Human Mirror
I'm so inspired by syncronized diving in the olympics! It kinda' reminds me of this:
Beware the Wet Blanket
Julia Cameron, in The Artist's Way has explained this very phenomenon, and today I did it.
"Beware the wet blanket" she says. That is the person[s] who are the people you know will neg out, bum out and generally tell you why your idea isn't any good.
They might be someone close to you. They probably have good intentions [deep down] and they are truly out for your best interests [so they think] but exposing your art to them in the fragile incubation stages can be tragic to your artistic process.
The irony is that we seek them out.
Just as we are at the cusp of a breakthrough and feeling really good about our art, our inner critic, sabateur, whatever you want to call it rings up the wet blanket and seeks out the negative response.
Usually the conversation ends up in a merry-go-round of defending yourself and may even result in backpedaling--"am I really doing the right thing?" when moments before you were flying high with confidence and momentum.
Her solution? "Zip the Lip." "Don't give away the gold." Keep it quiet until you are satisfied with your level of completion. If you are dying to tell someone, call someone who you know will praise you. [My best friend has done this for decades.] Julia calls these folks the "positive mirrors"--the people that will reflect back your enthusiasm for yourself.
I'm not saying we as artists don't need thick skin and I'm absolutely not saying that we should only show our work to people who will praise it. The trick is in the timing. When the ball is rolling, let it roll. Exposing it to wet blankets at the wrong time might possibly stop it in it's tracks.
When you feel like the time is right, show it to the world and make use of the feedback, both positive and negative, in the best way you can.
PS: The garden is flourishing. An absolute bumper crop of eggplant, peppers and cucumbers...yum!
Holy Macro
Okay, I'm having a little too much fun now. Figs AND a macro lens? All in the same sentence?
Went to the farmer's market and picked up Figs [have I mentioned how much I love figs?], a humungo bunch of basil [read: pesto tonight], purple peppers, lettuce and a big bunch of cukes for the juicer. It's exciting to have a different selection each time--last time I was all about celery, melon and greens.
Bee Happy
Just got a new 60mm macro lens and found this bee all punch drunk on pollen flying around the eggplant flowers. He absolutely rolled in it. The lens is great--fast motor means pictures of bee wings flapping. The detail is amazing on the big screen. I was also taking pictures of Queen Anne's lace, just to get the nuances of the tiny white flowers and in crawled Mr. Green Bug. Amazing texture on his back.
Is that a Tomato in Your Pocket or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
This one came right out of the garden. Organic all the way.
Also made an amazing yellow squash, basil and pepper sauté which tasted incredible. The squash was
so tender and so yummily organic it tasted like butter.
Off to the mountains of Canada...more pics when I get back.
Half Ironman: 70.3
I made it....I completed my first Half Ironman Triathlon in Providence, Rhode Island. It was a 70.3 mile event: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. It was an amazing experience from start to finish. We had beautiful weather, warm water and a well organized course. I am surprised at how good I felt throughout the event--the only real pain was soreness in my legs during the last two miles of the run.
I'm so happy that Yvonne inspired me to sign up for the race. It was
so great to have a friend to laugh with in the two hour registration line, [i wish i was exaggerating] to commiserate with while setting up in the transition area [are you leaving your bike shoes or bringing them in the am? should I cut open the GU before I tape it to my top tube? OMG...do you see how far out those buoys go?!] and to high five on the loops of the run.
4am
Andrew drove us from the hotel in Providence down south to Point Judith for the swim portion of the race. We set up all of our gear on our bikes in the transition area and had our numbers inked on our arms and our age inked on our calves.
Within minutes of arriving we saw a man in a wheelchair without legs who was competing. That was an inspirational sign to remember that that anything is possible and no matter what happens, to be grateful to have a healthy body.
The Swim
My age group started the swim at 6:30. The starting gun fired and we all ran into the surf to begin the out and back 1.2 miles. [which looked much longer from the shore.] It was interesting to have waves and a current---all of my training has been in Long Island Sound where the water is glass at 6:00am. I ran into the waves and at one point dove under one, bodysurfing style, to begin my swim.
It was challenging to swim with so many people around you. I took a nice kick to the ribs but other than that I managed to find my own space in the crowd. I tried hard to stay close to the buoys but the current was pretty intense. On the way back, one minute I was right next to them and next thing I knew I was far away from the buoys and had to readjust my course. Somehow my head was filled with surf songs [and we'll have fun fun fun 'til your daddy takes the t-bird awaaaaaay....]
I made it back to the shore and ran up the beach to the transition area where I got 'peeled'. The volunteers were there to rip off your wetsuit, literally peeling you like a banana. Off I went to my bike to put on my shoes, helmet and gloves and head out to the next leg.
The Bike
I ran the bike out of the transition area, hopped on and took off. The ride was pretty smooth, mostly flat on the way out with some rollers and a few hills but nothing too drastic. I ate a bunch of gels and kept drinking Accelerade [a cycling drink] which seemed to agree with my stomach. I also took a bunch of electrolyte tablets along the way. My mantra became a conversation with myself: "Are you thirsty? No. Good, then drink." I kept this up every 10 or 15 minutes to keep from dehydrating. My brain was running through all sorts of mental chatter and at one point I decided to clear it and only focus on my breath. This was incredibly helpful to keep me present and focused. 56 miles seemed to go by so quickly--I was suddenly only 15 miles away and gearing up for my run.
The Run
I dropped off the bike, threw on my shoes and started off on my run. It was 13 miles and two loops. There was a fierce hill on Angell Street but besides that it was generally flat with a few other mild climbs. The most amazing part was having so many people cheering you on. People along the roads were so supportive and encouraging. I kept a really moderate pace throughout the run and felt great until the last two miles when my legs got super tight. One of my friend's advice was, "enjoy every breath...every step...it will be over before you know it." I was amazed how true this was. When my mind began to wander on the run I tried to stay present by noticing everything around me in detail. Pink house, yellow line in the road, green running shoes. That really helped me stay in the now and enjoy the process. [with a side effect of keeping my mind off the giant blister on my instep] I picked up the pace at the end and by the last 1/2 mile and sprinted through the finish. [okay, it felt like a sprint to me, not sure what it looked like to the outside world]
The Finish [and the start...]
I was so thrilled to run over the finish line. I had no idea how I was going to feel and was not sure if I would ever want to do another one again. I think I am officially addicted. I loved the feeling of the whole process and can't wait to do the next one!
Triathlon Tapering
I can't believe that my event is in only 4 days! I did my last workout this morning which was a swim in the sound, a few laps around the beach on the bike and then one lap of a run. Tomorrow will be a slow short run to stay loose--Friday nothing and a shortie run or bike on Saturday to get my legs and lungs warmed up.
In the past for shorter tri's, I tried taking time off completely the week before. I didn't realize this was doing more harm than good. Yes, rest is important but active rest works even better to keep your body fresh. The other thing that is really important is sleep. I'm still on my 5am wake up schedule 4 days a week [which I have grown to love] but have put in a few naps in the afternoon to catch up. I'm going to sleep in tomorrow and Friday and take a compete rest on Friday where I'm going to do as much nothing as I can.
Nutrition has been an interesting learning curve. It's really about what works for you--some people can stomach some things better than others. I'm till not such a giant fan of GU but liquids or gels seem to be the best bet. I tried to eat a Luna bar on the bike [uphill no less, baaaaad idea] and nearly choked. Amazing how dry those things can get when you're gasping for air while trying to eat. It's definitely an excellent idea to try these things out before race day so you don't have any surprises. I was really hoping to use more natural sugars like dates and nuts but it seems like the logistics are a little tangled in carrying those things.
I need to take in 300-500 calories an hour on the bike and run. I learned from several sources that taping GU or other sports gels to your top tube works really well and I'll probably stuff some cliff shots in my little fuel box that's velcroed to my bike. I'm also filling my water bottles with Accelerade which I like more than Gatorade because it has a small amount of protein in it. Also, it seems to not give me a stitch in my side--I've had lousy luck with Gatorade in the past.
I'm excited for Sunday. I've been trying to do visualizations of the swim, bike and run and keep falling asleep. I keep saying this and it's totally true--no matter what happens I've already gotten what I want out of the process. I've committed to training and pushed my body in ways previously not thought possible--dragged my butt out of bed to train, [a lot of beautiful sunrises is a giant perk] and have met so many cool and positive people. Amazing how the bar gets raised once you can see what's possible.
Garden and Green Juice
I had my first green juice from my garden today: Arugula, Collard Greens and Cucumber.
I think my garden has been a good life metaphor. I planted these tiny plants that seemed to take forever to grow. Obstacles came up--the deer ate all of the dill, the grubs nipped the top of the squash right off their roots and the chipmunks gobbled up all of the green tomatoes--but I kept watering it, feeding it and giving it sun.
All of a sudden it's overflowing with greens and finally producing vegetables I can eat.
This is totally parallel to so many things in life. You set your intention. Obstacles come up but you continue to nurture your goals. Add some love and light and suddenly, what you were hoping for 'suddenly' appears.
I think the whole thing is a good lesson in persistence. And patience.
How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden
The garden is in the ground. I brought in the professionals [my parents] and the collards, squash, cukes, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and herb garden are all good to go. The only problem now is the critters--everyone seems to be all hopped up [i couldn't resist] on the rabbit issue.
So, I googled how to keep rabbits out of the garden [in natural, non-invasive ways] and came up with the following:
1. Snakes. Rabbits are afraid of snakes, even fake ones. People have reported using garden hose as a decoy but I went right to the toystore and got a hold of some of the most realistic snakes I could fine.
Pros: Cheap, non-chemical solution.
Cons: They are so realistic they freak me out. [I have to take a really really close look before I move them.]
2. Pinwheels. I guess the shiny material and the movement pretty much at their eye level scares them. I found a mini set of them at Pier One and lined the garden with them.
Pros: Cheap, non-chemical solution.
Cons: They make your garden look like a 4th of July party. [Not sure if this is a con or a pro.]
3. Marigolds. Apparently they don't like the smell of these.
Pros: Pretty flowers add color to the garden.
Cons: None...or you might not like the smell either.
Other solutions I found but haven't tried...
Not sure if any of these work but I have the first three going and spotted a baby rabbit hopping around the lawn this morning.
Update: Someone commented that they love rabbits---I love rabbits too! That's exactly why the solutions I chose are not harmful or hurtful in any way. We have a rabbit that has hung out in our backyard for a long time and now apparently she has babies [I mean, that's what rabbits do, right?] and while I'm happy to share all of the tasty treats, the fledgling plants need a chance to start growing.
Back to My Roots: Digging Up My Vegetable Garden
I just spent the last 2 hours digging up the grass and tilling the soil for my vegetable garden. I felt like my grandmother, bandanna tied around her head, working the dirt up and over. [she's on the left, notice the garden in the background.]
My Grandmother grew up on a farm in Italy and has had a garden her whole life. She makes her own seeds and while she's downsized it a bit, at the age of 86 she's still out there growing kale, lettuce, garlic and scallions. [not to mention chopping wood, taking down fences and chasing down black snakes with a garden tool.] She used to plant the zucchini a little too close to the pumpkins and create these atomic pumpkin/squash hybrids. She would also give us big bags of peppers--hot and sweet--if you ate a hot one you'd know it.
My father is an incredible organic gardener and his gardens have had everything....strawberries, corn, asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini, gourds and multiple varieties of peppers. As a kid I remember my mom having a book called, "Too Many Tomatoes" that was filled with recipes for the over abundance of everything. She made the most amazing tomato sauce and used to batter and fry the zucchini flowers. We had way more strawberries than we could manage that ended up in homemade fruit toppings for pancakes.
My Grandfather who lived in Brooklyn [with a train right behind the wall in the backyard] had the an amazing grape arbor [thick skinned, purple concord grapes] and the MOST delicious green and red figs. We used to tease him that it was the train's electricity that made his garden grow.
My Great Grandmother had both a grape arbor and garden that she used to putter around in all the way up until her death at the age of 96.
And here I am, growing my own garden. I think growing up there might have been a part of me that rejected the whole garden thing--big stakes poking out of the ground instead of a nicely manicured lawn. Now, finally, I realize how amazing of a gift it is to be able to grow your own food. I can't wait to drink fresh green juices and the recycle the pulp right back into the ground.
