Turning...turning...NOW   another year around the sun.  How fun was that?  It's going to be a great year, I can feel it.  Maybe good things for you too?

My birthday wish this year is to generate one tuition [or more] for a young woman to attend She Rock She Rock, the home to Girls Rock n Roll Retreat which takes place in Minneapolis, MN each summer.  This is one of my favorite 501(c)3 non-profit organizations in the land; I know them personally and adore the work they are committed to with our future humans!  As a former student of all-women's education, I can attest to how environment and deeply interested, loving leadership helps foster the development of a young woman's Voice.

For one week, young women musician campers ages 9-16 spend their days forming bands, attending instrument classes, writing music, and performing their compositions live in front of a huge audience of their friends and family.  They are receiving an opportunity to create, to become confident, and to put it out there in the world, YEAH!

So here's to hoping that people [that's you!] are suckers for birthdays.  

In the interest of generating this tuition in a positive fashion, I'm holding a feel-great Forrest yoga workshop/practice [with extras?] this Sunday.

Sunday September 29, 2013
10am till whenever we're good & done [probably till 12 or so]
Tsubo; 1821 W. Hubbard; Chicago, IL

"Just tell 'em it's your birthday, people will come." or How it Works
1.  Review the She Rock She Rock site.  Make sure it's something with which you stand.
2.  RSVP for Sunday class by emailing me--I'll reply quickly with confirmation.

3.  Make a donation.  The goal is $395.  Maybe you're able to give $34, a full tuition, or $1000.  Maybe you have the gift of fundraising, grant writing, or have some spare gear in your closet.  Let's do it by this weekend.  Here's the site again.  By making the donation through their site, they can provide you with a receipt for your donation--tax deductible!

Due to room size, I can host a practice for about 12 people.  No one will be turned away, if more than 12 people donate that want to practice, I will host an overflow event next weekend, October 5.  I will post here when we reach the overflow threshold.


But the best reason of all to participate…
Beyond the bribe of a yoga workshop, you’ll feel awesome about yourself for doing real good for our future women.  This is a fantastic experience for the greater creative unfoldment.

Trust me.  It feels great.

Thank you for reading this post. You are all rock stars, and I continue to write on this blog purely because of you.

Full of Life!
Gwen

find yourself
right there
in front of the proof
that something mattered

build and rebuild
like something matters
make a difference

when the sky turns to fire
hide and pray then
emerge 
to grieve the shattered

rebuild your people
start now
build a practice that can sustain the bombs

deconstruct
reeducate
reconstruct

let it fall to a pile
and lie there for 40 years
then raise it back up
in glory that has not yet been known

when all else dismiss 
the monstrous task that lies ahead
you will hold in your heart
for 40 years
the flickering flame 
of what matters

love, Dresden

Testing the viability of the statement made by Mark Rippetoe:  

The last time I used a favorite conditioning assessment training day was about 3 months ago.  It's simple:
100 kettlebell snatches in 5 min.  12kg-16kg.
Last time I performed it, I had used 16kg to 120 reps in 6 min. at a perceived effort level of 4+ [scale of 5] 

Today after a light-medium pressing day  I decided to test my "conditioning."  Starting with 12kg for an easy warm-up 100 reps and after a short rest, began another set with 16kg.  The blood blisters said to stop at 60.  This in just at/over 8 min.  I felt like I could've easily put in the second 100 were it not for my hands.  Perceived level of effort, 3.

I haven't done the test in 3 months--definitely long enough to have "de-conditioned."  While I wasn't conditioning, I've been making slow-but-steady strength gains for sure.  

I'd like to test it later doing 16kg for 200 reps

If I were posed with the choice of working 2-3 times per week [strength] putting in an easy 50-80% effort and leaving feeling refreshed versus spend 1-4 times in HIT or tabata and its variants [gassed and tapped], I'd definitely go with the former--especially if I knew I'd only need 1-3 training days to "condition."

You do the math.


*http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/conditioning_is_a_sham;jsessionid=12E3E0FC77ED96CEC0444A75EEAE985F-mcd01.hydra