Book Review: Balance Training by Karon Karter

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Heather

Exercise books are difficult to review.  The results one sees from the exercises presented in a book is a subjective thing, as is the level of enjoyment received.  And, when I am looking for an exercise book or DVD, I’m looking for something that works and is fun.   That said, I think that Balance Training: Stability Training for Core Strength and a Sculpted Body by Karon Karter is both fun and effective.

Balance Training presents a series of exercises to develop core strength and a toned body using five different pieces of equipment.  Ms. Karter makes use of the foam roller, balance ball, BOSU Balance Trainer, balance board and balance cushion.  I will admit up front that I only have a balance ball, so I wasn’t able to try all of the exercises in the book.  However, I did read over the other sections, and feel that the exercises in them are just as enjoyable and effective as the ones I tried out.

One thing I really appreciated about this book was how much care was taken in making sure the reader is doing the exercises correctly.  Not only are there plenty of clear pictures, there is also section explaining exactly how things like natural spine should look and feel.  This makes following the exercise directions much easier.   Beginner and advanced directions are also included for some exercises.  A series of workouts is provided, showing how to string together different exercises in the book in the most effective ways.  It is true that no book is ever going to be as good as a DVD (and no DVD will ever be as good as a class), the pictures and instructions in this book are close to the best I’ve come across.

The biggest issue I have with this book is all the equipment required.  It is likely that you have a balance ball at home (or can pick one up fairly inexpensively), but some of the other pieces, like the BOSU Balance Trainer, are quite expensive.  There are plenty of exercises that just make use of the balance ball, but I felt like I was missing out on a lot because I’m not willing to spending around $300 to pick up the other four pieces of equipment.

I would happily recommend this book if you are looking for balance training and core strengthening exercise, and you either have access to or are willing to buy the required equipment.

Buy Balance Training: Stability Training for Core Strength and a Sculpted Body from Amazon

Publisher: Ulysses Press

Comments Off on Book Review: Balance Training by Karon Karter | Posted in Book Reviews |

Violence and the City

Posted on September 22, 2008 by Heather

Last Tuesday, a teenage boy was shot outside his school on the other side of Toronto.  The boy survived but ended up in the hospital.  That day there were three other violent attacks in Toronto, which lead to a lot of dicussion about how violent the city, and its schools, is becoming.

A day or two later, it was discover the the boy who was shot was actually trying to rob another student with a gun.  So the victim became the suspect, and the conversation changed a little bit.  The schools are still too violent, everyone says, but there is something fundamentally wrong with our children.  Why have school yard fights moved from fists to knifes and guns?  Why are young men shot and then dumped on the highway?  What is going on?

Although studies show that violence is actually on the decline in most parts of Canada, it seems like quite the opposite is true. (Toronto Police Services reports crime overall is down 11.4% over last year, and murders are down 22%.*)  I believe this is partly because, while there may be few crimes, the ones that are happening are more violent, often involving guns and/or knives.

I am actually a little scared to send the Baby Man to school.  I know that crime isn’t as bad as the news makes it out to be (I mean, good news is hardly news, is it?), but he is my only child and I know I will be crushed if anything were to happen to him.  I suppose the best any parent can do is to teach their child to do the right thing, to avoid people who have no respect for the law, and just to live the best life they can.

* Note that these statics are for the period ending August 26, 2008, and were vaild on the day this post was written.  TPS will likely update this page in the future.

Comments Off on Violence and the City | Posted in The Outside World |

Rude? WTF Does She Mean?

Posted on September 17, 2008 by Heather

I just finished reading Lynne Truss’ Talk to the Hand, a short look at how increasingly rude British society has become.  She looks at six different areas of manners that, well, piss her off.  It is bitingly funny, very cleaver, and all true.  And I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that uses Eff Off so often, without being offensive.

Ms. Truss suggests that one of the reasons people are so rude now is that we are taking our personal space bubble just a little too literally.  Just because we think that space around us shouldn’t be invaded without our permission (subway riding excluded), doesn’t mean we have the right to do whatever we want within our space.  When we are in public, we are in public! I completely agree.  I don’t want to see people making out on the street, or listen to someone’s overly loud phone conversation.  While we may be on the go more often these days, there are still some things best done in the privacy of our own homes.

Ms. Truss didn’t really touch much on my personal pet peeves, though.  I am really horrified by the almost total lack of common courtesy nowadays.  When I was pregnant (and very visibly so), it was rare for anyone (even women) to give up a seat for me on the subway.  Now that I am trying to manhandle a baby carriage through doors, it is a miracle if someone helps me out by holding them open.  More times than I can count, someone has gone into a shop just before me and sailed through the door without a second glance in my direction. (Believe me, the stroller is bright red and very noticeable.)

I really don’t know what drives this lack of courtesy.  I regularly hold open doors, give up my seat, say please and thank you to everyone, etc.  It isn’t hard, and doesn’t take away anything from my life.  Rather, I think it adds to it.  Why not try saying “thank you” to someone today, or even better, say “you’re welcome” instead of the “no problem” that seems to jump so easily to everyone’s lips.  See if it doesn’t cause the other person to smile, and maybe brighten up your day too.

Comments Off on Rude? WTF Does She Mean? | Posted in The Outside World | Tagged ,

So, I Guess We Are All Still Here… Where’s the Pudding?

Posted on September 10, 2008 by Heather

This morning, CERN’s new Large Hadron Collider started up… and it looks like the world didn’t end.  Darn, I guess I really need to look into that diet.

Anyway, you may remember me mentioning back in March that some scientists were certain that this new, extremely large particle accelerator would cause the Earth to disappear into a giant black hole.  Or, uh, turn us all into pudding or something.  Clearly that didn’t happen.

quanta and I admitted to each other this morning that we were glad that it came to pass with nothing more exciting happening than an abnormally large number of accidents on the highways around Toronto.  (Unrelated?  I think not!)

Seriously, there are some events that, even though you know nothing is going to happen, you can’t help but dread their approach.  The anniversary of September 11th is one, Y2K was another.  The sane part of your mind tells you that it is just going to be another day, and there is no rational reason to worry.  But that media-soaked, crazy, caveman part of your mind can’t help but say “WHAT IF??!?!?  OMG!!!”

So, tomorrow with be another one of those days, at least for North Americans.  But remember, September 11th, 2001 started out as a normal day.  Disasters don’t happen when we expect them to.

Comments Off on So, I Guess We Are All Still Here… Where’s the Pudding? | Posted in Media & Politics |

Visiting the Real World

Posted on September 6, 2008 by Heather

I don’t get out much anymore.  Or, rather, the Baby Man and I don’t go beyond our little neighbourhood; a place where people have come to recognize the lady with the baby in the red stroller.  Today, though, I ventured out into the real world: Downtown Toronto.

The area around Eaton Centre is, at best, extremely busy on a good day.  Today, though, there was the addition of the tourists attend the Toronto International Film Festival and all the frosh from U of T adding to the chaos.  (A note to tourists: taking pictures of yourself sitting on the sofas in Pottery Barn really does make it obvious you are not from around here.)

I realized, as I angerly fought my way through the crowds, that I have become very cocooned in my current life.  Things have gotten much slower, and the only urgency occurs with the Baby Man spits up or needs his diaper changed.  I like things they way they are now, much more than being part of the daily madness.  While I may not have time to meditate (or even think) anymore, in some ways the pace of my life is a bit like an ongoing meditation, at least compared to how it used to be.

Things will begin to speed up soon, though.  I’m starting back to work this coming week.  At least I am lucky enough to be able to work from home and have a lot of control over my hours.  Maybe going back to work will return some discipline to my life.  Goodness knows, beyond cross stitching, oh, and raising the Baby Man, I haven’t gotten much accomplished this year.

Comments Off on Visiting the Real World | Posted in My Life |

Life with Baby (7 Months and Counting)

Posted on August 25, 2008 by Heather

Baby C is now 7 months old.  On one hand, the time has passed very slowly, and on the other hand, I am blown away by how much he has changed in such a short time.

Life with a baby is different, it put it mildly.  I went from working at a downtown office of a large company, to spending all my time with a crying, laughing, amazing ball of energy.  Life is much slower, almost like time is standing still.  I find that my movements are restricted–no more heading out to the bookstore when the mood strikes.  And yet, outings with the baby, even to the post office, are full of so much more wonder than I could have ever imagined.  Everything is new to Baby C, and he is at the age where he watches and watches, soaking in all of his experiences.

Sometimes I wish quanta and I could just pop across the street for some sushi, or that I could take an afternoon nap when I’m tired.  But the reality is that life is all about Baby C.  Not that I am suffering, mind you.  I still find some time for myself, especially since he is sleeping for longer stretches at night (although I do miss the 2+ hour naps in the afternoon).  And, one day not to far away, when he has gone off to pre-school or a play group, I know I’ll find myself missing him, and wondering what to do with all the quiet time.

Comments Off on Life with Baby (7 Months and Counting) | Posted in Baby, My Life |

Olympic Stitching

Posted on August 16, 2008 by Heather

China Daily has an interesting article about Chinese Olympic athletes who find cross stitch and other forms of embroidery just as satisfying as completing in sports: A stitch in time wins gold for China.  While it may seem like cross stitch is dying a slow death in North America and Europe, but it is nice to know that it is thriving in Asia.

Chang-Er Moon Goddess

Chang-Er Moon Goddess

I totally agree with weightlifter Liu Chunhong, who says “You probably spend four or five days finishing it, then you look at it and you feel you are the best in the world.”  Although my projects can last as long as four or five months (or years), it is very true that the feeling of accomplishment when the project is finished is amazing.  I go from a pile of thread and a blank piece of material to a beautiful picture that I made.  And while I may not have designed the image, after putting in 10, or 50, or 300 hours of work on it, I feel like it is mine.

We live in a world of instant gratification.  We want everything now!  No waiting, no hard work.  Cross stitch is the opposite.  You slow down, you have time to think and dream, and you end up with a beautiful hand-made project.  And that is one of the best things there is.

And, in reality, I guess that taking some quiet time to cross stitch is a bit better than participating in the bacchanalia that is taking place at the Olympic village.

Comments Off on Olympic Stitching | Posted in Cross Stitch, The Outside World |