just peachy | a blog by libby sinback

Happy New Year everyone! Here’s a link for a free track from Regina Spektor. (You’ll need iTunes to download it.)

My dear acquaintance, it’s so good to know you
For strength of your hand
That is loving and giving
And a happy new year
With love overflowing
With joy in our hearts
For the blessed new year

Raise your glass and we’ll have a cheer
For us all who are gathered here
And a happy new year to all that is living
To all that is gentle, kind, and forgiving
Raise your glass and we’ll have a cheer
My dear acquaintance, a happy new year

All of those who are hither and yonder
With love in our hearts
We grow fonder and fonder
Hail to those who we hold so dear
And hail to those who are gathered here

And a happy new year to all that is living
To all that is gentle, young, and forgiving
Raise your glass and we’ll have a cheer
My dear acquaintance, a happy new year
Happy new year!

I’m currently listening to a really interesting interview on Face the Nation: Science Friday about body mapping, and how your mind understands your body.

You can find out more about what they’re talking about here.

It’s pretty neat stuff. One of the things they have talked about is how imagining in your mind doing something physical – doing visualization – can increase the success of physical training. That isn’t anything new, but I guess it’s been proven through experimentation. I’ve experienced this myself in dancing and running. When I imagine myself completing a race or performing a move, it’s almost like practicing, and I always perform better. Visualization is actually really powerful as I’ve experienced it.

Another thing they mentioned which is also familiar to me is how people can be very physically agile at some things like skiing or ballet, but still be utterly clumsy in their day-to-day life. We apparently have lots of different ways to “map” our bodies and our movement and spatial understanding. Our sense of our bodies even extend beyond our actual skin into the clothes we wear – so our understanding of our bodies in a pair of skis or a leotard and tights could be completely different than when we have on our street shoes and clothes.

That’s just a little bit of it. Anyhow, it’s been a neat discussion.

In other news, starting tomorrow I will be off work until January 2nd! It’s very exciting to work in an office that closes down between Christmas and New Year’s. I still haven’t solidified all of my plans, but I’ll probably be staying in the Northeast.

Here’s my wish for the happiest of holidays to you all.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. The biggest reason is because the concept is so simple: gratitude. Thanksgiving is a holiday that has become about feeling grateful for the abundance we have in our lives. And many people agree that the more grateful you feel, the happier you are.

Another reason I love Thanksgiving is because it’s not about stuff, but rather stuffing. In my view, there’s no better way to spend your time than eating a million delicious foods, and my family is southern, so that means cornbread stuffing and sweet potato casserole, not to mention that marvelous jelly cranberry sauce from a can. And then of course, leftovers. Nom.

Some would say Thanksgiving is about gluttony, but I think it’s just about sitting down and breaking bread with those you love. It’s about passing a plate of good will and sharing in the abundance that touches our lives.

It’s also nice that the rampant consumerism that seems necessary for every holiday happens the day after, which is actually just in preparation for that ultimate, get-lots-of-shit holiday that follows in December. I’m not ashamed to admit that I went shopping today, on the evil Black Friday (the luggage I used to travel to Atlanta had broken, and my mom decided she wanted an iPod), and it wasn’t bad at all. So thank you to all who decided to observe “Buy Nothing Day” – you made finding a parking space soooo much easier.

Finally though, I love Thanksgiving is because it is a time to spend with family and friends without some kind of religious affiliation, without a gift-giving requirement, just eating (and did I mention how much I love food?) It’s not a big to do. It’s just about love. (And food. And gratitude. And gratitude for love and food…) We all bow our heads together and just say, “Thank you” to whomever we want, or just to the universe.

All in all, it’s kind of a cool quirky holiday built around what’s basically become more like a folk tale than a historical event. But fortunately no genocide was involved as far as I know (that came before and after). Just people in funny hats.

I am thankful for so much in my life. I have been blessed with a family that loves me, and I am surrounded by amazing friends. I have been touched by many amazing experiences in my life and have been given many wonderful opportunities. I have lived largely free of want. In my daily life I often find my heart filled with gratitude, but certainly I feel it on Thanksgiving, as I bask in the warmth of those whom I care for the most, my belly filled with way too much food.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

After seeing a friend post this on Facebook, posting it here was pretty irresistible.

Enjoy.

So apparently I haven’t updated this page in two months. Not for want of things going on, though!

My big news is that I recently started a new job. I am now the new webmaster for the Communications Workers of America. After being there only three weeks, I feel very strongly that this was definitely the right move for me, for a lot of reasons.

First, I really love that I am working for a union and in the labor movement. While I’ve come to care deeply about all the causes I have worked for, organized labor has always had a special place in my heart. Now I am working with folks who are passionate about protecting workers, who really believe in organized labor and a fair deal for workers. I am very excited to be putting my web skills to work for all the people I’ve met so far at CWA, and for all the present and future CWA workers.

It’s also really great to get to specialize more. I have long been captivated by web design, development, online organizing and social networking, though my previous work was much more varying between lots of different things, and thus less focused. Now I really get the chance to sink my teeth into the web more. I also really like the people I’m working with so far, and I think I will have the chance to learn a lot from them.

Having my own office isn’t too shabby either. I can’t lie.

Now I just have to make sure I’m able to make CWA glad they hired me. I look forward to doing just that by being the best webmaster I can be.

My good friend Megan recently introduced me to the fine musical stylings of Mr. Keb’ Mo’.  I highly recommend.  Here’s one sample from his album Keep It Simple:

Keb’ Mo’ – Let Your Light Shine [mp3]

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Recently I went to see Jonathan Coulton at the Birchmere.  My friend Allen and I went to the sold-out show, and we had a blast.  The opening band, Paul + Storm, were really fun and hilarious, though Allen and I both thought it was odd that Paul held a guitar during almost the entire show but never once played a chord. Their set was pretty long, too. It didn’t feel at all like an opening act.

Coulton was awesome.  His set felt a little on the short side for a headliner, but I really liked every single one of his songs.  His version of “Baby Got Back,” which is apparently what made him an internet superstar, was absolutely brilliant.  And I was so glad when he played “First of May” as his final encore. I recently made “Code Monkey” my song on MySpace, even though I only personally aspire to be a code monkey…

I heard Naomi Klein speak about this years ago at the Green Festival. She was talking about the way shock had been applied in Iraq in order to impose all kinds of radical economic reforms on the country. Her new book ties together many stories to a much more broader doctrine.

Watch this video. You’ll be… shocked.

I am presently annoyed that I cannot acquire Kate Nash’s new CD, Made of Bricks, just released in the UK. iTunes won’t let me download it, and it’s not released in the U.S. Curses!

I discovered the amazing Ms. Nash by chance on the Hype Machine and have been listening to a few of her songs downloaded from music blogs ever since. But I want to buy her album! Argh!

Anyhow, here is one of her songs (from her new album) for your enjoyment. She is really great. I haven’t been able to stop listening to this song.

Birds – Kate Nash [mp3]

This is, without a doubt, my favorite picture of me running.

Granted, my finish time for this race (2:30:28) was pretty abysmal, but I blame the heat. Still, look at how happy I am to be crossing the finish line.

Next year, I will run the whole thing without walk breaks. I will I will I will.

At the Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA, September 3, 2006