Wow, it has really been tough to set aside sufficient time to actually do any writing these days. I am fully into a high activity mode, and unfortunately sitting and writing does not fit into that “high” activity bucket. Although, I do try my best. As I write this my feet are on the seat across from me as I sit in dandasana. My spine is erect, my bandhas are activated, my hamstrings and quadriceps are engaged, and Lawrence is snapping pictures of me. So even while typing there is excellent work to be done!

 

The big problem right now, however, is that writing, even when standing (which is an excellent option), is not a high-calorie, strength building exercise, and that is what I am looking for these days. Yesterday was a banner day: up at 5 am, morning practice from 6-7:30, shower, bike to Steelhead Coffee for breakfast, ride to yoga class from 9:45-10:45 at LA Fitness, another hour of workout on treadmill, machines, and weights at LA Fitness, ride to Bixby’s Brooklyn Deli to have lunch and visit with the lovely Sofie and Liz, ride home for a nap, go for a 2 mile walk on the Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) campus and recharge with some caffeine, take a Power Pilates class at Pilates X, then over to Elevation Studios where I took a 1-1/2 hour lyrical jazz class with Sari Anna Thomas.  BTW, the time crunch is only going to get tougher as I have purchased an introductory one-month unlimited Pilates classes at Pilates X, and I intend to make good use of it!

This morning was a bit tougher. Nothing sore or hurting, but just hard to get out of bed this morning, so I slept in until 6:30, puttered until 8:30, and then walked here to Steelhead. I have a PT appointment at Memorial Orthopaedic this afternoon, and I am going to head out from here momentarily to try to get in a walk over Signal Hill a couple of times before I have to head over there!

It is now Thursday afternoon and I am trying to finish this up at the Fox Coffee House. I probably could have finished this at the Fox yesterday, but the entire Fox staff had retired to Six Flags Magic Mountain for their Staff Appreciation Day and I was orphaned from one of my premium writing locations. Yesterday was, however, an excellent walking day. I put on over 9 miles, walked over Signal Hill twice, and my feet felt great the entire day and night. This morning my feet felt better than they have in many, many years. My right foot, which has undergone extensive renovation over the past year and a half, is now feeling more like my “other” foot than my “bad” foot. There were a couple of major sources of pain in that ankle that I have been consciously challenging with my exercises, stretches, and walking. Those sources have now faded to mere shadows of what they were.  I am starting to be able to get up on the balls of my feet a lot more, and I can get through dance classes without any problem. The spring is coming back into my step!

Also good news on the upper body front. I have been working since I retired on undoing some of the consequences of spending way too many hours hunched in front of computer screens, compounded by the fact that my main exercise during those years was bicycle riding, another activity that tends to close up the upper body. This past Saturday my dance teacher Carri Burbank Glen stopped class after I had gone across the floor to express her amazement at how open and expansive I have become. Then on Monday my body mechanic, Donna Place, who knows my body better than anyone but yours truly, was also amazed by how much my back had improved just over the preceding two weeks. Looks like my plan is succeeding!!!

One more thing! On Saturday I participated in the Long Beach incarnation of the Global Water Dance at Granada Beach. The Global Water Dance was performed on the same day in (at last count) 108 different locations on six continents, and the purpose was to raise awareness about global water issues. It was my performing debut and was great fun as well, and I hope to get a blog post at some point about it.