Goodness, I’m still messing around with blog design, so be forewarned. Just when you thought you knew what to expect, it will change. While I do love sharing my art, I’ve come to realize I need a simpler banner image. I went with a plain background of rippling water until something better comes along.
I’ll continue to feature examples of my art on individual blog posts such as this one … and continue to update the gallery. As you can tell, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. But I can’t seem to give up, either.
Number 33 is a little different, and I don’t expect to make statements like that all the time. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to see this particular piece as the blog banner. I like it a lot, and it’s a reflection of how I feel, but for me, not everything has a message. Sometimes it’s just crazy colors, pizza or cats. I do love that art can take you any way you want to go.
We’ve talked a good bit on this blog about back pain and various activities that can help or hurt. My particular ailment, according to medical professionals, is a herniated disc at L4-L5, resulting in spinal stenosis and sciatica. I’ve been doing great and only have a little pain. And that’s with golf, walking, swimming and light hand-held weights.
My neurologist said yoga or Pilates would be OK, but I hate messing with a good thing. Both seem fraught with peril. However, the club where I swim posted a flyer about a new class – chair yoga – and I went.
The class was only 30 minutes, and you sit in a chair the whole time. I absolutely loved it and felt great afterward. I went for a walk later that day and wanted to run! Of course, I didn’t, but I think the yoga loosened me up.
I’m going back for more and plan to ask the instructor what she recommends for an online chair yoga program. Our Covid situation is pretty good right now, but I’m assuming it will go downhill this winter, and I’d like to have options. I also want to hear her thoughts about slowly progressing to another class they have called Gentle Yoga.
To celebrate, I bought some yoga tights. Because now I do yoga, right?
My final random thoughts on this lovely Sunday. I’m so glad Halloween is almost over. I used to love it, but it’s so over the top these days. We watch a lot of Food Network, and it’s all Halloween all the time. Just get me to Thanksgiving safely.
And for dinner … I’m introducing Dale to something I invented while he was in Maine. I’m calling it a Hot Dog Reuben. Just like a regular one, except I use hot dogs instead of corned beef. I split them lengthwise (but not all the way through) and sear them in a pan.
Pretty darned good if I must say so myself. Not that hot dogs are a dietary staple at our house, but sometimes you just have to go for it.
I really like number 33. I like how it’s quirky and humorous but with a message.
Thank you! That’s what I was going for.
I’m still in love with #15 but I like #33 and it’s message! My first thought was it’s perfect for your banner, but why not just make one with your blog name? That would be perfect (sorry, not fond of the rippling water) and flaunt your engaging art!
Also, please, please share any links for online chair yoga.
I’m not fond of the water either, so I imagine it will go away quite soon. I love your idea for making art to serve as the banner and just need to think it through. And yes! More info on chair yoga to come.
Statement pieces are good too. Good for our soul. Good for our sanity.
For online chair (and some not totally chair but all directed at seniors for the most part) I highly recommend YogaVista. I belonged for awhile, it’s inexpensive for the huge variety of online classes offered, and I enjoyed it a lot. Actually I need to get back at it now that I’m feeling better, so I think that I’ll rejoin. I particularly liked a gent, I think named John, who lives in Wales or Ireland. He leads his chair yoga classes (some are holding onto the chair) out in nature and there’s just something about him and the poses he chooses, that don’t put me out of whack. I practiced Iyengar yoga for years…something else I had to give up with this back/leg issue. I miss it.
I did start on gabapentin last week…When my physician bolted to PA, I was assigned an amazing woman Nurse Practitioner who gave me several options to try for all my issues, including cannabis. I always worry about cannabis throwing me into afib but she told me exactly what to ask for and has been vetting the cannabis places that have opened up since recreational cannabis became legal in NM, so had a good reliable place to recommend. If I do try it and it helps, she will write me a prescription so that I can get it as medical marijuana, cheaper and not pay taxes.
However, although my own research put gabapentin (usually the first choice for nerve pain) at the bottom of my list, it was at the top of hers. I have to say that it’s solved four issues almost immediately and my quality of life has improved 150%. I can’t believe that in the 7 years that this has been going on and getting worse that it took a woman NP to actually do something to solve some of my issues. I don’t want to believe that it’s because I’m a woman, an “old” woman at that, and all my previous doctors have been male. But…but…
Anyway, check out YogaVista. I think that they have something like a 2 week free trial and although they take your credit card info, if you cancel before the 2 weeks are up (and I think I remember them notifying me first), they don’t charge your card. They have several options, the longer ones are cheaper.
https://yogavista.com/
And keep creating fantastic art!
Definitely good for my sanity, which sometimes approaches the danger zone.
Thanks so much for the information about chair yoga. I will definitely check it out. I also appreciate your take on gabapentin. I had thought of it as the drug of last resort, but your perspective shows a different side to the story. I still don’t think I need it, but I’m not more open to the possibility.
You know I’m a big fan of medical cannabis. There are so many ways to use it, and having a medical professional guide you through it is absolutely amazing. My doctor knows I use cannabis and doesn’t care, but she also has no clue and was actually asking me questions on behalf of her mother.
Yes, gabapentin was my last choice too. For the record, for “me,” it has removed my anxiety, stopped my restless legs and leg pain at night so now I am actually sleeping through the night. So that’s the four issues it’s helped. I was looking for reduction of nerve pain, anxiety, and something to help me sleep at night which I felt were interconnected and if one could be solved, the other two would be helped. I’ve had restless legs for so many years I didn’t even ask her about that so that was a bonus when it went away. I tell you this so that you know the issues that ga Benton have solved for me. They may not be the issues that would lead you to try it. I still have nerve pain when I step on my left foot so I’m still using my cane and rollators, but I’ve added a half mile to my mile dog walks because putting weight on it hurts a lot less, So although it’s not a complete win (yet anyway), that makes for a partial 5th win. It’s supposed to take time for it to work on nerve pain and I’m only in my second week and playing with dosage. My NP prescribed it in 100 mg capsules so that I could “play around with it” as far as finding what dose would help me the most, using the least amount which made me like her even more. She’s so cognizant of the fact that we are individuals with our response to medications. I’ve always reacted to small doses and in the past have ditched prescriptions that have overwhelmed my body with side effects because I couldn’t tolerate the dose prescribed.
And your remark on the chair yoga sent me back to YogaVista where I re-enrolled at the $9.99/month price which renews monthly until I cancel it. And there was John, who I had saved as one of my favorite instructors. I set two reminders in my calendar, one AM, one PM, to remind me that I have this option in my day again. I’m feeling so much better now, it’s time to add it back into my routine. See what good your blog serves to others? This isn’t the first time. Thanks!
Ack, a few errors, word spell changing gabapentin, and a comma where there should be a period. I didn’t catch them in my edit, but minor. Just bugs me to make them, smile.
I go back and read old posts to find mistakes I missed. It’s a curse.
Seriously, even just doing the 10-minute routine from the link Donna sent made an immediate difference. It seems like we’re all helping eaach other out!
Nancy my PA has prescribed Cymbalta which is similar. Im going to start it soon. From what I can see there are minor differences but with Cymbalta there is not the same weaning issue.
Barb,
Due to my maternal family history of tachycardia and my own two flirtations with afib (atrial fibrillation), I was discouraged from taking Cymbalta. I’ve heard some good reports about it though.
I like that there are many options out there to treat various issues. My preference of course is that I not have any issues needing treatment but apparently no one is listening to that request, least of all my body. Adaptation and attitude is my motto. I’m happy to have found a medical practitioner who has an eclectic arsenal of suggestions to try. I hope that she sticks around. We have a real problem keeping doctors and nurses in my State.
I wish gabapentin had worked for our son’s pain. he had a horrible reaction to it. We tried it for 3 weeks and then had to taper him off.It is just unpredictable evidently. You have to try it yourself.He could not function on it and it had many side effects for him. I do have friends who swear by it.. I just wish it had worked that way for our kiddo. ,
Yes, medications work differently in different people. I’m on a very low dose and haven’t ratcheted it up because I’m happy with what I’ve got going, even if I still have some pain. I might try a higher dose later to see if it will “do it all.” As someone sensitive to medication, I appreciated the way my NP prescribed it so that I could “play with it” as she said. I’ve been lucky that I haven’t had side effects other than in the beginning, sleepiness after taking it. That has gone away now.
I like the idea of a piece of your art with your blog name on it as a banner. You could have cats, golf clubs, and cooking utensils (think green lime squeezer!) pictured on it. Gentle yoga is the only kind I like, although some teachers are ‘gentler’ than others. I, too, am fond of chair yoga and hope you post any online classes you can find.
Yes, more to come on chair yoga. I’ll be going back tomorrow! I also like the idea of my art as the banner and just need to think through the details. Tinkering with blog mechanics can result in unintended consequences.
I started thinking about chair yoga before Covid and, although I’d considered an online class, I really prefer the in person experience so there’s someone monitoring me in case I go awry. That said, thank you Nanci for the link to online classes – I’ve watched a preview session and it looks good, so I will give it a go.
I, too, like the idea of you creating a piece of art specifically as a header for your blog – you’d be positively unique. That said, I know what’s is like when you start to tinker with your blog, and only you will know what you feel comfortable with – and that’s what’s truly important.
Another vote for art as banner. As I’ve said in my other responses, I just need to think it through. There’s a site ID thing that now says Retirement Confidential, and I’m not sure I can get rid of that. And then I would have duplicate titles. Anyway, I very much appreciate the nod to tinkering with the blog. You do understand!
Yup, I had exactly that problem. It relies on having the time (and energy) to faff around with the theme and its settings and, when you’re doing the whole blogging thing for fun, it can stop feeling that way quickly!
Hi, Donna –
I tried Chair Yoga when we had an extended stay in Palm Desert. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Somewhere during Pandemic isolation I strained my back moving furniture (I know, I know) and I used this Chair Yoga video. It was short, sweet and very basic, but I liked her style.
BTW – Hot dog Reuben sounds delicious. Sometimes you do just have to go for it!
I just did it. Felt great! Thanks so much for the link.
And for the record, the hot dog reubens were delish. I made a no-knead rye bread, buttered the outside of the slices and then layered sauerkraut, swiss cheese, seared split hot dogs and thousand island dressing. Toasted on a griddle until golden brown.