Tag Archives: rave

Circus Aerial Arts Intro

candy cane

candy cane

I just completed 8 exhilarating weeks of circus aerial arts intro at Circus Swingapore. The assessment was last Monday and there was a time when I thought I might not pass. We were supposed to do a series of poses on the silks, trapeze and hoop and there were some poses that I wasn’t very good at. For example, it took me some time to figure out the candy cane pose in the picture above. I also had trouble climbing up the silks, which we were required to do as part of the assessment.

A few weeks before the assessment, I started going for practice sessions during the days between our actual classes. I developed calluses on my hands and various parts of my body were constantly aching. On the day of the assessment, I was a nervous wreck. I guess I’m very good at giving tests but not so great at taking them! Thanks to all the practice sessions I’d attended, I managed to do everything that was needed and I passed. Such happiness! I’m starting Level 1 next month and I’m so excited. Level 1 is apparently very tough and the passing rate is significantly lower than the intro level, but I’m looking forward to it.

Some learning points/ takeaways/ random thoughts:

1. It’s not the final outcome, it’s the journey leading up to it. When I first started the intro class, I couldn’t even make it up onto the hoop without someone to help me. I couldn’t make it 2 ft up the silks. In the process of attending those 8 intro sessions and the practice sessions, I’ve gotten a lot stronger and I can feel it! It’s a good feeling. I keep telling people, “Touch my arm! See how un-flabby it is!”

2. Technique is everything. There were some poses I struggled to perfect: candy cane on the silks, amazon on the hoop and trapeze. After talking myself through and trying over and over again to use the right technique for each of the poses, things fell into place. Poses that felt awkward or even impossible to execute initially became natural and easy.

3. Mind over matter. Sometimes, there’s absolutely nothing difficult about a pose but my nerves get in the way. I get self conscious, and I rush through it and screw it up. When I forced myself to relax and tried some positive thinking, I did so much better.

4. Just because I’m old/ a mother of two/ a boring teacher doesn’t mean I need to act my age/ be all mumsy/ only participate in practical activities. When something is fun, you’d naturally want to do it. This is the only class I didn’t find myself trying to find an excuse to skip now and then. Yes, it probably doesn’t have any real-life application. Maybe I could use my new, improved arm strength to climb up a tree and get away from an angry bear. The point is, if something is a drag, why bother to do it? And this is the complete opposite of being a drag; this is so much FUN.

Just a few of the poses we have to do:

birdcage

birdcage

imperfectly executed Amazon

imperfectly executed Amazon; didn’t use the right technique

doing a front arch on the top of the hoop

doing a front arch on the top of the hoop

sitting plank; this makes me think of Bride of Dracula

sitting plank; this makes me think of Bride of Dracula

my class with our lovely instructors

my class with our lovely instructors

Zespri Rocks!

I took part in the Zespri kiwifruit collectibles giveaways over at Sakura Haruka and The J Babies and was really lucky (and very happy) to be a winner in both.

super cute and useful kiwi fruit goodies

I met up with Ai to get the kiwifruit gifts from her but my package from Klessis was damaged and delayed in the mail and the spife (spoon + knife) went missing. I know I can still eat the kiwifruits without a spife but it’s just somewhat tragic to have a kiwifruit holder with a spife compartment but no spife to put in it.

I emailed Zespri, explained my plight and asked if they would consider sending me another spife to replace the one Singpost lost. I also told them that I’ve been eating 10 kiwifruits a week and that some of my colleagues have started buying kiwifruits too. Zespri was really nice and sent me not 1 but 12 spifes and said to share them with my colleagues!

spoon + knife = spife!

I think it was really cool of them to respond to my email so quickly and to send me the spifes. Thanks, Zespri. You’re as sweet as the Zespri Gold Kiwifruits that I love to eat!

Matryoshka Madness: Doll in All Dress

Haven’t had a matryoshka post in a long time so I present this super cute dress from ModCloth! I love it to bits but it’s probably too short (and too expensive) for me. :( It’s such a lovely shade of blue and the matryoshka fabric is so ridiculously adorable!

Notepad Fabric Wristlet from Etsy

I super love my new customised hand-embroidered notebook fabric wristlet from Etsy! I love that the font for my name looks like it could very possibly be my handwriting. I love the embroidered paper plane on the other side. I love the paper planes fabric used for the strap and the inside. I love that the cloth is of such good quality and that the entire thing is so well-made. I love that I can fit everything I need inside. And I love that the seller is local! :)

front

back

Green Living Workshop: How to Create a Non-Toxic Home

Last Thursday, Juan and I attended a Green Living workshop by Delphinia of Four Cow Farm and Militza of Our Little Green Dot. The workshop was conducted over coffee and cookies at the cosy little Smitten.

We looked at the ingredients found in common household cleaners and their impact on our health and the Earth. I really felt like rushing home and throwing away all the detergents and sprays and whatnots in my home!

We also made some natural cleaners with baking soda and vinegar. I’ve tried using my lemon vinegar to clean Anya’s grubby Trunki and it was very effective! I’ve also used my peppermint-scented baking soda to clean a dubious smelling water bottle and it’s now squeaky clean and completely odourless. The workshop was so interesting and I learnt many useful things. Hope they’ll conduct another one soon!

my first visit to Smitten

saw a familiar face in the cafe!

cute menu and condiments holder

the set-up for the workshop

coffee

and some light bites

Delphinia and Militza

fruits of my labour

with Juan and Veraday

Kindle Interest

I used to read A LOT but haven’t been able to read very much at all since the kids came along. It’s just too difficult to bring along a heavy book on top of all the other things in the diaper bag! And it’s also not easy to hold and turn the pages of a book with one hand when I’m cradling the baby in the other arm.

Which is why I’m so pleased with my new Kindle! I started using it last Tuesday and I’ve just finished my first Kindle book: Haruki Murakami’s 946-page 1Q84. Would not have been able to carry the print edition of that tome around for sure. I guess I won’t be buying as many printed books as before but my bookshelves are really full anyway and I need to clear some space for Anya’s books!

Matryoshka Mania!!

I have a confession: I’m crazy about things inspired by russian nesting dolls! I love things that have matryoshka dolls on them or are designed like matryoshka dolls. Every time I see something like that, my brain screams “I must have it!!” and it doesn’t help that matryoshka-inspired things are so popular these days! Argh! Help me! I’m addicted!!

Here are some matryoshka things that I really like (and want)!

matryoshka lunchboxes that stack into each other!

from rakuten.com

key covers!

from fredflare.com

glasses that stack!

from fredflare.com

measuring spoons!

from fredflare.com

measuring cups! I have these!

from fredflare.com