went for a bike ride on saturday - beautiful but chilly. should've worn the gloves with fingers. I found though, a lovely little path right in town that wandered through brush and trees and by a stream so perfectly.
today i went for a hike. up to the top of the mountain and down again. perhaps 3 miles? I have no idea. A quick jaunt up and back for a nice after-work afternoon. Thank you daylight savings time!
I found myself though, yearning to be one of those bikes I saw drawing itself up the mountain. How funny. How did I forget that I really like biking?
I know. I am not a cold weather biker - yet anyway. And there is no appeal to riding a stationary bike in a gym to stay in shape. So with time the appeal fades, and getting out the bike seems a chore, as it has been sitting unused and gathering dust. How sad.
What is the appeal? Smooth pavement flowing under your tires. The connection you feel to your body and machine as a gear change eases your effort. Wind rushing by your ears. Eye contact with a stranger, no need to talk. Pulling up and pushing down and seeing the world close enough to touch but far enough to keep at the distance you need so momentum continues.
Pushing hard up the hill - lungs hurt, legs pull, almost losing balance but - just making it over that last push. and then the descent - rolling rushing flowing blowing feeling of speed and freedom and ease and earned reward of rest.....that slow lee slows and eventually the pedaling begins again. So nice, so even. Just the right tension as one foot goes forward and the other pulls back. Not too hard and not too soft. Just right.
On the long flat stretches it may just be an impatience thing. How could I possibly walk all that way when it would be so much smoother and faster and slicker on my bike?
There is something though - to the walking. The something is the company. The talk that flows and the thoughts that are shared. These moments. The laughter and the openness. This is where connections are forged and friendships grown. For that, I love the walking. In the woods or on the walkways and streets, conversations over time. That's one thing the bikes don't always allow, at least not on the roads.
As with everything in this world - everything in moderation. The bike some days, walking others. Feed both the monsters. :-)
no editing, no rereading. just posting.
Showing posts with label the best. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the best. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Last night....talkin' bout last night
What a day-slash-week this has been. It was so busy and crazy and slightly broken and I forgot sometimes how good I have things.
Well, my dad's birthday was yesterday. He turned the ripe old age of 71. And he doesn't look it or act it. It's pretty incredible. Most folks figure him in the 60-65 range. These days though he talks like he feels old as the hills. The hills are sooooooooooo much older than he is.
It's this time in his life. For the past few years people have been dying and it's depressing. I know it must be so depressing. He is healthy and strong but has felt this fear. He needs to escape for a bit and realize that he isn't there yet. He will have his time. But, you can tell when you look at an old person that they aren't here for long. And he is not THERE yet. I worry that he won't get happy again and that makes me sad. He's got so much to enjoy I want him to enjoy it. He probably has 15 good years and a couple crappy really unhealthy ones. But if stays down like this, that won't happen. Attitude is such a strong determining factor. Most of all, I want him around to meet the kids i have someday, selfish girl that I am.
Anyway, an excellent man and family friend died recently. The funeral was scheduled for, of course, Dad's BIRTHDAY. Argh! How ironic, right? So we had made some birthday plans before we heard about this but it kind of took the wind out of the celebration plans for him. Oh, they guy was 10 years older than dad and had lung cancer.
Anyway, he and mom decided we'd go to cirque de soleil in a couple of weeks instead of getting together for the actual birthday. I thought that sounded quite excellent, but also thought he still needed a bday fiesta of sorts. Cville Yoga Buddy had already planned to visit them that night and she decided to bring a giant and wonderful german chocolate cake. We collaborated on timing once I knew their schedule.
Then I called r'noke Gym Buddy early Friday morning with the absurd suggestion that she ride with me to c'ville, spend a few hours with my family, and then ride home again all in one night. Not only did she agree to come along: she agreed with a happy eagerness that touched my heart. And we had a great time. We talked and laughed the whole way there and back, deep and meaningful, shallow and silly and once again I realized how lucky I am. How many people have as many deep and powerful relationships as I have had in my lifetime. I am so freakin' rich with lovely strong intelligent women!
Anyway, when I started writing I wanted to get around to the craziness of my week: windstorm and canceled school festival, adding another school and changing my schedule, being given conflicting directions to enforce cancellation of a school program, principal observation with a schedule change and no planning, and a crazy crick in my neck creating pain for an entire week. Work has definitely been the low place in my life these days.
But then one night with friends who are willing to spend hours with my parents because it is important to me reminded me of what's really important. Thanks ladies.
Well, my dad's birthday was yesterday. He turned the ripe old age of 71. And he doesn't look it or act it. It's pretty incredible. Most folks figure him in the 60-65 range. These days though he talks like he feels old as the hills. The hills are sooooooooooo much older than he is.
It's this time in his life. For the past few years people have been dying and it's depressing. I know it must be so depressing. He is healthy and strong but has felt this fear. He needs to escape for a bit and realize that he isn't there yet. He will have his time. But, you can tell when you look at an old person that they aren't here for long. And he is not THERE yet. I worry that he won't get happy again and that makes me sad. He's got so much to enjoy I want him to enjoy it. He probably has 15 good years and a couple crappy really unhealthy ones. But if stays down like this, that won't happen. Attitude is such a strong determining factor. Most of all, I want him around to meet the kids i have someday, selfish girl that I am.
Anyway, an excellent man and family friend died recently. The funeral was scheduled for, of course, Dad's BIRTHDAY. Argh! How ironic, right? So we had made some birthday plans before we heard about this but it kind of took the wind out of the celebration plans for him. Oh, they guy was 10 years older than dad and had lung cancer.
Anyway, he and mom decided we'd go to cirque de soleil in a couple of weeks instead of getting together for the actual birthday. I thought that sounded quite excellent, but also thought he still needed a bday fiesta of sorts. Cville Yoga Buddy had already planned to visit them that night and she decided to bring a giant and wonderful german chocolate cake. We collaborated on timing once I knew their schedule.
Then I called r'noke Gym Buddy early Friday morning with the absurd suggestion that she ride with me to c'ville, spend a few hours with my family, and then ride home again all in one night. Not only did she agree to come along: she agreed with a happy eagerness that touched my heart. And we had a great time. We talked and laughed the whole way there and back, deep and meaningful, shallow and silly and once again I realized how lucky I am. How many people have as many deep and powerful relationships as I have had in my lifetime. I am so freakin' rich with lovely strong intelligent women!
Anyway, when I started writing I wanted to get around to the craziness of my week: windstorm and canceled school festival, adding another school and changing my schedule, being given conflicting directions to enforce cancellation of a school program, principal observation with a schedule change and no planning, and a crazy crick in my neck creating pain for an entire week. Work has definitely been the low place in my life these days.
But then one night with friends who are willing to spend hours with my parents because it is important to me reminded me of what's really important. Thanks ladies.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
paradigm shift
I have always thought of myself as verbal (as you ALL know!) and perhaps a little ADD. I have trouble paying attention in class unless I am:
1) taking notes or
2) talking.
verbal, right? but then as I showered and wondered why i enjoyed that step class when it was so frustrating and fast i started to think....
...i remembered this dance class i took with my sister back in the late 80's or early 90's. It was hard but as we worked and learned it got better and that felt good. Then I remembered the dance classes I took in college (modern, african), the acting classes I loved and how physical they were, the swimming lessons I took early on saturdays in high school (i could already swim, i just wanted to get better), the salsa and the swing dances i have gotten into over the years.
I never realized how much I worked out in the past. Then I realized that I wasn't doing any of those things as a workout, but to learn them. Then it hit me - I like to learn through movement.
I am a kinesthetic learner.
I know, who cares, right? It's just a learning style. But this is groundbreaking for me. I always thought I learned by listening and then writing and talking. I do DO that, but I think I prefer moving around and doing something to talking about things. I think I channel that moving around energy into my voice, since that is all one gets to move most of the time.
How could I have never noticed this before? I mean, it is my job to figure out how my students learn and then present material to them in ways that is more easily accessible to them. How could I have missed this about myself? And more importantly: what does it mean for the future? How can I apply this new self-knowledge to improving things in my future?
I need to think about it more, but one thing is clear. I need to give this part of me more to feed on. I like moving and learning by doing. So I should do more of that.
well, I started this post days ago and then never came back to finish it. I will call it finished now and perhaps this will get me back into the swing of writing on the blog again. I want to keep writing here and so: I will.
1) taking notes or
2) talking.
verbal, right? but then as I showered and wondered why i enjoyed that step class when it was so frustrating and fast i started to think....
...i remembered this dance class i took with my sister back in the late 80's or early 90's. It was hard but as we worked and learned it got better and that felt good. Then I remembered the dance classes I took in college (modern, african), the acting classes I loved and how physical they were, the swimming lessons I took early on saturdays in high school (i could already swim, i just wanted to get better), the salsa and the swing dances i have gotten into over the years.
I never realized how much I worked out in the past. Then I realized that I wasn't doing any of those things as a workout, but to learn them. Then it hit me - I like to learn through movement.
I am a kinesthetic learner.
I know, who cares, right? It's just a learning style. But this is groundbreaking for me. I always thought I learned by listening and then writing and talking. I do DO that, but I think I prefer moving around and doing something to talking about things. I think I channel that moving around energy into my voice, since that is all one gets to move most of the time.
How could I have never noticed this before? I mean, it is my job to figure out how my students learn and then present material to them in ways that is more easily accessible to them. How could I have missed this about myself? And more importantly: what does it mean for the future? How can I apply this new self-knowledge to improving things in my future?
I need to think about it more, but one thing is clear. I need to give this part of me more to feed on. I like moving and learning by doing. So I should do more of that.
well, I started this post days ago and then never came back to finish it. I will call it finished now and perhaps this will get me back into the swing of writing on the blog again. I want to keep writing here and so: I will.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
BlueGrass New Years Eve - Last of 07
The short version (for those who don't want to read a whole lot):
Friends and I got together at my place, I drove the whole kit and caboodle (so they could drink) out to Floyd VA where we enjoyed mexican food, bluegrass music, high energy clog-dancing and noise-makers at midnight.
yeah, we are like that.
The long version:
I asked folks what they wanted to do for new years & got replies ranging from utter silence to "I don't know - what do you want to do?" Well, the multitudes spoke (by not arguing with H and I's idea) and plans were put into action.
I made a reservation at a nice place for dinner. We planned to walk down the street to see the bluegrass band after. Then I somehow figured out how $$$ that restaurant was. No way could we enjoy ourselves spending that much on a night with other things on the agenda too. So the search was on. A restaurant where we could eat at 8:15 near the Floyd Country Store. Floyd is a town, right? It couldn't be that hard, right? It's new years eve fer cryin' out loud. Right?
The folks at the Floyd Country Store were kind enough to tell me the names of some places, which lead to some interesting phone calls. I called:
a restaurant that closes at 8;
a restaurant that isn't open but thurs-sun (even closed on new years!),
a coffeeshop (no food).
Nothing. nada, zilch. zippo. uh oh...
So then I called the natural foods store. they deal with food, maybe they have some idea. So I asked them for advice. They told me about a new mexican place. Mexican! Sounds great AND cheap. Now how do I call to make sure they are open?
Not listed in information. Not on the internet (tangent story as I discover how many Floyd County bloggers referenced this new place - woah - we should call it Blog County). Wait - the natural foods store said the mexican place (El Charro) is near Under the Sun Gallery. So I call the gallery....
It rings long enough for me to worry (it is 4:56 at this point). Finally a lady answers....and she goes down the hall to the restaurant and asks for me. Yes they are open! Yes we can eat there! Yes and Yes and Yes! All is set. I make the confirmation calls and get ready for the evening.
Well, folks start to gather at my place round about 6:30 pm, voices and beverages flowing through my home, infusing it with life. This is what I love. Being together with friends. Low impact, comfortable. We pile into the car and head out, 39 miles on windy roads. (On a side-note here, I was NOT drinking, as I was driving.)
I aimed for but missed one raccoon (kidding - I simply vowed to sacrifice the raccoon instead of the car when worried voices wondered), only had to pull over once for gas and once for a bathroom stop. The stars shone down brilliant and strong as we drove along, anticipating whatever Floyd would offer us.
In Floyd, I followed the directions carefully:
Turn left.
Park your car.
I smile. There is only one intersection in Floyd. Wonder how I'd do if I moved somewhere like this...
We park behind H's car and descend into the restaurant where she awaits us, full of the news that the restaurant is too new to serve alcohol so it's a teetotaling new years for her. Flask bearing friends create whiskey-doctored cokes and her sobriety abates. We feel silly and young. I smile as I look around the table at these people I have gotten to know. This is our first new years as friends, but that seems impossible. Haven't we been together forever? I am in love with us, with our lives, our potential.
The food arrives: simple, fresh and good. I have the Favorita: a burrito, an enchilada, fresh guacamole, crisp lettuce, tangy winter tomato it's just perfectly what I needed. Much more than I needed. A. has a vegetarian special that could feed three. The table slowly quiets, and salsa music fills our conversational gaps...chefs (or cooks or dishwashers) grin slyly through the kitchen window as they watch us eat. I wonder what they are wondering as I grin and eat. I realize I have been dancing in my seat, but I don't stop.
Bellies full, we pay and wander outward, up the stairs, wondering what the bluegrass experience will yield. Two door down we find it, light and sound expanding out the door, we enter and experience the Floyd Country Store.
Not to drag the story on too terribly much longer, we cast our inhibitions to the wind and danced with abandon, copying the simpler dancers, respecting the fantastic ones. We meet two lovely ladies from Culpeper who chose to spend their new years here as well - slender, tall, intelligent; we recognize RC sat by them accidentally, but secretly I think karma is rewarding his kindnesses. Charmer that he is, we leave two email addresses, and 2 friends, richer (well, he does anyway).
Well, H and A and N felt the urge to leave a little early, but S and RC and I stayed through to the end. At one point I felt a little tired. One flatfoot dance later, my heart was pounding, the energy returned.
Last thoughts - Brave Rodney, missing many front teeth, wasn't at all concerned and continued to close-talk any willing (or not so willing!) dance partner. Eddie from somewhar jest down tha road 15 miles, the two women whose laughter carried far, far across the room into the night, the folks from AA who came simply cause they heard there was a nonalcoholic new years celebration, the sweet lady who jumped into the square dance melee when she saw I was without a partner, the cool kid with the cowboy boots and the crazy jumping/knee switching dance thing he did, at first wondering why everyone left the floor between songs until finally dancing and realizing how hard it actually is to do, kazoos and horns and organic sparkling pear juice at midnight.
Happy New Year, to my friends new and old.....much love and luck and space and time in 08 to simply be: happy
a little video for ya:
Friends and I got together at my place, I drove the whole kit and caboodle (so they could drink) out to Floyd VA where we enjoyed mexican food, bluegrass music, high energy clog-dancing and noise-makers at midnight.
yeah, we are like that.
The long version:
I asked folks what they wanted to do for new years & got replies ranging from utter silence to "I don't know - what do you want to do?" Well, the multitudes spoke (by not arguing with H and I's idea) and plans were put into action.
I made a reservation at a nice place for dinner. We planned to walk down the street to see the bluegrass band after. Then I somehow figured out how $$$ that restaurant was. No way could we enjoy ourselves spending that much on a night with other things on the agenda too. So the search was on. A restaurant where we could eat at 8:15 near the Floyd Country Store. Floyd is a town, right? It couldn't be that hard, right? It's new years eve fer cryin' out loud. Right?
The folks at the Floyd Country Store were kind enough to tell me the names of some places, which lead to some interesting phone calls. I called:
a restaurant that closes at 8;
a restaurant that isn't open but thurs-sun (even closed on new years!),
a coffeeshop (no food).
Nothing. nada, zilch. zippo. uh oh...
So then I called the natural foods store. they deal with food, maybe they have some idea. So I asked them for advice. They told me about a new mexican place. Mexican! Sounds great AND cheap. Now how do I call to make sure they are open?
Not listed in information. Not on the internet (tangent story as I discover how many Floyd County bloggers referenced this new place - woah - we should call it Blog County). Wait - the natural foods store said the mexican place (El Charro) is near Under the Sun Gallery. So I call the gallery....
It rings long enough for me to worry (it is 4:56 at this point). Finally a lady answers....and she goes down the hall to the restaurant and asks for me. Yes they are open! Yes we can eat there! Yes and Yes and Yes! All is set. I make the confirmation calls and get ready for the evening.
Well, folks start to gather at my place round about 6:30 pm, voices and beverages flowing through my home, infusing it with life. This is what I love. Being together with friends. Low impact, comfortable. We pile into the car and head out, 39 miles on windy roads. (On a side-note here, I was NOT drinking, as I was driving.)
I aimed for but missed one raccoon (kidding - I simply vowed to sacrifice the raccoon instead of the car when worried voices wondered), only had to pull over once for gas and once for a bathroom stop. The stars shone down brilliant and strong as we drove along, anticipating whatever Floyd would offer us.
In Floyd, I followed the directions carefully:
Turn left.
Park your car.
I smile. There is only one intersection in Floyd. Wonder how I'd do if I moved somewhere like this...
We park behind H's car and descend into the restaurant where she awaits us, full of the news that the restaurant is too new to serve alcohol so it's a teetotaling new years for her. Flask bearing friends create whiskey-doctored cokes and her sobriety abates. We feel silly and young. I smile as I look around the table at these people I have gotten to know. This is our first new years as friends, but that seems impossible. Haven't we been together forever? I am in love with us, with our lives, our potential.
The food arrives: simple, fresh and good. I have the Favorita: a burrito, an enchilada, fresh guacamole, crisp lettuce, tangy winter tomato it's just perfectly what I needed. Much more than I needed. A. has a vegetarian special that could feed three. The table slowly quiets, and salsa music fills our conversational gaps...chefs (or cooks or dishwashers) grin slyly through the kitchen window as they watch us eat. I wonder what they are wondering as I grin and eat. I realize I have been dancing in my seat, but I don't stop.
Bellies full, we pay and wander outward, up the stairs, wondering what the bluegrass experience will yield. Two door down we find it, light and sound expanding out the door, we enter and experience the Floyd Country Store.
Not to drag the story on too terribly much longer, we cast our inhibitions to the wind and danced with abandon, copying the simpler dancers, respecting the fantastic ones. We meet two lovely ladies from Culpeper who chose to spend their new years here as well - slender, tall, intelligent; we recognize RC sat by them accidentally, but secretly I think karma is rewarding his kindnesses. Charmer that he is, we leave two email addresses, and 2 friends, richer (well, he does anyway).
Well, H and A and N felt the urge to leave a little early, but S and RC and I stayed through to the end. At one point I felt a little tired. One flatfoot dance later, my heart was pounding, the energy returned.
Last thoughts - Brave Rodney, missing many front teeth, wasn't at all concerned and continued to close-talk any willing (or not so willing!) dance partner. Eddie from somewhar jest down tha road 15 miles, the two women whose laughter carried far, far across the room into the night, the folks from AA who came simply cause they heard there was a nonalcoholic new years celebration, the sweet lady who jumped into the square dance melee when she saw I was without a partner, the cool kid with the cowboy boots and the crazy jumping/knee switching dance thing he did, at first wondering why everyone left the floor between songs until finally dancing and realizing how hard it actually is to do, kazoos and horns and organic sparkling pear juice at midnight.
Happy New Year, to my friends new and old.....much love and luck and space and time in 08 to simply be: happy
a little video for ya:
Monday, November 19, 2007
i'm so excited
i planned a small sedate brunch at mom and dad's the day after thanksgiving to have a small group gathering with friends to celebrate my birthday with them.
Not a birthday party. Certainly not a ploy for gifts (no gifts, please)
and so many folks have contacted me who i haven't seen or heard from in so long, this is turning into quite a wonderfully interesting group. i didn't even think that folks might be visiting from places far and away. yay!
hopefully ma and pa won't mind too much - I think it'll top 10 people -
and so many
from so many
different parts of my life. old and now.
how very nice.
so far i have spoken to :
matt, nikki, kate, tay, c-dog (s/he's a secret), annaB, andrew, apple, jeremy, mom, pop, me...a nice gathering...
you come too?
*******************************************************************
Follow-up:
We ate, we talked, we watched movie, we sat around, we talked, we bonded, we advised, we thought, we laughed, we did what friends do. It was the best.
Not a birthday party. Certainly not a ploy for gifts (no gifts, please)
and so many folks have contacted me who i haven't seen or heard from in so long, this is turning into quite a wonderfully interesting group. i didn't even think that folks might be visiting from places far and away. yay!
hopefully ma and pa won't mind too much - I think it'll top 10 people -
and so many
from so many
different parts of my life. old and now.
how very nice.
so far i have spoken to :
matt, nikki, kate, tay, c-dog (s/he's a secret), annaB, andrew, apple, jeremy, mom, pop, me...a nice gathering...
you come too?
*******************************************************************
Follow-up:
We ate, we talked, we watched movie, we sat around, we talked, we bonded, we advised, we thought, we laughed, we did what friends do. It was the best.
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