Blog and Bone

There is a load of stuff going on over here, but the main features are 

grumpiness

and 

viruses

which is why I've not been blogging to my usual schedule.  I sometimes wonder if I'm ill or just lazy, but either way I spent yesterday being miserable and today Bill is in bed.  During the day.  This is highly abnormal behaviour for him. Bill managed yesterday to nag me into making an appointment with the GP, but I expect the doctor will just tell me I'm getting old and slowing down.

I've taken advantage of Bill being unconscious to spend some time catching up with blog reading, but didn't have any coherent thoughts about writing until I found a particular post and thought I'd give this a go.

A few weeks ago, when I was younger and more energetic, I was looking for a way to do aerobic exercise without going out into the cold and wet.  I pulled out my step, purchased many years ago before I found the running club, but exercise tapes/DVDs get dated and boring pretty quick.  One day I might look at what they have at the library, but I don't really need a DVD.  Instead, being the aerobics queen long before I did any races, I just looked for music to move to.  If you've attended step classes - do they exist anymore? - after a few weeks you know all the steps.  It doesn't matter if the choreography is stellar, you just have to keep moving and keep your heart rate up.  

Do I need to insert a caution here about See Your Doctor before Starting Any Exercise Programme, and all that (I expect s/he would give you a big hug and kiss for volunteering to get off the couch, but I could be wrong).  Anyhow, if you aren't already marathon fit, don't try this at home.  Just read it like my mom used to sit and smoke while she watched Jack LaLanne on TV.  I know I watched my first Jane "Feel the Burn" Fonda video in my house robe, sat cross-legged in front of the TV with some coffee.  Didn't you?

Anyhow, it's been ages since I did any stepping and I've no idea where are the tapes I made for my little player with headphones, or the player for that matter.  Instead, I took advantage of the fact that Bill's laptop was set up in the dining room (no more, sadly) and looked up 'beats per minute' and 'step aerobics'.  I gathered that something between 120 and 126 was recommended.  Then I found a great music site for 1980's music and another which just focussed on BPM; a little more research will find loads of websites with music lists for those DJs interested in mixing music, you know.  Next 'step', so to speak, is to find the best YouTube video's for your purpose.  I tended to look for the longest play length, but I don't care about the video part as I'm not watching (for a change).

I kept the list (as I do for new blogs to add to my bloglist) in a draft email that I leave unsent, so I can update it easily without opening another programme or saving my junk on Bill's computer.  No doubt someone with more computer savvy would know how to download all this on an iPod, but I've never figured that stuff out and I expect the list to change frequently anyhow.  My favourite sound since living with a hyperactive stepson many years ago is SILENCE, so I don't listen to music very often.  Anyhow, I just open each YouTube video on a different tab and take a second or two to hit play for each in turn.  I've only used this list a couple of times and maybe you don't like this particular music, but here is my playlist at the moment:

120 BPM

Prince - 1999  

Madonna - Borderline   

Ace of Base - Dancer in a Daydream  

Ace of Base - Young and Proud  

122 BPM

Bangles - Manic Monday  

Prince - Raspberry Beret  

Ace of Base - My Mind 

124 BPM

Shalamar - Dancing in the Streets  

ZZ Top - Legs  

Bon Jovi - You Give Love a Bad Name   

126 BPM

Aerosmith - Dude Looks Like a Lady  

Natalie Cole - Pink Cadillac  

Bryan Adams - Run to You 

Steve Miller  - Abracadabra  

AC DC - You Shook Me All Night Long  

Ace of Base - Waiting for Magic  

127 BPM

Ace of Base - Hear Me Calling   

I get a pretty good 45-50 minute work out from this, taking the occasional short break to cool down slightly and take a sip of water.  When this music gets boring and no longer inspires me to work, I'm sure there are a million other tunes that will pep me up - if I ever get that well again.  I see on the internet that there are folks attempting 'super step' to much faster music, but that's just silly, I think.   Anyhow, what inspired me to post this particular idea given my rear is dragging when it gets up at all?  This post where they used music in a clever way - not pop, but classical - and gave up modern technology to improve their lives!  

Why is this post called Blog and Bone?  It's a long story and best left to another day...