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Today’s first for the “one new thing a day for 100 days” New Year’s resolution was using a White gel pen while making notecards out of my photos. I make cards all the time but typically use card stock that is light enough for a black pen. It was fun to change it up. The whole process is quite simple should you feel like making your own card with your personal photos .. ( you may notice my photos were taken during recent new experiences from previous blogposts!)
Today’s first or the “one new thing a day for 100 days” New Year’s resolution was to play the kalimba (a.k.a. finger piano). I had never even seen nor heard of one of these before, saw it at a friends house. This one is missing a tine, but was still able to play the first line of Joy to the World..
New knowledge via Wikipedia:
The mbira is an African musical instrument consisting of a wooden board (often fitted with a resonator) with attached staggered metal tines, played by holding the instrument in the hands and plucking the tines with the thumbs. The mbira is usually classified as part of the lamellaphone family, and part of the idiophone family of musical instruments.
Members of this broad family of instruments are known by a wide variety of names. In the Anglo world it is often called a thumb piano. Indigenous African names include likembe, mbila, mbira huru, mbira njari, mbira nyunga nyunga, nhare, matepe and njari, sansu, zanzu, karimbao, marimba, karimba, kalimba, okeme, ubo, or—between the late 1960s and early 1970s—sanza, as well as marímbula (also kalimba) in the Caribbean Islands.
Today’s first (for the ‘1 new thing a day for 100 days’new yrs res) fell into place seemlessly as I exited the highway en route to an in-home client and found myself with 25 minutes to spare. Little did I know about the gem at my feet. Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve was quaint and GREEN! with all the rain. Mother Earth, my forever therapist 😉
And, yes 🌞, there is such a thing as Ecotherapy:
Connection with Earth: The Core of Ecotherapy
Connection with the Earth and its systems are at the core of ecotherapy. Many clinicians who practice ecotherapy believe that the Earth has a self-righting capacity which operates through complex systems of integrated balance, and that if people can harmonize with these systems, they may experience improved mental health. Personal well-being and planetary well-being, as proposed in many tenants of ecotherapy, are not separate from each other. People’s lives are therefore seen as part of a greater system of interaction.
This county park is known for its stunning spring wildflowers, native plant communities, and rare species. Edgewood 467 acres are a wonderful place to experience and learn about Nature. I will have to return in the spring when the wild flowers are in full bloom and his well visit the education center when it is open.
(the above was by Chester Arnold, loved his work)
OIL TRANSFER DRAWINGS inspired by Paul Klee:
(Paul Klee: Klee was inventive in many ways. Just as he made his own tools and brushes, so he developed his own techniques. For example his ‘oil-transfer’ of which all drawings shown in this post are examples. His ‘oil-transfer’ was essentially a home-made tracing system. A sheet of paper coated with black oil paint was, when dry to the touch, laid face down on what would be the host sheet for the image. On top of both was placed a drawing, the lines of which were retraced with an etching needle so as to press the oil paint onto the bottom sheet. The atmosphere of these ‘oil-transfer’ drawings is enhanced by the smudges of black paint pressed through by the drawing hand and which provides a resist to the superimposed coloured washes.)
Today’s first was taking photos down in capitola by the sea.. glorious night out, wish I had been in the water! Next time 😚
Capitola village by the sea is one of the oldest vacation retreats on the Pacific coast. Before the resort was founded, Soquel Indians lived here for more than 2000 years. After California statehood, The mouth of the Soquel Creek became a shipping point called the Soquel landing..
Today’s first for the “1 new thing a day for 100 days” New Years res was swimming at the redwood city YMCA, smart move to wait out traffic (worked a corporate wellness gig in Silicon Valley.) While I was swimming, I was starting to get down on myself for not coming up with a better “first”, but then once I engaged in a conversation with the lifeguard I was reminded of an important life lesson I taught myself last year: ordinary moments can become extraordinary when we open our eyes and ears wider.
Would you believe that the lifeguard live at the base of the trailhead of the Fall Creek Trail I blogged about on day 31.. A good hour away..? Not only that, but also he and his wife just got a mini Australian Shepherd (my fav). I am going to meet them this weekend for a hike 🌝
Today’s first unfolded organically. While I was at the gym, I realized my routine was hitting a plateau and needed a little oomph. I decided to challenge my balance by performing 1 arm dumbbell shoulder presses while in
Utthita Hasta Padangustasana (Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose):
I was happy to be able complete the set without falling.. on both sides..but wow it sure did require a ton of connection to that core! It also seemed to enhance my present moment focus, which reminded me of jut how healthy movement is for our brains.
Exercise creates the optimal environment for neural plasticity, the ability of the brain to change. I would have to hypothesize that if we stick with the same old routine day in/day out without challenging ourselves, we may not be taking full advantage of this opportunity to affect our brain. Perhaps mixing it up isn’t a bad idea..
FYI:
Exercise benefits the brain even before it benefits the body. The brain does not store its own fuel, nor does it produce its own fuel. The brain relies on the body to get its needed fuel—oxygen and glucose—to the brain. The healthier and more physically fit the body is, the more efficiently the brain functions. This is because exercise changes the brain at a molecular level by
growing new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis;
producing BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor), nicknamed the fertilizer for the brain;
strengthening secondary dendritic branching that increases memory retrieval; and
improving mood by balancing the neurotransmitters endorphins, dopamine, cortisol, and serotonin.
The brain is a complex structure. More parts of the brain “light up,” or are used, when a person is moving or physically active. Remember movement doesn’t have to be in a gym, there are plenty of ways to stay in motion. Be sure you are having fun 👣💃
Today’s first was more food for the soul …I ran from epicenter parking lot into the forest of Nisene Marks. I’ve never wanted to become like a tree always rooted to one spot, but rather I envisioned myself living like the wind. And yet today as I weaved around these trees, I understood and almost envied them a bit. What confidence they have.. To choose to STAY right there..clearly trusting there isn’t any other place they’d rather be..
Today’s first was to visit the free to public Museo Italiano in the Ft Mason art center with dear friend Caitlin (easy in/out during lunch break, highly recommend Greens restaurant next door) Beautiful location, right on the SF Bay.. more info here: https://museoitaloamericano.org/
Today’s first new experience for the ‘one new thing a day for 100 days’ New Years res wasn’t much of a challenge. Ate a Betty Burger… yum
note from Betty:
Hi, I’m Betty
Folks are always asking, “Betty this is a damn good burger– best in town–where did a girl like you learn to make a burger like this?” Well here is my story..
I came from a small speck of a town in the Texas Panhandle. “Big Dutch Dixon” was the only family I ever knew. He raised me from the time mama hitched a ride with a surfer dude passing through, heading to California. I’ll never forget that day. I was just five when we watched mama wave goodbye as the red convertible sped out of town with the Beach boys blasting on the 8-track. She never looked back. As a kid, I watched those old Gidget movies and thought of mama and her Moon doggie.
Now dutch didn’t have many talents but he could ride a Harley like a greased hog and made a wicked good Mesquite burger. Many said the best in Texas. Anyway, like they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and at 16 I headed west to find mama. Dutch vowed he’d never cook another burger till I returned. Well I found plenty of beach boys, some I even loved. One used to call me “Gidget gone bad”. I never did find mama or a burger as good as Dutch’s. Dutch passed on a few years back and all he left me was his burger recipe. Hell, I didn’t know the man could write, so here I am.
Kisses, Betty
*Betty burgers are made with fresh, all natural beef. No antibiotics, no hormones in her beef ever.*
I opted for the Smokin’ Betty (1/2 lb burger with roasted balsamic onions, bacon, lettuce tomato, and avocado (well it technically comes with smoked cheddar but I swapped out for avo :))
Rarely eat at take out burger joints, but wow this one does it right
GET FIT WITH KATE