Failure

Once again, it appears that I have failed packing. Last year when Lesley and I went to Istanbul, I forgot some of the basics. I should know better than to leave the USA without long black pants (I had black capris), a plain black skirt below my knees, I had a "little" black dress, some t-shirts…I've had experience, I know what to put in a carry on suitcase. What the hell was I thinking?

On September 1 I embarked on another journey that I thought I had packed for. Haha! Guess what? I had, and probably still have, absolutely no idea what to expect for this journey. Because, this time, I'm not packing for how hot it may be somewhere, I'm not packing for what may be more acceptable dress for a woman in a culture different from mine.

You're packing a suitcase for a place

None of us has been

A place that has to be believed

To be seen

(Bono/U2 - Walk On)

On September 1, I started a 30 day physical challenge to practice yoga and pilates every day. The purpose is to raise awareness and money for famine relief for the Horn of Africa. Those of you who know me know I'm not a disaster relief kind of person. My focus is on after the relief organizations have come and gone, after the attention is off the disaster or problem…then I think rebuilding civil society is so critical, helping to create sustainable, self sufficient solutions in response to disasters.

I digress. My point to all this is, I was prepared for the physical part - thinking I would be tired, sore, physically inefficient. I was not prepared at all for the mental and spiritual journey I've found myself on. It reminds me of when I returned to college at the ripe young and fabulous age of 50…I figured I wouldn't be smart enough, that the other younger, traditional students wouldn't accept me; but it never occurred to me that returning to college would entirely upset my personal apple cart, change my worldview entirely. Right now, I find myself a little more emotionally fragile, perhaps a little more vulnerable - something I'm not totally comfortable with. But I find I am filled with such joy; I am finding such incredible pleasure in the practice of yoga. I have the most amazing opportunity - through myself I can help others. Is that really a possibility?

Yesterday after I dropped my car at the repair store for new tires and an oil change I chose to walk the two miles home. As I walked, I began to think about how irritated I was that my husband wasn't available to pick me up, that the lady who takes customers home wasn't there, right at the moment I wanted a ride home. As I walked, I thought about the women and children in the Horn of Africa, particularly those who are walking 28 days to hopefully get to food and safety before they, or their children, die. As I walked, I wondered what would happen if my neighborhood of 95 homes had to all leave and begin a journey, on foot, that might cost all of us our lives. I imagined what the exodus from my neighborhood would look like. How can you even begin to explain that? How can you even begin to justify that?

I'm 10 days into my 30 day challenge. Wonder what it will feel like at 30 days?

nbb

Famine

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend time traveling with my husband. We were able to have a few days together while he was working. As I traveled, I found myself looking for news on the natural disasters that occurred in our country. I was craving all the details I could get and I was impressed with what I saw and heard. Local, State and Federal government officials were being extremely proactive by taking advantage of a very wired constituency to alert people, to evacuate people, to set up shelters for those who had to leave their homes; all efforts to prevent the loss of life.

Imagine if those types of safety nets existed for people living in the Horn of Africa. Imagine if the famine were covered on the international and national media level equivalent to what we saw over those days. Imagine the devastation that could have been prevented if officials were proactive in times before a famine. Imagine saving the lives of the more than 30,000 children now lost. Imagine the lives of over 12 million people that will be affected in this drought. Imagine walking 28 days with the hope of getting you and your family to a place where you might be able to find food and having to choose which one of your three children you would have to leave on the side of the road to die because you were too weak to carry them.

I agonized over this situation; this needless loss of life. I agonized over the idea that I would ever have to choose which one of my children I would have to let die first. Even worse, where I live, people die from obesity, obesity related causes – we have too much. And, people in a different part of the world die from not enough.

What good does it do for me to worry and agonize about a famine in another part of the world? What can I do? Can one person make a contribution that might make a difference? Those of you who know me, know that when I get frustrated with something that is happening I make a conscious decision for change.

On September 1 I began a physical, personal commitment to practice yoga and pilates every day for 30 days. The purpose of this endeavor is to raise awareness and money to support the work that CARE and the World Food Programme are doing in the Horn of Africa. I know that my physical challenge in no way equals what people in the Horn of Africa experience daily but I believe that through my commitment to a 30 day journey of physical healing I can somehow honor the lives that have been lost. I can also reach out to each of you to join me in this experience.

How can you participate?

1. Support me. Donations can be made to Mango Tree Foundation with all proceeds received from September 1 – October 15 going equally to CARE and the World Food Programme.
2. Engage your local yoga and pilates studios to do a community oriented event with the proceeds coming to Mango Tree Foundation, which will then be donated to CARE and the World Food Programme. Suggested donation amount is $30 (people living in extreme poverty live on less than $1/day – $30 for 30 days). Of course, if you are feeling more generous, please give freely.

Through my physical challenge I hope to honor the women and children and men who are struggling every day to find food, to stay alive. Sometimes we need to be reminded of how secure our lives are, how lucky we are. Yes, I know that one person can affect great change in the world. But, I can only start with myself, share with you what I am going to do and ask you to join me.

nbb

Her and Me

Her: Are you still wearing that thing for your teeth?

Me: Huh? What thing? Are you talking about my retainer?

Her: Yes, that thing - the retainer. You need to start wearing it again - your bottom teeth are starting to get crooked.

Me: Huh? I haven't had that retainer for almost 40 years - I either swallowed it during my sleep or the bed ate it - before I went to college the first time when I was 17!

Her: You need to get to the dentist and get a new one. Your teeth are so white and beautiful - it's a shame to let that go!

Me: Are you serious? I'm 56 years old - I'm not going back to the orthodontist. I cut my bangs.

Her: Good, I don't know why you insist on wearing your hair so long. At least I can see your eyes.

Conversation occurred within an hour and a half of my arrival into see my Mom in June. I like it when she clears the air so quickly - just go ahead and get all the issues out there. Gives us the rest of my visit to deal with all the other critical things in our lives…

Hot Pool

After a weekend of sitting on the porch, drinking a little, eating a little, watching baseball games, playing Words With Friends, going to the movies and doing a few chores, I hit the pool this morning. It was tough! The pool temperature was 84 - by my 8th length, I was sweating bullets. Did my 20…that's 1,000 meters. Usually I leave the pool a little flushed but today I left the pool HOT!!!!! Loved it though!

I think too the hubby's cigars bug me. Stop my head up. Maybe that's what my problem was today! Haha. The distance was easier - I was just so hot!

n

Swimming Pools

Clearly MountainView Aquatic Center has got their Fridays confused. The pool, because of budget cuts in Cobb County, has had to close some days and take furlough days on others. The new schedule is that they are closed on Sundays and closed on the last Friday of every month! Imagine my surprise when I went to the pool for my Friday morning swim and it was closed. By my calendar, the last Friday of the month is June 24. That's not today! But, I checked the schedule and, oh yeah, they're closed next Friday too - swim meet. I'll be swimming somewhere else!

Went to LA Fitness to swim and much to my surprise, had a great swim. I was able to get right in, didn't have flailers or floppers trying to share my lane with me and was able to get my 1/2 mile finished in, wait for it, in a little under 30 minutes!!!!! Woohoo!!!!! Its a 25 yard pool and I felt like I was flying! I guess there is a benefit to working out in a 50m pool.

Shipping my old pots and pans to Joe. Finally joined the 21st century with some new shiny Calphalon pans - can't do nonstick - Tim tears them up. So, bought some fabulous stainless steel pans. Now to just train Tim to make sure he uses these in the most beneficial way. It was exciting buying new pots and pans. I decided not to ship the popcorn pot to Joe - it's one of my favorites.

A little girl maintenance, going to the golf course with Tim and friends - only putting - because I still can't really hold anything in my right hand…my right hand has taken a supporting role lately because of my golf cart accident last Friday! I still don't like golf - I love the social part.

n

When I Diet I Don't Eat

Yesterday I had a quick meeting with Jill Gregory from Venice Nutrition (www.venicenutrition.com). She's been working with several of the clients of Pilates Tutor (www.pilatestutor.com). Through the pilates studio, I got a free one hour consultation from her - thought I would see what she had to say. One of Jill's first questions was "are you a dieter?" I kind of am but as soon as I hear the words "you can't eat that" of course, that's the first thing I really want to eat! I told her that my biggest issue is that when I feel like I need to try to loose weight, I don't eat. That's what I did when I was 18 - we didn't eat - we just drank beer, cheap wine and tequila! Provided all the nutrition I needed - I went to college and lost 20 pounds.

What I got from our short meeting is that Venice Nutrition's primary focus is on maintaining stable blood sugar levels - eating several little meals a day with each meal having a good balance of carbs and protein. I think that basically I'm fairly sound nutritionally. However, I'm not a big breakfast eater…particularly when I first wake up in the morning. Eating first thing in the morning is critical to maintaining stable blood sugar. I'm going to start with a part of a protein bar. Today I used an Atkins Day Break Bar. The other interesting tidbit I didn't know was that when you are looking for balance between carb and protein - the numbers should be within 5-7 grams of each other. So, 30 grams of carb and 5 grams of protein isn't really a good balance! There's a whole lot more to it but we didn't get a chance to really chat about all the details. We are meeting next week - weight and body mass/fat measuring - YUK!

Did Pilates this morning - mat focused TRX. So hard. Then went to LA Fitness for a spin class. Always fun!

n

More Frustration

Last Friday, I agreed to go golfing with my husband and another couple in the neighborhood. I don't particularly care for golfing, no that's being nice - I hate golf. It's just a waste of time and after about 30 minutes I'm bored. I enjoy driving the golf cart, having a cocktail and hanging around outside. The golf part I can totally do without.

And, if there is another time I golf, I will drive the cart. We had a little accident with the golf cart - well, how to put this gently - I got hit by the golf cart, knocked me down, severely sprained my wrist - casted at urgent care *fortunately no breaks*, braced by orthopedic. The driver wasn't drinking…at all! I was!

A sprained right arm/wrist totally wrecked my weekend and the first few days of this week. It's pretty hard to do anything when you only have one hand, as I did for four days. Saturday I spent napping and sitting around - I actually took one pain pill and it wiped me out. Sunday, was a little better - still very limited movement in my hand and still a fair amount of pain. Sat around again - did what I could - not a lot though. Went to ortho on Monday - he gave me a brace to wear for the majority of my time, and some drugs that, as the pharmacist says are "jacked up motrin." They are anti-inflammatories and pain pills…took one yesterday - wiped me out - I had to keep walking around the house to keep from going to sleep. But, I do not enjoy sitting around. There's nothing worse - just sitting - trying to figure out something to do to keep me awake/interested.

We had a mini Mango Tree Foundation fundraiser on Monday night. It was a lot of fun and we raised about $800. It was a Mary Kay cosmetics Makeover Fundraiser - 50% of the total sold in cosmetics will be donated to Mango Tree Foundation. How awesome is that? Still working on Girls Night Out for September. We need to figure out how to make sure we have enough people - 150 would be freaking amazing! Want to do it at Pico Autentico - a Latin American theme - tasting Latin American wines and eating Latin American food! Maybe even a little music?!? Would be so much fun.

I was able to swim on Monday - no pain in the pool. Took yesterday off - mostly because I was so tired from being up on Monday night until midnight. Then realized that, already, I'm out/off my "new" workout schedule. I am ready to go today. Will swim, try pilates tonight. Meeting with a nutritionist this afternoon at 5 - before pilates. Going to movies with friends tonight.

I have got to, got to find something mental to do. I can't continue to be as bored as I have been…it makes me whiny and needy.

Work in progress.

n

PS - Swam 24 lengths today…in 40 minutes! 6 breast, 12 free style, 6 kicking…first 16 in 30 minutes. Pool was a cluster - ended up having 3 other people sharing my lane - two older guys and a lady (for a while). Bumped into one of the men - who told me we are supposed to always swim on the right side of the lane - okay, that's cool - but then don't freaking flop around in the middle of the pool…I'm willing to share but seriously! Aarrgghhh!!!!!!!!!

n