I don’t talk much about Duolingo and my 10 languages. Maybe you think it’s a bad idea to do all of them. But both of my grandmothers died from Alzheimer’s. I want to learn as much as I can while it all still works. Still, some days I work on every one. Some days I might barely make it through one little lesson. I’ve managed to stay at the Obsidian level. For me, the great take away is I feel more and more confident — until I feel I suck. I would say more positive times than negative. And I love the feeling of growing, getting better. Hearing words on TV or while reading that I understand just thrills me. I must admit Navajo and Hebrew are the hardest of all ten. I keep starting over. I think I need books or tutorials on these.
The other tidbit is the achy muscles from < 5 miles and < 30 minutes on the stationary bike. Before I hop on the bike I do 20 pushups on the door, 10-15 floor/ceiling touches, and side to side bends. That doesn’t make me sore. But my son and I have started our afternoon walks of two miles. The energy is there to do these. But my legs are protesting quietly. Again, I’m amazed at how little things can build to make a body or mind, or habit grow. Why did it take me so long to understand that?
If you are wondering about herbs, homeopathy, essential oils, meditation, yoga, exercise, and general health, this is a great beginner’s book. I found I agreed with the take the author has about all of it, especially homeopathy. BUT it is too generic and elemental for me. I’ve been researching for my family and myself for fifty-plus years.
I think the Kindle is free, especially if you have Kindle Unlimited. I thought about rating the book at two stars, but there was a good reminder that I would research more. Gingo Bilboa. Lately, my husband and I have found we need more help with circulation and mental acuity. So, I think this book gave me a great reminder.
My friend Kay ensured I was reading this long before I planned to. Thanks, Kay! Now, to get onto the research.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “stick.” Use it as a noun or a verb; use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
It’s Yoda in the sky and I’m sticking to it!
Sticking to something is supposed to be a good thing. Yet sticking it to someone is bad. We sure are inconsistent with our language, don’t your think? 🤪
We’re enjoying our bike. We take turns and are surprised by how far we can go and stay in one spot. I hope we can stick to this new habit. My husband is far happier than he was with the treadmill. His arthritis is worse than mine so he needs low impact exercise. I’ll stick to walks a few days a week, then ride for miles in the living room.
Now for my other habits I need to grow or kill. And make it stick…
Last August, I was so excited that our Ancheer Treadmill was in my house. I got to it right away, using it nearly every day. Then suddenly it stopped! Just when I was finally doing a slow jog a few months ago. I was quite proud. I had labeled the speeds:
1 stuck behind the slow people at the mall
2 crowded mall but able to move at a normal speed
3 heading toward the car after shopping in the mall
4 slow running after the bus but not letting the cool kids see you run
5 Truly late for the bus, it is waiting for you.
I was moving toward a 6, and the motor stopped. I nearly fell off. The error message said the motor needed to be replaced. Ebay, and the company, Ancheer were not helping to find solutions. I wanted it fixed. I loved working on the treadmill. But if they couldn’t seem to help. If we could get our money back, it would mean I could get another somewhere.
Thank goodness I had purchased insurance with it. My husband was on the phone or emailing the companies, and finally, the insurance came through. We lost $2, but today we were able to purchase a Stationary Bike! It will be easier for my husband with his metal joints. Here’s a picture of what we ordered.
I think this will work out well. My son and I are trying to take a daily walk. So between these, maybe I can get back in shape, of some kind, less round, let’s say. I’ll let you know how it works out.
I couldn’t decide which emoji works better for this, so you get both, my close to realistic, or my inner rebel?
So I’ve gotten behind on Jusjoing. Other things needed to be blogged, too.
My solution is to write a meander between the three I missed.
My dog is on my mind 24/7. She is having so many problems. And yet with age, some things are better. She used to shake and run around. She made me nervous. So much for being my support canine. I became hers.
But we could exercise outside. I couldn’t take walks with her for being afraid of the big dogs she’d challenge. But most walks were okay.
Between doggy Alzheimers, bad eyes and hips, and icy snow, those walks ended.
I picked up a treadmill. It’s still scary with her as she is turning circles or bumping into things, even the treadmill.
My husband has become my watch-person, to make sure Kali doesn’t hurt herself on the treadmill or cause me to fall while trying to achieve my 1.23 miles. Whatever works, right?
I don’t quite understand how the programs work. I started out just hitting start and then the + or – as my body, breath, and legs needed.
I learned to name the speeds. 1 was the annoying slow people in the mall. I always need to go faster than that. 2 was a crowded mall. Everyone is moving in concert, but still not fast enough to get the errands done. 3 seems the speed my body likes best. My heart rate goes down. It’s the Goldilocks speed for me.
Ah, but 4. That’s late for the bus but you don’t want the cool kids to see you running. It’s pushing me. If I get winded, the heart rate seems too high, or Kali is too close, I slow it down.
One day I got curious. What are these programs? So I hit the button. Program 1 was mostly the slow mall workers. I found I could + or – as my body chooses I found the first program boring so I got brave and hit 2.
Oh. Here was the challenge. It fools you with a 1 at first. Gradually it changes to 2. Then when you’re bored it becomes 3. But get ready. 4 comes. At first I couldn’t and minused it. Soon I could handle the first round of 4. But then it happens again. 1, 2, 3, then a LONG 4! Oh, boy! That about killed me at first! I remembered to hit the + or – as needed.
Guess what? I can now handle program 2 without changing it. I’m tired and sweaty but feeling proud. I have snuck to a 5 once in a while. I’m naming it, I see the bus. Better get there now!
My daughter and sons jog. They are my inspiration. I throw out dreams to the universe of marathons. But really just doing the half hour daily is okay for now.
I picture my son’s girlfriend who has helped inspire me also. This reminds me of Rizza.🤗
“Reversal” is our prompt word of the day today. Thank you to Sadje for this
prompt!
Reversals are hard on mature minds.
Growing up spankings were the way to discipline children. I didn’t feel right when I tried. It left me angry and the kids frustrated. And nobody learned anything but how to bully. I learned new methods that worked without shame or pain. I maybe wasn’t the best mom but I tried to be thoughtful and teach love and respect a new way.
Growing up we were taught to clean our plates. Sure our parents grew up in the depression. Wasting food was a crime in their eyes. Overweight as an adult I’ve fought to reverse that concept. I’m doing better but still learning.
My generation was taught that many forms of exercise was silly. Riding your bike to school was for losers. Running, also uncool.
I don’t think peer pressure would have talked me out of swimming. And I remember feeling so free biking to school. Running wasn’t something my body could do.
Now there is no pool. These rocky dirt roads might not be safe for bikes. But I’m reversing my thoughts on running.
Example: my treadmill has different settings. I’m not sure of the meanings. But I’ve invented ways to relate. “1” is following the slow people in the mall. “2” is crowded but getting there. “3” feels perfect. The errands will get done. “4” is late for the bus but not letting the cool kids see me running. Today I hit “5”. I’m late for the bus but not quite a run. Guess what? I think quick spurts of running are in my future. Cool kids be damned!😂
Oh, and we were never to trust anyone over 30. Reversed that one by 43 years!!!
Another Fibromyalgia & Exercise Study. Sigh.. I have been turning down stories about this latest news because I felt it wasn’t true. The worse cases, most likely to be shot into flares by the exercise programs, either didn’t find it possible to follow through, or didn’t even start.
I try to be the person who exercises. I can’t stay with it. I have dreams of running. I can’t make it to the kitchen or bathroom without being dizzy and putting myself into a flare, especially when the weather is unstable. My husband and I start by just walking around our apartment complex. We feel excited when we can make one round. It is .10 of a mile. I used to walk a lot. Eight miles was nothing. I loved being outside. I used to love swimming. The big F hit and the only swimming I can do is in a hot springs pool.
Instead, to keep my mind active, I am on the internet all day or reading books. At least I am one step above curling up and sleeping all day. Those are the worst days. So I applaud myself for the small things I can do! Yay, me!
I recently noticed something about myself while playing a hidden objects game. To get the objects you needed to proceed through the game you had to revisit places you’ve been before. I sighed a huge sigh and said aloud, “Why do I have to go all the way back there to get this done?” Epitome of laziness? I asked myself. It was just clicks of the mouse to get there. No exercise was involved. But the only reason I was playing a game was because I had no energy at all. I had no incentive to do anything as my fibromyalgia was flaring so badly that I was only one blanket away from crawling under the covers and crying. But I am still looking at how tasks in real life don’t get done because there are so many steps to getting to the real goal. Depression plays a part in this. “What’s the use?” I asked myself. It’s not as though it matters to anyone else.
Then on Friday I got the diagnosis of diabetes and high cholesterol. Really? I am a vegetarian! Not a meat product goes in my mouth! And really, if you look at my family tree is it any surprise that I have it when everyone else did? I eat nothing like my forebears, high fat huge meals, tons of sugar. I rarely have sugar. So after some research I am finally giving up cheese and butter. I was nearly vegan before. Time to suck it up. But exercise?
I find walking BORING AS HELL! I find exercise in gyms BORING AS HELL! When I think about it, I want childhood back. I want a playground made for grown-ups. I want to swing high while singing to the top of my lungs. I want to play hop-scotch or jump rope with friends. I want to sit for hours playing jacks. I might even enjoy getting good at swinging from the rings and hand ladders (whatever those things were called). Four square with friends. Playing hide and seek! If I must I’d like to garden, a little. But I live in an apartment. I’d love to gather twenty cents walk two miles with my brother to the pool and swim ten cents a session then walk the two miles home. That wasn’t exercise. That was fun. But then the swimmer’s ear took over one of my favorite sports. The cold water causes flares now. So what do I do? Virtual life. That seems too stressful and too much effort.
Then I read the latest Dances With Fat and the comments her readers made. At least I am not alone in this journey. I am glad there are people who question the status quo.
Please don’t lecture me. I will delete such comments. But if you can help me find a way to my better health in a pleasant way, I promise to look at it. I hope something sticks. I hope this penny gets me a bubblegum.
I got this e-mail today: “Dear Ragen, I hate exercise – like I seriously hate it. I know that research shows that there are a lot of benefits but the thought of spending hours in the gym just sounds miserable. Should I just suck it up? What if I hate exercise? Do you think I should do it anyway?”
This is a question I get a lot. First, there is a mistaken notion out there that because I talk about my life as a fathlete and I talk about what the research says about fitness, that I am “promoting” exercise or I think that people “should” exercise. Sometimes this happens because I haven’t written things as clearly as I should have, sometimes I think it’s because people have issues around exercise and just seeing discussion about it triggers them which is totally understandable given how much it gets shoved down…
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
How does a free blog site work when everything is tied to dollars? How do you create content without using proprietary themes when it seems even the colors and fonts are tied to upgrades for usage? Is it even possible? I hope to find out.
Darswords 
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