Some of what I've been up to...

My husband and I attended the Gathering of Mustangs & Legends (World War II warbirds) at Rickenbacker airfield the last weekend of September, flying our Cherokee 180 over several states. The picture accompanying this item is just one of the lovely views from above.


There were 81 P-51 mustangs at the show along with B-17 bombers, a Lancaster, numerous P-38s and the airforce's current crop of F-15s, F-16s and an F-22.

The exciting part for me was beginning to learn to read (ie interpret) the Detroit sectional aeronautical chart. You have no idea how much information can be crammed into how little space until you've seen a sectional. I learned how to look for obstructions such as towers, hang gliders and parachute jumping areas. I was able to spot power transmission lines, roads and railroads and became a bit more proficient at finding the various airports' unicom and AWOS/ASOS radio frequencies for my pilot/husband.

Here is what the view from my side of the plane looks like when coming in for a landing - yes, that is the runway below. And a very espensive GPS to keep the plane on track is on its left.

As far as exercising body/mind and spirt, believe me, we walked for miles at Rickenbacker airfield!!! I was more than glad to finally sit down and watch the acrobatic pilots. It was a wonderful weekend to be outdoors in the 80 degree sunshine - nature can be very spiritual. And I more than exercised my mind with airport radio frequencies, elevations and reading sectionals.

Week 4, Day 4

My husband discovered a bat in the house at 1:30 am last night. Needless to say, the house was in an uproar for awhile and I found it difficult to get back to sleep. Luckily, today was a rest day.

For the body:
I walked back and forth to the main office today - about 30 minutes.

For the mind:
I listened to a Classic Tales Podcast of a Thomas Hardy short story, "Barbara of the House of Grebe." I can't remember ever reading any Hardy. I hadn't realized what I missed. It was a tale of impulsity and youth; surface beauty versus depth of character and how life and love play out between one woman and two men. Needless to say, it does not have a happy ending.

For the spirit:
I did 20 minutes of mindfulness meditation last night. I have a feeling I'll fall asleep before I get in tonight's meditation.

Week 4, Day 1

OK, I'm starting week four of my exercise regimen. Just a few more days should make it a habit, right? Right....

For the body:
Thirty minutes on the treadmill while watching an old episode of House (Wack-a-mole). Ten minutes of flexibility exercising.

For the mind:
I listened to another tale read by B.J.Harrison at The Classic Tales Podcast: The Spotted Band by Authur Conan Doyle. (A Sherlock Holmes mystery). Mr. Harrison did a wonderful job with his British accents, making each character distinctly him or herself. I also entertained myself with Show #73 of The Babylon Podcast in which I got to indulge my inner deep geek on the Season 3 show, "Convictions". Great job, Tim, Tim, Jeffrey, Mike and Edmund! I read several more chapters of Beyond AI.

For the spirit"
I listened to a dharma talk from The Interdependence Project by Ethan Nictern on Anger. I also sat for 25 minutes while listening to a guided meditation on Mindfulness of Sensation by Sharon Slazberg (from her book, Mindfulness Meditation: A Step by Step Course in How to Meditate with Joseph Goldstein.

Week 3, Day 7

For the body:
Today was an official day of rest from my formal exercise program. However, I think I burned calories by vacuuming the house and dusting, doing dishes and 4 loads of wash. I also took our basset, Zeke, out for a walk to smell the wildlife.

For the mind:
I got bogged down in some nearly incomprehensivle chapters in Beyond AI involving evidence grids, bayesian networks and seguing into designing for a brain. I forged my way through and found myself in somewhat more understandable territory describing the different stages of AI: hypohuman, diahuman, parahuman, allohuman, epihuman and hyperhuman. Several more chapters to go.

On the lighter side, I listened to another Escape Pod podcast, entitled "Conversations with and about my Electric Toothbrush" by Derek Zumsteg. Zany, spectulative science fiction at its best, deliniating the plight of a poor electric toothbrush with higher aspirations for itself and its human owner. The iTunes store emailed me about another new podcast, the Classic Tales Podcast. I grabbed all 8 episodes and listened to "The cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe. We had a very old bound set of Poe when I was growing up and I have hazy memories of the tale. The narrator, B.J. Harrison, does a fantastic job of bringing it to life.

For the spirit:
I've been listening to various dharma talks from The InterDependence Project and sat for 20 minutes of breath meditation. I also reminded my husband to move the old television off my meditation cushion and put it anyplace else.

Week 3, Day 6

For the body:
I played catch-up today and finally got in my 10 minutes (12 reps) of strength exercises.

For the mind:
I discovered a new audiobook from one of my favorite cop/mystery writers, The Tin Roof Blowdown: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke. I grabbed it from Audible.com primarily because he is according New Orleans (and other hurricane devastated areas) the respect it deserves by portraying it in all its horrifying detail. (Something yet to be addressed by our Federal government).

For the spirit:
I sat for 20 minutes of breath meditation with the cat.

Week 3, Day 5

For the mind:
I indulged myself by listening to two short science fiction stories at Escape Pod. One was a five minute flash story entitled, "The God of the Goblins" by Eric Marin. The other was a 20 minute story called "Implications" by James C. Bassett. I find that I still love being read to, as my parents used to do many years ago.

For the body:
I walked about 30 minutes today, going from the jail to Wayne Behavioral Health Network and back to pick up my paycheck, etc. Because it had been raining and the skies looked like they might let loose another downpour at any time, my co-worker, Diane, drove at the rate of 2 mph by my side in case I suddenly needed a rescue from the rain. What are true friends for, anyway?

For the sprit:
I found another website on mindfulness meditation, The Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. There I found a 12 minute guided meditation on the breath, body and sound awareness.

Week 3, Day 2

For the body, mind and spirit:
Today's allergy headache just got worse and worse. The best thing I can do for all the parts of me is to take some antihistamines and go to bed early.

Week 2, Day 7

It's been a quiet, pleasant day: seeing friends, visiting the Fulton Public Library, buying fresh fruits and vegetables (and a decadent raspberry jam-filled, chocolate drizzled, sugar cookie) all from Sunshine Produce.

For the mind:
I am continuing to read Beyond AI, and now have a book waiting for me at the Lyons Public Libary, as well.

For the body:
A second day of rest. I need to dig out the pedometer that the Solutions for Wellness site sent me, because I know that I actually did have some activity today. I just don't know how many steps I took.

For the spirit:
I plugged into my iPod and listened to the "Breath Meditation" guided meditation from Insight Meditation: a step by step course in how to meditate by Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein.