The Holidays Are Over...Now What?

We've begun the slow slide into that dark and dreary time of year when it's often a case of just hanging in and getting through it. As I'm writing this, my East Coast friends are hunkered down against the first big winter storm of the season, and most of the rest of us will soon be in the same position.

Rocky's wants you to know we care about your downtime and figured that this is a perfect time to remind you that you can go just about anywhere in a book. So you just stay where you are and read on. I've tried to assemble a few suggestions for activities by way of Rocky's books (providing links to purchase as usual), but to a great extent these are just some ideas to get you thinking on the outer side of the cubicle container when it comes to indoor activities. If you want to purchase one of these books, that's okay too.

PLAY WITH CLAY:

The Art of Jewelry - Polymer Clay, by Katherine Duncan Aimone
If you love making jewelry, you should give polymer clay a try. "Poly clay" has come a long way since the early days of tiny Fimo figures. There are several different brands now available, and it's possible to make some really stunning jewelry as well as functional 3-D pieces. In this book, Katherine Duncan Aimone not only provides a sound basis for understanding polymer clay and its properties, but she also walks you through several jewelry projects from basic to more complex. This tutorial helps you to understand the tools, equipment and other materials that can be combined to create treasures of all sorts.

TAKE A NEW TRIP AROUND THE OLD WORLD:

Travel Guide to Europe 1492, Ten Itineraries in the Old World

We all know what was happening here in 1492, but did you ever wonder what was happening there, in Europe? What was life like in the cities? How did people manage travel? Did they travel? And if they did, where did they go and how long would it take to get there?

Lorenzo Camusso, a noted Italian historian and author of this book, creates ten itineraries for travel in fifteenth century Europe and vividly depicts the sites, sounds, and characters you might have met on your journey.

SIT DOWN AND WORK OUT:

In preparation for your exhausting couch journey through the streets of old Europe, you might want to consider warming up with the ultimate in-home workout guide, The Couch Potato Workout, 101 Exercises You Can Do At Home. Joel M. Press, M.D.has compiled 101 exercises that will help motivate you and burn off a few of those Christmas cookies at the same time. Destined-to-be workout classics like, "Reading the Paper", the "Shower Neck Stretch", and "Toothbrush, Knees Bent" are not likely to turn you into a finely-tuned physical specimen, but they will show you that you have limitless opportunities throughout your day to strengthen your body and provide a greater sense of well-being.

There's lots more, so stay tuned. I don't want to overwhelm you all in one post, and I figured ending with Couch Potato Exercises is challenging enough. Lean forward, reach for the remote. Now repeat...