Thixotropic, education, balance & Mondays

ambermoon

Thixotropic: the property of various gels of becoming fluid when disturbed (as by shaking).

My amusement with this word came when I was getting lotion out of the bottom of a bottle that was no longer pumping during those 2 brisk days we had at the start of November. Lotion season was here! Can’t waste the bottom of the bottle! But… it… won’t… come… out… oh, thixotropic! It’s thixotropic! shake shake shake and the lotion slide right on out.

I first learned this word when I took craniosacral therapy 1 back in 2011, but it didn’t really sink in until I needed lotion from the bottom of a bottle. Example we’ve all done: If you pound on a bottle of ketchup, it doesn’t come out. But if you shake it first, it slides right onto your (insert food here). The same goes for lotion, shampoo, body wash, etc.

And muscles/fascia. Yes, really. If you ever wonder why your massage therapist shakes your limbs during a massage? It’s because your tissues are thixotropic.

It’s the little things, sometimes.

Join me for the Run for the Pie on Thanksgiving morning

Thanksgiving week hours

Just a reminder of weird hours this week – and a last minute opening!

Sharon Tri’s (tries?)

An update on “You vs The year”. When we last checked in, I was at 673.32 km (396 mi) as of my broken foot date (8/20/25). **Data geek alert**

  • As of now, 11/22/25, 94 days later, I’m at 773.23 KM, adding 99.1 KM.
  • I ‘really’ started walking again on 9/28/25, so in 55 days I’ve averaged 1.82 KM per day – 1.1 miles.
  • At this rate, and with 38 (!!) days left in the year, I should be able to walk at least another 69 KM, putting me over my goal of 800 km for the year. 🎉
  • I admit I pipe dream of getting to 900. These last few weeks I’ve been averaging 10 miles walked per week… With 5.5 weeks left, 55 miles, or 91km. Hmmmm.

I did go look back, and the only year I’ve met this challenge was 2020. Well, there was indeed lots of time for walking that year…

My first 5k of 2026 is paid for – a Taylor local event, Run for the Roses. I’ve done the 10k option previously, but I think I’ll progress to that distance slowly.

My 2nd planned run event of this winter season is the San Marcos 5k or 10k in February. I’ve got time to figure out which I want to do: power walk the 10k or run the 5k.

Blueberry reads (& other education)

Daniels Running Formula – I’ve been delving into the PDF as I program The Quack Pack toward their ‘A’ races, and start to work on my middle schoolers track program. I declare this book complete.

I’ve got 2 books in progress right now, Body of Money & Becoming Supernatural, and both have a common theme… the hormone cortisol. I also reflect back that The Menopause Reset also had this theme. The first book talks about our visceral response to money (our trained stress responses), and the second talks about how we are addicted to the stress hormones. Both offer means of changing your response patterns. Which brought me to an awareness of what I was needing – more balance. I’ll talk about that in the Studio Updates section.

Education I’ve been working on this fall, currently, and upcoming….

I’m adding a new subsection under this topic, since most of my reading is for wisdom, I feel it’s appropriate: Education. Granted, some of my reads are for pleasure, but when you remember I live & breathe this stuff, it’s all pleasure reading.

  • I had the pleasure of being a teaching assistant for the Craniosacral therapy Working with Chronic Depletion virtual course that was held October – November 2025.
  • I’m currently working on my USA Track & Field (USATF) Level 1 certification. Not because I need another certification, but because I want to be as good a coach as I can for the kids AND The Quack Pack.

Things I want to work on this coming year (2026):

  • Visceral Manipulation 4: The Thorax is on the calendar for May, right after track ends.
  • Masters swimming certification – for the masters swim summer program I started here in Taylor, and I’ve got Stephanie to prep for a 500-750m kick a** swim when she goes to Age Group Triathlon Worlds in September. Again, the more I know…
  • I also want to work on a Level 2 for an existing Level 1 certifications that I currently hold. Since I seem to be doing more run coaching at the moment, maybe start with either RRCA or USATF. Will decide … later… Sorry, triathlon, Level 2 will have to wait.
  • I’ve got 2 teaching assistant gigs on the calendar for 2026. I am limited to doing these outside of middle school coaching, so I grabbed these while I could.
  • I’ve already got Visceral Manipulation 3: Urogenital on the calendar for 2027.

As I recover from the shoulder, the foot, and the cross country season, I’m realizing I need a little more balance. The big shift is that Wednesdays will be shorter. I don’t have the energy for 5 sessions as I get going on life again. So I’m shortening it to a 4-4.5h workday.

Traffic is also getting much worse the later I get out of the Austin – that started sometime this fall. It made getting from middle school coaching (done at 530p) to Taylor coaching (starts at 630p) problematic. Wednesdays take even longer. So if I can be outta there early, even better.

As I’m committed to 2 days/week at the Austin office, I’ve also got more time to get people in. Mondays also have other personal things going on, so while I aim to have 4 sessions available, sometimes I don’t.

Which brings us to the December – January schedule shift.

  • Mondays in Austin (dependent on when I’m coaching)
  • Tuesdays
    • Taylor – 12p appointment only, except for…
    • Dec 16 & 23, 12-515p
    • This day is reserved for getting behind the scenes work done, formerly done on Mondays
  • Wednesdays in Austin – 12n-430p-ish
  • Thursdays in Taylor
    • 12n-515p
  • Fridays in Taylor – 10a-230p

Reminder I will be closed December 25 & 26, open January 1.

Upcoming Austin openings

  • Wednesday, 11/26, 1245p
  • Wednesday, 12/3, 1p
  • Please ask to be put on my wait list if you want something in Austin
  • If you’re willing to come to Taylor, you’ll get in faster. Ask me for $10 off your first Taylor session (new Taylor clients only).

Upcoming Taylor openings

  • Tuesday, Dec 2, 12n
  • Thursday, Dec 4, 3p
  • Friday, Dec 5, 10a-12n
  • Thursday, Dec 11, 330p
  • Friday, Dec 12, 10a
  • Tuesday, Dec 16, 12-3p
  • Friday, Dec 19. 10a

Be safe.

Enjoy the season.

Thanks for reading all the way down.

If I said something that inspired, amused, or made you smile, I’d love to hear about it.