Monday, November 21, 2011

Life over Hockey Fandom

Life is funny sometimes isn't it? Last year there was nothing I loved more than hockey; talking to other hockey fans, watching hockey games, tweeting about hockey news...in a word I was obsessed. For anyone who has read my personal blog before you may have read the post earlier this Fall about the past six years of struggle I had been through, if not here's the Reader's Digest version. Shit happens, and sometimes when drowning you cling on to the ray of light that can bring you happiness and you don't let go. But as with all things in life, one day you're up the next day you're down. Somewhere along the line the online hockey community went from the thing that saved me and filled me with joy and energy to a place filled with negativity and whining. I can handle criticism but hockey seemed to invite people into my life to constantly criticize what I did, how I felt, what I liked and any opinion I had. I didn't realize it at first, I blamed it on the Avalanche crapping the bed midway through last season as to why I wasn't as into hockey but the Playoffs rolled around and I watched maybe two games. I couldn't care less, and I finally figured out why.

The hockey community is a great one, filled with fun individuals who really love the sport and want to talk to other hockey fans. The problem is that for me it felt like instead of going out and doing stuff I would talk hockey with other people. This past summer the hockey community was hit with tragedy, time and time again. Instead of banning together people fought over how other people should mourn, over what was classy and respectful and what was not. It was insane and above all else it was energy draining. I often found myself turning off Twitter and re-reading Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Speech - about living your life to the fullest. Somewhere along the line I realized that while online communities are great and connecting with other fans is fun, it's not the only part of my life. No wonder I had little to offer other than critiquing people on Twitter; I wasn't actually living an active life so I had nothing to comment on other than observe how others were living. What a boring life. Then the 10 year anniversary of September 11th came and Penelope Trunk wrote a piece that had me in tears at the end. Steve had nailed it on the head about remembering to make the most of each day, but even that seemed lofty and we always think we have tomorrow. But Penelope, well she smacked it out of the ballpark, bases loaded bottom of the 9th Inning in the World Series Game Seven for the Championship. I realized how to make me happy and what was worthwhile to me.

A few months later and I'm happier and healthier. I run two to three times a week, go to yoga four times a week and am out past 10 pm on most days. I hang out with cool people, learn something new each day, and get to laugh out loud instead of type LOL. That doesn't mean I don't love my Twitter family, it just means balance is needed in my life. For me, the pendulum swung all the way over to hockey and the online hockey community and as with all things the pendulum has to swing the other way to correct itself. I'm striking that balance any way I can, and sometimes that means by unfollowing people who don't have much to tweet about other than whine over how their team got screwed or their fellow fans or the return of Sidney Crosby.

But if you're wondering, I still love my Avs and am excited about Landeskog and the future for the organization. I still check out the scores, watch highlights and check out the news; but it isn't the only love of my life any longer. So if you're on Twitter and I'm tweeting about music, movies, food, technology and yoga, feel free to tweet me back; it's even more fun than just tweeting about hockey, I promise.

Mat Kearney - Young Love Tour

There's few artists I love hearing in concert more than Mat Kearney. While most people don't recognize the name they usually recognize his music. He's had his music featured on Grey's Anatomy right at the beginning of his career. That's no easy feat, so why was he so lucky? Well I'd say it has little do with luck and everything to do with the immense amount of talent and powerful lyrics he writes. Last night was a reminder of how incredibly powerful his songs can be, as well as fun and energetic or romantic. But "All I Need" is one of those songs I stop and listen to every single damn time. The piano right towards the end, just gives me chills thinking about it. So here's last night's song order, since we were the last city on the tour most people already know the set list.

Mat Kearney 11/20/2011
Fire & Rain
Young Dumb & In Love
Count on Me
Down
Breathe In Breathe Out
Closer to Love
Nothing Left to Lose
Girl America (w/Chasing Pavements)
Chicago
Where We Gonna Go From Here (Intro only)
Here We Go
Runaway Car
She Got the Honey
All I Need
Undeniable
ENCORE
Ships in the Night
Pumped Up Kicks
Hey Mama

Friday, November 18, 2011

Practicing Yoga

Every class my yoga instructor starts with an intention for the class and for the day. Today I had Ryann and she is fabulous. She told us that it always surprises her when she tells people she's going to yoga and they tell her to have a good workout. What surprises me is people tell me to have fun stretching, if they only knew. The funny thing about yoga is that there are physical benefits to the practice. The building of stability muscles, the loss of weight, flexibility etc. But yoga isn't about achieving weight loss or lean muscles; those are simply by products for what the yogi is trying to achieve. What yoga focuses on is grace, patience, mindfulness and concentration. We aim for grace and practice it through dancer's pose which forces us to use stabilizing muscles, our core, etc. The benefits to yoga are what most people who are new or who are unfamiliar with yoga think of and what they associate with yoga. But once the practice begins it becomes about calming the mind, even getting out of one's mind and into one's body; it's about finding what's important in life, living in the moment and learning about oneself.

I practice yoga four times a week and I do it because I am trying to find my patience, I'm striving to be graceful,  and I need to let the pressures of the day fall away. I leave it all on my mat and yes, since starting on November 8th I've gone down a pant size and a bra size; I have built muscles I never knew existed and I love that as well. But the real joy of yoga is going and every time getting deeper in my practice. I may not get better every day because every day has a different challenge, but every day I become more connected with myself, with the present and with my intentions.

That's what yoga has done for me. That's why I tweet about it, why I wake up at ungodly hours to squeeze a class in and why I find myself doing more laundry than I ever thought was possible. Because who I am becoming and the lessons I am learning through those sixty minutes is worth every (expensive) penny to me.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Canned Food for Turkey Burgers

Just received this email from The Blue Plate Restaurant Company inviting customers to bring in a canned good (for Second Harvest) and get their amazing turkey burger for $5. The Edina Grill's turkey burger is mouthwatering-ly amazing! Why not help someone in need out and save some money? While you're at it, upgrade to the sweet potato fries with the Chipotle aeoli. Yum!

Free at Align Pilates

Who doesn't love free? When I received my monthly email update from Align Pilates I noticed they were offering two free classes while they 'audition' two new teachers. While I am unable to attend, I hope you go! The two classes they are offering are as follows:

Thursday, November 17, 2011
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Barre Class

Tuesday, November 22, 2011
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Yoga Class

You do need to sign up to reserve your spot (there may not be any spots left!) and you can do that here. Align also has a great new student offer, one week to try all of their classes out for $20. Try Pilates, Barre, Yoga and Prana Stretch for $20.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Punch Pizza & Second Harvest

Punch Pizza is back with another incentive to give to those in need in exchange for their amazing, melt in your mouth pizza. Today only, give a can of food (though it's encouraged to give more) which will be donated to Second Harvest and you receive either a *FREE* Margharita pizza or $6.95 off any other pizza of your choice.