Okay, so explain to me why we don’t all use February 29th as a Free Day to do whatever the hell we want??
It’s a Free Day, people! It happens once every 4 years. So do something special to commemorate it. Eat an extra piece of chocolate or something.
As I keep jabbering about, I’m using my free day to drive up to Napa with the husband and attend a Leap Year Ball. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Ball before.
I surpassed the goals I had made a few days ago. Three practices. Although I’ve realized recently that when I start to dilly-dally or fidget, I need to go into finishing soon. Otherwise I lose interest, and I’ll just get up and leave my mat sans finishing poses. When did I become so ADD?
I also realized that Ruth Jones is a genius, and I’ve begun to unlock that Moola Bandha secret key thing. All along, I’ve been pulling up only through the front ahem “region,” and here she writes about the whole area being sort of like a hammock, or sling… So I tried pulling up through the back as well, and voila. Instant floatage. Well, not completely. But much more controlled than before reading this article. Everything seems easier, from standing poses to jumpbacks. And I can jump into a handstand before coming into Bakasana B now. Couldn’t before. Magical stuff, those bandhas. Sort of like fairy dust or something.
Also, I think I figured out my sacrum/lowback thing. I was protecting my hamstrings all along by keeping my pelvis upright in all of my forward bends. Somewhere along the way, I adopted this habit… Probably around the time that my left piriformis was torn. So I’ve been exaggerating the stretch into the hamstrings, the forward tilt of the pelvis, and so far so good…
In a moment of weakness, I signed up for March NaBloPoMo. To help us along, this month’s theme is lists, because as the always amusing Mrs. K says, Paragraphs are for Pussies.
I guess I’ll start a day early…
LIST ONE
Means Of Transportation I’d Rather Be Using Rather Than Driving 5 Hours To Napa In The Car The Mechanic Told Me Not To Drive Until He Fixes It Next Week
(that’s an awkward title, yes?)
- Hot air balloon
- Ruby slippers (although they’d clash with all the green for the Leap Year Ball) (I’m currently reading Wicked, can you tell?)
- Private jet
- Helicopter
- Train (I think train travel is still glamorous)
- Private Hybrid Coach (think Cinderella’s Pumpkin Coach, only with a gas/battery powered engine. And a sunroof, please)
Free Day – yes!!!
I’m so in on the FREE day concept! I even told my kids about your idea (one was home sick, one got out early) and they are taking full advantage of not cleaning their rooms, not doing homework, etc. They told me I don’t have to cook dinner either so it’s pizza night! Woo hoo!
Right on. If not for you, I would have missed leap day completely.
So good to hear about all this figuring-out time with the MB-sacrum-piriformis coming to fruition. What you are saying makes sense and is helpful for me to consider too.
Do you have a gymnastics background? Wondering why handstand-bakasana comes relatively quickly… if the MB was mostly there all along, together with extraordinary balance in the fingertips, shoulders, whatever.
Yeah, I do have a gymnastics background… and I love handstands. I can pretty easily control my handstands and my descents from them, but for some reason, could never stick the handstand to bakasana thing… I’d always fall at the last minute. I think that last little MB squeeze made all the difference.
YM, so glad you got your family involved to enjoy the free day!!