running
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In praise of sweat
I’ve run most of my life. There’s something wonderful about the rhythm of moving limbs, the impact of feet on the ground. It feels primal, the action of the body, and I become keenly aware of my animal-ness, just a creature on earth. As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I struggle with anxiety, and have done so for most of my life. When I discovered running in my early teens, I suddenly had an outlet for the uncomfortable energy that accompanied my anxiety, a way to feel grounded when I felt untethered. The tightness in my chest was released by the conscious breath of exertion, and as sweat beaded…
- adventure, balance, California living, mental health, mindfulness, musician life, running, self care, travel
Reboot!
Did you know that America is the only advanced economy that doesn’t guarantee paid vacation? Think of what most European countries get – 20-something days in addition to national holidays, so a total around 34 days – and you realize what a raw deal we get. For those of us who are independent contractors, however, it can be a different story. While I try to maximize my work (given that I have no guaranteed assurance of future gigs), it conversely also gives me some flexibility in my own time off. Those of you who follow my various social media that I’ve had a particularly busy season, often on the road…
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Life on edge, part 1
I am a very, very anxious person. There, I’ve said it. And when I say that, I mean all day, every day, since I was a young child; worrying, ruminating, convinced that something is just on the verge of going wrong. It’s not really environmentally related – I mean, yes, I get uncomfortable on particularly turbulent flights, but what I’m talking about is an underlying baseline state of dis-ease that has always been with me. My anxiety manifests as an inexplicable sense of existential dread that has no practical explanation. And for my ordered and rational brain, the fact that I can’t reason my anxiety out of existence is both…
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Solo adventure
As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I travel a LOT. Often at the butt crack of dawn, or overnight, or whenever I need to get on a flight to make it to the next gig. I have platinum status on multiple airlines, which should give you an idea of how much of my time is spent on the road. Very occasionally I’ve been lucky enough to take someone with me on my journey, particularly if it’s a longer jaunt, and to a desirable locale. Husband Paul spent two weeks with me on a Japan tour a few years back. And my dear friend Lilly accompanied me on a memorable…
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Some trees would do you good
There has been quite a bit written about forest bathing in the last several years – and, no, it’s not about plunging into an outdoor spring (although that’s actually pretty awesome), but rather bathing in the atmosphere of a forest. A Japanese movement that began in the 80’s, shinrin-yoku is a timely reminder for us city dwellers of the importance of connecting to the natural world. Time spent in nature has shown to boost the immune system, decrease stress and blood pressure, and to contribute to a better overall sense of wellness. Wellness is something I could use these days. As you’ve probably gathered from my previous post, I’ve been…
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What time zone am I in?
I travel. A LOT. I’ve frequently had months where I have concerts every weekend in a different city, which means I’m home Monday-Tuesday, swapping out suitcases and musical scores before heading to my next gig. One memorable week last year had me doing a 36 hour turnaround between weeks in Brisbane, Australia and Montreal, Canada. Good times. I’m frequently asked how I deal with jet lag when I’m on that kind of crazy schedule crossing multiple time zones and spending, at max, 5 days in any one zone. So I’ve compiled a list of tips to of what keeps me (mostly) functional and (somewhat) sane: Hydrate like you’ve just…