Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

  • I teach yoga, Nia, and stretch online!

    ALL CLASSES ARE ON ZOOM AT 10:00 AM PDT

    Tuesday Gentle Yoga 

    Wednesday Nia

    Thursday Stretch

    Please see my website for details!

    I am also available for private Nia / yoga / Personal Training all virtual, of course!

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

  • My Bloggey Past

  • ******

    Chose a month above to visit archives, or click below to visit a page.

Posts Tagged ‘COVID-19’

What Have YOU Been Reading

Posted by terrepruitt on June 8, 2020

With the continuation of having to be sheltered-in-place and not being able to see students and friends in person, with all that goes along with that and everything that is going on, I have not been wanting to listen or watch my “normal” fare. I have been really needing just the easy, breezy, kinda cheesy type of stuff. There are a few books I listened to that fit that bill.

I finished the Gallagher Series. I was holding off on reading (listening to) it because it was the last book and I really loved that series. But, it was not the best one in the series. Not sure what it was about it, but it actually did not leave me wanting more like all the other books did. Maybe she did that good of a job at finishing the series that I don’t need another Cammie Morgan story? Not sure, but I enjoyed all the other books in the series more than that last one. I can see myself listening to a few of them again, but not that last one.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia online, Zoom meetings, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, Nia Technique, Yin Yoga, stretch classes, online exercise, Zoom classes, virtual yoga

I received Andrea Vernon and the Corporation for Ultrahuman Protection as one of the free books because for the last two months (or maybe it has been the last three months . . . I can’t remember . . . it all has bled together) Audible has been allowing members to get all of their “monthly originals” and not just two. Normally with your paid membership you choose two out of a monthly selection of books to get for free, but they have been allowing members to get ALL ten books for free. And Alexander C. Kane’s first Andrea Vernon book was included in the May selection. I didn’t even finish listening to it and I was buying the second one. It is funny. Again, we are not talking literary greatness, we are talking easy, breezy, cheesy, silly, laughable entertainment. It is FUNNY! Even though it is not literary greatness, but it is comical greatness.

I liked the first book better than the second book, Andrea Vernon and the Superhero Industrial Complex, but they are both funny and entertaining. I listened to the first book twice. I had been working my way through the May freebies, but needed a break (wanting easy, breezy, kinda cheesy) so I started to listen to the second book again, but the new choices for June came out so we grabbed all of them and I listened to a couple. I am in the middle of a third and will probably “take a break” by going back to the Andrea Vernon book two (AV2).

I am excited for AV3 to come out, I really, really, really hope that Bahni Turpin reads it because she IS Andrea Vernon and she is awesome.

So what are you listening to? Reading?

(Not all pictured fit the bill of easy, breezy, kinda cheesy type of stuff.  These are just some of what I have listened to while in Quarantine.)

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia online, Zoom meetings, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, Nia Technique, Yin Yoga, stretch classes, online exercise, Zoom classes, virtual yoga

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia online, Zoom meetings, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, Nia Technique, Yin Yoga, stretch classes, online exercise, Zoom classes, virtual yoga

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Cats’ Ripple Rug Play

Posted by terrepruitt on June 3, 2020

I wanted to add these videos to my Ripple Rug post, but I was having trouble signing into YouTube.  So I am making them a separate post all their own.

This first video is just Nessa seeing the Ripple Rug for the first time.  It is a “long” (1:26) video as she just walks around it.  Eventually she gets in (about :55).  It is fun to watch pets with a new toy (thing).  This is also when my husband was working in the dining area so if you have the volume up (not recommended) you will hear loud clacking.   He types FAST and he was using a noisy keyboard.

The next video is quick.  Just a quick look at the two girls and the rug.

The last video is of Nessa’s current FAVORITE game.  We spend a lot of time doing this.  She loves to attack the stick.

Well, as I said, I wanted these to be a part of the Ripple Rug post, but they didn’t make it.  And now they have given me something to post.  It is sometimes difficult to come up with things that are a step away from all that is going on.  There is so much going on and so many things (articles, videos, posts, tweets, etc.) already out there about what is going on, I don’t feel I need to add to it.  I honestly get overwhelmed and need to step away.  And I need distractions, if you do too, here you go.

Thank you for being here.

Posted in Cats, Teagan and Nessa | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

We Are All Doing New Things

Posted by terrepruitt on April 29, 2020

You may have noticed I have missed a few days posting. I have a self-imposed schedule to post Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Three times a week is a lot when I am not a writer. It is not as if I have things I want to get out or stories to tell. I started posting Friday Photos because I still wanted to post three times a week, but I thought pictures would be fast for me to post and fast for you to “read”. I have a lot to say about what is going on in the world right now- especially since it is really somewhat ALL that is going on right now – but the information changes so fast and as with everything we are all in different situations, I don’t want to have a bunch of coronavirus / COVID-19 stuff on my blog. So, I haven’t kept to my schedule. I do want to share something somewhat related though, a post came across my Facebook feed within the last few of days and I sympathized with the person. Then last night I realized I am in the same boat and a lot of us are in similar boats due to the storm that is raging.

My “boat” is not EXACTLY like my Facebook friend’s because she is more like on a cruise ship whereas I am in a little dingy. She has a dance studio that usually has at least 35 classes a week (I am guessing because I don’t remember, but it is A LOT) and she has converted a lot of them to virtual classes. Granted she has a studio from which to transmit the classes, but she and her fellow instructors are doing a lot of classes. She had shared a list of the things she was saying she needed to be right now which included a manager, a set designer, and a camera woman, I didn’t really think too much about it because the post was long and my focus was on another portion of it. But then a couple of days later my friend asked me what else I had been doing aside from teaching classes and I thought, “Snap! What have I been doing? Why don’t I have a lot of time?”

Then shortly there after I received some payments for some classes and set about sending out thanks yous and the information needed to join the class. And doing the bookkeeping that I think needs to go along with all of it. Also, having sweet little side conversations with the students that are purchasing the classes. Then I needed to think about the classes themselves, deciding on what to teach. I don’t like to teach the same thing every class and the only way I can manage that is to plan my classes in advance. And then . . . I need to make sure that the computer is set up . . . Zoom is basically doing updates every time I start a meeting so I must make sure that my settings have not changed. Then I need to make sure that the camera/laptop is set up to capture me and not just the wall. THEN I need to make sure that the space is set up. I mean, I know that everyone understands that we are doing classes out of our homes so there is going to be a room with furniture and maybe even pets walking around, but I try to keep in clean and empty when I can . . . but that requires continual upkeep and/or rearranging things.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit, City of San Jose Exercise Classes, Cambrian Yoga & Cardio Dance, CYCD, Yin Yoga, online exercise, Zoom classes, virtual yogaAll of that takes time. And I didn’t realize I, too, was having to do many of the same things (audio technician, camera woman, key grip) on my friend’s list that she was saying we are doing for the first time and learning on the fly. And all of this takes time.  It also takes energy.

At first when my friend asked me I was thinking I must be experiencing some sort of time “event” because I wasn’t getting much done during the day nor was I just sitting around watching TV. But then I realized that all of this new stuff, this new way of teaching takes time.

I am so grateful to all of my students who keep encouraging me to continue teaching online. I am so humbled that they keep coming back. I love that they are helping me through the little speed bumps (Did I really have the input volume turned DOWN?) so that I can deliver a quality class – one that I feel good about and one that has them feeling good after taking.  But I really don’t have extra time.  I feel I am working more than I was P.C. (pre-COVID) because it is more involved to do a class.

So while we are not all in the same situation, I know a lot of us are having to do and learn new things.  So for those of you that have added a whole new set of skills to your list – Cheers.  Hears to you – to us!  Hang in there.

So are you doing anything new?  Have you learned something new?  Are you having to be an audio technician or a camera person?

Posted in Online Classes, Zoom | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Today Is The Last Day Or Soon Will Be

Posted by terrepruitt on March 23, 2020

For those of you my age or older you may remember a time when it was unusual to know someone with cancer. Now the reasons for that can be many things including but not limited to the fact that there is different testing in place. Also it could be that there was less contact with a large number of people and in so many different places. I mean, we might have known all the people in our neighborhood, but we didn’t have thousands of “friends” throughout the world that we “know” on Twitter. Either way/whatever the case there was a time when you MAY have known ONE person with cancer. Now, it is common place. Every one of us knows AT LEAST one person with some form of cancer or someone that “had” cancer. Well, I believe that today is the day, today is the last day that I will be able to say that I don’t know anyone personally that has had or has COVID-19. I feel that we are reaching the point very soon where everyone is going to know someone that has had it or has it.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit, City of San Jose Exercise Classes, Cambrian Yoga & Cardio Dance, CYCD, Yin YogaI am not even going to state any numbers here because I know that by the time I finish typing this and posting it the numbers will have changed. I can just say that, even though none of the various sites I look at that post numbers actually have the same numbers, the numbers are growing. The reported number of cases, deaths, and recovered are all growing. The number of cases is growing FAST. And at this point, the United States is moving towards the top of the list.

Now, that “knowing” that I am talking about could be a person I actually know and have met face-to-face OR it could be friend from Facebook or Twitter that I have not met face-to-face. But with the way things are going there is going to be a “knowing” very soon.

I just wanted to go on record and remember this day. Today, Monday, March 23, 2020 I did not know anyone with COVID-19. I am loving that feeling. I am sad and sorry for anyone and everyone that cannot say the same thing as me, today, right now.  And I am sorry because I feel like soon none of us will be able to make that claim.

It is a sad historical thing and I will be the first to celebrate if I turn out wrong.

I waffled about posting this because originally I thought I would keep my blog virus free, but I don’t believe that such a thing is possible.  I mean, I already posted routines because of the situation.

I do hope that all of us that are participating fully in flattening the curve can continue to stick to our guns and not let the people who are being careless get to us. Sometimes it is difficult to stay in quarantine when so many others are not (“Well, if she’s going out, I want to too!”) but it will be awesome to know that we did not contribute to the spread of the virus at all.

Do stay safe and healthy.  Do comment and “talk” with me because, ya know, isolation is lonely.  Tell me how you are doing.

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments »

Here’s A Stretch Routine

Posted by terrepruitt on March 18, 2020

There are so many blog posts out there with helpful advice on what to do while being quarantined at home. The blogs cover all types of situations: people with kids, people working from home, people working from home with kids, how to stave off panic and anxiety . . . you name it you can find it. I don’t feel the need to add to that because . . . as I said, there are A LOT of post out there where you can get all those ideas. And, as with my last post, I might not be writing a post to the masses because this is going to be a little stretch routine. Tomorrow will be the first cancelled stretch class and I want to give my students something to do. Of course anyone can do this but some of it might not be really clear because I am not typing out DETAILED instructions on how to do the stretches. But my students will hopefully recognize them and be able to do them. In the weeks to come I might give some instructions on some of the stretches, but for now I am just putting out a routine so they will have something to do tomorrow morning.

I was communicating with one of my students and she confirmed that when she read the yoga routine she heard my voice. I am sure that as my students move through the stretches they will hear my voice and really not need detailed instructions. Once they start to move their body into the stretch my voice will click on and then they will know it. Sadly I probably say the same thing for the same pose and stretch every time. I am surprised they don’t get tired of hearing it.

Anyway . . . I should have mentioned in my last post what I am about to say here: get out of stretches (or poses) slowly and mindfully.

If you have any questions about this little routine please contact me. I have no idea how it will look/sound to someone that has not taken my class. In fact I don’t know how it will look to my students, but I know they will contact me if they have questions.  It was created for a 60 minute class.

Oh, I do have a post on the 13 Joint Exercise so you can learn about that if you are not familiar.  It is a Nia exercise.

Are you doing any routines or exercise at home?

 

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit, City of San Jose Exercise Classes, Cambrian Yoga & Cardio Dance, CYCD, Yin Yoga

Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

A Gentle Yoga Routine

Posted by terrepruitt on March 16, 2020

So dang it!  We are in a lock down.  The county has directed everyone to stay home.  So that means no classes.  No Yin Yoga, no gentle yoga, no Nia, and no stretch.  Hopefully this will really “flatten the curve” as they are saying and keep this from getting worse.  I know that this is difficult.  I am just going to share a yoga routine here to perhaps motivate someone into moving.  I created it with my students in mind.  So I did not add a lot of instruction.  Each pose does not have a “how to”, some of them just have some of the cues I give during class.  The minimal cues are to help spark their memory so they can do the pose.  I know many people need or want pictures, but here is what we have for now.

Anyone is encouraged to contact me if you have questions regarding this little routine.  As I said, it was created with my students in mind and they should understand it because it is standard stuff we do all the time.

It should take about an hour, including 10 minutes of shavasana.  The poses are to be held either four breaths (**) or three (*).  Some of the poses are in a sequence done more than once.

Again, if you want to do it and have questions just ask.

 

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit, City of San Jose Exercise Classes, Cambrian Yoga & Cardio Dance, CYCD, Yin Yoga

 

Namaste.

Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Classes Are Still Happening

Posted by terrepruitt on March 9, 2020

Sigh. I usually don’t post about the latest things going on in the news because that is not what my blog is about. Usually. I don’t USUALLY post about current events because I often feel that is just a way people try to get traffic to their blog . . . but in this case – the COVID-19 case – I am getting a lot of questions from students. You may or may not know that I teach classes. I teach Nia, yoga, and stretch. All of these things can be done at home, but there are several reasons people gather to do them. One reason – especially for Nia – is the energy, it is much more fun dancing in a room with other people than it is at home on your own. Another reason is motivation; it is much easier to actually do it (Nia, yoga, stretch) when you have paid for a class and made a commitment. Another reason is just the plain social aspect of it. Most of my classes have people that are friends and we care what is going on in each others’ lives. So since I teach in a class room setting I have students asking me about classes.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia online, Zoom meetings, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, Nia Technique, Yin Yoga, stretch classes, online exercise, Zoom classes, virtual yogaFirst of all, all of the places I work (City of San Jose, the YMCA, and even the dance studio) are taking extra precautions by cleaning things more often than normal. I have received e-mails from both the City of San Jose and the YMCA stating that both are working with the health department. Everyone is working together to find a way to navigate through this time.

As you know the best defense is hand washing. Wash your hands as soon as you can after you touch anything outside your home. Using hand sanitizer is second to hand washing and at this point I hear there isn’t anywhere you can buy it so those of you that have bought it, use it. But washing your hands with soap and water is still the best defense. It takes soap (or 60% alcohol) to break through the outer lipid membrane layer of the virus.

Also, try to keep your hands away from your face. This virus gets to us through our lungs so you don’t want it near your mouth and nose so it can have a chance to infect you.

Follow all the stuff you hear to do that is from reputable sources, I did not mean for this post to end up with me telling you what to do because I am not an expert at all. This post is meant to clear up some information around the classes.

The City of San Jose has decided to cancel some of the Active Adult (Senior) Classes at some of the community centers. Their focus is on LARGE classes. The more people in a room the more chances of infection. The closer people are the more chance of viruses spreading. So, they have cancelled LARGE Active Adult (Senior) classes. If you attend a small class with few people then – as of Monday, March 09, 2020 – the class is not being cancelled. I have not heard of a cancellation of any of the non-senior classes.

The yoga classes and the stretch class I teach at the community centers are small enough that we have plenty of room to spread out and not cough on anyone – and, by the way, if you have a cough – stay home!

The YMCA has not yet cancelled any classes that I know of. But I am talking primarily about the three branches that I work at and my classes.

Keep in mind that things can change. If you attend any of my classes please check my website frequently for updates. If my schedule changes I will send out an e-mail, but my site will be updated faster and first.

I personally feel that the media is all about fear-mongering. It is as if they think it is their job to cause fear and panic. But, I also understand this is serious and we don’t really know how it will turn out. I mean, if people would have just followed the safety guidelines in the first place it might not be as bad as it is. And since that seems to be such a challenge who knows what will end up happening. What you need to do is what is best for you. We all have our own unique situations and psyches so you need to protect yourself. You need to feel safe and comfortable. If not attending a class make you more comfortable then don’t. And we can all be kind and respect whatever it is that each person needs to do to feel safe.

Is there anything you are doing different than usual to feel safe?

Posted in Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »