I took a yoga class last night.
I've sort of done yoga in the past, but never really practiced it with any discipline. Still, I realized the other day that I don't handle stress well (future post). Also, I'm aware of muscles that are inflexible and the imbalance of strength between muscle groups and between different sides of my body.
Yoga seems like a good solution. And while the class wasn't that intense, I am definitely aware this morning of muscle groups that got a workout.
As for what it does over time... I'll post more in a few weeks.
During class, as the teacher unfolded his mat, he picked something up and gently placed it further away. I guess it's a respect for life thing. Or a respect for creature - it was a stink bug. Apparently, they're back.
Have a lovely weekend! It's beautiful, if quite windy, out there.
Showing posts with label Stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stress. Show all posts
2/19/11
2/9/11
Drill, baby, drill
I hate going to the dentist.
Note, this is different than hating the dentist. I also feel like I must point out that I had an excellent dentist while I was growing up. I wasn't overly traumatized by him. I was lucky to have good dental care, too.
But I do have a small mouth (shocking!) and crowded teeth and I eventually needed extractions and braces, etc. So over time, anything associated with dental work just led to a general cringe of horror.
When I became old enough to schedule appointments myself, I did not make it a high priority.
Which is now why, years later, even though I've generally tried to care for my teeth, I have a few spots that need fillings - nothing serious, according to the doc, but still places that should be cared for.
I'm lucky. I have access to dental insurance as a student, and I consider it very reasonable. And the care I've gotten (at the UMB Dental School) has been very, very good - I highly recommend them. But I've learned since I returned not to put off appointments, etc, even when I don't want to go.
Today was difficult. The doc was working on a bottom-jaw tooth, and it took four shots to numb the area - note, this means three times we "got started" with the drill and she had to peel me off the ceiling.
She was very apologetic and explained that it takes some time, and sometimes extra numbing agent (I don't know what she used) because the jaw is thicker and it can be hard to reach the nerve. When I was finally numb, she worked pretty quickly.
And then, at the very end of the appointment, I bit her. Very light contact, and certainly not intentional, but really... at almost 30 years old... I bit the dentist.
Hopefully I'll shake off the tension and trauma by the end of the day. And the numbness. It would be nice to eat. I don't know how many calories I burned with an hour of sitting in place with every muscle tensed, but it had to be something.
Maybe one day, I'll have a policy that covers sedation dentistry. :(
Note, this is different than hating the dentist. I also feel like I must point out that I had an excellent dentist while I was growing up. I wasn't overly traumatized by him. I was lucky to have good dental care, too.
But I do have a small mouth (shocking!) and crowded teeth and I eventually needed extractions and braces, etc. So over time, anything associated with dental work just led to a general cringe of horror.
When I became old enough to schedule appointments myself, I did not make it a high priority.
Which is now why, years later, even though I've generally tried to care for my teeth, I have a few spots that need fillings - nothing serious, according to the doc, but still places that should be cared for.
I'm lucky. I have access to dental insurance as a student, and I consider it very reasonable. And the care I've gotten (at the UMB Dental School) has been very, very good - I highly recommend them. But I've learned since I returned not to put off appointments, etc, even when I don't want to go.
Today was difficult. The doc was working on a bottom-jaw tooth, and it took four shots to numb the area - note, this means three times we "got started" with the drill and she had to peel me off the ceiling.
She was very apologetic and explained that it takes some time, and sometimes extra numbing agent (I don't know what she used) because the jaw is thicker and it can be hard to reach the nerve. When I was finally numb, she worked pretty quickly.
And then, at the very end of the appointment, I bit her. Very light contact, and certainly not intentional, but really... at almost 30 years old... I bit the dentist.
Hopefully I'll shake off the tension and trauma by the end of the day. And the numbness. It would be nice to eat. I don't know how many calories I burned with an hour of sitting in place with every muscle tensed, but it had to be something.
Maybe one day, I'll have a policy that covers sedation dentistry. :(
2/1/11
The Wall
I have a post for today.
It's written out and everything. Even semi-well-supported. No pictures, but hey, win some -- you know how it goes.
It's about writing. About the dynamic between obligation and inspiration. Timely, too, because a couple of other writing blogs I follow have hit on this recently - an actual coincidence, but a cool one.
But.
There's always a but.
Something happened this week.
I don't know what it was. I can look at my productivity across all areas of my life, though, and see the same trend: down. I retrace my steps and find the most ridiculous mistakes. I keep forgetting things. Motivation is Zero.
Every time I sit down to write, I edit, or wander away, or sleep, or come up with something else to do.
I feel like there's a rock between my ears instead of a brain. There are things I want to say, but the words fall into some dark space between neurons and fingertips. Probably the place where socks go when they don't come out of the dryer.
On the bright side, change is in the air.
Today is already better.
It's written out and everything. Even semi-well-supported. No pictures, but hey, win some -- you know how it goes.
It's about writing. About the dynamic between obligation and inspiration. Timely, too, because a couple of other writing blogs I follow have hit on this recently - an actual coincidence, but a cool one.
But.
There's always a but.
Something happened this week.
I don't know what it was. I can look at my productivity across all areas of my life, though, and see the same trend: down. I retrace my steps and find the most ridiculous mistakes. I keep forgetting things. Motivation is Zero.
Every time I sit down to write, I edit, or wander away, or sleep, or come up with something else to do.
I feel like there's a rock between my ears instead of a brain. There are things I want to say, but the words fall into some dark space between neurons and fingertips. Probably the place where socks go when they don't come out of the dryer.
On the bright side, change is in the air.
Today is already better.
1/5/11
9 steps to Chicken Rice.
I've already mentioned this, but sometimes I need to de-stress.
Step 7.5: Keep eating the carrots. Or make a salad. Or both. Veggies are good!
I have a few strategies for this. Write. Make lists. Go to the gym. Come home and cook.
It's satisfying to come home at the end of a long day and make a meal. The repetitive chopping. The pleasure at making something new. The simple joy of actually clearing some space on the shelves in the fridge.
No idea what I mean? Well... here's a guide.
Step 1: Heat a few squirts of canola oil and a dash of sesame oil in a pan of your choice (make sure it has a lid). I used my superly great hard-anodized pan that I got for Christmas.
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| Tip: heat pan, then add and heat oil. Make sure to remove the meat from the fridge ahead of cooking, so you're not adding cold meat to the hot pan. |
Step 2: Establish that superly is in fact a legitimate adverb. I don't care what the internet says.
Step 3: Trim up chicken thighs and season liberally with salt, pepper, and Chinese five spice powder. Carefully place in hot oil.
Step 4: When chicken releases (4-5 minutes, or brown on one side), flip and brown the other side. In the mean time, assemble other ingredients.
 |
| You need: 2 cups of rice, more sesame oil, and leftover chicken stock (or water, but add salt) You also need baby carrots for snacking and an ice cold Dogfishhead 60-minute IPA. Trust me on this one. |
Step 5: Remove chicken from pan (it's ok if there are bits stuck) and add another teaspoon or two of sesame oil. At this point, you could jack the heat, add aromatics - chopped onion, garlic, and ginger would be nice - and sauté until tender. I didn't have any of those things. Either way, add rice and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until the rice is coated in all that flavor and has a nice sheen.
Step 6: Add 1 cup of broth and stir to remove all the good bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the remaining 3 cups of broth (I used a combo of broth and water because I only had about 2c of leftover broth), stir, and bring to a boil.
Step 7: Add the chicken and any juices back into the pan. Cover and cook on low approximately 25 minutes (keep a low simmer), or until the liquid is evaporated. I have yet to master this without peeking once. So if you peek, I forgive you.
You could also throw chopped and/or frozen veg on top in the last few minutes of cooking to make a more complete meal.
You could also throw chopped and/or frozen veg on top in the last few minutes of cooking to make a more complete meal.
Step 7.5: Keep eating the carrots. Or make a salad. Or both. Veggies are good!
Step 8: Remove from the heat (keep covered) and let stand another five to ten minutes.
Step 9: Uncover, fluff the rice, and serve with reduced sodium soy sauce and Srichacha (chili sauce).
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| There was more chicken... we just sorta jumped in before I took the picture. :) |
Best consumed with back episodes of The Office or another favorite comedy.
12/13/10
A Slight Imbalance.
I had a slight breakdown this evening.
It happens every so often. I'm chugging along, pushing through, feeling a little flustered but otherwise fine. And then the stress hits.
Usually it's set off by something I've been neglecting. When I get swamped, I let little things go. I'll do the laundry, but I won't put it away. I'll stack non-essential mail off in one corner, ignore emails that I probably should answer.
And then the piles get too high to ignore.
Last year, right around this time, I lived on coffee and about three hours of sleep per night. I lost something like fifteen pounds. It was not the ideal diet plan, and I was glad when it was over.
I nearly hit the edge, when at 8:15 I was still in the lab. I felt like the only one in the building. And I had very little to show for my eleven hour day, nary a dent in the staggering amount of work I need to get done in the next six months.
At the last minute, I took a step back. I took a moment to breathe. And I thought about how to put all of these 'MUST DO NOOOOOW' things into perspective.
It happens every so often. I'm chugging along, pushing through, feeling a little flustered but otherwise fine. And then the stress hits.
Usually it's set off by something I've been neglecting. When I get swamped, I let little things go. I'll do the laundry, but I won't put it away. I'll stack non-essential mail off in one corner, ignore emails that I probably should answer.
And then the piles get too high to ignore.
Last year, right around this time, I lived on coffee and about three hours of sleep per night. I lost something like fifteen pounds. It was not the ideal diet plan, and I was glad when it was over.
I nearly hit the edge, when at 8:15 I was still in the lab. I felt like the only one in the building. And I had very little to show for my eleven hour day, nary a dent in the staggering amount of work I need to get done in the next six months.
At the last minute, I took a step back. I took a moment to breathe. And I thought about how to put all of these 'MUST DO NOOOOOW' things into perspective.
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