If you read the comments to yesterday’s post you may have seen mention of the Guided Bus. This innovative method of public transport has become quite infamous in Cambridgeshire, mostly because of the fact that after years of planning it is still not up and running.
This Wiki article says that plans for this have been going on since 2001 but I first remember talk of the Guided Bus (or the Misguided Bus as the local press have “hilariously” nicknamed it) back in the days when the Brontosaurus roamed the earth, Kurt Cobain was still alive and I was doing my A Levels. I have people working for me who weren’t born then. Eighteen years later and it is still not built.
But what on earth is it? When I first heard of it I had visions of a bus travelling slowly down the middle of the road, guided by a man waving a flag like in the days of the early car. The Guided Bus however is basically a cross between a tram and a bus. It runs on special concrete tracks, allegedly zipping through the traffic most of the time. Then, when it needs to, it can also run on the road. It has two special sets of wheels for this purpose, which is a bit Inspector Gadget. The main point of all this is to connect areas of Cambridgeshire that have had no public transport for many years since our local railways were closed down. Currently many of the buses are just travelling around on the normal bus routes displaying signs that say "I'll be on the Busway soon, will you?". Surely, at this rate their "road wheels" will be worn away before they get on the busway.
The best thing about the Guided Bus is that cycle paths have been built along the sides of the tracks, which means that I can get to work without having to go on the road at all. However, I still don’t have a plan B for getting to work on rainy days, so for my part I hope it’s not much longer before the Guided Bus starts running.
The delays have been so great, and so many deadlines have come and gone that the Council is no longer even bothering to tell us a proposed opening date. Until then I guess I’ll just have to wear my sexy red waterproofs when it rains (which I’ve just noticed it is currently doing!).
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
yoga at your desk
Make sure you’re sitting comfortably, both feet on the floor about hip width apart and nice straight spine. Relax the shoulders away from the ears and take a couple of full breaths.
1. Head and shoulder circles – rotate the shoulders a few times in each direction, working with the rhythm of the breath and role the head slowly in semi circles (ear to shoulder – chin to chest – other ear to other shoulder and back again) a few times.
2. Stretch the arms out to the sides and up interlocking the fingers and pushing the palms up towards the ceiling. On an exhale, keeping both sitting bones on your chair, stretch over to the right. Inhale back to centre and exhale to the left. Repeat twice more to each side and then release the arms down.
3. Take the right hand onto the left side of your chair and the left hand on to the back of your chair and twist to the left on an exhale. Hold for 5 breaths and release. Repeat to the other side.
4. Hold on to the back of your chair at about waist height. Open the chest and roll the shoulders back and down. Bring the focus to the heart centre and breathe. Take at least 5 breaths here.
5. Exhale and fold forward, abdomen on your thighs, release the head and neck and allow the lower back to release. Stay here for about 5 breaths (if colleagues are looking at you in a peculiar fashion you can always pretend you’ve dropped something on the floor!)
Try and do this at least once a day when you are at your desk all day. Take breaks from your computer whenever you can and if you have time, try to take a short walk on your lunch hour.
And don’t forget to breathe!
Namaste :) x
1. Head and shoulder circles – rotate the shoulders a few times in each direction, working with the rhythm of the breath and role the head slowly in semi circles (ear to shoulder – chin to chest – other ear to other shoulder and back again) a few times.
2. Stretch the arms out to the sides and up interlocking the fingers and pushing the palms up towards the ceiling. On an exhale, keeping both sitting bones on your chair, stretch over to the right. Inhale back to centre and exhale to the left. Repeat twice more to each side and then release the arms down.
3. Take the right hand onto the left side of your chair and the left hand on to the back of your chair and twist to the left on an exhale. Hold for 5 breaths and release. Repeat to the other side.
4. Hold on to the back of your chair at about waist height. Open the chest and roll the shoulders back and down. Bring the focus to the heart centre and breathe. Take at least 5 breaths here.
5. Exhale and fold forward, abdomen on your thighs, release the head and neck and allow the lower back to release. Stay here for about 5 breaths (if colleagues are looking at you in a peculiar fashion you can always pretend you’ve dropped something on the floor!)
Try and do this at least once a day when you are at your desk all day. Take breaks from your computer whenever you can and if you have time, try to take a short walk on your lunch hour.
And don’t forget to breathe!
Namaste :) x
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I got a job!
Yes that's right. Tuesday was a very good day because I got offered the job I was interviewed for on Monday! And miracle of miracles, it was, out of all the gazillion jobs I applied for, the one I wanted the most. Which goes to show if make enough affirmations, something will happen :)
It is working as office manager for a charity called Inspire who basically promote art and music and performance as holistic healing for people with chronic illness and disability. Yesterday they had a ton of kids with Downs Syndrome in making rock music. :) They also work with people with Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Chronic Fatigue, depression and even Fibro - so you see it's right up my street. Maybe I can get them all doing yoga too! The hours are pretty flexible (so hopefully I can fit yoga teaching in around it pretty well, when I start up again) and best of all it is just an eight minute drive away!
I haz teh happy :)
=
I am going to spend some time flitting around various yoga classes in Cambridge, working out what I like, what I don't, leaving my resume wherever it may need to be left and seeing what come of it all. I have a couple of masterclasses coming up with my teacher in the next few months also.
I went to a good class on Monday night - the first flow class I've been to in a while. Although someone came in ten minutes late and then left before savasana. Seriously?? I wouldn't never allow that! Maybe I am too strict? :/
Also I have been working on Eka Pada Rajakopotasana. It's something I have been practicing against the wall for some time. Well earlier this week I managed it without a wall!!! Only for a few breaths and my head is a looooooong way away from the sole of my foot but yay for balance!!!
So yeah, all good stuff!
It is working as office manager for a charity called Inspire who basically promote art and music and performance as holistic healing for people with chronic illness and disability. Yesterday they had a ton of kids with Downs Syndrome in making rock music. :) They also work with people with Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Chronic Fatigue, depression and even Fibro - so you see it's right up my street. Maybe I can get them all doing yoga too! The hours are pretty flexible (so hopefully I can fit yoga teaching in around it pretty well, when I start up again) and best of all it is just an eight minute drive away!
I haz teh happy :)
=
I am going to spend some time flitting around various yoga classes in Cambridge, working out what I like, what I don't, leaving my resume wherever it may need to be left and seeing what come of it all. I have a couple of masterclasses coming up with my teacher in the next few months also.
I went to a good class on Monday night - the first flow class I've been to in a while. Although someone came in ten minutes late and then left before savasana. Seriously?? I wouldn't never allow that! Maybe I am too strict? :/
Also I have been working on Eka Pada Rajakopotasana. It's something I have been practicing against the wall for some time. Well earlier this week I managed it without a wall!!! Only for a few breaths and my head is a looooooong way away from the sole of my foot but yay for balance!!!
So yeah, all good stuff!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Yoga and Pilates
Since I got back from teaching on the retreat in Turkey last year I've been trying to work out where I'm going with my career. As some of you know, teaching a retreat in the sunshine on the beach had been the height of my ambition. After it happened, as early as the plane trip home I felt deflated and directionless.
I've carried on teaching, I've carried on reading, I've carried on going to yoga training days. Don't get me wrong, I love my job with a passion, I'm just looking for something else.
I had two directions. I could either go back into academia and write my PhD or I could pursue the health and fitness avenue.
I mulled it over, I drank a lot of cups of tea and then I realised that right now I'm not ready to face academia again. If one could write one's PhD without the politics of academia (and Cambridge University is like an Agatha Christie novel there is so much lying, gossiping and backbiting) it would be wonderful. But one can't.
So to cut a long story short I have decided to pursue the health and fitness route further. I am already a qualified yoga instructor and yoga therapist and Level 3 on the Register of Exercise Professionals, so the world is my oyster in terms of where I can go from here. Because I already teach and have my Anatomy and Physiology Diploma (which I'm going to do the Refresher for), I can branch out without having to do the hours and hours of supervised teaching and anatomy exams.
So I have decided to train to teach Pilates as well. Personally I think yoga and pilates work well together (not in the same class obviously, I mean from a teaching perspective). As my yoga practice and my teaching become slower, deeper, working on subtle energies, so I feel I need a more dynamic and anatomical challenge. It's also another string to my bow workwise/clientwise.
I will do the eight week intensive once we move to Cambridge next year. In the meantime I have to do at least 30 hours with a Pilates instructor.
Now, I did a lot of Pilates in the past, but haven't had a teacher for a couple of years since my old teacher went back to Australia. So I went to my first class with my new teacher yesterday. Oh My God I'd forgotten how hard Pilates is! I ache and ache!
But it's a new challenge, a new step on the career ladder, another step in getting my body back to full health and another step for Project Fitness.
I've carried on teaching, I've carried on reading, I've carried on going to yoga training days. Don't get me wrong, I love my job with a passion, I'm just looking for something else.
I had two directions. I could either go back into academia and write my PhD or I could pursue the health and fitness avenue.
I mulled it over, I drank a lot of cups of tea and then I realised that right now I'm not ready to face academia again. If one could write one's PhD without the politics of academia (and Cambridge University is like an Agatha Christie novel there is so much lying, gossiping and backbiting) it would be wonderful. But one can't.
So to cut a long story short I have decided to pursue the health and fitness route further. I am already a qualified yoga instructor and yoga therapist and Level 3 on the Register of Exercise Professionals, so the world is my oyster in terms of where I can go from here. Because I already teach and have my Anatomy and Physiology Diploma (which I'm going to do the Refresher for), I can branch out without having to do the hours and hours of supervised teaching and anatomy exams.
So I have decided to train to teach Pilates as well. Personally I think yoga and pilates work well together (not in the same class obviously, I mean from a teaching perspective). As my yoga practice and my teaching become slower, deeper, working on subtle energies, so I feel I need a more dynamic and anatomical challenge. It's also another string to my bow workwise/clientwise.
I will do the eight week intensive once we move to Cambridge next year. In the meantime I have to do at least 30 hours with a Pilates instructor.
Now, I did a lot of Pilates in the past, but haven't had a teacher for a couple of years since my old teacher went back to Australia. So I went to my first class with my new teacher yesterday. Oh My God I'd forgotten how hard Pilates is! I ache and ache!
But it's a new challenge, a new step on the career ladder, another step in getting my body back to full health and another step for Project Fitness.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Day 17 - Power Cut
I got an unplanned night off last night due to a power cut. Being self employed it was an unpaid night off as well. Sigh...
The class started fine, I settled everyone into savasana, scanning their bodies for areas of tension, listening to the sound of their breath and then....poof....the lights went out. Although it is still light at 7.30pm here the yoga studio at the health centre is in a kind of semi-basement, so we were rather plunged into darkness. I had no choice but to refund money and send everybody home.
What with that and one of my private clients cancelling this week due to a child care mix up, I don't really feel I've got into the swing of work again this week at all! Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something....
Project Fitness continues well. I did my second gym session today after two days of power walking. Pretty much the same routine as I did on Tuesday, but with some extra machine work for legs and arms.
Linking back to yesterday's post about music - there is one place where I really need my music, and that is on the treadmill or cross trainer. Today's choice was Black Stone Cherry, very loud! I've always found it gives you that extra boost when it comes to cardio work. Then I toned it down to some Wah! for my mat work.
Not much else planned for the rest of the day. I have the day off today. Like I said, I haven't really got back into the swing after holidays yet. Still I'm sure that'll change next week!
The class started fine, I settled everyone into savasana, scanning their bodies for areas of tension, listening to the sound of their breath and then....poof....the lights went out. Although it is still light at 7.30pm here the yoga studio at the health centre is in a kind of semi-basement, so we were rather plunged into darkness. I had no choice but to refund money and send everybody home.
What with that and one of my private clients cancelling this week due to a child care mix up, I don't really feel I've got into the swing of work again this week at all! Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something....
Project Fitness continues well. I did my second gym session today after two days of power walking. Pretty much the same routine as I did on Tuesday, but with some extra machine work for legs and arms.
Linking back to yesterday's post about music - there is one place where I really need my music, and that is on the treadmill or cross trainer. Today's choice was Black Stone Cherry, very loud! I've always found it gives you that extra boost when it comes to cardio work. Then I toned it down to some Wah! for my mat work.
Not much else planned for the rest of the day. I have the day off today. Like I said, I haven't really got back into the swing after holidays yet. Still I'm sure that'll change next week!
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