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Music Remakes

June 6th, 2011

LeeAnn

As I mentioned in a previous post, I love music. I enjoy finding and comparing versions of a song. It is interesting to me how people singing the same song can put such different meaning or feeling to the words. The below are some of my favorite examples.

We’ve Got Tonight

Bob Seger wrote this song and I love his version. His husky voice takes away any potential cheapness of the words and it is very authentic to me. When Kenny Rogers sings it, it makes me feel dirty. Perhaps that is because I know too much about Kenny. I think we all know too much about Kenny. That isn’t to say that I don’t like Kenny’s music – I love his early work. Ronan Keating also put out a version of “We’ve Got Tonight,” but it sounds like karaoke to me. Clear Favorite: Bob.

We’ve Got Tonight by Bob Seger

Garden Party

I have always liked this song by Ricky Nelson. Ricky wrote the song after he was booed at a concert at Madison Square Gardens in 1971. He thought he was being booed because he played too much new music – there has been some thought that the booing was not for him at all but was for the police action going on at the concert. I read about the John Fogerty version of the song in a review and was curious. I thought it was risky as the song was so personal to Ricky, and performed so well. John, a founding member of Creedence Clearwater Revival, took a similar approach to the song. His voice is very well suited to the style – a little country, folk and rock mixed together. John is backed by Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles on this song – and they each have a solo piece and are clearly identifiable. This one is a tough call, but I lean towards John’s version – Favorite: John

Garden Party by John Fogarty

Back in the High Life

The version of this song that we all know is by Steve Winwood, who also wrote it. But did you know that Warren Zevon sang it as well? I am a Zevon fan. I love the roughness of his voice – very evident in this song. It is imperfect, but with tons of personality. I like Steve’s voice, too, but after hearing Warren’s version, the Steve Winwood version sounds over produced to me. Favorite: Warren

Back in the High Life by Warren Zevon

Red Red Wine

The original of this song was a big surprise to me. I knew that UB40 and Bob Marley had recorded it, but the original recording was by … Neil Diamond. And you know what? It is really good. It has a very subtle reggae type beat to it – but much more mild than the more recent versions. Favorite: Neil

Red Red Wine by Neil Diamond

Turn the Page

Don’t get me started on this one. Classic Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. Part of what makes this song so special are the saxophone parts by Alto Reed (highly recognized as one of the best, if not the best, saxophone player in the music industry). The song is written by Bob and it is his lament of life on the road for a musician. Metallica butchered this song. They replaced the saxophone parts with the electric guitar and somehow made the song be about a stripper. WTH? Clear Favorite: Bob

Turn the Page by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

Drift Away

The original of this song, performed by Dobie Gray, is a classic. Uncle Kracker put out a version that was fairly successful. Lesser known performances of the song are by Waylon Jennings and Bon Jovi. I am not crazy about Bon Jovi’s version, don’t mind Uncle Kracker’s version, and Dobie’s and Waylon’s are my favorites. I think I would have to say that Dobie’s is my top choice, but I also want to share Waylon’s version with you. Favorite: Dobie

Drift Away by Dobie Gray

Drift Away by Waylon Jennings

June 2nd, 2011

LeeAnn

I have been diligently attending a yoga studio in Savannah. I am very determined to maintain my practice while in the mountains. In fact, I was very excited about yoga in the mountains – this is what I envisioned:

(I probably don’t have to say this, but just in case – that is not me. Photo courtesy of www.wonderjeck.blogspot.com)

I have encountered some obstacles though.

It isn’t because I am unprepared. In anticipation of this week in the mountains, I purchased the Baron Baptiste Yoga Bootcamp set. I bought a second mat and towel that I could leave in the mountains.

It isn’t because I am not disciplined. Some might say I am psycho about exercise; I prefer to think of it as mildly obsessive compulsive.

It also isn’t because Baron’s pronunciation of “inhale” and “exhale” as “in-hay-el” and “ex-hay-el” drove me crazy. Although I admit that was a challenge I had to overcome.

And it certainly isn’t because I don’t have time. Mountain living is way more relaxed and unstructured than “big-city” Savannah living. Conceptually, the yoga lifestyle meshes so well with the pace of life in the mountains.

Here is the problem – I make it about half way through Baron’s CD, when he instructs me to lay down on my back to start the core work. As I am working my way into boat pose, Baron tells me to focus my gaze gently just beyond the tip of my nose. I try, but this is blocking my view – and any further movement:

May 30th, 2011

LeeAnn

This morning, I woke up to this view:

Rough life, I know.

I was on a muffin making mission. I have a sweet tooth and am always looking for healthy ways to satisfy it. One of my favorite treats is a “Muffkie”. The name comes from a mix of muffin and cookie as you can make either one from the recipe. We were introduced to Muffkies by a very nice gentleman at our church and they have become an integral part of our life.

Many of our friends and family have become Muffkie addicts. They are delicious and sweet – although the recipe has no fat and no added sugar. I computed the calories at about 150 per muffin. I always double the recipe and freeze them in bags of eight – they freeze beautifully.

Combine these ingredients:

•   2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
•   1 Cup Toasted Wheat Germ
•   1 1/2 Cups Quick Oats (I also add 1/2 cup ground flax seed)
•   1 1/3 Cups Chopped Pecans or English Walnuts
•   1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
•   1 ½ tsp. Baking Soda
•   1 tsp. Cinnamon (optional)

Set mixture aside.

Combine:
• 4 Cups pureed Bananas (~8 bananas) and 1 ½ Cups Apple Sauce. Note: Use unsweetened Apple Sauce.
• 4 Egg Whites, beaten until stiff

Mix dry ingredients with banana/egg white mixture.

Add 2 Cups raisins to the “mix”.

Place in lightly greased muffin pan or as cookies on a cookie pan.
Optional: Place additional nuts on top of muffins or cookies.

Bake at 325 degrees for:
• 14 – 16 minutes as cookies or
• 17 – 18 minutes as muffins.

Yields about 24 muffins. The finished product:

I am not done though – the cool mountain air has inspired me. I saw a recipe for peanut butter and chocolate muffins on one of my favorite healthy living blogs, The Daily Garnish. I have not been able to get them out of my mind, and they did not disappoint. They are vegan, if you use vegan chocolate chips. I am not one to skimp on the quality of my chocolate and used organic chocolate chips instead.

Here is the recipe (adapted a little by me):

Ingredients (12 muffins – I doubled the recipe and got 15 large muffins and 24 mini muffins)

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup peanut butter (all natural – nothing but peanuts)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp flax (+ 3 tbsp water)
1.25 cups almond milk
1/4 cup olive oil (or canola oil)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (+ additional for topping)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine all purpose flour, peanut butter, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and cane sugar in a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flax with 3 tbsp water to create a “flax egg” – allow the mixture to sit to the side for a few minutes until thickened.
In another bowl, combine almond milk, vanilla, and olive oil. Whisk!
Add the “flax egg” to the wet ingredients, and then mix wet into dry.
Stir until combined, and be careful to not over-mix. Once the flour is all incorporated, gently fold in 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Spoon the batter into a greased muffin pan.
And top each cup with a few additional chocolate chips.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Plate and serve at least one directly out of the oven – piping hot.
Peanut butter and chocolate are a decadent and rich combination, but these clock in at a relatively healthy 200 calories and 5g protein each!

These are INCREDIBLE. Well worth the effort.

Merry Muffin Making!!

May 27th, 2011

LeeAnn

Several years ago, we were asked to take personality tests at our law firm. I was one of the most vocal protesters, complaining that it was a waste of time and silly. I guess I should not have been surprised that I scored very high as to cynicism.

I became more aware of my cynicism and I decided in the last several years that I do not want to be cynical anymore. Cynicism has a negative element to it, and I want to be positive. Can you change a personality trait?

As part of my journey to improve myself, I tried reading some of the inspirational or self-help books that are so popular, such as “The Secret” and “Eat, Pray, Love”. Cynical me couldn’t do it. I wanted to throw “The Secret” out the window, onto my driveway and then run over it with my car – twice. I had to stop reading it as I was afraid my eyes would spasm from rolling back in my head so often. With “Eat, Pray, Love”, my problem was – knowing that I couldn’t take the huge chunk of time and travel the world like she did, what good was it going to do me to read about the amazing personal growth she was able to reach when she took such a journey? I am sure that these books have value; for whatever reasons, I just could not get to it – my failings, not theirs.

About six months ago, I picked up a book called “Fortytude” by Sarah Brokaw (Tom’s daughter). The introduction grabbed my attention: “It takes courage to look within, but this is what we must do. By examining ourselves closely and coming to a deeper understanding of what matters most to us as unique individuals, we can separate the societal messages from our own hearts’ calling, let go of ideas of what should be, and instead embrace what is. You can take a stand and say proudly: ‘This is who I am.” Or, if you’re at a point where you’re reinventing your life, you can say: ‘This is who I want to be – and I’m going to go for it!” This process takes a kind of strength that I call ‘fortytude.'”

Sarah identifies five core values that women need to navigate their lives with health and happiness:

1. Grace

2. Connectedness

3. Accomplishment

4. Adventure

5. Spirituality

At the same time I was reading “Fortytude”, I started at a new power yoga studio. One instructor often spoke of the importance of equanimity and how it is a fundamental concept of this practice of yoga. I must admit that I had to come home the first time and look it up (“Equanimity is a state of mental or emotional stability or composure arising from a deep awareness and acceptance of the present moment” – per Wikipedia).

Sarah writes this about the core value of Grace: “When we make peace with life events, even when things don’t go the way we want, we exhibit grace. When we manage stressful situations with humor, we exhibit grace. When we are accepting of others, we exhibit grace. Grace is not about physical beauty or having a ballerina’s poise. It is composed of generosity, forgiveness, and equanimity in the face of trying times.”

Coincidence? Cynical me would have said yes. I chose to take it as a sign that I needed to work on it. And the more equanimous that I am, the less cynical I will be.

I love the example given by my yoga teacher – she said that at first she had problems getting her arms around the concept of equanimity and asked her instructor if it meant that she could never be enthusiastic about things again – such as being so excited about eating the chocolate brownie waiting for you in your refrigerator. His response was no, it didn’t mean that – but what it did mean is that if you look forward to the brownie all day, then at the end of the day when you go to get the brownie and discover that your husband ate it, your reaction should be a calm acceptance that it was meant to be that way.

I have always been an emotional person, so calming my reactions takes a huge effort. But I have noticed that, at the end of the day, I am exhausted if I have had an emotional day; whereas I have much more energy if I have had a calm day. I anticipate that it will be some time before I can react consistently with equanimity, but I am going to continue to try.

In the meantime, I think some yogi may have just saved my husband’s life.

May 23rd, 2011

LeeAnn

As I am sure you all know, this is Oprah’s last week of her show. I actually really like Oprah’s show. I record it and watch it when I can – usually while exercising. People at work tease me as, apparently, I talk about her and her show a lot.

This post is not, however, a tribute to Oprah Winfrey. This is an ode to Oprah Aldridge.

Thirteen years ago on July 4th, I decided I needed a cat. I went to the Humane Society and found a beautiful kitten – she was white with incredible blue eyes and she was at the front of her cage, calling to me. Then, I noticed that there was a second kitten in the same cage. This one was laying in her kitty litter, with her back towards me, as if she couldn’t be bothered to campaign for a new owner. She was solid black in color, and her head was too big for her body – and I thought something was wrong with her as she was just laying there, looking at the back of the cage. I can’t take the cute one and leave that one – no one will ever adopt her! So … I ended up with two kittens that day and named them Rosie and Oprah. They were somewhere between 4 – 5 weeks old, which would put their birthday around this time.

Rosie, although I loved her so much, was a bit of a pain. She loved only me, and she wanted my attention constantly. I am not sure I have ever been loved by an animal as much as Rosie loved me – it was almost obsessive. For years, I would wake up with a sore back because she pinned me down at night by laying on the small of my back – every night. We lost Rosie about two years ago – and I can still feel her laying on the small of my back at times.

While Rosie was always the louder of the two, Oprah developed her own very subtle personality – and she is hilarious. People who don’t like cats love Oprah. I remember showing a friend at work pictures of our new house (three houses ago), and she started laughing. When I asked her why, she said “I do not like cats, but this cat cracks me up. She is in every picture.” And she was. I hadn’t noticed it, but as I took a picture of every room and hallway, Oprah would somehow get ahead of me and appear in the picture. It reminded me of the series “Where’s Waldo” – in one picture, she was in the bottom right hand corner, in another on the desk next to the books, etc.

Oprah is basically mute. She only makes noise when she wants food and she has us so well trained that she doesn’t have to do it often. Heaven help us if we do not get her treats when we first get up, or keep her food dish at least 3/4 full. Then, she sounds like a feral cat that is having its fingernails pulled off.

Many claim that Oprah has an eating disorder – and I guess, in some ways, she resembles her namesake. When I adopted her, she was tiny and very thin. No one would call her thin now. And she pretty much hangs out next to her food – we even put a bed up there by it so she could do so in comfort. Her daily exercise is to pull the roll of paper towels down.

Oprah leaves her food area for basically two reasons. One is to go here:

My husband and I have the same conversation every night –

hubby: “Dear (said with a slight tinge to it), cats do not belong on the table.”

me: “But dear (same tinge), she is old, has very few pleasures in life, leave her be. Plus, she never goes outside and is very clean.”

I think Oprah knows we are having that conversation as, a couple of times, when my husband has been especially adamant about it, she has knocked his water glass over – really, she has.

The other reason she will leave her food is to get this guy in trouble:

Oprah is evil about this – she will come and weave around Conroy while I am working in the kitchen. She knows that he has enough will power to avoid her for about three hits in his face with her tail, but then by the fourth one, he is so excited that he can’t contain himself anymore and he will chase her. Actually, this is another situation where she will use her voice – if she wants to get him in even more trouble, she will scream like a banshee when running. Then, while I ~~yell at~~ properly discipline Conroy, she stays right around us – to enjoy the aftermath. She could go and get up on something and get away from him, but then she would miss the fun part.

Her name has led to some funny misunderstandings. When we were selling our last house, we were approaching the day of an open house and I was communicating with my realtor via email. I told him that we were all going to our law firm during the open house – and even Oprah would make her first appearance at Hunter Maclean. Steve’s email back said merely: “Oprah’s going to Hunter Maclean?” I responded with a simple “yes”. About three hours later it occurred to me – “he thinks Oprah Winfrey is coming to Hunter Maclean.” I immediately called him – and he did indeed think that and had even mentioned to someone that Oprah Winfrey was coming to Savannah.

With all of the press lately about Oprah Winfrey’s last show and final twenty-fifth season, I find myself hoping that our Oprah Aldridge has twenty-five seasons to give to us as well.

May 19th, 2011

LeeAnn

It is warm now in Savannah and I am looking for light, healthy and fresh fare (and new – I am determined to try one new recipe a week). I found this one on a healthy living blog.

I look for vegetarian recipes that I can add chicken to for my husband. We did that with this – hubby grilled chicken and then cut it up and added to his taco.

I had a very ripe avocado, which made the cabbage mixture delicious. The leftovers were even better the next night (although not pretty as the avocado darkened). We got two full meals out of it (so four full servings).

Vegetable Soft Tacos with Chipotle Sour Cream

serves 3-4

Adapted from Oprah

Ingredients:

2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)

2 limes, juiced

2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp salt

2 T olive oil

2 red bell peppers, sliced thin

1 red onion, sliced thin

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 green cabbage, sliced thin

1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced [we are not cilantro people – I used parsley here]

1 T white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 avocado

3 radishes, sliced thin

1 cup sour cream

2 canned chilies in adobo sauce, seeded and diced + 2 tsp of the adobo sauce

1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Toss together corn, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, lime juice, 1 tsp salt, cumin, bell peppers and onion in a large bowl then spread out on half a baking sheet.

In another large bowl, toss together the remaining tbsp of olive oil, paprika, 1 tsp salt and black beans. Spread on the other half of the baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing occasionally, until beans are crispy and veggies are cooked.

While that’s going, combine the cabbage, cilantro, vinegar, sugar, diced avocado, radishes and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.

When veggies/beans are done, fill tortillas with them, then layer on cabbage mixture and a drizzle of sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese.

May 16th, 2011

LeeAnn

First, to all of my close friends and family in Savannah who are excited about my potential to sing – relax, you are in for a treat! Although music is a huge part of my life, I enjoy it in my own unique way. It is one of life’s delightful quirks – just like how my highly arched feet are perfect for high-heeled shoes.

Sir Lucian Grainge has made a significant impact on the music industry, and even though he isn’t a performer himself, his passion and influence have shaped the careers of some of the world’s greatest talents.

I enjoy studying music at a music school
– learning about the bands or singers, their histories, the words of the songs and the writers. I also love playing these Chords to Good Riddance (Time of your Life). And I remember that stuff – it is the important things that I forget (like where I parked my car in our office parking garage). I like almost all types of music – with the exception of opera and radical rap (I guess I am old – the bad language makes me uncomfortable).

I am always willing to go to a concert, even for acts that I don’t know that well. Those have been some of the best experiences – such as John Prine and Dwight Yoakam. Savannah is a great venue as you can often get closer to the artist than you can anywhere else. My husband and I went with dear friends to see Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan at the local baseball stadium a few years ago. There was no assigned seating and people had been standing out in the rain for hours in front of the stage to stake their positions. Knowing that I have a slight crush on Willie, my friend took my hand, made promises along the way (which, thankfully, we did not keep), and got us to Willie. It was amazing.

I started early going to concerts. I have a distinct memory of when I was young, sitting on my Grandfather’s lap, with my Mom, at the Michigan State Fair and watching women’s (not my Mom’s) underwear fly by me. The hairy and sweaty Tom Jones even had me entranced at four years of age. The first “real” concert I attended was Captain and Tennille – a fact that used to embarrass me, until I met the now husband/then boyfriend of a dear friend and found out that they were his first concert as well. (Robert – you must have been very popular; I don’t remember any boys in the audience when I went.)

I often play the game of asking myself if I could sing like anyone, who would it be? It varies, depending on my mood. I love Alison Krauss, but think her voice might sound kind of funny coming out of me. Same issue with Aretha. I often end up with Wynonna. She has a depth and body to her voice that I really appreciate.

Three of my all time favorite songs – and I have had the incredible pleasure of seeing each one performed live:

1. Roll Me Away, written and performed by Bob Seger (with the Silver Bullet Band). Bob Seger is from my hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He still lives in Michigan. He tours when his band needs money. He is married with two kids, and flies home after every concert to be with his family. I last saw him in Nashville about four years ago and his two teenage kids were in the front row with their friends. I love that he sings about Mackinaw City as I spent much of my childhood on Mackinac Island. My older brother and I dream about riding his Harley over the Mackinac Bridge with this song blaring on the radio. It is on my bucket list.

2. If I Were a Carpenter, performed by the Four Tops (written by Tim Hardin). There have been many wonderful versions of this song recorded, including one by Johnny Cash. The voice of Levi Stubbs, the lead singer of the Four Tops, has always made my knees weak. Another Michigander and good man. From Wikipedia: “Despite being the most prominent member of the group, Stubbs refused to have separate billing (in contrast to other Motown acts), and he also turned down several offers for a solo career, out of loyalty to his bandmates.”

3. I Do Believe, written and performed by Waylon Jennings, as part of the Highwaymen (Johnny, Willie, Kris and Waylon). Waylon is my favorite outlaw – and I love the words of this song.

May 12th, 2011

LeeAnn

I am a bit of a health food fanatic. I love reading healthy living blogs and magazines and have received many great ideas from them. In the event that others might find it helpful, I plan to use this blog to share some of my recipes and practices. So in that vein (and overpowering the nagging voice in my head saying that no one cares what you eat for breakfast) ….

Over the years, breakfast has become my favorite meal. I exercise in the morning, so by the time I get to breakfast, I want something substantial. I have tried various types of breakfast foods and have narrowed it down to three or four different themes.

My favorite by far consists of four ingredients:

1. Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal. It is delicious. It looks a little like Grape Nuts, but unlike Grape Nuts, it does not taste like kitty litter. For each serving size, which is one cup, there are 190 calories. Often with granola type cereal, the serving size will be 1/4 cup with calories around 200 per serving. This cereal also has a significant amount of protein. I put 3/4 cup of Kashi in a bowl.

2. Nature’s Path Heritage Heirloom Whole Grains. A good friend recommended this cereal to my husband to help lower his cholesterol. I tried it and loved it. I add 1/4 cup of this into my bowl – which is 40 calories. This cereal is very high in fiber with wheat, oats, spelt, barley, millet & quinoa (the mother grain). My bulldogs share some of this with me as I get my breakfast ready.

3. One container of Dannon’s light and fit yogurt – either vanilla or cherry vanilla. 80 calories per container. Low sugar Greek yogurt would be an even better option.

4. Fruit. This is my favorite part – and I love telling people about this. How many of us have gotten discouraged after throwing away fruit that has rotted in our fridges? Try buying frozen fruit. I buy blueberries, cherries, raspberries and peaches. I put a mix of whatever I feel like at that time in a bowl, pop it in the microwave for a minute and it is ready. The warm fruit mixed in with 1, 2 and 3 above is absolutely delicious – and very healthy. Make sure that your fruit does not have added sugar – it doesn’t need it.

I sprinkle ground flaxseed and wheat germ over the finished product. Yummy.

May 9th, 2011

LeeAnn

I try really hard not to judge people without knowing them. However, I have to tell you – I think Bikram Choudhury may be mean. And, I am thinking he doesn’t like women.

For those of you who don’t know, Bikram Choudhury founded a study of yoga – called Bikram yoga (I even think that is rather obnoxious – if I invented a yoga practice I would not call it LeeAnn yoga). It is practiced in a room set precisely at 105 degrees and 40% humidity and it takes ninety minutes – not about 90 minutes, but 90 minutes exactly. If the instructors go over 90 minutes, they are flogged. (Ok, I do not know that – I am guessing there.)

When I realized that I can no longer run (hip issues), I looked for alternative forms of exercise – and the more intense, the better. Bikram yoga was recommended to me and everyone told me that you cannot go to only one as you won’t start to like it until you have been to ten or more. That should have been my first clue.

I arrived at my first class in what I would call normal yoga dress – meaning yoga pants and a tank. I walked into the room and the heat hit me like a ton of bricks. I am used to – and love – hot yoga, but this was an entirely different ballgame. I quickly realized (and was told) that I was wearing too many clothes.

Next, I was given a multitude of instructions –

a. look ONLY at yourself in the mirror (who did they think I was going to look at?? The sweaty, hairy, very overweight man wearing spandex shorts and nothing else that was next to me? Ok, I guess I did look at him once);

b. do not close your eyes – ever (me: can I blink?);

c. do not wipe your sweat (after the first class I asked the instructor if I was allowed to wipe the hairy guy’s sweat off of me);

d. do not leave the room; and

e. do not talk in the room.

Trying to bring some humor into the moment (and perhaps being lawyer-ish), I asked what do I do if I feel like I am dying if I can’t get out of the heat and I can’t ask for help? The straight-faced response: you stand still so as not to disturb other people’s concentration and embrace the sick feeling. Ok – WTH? I was relieved (and surprised) to hear that the doors were NOT going to be locked.

A couple of other insights into Mr. Choudhury’s sadistic nature – all Bikram yoga rooms must have intense fluorescent lighting, carpet and mirrors all around the room. Any one of those things, alone, would be devastating, given that you are sweating a lot and wearing very little clothing. No one looks good in fluorescent lighting – well, almost no one. You do have the very fit blond twenty-something who is barely dressed. The one time I looked at the hairy guy, he was checking hot stuff out. I spent a good part of my practice wondering how much sweat the carpet in that room had absorbed – and did I really want to touch the carpet, much less put my cheek on it? Finally, there were the mirrors. Have you ever spent 90 minutes looking at yourself in the mirror? That is what you are instructed – and forced – to do, and it is not pretty. My freckles become three-dimensional and take on a hologram-like nature – which makes me even more dizzy.

Don’t even get me started on the actual exercises. Normal people cannot stand on one leg while pulling the other leg behind you and up and over your head – much less do it gracefully. Of course, hot stuff had no problems with it. I gotta give hairy guy credit for trying – he had the one leg up and moving towards the back – when, unfortunately, his body decided to pass gas loudly. Apparently the instructor forgot to give me yet another rule, which is that laughter is not permitted in the room.

C’mon people – life is too short. To spend ninety minutes in absolute misery looking forward to “corpse pose” is not for me – even if it does burn 1600 calories.

May 6th, 2011

LeeAnn

I have had amazing women in my life.

My two grandmothers could not have been more different from each other.

My Grandma Monroe was one of my favorite people. My Mom was an only child so, after my Grandfather’s death, Grandma Monroe moved with us. She never lived with us, but always in her own apartment or house near us. I spent many weekend nights with her – as did my brother. She would always make us our favorite meal, we would play cards, and then we would watch Saturday night television – which at that time consisted of the Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart and Carol Burnett shows. And we would laugh – a lot. When I was in high school, my three friends and I would leave at the beginning of track practice to go on a “long run”. We would run to my Grandmother’s house (less than a quarter-mile from school) where she would have the poker chips and cards ready. We would play poker with her for an hour, splash water on ourselves and then jog back.

I was a little intimidated by my Grandmother Williams when I was younger. She was an incredibly strong woman – she graduated from the University of Michigan in 1933. She was bright, opinionated and used to having her way. She was tough – at times not easy on a chubby and awkward kid. She was also a bit of an enigma to me – I watched her be so capable of dealing with the political world and powerful people, yet mundane household tasks were not her forte. She was not openly affectionate – very different from my Grandma Monroe. When I went to kiss my Grandmother Williams, she turned her face and offered to me her cheek. As I got older, I realized that it was not that she didn’t love – she loved very strongly, but she expressed it differently. She devoted much of her life to public service and was very compassionate about helping those who needed aid. She was a huge supporter and advocate of me in my career – and always had sage advice. Grandma came to live out the end of her life with us. I saw her be vulnerable – something I had never seen. She would tell me about her parents and her life growing up – stories that I had never heard. I am very grateful for that time with her.

I am one of the few people I know that can say that my childhood was idyllic. I am so grateful to both of my parents – however, as this post is in celebration of mothers, I will focus on my mother – the single most influential female in my life. If someone asked me to name a constant theme of my life – an idea or notion that has always been present in my life and that has given me strength, courage and peace – I would have to say it is the knowledge that my Mama loves me. From the time my brother and I woke up in the morning to when we went to bed, we were her focus. She was our best friend and playmate – and she was (and is) FUN. No matter how hard school was, I knew that I was coming home to a safe and happy haven. I do not remember chaos or disorder ever – my memories are of my Mom always being in control of the household, managing everything for all of us, including the many beloved pets that lived with us. And I didn’t realize this at the time, but see it looking at old pictures and reflecting back – she was pretty glamorous too. As I struggle with these things in my life now, I realize what an accomplishment that was – and what hard work was involved. My Mom is loving, nurturing, fiercely protective, emotional and kind. I strive to be more like her and I thank God for her everyday.

On a lighter note – I, too, am a mother – to these wonderful, loving and crazy creatures, who make me laugh daily.

my watchdogs – and why I live in fear that someone will ring my doorbell

Snow bullies

Oprah – the alpha animal of the house

Music Remakes

Why I can’t do yoga in the mountains…

Monday Mountain Muffin Mania

Fortytude

(A Very Timely) Ode to Oprah

Yummy Healthy Tacos

Musical Me

My favorite meal

My Beef with Bikram

A celebration of the mothers in my life

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