Muffin HQ

Monday was my birthday, I turned the big three five. Yeah, I am old, older than dirt. Salaud was kind enough to coordinate his trip to fly in the day before my birthday and spend his week here in Portland before going back to the east coast and starting year two of law school. Sunday was fun, we had a bunch of friends at the house, catching up, hearing stories about the chinese toilet and I was showing off my standing bow pulling pose. My pose does not look as good as the link, but you all get the idea right? Monday, we ran around town in the evening, going to two different Mac stores, which conveniently placed us inside the mall. I hate the mall, but I love their Sanrio store. Salaud bought me to get my some stickers, a nail file (don’t ask, just know its cute) and temporary tattoos. Wearing the Hello Kitty tattoo makes me want to get a real one! Wednesday night, I played softball with the same group that I’ve been playing with these last couple of years. Sacha was so sweet, she made some delicious zucchini bread and brought me a Hello Kitty candy. Serhan and Seden brought a box of voodoo donuts. I don’t think the donuts were birthday related but it didn’t cut into my enjoyment of a jelly donut. During thursday’s class, we sang Happy Birthday during triangle for Candace, a fellow bikram yogi. Chai also revealed to us that her birthday was last week. I guess the Leos like it hot.

So generally speaking, its been a mellow, easy week. Went to yoga class everyday except wednesday. Can’t remember why I skipped? Oh and for anyone who wonders why I don’t like my birthday (though I am softening in my old age), when I was a teen to 20’s, the transition between summer and fall was always very traumatic. When I think of all the craziness in my life, growing up in NYC, I was usually having a tough time with life around this time of year. Every year without fail, something would be going on that posed challenges to my peace. My inclination is to hide. I think I am learning to cope better as I get older. Big three five. That is old.

Here is a photo of the tattoo, Hello Kitty in a geisha outfit, flowers in the background. What do you think? Tattoo? Hello Kitty tattoo? I love nerds tattoo? Its all good.

I’ve noticed a little trend recently. I blogged about my legs being sore and tight and the next day it goes back to “normal”. In the last two weeks, I also realize that it is softball that is tweaking my legs and that yoga before and after game nights helps tremendously. Like washing the slate clean.

A few blog posts back, I complained about a lady in my studio who would not quit talking to me, especially before class starts when I am laying in savasana. After the public rant fest, she stopped talking to me. She hasn’t stopped *talking*, I see her harass other bikram practitioners before and after class, but for whatever reason, she is leaving me alone.

So here is my wisdom for this weekend. Complain, complain, complain, cuz the universe will hear you and things will fall back into place from your whining.

I was inspired to write a little about my legs, mostly because of Sweat’s awesome blog where he asked about classes and I complained about my legs. I post my story so that maybe some of you all can weigh in and shed some light on my leggy issue.

I have found in the last two weeks, my balance is worse than ever and my knees are “tight”. Last time I was having knee issues, my chiropractor aka magician, tweaked my knees, legs and back muscles. I walked out of her clinic with the knees of a new born baby. Wow, what a difference. I also demonstrated a few poses for her and got some great bio-mechanical advice that only a pro chiropractor/structural expert can give. For example, I learned that my feet were too far apart in awkward pose, and possibly contributing to my previous knee issue. This was a few months ago. Fast forward to the last two weeks. My balance is terrible, knees are tight, but not terrible, hamstrings and leg/thigh muscles are fine, feet and ankles are tight and some yoga poses are really intense.

So looking at what else is going on in my life….biking daily, now more because I don’t have a job and not tied to desk (thanks Obama!). Playing softball once a week, it requires some sprinting from base to base and bending cuz I play catcher. I must admit, I really enjoy cycling and softball and I am not going to stop either activity.

Back to my legs, not sure what to make of it all. No sharp pains, just feeling like there is *something* happening and I can only hope that it is good movement and I am not making it worse. I have terribly flat feet and I know that is part of the balance issue. I’ve never had great balance, even out of the studio, I am bit clutzy.

One more thing about the ankle, I fractured my right ankle back in 2003 from a bike accident. It was a small fracture and it healed quickly. I know some of the ankle tightness is from that and generally weak ankles. Fixed firm is wonderful and hard for my ankles.

Anyway, not sure what I am looking for when I put this all out there. maybe somehow the universe will hear my rant and go easy on my body.

Nedonna beach is a crazy with driftwood. The landscape looks and feels a little like post-apocalyptic Mad Max with all the beautiful driftwood strewn around.

Because of all the available resources, creative people have built shelters on the beach. The picture below is a little hobbit-like shelter with a covered area to the right. I got in and felt very comfortable and safe inside the hobbit house.

Another driftwood structure, a bar on the beach. We found an empty PBR can and posed with it. My camera didn’t get any of those images but you all get the idea right?

Best part about Nedonna beach was how deserted it is. I hope to go back soon! Hint hint, drive my ass out there!

Its been a hot week. Really hot. Stores were closing early because of the heat and lack of foot traffic. Sounds similar to what we experienced back in December with all the snow. I had to be reminded to not demonize the heat.

I found the heat to be more tolerable than previous years and I want to credit the yoga. I kept up a daily practice this week and biked all over town like I any other day. I did consider taking the bus tuesday evening to yoga class, but ended up using the “wet t-shirt” trick. Basics are, you soak a long sleeve cotton t-shirt with cold water and then put it on. It kept me cool, too cool, I barely broke a sweat. Also keeps the sun off your skin and no need to put chemical sunscreen on your body. It is absolutely brilliant.

Yoga, hmmm, its been a mixed bag this week. I had awesome/strong/focused classes on Monday (6am), Wednesday (9:30am) and Friday (6:30pm). Had awful/distracted classes on Tuesday (6:30pm) and Thursday (4:30pm). Friday was the best class of the week, getting compliments and making improvements on some of the postures. I felt so strong and flexible. Sometimes I consider going every other day, may try it one week soon. But for now, I am loving the daily practice. Oh, and in regards to the heat, it is easier to take a class when the temperatures inside and outside are the same. I find that the hardest, can’t deal with the heat classes are the evening classes where the outside temps are in the 90’s and the humidity has gotten higher as the day progressed. Don’t be afraid to do yoga or any activity in the heat, just stay well hydrated! My advice for everything!

During this week’s softball game (in 106 degree temps, no shade), I realized that my mild left wrist tweak is probably from softball. I know locust pose is helping with the wrist injury, and the yoga totally makes a difference in soreness and game performance. During my volunteer shift at Brooklyn Community Acupuncture clinic this morning, the acupuncturist working there placed 4 needles on my arm. Hopefully, there will be some noticable healing this evening. Oh and my neck? I woke up Sunday morning with awful neck pain. Got an acupuncture treatment Sunday and Monday from Maria at BCA and my neck is almost 90% back to normal. So awesome.