Roller Derby boobs

As Stumpamaniacs will know, I recently did a piece in Five on Five magazine, on strength training for roller derby. Just heard from a derby fan who tells me that one of the members of the Rose City Rollers, Devaskating Deva, underwent a double mastectomy. Her teammates have come up with a novel idea for raising funds to help defray her medical bills: They’re selling plaster casts of their breasts.

Should you wish to help a worthy cause and own yourself a nifty new bosom or two, check out their Facebook page and eBay page. If nothing else, bask in the appreciation for the delightful diversity of breastitude.

Vulnerability is/does

Great post on vulnerability from Brene Brown. (If you aren’t reading this woman’s works, you should be.)

“Sometimes the toughest part of embracing vulnerability is recognizing vulnerability. There are so many secondary emotions that spring to the surface and grab our focus…

It’s always so helpful to be reminded of the many ways that vulnerability shows up in our lives. Leave a comment telling us how you fill in the blanks (on one or both)…

Vulnerability is __________________.

Vulnerability feels like ___________________.”

I’ll start.

Vulnerability is putting myself out there on Stumptuous.com. Vulnerability is living publicly, warts and all. Vulnerability is admitting that I’m an “expert” who fucks up.

Vulnerability feels like I want to run and hide. Vulnerability feels like crawling under the desk. Vulnerability feels like I want to eat the world.

Sledge yer iPhone

You readers are simply wonderful! It’s been a very creative week here at Stumptuous.com. The latest artistic endeavour comes to us from reader Tim, who’s produced a vector illustration of the 2011 calendar’s sledgehammer shot suitable for iPhone.

Why not sledge yer iPhone and be reminded with each phone call that every girl (and boy) needs a big hammer in her life?

Right-click the pic and “save as” to download. Enjoy!

Do you lift things up and put them down?

Many of you have undoubtedly seen the Planet Fitness ads that mock bodybuilders.

Personally, I find the “I lift things up and put them down” ad somewhat poignant — there is a certain existential purity and focus to the bodybuilder’s mission that many of us might wish to emulate in purging the distractions of modern life. He is akin to a Zen prophet — simply a traveller on the Way of Weights, where enlightenment comes simply from moving the body towards a dedicated objective.

Are You Stumptuous? (Part 1)

Thanks to the lovely and talented Becca Borawski for a great interview! Here’s Part 1 of my interview with Modern Athena, in which I dish about starting weight training and what the heck Stumptuous means.

In honour of a beautiful May day…

…which I enjoyed, in part, with a walk — one of my favourite things in the world:

A good walk cures most problems. Want to lose weight and get fit? Walk. Want to enjoy life but spend less? Walk. Want to cure stress and clear your head? Walk. Want to meditate and live in the moment? Walk. Having trouble with a life or work problem? Walk, and your head gets clear.

–Leo Babauta, “38 Life Lessons I’ve Learned in 38 Years