à la carte spirit by ilona fried
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Resistance: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Recently I bought swim paddles, pieces of molded grey plastic that attach to my hands with red rubber straps. Wearing them, I feel like a crustacean with oddly shaped claws. These appendages are designed to create more resistance in the water and build muscle, but my main interest was to vary my workout so I’d … Continue reading
Wallet Analysis: Part II
Before I left for the Camino, I went to my bank’s main branch to exchange some dollars for euros so I’d have local currency upon arrival. At this Wells Fargo location, employees act as ushers and, with a huge smile, escort you to the proper line as if you were a celebrity or a member … Continue reading
What Does Your Wallet Say About You?
Around ten years ago, at a networking event for life coaches and those curious about the field, the facilitator asked us to exchange wallets with a partner. Then he instructed us to, after a brief inspection, share our intuitions and insights about each other. Whether the wallet was the finest grosgrain leather, a synthetic knockoff … Continue reading
If Patience Were a Vitamin, I’d Take the Whole Bottle
My aunt, who until recently was Queen of Crochet, with many large and intricate projects under her hook, read about my return to knitting. She had this to say: “It’s like anything else…it needs time and patience.” She made it sound so simple. If my body has a deficiency, it’s that it seemingly lacks receptors … Continue reading
Knitting as Zen Practice
For years, I’ve had a knotty relationship with knitting. As a teenager, I envied friends who, having learned the skill from their mothers, aunts or grandmothers, whipped up scarves and sweaters. In my freshman year at college, I decided to learn, and took a lesson at a yarn shop down the road from my suburban … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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