Vikings in the PE Class

 May was PE/Health and Baltic Sea.  I have done enough history and genealogy to know that just about everyone has some Viking in them, especially a France, South Irish, Poland combo like me.  I also needed to lose some weight, therefore the PE.  For the month, one of the things I wanted to do was once a week do something I wouldn't normally do for exercise.  I also joined a weight loss support group and a gym.  For the Baltic Sea ancestry I did the usual study methods.

So for my weekly exploration I did bowling, trampoline workout (that is very hard), and hauled brush.  I joined Faithful Finish Lines, which is a weight loss group online, and I did Baltic meditation.  Some of the meditation was doable some was amazing.  Completely depended on the mood I think.  

I read "Fierce" by Olympian Aly Raisman.  I watched on Curious Streaming: Fit in 6; How to not get Cancer;  and Viking Origins.  On Great Courses I watched:  Diet for Happiness; Science of Weight; Exercise, Fitness & Activity.  On Youtube:  Vikings of the Baltic and Viking Ancestry.  

I listened to: Austin AF Women in Sports; Bee Goddess & Dragons; Sugar is not Evil; Koshas,Chakras & Yoga Living; Good Carbs, Bad Carbs; Vikings' Global Connection; Simply Healthy; Back on Track; Listen to your Body; Youth, Inc with Shawn Johnson.  One night we had a Baltic meal which consisted of pork steak, potato pancake, and mushrooms.  

What I learned:  That I had more Baltic blood than I thought, that there was more than just 'Vikings", there were many clans and tribes.  I learned that I feel better when I work out and watch my diet.  I learned trampoline jumping is harder than it looks.  I discovered high intensity interval training.  

I will continue my workout regimen and keep looking for new ways to be physical other than the walks and videos.  I also learned that there is more to weight management than just physical.  It's mostly mental. 

A Little Soul in more Ways than One.

 April was a thinker.   The year's theme is discovery: of both the world and myself.  Now for the world I had decided to do religion for April.  I picked two of the big 5 because they were the most removed from what I know.  I picked Hindu and Buddhism.  I read Diwali, a children's book, because I figured it was as basic as you can get.  It was and I knew none of it.  I also read Letter to a Hindu and Dinner with Buddha.  For videos I watched on Great Courses: Hindu and the Vedas; Nationalization of Hindu; Three Baskets of Buddha; Pure land Buddha & Zen; Death, Rebirth, and Resurrection.  On Curious Stream I watched Ancient Genius: Buddha.  For audio I listened to:  Hinduism 101; Modern Buddhism; and Awakening of Buddha.  

There was a lot more of Buddha then Hindu.  Hindu is a more exclusive religion that has been politicized to the point where you can't really figure out why anyone would stay unless forced.  Buddhism is a religion that has branched off of Hindu.  Which I had no idea of.  It's a lot more relaxed and people oriented rather than controlling.  Kind of like a Jewish/Christianity relationship.  Connected and together, yet completely separate.  It was a fascinating discovery.  I loved learning about both.  Both religions are heavily reliant on meditation, which is something I discovered a couple of years ago.  I love mediation.  As an activity I did Vedic mediation and a couple of different Buddhist style meditations, as well as Buddhist mindful eating.  Great stuff really.  The more I did it the more I wanted to.  I will definitely be incorporating these styles into my practice. 

For discovery of self I wanted to study history of Passing for White.  While doing genealogy I discovered that a branch of my family had been going by either Negro or Mulatto as recently as my great-great grandparents.  So I wanted to learn more about the experience of people who had made the transition.  I read Sweeter the Juice and The Vanishing Half.  I watched Passing (the documentary, not movie); Netflix's Fredrick Douglass; and Hulu's Clotilda.  I listened to No Dogs, No Blacks, No Irish; Girl Trek's Harriet Tubman and Bishop Tutu and Alice Walker; and Go(o)d Morning with Curlynikki.  

For my experience I dug out some of my grandmother's recipe's and made a "soulfood" supper.  I'm sure she wouldn't have called it that, but I wanted to connect with her.  I don't really remember her much.  She had a walker and she lived in a nursing home.  She had kinky curly hair.  Her name was Lily.  Spelled like the flower.  I made fried chicken marinated in sweet tea.  It was good!  I shoulda made that before! 

This was a pretty eye opening month.  I feel like I really learned and connected with my past and the world.  I don't think May is going to be able to contend. 

There's a Place in France.....

 March was the  month of France and Art.  I didn't intend to pick the two together because they blended so much.  I mean, I was aware that France had a lot of art, but so does the rest of the world.  But, Paris is art and art is Paris.  Or so it is said.  For France I had a rule of no WWII and for art I stuck to the classics.  

I read " I Will Always Love You" which is about Mary Cassatt, an impressionist painter from the end of the 19th century and her relationship with art and Edgar Degas, a fellow Parisian painter.  I watched on Curious Streaming four videos:  Bon Appetite; Picasso; Mona Lisa; and The Secret Versailles.  On Great Courses I watched:  Normandy at Ease; Women and French Salons & English Coffeehouses; and Islamic Art.  I also watched "Under the Eiffel Tower" on Netflix.  I listened to podcasts Resurrecting Notre Dame and Artist Way.  The music I listened to was La Femme Pendu and Baroque.  These things taught me about the culture of France for the most part as well as the classics of the great painters.  I was introduced to not only the food of Paris, but how it is grown and the agriculture of the region.  I learned some history of France, specifically the 1770s as that was when my French ancestry came over and Marie Antoinette.  It was all very fascinating.  

For my art activities, I did an art journal called No Mistakes by Keiko Agena.  I also took a vacation to Santa Fe.  I had intended to go to the Georgia O'Keefe museum, but found out on arrival that you have to purchase tickets ahead of time!  But no fear, Santa Fe is swimming in art of all kinds.  So I got some experience in the culture of art.  

For self discovery this month I read two books:  Death of Innocence by Mamie Till and Recovery by Russell Brand.  I also had a vacation to the desert of the Southwest, made some donations, did some Spring Self-care challenges and Spring Hygge.  I did a meditation series on Commune with Koya Webb as well as listened to some podcasts by Jeff Kober, Joyce Meyer and Faith Hunt.  

I learned about France that they like to enjoy life.  Really enjoy it.  Art is beautiful.  The stuff I like anyway. It is wide and varied with something for everyone.  And though it is serious business when they do it, the world of galleries and museums do not get up early.  Not for anything. 

I Always Loved Your review

 "I Always Loved You" by Robin Oliveira is a novel that follows the life and work of two of the 19th centuries greatest artists: Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas.  Cassatt is an American who went to Paris to paint and Degas was already there, famous, and full of opinions.  It starts at their meeting and follows them and their crowd full of artists throughout their lives until the death of Degas.

I really loved this book.  It "paints" the imagery and turns the novel into a work of art itself.  Cassatt is one of my favorites and this book brings her to life.  I recommend this novel to anyone who loves art, Paris, or color in their life.  

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from netgalley.com.  

Round the world in 28 days: knowing it by Heart

 Today rounds up exploring the world and our hearts for the month of February.  One thing I have learned is exploring a different culture every week is a  lot.  It's quite the push.  I won't do that again. This week was Djibouti.  My step-son was stationed in Djibouti in 2014-15.  At the time I had never heard of it and the research I did was military based.  Why were we there in the first place?

For February I decided to learn about the place where he was, not just the base.  Djibouti is on the horn of west Africa.  It is a tiny country with a large port city: Djibouti City.  It's a hot bed for pirates (one of the reasons the US is there).  Djibouti supposedly means 'the casserole'.  Which is what it is.  There are 9 different countries with bases there.  It is also a combination of locals and Somalians, the neighboring country.  You can't grow any food there, so it is all trucked in.  They tend to eat camel and goat along with drinking the milk.  Khat is a favorite herb there.  It is an herb that removes any anxiety.  Which may sound good, but it removes it to a dangerous level.  I can see why it may be so addictive.  The official language is French, due to the French controlling the country so long.  However, on the street the people speak Somali.  

I also learned about Congenital Heart Defects for medical education.  I watched "Building the Field" which is about mental health in adults with chronic heart defects.  It was truly fascinating.  I also read a book "Hearts of a Girl" which is about a girl who needs a heart and kidney transplant and what all that entails.  My daughter has hypoplastic left heart, so this information was all very important to me.  

Next month is Art and France.  My heritage has some French in it so I am exploring my French side.  In art I hope to go to the O'Keefe museum in New Mexico.  Fingers crossed.  

Miss Burma Review

 "Miss Burma" is a novel written by Charmaine Craig, that takes place in Burma (currently known as Myanmar) between pre-WWII and the 1960s.  It follows the Benison family:  the mother a Karen (a Burmese tribe) from Burma and the father an Anglo-Indian who has lived his life in Rangoon.  

Now most Americans probably know little about Burma other than it's in Asia.  My grandfather was stationed there so I have done some research and know probably more than most Americans, but that's not to say I know much.  I found this trip into the history and culture of Burma to be fascinating.  I loved this book.  The mixed race couple have four children that they raise in a society where they are not only mixed, but minorities and are considered "foreign" even though their father has lived his whole life in that country.  It follows the war with Japan, the British control, the Burman overtake, the constant fighting between the tribes and races.  Plus it has the universal human factor including love, betrayal, sex, parenting and plain old self esteem.  It is truly a wonderful book.

I received this book from www.netgalley.com in exchange for my honest opinion and review.  

Mysterious Myanmar

 My grandfather served in Burma during WWII.  He served with the 13th Mountain Medical as a vet assistant.  I have been researching and writing about his experience there.  I thought learning about the culture of Burma would be interesting during Culture month.  So, I started looking into more of the current culture rather 1940s jungle during war time.  Which is really nothing close to the same thing.

For my investigation into Burma, I read "Miss Burma" which is about the 1940s on, but more about the culture living during that time.  There is little military connection other than Burma is military ran, so of course, it would be connected in that way.  I also watched several You tube videos and Great Courses.  The CG was about the education system.  The American Quakers and the Burmese Budhist are united in the creating and continuing the education system in Myanmar (Burma's current name).  I watched Exploring Myanmar Culture in Yangon, and Timeline.  One was about the culture in the cities and the other was jungle tribes especially along the Burma Road.  The two cultures are very different.  I also watched one on street food in Burma.  

There wasn't much in podcasts that was related other than I found one of a guy traveling my motorcycle.  Probably wouldn't want to do that.  

Learning about Burmese culture has helped quite a bit with my book about my grandfather.  Many situations have come up that explains things.  Especially the jungle/city differences.