Posted by Maria on June 7, 2010 under Esthetics School, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Photo gallery, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized | 
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
The Edwin Neil Full Potential Award is up for grabs again this year and I thought I’d throw my hat in the ring too. Why not take advantage of everything my school has to offer?
I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m not much of a make up person but there was a trip to Las Vegas on the line and I thought I’d give it a go. And I have watched enough reality tv show competitions (particularly on the Food Network) to feel the need to play too the first chance I got. The deal was, first there would be a school-wide competition within the Aveda Institute Victoria to find the top students for hair cut, hair colour and make up. And those three winners would then form a team to compete against all of the other Aveda Institutes in the whole wide world. And then that winning team would get to go on an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas to receive their award at a super duper hair show where they will be able to network with all of the cosmotology big wigs.
Our competition was held last week and I came in second. I admit, it was stressful at times to coordinate everything I needed to compete but it was well worth the extra effort. I had a lot of fun and learned so much.
First, I had to find a model who would be available on a Wednesday morning. Thankfully, my friend Emily’s work schedule didn’t clash with the competition date. She was my first choice and I’m so glad she was my model. I really like the “before” photo because I snapped it right after a Jazzercise workout. Notice the erythema (or redness) across her cheeks? That actually worked to my benefit.
The "before" photo of my model, Emily. By Maria Koropecky
Then I had to write an essay answering three questions. In hindsight, for the environmental question, I should have written about the current BP oil spill crisis in the Gulf but I chose to write about plastics floating in the Pacific Ocean instead because it has been on my mind for a few years now. And maybe it sounded like I chose Aveda for Esthiology because I definitely didn’t want to go to a certain other school in the city, which wasn’t the case, but oh well.
It wasn’t that difficult to narrow down which make up to use. They weren’t expecting anything crazy or outlandish — just a nice day look. I was going for a nude effect with peachy tones (to bring out Emily’s blue eyes) and the new Aveda eyeshadow shades that came in days before were perfect. And I have to say — I love, love, love the Aveda Color Option Eyeshadow Transformer. All you have to do is dip your brush into the Transformer, and then in your eyeshadow, and voila, you’ve got a funky eyeliner. Discovering this new product was definitely one of the highlights of this competition for me!
While I’m here, I have to give a shout out to my classmate Mariko for letting me practice applying makeup on her and to my teacher Jill for brainstorming with me and guiding me from a fair distance.
Here is a list of the Aveda make up I used for the competition.
I was really happy with how everything turned out. In my opinion, I achieved the wholesome look I wanted. Apparently, I got high marks for creativity. I just needed to work on my blending and put some more colour on the eyelids. And the lip liner shows a bit heavy in the photos.
For this competition, I also had a chance to work with Bryn Thomas, a graduating student from the Western Academy of Photography, who took time out of his busy, busy schedule to take the final photos of my model.
Final photo of model, Emily. Maria Koropecky make up artist. Bryn Thomas Photographer.
Coming in second isn’t so bad. I won an Aveda bracelet and got an Aveda pin for competing. I’m still going to put this on my resume.
I agree with the school’s choices and my classmate, Natalie, who came in first in make up, is super talented and I’m really happy for her. She deserves the win fair and square and I know without a doubt that our Victoria team is going to win the Edwin Neill II Full Potential Award this year!
And maybe this particular trip to Las Vegas is a no-go for me but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up on that dream. If anyone knows of any all-expense paid trips to Las Vegas in the near future, tell me and I’ll sign up. And maybe there’s a reality show in my future too where I’ll get to compete again.
Posted by Maria on March 27, 2010 under Aromatherapy, Face, Green Living, Home spa, Homespunspa, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way book, Ingredients, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Uncategorized |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
Homespunspa is proudly committed to Earth Hour.
It’s Earth Hour tonight, on Saturday March 27th, 2010 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is asking everyone on the planet to turn their lights off for one whole hour to take a stand against climate change.
Are you looking for a green activity to do by candle light? How about having a home spa pajama party and giving yourself a clay and cocoa facial? I think this Homespunspa idea is the perfect way to mark Earth Hour because it’s green and relaxing all at the same time. And it’s no accident that I’m highlighting clay and cocoa in this recipe. To me, these ingredients are the home spa epitome of “earthiness” because clay is loaded with treasures like magnesium, calcium, iron, aluminum, sodium, potassium and silica and cocoa is the colour of dirt.
So invite some friends over for an Earth Hour home spa get together. Have them bring their favourite pajamas and sleeping bags. Get the candles and flashlights ready and mix the dry ingredients of this recipe together ahead of time. Goopy green faces are always good for a laugh or two and this might be the beginning of a great annual event for you and your sistas.
Cocoa & Clay Earth Hour Facial
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup green French Clay — is a key spa ingredient because it helps remove surface dirt and dead cells from skin and the experience of resting while topped in mud diffuses tension in a most pleasant way.
- 2 TB cocoa powder — chocolate lovers will be pleased to learn that a facial made with cocoa will not only reduce tension, it will also soften dry skin.
- 1 TB orrisroot powder — used to fix scents in herbal preparations and for mild fragrance.
- 1 TB dried calendula flower petals, powdered or chopped fine — use in facials for all skin types to clean pores, balance pH, heal capillaries, relax facial expression and destress.
- 12 drops carrot seed essential oil — is valued for its relaxing, restoring and nourishing properties. It refreshes and firms mature skin by detoxifying pores as well as by stimulating cell renewal and skin elasticity.
- 1 TB sweet almond oil — is a very popular ingredient in natural skincare because it has moisturizing, softening, soothing and skin conditioning properties.
- 1/4 cup water — extends recipe volume and provides a base to blend ingredients.
- 1 cucumber, cut into 2 round slices per person — known as a remedy for puffy eyes, but also has cleansing, moisturizing, softening, toning and pH-balancing properties.
Method:
- Combine green French clay, cocoa, orrisroot and calendula in a bowl and set aside until you’re ready to start your facial.
- A few minutes before Earth Hour starts (around 8:20 pm), dilute 12 drops of carrot seed essential oil in 1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil in a small glass jar with a secure lid. (You can substitute ingredients and use your choice of essential oils and carrier oil). Shake to blend. Pour over clay and mix in.
- Start with a 1/4 cup of water and slowly add enough liquid to make a spreadable paste.
Manner:
- Lay a towel over a pillow where you plan to lie down. Light the candles.
- Remove make-up and rinse your face with water.
- Turn the lights off.
- Spread about a tablespoon of the wet paste onto your face and neck, avoiding the area around the eyes. Smooth with your fingers.
- Lie back and place the cucumber on your eyes. Leave the clay on for 10 to 20 minutes. It will start to dry and harden but it doesn’t need to harden completely to be effective. Enjoy the nocturnal silence.
- Rinse off the crusty mask with plenty of cool-warm water and pat dry.
Storage: Store any leftover dry ingredients in a jar or bag. Will last indefinitely.
Enjoy your Earth Hour!
Posted by Maria on March 24, 2010 under Esthetics School, Fitness, Green Living, Home spa, Ingredients, Newspapers and Newsworthy, TV Shows, Uncategorized, Wellness |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
Did you know that in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly declared March 22 as the World Day for Water? I didn’t. I just found out from Dr. Phil that March 21st to 27th, 2010 is World Water Week and the funny thing is, I was already going to write about water on this post anyway. There must be something in the air.
Everyone knows that water is the universal spa ingredient. It works on the inside of your body as something you can drink and it works on the outside as something you can bathe or swim in.
But today I want to write about bottled water and how I don’t recommend it for your home spa or your home gym. I must admit though that I am guilty of buying bottled water on a regular basis. I buy it mostly for my Jazzercise classes because it’s a convenient way for me to hydrate myself while I’m exercising and I also like to have some on hand for my earthquake emergency kit.
But last year, one of my co-workers forwarded this PowerPoint presentation to all staff in my office and it really opened my eyes: water-disaster1. What a wake up call. From watching this slideshow, I was shocked to learn the financial, health and environmental costs associated with bottled water:
- Financial: Apparently, the average U.S. citizen spends over $400 a year on bottled water. As someone who is about to become a student again, I need to save money wherever I can.
- Health: Because of temperature changes (which can be extreme) during shipment from the warehouse to the store to you, toxic chemicals from the plastic bottles can leach into the water and therefore into your body once you drink it which can cause serious damage to your health.
- Environmental: Producing cases of bottled water and transporting them by the truck load and then disposing the empties all have a significant (and often unnecessary) impact on the environment.
What really got me was the part about keeping the bottles of water in your car. I’m not doing that anymore.
The case for tap water
What happened to good ol’ tap water? Somewhere along the line we stopped trusting it. But as someone who lives on the west coast of Canada surrounded by majestic mountains, flowing rivers, vibrant lakes and the Pacific Ocean, I am blessed to have lovely, wholesome water delivered straight to my home whenever I want at the twist of my tap. So why am I buying water from France? It’s ridiculous if you think about it and one more point for the 100 mile diet.
You’ll be happy to know that ever since I saw the above presentation on water bottles, I have started bringing a refillable metal container full of tap water to class.
Access to fresh, clean water is a big deal for our planet but we take it for granite 
(as it’s often pronounced). But I think the tide is turning and people are becoming more and more appreciative of this resource every day. Even AVEDA, my esthetics school, has a policy of not allowing bottled water in the classrooms.
If you want to learn more about World Water Day and related events and how you can contribute, check out the UNICEF Tap Project.
And from now on, I pledge to drink tap water instead of bottled water. Right here, right now, I’m going to take a page from Oprah’s handbook and start my own pledge drive.
Homespunspa’s No Bottled Water Pledge
I, ____________, when given the choice between tap water from a healthy source and bottled water, pledge to choose to drink tap water. And, if I happen to buy and drink a commercially-made bottle of water, I will return the bottle for recycling and will get the deposit back. Every lit bit helps. Cheers!
If you would like to sign this pledge with me, please fill in this form below. THANKS!
Posted by Maria on March 13, 2010 under Aromatherapy, Bath and Body, Face, Feet, Hair, Homespunspa, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way book, Ingredients, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Pop-Psychology, Sleep, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
It’s time to spring forward again. At 2:00 am on the second Sunday in March, we set our clocks ahead one whole hour to go to Daylight Saving Time and therefore magically lose an hour of the day over the course of the night.
I never really understood the concept behind Daylight Saving Time but have accepted this practice as one of the rhythms of the season. If nothing else, it reminds me to flip my mattress.
All of this extra sunshine is great, but there is a bit of a downside to this shift. Apparently, driving to work on the second Monday in March is slightly more dangerous than usual because the time change on the weekend disrupts people’s sleep patterns and causes them to be extra groggy on the road, which contributes to more traffic accidents.
So, I thought I would help people maximize their limited sleep time and reduce crashes by talking about Chamomile today.
Chamomile
With its apple-like scent and taste, Chamomile (which looks more like a Daisy) helps calm the nervous system and is used as a natural sleep remedy. Spanish chamomile is called manzanilla which means “little apple” but the generic name “Chamomile” is derived from the Greeks who referred to this herb as kamai which means “on the ground” and melon which means “apple.” The term “road apples” comes to mind every time I try to remember this, but that’s something totally different.
It’s Saturday Night, Why Am I Drinking Tea?
There are lots of things you can do tonight with Chamomile before you go to bed, to help you get a good night’s sleep in spite of being cheated out of an hour. Here are some tips from my book, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa Way:
- Drink a cup of chamomile tea for sleeplessness, nightmare prevention, depression, anxiety, anger, headaches, indigestion, female issues and shock;
- Place warm tea bags on your eyes to reduce puffiness and dark circles;
- Use chamomile water as a toner in your facial to clean pores, relax facial expression, and de-stress (good for all skin-types);
- Use as a hair rinse to add highlights and gloss, repair damage, encourage hair growth, and for a relaxing fragrance;
- Use chamomile essential oil in foot creams to fight fungus;
- Add to bathwater and soap recipes and take a bath right before bed;
- For extra aromatherapy, spray your bedroom and sheets with comforting chamomile linen water;
- Use the herb in sleep pillows;
- Add chamomile essential oil to massage oil to relax, foster sleep, lift depression, soothe pain, and strengthen breathing.
Enjoy your weekend and may your commutes to and from work be smooth and clear this week. Feel free to add your comments and tips to this post.
Posted by Maria on February 18, 2010 under Books, Magazines, Music, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Photo gallery, Stress Management and Relaxation, TV Shows, Uncategorized, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
I know it's blurry but there's Steven Colbert. Photo by Maria Koropecky
*SPOILER ALERT — UPCOMING EPISODE OF THE COLBERT REPORT*
Laughter is the best medicine and on my lifelong quest to beat stress, I took advantage of an open invitation to participate in a live taping of the comedy tv show, the Colbert Report, during the Vancouver 2010 Winter (more like Spring) Olympic Games.
Add a song to a laugh and you’ve got a recipe for a golden day.
I’m so glad I went even though I was in pretty rough shape from the night before. I had spent the evening with some Ukrainian musicians and we sang and talked and I drank way too much red wine. Still I persevered the next morning and after a bus ride and a walk in the park in uncomfortable shoes, I was thrilled when I learned the special guest on the show was Michael Buble.
Michael Buble is one of my faves. When I first heard his new song, “I just haven’t met you yet,” I thought he was talking to me. I still haven’t met him yet but I got closer.
The taping was supposed to start at 9:15 am and I got to Creekside Park next to the Telus World of Science, the temporary home of the Sochi House, just before 8:00. It was a beautiful blue-skied sunny morning. There were already what seemed like thousands of people there by then — some had even camped overnight.
In true Canadian fashion, we lined up along the cement bike path to get into the park. We’re so polite and well-behaved. But that step was unnecessary. Who lines up to get into an open space? Eventually and all of a sudden, the line broke and everybody ran up the muddy hill to get as close to the stage as possible. Refusing to stand for hours on muddy grass, I ended up right behind the speakers on cement.
As we were listening to the sound checks, an eagle glided by. That was poetry in motion if you ask me because I think it was Stephen Jr. saying hello to his old friend. The message, unfortunately, went over Mr. Colbert’s head but the audience noticed and cheered.
My first spot was a good spot but my patience and the chill in the air got the better of me and I had to go to MacDonald’s to grab a cup of tea. When I came back a half hour later, I still managed to stay on the bike path but was much farther away from the stage and couldn’t see squat. All of these heads were in my way. I had to take my photos blindly and in spite of that, I still managed to get some good shots.
Stephen Colbert interviews Michael Buble in Vancouver. Photo by Maria Koropecky
The actual taping didn’t start until well after 10:15 am. Even though I couldn’t see anything, I still enjoyed being part of the audience. We opened the show by singing O Canada, an Olympic moment for sure. It took Mr. Colbert three or four tries to deliver the opening jokes of the show and for one of the takes, he “borrowed” an Olympic torch from somebody in the audience and threatened to not give it back. I love behind-the-scenes stuff. Someone from the audience yelled out “We love you, Stephen” and he said, “I love me too.”
I like how Stephen Colbert pronounces his last name the French way (unlike Ellen Degeneres who in my opinion pronounces her name incorrectly) and I think he secretly wants to be Canadian.
The intensity builds as Stephen Colbert volleys questions at Michael Buble. Photo by Maria Koropecky.
Instead of doing his regular bit, “Better know a District,” he Canadianized it to “Better know a Riding” and interviewed Ujjal Dosanjh, MP for Vancouver South via satellite. Although the interview started off light and breezy, I think Mr. Colbert pushed it a bit too far and the interview will be severely edited for broadcast. But pushing buttons is part of his job, so we’ll see.
Stephen Colbert sings O Canada with Michael Buble. Photo by Maria Koropecky.
Finally Michael Buble (another guy who pronounces his name the French way) came on stage but he wasn’t formally introduced to us and the interview didn’t start for quite a few minutes because Stephen Colbert wasn’t there. Michael Buble just sat there on his chair twiddling his thumbs. I guess he started feeling a bit silly up there in the fake living room, all eyes on him, so like the true showman he is, he sang, “Good ol’ hockey game.” And we sang along. And now I can say I’ve sung with my favourite crooner.
Stephen asked Michael, “Why does the United States need Canada?” and off the cuff he answered, “You need our flag to stick on your suitcase when you travel.” Good one, Michael.
The interview ended with a song. For all of you improvisers out there, this is a great exercise. Stephen challenged Michael Olympic style to sing a duet with him. He said, “Let’s sing O Canada to the Star Spangled Banner tune.” Can it be done? As Stephen said, “This has never been attempted before” and sure enough, with the help of the lyrics on cue cards, they made it work. Fun, fun, fun. I think they should each get gold medals for their impromptu performance.
I have no idea when this episode will air on the Canadian Comedy Network or what happened on the show after that because I had to leave to catch my ferry back home. I’m so happy I went and I have a new appreciation for the city of Vancouver.
Michael Buble and Stephen Colbert sing O Canada with a twist. Photo by Maria Koropecky.
Posted by Maria on November 11, 2009 under Books, Magazines, Music, Face, Home spa, Ingredients, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Recipes, Self-Care, Sleep, Uncategorized |
By Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
Remembrance Day – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Also known as Poppy day, Armistice Day or Veterans’ Day, it’s a day to remember the fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our freedoms.
I like the tradition we have in Canada of wearing a poppy on our lapel as an emblem signifying we will not forget the people who have put service before self to give us a better life.
The red flowered Corn poppy is the poppy of wartime remembrance. It is actually a common weed found throughout Europe, and specifically in regions of Belgium and France, also known as Flanders Fields.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
- John McCrae
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps doctor.
First published in Punch magazine on December 8, 1915.
Because poppies are the flower of the day, I thought I’d offer a home spa recipe using this plant. Poppy flowers and seeds have a long and strong tradition of being associated with sleep. As a home spa ingredient, seeds can be ground into a milky, exfoliating paste which is useful for softening dry, cracking skin and the flowers can be blended in tea for sleeplessness, stress and tension.
When I lived in Belgium many years ago, a gardener asked me what my favourite flower was. “I love poppies,” I said. I had seen the wild, red flowers peppered across the European countryside in fields far and wide and they are quite a vision to behold. That was the day I learned the French word, “Coquelicot.”
I rummaged through my books and found a simple recipe, Lotion au coquelicot, in a book my mother gave me after her last trip to France a few years ago. The book is called, Les secrets de la beaute au naturel, written by Nicole Houques and Henri del Olmo and published in 2000 by Editions du Chene – Hachette Livre.
I’ll translate the “Poppy Lotion” recipe from French as best I can.
Lotion au coquelicot
Les secrets de la beaute au naturel, p 68
Ingredients:
- 60 g of dried poppy petals
- 1 litre of boiling water
Method:
Bring 1 litre of water to a boil and then extinguish the heat source. Throw the petals in the pot and let them infuse into the water for 15 minutes. Filter out the petals and leave the infused water to cool. Pour into a bottle.
Manner:
Apply the poppy petal infusion to your clean face. This lotion lessens fine lines and softens the skin.
Lotion au coquelicot
Posted by Maria on October 30, 2009 under Fitness, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Photo gallery, Uncategorized, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games |
by Maria Koropecky, citizen journalist
The Olympic torch blew through my town today.
I found out by fluke that the Olympic Torch Relay for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games was actually coming through my little town of Saanichton, BC. And on Day 1 of all days. I had no idea when I was blogging about Centennial Park two days ago that I would be blogging about my neighborhood again so soon.
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay began on October 30th, 2009 in Victoria, British Columbia. The Olympic Flame was originally lit in Olympia, Greece on October 22nd, 2009. The Olympic flame will crisscross Canada over the next 106 days, visiting 1000 communities.
I love the Olympics because the athletes show us the amazing strength and beauty of the human body and spirit. And the Games bring people together.
I like to think of myself as an athletic supporter ;>
Day 1 Olympic Torch Relay for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games – A Photo Essay
Olympic Torch Relay Interactive Map Screen Shot
The neighbours are starting to gather at City Hall. Photo by Maria Koropecky
From Mt. Newton and Wallace. Photo by Maria Koropecky
A Canadian flag. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Relay 3 and Vancouver 2010. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Brian the next runner steps off the bus. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Interview. Photo by Maria Koropecky
He bought his torch for $300. Nice souvenir. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Brian is one of 12,000 relay runners. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Brian in his uniform and me wearing my Whistler turtleneck and Whistler toque
Security. Photo by Maria Koropecky
"We haven't had this much excitement around here in 15 years," said the lady in the Hawaiian shirt. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Parade float #1. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Parade float #2. Photo by Maria Koropecky
More security. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Photo by Maria Koropecky
This is where the relay part comes in. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Setting up the transfer of the flame. Photo by Maria Koropecky
We have lift off. Photo by Maria Koropecky
And Brian is off and running. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Onward! Photo by Maria Koropecky
One brief shining moment. Photo by Maria Koropecky
There he goes. Photo by Maria Koropecky
After all of that waiting, it happend so fast. Photo by Maria Koropecky
Posted by Maria on October 17, 2009 under Dating, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way book, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Photo gallery, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized |
By Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
I had the chance to mix and mingle with local off-duty firemen on Thursday night at the 2010 Greater Victoria Firefighter Calendar launch party charity event.
The cocktail party was held at the Bard and Banker – a space that used to be this massive year-round Christmas store on Government Street. Now it’s a pub with a floor-length bar and elaborate staircases bridging two open-concept floors. There’s even a balcony that doubles as a stage for live bands and such. Not a Christmas ornament in sight anymore.
It was a girls’ night out and we had a blast. What a great way to vent a little steam from the ups and downs of everyday life. We got there super early to get good seats and that was smart planning because we had a bird’s eye view of everything and first glance of the firefighters from the 2010 calendar as they entered the room. It was like being at a fashion show and sitting right on the catwalk. Speaking of cats, yes, the cougars were out, but we behaved ourselves :> more or less.
We each got our own copy of the calendar and a free drink ticket included in the steep-but-worth-it ticket price. I was drinking non-alcoholic mojitos because I was the designated driver.
There were so many handsome men in the room, it was hard to know where to look next. While we were waiting for the firefighters to be introduced one by one and month by month, some other firefighters from past and future calendars served us appetizers of pepperoni and bacon pizza, fish-and-chips-style halibut (I so wanted to say out loud, that I came here for the halibut, but I kept that oldie to myself) and oysters on the half shell – which I was not interested in sampling at all.
I could not however resist getting my picture taken with the oysters and Firefighter Troy who made the evening a lot more fun for us in general. Isn’t Troy the best name for a firefighter? Straight out of central casting… I love a man in uniform. Troy was Mr. January, 2009.
Once the firefighters were introduced, they came around to each table to sign their page on the calendar. It was a good icebreaker. They always asked if we wanted the note to be on the spicy side – the pun possibilities are endless – but I always asked for mild. My friends, on the other hand, always insisted on a little heat.
It was fun to see the calendar photos side by side with the real men. Some were very recognizable and others weren’t and some were way hotter in person than you would expect.
My favourite out of all of the 2010 firefighters was Vince. Notice he wrote, “Happy Birthday.” The first three people who can tell me in a comment which month he signed, will get a free recipe emailed to them from my book, How to Throw a Home Spa Pajama Party, the Homespunspa way, perfect for your next girls’ night with your friends.
If you want to get your own copy of Victoria, British Columbia’s 2010 Firefighter calendar, please copy and paste this link in your browser and click on “Where to buy:” http://www.greatervictoriafirefighters.com/calendar.htm.
I didn’t come home till after midnight, well past my bedtime, but it was worth it. Thanks to all of the firefighters for all of your hard work. We appreciate it.
Posted by Maria on October 8, 2009 under Fitness, Newspapers and Newsworthy, Photo gallery, Pop-Psychology, Self-Care, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized, Weight Management |
By Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
On Sunday, October 4th, 2009, I reached a new milestone in my life. I participated in the CIBC Run for the Cure for breast cancer with huge trepidation and managed to run the whole 5-kilometre course non-stop. It was quite an accomplishment for me and I’m so glad I did it.
If you’re curious to know what it’s like for a first-timer to run 5K — that’s 3.107 miles for those of you on the Imperial system — here’s a rundown of my day.
I’ve learned that distance running is just as much of a mind game as it is a physical challenge. In this post, I’m trying to recall the types of thoughts I was thinking throughout the morning as I got closer and closer to the finish line and beyond.
Breakfast of Champions
I woke up long before 6:00 am and by 7:00, I ate a big breakfast. Eating a healthy and nutritious breakfast is important every day of the week and on Sunday-Runday, mine consisted of a glass of orange juice and a toasted plain bagel topped with unsweetened, smooth peanut butter, honey and a banana. I also drank a cup of green tea instead of my regular coffee. I haven’t had a bagel in a long time and it was a nice change of pace for me. I think it was a good choice because the meal gave me the energy I needed for the run. In this case, carbs are recommended.
Suiting Up
Emily, my Team Bosum Captain, suggested I wear a long-sleeve shirt under my event t-shirt because the morning air would probably be chilly. (Thank God it didn’t rain or worse, snow, like it did in Calgary! We had brilliant weather!) When I unfolded this year’s Run for the Cure official t-shirt and saw the word “Hope” splashed across the front for the first time, a tear came to my eye and I had to take a deep breathe.
Everyone knows that having the right shoes makes a big difference when running and I’m so happy that the New Balance cross-trainers I bought 6-weeks ago fit me like a glove and presented no issues for me. What a relief!
Oh and how can I forget the pink tiara and the fuchsia tutu? More on those embellishments later.
Getting to the start line
I left my house at 7:30 to give myself lots of time to get to the University of Victoria and to find a decent parking space. It took me longer to get there than it should have because I completely missed my exit onto MacKenzie. I just drove right past it. And it didn’t occur to me for at least 5 minutes. I guess I was more nervous than I realized. My excuse is, I was listening to Coldplay’s “Now My Feet Won’t Touch the Ground [Prospekt's March Edition]” on the radio, a song I had never heard before, and thought, wouldn’t that be a fun way to run this race, running so fast and effortlessly like I was running on air. That’s not exactly what happened although one of the photos below gives that illusion.
In spite of my detour, I was the first to arrive from my team. It took awhile for all of the team members to find each other in the crowd. Emily asked if anyone else wanted to wear a tutu. I was going to pass — the pink foam crown was goofy enough for me, but Jeanette, my trainer, insisted.
Warm Up
Local Jazzercise instructors, including Jeanette, lead us through the warm up. I’m so glad they picked the 9-1-1 song — “Fire Burning” by Sean Kingston — because that’s one of my faves these days.
Photo by Adrian Lam, Times Colonist, October 4, 2009
There’s Team Bosum right in the front row. And look at all of the people behind us! I heard 4000 of us registered in Victoria! We managed to raise over $500,000 for breast cancer research. Over $5000 of that was raised by Team Bosum and of that, I raised $300 (200% of my initial fundraising goal).
And they’re off
Well sort of. Jeanette, who inspired me to sign up for the run in the first place, made a deal with me and another Team Bosum runner, Peggy. She promised to tag team between us and motivate us throughout the whole 5-K course, which meant she ended up running way more than anyone else did that day. So the three of us had to start together and there was a bit of a delay because they both had to check their bags and use the facilities right before embarking on the run.
I was losing patience. I just wanted to get this thing over with. Jeanette said to me, “You’re panicking; I can feel it.”
I would not have used the word “panic.” But now I know what “Chomping at the bit” means.
And then she said, “I do this every year. Trust me, we’ll fly by everyone anyway. Just follow me. First we’re going to walk for a few minutes to warm up and then we’ll run. And it’s not a race.”
Challenge #1
I was surprised by the amount of people who were participating. Jeanette, Peggy and I walked briskly along the grassy median past all of the walkers on the road. Within a few short minutes we starting running. Keep in mind that I trained on a treadmill for the past several months and running outside with people was a totally different experience.
The first challenge was to keep up with Jeanette and Peggy, who is a grandmother by the way, and dodge past all of the people. There were women, men and kids of all ages walking and running at various speeds, shoulder to shoulder, along the campus road. We had to maneuver around dogs too. It was an obstacle course!
We mostly ran along the outside edge of the circuit which also meant we had to occasionally jump over the odd, orange pylon. Later Jeanette said she prefers weaving in and out and forging a path because it distracts her. I think in this case, distraction is a good idea.
Soon enough, Jeanette and Peggy started pulling further and further ahead of me. I just clipped along at my own pace, which was pretty slow. Slowest runner in the west, I think.
I enjoyed meeting other Team Bosum members at various moments along the way. The pink tutus were easy enough to spot and the spontaneous high-fives were a huge boost.
Challenge #2
I barely noticed running downhill which apparently can be hard on the knees. Running up hill was a completely different story. It wasn’t a steep hill — it was just long. That’s when I really slowed down. I simply chugged and chugged and plowed my way up. I realized when I finally crested the top, my heart rate escalated too. Jeanette caught up to me at that point and I was breathing heavily. A little too heavily for my liking — somewhere in the 170-plus beats per minute I’m sure and I was having trouble catching my breathe. I told her I was at the top of my zone and she agreed.
And then an interesting thing happened. Jeanette said to pick up the pace. I thought about that afterward and I realized it was a make or break moment. Most times when you think you’ve hit your physical and psychological limit, you slow down and maybe even stop things altogether. The natural tendency is not to increase your effort or over exert yourself. Although counter-intuitive, pushing myself that much harder at that critical moment did the trick and I was able to continue. I applaud Jeanette for reading my situation and for catching that.
And then she felt confident enough to leave me and find Peggy who was out of my sight by that time. I rounded a corner and one of the volunteers yelled, “Less than two kilometres to go.”
“Whaaattt???”
I thought I was so much farther along than that. Ironically, that’s when I started to actually add a little stride to my run.
The Home Stretch
Somewhere in the last kilometre, I had a thought. It occurred to me that this whole thing was a given. It was a given that I would finish this run. It was already a fait accompli. A done deal. It was just a matter of a few more minutes. I also remembered hearing someone else say, “Never slow down in the home stretch.” And those thoughts somehow made the last steps so much easier.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted my friend Debbie running out to meet me. She and I have been sharing Jeanette’s treadmill for months and she knows the journey I’ve been on better than most. Grabbing my hand, she said “I’ll run in with you.” And then Jeanette came out of the crowd and grabbed my other hand.
Debbie said, “I know you don’t think you can do this, but you can. I want you to sprint to the finish.”
Somehow, I gave it everything I had and ran all the way home. See, our feet aren’t touching the ground!
All in all, I’m guessing it took me about 50 minutes. And remarkably, my body bounced back well afterward. I felt my quads for a couple of days and that’s about it.
Bonus
In the midst of all of this, photographer Adrian Lam of the Victoria Times Colonist newspaper was on hand at the finish line too. I was tickled to learn that a professional photographer captured this intense moment, one of the greatest victories of my life, for posterity and posted them online for all to see. Check out the gallery photos at: http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Victoria+Cure+raises+more+than/2065682/story.html?tab=PHOT.
Photo by Adrian Lam, Times Colonist, October 4, 2009
My first run and I get in the paper. It doesn’t get any better than that. It was totally unplanned and unexpected. Pure gravy for me. Thanks Adrian.
Photo by Adrian Lam, Times Colonist, October 4, 2009
Thanks also to Team Bosum with a special mention to Debbie, Emily and Peggy for welcoming me aboard. And finally I’d like to thank Jeanette, a very special person indeed. Onward and upward!
Posted by Maria on August 24, 2009 under Newspapers and Newsworthy, Pop-Psychology, Self-Care, Sleep, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized |
By Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
How often do you cry?
I cried today already.
My brother’s family came home for a brief visit from Dubai. They’ve been here for 11 days. I have a niece (2) and a nephew (4) and this morning they packed up and went away for a couple of days. I guess I woke up feeling stressed and that carried over into my interactions with my family even though I knew I was going to see them later again this week and it was not the final good-bye.
The two year-old, as delightful as she normally is, was in a real mood. My mom said she had gone to bed late and woke up too early at 6:30am. I think sleep deprivation had reared its ugly head. She was crying and kicking and hitting and was generally being a royal brat. I guess that’s what they mean when they say, “Terrible two’s.” I of course can’t use that excuse for myself though.
The four-year-old was quieter when I came over but was generally feeling a little sad. He wasn’t interested in eating his lunch and tears dripped from his eyes. He was trying to wipe them all away. I asked him, “Are you tired?”…”No.” “Are you sad?”…”No.” “Do you want a hug?” “Yes” and he reached around me and we hugged each other for three or four long minutes and that’s what made me cry. Now I’m crying just writing about it. It was a lovely moment between me and my God-son.
All kinds of things make me cry. That was just today’s trigger. Usually, I cry because someone tells me something I don’t want to hear. Or I cry just because I’m frustrated from mounting tension and it just boils over like a volcano. Or my hormones may end up being the culprit. Sometimes I cry out of sheer sympathy, empathy and compassion for someone else. I can’t remember the last time I cried from physical pain. For me to cry, something sets off a chain reaction and I haven’t figured out how to de-rail the train mid-way so I can somehow avert the cry. It’s a work in progress.
If I’m going to cry at a movie, it will be during a separation or a reunion scene, like when a mother gets separated or reunited with her children, out come the waterworks, as they say. But Terms of Endearment, the biggest tear-jerker of all time, made me laugh the first time I saw it. In that case, it wasn’t the movie itself, it was the audience’s sniffling that triggered me. How insensitive.
A couple of weeks ago, I cried because my favourite co-worker was threatening to quit her job. Somehow as I was talking to her, I spontaneously combusted into tears as a last resort plea to make her re-think her actions. There was a lot more background that I won’t go into. Suffice it to say, crisis dodged…barely. Those were some tough negotiations and crying bought some time. And it made her see how serious things were. I wouldn’t recommend that tactic, unless you’re a seasoned pro like I am:> Then again, pulling out the ol’ surprise cry makes people go, “What the…???” and it just may work in your favour.
I also cried that same week as I was driving home from Jazzercise class when I should have been feeling pretty good. I don’t know what came over me but Barry White’s, You’re the First, the Last, My Everything came on the radio and there I was crying. Who does that??? I couldn’t help myself. That was more of a happy cry, by the way.
According to an article published on August 12, 2009 in the telegraph.co.uk:
“Women spend the equivalent of 16 months of their lives crying, according to a new poll.”
“And for women aged 26 and over, who also cry for 2 hours and 14 minutes a week, the most common causes for an emotional outburst include falling out with a partner, hearing someone else’s bad news and feeling tired.”
Check out the whole article at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6013010/Women-cry-for-16-months-of-their-lives.html.
I’d say I cry at least that much and for those kinds of reasons. We produce emotional tears because it’s a means of communication and it starts at birth. Before developing speaking skills, infants express frustration, pain, fear, or a need through tears. Meanwhile, adults may use crying to reach out to bond with others and to exchange some level of comfort and support.
According to an unnamed study of 300 adults mentioned in Wikipedia Encyclopedia, women cry on average at least five times per month, especially before and during the menstrual cycle when crying can increase up to 5 times the normal rate, often without specific and obvious reasons. Men only cry once every month, probably because in many cultures, it is not as socially acceptable for men to cry as it is for women and kids.
I say, if it helps release stress, it can’t be all that bad. Crying may be embarrassing and it may be ugly but it helps restore the chemical balance in the body. And a good cry does help people feel better.
What do you think? Do you use crying as a tool to deal with stress or do you think people who cry are weak?
