(Editor's note 5/31/08 - Partner is back with camera and images are uploaded. :))Good Morning -
So, we're getting closer to the vision of what this project is supposed to be. Here we are, the day after the first posting, ready to tell you about last night's virgen...except - except that the digital camera in the house belongs to my partner and she's off at a retreat where she'll be taking lovely desert photos between activities. I, myself, have a wonderful non- digital camera (what used to just be called a camera before digital came along and forced specification), but that's not going to get you a virgen image anytime soon.
Technical issues aside, let's get to that virgen. What you'll see when I am able to post a picture of her is the ultra simple design of her floating over a magazine photo of a calm patch of the Pacific. It's so simple, I can't even bring myself to add the "icity" part that will give the idea noun status. As you'll learn, this level of minimalism is rare for me and I fought deep urges all during the making of the virgen to line the border with blue beads or string or glitter or any other manner of flair that would add the glitz that is my mark. Finally I did conceded to a small blue glass half-moon at the bottom, but it's very subtle.
And why the water? Why float the virgen on the Pacific? I've been swimming lately as my form of exercise because it's getting hot here and it's always dry here and the ability to saturate myself in (albeit chlorinated) water for 30 minutes at our local Y is heaven. I had considered not going last night but I have a new suit that I love and it always feels so good to float and I've been improving my technique.
Like many, I can claim a time of swim lessons in my childhood that resulted in an understanding of each of the strokes. Like some, while I won't ever drown, my rendition of any of those strokes now would not qualify for any sort of efficient or effective exercise. To get around this and still be able to utilize a lap pool for exercise, I used a kick-board as I kicked up and down the lane on my back. I didn't really need the board, but it gave my arms something to hold onto while I kicked because I wasn't able to both kick and do something with my arms (that's the backstroke to those of you in the know). As breathing is key when exercising and as I've never quite mastered the whole timed breathing one needs when face down in the water, I stick to floating on my back where my airway is not obstructed.
Last week, I ditched the board and just started kicking up and down the lane, which worked quite well. I could feel my muscles working and I felt a little closer to my fancy lane mates with their goggles and swim caps and ability to use both their arms and legs and breathe all at once. I still wasn't using my arms and certainly wasn't timing my breath, but at least I demonstrated my ability to hold myself up in the water without assistive floaty devices.
The only time I used my arms was as I approached the end of the lane. Stretching my arm out over my head, I used it as a fender to prevent me from crashing into the wall (Yes, indeed. At my speed, I wouldn't be cracking any skull bones if I was to hit the wall, but I maintain a fear of hitting the wall, losing consciousness and sinking to my end with all the water and none of the purposefulness of Virginia or Ophelia).
Yesterday my energy was low and I found motor legs quitting before I was even close to the end of the lane. Liking to finish what I've started, I pulled both of my arms up my sides, over my head and back down to propel me to the wall. It worked so well, I realized that I could probably do this motion and kick and not drown. And so I did. It's a bit like how a squid or jellyfish or other simpler sea creature moves about in the water and brings me great joy each time I shoot forward.
On my own little level, I experienced an evolution of sorts. I've moved from a passively floating piece of detritus to a water bug that kicks along the surface to a simple but powerful tentacled being that propels itself forward in powerful lunges. Perhaps underwater breathing is next so that, while we slowly worked our way out of the water a la evolution, I, perhaps, am working my way back in.
So, we're getting closer to the vision of what this project is supposed to be. Here we are, the day after the first posting, ready to tell you about last night's virgen...except - except that the digital camera in the house belongs to my partner and she's off at a retreat where she'll be taking lovely desert photos between activities. I, myself, have a wonderful non- digital camera (what used to just be called a camera before digital came along and forced specification), but that's not going to get you a virgen image anytime soon.
Technical issues aside, let's get to that virgen. What you'll see when I am able to post a picture of her is the ultra simple design of her floating over a magazine photo of a calm patch of the Pacific. It's so simple, I can't even bring myself to add the "icity" part that will give the idea noun status. As you'll learn, this level of minimalism is rare for me and I fought deep urges all during the making of the virgen to line the border with blue beads or string or glitter or any other manner of flair that would add the glitz that is my mark. Finally I did conceded to a small blue glass half-moon at the bottom, but it's very subtle.
And why the water? Why float the virgen on the Pacific? I've been swimming lately as my form of exercise because it's getting hot here and it's always dry here and the ability to saturate myself in (albeit chlorinated) water for 30 minutes at our local Y is heaven. I had considered not going last night but I have a new suit that I love and it always feels so good to float and I've been improving my technique.
Like many, I can claim a time of swim lessons in my childhood that resulted in an understanding of each of the strokes. Like some, while I won't ever drown, my rendition of any of those strokes now would not qualify for any sort of efficient or effective exercise. To get around this and still be able to utilize a lap pool for exercise, I used a kick-board as I kicked up and down the lane on my back. I didn't really need the board, but it gave my arms something to hold onto while I kicked because I wasn't able to both kick and do something with my arms (that's the backstroke to those of you in the know). As breathing is key when exercising and as I've never quite mastered the whole timed breathing one needs when face down in the water, I stick to floating on my back where my airway is not obstructed.
Last week, I ditched the board and just started kicking up and down the lane, which worked quite well. I could feel my muscles working and I felt a little closer to my fancy lane mates with their goggles and swim caps and ability to use both their arms and legs and breathe all at once. I still wasn't using my arms and certainly wasn't timing my breath, but at least I demonstrated my ability to hold myself up in the water without assistive floaty devices.
The only time I used my arms was as I approached the end of the lane. Stretching my arm out over my head, I used it as a fender to prevent me from crashing into the wall (Yes, indeed. At my speed, I wouldn't be cracking any skull bones if I was to hit the wall, but I maintain a fear of hitting the wall, losing consciousness and sinking to my end with all the water and none of the purposefulness of Virginia or Ophelia).
Yesterday my energy was low and I found motor legs quitting before I was even close to the end of the lane. Liking to finish what I've started, I pulled both of my arms up my sides, over my head and back down to propel me to the wall. It worked so well, I realized that I could probably do this motion and kick and not drown. And so I did. It's a bit like how a squid or jellyfish or other simpler sea creature moves about in the water and brings me great joy each time I shoot forward.
On my own little level, I experienced an evolution of sorts. I've moved from a passively floating piece of detritus to a water bug that kicks along the surface to a simple but powerful tentacled being that propels itself forward in powerful lunges. Perhaps underwater breathing is next so that, while we slowly worked our way out of the water a la evolution, I, perhaps, am working my way back in.
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