May 1, 2009
The entrance to the yoga studio is around the back. A gate leads from a narrow, dimly lit tarred walkway to a bright sculpted garden by the door. Spiky iris, feathery poppy, and the red stalks that will be peonies sprout through the soil, lovingly tended. It’s hard not to smile on my way in to class. I pass the plot of healthy spring plants on my way back down that path. Something in the shadows catches my eye. Springing forth not from loam but from pavement, surrounded by gray, is a lone flower. It’s determination makes me smile all the way into my heart, where a haiku forms. A blue hyacinth Pokes through an asphalt alley Reaching toward the light On my next visit to the studio, I won’t hurry toward the lush, sunny garden in back any more. I ease past what is a reminder that when I […]
April 24, 2009
Two additional non-protein food groups need mention: 1) Chocolate: I didn’t list it among the PDQ snacks. Silly me. It’s a given – the darker, the better. 2) Rice milk: All the calcium and none of the protein make this a real find for my refrigerator. I’ve yet to drink a glassful, so I can’t attest to it as a chaser after a few Oreos. But, it’s just right over a bowl of cereal. It’s nice to be able to increase the breakfast menu beyond toast and fruit.
April 8, 2009
During spin class the other day, the instructor grinned as she relayed that regular aerobic exercise can increase our metabolisms by thirty percent. Spin two or three times a week, she said, and we’ll burn more calories even while we’re asleep. NO! I already wake up to a growling stomach at 3:00 am, I thought. The music pulsed and I kept rhythm with my feet, circling at a quick pace. My mind, however, was caught up in the whether I’d be able to keep up that ridiculous cadence without passing out from hunger. Some nights, I go to bed with a little twinge telling me that dinner was too long ago. Besides, once I’ve brushed my teeth; that’s it. I’m not going deal with flossing a second time in one night. As the beat slowed – the signal for an uphill – I stood in the pedals. The teacher was […]