Day 289-The List

I know, you are dazzled by the awesomeness of this graphic. You're welcome.

I've written in this blog before about how there are so many healthy things that you could be doing for yourself that it would take you 5-8 hours a day to do them.

For instance, there is walking, yoga, running, aerobics class, stretching, MELTing, getting facials, juicing, meditating, swimming, hitting the sauna, sleeping 8-9 hours, napping!, weight-lifting, Pilates, getting massages, relaxing with a book, journaling, hiking, planning healthy meals, filling your freezer with healthy, homemade food, growing your own sprouts...you get the picture. It's a lot to squeeze in with all the other stuff that makes up our daily lives.

Most of us cannot do that. Not that we don't want to, but there's that whole time thing. We're not all Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, sitting around with nothing but time and money on our hands. (sidenote: are they really real?)

And, I don't know about you, but I look at a list like that, and if I can't do the majority of it, I throw in the towel and don't do any of it. 

Here's a short list of things to do to feel healthier, and better about yourself:

• Walk- 30 minutes
• Sleep- 8 hours
• Eat whole foods- same amount of time as eating $hit foods
• Relax with a book-20-30 minutes

Start with that. Then later on pepper that tasty concoction with any of the other above things when you can. After a few weeks of the above prescription, you will find you've got more mental space and physical energy to include things that improve your state of being. And if you don't, the above will be plenty to keep you healthy.

It's not all or nothing. It's simply doing what you can do, and go from there. An especially inspiring quote that replays itself in my head now and again from by J.K. Rowling: 

"And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."





No matter how bad you might feel right now, start in with that short list and it will turn things around for you. 

Trust me, 
Dani
 
 
 

Day 288-Mmm...B.L.T...Mmmmm....Rueben.....Mmmm...Fluffer Nutter...

I've been struggling with this whole "live in the moment" philosophy to which I adhere, mostly because my "moment" lately has not been as pleasant as usual. 

So I decided to finish (ok, well, start, really) a book I bought MONTHS ago. Called "Enjoy Every Sandwich--Living Each Day As If It Were Your Last" by Dr. Lee Lipsenthal. 

I'm glad I made that choice. It's a wonderful book, a true gift from a man as he deals with his own impending death (actually, we all are, we just don't realize it!), and helps put things in perspective. 

We all can use a little perspective now and again. When we lack it, that is when the trouble begins. 

I know, I know, here I am again, telling you to buy books. But, for those of you that have taken my suggestions, aren't you glad you did? I can tell you that even if that book sits on your shelf or bedside table for months,maybe years, without you cracking it open, at some point, you will need it and it will help you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have bought it. 

Things and events are in our lives for a reason, and you don't have to know right away what that is, just have faith that it's there by no accident or mistake. 

Read, 
Dani

 

Day 287-Get Out of the Poo.

I am sometimes overwhelmed and tired as I move into Month Two of solo parenting.

Which occasionally clouds my judgment.

Case in point: last night, I shoved two giant de-wormer pills down my cat's gullet. And went to bed. 

Do I usually do that? No. I usually cram those pills down his Meow Mix-hole and toss him out the door, so he can poo his wormy guts out in nature, as intended. 

Should I have done that? Yes. 

I woke up at 5 to take my walk, and stepped in dooky. As I cursed and moved through the dimly lit house, I discovered no less than 9 piles of kitty diarrhea and 3 piles of kitty vomit. 

It was a regular Feline Fecal Fiesta, and I was the only one invited. 

Actually Nutella on carpet, but closely resembles cat diarrhea. Trust me, I know.

Being exhausted and overwhelmed last night made me do something that I ended up paying for later. 

Which is sort of what poor alignment and pain do to all of us. 

You use your body incorrectly on a daily basis, and pretty soon, maybe your knees don't bend so well or your shoulder doesn't have a full range of motion or your neck is constantly stiff or your feet hurt. 

So you compensate in order to keep moving, and maybe you unknowingly recruit more of your bicep muscles because you are short on back muscle strength. And after a while of that, you've got a shoulder impingement. 

Or perhaps you recruit your lower back muscles more because your leg muscles are too shortened from sitting in a chair all day or wearing heels, and pretty soon you've got lower back pain on a regular basis. 

Which is just going to lead you to other stupid stuff, like attend CrossFit because you think your problem is just being out-of-shape, and if you did more dead lifts, it would all disappear. Let the injury begin!

See? Your judgment is all cloudy, and now you're in the shit. 

Been there, done that. 

Give yourself a new understanding of what it means to be a healthy, functioning human machine. It may not be what you think. Learn more about your body, and how to avoid pain the right way. 

The best way to begin? Stop wearing kookoo footwear and start walking every day. 

It's way more fun than dealing with the poopy stuff. 



 

Day 286-Viva Le Vivo!

Every Monday morning, I play guitar in a sing-a-long at my kids' school. It's a great way to start a week, and it keeps my fingers nimble. Plus, I just like singing happy songs. Who doesn't?

I play with a teacher, who also happens to be an accomplished musician and a super nice person. Today, I noticed he was wearing some shoes that were comfy looking. 

Vivo Barefoot "Dharma"

And by that, I mean they were neutral-heel, human body shoes.

So, after our "gig", I said, "Hey, what brand of shoes are those?"

He got a big ol' smile on his face, and said, "These shoes changed my life..." and I rudely interrupted with:

"Dude, I write a blog everyday about stuff like this, I bet I know exactly how they changed your life. But tell me anyway."

So he proceeds to tell me how he suffered from foot pain for years (and this is a guy who does not walk around in stilettos. No, he is a Merrill-wearing sort of fella. No Do-Me Pumps on this man. 

He suffers from foot pain, then he gets this neutral-heel shoe and the pain disappears. DISAPPEARS. 

So, without knowing why, he's hooked. And happy. Good enough. 

Then he goes to a snowy vacation, and after two days in regular man shoes (hiking boots), the vexing pain returns. 

Hmmmm. So he's even more hooked. I hope someday he lets me explain WHY his feet are happy. Maybe he would if I quit interrupting in my Know-It-All way that only appeals to the brain inside my skull, but to no one else. 

Anypoo, I checked out these Vivo shoes online, and they got some cute models! Go forth, and be healed. Not heeled. 

Lovesies, 
Dani

PS. You may look at the prices, like I did, and think "No Way! They're HOW MUCH?" Well, how much is your overall health worth? That's what I thought. You'd give anything to feel great all the time.


 

Day 285-Break on Through to the Other Side, Part 2

I did it.

I wore out a pair of Monkey Toe Shoes!  Apparently it takes 285 days (or thereabouts, since I sometimes walked barefoot) to wear out a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. 

Personal goal achieved. Now I can move on to the next pair. They're black. And they feel downright luxurious. 

Good thing I've got 4 more pair in the closet, huh?

Let's step it up a notch tomorrow! Woot!


Happy Sunday!

Dani

 

Day 284-Because I Can

Yes, walking is the best exercise you can do for yourself, hands down. 

Ignore the woman striding along in high heels in this video, because it DOES matter how you walk, and what is on your feet. 

Like Lady Gaga, for instance. She's got troubles. Self-inflicted troubles.

Yup, she just had hip surgery. SHE'S 26 YEARS OLD! Why hip surgery and chronic pain? Easy to figure THAT one out:

Ow, Dummy. What the hell did you expect would happen?

Sorry, I got no sympathy for that one. 

Grrr, 
Dani
 

Day 283-Maharishi Walker

A potent thought for the day. Not very TGIF, but something to chew on, like spiritual jerky:


Allow yourself to feel so deeply that you are transformed into a different person, forever. 


Whoa. 

I know, right?
Dani

 

Day 282-Be There Then

What do you call an epiphany that doesn't immediately make you feel evolved and excited?

An epoophany?

I had an epoophany this morning on my walk, and I was humbled by it. I'm sure later on I'll feel evolved and excited and spiritually lifted, but right now I am simply humbled.

The epoophany?

I strive to live as a Be Here Now person. A gal who lives in and relishes each moment, as best I can. 

Howevuh, I realized today, as I was reminding myself on my walk that I needed to change the Countdown to Daddy's Visit Poster, that since The Huz left for Big Sky Country, I have been living not in the moment, but in the distant future. 

Blurg. 

Yes. Since My First, My Last, My Everything took off for Step One of moving us to Montana, I've been a calendar counter, a prison-wall-notch-mark-scratcher, an I-can't-freakin'-wait-until-March-15-yapper. 

What happened to Be Here Now, man?

Apparently, it's easier to live in the moment when the moment is pleasant, and less so when it is sad, gray and empty. 

No?

There is a saying that if something is in front of you, it's a part of you. So, that means I need to seriously look at my current state of being, and busy myself with working through it and learning to live in a less-than-pleasant-moment. 

This will be a good personal challenge, and if you know me by now, you know that I love a good personal challenge. 

Like eating an entire pot roast or burping the alphabet. 

Metaphysical Hugs, 
Dani

Day 281- Get Down on It!

Today's Walking Thoughts were brought to you by the overwhelming desire I have to get to the bottom of all things body-related. 

I just could not quit thinking and getting all Miss-Judgmental-Pants-y about folks who complain that they have pain, yet don't do anything to correct it, aside from pill-gulping and buying stoopid stuff they don't need. They want the change, but they just are so disconnected from their bodies and themselves that they are two separate things...not one whole being of body, heart and mind together.

In fact, after this walking blog completes itself, I'm going to start a blog called "WTH?" and it's going to focus on all these things I am baffled about. I'm sure it'll give me plenty of space to vent. Should be a gas. Stay tuned. 

And speaking of tuned, my wish is for everyone to tune in to their body and really ask how it feels, if it's happy, and what it really wants. It's never too late to do this, and I am walking, living, breathing proof that change in health and freedom from pain can happen with next to no money spent and no pharmaceuticals dripped into your system. 

You can be well, and you can move your body better. 

Yes, you can, 
Dani

 

 



 

Day 280-Double Digits

My first-born hit the double digits today.

Ten. 

I remember everything about the day he was born. He's still the same kid, too, only bigger, cooler, sweeter, smarter--he's a total package, for sure!

This morning, as I was darting out for my walk, he asked to come with me. HE ASKED TO COME WITH ME. 

Wow. Whose birthday is it??

May you walk many, many years, Little Buddy. 

Celebrate, 
Dani

 



 

Day 279-Why Worry?

I used to be a real worrier. Then, as I aged and learned to trust in the universe, I've adopted a more hakuna matata outlook. 

You'll often hear me spouting to my friends, loved ones and people in the grocery store: "Worry pretends that it's important, but it serves no real purpose."

Apparently, I think I'm mellow AND wise. 

But, it's true, since I gave up intense and regular worrying, I look younger (or maybe that's the laughing and walking?), and I see more clearly. It seems that worry can certainly cloud your vision to the possibilities in life, and the escape routes. 


A colleague of mine posted this picture today, and I really like it. Wanted to share it with YOU:

I had never thought of it in those terms, but it just solidifies my aversion to spending my energy on useless worry. 

Go forth, and let the worries fall to the wayside. You deserve better. 

Big love (but not the Sister-wife kind), 
Dani
 
 

Day 278-Day off from writing

Beloved Reader, 

I am taking a day off from writing, but not walking. That was lovely. Need a break from the computer. Happy Sunday, see you tomorrow. 

Hugs and Rear Pats, 
Dani

 

Day 277-Joy of Natural Movement

Today I slept in until 8:30. 

This is unheard of, and awesome. 

After a casual morning of reading, coffee and breakfast, my little girl and I took off for a walk to enjoy an unseasonably warm and sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest.

We were a-walkin', and Lola turns to me and said, "I'd like to walk more. This feels good."

Ahh, the joy of natural movement, and seeing someone get turned on to the goodness. She can bet that I'll be calling on her to walk some more. Especially if we can get more of these days!

Photo by Lola because "it looked pretty"

Then, because the sun didn't hide, I had to dive in to the mountain of yardwork that needs to be done before I put the house on the market--and I have to do it all since The Huz is in Montana. 

What's that funny color in the sky, Momma? That's blue, Honey!

OMG. I had to mow twice, then weed, then cut, then haul...and it's only the beginning. 

Ahh, the joy of natural movement. 

Sleeping well tonight, 
Dani


 

Day 276-Disaster, Narrowly Averted?

Ouch!

Sigh. 


So, here we are, looking up to the right for this gigantic asteroid that is going to narrowly miss our home planet, and in from the left comes some bad-ass meteorite that shatters windows and injures hundreds as it 'splodes over the Urals in Russia. 

Dang. Too bad we didn't see that one coming. 

But there are others we do see coming, like this BadBoy 2012 DA14 who will be whizzing by soon today. Fortunately, according to the geniuses who tell us this stuff, 2012 DA14 won't 'splode over the sky and hurt us, but will simply buzz us, like a giant, pesky wasp. 

We saw him coming, and he's not pointed directly at us. Some are, however, and this super smart astronaut, Dr. Edward Lu, has created an organization that is raising major moolah to build a super-big space-floating telescope/warning system that will let us know when some errant rock wants to make us extinct. 

I totally kick ass.

Dr. Lu and his genius buddies want to see the asteroids, then divert them with small spacecraft that knock the asteroids for a loop and point them toward Mars or something. Sorry, Martians!

So, they see it coming, and they stop the disaster the best they can. And we are supremely grateful, since we aren't all smart like Dr. Lu. Thank you, Dr. Lu!!!

Consider your health in the same way. You know that as you age, things are more difficult, and you assume your health will begin to fail you. You sit on your kiester all day and only play some pick-up basketball twice a month with some other guys or you take a yoga class here and there and buy lots of cool workout clothes. You get Type 2 diabetes, maybe have some prostate or pelvic floor problems, your cholesterol climbs and you start making out with Lipitor on a regular basis. Or you take Ibuprofen, see lots of doctors and wonder what the hell?

But what if you, like Dr. Lu, could avert that impending disaster? What if, by performing one of our most basic and natural biological functions (no, not farting!) you could avert 90 % of the typical problems associated with aging in our culture? 

And you don't have to raise billions of dollars or have a PhD to do it?

That's right! You could walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. That's all. Of course, it'd be better if you did more, WAY better, but even that 5 days a week change would act like Bruce Willis in Armegeddon and drill a hole into that asteroid of impending health problems and blow it all to bits. 

How'd I do it? I squinted at it, like this!

Yeah, just like that. 

So, why don't you?
Dani

Day 275- I MELT For You

My Valentine lives far away,

But when we're together

Every day is Valentine's Day. 

Truly, for The Huz and me, every day is Valentine's Day. We don't make a huge deal on February 14, because we make each other feel special every day. 

That's how it ought to be, and that's why we have it so good. 

But, he's 821 miles away, and I'm crossing off calendar days until I see him again. 

Today, however, I will MELT. 

Sue Hitzmann, the creator of the MELT Method, is coming to Silverdale today! I'm heading out after work to get her to sign my book, take in a short workshop and do some good bodywork. 

Look into it. It helps counteract pain and deal with soreness, keeps you looking young and spry (Just look at me!)

and helps undo chronic issues. 

I'm looking forward to it, and will be Skyping my Valentine later. 

Sorry, ladies, he's mine.

Enjoy your VD, (heehee!)
Dani

 

 

Day 274- Who sez?

Ever stop to consider whose playbook you follow? The rulebook to which you subscribe?

I'm not talking general human rules, like Be Nice, Share, Tell the Truth, Help Each Other, Don't Steal, Be Good. Those are the rules that we should choose to follow because they make the difference between good and evil, and that's our ultimate choice while we're breathing. I'm referring to the rules we follow that perhaps your parents or past generations or your culture has set up. Rules we never really even think about. We just follow them.

For example, what you should wear, when you should retire, what order your life should follow, what sort of furniture you should have, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, how you should school your kids, how many careers you should have, and so on. 

I'm just wondering, do you ever stop to think about that? 

I do all the time.  It is, perhaps, one of the most defining moments we can experience as human beings, and it is exciting, liberating, glorious and terrifying, all at the same time. And it can happen more than once.

Who sez you can't live in a van down by the river?

Woo hoo!
Dani



 

Day 273-Don't Go Clenching My Butt...

With The Huz gone for 22 days now, I am missing everything about him. Well, that happened after Day 1, BUT now it's really bad. Plus, I'm running the household solo, which gets a little overwhelming. 

If I didn't have my walks, I'd be a real nutter. 
 
I used to overeat when overwhelmed. I don't overeat anymore. I started eating meat and no carbs, and my desire to over eat has vanished. After 8 years as a vegetarian, it was a real eye-opener when I replaced carbs with animal protein. No more hunger. No more overeating. This book took me there:

However, I did notice some old body patterns creeping back in, as my body deals with this stress the only other way it knows how: Clench, Clench, Baby!

Remember my clenchy butt, previously abolished? It came back. Fortunately, I caught it right away because, well, it hurt! That's right! A pattern I lived with for over 12 years now presents itself as a pain signal. Yay! Same thing with the thrusting of my ribs. I'd kicked that one to the curb, but it showed up the same day my tight-ass returned. Thank goodness I actually listen to those pain signals now. Billy, don't be a hero.

I realize that it's my body's way of going into self-preservation mode, but it really does my body no good. No fight or flight here, sister. I am on the watch for clenchy thrusting (ooh, that should get me more web site hits by the porn crowd!) and will not let it sneak in and take over. The best thing I can do for myself in this time of intense stress is to make sure my body stays well and in alignment.

Which leads me to this point: If we have nothing else, we have ourselves and our wonderful, amazing bodies and our fascinating souls. If we abuse these things, what else is there? If we live in pain or discomfort, and know that there is real possibility of changing it, why wouldn't we? 

You're all you've got, eh?

I like you, 
Dani

Day 272- Just keep swimming.

Have I written of my fondness for Dory, the blue, dingbat fish from Finding Nemo, and her singularly simple outlook on life?

My all-time favorite movie quote (and, like any good nerd, I've got a zillion of them stored away), is Dory's line when her friend, Marlin, is freaking out and losing his $h*t over a dropped clue to his son's whereabouts. He wigs out, and she swims past him to the deep dark depths of the ocean to go after the goggles. As she does, she consoles him with her own mantra, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming and swimming and swimming..."

It is often my mantra, too. When things get rough, long or miserable (sometimes you get whacked with all three!), I get through it by channeling Dory, and I just keep swimming. Eventually, I get through whatever muck it is and I come out the other side.

This is one of those times. I'll be okay, though, because I just keep swimming.

Simple, effective and real. 

It works, 
Dani
 

Day 270 & Day 271- New Beginnings

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

That means "Have a prosperous and good year." Today is the Lunar new year and yesterday, we hoofed it up to Chinatown and participated in the Year of the Snake festivities here in Seattle. We had sweet seats, got to get eaten by the dragons and lions, and were seriously jostled by the huge crowds. 

I participate in several "new year" celebrations in my life. I do Rosh Hashanah, which is the Jewish new year (also on a lunar calendar). We participate in Chinese New Year, and of course, the Gregorian calendar new year of January 1st. 

It's sort of cool how there are so many times a person can start over, start fresh. However, if you think about it not in terms of calendars (because, really, we make those. We humans.), but in terms of time and space, every second is a possibility to start again, to renew, and start over. 

You don't need party hats, firecrackers, champagne or apple and honey to mark your new beginning. You just do it. 

Gung hay fat choy, 
Dani

Day 269-Never The Same

I was listening to an interview on public radio yesterday. There is a fellow who had written a book about walking, and although I only caught the tail-end of the interview, I was struck by something the author said. 

The interviewer said, "I like walking, but I hate, I mean really HATE retracing my steps and walking the same way back, so I never walk unless I can get someone to pick me up."

Okay, I'm not gonna go into THAT, but the author said something like this, and I misquote: "You can walk back the same way you came, but you're not the same person, the weather may be different, you notice different things, maybe your footprints were blown over, or your vision and the lighting is different, so you really never walk the same path twice."

Frickin' genius. 

So there, 
Dani

Day 268-Busted & Broken Things, part 3

I'm still waiting for Apple & FedEx to align with the cosmos and deliver my replacement keyboard. Until then, I'm typing on my iPhone.  It annoys me. My walk today was cool--the red planet sparkling on the horizon, no rain, and freezing cold. Walking really has become my all-time favorite exercise, and even though I don't have the patience or skill to thumb-type an inspirational or informative message, I do like me some walking!

Day 267-Broken things, part 2

Waiting on a replacement keyboard from Apple. My walk was restorative, my thumbs not so skilled, so see you tomorrow.

Xo,
Dani

Day 266-Busted Things

Computer keyboard busted. Yes, walk today. No blog today. Too laborious to type on iPhone.
Be well,
Dani

Day 265- NOW it's the 100 Day Countdown

Once upon a time, I went out on date with a fella in Germany. I was newly single, not very good at dating, but I could tell this guy liked me. 

He took me to a Greek restaurant that had awesome spanakopita, and then to a carnival/festival thingy (lots of festivals in Europe!), where we spent the night laughing and talking. He was pretty funny, and I could understand most of what he said. I laughed a lot, which seemed to make him smile and laugh, which made him show off more, which made me laugh more, and so on and so forth. I figured he must be quite enamored of me. 

We walked and talked into the wee hours of the morning, where he deposited me at my apartment, still smiling a funny little smile. He didn't try and kiss me at the door, however. That seemed weird, since we seemed to have hit it off.

Despite the no-kiss-at-the-door, I floated inside, feeling charming, funny and beautiful. In the bathroom mirror, I gave myself a "thumbs-up" sign, and smiled my charming smile one more time, just to see how gorgeous I looked. 

My front tooth was covered ENTIRELY by a large, dark piece of spinach, so completely flat and shiny on my tooth, that it looked like it had been decoupaged on!!!! 

It had been there the entire evening, from the get-go, and was probably the reason he would get an amused look on his face every time I ripped open my mouth to laugh. I thought I was looking like this:

...when in reality I looked more like this:

After I got over the initial shock, my first thought was, "Vas fur ein ass-munch!! Why didn't he say something to me!?"

Which leads me to the point of today's blog. Why, Dear Reader, on Day 256 of this blog, did you not say anything when I wrote about the 100 days left in my walking blog. My WALK THE YEAR blog. You know, the year with 365 days in it? You were all so quiet, so respectful, so polite. 

I, however, am the sort of gal that tells people around me if they have boogers hanging out of their nose (Bat in the Cave, Dude!), if a tit is hanging out of their blouse, if their fly is open, or most importantly, if they have stuff in their teeth. I let them know so they don't get home, look in the mirror and feel like a dope. 

Sort of like I felt when I realized that TODAY is the beginning of the 100 day countdown. 

This time, for reals. 

XYZPDQ, 
Dani

Day 264-My Little Buddies

Thank you, Sunday Afternoon, for not raining. It enabled me to cajole my kidlets into walking with me. I loved it. 

Aren't they cute?? I'm TOTALLY making them do this with me more often. 

XO, 
Dani

 
 

Day 263- The Power of True Commitment

Today was busy, filled with both intentional relaxing and running around obligations. 

So, at about 4:30, as I was driving home and listing all the things I had to do before dinner, it hit me that walkies had not happened. 

No walkies. Poo! Gotta get 'er done. 

Despite all that needed to be completed, the walk had to happen, so I grabbed some poop bags, donned my silly new hat and took off. 

Silly, but warm. Both me and the hat, actually.

I know for a fact that if I were not writing this blog and committing to walking 365 days in a row, that I would've bagged today's walk. Too busy, too crazy, can't do it, sorry, maybe next time. 

Due to my very public declaration, however, my commitment is deep, man. Real, real deep. I'm too far in, invested, up over my hip-waders...there's no turning back now. 

Wouldn't it be that cool if every personal commitment we made was that solid, that unshakable? 

I think that's what public declaration can do for you. If you want to take care of business, and you've got a modicum of self-esteem, then say it out loud. 

To everybody. To anyone who can hear you.

Okay, sometimes, it's a little awkward, like when Jessica Simpson signed on to be a Weight Watchers spokesperson to lose her baby weight and then got knocked up three months later...again. Whoopsies. 

But you're smarter than that, and you know that you can get pregnant whilst breastfeeding, so you don't have to worry about falling victim to ignorance based on wives' tales. Your path is clear, as long as you pick that one thing you want to accomplish. Too many things mucks it up. This I also know from experience. Start with one, and do that. Then you can branch out after your first real big success.

Say it out loud, and proudly. I can tell you from experience--262 days of experience--that such a simple, crazy and bold act can seriously solidify your success. 

You don't need hot coals to transform your belief in your own personal power. 

Yes, 
Dani


 
 

Day 262- Don't forget your options.

There are two ways to clear a hurdle in your life. 

This way:

Or this way:

Take your pick, Punkin'.


Yours in MacGyver-ness, 
Dani