While I’m convalescing, I made a tiny painting with the supplies I have at home. It’s a rare painting on canvas.
“With”
2.5” x 2.5”
Solid paint stick on canvas
For sale.
What just makes you wanna just jump out of your seat and tell the whole world body your testimony!?
Sorry it's been a while so I'm a lil rusty
#improvloops4u
Higgledy-Piggledy
#giveaway #beatbox #gotbeatswilltravel #rc505
I’ve been an avid athlete since I was 13 years old, almost 37 years. I started with running cross country and then added track when I was 14. In later years, I added long-distance hiking and then in 2007, I started curling competitively. The piece that was missing for most of these last nearly 4 decades was strength training through weightlifting, which I started a little over 6.5 years ago. I started it mostly for prehab and rehab for my various joint surgeries, but I’ve also accidentally fallen in love with it. And it turns out it’s really good for keeping my joints strong, supported, and healthy for the rest of my life.
It’s been a challenging journey, but it’s been a rewarding one, and I’m super proud of my progress so far. And for those who know what I’m talking about, it’s made me one hell of a sweeper on the ice.
…
If you want to try curling, check out @pghcurling or google for the club nearest you. And if you like my ink, check out @jasonangst , the artist who’s done all my work so far.
“A Lullaby for Suffering”
24 x 24
Acrylic and solid paint stick on gallery cradled wood panel
For sale.
#pittsburghartist #pittsburghart #abstractpainting #artistofinstagram #contemporaryart
After a long time away, because of other obligations, I’m finally back in my studio, at least for a few hours. I’m just playing with paint at the moment, but it feels so good.
Having landed about an hour ago at the Minneapolis-St Paul airport, I’m waiting on two other people, whom I’ve never met, to land. While I wait in the baggage claim area, near the information desk, there’s a baby grand piano to my left. So far, 3 fellow travelers have stopped to play, the most recent of which was a person who presented as a stereotypical male in hunter’s garb. He plinked about for a moment and then began playing Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune”. (I didn’t get video, having changed seats and being in his line of sight.)
So much is wrong in our country right now, and given yesterday’s events right here in Minneapolis, tensions are especially high. But so much beauty, art, and love exists, even still. Hold on to that while we fight for what’s good and right.
Joe Weber (@jamminjoe3 is one of my favorite people and is a fellow curler from Bucks County (near Philadelphia), and curling is one of my favorite sports, so imagine my delight when I walked into the @pghcurling Club (Official) to volunteer to help out at a bonspiel (tournament) tonight and saw Joe playing!
The Knee Knews
Pro Tip: Strength training and weightlifting, when done correctly, are very good for your joints.
I started lifting weights and strength training in the summer of 2019 a couple of months before my first open knee surgery (and my third knee surgery out of five so far). During that summer, my primary intention was to aggressively prehab (build as much strength as possible) working closely with a trainer whose background was in physiotherapy, exercise science, and strength training so that I had the best chance possible at a speedy recovery without complications. It worked, so I’ve successfully continued on that path as I’ve gone through many joint repair procedures.
Also during that summer, I also set myself some ancillary goals that I want to achieve someday. One was to be able to do unaided chinups and pullups, which I finally accomplished before I had my right knee replaced in May! Another ancillary goal I set back then was to someday be able to deadlift 300 pounds. I had really started making earnest progress toward this in the summer of 2022 before we discovered that both of my shoulders’ AC joints were riddled with arthritis and were separated. So, in July of that year, I had the left shoulder repaired, followed by the right one in August of 2023. I had only made it to 175 pounds. Since then, I’ve been prehabbing, recovering, and rehabbing from my other knee repairs, all leading us to today.
The last few months, my new knee and both shoulders are healthy enough that we started deadlifting again, and we started from scratch in order to build slowly. Today, I hit a good milestone of lifting 135 pounds, which is my own body weight, and is only 40 pounds below my previous PR. And it felt GREAT! I’m SO EXCITED to be making real progress again towards fun stuff while continuing to work towards keeping my strength at an optimal level before next April’s left knee replacement. I might not make it to 300 before then, and I will definitely have to start all over again once I’m healed enough. And both are fine, because whatever happens, I’m making gains and I’m grateful for the amazing things my arthritis-riddled body can still do.
