Body n Mind

Not a particularly interesting week and a bit...

The treatment for my back is somewhat familiar, yet quite different. The Network Spinal Analysis (NSA) practitioner if quite different in his application of the techniques, however, much of it is familiar - and strangely somewhat comforting. Both week's sessions have been followed by joining the SRI (Somato-Respritory Intergration) group that they do each week. This is a complementary technique to NSA, and it has been far more intense than what I experienced in Melbourne, where we only covered it in a small way. The first week of this allowed me to experience something I've never done before. The venue where this is done is shared with a flotation tank relaxation centre, and while chatting with the owner between the NSA and SRI, he asked if I'd like to give it a try. Who am I to say no...
The "tanks" turned out to be small rooms with about 15inches of water on their 'floor'. The water contains several kilograms of epsom salts to help with boyancy. The whole thing was rather interesting to say the least - no light, no sound, just you and your mind floating in the warm water. Extremely relaxing once you could shut your mind up, while getting used to the sensations of it all. I was told that it gets easier to quieten you mind each time you do it, and then it won't take long to benefit from the relaxation, which is supposed to be more effective than a deep tissue massage. I did sleep far better that night, which is also one of the other benefits of doing such a session.
Anyway, after two sessions of NSA and doing the SRI group, while we still can't release (crack) the jammed lower vertebrae that's pinching the nerve (yep, it's that tightly jammed!), I can now move far more freely and am able stand up straight and walk relatively normally.

This also means that getting out of the house for things other than going to and from work is now possible. Shar, Julianna and myself went down to the river last weekend to do The Boat Race - the Oxford v Cambridge rowing race. Twelve months ago, this was the fateful day that I was told that I "had served my purpose" by a certain someone who is still taking her useless time in repaying several hundred pounds. But she was the last thing I was thinking of this day as Shar, Julianna and myself had a top afternoon and evening before we ended up in The Dove. This is a small pub on the banks of the Thames that is in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the world's smallest front bar. The rest of the pub isn't exactly huge either, but it had a great cosy atmosphere with all sorts of people. This included someone who actually lived four doors down the road from where I lived in Melbourne - it's a small world...

Prior to doing the Boat Race, I'd spent the day poking around Camden Market, just enjoying the sights, sounds n smells as well as going through all the stalls and shops. The repair works after the major fire from last year are well underway and there was quite a bit of new stuff to see. A good day out to get out and enjoy just walking around again - the bikes are waiting for me to get back on them.

Monday night saw me with Belinda at the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA) to attend a free talk by Peter Singer on the Global Challenges and the Values We Live By, that was presented by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). The RSA lecture theatre is quite impressive too. Peter, himself, is actually from Melbourne yet is a professor at Princeton University, and a world reknowned philosopher (apparantly the best in the world according to the head of the RSA who chaired the evening). Certainly an interesting night, and the Question Answer session was as well. I couldn't help myself when it came to buying a copy of his latest book and the chance to have Peter sign it.

One other piece of good fortune, if you can call it that, is thanks to the G20 protesters here in London. Today is the first of their two days of protests across the city, and as such our offices are closed. So I have today off, but will have to travel up to Haverhill (part way to Cambridge) to work in our office there for the day. I'll find out then if it's a nice change...

On another note, which involves the G20, or one member of it - Kevin Rudd, our "esteemed" Prime Minister, who is supposedly going to be discussing the financial "crisis" and the environment issues such as global warming, it's nice to see he has an idea of what he's doing with this gem: Mr Rudd is quoted as saying: "... popular cycling websites such as hillclimbr.com have alerted us to how much CO2 a road cyclist can produce. A good cyclist can produce upto 1500 litres of CO2 an hour. I think we all agree in this day and age this is not acceptable...." Mr Rudd continued..."We intend to impose a 20% CO2 tax on all new bike sales..."
And this guy will be involved in solutions for massive global issues?? Makes George W look somewhat intelligent...

Okay, so it's off the high horse and time to go pack for the weekend.

ADDENDUM:
Alright, so I couldn't resist, but to go and have a look at the protests considering that they've contributed to me having the day off today...
Quite a peaceful bunch in their tent- city with a drum circle at one end (see the video below), and plenty of other stuff going on. It probably worth noting that this wasn't the main event as that took place around 11am onwards (which you'll see on the news), and I got there at around 3.30pm, so this was the main groups that were staying overnight for tomorrows rallies. Most of this group just seemed to be here for a hippie street party and sleepover, which is pretty much what it seemed to be - the main difference being the cops at each end of Gracechurch street. It stretched for several blocks, and if I'm honest would have been a pretty cool party to have been a part of - much like the summer solstice at Stonehenge, but without all the drunken teenagers.
I still managed to learn something from one of the flyers that I was handed - yeah, I know... I did read them... Anyway, I didn't realise just how ludicrous the whole bio-fuel situation was (if the information in the flyer was correct). Scary stuff!
Still, it was an interesting walk in the sunshine, none-the-less...