I've been going to physical therapy for my legs, as promised I would do. This past Friday, the gal was in who could take a look at whether orthotics would be useful for me.
While she did find some stuff with my left foot that makes it useful, the big deal was when I was on the treadmill. Walking along... doing just fine. She says to go ahead & speed up and run. I do so. Nearly immediately she says, "You're running on the balls of your feet!"
Okay. What does that mean?
Well, mainly it means that I'm making my calves do all the work. No wonder they hurt so badly. And that it's a by-product of years of playing hoops, where you pretty much spend all your time on the balls of your feet.
On the upside, this makes total sense and happily, it's within my control. On the downside, this means that I have to retrain a 20+ year bad habit. Oh, that'll be easy. Right.
But I'm so ecstatic to have someone look at this and be able to see what's going on. Inspirational work, for sure!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wanderlust
A year ago, I was on the verge of leaving for four weeks. I find this year I have serious, serious wanderlust... why is it I'm not leaving for 4 weeks again this year? Hmmm??? Damn the American vacation system.
Well, there's always next year, and that also gives me time to save up for a longer trip. I'm definitely about the bright shiny objects when it comes to traveling... the list is long of where I'd like to go. Mostly Europe, some Asia, South Pacific, Australia/New Zealand, and all sorts of weird places that normal tourists don't think about.
Two places that seem to be the brightest shiny objects right now:
The UK & Ireland... I really want to get to Wales, to Scotland, southern Ireland, differents parts of England... I'd really like to go live there for about a year, that should give me the time. But I think I could narrow it and make a good start in, say, a month.
The Iron Curtain Biking Trail. They took the border and turned it into a bike trail. Condition of that road seems to vary, but it's so new, it's hard even to get decent info on it. As usual, the Germans seem to be first off the mark. In other place, it seems more like they've taken down the border, but haven't necessary made a touring-bike worthy path. Still, I salivate thinking about it: the whole thing is about 3,000 miles long, and goes from well in the arctic circle, in Norway, down the length of Finland, along the coast of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, through Poland, along the German-German border, down between Austria and the Czech Republic and Hungary; and then on into Bulgaria and Romania and I think Slovenia before popping on into Greece. I know I don't have time to do the whole thing... but my god, that would be fun.
And then lurking behind them both is Iceland. That'd be interesting too...
Sigh. Well, there's a long winter ahead of me... long time to dream.
Well, there's always next year, and that also gives me time to save up for a longer trip. I'm definitely about the bright shiny objects when it comes to traveling... the list is long of where I'd like to go. Mostly Europe, some Asia, South Pacific, Australia/New Zealand, and all sorts of weird places that normal tourists don't think about.
Two places that seem to be the brightest shiny objects right now:
The UK & Ireland... I really want to get to Wales, to Scotland, southern Ireland, differents parts of England... I'd really like to go live there for about a year, that should give me the time. But I think I could narrow it and make a good start in, say, a month.
The Iron Curtain Biking Trail. They took the border and turned it into a bike trail. Condition of that road seems to vary, but it's so new, it's hard even to get decent info on it. As usual, the Germans seem to be first off the mark. In other place, it seems more like they've taken down the border, but haven't necessary made a touring-bike worthy path. Still, I salivate thinking about it: the whole thing is about 3,000 miles long, and goes from well in the arctic circle, in Norway, down the length of Finland, along the coast of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, through Poland, along the German-German border, down between Austria and the Czech Republic and Hungary; and then on into Bulgaria and Romania and I think Slovenia before popping on into Greece. I know I don't have time to do the whole thing... but my god, that would be fun.
And then lurking behind them both is Iceland. That'd be interesting too...
Sigh. Well, there's a long winter ahead of me... long time to dream.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Soundtrack of our Lives
I've had my iPod on shuffle for the last while, which I don't normally do. As songs I don't usually play come up, it's been interesting what memories have been called forth as to time & place. I think there's a time when we enter into music that the associations are very strong - through junior high, high school, probably college - and then music forms a background more, but can still be strongly associated with a time, place, or person (or all three).
Modest Mouse is a band from Issaquah, Washington. When I was in Dublin, Ireland in 2004, we were walking down one of the main streets downtown, and a music store was blasting "Float On" from Modest Mouse. Hunh, here I am in Dublin, listening to a local band. Everytime I hear that song, I think of Ireland.
John Fahrnam - You're the Voice - Australia, 1987
George Michael - I want your sex - Australia, 1987
And a few other songs from a tape I've since lost (Australia 1987 Hits!). The George Michael tune was one we sang, every chance we got... I have no idea why. Not really the song I'd choose, after all. John Fahrnam was "major" down under at the time, though he never really broke through here. There were some other cheeky songs from that tape - Midnight Blue, Boom Boom Boom (let's go back to my room) and Male Stripper... hmm. I suppose some evidence that just because the songs are about sex, doesn't mean the kids are, at least not for me.
There's a whole lotta songs from my road trip last summer, but I think the one that most summed it up was Death Cab for Cutie's "Summer Skin." The distinctive drum line, and the tale of a romance that ended with the summer... it wasn't a romance, but definitely a transition point in my life.
"Walk Out to Winter" by Aztec Camera
8th grade. A moment of strength. An awesome teacher who helped us be ourselves. Walking around the North End of Tacoma in a plaid shirt my aunt had sent me and a blue jean mini-skirt in November. And listening to Aztec Camera!
"A Sort of Homecoming" by U2
Senior year basketball, driving myself to games in the dark, last song I'd listen to before I'd go in.
"Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club
Seeing Boy George in Budapest in 1993. Singing Culture Club songs the rest of the weekend with Mike George. The snow finally melting and it warming up. One of the happiest weekends of my life.
"I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz
This summer at Goldmine. Even if it's more of a romantic bent, it still was a good summary of what we all meant to one another.
Any song off of the Blue Nile's Hats
A rather romantic rainy afternoon in central London with a nursing student I'd met in a Dresden youth hostel...
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
A youth hostel in Tubingen, Germany, on a very hot night (windows open) with a bunch of drunk Germans singing this song incessantly across the river.
"Say Hey I Love You" by Michael Franti
Dancing with my niece in May, and her looking at my like I'm slightly nuts, but dancing along anyway and having fun.
Counting Crows, August & Everything After
Indigo Girls, Swamp Ophelia
Prague, 1994-1995. We had a Discman; listened to both of these albums way, way, way too much. (Choices were limited.)
"Come to Jesus" by Mindy Smith.
"Mindy Smith? You know Mindy Smith?" "Yeah - you know Mindy Smith?"
Depeche Mode, 101 (live)
Germany, 1990, the wall was down, Germany won the World Cup, and it was a really good time to be there.
"Stand or Fall" by the Fixx
"Russians" by Sting
A jumble of things... the 80s, and a certain socio-political outlook. The first concert I ever went to (The Fixx/Moody Blues).
"Lights" by Journey
Freshman year of college, everyone else knew it except me, and they were all singing along... it was like being serenaded.
"No Souvenirs" by Melissa Etheridge
Coming home from Zion just before graduating college in 1994.
"Red Rain" by Peter Gabriel
Bratislava, July 1994. What a concert!
"Come Sail Away" by Styx
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
Strange combo, yes, but both shouted loudly by drunk people in my dorm room sophomore year. I definitely didn't know the latter song (then), and only vaguely knew the former...
"Gone Daddy Gone" by the Violent Femmes
What little punk's life would have been complete without the Violent Femmes?... how I miss the new wave era.
By no means complete; just a small sampling. Right now John Denver's "On the Road" is playing, another song from last summer's journey. The wanderlust is high, and the associations rampant... probably why I'm thinking about this so much.
Modest Mouse is a band from Issaquah, Washington. When I was in Dublin, Ireland in 2004, we were walking down one of the main streets downtown, and a music store was blasting "Float On" from Modest Mouse. Hunh, here I am in Dublin, listening to a local band. Everytime I hear that song, I think of Ireland.
John Fahrnam - You're the Voice - Australia, 1987
George Michael - I want your sex - Australia, 1987
And a few other songs from a tape I've since lost (Australia 1987 Hits!). The George Michael tune was one we sang, every chance we got... I have no idea why. Not really the song I'd choose, after all. John Fahrnam was "major" down under at the time, though he never really broke through here. There were some other cheeky songs from that tape - Midnight Blue, Boom Boom Boom (let's go back to my room) and Male Stripper... hmm. I suppose some evidence that just because the songs are about sex, doesn't mean the kids are, at least not for me.
There's a whole lotta songs from my road trip last summer, but I think the one that most summed it up was Death Cab for Cutie's "Summer Skin." The distinctive drum line, and the tale of a romance that ended with the summer... it wasn't a romance, but definitely a transition point in my life.
"Walk Out to Winter" by Aztec Camera
8th grade. A moment of strength. An awesome teacher who helped us be ourselves. Walking around the North End of Tacoma in a plaid shirt my aunt had sent me and a blue jean mini-skirt in November. And listening to Aztec Camera!
"A Sort of Homecoming" by U2
Senior year basketball, driving myself to games in the dark, last song I'd listen to before I'd go in.
"Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club
Seeing Boy George in Budapest in 1993. Singing Culture Club songs the rest of the weekend with Mike George. The snow finally melting and it warming up. One of the happiest weekends of my life.
"I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz
This summer at Goldmine. Even if it's more of a romantic bent, it still was a good summary of what we all meant to one another.
Any song off of the Blue Nile's Hats
A rather romantic rainy afternoon in central London with a nursing student I'd met in a Dresden youth hostel...
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
A youth hostel in Tubingen, Germany, on a very hot night (windows open) with a bunch of drunk Germans singing this song incessantly across the river.
"Say Hey I Love You" by Michael Franti
Dancing with my niece in May, and her looking at my like I'm slightly nuts, but dancing along anyway and having fun.
Counting Crows, August & Everything After
Indigo Girls, Swamp Ophelia
Prague, 1994-1995. We had a Discman; listened to both of these albums way, way, way too much. (Choices were limited.)
"Come to Jesus" by Mindy Smith.
"Mindy Smith? You know Mindy Smith?" "Yeah - you know Mindy Smith?"
Depeche Mode, 101 (live)
Germany, 1990, the wall was down, Germany won the World Cup, and it was a really good time to be there.
"Stand or Fall" by the Fixx
"Russians" by Sting
A jumble of things... the 80s, and a certain socio-political outlook. The first concert I ever went to (The Fixx/Moody Blues).
"Lights" by Journey
Freshman year of college, everyone else knew it except me, and they were all singing along... it was like being serenaded.
"No Souvenirs" by Melissa Etheridge
Coming home from Zion just before graduating college in 1994.
"Red Rain" by Peter Gabriel
Bratislava, July 1994. What a concert!
"Come Sail Away" by Styx
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
Strange combo, yes, but both shouted loudly by drunk people in my dorm room sophomore year. I definitely didn't know the latter song (then), and only vaguely knew the former...
"Gone Daddy Gone" by the Violent Femmes
What little punk's life would have been complete without the Violent Femmes?... how I miss the new wave era.
By no means complete; just a small sampling. Right now John Denver's "On the Road" is playing, another song from last summer's journey. The wanderlust is high, and the associations rampant... probably why I'm thinking about this so much.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
On a different note entirely...
Last summer I injured my achilles. I think I partly tore it. This was probably in late July or early August. I gave up the hoops for a few weeks, and went on my big trip - it was sore, but it seemed to get better. I haven't been a really consistent hoops player this year, so it hasn't been too big of a deal.
I played yesterday, and it was notably sore. Sore enough that by the end, I was contemplating sitting out... but finished it out. I have my physical on Thursday, figured I'd ask the doc about it then.
Today, for no particularly good reason, I felt the area around that achilles. Hmm. It does not feel the same as the other achilles. I find it weird that in the year since this has occurred, I've never thought to do that.
Well, going to the doctor on Thursday. Work to do!
I played yesterday, and it was notably sore. Sore enough that by the end, I was contemplating sitting out... but finished it out. I have my physical on Thursday, figured I'd ask the doc about it then.
Today, for no particularly good reason, I felt the area around that achilles. Hmm. It does not feel the same as the other achilles. I find it weird that in the year since this has occurred, I've never thought to do that.
Well, going to the doctor on Thursday. Work to do!
Prayers from Goldmine...
I got my Goldmine prayer book this past weekend, and am awed at some of the imagery within it. It's a pretty wonderful thing.
I wrote this prayer, which is more like a poem, or perhaps it is just a prayer of thanks for the experience:
I entered in to this heaven
In pain, hurting, broken.
I lay my burdens down;
I leave the world behind.
I am no longer alone.
In being vulnerable to those around me
I have grown strong
In leaping into the abyss
I have found a community to support me.
I give thanks to the universe
To the infinitely large and infinitely small universe
To the universe of us
And to the universe of me
For this space
For this blessing
For this healing
For this love.
Funniest prayer:
Swimming in the Mantra Rays
In the oceans
Can be calming
Think of the Mantra Ray
When you are so tired
That many dumb things
Are super Funny
Best line:
Love is the flame of my everyday chalice.
Best advice:
Don't confuse the edge of your rut with the horizon.
Many things one can learn when we share our wisdom.
I wrote this prayer, which is more like a poem, or perhaps it is just a prayer of thanks for the experience:
I entered in to this heaven
In pain, hurting, broken.
I lay my burdens down;
I leave the world behind.
I am no longer alone.
In being vulnerable to those around me
I have grown strong
In leaping into the abyss
I have found a community to support me.
I give thanks to the universe
To the infinitely large and infinitely small universe
To the universe of us
And to the universe of me
For this space
For this blessing
For this healing
For this love.
Funniest prayer:
Swimming in the Mantra Rays
In the oceans
Can be calming
Think of the Mantra Ray
When you are so tired
That many dumb things
Are super Funny
Best line:
Love is the flame of my everyday chalice.
Best advice:
Don't confuse the edge of your rut with the horizon.
Many things one can learn when we share our wisdom.
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