Thursday, May 14, 2009

Kites, Boards and Lots of Pictures



I’ve posted before about trying kite boarding. I’ve spent lots of time and money on this hobby for very little reward. I have a short attention span so usually I would have given up by now but for some reason I kept trying and it FINALLY paid off!

I went to the beach to try kite boarding after work recently. This time was different since I was on the land instead of in the water so a smaller and less intimidating kite is used which helped tremendously. On the land you use a mountain board which is kinda like a skateboard but for off road. The gods must have been on my side since the winds, sand and sun were all favorable that day. So I put the trainer size kite in the air and was feeling a slight pull down the beach from it. It started off slow…so slow walkers were going past me. But hey they were power walkers! My friend and coach told me I needed a bigger kite but I was scared. Finally after seeing the backside of countless power walkers I reluctantly agreed. The bigger kite made all the difference and I was cruising along at around 15-20 mph. I was so excited and happy that I was singing as I zigged and zagged down the beach. This is such a fun sport and great for me since it combines the beach, sun, bikinis and lots of upper body exercise all into one fun filled activity.

But wait there’s more! I have to admit I’m a bit of a show off or ham as some might say. Well I guess kite boarding is still somewhat new and definitely an attention grabber with the huge colorful kites in the sky that can be seen for close to a mile. Several people saw me and decided I was picture worthy! Yep a British couple, Asian lady and several others stopped to take photos. With my limited control I don’t think they realized they were putting themselves in danger but thankfully no harm was done. I felt like a celebrity which made me feel great and added to my joy of this sport. I think my monthly hamming it up needs were met that day!

I still have a long way to go but it was a blast! I can’t wait to do it again and get in more vacation pictures!

Cat “Coming Soon to a Beach Near You” Cathy

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

New Exercise For Catastrophe Cathy




That fact that I’ve taken up a new exercise probably won’t surprise many of you since I’ve blogged about many new sports and hobbies in the past. But this exercise is different…it’s for my eyes. Over the years I’ve noticed my vision was not great but when I almost failed to renew my driver’s license due to the eye test I decided it was time to take action.

Yes I know I could just wear glasses but I don’t like the way they look and they are uncomfortable to me. I could try contacts but they are uncomfortable too. Plus I’ve heard that glasses and contacts just make your eyes get lazy and you will need stronger and stronger prescriptions. Another option is Lasik eye surgery but that just seems too drastic at this point. So I decided a natural approach of diet and exercise was worth a shot.

Since I already take some vision supplements in addition to my healthy balanced diet, the only thing really left to try was eye exercises. I found six basic exercises that I try every day. They are easy and relaxing. Even if they don’t help, I doubt they will do any harm so it’s worth a try. It’s only been a few week and I do think I’ve noticed some improvement. I know there’s a beautiful world out there and I want to see it all! I will keep you posted on my progress.

Cat “I can see clearly now” Cathy