I have this to say about that.
Think long and hard before getting tattooed on your ribcage or belly. That is all.
October 2011
53 posts
September 2011
53 posts
Melinda
Stan Getz
“Melinda,” from Stan Getz and Bill Evans. Circa 1960? Somewhere between a hot bath, a phone call from your lover, and the best glass of Bordeaux you ever had.
Okay.
Thanks for sitting through the pinkwashing vitriol yesterday. It boils down to technicalities, as usual.
Komen: “The perfume we are selling contains no chemicals that elevate cancer risk. We are not at fault.”
Breast Cancer Action: “Komen is selling a perfume that contains harmful chemicals banned by the International Fragrance Association, and they are selling it under the guise of ending disease.”
KomenWatch says it best:
“Komen’s words and actions speak loudly: they are a pseudo-corporation intent on keeping itself in business by marketing pink lifestyle products under the global brand of breast cancer.”
The big C. So trendy, doncha think?
Vegerrific
So far so good with getting veggies into every meal, but the chaos factor is so high. I’ve been running home at lunch to cook (because I run out of time in the morning to cook lunch because I’m cooking breakfast), and my kitchen looks like a dirty dish bomb exploded in it.
Trying to refine as I go?
I have no counter space to speak of. Maybe this weekend I’ll run out and get a utility table and just set it up in that open space. Might help stage things a bit.
Mis en place in my dreams.
Pinkwashing
I’ve written about this product before. Please tell Susan G. Komen for the Cure that they’ve got their heads up their collective asses by selling this product. It’s harmful (i.e., contains regulated chemicals that people should not ingest or put on their bodies), and only a small portion of each sale will be donated to any breast cancer cause.
Stay classy, Komen.
Lino's diagnosis.
Overtraining. Stop trying to lift so heavy, he says.
I’m transferring work my abdominal muscles should be doing (but can’t, because I’m lifting to heavy too often) to my hip flexors. Hip flexors get tight, piriformis muscles get tight, then it’s all generalized hip discomfort and a restricted ability to lift heavy at all.
And I buy that. He definitely worked his magic, and I’m feeling better. He gave me a couple of (very) targeted stretches to do (ow), and encouraged me to do more planks to make sure my core is kicking more during every lift.
And that plays out. I am roughly 30 pounds behind where I used to be for deadlifts (can’t get past 175, used to be able to lift comfortably from 185 - 205) and rear squats (can’t get past about 130; used to lift from 150 - 165).
So. I’ll talk with my trainer tonight and we’ll work out slower progressions, and more cautious jumps in weight.
Tumblr Lands $85 Million in Funding →
bits.blogs.nytimes.com
Tumblr may still not know what it is, but that doesn’t seem to be hurting its business any. Haphazard curation for the win.
“Waste no time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
—Marcus Aurelius (via fcb4)
A virus can be trained to kill cancer cells. →
rawstory.com
Just research at this point, but excellent results. Anything that may allow someone to forgo chemotherapy and radiation is thrilling, in my book. We are so close to a “cure.”
Food
Trying to be more low carb, even a little primal/paleo. Eggs for breakfast, goat milk in my tea. Lunch was sauteed kale and onions with chicken. Red pepper flakes. Tamari.
Baby steps.
Chicken and egg.
When I get angry, I start keeping score.
When I start keeping score, I get angry.
Stepping away from the scorecard…
I'd like to like my clothes.
You know. Find and wear clothes that do not feel like adversaries when I put them on.
Between hating shopping, my height, my weight and underlying muscle, the finding part is going to be the most difficult phase.
However, before finding will be finding someone who does good alterations.
You wanna what now? Tough Mudder spectating.
Watching friends run/tackle/swim/crawl the Tough Mudder on Sunday was humbling. And exhilarating. I can’t imagine ever saying yes to the challenges of this event, and there they were, throwing themselves at it. They trained hard and long to be ready for yesterday. And they made it through without breaking anything (although I wonder if they can move today). nonosays, mrplanet4, dizzyburner: you are amazing, and it was an honor. One hell of a commitment. You inspire me.
Not only did I manage to get there to see everyone off at the start, I got to see the sun rise at Clipper Gap, and morning mist on Donner Lake (I see that stretch of highway at all hours of the day and night, and have never seen the sun rise in my own home town; go fig).
I forget what a beautiful part of the world Lake Tahoe is. I joined sarabellae and her two boys for the day, and we tried as best we could to follow our friends during the event. We rode the cable car over sheer cliffs and seemingly into nowhere, yet higher on the mountain. 8,000+ feet of altitude and views of Lake Tahoe will make you remember there is still great good in the world.
It’s not really a race, not really a competition. I’m sure that sets a lot of the participants sideways, as there were a great many finely-tuned human machines in the mix. So many fit humans. I’d never seen so many so close together. Still. There were obstacles you couldn’t surmount without the help of other participants, and that was just as exciting and restorative to watch.
My experience as a spectator was different too, informed by my own training. As I watched people at the obstacles, my heart raced and I held my breath, breaking out in little sweats. The psychological challenge of each obstacle was intense, and written on everyone’s face; watching people negotiate the struggles was an equally sympathetic experience for me. It was like I could hear their muscles and minds screaming at each other at some points.
A gorgeous, amazing day.
A Woman's Gotta Have It
Bobby Womack
That is, if you wanna keep your thing together.
Top 10 Myths about Introverts →
carlkingcreative.com
Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
“Yeah I’m kind of caught between a Mr. Right rock and a Mr. Right Now hard place.”
—Me
Dear Self
I’m sorry I haven’t been a very good partner to you lately. It’s been crazy getting to and from Burning Man, and you deserve better treatment from me.
I know there’s a lot that needs doing. I haven’t finished cleaning up the Burning Man gear, it’s all over the house. And the car needs washing, and there’s no milk. I haven’t fixed the toilet seat either, and the floors haven’t been cleaned in over a month. I haven’t opened the mail. Or done the dishes. Or made that appointment for a mammogram. Or cooked you a sit-down meal since we came home. The laundry still isn’t done, the towels aren’t clean, and neither are the sheets.
You know how it is. Work takes up all of my day time, and my workouts wipe me out in the evening. Sometimes all I can do is come home, push the covers back, and go to bed. All the more so after the challenges of the desert.
And I didn’t move the car quick enough this morning, I’m so sorry about the parking ticket. I forgot it was Wednesday.
So. If you can, please forgive my shortcomings, and be patient with me. I don’t love you any less just because I can’t get it all done. It’s going to take me a while to get things back where you want them. And by a while, I mean maybe another three weeks or more.
At least we have each other, and the basics are covered. The rent and mortgage are paid. I did manage to put gas in the car, and I’m glad we have so many leftovers to feed us since we cooked so much before we left for the desert. That’s been really nice.
We’ll have our shit back together by Halloween, I promise.
In the meantime, thanks for hanging in there. I love you.
Play
Mammograms, diet and exercise will not end the epidemic. →
thinkbeforeyoupink.org
Like I said, you don’t get to choose. Let’s not fall prey to magical thinking.
“One of the ugly truths of breast cancer is that more than half of all breast cancers have no known cause and scientific evidence suggests that many cases are linked to exposure to environmental toxins.
This means that, even if a woman follows Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s CEO Nancy Brinker’s call to exercise, never smoke, reduce alcohol consumption, and control her weight, she may still get breast cancer.
Today the greatest risk for breast cancer is being a woman. In fact, a woman today has a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of getting breast cancer, up from 1 in 20 in the 1960s and 1 in 14 in the 1980s.”
You can’t shop your way to a cure, either. Before you buy a pink-ribbon product, do some research and make sure you aren’t being pinkwashed.
“The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.”
—Henri J.M. Nouwen
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