April 22 is officially known as Earth Day. The mission of Earth Day is an admirable one: environmental protection and sustainability. The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, which can now be viewed as the birth of the modern-day environmental movement. Though it has become a regular phrase in our society, “going green” has been a slow process.
This year’s theme for Earth Day is “A Billion Acts Of Green”. That’s a lot of green.
With thoughts of green on my mind on this day, I present to you four random thoughts about Earth Day 2011. Perhaps one of them will get you thinking about “going green”.
1. We have one pretty darn big solar system, and imagine this – as it stands right now, Earth is (currently) the only planet we can inhabit. Ponder that for a moment, if you will. If you ever needed anything to test your humility, that should do the trick. It also serves as a reminder of how important it is to maintain what we have in the here and now. If we don’t, we’re not running off to Saturn or Uranus any time soon.
I will start off by saying that I am a cyclist. There. I said it. Go ahead, Texas motorists, get pissed off with me riding on the wide shoulders of the highways and bi-ways of the great state of Texas.
There are some crazy things that take place between motorists and cyclists on the roads of Texas. Yes, there are times when it seems like it is the Wild West out there. I can say that I have had clients report to me that they have been shot with BB guns by passing motorists (among other craziness) – all while minding their own business. And there are far too many cyclists injured by motorists who are simply not paying attention.
But there are also far too many cyclists that simply don’t use their heads, and don’t follow the rules of the road. Regardless of who has the right to be on the road, cyclists don’t win any friends when they choose to ignore the rules of the road.
Who’s problem is it anyways? The cyclists, or the motorists?
I have to admit – I think I am suffering from PMMSD: Post-March Madness Stress Disorder. I am sure there are millions of college basketball fans that are suffering from this malady. I think it might be time to go to the doctor. Or the Internet. I understand that both options can elicit similar results on many diagnoses these days. While I am in my post-March Madness recovery program, the world moves on. There is one thing we can always count on: more Rhubarb – NCAA tournament or otherwise. I don’t think I am the only one suffering from an illness these days. Just look to the legislative branch of our democracy for further examples.
1. Today’s first illness is the one that occurs when you become a legislator. Ye of many great ideas to save the world, or your little part of it, morphs into the legislator that can’t seem to see the forest for the trees.
There are many distinctive sounds in sport. The swish of a basketball through a hoop, touching nothing but net. The explosive tink of a golf ball as it is hit with a driver off the tee. The banshee wail of a Ferrari F1 engine at 18,000 rpm. All of these are exquisite sounds that signify good things in sport. And then there is the sound of a basketball, bouncing off the rim. They call it a “brick”, and it produces quite the hideous sound as the ball goes “clank” off the rim. In my opinion, it might be one of the worst sounds in sport.
We got to hear that a lot this past Monday night. The sound was resonating, reverberating, echoing around Reliant Stadium during the NCAA men’s basketball final. What looked to be an exciting match-up between #8 Butler and #3 Connecticut turned into an event that only a brick mason could truly appreciate.
In our time on the planet, we experience moments that can instigate joy and happiness, or pain and sorrow. It could be a moment of love, or anger, or frustration, or exhilaration. Each of of these moments will take us down a path in our mind’s eye, a path which is dependent upon how we perceive that moment at that specific point in time. The same issue, at different times of our lives, may lead to totally different responses, different reactions, and different actions. One day, a benign response; the next, a response that wreaks havoc on our soul, and creates disharmony and insecurity in us.
The power of the mind can take us into uncharted waters and places we’ve never been. The mind puts its own spin on everything. We could be emotionally labile – or emotionally volatile – and the mind spins its tales and weaves its webs and conjures up the net effect to our psyche and to ourselves.
The challenge is to stay in the moment, to accept the moment as it is, to reflect, and to act mindfully. No easy task, indeed.
The Southwest regional this year was the first time in NCAA history that there was a region with three double-digit seeded teams. And after the dust settled, it was a number 11 seed that was heading to the Final Four – only the third time since 1979 that an eleven seed had done so. How so, you might ask? Wasn’t it a foregone conclusion that Kansas would advance? With a number one seed in the Southwest, and number two seed overall in the tournament, and seeds numbered 12, 11, and 10 remaining in their region, you had to seriously wonder how Kansas wouldn’t be punching a ticket to Houston for the Final Four.
All the bracketology “experts” in the land must be scratching their heads right now. This is yet another reminder of why they actually play the games. And what a game it was.
It is one of my favorite movie quotes – and now I finally get to use it here. It is attributed to one Nigel Tufnel, lead guitarist for Spinal Tap. When discussing his guitar amplifiers, Nigel notes that “these go to eleven”. And now, Rhubarb Ruminations “go to eleven” in true Tufnelesque fashion. Episode 11 is another fine mix of some of my favorite topics: music, politics, health, and, in the spirit of March, basketball. Sit back, relax, ponder and chuckle!
1. With music on my mind, let’s sing a belated happy birthday to none other than guitar virtuoso Ry Cooder - who just recently had a birthday on March 15 (the Ides of March, I might add). I know it’s a few days late, but better late than never, no? Cooder is, in my humble opinion, one of the most phenomenal guitarists on the planet. Cooder’s impact on my own musical world is indescribable – and merits a full post of its own (coming soon to a blog near you). Cooder definitely takes slide guitar to an eleven on a ten point scale.
For those who enjoy movies, you’ve probably heard some of his sound tracks (including “Paris, Texas”, “Crossroads”, “The Long Riders” and “Last Man Standing”). For those who are into world music, then you have probably heard “Buena Vista Social Club” – a production that he was intimately involved in. Happy Birthday, Ry – come back to Austin, please, so I can witness your epic slide guitar once again.
2. Where better to find good rhubarb than, well, Texas politics?
Up to 60% of runners will sustain an injury within any given year. Poor running mechanics, in conjunction with poor, ineffective and outdated training methods, can pose a significant injury risk. "RunSmart" was written to address these issues in the running community.
"Running Injuries: Etiology And Recovery- Based Treatment" (co-author Bridget Clark, PT) appears in the third edition and fourth editions of "Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: A Team Approach" by Charles Giangarra, MD and Robert C. Manske, PT.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.
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