Strike a Pose

The First for Women magazine with my photos hit shelves last week! Yay! The photographer was nice enough to send me a link to view all the proofs online. Today, I mailed a copy to my Memaw (pronounced Mee-Mah) and my mother-in-law in Texas.

When I asked my mom if she needed a copy (because I assumed she'd already bought a copy) she told me that she had bought four. One for my dad (who lives in the same house with her), one for my 13-year-old brother (who also lives in the same house) and two for herself; one to take to work and one to leave at home.

This weekend provided the rest and reflection time that I needed. Saturday I went for a run along the East River before meeting some friends for a Spanish inspired brunch- delish. Afterward, Chris and I got massages and headed home, stopping to buy a few groceries along the way. It was a slow day- but nice & with just enough activity sprinkled in. (The kind of activity that fills me up.)

My massage was... interesting. It was more Chinese/ holistic in nature than the more relaxing massages I'm used to. It was therapeutic and less about chilling out. But that was okay, I needed someone to kneed my back like a wad of tough bread dough. It was intense and left me a little sore. That little Asian woman had some unforeseen strength. She swung from a bar mounted above the massage table and walked on my hamstrings. It was odd, but felt really, really great.

My chiropractor keeps telling me I'm loosing the curvature in my neck from all this sitting and typing and leaning forward on my keyboard. I'm trying to be good. It's hard to not cradle the phone and keep typing. Yoga is helping. And, I bought one of those expensive bed pillows that are supposed to help keep your head in the right position all night and help with that cervical curve I suppose.

The thing is I like to sleep on my belly with my arms above my head, even if it is bad for you, even if my arms do lose circulation. I've done really well remaining on my back and side but for some reason I feel so much more safe laying on my stomach. But it's nearly impossible with that darn pillow, so I've started throwing it on the floor in the middle of the night. Even though I know it's what's good for me. Even though I know it's helping me. Even though I know I will probably have a neck cramp and a tiny headache from sleeping on my stomach in a ball all night- limbs all numb and tangled. I'd rather feel safe.

Isn't that how it is in life with most things though? We stay in that safe tangled ball instead of doing what is beneficial in the long run.