Kurzgesagt. Gesundheit!

For months now, Son #2 has been telling me interesting things he's learned by watching Kurzgesagt videos on YouTube. He loves science and general knowledge about the intricacies of the world, so I trust his recommendations. (Probably not all of them, but the ones he deems okay for his mom.)

Kurzgesagt, which loosely translated means "in a nutshell" is a German animation studio that produces "minimalist animated educational content discussing scientific, technological, political, philosophical, and psychological subjects." Whew. That's a mouthful, and so is the name.

The funny thing is, I didn't read that description beforehand, and I had no idea the videos were animated. When I found the YouTube channel, which has 9.1 million subscribers, I wondered if I might be in the wrong place. Like maybe Kurzgesagt for Kids or something. But no, that's the way they're done.

Off the bat, I disagreed with the description of the animation as minimalist. Here is my idea of minimalist:

And here is Kurzgesagt's minimalist:

There's kind of a lot going on there, right? Add in motion, and a British narrator who sounds a bit like John Oliver explaining black hole science at a rapid pace, and my brain melted a little that first time. I didn't give up--I had six more days to go, after all--and it got better. My brain didn't feel quite as melty, but I really had to make sure to concentrate on what was being said so I didn't get distracted by the visual input.

As far as Take It or Leave It...I'm not exactly sure yet. I think I'll give Kurzgesagt a continued trial, but I suspect I'll be better off with TED Talks in the long run.

No-Buy July update:
Today is the last day of July! And I did really well this month cutting down on my unnecessary purchases. I'm not sure how much time and money I saved, but I think it was significant on both counts. I'm glad I made a conscious effort, and I don't plan on going nuts come August. But we'll see :-)

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!

The Brush-Off

Despite the occasional winters when we measure snowfall in feet instead of inches, Colorado's climate is classified as semi-arid. On the Front Range where I live, we typically enjoy lots of sunshine, relatively low humidity, and more wind than we want--all of which conspire to dry out our skin. It's easy to identify visitors, for they are constantly using lip balm and hand lotion, and blinking rapidly as their tears evaporate at the speed of light.

I'm no stranger to dry skin and have tried many lotions and potions to cure it. Exfoliation helps a lot, and we're very familiar with shower poufs in these parts. But I had never tried the technique known as dry brushing.

Dry brushing can be traced back to the ancient healing system of Ayurveda (ditto oil pulling). It is credited with all kinds of benefits, including smoother skin, reduced stress and chronic pain, lymph detoxification, better sleep and digestion, increased circulation, and Hulk-like strength. (Wait, that last one is caused by gamma radiation).

It's simple to do: using long, not-too-firm strokes, brush the skin from the extremities toward the heart. Easy-peasey. In fact, the most difficult part about it was choosing the brush. Most of them are made from animal hair (usually boar) or some kind of plant fiber. I've been known to have skin reactions to both those things, so after much searching, I settled on a brush with silicone bristles.

For seven days, I brushed once in the morning and once at night. And, boy, does my lymph feel detoxed! Just kidding, I have no idea if that part works. But my skin is noticeably softer. The silicone bristles worked better than I thought they might, although the brush does have a bit of a weird plastic smell.

Before...

After

All in all, dry brushing was a pleasant surprise, and I will keep at it. Especially during the winter, when the furnace tries to turn me into a potato chip.

This week is a Take It.

No Buy July update:

I resisted Amazon Prime day, Google Express shopping day, and Target Deal Days with no problem. I did give in, however, and buy the swim gear I want for Florida because I knew if I waited until August, it would be sold out. It feels like a necessary purchase, however, because my only previous trip to Florida resulted in a lobster-like sunburn. So, bring on the dorky long-sleeved swim shirt!

No-Buy July

Welcome! First of all, this is a big post for me, because as of last week, I'm halfway through the year's Take It or Leave It challenge! (If you're new here or need a refresher, I'm adding something new to my life or taking something away each week and then deciding if it is worth a longer-term commitment.) The Take Its are leading the Leave Its 16-10, which means my days are filling up with all kinds of random activities that would make my husband raise an eyebrow if he didn't know me so well.

As for this week...

I don't identify as much of a shopper. I detest malls and don't think I've ever uttered the words "Let's go shopping!" I am, however, an impulse spender. When I'm already on an errand--usually Target or the grocery store--I often come home with things that weren't on my list. Not huge things--no "look, honey, I bought a new sofa/espresso-maker/Rottweiler" moments. Just little things that add up.

Since July tends to be pretty mellow for me, with a lack of spendy holidays, family birthdays, and anniversaries, I thought I'd try going the entire month without buying anything that's not a necessity. Piece of cake, right? I mean, in the heat of summer, I can hardly even muster up the enthusiasm to go to the grocery store. Which is why my family will probably be eating mayonnaise on saltine crackers for dinner tonight. (Ugh. No they won't. That sounds disgusting.)

So confident was I that seven days didn't sound like nearly enough of a challenge. Bring on the entire month. I got this.

What I didn't realize is that apparently everything is discounted during July. And I really, really love a bargain. Clothing, shoes, bedding plants, kitchen gadgets, decor for outside and in...somehow all of these things have already tempted me despite my barely leaving the house other than for work. And don't even get me started on those sidewalk sales.

As I try and resist this temptation, I can feel the wheels of justification whirring in my head. But I need  clothes for my vacation to Florida later this summer. 50% off annuals is a great deal, and I have some more pots that need planting. Why not just cruise the clearance aisle and see if there's anything interesting?

Long story short, July is going to be more of a challenge than I thought. Just today, I received a 30% off coupon from Kohl's. (Damn you, Kohl's. *shakes fist at sky*) I am going to try stick to my guns in the face of temptation and make this week a Take It. But no promises after August 1st.

Only the necessities, right?

Good Morning, Sunshine

After last week's trial of sleep semi-deprivation, I thought it might be nice to do something to help me get back in my normal routine, a.k.a The Routine of the Failed Night Owl. I read somewhere that regular exposure to morning sunlight plays an important part in establishing a good circadian rhythm, which seemed like a good place to start. Plus, it sounded like a lovely way to begin the day.

Two of the most important byproducts of sunlight exposure are melatonin and Vitamin D, which support and regulate all kinds of physiological functions, but apparently our bodies also release some bonus endorphins. Yeah, sign me up for that good stuff first thing in the morning. 

Although some recommendations call for 30-45 minutes of morning sunlight, a general suggestion for a pale person such is myself is fifteen minutes of exposure between the hours of eight and ten. Unfortunately, I, like many people, am at work then, so my sun time during the week was 7:15-7:30.

The first morning, I was pretty excited to bask for a while before starting my day. But the sun didn't cooperate. (Actually the sun rose as it normally did; it was the cloud cover that messed things up.) Ditto the second day. The third was a little bit better, but honestly, I'd never noticed how many clouds hang around in the morning. So inconvenient.

In fact, of the seven mornings in the week, I only had solid sun exposure on three of them, which overall was a disappointment. It was nice to eat breakfast outside, though. (So nice that I almost made myself late a few times.) I didn't notice a difference in how alert I felt in the morning or how tired I felt at night, and I assume it's because I didn't get enough regular sun to have an effect.

As much as I wanted this morning sun exposure to be a Take It, it didn't work out as well as I hoped. And as the days get shorter, it will be nearly impossible. So this one is a regretful Leave It.

I hope the sun brightens your day today, whatever time you're out. See you next week!

The Night Owl

Remember the time-honored college ritual of pulling all-nighters during finals week? I don't, because I could never stay up that late. By the time midnight rolled around, I'd be asleep with my head on the desk, my face squashed into an open textbook. I've just never been a late-night person. If I don't get something done by eight o'clock p.m., it's for sure not going to happen that day.

I know people who are very productive in the hours between nine and midnight. (Anyone who is busy after midnight is probably a vampire.) They revel in the quiet as they knit or scrapbook or bake or--let's be real here--fold a week's worth of laundry. Whenever I hear of these feats, I feel a little foolish that I spent the same period of time asleep in my bed like a slacker.

So I wondered if, for a week, I could somehow rustle up a bit of night owl energy. I aimed to use those bonus hours for the same kind of quiet productivity I imagine Martha Stewart engages in when she's in her human form. Basically, that meant not sitting around playing on my phone or watching Netflix, but actually doing something.

I'm not going to lie, the first night was rough. I had woken up at 3:30 that morning for no apparent reason, and by the time 11:30 rolled around, I was dead on my feet. (But not un-dead like that vampire Martha.)  The second night, I cruised--reading and writing and practicing calligraphy. The hours flew by, and I timed things so perfectly that my head hit the pillow at exactly midnight.

That's when the Second Wind kicked in. "Oh," my body said, "you want to be awake? Let's be awake! I'll pencil you in for a few hours of sleep starting at 2 a.m."

After a bumpy start to the week, I got better at staying up. I made good progress in a couple of books I've been wanting to read and got some writing done. And although I was more tired during the day (Siesta Fiesta, anyone?), I didn't feel as sleep-deprived as I thought I might. All in all, I learned I can pretend to be a night owl on occasion and not suffer too many ill effects.

But I am so, so ready to go back to my 10:00 bedtime. Late(ish) night is quiet and peaceful, but it's also kind of boring and lonely. Plus, the dog was confused, and I discovered that a midnight snack is an actual thing.

Sorry, vampires! This week's Take It or Leave It is a Leave It.

I told you! Total vampire.

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.