#55 Legwarmers are back

I bought my first pair of legwarmers a couple of days ago from Roots Canada while on a day trip to Banff, Alberta. They were calling my name and were 25% off. How could I afford not to buy them?! I wasn't old enough to appreciate the last time these babies were in style. Good thing too because I would never have worn the fluo-coloured, outrageously in your face versions of the 80's.

Fast forward to 2010. The modern version of the legwarmer is dare I say a little more sofisticated, a little less garish, and lot less in your face with their delivery. Mine are grey knit organic cotton. How can it get any better than that? Plus, I've found the perfect use for them: keeping my shins toasty while I give myself a winter at-home pedicure, or while going to and from yoga on a cold Calgary day.

Don't judge me.

Lesson learned: Certain things deserve a second chance including legwarmers.

Let's take a poll: Are legwarmers here to stay or should they be banned forever? Have your say by commenting below.

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#54 I remember

Today I remember with a heavy heart those who selflessly served and died for us.

Lest We Forget.



War is heavy, peace starts inside.

~ Eion Finn (Fellow Canadian Yoga Instructor)





Painting by Maggie Thompson.

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#53 Yogis can break

I first hurt my back pre-yoga when I was 21. Long story short I was told by my doc sans any form of physical, "Your back muscles are inflamed; take a Motrin", where she proceeded to give me a few samples hidden in her desk drawer. I've dealt with a lower back issue ever since.

Fastforward to yesterday. I decided to take advantage of the unseasonably good weather to do some much needed fall cleanup in the garden. My back was speaking to me from all the raking, bending, and lifting. I was however being careful to keep good gardening form. Apparently not good enough. I knelt over to pull a few weeds and when I stood back up again it happened: Crippling, shocking pain in my lower back. Ugh!

Picture me, a fit 30-something yogi grasping for support on anything I can so as not to stay frozen in my hunched over position for eternity, eventually making my way to the ground where I lay in the half-dark (*insert discussion over the drawbacks of Daylight Savings Time here*), unmoving like someone three times my age. I wondered if my neighbours would look out their window and think 1) Their neighbour is crazy, or 2) Do 'ya think we should bring her some dinner?

No light stretching, ice, heat pad, more ice, or bed rest has helped. Sitting is a chore. Moving is a choir. I literally may need to stay horizontal for the rest of my life.

Off to physio to get a proper diagnosis and then it's time to kick this back pain in the ass once and for all. I'll keep you posted on my prognosis.

Have a similar story? Share it below and let me how you nursed yourself back to health.

Cartoon credit: Sam's World

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#52 Birthday wishes can come true

I woke up to dozens of voicemails, emails, and messages wishing me a Happy Birthday. I'm a lucky girl to have fabulous friends and family and I feel blessed for all the love. Some of their messages mentioned hopes that my birthday wishes come true. This got me to thinking: What is my 2010 birthday wish?

There's an easy answer to that question: I wish for the Power of Movement 2010 Calgary Edition to be a success.

Power of Movement is a nation-wide fundraising drive benefiting the AARC to raise money for arthritis and autoimmune research. Why do I care enough to get involved? I do it for my brother, brother-in-law, best friend, and countless other friends and students who suffer with arthritis. All are young, all help to dispel the myths about the face of arthritis. For these reasons I want the 2010 fundraising event to be the biggest, most successful one yet.


But I can't do it without YOUR help. I've come to realize recently that one person can make a difference, but a team of people can make miracles happen.

So, as part of my wish (and if you can't ask for the moon on your birthday then when can you, eh?), I'd like YOU to help me get the word out about Power of Movement. Here are some of the ways you can help:

1. Learn about Power of Movement by going to their website
2. Follow the cause on Twitter at @powerofmovement. Re-tweet the hell out of their tweets
   
3. Join the Power of Movement Facebook Page. Bonus points: Share their posts
   
4. Register for the Calgary Mega-Session on Sunday, February 27th,, 2010 by signing up here. A $5 donation is all it takes to attend the yoga session. Pretty good price for a yoga class with a few hundred of your friends all in the name of a good cause. Your attendance will guarantee your good karma quotient to go way up
5. Can't attend the mega-session? Show your support by fundraising. It's as simple as signing up and collecting pledges online here
6. Help get the word out by becoming an Ambassador of the Calgary event like me
   
7. Donate your time. Calgary needs volunteers to help on the day. If you're interested, fire me an email at info@kimmcneilyoga.ca
8. Donate your talents. Calgary needs support in terms of prize donations on the day, exposure via media coverage, etc. If you have serious skillz and connections you'd like to offer up, I'd be more than happy to take advantage of them ;)
9. Get involved if you're a guy. At least from my perspective, there aren't enough men involved in the cause so come forward if you have a Y chromosome and want to help. Let's break down those "yoga equals no men" sterotypes. This is for arthritis research, damn it, and last I checked, the disease doesn't discriminate based on sex
   
10. And finally, re-tweet and share this post so others can help make my wish come true

That's my shameless plea for this next year. Thanks to all of you for helping to get the word out. This birthday girl really does believe cheesy Walt Disney-esk wishes can come true. With your help, my wish will.

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#51 Face plants hurt

I knew it was going to end badly.

On this particular night I had already been practicing for a good hour when it happened. I pushed myself into the relm of the unknown, asking my body to do something it had never done before. What was I expecting, a miracle? Rarely does the first attempt at a new pose go well but I thought, "Why not, I'm going for it!" This was going to end badly.

BOOM.

Face plant into the shag carpet. I checked my nose. Seemed straight. No blood gushing out...yet. The first thing that came to mind: I KNEW that was going to happen. The second thing: I can't afford a nose job with my salary.

My other half must have thought we were under some military attack the way the upper floor shook from a 135-pound body crashing to the floor. This is it, head to the basement! Hope the emergency reserves get us through.

Lesson learned: If you think it's going to end badly, it probably will. Save your face; try a new pose another night.

Share your humbling yoga practice stories below. I'd love to hear them. Better yet: if you have pictures of the aftermath, share those too. (I once made a hole in the drywall. No pictures to prove it though.)

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#50 Pinot Blanc grapes are mutants.

Did you know the white wine grape Pinot Blanc is actually a mutation of the Pinot Noir variety? I didn't until this past weekend when I was told this nerdy wine fact while leading a yoga and fitness retreat. I've always loved a good Pinot Blanc and now I know why: they're made from something special.

I also discovered my new favorite bottle, a 2008 Vineyards Reserve Pinot Blanc by St. Hubertus Estate Vineyard in the Okanakan (see photo on the left). Crisp, fruity, and aromatic.

And so continues my education into wine.

Now time to go do more research, practical studies of course.

What's your favorite wine and why?

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#49 Salmon should be slow cooked

I just returned from co-hosting a weekend-long yoga and fitness retreat for a great group of women. The retreat was a custom designed to give some much needed R & R for the normally busy and over-worked corporate group. Without a doubt the menu and food served at the retreat stole the show all thanks to the wonderfully talented Mish Lee Hobbs, our Red Seal Chef extraordinaire. My know-how of food preparation and wine tasting skills improved ten-fold after the weekend. The photo on the right is a picture of the actual dish served. Yummm.

Greatest lesson-learned: slow cooked salmon is a little piece of heaven. Here's the recipe of the dish Mish preparred for the group one evening. Try it out yourself and let me know what you think. I'm guessing you're going to enjoy it as much as we did.

Slow Cooked Salmon with Red Wine Butter

Yield: 4 servings

1c. Red wine

2 Shallots (1 diced fine and 1 rough chopped)

8T. Butter (6T soft and 2T diced)

2T. Finely chopped parsley

1T. Julienne parsley

3 Leeks (discard dark green parts, wash and julienne)

1/2T Marjoram

1/2T Thyme

1t. Crushed fennel seed

1/3c. Dry Vermouth

2c. Heavy Cream

1T Fresh Lemon Juice

4 Salmon Fillets (Skinless)

3T Olive oil

1 Clove garlic, diced fine

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Combine wine and rough chopped shallots in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil and reduce liquid until 1 T. remains. Strain and discard shallots. Once the wine is cooled add soft butter, fine diced parsley and season with salt and pepper. Place butter mixture on a piece of saran wrap and roll into a log. Refrigerate.

2. Heat remaining butter in a medium sauce pan and add leeks, marjoram, thyme, fennel and salt. Cook for 2 minutes until leeks are wilted. Add vermouth and cook on medium heat for 8 minutes. Add cream and lemon juice and simmer for 25 minutes. Adjust seasonings and keep warm.

3. Heat oven to 275F. Combine fine shallots, oil and garlic and rub onto salmon filets and season with salt and pepper. Place fish on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Roast in oven for 12 minutes to reach medium rare. Cut butter into 4 equal pieces and place on fish, let cook in oven 3 minutes more. Divide leeks into 4 plates or shallow bowls and top with fish and garnish with julienne parsley.

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