Muddled Muses

One

2011-10-18T20:35:00.001-07:00

enchant-thru, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I just read this text on a blog about "unity-consiouness". I found it full of paradox, ambiguity, contradiction yet comforting.
Enjoy.

There are no persons;
There is One God,;
One Mind. Truth IS One.

AND
There are no persons realizing One Mind;
Knowing One Mind; Only One Mind Knowing;
Knowing, oneness of Mind.

The Self knows its intelligent, all wise, all knowing. In this true sense of being, there is nothing outside to influence or be influenced.
One.

enchanted

2011-09-18T20:57:00.001-07:00

enchant-thru, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

this picture basically sums up my adventure through the enchantments; the eye dropping beauty, the relax and ease of a fly fisherman, and the edges of physical limits.

what was so needed this weekend was an escape from mind, from thought, from everyplace the mind seeks to go except the places it cannot; the present moment.

the wonderfulness of being enchanted, is you can't be in your head. you must be in the space of feeling all the absolute beauty around you.

we all must get enchanted, even if its only for a day.

bikology

2011-09-02T21:57:00.001-07:00

calif2011-57.jpg, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I walked out of a meditation retreat today. I was looking forward to it, but maybe looking forward to being in No Cal. When I arrived in the parking lot this AM, the energy felt off. My mind kept responding to what my skin was feeling...

the venue was draining my energy.

i walked in. no place to put my mat.
the yoga was made up, synthetic and unauthentic - nothing specific, but my skin felt it.

The vibration of the people seemed vapid, searching, sucking.

I had an encounter with a gent that was apparently a teacher with the organization and he insisted on the following:

"we all must see that we are responsible for everything. that everything we do we are responsible for in this existence."

I responded by saying...
If you speak of absolute truth in that we are responsible for everything and nothing, I understand. This existence just IS. If you are saying that we are responsible for our past or future, I disagree.

he began to speak of karma. I said, I don' understand your dictionary. You are using terms I'm not familiar with in my vocabulary.

he got flustered. I also took issue with the group's focus on accepting those people around you that it was most important to just accept, accept. I said you must first accept yourself before any of that is possible given we often react to people based on things we don't like to see in ourselves.

on that comment, deer was looking at me in the headlamps. tumble weeds passed between us and I think I heard crickets chirping in the distance.

in this moment, i packed up my yoga mat, got in my car and engaged in the theology of hard breath work of the pedal stroke... Bikology.
Ohmmmmmmmmmm.

These static images appear so dynamic. Crazy cool!

2011-04-13T21:37:00.001-07:00

Observe closely which disc is turning faster ?

I bet u cant reach any solution because both are exactly same and turning at same rate …

Pillow Wars

2011-04-03T13:38:00.001-07:00

Pillow Wars, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

played in the international pillow wars on saturday. it was like being a kid all over again. i grabbed a pillow, ran to the center and put on a tazmainian devil pillow swat of all those around me. wow that felt good. I highly recommend for everyone participate next year. heck grab a pillow now.

Acceptance

2010-09-21T21:44:00.001-07:00

So....

Driving this morning the fall clouds caused a conscious moment; one of those absolute presences where I can't think about anything, but just feel everything. Its like my skin (in that fraction of a moment) took on extra receptors.

this presence is what so many people call consciousness, present moment, zen, self awareness or even love. I enjoy accepting and feeling these moments, without thought, without direction.

Then....

I notice the fall sky illustrated to me change is near. I feel it.
externally and internally. a challenging conversation with a dear friend included the line... "what you did was wrong, just wrong." when I heard this word, wrong, I felt no connection to it. it didn't even hit hard. it was foreign. I've never heard anyone use that on me. "wrong" I uttered as if not knowing the meaning. then it occurred to me, this word doesn't exist in my dictionary. my response?

LISA: "wrong?" "what I did wasn't wrong."
"what YOU did wasn't wrong."
"what we did in the moment was the best thing we could possibly have done in that moment when confronted by fear or the absence of self love. there is nothing wrong with that moment, its perfect. there is no judgment I have about you or myself about that past moment. its gone."

"As for me, I hope you would never see anything I did as wrong or judge it to be so. But, rather we accept each other and ourselves as people that are doing the best they can in each moment while managing the pool of fears and inadequacies we swim in. certainly there are things we can do for those we care about that don't exacerbate our fears. those are the things we can attempt and talk about, without judgment or expectation; how we can help each other manage fears and increase love.

oddly I know there is unconscious behavior and conscious behavior. I don't judge behaviors as right or wrong; hard for some to imagine, but it helps me to be ever more present, feeling the clouds, feeling this existence.

who we really are

2010-08-07T17:52:00.001-07:00

hooligans, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Ok its been some time since I've blogged. I've depended on twitter to get some micro thoughts out there, yet twitter can't hold these thoughts I have now. These thoughts and conversations I'm having with so many of my friends. These conversations are about the loss of fitness as they age or the race win identity they once had. I recently wrote the following in an email to a good friend.

-----
I will say about aging and it's relationship to racing, life, fitness, etc.
is THAT to transition successfully...
we move from a place of doing to a place of being.
we realize that wining and being at the top of our game is really dependent on other people; them being less than we are.

As to BEING....
We just ARE (that is who we are) irrespective of winning or losing.
We aren't dependent on anything to be ourselves (at the core);
We aren't dependent on winning a race to be a thoughtful, caring, giving, beautiful human"being".
WE just ARE and that is beautiful, so beautiful.

We realize that there is a much bigger "win" when we can share ourselves and open ourselves to the possibility of connection.
In that effort of opening we find that everything just IS (as it IS), and this just is the beauty of pure being.

I observe in myself the desire to find living in things or titles, and it is a challenge to shed this notion or form.
I find more and more that the depth of my life rests in nothing specific, but being alive, enthusiastic and sharing this conscious space with those capable of receiving.

AND I try not to let my ego take this positive space and say this is my "winning game" (i.e. my identity) 'cause that's fleeting too. Keep opening your own mindfulness, awareness, consciousness of what truly makes you. We will find that the loss of the "race" identity will allow us to see that this identity was never us in the first place.

Define me not for what I was, or "may" become....
but what I am right now....
the person writing this text and posting it to my blog. that's all.

SoCal Trip

2010-06-04T22:14:00.001-07:00

SoCal Trip, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

its been a while since I visited california. i missed the weather, but i didn't miss the lifestyle dominated by traffic and congestion. wow is it bad. laguna is wonderful. biking and ashtanga yoga, wonderful. wow, i didn't realize its been so long since i blogged. I've been micro blogging instead (twitter). okay, i need to get back to it, need to be more relevant. soon. soon.

tucson trifecta

2010-01-04T14:25:00.001-08:00

Rocks and Ropes, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Yesterday was a great LAST day of my holiday season in Tucson. I biked, yoga-ed, climbed. Then a last few hours spent with good friends and amazing food.

Tucson Adventures

2010-01-01T19:22:00.001-08:00

Tucson Climb, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I travelled to Tucson this year for the holidays. I brought Doug. We climbed, hiked, biked, talked, walked, drank, ate, biked, talked, biked some more.

He missed his flight.
Hung out a few more hours...

Great time.

fullness without end

2009-11-05T07:42:00.001-08:00

twinpeaks, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

"Willing to experience aloneness,
I discover connection everywhere;
Turning to face my fear,
I meet the warrior who lives within;
Opening to my loss,
I gain the embrace of the universe;
Surrendering into emptiness,
I find fullness without end.
Each condition I flee from pursues me.
Each condition I welcome transforms me.
And becomes itself transformed
Into its radiant jewel-like essence.
I bow to the one who has made it so,
Who has crafted this Master Game.
To play it is purest delight;
To honor its form--true devotion."
- Jennifer Welwood

SF yogatimes

2009-10-15T10:49:00.001-07:00

sf yoga, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Just returned from some days of studying yoga in San Francisco with my dear friend pat, past Kalani folks (yoga dogs) and universal yoga with Andrey Lappa.

It was a phenomenal way to spend my 41st birthday. We had to rise EARLY for a 6:30am yoga class every morning. Pat and I then puttered around the city, nibbled, laughed, chatted, dined, did more yoga, rode bikes, etc.

There were several highlights. TO name a few:
a) Dinner at Delfina after a hugely energetic ashtanga yoga class with Mier.
b) Dinner with Di Di at Foreign Cinema the night of my birthday where we had some of the best service in town; not to mention that there were 3 sexy beasts that were placed at that table of ours.
c) yoga photo shoot atop twin peaks on a warm fall morning.

just a wall

2009-09-25T15:59:00.001-07:00

shilshole, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

A friend told me that I talk in the third person; never associating what I am saying to me, I, myself. SO, this blog entry I will attempt to use no 3rd person vernacular when referring to myself. Well, its a big growth month.

about a week ago, I realized that the reason I'm not able to push myself into a handstand (given that I do have the strength) was because I had this perception of being bottom heavy. I thought for a moment and then I realized that the root center (this bottom part of me) represents my connection to the world, survival, existence and basic functioning. I also realized that this heaviness in the root was my need to control and my unwillingness to let go and trust (yup I'm a control freak).

interesting.

So, if I wanted to conquer this heaviness and bring lightness, I actually had to let go, lose control, trust. Its opposite of what I would "think" to do.

interesting.

So for the past two weeks, I'd approach my challenge and breathe deeply, putting my finger tips against the wall, breathe deeply again; then I would use my inside voice (ie. prayer/mantra) saying, I trust all that is present, I trust divinity to care for me, I am free, I am light, I am all I need to be, I am safe (the core concept here was not just saying it but honestly FEELING IT in my whole body). Each day I felt lighter and lighter. Each day my yoga teacher would say I'm 60% there, 70% there 85% there....

and today?

Well, I crossed the barrier. I am trusting. I am lighter. I am free. I am all I need to be. I am.

So the wall was my perception, I placed the barrier.
I am curious as to what else I am soon to see. I find that I must pay attention to my physical body because it tells me so much of what is happening in my emotional and spiritual self.

form & formless

2009-09-17T20:42:00.001-07:00

Mackenzie River Camping, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

When I was a kid, I could remember walking home, pausing at the overturned backstops in the ballfields, resting atop these school ground beds staring at the sky. As I gazed up at the clouds, i would push my hands in front of my face and stare at them wondering if I were real, or just an illusion; this was at the age 8 or so.

Now, this month I seem to be returning to the childlike innocence and challenging the "expected" truths of society. Its actually quite cool because Robert Fulgrum was not quite right, in that all we really needed to learn we brought with us as a child.

I must say it is a powerful contemplation month for me (for some reason). I'm realizing that life (or form) here on earth is really just a cloak or illusion of experience. We have an illusionary perception of time, but that is just a cloak that ages/changes/alters and the true self, the true consciousness of our being just IS and always IS. For example I further contemplate the sun rising and setting... yet the sun just IS. As we just ARE. If we can detach from the form and our external cloak, we connect with the true self (the I AM). Many authors are writing more about this as pure consciousness. Its very cool.

Be curious.
It only gets more interesting!

Senses

2009-09-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing the limitation of my mind's recording mechanisms (eyes, ears, nose, mouth - mostly). These small peep holes into the universe limit input and therefore the concept of what is around us. It is fun to experience a deeper understanding through the sensations perceived in intuition. I'm not sure where this originates, but it seems most surfacing in stillness - where the practice shuts off everything else, so consciousness (or your true self, soul, whatever) can feel. The perceptions within the realm are deep, creative, lovely and beyond words (given that our mouths can only speak of things we have vocabulary).

meditation excursion

2009-09-08T19:36:00.001-07:00

Kalani Yoga, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I just spent 4 days in silence and meditation. between rounds of meditation i did breath work, yoga, ate and slept a little. it was a fascinating journey. so much gained about this life, form, time and my mind. some key thoughts:

a) i like so many other people identify with form; my body, my place, its health, looks, fitness - yet it is of this earth and will return to this earth; my soul will lift and i felt its weightlessness for the first time; felt formless. woah, cool!

b) nothing will ever change AND everything is always changing; the great paradox - helpful for things you complain about!

c) life is like the sun, our limited capacities and abilities to understand it through our small sensory preceptors is exemplified such that we think it rises in the morning and sets in the evening; truth is the sun does neither, it just is. (okay noodle on that one)

d) love is possible on this earth given form (being human) and duality (the beloved and lover). Its important to experience this now... because unity is coming.

ok...
I'm not usually this deep on my blog, but sensations of the divine, of the truth were not to be contained within my form. Over and out.

Day 2 w/ Swenson

2009-08-29T22:27:00.001-07:00

Kalani B&W, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I began my day with a stroll down 4th Street in Vancouver. Nice overcast morning, chill of the air on my flesh. I then went for a 2 hour ride around stanley park then over to west vancouver and cypress park. I was getting tired and knew I had a full day ahead of me with nearly 8 hours with David Swenson at the yoga studio.

Lunch a typical whole food grab and go, but you gotta love Vancouverites... because this whole foods actually has a raw food bar and some of the yummiest salads without onions.

Now about my yoga day. We started at 1pm doing the FULL ashtanga primary series. There were about 50 people in the class so I was a bit smoked and dripped so much sweat my hair was completely wet and my body drenched. Lucky for me I had my cotton mat to soak it up.

The second session was about flight, balance and learning to use less effort in our practice. I learned that I must balance on my fingers like my toes perform when I walk. I tested the concept and it gave me new body awareness to test in my landing forward and pushing back (its all a handstand and I know that has been my nemesis for sometime). I also discovered new positioning for my legs (like getting them the hell out of the way, crossing at the shins and flexing the feet). This second session was probably one of the most helpful. I will say that David is a bit goofy and I think his style is technically very good yet his exploration of pranayama was a bit lacking. I basically think he is a vata constitution that just needs to move a lot.

Well...
tomorrow we learn some of the intermediate series and a special session on inversions (my favorite). Namaste!

Vancouver with Swenson

2009-08-28T22:58:00.001-07:00

Kalani Yoga, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I just drove up to Vancouver this evening to attend a weekend workshop with David Swenson. David must be the most beautiful yogi I've ever seen practice; the guy really floats with amazing grace.

So the first evening (Friday) was an informal lecture on Ashtanga yoga. David seemed to take the topic lightly and interjected humor at every junction. I'm not sure I was fond of the style, but I did just drop myself into this studio after being 20 minutes late (given border crossing).

After his demonstration (absolutely gorgeous), we did do a practice of some basic A + B series to feel the breath, prana and practice our bundas. He taught me some subtle oppositions that caused my forward bends to go further and deeper.

What is fascinating to me right now is how my poses seem to work me, how I'm finding extension and length. I think the biggest learning lesson this evening was on drishti (internal focus and outward gaze). I discovered that our internal focus can deepen when our drishti is challenged by distraction. There is a lot of distractions in daily life. Our yoga is to have the subtle gaze yet deep understanding of who we really are, the true I am.

seattle yogic journey

2009-08-24T22:57:00.001-07:00

Kalani B&W, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

This week pat (my temporary boyfriend - thank you Christy) and I decided we would attempt to see all that Seattle had to offer in terms of yogis. Now I've been practicing for about 4-5 years (on and off and more regular in the past 2) and Pat has been a bit of a rabid new comer at 12-14 months. Our perspectives are similar yet also very different. He has been formally trained (200 hour teacher training), I have not. I seem to like the fact that every teacher has something to tell you, yet often times the lessons comes in painfully small bites with less articulate or practiced yogis.

Sunday found me at Rain City Yoga then that evening, meditating and practicing at Troy Lucero's studio. Today we wandered into the noon class with Kathleen Hunt at Samadi. All were solid experiences and each I felt something new. I am actively journaling about this journey. I'm posting this picture here because its a post I'm cultivating and think I can achieve. Today I got one leg behind my head in this resting yogi pose. I would like to say I'm halfway there, but I know the second leg is the harder and resting is even harder.

Namaste.

special new brand

2009-08-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

this evening a dear friend and I prepared dinner and dreamt up a new special brand. we know it doesn't look like much but there is just a little more to reveal before the masses scream for more. stay tuned.

that's what I'm talking about!

2009-07-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

i wasn't a lance fan; ever. but following these past 3 weeks, i generated a lot of respect for the guy. he actually showed amazing humility, fire, drive and humantude (if such a word). found this picture of him and love it. it shows his willingness to expose his human quality, fitness, passion and whimsey. look forward to seeing more of him in france next year, probably with clothes on (drats).

Tidbits from Weekend Meditations

2009-07-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Some thoughts I don't want lose that were poignant for me this weekend.

a) Awareness is knowledge. Knowledge destroys the seeds of karma/old patterns/latent DNA (whatever you want to call it). Once you integrate knowledge into you life it becomes WISDOM!

b) Logic can bring you to the truth (which is not linear but spherical - get that one), but then it only takes you so far and then needs to be put aside; like driving your car to your living room (you need to park it in the garage and walk the rest of the way).

c) Teachers don't teach, they confuse - so that the pupil has an eye for wonder/searching/seeking. In ethiopia post the famine, people were so accustomed to receiving food that once the drought ended no one knew/could/desired to farm.

d) In the presence of fear there is a lack of love; real courage is in surrendering.

Chefs and Yogis

2009-06-15T22:54:00.001-07:00

Kalani Yoga, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I just returned from 7 days of being on the big island of Hawaii with a man who practices yoga like no other; without desire to yield to any trend, his asanas (poses) are scripted, choreographed and thoughtfully composed so there is deep intention on how to maximize a particular feeling or experience (e.g. expansion, thoughtfulness, vibrant energy, etc); there is no pose or movement placed by chance.

I think of his craft similar to that of a 3 star michelin chef who puts on an amazing meal with every ingredient felt, savored and tasted with intention; such a culinary experience lasts hours yet feels like minutes; Although he has studied the great culinary masters, some how this chef takes the same preparations and ingredients, orchestrates them with authenticity and candor so they sing higher on the palette.

Like a fine, fine dinner nourishing the soul, our classes were long, savory and sweet and very memorable. Thank you Jamie for one of the best meals I've ever had. We shall dine again soon.

Machuca

2009-05-28T16:36:00.001-07:00

Machuca, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

So I have so many thoughts after Costa Rica. It was a mind blowing experience, "fur sure."

What is on my mind right now is many things that entered my brain after reading Jill Bolte's book, "my stroke of insight." She suffered a hemmorage on the left side of her brain, effectively shutting down all logic functions. Interestingly, it also shut down ego and all notions of past and future. She could only live in the divinity of the present moment. Some quote that struck me from this book are as follows:

“ …to experience pain may not be a choice, but to suffer is a cognitive decision.”

“The easiest way I have found to humble myself back into a state of peaceful grace is through the act of gratitude.”

“I must be willing to give up what I am in order to become what I will be.” - from Einstein

The image was from some cooling water dips at Machuca, or as Stephen likes to call it... EDEN; and it was an amazing garden.

baidaba

2009-05-26T22:24:00.001-07:00

Costa Rica Candy, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I just landed back from Costa Rica. There is so much to share of that rich, rich land; namely being astounded at the black gold soil that grows abundance, including this amazing fruit called baidaba (bahdeh-bah) - which tastes like warm sugary ice cream. This was ONE of 21 NEW fruit experiences to be had this weekend. My flickr account shows all my tastings, including the Amazing Fruit.

sneaks

2009-05-11T20:52:00.001-07:00

May2009, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

glorious weekend in leavenworth, washington. It's a faux little town that attempts to create a stage set of Bavaria. Shy of success by the very fact that mc D's and Sbux must droop icicles from the eaves of their retail facades. I mean really, how many icicle eaves Mc D's do you see in Munich? I digress.

So there is something about just wearing clothing you can wreck (e.g. those things you sport at a camp site). I think that is what is meant by casual clothing... those items of clothing you can stain, rip, stretch, etc, and they just look better and better.

I've got a pair of jeans that are just about there.
Oddly, once they get to this magical state... it seems like they can only hold it for a little while before you are forced to turn them into cleaning rags. However, their state of appropriate"ness" still lasts longer than fancy duds. And darn it... they feel really good around a camp fire with flowing bottles of aged wine.

Kids

2009-05-06T10:30:00.001-07:00

Longbranch 2009, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I shot this kid playing in the ditch at Longbranch. Its amazing how you give a kid nothing and they make the world out of it. But you give a kid some programmed, i.e. a game, robot, puzzle - meaning something prescribed for a specific use or ONE solution - and it occupies them for minutes. Give them a ditch, static object, cardboard box and the enjoyment is hours (maybe days).

We prescribe too much for kids and ourselves. Everything is so structured, we/they are carted off to piano, karate, soccer, club, etc. etc. The genius and brilliance is the child IS FOUND when the child (and we) are given nothing but an imagination and free time to explore it. This is where true creativity and learning happen.

I often turn myself into a child weekly to stimulate my own wonder, explore my universe THEN it's amazing what surfaces. The ingredients are imagination (we all have it) and time. Simplify life by getting rid of the busy and I'm amazed at how much more I get to experience. Just like a pendulum, when it's at infinite speed (swinging back and forth so fast, faster, fastest) its at complete and TOTAL REST.

Clinical Trials

2009-04-29T22:28:00.001-07:00

LMP-3695, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I'm not sure if any one has conducted clinical trials on oneself, but I'm doing it now. For one week I'm consciously consuming my food, bite by bite, visualizing it given me power, strength healing. When I eat magnesium rich foods (like eggs and millet) - I feel and visualize those nutrients generating a HUGE factory of red blood cells. Salmon... I visualize and FEEL it energizing my muscles, repairing and making them stronger.

So far, today's ride I was STRONG. I made it 20 meters further on my hill climb effort with power thresholds not seen before.

Again, I post this with warning, I am in clinical trials... but I also take my probiotics and feel it killing ANY virus, bug, germ, etc - it is my HUMAN SHIELD (read shield from flu). I do think conscious medicine (with the right foods for you to FEEL it) is the FUTURE for our survival and THRIVAL.

Vance Creek Monuments

2009-04-27T21:02:00.001-07:00

Vance Creek 2009, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Vance Creek Road race is in a rather odd location. Its located in Elma, WA, which is southwest of Olympia (our state's capital). It's the site of where US tax payers fed $96 million into a concrete landscape for some nuclear power plants. The project ran out of cash at the same time public sentiment waned... so now its the site of weeds, decomposing concrete parking lots, towering concrete forms AND an annual bike race. Its rather eerie, and it remains here standing as it would cost way too much to demo.

I think about the presence of these monuments on the landscape. It symbolizes the erroneous notion of progress - thinking such things can make our lives easier - when really they make our lives enormously complex and in many cases damaging. I thought about the cell phone. How it becomes so convenient for us to do 20 things now at once (including the ability to tweet when I'm at a stop light). How we can be late and and just text ahead. How we can blame our missed appointment on it not being in our calendar. Sometimes I think if I just stayed home, tilled my yard, canned my foods, grew my daily, weekly and year sustenance... life would be so simple. AND giving up blogging would probably get me to bed a hell of a lot earlier.

Good night.

Dead End?

2009-04-24T22:41:00.001-07:00

Sequim03.22.09, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Today was another step in a journey. I'm fascinated by what I'm pulling in to me, what is drawn to me, my spaces. There is good energy in my world right now; amazing really.

Today I strolled to the top of Phinney Ridge to meet a new contact that runs a PR firm in Seattle at Herkimer Coffee (hip joint). We connected right away, but nothing about business. Suddenly, I found myself talking about self awareness - after we approached the topic of our current state of the world... and will IT really change after this new economic reality/shift we face. I thought so... but only because those that don't change, leave the gene pool and float in another/separate reality (kinda out there, but not really).

I recall what caused my own awareness and wondered how much of the world will/has reached theirs; FOR ME.... it was sudden AND under the notion of soul survival. I tell my story of awakening here, briefly:

4 years ago... I had been terminated from a job, position, career that I mistook as part of my core being. This position was ripped from me like a close, close friend. This job had defined me for two years (maybe longer as I transferred prior years of work into this job - as the culmination of a career). Then in the span of 10-15 minutes, a narcissistic, abusive assassin (or so I thought) shot me in side (like a prisoner in front of a firing squad) leaving me for dead.

I dragged myself home.
I crawled in bed with the weight of the world suffocating me.
I stayed still in bed for over 14 hours.
The next day, awakened by light; AND
the sound of a small bird perilously crashing into my window;
once;
twice;
three times...
again and again.
It was odd enough for me to pull myself to the window to get a glimse.
This bird was throwing itself into the glass over and over again.
I wondered...
what is it doing?
How could it, why would it continue to crash into my window?
Doesn't it know its hurting/killing itself?
Feathers falling to the earth at each strike;
Beak slamming into the glass;
Finally looking up I saw its nest in the tree and realized it was attacking its reflection in the window.

Wow, I thought.... its hurting itself each time....
FOR what?
My God, its killing itself with its own fear.

It was at this VERY moment I realized...
We alone are our own worst enemy.
We alone kill ourselves, drown ourselves with unfounded fear.
Release it. Stop creating pain!

I then drove down to Patagonia Arizona.
Chilled and meditated for 4 days.
I awoke.

Amazingly.... that assassin, was my savior.
Interesting how a dead end, suddenly becomes the beginning.

Stage Racin'

2009-04-23T19:00:00.001-07:00

walla walla 2009, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

This past weekend was my SECOND stage race of the season. We had a grand showing of our finest teammates (those that are good on AND off the bike). We rented a quaint little house in the downtown as our base. The joint was full.

Like no other year, I'm enjoying my bike race community. We are a group of authentic, real people that enjoy riding our bike and living to tell about it. It has added another unexpected dimension to my life that is unexpected. Because we get time to laugh, suffer, lament and hang together during a stage race... these events seem to be the most desirable form of racing for me this season.

Just like life (again)... the journey is far richer than the actual event we take part in. I enjoy the process as much and if not more than the race themselves (except reaching the 1K sign in a grueling event - now that always seems to be the MOST joyful of all).

Drooling

2009-04-14T00:13:00.001-07:00

Paul, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Monday means 2 hour massage with drool, I mean Drew. We have a strong energetic, healing connection. He senses things about what I need (or my body needs), my body knows it... and it lets go, like it never has permitted itself to do. Drew has healed me in so many ways... physical, emotional and spiritual.

Here is my story about tonight's session:

Drew has an iPod.
He has several playlists of cool tunes (mind you he is a muscian and has played for some noteworthy bands).
One playlist (that he was playing) has over 300 songs.

There are several songs that I like of his...
ODDLY, when I'm there (and he always has it on random) I seek to hear TWO songs.

The first is a song by Sigur Ros called Svefn-G-Englar with a sonar sounding ping that is absolutely delicioius. And the second song is Imagine by John Lenon.

So tonight, Sigur came on when he was working my shoulders and back (the concentration of all my stress this week). Drew then said...
"gosh that is so weird, my iPod must like you."
I ask, "why is that?"
he said, "I go for days without hearing this song... then when you are here is always seems to play."
I said, "and you have it on random?"
he said, "yes."
I said, "well there is one more song I'd like to hear today... I'll will it to happen."

Then as Drew moved to my most needed portion of my body my neck and head, I started to feel John singing the song to heal my head, the world, its people... as I just imagined his patient youthful voice wringing those words from his soul.

THEN, the song started to play on Drew's iPod.
My friends, we can make anything happen around us; as long as its for the good of ourselves and the world around us. Just imagine, imagine all the people.

On Pain (a sensation)

2009-04-09T21:45:00.001-07:00

LP Crit, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

This past weekend I did a very big stage race. I learned a lot about pain, and although I can tolerate a bunch of it, I chose this weekend not to experience too much of it. I watched a team mate suffering with flu symptoms just torture herself. It was amazing. She dug so deep as if her life depended on staying high up in the pack.

For me....

Sunday I woke to the feeling that I knew I didn't want to work very hard. (that was in my soul). I guess because I was sitting in 24th place (not 4th or even 20th), I certainly didn't have a good show the first two days... so my soul said, "have fun, 'cause you don't need to work too hard." Well... as much fun as 60 miles with 6K feet of climbing can be.

What is interesting about bike racing is that you must choose pain. But pain must be worth it - however you define the value (and to a bike racer this can be a personal thing). To be successful, you also must put your mind aside and realize that it's not pain, but just a sensation and its ONLY our mind in that tells us it is not right. What if we didn't place any judgement on that sensation? What if we didn't place judgement on any "negative feeling" sensation we encountered in life... wouldn't life be more tolerable? Wouldn't in the end you'd see victory in anything we encounter as we move from sensation to sensation? I guess life would be sensational?

I wonder.
I think I shall inflict more sensations this weekend.
Join me?

Fat Lip

2009-03-28T23:20:00.001-07:00

Independence Valley 2009, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

So I remember when I was a kid, and I wasn't happy about things exactly going my way... I would show my parents a fat lower, pouty lip. It was to suggest that I was sad or the event(s) didn't meet my expectations.

Today didn't go as planned; but then again I didn't make plans - other than to get in my car, visit with a team mate and travel to a race south of Olympia, Washington (about a 70 mile commute one way). The weather was horrid and got worse the further south we drove.

In the end, after 40 minutes of watching popsicle team mates stroll in one, by one.... then going inside to view the shivers, shaking and general palsy of those attempting to find warmth... martha and I got back in the car and headed NORTH for Seattle. Saying something like "we shall live to fight another day!"

Yes. Indeed.
This was our experience. We enjoyed ourselves and made plans for other days.

No fat lips here.

Foodloging

2009-03-23T21:44:00.001-07:00

Seattle Shooting#2, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

So I just created the new term of foodloging. For the past 60 days I've been entering all my food data to create my own accountability for getting myself on a training nutrition; making sure I eat foods that heal me, recovery me faster. The public display of this data is HERE.

Wow, what people know about me...maybe more than what I know about myself.

I decided to make this public because I think I've been feeling superior forms of recovery after racing. What my foodlogging doesn't cover is KEY supplementations and techniques.

Here are my secret daily routines AND the post race recovery info:

AM - routine
a) VSL#3 (medical grade probiotics - to process all the good stuff in gut)
b) E3 Enzyme Supreme (because we don't have enough enzymes to break down nutrients)
c) H-Minus (Active Hydrogen - super antiox)
d) E3Live (AFA Superfood to feel like Superman - buzzzzzz) - 1 Shot
e) Omega-Cure (High Grade Fish Oil - awesome anti-inflamatory & lubicates jointes) 1 TBL
f) 50K Vitamin D (1 capsule every 10 Days - 10 known cancers are linked to deficiency)

PM - routine
a) VSL#3 (same as above)
b) Triphala (digestive support)
c) Trace Minerals (to repair muscles you need trace elements)

POST WORKOUTS - routine
a) Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice (anthocyanins for anti-anflam and healing)
b) Whey Protein (add banana or with Agave nectar)
c) Compression Tights (hard race days)
d) Soaking Bath with Himalayan Rock Salt and Ayuvedic Anti-inflammatory Oil

Just in case you wanted to know...

Creating Space

2009-03-21T22:23:00.001-07:00

Mason#3, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I officially finished my first CAT 3 race of the season; a boost of confidence for the possible; not just the possible of what my body can do, but what all of me can do.

I wrote a letter to a friend from high school today who recently lost her mother at the age of 40. I lost mine at 24. I told her that I gained much and learned much from my mother's passing. Intrigued, she bravely asked what could that gain be. I wrote her the following:

I learned that the future is NEVER as good as the present, because we never get the future right and our mind likes to dabble in all the anxious options. My future has become superlative once I realized LOSS = GAIN. When we allow us to leave/let go of the LOSS it create space for things we NEVER imagined.

My parents leaving me created space for me to find myself (true self) - not the ones I thought they wanted me to be; it created space for me to feel and be open to other kinds of love; it created space for me to explore places when my parents would have thought otherwise; it created amazing space that has allowed me to be who I am today. I can't imagine my life without going through the loss... because the gain continues to be marvelous.

We all need to (gradually) know that letting go allows us to have more space for the exact things we need in this life/in this experience. Its not detachment, but rather not becoming attached to things that eventually leave us; parents, relationships, health, iPods, money, etc.

That was and is my BIG lesson. I live it and love it every day.

Ballard Shooting

2009-03-15T16:05:00.001-07:00

Seattle Shooting#2, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Murphy, Fin and me did a good ol' Sunday shoot um up. We decided we'd go to Ballard Sunday Market as it would be a target rich environment. WOW. Even Finlay was giddy about all the cool foodie foods at the market -as it had been a while for me. I can tell this will be a regular Sunday affair as the elements in this Sunday market are truly artisan, careful of craft and worthy of praise.

It was fun to use Fin as a decoy for us to take cool pictures. He would look so cute walking up to things taking pictures that we could naturally follow. Its amazing how people feel comfortable with the photo inquisitions of a child rather than those of a full grown kid (me). I guess we all know that the intentions of a child are innocent. As for me... we never know.

Xanax

2009-03-08T21:15:00.001-07:00

Tour de Dung, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Xanax (not to be confused with Zana pictured here) is habit forming (per the drug dictionary website). You can become physically and psychologically dependent on the medication. Withdrawal effects may occur if Xanax is stopped suddenly after several weeks of continuous use.

Kinda like bike racing. I realize its addictive. The community, the ritual, the efforts to test oneself on a crappy rainy day.

This weekend started this season's Xanx, and I took this picture of Zana at Tour de Dung in Sequim Washington. It reminded me of a drug advertisement.

Diggin' this Shot

2009-03-03T20:21:00.001-08:00

Ice Breaker TT, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I took this picture of Guy last weekend. I'm really diggin it.

a start

2009-03-02T06:41:00.001-08:00

Ice TT, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

This is a shot by Brian Snyder (my teammate). This is where I was looking fast, but not fast enough to get to the race's start line in time to hit my scheduled departure.

Net result was that my tardiness added a raw 20-30 seconds to my overall time, not to mention just being "off" through the entire race. I also didn't have time to remove my jacket or the dragging water bottle in my back pocket. I can say it was a good ride, I liked my new fast position, until the last 2-3 miles where the saddle nose was digging into my frontal area. I'm still feeling that pressure this morning.

So...
I need more work. I can't be discouraged, because this is my journey. I must experience some greater intensities to get stronger. Again, this is synonymous with life - eh?

TT Sunday

2009-02-28T00:59:00.001-08:00

Tucson Training Camp, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

So....
Sunday begins the start of my racing season. Its the icebreaker TT and I'm feeling ready. I have a new position that is lower, aggressive and maybe a challenge to ride. I suspect its a lot how people see life right now given the challenge of our economic times. But honestly, these lower more aggressive times makes us more nimble, faster, creative, hungry. Yup, another analogy that bike racing is a lot like life. Ride hard.

climbing machine

2009-02-24T20:37:00.001-08:00

Tucson Training Camp, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

love lemmon. its a magical mountain. I had such an amazing time of riding for 10 days in the desert. fried my lip, got weird tan lines and got super fit for the start of this year's racing season. my new team rocks. so excited.

Tucson Training Camp

2009-02-24T08:13:00.001-08:00

Tucson Training Camp, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Just back from camp. It was amazing weather. Rode hard, played hard, rested hard. It was hard. More to come.

Ponder Connectedness

2009-02-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

Me and sissy probably 3ish.

So I ponder some thoughts as a friend of mine sent me an email about his lack of creativity and being in a rut...

I say to him (which he may never ask my opinion again...):

From your life, my life and all the lives that have gone past we are connected. See all lives of all living being magically resides within us (irrespective of perspective as we are irrefutably connected via DNA, lineage or just time - and that is pretty cool). Our past experience and our lives today are completely integrated into the cross hares of our lower basic root energies (some say meridians, some say chakras, whatever) - its sitting right there in us.

This energy, say our connectedness, lies our purpose, to clear what has past, but not what is left.

We may be ready to let go of the old patterns (like those crazy things we see ourselves do that our parents did), yet we feel it hanging on to us, me, you. We can only work moment by moment, and it may take more than THIS life to clear it.

Let your goal be to NOT have a goal. Living in this moment, we can utilize what the universe (i.e. God, consciousness, etc.) has to offer; And if we are in a clear state, at home our chances of clarity and going beyond will be far greater and you can leap into pure sunshine (creativity).

Let us Radiate. Rad on!

friends

2009-02-01T17:34:00.001-08:00

backshot, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

I had a conversation with a good friend last night. We probably hadn't sat down to visit in over a year. It was time.

Some people think (and therefore attempt to make true) this notion that friends should be an eternal gift (or at least while you are on earth). Some how we think them like family, that you must keep working it even it the relationship is strained or no longer serving either of you.

I think friends come and go. they are a marvelous gift that is really without obligations (like you must do this or do that - often seen with family). Friends don't have obligations, just commitments made. You do things because you truly care (or don't).

The lost gift is that often we have friends that no longer serve us (or us them); AND some are stuck working it, yet we are free to fill that void with someone who will teach us, guide us, laugh with or at us. I've even found that some of these friends that don't fit, some how fit later when we've both matured in new ways. So different than family, yet its the only family I've really known.

15 watts

2009-01-30T22:09:00.000-08:00

Two words - Fifteen Watts!

To non-cyclists that means nothing. To cyclists that could mean an extra 4 weeks of hard training to gain that kind of power at 30 miles an hour. Well... in ONE purchase I got 15 watts. Yup, these are the bad boy time trial bars that cut the wind like a fine Global knife. Just get a load of those inline brake levers. Look out Sile!

Got them in the U.K under aggressive dollar pricing against the Pound. There are some benefits of global economic meltdowns. income may be down for the year, but I can sure buy speed... for a little while.

Vitamin D

2009-01-30T22:05:00.000-08:00

I'm on 50K IU of Vitamin D. I take it every 10 days. Its liquid sunshine. I took another dose last night. I'm flying. Love it.

News?

2009-01-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of bad news reported these days; 1000 jobs lost here, market another 200 pts down there, 3300 jobs gone here, friends out of work there, friends worrying they will soon be out of work, yet work for those of us is eerily busy. What to think?

THINK about what you are thinking!
THINK how much of what you are thinking is creating your worry, your anxiousness, your fret about what may happen later in the year.

now... FEEL your knowledge in how resourceful you are;
FEEL the comfort of your many friends;
FEEL how fortunate you are, how wealthy you are no mater the 0's in your account.
FEEL how rich are your experiences; knowing that all our experiences make us more profoundly the person we are to become - even those uncomfortable times made you better, caused a new realization, a new you.

This is an AMAZING time my friends.
pay attention. don't let your mind trouble you in places that don't exist...
realize that those who rise above negative thought will conquer this time; be victorious; thrive not just survive.

this is an AMAZING time my mindful souls.
there are many that will grow ill, sick, terminal in thought; thought that is so venomous they will not survive there own pity perilous party.

this is an AMAZING time my conscious friends.
As Tolle said, in the evolutionary process... the reptile who came upon the land manage to take flight and become a bird. The process to become the bird was painfully slow, yet, the moment the "reptile" took flight happened in a split second.

This is an AMAZING time where all our laborious efforts allows us to fly...
And,... it seems very, very close to the coming second.
Got it?

Bikin' Cougar

2009-01-19T21:58:00.001-08:00

DSCN1863.JPG, originally uploaded by b.p.s..

So Brian snapped this one of me as I was slippin' a text to Chels after shooting down Cougar mountain (whooped me). I was running late for brunch at Portage Bay. Damn those IJM.org kits look good.

GrayDays

2009-01-15T06:37:00.001-08:00

GrayDay, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Seattle has been particularly gray. Thankfully my MD friend turned me onto sunshine in a capsule! Vitamin D in 50K iu. Woah! Yeah... I take it every 10 days and its like a jolt in the arm. LOVE it. I took this shot last weekend after a full out 4 hour INDOOR workout day. This is taken right by the 99 bridge in Fremont after I ducked into Speedy Reedy for a little bike repair. Oh... I LOVE SEATTLE.

I light a candle....

2009-01-05T08:10:00.001-08:00

San Xavier, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

okay many candles about my return to sloggy, wet, snowy weather. Ok... so it rained all night in Tucson and I woke to wet weather - yet still going out for a ride in it; yet I still think I mourn my departure. Oh, but its a new year, new stuff, new light, new work, new things, new learning. YES!

San Xavier

2009-01-02T20:05:00.001-08:00

San Xavier, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

After doing a ton of blood work this morning (a way to usher in the new year), I had a great conversation with a like minded soul on the future development potential arising in our next cycle. THEN, I raced home for yet another ride, food then a photo shoot out at the grand ol' white dove of the desert. The image really speaks worlds of why it is so aptly named. This mission was built by the franciscans to christianize the natives (as they came up from Mexico). The settlement dates back to the late 1600's and this church was completed about mid century 1700's. The naive is unbelievable. The spirit and soul of the walls was deep, profound and I must say good. There was a reverent vibration in the space that caused you (or shall I say me) to be no where but the present.

Outside the church the native tribe was frying up some good ol' "Indian Fry Bread" complete with honey, sugar and other non-nutritive empty calories. I abstained and ate my apple on my drive back. Yeah, yeah... whatever.

Chiricahuas!

2008-12-31T00:07:00.001-08:00

LMP-2088, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

How much fun did we have???
Too much!

cycle break

2008-12-30T23:53:00.001-08:00

LMP-2076-2, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

today i took a cycling break and hike the chiricahuas. its an amazing series of volcanic rock formations along the arizona, new mexico boarder where the apache indians fought some bitter wars against the white man. I felt some old spirits in the lands. it was a great, mellow day of basking in 60 degree sunshine at 7,000 feet. More pictures to come.

Him Salt

2008-12-23T23:19:00.001-08:00

Him Salt, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

key ingredient to my cooking. This pink stuff seams to soften the edges of food and bring out the flavors so brilliantly. I only buy and use Himalayan Pink Rock Salt. I have a salt grinder to use each time I need some of these magic morsels. Further.... this is the sole that your body needs (unlike the chemical NaCl Morton's produces).

3 days of ski

2008-12-23T20:43:00.001-08:00

Ski, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

So today marked the 3rd day in a row I was able to ski greenlake. Yes, this is historic friends. Conditions were a bit icy, but still fun as I worked up a good sweat for my 60 minutes of effort.

I don't think the conditions will be good for a ski tomorrow, so unless it snows nicely tonight... it might be back to the trainer for me.

2nd time in 10 Years!

2008-12-21T12:49:00.001-08:00

Ski around Greenlake, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Today I went out to my garage, grabbed my widest xcountry skis in the lot, slapped them on at my garage door, skied out my driveway and down to greenlake (about 100 meters). I made a full lap around the lake and it being the 2nd time in 10 years we've had that kind of dumpage in Seattle and where there is enough snow to ski the lake without it melting in a half hour. Well there was plenty, a little crusty but not yet skied out! I had the place nearly to myself.... well maybe because I felt like a kid at xmas and I couldn't wait, so I got up at 5am and hit the lake by 6am. This is an actual picture of me on my skis at greenlake. Oh... its snowing again, I might need another lap.

I kept waiting for the groomer to show to set the tracks, but I guess he/she took the day off. Skating was a challenge but because I had my classic skis and with the perfect wax... it was bliss!

2009 Predictions

2008-12-20T10:46:00.001-08:00

SAXO bank in Copenhagen (love the Danes) makes some outrageous (extreme) predictions every year, mostly I believe to show where things will trend. They are usually spot on (except for political). Here were 2008:

1) Ron Paul elected as President of the United States in 2008
I actually think this is a good prediction about change.... they just didn't guess how much change.

2) S&P500 falls 25% from its 2007 high to 1182
Well done guys... S&P shows a general economic picture and when our housing market dumps....we dump. S&P as of today was in the 800's.

3) EURSEK falls to 8.8000 (now 9.4000)
Sorry guys, don't track Swedish Kroner pricing...but the quote today was over 10:

4) USDSGD falls to 1.4000, but then rises to 1.6000 (now 1.6000)
Don't track singapore pricing...

5) EURHUF rises to 275
Don't know anything about this...

6) At least 3 of the largest 10 US home builders will go bankrupt
Well done guys - pretty easy guess in 2007 as there was massive over building, and I'm not sure if 3 have filed, but EVERYONE of them is seeking relief.

7) Chinese stock market falls 40% by late summer
Ok.... but everyone has fallen given global credit. They predicted this fall with over extension of production and capital.

8) Grain Prices to double - again!
This was pretty obvious - and it happened. With increases in world population and demand for biofuels... YUP.

9) World oil prices accelerate to $175
Well done guys - futures got to $150, spot at $134 (July 2008), and the year's average was $100. Now? Well we sit at $34. Its a good reason to think the oil countries may engage in some unrest.

10) UK growth turns negative
Duh..., the entire worlds growth turned negative.

NOW FOR 2009...
drum roll please. Read the Details here.

Iranian Revolution (given low crude prices)
Crude @ 25 USD (here come the big SUV's again!)
S&P500 in 500 (ouch) - that's 50% decline.
Italy will make good on threats to leave the ERM
AUDJPY to 40
EURUSD to 0.95 – and then to 1.30 (so travel early in the year!)
Chinese GDP growth to 0% (we buy less goods).
Pre-Ins First Out (something about overseas currency changes)
Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index to drop 30% (to 150)
First Asian currency to be pegged to Chinese Yen (probably USD instability)

healing

2008-12-18T22:04:00.001-08:00

Jett Pet, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

This is jett. Jett was put on my doorstep by a friend who moved from Vermont to San Fran. Jett is the type of cat that is not made for the indoors. But jett craves human interaction. I think he's like me in that I can only take so much of it before I need to jet.

Did you know a cat's purr can heal bones? Jett knows when I'm hurt. He seems to locate himself on the injury and perform magic healing. Hog wash you say? Well, check out the statistics on how fast broken bones heal in cats. Could it be that purrrrrrr?

One other note...
my friend who gave me jett just had major surgery. She has had persisting problems with endometriosis. She's not much older than me. For years I've seen this burden she carries, call it worry, call it anxiety, call it a general disposition of being less than optimistic. I know energetically this always concentrates itself the abdomen (root chakra). I try to live my life knowing what we resist, persists.

I think she needs Jett.
Yo mel... Jett send his purrrrrrrrrrrrr.

snow sunday

2008-12-14T22:04:00.001-08:00

Sprouted Hum on Endive, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

so what else do I do on a snow/ice seattle sunday. Hmmm. I made some curry pumpkin soup, rode my trainer, 3 hours of yoga, made another website for my prospective project, then completed with some raw (high prana) food.

Yup, that is sprouted hummus with organic tahini and lime zest on endive. What, what you say.... yeah, well it made for a nice shot.

Da Pearl

2008-12-08T17:48:00.001-08:00

Portland, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Cruised the Pearl District in Portland this weekend. The quality of development and the care/attention to detail is impressive. Clearly the land cost is lower and developers had to follow a set of market expectations to compete. Why can't seattle elevate its expectations on development? Well, I hope to do just that.... look out, thoughtful development forth-cometh.

PDX Cross

2008-12-07T21:20:00.001-08:00

PDX Cross, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Chels and I drove down to Portland to enjoy the PDX national cross race series. MUD, MUD, MUD. We had a good time watching people commence beer drinking at 10am, sloggin' around in the mud and watching the scene. There were a few familiar faces.

Ayurvedic Healing

2008-12-01T13:16:00.001-08:00

I've been diving into ayurvedic knowledge because it's so dead on. Its a mind, body, spirit healing knowledge that is older than eastern medicine. I am drawn to use a lot of deep spices that balance my dosha (what is out of balance in my body). Here is a good listing of the ones I'm using and why they are sooooooooooo good.

Spices do more than just flavor foods. in the Ayurvedic tradition, spices also balance and heal the body ; food is a big part of the healing arts. In the Western tradition, research has confirmed that many spices have potent biological activity. To list just a few:

* Turmeric (the main ingredient in curry) has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, comparable to the effects of hydrocortisone. It's effective in reducing symptoms of irritable bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It's also a potent antioxidant and has cancer-preventive properties.

* Ginger is also a potent anti-inflammatory, acting through the same biological mechanism as the COX-2 inhibitors like Vioxx--but without the deadly side effects. Ginger is also an anti-coagulant, which helps keep the blood from forming clots and also soothes irritated stomachs and nausea.

* Cinnamon helps lower blood sugar levels by making cells more sensitive to insulin (similar to the action of antidiabetic drugs).

Get Google to Bike There!

2008-12-01T08:30:00.001-08:00

Sign the petition to get Google to provide the mapping via Bike (as an option). I signed! http://www.PetitionOnline.com/bikether/

Slacker, Tramp, Yogini, Biker

2008-11-30T06:46:00.000-08:00

I've been doing lots here in Tucson, Arizona. My body is tired yet it feels really, really good. My heart full with all my amazing visits with dear people. I'm loving these past 10 days of 2 hour yoga 3-4 hour bike rides, slack lining, trampolines in the sun, great food and so much more. The reality of cold wet temps, nose to the grindstone and, yes, mindfulness if forthcoming...

Such a Tramp I am!

2008-11-26T23:50:00.000-08:00

Having too much fun in Tucson...

5th Year

2008-11-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was my 5th year of being in Tucson for the El Tour. Having 8,500 bicycle riders circumnavigate a city on one single day is insane. It begins with 1000 racers doing 109 miles then various individuals of all skill levels pedaling along with an attempt to make it downtown before nightfall or their fall. I did pop out early on my bike with my 5D and take some cool snaps. sample below. I pedaled 85 miles pulling my friend Di to the finish. She vowed to train more than 2 days next time!

13 Years Ago...

2008-11-13T23:01:00.001-08:00

I wrote a masters thesis. Interestingly, the title was Modeling the Impact of Regional Economic Change on the Residential Real Estate Market. I used all these fancy vector autoregressive models to predict the patterns in residential real estate after a significant shock. In other words - how soon would it return, would it return and was there predictability to any of it. Well kiddies, I had some findings. There were different returns for times of purchases. I suspect you could go to my school's library, check it out and read it... or just pay me for the answer. Your choice.

Oh and this image above was just odd, cracked me up so I had to share!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhmerica!

2008-11-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

I have several observations.

1. If McCann had won, I don't think you'd see people dancing in the streets (was that crazy?).
2. I think the conservative talk show hosts will actually be able to have material now - its been a tough 8 years for them;
3. Obama; how fun is that word. I mean you can write gobama, obamrama, or ohhhhmmmmmbama, or o-bama-jama-lama-rama. I mean the options are endless (very fun, right?).
4. I heard fireworks in my neighborhood - but I live in a DEEP blue area of a very blue state;
5. What is all this talk about History? I mean, isn't every time a president is elected it's history? Heck we haven't written nixon out of the books (or have we?). Oh yeah he is bi-racial not just black.
6. The world has hope in us (again).
7. Ahhhhhhhmerica has a more zen sound than the texas twang.
8. I believe our country is still good.

A Birthday Blog

2008-11-05T11:39:00.001-08:00

I found this file on my computer - I wrote it during the day of my birth. Its kinda cool.

-----
Its 4:30am, October 13, 2008. I’m laying on my bed in Sale Maraino on Lake Iseo just north of Milan suffering a mild case of jet lag. I’m 40 years old here in Italy, yet still 39 for another 4 and half hours back home. I’m amazed at how space and time are linked to create some perceived reality of age.

In ways I’m actually 80 years old and in others I’m 20. That is why the earth’s age of me is not relevant (at least in this moment), except mostly to those around me.

So I began my morning (the start of my 41st year) reading the last few pages of a book I started on the plane, Veronika Decides to Die. This is probably one of the most profound books I have read in a long time; largely because I am in a “listening” space of awareness that this book’s message of love, awareness and risk pierced me on many fronts. I quote Mari (a character in the book), “the danger in one days adventure is worth a thousand days of ease and comfort.”

My adventure today here in the foothills of the Dolomites on the shores of one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve seen, it to construct my day, my month, my year with huge amounts of awareness and to realize that every second of it (time) is building and creating me.

OMG!!! - totally offensive!

2008-10-31T16:56:00.000-07:00

Someone sent me this video. I can not believe it. This is out of control. This is preposterous. And very funny.

Hollow & Empty

2008-10-31T16:51:00.001-07:00

I did a long meditation today; hollow and empty. Profound. Cleansing. Rejuvenating. Life giving. It basically used my breath to hollow and empty the body. It is beyond words. out.

Houston

2008-10-28T23:12:00.001-07:00

Headed to Houston tomorrow, nope we ain't got a problem. Bringing camera and involved in several sessions. More late.

Love this Shot

2008-10-24T14:18:00.001-07:00

Bike, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

From Amsterdam

Amsterdam Spaces

2008-10-24T06:11:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the new public architecture and investment in public spaces that Amsterdam has made and is making in its waterfront. Two new buildings here in this image (background of my ORANGE bike) are the library and (music) conservatory. The Conservatorium van Amsterdam - which in April 2008 opened is on Oosterdokskade (just behind the Centraal Station) is totally worth a visit - wow.

The architect, contemporary Dutchman Frits van Dongen of CIE, is said to employ a bit of a Japanese aesthetic noting how the hallways are on the exterior of the building (to shield spaces from noise), while the classrooms, practice rooms and performing spaces are on the interior. There is a BUS underground parking and access to prevent clutter of the architecture - really nice touch. I also explored another amazing residential building by this architect Het Funen Park.

The library (on the Left in second image) was also very amazing. It reminding me of the care of Rem's building in Seattle in that the emphasis is on the books, but this building inside felt more approachable. The architect for the Library, Jo Coenen is sorta the "state" architect and has a beautiful portfolio.

I'm Home

2008-10-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

Just getting my sleep together...
Getting onto some new good routines. Took lots of GREAT pictures in Iseo, Milan and Amsterdam. Will share more later. Here is one of me in my Milan Apartment with my wacky 14mm lens. Ciao.

Out of Country

2008-10-08T06:49:00.003-07:00

I'm frantically getting ready to get out of country. Yes, I'm headed for Europe again, but without my bike. What? That's right. SO many of you have asked..."what say you Lisa?" Well... my yoga teacher has convinced me to go to the lakes region for "pony yoga". That's right, can you see a little downward dog on equine? Me neither. We are studying with Dona Holleman and we learn centeredness on the mat, then reinforce our centered energy on the horse.

I complete the trip of loft investigations in Milan and Amsterdam with my new camera. To track this fun (which starts on Saturday), look here. I will be making all further posts until the 21st of October here.

Oh and my brother sent me this video for my birthday... some of the images I've never, ever seen before. Very cool. You can check it out here.

ID Photo Shoot

2008-10-07T12:40:00.001-07:00

ID, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

My buddy murph and I did a walking photo shoot um up on Sunday of the ID in Seattle. You can check out my photostream in flicker by clicking on the image above. We discovered parts of our fine city neither of us has seen. The Panama Hotel tea cafe being one. It was gorgeous, warm and a great place to hang for an hour or two.

Sick, $700B Sick

2008-10-04T20:44:00.001-07:00

$700B. I'm disgusted. I actually wrote all my congressional reps (and I can't say I've ever done that before). Its an irrational, knee jerk, grab a cement truck because we "think" there is a crack in the levy approach. This is no different than the authority to bomb the crap out of Iraq (i.e. no plan). How much have we spent on that? Futures! Futures I tell you.

Why can't we be like Warren Buffet, hell he invests rather than "bails out" freaking companies. Why can't the american tax payer be an investor for once? So we need to act, yeah... I get it. The stock market went down 700 pts upon the failure to approve by the house. Then the market rose 400 the next day. Why did the market decline another 140 pts after the house signed? Because the bill doesn't freakin matter. Look - Paulson came from Wall Street. His buddies are hurting. Got it?

What matters in our current economic constraints is that we make capital available to companies, agencies and individuals that need it (as a loan not as a corporate hand out). Why can't we take equity in those companies and share in the rise of value rather than "bail out" companies that benefited from the "free market". Funny how free market proponents like free markets until it needs to "pluck" them from the gene pool. We need those gordon geckos to finally leave our collective gene pool. My solution now? With the $'s allocation...I say we fire Paulson and hire Economic Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz to run the "fund". His plan is really similar to what european countries have done in tough credit crunches and what any investor would expect. So we get Joe to decide where the $700B goes (oh wait I think its $1T after the senate got its way). Read it HERE

Needed my brakes today!

2008-10-04T20:12:00.001-07:00

Zero G, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

Sile and I went for a 70 mile ride in the blistering wind and pouring rain. It actually was a magical ride. When its 60 and raining, with beautiful fall color and you have all this wonderful moisture hitting your face... it is quite nice.

Sile was a buzz. She was giddy at how she was facing the elements and getting 70 miles under her belt when all others failed to get outside today. I think she is a little competitive.

Air Space

2008-10-02T21:30:00.001-07:00

I played this tonight.
http://www.palinbingo.com/

I didn't win. But I'm not sure if anyone else did either. Hmmmm.

Collective Conscious

2008-09-30T00:41:00.001-07:00

The world is a worrying. I hear comments from friends fretting about the value of their IRA, potential of job loss, etc. If you can visualize and feel your own reality and not that of the collective worry, you shall soon FLY like the reptile that came upon land, you shall rise from the ashes around you like the phoenix, you shall BE better than everyone else imagined; yet not better than YOU imagined... because YOU always imagined better. See your own reality. Be your own reality. Believe in your own potential; not the fear of the collective conscious. Namaste.

SNL

2008-09-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

Gotta admit this is hilarious!

Snow Lake Hike

2008-09-28T08:27:00.001-07:00

Hike, originally uploaded by lmpicard.

My dear friend from Connecticut and I went for a little jaunt up to Snow Lake yesterday. It was a magical day. I have not been up to the alpine lakes in a while. Although everyone an their mother seemed to be up at Snow lake... Deb and I had great fun with my new camera.

Greenspan = Deadpan?

2008-09-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

Former FED Chairman Alan Greenspan argues (according to Businessweek) "that the price of eliminating giant speculative losses is a lower standard of living."

Short hand? If we don't let wall street bet big, they don't get to live high on the hog. Duh?

So...
Alan buddy, are you saying that... IF we regulate banks and/or investors FROM being able to engage in Las Vegas style investing (shall we say speculative losses) THIS regulation of the FREE MARKET precludes Wall Street CEO's from having an adequate standard of living (say like having a G4 aircraft for weekend trips at the Hamptons?). I guess with the masterminding of the BIG BAILOUT, they (you) get to keep a high standard of living while the rest of america pays for it.

Bravo buddy.
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
So Free Market economics is really only some of the time. Got it.

5D arrived

2008-09-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

So I finally got my high end dig. Here are my first actuations. Jett wasn't so happy. Diggin' my super wide lens. Needless to say there will be much better shots on my blog... once I figure out how to use it.

We Own AIG

2008-09-17T04:50:00.001-07:00

Congrats to us all, we now own another financial institution. As I sit here this early Wednesday morning on September 17th, I ponder the obvious; the single fact that our entire society, culture, imprint, economy - call it our collective DNA mindset is completely focused on the need to grow. Growth, growth, growth. The obsession of every company and thus its entire value in the market is its ability to grow. The faster, the bigger, the more we can line the pockets of its management with obscene quantities of money and experience real (or fabricated) profits the more we value that company. Is it necessary? What ever happened to our expectation that a normal market return is 7%? Can't we be happy at something that just holds our standard of living? Must we thirst to grab 20, 30 or 50% growth? Beyond that need, don't we see it just robs us of our future?

We learn yet again...
Such growth is not sustainable.

We learn yet again...
This growth only steals from the future;
a bit like charging up your credit cards only to pay later.

We learn yet again...
that truth continues to teach; however painful and despite our listening.

We own, fannie, freddie and AIG now. Maybe to diversify our portfolio we now need a major thirft? WaMu anyone? They are certainly begging for deposits with cheap CD's - which is their begging for mo' money (to cover bad loans and shrinking deposits).

Ford with 65 miles to gallon

2008-09-15T22:37:00.001-07:00

Just read in business week that Ford has a vehicle that can easily go 65 miles to the gallon. It won't sell it in the US. Whaaaaaaaat? They say because its diesel they will not have enough demand because prices are too high. They also say it will take it $350M to build a diesel plant in Mexico to offer in the US.

Wait a minute.
Ford is getting its clock cleaned by Toyota and Honda in this country because those auto companies are selling high efficiency vehicles in the US (albeit hybrids). Oh, oh, oh....
AND they want the feds (the US tax payer) to give it "bailout" money to help it because it continued to make BIG ASS vehicles that now are no longer in favor? Let's do the math...

Ford looses $1.0 Billion (yes that is Billion not Million) in cash EVERY month for its expense laden company YET it will not spend a fraction of that monthly loss to build a factory in Mexico to save its ass in the BIGGEST auto market in the world?

Well...
Maybe if you proposed to build the plant in the US then you'd be justified to ask for Fed $'s.

Good night Ford. With decisions like that... you deserve to die on the vine like Lehman.

A spin with da boys

2008-09-14T12:19:00.001-07:00

I did a spin with the boys this morning. Good fun. Here is the route and details (if you care):

View BIG Map

Saturday's Ride

2008-09-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map
It was a great early spin for the TPR women; starting at 8am and finishing around noon. It was Sile, me, Cathy and Cindi. Phenomenal weather with that crisp little bit of fall in the air. Yes, its coming... Suck it up (the sunshine that is). The ride details are here.

Love Your Soul

2008-09-11T21:40:00.001-07:00

Those were the words printed on my Lemon Ginger tea tag bestowed by Yogi Teas (best teas in the land as far as I'm concerned). The mug of tea was just a tad sweet with my manuka honey (from New Zealand) and it warmed my loved soul.

Vitamin D

2008-09-09T09:32:00.001-07:00

A good friend of mine had a gnarly crash in Whistler on her mountain bike. Woah... I brought by a care package last night and she looked like a train wreck (broken collarbone, elbow and a head that would win her the part in Elephant Man). Well...
I was reminded that Vitamin D is important for three reasons:

1) We live in the pacific north west and don't get enough natural D (no matter how much time we spend outdoors - even the gardner;
2) Our bones can't construct themselves without masterful D.
3) Overlaying the cancer rates in the US has a perfect correlation (statistically speaking) with the lack of sunshine.

My doc says I need to be taking 5,000 mg a day! Mind you the common multivitamin has about 100mg. I recommend the brand Pure Encapsulations as it has no fillers and uses all natural materials to hold the nutrients. Mind you I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist... just someone passionate about this crap.

Today's Ride

2008-09-07T13:19:00.001-07:00

Vashon

2008-09-07T07:17:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a long ride. I needed it. Total was nearly 70miles and 4K of climbing. Commencing from my house around 7:45am, I hit the Vashon ferry with three (3) other TPR gals. We lapped the island, taking in the farms, rolling hills (some not so rolling) water views and the warm poke of the sun through the subtle september marine layer. Magical. Arriving home at 2pm, needing my super recovery smoothie (coconut water, blue green algae banana mango), I'm now ALIVE!

4th Night!

2008-09-05T01:03:00.000-07:00

Its 1am and now Friday morning. 4th night in a row. I'm stopping it now. Over, done. Really. Oh, but the weather is so lovely it may dictate play in the day and work in the night. Hmmmm.

Oh my 3rd night I've seen 1am!

2008-09-04T01:07:00.000-07:00

Its gotta stop. Am I too busy? or inefficient? Curious that I must search one more idea? Gotta shut it down (the mind, thoughts, thinking, buzzing, spinning) as it keeps me going strong into the am hours. Bad, bad, bad. So... what am I doing at 1:10am.... blogging of course. G night.

Oh...
Gotta plan the mountain bike ride for this weekend. Gonna take some newbies as my Ventana Ciclone is Beggin' for some play time. Out.

fishing

2008-09-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

I've been busy. Yes...had a yoga friend from SF visit. In 48 hours we walked the medicine wheel at earth sanctuary, ate sushi, 2 hour yoga private, ate sushi, walked olympic sculpture park, scootered to the aquarium, ate sushi, walked SAM, strolled the book store, drank wine... oh and I got in a 3 hour bike ride. So much for a relaxing weekend.

Well, Leo ( a commerical retouch artist) did manage to manipulate the Manet at SAM to carry the image of me and him by the stream "fishing." You'll need to examine it closely.

Intimidating?

2008-08-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

So I rode a 3 hour leisurely pace with a work associate. It was a good "get to know ya." Well... she quickly concluded that I would sure be intimidating to date (I think because she sees a lot of me in her). Hmmm. Honestly, I asked..."why?" Michelle quickly said, you live life big, your brilliant and you have done so much. Hmmm. So I ask... would the following be intimidating to date (and this is not an attempt to be grandiloquent, but rather more of a my own stream of conscious to better observe what people first hear/see from me) - in no particular order really...

Cycled much of Italy including (Sicily, Tuscany, the Lakes Region, Mediterranean Coast, Dolomites) - 5 separate trips;
Cycled most of the major French Alps and Pyrenees and summit most of the major mountain passes (including Alp d' Huez, Tourlemet, Galibier, Col de Mente, Col de Aspin, Crox de Feur) AND Cycled to top of Mont Ventoux and barreled down back side at speeds in excess of 50 mph. (not to mention eating and drinking my way through France - yum).
Ski Toured sections of the Haute Route in Switzerland including a 5,000 foot vertical ski down on the face of a glacier facing Mount Blanc, then rappelled off the toe of the glacier for closure;
Completed a 50K XC skiing race within my first 18 months of learning xc skiing - then competitively raced for 2 more years shooting for world masters before I fractured a rib;
Scuba drift dove Cozumel and completed 90 foot DEEP dive off coast of Miami without too much narcosis.
Competitively raced mountain bikes for 3 years with only 1 broken rib and 1 dislocated shoulder
Fixed the wax ring on my toilet - well because I had to;
Hold my own in the kitchen never following a recipe inventing flavors and experimenting daily;
Built up four (4) high end road bikes;
Skunked the dudes at fish camp bringing home three (3) 30+ lb King Salmon;
Mountain biked across the Denali Highway in Alaska;
Have been & visited (not just a plane stop) to EVERY state in the Union except Hawaii.
Lived in LA, SF, Boston, Miami, Tucson, Seattle;
Could probably earn an honorary degree from Bastyr in nutrition;
Can recite the sanskrit terms for most of the major Yoga poses;
Earned two master's degrees from MIT;

I know I'm forgetting lots... as this only deals with the physical landmarks rather than any emotional, social or spiritual. But heck, its those physical things that people notice first.

Alvin

2008-08-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

I'm exceptionally fond of Alvin Toffler. He is a brilliant change commentator. His quotes that are hitting me at the moment are as follows:

The illiterate of the future are not those that cannot read or write. They are those that can not learn, unlearn, relearn.

Like adequate education, freedom of expression is no longer a political nicety, but a precondition for economic competitiveness

AND my current favorite:

Profits, like sausages... are esteemed most by those who know least about what goes into them.

Female Rocket

2008-08-13T23:40:00.001-07:00

Congrats on the Gold Kristin....
But, forget the medal, I want one of those Cervelos. Check it out with its rings and all.