinking how I actually miss this tradition in our home, it also has applications to the themes of this week.

No only are Board Games an alternative to sitting around the tv, but it's greener too. And it's frugal.  Instead of heading out the door, driving somewhere and spending money, you have that time at home using things you already possess.

Maybe taking things back to a simple entertainment where it's about laughs and interactions, rather than zoning out is the next step on our 2010 goal of simplifying and detoxing our household.


And maybe we can't do it everynight, but if nothing else, we can designate one night a week for this and start from there.  Why not schedule in this time the same way we do yoga, girl scouts, and swimming?

It starts today. What about you? Can you give up the TV one night for a family board game?

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End: 04/23/10