Hands and Yarns, etc.

Good Stuff!

2011-12-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

It's been quite the fall for me! In November, right before Thanksgiving, I participated in my first craft fair--The West Walker Holiday Art Fair--and it was so much fun! My heart goes out to all craft fair vendors though, it's actually very hard work sitting in a sale for 8 hours. You're always "on," reading people's body language, selling your work, even if it's through mental telepathy. At the end of the day, I was completely exhausted, mentally and physically.

Surprisingly, I did very well. I sold about 80% of everything I had! I'll definitely do this again. I've started working on my own designs for stranded mittens too. Here are some pictures of my booth, as well as my friend Deann's which we shared. She also successfully sold most of her linoleum-printed cards.

The Irving Park Community Food Pantry is also in the middle of a frenzied couple of months. For the first three weeks of November, every client went home with Thanksgiving-friendly foods, in addition to their regular distribution. Also, we commenced with our annual coat drive, which just ended yesterday. The number of clients increased as well; we served about 900 individuals in the first two weeks of November alone! Now we're in December, and clearly the volume knob is up to eleven. Yesterday, the first Wednesday of the month, the pantry served 943 people in 307 families! The volunteers worked until 3 p.m., which is about 3 hours past the normal closing time. I’m continually amazed by the volunteers at the Irving Park Food Pantry. They obviously believe deeply in their mission, they take it to heart, and keep it there.

Meanwhile, we’re getting ready for our special Holiday Distribution for those clients who qualify. This will occur on December 21st. We will distribute food appropriate for a special Christmas dinner, as well as toys for the children of our clients. Santa will be there too. We typically apply for the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots program, but that is also greatly supplemented by donations of toys and money for toy purchases by all the residents and church congregations in the area. It’s a huge undertaking.

Finally, just to add fuel to the fire that is my life, after many, many months (maybe even years) of thinking, vacillating, researching, fretting and finally accepting the challenge, we went to the Wright-Way Rescue in Niles and took home Bette. She is a 10-week-old full-bred yellow lab, and she is really beautiful and quite friendly. The four of us are learning so much from her right now. I had to put my personal training sessions, as well as my knitting, on the back burner for a little bit, and my new trainer (a dog trainer!) Amy, says it’s like having an alien in the house and learning to communicate with it, just as like we are aliens to her!! In terms of how it’s changed our lives, it’s a lot like having a new baby in the house...and we love her so much!

Happy Holidays!

Warming Up for the Holiday Art Fair: Mitts

2011-11-12T06:34:00.000-08:00

I think I'm finally getting the hang of stranded knitting (2-color work). I finished this pair of black/red Norwegian mitts and have immediately started on a new pattern of Russian Komi mitts from Charlene Schurch's book...this pattern obviously has a strong Norwegian influence. I noticed that I've been using the same yarn for all of these recent mitts - Frog Tree sportweight alpaca. I've also noticed that as I start each new work, I'm using smaller needles, which makes the project much easier to handle. For this one, I'm using #2 needles, and already the pattern is coming out so clearly. Also, the choice of colors works well too. I really like the subtlety of black/red together as well as complementary colors knitted together, but there's nothing like the beauty of just mixing one light color with one really contrasting dark color.

The black mitts, along with several other knitted accessories and garments will be on sale at the upcoming West Walker Holiday Art Fair, on Saturday, November 19th. 100% of the proceeds will fund the Three Brothers Community Garden. This garden is a volunteer-operated garden, and all of its produce is distributed at the Irving Park Community Food Pantry, so that our hungry neighbors can also share in the delicious and healthy harvest that our earth yields. Hope to see you this Saturday!

Mittens and Post-Marathon Maintenance

2011-10-11T05:02:00.001-07:00

I’m pretty much finished with my third pair of Norwegian Mittens, these made of 100% alpaca wool (think warm!). I used US size 3 needles, and I probably could’ve used size 2s, and would’ve ended up with a tighter mitten and a sharper design. However, these came out very nicely, still warm, and fit on my hand without being too snug. There’s a little stretch in them, so my question is: Would men wear Norwegian Mittens? The color scheme is manly enough, but the design—it scares my husband away—he’s a man of simple, minimalist tastes though. So to all of the other men out there, what say you? Yay or Nae to the Norwegian Mitts?

In other news, yesterday I had three clients who needed post-event massages after the Chicago marathon. Two of them, both male, complained of tight and sore hips. This isn’t surprising, especially after 5 hours of constant jarring of joints upon the pavement. The good thing is that they requested massage within 24 hours after the event, before the delayed onset muscle soreness (doms) really takes hold. All of the massages were gentle, light, and focused on restoring circulation throughout the core muscle groups, calming the body down after hours of endless contraction of muscle groups, ending with gentle stretching to retain the muscle length. One of my clients iced his joints for a long time after the event, and this too is an excellent measure, as it goes a long way in preventing swelling and inflammation of sore areas after the marathon. Icing alone probably cut down his recovery time by a few days. I’m always impressed by runners. It’s not only a physically-demanding activity, but a mentally-challenging one as well, and very daunting to this massage therapist. However, one common phrase that all the clients said was that “If I can do this, anyone can!” It’s always encouraging to hear those words.
So in short: Ice, and massage…don’t wait!

Nature's Influence

2011-10-02T13:20:00.001-07:00

I’m getting over a really terrible cold. It lasted all week. Plus it rained all week. However yesterday the sun came out and poured its beautiful light over the mums, so I took some pictures. Then I took some pictures of the latest project I finished. It’s being blocked right now. As you can see, the colors of the flowers really influence the colors I choose for knitting, and vice versa!

Happy Fall!

2011-09-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

I realize while looking at this blog that I have not posted anything since April. A large part of the reason is because I didn’t feel like I had much to say, but of course, finding the time to write was a challenge too. It’s been on my mind though, does that count?

Many people around me are sad to see the summer wane, and I too love this season, but honestly, I’m glad it’s over. The summer of 2011 was rough for the Stein household.

Between massages, the food pantry, the church’s summer program, and normal life, it just moved so fast. There was no time for a breather. On top of that, we got robbed in July, the very last day of my work with Magic Mushroom summer program. It could’ve been worse, but it certainly was bad enough. It affected all of us, the violation, the insecurity, the anger…my son especially had some difficulty adjusting. After the incident, he was afraid to sleep in his room, which is on the 2nd floor of our house, if there was no one else occupying the second floor. This lasted for months, and I think it’s only beginning to get better. We’re still waiting for our claim check on that one.

I didn’t like the weather this time around either. It seemed extreme. Too much rain, too much humidity, too many extreme-temperature days. There were so many times where I wanted to go outside, but was cooped up in the house because it was the only place that was bearable. And I consider myself pretty tough when it comes to dealing with heat, so I didn’t understand that.

My son broke his right arm too, which many consider to be a rite of passage, but for us is mainly a pain in the butt because he can’t do half of the things he really loves to do (ride bike, swim, basketball) as well as the things he has to do (like write). Poor guy. Luckily, he’s young, healthy and strong, so he’ll be out of his cast probably by the end of October.

These are just a few of the obstacles that faced us between June and August.
However, some good things happened too. My daughter found the camping/travelling bug in her, and she spent most of her summer doing just that, and had a wonderful time meeting new people, doing different outdoor activities, and generally having fun. My son discovered baseball, and seeing him smile 100% of the time while he played just made both Mitch and I so happy.

Strangely, for the first time in my 6 years of knitting, I had to put down all wool projects this summer. I couldn’t do it! My hands would perspire and stick to the yarn and it was impossible to knit, due to this extreme weather we had. Perhaps that is most what put a sour color on my summer, the inability to knit.

But all that’s over now.

Yesterday a knitting friend and I went to yarncon in Chicago (Pulaski Park) and bought some gorgeous hand-dyed yarn. I’m back on the Norwegian/Russian mitt craze and have some totally gorgeous projects coming soon. I’m also thinking of a new original design for a knit stole. I love it when my brain starts to obsess on creating original work.

I’m currently finishing my projects to sell in the upcoming fine arts fair in November, which is very exciting to me. This will be my first time participating in a craft fair, and all of the proceeds from the sales of my work will go to charity. I will post more specific information as I receive it. In the meantime, feel free to look at my finished projects in the photostream link at the bottom right of this page.

Until next time, which will be a lot sooner than five months. Forgive me! :-)

Many Paths, Many Directions...

2011-04-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

I haven’t written in the blog for a long time because 1) I’ve not had any time, and 2) I’ve been concerned about the purpose of this blog.

It started out as a blog about knitting and massage therapy, but the entries have wandered a bit, much like my life. I wonder if I should change the title and description of it.

It’s more about what I’m doing, and less of an “advice” or “educational” or “informational” tool. It’s more about how I’m coping with the things I’m doing, what I’m learning from those things. So, yes...the blog is a work in progress. What else is new??

As I mentioned before, I recently took up a position of “Volunteer Manager” at the Irving Park Community Food Pantry. I really love the work, and as it's been foretold, it would be a little rocky for a while, but I’d soon get the hang of it. How true!

Last week was the beginning of the Easter Basket Distribution for Pantry kids, and there were some serious worries about whether or not there’d be enough supplies to fill the baskets. That worked out though. On that same day, there was scheduled a large group from a local elementary school visiting, about 34 children—all 4th grade and younger—and 20 moms, and all expecting to work. The challenge was what to do with all of these people when you already have a staff of 30 working, and it’s the first week of the month, which means more clients will come in than any other time of the month?

As Vinnie Barbarino once said, “We’re gonna die!!”

When I received the number of 54 additional volunteers, it happened to be the Friday before the big day. This gave us a weekend to figure out what to do. Thank God for the Three Brothers Garden—which supplies produce for the pantry during the summer months. Thank God it’s April, because it’s time to start working on the garden! I made a desperate call to the folks at the Carlson Community Services and asked them if there was work to do at the garden and luckily there was: Clean up, raking and flattening out the dirt beds. That took care of 20 people from the 54.

This left 23 children and 13 moms for the pantry. I remember as I was standing on the floor of the pantry amidst all the noise and hustle and bustle, the incessant mantra going through my mind was “Think think think, Lee—think outside the box—what can be done? What needs to be done around here? Think think think!”

Somehow, there was plenty to do. Everyone had work to do. One child and his mom sorted through all the school supplies we collected since last summer. Several kids and their moms filled up and distributed Easter Baskets. A couple of boys and a mom continually took empty cut-up boxes to the recycling bins. Some kids and moms did crowd control, helped clients with their groceries, sorted through the frozen meat, put together double-bags for the food, some handed out numbers for the clients…it was amazing. I couldn’t believe we pulled it off!

I should have known that this job wouldn’t be easy. I haven’t even really sat down alone and thought about what my goals are for the volunteers yet. I haven’t had time to think about what the long-term purpose is for them, and how to streamline and make this job more efficient. I’d like to get to a point where there’s less of “putting out fires,” and more of a procedure, something calmer…but I’m new. There’s a learning curve, and I’m at the bottom right now.

I also finished my first newsletter with the West Walker Civic Association. I have to admit…that was fun. I was nervous about picking up layout after so many years out of the business, and especially learning a new program. I’m so used to Quark, but now we’re using InDesign. Obviously it’s like riding a bike. You never forget, and no matter how many types of design software there is out there…they’re all basically the same.

In the back of my mind, during all of this, I’m thinking about that Art Invitational next November. I can picture in my mind a table, covered with beautiful knitted garments and accessories. That’s my goal. Whenever I have a free moment, I’m knitting. I’m almost done with the capelet. Started a new scarf with the same yarn used for the capelet. Worried that I don’t have enough yarn for my basketweave wrap (maybe it will be a cowl). Thinking ahead for other projects to make and sell. I get excited about it.

Next week, I’ll be giving chair massages at my husband’s company. I’m also working at the Pantry. I’m also taking two of my volunteers to a training session at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. My gym trainer is supposed to call me whenever a time opens up so I can work out, because as it is—there’s no time to work out next week. In addition, my daughter and I are facing a new road for her. She’s going to register for a new school next year. She is eager to leave her old school where she has been for almost 9 years. She says she wants to meet new people, go to a new and different place. She’s ready for a big change, she says. It’s very exciting for her, somewhat scary, and also somewhat sad. As we get closer to the end of the school year, she tells me about some of her classmates, kids she runs into in the halls, in recess, at lunchtime. She describes the jokes, the conversations, their different personal characteristics, idiosyncrasies…sometimes she moans and complains, but then she almost always laughs, and then she smiles, and I can tell she really knows these kids. She’s known them so well for years, and she will miss these boys and girls.

I can’t believe Faith is almost 12 years old.

Meanwhile, I put off the massage I was supposed to get for myself a few weeks ago. Not good. I haven’t followed my own advice. I’ve been giving massages, but not receiving. Strangely, my body feels okay. I don’t ache, I’m not particularly tired. I do need stress relief though. I need to not think about anything for 1 week. Actually, both my husband, and my kids need to unwind. We’re going back to Captiva soon and it’s just what we need. I can’t think of a better way to welcome the summer. Just when the cold packs its last bag to leave, we visit a place where all the flowers are in bloom, the smell of saltwater is in the air. Every day, the sun is out, warm on my skin. Everyone’s dressed in bright, colorful clothes, walking outside, riding bikes, swimming in the water. There’s time to get that massage. And when we return, we’ll be ready to get back to work and do the things we are meant to do!

Project Update

2011-03-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

All right now! It’s been a productive week. I finished this paneled top made with 8 balls of Noro Silk Garden yarn. I love it. I want to make another one! Like I said in an earlier entry, I love the simplicity of this pattern. I feel like a painting when I’m wearing it!

In addition, I finished a scarf made out of the super bulky wool Cascade Magnum yarn that was leftover from my Sidecar jacket. This is an original design (if you want to call it that) and it’s available for free on Ravelry.com, called “The Big Easy.”

I’m trying to finish a lace stole, a bog jacket and a cabled scarf. All of these, plus the Big Easy will be sold next November at the Fine Arts Invitational held at Irving Park Lutheran Church. This actually fulfills one of the items on my life’s to-do list: Sell knitted work at an art & craft fair. 100% of the sales from this fair will be donated to the Carlson Community Services, which does so many wonderful things for the area.

I’ve also started a new pair of Selbu Mittens. Now, I know these are going to be warm and beautiful—but I’m slightly disappointed in the lady who sold me this yarn. It’s Frog Tree sportweight Alpaca and yes, I know, Alpaca is soft, warm, beautiful, amazing…but I don’t think it’s optimal for stranded knitting. It’s so stretchy, delicate, and these little strands of Alpaca fibers keep fluffing off while I work, and it’s hard to hold and I’m already annoyed and have barely even begun! So…note to self: No alpaca for stranded knitting! I like the hard stuff…the 100% regular wool, durable, tightly wound, tough, rugged (like a lumberjack)! The Nature Wool by Araucania worked well. I’m also going to look into some of those Shetland woolmakers like Harrisville and Jamieson’s.

My hope is to make a whole bunch of mittens for the sale, as well as hats, scarves, shawls, and maybe even a quilted baby blanket or two. Hands don’t fail me now...

There's Still A Lot of Work to Do.

2011-03-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve been thinking about posting something for a while but I don’t have a whole lot to say. There’s a lot going on right now.

Massage work is picking up this month, just as I thought it would. January and February are always slow months for me. With all the other pots on the burners, I’m feeling that nagging pain on my upper back, right between the shoulder blades, emanating up the back of my neck. I’ve already made a self-care massage appointment for this weekend. We can never forget to take care of ourselves.

On the creative front, I’ve finished the “Sidecar Jacket,” which is as cute as I’d hoped.

I didn’t have the cash to purchase the required Spud & Chloe Outer yarn (it would have cost me about $185.00). Instead, I used Cascade Magnum, which cost about $90. This yarn is a good buy because although it’s loosely twined, it doesn’t seem to break like other similar yarns. (I did, however, do all my seaming with a tough worsted weight yarn because the constant friction caused by the sewing would have indeed broken the Magnum.) Magnum is appropriate too, being 100% wool, making this a soft and warm jacket for spring, fall and maybe even winter days in this cold Midwestern city.

I bought some fabric scraps to help me put together my baby quilt. I’m still in the process of cutting squares. It’s taking me a while!

I’ve started a new project in the midst of all this. It’s a paneled top, using Noro Silk Garden yarn. I was intrigued by the simplicity of this garment: Just two rectangles sewn together, with a ribbed waistline trim. The beauty of variegated colors of Noro yarn will be all this garment needs, and I’m enjoying the process of making this!

The work at the Food Pantry will be the start of a new journey for me. There’s no way I can learn it all in a day. Last week, my first day as a bona fide “Manager” was filled with so much information. All morning I took notes, learned names, trying to absorb as much as I could. My head was spinning when I came home. Tonight I poured over my notes, making my little “to-do” lists for tomorrow. I realized that like everything else, it’s a process that I will learn as I work there week after week. I will have to be patient, and calm.

In a few weeks also, I’ll begin laying out the newsletter for the West Walker Civic Association for the first time. That should be interesting. Especially because I’m used to 20-year-old design software…Quark Xpress! Now I’m cramming with Adobe InDesign. (It IS pretty cool I have to admit.)

Of course, all this comes right on the heels of the “Magic Mushroom” crazy-train. Magic Mushroom, a summer vacation bible program I’ve been working with for the past seven years, begins enrollment next week. There’s publicity, staffing, and programming to do as well.

A friend who’s a retired social worker received a “Volunteer of the Year” award from our church a few years ago. In her acceptance speech she said, “There’s still a lot of work to be done.” I’ll never forget that. It’s so true. There will always be a lot of work to do.

Balancing Moderation with Real Life

2011-02-10T20:22:00.001-08:00

Okay.
A three musketeers bar is 7 points??
Lame!

First week is going well. I’m motivated. Sticking to the points allotment yet not starving. Enjoying the new foods, the new recipes. Now all that exercise I’m doing is actually starting to show.

Here’s the thing: I like to socialize. I’m a social person. Sure, I recognize the importance of alone-time (I do love my alone time as well) and I get plenty of it. Still, I cherish my friends and family, and I like staying in touch with people, doing things with them. Consequently, Mitch and I enjoy going out to dinner, and we enjoy having people over for dinner. Naturally, this means cooking. And part of how Mitch and I show our love for others is through cooking!

This coming weekend is particularly challenging because I’m making a dinner for friends tomorrow, then Mitch and I have a date night ending with dinner at the Fireplace Inn, and then we’re going to a friend’s house for dinner the next day—and she kicks ass in the kitchen. So, I’m trying to plan ahead, calculating the point values of all the food, writing out my menus for the next three days. I even organized my entire Friday dinner from Cooking Light recipes! But already, I feel it in my bones that there’s this stress bubbling up, due to all this planning, calculating, analyzing. It’s a fear that I’m going to blow it somehow. That after a week of careful, thoughtful eating, I’m just going to binge or something. Or maybe my calculations are off, and I’m already way off the course.

I just started though, so it’s not surprising that it feels a little awkward. And perhaps even just the effort of putting any thought into a plan of eating for the next three days would be better than the alternative, which is to cast everything to the wind and eat and drink with reckless abandon (how fun!).

A couple of things I could do...1) Don’t plan huge food-based events three days in a row every weekend and 2) Don’t stress over it. Stress never helps. It just makes me want to eat!

That's it for now.

Trying to Fill the Gap

2011-02-08T06:01:00.001-08:00

Happy February! Welcome to the 'new look.' I needed a change, and my hope that this is a simpler, less distracting style, and easier to read.

A couple of things are happening: I finished my third pair of Norwegian-style mittens. Now I’m trying to finish everything else: A cable scarf, a garter-stitch shawl, a lace stole, a bulky bog jacket, and a super-bulky sidecar jacket!

In addition to knitting, I’ve been very inspired by my friend’s beautiful quilts that she has made over the years. My curiosity is piqued and I’ve decided to learn how to quilt. I have a bagful of fabrics, and I thought a baby quilt would be a reasonable place to start. I found a nice, free pattern. It looks beginner-friendly enough. I just need a few tools: A rotary cutter, a ruler and mat.

In other arts, recently Mitch and I performed with Glass Half Empty, a band of primarily St. Edward’s school parents--at the Big Red Rocks fundraiser at St. Ed’s gym. It was probably the best we’ve ever sounded. Such a fun show! I always enjoy singing for those guys. Too bad it’s only once a year! Now, one of the musicians from the event asked me to sing a few U2 songs for an upcoming pre-St. Patrick’s event at the Irish American Heritage Center, so I’m getting ready for that as well.

Yesterday, I donated platelets at the Rush Blood Center. I was actually able to see “Black Swan,” (sorry Mitch) which is every bit as good as the critics said. I’d see it again! The movie made the world of ballet look intensely grueling, both physically and emotionally.

While volunteering at the Food Pantry a few weeks ago, and had a chat with the head volunteer coordinator there, and learned that she was going to interview for a job. I said, “What?! What are we going do without you?!” And she said, “Well, I’m looking for someone to replace me, and I think you’d be perfect for the job!” Although it’s a volunteer job that requires a real commitment on my part, it’s only 1 morning and a couple of homework hours per week, and I enjoy working at the pantry. I must admit that I felt a surge of excitement when she suggested that I take her place! It will be a slow transition, but I’m looking forward to that.

In addition, I learned that a neighborhood organization’s newsletter needs a new editor (actually, less writing/editing, more dtp/typesetter work—which is right up my alley), so I volunteered for this too. Again, a monthly project, takes about 1 week or so of my time. This begins in April.

I just realized that this summer will be my 7th year working for the Magic Mushroom Summer Program. Where did the time go?? I’ve already begun publicity work for the Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper, which is the main fundraiser for Magic Mushroom. Once that is done, the train will charge full speed ahead towards July.

I know it seems like a lot, but I realize that as long as I get a good night’s sleep, I can handle it. If not, then many can tell you—I can be a bitch.

Finally, and this is probably most prominent in my mind, after much struggling, after much hesitation and vacillating, I came to the realization that I cannot do this alone, and joined Weight Watchers. I think what actually tipped the scale (haha) for me was that I really didn’t know where to begin. I didn’t know what the right portion was for me, nor did I know what type of food to eat. I figured that WW would help me overcome that hurdle. It’s only been a week but already, I’ve made some decent meals for dinner, which even Mitch enjoyed—a pleasant surprise for me. And I don’t feel like I’m starving.

I’m only doing the online version of WW, which is fine for me. I’m not really interested in going to meetings. However, I am interested in reading about other people’s WW journeys. I’m surprised that I haven’t found any personal blogs about the subject. Any blog I find is actually an advertisement. Is it too personal? I’ll have to keep looking.

Next week I’ll be driving downtown to give chair massages to a number of hardworking, weary employees. I’m looking forward to seeing them again. After the blizzard, and shoveling themselves out, I’m sure they could use a healing hand!

What a Great Day to Knit!

2011-02-02T06:56:00.001-08:00

When your world looks like this, there's only one thing to do...and it's not shoveling!

Will write more when my projects are done, which won't be too long now.

That Uh-Oh Moment…

2011-01-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, well…a lot of the time, I don’t read directions carefully, especially when they’re long and involved directions. (Remember, impatience is one of my fatal flaws!) If I had, I might not have had that uh-oh moment with this last project.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve adored those raglan sweaters where the sleeves are a different color from the body. I think that’s a striking, cool, attractive look. It’s a very eccentric, yet playful look—something that a “thinker” would wear. It’s probably from my art school days, because everybody dressed pretty cool and eccentrically back then. Anyway, I decided that it was time to use some of my stashed yarn to make such a sweater for the 2nd coolest boy in the world (my husband being the first of course), my 7-y/o son. I decided that the best way to do would be to follow the simple raglan instructions found in Ann Budd’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. Simple! I could knit in the round, divide for sleeves, start working the sleeves while still attached to the body, decrease and finish. A lovely one-shot project!

So the uh-oh happened when it was time to divide for sleeves. I realized that I could no longer continue to knit as one whole piece anymore, due to the fact that the sleeves were a different color. Unless I wanted to continue the project with 4 balls of yarn, and no—I had no interest in that, I had to break it into parts. Ugh. Dreaded parts. Dreaded seaming! The whole point of knitting raglan in the round was to avoid seaming! Grrr.

I resolutely refused to back up and start over. I already started a sleeve in the round on double pointed needles, so I figured I might as well forge ahead. I looked at Ann Budd’s instructions for decreasing, and simply divided the total amount of decrease stitches she suggested amongst the front panel, the back panel, and two sleeves. It did get a little confusing when I had to start binding off the front stitches to make the neckline.

From this point on, sadly, I winged it. I had no real idea what I was doing, all I knew was that the pieces had to be a certain shape, and every now and then I’d check the sleeves against the body, to make sure they would fit properly. Perhaps over the last 6 years of knitting, I’ve actually developed some intuitive knowledge of sweater-construction. Who knew? I knitted with faith, intent, and perseverance. There was a little anxiety thrown in there too, in case it turned out to be a disaster.

As I neared the end of the project, I realized that seaming together the parts was going to be tricky, but I knew it wouldn’t be impossible.

Due to bad math, the armholes turned out to be not quite as large as the sleeve holes, but I nudged the seaming well enough for the boy. All in all, it worked out. Not exactly the best way to construct a sweater, but I learned a few things:

1) As the late, well-loved master Elizabeth Zimmerman wrote of her attitude toward the craft, “You are the boss of your own knitting. No license required.” It’s okay to digress from the pattern, follow your own instincts.

2) I really need to read Elizabeth Zimmerman’s percentage system on sweater making. Word for word.

No idle hands here!

2011-01-15T14:43:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine gave me a ball of Newton Farm’s chenille yarn for Christmas. It’s soft and beautiful! I’ve never actually worked with chenille before, and this particular yarn is a fine weight—DK most likely. I tried swatching it in a variety of ways, but I think the beauty in this yarn is the color combination—handpainted, as well as the texture and shimmery-ness of it. I felt like it was best to keep it simple, and since I have 350 yards of it, I can make a simple, yet lovely shawl, using size US3 needles.

Using such small needles for such a big project prompted me to look for some yarn that I bought, probably 3 years ago—with the intention to make German stockings. I haven’t yet reached the point where I’m really ready to tackle socks in earnest. But this yarn—Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine—is beautiful. It really does fit the bill for sock yarn, given its 30% nylon content. The rest is alpaca and virgin wool. I think it will make a beautiful lace stole. I have about 860 yards of it, which is plenty. If memory serves me correctly, this will be my first bona fide lace project because I’m using such fine yarn (as if that’s the requirement for making lace—bah!) fingering weight. I’ve never used this weight before, and it is tiny!

I quickly finished a short-sleeved sweater for Faith, called Eiblin Mor. Thank God she loves it. I guess in the future I just have to remember to check in before I start garments for her. How dare she have her own opinions! I decided to use Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky yarn because 1) she wanted it in black—Sorry. I’m not spending a ton of money for black yarn. 2) She’s an 11-year old…the garment might go through some wear and tear. We agreed on charcoal grey, and I have to say that it’s surprisingly pretty! It knit up quickly and it was a pleasure. The price was nice too.

Finally, I finished my shawl cardigan from Vogue. I think the combination of mohair and alpaca yarns is a winner. The only thing I wish I’d done is use a tighter weave for the Frontier Fiber alpaca/merino (the trim part of the sweater), because it’s a little stretchy. I’m hoping that it will keep its shape over time. I have 400 yards left of this so I need to use it wisely.

Lastly, in a much earlier posting, I started a toddler boy sweater in green wool called “Action.” I had to rip it out because quite frankly, I couldn’t stand knitting it. The design was made out of a combination of knits and purls and although it’s beautiful, it’s a pain in the ass to knit. So now I’m making a simple raglan sweater for my son. Knitpicks Swish worsted in “lawn” will be the body, Cascade 220 Heathers in blue will be the trim and sleeves. I think it will be pretty cool. Mitch says it reminds him of a Dr. Seuss character. Oh well…Ethan sort of acts like a Dr. Seuss character pretty much all of the time so it’s appropriate.

I’m sorry. I am angry!

2011-01-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I’ve noticed lately that when I get angry, I start growling like a dog.

Yesterday I had to rip back a sweater I was working on for Faith. God, I was furious! I mean, I already had to contact the designer twice for clarifications on a not-so-clearly-written pattern. Never mind that she was very understanding, kind and quick in her responses, but by the time I got to a major turning point of the project, I realized that I had a million more increases than I needed, I don’t know how I got there, and I was…pissed! Mitch chuckled as I sat there, muttering (growling) profanities with every unraveling of another row. What a waste of precious time!!

But then again…I have loads of time. What am I complaining about?!

Anyway, I’m back to where I started so I’m not completely pissed anymore.

I’m almost done with my shawl cardigan—it’s looking luxurious. I’ll post a picture of it by the next entry.

I’ve had a cold that’s travelled hills and valleys of intensity over the last three weeks…about two weeks too long for me. I’m getting rest, eating well, exercising. We even set up the extra-strength humidifiers all over the house! Still, no major improvement. On the advice of a friend, I picked up a neti pot a few days ago and started the nose rinsing routine, which I have to admit, as nasty as it sounds, it DOES seem to help with alleviating congestion. However, even after a few days of this, I still have a sort of heavy feeling in my head. It’s a bummer. Even my hair seems to be pulling at my scalp and it hurts (that might just be a sign that it’s time for a haircut), but either way, I’ve had enough and I’m seeing my doctor tomorrow, just in case I don’t have some terrible infection that needs antibiotics right away!!

I was feeling sorry for myself because of this stupid cold that’s making me feel somewhat lousy, but then I stumbled upon a posting of another blogger who is clearly living with incredible pain on a daily basis due to an incurable illness. She too has a family of her own, and all sorts of responsibilities and things to deal with just like the rest of us.

I’m not saying that I still don’t feel somewhat lousy, but I feel lucky. It puts things in perspective for me, that’s all I’m saying. That’s one thing I really like about the awakening of “the blog.” No matter who the person is, young, old, educated, simple, rich, poor, boring, exciting…there’s always a different experience out there, a different point of view, a different thought process from any person in the world…just waiting to be read.

Perhaps this cold is the reason why I screwed up Faith’s sweater.

In any case, when I’m better, I’ll be sure to thank God for good health.

And I’ll keep doing the neti pot. Just in case.

What Is Your Pain?

2011-01-01T09:49:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011! For my first entry of the year, I'd actually like to share something not my own, but a link to which will bring you some good chuckles. Often in massage therapy, we talk about pain. We ask about your pain, where it is, to what degree is the pain's intensity. If you've ever been to the ER, you've seen these pain charts with the faces. Well, thanks to Hyperbole and a Half, they've really clarified what the pain chart is supposed to mean, and provided yours truly with many laughs...enjoy! Hyperbole and a Half

Knitting with a Stuffy Head

2010-12-30T05:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! I'm glad it's over!

...Only because I have to stop eating all this candy. Between Christmas and my birthday, it can get a little out of control. In addition, I've had a nasty headcold for the past two weeks, which I can't seem to shake. It's very frustrating because all I want to do is go to the gym and workout. Oh well...in the meantime, I'm trying to keep the kids occupied while they're on their break, and I'm doing a lot of...you guessed it: Knitting! I didn't think I'd get to the blog before the New Year but there's a lot on the needles and I wanted to share.

To start: I finished a lovely waistcoat for my mom's birthday. I think she's living in it now. This was Jenny Watson's design for Noro. Such a quick and easy knit.

I'm about halfway done with another pair of mittens. I'm using small needles here (US2), because I'd rather have them fit snugly than loose on the hands. This one fits my daughter perfectly and she loves them, so they will go to her when I'm done. As you can see, my chart-reading skills are improving!

I'm hosting a knitting meeting for the local knitting group at my house this Sunday. I figured that it's a good way to start the new year, and to keep our group active. I'd like to host something outside in a public place, but I'm still trying to figure out when/where.

I feel another challenge coming on...I have 800 yards of peace fleece worsted. I want to make something for my husband. A vest perhaps? Problem is, the yarn is actually 2 colors (400 yards red, 400 yards grey). I need to find a pattern that is two color, but not too crazy and wild because that won't fly with Mitch. The nice thing is that I received not one, not two, but three gift certificates for various yarn sellers...so if I need more of something...I can get it! Although I'd like to use them very carefully, thoughtfully, wisely.

Finally, here's a tale I'd like to share with you about a sweater I'm finishing. Last August, I went to a fiber festival in Greyslake and bought some alpaca/merino wool spun by Frontier Fiber Mill in Indy. The yarn is so soft/warm/luscious, in a beautiful mulberry colorway. I held onto it for a while because again, I wanted to use it for something worthwhile. Then I found this pattern for a shawl cardigan in the winter '09 issue of Vogue. I looked at Ravelry, to see if other knitters had made this cardigan, and decided to use the alpaca/merino as the waistband/collar portion of the sweater. But what to use for the body? I took a risk and bought 10 balls of Di.Ve Mohair Kiss Ombre (on sale at WEBS of course). The risk was that I chose the vanguard colorway, based only on an online photo. Well...could you ask for a better match? I always say "Things work out!"

Yarns for Hands...

2010-12-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

Speaking of “Hands and Yarns,” massage has been somewhat slow this month, but my hands are busy making mittens to keep other hands warm. For example, my son asked for a pair of flip-top mittens. So who was I to deny him?

Also, I finished the Icewine mittens, my second pair of stranded colorwork. They came out very nicely I think—and again, I learned new techniques, such as the peasant thumb, and I was able to read the charts a little more clearly this time. I wore them for a couple of days, saw a good friend for dinner, and decided that she should have them. Her husband seemed surprised that I would give them away so impulsively, but I told him that as much as the end result is gorgeous, for me the real joy is in the process.

I’m finding this to be truer for me every passing day.

I wonder if that’s why once Christmas Day has come and gone, I almost feel a sense of loss—-like when I finish a knitting project. Shopping for gifts, making Christmas cards, the thought and trial and error that goes into these projects…cooking, baking! It’s a lot of fun for me! I enjoy the journey of tree-decorating, hanging of pine garlands and wreaths.

Even wrapping gifts for the homeless in a local church with the Angel Team, or helping people create their own gifts at the Advent Creative Fair at my own church, or unfolding plastic bags for the big holiday food distribution at the Irving Park Community Food Pantry, are gratifying experiences. I meet new people, we’re all doing something worthwhile, we’re there for the same reason. We’re all filled with zeal, excitement, and sometimes even a little stress and anxiety...for that big day on the 25th!

We’re always told that the holidays are about sharing our love with each other, more about giving and not so much receiving. It should be so throughout the year.
When I first started knitting, my primary goal was to have something nice for me to wear. Now as work on new projects, more and more the process of creating and learning is more important than the end result. Although it’s important that the end result is beautiful, I’m satisfied with the knowledge that yes, I made this, and someone else can enjoy it, while I make something new!

That’s not to say I won’t knit anything for myself in the future, that can’t be further from the truth, but I know in my heart I’ll probably be giving even more stuff away in the New Year! In the meantime, I’ve started a new pair of stranded mittens, a more traditional (dare I say, easy?) pattern, with the traditional “white and other-color” combination.

So, I’ll wrap it up now. Happy Holidays to everyone, and to all a happy, creative and adventurous New Year!

Knitting...and the point of massage...

2010-11-26T12:20:00.001-08:00

I've been busy on the knitting front. I've finally finished my first pair of Norwegian mittens. I had never read this type of pattern before and unfortunately, this particular pattern wasn’t ideal for a beginner. It was very intuitive in that you had to just know when to start decreasing for the top of the mitt (chart didn’t show when decreases began), and the instructions themselves weren’t totally clear. Now that I’ve finished two mitts (second much better than the first), I understand how this is written. Still, I think there are other free patterns with clearer charts and more detailed instructions.

That said, in spite of all the little mistakes, I love these mittens. I wore them for a week or so, but they are a little big. So I've decided they're a good set of man-sized mittens, and I will put them on the mitten tree at church to be given to all in need. They'll keep a man's hands warm through the holidays.

This picture will remind me of my first foray (and certainly not last) into serious stranded colorwork.

Next, I used my prized skein of Noro Iro for a new winter hat for myself. (The old hat will again go on the mitten tree). It's called "Thick and Quick Slouchy Beret," but they should add "One Day" to the name because that's how long it took me to make it! This hat features a folded hem, made by knitting the current stitch with its corresponding cast-on stitch about three rows early. It makes a nice soft edge, and no sewing necessary--very clever!

Thanksgiving is over. Now the Christmas season begins and now more than ever, we remember to give to others.

Tomorrow I head to the spa to give massages to all the holiday clients. It's funny that the holidays are always such popular times to get massages. Part of it is that's when people take holidays from work, so they have the time. Yet, they still treat massage like a luxury, and not a necessity. Why do people think they're not worth the self-maintenance that they require? Why do people put their own well-being on the back burner?

I suppose it's part of the work ethic: Get the job done first. Or maybe it's a moral issue: We are selfish beings, so we need to take care of others before we take care of ourselves...but I challenge this train of thought!

Take care of yourself first...so you then may take care of others!

Now that's the spirit!

The Final Stitch

2010-10-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

I cannot explain why I feel this way, but everytime I finish a knitting project, I go through a short period of mourning. I have a feeling of loss, a lack of anything to do, almost like helplessness. Isn't that funny? I felt it this morning, when I sewed the last button on my February Lady sweater, this immediately after finishing a donegal tweed vest called Olivine, and a new design by yours truly called Isabel's Peace Hat. The knitting process is like a journey, of perseverence (rows upon rows of lace) and a willingness to learn new techniques (like the tubular cast-on), taking risks (designing a fair isle hat). When the destination is in view, it's downright exciting! The heart beats faster and I can't stop working until it's done. I take my pictures, post them, and then I back off, grieving the end of a wonderful experience, before I'm ready to start one up again.

Changing Colors

2010-10-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

What a gorgeous day today! A perfect fall day. Perfect day to do a little more yard work, put a few more fall decorations up (those kids have to know that we’re open for business on Halloween).

I finished a commissioned hat for a friend overseas. This was my second try at Fair Isle and I have to say that I’m pretty much hooked. The purple yarn is recognizable as leftover KnitPicks Elegance from the Adagio vest (see earlier post), and I thought that it would work well with the gold color of Lorna's Laces "Swirl". It will be a warm hat too, not only because its made with two yarns, but the purple is part Alpaca and silk...mmmmm! I wanted to mimick the vibrant changing colors of Fall. I think I succeeded! I still have to learn the 'wrapping' of stitches on the wrong side of the work (something I haven't really done up to this point), and I think I need to loosen my hands even more while I work with Fair Isle, to reduce the puckering in the fabric. In the meantime, I'm eyeing a more challenging project: A traditional top-down Norwegian-type sweater, called the Létt-Lopi Vest designed by Védís Jónsdóttir:

In other news, it feels like massage work is busy! Working on a lot of clients who come to the spa, more people signing up for chair massage, and I have more opportunities to incorporate my newly learned Thai techniques to the treatment, and people seem to like it! They learn something new, I learn from them.

I told my bodyworker that often I’ll imagine what it feels like when I work a certain area on a client, and I think to myself, Gee, this could feel so good on my client. I should work on this area. I will work on this area! Is that wrong? Am I projecting my own wishes on my client? Or am I listening to the client’s body? Am I being open and sensitive to what this body is saying as I work? Possibly a little of both, but it’s an effective technique I think. I guess what I’m saying is when I’m working on someone else, it feels good to me too.

I also learn from treatments people give to me. Not only is it so important for me to receive because it’s a method of self-preservation, and thus lengthens my work life, but I pick up new techniques, new styles, new methods of reaching different muscles. Getting my own massages is important because it reminds me what the client is feeling.

I’m walking more now that the weather is mild. I lost track of that part of my activity, and concentrated so much this summer on only strengthening with weights, that I paid for it with an enormous leg cramp two weeks ago. Thanks to stretching, the foam roller, and willing hands to massage my leg and hip, I’m 100% better, but wiser as well.

Funny, that I—a bodyworker—need reminders that a variety of activity is essential to a healthy body. It’s just like the philosophy of moderation...not too much of one thing, but allow myself to enjoy a little bit of everything! All the time!

Back to Fall!

2010-10-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

I know it’s been a while since I’ve written here. Already the first day of school is long over, and Halloween “looms.” I always thought that things would get easier, or that I’d have more time to do things when the kids get older—not so. They need me more than ever now. Faith is going through the throws of the early adolescent emotional rollercoaster, aided by the same ride her peers are experiencing, only to heighten the madness! Ethan embarks on 2nd grade, which turns out to be “a lot more work than he ever thought possible,” while meeting new kids in his class, adjusting to the absence of his best friend who moved away over the summer. It’s all going well, but it still requires both my husband’s and my attention. It requires our listening ears, our assistance, and encouraging words. And of course, it requires my ability to drive, as they each have their various activities outside of school...but so far, so good. I’ve been able to keep my pact to maintain all commitments this year (except for the church choir rehearsals...that unfortunately has fallen away only after the first week, sorry ladies and gentlemen).

I posted a picture of my latest finished project, “Adagio.” My first cabled vest. It took a long time but now I’m very pleased with it. Being part alpaca and part silk, it is warm and oh-so-soft!

However, throughout all this, I was able to attend a 2-day class that introduces various Thai massage techniques to be used on the massage table. Normally Thai massage is done on the floor with a mat, but I wanted to learn something that I could apply to my present table practice. I’m so glad I learned these new techniques, and I have already started incorporating them into my work. Thai work is very much about constant, slow movement, body mobilization and stretching. It can be quite relaxing! In a sense, it’s like assisted yoga. I as the practitioner move the client into a variety of yoga-style positions, and that requires me to climb up onto the table, and sometimes climb right onto the client’s body. There’s no oil, no stroking techniques, all compression and movement. Also, the client is clothed, therefore no draping is required.

After practicing on a lot of willing participants, I’m starting to understand why this work is so perfect for the floor, because there’s a lot more room, and less concern my staying balanced above the ground. So I’d like to take another class and build on my techniques by learning traditional Thai massage in the future.
It’s a wonderful style—invigorating, deep work! Ask your practitioner about possibly incorporating some Thai work into your next massage!

It’s a Pain in the Pes Anserine!

2010-09-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

Pes Anserine refers to site of muscle attachments to the inside area of the knee. The name means goose foot, because the tendons splay out like...a goose’s foot! If you sit, with your knee bent, and rub the area medial (toward the inside) a few inches from your knee joint, you might feel a bit of tenderness there.

One of the reasons for the tenderness is that it’s a spot where a lot of friction may occur. Taught hamstrings, shortened adductors (inner thigh muscles) and tight quadriceps can put a lot of pressure on the tendinous attachments of the Gracilis (the “seam” of the inner thigh), Semitendinosis (one of the hamstrings) and the Sartorius muscle (which wraps around the front of the thigh).

It turns out that many people suffer from pain in the pes anserine area, particularly runners, cyclists, skaters, football players; any activity which requires sudden running, turning and jumping. Also people who are overweight have added pressure on their knees. Even the trauma of almost falling, and stopping yourself, can put pressure on the pes anserine insertion.

There are less “active” factors that could lead to pes anserine pain: Osteoarthritis—degeneration of the joints—brought on by age and wear & tear, prolonged sitting in a chair (how long are you at the computer?), causing fascial distortion in the hamstrings, prolonged sitting in a crossed-leg position (straining the gracilis), and picking up anything with bad body mechanics.

The pain could lead to full-blown tendinitis, which is inflammation of the tendon (tendons link muscle to bone). Or it could turn into bursitis, which is an inflammation of the bursa sac (bursas are situated between tendons and bone, serving to insulate). Constant friction upon the bursa causes bursitis. Or, the pain could lead to both conditions.

If you feel pain in this area (make sure you’re not mistaking it for pain in and around the knee joint itself, which points to another condition) after exercise, or throughout the day, Resting is best for a week or so. If you choose to modify your activity, ice for ten minutes periodically each day, especially after the activity. Icing helps to decrease any inflammation.

Afterwards, you and your bodyworker will need to address where the imbalance is. More often than not, we don’t have tight, shortened hamstrings. Chances are likely that our hamstrings are taught and strained, which will require strengthening exercises. Don’t forget to stretch the hamstrings after strengthening, to maintain the proper tonus.

Your practitioner will also want you to stretch the adductors (inside of thigh) and stretch the quad muscles to bring balance back to the leg and knee. Remember the rules of stretching, breathe and don’t bounce. Hold it for 20-30 seconds.

Preventative measures include making sure your feet and arches are supported (don’t wear worn out shoes and cut back on the flipflops), maintain a healthy weight (so as not to put too much pressure on the knees). If you sit a lot, get up and walk around every so often. Watch your body mechanics when you pick things up off the ground, or when you’re working out. If it hurts, you’re not doing it right!

Get massages to return to balanced posture, and maintain that posture with strengthening and stretching. Remember, the body doesn’t forget, and it won’t keep the status quo forever: Knee pain can also result from ankle issues, and if ignored, can lead to hip and back pain as well!

And don’t do silly things like sitting on your wallet while you work or drive.

Now...enjoy the photo, and have a great day!

September Reckoning

2010-09-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

In six more days, the kids will start school again.

Today I took them with me to school, as I was attending an "easy scan" training for an upcoming book fair. The kids took a walk through the halls, and my son ran into his new teacher, who turned out to be a different person than the one he was expecting (as listed on his “online” schedule weeks ago). Still, she seemed very nice to him and he was glad to meet her. Since he happened to be there, she gave him his supply list. This gives me a few extra days to get prepared. Still no word on what my daughter needs in terms of supplies. In fact, regarding who her teacher will be, there’s still no confirmation. Oh well. I guess it really doesn’t matter, does it? She’s going to school, and when she gets there, she’ll find out what she’ll need, and we’ll get it.

Some of the people I’ve talked to in the last few weeks have mixed emotions about school. Some wish the summer could be longer. Some feel bittersweet about their sons or daughters growing up, moving to the next level, like high school, and will miss those days when they were younger and spending more time at home.

I think I feel more on the side of anticipation. Yes, I had a lovely summer, although it was a little hotter than I would’ve preferred, but it was fun-filled, busy busy busy and it did fly by very quickly. Although, I think the kids are ready to return to school. They’re eager to see their friends, meet their teachers, learn new things, participate in the world again. Also, I’ll be glad to have that routine back. It will be nice to be alone for a little bit.

Yet, as I say this, I won’t really be alone. Nor will I be relaxing in my alone-ness. There’s lots of work to be done, and chances are the work will increase because fall is near. Everything starts up again: The kids’ extra-curricular activities, church commitments, my volunteer commitments, as well as my massage work. Also, this year, I expect that since the kids are older, entering grades where the expectations are higher, so will they need more of my attention, help and guidance.

Commitments. How do we do it? How do we honor all of them? I’m not just talking about work and volunteering. What about what needs to be done around the house? What about family responsibilities? What about honoring our friends? What about taking care of ourselves? How do people do it? When I think about all the things we need to do…the things I need to do, it’s staggering.

No worries though. I think this must be my process of psyching myself up for Fall. No more dog days of summer, sleeping later, putting things off. I think of the thousands of things that I’m going to have to incorporate into my life on a regular basis, and then I prioritize, and try to get them done. Step by step. I could pray too. That helps. Am I making any sense?

Then at the end of the day, if I’m lucky, I’ll have a nice conversation with my husband. Or knit a few rows. Or I’ll have a glass of wine.

Or all of the above.

Old Out, New In...

2010-08-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus from my February Girl sweater, I picked it up with the intention to finish. The first sleeve is done and now I’m onto the second. It’s funny to me that I put it down in the first place because the lace pattern is very easy. And although I complained before of having to knit using DPNs on a sleeve that’s already connected to the sweater, it’s not that cumbersome. I guess the attitude really does affect the progress and the knitter’s overall delight of the project. Clearly I wasn’t in a good place to finish it before now.

I’m in a state of purging, of clearing out. I’m trying to finish all the major projects I have in progress at the moment: February Girl, Adagio and Action, so I can move onto other projects.

Looking at the fabric of the February Girl sweater, I think that maybe I should've used a larger needle size. The lace is fairly closed and tight. So I'm definitely going to have to block this baby before I wear it. That's okay though, because Cascade 220 yarn blocks beautifully.

The purge is happening with my garden too. It may be a little early, but it’s looking good so far. I cut back all the flowers that are done blooming for the season, covered them with soft mulch, cleaned up the garden, trimmed everything. I finally pruned the lilac trees. I still have a bit of work to do on one of them, but the bees really like to hang out on this one (lilacs have honey too) and it’s making me nervous. The winterizing is by no means done, but who can do it all in one day anyway?

I have a lot of little garden projects brewing. I’ve dug up some more grass by the side of the driveway (where the yarrow and lavender sits), and added a few Shasta daisy cuttings, and a couple of pussy willow branches that a friend gave to me.

Tonight is the women’s book club. I read the book on topic, and I liked it, but I’m feeling a little blue, and I want to stay home. Disappointing. I am certain that it will be a lively discussion. Perhaps I’m just tired...from all that garden work, eh?

I have several massage gigs coming up though, which always lifts my spirits. Saturday, I’ll be filling in at Urban Oasis. Sunday I’m volunteering some chair massage for a fundraising picnic hosted by Hands to Help Ministries. Next week, it’s chair massage all week for another loyal private client.

So perhaps staying home is just what I need tonight; rest up, and conserve that physical and mental energy for everyone else!

The August Vacation

2010-08-14T17:01:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we returned from a week-long trip in South Haven. This was my first time in Michigan. I know...how could I have grown up in Illinois, never having visited the blueberry state? I don’t know, but I’m thrilled that this cute little town is less than a three-hour drive away. The beach is amazing. The sand is so soft, it makes Chicago sand feel like gravel! The water, from one day to the next, can go from powerful, choppy waves to absolute stillness and calm, but always a wonderfully warm temperature, void of garbage and bacteria, sometimes you can see right through it. Needless to say, we spent every day at the beach, since we only stayed 2 blocks away. My tan is incredible!

I loved watching my kids swim and play. They’re so confident in the water, so fearless. It’s scary for me though, I still must keep my eyes on them. It was really easy to get far away from the shore, and even though Faith and Ethan were probably better equipped to handle it than myself, it can get overwhelming when the waves rise.

We were there with my Mom and Dad, my aunt, my cousin, my cousin’s son (I think that makes my second cousin), my brother, his wife and their five children. We stayed in a nice, 4-bedroom house. I know, it sounds like a disaster, too many people, not enough space. At times, there was tension, and at least once each day, one of the families escaped the group just to get some air and solitude, but mostly it was fun! Each family took a night to make dinner. All the kids had so much fun together, either playing in the water, the park, walking to the lighthouse, sleeping together on the floor in sleeping bags, whispering jokes to each other. I’m so thankful that my kids are close to their cousins. It means a lot to me. I come from a small family, but as we grow, the family has gotten a lot bigger, and I for one would like to see it stay together and close.

The beach wasn’t the only highlight of the trip. Several times we strolled downtown South Haven, (again, only a few blocks from where we stayed), and visited all the touristy shops. I ate the best chocolate ice cream I ever tasted (I think it was called killer chocolate fudge), bought a jar of chocolate fudge made in MI, a blueberry festival t-shirt, a birdhouse, a garden decoration, and this addition to our Christmas ornaments, to re-build the collection that was partially destroyed in the last flood:

I was also able to get a lot of knitting done. My entrelac scarf is coming along very nicely. I visited a yarn shop called Needle in a Haystack. The saleslady was very friendly, and they had a decent sale. There was Debbie Bliss Tweed for 20% off, but I went with Queensland Collection Katmandu, which had more yardage, lower price, and it was softer due to silk content. I’m not exactly sure where this comes from, but I have this feeling of discord towards Debbie Bliss yarn, and Rowan yarn, and other high-end luxury yarns like this. These products seem so widespread, completely over-priced, and often disappointing (except for Rowan Summer Tweed. I love Rowan Summer Tweed). I suppose after several years of trying different yarns, one just gravitates towards the reliable, affordable, and on special occasions, beautifully unique.

As you can see from the picture, the yarn sits on top of a book about Edie Sedgwick, which I never read. During the trip, we watched “Factory Girl” late one night, which I have to say, was a complete bummer. It made Andy Warhol look like a total scumbag. Perhaps he always was; I always thought that he was emotionally detached, but this film additionally made him look a manipulative user, and the art world in general look like a ruthless, uncaring, selfish sham.

I also finished Little Bee, by Chris Cleave, (for the upcoming women’s book club at church) and I’m glad I read it. It opened my eyes to the horrors over the oil conflicts in Nigeria—something of which I was completely unaware. However, like “Factory Girl,” it reminded me again of how cruel people are to one another. They have no idea the kind of lifelong scars they inflict from their abuse of each other. So many victims struggle for the rest of their lives, long after the abuse has ceased. It’s sad, and I cannot understand how people can hurt each other this way. I realize that it’s a cycle that repeats itself with each generation, but for many it’s impossible to break, no matter how they intellectually know it’s wrong. Maybe I’m getting old, because when I see stuff like this, it just affects me for days. That’s one of the reasons why I avoid seeing movies like “Precious,” or “The Killer Inside Me.”

So, on a lighter note, we all went to see “Toy Story III,” which was awesome! I cried throughout. We also watched a few first season episodes of “Flight of the Conchords,” which I love. Why did that show get axed? I caught a glimpse of “The Misfits,” which I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never seen, but I was curious enough to add to my Netflix queue.

Possibly the only real pain was the bed we slept in...too soft. I missed my bed by the end of the week. I’m glad to be home now. The vacation left me well rested and ready to seize life. Today I pretty much spent the entire morning working outside in the garden. I mowed the lawn, and killed/pulled the weeds. By the way, I hate my forsythia. We had one last year that we destroyed. They both just stopped blooming after their first year! Anyway, I cut it way back, and started digging it out. This will give me room to move the peony bush forward a little. In fact, a lot of plants need to be moved around. My yard is in a state of transition because of the large amount of rain we had this year. Now my hydrangeas and blazing stars have been pretty much beaten to the ground. Many of the perennials have multiplied, and are starving for space. So this fall, I intend to dig everything up, separate it, replant it, cover it with new dirt, possibly some gypsum, and nice soft mulch.

The nice surprises in the back yard are that the tomato plants are very healthy, happy, and bearing a lot of fruit. The basil, tarragon, chives and green onions really took off too. Also, I planted some lavender, and different types of yarrow in the narrow patch next to the driveway (another work in progress), and they look good. I’ll probably get rid of the grass entirely in that area and replace it with wood chips or something. Still considering that one.

My little rock garden in the front yard (other side of the driveway) is in full bloom and looks wonderful. It’s also attracts attention to those who park on the street, and they don’t seem to block my driveway anymore!

I love working in the yard. The sun beat down on me like a hammer. I perspired so much my clothes were completely soaked through but it didn’t bother me in the least. I was covered head to toe in dirt and grass clippings, and I could feel the mosquitoes biting me, but I was completely obsessed with the task ahead of me. My body teased the bugs: Bite me! You can suck my blood but you can’t suck my spirit!

Oh, I finished another project today. The Stash Shawl, and I love it! It’s exactly the work of art I envisioned. It contains at least 11 different types of leftover yarn, leaving my stash...somewhat smaller. It feels lovely, warm, all-encompassing. The colors were what I needed to see this summer.

One other welcome surprise from our trip was that I was re-awakened to leisurely bike rides by borrowing my nephew’s old Schwinn cruiser. After dinner, Faith would borrow her cousin’s Townie, and we’d ride by the lake, around the neighborhood. It was so enjoyable, so easy—the roads were wide, no one was driving. So today, after I finished my work in the yard, I grabbed my own bike, after collecting dust in the garage all summer, and rode around my neighborhood. The streets aren’t quite as wide as in South Haven, but the ride was pleasant all the same.

Beep...Beep...Wake Up!

2010-08-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Last night I made an interesting re-discovery. I say re-discovery because I knew this from past experience, but I was reminded of it, to a larger degree last night.

I’m writing of a massage I received, part two of a trade with a friend and colleague. The discovery was, again, my entire right side is tight, crunchy, tender and lacking in range of motion; all the way from my right hip, up to the right side of my neck. Even my right pectorals (chest muscles) were affected. It was palpable, painful, and a rude awakening for me!

It was fascinating too, because once again, I forgot about it, and now it was so obvious and clear as day to me. I realized there was an imbalance between my right and left sides several months ago, but I must’ve just forgotten about it. That’s easy to do, lots of people forget about their ills when life gets in the way. It’s not until the body screams with illness that one recognizes it. I was lucky: I got a good massage that made me aware of it before it became deadly.

First of all, I understand what it’s like to ignore and forget our bodies. I’m sure lots of us understand and do forget. Whether it’s working at the job too much, focusing on school, or focusing on family, planning a vacation or party, taking care of a sick loved one, or driving everyone around to their various activities, there’s never an end to the amount of responsibilities on our plates.

But once we really feel, and acknowledge our body’s imbalance, the healing starts. What next? We can think about what we do during the day. How do we do it? I mean, how, mechanically, do we do things? For me, I can knit for hours. When the Magic Mushroom program ended, that’s what I did. I knitted every single chance I could. How do I knit? Well, my right hand is always moving, and after analyzing it, I find that I bring my work closer to my eyes minute by minute, until my whole right arm is moving—in that same repetitive motion. Sometimes when I get up from knitting, my arm and shoulder feels tired!

I do lots of things with my right side. I hold the mouse with my right hand at the computer. When I’m doing the dishes, I lift up the clean dishes and put them in the drainer with my right hand. I probably have fallen into favoring my right side when giving massages too. It’s always a good idea to re-evaluate the body mechanics.

So as I continue to assess the way I use my body, I can think of ways to adjust, so I’m not overusing the one side. Try to balance my weight when I work, using both sides. Put a pillow under my knitting so I don’t have to lift my arms, or wear my reading glasses! Relax my arms and hands while I knit, just like my instructors told me to relax my arms and hands while I give massages!

Sometimes I can’t readjust. For example, I still have to use my right hand while holding the mouse, or put a dish in the drainer, or write, but I can be aware of it, and remember to breathe, and relax my limbs.

This morning, after knitting, I grabbed the foam roller, and compressed my gluteals, IT band, hips and back. I lay down on the roller and spread out my shoulder blades, opened up my pecs, too. It was a relief, like air out of a balloon.

Perhaps this is just my body processing residual stress experienced from the last month. Or possibly it’s a result of protecting my right ankle from the sprain injury I sustained over 8 months ago. It’s probably both, but the wake-up call is important. Like a car that needs regular maintenance, or laundry that needs to be done once a week, or the annual “spring cleaning” of our homes. Monthly massages can be our reminder to maintain that long-term “project” we’ve put on the backburner.

And now I leave you with a photo I took this morning while maintaining my “other” long-term project...

July Reflections

2010-07-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Today was my last day for the Magic Mushroom 2010 program. I met everyone at church and spent the next four hours doing exit reviews and some last minute cleanup. I came home, sat on the couch, and organized paperwork, deciding which to keep and which to pitch.

All in all, I put in over 200 hours this year. I still have to write my Annual Report, but that’s about where it stands.

It was a good year! We had some new people join us on staff, and they turned out to be a wonderful addition. In fact, we were blessed to have a great, hardworking staff. The program went smoothly, no real outward drama, no crises. It never felt like this before.

I learned many new things this year too. I actually taught a music class to all the kids one day. That was...not easy...especially for the youngest ones. I’m glad I had that experience, if anything, to better understand the challenges a classroom teacher faces. The were a lot of fun moments too. I felt like I got to know the children much better.

Today I did some work around the house, watered the garden, deadheaded the cosmos, and I thought about what we would do tonight. I think we may watch a movie together, as a family. It's been a while.

I’m afraid I overscheduled my daughter this summer. She went to camp for a week with her cousin and a friend, back in June, and had a wonderful time. Then the Magic Mushroom camp began in July, and that’s been an intense month for all of us. Now she’s going out for another weeklong camp beginning on Sunday. Why did I plan it this way? I feel guilty. She’s a trooper, and she loves camping, and she is good at meeting new friends. She’ll probably have a great time. I really hope she does. I'll email her a lot I think.

I started a new project last week. It might have been a knee-jerk reaction to the flooding we had in our basement last weekend (which is fine, now). Basically, I had an overwhelming urge to start a project that would help me get through my leftover stash of yarn. I also needed to make something bright and colorful, with heavy texture, something tangibly protective, something that reminds me of those blankets made in New Mexico or some place like that. Anyway, enter “The Stash Shawl.”

Speaking of yarn, my daughter made this lovely weaving as one of the assignments for her class in Magic Mushroom. She was one of the few who thought to add beads to the project. I always figured that weaving might be the craft for her...I love this piece.

Next week I’ll call the massage spa and let them know I’m available to work on weekends once again. It’s time to re-enter my “other career.”

Out of the Woods

2010-07-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday a couple of friends and I drove to the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art festival in Greyslake. What fun! It was my first time ever attending such an event, and it was a great place to start. It wasn’t too overwhelming, but there were enough yarn vendors to really pique my interest in different fibers, and I got a lot of wonderful ideas. Basically, I just loved picking up the yarn, touching it, smelling it! I was crazy! They had live alpacas and angora rabbits there too! I had no idea that angora rabbits were so big. And alpacas seem like very friendly animals. Hmm,I wonder if a farm is in my future...

Of course, I did, buy plenty of pure alpaca yarn, and it is oh so soft and lovely. I almost bought a gorgeous hank of cherry red beaded angora, until I saw that it was $65. Still, the beaded yarn idea is very appealing to me, but beading my own yarn is not (I hear it’s a pain in the ass). I have to be on the lookout for affordable beaded yarn—therein lies the question: Is there affordable beaded yarn?

What I loved most of all, was seeing all the independent yarnies out there; those who don’t produce enough to sell at the big yarn shops. Beautiful colors, fibers, weights. I collected a lot of business cards, and will probably buy some of my future skeins at some of these smaller farms.

I’m really moving along on my entrelac scarf, and the yarn fair stimulated my interest in mohair again. So I’ve decided to go through my stash and resurrect some leftover yarn to make a new lace scarf with size 15 needles. Picture to post soon.

We’re finishing up our third week of Magic Mushroom camp. I feel a huge sense of relief now that my private client massages are out of the way for the month. Even the heat doesn’t scare me. As I assess what’s going on, I am pleased that the program has gone so very smoothly this year. I think it’s because I’ve been doing this since 2004, and after all this time, I’m getting into a groove!

Unfortunately I haven’t worked out like I intended, which is the problem every July. Taking care of myself tends to take a back seat. Although I still manage my weekly training sessions and I always feel better afterwards. After a week’s time, I’ll be able to get back to it in earnest.

I just found out that I’m eligible for up to three free massages through my gym. This is a pleasant surprise! No doubt I will take advantage of this...immediately!

Because of my lack of self care and constant work (of course, the work is never over when the camp lets out for the day), I tend to burn out right about…now. However, next year, I will plan my schedule so my private client massages come before the camp begins. That way I can concentrate fully on both jobs separately.

Strange. I remember this time last week; I was in the depths of the nastiest summer cold. It was unbearably hot and humid outside, casting memories of the summer of 1999. I was facing camp by day, followed by massage work in the afternoon. I thought I was going to die. Seriously. I was tired, depressed, sad, mad, hot, and extremely disgruntled. Everything in my life seemed like it was a mess, just wrong, unmanageable. I felt guilty for being a boring, listless wife and mom.

Now, my cold is basically gone. I made it through the week, finished the work, and somehow everything looks so much better. It’s not like it’s any less busy. The weather is still pretty much the same, but my lenses are rose-colored again. I’m so glad. When I feel good, I can accomplish anything—seriously!

I’m sure the universe would have it this way. God would not want his children working themselves to death, getting sick, losing hope. As long as I remember to take my mental and physical health as seriously as I take my work in all areas, it will be the right thing to do. Take care of myself while I take care of business. That way, I will continue to wake up each day, ready to rock, and ever thankful of all the blessings in my life once again.

Woe is Me!

2010-07-13T16:57:00.001-07:00

I feel lousy!! My throat hurts. My head feels like a bowling ball I can't stop sneezing. Summer colds suck!

Yes, I acquired this nasty cold yesterday, and it's terrible timing because I'm in the middle of the second week of Magic Mushroom camp AND I'm in the middle of a week of chair massages for a company downtown!

Life has been so hectic since July 5th. I'm tired, and I haven't been working out and taking care of myself like I want to, let alone taking any time to do something worthwhile with Mitch, nor Faith and Ethan for that matter. Thank God they're spending their days at Magic Mushroom camp too (the kids I mean). At least they're enjoying it.

There are good things: I'm miraculously learning new songs at light-speed pace and performing them for the camp kids in the mornings. Things in the program seem to be going very smoothly, the children are happy, staff is happy and everyone's doing a terrific job. And with some of the food donations from the parents, I'm brainstormed all sorts of killer trail mix for snacks! I'm seeing the results of some of the ways things are done at the program, and seeing how they can be improved next year. It's funny, but I love being able to step back and look at things as a bigger picture. After 5 or 6 years of working in it, I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of this.

But I'm still exhausted. So come August 1st, I'm getting a facial. And a massage.

Meanwhile, I watered the plants in the backyard this afternoon and noticed that the blazing stars were covered with butterflies! I had no idea they attracted butterflies, and I certainly haven't seen this many all at once in my own back yard. So it was a thrilling moment. Enjoy.

Cosmos, Climate and a Birthday Limerick

2010-07-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

Well, today is my first day off from Magic Mushroom camp. Tonight we have a campfire singalong for all the families, but I guess I’m not counting that as work, even though it is. I started it out by a really good walk outside, followed by exercises I’d do if I were at the gym.

During the first week, we were blessed with 90º days and super high humidity, four days in a row actually. By Thursday, we were all pretty wiped out. I had to cancel my training session with Al in the afternoon because I was too tired. Luckily, I will get to see him Saturday morning, so I’ll be fully rested, raring to go. Morning is always the best time for me to work out at the gym. In fact, I prefer mornings pretty much all the time, although I’m happy to walk at night too…it’s just different, that’s all.

So, I don’t know if it’s the weather or the work, or both that killed me this week, but I was planning to train at least once a week throughout the program, now I’m not so sure I can commit to it. I’ll talk to Al tomorrow and see what we can come up with, but if the high temps and humidity continue like last week, I know for sure that there’s no way I can have the energy to take care of camp and kick ass working out right afterwards. Perhaps we’ll have to play it by ear, at least until Magic Mushroom is over on July 30th.

Soon I’ll have to cast on a vest for my mom, and I still need to finish my second mitered mitt. Here’s “Action,” which is coming along well. I’m getting the pattern now. It makes sense and I don’t have to check the chart so much anymore.

A few of the cosmos have started blooming. They look cute. There are a few other cosmo plants I have, different leaf structure, and they just keep growing and growing, but no blooms yet. I’m dying to see what color they will be!

Yesterday, my daughter turned 11. I should've posted this yesterday, but I didn't. Here it is:

There is a young girl named Faith
She was born on July the 8th
Though she’s eleven today
She wants things her way
It’s adulthood for which she can’t wait!

Happy Birthday to the #1 girl in my life!

My Scattered Thoughts

2010-07-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

I heard from the doctor and learned some new information.

Apparently, not only was I blocking the absorption of iron by taking it in the morning and drinking coffee afterwards, but I was also blocking the absorption of my thyroid pill that I took a ½ hour earlier! No wonder I felt so tired this year!

So yes, it is right to take iron before bed. The doc also suggested that I can take some vitamin c (doubling up to 1000mg per day), which also dramatically aids in iron absorption. She also added that in most cases it’s best to take the vitamins in early evening or at bedtime, and actual meds in the morning, with the exception of a few meds that don’t have drug-drug interactions.

I started this regimen last Friday, and it may be too soon to tell, but I think it’s making a difference. The first two days of Magic Mushroom camp caused me to drop dead at about 4 p.m., but today was the first day I did not have to take a nap in the afternoon. I’ve been feeling fairly energized in the morning—despite the sweltering heat and humidity (I’m glad I’m not in the East coast right now), and still sleeping well at night.

Yesterday I received a surprise gift from a penfriend on the West coast. Several hanks of beautiful silk/wool yarn, and a bunch of wound up balls of wool sock yarn, and I can’t wait to start using it! What a wonderful thing to receive, especially considering I haven’t bought myself any yarn since June 1st people!!! (Thank you Lunaray!)

Speaking of yarn, (I mentioned this on Facebook, but I’m repeating here, sorry!) I was explaining to Mitch and Faith about how I would be attending a fiber festival with some friends in a few weeks, and they started giggling and laughing. I said, "What? Why are you laughing??" Faith replied, "Mom, fiber makes poop! That's what!!"

My green sweater is growing nicely. The cosmos are finally blooming, and Magic Mushroom is going smoothly, as we near completion of the first week. I’m learning to sing and play songs on the guitar at an alarming rate. Maybe it’s because I have no choice—I have to introduce these songs to the kids during the morning worships each day. Still, I’m pulling it off somehow. I don’t know how, but whatever.

Luckily the classrooms of the program are air-conditioned, but because it’s been so hot this week, the sanctuary turns into an oven. When I play guitar in the mornings, my fingers sweat and slip off the neck and strings. It’s hilarious, but no one notices, or cares. It’s only fifteen minutes a day in the sanctuary, so it’s not complete torture. Although it occurred to me that it would make a good Bikram yoga site.

I was complaining that we haven’t really had a break in the heat since last week, and my husband said “You gotta learn to love it!” Okay, I’m trying. I went out for a nice long walk tonight. It started to rain, but I knew it wouldn’t last, and when you’re exercising and the temperature is 90º, a little light rain doesn’t feel too bad.

Now I’m tired. The pic is of my own invention. On the outside I'm smiling, and although I know I'm going to make it, this image sums up what's going on inside my brain...not to worry, though!

Pleasant Surprises

2010-07-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, I was a little annoyed. I had trouble waking up. I wanted to spend the day with my family, rather than working. I ended up having a fantastic work day.

Mitch recently had a massage in a spa in Niles. I’ve been curious about this place, and I had a coupon for a massage there, but I offered it to him to use since he’d been working like crazy. It’s more than that though, I knew he deserved a really excellent treatment, and I knew he’d get one there. I also wanted him to spy for me. He was on a “reconnaissance mission” for my sake.

His massage was indeed, one of the best he ever had. I asked him what was it that made it special? He said it felt like this person just knew where to go, how much pressure to use, never overdid it. It was as if this person had massaged her entire life. I know that many people feel the same way about their massage therapists, but to hear these words out loud, was inspiring nonetheless. I wanted to revisit that concept, reassess my intent, and again, listen more carefully to my client’s needs. There’s a protocol, but I wanted to remember to focus more deeply on what the body is telling me to do.

Today turned out to be one of those days. Those wordless massages are wonderful. Listening to the client’s body is amazing. Placing my hands symmetrically on an area, and knowing right away under which hand the work was needed, knowing from a slight movement of the muscles whether or not I needed to increase or decrease the pressure. Knowing instinctively that mobilizing the hip joint would be the right thing to do, or deeply stripping the fascia on the bottom of the foot, and hearing the client’s sigh (or moan, in some cases) of relief, was so gratifying. There was no routine. Not only was it an inspiring, fun and fascinating work day, but my clients felt terrific after the sessions. I love those days.

The skill of techniques, the different approaches, the thorough knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology, the bedside manner, all of this is so important in a good massage treatment, but there’s more to it. It’s intuition. It’s listening to something other than words. There’s a part of it which requires the same trust in yourself, and following your instinct, the gut feeling. Your client trusts you to do this. I think that’s the most exhausting part of massage. Not just the physical labor of it, but the thought process, and the internal energy required to make the massage special, and not routine. I guess that’s the part that takes years to master, if it’s ever mastered at all. I guess that’s what makes massage art...as well as science.

Happy Independence Day everyone!

No Good Deed blah blah blah...

2010-07-02T18:44:00.001-07:00

Something you might not know about me: I try to give platelets on a regular basis, meaning once a month. Try. I do this at the blood center at Rush Medical Center. They don’t pay me, but they do let me lie down on a nice reclining seat. I get to select a movie to watch during the procedure, and they give me free food of my choosing and treat me really well. The phlebotomists are very skilled and the process never hurts. Apparently, it’s difficult to get enough platelet donors, because the process takes about two hours, but I figure that I can give up two hours a month to have a completely relaxing time, and it is.

This morning I had a sweet favor-bartering deal with a friend of mine. She said she’d babysit my kids for me while I donated. It was really the perfect situation, because next week begins the month-long vacation bible school, and I pretty much will be out of commission otherwise for the rest of July.

Unfortunately, I couldn't donate today because my iron levels were too low. The minimum number is 39, and mine was 35. I even ate steak yesterday! My phlebotomist, David, however, said that one steak the night before isn't going to increase my iron levels. Also, he added, I need to start taking my iron supplements in the evening, not in the morning, especially since I'm a coffee-drinker. Apparently, caffeine inhibits the absorption of iron into the bloodstream. Ugh. He suggested that I eat more iron-rich foods as well, and that it may take a good two weeks to get the levels back up again.

I never knew there was an optimal time of day to take certain vitamins. What if one takes other medications as well? How do the meds affect the vitamins? I decided to write to my doctor and get the real dope!

Now that I’ve finished the lacey projects, I’m back to some of the Christmas-y ones. First up is a green sweater. I don’t know what they call this kind of design, but it’s a lot like bas-relief: Using different stitches to create a repeating pattern. It looks very cool, but is kind of a pain in the butt because it requires you to follow a chart. I’m somewhat of a beginner with charts, which is very strange because I’ve always considered myself a very visual learner, but as I get older, plain written English seems to send the message clearly. So as I’m in the beginning stages of the project, I find myself finishing a row, checking the chart, starting the new row, checking the chart again, and so on and so forth. Yet, the more I plow through it, it gets easier, the pattern starts to emerge.

Just Doing It.

2010-06-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

“I mean, they don't grade fathers. But if your daughter's a stripper, you f*cked up.”
--Chris Rock, 2004

In all the times I worry about the character of my kids, there are a few moments where I know I’ve done right so far. For example, the other day Faith and I were driving home from somewhere, probably McDonald’s (aren’t I terrible?). We were waiting at a red light, and suddenly, crossing the intersection, we see a billboard-type truck with an enormous image of two scantily-clad women seemingly beckoning to us, with the words “Admiral Theater” spashed across the top. I turned away. Not a word was said by either one of us. When the light turned green and I drove down Addison, I heard a frustrated sigh from beside me. I looked at Faith and she shook her head, eyes blazing, “I swear, I hate that. That pisses me off, man. I HATE that,” she muttered. I looked at her, nodding my head, raising my eyebrows and replied, “Good. I’m glad you hate that.”

Another time, I drove past an alley close to my house. There’s a cell phone business around there, and in their parking lot, they lined the edges with beautiful purple yarrow plants that have really taken off and started to spread. The plants were poking through the iron fences. They needed to be divided, you see. I thought, I’d really like to take some of that yarrow. The next day, walking with my son Ethan, I said to him, “What do you think, son? I’d like to go there and pull some of that yarrow and plant it in my back yard!” He replied, “You can’t do that Mom. It’s not yours!” Grrr…

Well, at least I’m doing my important job. I went online and bought a three yarrow plants. One yellow, one red and one “terra cotta.”

Meanwhile, this morning Mitch and I put a green wire folding fence around our hydrangea bushes. They fell to the ground one too many times this season and this is the only way we can assist them to stay upright with the weight of the rainwater. Finally most of the flowers are starting to bloom. It’s about freaking-time!!

After that, Mitch went to a neighbor’s house to fix her computer. I thought I’d pull a few weeds out of the grassy area next to the driveway. Well, you know when you start doing something but you don’t stop and it’s almost like you’ve been sucked into a vortex and you lose all sense of time and everything else? That’s what happened to me. I dug out the grass so I could plant that yarrow that will arrive soon.

Regarding my other job, while working with some new clients at the spa over the weekend, I felt the need to try different techniques, the urge was almost irresistible. Sometimes I'm hesitant to try new things with a new client, especially if they’re things I haven’t been taught. If I want to climb up on the table and put my knee into their hamstrings, a feeling of fear overtakes me, what if I scare them? Sometimes I just want to move their arm off the table in a different way, or stretch their hips in a different way, experiment with their limbs a little more, just to see what they can do.

I should just do it. I do it with my kids and my husband and they love it. They don’t think twice about it! I have a trade coming up this week. This might be my big chance!

As for knitting, the lace scarf is coming along nicely. I’ll be able to finish it soon. I’ve started the second mitt of my second pair of mitered mittens, also looking good. After that, I need to continue on the bigger Christmas projects.

Oh about the purple yarrow...the next day I happened to pass by the alley while the employees and owner were in the parking lot. I asked them if I could take some of their yarrow and they said, “Of course you can!” Sometimes the simplest way to get something is to just ask.

Girl with the Green Wall

2010-06-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

My favorite color is red, but green comes as a close second. There’s a photograph by some artist whose name I can’t remember, but it was from the NY scene in the 80s, during the time of Haring, Longo, Basquiat, and those artists. The photo was a girl with red hair and a bright green dress. I loved it. That image will stay with me forever. Recently I visited a friend who is a painter, and she had a large work on her wall, of a woman in a green dress sitting alone. It’s my favorite painting. There’s something about that image of a solitary woman, in a room filled with people, seemingly detached and emotionally isolated, yet she demands attention with that bright green dress of hers.

Anyway, when my daughter showed me the paint swatch she wanted for her bedroom, I wasn’t going to argue. I knew it was bright, and I’d explained a million times before how it’s better to stick with a color that’s not too distracting, but she’s a girl with a mind of her own and won’t bend to my will, that’s for sure. So we went ahead and painted her room. I like the room actually. I think once she puts herself into it, it's going to be a very dynamic and special space for her. In the meantime, I took some photos, before applying the second coat, just to preserve the simplicity and cleanliness of her room of which I know, once she returns from camp, will never be again.

In other creative endeavors, I started a new lace scarf with leftover yarn from the last curtain. I’m combining two lace patterns, and so far it’s coming out well. I’m hoping that it will look good enough to be an actual gift, and not an experiment in stitching.

By the way, it’s been the 4th of June since I bought any yarn. I’m going to try to go as long as I possibly can without buying new yarn, new clothes, new shoes, new books. This will be my cleanse!

In a little over a week, Magic Mushroom (the month-long vacation bible school at our church) will begin, so massage work will take somewhat of a back seat as I will be pretty busy with the program. I still have to learn the songs that I will play for the morning worships, but the songs are fairly basic, and the kids are pretty forgiving.

I also have to make six crosses, out of wood. One cross made for each class, so they can make scarecrows out of them for the Carlson Community Services garden (Three Brother’s Garden). What’s the best way to connect them so they won’t loosen up? Just nail two pieces of wood together? This area is not my forte, but hey—it’s a good thing if you learn something new every day right?

Since my daughter was at camp this week, I was home with my son, and so my workouts didn’t take place at the gym. I walked in the evenings instead, and I have to say that it was such a nice change. It was so exhilarating to get out there and breath the fresh air, take in the neighborhood while exercising and sweating my face off. I decided that running is not an absolute priority with me. I like walking, it’s good for me, and I don’t have to “talk myself into” doing it. I’ll just do it.

It was good to have a week alone with my boy too. We took trips to the park and played in the fountain, talked about pretty much anything that came up, worked on little projects together. I have to be careful though, because soon enough he’s going to think that the best times of his life are when his sister is away at camp!

Yay for Dowel Rods!

2010-06-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

At the moment, it’s storming pretty severely outside. The wind is very strong on the trees and the rain is coming down hard. I hope Mitch and our son got to the piano lesson before the weather worsened. I’m afraid for them driving home in this.

I found out today that dowel rods are our friends. I was right about how this curtain would come out. It did stretch a little with blocking but not enough. So Mitch showed me how to cut the dowels, drill holes in them, and then I attached them to the back of the curtain. It didn’t take more than an hour of extra work, and I’m so much happier with the results now.

Today it felt like a Saturday. Mitch stayed home, and it was the kids’ last day of school (or should I say “hour?”), but it’s Friday. Thank God. We all need a break. It's been such a nutty year!

I still have some of this lovely linen blend from the curtain leftover. I started a scarf with it. Might as well keep it simple!

Everything and Everybody is a Work in Progress

2010-06-17T11:11:00.001-07:00

I’ve been a little down as of late, which is why I haven't written since last Friday. I have no idea why. Everything’s going well, but I lacked energy even while training this morning. I haven't kept up with my running unfortunately. Not sure what to do about that. I did take a lovely walk last night though. Life goes on, and probably tomorrow will be better. At least the yard looks happy. I’m amazed at the red lilies in the garden. They’re blooming and it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the lilies bloom. The coreopsis is in bloom as well. My new front yard garden bed is happy. I added Miracle Gro plant food to everything too, so now all the flowers look insanely colorful and full. Since the garden will forever be a work-in-progress, I’ve added a new found object to the scene (see pic on the left). The second clutch of baby robins have grown and flown away. Meanwhile, I’ve been reflecting on my kids. My son turned 7. He looks big all of a sudden. My daughter will be 11 (I know, 7-11, haha) next month and I took a picture of her yesterday just for fun. I was shocked at how much older she looked. It feels like yesterday that she was just a little baby we brought home. All of those first harrowing months are still somewhat fresh in my mind. The speed in which the kids grow leaves me awestruck, and feeling bittersweet.

I have finally finished the second curtain for the downstairs bathroom. It really looks beautiful. I like the way the lace came out. However, it needs to be blocked, begging the question, does a linen blend and bamboo/cotton blend block? I’m about to find out. Wish me luck because if I can’t stretch this out a little, it won’t look right on the window, and I’ll be disappointed.

One thing I’ve learned about curtains is that it’s important to use a tough yarn. This yarn wasn’t tough. The linen blend was very soft, as was the cotton/bamboo. Thus the weight of the work caused it to stretch downward and narrowed the piece a bit. Strong fibers like 100% linen or maybe some strong cotton will most likely retain its shape better. We’ll see how it goes.

Here’s a picture of my first linen curtain, in its proper spot. One with the flash, one in the dark. It looks good.

I have to remind myself of the good things that happened. Yesterday, I worked at the Food Pantry, and interviewed 3 people for express food stamps, and was able to award each of them a decent amount of money for food. I saw such relief on their faces. Seeing them smile so sincerely, simply because someone said "yes" instead of "no." It's worth it to experience this. I'm glad to be a part of it.

On to other projects...

End of the Week

2010-06-12T09:41:00.001-07:00

This week had a lot of ups and downs, mostly having to do with the end of the school year, loss of a pet, Ethan’s birthday, lots of massage work, and a lot of digging in the dirt.

I have to say that in spite of all the digging up of grass and planting yet another bed, this time for some tomato plants, my body feels fine! I stretched every night and I feel good.

At one point during the digging, I found myself on my knees, repeatedly turning over the dirt with my fingers, as if I were in a trancelike state. I laughed at myself because it really feels good to dig in the dirt and clean out all the weeds and little stones. Although it’s labor-intensive, I find the work very relaxing!

Today, we’re having about six little boys and one little girl and their siblings over to help Ethan celebrate his 7th birthday. The cake is made, the yard is clean. Hopefully the rain won’t be too bad. I have some Boy Scout indoor games in my pocket just in case. Afterwards, the cousins will be arriving to spend the night with us, so it’s another big day, but hopefully a fun day without too much stress.

For the last couple of nights, Mitch and I ended our evenings by sitting in the back yard. It was later in the evening, the stars to be out, mostly quiet. There was a gentle breeze flowing through the trees (perhaps you could hear the expressway, but by now it’s white noise to us). We talked about the evolution of our house from the time we moved in, which was 1998. There were no gardens, no cedar fence, no cherry tree, no back porch, and no second floor, just an unfinished attic. There was hideous asphalt siding on the house, a gravel driveway.

We sat there in the humidity, the breeze felt so relaxing. I gazed at the shadows of the plants and flowers, and the bird feeder, with the robin and her 2nd family of babies sleeping in their nest. We contemplated everything we’d done over the last 12 years, and I was surprised to see how beautiful the house looked from the back. I’ve never really looked at it this way before.

It’s coming along. Definitely coming along. My parents always said, “Don’t stress, don’t rush it. You’ll spend a lifetime in your house. Take your time in making it what you want it to be.” They’re right. We’ll live here until we die, so we’ll take our time with all the little projects, and enjoy what we have.

God, I love my home.

A Charlie Brown Day

2010-06-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

Looking at my son’s day from the outside, I would have called yesterday a Charlie Brown Day

Animals are strange little creatures. I remember having a couple of dogs in my childhood: A black Labrador, who was hit by a car, and a gorgeous Newfoundland, who died of that weird stomach-flipping condition. I was very young both times, but it was a sad passing regardless. My father cried. We never had pets after that, because he couldn’t handle the loss again.

Once on my own, I was never a pet owner. After the kids came though, we invested in fish, that died. We had a gerbil...he died right on the 2-year mark. We never liked him much anyway. He was such an unfriendly spaz.

Then there was Jonathan Livingston Snuggles, the guinea pig, who turned out to be quite a loafer. He loved to eat and he was huge! He liked Mitch best because Mitch was consistently the one who would bring him fresh carrot shavings, celery, and Snuggles’ favorite: Basil. Everyone knew Mitch was coming up the stairs before even seeing him, because Snuggles squealed loudly and joyously (OINK OINK OINK gimme my food you bastard!!!). Mitch was the dealer of green.

The rest of us enjoyed Snuggles, although we probably could’ve contributed more to his care. We tried to change his bedding on a weekly basis, but it was probably on a monthly basis more often than not. Occasionally, I took Snuggles outside so he could have some fresh air, and sometimes we’d set up a little fence in the middle of the room so he could run around. He was very energetic, always squeaking and bumping around, until last Friday.

On Friday, my daughter said that something was wrong, because Snuggles was very quiet and didn’t want to come out of his igloo. I was unsympathetic. I said, “Don’t freak out! He probably just has a stomach ache and he wants to be left alone!” Nothing changed though. It wasn’t until Sunday night that we realized that he still didn’t want to leave his igloo, and he wasn’t eating his food or drinking his water. This morning, Mitch and I moved him from his spot, and he was sitting in bedding, soaked through with his own urine. While Mitch gave him a bath, I cleaned up his cage and put in new bedding. I could hear Snuggles squealing during the bath, but it wasn’t joyful. No, it was more like moaning.

We put him on a towel on the floor and turned him over and saw that he indeed was severely constipated. It seemed like his little end was prolapsed. I won’t go into the details but the next moment haunted us for the rest of the day. We fed him some water, and put him back in his cage. I did some “google” research on GP constipation and even at that moment, I had hopes that maybe it was simply dietary and some medicine would help him.

We both went to work, and during work, I thought about what to do. I just kept thinking: I wish Snuggles would give me a sign. What should I do?

Moments like this remind me how pet ownership can totally suck! Seeing your pet in pain, the thought of spending hundreds of dollars to find out what’s wrong, playing God and trying to decide if your pet should live or die, seeing your child’s face when you have to tell her it’s over.

By the time I left work, I had decided that I would first check on Snuggles and call a vet to see what type of options I had, and what it would all cost. When I got home, Snuggles hadn’t moved from his spot at all. My heart sank as I took a towel and held him in my arms while I called the vet. He was still breathing, but clearly exhausted. I’ve never seen him so lethargic. The vet told me she could see me at 2:15 only, which would give me enough time to pick up the kids from school, and drive directly over to the animal hospital. Luckily, my son had a playdate after school, but unfortunately, my daughter would be with me.

I figured that we’d take Snuggles to the vet, he’d tell me it’s hopeless, we’d do it right there. I wished my girl wouldn’t be there to see it, but all the same, as I drove to school, I rehearsed in my mind what words I could use to help her understand why we needed to say goodbye. Snuggles sat on a towel in a box, in the passenger seat beside me. I could see his body still rising and falling. Occasionally he’d shudder. I didn’t know what that meant.

When I picked up my daughter, I told her to sit in the front seat and hold Snuggles, just pet him and make him feel comfortable. She knew. I explained that Snuggles might be ready to move on to the next life...she nodded and understood, tears streaming down. Snuggles shuddered a bit more.

Finally, we dropped off our carpool kids, and we would be on our way to the vet. I looked at my daughter and asked, “Has he moved?” She looked at me with red eyes and shook her head. I felt him, and sure enough, he died right in her arms. I guess Snuggles gave me the sign I needed.

My daughter was comforted by the fact that he seemed to have waited for her. I was relieved that I was there too, with the both of them.

Tomorrow we’ll bury him in our backyard and have a little send-off service. He’ll help our garden grow. We’ll probably get a new guinea pig too one day. My daughter says wants a white one (already?!). One thing is for sure, we’re going to feed it lots of hay—something we neglected to do for Snuggles.

In this midst of all this...I thought about my son. It was his 7th birthday on this day. How mocking, how ironic, how bittersweet. He took it well, but to me, this day was a definite Charlie Brown Day.

Never a Dull Moment

2010-06-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

I have a big week of chair massages ahead of me. But I wanted to mention a few things that I need to get off my chest. I have a lot to do in the coming weeks.

I might have mentioned in an earlier post that every summer for the last six years, I have worked for, and in most cases, directed the Magic Mushroom Summer Program at my church. Hmmm, interesting, you might think. Magic Mushroom—at a church—what is this? Well, it’s a vacation bible school—huh? What, a vbs called Magic Mushroom? What, a vbs where you give kids hallucinogenics so they can see God? No. The name is just a symptom of the time it began, in the 70s, and the thought was that it was a little program that would bloom, blossom and grow throughout the neighborhood. It’s a month-long vbs, meeting for four days a week, for three hours a day. Over the 35 years in existence, it has grown into a program consisting of a music teacher, a gym teacher, and six classroom teachers, eleven young teacher aides, a financial director, and myself. Over the years, it serves anywhere from 70 to 100 children from all over the Northwest Side of Chicago, from ages 3 to 12. It’s really a magnificent program. My job is to do publicity for fundraising, registration, public relations, hiring of staff, inventory, general on-site operations, and this year I’m leading many of the morning worship sessions with my little guitar. It’s a huge job. Huge. I’ll talk more about the job in future entries, but that will suffice for tonight.

This morning in church, I started to think about the fact that it’s already June and I still have a lot left to do. I had that worried look on my face that Mitch so often recognizes. He said to break it down. Write a list of everything I need to do, and do what needs to be done today, and don’t worry about tomorrow until that day comes when you do the next thing. So when I got home, that’s what I did. I wrote my list, did a few things, organized my thoughts, prioritized the steps, and I have to say I feel a lot better now.

Holy Smokes met tonight and we’re working on two very upbeat bluegrassy songs, both in the key of A, no less! They’re fun, easy, and have the potential for fabulous harmonizing. So we’ll be singing for church again soon.

Also, I promised my husband I wouldn’t buy anymore yarn for at least 6 months. But I’ll try for 12. I organized all my new stash, and I’m trying to get Christmas projects on the needles. I have to finish what I’ve started though. I have seven projects at the moment. Sad. But I’m working on at least one of them everyday!

I started a new book last night, which my mom lent to me. It’s called “The Heretic’s Daughter,” based on the hanging of Martha Carrier during the Salem Witch Trials. I expect it will be an exciting read.

This afternoon, my son played two songs during the recital. He did a good job. I’m proud of him. He forgot to bow, and he kept looking at the audience and smiling, which in turn made him lose focus on his music, but he kept on it. He was sweet.

Tomorrow is his 7th birthday—the Golden birthday! (Seven years old on the seventh day). I can’t believe it’s been 7 years. I wrote a haiku for him:

Mischievous smiles
Happy as a summer day
A kind and trusting boy

Happy Birthday Ethan, my little man.

Something Different

2010-06-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

Last night, for our 14th Anniversary, Mitch and I went out for massages and sushi to the famed Paradise Sauna/Sushi on Montrose to get massages. We'd heard a lot about this place. Words like weathered, intense, blunt were thrown around. All the same, all of our friends' reviews were positive, so we were curious and eventually, we could no longer resist the call.

We both needed massages in the worst way. Mitch had been pulling non-stop stressful workdays and school for months, and his shoulders were like rocks. I had a particularly tough training session on Thursday and my hips and hamstrings were ultra-ultra sore!

There’s no piped-in music, no soft terry-cloth robes, no sparkling white walls, and the like. In fact, the place is a little...old. But I really didn’t choose this place for the environment. I chose it because I knew we’d get a good massage, and I wanted to check out the sauna and baths.

The person at the counter gave us our keys, two towels each and a light cotton robe for each of us. He said “Showa first!” and pointed us towards our proper locker rooms. At this point, Mitch went to the men’s side, I went to the women’s side, and we wouldn’t see each other for the next hour and a half.

As a newbie in this spa, it was a little intimidating simply because I wasn’t exactly sure what to do and where to go first. But the other women there were very friendly and pointed me in the right direction. So I went to the locker room, took off everything and locked it up, put on my robe, took my towels and went to the sauna/bath area to shower up. Note to self: Bring flip flops that I would wear at the local pool. I’ll talk about the sauna/bath area in a little bit, but after my shower, I went to the “sitting room” and sat in a reclining chair and watched the news with the other women sitting in their reclining chairs.

Then in a few minutes, “Kim,” greeted me. She led me around the corner into a dark room, which was basically a large room with smaller walls dividing the space into three, so there was another woman or two receiving massages as well.

Kim spoke very little English, but at the beginning of the massage she would say, “Pain, talk.” I understood completely. I took off my robe in front of her and laid down on the table, which had a hole for your face. She covered me up with towels and a sheet and went to work.

What I love about massages from foreigners is that they have no cares or inhibitions about the human body. There is no judgment, and they don’t mind that you’re completely naked under the sheet. As long as I can accept the fact that she’s doing body mobilization and stretching techniques with my hips and legs, and occasionally my nether regions are exposed, it’s all good, because it really does feel great. The key is to let my own body issues go, and relax. The massage is better this way.

Her massage was a combination of the above, and I felt her climb up on the table and use her feet and knees through the sheet, to put good pressure on my gluteals, hips and hamstrings (and oh my God it felt so freaking good!). Then she moved to the oil, used plenty of it, but had no trouble working into the knots in my shoulders. She also worked on every single part of me, which I really appreciated. She reached my face, neck, pecs, back, legs (both sides), down to my feet, and then back up to my arms (she knew I was a massage therapist) to the webbing of my fingers (that web between the thumb and index finger is a killer!).

After she finished, I put on my robe, tipped her well and she instructed me to go back to the sauna/bath area and try the different rooms and pools. So I obliged.

In the sauna/bath area, I took another quick shower (awesome water pressure by the way), acknowledged two women; one wearing a bra and underpants giving probably the best body scrub ever known to a woman lying on a table by the side of the room, who was completely naked. I moved on to the whirlpool. What can I say about the whirlpool? Well, I could’ve stayed in there for hours. Everyone knows that whirlpools are simply fantastic. But I was getting hungry for sushi and still wanted to try the rest of the rooms and pools.

So, next was the dry sauna room. I couldn’t stay in that room though, because the wood floor was so hot my feet couldn’t take it. I escaped to the steam room. I hung out in there for a few minutes to let my body soak up the heat. Then I jumped into the cold pool. Then I jumped into the hot pool. Then I did this again a couple of times more. It’s so invigorating! I love hot/cold pools! There’s absolutely nothing better to jumpstart your circulation! Kickass!

At this point I was good and energized and ready to meet my man in the lobby. Mitch’s massage was fantastic, just like mine, and apparently there were a lot of men there too, but strangely they weren’t receiving massages. They were just sleeping in the “nap room.”

The best part about this place is the price: All this for $156.00, total for two people. I will definitely return, and I think it would be a nice place for me and my friends to come and unwind. I’ve always thought that the idea of the “bathhouse” was something that people, including myself, seriously need to embrace. The concept of people getting together to relax, body issues completely set aside, to me is such a healthy idea for our society. The only objective of the spa should be to share a quiet, healthy space with others, and relax together, take care of themselves and even in some cases, each other. Paradise seems to be the place, and people like me can afford it too. I know that I’ll definitely use those hot/cold pools. I’ve always wanted to find a place where I could do that regularly.

I like Paradise Sauna. It’s a bare-bones, down-to-business, no-nonsense spa.

Unfortunately, when we walked out to get sushi next door, we hadn’t even noticed that our favorite Paradise Sushi had gone out of business a while ago. Unlike Paradise Spa, though, there are plenty of Chicago sushi restaurants to go around.

Paradise Sauna (773-588-3304) is on 2912 W Montrose Avenue in Chicago.

Those Damned Bunnies...

2010-06-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

They say a lot of things about life: It’s a journey. It’s one step forward, two steps back. Blah blah blah. I know, and I get it, but right now I’m upset. I’m upset with the little animal that ate the leaves off my cosmos sulphureus, after hours of work digging the garden bed, and lovingly placing the flowers that my dad germinated for me, into the ground! Watering it everyday, checking on it, singing to it, obsessing over it! This was always my fear, but I really didn’t want to believe it could happen.

I’m hoping that because there are still a few leaves left on it, maybe it can be saved. The good news is that all the other cosmos, zinnia and poppy seeds I planted have sprouted. Yay!

Perhaps I could find a concoction to spread that will offend the animals. I absolutely refuse to defile this space by setting up chicken wire or some God-awful fence, but this is nature, I can’t control it. Like Ishmael, I won’t win. I might just have to be flexible, and—oh my God—plant something else instead!

In other news, I think my ankle is finally healed. There’s still residual muscle memory trauma, but it’s basically strong and mobile once again. Six month recovery.

I’ll finish here, with a picture of something luscious I made for a pre-Memorial Day bbq last week. I found it on the Baking Blonde website, and the recipe was easy, unique, and deeelicious!

Memorial Day

2010-05-30T13:59:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow, Memorial Day, marks the day that I truly “met” my husband. I formally met him a week or so before Memorial Day, on a photo shoot (I was the photographer, he was in the band), but there were other people around, there were drinks at the Hopleaf on Clark, which degenerated into a festival of drunkenness at the end of the night. Not worth elaborating here, believe me.

But it was this day, Memorial Day, when we climbed up to the rooftop of the Music Box movie theater (he lived in an apartment in that building), and talked for hours into the early summer evening. We talked about people, films and music we liked, things that made us laugh, the crazy things we did when we were younger. It was this particular time when I knew I’d met someone very special, who possibly understood me better than any person I’d ever met in my 24 years.

The next day, after the Music Box excursion, I woke up in my 1st floor coachhouse, a block away from Mitch’s apartment. I got ready to go to work, and when I stepped out of my front door, there was a bouquet of flowers, with a poem written for me. That was the moment that I knew that one day I would marry him. It wasn’t a wish, or a fleeting thought. It was a true, gut-feeling. I knew he was the one, and he still is.

June 1st is our 14th wedding anniversary, and our 16th year together. Happy Anniversary Mitch, I still love laughing with you!

Thank you to Blueprint: Chicago for use of the image.

Avoiding Headaches, and Misjudging Flowers

2010-05-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

I’ve been struggling with what to write about today. The last few weeks have been a nonstop marathon: Work commitments, church commitments, school commitments. I’m not reading anything at the moment because I finished Brooklyn which I liked, and I believe now the next book is The Yearling, but I still have to pick it up from the library.

I wanted to write about headaches, tension headaches, or headaches that feel like classic migraines, another massage conundrum. The sheer number of muscles surrounding and supporting the neck and head is amazing. Each one of them with a different action, so very sensitive to outside factors, can give way to some intense pain.

One thing I keep finding over and over again is that having cold air blown on the back of your neck can cause a lot of stiffness and thus...headaches. It makes sense. In the coldest days of winter, the first thing we do when we walk out the door is hike our shoulders up to our ears! Now that we’re entering what seems to be a very warm summer, it’s something to think about when we turn on that fan. It needs to be placed strategically!

Another factor that can cause muscle tension in the neck is the way we look at things. For example, our computer screen should be level with our eyes. If it’s placed too high or too low, we’ll either be straining our posterior neck muscles, or shortening them. Position the screen so it promotes good body posture, back supported, and head leveled, not tilting up or down.

The way we read our books is another issue. If we hold our books in our laps and look down at it, again, this causes us to shorten our anterior neck muscles, and straining the posterior ones. Same with lying in bed with head on the pillow, holding the book on our stomachs (something I do a lot, I admit).

If you’re reading (or knitting), or anything that requires your attention for a long period of time, put a pillow on your lap to support your elbows, and raise the items to eye level. This will help keep your back straight and your neck in proper alignment. Try moving your eyes rather than your neck when reading.

Of course, changing positions is always a good idea, especially if you’re sitting in the same place for a long while.

Stretching the neck muscles is a very easy thing to do, and can be done sitting, standing in just about anyplace imaginable. Stretching in a warm shower can be especially effective! You can put one hand on the top of your head, gently push your head in just about any direction and stretch a different muscle. Again, be gentle, don’t go too far. Follow the stretching protocol in my April entry, Why Stretch?

In other news, I decided to break from exercising today because, well, I felt like I needed a break. As it turned out, today was the one day that I could take it easy, relax, get my car fixed (oil change, etc.), which was a few months overdue.

After the oil change, I went to Home Depot and got six bags of top soil and proceeded to dig a length of grass out of the front lawn. I know, not exactly the picture of relaxation, but it was fun! Even my friend the robin came by to hang out with me while I pulled up the grass. At one point I found a big juicy worm and threw it to her. She ate it.

So here’s another chapter in the cosmo/marigold mystery that I thought I’d already solved long ago. If you look back to my first blog entry Hello, you’ll see a photo of one of my favorite flowers in my backyard. (This is also my signature image from my recent ad campaign for my massage practice). Anyway, the problem is I don’t know exactly what this flower is. I didn’t save the seeds from last year either. A few years ago, my parents found it at Chanticleer Garden in Pennsylvania. For the longest time the only thing they could recall about it was that the salesperson said it was from the marigold family. I searched and searched but couldn’t find anything remotely like it, until one day I found an image of the cosmos sulphureus (above, left). I was sure that I had identified it correctly. So I immediately went out and bought seeds for cosmos sulphureus, as well as seeds for a couple of other colored cosmos.

As it turned out, my dad germinated a few of last year’s mystery seeds and gave them to me yesterday. Lo and behold, the leaves are quite different. So now I’m back to square one. I have no idea what this beautiful flower is called, but I’ll have a lot of it this year, as well as a lot of cosmos! In the meantime, I’ve written an email to the Chanticleer Garden, and hopefully they can clear this up for me. It’s driving me nuts.

NOTE: I heard from Chanticleer Garden. They confirm that my mystery flowers ARE in fact, cosmos sulphureas. Yay!

Renewal's the word!

2010-05-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a week! I feel tired and drained. I want to do something, but my body just tells me to chill. I don’t think that it necessarily has to do with my work schedule either. Well, it could actually. I don’t normally give massages for 8 days in a row, and the reason is because it’s exhausting. Not only is it labor intensive, but massage therapists share a small, intimate space with another human being for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half. When you’re in someone else’s personal space, no matter how logical, grounded and realistic you perceive life, you are taking on someone’s energy, their pain, their frustration, their worries. Of course you need to let that energy go, but before that happens, it can add up quickly. I think this is one of the reasons why massage therapists often abandon their professions, because they haven’t been able to practice a kind of sensitive detachment in their work, or how to let go of the energy they absorbed in their work of dozens of clients, be it negative or positive, it has to reside somewhere else rather than inside of one person.

However, I think there’s something else going on too. It seems like there’s just struggle, tension, and a general sense of anxiety in the air right now—affecting everyone. So many aches and pains, caused by life’s changes, surprises, obstacles. We forget that one of the most common ways to cope with it is by letting the worry settle into our muscles, slowly tightening them up to the point where we can barely move. It’s evident in our necks, our shoulders, even our stomachs.

I feel it too now, in my neck a little, but mostly in my head. It feels heavy. I want to knit, but I don’t even have the energy to do that tonight.

What I will do is rest for the week to come. Tomorrow I work at the spa, and then I’ll be having a much-needed dinner out with my husband. Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, also the end of the Sunday School year, and a day with lots of singing and dancing. I’ll singing and playing guitar. It will be a madhouse.

I was looking up what Pentecost really meant, and it sounds like it’s a celebration of being given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Renewal is a big part of it too. The hope is that the spirit will fill us up with renewed energy, to give us strength, a stronger faith, so we can better share ourselves with each other, help each other, and continue to live closer to God.

So I pray for all those I came into contact with this week. I hope they all feel a little peace, to make way for a little renewal.

Renewal.

I like that. How could I go wrong?

Up Again...

2010-05-19T06:15:00.000-07:00

Man. *sigh*

After the kids went to school, I took the opportunity to do my run/walk this morning. I had a little time before I am to go to work this morning. I made it, but not without just a little achiness. My right knee is starting to bug me. I have to figure out what's going on, but I'm sure it has something to do with the extra weight on my leg, my subconscious splinting of my right ankle, and possibly even weak quad muscles (but I'm not sure how that's possible with all the training I'm doing). I seriously don't want to let this stop me though, so I'll probably have to invest in a knee wrap or do some more research.

My plan was to get up at 5 a.m. and do the run, but it's HARD to get up at 5 a.m.! (The photo posted above pretty much sums up how I feel at 5 a.m.) My body literally refuses to get out of bed that early! I have to do this again tomorrow, so I'll try for 5:30 and see how that works out. I know it helps when the weather is nicer.

It's been such a busy week so far with massages. Lots of issues to research. Lots of mystery pains that I need to uncover! I promised myself I'd book one for my own body next week.

Oh, I made a serious impulse buy yesterday. I rented a home in Captiva for next April. Lol! I figured, I have a year to pay for it! But it's everything I want and need: 2 BR, 2 Bath, washer/dryer, steps from the beach, washer/dryer, quiet street, washer/dryer. Did I mention the washer/dryer? Because there's nothing like cleaning up after your family in a different time zone! That's MY idea of a vacation!

So yeah, I've got a lot of massages I need to give between now and next April.

Toodooloo.

Little Answers

2010-05-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

This morning I increased my running time by a minute (3 min run/3 min walk for 30 minutes total). It wasn’t bad at all either. It’s surprising how sensible this gradual approach is. I was sweating a good deal by the end too, so I know I’m actually doing some work. Yet the joints feel fine, no cramps, the ability to breath is still intact.

A lot of good things happened today. I found out that a friend landed a wonderful new job. Another friend, after learning how to run, and training entirely by herself, just ran a 10K for the first time in her life—and finished. For me, today began a full seven days of solid massage work. We all go through these hard times, these valleys. Thank God we have friends to talk to about our problems. We have friends to help us cross the choppy waters. We pray for each other, all the time. We always have hopes that things will improve for our friends and family. It’s always so encouraging to see those prayers answered. It makes even a grey cold day like today seem like a breath of fresh air.

So just pacing myself with my running goals, I’ll pace myself this week, try to balance my rest with my work, so I can be entirely present and strong for everyone I touch.

Rip It Up and Start Again!

2010-05-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

Ahh...I just got back from my little run/walk. It is getting easier, and by Sunday I'll be ready to increase my running time by a minute. Does that sound funny, and slightly...weak and lame? I couldn't really do it until this evening, after dinner. I burped pretty much the whole way. I don't really care for running in the early evening on a Friday. There are too many people around. I want to be invisible! Unnoticed!

Last week I began curtain #2 with the Garden Tweed, but realized right away I wasn't going to have enough yardage. Of course that particular color is long gone now so I bought some pima cotton/bamboo yarn on sale, in a solid color to complement the variegated tweed. It arrived today and thank GOD (and accurate color monitors) it matches perfectly! I decided to frog the lace I had going already, and do the more complicated wave lace on the solid yarn, so one can see the intricasies better. Then I'll break up the wave lace with a simple lace pattern, more suited for the tweed. Yay! This will go fast.

Since the curtain will go fast, I cast on a new project: Action by Kim Hargreaves (image printed in Pipsqueaks), using KnitPicks Swish Worsted, which is 100% merino wool, in green. This will be for a special somebody during the Christmas holidays.

Well, tomorrow I work at the spa, and then I'll be busy giving massages pretty much the entire week. It's funny, I used to be a graphic designer, and grew tired of the feast-or-famine nature of the work. So I left it to become a massage therapist, and live a life with feast-or-famine work! I guess there are certain things we can never escape!

I leave you with a manly image of the boys in my life creating paper-mache darumas (anyone remember "Revolt of the Darumas?") while listening to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. Yeah.

The Joy of Accomplishment!

2010-05-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

I’m happy today, not because of the flash-flooding rain, but because I finally, finally finished my linen curtain. I have a few pictures of it here, but please note that this is not the window where it will stay. It’s meant for a different window, a little shorter and narrower, but I’m so excited about the effect this gives when the light shines through it. I learned a lot with this project, and although it’s not perfection, it’s very meaningful to me.

Actually, when I look at it, it seems so very...Persian! The color, the geometric design, the lace pattern itself, reminds me of those tiny mosaic patterns of curio boxes and picture frames my relatives smuggled over from Iran! Too funny, because the style is not what I had in mind at all while designing this. I chose the color to match the bathroom, and I wanted to break up the lace pattern by adding a different stitch just to decrease the tediousness of it all.

I had a great workout this morning too. I was so tired, though. I kept saying, "Geez, I just want to go to bed after this, I’m so tired!" My trainer said, "Yeah! You’re tired because you’re working hard," and he told me I was really strong today. Strangely enough, after my workout was done, I felt great. Fully energized.

Now, I move onto new projects. I’m thinking about garments, not only for myself, but a new set of Christmas gifts for the family. I am sitting on a pile of yarn of all types that I can use to make some luscious sweaters, vests, mitts, hats, whatever. And no, it’s not too soon for me to start thinking about it. I have a big family, and friends too!

This is the fourth day that I’m actually eating a normal amount of food, and it’s getting a little easier.

So I’m happy.

Covet!!

2010-05-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it! I’m actually working—giving massages—every single day next week! That hasn’t happened to me in quite some time. Cool! I’d better schedule a massage for myself after that, I’m going to need it.

Today the men have returned and they’re going to finish the steps leading to the back porch. I can’t wait. It already looks awesome and infinitely better than those slabs of wood we had before.

On the knitting front, I bought some yarn. After much hemming and hawing, I chose “City Tweed,” by the KnitPicks company. It seems pretty authentic with Merino wool, superfine alpaca, and Donegal tweed, and very affordable. Here’s a pic of the color Poseidon.

I’m going to use it to make this lovely jacket called Ardent. I bought it from the Twist Collective website (thank you for the Christmas/Birthday gift Marcy!).

I know from reading other knitters’ experiences that this is going to be a very challenging project but I think I’m ready for it. After knitting all these curtains, scarves and smaller items, I’m feeling a gut-need to make an actual full-sized garment! Excited!

Speaking of hands and the wonderful things they can do, here's fair warning to all texters out there: Be careful of your thumbs! My left thumb knuckle is sore from too much texting! Repetitive stress injury! Avoid texting!

I need to talk to my husband about how to layout my blog entries. I don't know how to control how the text wraps around images and it's starting to annoy me! Help!

A Slow Journey Ahead

2010-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

It looks like it's going to rain all week, and on Monday we just had some people come and tear down our back porch steps. They started to build new steps and a nice landing. Of course, the job's not done yet. I don't know why they didn't just finish it yesterday. They left at 1 p.m. and the weather was still nice. Maybe they ran out of wood?

Anyway, the rain makes it hard for me to do my walk/run. I went to the gym today though, which was nice. Now I have the rest of the day to see if I can survive without eating candy. I’ll tell you why:

On Sunday (Mother’s Day), I had a little party for my son who celebrated his First Communion. I served fruit salad, tarragon chicken salad, vegetables with hummus, shrimp with cocktail sauce, chips with salsa, deviled eggs and of course there was chocolate cake with white icing. Yes, there was room for me to choose the healthy stuff, but invariably it turned into a fiasco of grazing on everything!

Wake-up Call: My father phoned me this morning. He wanted me to know that as a diabetic, he is worried about me and really wants me more vigilant of my eating habits. Adult-onset diabetes seems to be common in my dad’s side of the family, so I need to be more careful than ever. Gee, I must’ve really pulled out all the stops this past Sunday! Anyway, I really do appreciate the fact that he told me this. He rarely ever talks to me about my health. He said that diabetes is a pain in the ass and he doesn’t want me to have to deal with it, so I really need to keep exercising and watch what I eat and avoid the sugar at all costs. Okay, I’ll really try.

As I knitted this morning, and thought about the last several months, I realized that although I've been working out pretty steadily since November, my body is still basically the same. Inside, I'm healthy--cholesterol is good, blood pressure is great, etc. But outside...not so good. I actually gained some pounds. The only part of me that got smaller is my arms. I can’t explain that.

After much consideration, and painful truth-facing, it’s clear that I've taken my exercise for granted, and ate way more than ever! It must be true what the "experts" say: You can't just eat right alone, or exercise alone, you have to do both. The scary part was that I didn't even realize what I was doing. I was...sleep-eating!

Mind you, I’m not beating myself up! I’m just trying to be realistic. I definitely do NOT want to get diabetes.

In other news, massage is busy again. There is Spa work, chair massage and pre-event work. Lots of moms claiming their well-deserved massages too (don’t forget moms)!

Oh I almost forgot! The baby robins grew up and flew away. The nest is empty now.

Blood, Yarn and Brooklyn

2010-05-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

This morning I successfully donated platelets at the Rush Blood Center. At first the stick didn’t work because the needle moved (or something) and the blood started to infiltrate outside the vein, so they were going to send me home. But I suggested that we try the other arm so they did and it worked. I’m glad, because I set aside a whole morning for this and I don’t want to just waste the day for either one of us. About 99% of the time that I donate, everything goes very smoothly and without a hitch so it’s no big deal. It doesn’t even hurt really.

I donated the rest of the Girl Scout cookies I had to them as well. I know they can use them. They always push sugar cookies on the donors and I can't have that stuff in the house anymore!!

While I was there, I saw a wonderful movie, called Invictus. I wasn’t planning to see it actually, because I knew that it was a “feel-good,” political movie of some sort, judging from the posters, but the only other choice was something my husband wanted to see, so I wanted to wait (I forgot what the title was). Anyway, I was so moved and inspired by the film that now I want both my husband and daughter to see it. I’m not going to go into too much here, but I was amazed by Mandela’s strength of character, and his courage. By the way, I didn’t know that Rugby was such a crazy tough sport! Does the U.S. have a rugby team? It seems to make more sense to me than football, but then again I know next to nothing about sports in general. I didn’t know that the New Zealand National Rugby Team always prefaced their games with a Maori Haka (war chant). It was...a little intimidating, yes.

I’m almost done with my linen curtain that will hang in the upstairs bathroom. The English Mesh Lace section is done, and I’m just trying to lengthen it a bit more with garter stitch offset with some lace faggotting stitch. This is my first curtain so it’s got some design flaws, but all in all I think it turned out to be a nice piece. I’ll post a picture when it’s completely finished.

That said; I started a new curtain. This yarn is Reynolds Garden Tweed, which is a combination of linen, rayon and cotton. The colors are a perfect combination for my downstairs bathroom. Although it’s a variegated yarn, I’m doing a lace stitch called “Crest of the Wave.” I’m also using #11 needles (very big) so it’s going to knit up a lot faster and be a lot more airy and open.

I was supposed to do another run/walk this morning, but it was storming lightning and rain, so I skipped and slept instead. Then after the platelets, I was a little tired and now I’m not going to do it today because I also prefer to do it in the early morning on the street when no one’s around. So I plan to go tomorrow morning. This puts me 1 day off of the “schedule” (Budd Coates has it written to do it four days a week, every other day with the exception of Th/Fr). I run tomorrow (Saturday), and then I increase the running part by 1 minute on Sunday. Hopefully it’s okay that I’m fudging the program a little!

I’m reading Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. I enjoy it actually, but it’s funny because the writing style is so entirely different from the last book I read (Kingsolver). It’s very calm, 3rd person narrative, very much like I’m on the outside looking in. Still, what’s happening to the main character is just enough to keep me interested, without screaming it in my face. Does that make sense?

Lastly, our resident mama robin has really made herself home around us. She was just a few steps away from me on my front porch in this picture (not a great pic, sorry). Her babies are getting big fast, and I think they’ve already started learning how to fly.

Hard Choices

2010-05-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

I’m glad I don’t work in human resources. If that was my major, I wonder if I would’ve been required to take ethics courses, or some type of “psychology of hiring/firing employees.” Yesterday I spent about 4 hours with the pastor, interviewing young people (between the ages of 13 and 16) for a job at our church’s summer program. It seems easy enough, but what if you have more applicants than jobs, and what if all the applicants are excellent? I don’t like having someone else’s future in my hands. Then again, it’s not exactly someone else’s entire future, but it hard to turn anyone down, especially when they’re good, and they want to work. I guess that’s what they pay me for...so I have to sit back, let it soak in. Pray on it. Wait a little bit.

My run went well yesterday, although I just realized that I have been doing the run/walk for 24 minutes instead of 30. I misread the chart. It said to run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes, repeat 4x. Well, that would make 5 sets of 2-min run/4-min walks. I’ve been doing 4. Oh well. It’s probably not the end of the world. I’ll do five on Thursday morning.

Recently, I had to turn down a potential gig for giving chair massages on Mother’s Day. I actually would’ve done it too (nice, a mom working on Mother’s Day), but she wanted me to come to her church to do this, right at the same time that I’m having a post-First Communion party for my son at my house, in which the entire family will attend.

Priorities. It’s difficult, you know?

Of course, I’m thrilled that my son is having his First Communion, it’s a big deal! It’s his first rite of passage into the life of a thinking Christian! I look forward to spending time with my family too.

Yet, at the same time, I’m in an industry that is so feast or famine. My schedule is very unsteady and my philosophy is to take the work that comes my way. So I’m faced with hard choices sometimes.

Yet, I remember an old sermon I once heard, that Sunday is still a day of rest, and a day of giving to God, which is almost an archaic concept these days.

Also, I remember a friend from church talking about the difficult times her family faced when the economic crisis just began a few years ago. The first reaction is to pull back, cut yourself off, hold on to what you have, for fear of losing everything. I live like this a lot actually, especially when work slows down. But it never helps to sit and worry. I just have to have faith, every day that our needs will be provided, no matter what the sky looks like. Have faith that the choices I make regarding my family versus my career will be right for both. Have faith in myself that my decisions are thoughtful and right.

Anyway, I’m working at the spa on Saturday, so it all works out.

Getting My Hands Dirty!

2010-05-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

Today I spent most of my day working outside. Mitch and I started out with our morning exercises, and then I went to the gym to work out after the kids went to school. After that, I bought my annuals and some top soil for the garden and my front porch. I became so wrapped up in planting flowers, planting seeds, weeding the back yard, and transplanting divided plants given to me from other friends, that I sort of forgot where the time went. There’s something about digging my hands in the dirt and handling flowers, pulling weeds. It makes me feel invigorated. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’m literally facilitating growth in my yard, or the fact that I’m surrounded by all of the budding signs of spring, or both, but in the end, I feel good.

By the way, I noticed a ton of Lily of the Valley in my back yard garden. It must’ve blown over on the wind because I’m positive I didn’t plant any last year! This has happened before. One year the garden acquired sunflowers. Sunflowers!!

Of course, along with the rebirth, there’s going to be some death too. My brother gave me a big bottle of nasty chemical liquid glyphosate. I plan to douse every bit of creeping Charlie with it, and once it’s all done there will probably be a lot of holes in the lawn!

Tomorrow morning I start day 2 of my running plan. Same as Sunday...

My back feels a little sore from all the gardening. So after I’m done writing, I’m going to rendezvous with my trusty foam roller—it’s so good to me!

Baby Steps

2010-05-02T06:07:00.001-07:00

This morning I woke up at 6ish and I did my first run Budd Coates-style. (run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes, four times). It rained last night, and water was still dripping from the trees, but no excuses for me. I ran on the one way streets, going in the opposite direction, avoiding concrete. It went well, actually. There were no people around, very quiet. No major problems, no side stitches, no tongue lolling out of my mouth from lack of breath, no pain. Let me just clarify though, it is by no means, easy! However, I’m concentrating mostly on getting my 3:2 breathing right, and I was also concerned about getting enough steps per minute in so I was running at a decent pace and proper stride length. I figure this will all start to work itself out as I do this more and more. According to the schedule, I return to it on Tuesday morning.

I’m also thrilled that I finished another knit project last night. This was my lace capelet made of hemp yarn. It’s really cute and I’m looking forward to washing it because that will soften the yarn quite a bit. Now I only have…five projects left on the needles! Lol, I thought I was making so much headway but apparently not. I think now I will finish my second rainbow mitten and get that out of the way. Then I can attack the larger projects again.

All my seedlings (cosmos, onions, basil, chives) have germinated—I’m so excited! I want to grow more. I still have a few weeks of spring left to do this. Next week, I’ll start working on the outside.

I’m practically finished with Poisonwood Bible. I really enjoyed this book, but right now, I feel as though it’s dragging at the end. I’m sick and tired of Leah’s martyred soliloquies. Yes, I get it—your life is hard, and you’re so blessed to have found love and family but still feel ashamed of your race’s atrocities towards the people of Africa. I get it! I know, I’m being insensitive and unappreciative of great art, but it seems like the climax of the story is long over, and I want to wrap it up and start reading Brooklyn now.

Here’s a better photo of the baby robins in our back yard. Maybe we’ll get to see them learn how to fly!

Boy I'll Tell Ya...

2010-04-29T17:11:00.001-07:00

It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep, a good workout in the morning, and a gorgeous sunny day can do for one’s disposition.

In the last three days, I felt lazy, uninspired. Yet around 8 p.m. last night, while watching the third episode of South Park with my husband and daughter, I had enough good laughs to make me pick up the needles and finish a project. The feeling I get when I finish a project is one of such gratitude and relief! It’s an accomplishment, a labor of love, patience, sometimes attention to meticulous detail. And every time I finish a project, it spurs me to finish another. So now I’m focusing on my hemp capelet, as seen in the photo. I’m excited to finish this and throw it in the wash to see how soft it feels. I’m working through it, little by little, I’m hitting the works, I’m making a dent in my mountainous stash!

I finally got a somewhat decent photo of the baby birds in our back yard. They’re so cute and furry. We’re afraid we’ll scare them if we mow the lawn so the grass is getting a little shaggy back there.

Things I Forgot to Mention

2010-04-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I posted a picture of a Banyan tree, which I took...in the morning. In Hinduism, it symbolizes everlasting life, creating a widening canopy of hanging roots. It’s believed that many spirits live in the branches of the banyan.

Interesting week so far, there are a few things I’m dealing with that I haven’t mentioned in previous entries. Number one is the fact that I had some pressure on my chest halfway through our Florida trip. It wasn’t major, but I noticed it every time I lay down to go to sleep at night. Then I noticed it happening whenever I exercised this week. So I went to the doctor yesterday and she said I had some sort of asthmatic reaction to a cold that started about 10 days ago. Lovely. This hasn’t happened to me since I dated my husband 14 years ago (I was allergic to his cat). Anyway, I’m taking an inhaler twice a day, and hopefully I’ll be better in a week.

The other thing is that I haven’t entirely given up the idea of running. I just thought I’d try a different approach. At the suggestion of many friends, I purchased a book called The Complete Book of Running for Women, by Claire Kowalchik. I like the way she convinces you that pretty much anyone can run, but it is hard, and it does take mental strength. Mostly, I thought the run/walk method might be the way for me to get started.

I’m going to start the process on Sunday, but in the meantime, I’m preparing myself. In the book she states that a good stride is about 180-190 footstrikes per minute. So this morning, I counted my steps per minute. I was very surprised at what I found. I guess in the past, I’ve been taking too long a stride for my body mechanics. It took me three times to readjust my running mechanics so I could average about 180 steps per minute. It felt entirely different. I was taking smaller steps, but it felt like I was going faster. So you could say I actually ran for 3 minutes today…and it didn’t hurt either, not at all!

The breathing is also something I need to practice. Yesterday, I was walking to the doctor’s office as fast as I could (so I wouldn’t be late—CTA issues), and I practiced the 3:2 ration of inhalation/exhalation. It was hard to get the hang of it, but I kept working at it. I get it though, the fact that both sides of the body are working equally, and that cuts down on the possibility of side stitches (theoretically), which always happens to me when I run. I have to keep working on this though.

I was thinking about some of the suggestions in terms of where/when to run as well. Apparently, running on concrete (sidewalks) is about the worst thing you could do to your body. The hardness of concrete provides no shock absorption for your joints. I had no idea—I see people running on sidewalks all the time. So I think what I’ll do is wake up early in the morning (which I do anyway, thanks to my son, the human alarm clock), and run on the street. I’m surrounded by one-way streets, so it should be fairly safe running against the “non”-traffic of the early morning hours.

I have a client coming in tonight for a pre-event massage. She’s a new runner too, so it will be interesting to learn what new challenges she’s facing.

Nature's Creative Energy

2010-04-27T09:22:00.001-07:00

On the recent trip, I learned that the mangrove bush in Florida, much like the cactus in Arizona, is a highly prized and protected plant. Even in hurricane damage, no resident is allowed to cut the mangrove branch without permission from the authorities. Apparently the mangrove seeds flew over on the wind from West Africa, and have planted themselves firmly all over Florida. They can germinate and grow in nothing but water for a year. In the photo, you can see the roots rise above the water. They prefer fresh water, but survive in the brackish water (salt and fresh), by relegating all the salt to but a few leaves. So when you see a large green mangrove tree (bush), you’ll notice that there are a few dying brownish, yellowish leaves. Those are the sacrificial leaves that took all the salt, so the rest of the bush would survive.

I haven’t had the urge to knit much in the last few days. My creativity is low. I don’t know why, but I’ll let it be. Maybe I’m still settling into the cold Chicago weather!

I am excited about my seedlings though. My cosmos took off in their little pots, and hopefully the basil, chives and onions will sprout soon.

First Day Post Vacation

2010-04-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Captiva Island in Florida. The hibiscus photos are just a sample of the colors one can see there. Fair warning: The next several entries will have photos of Captiva flora. I can’t help it! There is so much beauty there!

Last year, just my husband and I went. This year, we brought the children along. It looked like everyone else visiting Captiva also brought their children along. It was shocking!

Of course, there were new challenges to having kids around...less freedom, less late nights, less flexibility. Yet, at the same time, we didn’t need to stay up so late, and in some ways, we were more flexible because we incorporated activities that the kids would enjoy, and there was even some freedom too. For example, the restaurant right next to our cabin had an “anchor game” outside its front door that totally mesmerized the kids. So every chance they had, they’d simply walked out the door and played.

Also we did things we didn’t do last year, such as take a ride on the “banana,” which is this large banana-shaped floating device that we all sat upon, while a guy towed us with his wave-runner, zooming across the water at what felt like 20 mph, trying to tip us over. It was scary, and fun!

We borrowed two floatation rafts from a friend, and took them to the beach. On our last day, the wind had really picked up, and my son lost his grip on his floaty, and my husband ran as fast as he could and swam as far as he could to catch it, but there was no way. The wind and waves had taken it far from our reach in just a few seconds. An hour later, a resident came up to us with a raft that his neighbor was going to pitch. He told us that he saw us lose our last one, so he thought we should keep it. It was beautiful, far better than the one we had! I couldn’t believe what a thoughtful, kind gesture this was, and from a perfect stranger!

Travelling home was a challenge since we didn’t have a non-stop flight. Our previously-scheduled four-hour layover in Cincinnati turned into an 8-hour delay. The kids remarkably displayed more patience than even my husband and I had, thanks to the convenience of technology in the form of iTouch and DSIs.

I spent today just trying to get back in gear. Started with a good workout, washed a ton of clothes, made dozens of appointments and balanced the checkbook. I had a meeting with the teachers to plan for our upcoming month-long vacation bible school. There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done. It was a good vacation. I feel ready to work again.

While we were gone, our backyard resident mama robin had her babies. At dinnertime, we all watched her feed the three of them in her McDonald’s nest. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen.

Worry = Nothing

2010-04-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

I spent my entire weekend worrying for nothing. I’m not going to go into why, but suffice it to say that it involved me assuming other people’s motives, overanalyzing other people’s words, beating myself up because I made decisions to help myself, and basically letting my imagination run wild, with thoughts of unintentionally burning professional bridges, losing respect, trust and becoming a complete loser!

Mitch tells me that worrying accomplishes nothing. True. I know from what I’ve learned in school that worry is not good for the mind or body. Also true! Furthermore, worrying is spending energy on something negative, when instead I could be spending my mind on something positive and real. So why do I still worry?

It’s a lot like postural distortion. It’s something I’ve learned to do very young. It's a skill I've practiced and honed over many, many years, and now I'm a master. It’s second-nature for me. I almost feel comfortable worrying...but not really.

Last year, I listened to an audio book called “The Four Agreements,” and while it’s not rocket science, and what’s instructed isn’t something we haven’t heard before, it IS universally sound advice, and obviously I need to be reminded of it over and over again. One of the agreements was that I would never assume anything, because most likely, I’m wrong! It's pointless to assume that everything will just fall to the crapper.

Many years ago, I worked as a graphic designer in the marketing department for a small photo equipment distribution company. My boss and I got along really well. He was probably the only boss I ever had where we just clicked. He often used to say to me, “Lee, to assume, makes an ASS out of U and ME!”

So...in honor of the complete non-necessity of worry, and uselessness of assumption, I will post this photograph of a place I’ll be visiting in just a few days.

Decisions, decisions...

2010-04-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Recently I attended an introductory seminar on PUSH Therapy. It was very convincing, I really enjoyed it. Basically, PUSH Therapy is a method of releasing muscle tension using body mechanics which is very easy on the therapist’s body. I liked the idea that the treatment is done on a fully-clothed client, and that the main purpose of the treatment is to re-educate the muscles, so they won’t return back to their tense state again, since in most cases, tension is due to poor posture repeated over years and years.

One of the cons, in my mind, is that I would have to invest in a few more tools, mainly step risers, because the method is done with the table adjusted much higher than normal. The commitment to learning the practice to become certified is 5 weekends over a period of a year, which at first is no big deal, but as I look at my calendar over the next year, it’s impossible. And of course, there’s the cost of the courses themselves. That’s always the problem, time and money. Of course, I could save up for it and commit myself to learning it in 2011. That wouldn’t be unreasonable.

I’m also very interested in learning more about Thai Massage. I haven’t taken any courses in it yet, but there’s a good Thai for Table Massage course coming up in the fall, which I know would add so much to my toolbox. The stretches, the movement, are already a big part of my treatments, and I think I could stand to gain a lot from Thai work.

So I have some work to do, some careful consideration. Perhaps it would do me well to talk to some other PUSH therapists and Thai bodyworkers to see what’s right for me.

In other news, I’m getting ready for my work with the church summer vacation bible school program. It always occurs during the month of July for four weeks. I’ve worked in this program since 2004 (I think), and have directed it since 2005. I cannot believe it’s been this long already. The economy has definitely taken its toll on enrollment this year, but there’s still time. I’ve done a hefty ad campaign for the program, and now it’s time to focus on staff. After I get back from my trip, we’ll have to start interviewing people. I still have to learn some of the music because I’ll be expected to help teach it to the children during the morning worship part of the day. I’m trying to organize a field trip for the kids too.

When I look at the big picture, it’s always overwhelming...but I have to do that sometimes. I look at the big picture, then I break it down, and write my little list of “things to do,” and just work my way through it.

I wouldn’t mind giving platelets just one more time before summer too. And I’d love to actually finish one of my knit projects at some point...*sigh*

Ups and Downs, Strikes and Gutters

2010-04-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, the title is a memorable line from "The Big Lebowski." Last night I played a round of the game, "Amnesia," where I had to guess who I was. My name was "The Jesus."

That was a strike in my week. Today though, not such a great day. It’s beautiful outside, but cold. I have a cold too. I had a very busy week of chair massages, and somewhere along the way, I picked up a bug. It’s one of those achy body, sore throat things that began yesterday. It was odd too, because I just got over something a few weeks ago, and I had been bug-free all winter. I think other than massaging people, I may be picking up something at the gym. I usually wipe of the machines when I’m done using them, but I never wipe before I use them. I’d hate to become one of those neurotic germ-phobes, but head colds make me feel lousy and distract me from my work.

Another peeve I have is with LanaKnits, the makers of HempForKnitting. I mentioned this yarn a few posts ago, and now my big complaint is that they don’t wind up their skeins properly. I spent a good part of two hours unraveling their messed up skein so I could wind it up into a useable ball of yarn. This is the second skein of theirs which had problems. Grrr.

Some nice things that happened this week: I had some delicious tamales recently. I heard that they’re made with lard, but it didn't matter. I inhaled them!

Also, I’m going to give myself one more chance to try the running thing, this time with interval training, which many have recommended. I recently purchased a book called The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik (for only 75¢!) I’m looking forward to reading it, and trying it out.

Another nice thing is the way my husband looks at me and smiles when he knows I’m having a rough day. Then he gives me a hug. He’s so good.

Keep a-movin'

2010-04-14T18:10:00.001-07:00

I don't know who out there took the steps, but thank you to all who read this blog, my facebook rants and emails, and called their alderman regarding the issue of re-zoning massage businesses in Chicago. The ordinance came up in the City Council Meeting today and enough people made a fuss so the issue has been deferred until a more responsible plan is established. The work's not over, this battle was won, if not deferred.

I took a wonderful walk today, since was about 80º. I stretched afterwards, and it just felt wonderful. It felt rejuvinating, like the old days. I realized how much I missed my walks, and further realized how much I hate running. A few days ago, I tried running again, and my knees started to hurt. You know, I realize that running is awesome and gives fantastic, quick results, but it hurts and it's not fun and it makes me mad (and sad, and very, very bad)! What's the point? If I enjoy walking, at least I'll keep doing it. So it will take longer to see any results. Fine! I'm sure my trainer will disagree, but I have to put my foot down on this one (haha).

I planted various cosmos seeds today, in little pots, which I'll take to the ground once they've germinated. I repotted a spider plant. All this dirt work got me excited for the garden season. Last weekend I divided the hostas. What a pain--I had no idea how much hard work this is! But it's done, and it looks great already.

Massage work is going pretty well. I remember when I started this blog I was feeling a little discouraged by the work horizon, but as cliche as it is, I swear it's true: When one door closes, another opens!

Pregnant Robins and Silk Yarn

2010-04-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful spring day. I’ve been taking pictures of the mama robin on her nest in our backyard. She pretty much sits there all the time, morning, afternoon, night. I wonder when those eggs will hatch.

I started my Adagio vest, and I’m pleased at how it’s coming out. I like the fact that it’s done in the round so I don’t have to do any stupid seaming later on. Also, this yarn…is luscious. That’s really the perfect word for it. It’s called “Elegance” by KnitPicks, 70% baby alpaca and 30% wool. It’s very soft to the touch, but very affordable. I imagine that from the way it’s knitting up, it won’t be too weighty or stretchy like all-alpaca yarn is sometimes. I wonder what the other KnitPicks yarn, “Gloss,” is like. It’s merino wool and silk, probably not as soft. Anyway, I enjoy knitting up this vest.

I’m thinking about Captiva as well, which is coming up in about a week. Believe it or not (yes this is sad), I was wondering which project I should take along with me. I’ve decided that the hemp capelet would be a good travel project. It’s not too hot, and not too big.

I put down “Loving Frank,” which our book club will discuss this Thursday. It should be an interesting discussion, because I didn’t like it. I tried to muddle through as much as I could but the plain fact is that I really disliked both of the main characters, so I couldn’t really care what happened to them (although my mom told me what happened in the end, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone).

I started “Poisonwood Bible,” which I’m enjoying even though I just began. I like the different points of view. I think it’s interesting that Adah, although she’s treated like someone who is far less than able, she seems to be the most astute and perceptive person of the lot!

That’s it for now. By the way, don’t forget to call your alderman and tell them to vote NO on the massage amendment. The vote is tomorrow (see my last post).

Clearing the Fog of Therapeutic Massage

2010-04-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

It has recently come to my attention that the Chicago Zoning Committee is going to meet with the city council this Wednesday to vote on whether or not to require all massage businesses to move into C-area zoning districts. C-Zoned districts generally include auto lots, late-night taverns, outdoor storage and other heavy-use businesses. Also, these areas are not well-served by public transportation. This amendment was introduced by Alderman Ray Suarez of the 31st Ward, no doubt in a reaction to an incident of illicit activity happening in a neighborhood “massage establishment.”

This amendment is a typical band-aid showing a lack of creativity and resources by the city. Here’s an idea: Uphold the current licensing laws by sending police officers to all massage businesses. (Make sure the officers get their massage first), and then have them ask to see the license. If the business doesn’t have a license, the officer may issue a $100 ticket. Everybody wins.

But seriously, this zoning rule affects all massage therapists in the city, and beyond. This move is reactionary and wrongly identifies massage as a practice of a sexual nature. I’m writing to dispel this myth once and for all. All legitimate massage therapists have completed a minimum of 500 hours of instruction, demonstrated mastery of core skills, abilities and knowledge, and passed a standardized national exam. They wish to advance in their skills and knowledge of the profession, and uphold a well-established standard of practice.

Massage schools all over the country, professional organizations such as the American Massage Therapy Association, and the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, work diligently to legitimize the practice by requiring regular testing, maintenance of continuing education, adherence to a strict code of ethics and encouraging all states to establish licensing procedures. In recent years, the State of Illinois has done just this, which is a victory for our practice. Any consumer could easily go onto the city’s website and find out if an individual is licensed by the state of Illinois. If not, they’re breaking the law. They are not massage therapists.

Three reasons why this amendment cannot pass: 1) As such, it confuses licensed massage therapy with prostitution and adult entertainment. It discriminates against legitimate massage therapists and businesses that offer licensed massage therapy as a primary practice or ancillary service. 2) Licensed massage therapy is recognized as a legitimate profession by the National League of Cities, of which Chicago is a member. It is a licensed profession in the State of Illinois that is protected by The Massage Licensing Act. By moving the massage businesses out of their present neighborhoods into areas that have no relation to them, it will only hurt the legitimate practices by creating tougher access to these businesses. 3) By moving “Massage Establishments” to C-zone areas does not address the issue of reducing illicit activity; it simply moves it slightly away from the public view, essentially sending the message that Chicago is not in fact interested in eradicating this kind of crime.

The following people represent those on the Chicago Committee on Zoning:
Ald. Daniel Solis, Chairman (25th Ward)
Ald. Vi Daley, Vice-Chairman (43rd Ward)
Ald. Frank Olivo (13th Ward)
Ald. Edward Burke (14th Ward)
Ald. Latasha Thomas (17th Ward)
Ald. Edward H. Smith (28th Ward)
Ald. Ray Suarez (31st Ward)
Ald. Carrie Austin (34th Ward)
Ald. Rey Colon (35th Ward)
Ald. Thomas P. Allen (38th Ward)
Ald. Margaret Laurino (39th Ward)
Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th Ward)
Ald. Bernard Stone (50th Ward)

Before Wednesday, please write, call or fax your alderman and tell him or her to vote NO to this amendment.

Here is my promise: I, along with any one of the thousands of licensed massage therapists, and the American Massage Therapy Association will continue to serve as a resource for better education of our profession to the public.

When Things Just Don't Progress.

2010-04-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

Like pregnancy. Like a lingering head cold. Like my weight-loss. My knitting projects. Patience has never been a strong suit for me.

I’m working on a hemp-lace capelet. There are 94 sts on the needles and it’s the same three stitches, over and over again for 9”. It’s taking forever.

Then there’s the lace curtain. An 8-row lace pattern: Repeat, repeat, repeat. I still have another 20” of fabric to make before this is done.

The first lace sleeve of the February lady sweater, only half-finished.

The 77” lace scarf, which is easy enough (a simple TV-watching, 4-row repeat), but it’s 77 inches and I’ve only gotten as far as 40…

Finally, the second mitten. That’s the only project I have that’s not lace. But it’s April. It feels weird making mittens in April.

There’s also my Adagio vest, which I just started. It’s completely different from all of my other projects, and probably a lot more straightforward. But now I just feel tired. Maybe it’s because it’s raining.

It’s like reading books that aren’t grabbing me. I wish I could just put them down for a while, but then I’ll feel terribly guilty. I keep reaching for a new book, but it doesn’t satisfy, and there I am with a pile of un-read books. Similarly, with 6 projects on the needles (or 6 half-read books on the bedside table, which has happened to me, yes), I cannot in good conscience cast on another one!

Perhaps I just need a break. I need to step away from the work for a day or two. Most artists need to step away from their work from time to time, right?

Show a Little Love!!!

2010-04-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

I had lunch with my mama today. She wanted to tell me something that had been on her mind, after seeing me send a message with my cell phone the other day. She said she really hates seeing people talk on their little ear phone devices in public (they look like they're insane). People who stand in line at the grocery store, never even making eye contact with the cashier because they're in some stupid conversation on the phone...men in airports talking loudly about boring business deals. Who wants to hear about what's going on with the project in Philly, or wherever? No one!

She seemed almost embarrassed to have to mention this, as if she were part of an "older generation" that didn't understand the influence of technology on society. I think she was relieved when I told her that I was in complete agreement with her. The law's alerting us to the dangers of cell talking and texting while driving, and the media seems to be catching on to the idea of "thinking before texting," but perhaps we need to restore common human courtesy regarding cell phone etiquette (without having to pass laws about it, thank you).

1) Don't take cell phone calls while you're visiting with someone unless it's your sick kid who needs to be picked up from school asap, or something to that effect.
2) Don't talk so freaking loud. It's annoying and everybody hates you when you do that.
3) When you're making a transaction with someone, put the phone down. You're just being rude.

Last summer I went to the Daniel Doffyn Post Office (yes I'm not afraid to name names) to buy some stamps. I like talking to people I see face to face when making transactions--saying hello, how's the weather, etc. I do this at the grocery store, the library, any particular place I go. Friendly people make my day!

I couldn't talk to the lady behind the counter at the post office because she had an earphone on and was having a conversation with someone else, and it had nothing to do with stamps. The only thing she said to me was "Six dollars," and "Next!"

So this post probably doesn't apply to anyone reading it because I know you all are good, decent and kind people who share the love, but let's remember that old grandma song that Steve Martin used to sing: "Be courteous, kind and forgiving..." (I won't go into the rest), and maybe spread that vibe a little more...

I'm off to knit now. Have a wonderful day everyone! I mean it!

Why Stretch?

2010-04-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ahh yessss…I remember when I was a little girl, I used to relish the spring, winter and summer breaks, the snow days, the days off. I would rue the day school and the grindstone routine began, but oh how I love the grindstone today! I just returned from the gym. So good to be back again. My husband’s company has a floating holiday today, so we’ll be running another .75 mile, as soon as he wakes up. In the meantime, I’ll talk about the act of stretching.

Why do massage therapists and trainers always repeat the word “stretch” like a mantra? What’s the big deal?

Well…imagine that you have a pile of silly putty that’s been sitting outside on the park bench for the night. When you pick it up, how do you think it’s going to feel? It’s going to be hard, and cold, and not a whole lot of fun to play with, but once you have it in your warm hands, you knead it a little here and there, and pull it this way and that, it’s going to loosen up and do all sorts of wonderful things that silly putty can do!

It’s similar with our bodies. When we wake up in the morning, we are stiff, our circulation is low, we are cold! Gradually we move, get the blood flowing, and work our way up to a normal, ready-to-handle-the-day routine. It doesn’t take long (I guess that depends on whether or not you drink coffee, but never mind).

Knowing this, as we all do, why on EARTH do we continue to batter and abuse our bodies with intense workouts without stretching? I don’t know. Maybe it’s because stretching doesn’t look like hard work, maybe it’s boring or we feel like we don’t have time for it. Consider this:

Stretching increases: your body awareness, range of motion, flexibility, blood circulation, coordination, your muscles’ resistance to stress, keeps your muscles supple, reduces pain and soreness, and helps you relax. It also makes your body’s transition from stillness to movement much easier. Ever “put out your back,” just by doing the simplest of tasks, and you don’t even know what just happened? Stretching can avoid this unfortunate accident.

How can one afford NOT to stretch? Remember, a strong, stretched muscle is much better able to handle stress than a strong, tight muscle.

Flexibility can be affected by stiff, unyielding fascia (connective tissue, which surrounds our muscles and everything else in our bodies). Repeated stress, injury and inflammation can inhibit flexibility by laying down tough scar tissue. Examples of this are working too hard without warming up, lack of decent cool down after workouts, fast and jerky movements, and lifting weights that are too heavy.

I’ve always told people to stretch after they work out when their muscles are warmed up. However, you can stretch anytime you want, as long as you do it the right way. The most important things to remember are: 1) It’s not supposed to hurt, 2) it’s all about your own limits, and 3) BREATHE. Simply stretch (do not bounce) until you feel mild tension in the muscle (or when you begin to feel a stretch), and then hold it there for 20-30 seconds. Relax, breathe rhythmically and calmly throughout the stretch. You can take it a step further and push it an inch and hold for another 30 seconds. But again, it is not supposed to hurt.

The only things you need to reap the benefits of stretching are regularity (everyday, all the time) and relaxation. That’s it!

No pain, no gain is a stupid and irresponsible motto. That’s a great way to hurt yourself. Stretching is supposed to feel good! It’s not a competition to see who’s the most flexible. There’s a fascinating motor response in our bodies called the “Stretch Reflex.” This happens when we try to overstretch our muscle (or bounce). The brain sends a message to the muscle to tighten it, so it cannot be stretched further. Mind that message. It’s there to protect you.

You’ve heard the phrase, “Move it or lose it!” This is true. My old tae kwon do teacher Master Choi, made a similar statement, but really hit home for me. He said that “the moment we’re born, our bodies want to die. They want to sit, and rest, and vegetate, which will kill us.” We must strengthen our minds to prevent this—always. We must always push our bodies to move, to live! Eventually, you won’t want to do anything else. Living won’t feel right, unless you are moving!

That is the philosophy I use in terms of stretching. If you stretch regularly, all the time, many times throughout the day, as well as after workouts, you’ll find that not only are you flexible, but you just NEED to stretch. It feels so good. Like breathing, you can’t live without it.

Yoga introduces wonderful stretches for the body. Also, a fantastic, classic, book I recommend is Bob Anderson’s Stretching. Beside the wealth of information and handy diagrams in it, who can resist the illustrations of the 1970s runner with the knit cap?

Looking Forward...

2010-04-04T12:01:00.001-07:00

It’s probably one of those most beautiful Easter Sundays I can remember. Very unusual for Chicago. Spring break is over for us. I’m making a delicious strawberry lemon tart for my parents, as we’re having dinner with them this evening. The kids go back to school tomorrow, and normal life resumes. That’s okay, I work well with routine.

This spring break was a little difficult. I was sick pretty much the whole time, which blew a lot of my working out plans out of the water. There were some nice moments too, like the day we went to the zoo, and the day I took them to see their grandparents.

There’s a neighbor on my block who loves to garden. He even recreated an authentic Japanese garden in his backyard. This blossoming tree is in his front yard and I’ve always loved how it was the first plant to bloom every spring. He doesn’t mind my taking a photo of it.

While I wait for the tart to cool off, I’m going to try to make some progress on my lace curtain. It’s about 35” long already. I have to finish it…there are too many other projects on the needles.

Spring Teases Chicago

2010-04-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

It’s raining today. The ground was wet and soft so Mitch and I figured it was a good idea to plant bulbs in the back yard. I dug them all up last fall because over the years, they’d multiplied and were planted so haphazardly because we didn’t know what we were doing, that I wanted to replant them in a more organized way. But since we replanted in the rain, we sort of just put them back into the ground as quickly as we could…and I can’t say for sure that it was more organized than before. Oh well, good intentions blah blah blah…

While we were outside, my neighbor pointed out that a big fat mama robin built a nest in our McDonald’s bird “port.” Sure enough, there it was…huge nest, taking up practically the entire surface. Mitch and the kids painted the bird house a few years ago, and usually we bring it inside during the winter, but this time it came out a lot sooner and voila! Some shrewd robin saw her opportunity and grabbed it!

I thought this was a silly unrealistic wish, but I always wanted my city yard to be a haven for animals. Sometimes old cats, rabbits, and similar animals would crawl under our big hostas for a dark, quiet and peaceful place to die. I’ve seen a possum in the back yard at night occasionally (very ugly). We do hear a lot of different birds waking us up in the morning. I feel like I have the best of both worlds here. Seeing that nest really cheered me up!

I know it’s a bit early to post this picture, but here’s another example of the beauty of Chicago in spring. One of my favorite houses, and one of my favorite trees. Enjoy!

Good Day

2010-04-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

I ran ¾ of a mile today. Farther than ever (don’t laugh). I wish I control my breathing better. I breathe so hard, I scare people around me! Maybe God can help me with that one.

Seeing as how it’s Good Friday, I should probably write a yarn about how God interferes with--I mean, touches my life.

Last Sunday, Holy Smokes (my old-timey, church bluegrassy trio) sang during the Palm Sunday service. I had this planned out for months (or weeks, at least). Years ago, I heard a version of “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord,” by Johnny Cash and the Carter singers. It was so lovely, so mysterious, so moving, that I really wanted to share it with the congregation. I had it all figured out. Bill, being the bass singer would sing the Johnny part, while I would sing the June part, and my daughter, and Mitch would fill in the other parts.

The first hurdle to cross was when Bill mentioned that he never really cared for the song, but would do it anyway. I respect people’s opinions of course, but I could feel the sinking inside, that if a singer doesn’t like his song, it ain’t gonna sound good.

Later when we scheduled it for Palm Sunday, someone told me it wasn’t exactly the appropriate time to sing it. Why not? Aren’t the verses in the song (crucified, nailed to the cross, laid in the tomb, rolled the stone away) exactly what’s talked about on Palm Sunday??

My daughter was unsure of her ability to sing her part too. It was all piling up you see. It felt like the odds would have it.

The nail on my cross was when I got sick a few days before Palm Sunday, some nasty cold that took ups and downs and traversed the hills and valleys of my veins, rearing its ugly head in my brain, my nose, my throat, my stomach, pretty much every possible organ in my body, and there it lingered for days and days.

So Palm Sunday arrived, and I was feeling lousy. I said to myself, “I wish I hadn’t planned this. This was a mistake. This never should’ve happened. We’re going to suck.”

As I sat in the choir loft, the Pastor stood closer to the congregation, away from the pulpit. She told us the Passion, Jesus’ final story from station to station. I imagined what she was telling us, it felt like I was right there in the crowd. I thought of our song, and how it perfectly described the story. My heart lifted a little, and my confidence started to return.

When the four of us stepped up and began to play, my fear disappeared. I opened my mouth to sing and my voice came out clear and strong. I looked at Mitch while he played his solo and winked at him. We all smiled, we gently bobbed our heads and swayed to the music we made. We were having fun, and we sounded excellent!

One theory is that no matter how you feel, adrenaline is your friend and can save your butt (and vocal chords) in the time of trial. Still, I’m reminded of something a client told me. He said, “If God wants you to do something, He’s going to pave the way and have you do it. People may not agree. All sorts of obstacles may stand in your way, but if God wants it, He’ll make it happen.”

Even after we finished, Bill told me that he really liked the song after all. Isn’t that funny?

Hemp, Linen and…Iliopsoas!

2010-04-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Got some new yarn (on sale). It's wool and linen and I plan to make a jacket with it called "Sidecar Jacket." Speaking of linen and other strong fibers, I started working with the hemp this morning, and it looks and feels just like wet spun linen.

If I compare HempForKnitting to Louet Euroflax Linen, I find that the hemp plies aren’t as tightly wound up as linen, so it may open up more easily. It’s also harder on the hands, even though it softens up with friction and washing.

In terms of cost, hemp is only relatively less expensive than linen, and if you find the linen on sale, it will be a great deal. There are also a lot of wonderful linen blends out there, which will probably be on sale in the fall.

So I guess what I’m saying is that, imho, there needs to be more brands of hemp and it needs to come down just a bit in price. Oh yeah, and sell it in balls, not skeins, because it’s so stiff that when you wind it with the swift, it doesn’t seem to stay wound up, which is annoying.

That said, I’m working on a hemp capelet, which I’m sure is going to be sweet!

And now for something completely different:
It’s so fascinating, massaging people. Sometimes it’s like reading a mystery with many chapters. In the course of an hour, the body just presents all of its problems, and some answers can be found here and there, but mostly all sorts of questions are raised, only to be addressed “in the next episode.” Recently I had a client with chronic lower back pain. As I palpated the lower back muscles, I could tell immediately that the left side was noticeably tighter, and more sensitive than the right side. This made me wonder what was going on with the right side in the front of the body. Sure enough, while doing a simple low back stretch of the right leg, the client mentioned that rather than feeling a stretch in the low back, tension could be felt in the front upper quads. Just what I suspected: Psoas.

It seems that more often than not, low back pain is attributed to a really tight psoas, which isn’t surprising I guess! Many of us spend our days sitting (sometimes with our knees above our hips, in a jackknifed position—big no no), with our psoas in a prolonged, contracted and tightened state. We’re always more focused on relieving the muscles on the back of our bodies, because that’s where we feel the pain and tension. But it’s important to remember that the reason why that tension exists is because the muscles on the front of our bodies are slowly but surely pulling us into the fetal position! This is going to make our back muscles, our butt muscles, hamstrings and calves strain to the point where they’ll feel like guitar strings!

The iliospsoas (better known as ‘psoas;’ p is silent) is a huge muscle which allows us to flex our hips (it also aids in hip adduction, lateral rotation, basically everything that we need to walk or sit in a chair). The iliacus portion is attached to the inner “wing” of the pelvic bone, and the longer thick muscle psoas attaches to the front surface of the lumbar vertebrae, all the way down to the inner, top portion of the femur (big leg bone). It’s one of the strongest hip flexors we have, and it’s the deepest. The lower vertebral attachment is what gives us the impression of lower back pain. Therefore, due to its location, the best way to approach the psoas in massage is through the abdominals.

Next time you get a massage, ask for some abdominal work. If it’s your first time, let your therapist know, because the abdomen has a lot of emotional baggage, so it requires careful sensitivity. See how it feels. Not only is it going to relax your digestive system, but it will bring your focus back to your breathing, and if you get work on your psoas, you’re going to feel taller when you’re done. It’s an amazing muscle.

A simple, yet very effective psoas stretch that I always recommend to people who suffer from tight hip flexors is (massage master Bob King aptly named it) the “genuflexion.”

Get down on one knee! (Don’t worry, this isn’t punishment). Make sure your forward ankle is vertically aligned with your knee joint. Your other knee is on the floor, knee joint vertically aligned with the hip joint. This is the side where the psoas will be stretched. Straighten up your torso and tighten your abdominal muscles—you may begin to feel a stretch already. If not, just slowly shift your hips forward (pelvic tilt), while maintaining the upward direction of the torso. (see the pic of my son in not-the-greatest demo, you try telling a 6-y/o to straighten up!)

You will feel a very subtle stretch, which is deep in upper, front part of your leg. That is iliopsoas. Hold that stretch for about 20 seconds and breathe normally throughout the stretch. If you want to take it a step further, raise the arm (same side as that you are stretching). It feels good. It’s good for you. Do it often.

Look at all that Happens in a Day!

2010-03-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

I missed my chance to do a blog entry yesterday. I took the kids to see their grandparents during the day and it ended up being a fun-filled, through-the-evening affair.

I did manage to run another 1/2-mile yesterday morning. Today I will tack on another block. Okay two blocks.

One of the highlights of yesterday was a visit to a little yarn store called String Theory. I promised myself that I would only buy needles, but I ended up buying my very first ball of hemp yarn (HempforKnitting DK by Lanaknits). It feels and looks and behaves just like linen, strong, washable, softens with wear. I’ll bet hemp is a great fiber to use for curtains, but I’m afraid it’s expensive compared to linen. I’m going to make a capelet out of it. I’ll let you know what the end result is. I bought the yarn in orange because I rarely ever buy yarn in orange.

Then I bought three balls (in plum, amethyst, and fuschia) of Be Sweet lace weight baby mohair from South Africa. I will make a beautiful scarf with large needles out of this.

I spoke to my mom about the book we’re reading in my church book club, Loving Frank. I don’t like either of the main characters so I’m having trouble getting through it. She said she understood that but I absolutely, positively must finish the novel. Then end will blow my mind, and it’s worth it. She wouldn’t say anything more. Okay then, read on I will!

The biggest highlight of yesterday by far was taking my daughter shopping at JC Penny’s. We just discovered that my girl is now a junior, and the whole world has opened up for her in terms of clothing. Everywhere I looked, I saw fantastic jeans in all types of colors, sizes, styles. There were cute fitted blouses with a variety of patterns, gorgeous dresses. We kept my girl busy in the fitting room. She picked out a purple/black zebra-print miniskirt. It was so 80s, so punk, so Pat Benatar. I couldn’t deny her the opportunity to wear such a thing. Only once can a girl dress like this and get away with it. Those days are over for me. So I will take much pleasure in watching her discover her inner badass!

Well, it's a beautiful day. I'm off for my 10-minute run, and then we're off to the zoo!

Tale of Two Vests and Other Bits...

2010-03-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

I’m so excited! I’m starting a new project today. I had 12 balls of this beautiful silk/wool yarn called “Elegance,” by KnitPicks. Over the Christmas holidays, I cast on a project called “Catriona Vest.” It’s a gorgeous cabled vest (see left pic), but once I started reading the pattern, I actually had to rewrite it so I could understand the instructions. It was the kind of pattern where I’d have to double-check the instructions line by line, and I could see the writing on the wall. I was going to agonize and slave over this project for months, only to find that it wasn’t quite right, and it wouldn’t fit me well. It’s too difficult at this time in my life. I’m working on three other lace projects, and I just need something that’s going to look good, and look good on me. So I frogged it and started over with a new pattern called “Adagio.” (see right pic).

With it, I learned a new casting on method. Too many times, I’d make garments where the bottom edge was a little tight. It’s horrid and I hate it. Thanks to the late Elizabeth Zimmerman (from her book Knitting Without Tears), I learned the knitting-on cast on method. I had no idea how easy this is, and it’s perfect! Instead of knitting a new stitch into the old stitch, just knit a new stitch in between the last two stitches. Who knew?! I used one needle size larger than recommended, and I’ll switch back to the recommended needle size once I’ve done a row.

I’m about 60% done with three other projects now. I just need to plow through them.

I went for a run this morning, by myself because my husband is still recovering from that nasty cold I gave him, and he’s at work at the moment. I had to make sure I ran as fast as I did with him on Saturday. (When we ran about a block together, he finally said, “You need to pick up the pace just a little bit because even though it looks like I’m running, I could be walking right now.”) I went the same ½-mile distance, and I think it went better. I wasn’t breathing as loudly as I did before. And instead of that lingering cough that lasted a full ½ hour afterwards on Saturday, it was only about 15 minutes today.

Yep...

Stick to the Pattern, or Secede from the Union?

2010-03-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

The February Lady sweater is a beautiful pattern. It's going to be lovely to wear. My only issue at this point is that it's the end of March and it's still not done. The reason why it's not done is because once I started on the sleeve, it really slowed me down. The rest of the body was a snap, but I'm afraid that that because the sleeve is connected to the body, and it's all lace, the whole process is cumbersome and awkward and hence, slow. So I put it down for a few weeks.

Funny, I didn't have this issue when making other seamless raglan sweaters, maybe because they were just straight stockinette, no lace. Normally, I love the idea of seamless garments. In my humble opinion, seaming sucks!

I picked it up again yesterday. I have to finish this, but I'm wondering if once I finish this sleeve, should I make the second sleeve separately? I know it would go much faster if I did. However, will it look different when I sew the sleeve to the body? Suggestions anyone?

Getting Up Off Our Butts and Running...

2010-03-27T12:19:00.001-07:00

Did you know that there is a proper way to get in and out of a chair? The way most of us do it, by leaning forward and getting up, actually puts a huge load on our thoracolumbar muscles, and leads to chronic lower back pain!

The proper way to get out of a chair is to 1) slide your hips forward before you rise, so your feet are firmly on the ground. 2) turn a little bit towards the side, so one foot is placed beneath the front edge of the chair (your legs are now in a quasi-lunge position), 3) Straighten your torso, and then straighten your legs which allows you to rise! This movement puts the weight on your hip and knee extensor muscles, which are much better designed to take that kind of load!

This function is very similar to the recommended way of lifting up heavy objects, which many of us are already familiar.

The proper way to sit in a chair, is to simply reverse the above described movement. It’s amazing what habits we pick up over a lifetime, but not surprising that those lifetime-built habits are so hard to break. Even when I remind myself to move differently, my body does what it wants to do. It takes discipline to re-educate your body to move in a mechanically-healthy way, but it is positively worth it!

In other news, this afternoon I went outside with my husband and we ran a ½-mile, my first time running in at least ten years, maybe more. Now, imagine a whale, sprouting little legs, lumbering down the sidewalk, gasping for air. I’m not saying that’s what I looked like, but it’s definitely how I felt.

I don’t want to write about this anymore.

I’ll finish by promising that I will do this again tomorrow. At least my husband was there to push me along.

A master of nothing. I never stop learning. It’s all one big, fat, never-ending journey. I might as well enjoy it!

Strange Dreams and Entrelac Scarves

2010-03-26T05:55:00.001-07:00

In honor of nature’s "last word" cold wrath upon us, I decided to cast on a new project: Entrelac scarf (thank you to myknitpatterns.com for use of the finished entrelac image), using 100% wool. It will be soft, beautiful and entirely new for me. Basically it’s all short rows (as in sock heels—scary), but it creates the coolest look! I had to start over because the directions I used weren’t very clear to me. Perhaps they were made for someone who was already an entrelac pro, but I found different directions for essentially the same scarf, written for dummies.

No sooner did I brag about how I haven’t been sick all winter, I started to get cold symptoms yesterday! So after we ate our chili for dinner, I drank the rest of my son’s leftover milk (big mistake) and went to bed. I’m one of those unfortunates who absolutely cannot go to bed for at least 3 hours after I eat, otherwise my tummy gnaws at me like one of those angry animated characters you saw in those old, way disturbing Lamasil commercials (yeah you know what I’m talking about). Anyway, it’s a like a hot air balloon that takes hours to settle. I did sleep a little though. I woke up from a dream where we were having a huge party, but people kept leaving their shoes and games(?) behind. I went outside to bag them all up, and found piles of shoes and games that were left behind from last year’s party! Theories anyone?

Tonight I’m having a later dinner with a friend at a raw café. I’ll let you know how that goes. I just have to remember not to lie down for at least three hours after I eat. Wish me luck. That’s my other problem. I like sleeping.

The Process of Improvement

2010-03-25T08:43:00.000-07:00

Wow it is WINDY today! It almost blew me across the street!

I had such an intense workout with my trainer today. I whined to him, “This is so hard! I’m so tired! (sniff, sniff)” He just shook his head and laughed. “You want results? Then you work out hard. Now get to work!” Then he told me that now that it’s warming up outside, he wants me to start running on the weekends. Running? Running! I can’t run! I hate running! Yuck! “What about walking?” I asked, but he just shook his head and said, “You’re working out with me now, no more walking. It’s time for you to start running, start small, like a mile. Take your husband and kids outside and make them run with you!” Ugh.

Although...the idea of running a mile with my whole family...sounds kind of fun! I’d like to try that.

Sometimes I wonder if working out not only burns fat, but burns brain cells as well...

Last night, before I went to bed, I did some massage on my foot. My intent was to break up the scar tissue built up around my ankle. I did very gentle work, going along the fibers of the tissues, warming it up, trying to set it in the right direction. It felt good; skin turning red, the hardness softening up a bit. While I did this, I had a bowl of ice cubes wrapped up in a washcloth next to me. After the massage, I gently but deeply compressed the area with the ice pack, slowly rubbing along the length of my foot, in order to slow down any inflammation that might occur from the treatment.

This morning, I woke up, and I have to admit that my foot felt so much better than in past weeks. No pain when getting on the floor, no pain in walking. I think the icing helped. I’ll do the process again tonight. I believe that doing it before bedtime was a good move because the foot can rest after the treatment.

God, I LOVE it when things work!

The Little Picture

2010-03-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

My church’s monthly Service Team meetings leave me feeling overwhelmed. Between the tragedy of foreclosures and the terrible effect they have on communities, to the poverty, to the unjust ways the elderly are treated, to the lack of services provided for children of the incarcerated (did you know there are 90,000 children of an incarcerated parent in IL?), to the fact that we could solve some of the problems by raising income tax by the smallest percentage in the state of IL...but we won’t, because IL residents don’t trust our state government to use the money properly, since we’ve been burned before. Who’s to say that it will change if we vote out the present politicians and vote in new ones? Who’s to say that we’ll ever be on top of our budget? It seems like an impossible dream. It drains me sometimes, makes me feel hopeless for our future. It makes me wonder why we still even live in Illinois, aside from family, friends, and a job (in some cases).

I get like this sometimes. Too often, I look too far ahead. I try to make sense of a picture that is too enormous to absorb. My husband always reminds me to break it down. Do what you can, start small.

I remember that there are miracles almost every day performed by individuals at our church, and I’m sure everywhere else, if one looks for it. Sometimes it’s giving someone a much-needed job, or helping someone improve their living situation, helping someone navigate the Department of Human Services, or even helping people get their food stamps quickly. These things are small, but they matter, and those actions blossom somehow. They inspire other people to help their neighbors.

I was talking to my mom today and she told me that when she was a child, volunteerism was a huge, very American thing. I asked if Dad’s country (Iran) was big into volunteerism. She said, “Not really, because people had big families, I mean hundreds of cousins in a family, they had each enough of each other to take care of each other!” Nowadays there aren’t enough volunteers because everyone’s working, no one has time.

Still, there is always hope. If any of us, including myself, have the time, then we should give it to someone else. What’s three hours a month, even? Volunteerism shouldn’t be a thing of the past, and really I think it’s all this country has at the moment.

If we want something bigger than ourselves to change, it will take thousands of voices to be heard. I suppose it’s like a seed that has to be planted—today. Hopefully, in ten or twenty years, that seed will grow, spread and flourish, so the big change will be unavoidable. And that’s still within most of our lifetimes.

The Importance of Being RICE'd...

2010-03-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

Some people learn by others’ experiences. Some learn from their own, which include mistakes. Unfortunately, I am one of the latter. Sure, I’m happy to digest what I read, accept people’s advice, but more often than not, I don’t truly take it to heart until I’ve lived it. I never liked being told what to do...ever. Sadly, my children have inherited this flaw, much to my own daily frustration.

I’m applying mistakes I’ve made to the importance of RICE. No, I’m not talking about the food. I mean R(rest), I(ice), C(compress), E(elevate).

Here’s my story: On the morning of Christmas Eve, my 41st birthday, I was having a particularly tough workout at the gym. I was getting tired, and started phoning it in, (by the way, NEVER phone in a tough workout, ESPECIALLY when you’re getting tired. At that point it’s more crucial than ever to focus and concentrate completely on what you’re doing, but that’s another entry for another day...) when SNAP! All of a sudden, I gave myself one nasty level 2 ankle sprain. I actually heard it! And it hurt so badly, a string of expletives came forth from my mouth so loudly that even my big Russian trainer was shocked.

It was time to RICE, but because I’m stubborn and don’t like to be told what to do, and against my better judgment and education, I went home, filled up a tub of ice and stuck my bare foot in it, while I stood over the stove for the next 5 hours cooking and baking for our Christmas Eve dinner (my parents were coming!).

If I had done all four of those letters, I might be 100% healed by now. Let me explain:

When injury occurs, there’s heat, swelling and pain (oh yes, the pain). The body’s immediate response is to use its circulatory system to isolate that area, and prevent further damage. It does so by rushing blood, histamine, fluid, white blood cells, plasma proteins to the site. Since at this point, the tissues are very permeable, cellular debris may accumulate in the area as well. All of this is an attempt to protect the area from moving, thus swelling forms, redness occurs, and of course, range of motion is terribly restricted. Sometimes, even splinting, or muscle spasm occurs to protect the site. Within the first 24-48 hours, this is the acute stage which sets the scene for the body to start repairing, which is why it’s imperative to RICE.

What does RICE do? Resting removes any weight-bearing load, and allows the injured site to focus entirely on repair, just like when you’re sick, you don’t go out and work like a fool! You stay home, in bed and rest! Ice slows down all circulation, thus reducing swelling, and as an added bonus, it numbs the pain! Compression, such as taping, and elevation also prevents further pooling of the fluids to the injured area. A good half-hour of RICE immediately after injury will significantly reduce the healing time, possibly by weeks, maybe months, depending on what part of the body is injured.

During the subacute stage, around 48-72 hours after the injury, repair mode goes into effect. Neat cells called fibroblasts lay down collagen fibers (scar tissue) to literally close the injury site. The downside of this phase is that it happens like a panic attack. The scar tissue proteins are laid down in a completely disorganized way, fibers in all directions, and collagen is tough, strong, dense, found in ligaments and tendons and unlike the elastic fibers of muscle connective tissue, it is NOT flexible. Thus, restricted range of motion is still an issue.

In the case of my ankle, I iced to slow down circulation and ease the pain, but I didn’t elevate or rest, thus the swelling still occurred, restricting my range of motion, and I can tell you that a good deal of scar tissue formed.

The good news is that massage therapy can remodel scar tissue, break up the adhesions, and reshape the direction of the fibers. So that’s where I’m at today, three months after the incident. Although I can work out, and I’m able to fully bear weight on the ankle, I’m still in the process of strengthening it, doing my ROM exercises, massaging the scar tissue, and icing so it doesn’t get inflamed again.

Don’t even get me started on the emotional effects of injury. I’m still fearful that I’ll sprain it again. I’m probably guarding my ankle without even realizing it. So, when I’m working out, instead of fear, I focus...which is what I should’ve been doing in the first place!

Presently, I look at it this way: RICE it and heal as quickly as your amazing body can, or don’t RICE it, do what you set out to do anyway, and bitch about the pain for possibly 6 months to a year.

Exquisite Tenderness...

2010-03-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

This morning, I was refreshing myself on trigger points. It’s a term we hear all the time, and I wondered if the general public really knew what trigger points were!

About 11 years ago, a wonderful anatomy & kinesiology instructor told us, “Trigger points are like UFOs. You can’t see them, but you know they’re there.”

Another way to define a trigger point is that it’s a point in muscular tissue, where it’s hard, and tender. It’s painful when pressed, and can not only refer to other areas of the body, but it can also cause autonomic responses, like twitching.

Trigger points are an example of referred pain. Referred pain is when there’s tenderness on the body surface, but it originates from another site. Generally, the site of referral and the site of origin are innervated by the same spinal cord segment. The body sends an overload of sensory information back to the spinal cord, but it spills over into neighboring areas, causing the brain to mistakenly interpret pain originating at an area of the body’s surface, sometimes far from the original site.

Many factors contribute to the development of trigger points: bad posture, overuse, chronic infection, cold temperatures, structural abnormalities, lack of sleep, or poor conditioning before sports or play.

There is a correlation between common trigger points and acupressure and shiatsu points, but they are by no means the same thing.

There are a number of ways to release trigger points, of which I won’t go into here. But suffice it to say that when you find it, you’ll know you’re on it. It feels like a “zinger” or a point of “exquisite tenderness,” as my school often called it.

Muscles like trapezius and levator scapula (you know that big knot you have on the upper corner of your shoulder, leading to your neck? Yes, that’s levator) harbor the most trigger points. We say that we “carry our stress” on our neck and shoulders, which is absolutely true! Pretty much everything we do, sitting at the computer, housework, carrying stuff, cooking, is in front of us, causing our shoulders to roll forward, and causing our heads to pitch forward. Added stress (or cold weather) tends to make us want to further hike our shoulders up towards our ears. And then we stay in that position for hours, for days. No wonder our neck and shoulders hurt! They’re under constant strain.

Those trigger points usually are easy to find, but not always. Did you ever have a pain behind your eye, your cheek, or around the back or top of your head? These can be classic signs of a migraine headache, or they could also be trigger points caused by none other than Sternocleidomastoid (SCM), that huge chunky muscle leading from behind your ear to the front your neck.

About a month ago, I was absent-mindedly massaging my right elbow, and the extensor muscles leading up to the elbow joint. I was having some persistent achiness, brought on by overuse (tsk, tsk) and exacerbated by bad body mechanics at the gym (ahem). Suddenly, I felt that “zing,” it was unforgettable and unmistakable. I felt a slow and steady movement of pain right to my hand, and then it dissipated. I put pressure on that very spot by my elbow, just for about 5 seconds, and then stretched out my extensors. I haven’t had pain ever since!

Trigger points are all over the body. Finding some of those trigger points could be the key to releasing those stubbornly tight muscles!

The Sludge of Worry...

2010-03-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Vernal Equinox everyone! How’s this for a spring image??

I was very uptight today. We went to church, and then after lunch we were to attend a chili cook-off at a mutual friend’s house, where Mitch and I would perform with Glass Half Empty. I was anxious about this because we learned about this event only a week ago and had only 1 rehearsal. In addition, I was in a foul mood in general (If you want her to like you, then stay away from her!). I was frustrated with things, people, life in general. I complained to my husband last night, “Why is it when things are going well, people have to go and ruin it all?” I was also worried because like I mentioned in the last entry, I was concerned about eating too much at this party. Even the kids didn’t want to go. They were afraid there wouldn’t be other kids there.

Not surprisingly, it all turned out fine. The kids made new friends and basically had an awesome time, and didn’t want to leave. Glass Half Empty performed a very respectable set and people seemed to enjoy us. I met some new people, and although it was hard to stay away from the overflowing plate of chocolate chip cookie bars and brownies, not to mention about 10 or more crock pots of chili, I maintained. I “did good.” I did fantastic actually.

Now I’m home, and happy to be home. It turned out to be a beautiful day. Tonight our friend Bill’s going to come over, and Holy Smokes will rehearse our song one more time before we perform it in church on Palm Sunday.

It’s funny. I always thought that our band should be called “Glass Half Full,” but, Glass Half Empty is a fitting name, because—and I’ve never admitted this before—more often than not, I’m generally anxious or fretful that things will never work out. I’m glad to say that I’m always wrong too. Things always work out. And if I’m pissed off with things, people, and life in general, it turns out that it really didn’t matter all that much anyway.

I’m halfway done with the lace curtain. I’m looking forward to heading back to the gym tomorrow morning. I feel all right.

Patience, my dear...

2010-03-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

Okay so I’m a perfectionist. I made too many mistakes in the curtain, and although I didn’t completely undo it, I ripped it back several rows and started over. I’m glad I did.

We had such a beautiful week, and we were warned that it was only March. Snow would return, but oh, I fooled myself. I gave in to the empty promise of warm and sunny days, and led myself to believe that snow was just an idle threat. Though here it is, it’s been snowing all day.

Later, after my husband and I huffed and puffed through our daily exercises, I started to worry, because tomorrow afternoon we’ll be performing at a friend’s chili party. Normally I get very anxious, knowing what temptations are out there constantly, and instead of forging ahead and dealing with them, I want to hide at home and not socialize or anything, so I’ll stay on the right path. But of course, that’s no way to live. I was thinking about those people in AA. Their common struggle is that not a day goes by where they don’t think about alcohol. I was wondering if perhaps I simply need to come to terms with the fact that although I want to eat junk food, a lot of it—everyday—the truth is I can’t. Maybe the fact is that it’s always going to be difficult, and it will never get easier, and I just have to accept that about myself. It’s my very own, personal struggle, dammit! It’s a part of who I am. Like the flaws in my lace curtain, it’s my big imperfection: A source of frustration, but also a source of many jokes, and much laughter. This is a very human part of me in which so many people out there can relate. It’s always going to be hard.

Luckily, there’s a lot more to life’s joys than food!

To Knit or to Unravel? That is the question...

2010-03-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

As I surf through one of my favorite websites (Ravelry) and drool over the thousands of completed knit projects, I think to myself that there are two kinds of knitters. There are the flexible knitters who make errors here and there, but their philosophy is that errors just contribute to the character of the work, and if it doesn’t affect the construction, it’s perfectly fine.

Then there are the perfectionists who cannot tolerate a mistake in their work. If they cannot undo it, they may try to continue working, ignoring the mistake, but the guilt and nagging of that stupid little dropped stitch (or what have you) will eventually drive the knitter to admit to herself that she can no longer ignore it. After much agony, and possibly tears, she will unravel the whole project back and start over. I’m one of those knitters, at least when it comes to garments. I wouldn’t buy a garment that was flawed, so why would I wear one just because I knitted it? No. I can’t live with that kind of a mistake.

However, as I continue on my lace curtain, I see that I’ve made errors with the new herringbone faggot stitch. It does bother me. A little. But knowing that this is my first real lace project, it’s a curtain, and well...it’s just my 2nd floor bathroom, for God’s sake! I truly believe that when this curtain is done, it will look so fantastic that the mistakes won’t matter so much. AND...those mistakes will be special to me, since this is my first curtain, my first major lace project, and it’s something I designed (as simple as the design is).

Of course, all this could change once I hang it on the window. By that time, I’ll be working on my second lace curtain for the first floor bathroom.

Newsy stuff and the meaning of massage...

2010-03-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'm going to my very first book club meeting. We'll be discussing "O Pioneers" by Willa Cather, which I just finished this morning. I loved it! Such a different point of view for the time as well, writing about a woman who was strong in mind and so independent. I think this will be fun!

However, one challenge that faces me this evening is that I'm sure there will be food there and I cannot imbibe! I had a doctor's appointment today, and the nurse weighed me and I gained 7 pounds since last year (yikes) and according to her little chart, my bmi is 30 (double yikes). Of course I did go to Dairy Queen and ate a box of girl scout cookies, all in one day...yesterday.

One good thing came out of my appointment though: My blood pressure is 106/72. And the lady sitting next to me couldn't believe I was 41, and told me I looked so good for my age. But I digress...I have to give up eating like a pig. It’s a good thing that I’ve been working out so hard since October. If I hadn’t, I might be 20 pounds heavier instead of 7.

Anyway, enough of that. I want to talk about massage. That was my original intention for today's post.

Did you ever wonder what massage really is, in its most fundamental form? It’s just a way to increase blood and lymph circulation. Why is this necessary? Well, in the worst-case scenario, if your foot, for example, isn’t receiving any blood or lymph circulation, it dies. If you have a cut on your skin, you need blood circulation, to build up the scar tissue to help the cut heal, and the lymph circulation to take the toxins away from the healing site. This process works on all layers of the body, down to the cellular level.

There are other ways to increase blood and lymph circulation. Exercise is a popular choice. Hot and cold baths are another effective method. But massage takes the process to another level by adding a nurturing, non-judgmental touch to the healing process.

Why is touch important? Did you know that infants actually grow more when they are touched, held, and cuddled on a regular basis? Touch feels good. It literally sets off those positive endorphins, which causes the body and mind to relax, loosen up, and let the tissues fall into their natural, gel-like state. This state promotes increased circulation, and further facilitates the healing process.

There are literally hundreds of styles of massage, but they all basically perform the same function: increasing circulation. A strong and well-functioning circulatory system is the foundation of good health, providing nutrients and taking away toxins with every heartbeat.

I remember right before I gave birth to my son, we were listening to his heartbeat. I was shocked at how fast his heart pounded, and the doctor said, "Yes this is good!" These days, I often argue with my daughter to dress warmly when she goes outside. It always surprises me how her ability to tolerate the cold is so much stronger than mine. Then, I remember that I’m 30 years older than her. Most babies are born in their perfect state: unfettered by worries, pain, responsibilities...Their circulation is more than enough to get them through the world’s ills. But as we get older, it slows down, to the point that when you’re in your 70s, flexibility, circulation, and movement are made sluggish by the many years of life’s experience.

This is where massage can make a difference. It makes sense to make massage a normal part of your life. That’s why so many people love it. Massage helps us get back to that perfect, baby state of being.

Waaah!

Low back pain and curtains...

2010-03-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

PAIN-REDUCING TIP: If you sit at a desk all day, or travel by plane or by car for hours at a time, roll up a towel, or invest in a small pillow. Place it at your lower back, to give you some support, and protect the natural lordotic curve that is supposed to be present in the low back. You'll feel that this automatically helps you sit more upright, and it's less pressure on the lower back.

In knitting news, I'm making progress on my curtain. I've decided to use the herringbone faggot pattern, since it is a multiple of 3 sts, and can easily be worked into the 6+1 sts lace pattern. I am gradually working the herringbone on either side, which will eventually make a lace triangle which will culminate in the middle. I like this fabric, but when I'm done, I'm definitely going to block it and see if the lace can really pop out more.

Here Comes the Sun!

2010-03-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what a different activity can do for the body. Instead of taking my usual long walk, today I went to the gym and took a ride on the eliptical, which I find is much smoother on the joints. I did a little strength training for the leg muscles as well, to help protect the knee joint. It's true that it's better to stay active in anyway one can possibly handle it!

Though, I did take a leisurely walk around my neighborhood this morning. The sun was shining and the air felt warm. It was quiet too. I took this picture with my phone. Doesn't it seem like a quiet morning to you?

Financial Accomplishments and Artistic Decisions

2010-03-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

First of all, I finished my taxes and I felt such an overwhelming sense of relief, because I’d been emotionally agonizing over it for months. I think I do this to myself on purpose. Sometimes we just can’t exist without struggle. Then I went onto counting the Girl Scout cookie money, made a huge deposit to the troop account (biting my nails while driving to the bank with literally a thousand dollars in cash), then made the deposit to the big mama Girl Scout council account. Another sigh of relief. Finally, I printed out my personal bank account statement, laid it out on a table next to my own Quicken statement and compared the two to figure out where I went wrong (over the last few months I noticed that the discrepancy between my balance and their balance was getting larger and larger). Who knew that my debit card used for any purchase (including automatic online payments) would be charged an extra .50 per transaction? Believe it, they add up. This was pretty much my entire day, but I’m glad I did it. Everything’s done, and I’m squared away like a bug snug in a rug!

In other news, I took another good walk today. Now my knee hurts. Damn. Maybe it’s time to replace the shoes, but I have to wait until I get more money because I didn’t have as much in the bank as I thought I had, remember?

I’m working on the chevron scarf right now. Originally it called for smaller needles, but I felt that the fabric was too tight, so I went one size larger. Now I’ve knitted about 17” of fabric and although I think it looks pretty, I wish I went with a size even larger still. That way, the lace would open up a bit more, let the light in. However, it does have a nice texture, and the yarn is bamboo and elastic, so it’s not exactly warm. It's strictly a decorative accessory.

Working on the chevron scarf is awakening my need to finish a project I started in September: The lace curtain. I’ve made some progress, but at this point, I’m wondering if I should just do it all in this English Mesh lace pattern as shown, or should I change it up and gradually knit into a panel of simpler open stockinette, or some type of faggot stitch (Yes, yes, it’s a funny word, but that’s really what it’s called! See the pic--thanks to KnittingFool.com--it’s very benign). I wonder if the lace is too overwhelming as a whole panel, and needs a second stitch to “break up the monotony.” Must contemplate this further.

Strong Images and New Tools of the Trade

2010-03-13T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ethan is a boy after my own heart. When I was young, my mom would take me to the museum, and I’d see these wonderful paintings and scenes that moved me so much. Same thing with films and posters. I’d keep that image in my head until I got home to my markers and paper, and then I’d start drawing. I would recreate the same scente that spoke to me. I see that this is happening to Ethan too. He’s been drawing a lot more lately, and his drawings are becoming more colorful and complicated day by day. I had to post this one though: A powerful scene from the 1st installment of Lord of the Rings, which is clearly getting a hold of my boy’s imagination. I love it!

My hamstrings are very sore, most likely from a workout I had on Thursday morning. I’m going to have to stretch them with the theraband. I recently received a brochure about PUSH therapy, where there’s this method of slowly releasing tight muscles with relaxed hands, and then going through a series of PUSH exercises to help keep those released muscles relaxed, rather than reverting back to their tightened state. I decided to take the intro course in April and see what it's all about.

Also, I’ve decided I’m going to register for a special course which incorporates Thai massage into table work. I think this would be great way to introduce some new styles into my practice.

I’m still thinking about the Myofascial Trigger Point training. All of this is going to take money, but over the next few years, I think these are some reasonable goals to set for my professional development.

Thank God it's Thursday...

2010-03-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

I had a nice day off today. I worked out intensely in the morning and then I had a meeting with Pastor about Magic Mushroom stuff. (MM is a month-long vacation bible school. It’s been in existence for over 30 years. I’m directing this year, fifth year in a row…I think. I’ve lost count actually). We got a lot of work done. Then I spent several hours doing more work; editing the staff manual, entering enrollees into the database, stuffing the last of the envelopes for publicity, figuring out the plan of action for hiring classroom aides, etc.

Anyone who knows me knows how much this program stresses me out every year, for a variety of reasons. That said, as much as this program makes me want to take up drinking heavily, I have to admit that days like this get me very excited and fired up! It’s that constant focus, the constant moving of my hands, and my mind’s wheels turning, non-stop for hours. I like talking to parents, answering their questions (most of the time) and laughing with them. Today I feel like I accomplishment a lot. It’s wonderful and it makes me feel very much alive. Spring is a good time for planning Magic Mushroom!

In other accomplishments, I finished a tote. I’m calling it the Sunset Tote. (Mitch called it the Sherbet Tote...votes anyone?). I’m very pleased with it!

Tomorrow I go back and finish a week’s worth of chair massages. A good week finished, another week closer to spring. I took this photo this afternoon. I know it looks dark and dreary, but keep in mind that it was in the 50ºs outside and I wasn’t wearing a coat when I shot it. Not so dreary anymore.

Signs of Spring

2010-03-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, since it was sunny, and not too cold, I decided to take a walk outside instead of going to the gym. It was the first walk I took all winter. It felt good, and different. I think sometimes it’s a good idea to throw a different kind of exercise into the mix once in a while. My legs felt a little shaky, like my body was saying, “Hey, what’s this?” I ended walking only 2.7 miles in 45 minutes, but it’s better than nothing I suppose. It certainly isn’t the same cardiovascular workout as a 30-minute trek on an elliptical machine. But like I said, variety is nice. Today, my legs were sore, and I feel the telltale sign of shinsplints. Yuck.

The vest is done. The felted tote bag is done (I should call all felted projects “felted surprises” because that’s what they are to me.). I’d like to send it through the wash one more time, and then it will be ready to give away. Now I am feverishly making progress on my chevron bamboo scarf, as well as the mittens. After that, I’ll have 3 projects on the needles (only).

This afternoon I was driving from work to school to pick up the kids. I was going North on Lake Shore Drive, and it was still foggy outside. You couldn’t see the horizon line of Lake Michigan...it just blended seamlessly into the air. Normally I’d be bummed out on a day like today, but I thought it looked kind of beautiful. As it turned out it was a beautiful day...the sun came out, the air warmed up. Even if it's only once, it lets me know that spring isn't too far away!

New stretch and new music on the horizon...

2010-03-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

I lost my beloved Iro hat...again. Last time I lost it for about 6 months and then it turned up in a pocket of a tote bag hiding in the closet. Now it has escaped me once again. My precious!!!

Today I had a client who asked about good stretches to open the hips. After checking my books for something beyond the usual stretches; butterfly, splits and that sort of thing, I found a site that demonstrated seven different stretches. One in particular that I liked was the “frogger.” It looks funny, but it feels great and it definitely works. I won’t be doing this at the gym though. It’s definitely an “at home alone” stretch!

On the music front: We’ll be busy. On Palm Sunday, Holy Smokes will sing a folksy version of “Were You There…” My original inspiration was from Johnny Cash’s version, but we’re going to pick up the pace just a little, and capitalize on the harmonies. Bill will sing the lead, Faith and Mitch and I will do the harmonies and chorus. It’s gonna be beautiful!

For those of you who don’t know: Holy Smokes is a little trio I formed a couple of years ago, with Mitch and Bill. I just wanted a simple group where we could sing country-style, bluegrass-y hymns…and it worked out real well.

Then while I was at work today, I got a call from a parent friend at Blaine School. She wants me to sing with Glass Half Empty for a summer fundraiser. Damn…I had kept my secret hobby from the Blaine parents for almost 8 years until now! (Glass Half Empty is a band formed by my brother’s boss, Chris, and a couple of other guys from the St. Edward’s School parent scene. We do “unexplored” covers, many of which are a little bitter (hence Glass Half Empty). I love playing with this band because we only perform maybe 3 or 4 times a year. The other guys are parents just like Mitch and I, so we’re all understanding of each other’s busy lives, busy schedules. The guys are talented and down to earth. They’re a good bunch.

Loss and Hope

2010-03-07T18:45:00.001-08:00

Lately, there’s a little part inside of me that still feels a bit useless. I can’t help it. I had a feeling the day would come when Team Kid Care would close its doors, but what I didn’t expect was how I would feel in the aftermath. I miss working at the hospitals. I loved giving massages to those people who never received a massage before. I miss listening to the moms, dads, grandparents, sisters and brothers. I miss talking to the kids going through chemo, or waiting in bed while being tested for seizures, or those who are in recovery from eating disorders, or some freak accident, but are still just taking it a day at a time.

Maybe I’m just grieving for the loss of a job that I really loved.

I really liked the Pastor’s sermon this morning. She talked about the phrase “repent today or you will perish,” and how angry she felt when people of faith condemned those who suffered the earthquake in Haiti. I think I too heard some vague stories of such cavalier people, passing judgment like that. Crazy. She suggested that instead of a threat, that phrase is a promise. One more chance, and you can have life. She related this to the story in Luke when the gardener asked for one more year, and he would do everything he could to make the barren fig tree bear fruit. Strangely enough, I happen to be reading “O Pioneers” by Willa Cather for my church’s women’s book club, and last night I came to the passage describing when all the farmers lost hope, and all of the men had broken dreams, and lost their faith in the land and moved to the city. Yet the young woman Alexandra Bergson fought all odds and bought more land. Unlike anyone else, she looked at the land in the face of drought and years of poor harvest, and saw its beauty, and gave the land another chance, and the land gave life. Cool!

My list of stuff to do.

2010-03-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

While Mitch takes the kids to Sunday School, I thought I'd write down all of the tasks I need to accomplish. Number 1: I need to start sending information out to all prospective businesses who might be interested in chair massage. At the moment I'm trading massage for graphic design services from a good friend. Number 2: I have way too many projects on the needles right now: Two vests, a curtain, mitten #2, February Lady sweater (it's March already), and a purse. I'm trying to finish Faith's vest first.

Yesterday I worked at Urban Oasis massage spa and had a good and fruitful day. This week I'll be doing about 10 hours of chair massage at the Dental Assisting National Board. It's going to be a very busy week, and I'm so thankful for that, even though I'll be exhausted by Friday.

I did try Susan Young's suggestion of lying on the bed without the pillow, and she was right. It's a nice re-education of the cervical spine, and letting my right arm fall off the side (from the shoulder), felt really good on my sore pecs! I'm not sore at all today.

This afternoon, we're going to visit my brother's family, to celebrate two of my nephews' birthdays. The kids can't wait. I love going to visit them. There's always this buzz of constant activity, voices, noise...which happens in a family of mom, dad and five kids!

Hello!

2010-03-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

Good evening everyone!
If you're reading, welcome, and thank you. I'll just jump into it:

I realized after I received a massage last Thursday, (first one in 8 months) that I have to do this on a monthly basis because the right side of my body was completely messed up. Tight stubborn, painful muscles. But also, it’s a great way to figure out what other people are doing. You pick up a few things here and there when you receive treatments from other therapists. That's one way to become a better massage therapist. Always my quest.