Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N Roll

I recently joined a Spark Team (on my weight loss website) called "Old Hippies Losin' It." I love the name, and having survived the 60's and 70's, I felt qualified.

I wore bell-bottomed pants and love beads.

Jane Fonda spoke at my University in protest of the Viet Nam War.

I attended a Janis Joplin concert.

So, in honor of my new team I am sharing the following poem by Denise Duhamel. She writes a lot of cool poetry.

Hippie Barbie

Barbie couldn't grasp the concept
of free love. After all, she was born
into the world of capitalism
where nothing is free. And all she had
to choose from was a blond or dark-haired Ken
who looked exactly like Midge's boyfriend Alan.
Ken wouldn't even get bell-bottoms
or his first psychedelic pantsuit
until it was way too late, sometime in the mid-seventies.
And then, whenever Barbie tried to kiss him
his peel-off lamb-chop sideburns loosened
and stuck to her cheeks. There were no black male dolls yet
so she guessed a mixed-race love-child
was out of the question. Barbie walked her poodle
past the groovy chicks who showed their bellybuttons
and demonstrated against the war. She couldn't
make a peace sign with her stuck-together fingers.
She felt a little like Sandra Dee at a Janis Joplin concert.

Denise Duhamel

Do You Mind?

I had yoga class again on Tuesday. Yogi Clare couldn't be there, but we had a lovely Asian lady named JK to lead us. I am beginning to get just a glimmer of insight into what yoga may be about. Those of you who do yoga regularly can let me know if I'm on the right track.

Yoga is not just about twisting your body into weird shapes. It is more about being mindful of your body and movement, even the movement of your breath. We spent several minutes lying on the floor focusing on our breathing, not trying to breath in any particular way at first, but just being mindful of how we were breathing. We got up slowly. In fact, all our movements were slow and deliberate. It seemed like the movement from one pose to another was as important as the pose itself. The journey was as important as the destination. I found it all very appealing.

On Thursday I went to my weight lifting class and again the coach was talking about being mindful of our bodies and how we were moving. We are not just to toss weights around, we are to lift slowly and return slowly with a focus on form. We had fun, too, bouncing around on Stability Balls, being mindful of our balance.

It's odd that I heard the word "mindful" in both classes. Or maybe not so odd. Spark People teaches us to practice mindful eating. Now I am learning mindful movement.

My poem to share today is one I've loved since I was a child. It seems particularly appropriate for summer.

by Edna Casler Joll

Every child should know a hill,
And the clean joy of running down its long slope
With the wind in his hair.
He should know a tree --
The comfort of its cool lap of shade,
And the supple strength of its arms
Balancing him between earth and sky
So he is a creature of both.
He should know bits of singing water
The strange mysteries of its depths,
And the long sweet grasses that border it.
Every child should know some scrap
Of uninterrupted sky, to shout against;
And have one star, dependable and bright.
For wishing on.

Yoga Class

I went to my first yoga class this week, and thought I would share it with you all.

Our instructor is Yogi Clare, who looks like a little round Buddha. She has a round knot of gray hair on top of her head, round cheeks, and a round belly. I was chastised early on for talking too loudly to my neighbor. Apparently one is supposed to whisper during yoga, or better yet be calmly silent. Asking me to be silent is like asking me to touch my toes, but with practice I hope to be able to do both. If Yogi Clare can sit on the floor with her legs out straight and lean forward to grab her own feet, there is no reason why I can't get there, too.

We did some very simple stretching and poses. I am so not limber, and my balance isn't so great, either. Moving slowly and stretching gently is just what I need. Yogi Clare is quite encouraging and takes into account your current physical abilities. The class is called "gentle yoga" and is designed for those who may have physical limitations. One class member has MS, one has artificial knees, one has arthritis, and one is almost blind. I felt right at home.

I've been trying to do some of the moves at home. I know this is going to take practice. Once a week in class won't be enough for me to gain the strength and stability I want.

If you're considering yoga, but are afraid you're too old, too stiff or too type A, I say give it a try. You are not competing against anyone but yourself in yoga and you can move at your own pace.

Just remember to whisper.


Here is a little poem by Dorothy Parker that I love:

Ladies

The ladies men admire, I've heard,
Would shudder at a wicked word.
Their candle gives a single light;
They'd rather stay at home at night.
They do not keep awake till three,
Nor read erotic poetry.
They never sanction the impure,
Nor recognize an overture.
They shrink from powders and from paints...

So far, I've had no complaints.