On The Walk Home

Delivered my last June birthday gift. There are a lot of you June babies.

My aunt Al's birthday was on Friday and I spent a nice evening with her and Chiquita.

Had planned to walk to work but I had one more gift to deliver so I mixed things up. Used a shoulder bag and put the contents of the gift in there and rode my bike to work then left my bike at home during lunch and walked back.

Got in about 20 minutes on the bike and 40 minutes of walking. I feel very lucky to have gotten in an hour of exercise during the course of my work day.

Abandoned Cup and Saucer

Listened to How Does A Pastor Work? on the walk on home and found it very interesting. Also finished listening to a podcaster who interviewed Dianne Bondy who "will not be defined by the size of her yoga pants." I was surprised when Bondy said that the people on the Biggest Loser are bullied. I don't agree but I also know that I would not have liked Jillian Michaels in my face...

Practiced yoga at home on Wednesday but hadn't been to class since last Monday. Tonight's class felt good from the minute Joy asked us to sit on a block. I almost went to sleep during savasana. Like what Joy said about being careful what you feed your mind.

Good Notes and Roads

The Road To The Zoo/Forest Park

The morning started on a good note and I was set to meet Alison at Forest Park for a walk when I made a rookie mistake.

Decided to take the highway instead of traveling through the streets and it cost me 40 minutes. Felt bad for Alison who could have walked three miles by the time I arrived. It was frustrating as I was only about a fourth of a mile away and you could see the situation devolve. This passenger in the car in front of me kept getting out and dropping "F" bombs. The lanes collapsed and, as I finally made progress toward exit, a cop on a horse arrived but he definitely needed back-up.

Managed to shake off my frustration  and we walked the 6.29 trail and we have the aching feet to prove it.

The traffic jam definitely made me have sympathy for people who commute long distances...

Road to Jewel Box, Forest Park

I've been getting rid of old magazines and, of course, I have to re-read some.  Didn't remember the article about Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings* and it was interesting to find out that she used to be a corrections officer because she didn't think it was realistic to pursue a music career being one of six kids raised by one parent.

Once Jones decided to pursue a career in music, she was told that she was "too fat, too short and too black." Ouch.

Tried to find the O: The Oprah Magazine article only to find that Jones battled pancreatic cancer...

Was on Twitter last night and came across this compelling photo and it reminds me of those Coretta Scott-King, Myrlie Evers, Betty Shabazz funeral photos.

Malana Pinckney glances at President Barack Obama at service honoring her father, the late Rev. Clementa Pinckney. pic.twitter.com/EsTlI3pIo5

— Stephen Crowley (@Stcrow) June 26, 2015

*Totally know that this is one of Gingerzingi's favorite groups.

Better

Feeling better.

Went to yoga Monday night and didn't feel the corset around my neck like I did during Sunday's class.

As I channel surfed and looked for This Week this past Sunday?, stumbled upon Joel Olsteen and heard him say that nothing lasts forever -- not legal problems etc.

Turning Down Awesome

The Day Without Rain, Forest Park

Did something that I have not done in a long time -- the 6.29 mile trail around Forest Park. I walked it without much whimpering but later in the day I had challenges walking because my left calf muscle was very tight...

Today is International Day of Yoga and I wanted to mark the occasion. Joy posted on Facebook that she was having a free 11:00 a.m. class to celebrate the first IDY.

11:00 was perfect because it was raining and I could have slept forever. I was delighted and dismayed by the rain since there's been so much of it lately.

Had mixed emotions about yoga too. I've been sad and yoga usually makes me feel better but...

Cried my way through class. My intention was Rodney King-ish -- Can we all just get along?

At one point during class, Joy came over and wanted to adjust my strap -- one end was on the ball of my foot and the other was around my head. I can make that feel awesome for you she said but I turned Joy down because I knew that if she touched me I would lose it -- more than I'd already lost it.

A friend of Joy's who is a swami came for IDY and took over the final pose. Her guided relaxation/meditation was awesome. The oms, shantis and mantra heightened the experience and soon as I walked out of the studio, I started bawling...

I am so sad about the Charleston massacre and Charleston makes me think of my half-brother that got, for all intents and purposes, executed. Thinking of my half-brother makes me think of my father and on and on.

And I probably should not have listened to How Does A Hospice Nurse Work?, A Slate at Work podcast. Think I would like nurse Kathy Kuencer though. One of her answers: I am not in the business of judging.

Forest Park

Easily

Went to lunch with the 'Fugee and Rosie and a couple of things caught my eye.

After lunch went to a naturalization ceremony. Kind of like the pomp and circumstance of this particular occasion and the judge was pretty funny. I could see him doing stand-up comedy -- easily -- but he was also serious and I liked what he said about freedom and how you cannot use your freedom to constrict other people's freedom...speech...movement etc.

My Selection

Fugee's Selection

Renounce and abjure absolutely...

La La La

Right before yoga class started, had a short conversation with Joy who said it's really nice to teach on Monday night. I told her how nice it is to practice on said night.

Mondays can be so jarring...

Joy often starts class talking about setting aside what happened earlier in the day but I liked what she said last night about not giving those earlier things any more energy. I'm going to put that concept in my tool box...

Also really liked what Joy said toward the end of class. If I could give you yoga homework, it would be to breathe. 

Tuesday morning was a reminder that you have to continue breathing and acquiring tools. One of my coworkers, who is dramatic on any given day, started with the "Shakespeare Fest" early and I was already feeling gutted because of my sleep habits and, boom, unpleasantness ensued.

Re: today's drama, Alison suggested that I channel one my favorite tunes right now and just thinking about Sam Smith's song made me smile.

The Regular

Around mile two of Saturday's bike ride, realized that I had left my iced water in the car. Alison said that I could share but it was a humid day so I thought about what to do. Didn't want to ride back but I thought about calling the 'Fugee because I know that her nephew stays close to the trail. Also thought about the Quick Trip toward the end of the trail when Alison said that we could stop by Ace Hardware.

Haven't been to a hardware store in ages and didn't think they sold water but they sell some of everything of course.

If push came to shove I could have bought some lemonade from the youngsters chanting When I say lemon, you say... 

After bicycling did modest uncluttering and was shocked to find money that my aunt Girt had given me for Christmas. I think it was Suze Orman who said when you don't know what you have you lose money or maybe it was a professional organizer who said that.

After uncluttering a bit, reward myself by going to the grand opening of the city pool that I attempted to go to the other day. 

Where the party at? The party was definitely on the south side of St. Louis yesterday. I almost turned around because of the crowd but went to the main entrance, as instructed, to fill out paperwork. As soon I stepped in the door, the main lifeguard asked a security to escort this woman out for using too much profanity. 

I think that I know the lifeguard from one of the recreation centers. Even if I don't know her, I know... Her entire language and body language screams I don't take nothing from nobody...

The locker room of the city pool looks like something that got left behind. I want to call Extreme Makeover to see if they'll help. 

As always with this pool, the deep end stays closed so all of humanity was in the shallow end and there really wasn't much space to swim but I'm still glad that I went. The weather was beautiful and there was live music.

Later on I found out that there was Go Fund Me page to raise money for the party. Wish that I had known earlier. I should also mention that this pool is the only free outdoor pool on the south side...

Red, White and Blue

Vintage Firetruck

Went to 11:00 a.m. yoga instead of 9. This woman next to me was cracking me up with her exaggerated breathing and I told her so after class. She was a little surprised by my comment so I explained more when her daughter told me that she was 75-years-old. I would have never guessed 75. At the most, I would have guessed 60. Her daughter said that, yeah, she rocks. 

Neither the daughter (Karen) nor the mother are regulars. It's usually Karen's 6'5, 250 lb husband who is the regular. Sometimes it's good to go to a different class.

A Day Early

What does one do for a staycation?

It was hard to top the pre-staycation trifecta of the Lantern Festival, Circus Flora and Farm To Yoga so I didn't try. What's the point of always trying to top something anyway?

Thursday morning, decided to make an oatmeal "recipe" like one I'd seen in Prevention magazine: rolled oats, unsweetened cocoa, coconut, almond milk, almonds (a little redundant now that I think about it) and a drizzle of maple syrup. The recipe didn't call for it but I added bananas. Was I moaning while eating it? No, but I liked the change.

Went to get an a.m. massage because I still feel tense. Because of the therapist's skill, I was able to go to that hypnotic state. At the end of the session, she thanked me -- as massage therapist will do and told me that she will see me when she sees me which meant I could truly take my time and not rush to get off the table so I didn't.

Couldn't resist going to the pool afterward. The air and water temperature was perfect and I capped off the day by going to Zumba...

Saw the Mayor tweet about one of the city pools. I forget about them.

Felt the need for a dip in refreshing water again so I headed to a city pool but when I pulled up there was no one in the water and, upon further inspection, the gate was locked. I did see a lifeguard who told me that there'd been a delay because of an inspection or something and that the pool is slated to open tomorrow. Nothing like seeing all off that refreshing water and real estate and not being able to get in.

The Marquette repairs are great. Might be time for a poolside staff meeting. #fgs

— MayorSlay.com (@MayorSlay) June 11, 2015

The Matinee And Max

Went to see Circus Flora again. The matinee this time. I'm off work -- a combo of use it or lose it and my immediate coworker being away for a while.

The circus project started because I wanted to spend time with an aunt that I don't get to spend enough time with. Another aunt and my mother went as well. My mother said that she hadn't been to a circus since she was a kid.

I think regular trips to the circus should be on most folks' agenda. It's such a joyful experience. Gotta say, though, that I don't think that I'd ever be interested in doing a high wire act. I don't mind being in the air when I'm tethered to someone on the ground but...

When I checked into the climbing gym tonight asked the staffer, Max, how he was doing. I'm alive, he said. As we talked more, he said that he didn't needed much --  When I wake up, I say thank you. That's definitely one way to start the day.

What Patti Did

Patti threatened, last year, to give me the gift of a bike event registration. Got an email from her on Sunday with the title "Great News!" Yup, Patti registered me for a bike event that's in September.

Maybe preparing for a long distance bike ride is the kick in the pants that I need -- and maybe not. Exercise has not been a problem in the last eight years. It's been food. Anyway, we'll see...

Alison told me that she'd purchased the "Get Outside" edition of St. Louis Magazine. She looked through it and discovered why she was so drawn to this fence that we see along the Riverfront Trail. The fence was created by Bob Cassilly, the founder of the City Museum. The area is where he died while working on a project...

Love the City Museum's slogan: Saving The City, By Any Means Necessary.

I really like the Roller Girl story about Kayla Seiber who used to weigh 300 pounds. The story also makes me want to go to the roller derby next Saturday.

Between The Rain And...

Memorial Day was the last time that I bicycled and, before that, it had been almost a month. Between the rain and not feeling "it," my bicycle stayed with the kickstand on the ground but today was a different story.

Alison and I met this morning and headed out to the Riverfront Trail. It was pretty warm but there was a nice breeze that I was very grateful for.

We spotted dead frogs, a snake and an eel. Even in death, the eel was elegant.

Watched the news while in slug mode and was totally inspired by the recent 99-year-old college graduate.

Outside The Box

As I headed to the pool last night, realized that I had left my towel at home and, really, you don't miss your towel until...

In retrospect I could have stopped by the 'Fugee's or I could have stopped by Kmart to buy a towel but that just goes to show how I forget to think outside of the box. At one point, I seriously thought about going home and, therefore, not getting in a workout. Also thought about asking the lifeguard if there were any towels in lost and found but that kind of grossed me out.

Because the nights have been cool recently, I did take a long-sleeved shirt for post-swimming so I used the t-shirt that I had on to towel off. Problem solved...

I'm going to have to move Crime and Forgiveness near the top of my favorite Moth episodes queue. Listened to it as I walked to work on Monday. Revised Moth list:

• Korea, Colons, Pickups and Pranks
• Gaggy's Blessing (with Krista Tippett)
• Before Fergus 
• Crime and Forgiveness 

I was moved to tears listening to Crime and Forgiveness. As I approached the parking lot, one of my coworkers expressed surprise that I lived so near then said That's nice that you can have some peace of mind before the bullshit starts. 

Moved or Month-End Review, May

Still thinking about the Farm To Yoga event: decoy squash plants that lure bugs, how this person that I used to climb with was totally unrecognizable to me except for her eyes making me think that eyes really are the windows to the soul.

I've been thinking about Nathan's suggestion to be curious through movement as we practice yoga. I wasn't expecting to be so moved by the farm/yoga event -- no more than I'm usually moved when I practice yoga but I was really moved by the experience...

Read a nice article about not giving up. Also, I've been an occasional reader of the Travel Penguin blog but noticed when the traveler came from behind his penguin/gnome and posted a health update and yet another post of about what he had learned.

So many great articles right now about "tudes" -- gratitude, fortitude et al.

10 Minute Solution: KnockOut Body 
*Knockout Body Blast, 1 x
*Kickbox Cross Train, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Fitness Ball Workout
*Upper Body, 2 x's

10 Minute Solution: Rapid Results Fat Burner
*Power Sports Drill, 1 x

Bicycling, 4 x's

Climbing, 2 x's

Dance It Off & firm up!
*Rock It, 4 x's

Ellen Barrett Live: Super Fast Body Blast, 1 x

Just Walk: 5 Mega Miles
*Mile 5: Ab Walk, 2 x's

Just Walk: mix + match
*Short + Sweaty, 4 x's

Just Walk: Party
*Mile 2, 2 x's

Kettlebell 
*Beginner Routine, 2 x's

Lawn Mowing, 2 x's

Swimming, 3 x's

Walking, 22 x's

Weight Watchers: 7 Day Tone & Burn
Tone, 1 x

Yoga, 9 x's

Zumba, 5 x's