I had a lovely Christmas gift from Santa Claus. I walked out the gate around my house on xmas day and noticed a hula hoop leaning against the fence. A letter on it read:
"Dear Hula Girl, My friend told me you don't exist but I know you do. I have seen you hula hooping several times and it makes me happy to see you. See? Santa does exist. Sincerely, Santa Claus"
The hoop was a lovely pink and yellow hoop. I am flattered and very curious as to who my hoopmirer could be. I am so happy to have one that I think it should be the goal of people to choose a hoopmirer for yourself and to make and give them a hoop!
Leave it for someone you want to get into hooping! They will enjoy it, if not for themselves, I'm sure they would not hesitate regifting it.
I've been sporadic... it could be the holidays, but I've been noticing that in the past few weeks I've missed at least half of the days. And I'm sure staying away from posting has something to do with it. When I hoop inside or the weather is bad, I haven't been going as long as I should or as hard as I'd like. Also, instead of trying to do it EVERYDAY, I think it would be better to set a 30-min a day. That way I should complete 3.5 hours a week, 50 hours in 100 days. This seems much more realistic, but I want to be sure that it is at least 50 hours, not up to 50 hours. It would be interesting to see how many hours I can complete in 100 days.
I am very happy that I have come this far. Even though I have been off and on for a few weeks, I have become closer to perfecting my hooping regimen by documenting it and providing feedback. I notice that if I hoop over an hour one day, the next day I have a light walk and hoop no more than 15 minutes, and often it becomes drudgery rather than excitement. I don't ever want to feel "forced" into hooping. It isn't good for my hoopmentality.
Goals: Finish my Hoop for 100 promise as best I can. I am nearing the end of the first cycle and I am eager to try out my next phase of hooping according to time. And did I mention I need to finish those damn videos? At least I am taking them ;)
Accomplishments: I am happy to have discovered that I don't have to stick to ONE type of hooping promise to myself. I could even interchange between the hoop all week or hoop by time methods. I am teaching my daughter dancing (she's 11 months but her little wiggles when she stands are adorable). Perhaps the hoop I was gifted will be her first hoop since it is tiny and cute and perfectly Zoraish.
Happy Hooooopin; and I hope you all had a wonderful Xmas.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Day 62
Breakthrough! I finally learned a key gesture to improve the quality of my flow. For the sake of being informative and not a prude who wants what I've learned to be mine alone, I'll try to break down what I'm talking about.
When I usually do moves I focus more on the plane that I'm working on rather than how I'm holding the hoop. While that has been a great thing for me to pay attention to, I've began paying more attention to how fast or slow the hoop moves. I've become much more able to control the hoop and its speed by always keeping two hands on the hoop when I am changing between hands. For instance, when I do a lasso from my waist up to above my hand. I do not "toss" the hoop, now I keep each hand on the hoop for as long as possible. The hand that is going to receive the hoop becomes outstretched so that I grab it earlier than I would normally. This allows my "tossing hand" to add more dance/style to my performance. I let my mom use my camera for the funeral or else I'd make a video RIGHT NOW to show you what I mean.
Anyhow, its given me loads more confidence in my moves. I love how my style is changing so rapidly after I've made it past the halfway hump. As for weightloss, however, I've plateaud. I'm sure Thanksgiving and its delicious extras didn't help! I sure do love leftovers and pumpkin pie though. Today I finally started saying no to my gut's demands and stopped myself from purchasing this scrumptious looking piece of cake at work.
Just another thing, even though its pretty gross. I love how I have to make a BM after I hoop. It moves around my insides and gets my burner going.
Accomplishments: I've learned a new crossover hand trick while passing the hoop that makes my dance have mad flow. Thank-you inspiration!
Goals: Get my videos editted. Get my videos up NOW NOW NOW, before I finish 3/4 of this project with little results to show anyone. I want this to be an inspiration and I want it to reach as many people as I can get to hear about it. Hope all that are following this blog can give themselves a hoop challenge of their own length choosing. Be well!
When I usually do moves I focus more on the plane that I'm working on rather than how I'm holding the hoop. While that has been a great thing for me to pay attention to, I've began paying more attention to how fast or slow the hoop moves. I've become much more able to control the hoop and its speed by always keeping two hands on the hoop when I am changing between hands. For instance, when I do a lasso from my waist up to above my hand. I do not "toss" the hoop, now I keep each hand on the hoop for as long as possible. The hand that is going to receive the hoop becomes outstretched so that I grab it earlier than I would normally. This allows my "tossing hand" to add more dance/style to my performance. I let my mom use my camera for the funeral or else I'd make a video RIGHT NOW to show you what I mean.
Anyhow, its given me loads more confidence in my moves. I love how my style is changing so rapidly after I've made it past the halfway hump. As for weightloss, however, I've plateaud. I'm sure Thanksgiving and its delicious extras didn't help! I sure do love leftovers and pumpkin pie though. Today I finally started saying no to my gut's demands and stopped myself from purchasing this scrumptious looking piece of cake at work.
Just another thing, even though its pretty gross. I love how I have to make a BM after I hoop. It moves around my insides and gets my burner going.
Accomplishments: I've learned a new crossover hand trick while passing the hoop that makes my dance have mad flow. Thank-you inspiration!
Goals: Get my videos editted. Get my videos up NOW NOW NOW, before I finish 3/4 of this project with little results to show anyone. I want this to be an inspiration and I want it to reach as many people as I can get to hear about it. Hope all that are following this blog can give themselves a hoop challenge of their own length choosing. Be well!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Day 57
The holiday season is going by quickly while I maintain my hooping challenge. I was happy to have my overeating symptoms go away as soon as I picked up the hoop yesterday after Thanksgiving dinner. Hooping gets a lot of my emotional energy out after sad episodes happen in my life. Yesterday my grandmother died after a long battle with cancer. She had won a few times, but her third and final cancer finally got her in the end. I hooped briefly yesterday but only a small amount before bed. I know when I finally get that long hooping session going I will cry for her.
I had a startling vision heading home today after work. My dogs have been climbing over a 7 ft. tall chain link fence corner to run around in the graveyard near our house. Sadly, my beautiful year and a half old black pit bull/bull mastiff mix Wrinkles, was hanging on the other side of the fence. He jumped over but was choked to death by his chain, which we put on him before we returned to work to keep him from getting out of the front of our fence. We figured he got out by jumping between the two walls in the corner. We didn't know he'd try to get over a wall by itself. It was horrific to see him hanging as we approached the house with his brother circling his lifeless body. His brother got out of his collar before he jumped over the fence and Wrinkles was likely trying to follow him.
I know this must not be what you're expecting to hear in this blog. But death is real and our way of life often distracts us from it. It becomes even more real when a loved one is facing death or when you have slipped out of its grasp. Hooping helps with coping for me. I hooped when my ex broke up with me, I hooped when my grandfathers died. I have and will continue to use hooping as a means to bring comfort to my soul when I am experiencing sadness. Furthermore, I don't believe that hooping masks the sadness, by diverting my attention to athletic pursuits. Rather, I think it clears my mind and allows me to embrace the sadness. I feel it is a beautiful tribute to the lost one or to the lost self when a sad event changes who we are.
RIP Grandma Phyllis Fahey (11/25/2010); RIP "Wrinkles" (11/26/2010)
And as for my experience, death occurs in threes. So please, everyone be extra careful :)
Accomplishments: I hooped even on a holiday! I was sure I'd be too busy but I made hooping a priority and I got it done. I also have been hooping in the cold despite not being able to grip. I realized that if my hands have moisture they don't suffer the grip loss that cold weather causes. So if you are hooping in the cold: bring some hand lotion to keep your grip on that tape (I tried just spitting on my hands every few minute - gross I know - but the wetness isn't very good for the tape.) Maybe lotion isn't either, but it sure is less gross;)
Goals:I am trying to get up earlier so I don't have to hoop in the dark at night or hoop in my house, where space is limited. I am shifting my work duties to earlier times so that I have everything done by 2 or 3 and have a nice chunk of daylight left to hoop. I have been reinventing hoop moves that I haven't done since I began hooping. They look a lot better executed by someone who has been practicing everyday for the past 57 days!
I had a startling vision heading home today after work. My dogs have been climbing over a 7 ft. tall chain link fence corner to run around in the graveyard near our house. Sadly, my beautiful year and a half old black pit bull/bull mastiff mix Wrinkles, was hanging on the other side of the fence. He jumped over but was choked to death by his chain, which we put on him before we returned to work to keep him from getting out of the front of our fence. We figured he got out by jumping between the two walls in the corner. We didn't know he'd try to get over a wall by itself. It was horrific to see him hanging as we approached the house with his brother circling his lifeless body. His brother got out of his collar before he jumped over the fence and Wrinkles was likely trying to follow him.
I know this must not be what you're expecting to hear in this blog. But death is real and our way of life often distracts us from it. It becomes even more real when a loved one is facing death or when you have slipped out of its grasp. Hooping helps with coping for me. I hooped when my ex broke up with me, I hooped when my grandfathers died. I have and will continue to use hooping as a means to bring comfort to my soul when I am experiencing sadness. Furthermore, I don't believe that hooping masks the sadness, by diverting my attention to athletic pursuits. Rather, I think it clears my mind and allows me to embrace the sadness. I feel it is a beautiful tribute to the lost one or to the lost self when a sad event changes who we are.
RIP Grandma Phyllis Fahey (11/25/2010); RIP "Wrinkles" (11/26/2010)
And as for my experience, death occurs in threes. So please, everyone be extra careful :)
Accomplishments: I hooped even on a holiday! I was sure I'd be too busy but I made hooping a priority and I got it done. I also have been hooping in the cold despite not being able to grip. I realized that if my hands have moisture they don't suffer the grip loss that cold weather causes. So if you are hooping in the cold: bring some hand lotion to keep your grip on that tape (I tried just spitting on my hands every few minute - gross I know - but the wetness isn't very good for the tape.) Maybe lotion isn't either, but it sure is less gross;)
Goals:I am trying to get up earlier so I don't have to hoop in the dark at night or hoop in my house, where space is limited. I am shifting my work duties to earlier times so that I have everything done by 2 or 3 and have a nice chunk of daylight left to hoop. I have been reinventing hoop moves that I haven't done since I began hooping. They look a lot better executed by someone who has been practicing everyday for the past 57 days!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Day 47
Man, last night I was on fire.Not literally, and sadly, not my hoop either. I was executing each of my moves so smoothly though. I'm surprised I'm improving steadily even though I haven't been focusing on perfecting my technique. My muscle memory must be kicking in. I think it helps that I've been avoiding using my 1/2 inch hoop also. That thing is so flimsy because it is only 110 psi. It flops around and is rather difficult to stabilize.
I've decided to hold off NaNoWriMo because I have enough on my plate this month. Its not a challenge that'll make me feel proud to complete if I have to forfeit other priorities that are time sensitive. Though I can see how any other time in my life it would have been a big accomplishment. This month I'm too busy starting up businesses, keeping up my hooping challenge, and rearing a 10 month old to think about obligating myself to 1600 words a day of fiction. It was fun to write those first 3500 while it lasted though (My hard drive died and I've yet to see if the information was recoverable).
I'm getting a bit more erratic with my movements. I'm excited to see if it looks sloppy or chic in a video. I have a feeling it'll look like both - no worries from me. It'll be nice to mix it up a bit. I need to do more arm hooping though. The last video I saw of myself my arms were flopping around like a flying squirrel. Its time to tone those up a bit with some lasso hooping for a few minutes on each arm.
I'm almost half-way and I feel wonderful! I'm glad I took on this challenge. I may just keep going for another 100 days after I'm done. Or mix in some jogging to make it even more effective.
Goals:
Find a new hooper on YouTube that inspires me. Post a video here.
Accomplishments:
I am hooping rain or shine! I loved hooping in my big waterproof boots outside in the mist. I felt like a willow swaying in a cool swamp - with a hoop. I've began transforming my old favorite t-shirts into hoop workout shirts. I cut out the collar so that one of my shoulders is exposed - the old 80s look. This allows for one of my shoulders to be exposed and when I'm hooping on my upper body it feels like I am wearing a halter! (If you've ever hooped on your shoulders with a halter top you'd know that the grip on your skin with the hoop makes it incredibly easy to stabilize the hoop.)
My computermust be set on uk- speak. Though I'm certain favorite is not spelled "favourite" and stabilize is not spelled "stabilise," my spellcheck seems to disagree. Tut tut...
I've decided to hold off NaNoWriMo because I have enough on my plate this month. Its not a challenge that'll make me feel proud to complete if I have to forfeit other priorities that are time sensitive. Though I can see how any other time in my life it would have been a big accomplishment. This month I'm too busy starting up businesses, keeping up my hooping challenge, and rearing a 10 month old to think about obligating myself to 1600 words a day of fiction. It was fun to write those first 3500 while it lasted though (My hard drive died and I've yet to see if the information was recoverable).
I'm getting a bit more erratic with my movements. I'm excited to see if it looks sloppy or chic in a video. I have a feeling it'll look like both - no worries from me. It'll be nice to mix it up a bit. I need to do more arm hooping though. The last video I saw of myself my arms were flopping around like a flying squirrel. Its time to tone those up a bit with some lasso hooping for a few minutes on each arm.
I'm almost half-way and I feel wonderful! I'm glad I took on this challenge. I may just keep going for another 100 days after I'm done. Or mix in some jogging to make it even more effective.
Goals:
Find a new hooper on YouTube that inspires me. Post a video here.
Accomplishments:
I am hooping rain or shine! I loved hooping in my big waterproof boots outside in the mist. I felt like a willow swaying in a cool swamp - with a hoop. I've began transforming my old favorite t-shirts into hoop workout shirts. I cut out the collar so that one of my shoulders is exposed - the old 80s look. This allows for one of my shoulders to be exposed and when I'm hooping on my upper body it feels like I am wearing a halter! (If you've ever hooped on your shoulders with a halter top you'd know that the grip on your skin with the hoop makes it incredibly easy to stabilize the hoop.)
My computermust be set on uk- speak. Though I'm certain favorite is not spelled "favourite" and stabilize is not spelled "stabilise," my spellcheck seems to disagree. Tut tut...
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Day 34
I've become wonder woman by my intent to both hula hoop everyday and participate in NaNoWriMo, a novel writing community exercise in creativity. Hooping definitely gets the creative juices flowing though. However it also hones in on my word choice and now I feel lik a fool. Hoop Trilogy or Trilogy Hooping really doesn't define what I mean when I say hooping with three forms of hoopdance. I guess I should call it Trinity hooping, but its not one-in-three. I suppose its one-in-four, since it includes two minis, a standard hoop, and a weighted hoop.
Quadhooping? Sounds too strange. Regardless of my diction, I've been "at it" full force. I am almost ten pounds lighter than I was when I started this challenge, and I still have 64 more days to go! I can't wait to see the final results. I can already feel the difference in my strength and flexibility. I do regret not writing more about my journey here but I have begun a business and it takes up a great deal of my free time. Despite my work obligations I have made sure to include hooping as important, if not more so, than all of the others. I have only hooped the minimum, 15 minutes, two times in the past week. This is much more than I intended before, though. But I won't let the guilt build up in me and hold me back from completing this journey.
I realize that when I do "cheat" by only doing the minimum, I end up working twice as hard the next day to make up for it. My body yearns to let loose more and delve into that creative flow that is inhibited by only doing the minimum.
Last night I made my 30-something-day video but the battery died halfway through so I will have to try it out again soon. I like that the scenery is changing along with my videos. I can't wait to see the compiled videos when it shows the passage of time and the changing of my dance.
Last night I decided to dance with a hoop instead of the other way around. I used to dance with a hoop but it seems that the hoop has affected my dancing by making me focus more on executing moves rather than moving my body to music. I danced without the hoop, despite doing so by a lightly busy road, to enhance my hoopdance. It worked wonders.
Goals: Be thankful that hooping has come into my life by sharing it with others. I will try to start up a class with the local Parks and Rec t get other people inside the hoop.
Accomplishments: I made it this far! I want to hoop with my babygirl on my shoulders soon, it'll be a delightful image for others. I have lost a good amount of weight for my first month - more than expected. I expect that the loss will taper off as the time goes by. I am proud of my bodytemple more now than I was when I started. I love what the hoop has done for me!
Quadhooping? Sounds too strange. Regardless of my diction, I've been "at it" full force. I am almost ten pounds lighter than I was when I started this challenge, and I still have 64 more days to go! I can't wait to see the final results. I can already feel the difference in my strength and flexibility. I do regret not writing more about my journey here but I have begun a business and it takes up a great deal of my free time. Despite my work obligations I have made sure to include hooping as important, if not more so, than all of the others. I have only hooped the minimum, 15 minutes, two times in the past week. This is much more than I intended before, though. But I won't let the guilt build up in me and hold me back from completing this journey.
I realize that when I do "cheat" by only doing the minimum, I end up working twice as hard the next day to make up for it. My body yearns to let loose more and delve into that creative flow that is inhibited by only doing the minimum.
Last night I made my 30-something-day video but the battery died halfway through so I will have to try it out again soon. I like that the scenery is changing along with my videos. I can't wait to see the compiled videos when it shows the passage of time and the changing of my dance.
Last night I decided to dance with a hoop instead of the other way around. I used to dance with a hoop but it seems that the hoop has affected my dancing by making me focus more on executing moves rather than moving my body to music. I danced without the hoop, despite doing so by a lightly busy road, to enhance my hoopdance. It worked wonders.
Goals: Be thankful that hooping has come into my life by sharing it with others. I will try to start up a class with the local Parks and Rec t get other people inside the hoop.
Accomplishments: I made it this far! I want to hoop with my babygirl on my shoulders soon, it'll be a delightful image for others. I have lost a good amount of weight for my first month - more than expected. I expect that the loss will taper off as the time goes by. I am proud of my bodytemple more now than I was when I started. I love what the hoop has done for me!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Day 22
I've been "limiting" myself as I said I wouldn't. This is due to several job obligations. I've started a new business of selling auctioned items from storage units. Its very exciting but a lot of hard work. I still have time to pick up my hoop at night time and hoop for at least 15 minutes. I'll always make time for that!
Day 22 has arrived quickly! I like that my hoop scene where I shoot my videos is getting seasonified. I wanted the area to have the appearance of time elapsing. It looks cold today which would be a nice scene except for the fact that its also getting dark very early. I can feel the "Fall back" approaching. I don't like that going to work at 4 in the morning means I will be in the dark unloading boxes and searching through junk (I will be starting to sell junk at flea markets after this week for some extra dough).
After reviewing my video and watching a video by Brecken77 on Youtube here, I realized I need to be more flexible and bendy... which is why I've started to stretch more before and after my workout. Not only then, but I have been stretching more throughout my day. I would like to one day accomplish the splits or at least a very very high kick which would accompany my kick-outs when I hoop on one leg.
Goals: Become more flexible in my hooping. I noticed that my inner thighs are touching a lot when I reviewed my hooping video. I want to be more open in my stance, to take up more presence. To achieve this I will widen my stance, as if I am on a horse. I think this will help me to use more of my core for hooping instead of my legs. Also, I will do more pelvic tilts while hooping to decrease the rigidity I feel I present when I hoopdance.
Accomplishments: Hooping in silence was like walking in silence. There wasn't much special to it. However if I was practicing sustained spinning while hooping, my body was focusing on keeping proper posture and not falling. This along with my eyes being led by the spiral, creating an endless circle of shapes around my body, was extremely meditative. It turned off my higher ape and mammal mind and allowed me to feel a quiet peace. I recommend sustained spinning for all hoopers.
Day 22 has arrived quickly! I like that my hoop scene where I shoot my videos is getting seasonified. I wanted the area to have the appearance of time elapsing. It looks cold today which would be a nice scene except for the fact that its also getting dark very early. I can feel the "Fall back" approaching. I don't like that going to work at 4 in the morning means I will be in the dark unloading boxes and searching through junk (I will be starting to sell junk at flea markets after this week for some extra dough).
After reviewing my video and watching a video by Brecken77 on Youtube here, I realized I need to be more flexible and bendy... which is why I've started to stretch more before and after my workout. Not only then, but I have been stretching more throughout my day. I would like to one day accomplish the splits or at least a very very high kick which would accompany my kick-outs when I hoop on one leg.
Goals: Become more flexible in my hooping. I noticed that my inner thighs are touching a lot when I reviewed my hooping video. I want to be more open in my stance, to take up more presence. To achieve this I will widen my stance, as if I am on a horse. I think this will help me to use more of my core for hooping instead of my legs. Also, I will do more pelvic tilts while hooping to decrease the rigidity I feel I present when I hoopdance.
Accomplishments: Hooping in silence was like walking in silence. There wasn't much special to it. However if I was practicing sustained spinning while hooping, my body was focusing on keeping proper posture and not falling. This along with my eyes being led by the spiral, creating an endless circle of shapes around my body, was extremely meditative. It turned off my higher ape and mammal mind and allowed me to feel a quiet peace. I recommend sustained spinning for all hoopers.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Day 15
There's nothing better in the world than to have this back pain diminish. Its been constant since Zora was born. It would ache so annoyingly as soon as I would lay down, like my spine was having to realign itself. I'm happy to report that I have not felt this dull boring pain in the past few days!
Hooping has started to become a habit. I love when it feels like that. My body reminds me to hoop, its not my mind anymore. Having a slightly more dense body is giving me an overall energy boost too. My stronger body is also welcoming stronger willpower. I've been avoiding certain temptations which used to be a necessity: blueberry scones. I don't even like scones, I don't know how I got suckered into them in the first place. Nevertheless, they are dead to me now. Now its fresh squeezed carrot juice! (Which takes about 10 carrots to produce).
I don't want to botch the true results too much by making it a diet-based weight loss. I want the hooping to really be the star. But honestly, the hooping really beckons this type of healthy-living behavior. When I decide to just hoop without music I am there with my thoughts. These thoughts lead to a character change, and through my actions, they become reality.
At sunset the birds chirp in the trees around my house. I grab my hoop and start hooping around my waist. When I hear a new bird call I do either a trick or I change direction. It feels good to tune into the rhythms of the world. I'll make that the goal this time around.
Goals:Hoop in silence. I want to pay attention to where my mind's conversation leads. Does it discuss hooping? Stress of my day? Affirmations? I will write a post about what the act of hooping did to affect my thought progression.
Accomplishments: I made the hoop videos! I downloaded a new program to get my hoop videos up! Now I need to learn it - but finding a decent program with linux has really been half the battle. Oh, and did I mention I lost 3 pounds so far? *pulls fist down through the air saying "Yess!"*
I took some photos of my hoop loveliness and my hoop lovelies- the new and improved hula hoop with streamers! They're quite foofoo and I love them. I'll get them out to others as soon as I have more time to make them. I expect this winter I'll be more prone to dispersing them.
Hooping has started to become a habit. I love when it feels like that. My body reminds me to hoop, its not my mind anymore. Having a slightly more dense body is giving me an overall energy boost too. My stronger body is also welcoming stronger willpower. I've been avoiding certain temptations which used to be a necessity: blueberry scones. I don't even like scones, I don't know how I got suckered into them in the first place. Nevertheless, they are dead to me now. Now its fresh squeezed carrot juice! (Which takes about 10 carrots to produce).
I don't want to botch the true results too much by making it a diet-based weight loss. I want the hooping to really be the star. But honestly, the hooping really beckons this type of healthy-living behavior. When I decide to just hoop without music I am there with my thoughts. These thoughts lead to a character change, and through my actions, they become reality.
At sunset the birds chirp in the trees around my house. I grab my hoop and start hooping around my waist. When I hear a new bird call I do either a trick or I change direction. It feels good to tune into the rhythms of the world. I'll make that the goal this time around.
Goals:Hoop in silence. I want to pay attention to where my mind's conversation leads. Does it discuss hooping? Stress of my day? Affirmations? I will write a post about what the act of hooping did to affect my thought progression.
Accomplishments: I made the hoop videos! I downloaded a new program to get my hoop videos up! Now I need to learn it - but finding a decent program with linux has really been half the battle. Oh, and did I mention I lost 3 pounds so far? *pulls fist down through the air saying "Yess!"*
I took some photos of my hoop loveliness and my hoop lovelies- the new and improved hula hoop with streamers! They're quite foofoo and I love them. I'll get them out to others as soon as I have more time to make them. I expect this winter I'll be more prone to dispersing them.
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