Thursday 20 May 2010

Oh Yoga & Jamboree success

So here's a nice long ramble to stop myself from playing Oblivion all day.

I was cleaning the bathroom and all of sudden the mother of all cramps hit me - you know those ones where they actually knock the breath out of you? I had to stagger to the kitchen to gulp down some anadin but we only had the stupid dissolve stuff and it took too long to dissolve and after swallowing that I realised I hadn't had breakfast. So, seeing stars, I choked down an apple and then walked around in circles like an insane horse.

In that lucid, pained state that I was in I decided enough is enough and I have to really start working on my health. I tried to fit into my beautiful orange dress again last night after a month of dieting and it still won't zip up around the bust *sob sob*. All this worrying about my weight is unhealthy anyway! It's probably just adding to it!

Unfortunately living in Dundee poses a continual deterrence to physical exercise. I don't want to go running next to horrible roads with busses roaring and seagulls threatening to attack me round every corner. So what else can I do? Home exercise, yes... Okay what I'm trying to say is that I am lazy and would really like a calm form of exercise and I have been eyeing yoga for a while so...

Yoga!

It's just an idea but we'll see how it goes, I can't see me tying myself in knots any time soon but I know it will improve blood circulation which helps to carry oxidants and things around the body - right? So I'll be healthier in mind and body.

So I'm going to try a 30-day yoga starter. Poses and breathing techniques, I've written down a basic daily routine to work on. By the way aren't all these names just fantastic? Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Tadasana, Urdhva hastasana... Awesome. So I start with pelvic tilts, then some cat-cow poses (that name isn't so great), then urdhva mukha svanasanaanadbn.. (downward facing dog ha ha) etc.

I really wish I could afford to eat all these super healthy foods all the time. I guess hummus isn't really a bank breaker but it's the variation in diet that is so important. (This is making me hungry.) Celery and salads... I think I might work a good diary into this blog too but considering I currently have 7 followers (hi guys!) it's really more of a personal therapeutic thing at the moment anyway. I can come here and chat to myself and work on my wordsmithing at the same time. Maybe in time I'll get insights and comments, critisisms and conversations going but until then I'm quite happy.

As I write I'm watching a very trippy yoga film Rob downloaded for me, a bunch of very healthy beautiful people wearing white and purple in "tree pose". They're in some sort of white-sanded never ending, space age desert. "The trick is to look at something that's not moving and not let your mind move. ... Keep heavy, stay rooted, grounded. If you start to sway, don't give up. Trees... Swaaaaayyyy... Stay grounded..." haaa haha, amazing

I downloaded some Jonsi and Alex to chill out to and I dabbed myself with some lavender essential oil. Feeling zen, but I'd feel more zen if my room wasn't such a mess. I was going to do that until I got crippled by my womb. I may attempt to yet...

On a completely different note, apre-paux of nothing, I got a freaking CASTLE in Oblivion! It's one of the add-ons Rob bought and you fight a few bandits and are rewarded with your own castle with guards and servants and a personal trainer and everything. I'm feeling particularly awesome in that game, although my combat skills are RUBBISH. I haven't been training them though, my alchemy is wicked and my security is not something to be sniffed at, but when it comes to actually fighting something... Well it takes me about half an hour (in game) to poke a boar to death. Mitch, Dan and Rob are so very tired of watching me fail so I feel a bit bad playing it during the day, maybe I'll sneak on tonight.

Now that the Jamboree is over I really have to work on my online presence. I'm going to work on my Folksy and see if I can get a few sales on that of my beasts. But FIRST I have to make more beasts and before THAT I have to clean my room. I really wish I had a big chest of drawers to store all my fabric and paints and supplies, it's all in strategically placed tesco bags and boxes on the floor at the moment.

I've been watching a bit of Gok's How to Look Good Naked With a Difference - he's helping disabled ladies feel and look beautiful. The first episode is so touching, a lady in a wheelchair who is gorgeous but can't look at herself, he makes her feel amazing and it's so encouraging to watch! Watching him boost someone elses confidence boosts MY confidence for some reason. And he ALWAYS makes me want to have a proper wardrobe clean out and a bit of retail therapy after the program's over.

I suppose I should mention the Jamboree and how that went! It was AWESOME. I haven't worked out how much I made yet, I need to tidy my room first (I've said that so many times in this post I think once I'm done I'll ACTUALLY do it). But it was a considerable amount. My badges sold really well, people loved them! A lot of people asked what they were and how I did it, some people got very excited about the resin. Everyone LOVED the creatures, especially Dikdik. Y'know I didn't sell any of them (apart from Wolfface) but I felt so good from all the compliments I got about them. One well known artists - this is really exciting - said I was an inspiration! He was really, really lovely and didn't recognise me from when he gave a talk to our class a year ago but I was just like a little excited fangirl haha.

Half way through the night (about five or six hours in total) they got some live artists to do their stuff. One guy makes music using only a gameboy. It was brilliant! I didn't realise he was doing it live until he came and spoke to me for ages and left, the girl next to me explained he was doing it and I was just stunned. He was so good! And so lovely!

I had a really awesome night, it made me feel so, so good. Oh and the best seller were Rob's baguettes! They sold out! And it was word of mouth that did it too which is REALLY exciting. One person bought one, shared it among friends ("you HAVE to try this!") and then three or four people come over and buy one or two each... He made a comfortable £20 from that. I didn't get one because I wasn't allowed thought but everyone assured me they were delicious.



SO a brilliant night. Here's a lovely photo Joanna Montgomery of the Skinny mag took of my bizarre blobby honey cupcakes.



And if you go here you can watch a "Superfly on the Wall" documentary of the night. Chemosit is in there along with my floral shoulder for a bit!

So siiigh. My cramps have gone hallelujah! The therapeutic blog post triumphs. Now I shall tidy my room and go and buy some plants, yes.

Over and out!

~Mads

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