Maybe It Wasn't The Wrong Way

Alison and I made Sunday plans to practice yoga then to bicycle on the Riverfront Trail.

Struggled to get my stuff together and made it to Gloria's class with about five minutes to spare. Normally, I set up shop in the front of the class but saw that Alison was in the back so I set up shop beside her and ended up being smack dab in the middle of class with a lot of backs in front of me which I found very calming for some reason.

Did a little post-yoga chatting with the First Couple of Yoga (a.k.a. Mike and Tammy) et al. then Alison and I made our way to the parking lot and, as I pulled off, I wondered whether or not I should have waited for her.

Made my way through the St. Louis (6, ouch) and Minnesota (34) tailgaters and got a call from Alison to let me know that she'd gone the wrong way and had also come across an accident. She got out to see about the man who'd fallen off his motorcycle and told him to take some deep breaths and that he was okay (except for his arm). That's so Alison and if I am ever in that situation, I want an Alison to stop and comfort me.

We finally hit the trail and, about two miles in, I just about stopped in my tracks when I saw Mike Brown graffiti. It wasn't until later that I saw the hand prints up above the RIP.

Think this yellow situation was dark brown before.

No Justice No Peace

Convenience

Got home about 12:30 a.m. after socializing with the 'Fugee. We watched Departures and The 'Fugee wanted to know where I'd heard about such an strange movie. Thanks for the recommendation Gingerzingi.

Departures was kind of strange but I like strange movies particularly French but I'm also starting to like Japanese movies and that's probably why Fear and Trembling, a French/Japanese flick, is a favorite.

Departures is two hours and 11 minutes long but it kept our attention and we found it moving...

About 1:00 a.m. my TV and everything else went off. I'd seen the electric company's van in an alley but didn't think anymore about it.

I was surprised and grateful that the Wi-Fi still worked even though the router was off because I was still wired and not ready to sleep. I was also grateful that the storms had brought cooler weather.

Still didn't have any electricity when I woke up so headed out to a coffee shop to get beverages. Also took my iPod and USB car charger along. When I returned, the lights were back on.

It's so convenient being able to reach into one's refrigerator or to, in general, have your breakfast et al. at your fingertips.

Very Good Italian Roast

Current Artwork @ Coffeeshop

Artwork Last Time Electricity Went Out

Midway Through

Vision in right eye was like a blurry kaleidoscope yesterday and that usually happens when I'm stressing.

I did energy work on myself and was surprised when I got quick results. Goodbye blurry vision but Good morning headache.

I don't like to take pills but finally gave in midday and it was a really good decision.

Another good decision was taking myself to Sheila's outdoor yoga class. I'm not totally crazy about the class but there are so many things that Sheila does that I am crazy about including how she started class with Qigong.

Also, I like the way that you're going to look people in the eye in Sheila's class or you're going to sit back-to-back or stand hip-to-hip. There are no strangers and midway through class, I can breathe without constrictions.

Protips from Sheila: If you were tight pants, don't. Free your belly. Also, you should really massage your belly every day...

Picked up magazines from the library and in the June 2014 issue of Consumer Reports there's an article called How To Live Well Into Your 80s and Beyond: Five Keys to a Long, Healthful Life:

2). Keeping Your Body Strong
One of the ongoing effects of aging is loss of muscle mass. If you don't do anything to fight it, you could find yourself unable to get out of an armchair or off the toilet one day. Aging also brings declines in aerobic capacity and flexibility...

Even though I get frustrated with the whole trying to lose weight thing, this article made me realize (again) that I am doing many things right.

I've been watching Alaska: The Last Frontier. Didn't like it at first but I'm really into it now. Standing in a river catching your own salmon then brining it -- that's badass. I was also impressed when the Kilcher clan took their heavy equipment, by barge, to build a sturdier cabin for the range rider so that bears wouldn't be able to easily get in. Their other task is to build a fence to prevent the cattle from wandering into more dangerous territory -- in two days.

Atz Lee is super tired as he works on the cabin but knows he has to get the job done so that they can leave at just the right time. Otherwise, the tide will be too low and the barge will get stuck. I just concentrate on one nail then the next then one board and...And, really, that's the way to approach most tasks.

A Few Sun Salutations or Month-End Review August

In some ways, I still feel stuck even though I've been exercising regularly. I've been yoga needy but hadn't been in almost two weeks. Yesterday, I had to make myself go for a short bike ride since I was on the verge of the so-called Netflix binge. I really didn't feel like doing anything.

Gloria is back after a 17 day hiatus and she "confessed" to us about her vacation decadence and her approach to yoga as her body dealt with food she wasn't accustomed to eating. What I heard over most things she said My body feels different each day and Gloria's yoga routine reflects how she feels on any given day. I also remember her talking about clearing energy and I hope that today's time on the mat took care of some of the stuck stuff. Plus, I'll have to remember to do what I'm able to, like Gloria, if it's only doing cat/cow or a few sun salutations.

Bicycling, 4 x's

Climbing, 2 x's

Just Walk: 5 Mega Miles

*Mile 2: Walk and Tone, 1 x

*Mile 5: Ab Walk, 4 x's

Just Walk: Walk to the Hits, Party Songs

*Mile 1, 2 x's

Kettlebell (Beginner's Routine), 1 x

P90X

*Kenpo X, 3 x's

Swimming, 4 x's

Walking, 10 x's

Yoga, 6 x's

Zumba, 4 x's

Zumba Fitness: Complete Total-Body Transformation System

*Merengue, 4 x's

*Salsa, 3 x's

*Reggaeton, 3 x's

Since I mentioned the sun, check out this theater that I witnessed crossing the river from Illinois into Missouri last night. FYI, I was the not the driver.

How I Look

Two weeks ago, my Aunt Al said that my hair was cute.

I have more hair on top of my head than I've had in the last ten years and not because I wanted a change; I struggled to make it to the barber. Friday's really the best day but after working all week I fell knackered and don't feel like waiting around for a haircut.

Saturday's been all about bicycling. Guess I could go on Saturday evening but I figured that the world wouldn't come to an end if my lining wasn't precise and my hair was a little shabby and the funny thing about growing my hair is that it now takes twice as long for a haircut.

Two days ago, my Aunt Al asked me how long I was going to let my grow then You look like a totally different person which is totally appropriate because I feel like a different person. I'm occupying some weird space -- almost in some kind of hyper observant mode. I'm still having weird dreams too.

Last night, I had a camera that worked and stored pictures but I couldn't access them. Billie Holiday sculptures also made it into my dream and I haven't listened to any Holiday in a very long time.

And, Finally...

Another bad dream:

I'm in a school setting and there's a child that's in my care and the child stabs someone with an ink pen. I remove the child from the situation and take them to another adult and I warn the adult about the child's behavior. Again, the child stabs with a writing utensil. The ritual of taking the child is repeated again.

Bizarre and disturbing but here are some things that have moved me lately.

I like the "Mike Brown" card that Mary Engelbreit created. 

Engelbreit said When situations turn horrible and I find it hard to move on, I usually draw my way through it....

Enjoyed Drugs, a Daughter, and Death: Mark Twain's Final Years, an Aloud podcast.

Favorite line: She (Isabel Lyon) would fluff his (Mark Twain's) hair.

Also enjoyed Yoga, Meditation in Action -- Krista Tippett's conversation with Seane Corn.

Corn says:

In the practice of yoga when you're releasing the tension organically through the practice of asana day in and day out, the emotions that are embedded in our cellular tissue begin to arise.

Corn also said something intriguing about manifestations of our collective thoughts.

Line that stuck with me from Luis Alberto Urrea's book: "To your right, the fabled American border."

And, finally, found this gesture very touching.

RT @jasonkCNN: A line of roses lines the street where Michael Brown was shot. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/bGHD6QIa95
— Ripplets, Monica (@Blike_Dante) August 22, 2014

Not A Good Thing

Had a dream that my car was acting up and when I pulled over and looked under the hood, everything was elevated and there was a water faucet with a thick stream of water coming out. The car hadn't stopped running yet but I knew that the whole water coming out was not a good thing.

Another no-brainer dream... I'm worried about my car and wonder how much more mileage I'll get out of it.

Before I went to bed last night, the protest in Ferguson was described as, largely, peaceful and it's still being described that way but imagine my surprise when I woke up and checked out the Twitterverse and learned that 47 people had been arrested.

The most disturbing news, recently, is about the St. Ann, MO cop who pointed his assault rifle at a protester and said I will fucking kill you. Get back.