The lighter side of 2017

I have written 2 other blogs to post today, a year in review (pretty Long!) - but part of me felt it was a ‘hey look what I’ve done this year’ show off blog. Not the intention, good to write, may be rewritten!!!

Then I did one about training and staying motivated in the cold (well cold to me!)

Then as I wheeled my case from marble arch to green park to get the tube to Heathrow I started thinking about the dafter things I’ve done in 2017 and I realised how easy it was for me to be negative and down on life and forget the fun and daft things I’ve done !!!

So as I carried on wheeling - changing hands, because I got tired, almost falling over my case a few times and clipping my own heels - don’t ask, I kept thinking of the laughs I’ve had. Sooooo here’s my 2017 daft year in review .....

My birthday- great afternoon evening, wine of course involved and at midnight like Cinderella I disappeared home. No Prince Charming and no slipper left behind, just a couple of hundred dollars worth of bill!! Oopps. 14 missed calls later I called back and paid the next day!!!

Handstands, thanks to Portia Page have been attempted and failed in various places.

Speakeasy in San Fran. Fab experience - I’d paid for a seat to see the show. I sat far longer than I knew to - you’re meant to wander the whole set and see all the various stories !!! How was I to know! I did see heaps more however, curiosity didn’t get the better of me that day.

Also San Fran - getting a weeeee bit lost running in an attempt to find the crookedest street. You’d think it would be easy there, the roads are quite gridded. Yup, erm no not for me!!! I ran up and down, left and right, along roads I knew “yes I was going the right way”. Erm no I wasn’t .... on return and looking at the map I think I’d run around it and never on it! I did find it the next day. Only one example of my many adventures of getting lost...

Which was the other day running round Hyde Park. Not lost but 49minutes ( yes I was counting, damn cold) instead of 30mins. Now if it hadn’t been cold maybe ok, I knew to keep the park on my left - until it became houses!!?!? Huh? My internal gps works better than I give it credit for.

Which brings me to iPhone map and the blue dot always going the wrong way. What do you mean it’s me??? Yeah ok ok we’ve established directions are not my strong point.

No end of daft training sessions, giggles with clients - you guys are great and really do the daftest things I ask!!! I love playing games, missing the ball, hitting each other, and bursting balloons!!! Work parties, picking up clips with a hook round waist - you had to see it to laugh at it!

Friends - oh lord no end of sober and drunken silliness. Christmas gingerbread house building, joke offs (not me but slightly daft people I know...), daft conversations with strangers, designing a party with various tents the best one including a huge chocolate fountain !!!

I’ve had wacky photo shoots - plastic, slime, mud, corn flour, shaving cream, crocodile teeth and rope.... totally awesome.

Random chats till late at night.

Random meetings, not love at first sight!

Weddings
Births,
Engagements
Friends leaving

Tears of sadness as well as with joyful meaning


Chocolate
abundance, maybe not as much as alcohol drunk.

Kms run, skips jumped, water splashed and body weight hoisted around.

Plants surviving, maybe not thriving ....!

Personal growth so many learnings.

It has been a fun year.
​

Just a little hello - no exercise video this week - take some time off for Christmas although I am still doing some - too many mince pies!!!....

Have a wonderful season whoever you are with...

Much Love
x
​

I wrote this on my last day of work before heading home for christmas. My year has been a great one with a few ups and downs, some time spent doing lots and socialising more than usual, other times feeling a little lonely and missing close friends.

Moving around, maybe more so as a single, can make it tougher to forge long term friendships - for me anyway. The getting to know the person phase, making time in ‘busy’ lives and putting oneself out there can be a bit scary. I’ve tended to meet more married/partnered women possibly with kids - they have that person to go home to, to chat with even when apart and share the stresses and good times in life.

When you’re single, with no kids and no longer into the party social scene it often means spending time on ones own. I’m generally okay with it, I have my moments for sure - WhatsApp and tinder are a great diversion for feeling lonely. And the fact I do have some great friends, albeit in different countries means I can reach out.

But what if I didn’t have any of that?
If my parents were no longer around
My friends had moved on, got too busy to chat or life swallowed them
What if I didn’t have a phone or know how to use a chat application?
If my eyes failed and I couldn’t see the keyboard clearly

What if I didn’t have those people and I was spending Christmas alone, not because I truly chose to but because I had no one?

That’s the reality for many, day in day out. I can only imagine it’s harder at Christmas time when you know it’s a time for sharing yet you have no one to share it with.

As a non religious person, Christmas means holiday time and getting together with loved ones -celebrating, fun etc. Not the gift giving and over indulgence it has become. I wonder if it’s lost it’s meaning along the way with marketing ads, must do this , have this etc...

So my Christmas wish is to spare a thought for those alone - is it possible to visit someone? An old people’s home, orphanage, give food to a homeless shelter ? Something to brighten another human beings Christmas and to show we care ??

Thank you
​
The video is of my friend's 2 awesome - Aggie and Bo.  Super fun and loving being with them..

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Here's another one for you to try!....

I am very proud of myself and grateful to a client who gave me feedback on the last video I did and a quick tutorial on how I can do voice over!!!

Wooohooooo and I did it!

I am on such a great learning curve with all this, and it's not as hard as I thought it was going to be!

I did the voice over in one take, so you guys are such a huge part of my journey and I welcome feedback on how it sounds, was it enough if you didn't watch the video and what else can I add??  If I listened to it again and redid it I'm not sure I'd publish anything!...

Do enjoy - I had fun videoing it and some odd looks from the cyclists going by!

The sequence:
Roll down
Squats with arm movements
Heel lifts (wobble) + squats and arms
Side step lunge and reaches
Roll down to plank and lie on your front
Lift into swan
Hold and arm moves
Hold at different heights and move arms - turn head - look around
Rest head on hands - legs bent - pulses/play
Onto side for pinwheel
Hands and knees - cat stretch 
Star
Side plank with rotation
Down dog to Push up to sprawl
Stand
Lunges - static - forward stepping - backward stepping with upper body movement
Lift 1 knee up - close eyes
Roll down

Have a coffee.....
x
​

As I sat and wondered what to write about this week, I was also watching the above documentary.

I had written a 2017 year in review for myself, the things I've done, places I've been and shifts I've had in myself; more learnings about who I am and how I want to live.

One change I made was to stop eating meat (again).  I was vegetarian for 6 years in my late 20s and then ate it again, then stopped and started and it was always a moral decision not a health or dislike of the taste.  Did I want to be part of an industry that treated another living being the way the meat (which includes fish) industry does.

The turning point for me this year was watching a movie and on it was a farmer who picked one of his ducks to kill for dinner that night.  I stopped and thought, "could I do that?" "could I take a cleaver and cut the duck's head off?"  

The answer was no.  

I decided then to stop meat and for a while I cut out all dairy and animal products (vegan basically).

How did I feel?

Honestly, I felt better morally but physically I felt a bit willowy is the best word to describe it.  I didn't feel as solid in myself so I added in eggs and cheese and I felt 'solid' again.

I've carried on that way for maybe 4 months now - I still wonder about eating cheese and having watched the above I will look into alternative sources to reduce the amount of dairy I take. (And yes it can be challenging when going out to eat)

Why? Why do I and so many others want to eat this way?  

We can all find research for our own beliefs and whether meat is good for us, we have carnivorous teeth and our digestive system is designed to be able to digest meat as well as plants.

But that's not the point - or at least not for me.  

My point and stand is that we don't need to keep animals or slaughter them in the way we do and we are destroying the planet with the amount of meat we produce.  If I ever go out and kill something by my own hand to eat, I would - that's the how we evolved; as hunters.  Shopping in a supermarket (for the cheapest price) is not hunting.

I know plenty reading this won't agree and that's fine, we all make our own choices and we can all live together with differing opinions!

I personally think if we stopped and thought a little more about where our food comes from, how it is treated, and consider the fact that it is a sentient being and how we treat it is a reflection on us as human beings; maybe we wouldn't eat as much or only go to sources that are 'kinder' (yes I appreciate it costs more)....

I also watched the Blue Planet - what a stunning documentary and what an amazing planet we live on.  

I wonder how this planet will be in 50 years time if we continue the way we do - I might still be about to see.  Why should I care though when I'm not going to be here eventually??  Excellent question!!!  My best answer is because if we all cared a little more, maybe we'd have less wars, less suffering and more compassion and understanding for all beings.  It will never be eradicated I know that, my glasses aren't that rose tinted - but a little less would surely be a better way to live?

I am often a little nervous when I voice my opinions about controversial topics, I am not aiming to preach at all - as I said we are all free to make our own choice, and I am choosing to put my thoughts out there.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and as always I am open to comments and love to discuss these sorts of topics!

Time to Move!!

As Christmas approaches and we can all get a little lazy (me included.....) - it's so easy to stop moving.

Wherever you are you can still do something to keep good form and alignment and awareness in your body, and here's a wee video for you to do that!

A 20 min workout done in the space of a towel - easy to do anywhere, no props except you - all joints moved and at the end an integrated body and mind.

As I watched it, I can see some of my own alignment and instabilities show, when I do the leg circles with my left leg (the one that was affected when I had a slipped disc) I can see that my pelvic rocks too much, in other moves my head isn't quite where it should be (the story of my life... lol)...  So it was great to see myself as well as put this out there for you to follow.

The sound quality is a bit off, I am after all outside on a windy day - but you can still hear!

 I hope it invigorates you, gives you something achievable to do most days and I'll post another next week.

If you want to make it longer, simply add more repetitions of each move!!

Thanks and keep moving!!


The sequence;

roll down
walk out to sprawl
Down dog to 3 legged dog, open hip
3 legged dog to lunge - vary each one
lie on belly, chest lift  ;  leg lift  ; everything up!
side lie - top leg movement, add bottom leg too, keep pelvis still and move it - play!
banana - legs and arms up - wobble and balance
other side
lie on back 
active straight leg raise - load blow go, 1234 core (thanks Robin Kerr)
bend knees - head lift to curl (thanks Kathy Grant/Cara Reeser)
marching 
scissors / single straight leg stretch
leg circles 1 and 2 - in 2 move the pelvis as leg crosses over
bridge/slant board (thanks Kathy Grant)
hold bridge - leg lift
hands behind - lift butt
hold butt up and tricep dips
turn to all fours
cat stretch
opposite arm and leg lift - to Jane Fonda (thanks Kathy Grant)
same arm and leg - turn to star
plank to side plank
lie on side 
pin wheel (bliss)
all fours funky cat
down dog and walk hands to feet
roll and stand up

feel the difference a short workout makes!
​

We use too much plastic, and I don’t think there can be any debate about it - the statistics and research and state of the seas show us.  I wanted to do some photos depicting the use of plastic - artistic but with a message - not too in your face but there.  I put the idea to a couple of photographera I know and I started to collect plastic.  I was shocked at how easy it was to fill a big black bag, seeing how much was I using when I try to use less.

It’s difficult though - buying some fruits, they are wrapped up, if the veg is loose I keep it loose and not use a plastic bag.  But then there’s the sticker for the bar code - more waste.

I take my own cup to the cafe, after realising how many take away cups I used - it was horrific.  And they don’t break down either.  Plastic cup then plastic straw.  

I watch people at Hawker stalls - polystyrene cup, plastic bag to hold it in and a straw - all thrown away.  And a polystyrene tray in a plastic bag, with plastic knives and forks - binned.

Why is it so hard for us to not do this.  Have a life of a little less convenience but more consideration. 

I was running down the park and kept seeing bottles and started to pick them up and throw away.  One stretch of the beach was awful so I got a bag and filled it.  Does this get washed up, or discarded by BBQers or campers?  And again - why?  Why is it difficult to leave a place tidy and not take rubbish away?

The problem is twofold, the amount we use and then how we leave it.

As we enter the silly season of gift giving - do you need that carrier bag??  Card writing  - I just wrote my envelopes in pencil so they can be reused…. and wrapping presents - how about old magazines or newspaper?  It is easy to get totally carried away and not see how much waste we produce.  I am not saying to not do it, not at all - but possibly with a little more thought behind the why….

The photo shoot took place down at the beach in a quietish area, and I dumped by plastic all around and then lay in it.  It was quite eye opening to be surrounded by it all - and to think that is how some people in the world live.  It made me stop and think more about my usage and what can I about it?  I wish I had more solutions than I do….  As I wandered into the water, there was something yellow floating at the bottom - the sign I am holding.  What an amazing coincidence - mother Earth with me that day… 

After the shoot, we packed it all up, collected what I had taken and as much else as we could from the area - shoes, ice lolly plastic things, polystyrene trays, knives forks, and those little plastic drink things that you pop a straw through the top….  So many of them and so much waste.

My aim is to be more mindful myself of what I use, do the best I can.  I use too much paper I know that, the cards I make are on recycled or FSC paper - but otherwise I know I use more than I need and is good for the planet.   It goes on and on, the impact of everything we do, but if we do our utmost to minimise wherever we can - those small things do add up and can create a huge impact.

Please share this, think more about your own consumption, play your part in leaving this planet more beautiful than when you arrived for future generations.  

Thank you

Some statistics.

UK : The number of disposable cups thrown away has exploded to an estimated 2.5 billion a year, or around 5,000 every minute.  5000 EVERY MINUTE….
4 Billion Starbucks To-Go Cups Thrown Away Each Year
Australians use an estimated 1 billion cups each year
And that’s just cups let alone, straws, supermarket plastic waste and on and on….
About 300 million tons of plastic is produced globally each year. Only about 10 percent of that is recycled. Of the plastic that is simply trashed, an estimated seven million tons ends up in the sea each year.

It takes up to 500 years to decompose plastic items in landfills.

Different kinds of plastic can degrade at different times, but the average time for a plastic bottle to completely degrade is at least 450 years. It can even take some bottles 1000 years to biodegrade! That's a long time for even the smallest bottle.
One out of every ten items picked up in an International Coastal Cleanup in 2009 was a plastic bag. And this makes plastic bags the second most common kind of waste item found in that coastal cleanup.
Almost 8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the world's oceans annually.
The plastic waste that is thrown away into seas every year can kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures.

​

A super speedy snippet of what I get up to in my playground!..  

I do a mix of movements, 10, 15, 20 repetitions or run round the ground, jump up to touch the monkey bars, crawl, push ups, planks, when I run off you might just make me out on the see-saw, I hold onto the handlebars and jump over.    

Some weeks it is more planned, or will include the trx or jump rope, other times it’s what comes to mind.    

Being in the profession I know lots of exercises I can do and push myself to where I want to (yes I probably would work harder in an organised class, the question is do I want to!!)…  It also keeps my brain active as I move which is important as it keeps me present. 

Do I get stuck and aren’t sure what to do sometimes - absolutely!!  And I get a bit bored too, want to stop early, go have a coffee!! But I set a target and I do it…

It’s getting into a routine that helps.  When I trained for triathlon it was easy - fixed planned, knowing what I was going to do each day and for 4 weeks. Now I work out with a huge amount of freedom it could be easy to not do it at all - but being healthy and moving and getting my heart pumping is important to me and it is the perfect balance to the fact I love a glass of wine and chocolate….

I’m figuring out my see saw !

Feel free to contact me for training tips or questions that you might have..!!  www.f-cubed.net/contact.html

​Thanks