Mash-Up Monday

There She Goes

| Melia Alexander

Welcome to Mash-Up Monday, where I pretty much toss in stuff that doesn’t fit into the other four days that I blog. 🙂

Niece 2’s gone.

Gone as in, one day a few weeks ago, before the butt-crack of dawn, I hauled her to the airport to put her on a plane. In spite of my trepidation and flat-out anxiety over her getting lost somewhere between here and Guam (did you know that kids aren’t IMAG1468 escorted on planes anymore?), she was completely focused on getting back to sunshine and warm beaches and island food.

Yep. This kid of mine, who I’d hauled to school the past year, and sometimes brought home at the end of the day, who totally messed with my CrossFit schedule so I could take her to tumbling class or a Petanque match or Cheer squad practice, left. And without a look back. I kid you not. . ..

The house has been strangely quiet ever since. Eerily so. Gone was the pop music blaring out of her computer or the house speakers, gone was the singing at the top of her lungs, and gone were those moments when I’d wander into a room and find her quietly reading like a total angel. It amazes me how much impact a kid can have on life – most of it good, all of it enriching. And while I brood over how she left, I give thanks in the knowledge that by Thursday she’ll be home again.

And that’s probably about the time I’ll miss the peace and quiet of these past few weeks. . ..

Happy Monday,
Melia

 

Mash-Up Monday: Fair Flowers

| Melia Alexander

My gardening thumb is practically lethal. Which was why I love going to our county fair to admire the entries in the gardening contests. (I think there’s a fancier name for them, but whatevs.)

Here’s a sample of some of this year’s entries:

Aren’t they pretty?

Is your thumb green, black, or somewhere in between?

~Melia

Mash-Up Monday: The Game of Real Life

| Melia Alexander

I’ve loved playing THE GAME OF LIFE. I love the chase to the end, collecting as much money along the way in order to win! And if Mr. Alexander was involved it became even more interesting mainly because I hate losing to him. 🙂 I admit I’ve got that naturally competitive streak in me. Fortunately, I’ve managed to tame it over the years. Kinda.

Anyway, what a surprise to find a board game that was much more realistic, much grittier, and way more adult than the original. Pure genius!

It starts out with a roll of the die to determine a player’s sex at birth, overall health, and socio-economic class. And as the game progresses, there are the same kinds of experiences offered in real life. Check these out:

Life’s temptations
Starting the game
The famous mid-life crises
Dying happy
Chris Pender – the genius behind the game

But unlike real life, where our culture tends to most value he (or she!) who dies with the most stuff, in this game, the winner is the one who ends with the most “smileys”. Which means that a player can “die” before anyone else and still win the game. How’s that for a different spin? And how thought-provoking for the real game of life. . ..

The best part? As a writer, you got yourself a great back story for a character in a future book. Just sayin’!

So if I invited you over for a rousing game, would you come? And, yeah, there’ll be booze. 😉

Happy playing,
Melia

Mash-Up Monday: Chocolate, Red Wine, and Functional Fitness

| Melia Alexander

As a writer I spend a lot of time on my rear, an unfortunate necessity if I want to finish a manuscript. Said rear does have to get into motion on a pretty regular basis to help keep my head clear, prevent burn-out, and justify the copious amounts of chocolate and red wine that La Muse requires to keep going. (So high-maintenance. . ..)

While there are a lot of options for exercise, I happen to really love CrossFit. There are a ton of CrossFit bloggers out there, so I won’t go into great detail, but here’s a fascinating article on the neuroscience around CrossFit:
http://www.salon.com/2014/07/13/crossfit_neuroscience_surviving_the_zombie_apocalypse_is_your_workout_a_fraud

Simply put, it’s all about functional fitness, concentrating on movements that we use every day: bending, pushing, carrying, pulling, squatting, lifting, etc. We go faster, harder, and with heavier weights, every time we show up at the box (gym). And each PR is celebrated by fellow CrossFitters.

And while CrossFit isn’t for everyone, it works for me. Why? Because once I start the WOD (workout of the day), my entire focus is on finishing it. Nothing else matters but the next box jump . . . the next 200 meter run . . . the next set of wall balls. My mind is utterly occupied with keeping correct form when I lift a 115 lb. weight, or when I flip a tire, or even when I run. I concentrate on each movement, and if I don’t, I run the risk of hurting myself.

Me after a particularly brutal WOD:20140627_182357

Yep, you guessed it. That’s my outline. In sweat. (Kinda gross, huh?)

But that’s okay. It justified the two scoops of ice cream I had that night. 🙂

How do you stay fit?

~Melia

Mash-Up Monday: I Wanna Dance

| Melia Alexander

I wish I could dance. No, seriously. The grace and beauty that comes with moving your body as a form of self-expression clearly skipped me when it was being doled out.

But it’s really cool to come across those who dance so beautifully, their bodies so attuned to the music that it’s difficult to imagine one without the other. And it’s even way cooler when these people share their gift with the rest of us!

I stumbled on this group at our local Saturday Market.

P1170414 P1170409 P1170407

They were FABULOUS! The longer they performed, the more I wanted to join them. And why not? It looked easy enough – just go with the beat, right? I would’ve, too, if Niece and Youngest Cousin hadn’t pulled me back. Guess they remembered I’m not a dancer. *Glares*

Ah, well, there’s always next time.

Do you dance? Did you take formal lessons or learn it on your own?

Happy dancing,
Melia, the Wannabe Dancer