Buh-bye February

 

Is it just me, or has this been the looongest short month? We've had cold, windy, snowy weather all over the country, the pandemic continues, and spring seems far away indeed.

But it hasn't been all bad! Here, in no certain order, are some of the good things about February 2021:

• My family is still happy, healthy, and hanging in there;
• Politics has simmered way down;
• The coronavirus numbers are dropping, and although it's still slow going, more at-risk people are getting vaccinated; 
• This month had some fun things to celebrate, including Black History, Valentine's Day, Lunar New Year, and Mardi Gras;
• I had time to read: The Truants, by Kate Weinberg; The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig; and I'm working on The Best of Me, by David Sedaris;
• I was able to meet with both my book club and critique group via Zoom;
• The days are getting longer;
• Chocolate (which goes without saying); 
• And last but certainly not least, my talented graphic designer friend is putting the finishing touches on the cover for the sequel to my novel, Passing Through. Look for more about this in March.

Maybe it will come in like a lion, but I'm still ready for a new month. 

What made February good for you?

Punchy McPunch Face

One of the fun things about having sons is ending up with all kinds of gadgets and gear around the house that my sister and I never had as kids. We played wild west and had pocket knives, but our toys skewed pretty heavily to Barbie dolls, baby dolls, ballerina dolls...you get the picture. We didn't have superheroes or Nerf guns. Or a punching bag.

It's been a few years now, and I don't quite remember how the Everlast 60-pound punching bag came to be a permanent resident in my home. One of the boys probably suggested it sounded like fun, and my husband is always game for a trip to the sporting goods store. It got semi-regular use for a while, but with both boys in college, it now hangs in the basement of my empty nest, largely neglected.

Strapping on cartoonishly large red gloves and flailing away isn't something I'd be keen to do in public, but safely away from interested onlookers, I felt brave enough to give it a try. After the briefest of online tutorials, I was ready to give it ago. As long as I didn't hurt myself, I figured the rest didn't really matter. It's not like I was going for style points.

I started with 5 minutes the first day and added a minute each day after. At first, I was little stiff the next morning, but that didn't last very long. And it also didn't take long for me to learn that it's fun to punch something that doesn't punch back. It's great stress relief, is good for balance, and builds muscle and bone strength, all of which are important things at this point in my life.

It goes without saying, but punching the heavy bag for a week didn't turn me into Rocky Balboa. It didn't even turn me into Rocky the Squirrel. My footwork is terrible, and my endurance has a ways to go. But it was surprisingly enjoyable, and that makes this week a Take It.

As Easy as Riding a Bike

When I was young, I rode my bike everywhere. That was back in the day before cell phones, when packs of kids roamed the neighborhoods on wheels, not returning home until it was too dark to see. When my boys were young, I rode with them--to school, to parks, to the pool, to Dairy Queen. Some of my favorite memories are of watching them lock up their little bikes at the elementary school bike racks before heading into class.

As they grew older and more independent, they rode off with their friends, and then drove off with their friends. Time passed, and I recently realized how seldom I get on my bike anymore. So the challenge this past week was to fit a daily ride into my schedule.

First of all, I didn't forget how, so maybe that old axiom is true, after all. And even though it was a hot week with some wild weather thrown in, which didn't make for ideal conditions, I was able to at least cruise around the neighborhood like an aimless teenager. I had hoped to make time for a longer ride, but circumstances conspired against me. I was, however, able to participate in a work ride to our local botanical garden, which was fun and different.

I really enjoyed my time on the bike this week. Being generally realistic, I know that I will never be one of those people who bikes everywhere--to work, to the market, to the movies. But that's okay. I live in a very bike-friendly community, and there are plenty of others around to pick up my slack. I'm also a fair-weather rider. If I think I might get struck by lightning, pelted by hailstones, slip on ice, or have to make headway straight into gale-force winds, no thanks. Nor will I ever be one of those bikers in stretchy shorts, because, well, a lot of reasons. But now I am newly inspired to head out on some of the 30+ miles of local trails more often.

This week is at least a more frequent Take It.

No-Buy July update:

I really had the urge to buy a bonsai tree from a van at a gas station, because how random is that? It seemed really funny to be able to say, "check out this bonsai I bought from a van at a gas station." But I didn't need a gas-station bonsai, and--surprise, surprise--it wasn't on my list. So I didn't buy it.

Have a good week!

Might As Well Jump

When I think back on my elementary school physical education classes, I picture a gym full of kids doing stuff like dodge ball and skipping rope. And jumping jacks, of course. Awkward, unsynchronized jumping jacks. I don't even remember learning how to do jumping jacks, they've been with me so long.

But from an exercise standpoint, there's no reason jumping jacks should be relegated to childhood PE class. As an exercise, they offer many benefits. They're aerobic, which is good for the heart. They're weight-bearing, which is good for the bones. They require coordination, which is good for the brain. And they use the sometimes-neglected abductor and adductor muscles in the hips and shoulders. These are the muscles that move a body part away and back toward the median line and help with strength, balance, and stability.

Jumping jacks are also free, they don't require much in the way of equipment, and they can be done in a variety of ways. So this week, I decided to channel my inner third-grader and make jumping jacks a regular part of my life.

I started with 50 and added 10 each day, ending at 110. I did them barefoot or wearing shoes, on a mini-tramp or on the floor, in sets spread out through the day or one big clump. I did them as stand-alones (jump-alones?) or as part of other workouts.

After a week, I discovered I'm a pretty big fan. Like many people, I often end up sitting more than I want to during the day. When I needed a break from working at the computer, a quick set of jumping jacks made me feel less stiff in the hips and shoulders. They also shook the cobwebs out of my brain and boosted my alertness. The only downside was that unlike a stretch or a quick walk, jumping jacks are not something I feel comfortable doing at work. (Although, in all honesty, I didn't actually try it. Maybe my coworkers would be charmed.)

But at home, with only my dog giving me quizzical looks, this week's Take It or Leave It is a surprisingly enthusiastic Take It.

Jumping Jacks...Russells, that is.

5-Letter Word for a Rectangular Board

Unless you've been living in a fitness blackout zone (I honestly don't blame you if you are; no judgment here), you've heard how important strong core muscles are. Because I often feel like I have the core fitness of a mushy apple, I decided to try a week of planking. Note that I'm referring to the exercise, not the weird fad of lying face-down in unusual places. (Apparently, that is also called the Lying Down Game, which sounds like something invented by the desperate parent of a toddler who will...not...nap.)

Planking: the fad 

The internet is full of planking challenges, but mine was short and simple: three planks a day. I started with thirty seconds per plank on the first day, which didn't seem quite painful enough, and finally settled on a minute. Other than the occasional forearm plank, I didn't change up my form. No side plank, stability ball plank, reverse plank, or walking the plank. (A little pirate humor for you, arrr.)

In general, I am not averse to strength training exercises, but I discovered over the course of the week that I don't really enjoy planking. Sometimes my wrists hurt. Sometimes my back complained. Sometimes my dog came to see what I was doing and licked my face. Every single time I planked, I was glad when the minute was over. I could, however, feel all the muscles engaging as they are supposed to, so I'm sure planking is good for me even though I kind of hate it.

Planking: the cat

Now I must decide: take it or leave it? According to the internet, the benefits of daily planking include increased strength and flexibility, improved posture, decreased risk of spinal injury, better balance, and a boost in metabolism. I could use all those things. So I guess this week's Take It or Leave It is a grudging Take It.