Stealing from Sunday Style

Like a child coming crying to their parent after they broke the cookie jar because they stood on a drawer to get it out of the top cabinet, I am coming back to this blog after almost two weeks off.

The momentum was good, but then it got lost and I'm still trying to find it. So I thought I'd at least try pick it back up by posting something that I was not smart enough to have written but am smart enough to share. 

*me right now.....

Sunday style is a glossy mag part in the Sunday newspaper that makes the weekend (or in my case, the week as I stole it from the cafe across the rd when it was a day old) all the more enjoyable. It features articles on health, fashion, technology and feel goods, and more. 

Scott Simon tweeted from his mother's deathbed and in this article shares memories about her last few days: 

*** Disclaimer : the text that is about to follow is not mine and I just copied it.

"Death makes life worthwhile. It gives each moment meaning....but death drives life. It frightens and inspires us. Do away with death and we'd have no reason to get out of bed (or into it), grow, work, love. Why would we do much of anything if we had the time for everything? It's the certainty of death that moves us to write poems, find friends and sail across oceans and skies. It's because we know we don't have all the time in the world that we try to use the uncertain and unknowable time we have to do something that endures. It's why we have children." 

Scott Simon's book- Unforgettable is out on April 1 and his Twitter is @nprscottsimon

This next bit, which was on the next page, is Jess Fink (@jessefink)'s take on the dangers of selfie sticks and not just the physical:

"Increasingly, no matter one's age or background, the precious moments of our lives-particularly our travels- are committed to SD cards and Instagram feeds, not our memories. Advances in technology have had an undeseriable effect; our imaginations are not really being nourished, just our narcissim."

I would like to point out that I do see that I am being somewhat ironic and hypocritical sharing this exert since it could be seen both as unimaginative and narcissistic but it's still food for thought and going to inspire me to work out my imagination a bit more this week.

Plus, what Scott Simon said about the fact that our time on earth is finite certainly is what I needed to get my A into G and at least attempt at an upload.

Speaking of uploads, check out the video my Mate made about Keeping Salad Safe:http://youtu.be/bFO6I1RDbdo

Jj

YouTube Yoga

I am three days into a 30 day Yoga challenge on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

There are millions of yoga videos on Youtube.

I have attended various yoga classes before and think it is for everyone; whether you are looking to improve your posture, breathing, co-ordination, core strength, stress release or circulation (but you probably knew that.)

Attending a yoga class is great because you can connect with an instructor, be corrected by them and enjoy the scented candles and how the mats smell like lemongrass (most of the time)

The cool thing about this YouTube yoga though, is that each class is only 20-45 minutes, and I can do it in my bedroom. It's more about the quality than the quantity and the fact that it's on YouTube means it's accessible at any time, as it is to anyone, eg people who hate leggings or men who are worried about being outnumbered in a class of Lululemon clad coconut water guzzlers who namaste their days away.

Here's a few things I have learnt "on the mat" that I think are very applicable to our daily lives. There are multiple yoga forums out there, and endless lists of benefits of practice, but if you like the sound of these simple ideas, get involved.

1. Set your expectations with how you feel on the day. If you are 'off' and not able to push as much as the day before, still give integrity to what you can do.

2. Explore, play through the movement, do what feels good.

3. Breathe. If you get bored, breathe. If you are tense, breathe. If it's hard, breathe.

4. Smile into your poses and your postures.

5. It doesn't take long to feel good if you commit to doing the good thing. Light the candle, remove the distractions and see how 20 mins flies by.

6. Go slowly, explore.

7. It's not all about the "ommmmmmmm" and more about the fun.

Jj