tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86723596541322191642024-03-05T09:13:10.537-08:00Namaste or Should I Go?My journey from yoga newbie to Bikram Yoga teacher: from San Francisco, to Los Angeles, to Cleveland, to Pittsburgh, to Harrisonburg, and beyond!Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-62180624105872905802013-11-26T20:55:00.000-08:002013-11-26T20:55:36.165-08:00Welcome to the Friendly City!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBuuR_0a_ocYWD92bD8miAlNrmHph4RFzOrqYGPxWwl4xyxhbpjk_5dV8ZwRGr6zzk7FHF_jFUy466jy5KGZhhP6MX8HZ2SYW2d19GHDYCDrtsDhx67a6zgo2JBP_v0N3wdrANab131I/s1600/happy+fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBuuR_0a_ocYWD92bD8miAlNrmHph4RFzOrqYGPxWwl4xyxhbpjk_5dV8ZwRGr6zzk7FHF_jFUy466jy5KGZhhP6MX8HZ2SYW2d19GHDYCDrtsDhx67a6zgo2JBP_v0N3wdrANab131I/s320/happy+fall.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I couldn't go to yoga tonight since my bedframe was finally being delivered and assembled (much as I enjoyed sleeping on a futon, on the floor, like the hippie I am, it's nice to have a real bed again), so I figured now might be a good time to compose a quick update to y'all on my life and times in small town Virginia!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHSkxjUa5a5QnaMuJH12qywd8emVJ3zfogDCmU21Nlqkei1tnIbSjXSfmy3V3hrxtYOVuC6BuVWP1-k23xNw-r5rvvw9QwzznuNyKTiSirFE4wsSuuDKl442MxiVwYh5Y7BxA2TWXkFQ/s1600/IMG_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHSkxjUa5a5QnaMuJH12qywd8emVJ3zfogDCmU21Nlqkei1tnIbSjXSfmy3V3hrxtYOVuC6BuVWP1-k23xNw-r5rvvw9QwzznuNyKTiSirFE4wsSuuDKl442MxiVwYh5Y7BxA2TWXkFQ/s320/IMG_0110.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So here I am, at the delightful little <a href="http://www.earthandteacafe.com/">Earth and Tea Cafe</a>, a stones throw from my new apartment, drinking a $5 large pot of gingersnap rooibos tea, and missing my Pittsburgh crew so very much. But moving here was one of the better decisions I've made, for sure<span style="font-size: small;">...</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4ZWC3aNhNollmWUzAGVoL0x4Umm4XwX_CdcVQqPFNoaZ3KfRWeFHMjAbfOGZxgMSlNJ8dzO2Pz3UU3W-sT6l4P2dS-v7sns6Amxyjr7JY40Y89cwffdgsvCT5Nh7WjAp-EYZFm1rsrw/s1600/IMG_0009.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4ZWC3aNhNollmWUzAGVoL0x4Umm4XwX_CdcVQqPFNoaZ3KfRWeFHMjAbfOGZxgMSlNJ8dzO2Pz3UU3W-sT6l4P2dS-v7sns6Amxyjr7JY40Y89cwffdgsvCT5Nh7WjAp-EYZFm1rsrw/s320/IMG_0009.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Best part of this photo? Tom's sad-face. </i></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I can't start this post without posting a photo of the pun-errific (and seasonal!) cake that Sunshine brought to my last class on Friday October 26th at 6pm...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMnYyYggyi2xPielt3g8qyuOhpPqAyVkTMskQABAldW8RtNiEXy8laEtI2g6mAH1bpgeWTp7PlU97YVKvxdADg7tJvjqZWn_NeQz6DLfGBhHYzXpaUIULN-ClFGd95A8oqcr1Zd_4wwQ/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMnYyYggyi2xPielt3g8qyuOhpPqAyVkTMskQABAldW8RtNiEXy8laEtI2g6mAH1bpgeWTp7PlU97YVKvxdADg7tJvjqZWn_NeQz6DLfGBhHYzXpaUIULN-ClFGd95A8oqcr1Zd_4wwQ/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After many hugs and a few tears (did I get a little choked up while teaching my 'final' final spine twist? no one is THAT cheesy...), I hurried home, because my mom and little sister were arriving Saturday at 8am to pack up my car.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I should have known better than to teach right up until the end because of course that meant pulling a packing all-nighter, complete with endless cups of tea and carrying of many<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>heavy things. Luckily when Mom and Allison showed up, I was bleary-eyed and twitchy but fully packed. We crammed everything into two cars (and I mean EVERYTHING), and off we went!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYo2do94bLjndrDxNyqwoY4acSCnMPw06PUmcpfzuRnmnq82ktjdXmHA9KO1TQBq_izJSTfJ_Ur_2QrPgxvxJC0I7GPOw9UbknYMXFefQ5MFeRxAwACF9cK3DJa_ThcZnQtAy2_MFfG8/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYo2do94bLjndrDxNyqwoY4acSCnMPw06PUmcpfzuRnmnq82ktjdXmHA9KO1TQBq_izJSTfJ_Ur_2QrPgxvxJC0I7GPOw9UbknYMXFefQ5MFeRxAwACF9cK3DJa_ThcZnQtAy2_MFfG8/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Upstairs at Rick's Cantina, one of THREE bars in my building.</span></span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(Quick sidenote: my mom and sister actually came to my yoga class! After both of them, in different contexts, had vowed <i>never again. </i>My mom walked up to the desk and stated firmly "I've decided that I will stay for half an hour," but she actually made it through the whole class, and finished with a smile on her face)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After some GPS-related setbacks (I'm rapidly realizing that I really ought to invest in a map, because sometimes my blind trust in Lee my GPS guy is sorely abused), we arrived in Harrisonburg.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We found the bars that I knew I lived above, but not the door. My landlord wasn't responding to my texts or calls, and neither was the one roommate I had already spoken to. So while my mom and sister went to check in at <a href="http://www.microtelinn.com/hotels/virginia/harrisonburg/microtel-inn-and-suites-harrisonburg/hotel-overview">their (disappointing) hotel</a>, I had my first of many, many helpful encounters with a Harrisonburgian. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7U6w5bbW0Isll0qsmAIcqWw1XneygFafJHtW_8nOG3W6y9VPpJzU1FVTbi1hKEOXTiMzDDbepPkoRxEvLhtXJ3LsmvgdWkVdf-NIeMsI6PJce0RTpvvvhITlbQEtFaaMzQ8wvgyKaiVI/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7U6w5bbW0Isll0qsmAIcqWw1XneygFafJHtW_8nOG3W6y9VPpJzU1FVTbi1hKEOXTiMzDDbepPkoRxEvLhtXJ3LsmvgdWkVdf-NIeMsI6PJce0RTpvvvhITlbQEtFaaMzQ8wvgyKaiVI/s320/IMG_0020.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I tell you what, their motto "the Friendly City" is an apt one. One of the bartenders took the time to get in touch with my landlord, figure out how to get me into my apartment, and took me up the long and windy staircase to my new abode. Where I met my first and, for 24 hours, seemingly ONLY roommate...</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcM35V5yH7pJakCngjR113rcSLWNVHiM3mHQTMV1_DreY8sEsoj9hbgX7z6arNEdjhGlpyfuthibzi1-Fsl_I88NCI6vWxY6cUUfv8hNrD8wjE-eup57ngytXjHXXeFrR3shbdXIdJEs/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcM35V5yH7pJakCngjR113rcSLWNVHiM3mHQTMV1_DreY8sEsoj9hbgX7z6arNEdjhGlpyfuthibzi1-Fsl_I88NCI6vWxY6cUUfv8hNrD8wjE-eup57ngytXjHXXeFrR3shbdXIdJEs/s320/IMG_0036.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">...who also loves all human food. Hummus? Banana smoothie? Raw goat cheese? Sign her up!</span></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So everything here is new to me (one of my new friends<span style="font-size: small;"> has</span> said, delighted, "you're like a blank slate! You don't know ANYTHING!") and here are a few first impressions of the newness: </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>NEW PLACE TO LIVE</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Harrisonburg and Staunton are SO FRICKING ADORABLE YOU GUYS.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is the sort of place where a total stranger will tell you in detail every business you HAVE to check out, leading you to the <a href="http://lgc.coop/">perfect little breakfast place </a>that is ALSO cooperatively owned where our cheerful waiter is ALSO a yoga teacher. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNobANBlpfiOeBYW0jeNsJFCbaxcEX9dIPV1ZYSng7_E9Ij-9twznlKcggVjcTlHBnt_Ci_7muCKLGIyEL6Mm85Ard6qfmvB2QDmRji-G93K5OBIKhyphenhyphend-TTYHwtqSuaSkj6G9C6Z516CE/s1600/anne+marie+visits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNobANBlpfiOeBYW0jeNsJFCbaxcEX9dIPV1ZYSng7_E9Ij-9twznlKcggVjcTlHBnt_Ci_7muCKLGIyEL6Mm85Ard6qfmvB2QDmRji-G93K5OBIKhyphenhyphend-TTYHwtqSuaSkj6G9C6Z516CE/s320/anne+marie+visits.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">...and where I took my first & much-beloved Pittsburgh visitor, Anne Marie!</span></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The sort of place where the mattress store is closed on Sundays "for Family and Faith," but the next day the owner tells you as you're on your way out "and give me a call if you need any advice since you're new in town - you know, places to get your car fixed, that sort of thing."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The sort of place where you can go to farmers markets every week year-round, markets with incredible seasonal produce. At the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, the "ATM" is a little table where you buy these $5 tokens to redeem at any of the stands (which include anything organic or free-range your little heart desires. It's so healthy a ladybug crawl<span style="font-size: small;">ed</span> out of my bag of baby kale.)</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2ffKrcDLTcwtWsB7TtcUwM8ZqsXkbyphn0naR7_VDGRYQqzr-8hWx7nGDUyaiVwNia6pheb5_wdfuhs8TPGm9fxBDzbXBcBXnyaZQXvE3TUEOlOmTtPL5yW6309bzPorN7_5Flv1NMg/s1600/IMG_0074.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2ffKrcDLTcwtWsB7TtcUwM8ZqsXkbyphn0naR7_VDGRYQqzr-8hWx7nGDUyaiVwNia6pheb5_wdfuhs8TPGm9fxBDzbXBcBXnyaZQXvE3TUEOlOmTtPL5yW6309bzPorN7_5Flv1NMg/s320/IMG_0074.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There are no Starbucks in downtown Staunton,
but there are several independently owned coffee shops. There are no Subways or Panera Breads, but there are little sandwich shops that list
the local farms from which they source their produce on the menu or on
big chalkboards.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I bought a "garden wrap" on impulse at a sandwich shop in Staunton and expected some lettuce and
pre-chopped carrots wrapped in a cold tortilla, but instead I watched a sweet little college student warm the tortilla,
carefully chop carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh green lettuce, sprinkle it with sunflower seeds and cranberries,
drizzle the whole thing with olive oil and vinegar, wrap it up next to a little pile of potato chips and a single, ind<span style="font-size: small;">ividually</span> wrapped pickle, and hand it over.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsYluLnRzFyWE56y8skswxlz4IUKPbyITxcctar5L1Uxr7KcXq1mEWXCke0NiLhTyYSdBu86jROzsMnMG_nx2ugP1COhYbmSFfiYNdK61g-MSSV25EwHetOo2eahyH6TGBjSEQ1Y-RpU/s1600/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsYluLnRzFyWE56y8skswxlz4IUKPbyITxcctar5L1Uxr7KcXq1mEWXCke0NiLhTyYSdBu86jROzsMnMG_nx2ugP1COhYbmSFfiYNdK61g-MSSV25EwHetOo2eahyH6TGBjSEQ1Y-RpU/s320/giphy.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The foodie culture extends throughout the valley, sometimes in surprising<span style="font-size: small;"> ways</span>. Recently I happened upon a bizarre place called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FoodMaxx2">FoodMaxx</a>. It was Indian, Hispanic, Chinese, Korean, Mexican,<span style="font-size: small;"> name-that-nationality</span> foodstuffs all smushed together into one enormous warehouse. Check it out...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVR9I7ChDpRcM4QdsyEhY9Iaa5b8RlsjNpFvGgvdDMzo0AtF4JkhQDxVJUfswC6Ou-EMBn5-NpNMtPbcX0LtuZ2F21W-uKrrEdtp4BcXGSYr_GAdrC1fHWJfuKyjv8GatYGJ7nPJWQfg/s1600/IMG_0076.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVR9I7ChDpRcM4QdsyEhY9Iaa5b8RlsjNpFvGgvdDMzo0AtF4JkhQDxVJUfswC6Ou-EMBn5-NpNMtPbcX0LtuZ2F21W-uKrrEdtp4BcXGSYr_GAdrC1fHWJfuKyjv8GatYGJ7nPJWQfg/s320/IMG_0076.JPG" width="320" /></span></i> </a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Tortilla Makers! </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-50JFg76mORhef9XMpw4g7Hq3uIBc6rgl-2d1gSZw4lzLagaNdKVg7ATS0pJCMzr9wDCFbxqrukUw5Vu2ZshgGpPY0x3mNIdPJgh_aen7SFlbMj7DLSKTxZYqCk4AG7zXiJXBVWW7sM/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-50JFg76mORhef9XMpw4g7Hq3uIBc6rgl-2d1gSZw4lzLagaNdKVg7ATS0pJCMzr9wDCFbxqrukUw5Vu2ZshgGpPY0x3mNIdPJgh_aen7SFlbMj7DLSKTxZYqCk4AG7zXiJXBVWW7sM/s320/IMG_0077.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Frozen Dim Sum! </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZsNy_HkUNXKVzA_8qwsyibkziND47pZwdMkItEc_t-1ectbiBZLdA82Yh_Z-89FzjZ0b57vIxhsX2Km-EV1skD2sJNeRab6iogKoRNslDmR9tCEGPJr9gmJ2GKkTGl-A0zcK67NI7XM/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZsNy_HkUNXKVzA_8qwsyibkziND47pZwdMkItEc_t-1ectbiBZLdA82Yh_Z-89FzjZ0b57vIxhsX2Km-EV1skD2sJNeRab6iogKoRNslDmR9tCEGPJr9gmJ2GKkTGl-A0zcK67NI7XM/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Mystery fruits from Jamaica!</span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf-wzN1G67ji2Gdnw9Y7vAeMGB5SmybeTMCOCHzMpaNDHlTmae2YtXYa0eq_J4HcQpgj4pyC1Ra1bJoUp-PRfuMg3xX10ZFKJ2ATkpeNAl60nK5rPPUA_LE6mtT6hLxiHoDRqqMS81_U/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf-wzN1G67ji2Gdnw9Y7vAeMGB5SmybeTMCOCHzMpaNDHlTmae2YtXYa0eq_J4HcQpgj4pyC1Ra1bJoUp-PRfuMg3xX10ZFKJ2ATkpeNAl60nK5rPPUA_LE6mtT6hLxiHoDRqqMS81_U/s320/IMG_0080.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Sixty different kinds of dried seaweed!</span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2ffKrcDLTcwtWsB7TtcUwM8ZqsXkbyphn0naR7_VDGRYQqzr-8hWx7nGDUyaiVwNia6pheb5_wdfuhs8TPGm9fxBDzbXBcBXnyaZQXvE3TUEOlOmTtPL5yW6309bzPorN7_5Flv1NMg/s1600/IMG_0074.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've even had a few fun nights out (favorite-place-so-far <a href="http://artfuldodgerlounge.blogspot.com/">Artful Dodger</a> on
Tuesdays has $2 drinks and live jazz and young folks aplenty) although
something tells me when I missed a call from my dad and he
said "you were probably out all night club hopping in Staunton," he was
proooobably being sarcastic...and he had <span style="font-size: small;">a point!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>NEW JOB </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But of course I don't spend most of my days wandering around farmers markets and international food warehouses. Instead every morning I walk up a wide carpeted wooden staircase<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>(accented with an antique, thankfully no longer operational, elevator) to my own little office on the fourth floor of the <a href="http://www.rrsmithcenter.org/">Smith Center</a>, where the ASC offices are located.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I lucked out big time. It's a great fit to my skill set, everyone is so warm and welcoming. My boss is awesome and supportive and shares gluten-free baking tips. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXO68zhKLcrG6aJq71_P20gx_OnIejOK_GrPtdcoqjQ-YIcO4DApCrCPXJGN66nd91deSThiqPDewxmKLWHf5GH1rX4pWLcuuZIrFlyz68clNiG10UMLZzaqn2Li7whOzu7ej69BvF-58/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXO68zhKLcrG6aJq71_P20gx_OnIejOK_GrPtdcoqjQ-YIcO4DApCrCPXJGN66nd91deSThiqPDewxmKLWHf5GH1rX4pWLcuuZIrFlyz68clNiG10UMLZzaqn2Li7whOzu7ej69BvF-58/s320/IMG_0028.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My first Playhouse tour...with a crew of middle school kids</i></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And the first week, while I was sitting in this gorgeous space watching <i>Romeo and Juliet </i>and thrilling to words I hadn't heard onstage in so long, I realized<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>something awfully obvious - I get to see great theatre all the time now. FOR FREE! I forgot how much I loved that feeling...to watch something so lovingly and skillfully presented and enthralling and think "Y<span style="font-size: small;">up</span>, I help make that happen."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I mean, obviously there are a few jarring moments to small town life. I consciously choose quieter shoes for when I know I'll be walking through downtown Staunton because my heels echo through the streets. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The first time I went to the Post Office was a little disappointing, since I had loudly clomped across downtown (admittedly, maybe five blocks) only to learn that when the postman is at lunch, the whole office is shut down. For an hour. A lot of stores don't even have registers, so when I buy a book or a Happy Birthday balloon I am handed a handwritten receipt. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KZN8kbU2FVVifb4LmojZljlRxWISZisH5REdTFDTj72TNM7KrKsNAS8_ShZkSgWnehYaVDEAbqfyx1_EqRGeha9yM3KKdgUmHtqrpr5e-afVYX_sdhyKhRDy__geZGl_WFfOOrKz-QI/s1600/That-was-adorable.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KZN8kbU2FVVifb4LmojZljlRxWISZisH5REdTFDTj72TNM7KrKsNAS8_ShZkSgWnehYaVDEAbqfyx1_EqRGeha9yM3KKdgUmHtqrpr5e-afVYX_sdhyKhRDy__geZGl_WFfOOrKz-QI/s320/That-was-adorable.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think my favorite small town moment was when I went to get my parking permit for the lot across the street from my office - which costs me a mere $25/month (remember the days in SF when I would pay almost $200/month in parking tickets, which was STILL cheaper than paying for a parking space?) In order to secure a parking permit, I had to visit City Hall in person - and they accepted only cash or check.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Me:</b> So I can't set up an auto debit?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Friendly City Hall Lady:</b> <i>blank stare.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5f6H9pSeFRoqBKgogLGjR1EkcX87PtrNUvpHg5_Fe1bx-5FBXmi3y-xGVQZitvmsKfOJAkXoCotlhH5HroW60cYLkqy4aAi_3sdDmIXXCh8zHzHNhbIlXsby0AfVVj7EkbvPZnNJWF8/s1600/old+fashioned.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5f6H9pSeFRoqBKgogLGjR1EkcX87PtrNUvpHg5_Fe1bx-5FBXmi3y-xGVQZitvmsKfOJAkXoCotlhH5HroW60cYLkqy4aAi_3sdDmIXXCh8zHzHNhbIlXsby0AfVVj7EkbvPZnNJWF8/s1600/old+fashioned.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>NEW STUDIO</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Harrisonburg is a little more young and hip (of course, relatively speaking) compared with Staunton, and one sign of the times is Bikram Yoga Harrisonburg<span style="font-size: small;">, which I love.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I have become the Heather Costello of Harrisonburg (love you, Heather!). I am ALWAYS LATE. The last class of the day is at 6pm, I'm usually working until 5:15pm, and it takes me around 40 minutes door to door. OR I can wake up for 6am, which, HAH.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdYRykZ5vri3vZ_8cjSdiUM_FhSITYvxLRKyV07b8kiD-_6VTyyAhb82LMkXjXLyLO4VkHxgAXcKupocExitM6wmwpJ9g0YXeuFcUOZ3ENcyK-2kshtfaGOb7_z2BcbbR9xo35IvbtbU/s1600/late.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdYRykZ5vri3vZ_8cjSdiUM_FhSITYvxLRKyV07b8kiD-_6VTyyAhb82LMkXjXLyLO4VkHxgAXcKupocExitM6wmwpJ9g0YXeuFcUOZ3ENcyK-2kshtfaGOb7_z2BcbbR9xo35IvbtbU/s320/late.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just the other day I ran into the lobby, slammed into the locked studio door, cried "Oh no!" and luckily, Kendall heard me and opened the door.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unwilling to lose the backbend I spent all that time on, I've started taking a few vinyasa classes to supplement my bikram, and that's actually been an eye opening experience - to be a relative beginner, forced to listen closely to the teacher so they don't say "Yes you, I'm talking to you" (um...not that that happened...) I've said it before and I'll say it again...Bikram yoga will always be first and foremost in my heart, but cheating on him once in a while only strengthens our relationship.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6uc-BUno39tgF2aQDj1tqcyuO1WUPFe6lVaPiUTne8D9EFLuceqw7Y3rcbT6gLwxSdwfdGFC83a4DxX_XEKls_YHoroXFOqjhtQ5F1gVEqUXxDatA5Qk4JE0YEvi7-pE1TySeAQ89LM/s1600/elmo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6uc-BUno39tgF2aQDj1tqcyuO1WUPFe6lVaPiUTne8D9EFLuceqw7Y3rcbT6gLwxSdwfdGFC83a4DxX_XEKls_YHoroXFOqjhtQ5F1gVEqUXxDatA5Qk4JE0YEvi7-pE1TySeAQ89LM/s1600/elmo.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This doesn't actually have to do with anything...I just found it looking for a good "cheating" gif and loved it too much.</span></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fun sidenote...Zeb called me on the "mm-hmm"-ing that started to pepper my class a little excessively, and my thus-far favorite vinyasa teacher does the SAME THING and it IS distracting!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SpIoPQHYhrw" width="560"></iframe> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am also still teaching! Every Sunday at 2pm you can find me there, telling jokes no one's heard before (whee!) and confusing students with some of my odd-to-them idiosyncrasies. Good times.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>NEW PHONE NUMBER</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Oh, and to round out the newness I got a new phone number. My little brother made a good point when he said "most people change their number to the 412 area code when they move INTO Pittsburgh...?" but there's a reason!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My beloved PIC Lori donated her iPhone to me before I left (and of course in exchange, now I text her all the damn time) and I switched networks because Verizon is the <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2013/07/adventures-in-verizon-wireless-customer.html">bane of my existence</a>. I got a temporary number which they said I would only have for a few days, but when a few days had passed and I followed up, it turned out Verizon had given me a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" sendoff by disconnecting instead of suspending my phone number.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtIQlR5xKd6vd2ly6BIGZwSkNU9B5s3tKZe_0es9CRlIGjeXw01r8EH3T5PWj_2zQ2iXWu_cnSi-XQYs-TLFwXu8z108_bYOg3sPA88dIAM3HQhrwBiNwes6d_nijTAgO969Fjnpbpv8/s1600/that_was_mean.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtIQlR5xKd6vd2ly6BIGZwSkNU9B5s3tKZe_0es9CRlIGjeXw01r8EH3T5PWj_2zQ2iXWu_cnSi-XQYs-TLFwXu8z108_bYOg3sPA88dIAM3HQhrwBiNwes6d_nijTAgO969Fjnpbpv8/s320/that_was_mean.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">No problem. I'll just keep that temporary number as my new, per<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">mane<span style="font-size: small;">nt</span></span> number.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But YOU GUYS. This temporary number is hilarious. Sample voicemails:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><br /></i><i>Hey Martin, this is Joe Sharkey. Uh...we were just wonderin' if, by any chance, you might have my dad's circular saw...</i></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>This is Pastor Stephanie with an invitation for you for a SPECIAL meeting with SPECIAL healing teams to SOAK you in God's power and God's PRESENCE (that one went on for a good three minutes).</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And then there's the text messages at 3AM in a language that google translate itself cannot even detect:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>a chimwene anga, munganditumizire $100 kuti ndiyirandire dzuwa lisanalowe mmawa surtaday please penapake zandithina koopsa. lkufunika 50 pin koma ka pamw ambako ndikhonza kuthamanga kombuno. Ine PIERCE (NW).</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZZJOwnLH3riOQJfohApvHCEIKhQid_Aq1AtqH8NxhH4M8Pw2mYpxLno_ARim1STwAOUmyR_HdZLkNN3Yr8g-wTi2R3-dMZlbcmGztxXlvD1xMQWL6tkQrMhaGi2mHdeEQQ1SQathqvw/s1600/Whaat_minion.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZZJOwnLH3riOQJfohApvHCEIKhQid_Aq1AtqH8NxhH4M8Pw2mYpxLno_ARim1STwAOUmyR_HdZLkNN3Yr8g-wTi2R3-dMZlbcmGztxXlvD1xMQWL6tkQrMhaGi2mHdeEQQ1SQathqvw/s1600/Whaat_minion.jpeg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I started answering calls from unfamiliar PA numbers saying "MARTIN DOESN'T HAVE THIS NUMBER ANYMORE. SPREAD THE WORD." but it wasn't working. I've finally figured out that he ran some sort of unofficial car service so a lot of people have his number. It's slowing down but if you call my new number and I don't answer...don't be offended!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Okay, I think that's enough for tonight and I'm ready to sleep off the floor for the first time in three weeks. Keep in touch...and Happy Thanksgiving! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6SD4X28kHlJx2UTzRb3PD0bNdUJyHWieigvfnuFObjt2IiTdy8sqh32fLBYLVzR4bSvKg2eMWxoEm2xcUZUR25XpMx3D1KGyTvH2qzRSDf5oBHJVHsyK1a0_a5sxJ1dE4uABSgFOUnA/s1600/thanksgiving-eating-level-ecards-someecards.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6SD4X28kHlJx2UTzRb3PD0bNdUJyHWieigvfnuFObjt2IiTdy8sqh32fLBYLVzR4bSvKg2eMWxoEm2xcUZUR25XpMx3D1KGyTvH2qzRSDf5oBHJVHsyK1a0_a5sxJ1dE4uABSgFOUnA/s320/thanksgiving-eating-level-ecards-someecards.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-19913752845571656582013-10-11T21:20:00.000-07:002013-10-11T21:20:05.322-07:00It's Only Goodbye for Now...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WluDzqXQ4iB7mIdcp1uMSYA26RjIR4hBEN_-DJ1F3TdXOF4x3w6ZzWbfrO0IKRLOe_HnvJrDEiY2CFfDUuM83apJmG_Wtx42HTc0RweXwO4sKrnP-dpEImERWOeX1e29FqKatDA8bos/s1600/aries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WluDzqXQ4iB7mIdcp1uMSYA26RjIR4hBEN_-DJ1F3TdXOF4x3w6ZzWbfrO0IKRLOe_HnvJrDEiY2CFfDUuM83apJmG_Wtx42HTc0RweXwO4sKrnP-dpEImERWOeX1e29FqKatDA8bos/s320/aries.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I don't read my horoscope much...but one particular day in late September, I happened to check it out. And here is what it said:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Standing at the edge of a new experience is a reassuring feeling for you Rams. You might even begin an extremely exciting venture now, for you have an optimistic sense about life and you are eager to play out your part. Be as adventurous as you wish. Live outside the constraints of negativity and reach for the stars.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxbwvUtk3PaWnoJuU8TU9A5AMmpYH0wnxdhBy_-ymDtIid0iZT_Hbtu_a92bkrHb6PGXVmiYRqq9zc6ILdP8M1tGkTZ41KmOM5eK6HjnkDue_c0i5idxLRF3RW7t8iuGlyGyS_eP8BZk/s1600/post-14325-Keanu-Reeves-whoa-gif-JNOr.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxbwvUtk3PaWnoJuU8TU9A5AMmpYH0wnxdhBy_-ymDtIid0iZT_Hbtu_a92bkrHb6PGXVmiYRqq9zc6ILdP8M1tGkTZ41KmOM5eK6HjnkDue_c0i5idxLRF3RW7t8iuGlyGyS_eP8BZk/s320/post-14325-Keanu-Reeves-whoa-gif-JNOr.gif" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why so shocked, Keanu? Because that very day I had been offered an amazing job in a small town in Virginia. So I decided to take it, and I'll be leaving my beloved Pittsburgh (and even more beloved studio) on October 26th.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hadn't intended to leave so soon - while I started toying with the idea of getting back into fundraising, I wasn't applying to anything, I just wanted to see what was out there. But when a great job at the <a href="http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/">American Shakespeare Center</a> landed in my email inbox, all signs pointed to YES.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- A neat organization with <a href="http://youtu.be/BHMfW1Um_Ls">a beautiful space</a>, <a href="http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/v.php?pg=49">an engaging mission</a>, fantastic leadership, and so much potential for growth? CHECK.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- An area with a surprising focus on farm-to-table cuisine, organics, and sustainability - in fact, <a href="http://www.polyfacefarms.com/">the farm</a> featured in one of my favorite food-related books, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Omnivores-Dilemma-Natural-History/dp/1594132054">Omnivore's Dilemma</a>, only seven miles away? CHECK.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- The beautiful mountains and landscape of the Shenandoah Valley? New life experiences for Danielle? CHECK.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TlIzeF-RkIijtvSyzdGg_G1pbAExixPY5HRm5lNLeTJXLd4O6EsRb9hlOZWv6cYlAzu6Egai9YunsGA_NdIT-ARuH1sbOluYCzM2i3ICLcrTu-PesD6HqG9L1cj3quB0dY7JBCtREEE/s1600/valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TlIzeF-RkIijtvSyzdGg_G1pbAExixPY5HRm5lNLeTJXLd4O6EsRb9hlOZWv6cYlAzu6Egai9YunsGA_NdIT-ARuH1sbOluYCzM2i3ICLcrTu-PesD6HqG9L1cj3quB0dY7JBCtREEE/s1600/valley.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Astonishing low cost of living? CHECK.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">- And of course...a gorgeous </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.bikramyogaharrisonburg.com/">Bikram Yoga studio</a>, owned by my fellow Spring 2011 trainee and all around awesome person <a href="http://www.bikramyogaharrisonburg.com/#!about/cjg9">Kendall</a>, a mere half hour away? CHECK.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">I felt a bit like Jeff from that strange, sweet movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588334/?ref_=sr_1">Jeff Who Lives At Home</a> (except, y'know, not living at home. And maybe a little less scruffy. Just not by much.)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFUYo4TP_qsF0a1FeLqj7gUGZNZztKmoZfAGa0wppBSFpDsMs3AAlJNmBy6GOHKCKKN62XHNU5fIPylZUnqsrVV_ecpx0FXD-KdkJ3CEvFtXfKGdcr9pusoWWfTtcBBnj8NUC3yl1qLE/s1600/jeff+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFUYo4TP_qsF0a1FeLqj7gUGZNZztKmoZfAGa0wppBSFpDsMs3AAlJNmBy6GOHKCKKN62XHNU5fIPylZUnqsrVV_ecpx0FXD-KdkJ3CEvFtXfKGdcr9pusoWWfTtcBBnj8NUC3yl1qLE/s320/jeff+quote.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">When the cute little coffee shop next to my new workplace played my <a href="http://youtu.be/1czCNnPyHlw">current favorite</a> (and relatively obscure) song while the barista made me a perfect soy latte and sang the praises of little Staunton, VA...I was sold.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">But...</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApZvmr8cdh6PWsDIumi0b7Tn_QxezczyaL9_iU7RcFA6yHlHgkxetjkqiMT-mqS6Li06rjt9Ite0nLSEr4Jh_L8q87m5upTF-rSC8LjKwSpIyzKIXnhL70WVtfWKjKOY5zLvYbpLSqNo/s1600/crying.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApZvmr8cdh6PWsDIumi0b7Tn_QxezczyaL9_iU7RcFA6yHlHgkxetjkqiMT-mqS6Li06rjt9Ite0nLSEr4Jh_L8q87m5upTF-rSC8LjKwSpIyzKIXnhL70WVtfWKjKOY5zLvYbpLSqNo/s1600/crying.gif" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh isn't just a workplace...it's been my favorite place, with my favorite people, for over two years now. I've watched students grow and change and thrive and been thrilled and delighted to share their beautiful journeys. I've learned so much as a teacher, a student, and a yoga practitioner, from my mentor Zeb and from all the teachers here. Not only is my spine more bendy but my heart is more open. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">When I graduated teacher training, if you had told me I would move back to Pittsburgh...</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04r3Wz0fQo9IVRwSHney4_JpQtQvn6jsAFzmlWXYhwfhOGIWlBcLV9QKGYjvDiF5Bldy_ogbscoMs6CEDasNGzGmg8ormBa7z6oKO59EXEVJJr6I8FO9hKb8jfrQeHnz2dNVhfu6SuiU/s1600/thats-funny.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04r3Wz0fQo9IVRwSHney4_JpQtQvn6jsAFzmlWXYhwfhOGIWlBcLV9QKGYjvDiF5Bldy_ogbscoMs6CEDasNGzGmg8ormBa7z6oKO59EXEVJJr6I8FO9hKb8jfrQeHnz2dNVhfu6SuiU/s320/thats-funny.gif" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">I was going to teach on a little island in Thailand or get my Australian visa or SOMETHING other than...Pittsburgh. But little did I know, Pittsburgh, and all the people in it, would provide some of the most special and illuminating years of my life.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Last but not least...it's not goodbye forever, just goodbye for now. Who knows what the future may hold?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Cheesy Sondheim song anyone?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CB-lDzvLTmk" width="420"></iframe></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">No? This is probably more appropriate.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AGG0I059OEE" width="420"></iframe></span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-42727933048371449642013-08-11T22:25:00.000-07:002013-08-11T22:32:04.450-07:00Competition Recap, or Danielle Should Probably Get A New Computer At Some Point<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello yoga family,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wrote you a beautiful blog post. I shared funny anecdotes about all the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzX6MreUhkg">concerts</a> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/music-events/the-postal-service-ra-ra-riot,1256525.html">I've</a> <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/music-reviews/bloc-party-delights-crowds-with-new-songs-old-favorites-690087/">been</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9GzYNDXACE">to</a> this summer. I talked about the amazing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/111760029031055/">Mary Jarvis</a> seminars I've been lucky enough to attend. I described the terrible terrible plague that is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miliaria">heat rash</a> when you're not only a full time Bikram Yoga teacher, but also training for yoga competition...yet somehow, I transitioned the hilarious story of that horrendous plague into a learning experience about new stud<span style="font-size: small;">ent mentalities</span>, and I tied it into an inspiring tale of one of my 6am students and it was BEAUTIFUL, I TELL YOU. BEAUTIFUL.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And then my computer froze up, and I had to restart, and Blogger had decided that it just didn't feel like saving my post. Any of it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMIQ7FgtBFsv6fGU_RWQw1jPcRX4zL3QC2g_2je1Ba3PkrtQ-L1bzTPO5FFQ4B0MbQEtKIa1KU-WwYkfm4ZiEc1GdIAuVpRe9DnB3ZZc91TYe_Cm9tjGkFZkIv67UDEI3HadyHjIEJ4g/s1600/no.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMIQ7FgtBFsv6fGU_RWQw1jPcRX4zL3QC2g_2je1Ba3PkrtQ-L1bzTPO5FFQ4B0MbQEtKIa1KU-WwYkfm4ZiEc1GdIAuVpRe9DnB3ZZc91TYe_Cm9tjGkFZkIv67UDEI3HadyHjIEJ4g/s320/no.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My memory is that of a goldfish and therefore I cannot recapture for you the glory of the hours I spent this weekend writing that post, dear readers. So I'll just focus on what you're probably most curious about...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Competition Recap 2013!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Training for competition was <span style="font-size: small;">a blast</span> this year, plague of a heat rash or no. We had our biggest group of competitors yet, including eleven students and teachers who were participating for the <span style="font-size: small;">very first time.</span> It was awesome to watch their progress and share those moments of joy in the first drop back, or the first wall-walk, or kicking up into the first handstand.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAiFFiKVVBduj0ciomiUHZmGmb8jWFh6qLKBVZbbQ8VGFweA8VlTz_fIx9hTUIMb2xrY_v9Kxo4tRygSIMbEoSPKP3fb-fmWT5pPmdgkK9zQuA4dbTJs-t_kKZy4A5IGNJdlvL9waOvk/s1600/brendan.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAiFFiKVVBduj0ciomiUHZmGmb8jWFh6qLKBVZbbQ8VGFweA8VlTz_fIx9hTUIMb2xrY_v9Kxo4tRygSIMbEoSPKP3fb-fmWT5pPmdgkK9zQuA4dbTJs-t_kKZy4A5IGNJdlvL9waOvk/s1600/brendan.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Obviously when I clapped for them it wasn't like this. I just love this gif SO MUCH.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I talked for a long while with a Post Gazette reporter for <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/yoga-buffs-show-off-form-during-regional-contest-at-point-state-park-697176/">this article</a> just before competition, and I told her how much I enjoyed being a part of this team<span style="font-size: small;">. G</span>iven that the only organized activity <span style="font-size: small;">I've </span>enjoyed that could be considered "sport"<span style="font-size: small;"> is, well...</span>marching band, it's been a new and exciting experience for me. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plus, we're all yogis, so we're all so supportive and loving of each other it's probably a little bit sickening. We may have had a sing-along to Bohemian Rhapsody as we backbended along the wall one summer Sunday afternoon. Maybe.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tgbNymZ7vqY" width="560"></iframe></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And I gushed about how great our fearless leader Zeb was, and I shared the entirety of my marathon metaphor with her (which my students are probably all too familiar with...yoga competition is like a marathon, you're not in it to win it, but to set a personal goal and then work with a team of likeminded people to achieve your goals together)<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alas, all that made it into Marina's article (which I 100% understand, because <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">she </span>had a lot of material to work with</span> and was also very sweet) is this:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>For competitor Danielle Hoffman, who placed fourth in Pennsylvania last year, competitive yoga is just like marathon running.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"You
don't usually enter to win it, you enter it to set a really crazy
personal goal," said Ms. Hoffman, 32, of Bloomfield. "For me it's like
I'm going to balance on my arm with my feet on my head. And that's
crazy, but I'm going to do it."</i></span></span><br />
<div style="color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yeah, okay. That too.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of which, I totally balanced on my arms with my feet on my head!</span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq17mIUWcxJMB1yUDGyEnBA7T4xzudOUwreHL-ZFBy-NUEHlCCsCQGqQcnoZiJkZZ6W2iTgrZuq9z81gLgY-23_LBb6MrCG-TxIKc54IeUWFBpwAeVaRM6E2Kgs4HJ7RRrgAPl_jBu4kQ/s1600/Tiger+Scorpion+comp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq17mIUWcxJMB1yUDGyEnBA7T4xzudOUwreHL-ZFBy-NUEHlCCsCQGqQcnoZiJkZZ6W2iTgrZuq9z81gLgY-23_LBb6MrCG-TxIKc54IeUWFBpwAeVaRM6E2Kgs4HJ7RRrgAPl_jBu4kQ/s320/Tiger+Scorpion+comp2.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But I'm getting ahead of myself. Since it worked so well <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2012/03/nyc-national-yoga-competition-im-so.html">last time</a>, please a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">llow
me to walk you through what went on in my head during these three
minutes (and what goes through my head watching these three minutes):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WfHiW7-GEpM" width="560"></iframe></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>:04 </b>I'm really not that nervous. After the debacle that was 2011 Nationals I don't think I'll ever be that nervous again. Instead, I feel a little <span style="font-size: small;">anticlimactic</span>. This is it? This is what I've been training all month for? Well, okay then. Let's do this.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>:26 </b>Remember when this was my most challenging posture? Yeah, me neither. Yoga rockstar baby!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>:52</b> Speaking of yoga rockstar, Standing Bow? Psh. Easy peasy.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>:53 </b>Wait whaaaaaaaaaaat???</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Standing Bow Sidebar: </b></i> Remember the Standing Bow Comparison I did last year? Well, this is how it <i>should</i> have looked this year:</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4kAV-qnz3Obtb6y9cqPx4C6FcVDDvj_ODyPie1zTvksImYeWZ8LPn2EjDIuZH1oLxSVsQNpFWfFEdkIfqdoyuCk7zJH62EiE9LDyay8AZ_CKQnZfgphWS0XsSL62foodD4ZEcU9Ntpc/s1600/Dream+Standing+Bow+Comparision.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4kAV-qnz3Obtb6y9cqPx4C6FcVDDvj_ODyPie1zTvksImYeWZ8LPn2EjDIuZH1oLxSVsQNpFWfFEdkIfqdoyuCk7zJH62EiE9LDyay8AZ_CKQnZfgphWS0XsSL62foodD4ZEcU9Ntpc/s400/Dream+Standing+Bow+Comparision.jpg" width="400" /> </a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But as you can see in the above video, this is how it ACTUALLY looked: </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeLpg9E8nj8yuqmB30fAAu2vIruTRBAZWU2Dp2utw7FpaD9KJPJ4S9xeq2o24tfQQSRlCf-18xkZLOf5VSa5wttShhNhbcdEJKDpt9k-tl9mU3_nPRWdfLvPc4xFJ2Qe3lwuzRLE2kyA/s1600/Actual+Standing+Bow+Comparision.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeLpg9E8nj8yuqmB30fAAu2vIruTRBAZWU2Dp2utw7FpaD9KJPJ4S9xeq2o24tfQQSRlCf-18xkZLOf5VSa5wttShhNhbcdEJKDpt9k-tl9mU3_nPRWdfLvPc4xFJ2Qe3lwuzRLE2kyA/s400/Actual+Standing+Bow+Comparision.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not sure exactly what happened. I could blame it on slippery grassy feet (the competition took place in a tent outside during a thunderstorm, believe it or not); or the fact that I decided to switch sides the week before; or that, during my brief warmup onstage, I tested Standing Bow on the wrong foot, looking in the wrong direction; or that I was so focused on staying put in Tiger Scorpion that I got lazy with my mandatory postures; but regardless, I fell out. I was so surprised that I didn't have time to adjust or recover or try to save it. I may have squealed. Oh well. <a href="http://youtu.be/hLFYx6xlhB0">It is what it is</a>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1:15 </b> Oh it's on now, yogis. <a href="http://youtu.be/tq08yOneY_0">Bring it.</a></span></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1:25</b> I'm pretty happy with this bow. And I enjoyed how the bow poses all competition were reflected in the poster behind us (except when the poster slooowly tipped over into Myra as she rolled into her rabbit...but she "rolled" with it!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1:44 </b>This is probably the best rabbit I have ever done. Or done since. I mean, <a href="http://www.usayoga.org/results">look at my score</a>! I scored the same as Lori! As Leigh Ann! I'm pretty stoked. (Do <span style="font-size: small;">people</span> still use the word "sto<span style="font-size: small;">ked"? <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/12/19/slang-words-2012_n_2322664.html"><span style="font-size: small;">I think no.</span></a>)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1:56</b> Judge Ainslie leans over to Judge Mary and whispers something here. I imagine the conversation went something like this: <i> </i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>JA: Didn't she kinda look like she was doing <a href="http://youtu.be/Io6zGgZILYc">the worm</a> when she got into that posture? <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">JM</span>: <span style="font-size: small;">Yes. <span style="font-size: small;">Yes she did.</span></span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2:20</b> I wobble but I do not fall out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2:27</b> I wobble but I do not fall out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2:32 </b>I sway but I DO NOT FALL OUT.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2:40</b> Nailed it! (The smile/grimace on my face here is simultaneously gleeful and a little bit terrifying. <i><span style="font-size: small;">I</span></i> wouldn't mess with me.)</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXTS9QlmpMLw6OJlN2cc-9SpkD3iM8cXgMPG2S4MLT4Co19XmTaPpg-sfPJ_5nC3VstzWTHrsa5gLHon_A6-AowpiXO7oY8r-QgxPozhXQAQXSW7C0Qcr9qmBtgjjIxEdEHhxJ3ZcKNE/s1600/tiger+scorpion+comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXTS9QlmpMLw6OJlN2cc-9SpkD3iM8cXgMPG2S4MLT4Co19XmTaPpg-sfPJ_5nC3VstzWTHrsa5gLHon_A6-AowpiXO7oY8r-QgxPozhXQAQXSW7C0Qcr9qmBtgjjIxEdEHhxJ3ZcKNE/s320/tiger+scorpion+comp.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Thanks to Allison for the cool collage!</i></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2:45</b> KA-THUNK. I never did nail that landing...sorry Zeb. <span style="font-size: small;">S</span>omething to work on for next yea<span style="font-size: small;">r<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2:53 </b>WHEEEEE bendy spine. For that I'd like to thank Mary Jarvis and many months of keeping my belly button on the floor in Cobra pose. It's a pain but it works<span style="font-size: small;">!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3:09</b> This is something else I changed in the weeks leading up to competition. I had planned to do a deeper version of the Full Cobra I did last year, but I mixed it up...it would have been nice if my elbows were just a skotch lower but I'm happy with it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">..aaaaaand we're done!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DdYHytwgirJicXE79fGOh9Yk8XzBnOql1SH01nJKDgM4KcRiUzPcKVp4SfZJMsbQHtOlvJnjSLbk_6tusJlZc7ws4TUIvkISMl-YorU1wCn84a_2JWvfU5027VMNivXY7JZzKMGfTP8/s1600/cheering.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DdYHytwgirJicXE79fGOh9Yk8XzBnOql1SH01nJKDgM4KcRiUzPcKVp4SfZJMsbQHtOlvJnjSLbk_6tusJlZc7ws4TUIvkISMl-YorU1wCn84a_2JWvfU5027VMNivXY7JZzKMGfTP8/s1600/cheering.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the hours post-performance I cheered uproariously for all my fellow yogis<span style="font-size: small;">;</span> cheered extra loud for Lori, my number one training buddy and PIC, when she won third place in her first year(!) (and check out this <a href="http://i.yogasportsfederation.org/q-a-lori-battist-pa-regional-3rd-place-womens-division-winner-usa/">great interview on the USA Yoga website</a>)<span style="font-size: small;">;</span> devoured a crepe with nutella and strawberries and bananas (mmmm, gluten); wandered around the Yoga Expo, pick<span style="font-size: small;">ing</span> up smoothie samples and freebies and bliss<span style="font-size: small;">ing</span> out for a moment in <a href="http://www.sweatandbutter.com/">Sweat and Butter</a>'s <a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/q71/1000735_197607720405102_2079268200_n.jpg">Zen Tent</a>; and last but not least, relaxed by the Point State Park Fountain with some marvelous yoga people.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RP5FEDtbx8lNmczlQC8HhlIipiKtnSYOXkmv0v4YUMUPuxht86rH-JmWDkpA-_6hs9PkpJbJaSOKk2fSvvF6WVlA9elMQDs6MSC15JL6LfEvLmF_gdcdkAw1b7ocyrZdqRaQVHpyFys/s1600/max+handstand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RP5FEDtbx8lNmczlQC8HhlIipiKtnSYOXkmv0v4YUMUPuxht86rH-JmWDkpA-_6hs9PkpJbJaSOKk2fSvvF6WVlA9elMQDs6MSC15JL6LfEvLmF_gdcdkAw1b7ocyrZdqRaQVHpyFys/s320/max+handstand.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Watch out. If you dare Max to handstand photobomb, he will actually do it!</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That's right, there were a couple of familiar faces along for this adventure<span style="font-size: small;">! </span>Phil and <a href="http://youtu.be/CMr6lAzzLH0">Max</a> from my favorite guest-teaching spot, the <a href="http://www.bikramyogaannapolis.com/">Annapolis studios in Maryland</a>, were here - Phil to provide his eloquent elocutionary expertise as the emcee, and Max to provide support and good humor (and participate in Mary's seminar, of course); and even favorite person <a href="http://youtu.be/k7j91xE44aA">Chris</a> from NYC was <span style="font-size: small;">here<span style="font-size: small;"> - in fact, he took</span> </span>the video on which I've based this whole blog post<span style="font-size: small;">!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyHE_LYIppsRJKMzf8V9QqaabEuW9eqNA-_bD0Xk8PL9IIIMQUo69M5fYi1QVMEzL_52sXE58mQYTsTIChLQ21Yx4j1XiJ1_CRCxfq3xWsez7-r-XJZtFb2GSjHECpNcBpDBs1sshCRo/s1600/yoga+butts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyHE_LYIppsRJKMzf8V9QqaabEuW9eqNA-_bD0Xk8PL9IIIMQUo69M5fYi1QVMEzL_52sXE58mQYTsTIChLQ21Yx4j1XiJ1_CRCxfq3xWsez7-r-XJZtFb2GSjHECpNcBpDBs1sshCRo/s320/yoga+butts.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">....aaaand the next day we stared at their butts in Mary's seminar. But those are some fine yoga butts!</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's more of course, but it's now <span style="font-size: small;">so </span>late and I still have to pack for my mini-vacation to Nova Scotia tomorrow. I won't let so much time pass before the next post...and I'll make sure to hit that sneaky save button once in a while.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">'til then,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Danielle</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. One last video!: <a href="http://bcove.me/icwlqdjj">http://bcove.me/icwlqdjj</a></span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-19461810391544046862013-07-01T20:02:00.002-07:002013-07-01T20:02:18.072-07:00Adventures in Verizon Wireless Customer Service<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeovnrwBmmuVWOpm64xeS0eVPWb5Pe_ocs6mPzlD-zkmy_cQnSKK4yaBNLEYbF_K6IK_dDtVlprG8JNK831fD78OHccb5T4UEdxegliQqZvTBC-kKnF593l8LICv1mRDCGaDDqIIl7X_Y/s720/bypgh2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeovnrwBmmuVWOpm64xeS0eVPWb5Pe_ocs6mPzlD-zkmy_cQnSKK4yaBNLEYbF_K6IK_dDtVlprG8JNK831fD78OHccb5T4UEdxegliQqZvTBC-kKnF593l8LICv1mRDCGaDDqIIl7X_Y/s320/bypgh2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes, I know that I owe you all a real blog post related to yoga life, and I promise that is coming soon (Mary Jarvis in NYC! Competition July 27th! This awesome photo!) But first, I have had the most laughably insane customer service experience over the past few months, culminating just now in "We're sorry, there's no answer; this call is being disconnected." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">BUT MR. BRADLEY HAS MADE A PROMISE AND I WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW IT.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i>Our story begins on a cold winter's day in March 2013...</i></b></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>March 22: </b>I get to thinking, <i>Gee, I pay a lot of money to Verizon Wireless every month. My 27-year-old sister and 19-year-old brother are grown ups but still belong to my mom's plan, and pay a lot less than me. I'm trying to save money, and joining my mom's plan seems like a good and simple idea.</i> So I ask my mom if it would be okay to join her plan. She says sure, why not? </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2WwbXMydilB-__actX71rixziv2-GvGecCZuyFBmmI4_zTlsojFxDzzlMr3gVpw4kPLV7Cin7k60Ga1B1XMra14OsGtU5djij5WyAyrRCHHi5jnHdpZLNLKVrdQyOFkbVNgAJC5eyeQ/s245/innocent.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2WwbXMydilB-__actX71rixziv2-GvGecCZuyFBmmI4_zTlsojFxDzzlMr3gVpw4kPLV7Cin7k60Ga1B1XMra14OsGtU5djij5WyAyrRCHHi5jnHdpZLNLKVrdQyOFkbVNgAJC5eyeQ/s245/innocent.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So I drive to the Verizon Wireless store at the Waterfront. The nice lady says sure, you can join your mom's plan, with the exact same plan you have right now, and it will only be about $50/month. You'll save $30/month! I say, sweet! Nice lady says, here's the number for your mom to call. Mom does. All seems to be in order. That was easy!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7QDazFJLz4vTajQ46UHQm0ywk6fFiLDXgWzSoP1N-CEh0yQJvRmuVOKj444hJ2lJAJuveFr1Klg6zNOmaQuIyob1tqKGWTNq5aXfGXzjtUi6ADSH_gowHzA-Wnf_bWzspvm6AhTN618/s350/evil+laugh.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7QDazFJLz4vTajQ46UHQm0ywk6fFiLDXgWzSoP1N-CEh0yQJvRmuVOKj444hJ2lJAJuveFr1Klg6zNOmaQuIyob1tqKGWTNq5aXfGXzjtUi6ADSH_gowHzA-Wnf_bWzspvm6AhTN618/s320/evil+laugh.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>May 22: </b>Mom calls and leaves me a trying-not-to-be-pissed-off voicemail. "Danielle, I just got a bill for almost $500. I think they charged you for every text message. What's going on?? You need to fix this."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I also get an email from my sister that reads: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>And p.s. you better call Mom soon, and <span class="il">Verizon</span>.
Looks like they screwed you somehow (or did you not sign up for
unlimited texts??) Mom's not happy, and it sounds like you still owe her
money... so I'd get on that if I were you! </i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIRZw1nWlmmK3slHdWL8H7f-1MrVl-qTidG4mTAJZeORsOPDXuNpF8ktDzF9uhC6CFOR2FyObskRA73QFNvLRTGwta_KlvrgI3D5mQdaEv52kxP-iTOpBG6kj9OgGRbwwhEIyKUocbkY/s293/nun_ruler.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIRZw1nWlmmK3slHdWL8H7f-1MrVl-qTidG4mTAJZeORsOPDXuNpF8ktDzF9uhC6CFOR2FyObskRA73QFNvLRTGwta_KlvrgI3D5mQdaEv52kxP-iTOpBG6kj9OgGRbwwhEIyKUocbkY/s293/nun_ruler.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>May 24: </b> The very day I have a free afternoon, I drive back to the Waterfront Verizon store. The young lady who "helps" me is trying her best but after about half an hour she just tells me to call customer service from my phone, that they can do more than she can.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After about an hour, I am ready to implode. The guy I'm talking to (whose name, unfortunately, I did not get...let's call him Mr. Grouch) is very slow and very grouchy. I have to spell the situation out for him several times. Finally, he begrudgingly promises me a full refund of $260 for all those text messages, but says morosely, "I guess I'm not getting my bonus this month." </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHDDLP9KvJ6GI3CtK1kMM4vUBRe8JAkbf3JYs-3yemXI7FrYA-5zOtcTCN8T12el9_10oCDGv7y0_KlSf5x4RfBD-Jx_0_7gsx5wPIGbcRolLWmwUGv-t17QL2vs47bE_jpsBlPVQQNs/s156/judge+judy+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHDDLP9KvJ6GI3CtK1kMM4vUBRe8JAkbf3JYs-3yemXI7FrYA-5zOtcTCN8T12el9_10oCDGv7y0_KlSf5x4RfBD-Jx_0_7gsx5wPIGbcRolLWmwUGv-t17QL2vs47bE_jpsBlPVQQNs/s156/judge+judy+2.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm sorry, which part of THIS IS NOT MY FAULT did you not understand? Also, this conversation happened:</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>ME: </b>So you promise me that when my mom's autopay goes through next week, it will NOT be $500? </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>HIM: </b>Yes. You have a credit of $256 applied to your account. It will be minus that $256.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CAJth6A9AIVz2O-vc-DKA0kQhh_36Upl1ep8PKhkDqCYvhYDRPKfZrV7CCnGzQyMiJ-N3_skUIr1eb-RYbQsRVRfZPapaWYDcLHnRBpoM2TuXzf5DYTfo7GNDiamqGOyWzaEAFuBIW8/s320/26178-dr-evil-laugh-gif-bBfL.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CAJth6A9AIVz2O-vc-DKA0kQhh_36Upl1ep8PKhkDqCYvhYDRPKfZrV7CCnGzQyMiJ-N3_skUIr1eb-RYbQsRVRfZPapaWYDcLHnRBpoM2TuXzf5DYTfo7GNDiamqGOyWzaEAFuBIW8/s320/26178-dr-evil-laugh-gif-bBfL.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>June 3: </b> I bet you can guess what happens...Mom calls me in a panic and says "Danielle! You told me that $500 wouldn't go through! I was lucky I had enough money in my checking account and didn't get overdrawn!" (she only keeps as much as she needs to pay bills in that particular account.)</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So I'm back on the phone with customer service. This guy is the grouchiest grouch of all Verizon guys (I believe his name was Brad. Or Mark. Dammit, I wrote it down somewhere!) He makes me feel like an idiot. Of course the credit wasn't applied. It's impossible for the credit to be applied to a bill that's already been processed. No, there's nothing he can do. Yes, he can file a formal complaint against the lying liar who lies, Mr. Grouch. Anything else?</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCTO52hXxNNEK_8wdQHG5Sdu9hC6Ba_sqVVbci_Yw8cmVy8ey7_VpLNHYrk8fQFhvd2UU3UdvKomUAI91UX-MxekN6MCvQQqs9JiYXzrcjxOIQzDPl4j6bCcnnwkIZuX_Dsfj4DQuS00/s260/little+girl.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCTO52hXxNNEK_8wdQHG5Sdu9hC6Ba_sqVVbci_Yw8cmVy8ey7_VpLNHYrk8fQFhvd2UU3UdvKomUAI91UX-MxekN6MCvQQqs9JiYXzrcjxOIQzDPl4j6bCcnnwkIZuX_Dsfj4DQuS00/s260/little+girl.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At least the infuriating BradMark assures me that the next bill will reflect that elusive, but supposedly existing, credit.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>June 25:</b> I'm in NYC sweating away during three-hours classes with an amazing crew of yogis. Then I check my phone and I get a text message from my little sister that says "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but..."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiosneYZWQKRiaoLV2PcuyOubQADSAbx9bK9R3mr7WMP937dHyzqY2temVX6hwkftqSFqFYtV8vrVCa0hjBmha7ldCte1kL-jUj_G5WV5xYVKVyRWKIsEZXYsz6bEMi_a650sNHgawrug/s304/oh+come+on.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiosneYZWQKRiaoLV2PcuyOubQADSAbx9bK9R3mr7WMP937dHyzqY2temVX6hwkftqSFqFYtV8vrVCa0hjBmha7ldCte1kL-jUj_G5WV5xYVKVyRWKIsEZXYsz6bEMi_a650sNHgawrug/s304/oh+come+on.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>July 1 (today): </b> I'm back on the phone with Verizon Wireless, with the newest bill for almost $500 ($448.74, to be exact) in my bewildered possession.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I talk to a fella named Brad. While his grouchiness does not reach BradMark levels, he also seems to think it's obvious that the credit has not yet been applied. Because they pre-bill you for services on the 21st of every month. So the credits went through May 25th, but they had already created this bill I was holding in my flabbergasted hands, in July, on May 21st. Or something. He walks me through an adminstrative process that is, frankly, baffling.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9OxUWe881gvurPItkWZp446xZ_bCtOZzf9T76IAwJwu-v3C89EOtNTXLH0qh3Zeg0P2gsqfqWj0KoEqpQ2vWki94D02wI3e3Dd8xL3Jcfedfcf0esIfyIdOSZnrRs6FEK7L3n8T7tg4/s320/confused.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9OxUWe881gvurPItkWZp446xZ_bCtOZzf9T76IAwJwu-v3C89EOtNTXLH0qh3Zeg0P2gsqfqWj0KoEqpQ2vWki94D02wI3e3Dd8xL3Jcfedfcf0esIfyIdOSZnrRs6FEK7L3n8T7tg4/s320/confused.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What we can do, says Brad, is cancel your mom's autopay. Run through a one-time payment of the amount you owe minus this credit that is now almost $300 THAT EXISTS I SWEAR.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>ME: </b>Do you promise there will be no service interruptions or late fees?</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Brad</b>: Yes.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>ME:</b> I'm writing down "Brad sez no service interruptions and no late fees."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Brad</b>: ...let's connect with Verizon Communications to make sure that doesn't happen.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">....and all of the sudden I'm back in automated Verizon land with the cheerful automated Verizon lady who chirps "If you're calling with a question about your landline, press 3..."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8GO_W3NJ-VCJPr6rNqan5YKKShZSQ0xaxynLmGUutT_gVGbk1HM_1o2NaIe1BC5mRPS4ZHFYzzrQuDiIg0Hcv4tixJjL0_Z5dFDU-tWYeDsJQdXiAvqe8DJO5VGkhDf3qFUGUcrYd-4/s500/betrayal.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8GO_W3NJ-VCJPr6rNqan5YKKShZSQ0xaxynLmGUutT_gVGbk1HM_1o2NaIe1BC5mRPS4ZHFYzzrQuDiIg0Hcv4tixJjL0_Z5dFDU-tWYeDsJQdXiAvqe8DJO5VGkhDf3qFUGUcrYd-4/s320/betrayal.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I thought Brad was coming with me to Verizon Communications! I thought we were a team! Brad, I trusted you! I'm so tired at this point of being on the phone I actually shout words at random, like "Front Desk! Person! Real Person!" Recorded Verizon lady actually responds, after a brief pause, with "You've asked to speak with someone, right?" "YES!" I plead.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Enter Mr. Bradley from Verizon Financial.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1BWoK4avwIEz0zfAtkI2Uvy5VPtWG92r0TC0KJUum68wnAWmXWPyylwbBEpyO5O9VrB5gbsskaEq8d1CSdvR1TXVUhpTbLdLicrXhtLhAKxL-xt6RvEQmjaeaTh3Dw6PeejcJxTTbns/s300/superhero.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1BWoK4avwIEz0zfAtkI2Uvy5VPtWG92r0TC0KJUum68wnAWmXWPyylwbBEpyO5O9VrB5gbsskaEq8d1CSdvR1TXVUhpTbLdLicrXhtLhAKxL-xt6RvEQmjaeaTh3Dw6PeejcJxTTbns/s300/superhero.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LbTiBnZS2MJZzISmZJmWiX8aJjeQa3y-xiI-8nnOtjI50ILaE99KVKFa0yBsJ485q5z2TPw9SW_sqwlimgJF8cBv10rqsz7mjrE5xIfVzFRJwPGG7VMvs9YQW4fmew9EdHp_HvaKeBg/s426/it's+over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mr. Bradley has a warm and welcoming voice. Mr. Bradley doesn't treat me like an idiot. Mr. Bradley gets shit done. Mr. Bradley says reassuring things like "I don't understand why they did it this way" and "they should have taken the extra step to put the amount on hold" and "I can understand why you're upset." </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRV4r1a_t7KrT4tga7Xxws5vi4PVVlBudNJROuSQ-oOuNuneG-m-EM6zjMC4uEYaTBQhPdqiMmLdHR9XRB3n-VNzxgIycvYpIEaGbemWmWGXhobljnuhOsG3k7E1PnBg3hnMEtw9SIq-E/s316/love.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRV4r1a_t7KrT4tga7Xxws5vi4PVVlBudNJROuSQ-oOuNuneG-m-EM6zjMC4uEYaTBQhPdqiMmLdHR9XRB3n-VNzxgIycvYpIEaGbemWmWGXhobljnuhOsG3k7E1PnBg3hnMEtw9SIq-E/s316/love.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>MR. BRADLEY: </b> The system will only debit $159.47 from your mom's account on July 4th. That's the bill minus your credit.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>ME: </b>You promise.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>MR. BRADLEY</b> (assuredly): Yes. But I'm going to check with customer service to be 100% sure. <i><b>Don't hang up.</b></i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>ME</b> (with relief): I won't, Mr. Bradley.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And suddenly....without warning...without me doing a damn thing but hold the phone to my ear...I'm back at the beginning. "Welcome to Verizon Wireless. If you're calling about your account, press 1..."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17b0cgbACtHTaK1O2VsAdLb5oDAZa1lVfJT_fu1SPkxGwogAWdtNpR8eKdSvDTD2euK9G5iuaTtsPB-J0xbI5i9ynlsMstLzJRGfYcH8acvD5H7Na1Ayk4l4sBXtpSi89rA7Co36WihM/s500/no.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17b0cgbACtHTaK1O2VsAdLb5oDAZa1lVfJT_fu1SPkxGwogAWdtNpR8eKdSvDTD2euK9G5iuaTtsPB-J0xbI5i9ynlsMstLzJRGfYcH8acvD5H7Na1Ayk4l4sBXtpSi89rA7Co36WihM/s320/no.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I try to find my way back to financial services. Back to the comfort of Mr. <span style="font-size: small;">Brad<span style="font-size: small;">ley's voice</span></span>. HE WAS GOING TO <span style="font-size: small;">GET IT DONE. </span>Cheery automated Verizon lady puts me on hold. Then she tells me they're connecting me to someone. And then, with finality, "We're sorry, there is no answer. This call is being disconnected."</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNHDmK5mjgKFIrnJ4Z06bGVBeuV0liGCp-gyZqJorVYaKteJtEgCTFzBja3klFKDAgEONfTCXThpEx_57kbPcJs7BI8_ZIijT_7JcYF5F6unQXpN3cakN290RNlK5qwUU_xVPvbGEVVA/s500/30-Rock-31.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNHDmK5mjgKFIrnJ4Z06bGVBeuV0liGCp-gyZqJorVYaKteJtEgCTFzBja3klFKDAgEONfTCXThpEx_57kbPcJs7BI8_ZIijT_7JcYF5F6unQXpN3cakN290RNlK5qwUU_xVPvbGEVVA/s320/30-Rock-31.gif" width="320" /> </a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxw_l890q_6cZJjsqDt4zlgBRvlwIXnXOFGOqfp6DNqIrqigPiwPstOdM2BNgQ2c6HkBNaTPXh9HJvf798X-cu0_qBinlYUuJYNOqflBfYWXbvnqhfhLv5jMGIFbfcqjnahbzULcqL7Y/s500/it+isn%27t+fair.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxw_l890q_6cZJjsqDt4zlgBRvlwIXnXOFGOqfp6DNqIrqigPiwPstOdM2BNgQ2c6HkBNaTPXh9HJvf798X-cu0_qBinlYUuJYNOqflBfYWXbvnqhfhLv5jMGIFbfcqjnahbzULcqL7Y/s320/it+isn%27t+fair.gif" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So that's where it ended. I couldn't call back Customer Service and tussle with the Automated Verizon lady and find my way back to Mr. Bradley, because I had to go to work.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Then I came home and wrote this blog post. Tonight I will share it with Verizon in the hope that they can put me back in touch with Mr. Bradley.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And tomorrow, I'll try again...and if Automated Verizon lady gives me any grief...or if I get yet another Mr. Grouchy Pants...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHySdvBeicbGpC4VAapbMmpm-ql-tBfDR8ppJnKd4NMYSIFryzOwddIKH8RgaVU58pDX4Ucy5Nswko9DBUvLYWWEYj-ACzMfW5jveTSDzECl1yzdjunIPapkKgRWrLGLYATByA0HHYzMk/s320/punch.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHySdvBeicbGpC4VAapbMmpm-ql-tBfDR8ppJnKd4NMYSIFryzOwddIKH8RgaVU58pDX4Ucy5Nswko9DBUvLYWWEYj-ACzMfW5jveTSDzECl1yzdjunIPapkKgRWrLGLYATByA0HHYzMk/s320/punch.gif" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-79011576372887739052013-03-20T13:27:00.000-07:002013-03-20T13:29:01.906-07:00More Tales of a Traveling Yogi<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello my fellow yoga friends! Before I get into the happenings of the past few months, please allow me to indulge in a little shameless self promotion...</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mydestination.com/users/daniellemariehoffman/bbb"><img alt="Vote for me" height="150px" src="http://cdnstatic-2.mydestination.com/Images/bbb/badge.png" width="150px" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click on that button, watch my silly video, and then "share" it via 1 - 5 methods<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>to vote for me <span style="font-size: small;">1 - <span style="font-size: small;">5 times</span></span>! A bunch of students and friends and family members have already been sharing it around via Facebook and let me tell you, nothing warms the heart quite like one of your beloved students saying "vote for my teacher!" </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Of course, Stephanie's promo might take the cake: "<span class="userContent">Wouldn't yinz rather see this lovely lovely filming in Bora
Bora or Cairo? Then VOTE FOR HER so she no longer has to make videos of
Pittsburgh." HA!</span></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId2RkwKzdfxsJxtQLCUvZfkG3OrVdVfX59CGYFtsYIzMA-xIgSevV9bzk4yg96uF2D8z-N_e2pRDI0E_PxhouPVCDr6buWTKOWTsHwfMYgPO2Pn7Sp8IdLzZ9h-9rInAPHAdJddSqQxM/s1600/zeb+mp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId2RkwKzdfxsJxtQLCUvZfkG3OrVdVfX59CGYFtsYIzMA-xIgSevV9bzk4yg96uF2D8z-N_e2pRDI0E_PxhouPVCDr6buWTKOWTsHwfMYgPO2Pn7Sp8IdLzZ9h-9rInAPHAdJddSqQxM/s320/zeb+mp.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Definitely on the bucket list...doing my own Standing Bow by Machu Picchu..although it proooobably won't look like Zeb's.</span></span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">If I win this contest I get to travel around the world for six months, checking off a "bucket list" of 25 activities/experiences I develop with the folks running the contest. In exchange I provide them with a bunch of content - blogging, taking photos, etc. And when I get back, I get a cool fifty thousand bucks. AMAZING.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Okay, but seriously, here are two reasons why I think I'm perfect for this:</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">1) I am a 30-year-old woman with no real responsibilities (family, <span style="font-size: small;">mortgage</span>, etc). Until I bought secondhand furniture from my student who moved back to Germany (shout out to Barbara T as in Terhaag!) I could fit all my worldly possessions in my car. Some might say this is "lame" or "pathetic" or "when are you going to give me grandchildren, dammit" but hear me out mom! </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42pD3sauZN_d0ndnD-pDowGXyEesEGTkIxRd7NUlEEc09Sqcc1TXV1ysB2r_tr3f5SBhV2p3pRoepfoCgwAgl9vekSCrxyqpxoW3Qpo0H3JzNje7znnOrNvKudrBpPi5AAjMZswLvPD8/s1600/tumblr_md24ofsKwm1rx74v2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42pD3sauZN_d0ndnD-pDowGXyEesEGTkIxRd7NUlEEc09Sqcc1TXV1ysB2r_tr3f5SBhV2p3pRoepfoCgwAgl9vekSCrxyqpxoW3Qpo0H3JzNje7znnOrNvKudrBpPi5AAjMZswLvPD8/s320/tumblr_md24ofsKwm1rx74v2.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">I'm mature enough that the My Destination folks running the contests can trust me not to get drunk on </span><span class="userContent">Raki and pass out in an alley in Istanbul...but I'm young enough that I'm (presumably) relatable to the young-uns and can still do things like try to learn how to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUW9_zPGE74">whirl like a Sufi dervish</a> without fear of <span style="font-size: small;">embarrassment</span>. So, kudos to me for still living like I'm 25!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">2) The international Bikram community! I am lucky enough to be a part of a worldwide network of teachers and studios that I can easily tap into thanks to handy 21st century technology. The teachers from my training group alone are now living in Mallorca, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; Kona Hawaii; even Beirut, Lebanon; and then when you expand outward to friends of teachers that I know, teachers of teachers...it's pretty awesome and extensive and exciting.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">So, I'll be able to get a real sense of local culture from people who actually live in the places I visit, and with whom I have a very strong shared connection of this yoga love, without actually having to master the local language. Because let's face it, I am not a language master.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgBEtEZ_riJkN3wlnQowTVjeVgHb9Ygs6UGzM8EmzgdNaaOPVfr7Z25lQYXJ_nvkSmtL1m2EALWF2zPP0Lx4TMMeHzZeP_2cMpa-mhLJe79hI74jUOi74Nj0Y6kt8LU02bAQ7aee8YtI/s1600/ye-olde-tourist-crappe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgBEtEZ_riJkN3wlnQowTVjeVgHb9Ygs6UGzM8EmzgdNaaOPVfr7Z25lQYXJ_nvkSmtL1m2EALWF2zPP0Lx4TMMeHzZeP_2cMpa-mhLJe79hI74jUOi74Nj0Y6kt8LU02bAQ7aee8YtI/s320/ye-olde-tourist-crappe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So you can trust that I won't end up here...</span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There's more, but at this point you're so overwhelmed with enthusiasm you're saying "what's that link again??" So here it is..... thanks for watching!</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_276354406"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.mydestination.com/users/daniellemariehoffman/bbb#tab"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://www.mydestination.com/users/daniellemariehoffman/bbb#tab</span></span></b></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">P.S. I'm not trying to be one of the five who gets the most votes because let's face it, <a href="http://www.mydestination.com/users/bryarly/bbb#tab">ladies like this</a> have that all sewn up. But I'm sure the five picked by the judges need a f<span style="font-size: small;">air number of <span style="font-size: small;">votes to get their attention. S<span style="font-size: small;">o, your help is much appreciated. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also, everyone who has helped me<span style="font-size: small;"> out <span style="font-size: small;">here in <span style="font-size: small;">Pittsburgh will be in<span style="font-size: small;">vited to my c<span style="font-size: small;">elebratory b<span style="font-size: small;">runch at the <a href="http://www.muer.com/grand-concourse/index.asp">Grand Concourse</a> when I win. I still can't believe how many Pittsburghers have never<span style="font-size: small;"> been...it didn't make it i<span style="font-size: small;">nto the video but it is THE BEST.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvId-7CcVrbDcYgGXNo6w8IF2x10p12YTxEZPaqkgtf33ORLNDCSwrIpYYkCAv1yExXgLTVaBBgwP5YV7QqcEoLyewB6sF2OTeI6L9TuClZumctoJh2wprtqDwvimReiswHzYNITn5vwo/s1600/grand+concourse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvId-7CcVrbDcYgGXNo6w8IF2x10p12YTxEZPaqkgtf33ORLNDCSwrIpYYkCAv1yExXgLTVaBBgwP5YV7QqcEoLyewB6sF2OTeI6L9TuClZumctoJh2wprtqDwvimReiswHzYNITn5vwo/s320/grand+concourse.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Okay, so that this isn't an entirely self-promoting entry, here are a few travelling tales of the past few months when I've been remiss as a blogger:</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzpeqAMztHDzmcbisK7oOXg0-8kJlQO2ERCGv71zKNru3SXOZcVZRGH0I9qZn-MUtBz2r08iTlJ-kRyvvZ-_zUgw5lVm4xUAE8CsWj4zN8V7t518gChVGCiDhjTmrbO2Gf-1NL9Lq81k/s1600/bikram-yoga-lancaster-pa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzpeqAMztHDzmcbisK7oOXg0-8kJlQO2ERCGv71zKNru3SXOZcVZRGH0I9qZn-MUtBz2r08iTlJ-kRyvvZ-_zUgw5lVm4xUAE8CsWj4zN8V7t518gChVGCiDhjTmrbO2Gf-1NL9Lq81k/s1600/bikram-yoga-lancaster-pa.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Over the holidays (yes, it's really been that long!) I went to the town of <b>Lancaster, PA</b> for a cousin reunion. I'm the oldest of 17 total cousins on my dad's side, and since my grandparents passed away and <span style="font-size: small;">many of the <span style="font-size: small;">cousins went off to college and became grownup<span style="font-size: small;">s in their own right</span></span></span>, we haven't all been together in a very long time. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So my aunt and uncle hosted a bunch of us at their house, where we ate the same food and played the same games we remembered as kids, and added some new ones (and if you haven't played <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/eat-poop-you-cat-telestrations-review/">Eat Poop You Cat</a> with fifteen people, you haven't lived<span style="font-size: small;">...i</span>t resulted in fairy prostitutes traveling from South America to North America to find people to pinch their muffins and <span style="font-size: small;">let's just <span style="font-size: small;">say I haven't laughed that hard in years</span></span>).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And of course, I wanted to try out the <a href="http://www.lancasteryoga.com/">Lancaster Bikram studio</a>, and my Uncle Steve and cousin Karla were game. They're both hugely fit people - Uncle Steve runs his own boot camp class, and Karla can throw herself into the air with a bendy pole like this:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFmShRZ7lpYXCWol_SNBTfsqPVBFeg3Jx33tBzbaaIW6oTbyc6ZIFvUphWNCQL_uqVAHeLnjYMV93NVrHYXp_heXzm8P3PvO_gc59ganHZcA_SgPHTGGAyVkvUCP8kwrCRtFfQk-P_o8/s1600/Karla+pole+vaulting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFmShRZ7lpYXCWol_SNBTfsqPVBFeg3Jx33tBzbaaIW6oTbyc6ZIFvUphWNCQL_uqVAHeLnjYMV93NVrHYXp_heXzm8P3PvO_gc59ganHZcA_SgPHTGGAyVkvUCP8kwrCRtFfQk-P_o8/s320/Karla+pole+vaulting.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How does she DO that!?</span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So they were super awesome at their first Bikram class, and I was so touched that they were willing to <span style="font-size: small;">participate</span>. My favorite moment for sure, happened during Fixed Firm, though I didn't know it at the time; Uncle Steve was struggling a bit with the form of it in the first set, so during the savasana rest in between, he whispered not-so-quietly to me "am I doing that right? should my knees stay on the floor?" I whispered back "I'll show you in the next set," and then the teacher led us into the sit up. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It wasn't until we were back at the homestead and Uncle Steve was telling his hilarious tale of his first Bikram experience to the assembled cousins, and he said "and then everyone shushed me! I didn't realize they were so serious!" that I realized that the loud "SHHHHH SHHHHH" sound everyone makes sitting up for second set could be seen as an actual shushing of the newbie. Now THAT'S hilarious.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b></b><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOOsI-3VeinZXIgsMhMR94QEX7T2Guhg5YaPYPqGB4YeL1XRhdKE6hOYsATPaMSvTCpwPCQmW-g5XNwM-yVupS9s-hn1QRKdNpU3VAQF8fyTbjg_F0IE-vBLbyRIX3xaZN51cd2Slt0Q/s1600/DSC03674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOOsI-3VeinZXIgsMhMR94QEX7T2Guhg5YaPYPqGB4YeL1XRhdKE6hOYsATPaMSvTCpwPCQmW-g5XNwM-yVupS9s-hn1QRKdNpU3VAQF8fyTbjg_F0IE-vBLbyRIX3xaZN51cd2Slt0Q/s320/DSC03674.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Why yes, this WAS my FB profile photo for a while until I noticed the poster in the background...</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In February I got to fly over to <b>San Francisco, CA</b> for a few days, my home for three years, and that was a delight, catching up with dear friends from all the various worlds I inhabited while I lived there, nonprofit and yoga and party time alike. I taught a class at Mission Yoga which went pretty well, took classes from some of my old training buddies (<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/229928_4229789230824_108338495_n.jpg">look what has happened</a> to our favorite dreadlocked yogi!!), ate some amazing food, drank enough delicious coffee to drown a small child, and, in one of the highlights of the trip, took a yoga class from one of my old favorite teachers, Sarah Baughn.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOwr155-fCNBKGF0v46oyG2bK3eQPBwING6BKxQaLQwHxQe8ReMSiXd60MRWzNXT5Oz1IZo2kiHSPfzwzpBIBJ1QQlbMFI0tB-VWC0ye1Wr6Xv59UzIR3Om-gtlF0aVSFHDd0SrObs5o/s1600/sarah+baughn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOwr155-fCNBKGF0v46oyG2bK3eQPBwING6BKxQaLQwHxQe8ReMSiXd60MRWzNXT5Oz1IZo2kiHSPfzwzpBIBJ1QQlbMFI0tB-VWC0ye1Wr6Xv59UzIR3Om-gtlF0aVSFHDd0SrObs5o/s1600/sarah+baughn.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How does she DO that?!</span></span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Before class, she and I had been talking about how teaching styles shift as you grow as a teacher, and Sarah's style have shifted to a really intense, correction-heavy one. It was amazing, and I don't think I've worked that hard since my first few months training with Zeb, or maybe even Emmy Cleaves back at training. Sarah would stand behind me, in, for example, Half Moon and say "okay now more stomach in. chest up. get rid of the flat spots on the side. Don't let go of that stomach! now more down. stomach!" for what felt like six hours.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was <span style="font-size: small;">exhilarating</span> and I felt like jelly afterwards, and I can't imagine it would be a sustainable way to practice over the long term (because I WOULD DIE) but I learned so much!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SiW_uS8f5W4" width="560"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">SUPASTAR.</span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Speaking of learning so much, I also had the chance to travel to<b> Severna Park, Maryland </b>for a week in March and teach for Emily and Phil Vendemmia, two Bikram Yoga supastars. There's been a rash of babies in Maryland (including their adorable nine week old son Ari) and so they were a little short on teachers. I lived in their sweet basement apartment, taught two classes a day, took at least one class a day, and picked up a whole bunch of new information. Emily and Phil are just the nicest, most generous people, and it felt like a marvelous yoga vacation.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is neither good no<span style="font-size: small;">r bad, but t</span>he<span style="font-size: small;"> Maryland community isn</span>'t quite as happy<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>go<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>lucky as the community we have here at Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh. Case in point: at the very first class I took in Severna Park, the teacher walked into the room and said "Good morning everyone," and like a kindergartener I loudly chirped "GOOD MORNING" in response and I was THE ONLY ONE. That was my first sign that, in Ma<span style="font-size: small;">ryland</span>, I should probably tone down the silliness.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But really, it was super fun, I can't recommend these studios enough - and I'll be back in early May!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuO0dLGShdAxUg_Op9Pdj2tXDEZC8TsqrdGzWPFnf1xEHdvAMaE4jOFELWAhcuhwL5mNKGLdxsuJToCrlTDr26tCG6as_yOF1sGmQ9DHkxNpeGzkD1NwlIPq5GXR7g2fMd8XMUirJPCY/s1600/turtle+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuO0dLGShdAxUg_Op9Pdj2tXDEZC8TsqrdGzWPFnf1xEHdvAMaE4jOFELWAhcuhwL5mNKGLdxsuJToCrlTDr26tCG6as_yOF1sGmQ9DHkxNpeGzkD1NwlIPq5GXR7g2fMd8XMUirJPCY/s320/turtle+for+blog.jpg" width="278" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is how I try to feel when working on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8jYCQB1UAAqUK4JVIw6gopB_ZV9Fd6YjQv4-mtH0iCsHf_OW95c9Sxf5ro0Lfcg9PaS9YdlXVQl1RicsrKogPMW3hnLmQmY6TWXYT4m_5O4i-igWWx0yLlKtxwo91HvU8hD3H87K49A/s320/Myra+Sleeping+Yogi.jpg">Sleeping Yogi</a></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Oh, and while Shannon and I stayed behind and threw epic keggers in the yoga studio lobby (alas, knowing us, it would be more likely keggers full of green juice instead of beer), Zeb and Leigh headed off to <b>New York City, NY </b>and placed 2nd and 17th IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, respectively. AWESOME! They made Pennsylvania proud. Check out these incredible routines:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r0RooftrNGQ" width="560"></iframe></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-QA_91ruitI" width="560"></iframe> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So now Zeb is training for Internationals in June, please be sure to wish him luck!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Stay tuned for more exciting stuff coming up over the next few weeks... for example, I'll be teaching <b>Nite Sweats on Friday, March 29th at 8:30pm</b>. This is Bikram Yoga with music, lights, dancing, and general silliness. I HIGHLY DOUBT you can find anything more fun than this next Friday. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Besides which, while I wish I could dance like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY">this</a> I generally look more like <a href="http://youtu.be/NxUrV9AJEUQ">this</a>. Join me in terrible dancing land...AND besides which, all the proceeds from this donations-only class will go to <a href="http://www.bbbspgh.org/site/c.ahKLIYMIImI2E/b.8123819/k.F03D/Home_Page.htm">Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh</a>, a cause you know is very near and dear to my heart.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPFhdlRLfic5qCxBsRWSSqfD4UZWlrRoMh6sc9BSsfak0hHSOAQI-VXQ3fUbtMz1ZzNe3i21R-4mE9qdkN-TOwPToPTLVSCPxTl4xv2Pe24DO3KpahyvGZK51nXFZDtUpbrinrzgXjME/s1600/crossfitlady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPFhdlRLfic5qCxBsRWSSqfD4UZWlrRoMh6sc9BSsfak0hHSOAQI-VXQ3fUbtMz1ZzNe3i21R-4mE9qdkN-TOwPToPTLVSCPxTl4xv2Pe24DO3KpahyvGZK51nXFZDtUpbrinrzgXjME/s320/crossfitlady.jpg" width="259" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is TOTALLY going to be me.</span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Also, on Saturday I'm going to try <a href="http://www.crossfitathletics.com/about-us">CrossFit</a> for the first time (or at least, that's the plan). We've had a lot of Crossfitters lately and I want to see what it's all about. I MAY DIE. Wish me luck!</span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-36186511183045983342012-12-09T12:59:00.000-08:002013-02-10T12:25:11.515-08:00Farewell to Mr. Fancy Car & Yummy Mummies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5KdSfWXT6-bJH8BMCTou-SW3XkP-53RKxXisGeZPfCYRp9ERZGek7rFIZ97CzaYq7PrmVL_XUR9CNHkHBdpqRFH0avTyI-dXg_1DlPVdbJReGcqIOiY3pG47KkC_RAr1cYNGIZXEoqY/s1600/DSC00994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5KdSfWXT6-bJH8BMCTou-SW3XkP-53RKxXisGeZPfCYRp9ERZGek7rFIZ97CzaYq7PrmVL_XUR9CNHkHBdpqRFH0avTyI-dXg_1DlPVdbJReGcqIOiY3pG47KkC_RAr1cYNGIZXEoqY/s320/DSC00994.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Yaris and I in happier times, the day we met...</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As every part of my life <span style="font-size: small;">seem<span style="font-size: small;">s some<span style="font-size: small;">how</span></span></span> tied to yoga these days, I thought I might share with you the story of Mr. Fancy Car, to whom I bid a tearful goodbye this week.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Those of you who have been in my little Toyota Yaris know that it is the opposite of a fancy car. The responsibility of the passenger in the front seat is to shout "LOCK YOUR DOORS!" (training buddy/roommate Kelly is still the champ at that particular role), you have to blast the heat for ten minutes before you feel a thing, there is no cruise control (which made my cross country drive a challenge), and even the windows have to be rolled up manually.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu36WZKec1sFVjoj8s0FWPWVQuvyBTykKwCIweFm1ksip_b12R5wNNMYHch8uNtUq4lVKRYLRwglnt4xmLBWFgAZ12bVbp3xkbCC5MyMGUxXaZzSoYkmlPhUDvTGlSTQFU1RNIB5yv_M/s1600/window+crank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu36WZKec1sFVjoj8s0FWPWVQuvyBTykKwCIweFm1ksip_b12R5wNNMYHch8uNtUq4lVKRYLRwglnt4xmLBWFgAZ12bVbp3xkbCC5MyMGUxXaZzSoYkmlPhUDvTGlSTQFU1RNIB5yv_M/s320/window+crank.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Oh yeah...high tech. </i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nevertheless, I love my little car, and it has served me well. I took it in for its first official Pennsylvania inspection a few weeks ago and the mechanic said "usually I see an average of $500 worth of work for these, but all you needed was a little windshield wiper fluid." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A few days after that (as it turns out, weirdly prescient) statement, I came home late after my first Steelers game, and as there was no parking on my street, and I knew I'd be up to teach a 6am class (well before metered parking kicked in), I parked on desolate, empty Liberty Street. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Five hours later I walked back to my car to drive to the studio and saw this:</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCWdNRBtggnx0L1IUKgI2szdcEjLDa1TqxxTKgkHw62EyWpM6n2j6qgz1n0cKUfkYQATlPAotXrMziqQ_k9FtAjD8eEWdis0UkTrmGqr7yYbfbDPiNIMVD4O28MD29X39KJcDWyJ4d1U/s1600/Car+at+Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCWdNRBtggnx0L1IUKgI2szdcEjLDa1TqxxTKgkHw62EyWpM6n2j6qgz1n0cKUfkYQATlPAotXrMziqQ_k9FtAjD8eEWdis0UkTrmGqr7yYbfbDPiNIMVD4O28MD29X39KJcDWyJ4d1U/s320/Car+at+Night.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my half-awake early morning state I couldn't really figure out what had happened. ...Is this my car? Did I make a mistake? What happened to my door? Then I started peering around my car and realized that the huge chunk missing from my car door was nowhere to be found...the giant tru<span style="font-size: small;">c</span>k/dinosaur that had destroyed my drivers side door had cleaned up very nicely behind him.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Well, I still have to teach class,</i> I decided, so I crawled into the drivers seat from the passenger side door (yay, yoga flexibility). The car started fine...so off I went.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfNH23L9QKviMnOispYOiwD3JdzwSvgWd-XYqIdUp0ZPjfi7mKo_ieH7wuT6CQ4zCR0FuJh5Iz3x84MZ417c1PXCTBqWn0JCYMCCzOMQNP1sB0WOOfxJ72RP6-sK5V9hHRX3_ZrXX09w/s1600/Steelers-Dinosaurs---81818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfNH23L9QKviMnOispYOiwD3JdzwSvgWd-XYqIdUp0ZPjfi7mKo_ieH7wuT6CQ4zCR0FuJh5Iz3x84MZ417c1PXCTBqWn0JCYMCCzOMQNP1sB0WOOfxJ72RP6-sK5V9hHRX3_ZrXX09w/s320/Steelers-Dinosaurs---81818.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Maybe these hooligans were the culprits...</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once I was at the studio, I did some googling of "hit and run" and realized I'd better call the police. Of course that meant there was a friendly neighborhood policeman standing at the front desk as the students started to arrive for class. You think seeing your car's door peeled off in the early hours is baffling? Try a policeman at the front desk of a yoga studio at 5:30am! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Long story short (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDincj-FIc">too late</a>!), after a few days I took my car into the shop - where they all agreed that it had to have been the work of a dinosaur, and that I REALLY shouldn't have been driving around those three days - although the looks of shock and pity I would get from fellow drivers were pretty amusing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsDCMoc8gvV21gAVMwaicYFrbgBFaCz6S5iEOUwTRuLCFzWwFqP_wUrv2HQkqbZP_TkS8IYCQYUFEeTdkwlgS93eIGLuMUb3IBugB6uWWrQ2qTn8hOHr5ULmQsABHBrLSLBcXB-6jBvI/s1600/Car+during+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsDCMoc8gvV21gAVMwaicYFrbgBFaCz6S5iEOUwTRuLCFzWwFqP_wUrv2HQkqbZP_TkS8IYCQYUFEeTdkwlgS93eIGLuMUb3IBugB6uWWrQ2qTn8hOHr5ULmQsABHBrLSLBcXB-6jBvI/s320/Car+during+Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Daylight view of the damage...and yes, that is totally a coconut water can</i></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Turns out I have good insurance (thanks to the advice of my long-ago boss & mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters, Joanne) so I would have a rental car paid for for 20 days, and Enterprise would come pick me up at the autobody shop.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When the guy from Enterprise rolled up, I figured it must just be fancy car shuttle service, like for a nice hotel or something. Nope. This was my new car:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiocDiDzw7TC5UZJl6aUCRFEhBUBcXtS6yyRoMKLG9JCzXODMaf86-zcKASugA8xHmVKHWQQHhyhVIqhdjIHbAzEa-5kUH2OTTuqP28MAGykMHJ93uV_0jZ92iF2ZHzmGxncC4IZ2cf2o/s1600/Fancy+Car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiocDiDzw7TC5UZJl6aUCRFEhBUBcXtS6yyRoMKLG9JCzXODMaf86-zcKASugA8xHmVKHWQQHhyhVIqhdjIHbAzEa-5kUH2OTTuqP28MAGykMHJ93uV_0jZ92iF2ZHzmGxncC4IZ2cf2o/s320/Fancy+Car.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't think Enterprise guy had ever had someone react with fear and trepidation to this car. The friendly front desk lady at the auto body <span style="font-size: small;">shop even</span> came out to tell Enterprise guy "she lives in Bloomfield. How will she park this? It's too big!" So, a little bemused, <span style="font-size: small;">he </span>drove me back to this office to see if there were other cars available. There weren't.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I know it seems like a fancy car to you," he said, "but to us it's just a piece of inventory. We have forty more like this in our fleet. Just think of it like that." So, heart pounding, I pulled into the street and drove to Starbucks to wake myself up a bit before taking the 10am class. I had some trouble finding the beverage holder...then slid back a fancy drawer to discover cupholders with THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL TEMPERATURE CONTROLS.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFpoAU8yRiRqtj-z3dd7HDk9HMTY5ftHLBwGuZbXqZXf3sLRelQ6X2FcLZb2K9A-P2xLIQlZmzLpzv3ZcYahmb13IyR6UNmcYJoCu-k6LCvvp7hbSyavUgXd-8YoDwTOPB8nMg7drAc0/s1600/300_temperature_cup_holders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFpoAU8yRiRqtj-z3dd7HDk9HMTY5ftHLBwGuZbXqZXf3sLRelQ6X2FcLZb2K9A-P2xLIQlZmzLpzv3ZcYahmb13IyR6UNmcYJoCu-k6LCvvp7hbSyavUgXd-8YoDwTOPB8nMg7drAc0/s320/300_temperature_cup_holders.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://youtu.be/zkGrP_L0Ywk?t=47s">Man I feel like money</a>... </span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Later than day I drove two of my fellow yogis to Trader Joes in my fancy car (they said I ought to have a chauffeur cap on while driving this monstrosity). As we walked back to the car, laden with bags, Leigh Ann said "there must be a button that automatically pops the trunk." Oh yes, there was a button.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thus, over the course of 20 days, Mr. Fancy Car stole my heart. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfy5VP7GbAM5FrhqRsFAA9IuUzi5_N-JqvDGEO68ktMqdGcAHQYP27od0uaypYaGHzM-ManFXKeaOU8QgxK21UNvaHDybS0zVr9oPwqCI3vZZYftbeOJFMSonrhClCn3-vmY1hl9nhDc/s1600/myers-ww-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfy5VP7GbAM5FrhqRsFAA9IuUzi5_N-JqvDGEO68ktMqdGcAHQYP27od0uaypYaGHzM-ManFXKeaOU8QgxK21UNvaHDybS0zVr9oPwqCI3vZZYftbeOJFMSonrhClCn3-vmY1hl9nhDc/s320/myers-ww-car.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My car singing will never top these guys, of course</i></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other amazing things Mr. Fancy Car provided: </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Satellite radio<i><span style="font-size: small;"> -</span></i> I'm not ashamed to admit one of my personal favorites<span style="font-size: small;"> was</span> <a href="http://www.siriusxm.com/onbroadway">On Broadway</a><span style="font-size: small;">,</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Built in navigation, that would reduce the volume of the radio to
tell me the next turn in a friendly voice, then bring the volume back u<span style="font-size: small;">p,</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- A fancy backing-up camera, although it still took about four times as long to park the first few days, and...</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Not just heated seats, but a HEATED STEERING WHEEL.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ddj7_altklc?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Thi<span style="font-size: x-small;">s is so amazing I want to punch you in the face!</span></i></span> </span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I must say, I got used to this. I mastered parking him. I stopped holding my breath every time someone else got a little close. I learned how to drive with a little more caution and care (which I've never done with my poor Yaris...who had hupcaps taken off at the mechanic because I'd always determined if I was close enough to the curb by scraping the hubcaps along the curb...turns out I'm not supposed to do that?)...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And then Thursday, my insurance ran out and I took Mr. Fancy Car back to Enterprise. Since my real car is still in the shop (by the way, my deductible is $500 - see what I mean about that mechanic's prescient statement?), after I dropped the car off, I dug through boxes in the basement to find my bike helmet, and hopped on a bicycle I borrowed from the lovely Leigh Ann to get to the studio for my next class. You win some, you lose some...</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQhFYkbW3nCBPjoe2mLIsVYp1_2kBXZ6452UwI2BTy5qOVoHgNohkXQGAbZXX_FKKuBC2mwF7P61Pbx5eqo8oilB76e-9ADgsYJDjvzZbNOzT49n7nx34GbF6i_MoWIeq0nXTI3xa2b8/s1600/Sexy_Driver_Widescreen_Wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQhFYkbW3nCBPjoe2mLIsVYp1_2kBXZ6452UwI2BTy5qOVoHgNohkXQGAbZXX_FKKuBC2mwF7P61Pbx5eqo8oilB76e-9ADgsYJDjvzZbNOzT49n7nx34GbF6i_MoWIeq0nXTI3xa2b8/s200/Sexy_Driver_Widescreen_Wallpaper.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>From this...</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutBeeJ0bk66780lwB8-R6xdUTv9zqusEZRn58WAaAXSqbwTqDThVhHor4OF6q6aa3q7tdj_jsuo6FTR24sssFeH_1Lpq5tJVegLEJoQNHEsomF1cpSzkKsYcYdjSJW6hocomJukU4PuE/s1600/29255150-a-girl-is-sad-because-she-has-to-stop-riding-her-bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutBeeJ0bk66780lwB8-R6xdUTv9zqusEZRn58WAaAXSqbwTqDThVhHor4OF6q6aa3q7tdj_jsuo6FTR24sssFeH_1Lpq5tJVegLEJoQNHEsomF1cpSzkKsYcYdjSJW6hocomJukU4PuE/s200/29255150-a-girl-is-sad-because-she-has-to-stop-riding-her-bike.jpg" width="195" /></a></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>...to this.</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moving on (and speaking of the lovely Leigh Ann!)</b>...a few weeks before all this happened, my sister and I made the trip out to Glenshaw a few times to try<b> <a href="http://www.v3yogaandpilates.com/">a free week of yoga</a> at V3 Yoga and Pilates. </b>You know Leigh Ann's competition exploits from this blog, but did you know she's a fabulous yoga teacher in her own right<span style="font-size: small;">?</span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hot Vinyasa Flow was a lot of fun, but I absolutely loved <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/580">Yin Yoga</a>. In Yin, Leigh Ann acts almost as a meditative guide, setting you up into some sort of passive stretching posture, where you just hang out for several minutes, getting deeper and deeper. It was glorious. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFPM9OoIgEj5T65yYCj079mxbZE0Kb4JT4wwe_pjHIuCgKh6rKCnexosw8xmIBchNrC0N4SErYECqoTw-OFaOiGQAzZaYrmOOZfYmg4yA9rYIEF3FYSs7mSFzQ75pQMgtDIjaZWyqqbc/s1600/yoga+nap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFPM9OoIgEj5T65yYCj079mxbZE0Kb4JT4wwe_pjHIuCgKh6rKCnexosw8xmIBchNrC0N4SErYECqoTw-OFaOiGQAzZaYrmOOZfYmg4yA9rYIEF3FYSs7mSFzQ75pQMgtDIjaZWyqqbc/s1600/yoga+nap.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I MAY have fallen asleep a few times (hey, I'd already taken and taught a few Bikram classes that day!) but I left feeling so refreshed and stretched. And my hip joints were wide awake (i.e. so sore) the next day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Turns out Leigh Ann is a great teacher, knowledgable, approachable, down to earth. A lot of studios have introductory specials but hers is the only one I know of that offers a FREE week, no strings attached - so give it a try.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moving on (and speaking of great teachers!) Mary Jarvis was here! </b> It was just as marvelous and inspiring a weekend as last year. I've been using a lot of what she shared in both my teaching and practicing. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1eqifJxbvy7bNlKpEF0YKB1xdfFrmqmwJhqf6s7o3rZphBT9jNectccSIn9rnI2HGqWB0hiV_RbL66ItHhjpLp0UACvmLU4Vl6ZikDGsmg974JX_ETwIw4zGkdjbhxhG6zwo-1Y6U4E/s1600/standing-bow1-300x203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1eqifJxbvy7bNlKpEF0YKB1xdfFrmqmwJhqf6s7o3rZphBT9jNectccSIn9rnI2HGqWB0hiV_RbL66ItHhjpLp0UACvmLU4Vl6ZikDGsmg974JX_ETwIw4zGkdjbhxhG6zwo-1Y6U4E/s1600/standing-bow1-300x203.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Hold for three...two...one...</i> </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For example, here's a good tip - when you're ready to come out of a posture (especially the long standing balancing ones, like Standing Head to Knee or Standing Bow), before you do it, give yourself three more <span style="font-size: small;">counts</span>. Count down 3...2...1... and a lot of the time, you bring yourself back into the moment, away from the anticipation of the end, and realize you have the capacity to stay even longer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's also really fun to see the impact of Mary's teaching on the students - for example, she spent a lot of time on Floor Bow, and n<span style="font-size: small;">ow, </span>when I'm teaching and looking out over a roomful of Floor Bows, I'm AMAZED at the post-Mary view. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH56_VRGfXVHzDNreJyy12zFfPxh3YFQtvaq-GUZZQ_DAxAiAMFWkTJ1AH_OL0YaWcFjXd299MJFm-f7nnAAiUbwgomggX8Vom4EEIgGXUu2xc-tubN3HIOmWLh2lMYNDEV8tygw95JnE/s1600/20-bow-pose-dhanurasana-bikram-yoga-concord.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH56_VRGfXVHzDNreJyy12zFfPxh3YFQtvaq-GUZZQ_DAxAiAMFWkTJ1AH_OL0YaWcFjXd299MJFm-f7nnAAiUbwgomggX8Vom4EEIgGXUu2xc-tubN3HIOmWLh2lMYNDEV8tygw95JnE/s320/20-bow-pose-dhanurasana-bikram-yoga-concord.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://bikramyogaconcord.com/about-bikram-yoga/postures/">Bikram Yoga Concord</a>'s got the right idea...six inch gap between knees and feet!</i></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not only did Mary teach two packed-full classes and seminars, she took over the interior decor of Zeb's new studio, with shopping trips galore, and all the students have been a big fan of the new carpets, decorations, mirrors, and couches that make the space a little more cozy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moving on (and speaking of the studio!</b> okay, that's a reach) have you read the most recent <a href="http://myemail.constantcontact.com/BYPGH-Holiday-Newsletter-.html?soid=1102382262408&aid=iP0sgdrNuQg">Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh newsletter</a>? There's some great stuff happening this month...</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j15JTC_CsmuWjKpCVhZns7QWgVHnTWl6-tiQfg0x9M0-OXWLT8Q5WJ-tS8wWv_yrrR3jbBGYzEeZPN57kjNQgBsialGGOxIx8UQomirLdrPOoudokEzgduYt7rHSgu87FpvzeDpSljk/s1600/happy+holidays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j15JTC_CsmuWjKpCVhZns7QWgVHnTWl6-tiQfg0x9M0-OXWLT8Q5WJ-tS8wWv_yrrR3jbBGYzEeZPN57kjNQgBsialGGOxIx8UQomirLdrPOoudokEzgduYt7rHSgu87FpvzeDpSljk/s320/happy+holidays.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Someone actually made this last year!</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Holiday Party on December 22nd!</b> Have you ever been curious to see your teachers and fellow students with real clothes on and hair that isn't matted to their neck with sweat? I went to this last year while I was still living in Cleveland, and it was so much fun - I really enjoyed getting to know my new community outside of the yoga setting.<b> </b>It's in the classy upstairs area at <a href="http://www.olive-twist.com/">Olive or Twist</a>, and there will be food and drinks, and I will be wearing very shiny shoes...don't miss it!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UxS0GwSUP70?rel=0" width="420"></iframe>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>One of my very favorite songs this time of year.</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>New Years Eve Class on December 31st!</b> I confess that I'm not sure if I'm able to make this yet, but I highly recommend it to you all..what better way to ring in the New Year with a candlelit New Years eve class? Plus you'll wake up January 1st feeling revived and optimistic about 2013, not hungover and miserable...it's win win!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think that's all I've got for today my friends...hope your holidays are bright and merry, and see you at the studio!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSCPn-eRxmqMzHaZQqLJ4AByxiHi-O3geNnWbQ8XEv5jIs98raM-_FaPxp8txHbMYXii_5K-64PLJL1qONNLh-N8gp1lOQ7X2mAUNpMNj-xD1ammVvD5FEdrKIRBbBjdbQNZ3Cwzc8Ss/s1600/Norwegian_Pine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSCPn-eRxmqMzHaZQqLJ4AByxiHi-O3geNnWbQ8XEv5jIs98raM-_FaPxp8txHbMYXii_5K-64PLJL1qONNLh-N8gp1lOQ7X2mAUNpMNj-xD1ammVvD5FEdrKIRBbBjdbQNZ3Cwzc8Ss/s320/Norwegian_Pine.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Too cute, right? Stole it from <a href="http://markzabelart.com.au/chimney-stack-full-shoulderstand-yoga-christmas-cards/">this guy.</a></span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. San Franciscans, mark your calendars...Southwest had a sale & I bought a plane ticket to visit early February! Can't wait to be reunited with you all and take a good three classes a day (I want to take EVERYONE's class!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.P.S. Have you read <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2241475/Bikram-yoga-Not-just-cranks-yummy-mummies-Why-doctors-believe-bad-backs-depression-cured-HOT-YOGA.html">this article</a> yet? It's the most delightful mishmash of Bikram Yoga talking points. Joseph's juvenile arthritis! Lady Gaga! Bikram's fleet of Rolls Royces! Yummy mummies!</span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-25288440336044811872012-11-07T19:23:00.001-08:002012-11-07T19:34:57.268-08:00One Month Later...Competition Recap!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCuRMor601r-DA3VYgfjn_Y_i1rOJ40oMAMD1U3m_bXJFj3WuwBGsV1tcGgPsZeqNSxbBL6kJ2qHS4ETAyPJNz-PhaTxkfqyeGREWpLQiYWgDSjPmX5RxWluM_4x1GxCgfi71D4kEJVM/s1600/Bow+Pose+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCuRMor601r-DA3VYgfjn_Y_i1rOJ40oMAMD1U3m_bXJFj3WuwBGsV1tcGgPsZeqNSxbBL6kJ2qHS4ETAyPJNz-PhaTxkfqyeGREWpLQiYWgDSjPmX5RxWluM_4x1GxCgfi71D4kEJVM/s320/Bow+Pose+2012.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Pennsylvania regional yoga competition has come and gone, and perhaps you are still wondering...how did it go? Did Zeb show us how it<span style="font-size: small;">'</span>s done in his spaceship-style Crane? Did Leigh Ann blow us away in Split Arms? Shouldn't your knees be a wee bit closer together in Bow Pose, in that new profile photo of yours up there, you show off, you? Yes, yes, and yes! Here's a quick recap of competition weekend for your reading pleasure.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <b>Friday, September 29th</b> Competition weekend dawned with a 6am class at Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh taught by the lovely Miss Shannon. I can count the number of classes I've taken at 6am since becoming a teacher on one hand (maybe two), given that I am <span style="font-size: small;">not anything close to <span style="font-size: small;">a morning person<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, though in this 6am class I was practicing next to fellow competitor <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd7hQu3PTUw">Paul</a> and soaking up some of his ever-present strength & energy, you can imagine my dismay when, as the class settled into their first savasana, Shannon said "Paul and Danielle! Do your routines!"</span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> It was not even 7am and I hadn't tried a single cobra or camel that day...WHAT?! But it went surprisingly well, and afterwards I thought, if I'm bendy enough to do that nonsense at 7am, I can do it onstage in two days, no problem. Self Confidence Booster #<span style="font-size: small;">1</span>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhu2Q2ifpz8BhkEDuYTM0rwafpYBP4sxVCA24dSQAo6tS_z1h13YZ0vHL62Yp0ukuINwkmYI7vNdWUp8gXGM_ipY3vVDXpeaDjCcMI38sIwPbKd3qmLimVvdaknnXStsA-_Rw4oE4qQR8/s1600/Full+Cobra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhu2Q2ifpz8BhkEDuYTM0rwafpYBP4sxVCA24dSQAo6tS_z1h13YZ0vHL62Yp0ukuINwkmYI7vNdWUp8gXGM_ipY3vVDXpeaDjCcMI38sIwPbKd3qmLimVvdaknnXStsA-_Rw4oE4qQR8/s320/Full+Cobra.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Check out <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/103492162304621262355/October1201202?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPfXw8X53-rGrAE&feat=directlink#">this website</a> for all the photos from the event!</span></span></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Self confidence Booster <span style="font-size: small;">#2</span> occurred after I'd taught the 8am and 10am classes, practiced a few more routines, then driven to my mom's office. She works at <a href="http://flcpittsburgh.org/">a church downtown</a>, not far from the studio<span style="font-size: small;">, and I wanted to give <span style="font-size: small;">her a hug <span style="font-size: small;">(and take <span style="font-size: small;">back my cool boots) before I ma<span style="font-size: small;">de my way to P<span style="font-size: small;">hilly</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She said "how is your routine?" and I said "I can show you!" - after all, I was warmed up from the morning and wearing stretchy pants, which at this point in training were <span style="font-size: small;">my</span> only two requir<span style="font-size: small;">ements</span> for <span style="font-size: small;">d</span>iv<span style="font-size: small;">ing</span> into a Standing Head to Knee.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDsvoleXQS2GJzNQb-BFXjaZ4ObCQJEGOKrbFCtXEudchlk2KwU3m5koAjn0_xebIAYfA3muBoHgyrC-xzj4NFL5sbFrj5cInKqPo_vezNeanInCfsRdtSHCMY2Q732hwyrceiGUdW0E/s1600/churchbasementladies2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDsvoleXQS2GJzNQb-BFXjaZ4ObCQJEGOKrbFCtXEudchlk2KwU3m5koAjn0_xebIAYfA3muBoHgyrC-xzj4NFL5sbFrj5cInKqPo_vezNeanInCfsRdtSHCMY2Q732hwyrceiGUdW0E/s1600/churchbasementladies2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Apparently there is a </i><a href="http://www.uww.edu/youngauditorium/season/0910churchbasementladies.html">musical</a><i> about church ladies??</i></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thus I began my routine </span>in front of a gaggle of church ladies<span style="font-size: small;"> - t</span>he kind and talented organist Cynthia, who owns three dogs and four <span style="font-size: small;">cats;</span> a little old lady volunteer who had stopped by to drop off food for the food bank<span style="font-size: small;">;</span> the other secretary Mary Lou; and my mom.<br /><br />The ooing and ahing began before I'd even brought my head down to my knee in Standing Head to Knee...my mom cooed "oh, that's so much better than last time" during Standing Bow<span style="font-size: small;">...<span style="font-size: small;">Cynthia his<span style="font-size: small;">sed </span></span></span>"now that would put me in traction" during Full Camel...yeah, by the time I got back into my car and started my drive to Philly, I was feeling pretty darn good about myself.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi649IYKTFXGLgp0Xoo5rwjerh6ipjgCWRcbcPXT_688O7N633SeBvKRHCCNqjhElOhNM7op-HdLxU2JNnlekJwrIEgKTZfAN4GJlUWP3_VvWSRB_RxFR2-hc03_n2n-RMeZjDTcpcjOBA/s1600/Standing+Bow+Comparison.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi649IYKTFXGLgp0Xoo5rwjerh6ipjgCWRcbcPXT_688O7N633SeBvKRHCCNqjhElOhNM7op-HdLxU2JNnlekJwrIEgKTZfAN4GJlUWP3_VvWSRB_RxFR2-hc03_n2n-RMeZjDTcpcjOBA/s320/Standing+Bow+Comparison.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mom is right...it IS better!</span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The drive was relatively uneventful, although I probably should have planned better and NOT arrived in Philly smack dab in the middle of rush hour. Also, this conversation actually happened:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><b> Me (holding a ten dollar bill, expecting change):</b> How much is the toll?<br /><b>Toll Booth Dude: </b> Twenty four dollars.<br /><b>Me (shocked & baffled): </b>WHAT!? I only drove from Pittsburgh! You can't be serious!!<br /><b>Toll Booth Dude: </b> I know! It's ridiculous. I call it "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oShTJ90fC34">highway robbery.</a>" </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> Well, at least Toll Booth Dude was sympathetic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMWnlVwS7MAI5tdl8GSJosC2FiifRjbrg827tCf06IQuOSH0gJ9dYIbhfnTARr-cpYttKkbaWxL5yW2xF7_hd0-nnoHds2us3cpUF-K8_g8rSKTHT1f08prZB6x2_XePNJi3Mu47tVCU/s1600/Rajashree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMWnlVwS7MAI5tdl8GSJosC2FiifRjbrg827tCf06IQuOSH0gJ9dYIbhfnTARr-cpYttKkbaWxL5yW2xF7_hd0-nnoHds2us3cpUF-K8_g8rSKTHT1f08prZB6x2_XePNJi3Mu47tVCU/s320/Rajashree.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The lady of the weekend</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Saturday, September 30th</b> started with an all-day yoga class & seminar by Rajashree Choudhury at the Sonesta Hotel in Philadelphia. I was a little surprised upon arrival that the class itself was taking place in a chilly hotel ballroom rather than a hot yoga studio, but it turns out that's usually the case when Rajashree needs to teach to a roomful of 100+ people. <br /><br />The class was a lovely, meditative experience, we found <a href="http://www.honeygrow.com/">the perfect spot</a> for lunch, and the seminar afterwards included a discussion of every beginner posture, demonstrated by last year's international champ, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGfbCUqXaas">Joseph Encinia</a>. He and Rajashree had a nice repart<span style="font-size: small;">ee..<span style="font-size: small;">.and </span></span>while I don't know that I would spend the money on this sort of thing again, since I wasn't due for re-certification and it was geared more towards Bikram students than teachers, it was a nice way to spend a day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> That night we walked through the city with all its familiar sights & sounds (I lived there for five years, and was surprised to realize how much I missed it!) to Chinatown for a teacher dinner with Rajashree at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/penang-philadelphia">Penang</a>...which was basically the worst possible place for pre-competition dinner. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTGHPEumMnN60pBIaE449EfgltTzyS4rbJGm4TPyBpoupqdNU1IXL6tePHYQeK3fYyIfEURRHaSu2x7NDNhSg09-AVGZV6OPvJzPAhZqZV8ZJtAkyKb-y3xmanGXzZ8mAC71olwgCCoM/s1600/mango+tofu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTGHPEumMnN60pBIaE449EfgltTzyS4rbJGm4TPyBpoupqdNU1IXL6tePHYQeK3fYyIfEURRHaSu2x7NDNhSg09-AVGZV6OPvJzPAhZqZV8ZJtAkyKb-y3xmanGXzZ8mAC71olwgCCoM/s320/mango+tofu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Um...yum?</span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Shannon and I decided to split the relatively healthy sounding Tofu Mango dish, which turned out to be both heavily sweetened and deeply deep-fried. Oh, well. We didn't talk much to Rajashree herself, but we got to know a few of the Philly folks!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> A little bit of backbending in the hotel room and we tucked in for the night. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG69zcT_POEhHGW5NBaV4ICjQYmGu9gDQOBBczutyledF4ZroSepOwOqq3WUcFoCtpMCU2NwatFDUnVASjVNF70FMTfH5zJmVqEwx_CdfCcsoBpJsslEhGc21UxM3eXyVXkIhtPWuhev0/s1600/Joseph.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG69zcT_POEhHGW5NBaV4ICjQYmGu9gDQOBBczutyledF4ZroSepOwOqq3WUcFoCtpMCU2NwatFDUnVASjVNF70FMTfH5zJmVqEwx_CdfCcsoBpJsslEhGc21UxM3eXyVXkIhtPWuhev0/s320/Joseph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Joseph demoing <span style="font-size: x-small;">Full Cobra</span></i></span> </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Sunday, October 1st</b>, after a marvelously warm sleep<span style="font-size: small;"> (I love <span style="font-size: small;">hotels)</span></span>, we woke bright and early to walk to Bikram Yoga Philadelphia for our pre-competition class at 8am, taught by<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Joseph himself. He told us the harrowing tale of a pre-competition class he & Zeb had experienced before internationals several years ago, when that year's international champ absolutely SLAUGHTERED them, so we were decidedly relieved when Joseph promised a more mellow class. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> Joseph was fun, warm, friendly and delighted by all the extra stuff with which the competitors were peppering their beginner class. He was also eager to offer a few tips and tricks from his six years of competi<span style="font-size: small;">ng</span>. Pre-competition class will never top <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2012/03/nyc-national-yoga-competition-im-so.html#savasana">the glorious window experience</a> Leigh Ann and I had at Bikram Yoga Flatiron, but after class in Philadelphia you could stand on the fire escape in the sun to cool off and drink a bottle of water...so it was a real treat.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2_MOzfy4ng7U9y956oY1Q8l2p2hJhDOwtO2uAA_DO4OTQGSnmqUMM84RNrA8sHat3Z9q8in9WOxyzIbasT1mGKFgjgRbDtj71ADtf-zTmzYfSRWPB1cfx8soWmB5CIN63ZIDWzLFsGA/s1600/Cappuccino.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2_MOzfy4ng7U9y956oY1Q8l2p2hJhDOwtO2uAA_DO4OTQGSnmqUMM84RNrA8sHat3Z9q8in9WOxyzIbasT1mGKFgjgRbDtj71ADtf-zTmzYfSRWPB1cfx8soWmB5CIN63ZIDWzLFsGA/s320/Cappuccino.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Yogi Food?</i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Joseph's tip #1? Drink cappuccino before class. Apparently that's what he had right before his internationals-winning routine (with real milk and everything!). I wasn't willing to go THAT far, but Leigh Ann and I decided to stop off at Starbucks so<span style="font-size: small;"> we <span style="font-size: small;">could <span style="font-size: small;">grab</span></span></span> a tall cup of soy milk for her pre-competition smoothie, and a cup of coffee<span style="font-size: small;"> for me</span>. The line was ridiculous and our pre-competition makeup and dress routine was thus particularly rushed...but it was worth it!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> Joseph's tip #2? Just have fun and don't worry about winning. Well, that was easy enough for me this year! I knew I wouldn't be in the very bottom (like Nationals last year, oof) but I also knew I had no chance of being in the top, especially when my competition include<span style="font-size: small;">d</span> folks like <a href="http://www.lululemon.com/pittsburgh/shadyside/ambassadors/RebeccaRankin">Rebecca</a> and Leigh Ann (below). This is not false modesty, by the way...I am a dachshund to their greyhounds! So after an hour or so of warmup backstage, I stood behind the door to the stage feeling...well, surprisingly fine.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgOs8cb5ELp_Sr58kgI4Mtlxc2zPe3HobpTYXUZY-gdMVZF4WMYNjw3572Aj_AfmfwY1d3aq1d3kBc3A6AyTn3xMjYj6nayL4p0SBXHBABVe-GDO4ljpzHv3WnFDwopLR_tM3OIez7vM/s1600/Leigh+Ann.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgOs8cb5ELp_Sr58kgI4Mtlxc2zPe3HobpTYXUZY-gdMVZF4WMYNjw3572Aj_AfmfwY1d3aq1d3kBc3A6AyTn3xMjYj6nayL4p0SBXHBABVe-GDO4ljpzHv3WnFDwopLR_tM3OIez7vM/s320/Leigh+Ann.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Now THAT'S what I call 10 Points for Smiling!</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></span></span></span></i></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I chi<span style="font-size: small;">t <span style="font-size: small;">chatted</span></span> with Joseph before<span style="font-size: small;"> going<span style="font-size: small;"> onstage</span></span> and he remarked "you don't seem as nervous as everyone else." And I wasn't! Why, you ask? Well, for one, the week before I'd given up on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiMwuaLnP7Q">Tiger</a> as competition posture; I was nailing it maybe 50% of the time, and then one sad, sad day I nailed it one time out of ten. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Zeb pointed out during my subsequent mini meltdown that Tiger was worth the same points as Camel, in regionals they wouldn't care if I did two deep backbends, and just because I didn't do Tiger onstage in my 3 minutes didn't mean all the work I'd done the past few months went away. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8fKvTTZSrX_-nV1t-mp4dILMHCLN_1ss-lmnWYg3bCUXmgZ2EpVr15LSvHPhVEQVw1QcVO-HWW0bW30SIhfA20horRyFDXi9DZgkqNFs9JslRlxpdDSBYxQqJTrNXUh75uACqrQvDcY/s1600/tigerReggie_606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8fKvTTZSrX_-nV1t-mp4dILMHCLN_1ss-lmnWYg3bCUXmgZ2EpVr15LSvHPhVEQVw1QcVO-HWW0bW30SIhfA20horRyFDXi9DZgkqNFs9JslRlxpdDSBYxQqJTrNXUh75uACqrQvDcY/s320/tigerReggie_606.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7jJnwEeiU0"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>It will be mine...oh yes. It will be mine.</i></span></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So, onstage none of my optionals required balance, only some strength and a fair bit of bendy spine, and I'd been bending my spine for months! I just wasn't very nervous about it</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">, and sure enough, <span style="font-size: small;">r</span></span>outine went by quickly and well<span style="font-size: small;">...n</span>o major disasters, although I wobbled a bit and almost lost my balance as I came out of Standing Bow Pulling, but much like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WGOohBytKTU#t=119s">Jermaine's sexy dance</a>, I turned it into a "what? I didn't bring my arm all the way back up. I MEANT to do that<span style="font-size: small;">." </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBOh6P3nqLjKQlPePxpq_WkltZfZ-0ZfF86K5AmFQmdUw1bLPvhxdQAD1hrrpfWO_w-jf7pCkV0iX9smtr8yloDGl_K8fPv1cmr3FCHdfaLpflzIPjtg0_oCqTRDMiSn5RipFGOkND6Y/s1600/Full+Camel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBOh6P3nqLjKQlPePxpq_WkltZfZ-0ZfF86K5AmFQmdUw1bLPvhxdQAD1hrrpfWO_w-jf7pCkV0iX9smtr8yloDGl_K8fPv1cmr3FCHdfaLpflzIPjtg0_oCqTRDMiSn5RipFGOkND6Y/s320/Full+Camel.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I also gave a ridiculously big smile during each posture, even ones like full camel <span style="font-size: small;">(above) </span>where you couldn't even see my face. I was giving my competition mantra "10 Points for Smiling!" everything I had!<br /><br />You may recall <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2012/02/healthiest-competition-occurs-when.html">my very first competition</a>, when my mom was running late and frantically texting, and I heard the door blow open in the midst of my Standing Bow and thought "yup, that's my mom." Alas, history repeated itself; this time, my friend Susannah was updating me during my warmup on her mad dash to the hotel, but sure enough, as I walked offstage, I saw the door open and my ladies hurry in. Oops!<span style="font-size: small;"> But they got to see the rest of it, and I got to see them!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4qMwXm6FogtLu-sHkkHLejNIwBvZWZCVFxH6iVgZ2GRorxlDBdxxWXftmJ9JtwsSe497lw7QmCsZlpoiCRaRPntNXkBodrKxhlm7agB6DKJMrB344YlVz3mEYNSxmjA-cAkMvAySjg0/s1600/who-is-awesome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4qMwXm6FogtLu-sHkkHLejNIwBvZWZCVFxH6iVgZ2GRorxlDBdxxWXftmJ9JtwsSe497lw7QmCsZlpoiCRaRPntNXkBodrKxhlm7agB6DKJMrB344YlVz3mEYNSxmjA-cAkMvAySjg0/s320/who-is-awesome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was beyond proud of my fellow Pittsburghers, who made an impressive showing. Leigh Ann KILLED it with a stunning routine, winning by a full three points. Paul swooped into a peacock pose from a handstand, which made the audience gasp. Myra was the only one there, from what I could tell, who nailed both Sleeping Yogi and Crow. First timers Sophia and Yuliya were graceful and elegant and gorgeous. First timer Mike had gone to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpPYKJAnwUo">a concert in NYC</a> the night before, arrived in Philly at 3am, woke up in time for 8am class...landed a one-armed peacock and placed 3rd. I know, right??</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8jYCQB1UAAqUK4JVIw6gopB_ZV9Fd6YjQv4-mtH0iCsHf_OW95c9Sxf5ro0Lfcg9PaS9YdlXVQl1RicsrKogPMW3hnLmQmY6TWXYT4m_5O4i-igWWx0yLlKtxwo91HvU8hD3H87K49A/s1600/Myra+Sleeping+Yogi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8jYCQB1UAAqUK4JVIw6gopB_ZV9Fd6YjQv4-mtH0iCsHf_OW95c9Sxf5ro0Lfcg9PaS9YdlXVQl1RicsrKogPMW3hnLmQmY6TWXYT4m_5O4i-igWWx0yLlKtxwo91HvU8hD3H87K49A/s320/Myra+Sleeping+Yogi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Yup, that's how we yogis sleep (or at least Myra does!)</i> </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And of course Zeb was the star of the show; from the moment he got onstage and <span style="font-size: small;">maneuvered</span> himself into his seemingly effortless, unshakeable Standing Head to Knee, the whole room held its breath. "Y'all are cute," his posture said, "but let me show you how it's done."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHWOMfVy6s7SVOxSVNh42xtq7nTnp10UTJtAM-5CnYdMvl27KdIfTrWOc-QynEiehZLybvkwqqSGSzpvnwNuy-vKROINLu2Lxm-edX_fykbT40gVmmWDjXyWabYe8VU0f_7v3RcuV70I/s1600/Zeb+SHTK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHWOMfVy6s7SVOxSVNh42xtq7nTnp10UTJtAM-5CnYdMvl27KdIfTrWOc-QynEiehZLybvkwqqSGSzpvnwNuy-vKROINLu2Lxm-edX_fykbT40gVmmWDjXyWabYe8VU0f_7v3RcuV70I/s320/Zeb+SHTK.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">...and THAT'S how it's done!</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Overall, the experience this year was <span style="font-size: small;">more</span> fun, and less pressure. The joy of training with a group of people <span style="font-size: small;">for several months </span>made <span style="font-size: small;">the 3 minutes onstage seem almost like an after<span style="font-size: small;">thought...<span style="font-size: small;">a</span></span></span>nd it was over so quickly! <span style="font-size: small;">And I <span style="font-size: small;">found out a <span style="font-size: small;">week later that<span style="font-size: small;"> I'd placed <span style="font-size: small;">4th, which was a very nice surprise.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now I have a whole year and a half before the next competition, so wish me luck - but first, be sure to cheer Zeb and Leigh Ann on as they make their way to Nationals in March 2013!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> Two quick final notes:<br /><b><br />1) <a href="https://4ea192c4-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/bikramyogapgh/home/MaryJarvisPoster_2012.jpg?attachauth=ANoY7coRwrMMetekNdiVAWWKTXYgr9osGlEl8JQUrJL6OcVNg91ZUw-kTcpdKr5SumuSeP60yV3vsUkHwe-Ppg_0TT5T1_Kq6et99uxi-oMQQqZ2Oa0lHw5hBdexR0dnI2kc1o30EM2JXCVN1CO8aLg0oW3fAaJLPHBy_tfgQB-wC2nqPsh0rjHq7YcDYNtyIgbT4XNgvlhRt2YzIN8pDysRCH9a6lnr9_DyWSgtPJWVlk7oBFA-FRs%3D&attredirects=0">Mary Jarvis is coming to Pittsburgh</a>!</b> The whole "<a href="http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/7-fitness-progams-cult-followings?page=7">Bikram is a cult</a>" thing makes me laugh, but when Mary Jarvis is around? You better believe I am giddily following her around like a puppy and listening to her talk till 3am. She's doing two classes and seminars two weekends from now...and I can't recommend it enough! Clevelanders, make the trip - you won't regret it!<br /><br /><b>2) Remember when <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2012/05/adventures-in-other-yoga-electrolyte.html">I went to Aerial Yoga and wasn't such a fan</a>? </b>I accompanied a few fellow Bikram teachers to <a href="http://www.theverve360.com/wellness-services/aerial/">Verve</a> a few weeks ago (and learned the meaning of the phrase "busman's holiday"), tried a different style/teacher...and it was SO much fun. Great abdominal workout too, I was hurtin' the next day. <span style="font-size: small;">G</span>o give Verve a try, Pittsburghers - you won't regret it!</span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-29578777252656160662012-09-15T18:33:00.001-07:002012-11-27T14:19:55.673-08:00Sun Dance Kids and Studio News<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g6B_OaTQm2I" width="420"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello readership! This video has nothing to do with anything...but in the four months since I last wrote, I've accumulated some videos, images, stories, etc that I kept meaning to "put in my next blog post"...and then just never got around to writing the thing. This is one of them. Catchy, right?</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So according to Google Analytics, amazingly, people have still been happening upon my blog - presumably mostly computerized trolls, but also people who are googling phrases like "bikram yoga camel pose emotions" or "bar method butt" or ominously, "'bikram yoga' and 'teacher training' and 'regret.'" </span></span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Oh, and then there's the lady who sent me an email yesterday saying "I have recently been writing and researching about a
variety of topics that coincide with motherhood and the overall theme of
your blog," and asking to submit a guest post. What do you think, readers? Is her "fresh perspective on
pregnancy and motherhood" relevant to your lives? Did she even READ my blog? </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaPDaFwiQpPi0Uq_lcjB-o0qHDiU6qNvfplFEiKcQMVCY-Nqa_t657YcetbMbbh0yRF8EVFEMVd3RGHm9JFWnabnO1CgVG-he-zpel6Ai0_ePeEaKfEsU85td-PqZ5CslFP0r6kHC3JI/s1600/Eileen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaPDaFwiQpPi0Uq_lcjB-o0qHDiU6qNvfplFEiKcQMVCY-Nqa_t657YcetbMbbh0yRF8EVFEMVd3RGHm9JFWnabnO1CgVG-he-zpel6Ai0_ePeEaKfEsU85td-PqZ5CslFP0r6kHC3JI/s320/Eileen.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Although, pregnant Bikram yoginis ARE pretty awesome...check out Eileen from <a href="http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=ie9urvcab&v=001qzs_PlB-J6OX6EO0AQK5ZhcpRRDsahjAKqql3Jc99ajdjo7Z1ozaM7ds9vRPoPpKHwbm3vY3XnKCnyzKEOxI1s-633TkmM0zJR3aVqv8K3laBUtInXVBdA%3D%3D">the September newsletter</a>! Epic!</span></span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But...she did prompt me to finally update this thing! So, for those of you who stick with me through the fallow periods, thanks! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've spent the past few months settling in at Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh and in Pittsburgh proper. I found a great little house in Bloomfield where I live with three very different but lovely roommates: from a classic hipster, fresh from NYC, who spends his days brewing kombucha, hunting for mushrooms in Frick Park, and rewiring light fixtures he found in the trash, to a super smart CMU grad student in computer science who just got back from a month in Eastern Europe with his Romanian girlfriend, to another accomplished smarty pants who belongs to a radical bookstore cooperative and <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/years-in-the-making-hostel-will-reside-on-the-south-side-646804/">was just in the papers</a>...throw in the yoga teacher and my little sis is right, we're a sitcom waiting to happen.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibK-YX6H_ZoxQUaBFFkpCHJ65Fpz3VrBvt-D4pIjuutP78Kj39qHDWpJJWwqjmixeT2CWWqYtH7L5EBBQEP6BJhMVuBFLhiAy5YkklMaE6A5pCpr5imdxIfRH7qSDUkxRgTJGDh2z03I/s1600/friends-cast%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibK-YX6H_ZoxQUaBFFkpCHJ65Fpz3VrBvt-D4pIjuutP78Kj39qHDWpJJWwqjmixeT2CWWqYtH7L5EBBQEP6BJhMVuBFLhiAy5YkklMaE6A5pCpr5imdxIfRH7qSDUkxRgTJGDh2z03I/s320/friends-cast%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And it's been nice to connect and share the occassional glass of wine with my dear mom, who is temporarily empty nesting until my little sister gets back from Peru, and to reconnect with old friends. An old Philly buddy even told me she's thinking of starting a "Girls from Pittsburgh who moved back to Pittsburgh" group since there's a surprisingly number of us (who's in?) </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwtFHueUW1l2ZnzV3BoLF6sxp3lQDdKZIaLPOMyVuAc3WbAj-fbkmqx6-q1SnvBfIOzfa_OS0Q-fHba67L3Lb_3NWyBjr8ls1QsLLaTzfRJek30pi9FHSG2MB2pUCiAq6t0YW9B5WDb4/s1600/pittsburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwtFHueUW1l2ZnzV3BoLF6sxp3lQDdKZIaLPOMyVuAc3WbAj-fbkmqx6-q1SnvBfIOzfa_OS0Q-fHba67L3Lb_3NWyBjr8ls1QsLLaTzfRJek30pi9FHSG2MB2pUCiAq6t0YW9B5WDb4/s320/pittsburgh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And of course, the studio is fantastic...I spend all my time in that hot little room, learning and growing so much as both a student and a teacher. But it won't be little for long...the new space, just a mile up Penn Ave in Lower Lawrenceville, is on the verge of opening! 17 foot ceilings, brightly colored concrete walls, three(!) showers in each locker room, it's a very cool space, and can fit twice as many people as the current one. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm sure the 6pm-ers, who are usually crammed mat-to-mat, and the guys over 6 feet tall, who ACTUALLY touch the ceiling in half moon, are particularly looking forward to the studio!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNW3QetbxixZdDdR1lVS4OqXl7TdYLDjvUvtQppSNHevndC0aP1asKXreMm1P9AQxpkSwD00UyYDUmiST4vUhZR205Vd2EDpxzcxmYlezOnmTC2gkuhPiQ_fsgTWLiYXDuLmsAjjuzVo/s1600/by+pittsburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNW3QetbxixZdDdR1lVS4OqXl7TdYLDjvUvtQppSNHevndC0aP1asKXreMm1P9AQxpkSwD00UyYDUmiST4vUhZR205Vd2EDpxzcxmYlezOnmTC2gkuhPiQ_fsgTWLiYXDuLmsAjjuzVo/s320/by+pittsburgh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yup, September is a big month for Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh...the biggest news is of course that new home, but <a href="http://youtu.be/U_eZmEiyTo0">only slightly less well known is this</a> - the Pennsylvania regional competition, this year in Philadelphia, is coming up on September 30th! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And let me tell you, training is 600% more fun when it's with other people and not all by your lonesome in the Cleveland studio, chatting with the cleaning guy. You also end up doing about 600% more backbends then before. And find yourself saying nonsense like "yes, let's do doubles for two weeks! that sounds like fun!" and actually mean it.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_FXstg8Q6oKjR_1Bo2T3Q7XxEFaTJAHZpnoMsKgbTS6IC7ZEX69KIUnbppD-hPWzUnyd9kEBNu8mbvDmm3pbeNHfcUKne_ZPJnnz2TrXUSPFDjKW1yg9uWHQ_X3bFhPv2zLqW5-VAfA/s1600/paREGIONALPOSTER_FINALtimeupdated.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_FXstg8Q6oKjR_1Bo2T3Q7XxEFaTJAHZpnoMsKgbTS6IC7ZEX69KIUnbppD-hPWzUnyd9kEBNu8mbvDmm3pbeNHfcUKne_ZPJnnz2TrXUSPFDjKW1yg9uWHQ_X3bFhPv2zLqW5-VAfA/s320/paREGIONALPOSTER_FINALtimeupdated.png" width="247" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/content/2012-pa-nj-regional-yoga-championships">This year's competition</a> takes place much earlier in the year because Rajashree, Bikram's lovely wife, will be in Philadelphia for a seminar, so they decided to hold the competition the day after. I'm looking forward to hanging out with a gaggle of yoga people, my old Philly friends...and of course, my three minutes onstage can't possibly be worse than the last-place-ever "where are my heels" <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2012/03/nyc-national-yoga-competition-im-so.html">full camel debacle of 2012</a>, so the pressure is off! I'm also looking forward to telling you all about it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last week was my one-year anniversary of my first class in Pittsburgh; and just two days ago, Bikram Yoga Cleveland had it's one-year celebration. Can you believe how much has happened in the past year? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Enjoy these random stories from the past four months...and keep in touch! I'll do the same!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love Danielle</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhwKlKQh3FwtEXbqA8FpJ3sH2Ae0i_q3R-is77hixIk00LGg9N9FQ6IR9580ogswirsOy88xUiuGpnbjiTeuuaADQwe2hwt9KEQXPMjmM737ddFBMI9_ykJhVbKI_qiaQP47mE5Z0A5c/s1600/Awkward+Pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhwKlKQh3FwtEXbqA8FpJ3sH2Ae0i_q3R-is77hixIk00LGg9N9FQ6IR9580ogswirsOy88xUiuGpnbjiTeuuaADQwe2hwt9KEQXPMjmM737ddFBMI9_ykJhVbKI_qiaQP47mE5Z0A5c/s1600/Awkward+Pose.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>"This is totally going in my blog"</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When I taught a class in Pittsburgh a month or two ago, we had a new student. She told me that she traveled all over the world for work and took class wherever she went. She was very sweet and friendly but had a nervous, frantic energy about her. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As class went on she seemed increasingly uncomfortable...and at awkward pose, she sent a pleading look in my direction and said something incoherent. Incoherence is never a good sign, but we were in the middle of Awkward Part 2 (see above) so I tried to get the students in and out of it as I made my way to the lady...and before I could finish, down she went. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Passing out is rare in Pittsburgh, mostly because we don't keep it at burn-you-alive temperatures, but it happens (remember <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2012/02/healthiest-competition-occurs-when.html">my mom at Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill</a>?). I caught the lady on the way down, talked her through it (she was out for a few seconds only), helped her out of the room, came back in, and what did I see...?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">EVERYONE STILL UP ON THEIR TOES FOR AWKWARD PART TWO. No joke. Standing still, silent, focused, ready, and up on their toes. <i>Damn, </i>Pittsburgh doesn't mess around. And of course I said, "This is totally going in my blog."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(P.S. Turns out the lady was on some new medication which was having adverse effects...she's okay!)</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFiQtsOT93TfmUgNI0kg10jG99lrMohSRBmb9HB-CKVR_grE0mc-A1sCFUUkvt-RrsmUvy-IdxBR58SYhIaww2rqmhBlQu8Curjd4jsEiHHpJmldCh_5pdl6drs8hWWU3Is3FhWw1yNQ/s1600/rocky.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFiQtsOT93TfmUgNI0kg10jG99lrMohSRBmb9HB-CKVR_grE0mc-A1sCFUUkvt-RrsmUvy-IdxBR58SYhIaww2rqmhBlQu8Curjd4jsEiHHpJmldCh_5pdl6drs8hWWU3Is3FhWw1yNQ/s1600/rocky.jpeg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>"Yes! Yes! Yes!"</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Luckily I only had to do the drive back and forth to Cleveland for two months more after I moved to Pittsburgh...but I do miss those dedicated Clevelanders! One of my favorite students was Betsy, who was dealing with some pretty debili<span style="font-size: small;">t</span>ating arthritis and found that Bikram helped relieve the pain. She often practiced with her three young daughters (and it took me weeks to tell them apart).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was teaching in Cleveland a little while ago and Betsy was right beside the podium. I decided to count down from 20 in the second set of Standing Bow Pulling Pose, and immediately after "3...2...1...change," the usually low-key Betsy turned into <a href="http://youtu.be/NubH5BDOaD8">Rocky at the top of the Art Museum steps</a>. Apparently she had never held the posture for the full length before. The waves of joy coming from her side of the room were just phenomenal, everyone applauded, and I couldn't stop smiling for a long time after. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Everyone's victories in Bikram are different - maybe you get your hips down in Fixed Firm for the first time, maybe you grab both feet in Floor Bow, maybe you hold Standing Bow all 20 counts - but they're all so exciting to see!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tLPZmPaHme0" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Email from a Pittsburgh Student on OkCupid while I was still living in Cleveland (presented for your amusement, without comment)</b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Danielle! This dude contacted me online and said he does Bikram in OH so
I asked if he knew you. Look at this reply! So creepy!!!<br /><br /> There were a couple previous messages, but let's start here:</span> </i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><br /><br /> </i>ME:</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> I know a girl who teaches Bikram in Ohio but her name is Danielle, I guess she doesn't teach at your studio. <br /><br /> DUDE:</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
May 27, 2012 – 11:23am No that is her name. You are right!! She knows
me lol her name in Danielle. She
has small breast I only said that so u would know I know of her but very
good instructor. Shapely nice please don't be offended just tryin to
let u know I really go there? Okay?<br /><br /> ME:</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> Umm okay. She also has a nice smile. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4oBh3ggvkJNEFgpIqbMeFPKDpaX_erIsbhGqtB0o5HvhMDUOc1NSJYJJkE9guE-CRi0GvBd-f63MYvJm775KUn_QTJuG6zDK80FzU9NLVlt_nsDaQv9-dcZIxkQgBFBpWCL_KFqOaKI/s1600/wall+walks+in+morocco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4oBh3ggvkJNEFgpIqbMeFPKDpaX_erIsbhGqtB0o5HvhMDUOc1NSJYJJkE9guE-CRi0GvBd-f63MYvJm775KUn_QTJuG6zDK80FzU9NLVlt_nsDaQv9-dcZIxkQgBFBpWCL_KFqOaKI/s320/wall+walks+in+morocco.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> Wall Walks in Marrakesh!</i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Sandwich au Jambon Japonais</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In July I went to Morocco. I KNOW! And the Bikram devotees among you also know that one of the first things I did when we planned this trip was look for a Bikram studio...so we spen<span style="font-size: small;">t</span> our last night in Casablanca<span style="font-size: small;">, at the</span> <a href="http://www.bikramyoga.ma/">one and only Bikram studio in Morocco</a>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Turns out the teacher that night, Jerome, went to Spring 2011 teacher training with me! What are the chances?! I<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>was on cloud nine for ninety minutes. I loved hearing the dialogue in French and picking out familiar phrases and words. I loved the heat and the stretching and the sweat.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good times!</span> </span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-10151020554149892002012-05-12T07:13:00.000-07:002012-05-12T07:13:59.708-07:00Adventures in Other Yoga, Electrolyte Imbalances, Exciting/Sad News<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNts0Q4AD0a3BPH2ZQOiZ7GfrZLv70AHDornHoRvkuUA8dsb1zWmqghQGLsOQP1oufrnsWcV-wctb3l_UYNnGi3AnjolhBvHmrSNg5IgWAzS1qdUV6XnwWLSNfFMYc9PV5GDo1iIJSL8c/s1600/BIG_NEWS1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNts0Q4AD0a3BPH2ZQOiZ7GfrZLv70AHDornHoRvkuUA8dsb1zWmqghQGLsOQP1oufrnsWcV-wctb3l_UYNnGi3AnjolhBvHmrSNg5IgWAzS1qdUV6XnwWLSNfFMYc9PV5GDo1iIJSL8c/s1600/BIG_NEWS1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Hello my friends! I've been getting a lot of questions about electrolyte replacements so I wanted to write a quick post on that, share a new obsession, and also some sad/exciting news (that most of you probably know already)...</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">So Bikram Yoga Vancouver has <a href="http://www.bikramyogavancouver.com/blog.php">a wonderful blog</a> that is worth following, full of posture discussions, student profiles, and recipes. I'm often referring back to <a href="http://www.bikramyogavancouver.com/2011/11/10/bikram_yoga_electrolytes.php">their post on electrolyte sources</a> and imbalances. Click that link to read a little background on the what and the why...and read on for the how (</span>in roughly descending order of importance) on replenishing electrolytes:<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">1. Drink <b>water</b> - and plenty of it! SmartWater, <a href="http://www.wsvn.com/features/articles/medicalreports/MI95132/">Kangen</a> Water, plain ol' filtered water, water from the tap - drink water!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">2. Drink <a href="http://www.digitalrunning.com/1520/coconut-water-electrolyte-replacement/"><strong>Coconut water</strong></a> - we sell <a href="http://zico.com/">Zico</a> in the Cleveland studio (which, after drinking about 80 of them in two days at Nationals, I may never drink again) and <a href="http://www.tastenirvana.com/default.php">Nirvana</a> (my personal favorite) in Pittsburgh. It's a good natural source of potassium and some magnesium and sodium. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">3. Mix up a batch of <b><a href="http://www.bikramyoga.com/Rajashree/rajashree.php">Rajashree</a>'s rehydration drink</b>: water, ice, juice of a fresh lemon, a pinch or two of a good high quality sea salt, maybe a spoonful of honey or maple syrup.</span><br />
<br />
4. <b>Juice</b>! A good green juice does wonders post-Bikram. Try green apple, celery, kale, and ginger all juiced together.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
5. Eat more <strong>fruits and vegetables</strong> to increase potassium levels: lemons and other citrus fruits, bananas, cantaloupe, grapes, apricots and berries. Magnesium can be found in foods like spinach, potatoes, black eyed peas, black beans, rice and avocado. For sodium try bell peppers, celery, leaf lettuce, radishes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBtABIi-QbZbEpvtC_8HXuZVanui_5Nmgv38d6JQWu57N7Oi-nw9sQ1xSfVgDXE9g2WxBRXxvfssBV_lVfYHIj3AMZnCT944Mu8CDdsASRThPlzOWYGxaTGLcMS6FtYJ02SCRrXsSvjA/s1600/electrolytes_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBtABIi-QbZbEpvtC_8HXuZVanui_5Nmgv38d6JQWu57N7Oi-nw9sQ1xSfVgDXE9g2WxBRXxvfssBV_lVfYHIj3AMZnCT944Mu8CDdsASRThPlzOWYGxaTGLcMS6FtYJ02SCRrXsSvjA/s320/electrolytes_0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">That <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4056644458485033927">movie</a> had its moments!</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">6. There are some <b>commercial electrolyte-replacement products </b>you can try in a pinch, although most contain a little too much sugar to be drinking regularly (still better than Gatorade!): <a href="http://www.emergenc.com/" target="_blank">Emergen-C</a>, <a href="http://www.nuun.com/">Nuun</a>, or the new <a href="http://bikrambalance.com/how-natural-electrolyte-replacement-can-improve-your-bikram-yoga-experience/">electrolyte replenishment supplement</a> created by the Bikram team.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If anyone has their own hydration tales, feel free to chime in the comments! </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>This past month was also spent giving a few other yogas a try. </b>I went to The Studio Cleveland for Yin Yoga, all excited for some post-Bikram deep forward folds and so forth, but ended up in a regular Vinyasa flow. The teacher was very sweet and chatty, but what I really took away from this particular studio was a sudden, overwhelming need to try climbing up the <a href="http://www.thestudiocleveland.com/aerial-silks.html">aerial silks</a> scarves hanging from a high ceiling in a corner of the yoga room. Who DOESN'T want to do this kind of thing?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j5ek52BJK5Y" width="420"></iframe></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">So about a week later I gave the next best thing a shot, <a href="http://youtu.be/xxXnRirkde8">Anti Gravity Yoga</a> over in Berea, OH.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In Anti Gravity Yoga you use an enormous red hammock, dangling from an ominously creaky rigging, to hang upside down or rock back and forth. While some of the inversions felt nice, it was hard to enjoy them because the fabric cuts into your back or hips (I'm sure with time it would get more comfortable). The "yoga" part of it just seemed a little silly - adding a few poses and giving them new names in order to capitalize on the yoga craze. The silliest part of all was the teachers' insistence on pronouncing the word hammock "hah-MOCK." Over and over again.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Rm1bO9nqMoA" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Or actually, maybe the silliest part of the class was when we were in a plank pose, with our hands on the floor and our feet held up by the hammock, and I must have been too far forward...because my legs swung forward, my arms collapsed under me, my belly dipped onto the floor, and I basically flopped around like a dead fish trying to figure out how to stop the momentum of my feet swinging back and forth while the class - AND the teacher - laughed. </span><br />
<br />
So...Anti Gravity Yoga is not for me. But I've found a few <a href="http://www.fullbodyfitnessclub.com/aerial-yoga-aerial-dance-mixed-apparatus/">Aerial Dance</a> options in Pittsburgh, so I might be able to realize that particular dream...and hopefully, eventually, look less like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMLJ_EdV4Wk">this</a> and more like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyyxqEXYOuw">this</a>. </div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Speaking of Pittsburgh, thats my sad/exciting news</b>...I'm moving to Pittsburgh in June. I'm as surprised as you are! This time last year, as I was going through teacher training, I expected that June 2012 would find me living in Australia or a little island in Thailand, sunning on a beach and teaching tourists and vacationers. Instead, I ended up in Cleveland, found my mentor in Pittsburgh, and along the way, fell back in love with my hometown.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVaXz8eGTfoxXR0TUdxdjTFCkf_wv11xTOCpKEmxMAz2Yx-kd7zp23i805-NUqxfCX9VmV1yoV-DVIwZI1oppznGkZ97obR4V2iLB6nr7gWEM2MTRgsGfQca7GdVjBrChnHmktriT2L0/s1600/Pittsburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVaXz8eGTfoxXR0TUdxdjTFCkf_wv11xTOCpKEmxMAz2Yx-kd7zp23i805-NUqxfCX9VmV1yoV-DVIwZI1oppznGkZ97obR4V2iLB6nr7gWEM2MTRgsGfQca7GdVjBrChnHmktriT2L0/s320/Pittsburgh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
Pittsburgh is, as it turns out, a really lovely city, what with the bridges and the hills and the trees. The people I've met are fabulous. The food is delicious (Cleveland, you did your best, but even <a href="http://www.tommyscoventry.com/">Tommy's</a> was inconsistent).<br />
<br />
The Bikram community, between Zeb in the <a href="http://www.bypgh.com/">Strip District studio</a> (soon to be brand spankin' new Lawrenceville studio) and Rebecca in <a href="http://bikramyogapittsburgh.com/">Squirrel Hill</a> is surprisingly robust, and the students all dedicated & delightful people. I'll be able to take advanced classes regularly again, train for competition, work with the best, hang out with family and friends in Pittsburgh, be closer to family and friends in Philadelphia...there's a lot of good stuff waiting for me there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoliWQ3n3hz3jhN1d97u7JCFGBaFRCOdfsrHZqhoLgQ-j2FI_5P7llFxHNKy7_0Vr1noEJT_v77XKBBCEkeCuNLM-DiceYSOTNmDN7jQOm_eBaweddojIGC_VAUkV-7prkm9bMNezAB6g/s1600/michael-shaw-you-have-the-right-to-remain-silent-you-are-a-child-of-the-universe-no-new-yorker-cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoliWQ3n3hz3jhN1d97u7JCFGBaFRCOdfsrHZqhoLgQ-j2FI_5P7llFxHNKy7_0Vr1noEJT_v77XKBBCEkeCuNLM-DiceYSOTNmDN7jQOm_eBaweddojIGC_VAUkV-7prkm9bMNezAB6g/s320/michael-shaw-you-have-the-right-to-remain-silent-you-are-a-child-of-the-universe-no-new-yorker-cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I used to be a little judgmental, I admit it, especially of people who trusted in "fate" or "what the universe tells me." But sometimes I really do feel "the universe" is leading me to Pittsburgh. Case in point: I started following the <a href="http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/">craigslist</a> roommates wanted ads, just for fun, way too early, to see what was out there. And the VERY first place I visited was everything I wanted, and that same evening I decided to sign into my email to tell them that - and they had just written a similar email inviting me to move in.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I can just imagine sharing a cup of tea with my lovely new roommates (one of whom's significant other is hooked on Bikram!), doing wallbends or reading books in my sunlit little room, riding my bicycle the mere mile distance between the new Lawrenceville studio and my sweet new pad in Bloomfield (don't talk about biking through snow, it disrupts the fantasy)...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqB64qBTZ42yeLFYNkdV47R20Ardf6PkMwAL0TxOEqzk0xyZMJdih7MYC_SoY6_Yp0ZLSTEIHRXvkzMRemnWGy-TTb3LC4YufUU97X7akF2CoKv2FZVjv9cnVhA3nU3wNdOGAQG3yNaw/s1600/calvins-dad-snow-biking1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqB64qBTZ42yeLFYNkdV47R20Ardf6PkMwAL0TxOEqzk0xyZMJdih7MYC_SoY6_Yp0ZLSTEIHRXvkzMRemnWGy-TTb3LC4YufUU97X7akF2CoKv2FZVjv9cnVhA3nU3wNdOGAQG3yNaw/s320/calvins-dad-snow-biking1.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
But my enthusiasm for this upcoming move is tempered by how much I will miss the Cleveland studio. Of course, they're not rid of me right away - I'll basically be doing the reverse of my current commute, spending five days in Pittsburgh, and two days (Sundays & Mondays) in Cleveland, teaching four classes/week for two or three months until we have more teachers who can take over full time.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I have been SO lucky and blessed to have the opportunity to help open this studio. I will forever be grateful to Jeannine for trusting a relatively green teacher, sight unseen; for giving me the freedom to travel to Pittsburgh each week; for her generosity and leadership. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It has been an incredible learning experience to work with so many beginners, and to see how their lives have changed in only eight months. I would not be the teacher I am now without Jeannine, Erica, Sarah, and all the Cleveland students. When I think of leaving Cleveland, it feels right, but when I think of leaving my Cleveland students, I admit it, I get a little choked up.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IG0wDb_YflzqorqJYM6O9NQHt448BrYUD8c2ZVSDiaAIkHXriiDGvozxnXYs0s9mwtUVJVO210ARfezsqbgIhRDxgFQlK9jKElbnFvdxaqsLNOY5bEBY4JSNBEuS8L_OUwzrrzVJnjk/s1600/owl+miss+you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IG0wDb_YflzqorqJYM6O9NQHt448BrYUD8c2ZVSDiaAIkHXriiDGvozxnXYs0s9mwtUVJVO210ARfezsqbgIhRDxgFQlK9jKElbnFvdxaqsLNOY5bEBY4JSNBEuS8L_OUwzrrzVJnjk/s320/owl+miss+you.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Well, that's all folks - look forward to further dispatches from my new home base!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Much Love,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Danielle</span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-30727036341941773352012-03-21T16:55:00.001-07:002012-03-21T22:35:05.959-07:00NYC National Yoga Competition: I'm so glad I did it. It was a fantastic experience. I'm excited for next year!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So if you don't have time to read this absurdly long post (and watch the various videos I've sprinkled throughout) I can sum my NYC nationals experience up in a few sentences: "I'm so glad I did it. It was a fantastic experience. I'm excited for next year." Sounds good, right? You'll notice that I don't add "and I did AWESOME!" BUT...I'm so glad I went. It was a fantastic experience. I'm excited for next year... <br />
<br />
Have you seen this bizarrely adorable video of Kristin Bell describing her first real-life encounter with a sloth? It is BIZARRELY adorable, I love it. I'll wait while you watch. <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/t5jw3T3Jy70" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Oh, and once you watch that, you also have to watch this: <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ggq6wFUw2FU" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Okay, so the reason I share this video is because during the weekend I felt a little like Kristin Bell - in that, I was very rarely between a 3 and a 7 on the emotional scale. And, I am not ashamed to admit, often crying. Observe... <br />
<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Thursday March 2nd</b></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I arrived a day early so I could hang out with a few NYC buddies, starting with friend-I've-known-the-longest Erin and her son Connor in Queens.</span><br />
<br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCssRU9cKBhRzcfkVXjStne5gwswiN061FYNWKdtOxCO0dKFKi82GGYSlMfjZu1zY2RmCio-Ryh_96YkF1VrTzVN1UPdYAhEmMGhTf444j5iZs8cLRrJYK43Gb79WlATfbzUTPbzEa00A/s1600/connor2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCssRU9cKBhRzcfkVXjStne5gwswiN061FYNWKdtOxCO0dKFKi82GGYSlMfjZu1zY2RmCio-Ryh_96YkF1VrTzVN1UPdYAhEmMGhTf444j5iZs8cLRrJYK43Gb79WlATfbzUTPbzEa00A/s320/connor2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Cutest kid ever? You be the judge.</i></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After a lovely afternoon with the two of them, I snuck in a little catch-up time with <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2010/07/fluid-yoga-one-less-human-to-worry.html">oft-blogged</a> <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2010/06/hiking-yoga-dont-interrupt-social-hour.html">about</a> yoga buddy Daisy at <a href="http://www.buttercupbakeshop.com/">Buttercup</a>, and old Philly friend Christine at <a href="http://eatalyny.com/">Eataly</a>, before hurrying off to <a href="http://bikramyogagrandcentral.com/">Bikram Yoga Grand Central</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> for a 6:30pm class.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i>Emotional Scale: Solid 5. Hooray for friends! Hooray for being in NYC and not teaching for four whole days!</i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There I met with two fellow Spring 2011 trainees, Kelly and Aaron. It was so lovely to see their happy smiling faces! The teacher, Heather, happened to be the timekeeper for our PA regionals way back when, and she was perfectly fine with me doing my now much-beloved 3rd sets.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The room was hot hot hot - but I was delighted to discover that, in my effort to move as far back and to the right as possible so as not to be distracting with my extra stuff, I had snagged the prime spot - right next to the one and only window! </span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRDny34IoAGwhF5STutv0eOnzBm44Ys6aYdKvJlPAxNDkIn3NF1PDUyubNGOlTIQYlzdz342sy0gErJQbhmYcOiDsZ7Xe5QPkTd3SYJVNhZOZLJRCv42nLMSH_WDOS54TvgZYBKf_SLM/s1600/bygc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRDny34IoAGwhF5STutv0eOnzBm44Ys6aYdKvJlPAxNDkIn3NF1PDUyubNGOlTIQYlzdz342sy0gErJQbhmYcOiDsZ7Xe5QPkTd3SYJVNhZOZLJRCv42nLMSH_WDOS54TvgZYBKf_SLM/s320/bygc.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br />
</div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Heather was a FANTASTIC teacher - warm, friendly, engaged, firm without being aggro about it. I've already stolen (err, adopted) some of the details of how she handled latecomers and talking students.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When we got to Standing Bow, she asked me and a NYC competitor in the front row to come up and demonstrate for the class. "You're doing it in front of hundreds of people this weekend, might as well do it now," she said. My instinct was to say "but I'm not that good!" but she was right, so I made my way to the front. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Where I felt pretty good! Where I actually held it for a long time and felt solid! She pointed out the stuff I was doing right, and said "and now she's just going to kick like hell every day until the other knee is locked out" and I thought "damn straight! I AM going to lock out the other knee someday!"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is going to sound ridiculous, dear readership, but for the first time in that room, I thought "I'm actually pretty good at this yoga stuff," not "I'm pretty good for Cleveland," or "I'm pretty good for my age/size/length of practice," but pretty good, full stop!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><b>Emotional Scale: 6. Feeling the yoga badassery.</b></i></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Friday, March 3rd</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> After delicious sushi and a lovely evening on Kelly's couch in her gorgeous little loft apartment, I caught the subway to Brooklyn to take Aaron's 10am class. As I was anxiously checking my watch (the subway takes FOREVER) who should get onto my subway car but Yukari, another friend from training, also on her way to Aaron's class!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvEXKYQquvduVsR-QjLJdxCIeTX-4netX7BpmnF4OUjYy2WDBB_jvlEeC6Mjz6B5AQe_bkUzhUCZ0gWFOsYmicwaHdP7TmvDIYU9idBNi0wR8zcJlZiwcuvUX5ODw77Hf7X_OT_pf8uI/s1600/DSC02892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvEXKYQquvduVsR-QjLJdxCIeTX-4netX7BpmnF4OUjYy2WDBB_jvlEeC6Mjz6B5AQe_bkUzhUCZ0gWFOsYmicwaHdP7TmvDIYU9idBNi0wR8zcJlZiwcuvUX5ODw77Hf7X_OT_pf8uI/s320/DSC02892.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <i>Yukari and Mike celebrating our last class of training</i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The <a href="http://bikramwilliamsburg.com/">Brooklyn studio</a> was exactly what you'd picture a Brooklyn Bikram studio to be...oddly shaped, a little dark, a little smelly, with quirky pink paper umbrellas over the light fixtures. I was really delighted by Aaron's class - slow, meditative, deliberate without being monotonous. I had been so terrified of NYC studios' rumored heat, but so far, so good! Yukari, Johannes (another Spring training fella) and I went to a juice bar around the corner for some green juice and hopped back on the subway downtown. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><b>Emotional Scale: 7. Feelin' good, yoga-ed up, sippin' on my green juice, familiar faces and personalities from training are warming my little yoga heart... </b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN3XP8m73q-MlW4NELj00wCXzrcTbjRBg1Bb-VUsQZQwmLxyMyXKNvkB4ehqrJFxUy0LvnMZ2lIwgpLjjzeLbKOTvudleS8sAlKubxfqkkQ5Z_60WZIF-kgSwBqS_KWC8-aQBd01pD-8/s1600/green+juice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN3XP8m73q-MlW4NELj00wCXzrcTbjRBg1Bb-VUsQZQwmLxyMyXKNvkB4ehqrJFxUy0LvnMZ2lIwgpLjjzeLbKOTvudleS8sAlKubxfqkkQ5Z_60WZIF-kgSwBqS_KWC8-aQBd01pD-8/s320/green+juice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Yogi Food...</i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At the competitor lunch at Heartland Brewery, I find my table of PA competitors (although Zeb is nowhere to be found...turns out the water filtration system he was carting back to NYC for a friend was a little suspicious to air security personnel, so he missed his flight...those devious yogis) and also find out I am about an hour late...oops! Green juice was worth it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Especially since the lunch was oddly unsuited to yoga competitors...salads with chicken and rich dressing, fried fish, fried calamari - Leigh Ann and I decided to go for the fried salmon, despite the fact that it was doubtless drenched in flour and egg and fried in butter. A little won't kill us, right?<i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxiT3d03-fn3kv229EQO9RAMTgZvgWoQO1BT6BV_ZxnLVhxsXVp67gWXfu2oh9ShKUSuj98mIKSv9Eg8Q9rREztBwWkXut15WCn_DdWCP297g0FJXT3Pciw0c3PS9jUyIhRnpFHh1ouU/s1600/salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxiT3d03-fn3kv229EQO9RAMTgZvgWoQO1BT6BV_ZxnLVhxsXVp67gWXfu2oh9ShKUSuj98mIKSv9Eg8Q9rREztBwWkXut15WCn_DdWCP297g0FJXT3Pciw0c3PS9jUyIhRnpFHh1ouU/s320/salmon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>...Not Yogi Food. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We decide to make our way to a 4pm class at <a href="http://www.bikramyoganyc.com/default.htm">Bikram Yoga Flatiron</a>. Where they charge $5 just to rent a mat. Where we ALMOST DIE. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
I haven't wanted to escape a hot room so badly since training. Good god, it was hot. Melt your face off hot. Sweat streaming down your elbows in pranayama breathing (i.e. the first five minutes) hot. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And of course, being Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh devotees, none of us (including the four competitors, and three BY Pittsburgh students who came all the way to NYC to cheer us on - how awesome is that?!) brought any water in with us.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So when "party time" came along and everyone else scrabbled around for water and towels and so forth, we stood motionless, lined up in the back row like so many members of the water police. I think it baffled our instructor, who proceeded to mention water, or encourage the drinking of water, or suggest a water break, a good ten or fifteen times through the hour and a half class...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KkU2PCTxbvBRuTvM6k-wPqmBezRWNj8wlNIBR6IBkzZgIVry3THBIRzN4m-vMNf_Qx5eRpuiNEuz5hbX_dRDCPU9Y1hOA7-AK9wjOHtQmk_Z4NWBNxtwN1S0LyB9eIIx00DGjBuuZR8/s1600/buckingham+palance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KkU2PCTxbvBRuTvM6k-wPqmBezRWNj8wlNIBR6IBkzZgIVry3THBIRzN4m-vMNf_Qx5eRpuiNEuz5hbX_dRDCPU9Y1hOA7-AK9wjOHtQmk_Z4NWBNxtwN1S0LyB9eIIx00DGjBuuZR8/s320/buckingham+palance.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was relieved to discover after class that it wasn't just me who had died. Fueled by showers, then snacks and smoothies, we regrouped at the hotel to train together one last time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The boys had a 6am pre-competition class the next morning, so Leigh Ann and I peaced out by 10pm, got into our PJs...and then it came. The text from Zeb that said Mary Jarvis was gathering some students to go over routines and we could join if we like. So back on went the yoga clothes, and I made my way down to the warm up room... </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">...where I stayed till almost 3am. Yes, she is just that inspiring. I felt a bit like an eager puppy padding along after the big dogs (after all, these people locked out both knees in Standing Bow YEARS ago), but when I did my routine for Mary around 2am, she said "So much has changed. So much." And my heart grew <a href="http://youtu.be/51qNBFBVtUE">three sizes</a> that day. <br />
<br />
<b><i>Emotional Scale: oh, 11. Mary said she was happy! With ME! She gave me a hug! </i></b><br />
<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> Saturday, March 4th</b><br />
I don't know how Zeb and the boys managed to get up for that 6am class, but after a deep sleep full of strange dreams, munching on rice cakes and peanut butter, and determining that Leigh Ann should definitely still wear her white leotard despite the bridal effect, while I should borrow her teal colored one instead of my potentially too-tight blue one, Leigh Ann and I hopped on the subway to head back to the Flatiron studio for our pre-competition class. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZBfv8LNJH-FrsCuSCmVyM2KofuTQIe3QrUhx7ytsKWZqRx8O-zYyT9ILKNmKo8pBbIWiJxoXXyoG_g5wspI0kW_NdKJCklMrTTJO00fh35kqMtaNxTw39E4MFnY5tIcB5lkwxSFCT_s/s1600/lolcats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZBfv8LNJH-FrsCuSCmVyM2KofuTQIe3QrUhx7ytsKWZqRx8O-zYyT9ILKNmKo8pBbIWiJxoXXyoG_g5wspI0kW_NdKJCklMrTTJO00fh35kqMtaNxTw39E4MFnY5tIcB5lkwxSFCT_s/s320/lolcats.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span></div><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We arrived 45 minutes early, since we were determined to be as close to the window as humanly possible. But thankfully, the class was everything we'd want in a pre-competition class. It was maybe only 1/3 competitors, so the vibe was more relaxed, and the window stayed open a crack the ENTIRE CLASS (the teacher walked over at the first savasana and whispered "do you want me to close the window?" and Leigh Ann answered, as fervently as I felt, "No. I LOVE the window").</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The teacher was gentle, friendly, encouraging, just perfect. We even got to chit chat with her afterwards - she and Leigh Ann had similar yoga interests. I did some full camels afterwards and felt great. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After class the sun was shining and I felt wonderful - grateful for the yoga, for Leigh Ann, for Mary, for the whole experience. We went back to the smoothie place round the corner for more green juice. My best buddy from training called all the way from Ireland to wish me luck. I told him about the Mary Jarvis all nighter and said with all sincerity that I didn't even care how I did onstage - because Mary thought I'd improved. How things change... <br />
<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><b>Emotional Scale: 9. I got a juice and I feel awesome and I'm in NYC and yoga life is good.</b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After that, lots of waiting, and warming up. We waited in the warm up room for two hours...we waited in the backstage warm up area for half an hour or so...I waited backstage for ten minutes...and then, there I was, walking onstage. "REPRESENTING OHIO, DANIELLE HOFFMAN...."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5LuAibhYdEg" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Allow me to walk you through what went on in my head during these three minutes (and what goes through my head watching these three minutes):</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> :05 oh my god I take it back. I care. I care how I do. But it'll be fine. Here we go.<br />
<br />
:13 deep breath #1. <br />
<br />
:18 deep breath #2 (seriously? you couldn't do that any subtler?) <br />
</span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">:30 Is my leg parallel? I think its </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">parallel</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> (its not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">parallel</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">.)<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">:40 I'm shaking so bad but I don't think they can see it. (they can see it.) <br />
<br />
:43 I think my head's a little low but if I try harder I might fall out. This is good enough (its not good enough...as Zeb says, its forehead to knee, not forehead to shin.)<br />
<br />
:46 aaaaaah n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">ot gonna fall out! (didn't fall out. phew. competition goal accomplished.) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 1:07 this feels pretty solid. okeydoke. (two heels not in one line. visible shaking and breathing. Ah well, still good.) <br />
<br />
1:19 (storytime aside...back at Mission Yoga in SF, during class once or twice Juicy walked over and physically held down my toes during first part of awkward, as my toes and fingers get so fidgety when I'm trying really hard. Watch my toes and fingers in this otherwise solid bow pose. WHOA I had no idea)<br />
<br />
1:50 this feels pretty solid. okeydoke. (I was so close to perpendicular. SO CLOSE! As Maggie, or any BY Pgh teacher really, would say, "One more hips forward!") <br />
<br />
2:15 oh my goodness I'm still shaking, but I don't think they can tell (I can't get over the visible shaking and breathing here and everywhere. Maybe it was the lights?) <br />
<br />
2:33 there are my ankles clear as day. I'm gonna do this! I'm gonna grab my ankles smoothly and do a super duper awesome full camel onstage despite having learned it two weeks ago YEAH BABY! <br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2:37 where are my ankles? WHERE DID THEY GO?! (tip for yoga students...watch my hips here. See how they sink backwards as I go to grab my ankles? Thus the ankles are no longer there? Just as important as regular camel. HIPS FORWARD. Damn.) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2:42 well, I gotta do SOMETHING. Maybe I'll grab my toes. I saw Alabama do that this afternoon in pre-competition class. Her backbend wasn't as good as mine but maybe this'll work.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2:49 oh. I guess if I grab my toes I don't get my elbows on the floor. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS POSTURE IT WAS FINE IN THE WARM UP ROOM.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3:00 Well damn. If I royally screwed up camel I'm going to do the BEST GUILLOTINE EVER. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3:19 Locked the knees yeah baby. (I now see how I'm so determined to lock my knees the whole posture starts to tip forward. Whatever, locked the knees, YEAH BABY.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Back behind the stage I felt completely overwhelmed. Mary (who is backstage offering encouragement to every competitor, like the best stage mom ever) gave me the encouraging feedback of "well, for next year, it'll be easier to open the shoulders than it would be to deepen that backbend" and then, like a five-year-old after her first piano recital, I burst into tears. I walked into the hotel lobby and my whole BY Pgh team is there hugging me but I'll still crying, saying "I'm not sad, just overwhelmed" which is true.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i>Emotional Scale: Like Kristen Bell, not between a 3 and a 7, that's for sure...</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZCguizUUHs-cAIfKJu39axCvT9HAru-NUDFC5KCSPOWsvQsrsJmVUlYCmSgKSbnvJEpLFQX1hH9jpTHCfqFhHrCHtJyfqgrg6EW8IZFcMuP5dhyTTyLVzCmyheF1R0rVuuihy6abvR4/s1600/kristen_bell_crying_over_sloth_400x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZCguizUUHs-cAIfKJu39axCvT9HAru-NUDFC5KCSPOWsvQsrsJmVUlYCmSgKSbnvJEpLFQX1hH9jpTHCfqFhHrCHtJyfqgrg6EW8IZFcMuP5dhyTTyLVzCmyheF1R0rVuuihy6abvR4/s1600/kristen_bell_crying_over_sloth_400x300.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I honestly felt (mostly) fine about it until I went up to the balcony to join Myra and Vince, and learned my score...I was in last place. LAST PLACE. Behind the women who fell out of standing bow. Behind the women who did Pigeon as an optional. Behind Alabama. I genuinely didn't think I'd care about my score...until I was dead last.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So, of course, back on go the waterworks. Congratulatory facebook posts and texts start to seem so false to me...like when you say to that five-year-old once they get offstage "that was so GREAT, honey!" even though they forgot all the notes and they had a booger on their face the whole time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
<i><b>Emotional Scale: 2. Cutest kid ever Connor knows how I feel...</b></i><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRj36WW9cPkEVa7jR2cPFrCQGKgZ5A2KXUj0q2j6BD9Fe25u86fslOV12Ei0OCZ-1ZFnqsU_F6lNrosWZOx8MtbHIlYLan7DshY2q6iMpVYgTluUZK1A13cL9RwlwzVpAGp338Tw3UaQ/s1600/connor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRj36WW9cPkEVa7jR2cPFrCQGKgZ5A2KXUj0q2j6BD9Fe25u86fslOV12Ei0OCZ-1ZFnqsU_F6lNrosWZOx8MtbHIlYLan7DshY2q6iMpVYgTluUZK1A13cL9RwlwzVpAGp338Tw3UaQ/s320/connor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We spent the rest of the day watching the rest of the female routines, looking through the vendors in the lobby, and gradually (for me) realizing that I was being a little childish, that the fact that I was there at all was incredible.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
Tom (the amazing videographer who made videos like the following, to whom I am very grateful), Myra, Vince, Leigh Ann, and I headed off to a local pizza joint where I chowed down on calamari and pizza. Afterwards, I walked over to a nearby wine bar to grab a few drinks with Johannes and Kelly and their friends and siblings, where I got pleasantly, medium-level drunk. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i>Emotional Scale: 5. A little abashed, full of cheese and bread and wine.</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JBmb_8x0-aI" width="560"></iframe><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We all have our weird drunk habits. Mine have ALWAYS been food-based. Back in my early 20s it was grilled cheese. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I vividly remember sitting at the bar at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-petes-philadelphia">Little Pete's</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> back in the day at 3am while someone was pouring out his heart to me and I was thinking something along the lines of "Grilled cheese will be ordered. Grilled cheese has been ordered. Grilled cheese is being made. Grilled cheese will be here any moment. Where is it where is it where is it HERE IS MY GRILLED CHEESE HOORAY!"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
Anyway, I have matured from those days in that I very rarely get drunk, and when I do, cookies and cheese curls are my drunk food of choice. Less effort. So as I walked back to the hotel, I passed by a food cart and thought "I can eat sugar now!" and gleefully bought a packet of Nutter Butters, which I ate as I walked.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvzLpwMKmAUohv1Vk25gSxJOZ5tVplkOHYDlEx5Gr8l2Zxca0Rp02mrBUfMkj3AtSr7LQiHyaqG-uSRBAFcBSO_RFaRQo3Nvb3sPriqGpvX8Rc-EDtSTDLE88Yw-CE-T-WYPGg43Cu2U/s1600/melt+grilled+cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvzLpwMKmAUohv1Vk25gSxJOZ5tVplkOHYDlEx5Gr8l2Zxca0Rp02mrBUfMkj3AtSr7LQiHyaqG-uSRBAFcBSO_RFaRQo3Nvb3sPriqGpvX8Rc-EDtSTDLE88Yw-CE-T-WYPGg43Cu2U/s320/melt+grilled+cheese.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Did you know there's<a href="http://meltbarandgrilled.com/"> a restaurant in Cleveland</a> that is ALL grilled cheese?</span></i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And then, despite being drunk and hungry and eager for sugar, they tasted terrible! So sweet! So sugary! I tossed them. Apparently training did more to my eating habits than I realized. <br />
<br />
I was also astonished when I got back after 2am and Leigh Ann was only just getting ready for bed. Apparently she had her own Mary-full evening! Speaking of Leigh Ann, her routine was absolutely gorgeous, despite a slight </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Standing Splits stumble, which she was a <i>little</i> more grownup about it than me (i.e., no public meltdown in the balcony).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K-JhAY-UKrM" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Sunday March 5th</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Less to say about this day...we were able to sleep in a bit, watch every one of the 20 finalists, and cheer for Zeb's 100% winning routine. During lunch break a group of us decided on Chipotle for lunch, but it took us a while to get going, then we went the wrong way, then we couldn't find it...so fast forward an hour later to us eating burritos as we frantically ran along NYC streets and dodged Time Square tourists to get back in time...</span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yU107LVWASfG82WSpGpeHwNwoiFnjNHBhMYLguiBe0QKRwTnKoc1cWij3QuOCp7ciMK7cu93CuZ7SbBa9HdtoMObbQ3xVEoLPJc04OKGzaJh9DSbu2ID2eQ9tm15zi9uuXPMsa2MjzU/s1600/joseph+carey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yU107LVWASfG82WSpGpeHwNwoiFnjNHBhMYLguiBe0QKRwTnKoc1cWij3QuOCp7ciMK7cu93CuZ7SbBa9HdtoMObbQ3xVEoLPJc04OKGzaJh9DSbu2ID2eQ9tm15zi9uuXPMsa2MjzU/s320/joseph+carey.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of my favorite routines was Joseph Carey from Florida - when this guy</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> walked onstage, his size and power was a stark contrast to all the reedy little yogis that preceded him. And then he busted out an EPIC standing bow (wish I could find a video for you). It was really, really inspiring.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As luck would have it, I ran into him in the elevator as I went to get my suitcase and prepare to leave. I told him how wonderful I thought his routine was. He asked how mine went, and I gave him my new rote answer: "I didn't do well, but I'm so glad I went. It was a fantastic experience. I'm excited for next year." and he said "that's exactly what I said last year." So THAT'S a good sign!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i>Emotional Scale: 6. It is starting to be true...I AM really excited for next year! I have a whole year to train! There's nowhere to go but up!</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Erin had generously offered to drive me to the airport, and was going to pick me up at 4:30pm. At 4:15pm, the finalists had all been gathered onstage for twenty or thirty minutes but Rajashree was STILL talking and thanking people and I was getting desperate. I wanted to see Zeb win! But time was a-ticking! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tZYAOwtvPW4" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And at 4:30pm exactly, Zeb was announced...silver medalist! He's going on to internationals! I cheered and whooped and hollered, then grabbed my suitcase and ran out of the hotel to meet Erin, who pulled up five minutes later.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the car, little Connor had caught croup, so since Thursday, active eager mischievous Connor had been replaced by passive, sleepy sick Connor. Poor little guy! Both Erin and I had had eventful weekends, in very different ways.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Erin also gave me a MASSIVE cookie. I can't remember the name of the bakery, but apparently it is known to produce some of the best chocolate chip cookies in NYC. It was huge and moist and still warm from the oven. I gratefully munched for a little while and tucked the rest in my bag for later. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6inKUe4cPpGljFkHQwIg8_q26NNxOR03-UJu0drT9allkW6keZVM8NcyeuSxYtqhOzLtb2wZVnsBSyqhMUmaM-qQ4Lg3ZcaamO6prIf5QDU0iWVXZBcQ9CR3GeqgxTtz5JkY88-XKg_M/s1600/esak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6inKUe4cPpGljFkHQwIg8_q26NNxOR03-UJu0drT9allkW6keZVM8NcyeuSxYtqhOzLtb2wZVnsBSyqhMUmaM-qQ4Lg3ZcaamO6prIf5QDU0iWVXZBcQ9CR3GeqgxTtz5JkY88-XKg_M/s1600/esak.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
At the airport, I ran into </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQpxQGIetFw" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Esak Garcia</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">, who I knew by reputation only - the first international yoga champ - and who was also waiting to fly back home. As I chatted with him, another yoga fella approached, wearing a shirt that matched mine, with the USA Yoga logo on the front and the word "CHAMPION" in big letters on the back, which was, let's face it, worth the trip to NYC alone (he was from somewhere in the midwest...see, this is why I shouldn't wait two weeks to blog).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I had decided I just couldn't handle the sugar rush that was eating the rest of my cookie, but I couldn't WASTE it...so I offered it to Esak. "You're right," he said, "sugar is really bad for the yoga." And after a pause and a smile, he said "but I'll eat it," and split it with the midwesterner.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Seemed fitting to end my NYC yoga trip with feeding Esak Garcia sugar.<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i>Emotional Scale: 5. Back to a normal emotional state. Ready to fly back and sleep for a week. </i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Or fitting to end my post entirely with the following video. Yoga dudes are AWESOME.<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hNCtPDwDIOQ" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Whew! That's all folks. Thanks for listening! Stay tuned...</span></div><div></div></div></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-67707454963627956862012-02-29T21:28:00.000-08:002012-02-29T21:28:52.037-08:00It's the Final Countdown!<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeHh0MVMGkxyJzCM-i2WYtnsK1xtX8JsUgHJNXoZbwWXOS_s08ceVrN_GiZ0QSiQ2PxjwHHJM9W7o48UiMW8kVuUz2UT6iVkr5SUDdqgcCEXa5mDg5d_Mk5bQMVsuJ6IZsOZsEoXhXe4/s1600/four+days+left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeHh0MVMGkxyJzCM-i2WYtnsK1xtX8JsUgHJNXoZbwWXOS_s08ceVrN_GiZ0QSiQ2PxjwHHJM9W7o48UiMW8kVuUz2UT6iVkr5SUDdqgcCEXa5mDg5d_Mk5bQMVsuJ6IZsOZsEoXhXe4/s320/four+days+left.jpg" width="304" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A quick post to update you all on the past few weeks before I do my usual last-possible-minute packing for tomorrow morning's flight. I've got a lovely mini-vacation in NYC planned, where I get to hang out with <a href="http://connorletters.blogspot.com/">this cutie pie</a> and his mom, enjoy a mini-reunion with a bunch of fellow Spring 2011 teacher training graduates, do lots of yoga...oh, and perform on <a href="http://www.millenniumhotelnyc.com/hudson-theatre/history.php">this stage</a> in front of a couple hundred people for three minutes. Hey, I figure if I fall over and make a hilarious fool of myself, it's only three minutes. I'll score my competition video to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6TXMsvgQg">this song</a> and just enjoy my time in NYC.</span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So first and foremost, training has been intense! I just wish my training was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=3408902705316">THIS exciting</a>...it gets lonely in that empty yoga room, just me, cleaning guy James wandering in and out of the supply closet, and Weezer.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SFFgayhYnXI" width="420"></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Between teaching twelve classes a week, taking at least five (and adding extra sets and exercises, or "third sets," in yoga training-speak, which has been fun...and the Cleveland students are getting used to it, and better at not blatantly watching me, although one confided after class that she's in a perfect position to watch my full camel without looking like she's watching my full camel and is always mentally cheering me on - "go go go go!"), and adding an hour or two of backbends, routines, etc every day...I've been tired.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMljJv4DwQWSzt5MuSwtj1AMk8eo3yHT6s8Kb7zPyiZ3m30KvQf8e_btjJuZ83upZtfCimzXd82HnffUj3OVD60376mYQlSqJZ7XXrkP_RkfKtVSAKcXZg2DF1RvmR6rrUe11HgQa5kPY/s1600/Sleeping+Yogi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMljJv4DwQWSzt5MuSwtj1AMk8eo3yHT6s8Kb7zPyiZ3m30KvQf8e_btjJuZ83upZtfCimzXd82HnffUj3OVD60376mYQlSqJZ7XXrkP_RkfKtVSAKcXZg2DF1RvmR6rrUe11HgQa5kPY/s320/Sleeping+Yogi.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This pose is called Sleeping Yogi...seems apt!</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I was taking lots of naps (which I've since learned <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3423/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Napping-Infographic.html">repair bones & muscle,</a> so hey, that's fine) and drinking lots of coffee to compensate. Zeb wisely suggested that instead I work on my sugar consumption (what, you mean eating icing out of a jar with a spoon isn't good for you?) So for the past few weeks I've cut out all added sugar, and for good measure, a bunch of other stuff (including coffee...the lovely <a href="http://savinglivesandkickinbutt.blogspot.com/">Laura</a> posted the following photo on my facebook wall (oh, it's a timeline now, right?) the other day and it made me want to cry):</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqty2WG0K0uB4CP_-LJiLeumZWkrz8KT9fILEF7l_uqTwx9f4zfWEKPsAezUJBlktnDWvtQ0GyVSDyAI4PPmaiXlZwpaRYDKFp4YlEGqycqKD6iolOL8XtnKhzk-E5-izUpz3j6YR2oxw/s1600/Philz+Coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqty2WG0K0uB4CP_-LJiLeumZWkrz8KT9fILEF7l_uqTwx9f4zfWEKPsAezUJBlktnDWvtQ0GyVSDyAI4PPmaiXlZwpaRYDKFp4YlEGqycqKD6iolOL8XtnKhzk-E5-izUpz3j6YR2oxw/s320/Philz+Coffee.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jacob's Wonderbar with soy milk and a little sugar...you were so good to me</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I tell you what...you don't realize how sugar is in EVERYTHING until you try to stop eating it altogether. Salad dressing. Bread. The soy milk behind the counter at the coffee & tea shop next door to your yoga studio. On the plus side, I am turning into a mean, lean yoga machine...but Saturday night, NYC pizza shops better watch out!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGumy1i1yjgqN_2AQ9yWnauC_vroAkUXUDqdVuN8WOt-qrVyh4esKtQD-sPXC9Af5HX78tj1HURAM_DEkWBnBjtRYmBk8yFc1uV_-Ez3mpy_O8K4dAgqWX-JKr_xZIqFPpRqCQhI2SSQ/s1600/1996-01-19.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGumy1i1yjgqN_2AQ9yWnauC_vroAkUXUDqdVuN8WOt-qrVyh4esKtQD-sPXC9Af5HX78tj1HURAM_DEkWBnBjtRYmBk8yFc1uV_-Ez3mpy_O8K4dAgqWX-JKr_xZIqFPpRqCQhI2SSQ/s1600/1996-01-19.gif" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've also had some back trouble, but one of my Cleveland 6am-ers is a former professional football player (and a <a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/brianbrennan/2499775/profile">silver fox</a>) so I asked him for chiropractic recommendations (because who better to recommend a sports chiropractor than a retired professional sports guy?). </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He sent me to <a href="http://www.wellness.com/dir/445061/chiropractor/oh/cleveland/john-bondra-dc">this wonderful fella</a> who, while not as effusive and enthusiastic as my San Francisco chiropractor, very brusquely and effectively snapped me back into place. What is it about someone else manhandling and cracking your neck and spine that is so satisfying? So hopefully full camel will look like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-5a7pawlw">this</a> and not like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLgJWLVh3oM">this</a>. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrmJFpJXlZORhFpiuhVpqLh1a-gFsnaPPkufaGDHHjHs1dHjB6z_-xvqBNhwhHmP9hmdP9gcS8LM1aDJsCkZX-olAaigN1kLQTbcmdVriG2NIzaCFw4Isx61uXUZLteWLYJ6opEJz01o/s1600/backbend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrmJFpJXlZORhFpiuhVpqLh1a-gFsnaPPkufaGDHHjHs1dHjB6z_-xvqBNhwhHmP9hmdP9gcS8LM1aDJsCkZX-olAaigN1kLQTbcmdVriG2NIzaCFw4Isx61uXUZLteWLYJ6opEJz01o/s320/backbend.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Can't THIS be my optional?</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'll sign off with some recent publicity around about the competition. It's been interesting to see some of the negative or condescending reactions to the idea of yoga competition, which I can understand...but I genuinely believe this opportunity has not only made me a better yogi, but a better teacher. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Training for competition has reminded what it's like to be a beginner; and how much further you can go when you give it time, patience, and determination. I know the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of the five beginner postures so much better now, so I'm better able to teach them in class. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And I'm more aware of the body's ability to change, no matter what its current state...after all, if a previously sedentary 30-year-old can backbend her way into full camel (as I told a friend this evening...my spine says "wait a minute. you're not an athlete. you're a NERD! how are you doing this?") this yoga really is a magical thing (not a <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/living/yogas-dirty-secret-its-all-about-tantric-sex-baby-229062.html">sex cult</a> though. C'mon, Michael Broad, <i>really?)</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1268128262"><br />
</a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46554808/ns/today/t/yoga-olympics/" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yoga Posture...As an Official Olympic Sport?</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://nymag.com/daily/sports/2012/02/twisted-competitive-yoga-in-times-square.html">Twisted: Competitive Yoga in Times Square</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><object height="268" id="otvPlayer" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=kgo&section=&mediaId=8562507&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site=" ></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=kgo&section=&mediaId=8562507&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site="></embed></object></span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-77855597897269964642012-02-08T19:19:00.000-08:002012-02-08T19:19:55.054-08:00"The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting in above-average effort."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoEm0AJeCW-zVUADs-J2Z-XNIQ-tuj9ciFPzxbjwAvgrewHRJnD-XluT8NmRHpTmL_ljL_jhKyOUuqLnd3EtORr_6JIRbjN6bVfdE5kpTmqncOoUiKa3MqHSfd53TXat-rDaRAhFhMak/s1600/Badass+Yogis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoEm0AJeCW-zVUADs-J2Z-XNIQ-tuj9ciFPzxbjwAvgrewHRJnD-XluT8NmRHpTmL_ljL_jhKyOUuqLnd3EtORr_6JIRbjN6bVfdE5kpTmqncOoUiKa3MqHSfd53TXat-rDaRAhFhMak/s320/Badass+Yogis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So January 28th has come and gone, and you're probably wondering how the yoga competition went...but with a team of badass yogis like these, how could it go wrong?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>COMPETITION WEEK! </b>started off with me finally, finally grabbing my hands regularly in <a href="http://www.bikramyogaportsmouth.com/component/option,com_zoom/Itemid,14/page,view/catid,5/key,33/hit,1/">guillotine</a>, thanks in part to advice from Zeb, from former competitor and erstwhile Bikram Yoga Cleveland student Becky, and also just me doing it over and over and over and over again. So I was feeling pretty good about competition, except for, as you know, my inability to consistently land Standing Head to Knee. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then Friday morning, just before my usual 10am class, Zeb told me good news and bad news. Good news: Mary Jarvis was going to stop by and check out our postures! Bad news: His car was in the shop and he wondered if he could borrow mine to pick Mary Jarvis up from the airport.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirII3hW9Y_TjVzhyphenhyphen_sLrgddHopzdk9nQ6d5gMJtTqMLHi8BhW3PqXo5TeaIjzechkD7QX3joZFCOmTLsQfZvSHyASmSWRJImEEHTdbBWqujYzRIhpnybKe8rXsGGlzZXk4yo5NanpbQ0o/s1600/MrMessy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirII3hW9Y_TjVzhyphenhyphen_sLrgddHopzdk9nQ6d5gMJtTqMLHi8BhW3PqXo5TeaIjzechkD7QX3joZFCOmTLsQfZvSHyASmSWRJImEEHTdbBWqujYzRIhpnybKe8rXsGGlzZXk4yo5NanpbQ0o/s320/MrMessy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why is this bad news? Well, before I became a car owner, I used to scoff at the filthy losers who would dirty up their car, throwing empty Starbucks cups and granola bar wrappers and so forth into the backseat without a second thought. And in San Francisco I had a car place where, for a mere $20, they would clean (and vacuum!) my car inside and out, so it never got very bad. But here in Cleveland, I practically live in my car as I drive to and from Pittsburgh, and I rarely have backseat passengers, and I haven't found a car cleaning place, and, well... </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was bad folks. Zeb said he didn't mind...he could toss the BAG OF TRASH in my backseat. But as I was signing people into that 10am class I was remembering all the crap in my car. Oh no, like the mason jars that I make my green smoothies in and then I have so many that sometimes I just toss the empty dirty jars in the backseat and leave them there...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In any case, I decided to just accept the fact that two of my yoga idols were hanging out in my dirty dirty car. And besides, it was worth it to have Mary Jarvis back at Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh, where she provided help, insight, and inspiration to all of us. She's a special lady! (My mom after my last post: "you talked a LOT about that Mary lady." also, "she was in your car? Does it still have that weird smell?" So I'll wrap up the Tale of the Dirty Dirty Car here and move on to...)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAkJNwp8iX6b5KRBi0QhzvkEbKb-xFo7hKJ0180v7VJuDvrRBDaKroAFXGuE8_nKvZ3QAIXtL32ew9Dg5F9w_yj0Un8L4t4R9VA0uV26DRCa_9__o3ynnKqyzvsc6N9dGxxXqFc4NxkA/s1600/nervous_dogs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAkJNwp8iX6b5KRBi0QhzvkEbKb-xFo7hKJ0180v7VJuDvrRBDaKroAFXGuE8_nKvZ3QAIXtL32ew9Dg5F9w_yj0Un8L4t4R9VA0uV26DRCa_9__o3ynnKqyzvsc6N9dGxxXqFc4NxkA/s320/nervous_dogs.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>COMPETITION DAY! </b> Saturday morning we took the 8am class at Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh. It was PACKED, the whole back row peppered with competitors, and the lovely <a href="http://www.bypgh.com/teachers/maggie">Maggie </a>had us do our routines simultaneously for the rest of class at the very end. The echo effect as we announced postures was fun, and I got some of my first-time jitters out. I thought.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Pennsylvania regionals took place at the <a href="http://www.unionproject.org/">Union Project</a>, a renovated church in the East End. Rebecca and Lisa of <a href="http://bikramyogapittsburgh.com/">Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill</a> did a fantastic job of arranging the Yoga Expo, with a variety of free yoga demonstrations in addition to the competition itself (although the chanting during the first few competitors' routines was a little humorously distracting!)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The judges' GPS took them to the wrong side of the city, so we got started 45 minutes late. My mom, meanwhile, asked when I thought I would go on, since she wanted to do some errands. I said probably not until 1:30pm at the earliest. But as soon as the judges were there, we were moving FAST. There was very little time in between routines, contrary to my <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2011/01/northern-ca-regional-yoga-asana.html">Northern California regional experience</a>, which moved at a snails pace and took quite literally, all day. HURRY UP AND GET HERE I texted my mom, but when I walked onstage at 1:25pm, I quickly scanned the audience and didn't see her. Oh, well.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QCrRXnYXPF3YdzcJNoVyAUwFlErPJKQpJGSHpfXiUnDRb98ORRdaqUIaiwgdcDhqoBXzmHbnH1B2TDJ8ZqhtcmC-rBC1tEHbHjD73c34fXJ2ltqJTxIDSxckVvajND9f_VxKy2M0epk/s1600/at-first-i-was-like-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QCrRXnYXPF3YdzcJNoVyAUwFlErPJKQpJGSHpfXiUnDRb98ORRdaqUIaiwgdcDhqoBXzmHbnH1B2TDJ8ZqhtcmC-rBC1tEHbHjD73c34fXJ2ltqJTxIDSxckVvajND9f_VxKy2M0epk/s320/at-first-i-was-like-baby.jpg" width="203" /></a> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">You've seen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9oxmRT2YWw">this</a>, right? </span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So once I was onstage, my heart started POUNDING. I've been onstage before - piano competitions, theatrical productions, that sort of thing - so I vaguely remembered this feeling. But I've never had that feeling while doing an activity that actually required BALANCE and STILLNESS. Um, what? As I reached for my foot in Standing Head to Knee I was baffled...I'm still shaking, and I'm supposed to balance now? </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The good news - I nailed the posture! The bad news - I fell out as I exited it! That's okay. Moving on.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpTHuIbNwRxvsUhokJtZ1yoChBaWizS3iwIJww8JRraXMFO-WP4lOBZJNM44WC6Lp-fo6uJi-U8EQ6PuczX6lu2K22Z2Grw05unDha8UEXfEVRNgyMq4vdhnZzEOivlTgocLKZ8zl9F4/s1600/Danielle_Yoga.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpTHuIbNwRxvsUhokJtZ1yoChBaWizS3iwIJww8JRraXMFO-WP4lOBZJNM44WC6Lp-fo6uJi-U8EQ6PuczX6lu2K22Z2Grw05unDha8UEXfEVRNgyMq4vdhnZzEOivlTgocLKZ8zl9F4/s320/Danielle_Yoga.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not too shabby. I like to think that the lovely Suzan from Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh (and there were so many BY Pittsburgh students there to cheer us on, it really is such a wonderful community there!) snapped this photo before I was in the full expression, but I suspect that I didn't succeed in getting those two heels in one line. Or my head up. Or my arm down enough. Will work on it. Bow was good, Rabbit was good...and in the middle of Rabbit, in the middle of the silence that accompanied everyone's routines once they shut the door between the demo room and the workshop room, I heard the door to the hall loudly blow open. <i>That is totally my mom, </i>I thought. I was right.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZpLQqCLkXhtb4E9QrZQjMre8PaiavSAHEs8glvzf_yyjx1YR-ZKKas1ByBPe8MkSd7Rk9_vK1uETEWNPKhnfLFLI3d9xQk2d2E78JDyZJJmvqxMTjC2kdLdBR2Ajaak8uachsk9Svss/s1600/Danielle2_Yoga.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZpLQqCLkXhtb4E9QrZQjMre8PaiavSAHEs8glvzf_yyjx1YR-ZKKas1ByBPe8MkSd7Rk9_vK1uETEWNPKhnfLFLI3d9xQk2d2E78JDyZJJmvqxMTjC2kdLdBR2Ajaak8uachsk9Svss/s320/Danielle2_Yoga.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Guillotine! I need to get those shoulders behind my legs more, and LOCK MY KNEES, but I'll get there.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So overall, a positive experience. But the BEST part was watching my fellow yogis. I was just so impressed to see how far they've come. It reminded me of taking classes from my fellow Spring 2011 teacher trainees...you're just SO excited and proud you can't contain it! Look at this awesomeness!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/13pKe7uKhfc" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Yes, I am not in the video. The videographer/friend of competitor shut off the camera when Ohio walked onstage...oops :)</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They've since published the <a href="http://www.usayoga.org/results">top scores by state</a> and I scored a 62, which seems to be about average for 2nd place finishers nationwide, so I'm potentially not going to be the WORST yogi at Nationals (bottom 10? I can hope for bottom 10). Because that's right...I'm going to Nationals! In NYC March 3rd! Crazy, right? </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now I'm training like crazy, trying to learn <a href="http://theyogapedia.com/2011/03/16/yoga-pose-off-full-camel-in-the-park/">Full Camel</a> or <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/josephencinia/4338874892/">Full Cobra</a> to replace the little-too-beginner pose that is Pigeon. My back hurts, my shoulders hurt, but I'm getting there. Jeannine, my studio owner in Cleveland, has been really supportive, letting me do third sets of postures in class, and giving me full use of the yoga room during off hours. I'll try to post more often between now and then, but in the meantime...wish me luck!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A few bits and pieces to share before I sign off, teach a couple classes, do a couple backbends...</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcAhFx4ffZ6a4X1oRHEGmOqWiJ4azZ3SwQh70EeJS4y-_vL-LSah2tYmUuxLrgovqErf0cmQ_7HSOybpKe-9vORvKyr1LKIRlXA7yufjmkxaU0bP9SMboz5_VAcQSybQ-GjCoRxM9kUo/s1600/Obama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcAhFx4ffZ6a4X1oRHEGmOqWiJ4azZ3SwQh70EeJS4y-_vL-LSah2tYmUuxLrgovqErf0cmQ_7HSOybpKe-9vORvKyr1LKIRlXA7yufjmkxaU0bP9SMboz5_VAcQSybQ-GjCoRxM9kUo/s1600/Obama.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>President Obama spoke at a small high school in Cleveland and I WAS THERE!</b> Why? Well, because of yoga, of course! A visiting student from Chicago got a little ill during class and left the room, hung out in the lobby for a while getting chummy with front desk girl Sarah, and next thing I know, it turns out she's an event coordinator for Obama and I've got a ticket! Yoga is the best.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CHs0qqdpQNONyJ3lYP46zg25hUJTWbVEoa9_84xoXztUjbhptHW2KHIRP7mEz4UJmwyOqkevyfTz2te23GnKyRcfo-McymvqXlHn2KOBK1LXBmGWH-egUn_MhoRfajxdBPtxeTUteuo/s1600/yoga-class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CHs0qqdpQNONyJ3lYP46zg25hUJTWbVEoa9_84xoXztUjbhptHW2KHIRP7mEz4UJmwyOqkevyfTz2te23GnKyRcfo-McymvqXlHn2KOBK1LXBmGWH-egUn_MhoRfajxdBPtxeTUteuo/s320/yoga-class.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>I taught my biggest class ever! </b>We only have two classes on Saturdays and Sundays, so the Sunday classes have been geting bigger and bigger. One 3pm class in mid January started filling up rather quickly. The regulars were just slipping into the studio as we took care of the long line of newbies, figuring they would check in with us later - but as a result, we lost track of how many students were in there. We've estimated capacity at 60 but figured we'd never fit more than 55 in there. How many students did I count during that first savasana? FIFTY-NINE! Astonishing.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even more astonishing...that the energy in the room was so amazing. It could easily have turned into a grouch fest, given the mat-to-mat proximity, the extra heat and humidity (and sweat!) from so many bodies...but it was a really solid class. THREE different students told me afterwards that they had accomplished something they'd never done before - wrapping their legs in Eagle, or holding Standing Bow for the full minute, for example. It was exciting, exhilarating...and exhausting. Good times!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVwsRJ9qAtjHPrzO83zdTUnUH-1RyVTWRKGR0jpYVXKqei-4XkhFUJsWzaMGz-zsrAOAGAulxiB2uf5q4H4ShPaA7ERxHdkrZZw3FnYr1-Kq-LLkKYg6tSLFRflts1FJ7UcPH59YjDN8/s1600/concussion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVwsRJ9qAtjHPrzO83zdTUnUH-1RyVTWRKGR0jpYVXKqei-4XkhFUJsWzaMGz-zsrAOAGAulxiB2uf5q4H4ShPaA7ERxHdkrZZw3FnYr1-Kq-LLkKYg6tSLFRflts1FJ7UcPH59YjDN8/s320/concussion.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>My mom got a mild concussion from yoga! </b>Okay, that's not exciting news. It is bad news. She was taking her 3rd bikram yoga class ever with me, felt like vomiting, ran out of the room, passed out, and smacked her face on the bathroom tile. She's still feeling not so great, and I doubt I'll ever get her back in the hot room regularly, which is a shame because I was so delighted that she was getting into it - but I tell you this story because it really underscored for me why we encourage people, over and over, to stay in the room.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm a little more direct now when my students start to leave the room, or at least have them sit in the lobby where I can see them for a few minutes, to adjust to the temperature change. We don't tell students to stay in the room because we're control freaks...they can hurt themselves! I've since told the story of my mom's concussion in the middle of class twice, to better express to students why we encourage them to stay. So...thanks Mom :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Last but not least...<b>the best response to the New York Times article I've yet seen </b>(because yes, I HAVE read that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html?_r=2">New York Times article</a>. Everyone and their mom has forwarded it or mentioned it to me): </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theawl.com/2012/01/six-reasons-to-ignore-the-new-york-times-yoga-article"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">http://www.theawl.com/2012/01/six-reasons-to-ignore-the-new-york-times-yoga-article</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh, even better, I'll leave you with this: Zeb's champion routine! 72.5! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rnVj8-WKrQg" width="560"></iframe></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-2906903806322239712012-01-03T13:43:00.000-08:002012-01-03T20:16:54.207-08:00What I've Been Up To For Seven Weeks...And There's Something About Mary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXTBBFI8jlBF_Rr6V2DSP8YCtLOA5mkbmBTVKiRNrM3fLRtotlM2wwkDeuODxKAmLW7z9UrZ4DPu8kJzUAq_gI0NtdiMpkyXLvNOv8PrSrFzLszra47fyZ8NzOEQ1rGrOMwr9WXvCOmE/s1600/notsorry.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXTBBFI8jlBF_Rr6V2DSP8YCtLOA5mkbmBTVKiRNrM3fLRtotlM2wwkDeuODxKAmLW7z9UrZ4DPu8kJzUAq_gI0NtdiMpkyXLvNOv8PrSrFzLszra47fyZ8NzOEQ1rGrOMwr9WXvCOmE/s320/notsorry.gif" width="220" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whoa...has it really been seven whole weeks since my last post? Do I really have 35 followers now and get a dozen or so hits a day even though I haven't posted in seven whole weeks!? You folks are loyal. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think it's time to come clean - I may set grandiose goals of blogging weekly and adding posture-specific blog posts, etc, but at the end of the day, I will only ever be a once-a-month blogger who spends her valuable blogging time just rambling on about her life. Unless, of course, I can find a way to monetize this sucker, given that one of my new year's resolutions is to find a few additional income sources. Speaking of which, anyone need some grantwriting? I'm available!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-C2yK8c0mjq2KEymQcoHOHsVEukErKRuGwyMx_sBTM6YK9gJKcqOriQMw3E-q2M5AuxPVpetzxLM-Ns-S7dbkSZlajWSE584fKZeYI4yN1_kXJCoOeZ01I497z3X2rKd4-6531rYows/s1600/NY+Resolutions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-C2yK8c0mjq2KEymQcoHOHsVEukErKRuGwyMx_sBTM6YK9gJKcqOriQMw3E-q2M5AuxPVpetzxLM-Ns-S7dbkSZlajWSE584fKZeYI4yN1_kXJCoOeZ01I497z3X2rKd4-6531rYows/s320/NY+Resolutions.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh yeah, <b>Happy New Year! </b>Have you made <i>your</i> New Years Resolutions? I get really into the resolution thing...I create a long, detailed lists with subcategories and action steps and so forth. They're fun to read after the fact...for example, in 2010, under subcategory "<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Get Good at the Things I Want To Be Good At," "practice yoga 2 - 3 times/week" seems laughably easy, whereas "practice jazz piano at least five hours a week" kinda sorta didn't happen...</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sad to say, "Blog Every Week" is not on the 2012 list, although "Don't Be a Hobo or a Hermit" is, including the subheaders "accessorize teaching outfits" and "throw out the really old clothes." You've been good to me, Adidas stretchy capris that I bought at Ross Dress for Less five years ago, but I think your time is up.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So much has happened in seven weeks, where do I begin!? Let's do this chronologically...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZydlZZ5YgXLbl3wkxcTCi-7s1kEwFyZ_f4Nizung2RxoZtm0dnvCJNjU4MFEHxlPvbfN9eykv-xB6nUp2mQQhdO_dQA0eVnHtrFbWdRyL38m5ZObcfghb0H6l20DiM_IXlirQYsVAEZY/s1600/DSC02746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZydlZZ5YgXLbl3wkxcTCi-7s1kEwFyZ_f4Nizung2RxoZtm0dnvCJNjU4MFEHxlPvbfN9eykv-xB6nUp2mQQhdO_dQA0eVnHtrFbWdRyL38m5ZObcfghb0H6l20DiM_IXlirQYsVAEZY/s320/DSC02746.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>November 27th: Chris and Fiona Arrive!</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remember this goofball, who was so much a part of my training life that my mom said upon meeting him "I feel like I know you!"? I never would have guessed, when he moved to Ireland after training, to teach yoga with his lovely Irish girlfriend Fiona, that I would see him again six months later! But in one of those wonderful quirky yoga community coincidences, turns out one of the two other Bikram Yoga Cleveland teachers, Erica, had a best friend in training named...Fiona! So when Chris and Fiona were planning their trip to the states, they managed to fit Cleveland and Pittsburgh into their agenda.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both of them taught a class in Cleveland, and Fiona ever ran an advanced class for us teachers! That was such a fantastic treat. We sampled Cleveland's vegetarian offerings (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/tommys-cleveland-heights">Tommy</a>'s has the most amazing vegetarian French Onion Soup, but their Brown Rice & Veggies...not so much) and then they joined me on my weekly trip to Pittsburgh.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2Opd4JswPLZ9nf39w_tsi6chxuO-cRmR2cp2eQMrbzB9KKlJZkvwCpdKfh0rAGazDNZtI_OzAhQb71DxFPZkxGLGk4wMGqTwRKQZSDYY8yOYtzJyJ2wBA0UNWniW57iyQADttLkSOPM/s1600/Fiona+Yoga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2Opd4JswPLZ9nf39w_tsi6chxuO-cRmR2cp2eQMrbzB9KKlJZkvwCpdKfh0rAGazDNZtI_OzAhQb71DxFPZkxGLGk4wMGqTwRKQZSDYY8yOYtzJyJ2wBA0UNWniW57iyQADttLkSOPM/s320/Fiona+Yoga.jpg" width="218" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let me tell you, it is SO much fun to hang out full time with hardcore yoga people. Where we eat carrot sticks and hummus all day and drive fast so we can make it to Pittsburgh in time to take our second class of the day. In addition to just generally being an awesome person, as it turns out, Fiona is a yoga goddess (see above) so I learned a lot from her and felt like I gained some clarity around the role of yoga in my new life.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We took a trip up the incline to see the Pittsburgh skyline, and wandered around a few of Pittsburgh's better neighborhoods - my home of Squirrel Hill, and the Strip District, where a talkative Turkish fellow convinced us to follow him into the back of the store where he had canaries for sale, and made some apparently hilarious, but kind of unintelligible, jokes. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We took Zeb's class, I taught a class, Fiona taught a class, we had a delicious meal and yoga people time at <a href="http://www.bigburrito.com/kaya/">Kaya</a>, and the next morning, off they went to Richmond, Virginia where they were spending the week with Mary Jarvis. Fiona told me after their week had ended "you will love Mary, everything will make sense." Who is this Mary character, you ask?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAFyq5BciKa1qHnKkaWh9OruIt-BIoxpZ5iODFTiLVZ1NYz0X2hsl1-ZkAoLYunLljykTXzRcYqBxBtu0-Allt1raIDxn0MXhJtl5NnyM9L9wcxwXvwRTmTrB-HjtfEUn4fYXC05jBow/s1600/mary-jarvis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAFyq5BciKa1qHnKkaWh9OruIt-BIoxpZ5iODFTiLVZ1NYz0X2hsl1-ZkAoLYunLljykTXzRcYqBxBtu0-Allt1raIDxn0MXhJtl5NnyM9L9wcxwXvwRTmTrB-HjtfEUn4fYXC05jBow/s320/mary-jarvis.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>December 16th: Mary Jarvis arrives in Pittsburgh and Danielle becomes A TOTAL GROUPIE. OH MY GOD YOU GUYS MARY IS SO AMAZING. </b>So December 18-19 <a href="http://www.globalyoga.biz/About_Mary.html">Mary Jarvis</a>, one of Bikram's most senior teachers, the coach for a number of championship yogis, and a legend in the Bikram community, provided a two-day seminar at Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh (she's good friends with, and former coach to, Zeb). I'd heard her speak at the Northern CA regional competition <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2011/01/northern-ca-regional-yoga-asana.html">last year</a> (whoa, that feels like a decade ago) but had never met or trained with her. Needless to say, I was excited. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So Friday morning as usual, I taught the 6am. I then decided to buy a <a href="http://enricobiscotti.com/biscotti2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=6">biscotti</a> and a coffee. The <a href="http://laprima.com/">La Prima</a> coffee lady tried to SHAME me when I asked for skim milk with my coffee. "That'll go great with that cookie you're eating," she said. I tried to explain that I like the taste of skim better than cream...but now I better understand the restaurant customers I used to inwardly mock when they ordered diet cokes with their <a href="http://www.eatnpark.com/menulist.asp?categoryid=5">Breakfast Smiles</a>. Anyhoo...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWjoRLN4knTD7PN3O63pXk_HRUVGfFg3B0x-odX6AVrji0WtCFR9X9GDptM6R_W3vShM7xojK76L66fpQl7uY3MrgaLiXubQ9A1XrlWFB_uQRjq1KcQoTg7IfliewlkdYYE-HlgAlFLA/s1600/breakfast+smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWjoRLN4knTD7PN3O63pXk_HRUVGfFg3B0x-odX6AVrji0WtCFR9X9GDptM6R_W3vShM7xojK76L66fpQl7uY3MrgaLiXubQ9A1XrlWFB_uQRjq1KcQoTg7IfliewlkdYYE-HlgAlFLA/s320/breakfast+smile.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Please don't eat the sausage at Eat 'n Park...in it's raw form, it's kind of green.</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the last minute Mary decided to teach the 10am - the students were a little surprised when I snuck into the back row with the other teachers and Mary walked in. Two hours later, I felt stretched, inspired and delighted, and after drinking a big jar of <a href="http://www.twodaymag.com/play/view/introducing-savasana-juice">green juice,</a> I spent the next few hours with the other yogis training for competition as Mary taught us new lunges and exercises and told stories. At 3:30 it was time to open the door for the 4pm class, which I taught, since I'd missed the 10am.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the class, I helped sign people in for Laena's 6pm, and got into my car. <i>Geez, </i>I thought. <i>I just spend twelve hours here doing and teaching yoga on four hours of sleep and all I ate was a biscotti</i>. <i>I should be EXHAUSTED. And I'm so jazzed I could keep going for hours! </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3lZp4lcTiKqaMX22g1T-FDLebiT0LxuyVUe3QisU80Ht6U_nxZKzU93G7r4FZqYwdZqZayxioLo3HSCLND-FHQShc6hlyS5TQeSrdiecolP86d7kUKGzieAh2ScxhY1uRf-RQlAaCxk/s1600/yoga-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3lZp4lcTiKqaMX22g1T-FDLebiT0LxuyVUe3QisU80Ht6U_nxZKzU93G7r4FZqYwdZqZayxioLo3HSCLND-FHQShc6hlyS5TQeSrdiecolP86d7kUKGzieAh2ScxhY1uRf-RQlAaCxk/s320/yoga-13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> This child really captures my sense of enthusiasm, I think...look at that grin!</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And that's how how Saturday went too...yoga yoga yoga yoga all day. A three hour beginner class (there a girl who inadvertently showed up for her first class on Mary day, and stayed...can you<i> imagine</i>!?<i> </i>And to answer your question, she <i>did </i>come back!<i>), </i>a four hour-or-so seminar, and then exercises and conversation with Mary until the wee hours of the night. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I got out of bed Sunday morning for my drive to Cleveland I could barely move. When I arrived at the studio after a couple of hours of driving my legs were so stiff I practically fell out of the car. And that evening after teaching, I did the training exercises on my own...and I've done them nearly every day since.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IMC1_RH_b3k" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's hard to explain unless you're there...and it makes me sound a little like this girl...but with Mary, everything does make sense. You're reminded why you fell in love with yoga in the first place. She's funny, quirky, intelligent, brilliant, every superfluous adjective applies. I know, I know, no one is perfect - for example, like Bikram, she can tell the same story more than once - but a month later I'm <i>still </i>riding on that Mary train.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sample insights (that you might hear me say in class):</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Don't form emotional opinions about your postures. If you fall out, say "that's interesting" and get back in.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- We stay in the present moment in yoga so when great moments happen, we're <i>there </i>for it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">- You paid good money to be in a room with a furnace...so why spend your time trying to cool yourself down?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, okay, I know you're getting tired of the Mary gushing, so let's move on... </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_UMSqQMaKj6-C6cym29cz_HTUiQ3HA01vQ_O8vAwI5iojMw8g7KZcAdy4nXNwgtWcNJmDB2HukJtsBJltI0zudT0WqTToZ3DIpdW_yK7iVxlpXQ_imNqmHFpixvrjneAa8y71wyR0do/s1600/Bikram-Yoga-Annapolis-_-Severna-Park_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_UMSqQMaKj6-C6cym29cz_HTUiQ3HA01vQ_O8vAwI5iojMw8g7KZcAdy4nXNwgtWcNJmDB2HukJtsBJltI0zudT0WqTToZ3DIpdW_yK7iVxlpXQ_imNqmHFpixvrjneAa8y71wyR0do/s320/Bikram-Yoga-Annapolis-_-Severna-Park_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>December 26th: Danielle visits Bikram Yoga Annapolis and her family wreaks havoc. </b>It took me a while to recover from the no-yoga-endless-eating that was my Thanksgiving holiday, so I was determined to visit a Bikram studio during my two days in Kensington, MD for Christmas with my Dad and his family. There's a studio a few miles away in Bethesda, but when I went to check their schedule the week before they were CLOSED! (for renovations)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I decided (and my affable little brother agreed to tag along, since I was giving him a ride to Philadelphia) to drive to Annapolis, a quaint little historic town where Zeb said the studio was fantastic...and it was! The heat was perfect, the instruction was wonderful, and my body was SO grateful for the stretch after the feast the night before (AND the feast that morning...when Dad offers homemade french toast an hour before class, you can't say no!).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S8A-7lTgSdlZ9ab0zUHsIHdHDueqYCROj7fvWZeJVmcalmX9KeO9oiKyeSnWVCm7uglRlXWCEc5nL9w9DJHgIo44syYwR68rD9dGOY0Y13nKKtQheNoMg1pkIaSS-L5tplbjf-q3nfk/s1600/family+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S8A-7lTgSdlZ9ab0zUHsIHdHDueqYCROj7fvWZeJVmcalmX9KeO9oiKyeSnWVCm7uglRlXWCEc5nL9w9DJHgIo44syYwR68rD9dGOY0Y13nKKtQheNoMg1pkIaSS-L5tplbjf-q3nfk/s320/family+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ben's on the far right. We like </span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;">interesting</span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> family pictures.</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When class started, my little (well, eighteen year old, so not so little anymore) brother Ben was hanging out in the lobby waiting for my dad and <i>little</i> little brother Caleb to pick him up. There are big picture windows from the lobby into the studio, so after Dad arrived I watched in the mirror as he wandered around the lobby, looking at pictures, then peered into the picture window, looked around for me, found me (in Standing Head to Knee), waved urgently to get my attention, and then gave me a thumbs up. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">High school Danielle would have been mortified - because I wasn't the only one watching these strangers wandering around the lobby and eagerly gesticulating - but grownup Danielle thought it was hilarious.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, then Ben OPENS THE DOOR, props it open with his foot so the cold air can rush in, and interrupts the teacher mid-sentence to say "excuse me...I'm leaving now. Do you want me to lock the door?" Oh, family. They mean well :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This post is getting lengthy (clearly seven weeks is too long a time) so let's wrap it up...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAe4-c0Hf3mckWlj1gmtRwjHHgjSEimSOAWEKr5ROpeT7L5Fe6Ia4guM744xaIwJ-yJAZW1u5B9yPsRFlK3OAqJuLB1Qd-EYsmd6ZZALwHLntVf-PvJzomiuwMMpZ_T252_V6lg4opbsE/s1600/Guillotine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAe4-c0Hf3mckWlj1gmtRwjHHgjSEimSOAWEKr5ROpeT7L5Fe6Ia4guM744xaIwJ-yJAZW1u5B9yPsRFlK3OAqJuLB1Qd-EYsmd6ZZALwHLntVf-PvJzomiuwMMpZ_T252_V6lg4opbsE/s320/Guillotine.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Can you find Danielle in this training photo? Hint: I'm not actually doing the posture</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>January 2nd:</b> <b>Danielle grabs her hands in Guillotine! </b>Not exactly earth shattering news, but I'm determined to make this one of my postures for competition. So picture me in the middle of class, in the posture above, staring at my own butt and grinning like a fool. Good times. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Coming up on <i>Namaste or Should I Go...</i></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG4N9ZIu-WnbSQMgWXhC-XjDuSi31_mzmWnsoUTeK2N7mzyopcCD1zWvIqlcMhO8_DHLRfBfT3KgDOgA9eOOodMooqdOOx0aLe4X3gFFZY157Jbk2UH3Wa6HCxeK6FbnJHQoBinblFRE/s1600/Barbara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG4N9ZIu-WnbSQMgWXhC-XjDuSi31_mzmWnsoUTeK2N7mzyopcCD1zWvIqlcMhO8_DHLRfBfT3KgDOgA9eOOodMooqdOOx0aLe4X3gFFZY157Jbk2UH3Wa6HCxeK6FbnJHQoBinblFRE/s320/Barbara.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>January 8th at 12pm: Free yoga! </b>The lovely Barbara H., who went to the last training, will be teaching a mock class on Sunday. If you've been practicing a while (can be self-sufficient and patient in class) and I haven't already talked to you about this, check in with me or just show up - the more, the merrier. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let's give Barbara a nice big group of supportive students for her second mock class (the first time was just two teachers...fellow recent grads, can you IMAGINE what that was like?!) </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIReL-MdaSUr-5oyRorYiWKLHiBJRcYAK5Wl2B2rxSpcNnVZaTHgoRfiixQ4tctM5i1CuWDgORL278AOZCTZKdXt-5HnAFOX8qDb7nf_JKSbhko_LaYI4jxhNHPThnlBQTD2KoEJq_Zns/s1600/DSC02620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIReL-MdaSUr-5oyRorYiWKLHiBJRcYAK5Wl2B2rxSpcNnVZaTHgoRfiixQ4tctM5i1CuWDgORL278AOZCTZKdXt-5HnAFOX8qDb7nf_JKSbhko_LaYI4jxhNHPThnlBQTD2KoEJq_Zns/s320/DSC02620.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> At my pre-training sendoff...Esther, Laura, Stephanie, and Sarah, miss you ladies!</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>January 15th: Bikram Yoga in Chicago, </b>and my reunion with some of my favorite SF ladies, Stephanie and Laura! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>January 28th</b>...I will NOT fall out of Standing Head to Knee on stage. I will NOT.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Till next time, beloved readers...</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love Danielle</span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-9750197464958365982011-11-21T10:48:00.000-08:002011-11-21T10:48:31.544-08:00Local Food and Lots of News<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBiYC_dDz1L-920n19vtC2XRsNJHNFrDqrs7RKb6xDOewXtzUMgbrMTHqb6NqeJmw6lLPXOJudeYAO18fLYOG5lTGZQdefykDYQMuRXrAo_lFmD8YBJLmn2_KrR0ByUQn2dQ3VEKmOpE/s1600/yoga-postures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBiYC_dDz1L-920n19vtC2XRsNJHNFrDqrs7RKb6xDOewXtzUMgbrMTHqb6NqeJmw6lLPXOJudeYAO18fLYOG5lTGZQdefykDYQMuRXrAo_lFmD8YBJLmn2_KrR0ByUQn2dQ3VEKmOpE/s320/yoga-postures.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello my friends! So much for that "blogging every Monday" business, right? Well I have a new idea...every other week I'll blog about a particular posture in the Bikram series rather than write a whole long newsy post. I find that my readership is including more and more students and teachers who don't want to hear about my mom's first class (oh yeah, that's coming up later!) but DO want to hear more about the yoga itself, and as I learn more and more about the series, I might as well share it with you! What do you think?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lots of <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-one-bikram-bibs-and-bobs-and.html">bibs and bobs</a> to report today, but first and foremost...<b>we've got a guest post from the lovely Lyn of <a href="http://lifelynstyle.com/">Lyn Life Style.</a> </b> <em><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></em></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></em></span></div><a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAJ4AAACgCAYAAAD99dWmAAADJWlDQ1BJQ0MgUHJvZmlsZQAAeAGFlE1IFGEYx/+zjQSxBtGXCMXQwSRUJgtSAtP1K1O2ZdVMCWKdfXedHGenmd0tRSKE6Jh1jC5WRIeITuGhQ6c6RASZdYmgo0UQBV4itv87k7tjVL4wM795nv/7fL3DAFWPUo5jRTRgys67yd6Ydnp0TNv8GlWoRhRcKcNzOhKJAZ+plc/1a/UtFGlZapSx1vs2fKt2mRBQNCp3ZAM+LHk84OOSL+SdPDVnJBsTqTTZITe4Q8lO8i3y1myIx0OcFp4BVLVTkzMcl3EiO8gtRSMrYz4g63batMnvpT3tGVPUsN/INzkL2rjy/UDbHmDTi4ptzAMe3AN211Vs9TXAzhFg8VDF9j3pz0fZ9crLHGr2wynRGGv6UCp9rwM23wB+Xi+VftwulX7eYQ7W8dQyCm7R17Iw5SUQ1BvsZvzkGv2Lg558VQuwwDmObAH6rwA3PwL7HwLbHwOJamCoFZHLbDe48uIi5wJ05pxp18xO5LVmXT+idfBohdZnG00NWsqyNN/laa7whFsU6SZMWQXO2V/beI8Ke3iQT/YXuSS87t+szKVTXZwlmtjWp7To6iY3kO9nzJ4+cj2v9xm3Zzhg5YCZ7xsKOHLKtuI8F6mJ1Njj8ZNkxldUJx+T85A85xUHZUzffi51IkGupT05meuXml3c2z4zMcQzkqxYMxOd8d/8xi0kZd591Nx1LP+bZ22RZxiFBQETNu82NCTRixga4cBFDhl6TCpMWqVf0GrCw+RflRYS5V0WFb1Y4Z4Vf895FLhbxj+FWBxzDeUImv5O/6Iv6wv6Xf3zfG2hvuKZc8+axqtrXxlXZpbVyLhBjTK+rCmIb7DaDnotZGmd4hX05JX1jeHqMvZ8bdmjyRzianw11KUIZWrEOOPJrmX3RbLFN+HnW8v2r+lR+3z2SU0l17K6eGYp+nw2XA1r/7OrYNKyq/DkjZAuPGuh7lUPqn1qi9oKTT2mtqttahffjqoD5R3DnJWJC6zbZfUp9mBjmt7KSVdmi+Dfwi+G/6VeYQvXNDT5D024uYxpCd8R3DZwh5T/w1+zAw3eoYKLCAAAIABJREFUeAHt3fmbXlWVL/BTcyWpJAQSCApYCaOMgiigohFUHK6ofe3uqz/0vd3/Wv/Uj/20j9rt1K0ig4qgzDMkAWQOc5JKzXd99qlVOb5WvW/V+6ZSFchKTp3z7rPHtb577b3XHk5fVVXzmzdvrubm5qqZmZlqcHCwmp2draanp6uBgYHyHH5O02kOdMUBeIKjvr6+gjGR9Pf3V4MeAG5qasrjX3kQ4INOKlk7Wm8erHf+ek0fttD8/PyiEhsaGqr6uHmBwXlJjEcoPU2nOdALB7SkTYIrFJpwsGi8BF3TY2rBZsDTz6c5sBoOJL6EGRkZKcpMN24ReLSci5Y744wzqu3bt5d+Hk+n6TQHuuWA/ty7775bHT58uOAruy6D2Zzmfdu2bdXNN99cff7zny9pZRvdbcIbPVyWe7l8ZtOw3Pu1dl/v/PWa/osvvlj98Y9/rJ544onq6NGjZYBBwQ1qWqlDSMTksbGx6sYbb6z+5V/+pZqfm68GBj/YA4z+vv622Jmb/+s+SlvPa/ByvfPXa/r3/uHe6r333qsOHjxYTUxMLHJoEPqS9OkmJyer2ZnZ0u+jHlM1pp8P2r1T+Zr8WY+yr3f+ek1/cGiwWEyOHTtW7sPDw5VR7aCm1A+Ac8fozVs2l76e37Qe6h+oNUNT9dbNUCeNeBzYayG4vrmhttHO9x9r+z4MSG3fd2J88me5SPr628e/XLh0b/I73Zr3Zv74Tf+pqWY7KOz5+ZkSRjjyzK5FxsXGSwHp68MDdwqKv8GBwQIirSb3HEjw6/fI8Ejxl60qwOWAtdjxmgVZ6hnzJCSyzFje+/rWFlhL5afp1tehqayrTTPE6p51jtvRXNVesp3Ct4vbu+RzJ3+t73URavB1ls9yaXB/7bXXAmAD1cjo6CKwpKVcqYxa017J747Aa9ZYGWmt4X0DvdXolWSynZ++gfaC74CLdlGv6F2vwFpRIqvwlCCiJIAvfy8XRSqTVn/5e/OmzUWrwYHWkP9NmzYVHNBs3Y4BOgNvQcsl4LKznaqcqm5PnZri9qE7v20PvGTg8vH0qhOXj/lEvOmc/+OpNP3mcyf59PcPlwjmok0GLsBCwgMaK8fksckyQNBMbtmypbiV2a4jk9Wmwc3F/2r/dAReM8Im6BYz2d9Blc+trUZsauRmXvO5r2P67fOXAsz4TvY9gdBtuvN97Stm9suSj9KjVGZma4XCBof6w53f2RgTMIvQ9MPRh+uWVgQ8mYlGdqHPUA80Bvpj4lcN6aTQOnT+u814hotstKW+vvaDj5gsbBt+owMvgdnMZ/N5rmqvGICJ/wxjsFLAN99fNB6g6d+ZUOAX6FwGFlvGtlRGq93QioDXjBjYgE7bLpMDQ+07331z3deKZrrLPg+0n1mZ7wD8vvn2wFs23YUXqSmW85ddlOXe9+reTD/TypZJ3HN97bsSg7FOJPtuNF0ZNMR9LjSl34fefLN6My7A/MhHPlLtPGtn6fPxB3zd0opCZm0oGo4qDtMK0JXh9HB7wfXN132IbjPYKdx8+5ay6gysDvmP8raj1DjL+UneLfe+k3un8M30+W0F31wnq8Ns3bQCWVEqIVeUgH7wgQerP973x+qtt96qrr766uq2r9xW7d27tyieXqZTVwS8MnJrKDYF5Ebrvff+oWprzHboE8iIzudAtL9T01MFoBMLy2KWY/BII15+9CWSmUwl833tBy+agv6F9lYe/BaOzWhoMOxG08et5SrMYH9dZPljSR8ZOqOkt9h1WEi/k8CXK0+re5al1X2lvzuFx3P2MnRssm72RkdGF3+PjITtraqZjD9zc7Mx2tVtqivUkeABWx169bVXq7fffrvYdM02ANt9999X/frXvy5a7/XXXy98PTpxtPrYxz5WwrHtyUOCHh/n+hcGKtE6ImWAl2ZZVgS8ErrlTwoG6Ai4FCpGRkY+MzHzMTXFIB2rEQbba7waKMBW1zhMiVKUmjs/H81oFKId6XvORsGRWjoSTB8IgIlHnoaHhqsjR48UodDQ/VGj58PMAJjbt22vjh3H5WIyWbZFhw38kKAj/ByZTgbvlcHIc+5YvdZyNgCn/HhEKw4HIEeHg1fbNpem9rXXX6vuvffe6v77768OHDhQvfLKKwWEAOOZEfgvf/lL9Zvf/KZM+u/bt6+6+qqru+ZM18DLFBWoPzqi0DwyOlKpbcfi3+zMQDyPVNMz7fsYswum9T4Ai34wpmSt9KwD25aiKZmZmymMps0GB+rBxHy4TU3F8ptNw0Uzbx3aWkA4Oz9bvf/e+9XEzLGFGripRK9fFD3WtkltxJcqF9Ah/C8aJ8pi2nMgukHTIR+zM1s2jy1qxkNvHqref/9wvUxpbrh649AbZSL/F7/4RfXnP/+5otnMZOUCEcrEkiba8Omnny6a7tprr61GN9WatSS+yj89A+/o0ckAWBgXo0ZQ3zMBtKlJGs9U3Fw0ZR1GlYO1dpoLm1HRNGGQpo3UTPFNT7fXeP2DdbOvg0wAySw1VHwvvPhSYVTdnNTN9thYjNAWOsYTR0Iw0RKpOKV/1NL0N5uHpXjbSTt2Cr9UnE23TvFPTUYLE+DDM6BDgEL7cTty5EjhC37gD+Dcffc9ZdKe39npvqLBDuw/UD3z7DOleRV+NEaywgvnLh9GsJ6Lkgkg6hc2BzLia/4u/OS4BPUMPBqGZqGGX3jhhVKTDLenow9F2DHZskSyx536+hkqY+IpCqhAQzGpzDK+KSzmdf+hvTmgP8IPaEIK6KcLczXbGLd586Zq59lnlrjU+tdeO1S06VlnnRVxzxezwMjgWMlMEXD7ccTxTG+gJ01m/0z0hQMYE9FvAC5X6VPpegxtqg6/N1G98tIL1YsvvlDd8dvfVr+947fVSy+9HDyz7aHmfYZTgQ0c00xCFggYEc1HVkiYNZu5KCm0+TM8OFo6nn+674Hqpz/7WfX8wedDoBPF7jcUdp+piTrDy0VhuO8fGoj+xHAUbEsAFmgBb3SkBsZy4SenJkotxKzUep4t73LdcMP1pSN89tnnFH/btm2tNo3UzfdU9H+GtoSmnouuQmhatbU8L/SDpNlpSrCTRlprjVcGeaHpDCyAw+8cLADGs88eqJ5//vnqiccfrx6L65FHHinaLheFlH5gAOl4xa9bqLoiz5QBGPsdWeAvfwnsrcFLSqZJtGAsKS5OOTJuvs/nnjUebWUw8eqrr1aPPPxotf/A/mhqj9vWOjS01XGfVQAjRp0xGKHOB4udMLI3177fNRmjVsx2YQogYBpGue6++85qx5lnVhdfdFF13XXXVldFhxjjduzYUdynJuvmN8NhTLsmIhm3Ue7AprzyL99DIzXHn3vuueqxxx6r/vu//7t6+eWXqxdfeLH05aw0yTCAJKy7C+ENUnkTbPmbG9ngtWbdwKYVeCXwCv70DDwjxE3RydQ0FqNyZGjTJmAJ1T8xGQVoD73omUVfQR/LACVqi+H+5Fx0bhdyP98hi6ExNRnB9/Intae0+yPiozGiPXDgYPVkrIC1CvaSS+4vhtCLL76ouvTSS6trrrluBWzauF705TS3+qzT/XUz++orr1b/8z//U/0sWqADB56P7s97C3Ot9ZbVoajc0zHinZgAsrri0WpZeWlBQAQ0F6ByA0RAdTGpvPnWmyVMN9zpINXlo5Q46h/bVh05PFEdjUHAXF9EFza86ejzldpXDQWs2g8OYh6kgKYApzS5raPg9n285XNYv5kIBiFa+fHHn6z27z9YJrkvvPDC6rLLLotuwjvV+Ph4dfbZZ5cmih0SkzEbo48FcLdu3Rpr0o5EZThWbY1JcwOhY1Eztm2NCfTpI9Wm0U2lmX7//fdL3zIFSDtML4yes9nBt2ye8Wg+Zk6kR8A0iOY+9ycIPxsDB7Rly1gJ9/67R0LrREWPNI9FyzIxcbganBwsI85nnnmmNKPMIffdd1+paIcOHSrh848WakG5RauirtYtijyl1pMX1NSEgKlFSVDKmyZdGbL5FaYMCsOchbxLnGSZy4v40zXwWiPKCDfa3SBD84E5+jUugnVpgh5++OHqG9/4RvXJT36yZF0TDJQ61YBEBgZNoyHorVvHqsPhpuxASahDYQEXP6BKC3imZ6ZL5xwAk/HJF2FrwIXAAmQjYUvjh0DZ3zwTaI66Z2P1z7GFJePeAc70dD1XKg/Dw9tLk/qLn/+iuvOuO2MA8WLJt7wzAremn/lY73vXwFvvjK80fYDLmkzo+Qws+idG4+533HFHmQS/4oorqi984QvV7t27C3guumhvMUlsi0lyYCyzHWGrHAv7Yumgx6hxMswMs9Nh1tlko3JY7gN45XfU6/klVu/IB9C5AwcA0Sh+I3dNmfgHh2J2KFaIDA1NlFkhfd+5mOY6fORwNRGmrNffeLX63e9+V919z92h0R8v5pDUSsoq3o1Ia56rFPR6Fb6ZvtpPyATrmYDQo48+WgBpFAyI+oLnnXdemZPcsmW0NLVG3CbLLROyRk2TUkwO0VRtiXALVofQrLogOuGMq9GN0NzoxAal9jF1Z7mWfPQPxIAgTEhmW3QH+KmfdQ9iOiz6b5uKBqztZ8DfF12al156qXr4oUerH/34h5WBhOaVFhdns+krCbf50+RPG2+Lr8TfDbWGW3PgdZPJExkG0DSDCND0TVI4mN7sOHNnenjqqaeqM2MkzDo/FzMg+764rwxQTCfZvKJ/RUuKeyz6uDfdeFMx2Wgqj00cK5196THu9g0dn9lJ0wxw5fNQrHKQB1OM7oMLfSf5ZK4Qx47Y58wg/8gjj1bPPbM/NOFM9VJUkAceeDhMJI+UmYZ33nmnVB79swTTRtV2eLPmwMuOqsTWi5rCAC6Cd08B6ZshVn7umjggtR/0rbcOlWaPOeLue+4p04D6bgQ9Nra1Ouecj0Q8MbW3ZWtMIW2Kpo1pB1uN6idihW6kE9N0maY7kg4aHd5cFlSEPoy+3VgZJZZuwGTYQsMPQzxNaL7USPXnP/1lpP1eyeMbbxhVViUdZVFOl/whz6nVi8MSf/hpR8mj9JP5z98rvbeGW3PgrTRja+UvtZ34UyiYQDiudGvaozRnBPbGG2+EgGPEHtoN0AwyakH1hbCPBVA2Ve++faR64rGnqmuuvK40z0MR5+REPU/sTKT5udouxMwT4/4a8GEy0gSbZtw0akbltQJ6I2qaTnryqOmfnpkqzf/DDz1SJvCffvqZMjsk7wCZo3blS+ECrPwD8EbVeh944BEI5hMKgej/oNQEhEPjAZv3/OXGY00pLfjUU09HuFiMEKYNTZ7+ur5XoVBg/LOVFRtkxHEswjC5MIH09cdWwACZuL0HFityit8Yof7unntLE5qgBjZ9SCPrK6+8Ivpyf6n+8Ic/VPff9+cyz6ofp2+pAiwUpZQPEGmnZkWrM7gx/3YNvKxdw9Oz1XAUeDgEEPWb8SaYO1UYMz8Yjt31RU8YtwiI0F1NqjVX7QJ8Tcp3BKkjbyUHoo1iYq2AZ3h4sGik3efuqi4Y/0h19rlnVv2DVspMxKpsfbhosmcOV9s2b6/eevetMqG+efO20KIvV/f/6f4yOJCO1SBPPvlk+S0NphTLzC8K4D31xHNhd9xf+pw5eFBh5Mtl3pQdroA6fqPMe/kRf1rLne6rvQM2IvfmpRtRKhYNHiuF+qLPWvgdvxMjS6XVNfBOVIGWytRGcmuWs8lImhMIaEujXSPj8fHx6oILLojBwI7SzAE0exrAAsQrr75S/TYm6X/2859VjL0GDuZYLbhMswq/ml6j6z8/8EDpy2nmad7sGtDg0k7tvZH4tdK8dA28lSZwqvtrAk9ZEnw0DmAxa9x5551FK5kJce7MBedfUJo8oAIQoAPABx98sCykZLQGtASSeLI7kIDWz2Oglp44kHgyfb+Fa9Vw3NeSkh/u+dxNemsOPAL6IFIKnWYCPsBhhtkfNrUzY9mVfl82id7pm7G3MdfQYPqPtJv+GjBlH40wPbukQaMm2NzFmUDE15PF3ybIEnSa2JVSM7wwaw68lWZso/prCjYZnnkFDBoqtRS/NBt/AAU8QAJgiFuZ7QjQCcMv8l5cSUCZmox7Mw/pB5iFy4FQup/ou3y0pp98MPvSLa058JKB3WZwvcM1mQ4sTfLOlSddApX+GrAYXSag8AAIU7P5nXHx4x2wpVbwG6WG8yyM363a7mTzN0E3v1DhMq/y2I7kvUlrDrxmYqf6c4KQtiGA/O0ZY1tNGQko/lKjCcsvwABb037Irek3+cWfMNIRHvgSgCcTeNJH7mVTVmawi3tdtboI+GEK0ipcIGjWdFqLG0pN5hk4gBGYgIetEAEh7UiAwiYlGP32zL+7ODOuBBwAtuYr4zlZ99X08VrztCKN10Q6BrusQG0WHHP48y41QoZrTfRk/ib0nBLTx0oCBAQYzed8n2ASFkgQfwBH+C7lTA2U2i3jAxr9LzxKUIqDf7+BL98nH+UV5e/UoMnHdOcn3TyvJTXznpVNPqVvAWrmebV5WBHwVhvpRvIPLAk4YCB4zAIcjDznnHOKaQMITFlxAzR+z919brVt+7ayrJ9po9ksKmMKgsEXQKXD3gYwrgRlKz+kI1/8nioEaE0Q9prvDzzwgIP2omFcfpuS2rlzZ1mBYhWKCXh7SYEPGDAZIL/8lS9X559/ftlJb2UKsGI+7S4uALY6+ZZbbin+HgiDL0OyAYZ3ZiFoKQAUZ+YBKE+kEHsFwXqEX3PgdauKTxQzpE8bAZ/LHOhtt90Wey2uKSCkpXxewWale2L1iUWVgCjMrl27yvL4O2KRKNMHwBjBAhASN2CNx4zFRz/60bKaGaCySeTfc2q2srI4QAjgyLv15k/JSJs/Ks1SpCKthlr9Lx3ramI8BfwCF81kZuFbt3+r+uT1nywLJ3//+9/HKt6J6vpPXV9dFLvQvvSlL5Xm1jENiNE3z4cTXpMKvDmFlc2l+VY7umyWBjJgAlD+0w+wASywATWtudFBt5aiXXPgZe1fy0K0i5uWoa3spfD9josuvqiiwX7yk5+UCXj9tt/e+duiAb/1rW+VKS/7FjS9+nnA8+Uvf7m6/vrrS9MJQPamPvTQQ2VKS/myT2hlCVAC3Z49e0p6CVjzubRpfu9Bk38qN7erzXur/zUHXjtQnIx3gAIc9lB8/OMfL0namwBYNA+GACZtdfDgwerGG24o/TvhbNw5JzaCAx/gTARI7b2gOYHLnlXvrv/k9dWFF11Y/epXvyrNqB1rQM4fYGuGAdAJSz/60Y/KujoABewPK33ggWdAQOsBGc3kytUgOdoFIuCz9Ojiiy8up0jRkJa5v/3O2wWQQGWJEs33ldCAwKTfQnN99LyPBkDPLqNaWu9rX/tadXmA/M677ioLA6RpD+++ffuqW2+9tbLvFfDk7cNKHYGHubRCqsq8Y1gxIDqRMzYSh+m0wcOwS8dOqEID68tcfSwCzlGsAYSmVKfZO30t4DEQMMn/1du+Wu06e1dZrgSYrrvvvrsc4QUsyk+T2QcBZPp8+oF9EQeAS8f9oViBIj5NsjhoPhoXyDfFymVp08TSPRWoKfcTkd8P/MwFAROuplLn3no5JhQVijtQalYxNnePARKgaAqBA+AsYxKef2C1KQfoksTldCuaUlPLj5Uo4gY8A5XXX3u9xCF9tjzvThVqHZX2mu+OGq/XBNY7PLDQMo568KxPln0rmimbO24f/chHC5gYiwE1R56aYWGB093x+5phoBRvGoQnA3xABoTSNLvjnTSEs9Gbds2Ln0x/vfl0stPvGngrXRKz3iYD6QOYRZnANB42N1pPM8j0AVwAQEtdedWV5aSq90O78es9IAEK7QZQLtsYkb4b8HkPWN4diaMuaEiA27lrZzneVR70MRmjuYsbmDX34tjIdNqO14N0CF6z96eYfbjkkkuKAZng7XXQ3J177rll0HDllVfWy85jYaemEdhoQmBBwAVommSAdRGM+AEUgN+Pf5pqG8LZBh2Tofl1RAbAWzjqPZB+mKlrjecctJUQQa0nZfq0zO9jt9Y5YVa56aabqn/4h38oGo12cow+0Dhq9b/+678KIIELAQiNBlyAR3P5rQ8ImC79H00md/sq2Otu/+btZSqtDEQCeGdEE/9amHDui726QK3viTJ/5ccp9Ge1g41W/10D71ThEcAAh7tNNIBlKyHtZvrMweHe3RugfCI0oE3ctCEwebZcnf/UUEBjj0U2w9wfiJkLB0oaLZt6sx9XX9K0HLMLrXkgbITC2XeR2jT7kKcKL09kPj8UwEvwYZx5WAC8K2xsAKH/B2T2TQCCphdoaDRAAVrNaPbFhGV8pv3UYmF+Fcfx+02LcdOUmnazo8w8sJOf9Au5A2wOKOTrVNV4vYKwI/AwMtVk3gnK4MI1Ex9hm4zPNs04VDFMd/XUcdj0Yl+pb3usbip59cUhPESAzfylezNGbkCEaDWgApwmiYdGQqnlPCdAALJJ4hSH98CZoGJ+4QZohV/hJ+8ZPuPM3xvxnuXRjUjyjNfK7nR5VD66E6N4mFjJAtGOwMvEWu+YuJEogUaYmAJUiCZCS+V3KbfieRV/ctSXAExB5T01pSgTaPKXlaQV+KtIel295gdalsoE8HUaA3QNvKUSXA83zVtqklIDFzRga174SXDmO+BIMKTbau8ABDwJtGb4VmA3Adf0dyo9n6gyrDnwWoV9opmcmqMZb4LJuwTEcvlYzr0ZX7vn1vA0oKYI6Fx+twoLUJeqCO3S2UjvSlO7UMaV5qu1Eq458FaasW79JbCE17ymkBOQ7gTdCpBu02sXLpt5TM4mHvCS6e6uk5GXdvns5V3yt5c4hF1z4KX26TWj7cKnIFPYTb/scyj9NN957jV/GW/G05qHZsVoTftEpL9UnCfSDdCUQYVJ0OXgYjXpCNukNQdeM7G1eKblCL11BJpNnjRT42T6qYUSNOne7T2b0+ZAQd+TewqtFZDyTIDNMN2mv5bhWgEjrQRgK19Xk49THngpWIUmbBqObc6SJbMM1thhFEEDmnsy03OvlPFlnOKTB2m7M98AFxACX2rAFF6v6Z+s8KnxpNcsa7fprwB4hJO2rrjHKebzzkHjHN8R29wX68vim7LxdYv4Fl2svWPHCbWM5qNGHw9bnFb9h/BSM5jzLEuXAkgpVCtAfPIy7WuEazL+777zd+WI13/7t38rsw9AJ4y8uQAAOICiqXUSGDKaaTMqAxiDs7Bsc8hv7+SPO3AJQwvLg/lZhmkrnk3ZiSPjF4Y/+XJ5lo/Mo3i5ocyviiUO75A55LRLFoc1+IOf8gFs0mYQtwNvbMvCsbmzcX5MyDyJGcXlwHH+l6MVAG/poM0jDDCmlYp2KcBrfbO63wkoU0/f/e53yzwrN0LGEIJ0PvFv7vhNHEb9QBGEZe7n7D6nTHUBas6vyhNGEm4KOPMOCBhFuAAgXjY4bsIjAicAgEPikg9hxJ0gAAhr7iz8JCTgs1hAXDlTwn8TwNIUn3SlJ1/8ZOXwW3dCvqXvWfh2wi2ZPAF/5Fm+pIfnl19+eXXxJReXg8bX7SN6J6BcbaNIrYLhVpbQJKay3nj9jbLZGshuuPGG8t0Hm3AIDxCEy+YNYLhz806txUizC00Dr4xIhx9NtfC5fKkJLCAgAO9pYaABOqBMIAObxQLSNXebcQM40AgrDf6FW2q2RBoZjv/sx3oWTwK9eFrDP8qujABIAVjGv/OsnWVbwObB+uveq02+a42XCTlSuh3JdC+UNVrBabonHn+i+ulPf1r2P9AGV111VfkehUl/a+qACdCOHqm1IiEBkxUoqYGAlaCBIzdg+w2YTg/Ys3fPwhcfzy7zslaw8GsRQB6WSAAWGfggiz0cAAywmlRxApy52SQAtfMM6PFEXoX3cRYLCGyR5N87YDz/vPOryz5+WVlKZSGDhafSto3yYPhXIYBPOmtJeIw35CC/1113XSmDT5TiVys1m93m1FlWyPTfM/AyorW6pyYAHoV3aDWG0xK0FsYTtsn78l2JcOfP16oJWYE1d5/+9KerL37xi4vM4k7j/Od//mf1x3v/WL38ysulNvuqDxBnk2gJFb9/+tOfqh//+McF2OLbt29f9alPfSp2ovnC9aHKN3AJhj8LEeTPp6pmpmeqNw+9WfkqNo19S5w6kM2nNORRM6xS5f4Mcd36pVvjk6c3lAULymdzuZ1qv44FCfJB22XzvFa8Fy+tKy08l1d7SvSrgWr7ju2lAnSTfs/Ai3OT2qabGqutpzYvCVAc7rSBvhOB6GdYRWK9m/sf7723qH5+MAkBLe1nW+FVV15VQGqpk5GuMLYg2jVm99h7cWo7jaQZ0Zf5TQj4uXAHFrvGgEHctJrlTtLXhN4Re3QBg7+///u/L4DNppBmlT4CEmladEpz2kwOcAYgn/nMZ8rutmdii6WwtLj4LV61jMrSrEsuvqT65u3fLIMrFUYZxdkrf0vm2vxRsaUhPZpd3jX5DuxZqqk3sIjhUokxv2jkB/k1qWfgNSNbi+cEHAZ41mRec/XVsRpioICBIKl86+AuXThBnYYCOlqQViFIWxBpo7vvurs6+PzBug8Xy5W+9/3vleaMRvUlH/4d7+9L1sK7gBvw+AGmT3ziEyX8XXfeVXafle2S775XKgStZHABcJpOQtL80HKAp4mUj9JPDeAS3g2hjcdjSf550bzGmLvkQ9Ns364BEwDy5wQE8eEFbZ+Dn7Xge8Yp3exr6sa8Gdrd3hGy8BWjD+zgAogwWUGzT/H88y9Uzz73bBEADfH5z3++AAJwaB9CphmBT03VPIhHP+2dd98p4TD0rbffKsACKIKnGYHl2WefLQABQgCwnk5cCX4bfGi7F//y4mKne8tYvTwesByLobYLTzvRGMKKW/7cMy5Ayk1ChJ1C1kfVRPOLlEM8tJxnmlc5xXMyCP/xyXfVUsvKa7NPt5p8dK3xji+LscQn+lzxvYWl3pOZAAAgAElEQVS+OdGFSp0PJpmNM+4YaD/46JRZoMNkF7AYXPzq178qx0jQKsCo8//tb3+7NHc634SjufTdXOYUYOAP+LIGazbVYH7HQkMxD3mfYPEsfoDTsfdbXjDfb+/8Fp7wvQcyAiosiD7QaPg9HPnQH+JfWBoRmPTphHXJB3dg9ZtmpFUsHhUvQfOvHLQpP9JWlgRBJz4u977kd7mX4e6zppPxUZkQaqRloBZbPvtjsDMQh4ePxp7i994udrsoSel/i8raPITHy1HXwOtox5NREuiRMJZWcCmI3WIEBVh+EwZB6PgSLreh0IIEBAjc9KVsvCFQANREAQFN6PdLL71cmHZ1NOHZ8VebPRtI0KoE7co0mHWMbN9/L7b3HK53jJWmPb5UTiPJ71uxhwPoxraOlfwAqPyKT9wlr5EOsANRAkk6Klo278Ah73iR5h9pnAwaGqbVLHqovxqE1/KmqzMRee6WugZetwmuNhyAECIigNHyrdixxRGrr2TriAOKjm/ud5gJIQMp4QLplhAuYNGI3AA1wUO7WM6uKb5w797qumuvK0CRpv4c0NoIpH/n+Aka65I46sIgRyXYFQC+NswMt33lttKU+2Cxfp+vPPquLMC5AAoQpe83ELkIk5tn4DsY5hJdBaNm71QgZpvPfe5zZSMS0CmvysX/WtLh+Po6GijauNb6fqs8Po3VLfUMPJ3hdoShvZAmJpsT98uvuLz6p3/6pwKE1ARMDbYNAhWNgnygjtA0lSnMy0N4//iP/1i+eH3Ggl3tjhiV6tMJD+COKvvczZ8r5gwDFoMX8fsSDzMJcDJp0FhGo3tiJEzD2uwjPNDwB2SaHADCA79VEnttAUcTSngqlmdaBJAAnB3Q5nIVCvCVSVNMAyrL22+9XboXqf164a88dKLh4XpGRx7xVDl9q61TM92MVxmb1DnVpu91esYcALrvvvtKTceAHCES1GOPPlY9+NCD5cQn/T2jQH4903Y69D/493+vbgiN6FCeK2OUq8k0urw3zDDATQMxqzC3aPqAjfbUfO7bt68wOftbwOcTnmhvaEi70NjrGJ4BgzaSbu7blQ/uzzz7TOm7/eXFGuTCAxXTive0J02pTARMQzP3MKcQsorn7nhcQPRb3teSRkZ8DqHue0pH2Vwq9rHQ0N1Sz8CLoUXbtFNbtfXU5mXpT4SGIAwnNj3w5wfKEF66TnJKIQMmzaI2OnLMb+AiGBeNRYNptmgh/tJwC1AEL3xqNgLW/9McXxAXQGhixUl7OefOTAKA8Ecz7T53d9FGh944VO0/sL/Er/xAKA8ODAJ08QjnUklUDHmQJ/lGNLDKYLcaTUj7ycsL4V85xCcfvfK3DevLK6CbmIiTTeM+HIDTLzbSL3yX1/biX4y+VTv2DLzFmNfogaA1R5oV4KMhAETBuWF+EgEhINJnI3DvgdcdeAgNAQtmEKBwmk7NquaTxhM38wqtAwBAyg1YnBLAfXcMPGYiL8IzPGtCH37k4WKmkQYQiZ92UgaAy/xyAzTl40955IE/wmXbGws/0rws4tZNoPmdXKVceCAvJ4POOMMHoc+JPueno4JdG18O31bKIT8zs92diLDhgddkLOEAgQvT1XZXaovUWsIQsMt7ACNA4YEKGAg8+zcAA9D8mPa6MoT8ZoAUs/mztMoMQsYHaIzK5luNbIEZqCxSsDEckMSt6UTiBTJuKoFnZeCeJI/i57Z1bGsYi68vfTr5VQbNrY/vWXggT1nxvFtL2rJlrPDEdOOtt9xauiry6nyZgShPt9QxJKGy4UhsPizwNCtBma9jv5ufi2H9XKzXmo/TNauRuGJFRamJk2XiJKDRNm9qbgoDE8VNKKnlBCYM7whGPjBdvpqC48+7BBOtgMTvEh5Ym2HEhwCRtgGIn/2s/qSnJtlvTZ7OvuZQuvIKaJpA/bsc0ByMQQVw8CeccmS5/EbykFe6lRfxR96USRrWF/7gBz8oc8Z+y6cRu+ZdvzPzLWzyK+NpvUuvHc3PxVRkjLQHB2vzzMwMc0mdT03s5s2jYSO9vRzJcf4F5xergko2PFKvkJkL2Zsjl/caI/XI19SZvC9HHYG3XMBW9xqgra6df2vyMI8gZDyJGwKkpju3/J0Fy7TdgaxJCcT04x23jD8FTlu6aD59RKQCZN6Ez/4XjUObWVHCPYUL1MqRYBeH8vnNPUEv3y6VK4mffC9+YKdBpS+/8skd6PzOMrQCOPPSyodMp92dqQfNxb0/Fvnq18k/I7zDJPG9LNKI0Xryr1187d6dMOC1S6TdO8xsUoIqa3Xem348Y3zSUoDr9C4Fh4EuAiNE2s+VxN2V6fEDBOk3/XmfeaXplEO+lM87bn67EGDwn2GkkeHEn++EVQGQfAKs3xmuvIg/wqNuACdcsS8uAI/WE9/IaL12UZeCFQGZLpQn50PncW3lxSr/HJfeKgNqdldCK2FEMhNjE3gK53dqgWZamNIUYPNdPvMjrlYB5Xvu/CyVP/mRtgsBD6BpjpFn7/S/pAEoCY58L+4kaQGVMK1+DTJSU2a5xI/0JeWPJkZZpvIj/iTfuGdevcsy4eFy5c84BiJPmllga1IUq5SPWclgh+F+ZjYM4H3RLA8srP6O38qzEkp5pd+ugZcR9HpXkzCH4BSiyUBxJ7MJ2JVao5WhTX9ZSHfCSWq6E44rhZd+3JsgApgm5QiYuzxocsXjOSsL/8oiPeAEJFdqNHl18Q/MeMC/uHJgoqz6qc30pSMcyrSWKh8/+CiOTqR/N7zQv+N3aMiChto4bJBjpK+pRcoovZyLbZVV8bTCP10Dz8BiJZSMWs6vjio/GMxOpYbpZzG65mpfYQmRcDB/KVrOHXOEdbX6yXTFl2BLQfOPAKZpemEDZNQ1sHg7Rr7/s/CJAX4zjOemUAgMAJ0MPxJAS7MQf8r02TDhnB+HNt4Rsyj6dqhZIYAzKx3/SJyu5SjL2on/2FnLsubrQPTfAK8/Bo/bz9hejYdJyUALf5QP4BPQneJu5i3DpFvXwMsITsRdAUwHma5yARx71e/C4PpCjOaSiZkWcGCAcJopwmgKofmeu/DZfImDUDO8sAk67/jFJMARv2fxZR7Ewy21QGoebnkREH/CJ1D4vz7mXvWXHn7o4erxJx4vGo27NYbj4+Ol0klXH7OZXuaXm7xm+ZSNf27SkheX9Lk1y6VsyxEjcVJWGHcaT77cNbPJC/EaZPRC6w48mgBDMUuTY9Gm9WwMwKacXgrDrQJjMqZiOg1AC3lmvhCecBA/RoveuwOx9wTjjqH8eie8uMUHKAngBCl3/Rth5E84fsxuSBfoaWfvNMFAJN0p7mHLE4805V1654XN72MhyEMLa/mE03/8+S9+UY2EtqMJpSVf8uuuD7gp8mGKSuvAv3fyLS/SS43Iv4s7fy7pr4akj4BxNBY57IwWyDaCMqiI5WDMaAHpUiYmk26pM/DCTtcXm2j74ry7siAg7D6Vq1j0opbHPltD7/7BsONEPkxllT7AbJgK+sPuF51RDF6OAWo3wLH879mzp0zCE5RJcmcG25MKnJpeKt+MAQ1hzpU7O5tJeYZVDLcsnRE4AQN4AMxEwgbG4MswbLWHGQizGeJmGhEP/0AkvLT4k3cAsJhAUwhQ0rCE3ioXgOTPtBbBb9m8JdapvVu+4AOk/Nho9OlYzeIZUMxE5AYfIMID+fMsPi2A9BmqAU5+lFU55ZE/btLVPdE3tIpGWGWyctkcMr/yC6yurFT8pUbs7481hoEEcpormkwl19TGjMVHdlSHJ96K73qcGeFjoHUsjOMDYa8NYLIBGmjMLHzLhBterQSQnYG3GkhHxlsJiJqUtVUhEUGptZh8djCwbHiJJdXnnX9eARqmYjzQ2Z9gAw3hGekBraVDJvfVboCyOYfWw2DCsXFHHggNeEyJffazny3ztRYAALBaLk4neOrQc7OqWXrySZCAAehnRR9Pn+jGm24sJ8f/67/+awlrmdR4aDOaUMUDCKBhaDbjgHbt3FXtvXBvyTuhm5KzzMpp8yoMoQEWUMjj17/+9ZJnBmuVTTnw4Te//k1ZfqVP/M1vfrNsZHo+DNi0LM0qHyrGv8fCCJUqwVYy0fInNWTKCc+QcuMxYNFyJ5pOLPDa5C4Bx4vCNQuoKcGo96LZshCAUP5vLH2i8UxIYzzBExSAvBLNrz0Rr7z8Sr2v1YxKxAkowOWYWdoEiMZDCDQJbbj7nN0FVJ6BzAoWfS7r3IAEaIDM3Cjw+f2LaAYBlMAJCaiN9AiFsGgvYe4JwDwQ02qe5eHmm28uCwdoQWBiDP79H35fdps5h9nnDoCC34+Nf6xoyc0L3QOaWDjp+/YZzSqft8QONRXNoOaR0LzyocKZRzbIsdpGfN/7P98r/JA/IHZlRW8VUbMl4g9vlNMgCk/qMh8316Tc3P9WzbTGvvzvroG3XEGWSyozLFyG5QaQuxeG7JoGIMMwS272jO8pmhDjacXt0YfyUTsMUrMt4LTvQXwJjAv3Xliaa4IlOMucMLMANwRsMad511/+8pdFoIAkvttvv730LzW3lwbDudvMAzAAwo+8Eoi4/KYp+SN8TZqKAbC0Ew3uAkx9P31BYFUZTH9ptv3WXAL262+8XhYc8EtLA588GmSJW/mU/9vf+U51QaTz5MJ3OixUkGdl0qXQTXhu/3PFQmDn28HQhPKZGq0pH3nnrlwAhpSFZqcIvrjvi6V/5ytGZFX6fzGo1qSullLmGa5r4GUEK7krGJJ4s4YpOCHedONNBRCH3z9cmg32LGHOHz+/bOpRaMy9//4/VZeENrJC+DshAOvigBLICJKQMJvg1HzvCbWszYuOO7BqumlUAAAKefKc9jOCE1aaNgZpzgnHpckSVv7cAcczMBoU3XjDjWWZuzDea94JnjCFPxrpiAMPMk4ApsVd8oe4bYs8yJew8uRSGbl571Kh7Omg8XRHslzKrWzygccAI82UQ0kk/nDPNPFBmaVDu/oIoC9SWkVt77CwtZ/aPshvSDSjWvW9a+DVCa8svfTbBB3GYQqhXfOJawoDrGdz5gkmYoimEZA0OybIn3/h+eqHP/xheda/uSLcaRV9KJucMdxKEk2QgYqwuSGbHzV5eKjeNESAgIOhRtEJPHmST++NWuWdH0ICGs/8ECwtPB5NObvejTfeWOKz5k6fk8bixj8tJj6rlOWB9lJ+4JOG9DIv4paOnWfu3JNvRr3AJG0AyTikQWPJK794J02/XQCDsiz8JNC4ywNK0H06mvMbo6+skg6P1qN55Qd0WBPPaqk1TNfAW2nCmNIsvHDcMM2lWSIMTUVhrKMnYtiukNzReAgXqDDMahCLKTVRRoo61/qBF0XTsD+0n1EnzafWAp5l8pq/1BSaZ9qFYGgIgj77nLPLKJL2KkIPQRCCvBlVy4u8Soc2BBh9OaDwbmsASVj9RiuTucu7dMRHyAAjDCH7nWAAXvOe8odPQCNfBG1ky1BNc8onIMg3XqgowCZ8AlS+UsDyD+CoAKY81VougScPwiLly/vZ0Xyr2MrQP1iPcOfna/ONZtao1bbG5oavEngVf9YceEvlBfAwEuMwFmPuj889aTY1mZpfDCUku/j1nbgbbGC+ptM3w/QHMQ6zMcvCSdoS+IQlIL+lBxiaXWd/AKROujgxXDNJSPIgLIF/5NzYOB4jTQOTg9FcEiTguQM9oQCBMvh4ss1EnvmRHtDyyw2QNJnKKf+EqnnkDpyAL4y8cvcMqCoMt2MRdke0DNfGKmd8ORAaVSXFF/0+ZQU67/ACT/QpmwAjB+8SmCkXadGg7vKjP6lbY19H6Ubsii2bTotoUXK1yWRl87SZVvPeGXjxLdr5yPBfpxxabC5Ue6zFmp9jnafOY0VsFbW7L+Zc416OMYh8qcGYggmEnIwhaB1YZofXXn2tMNxIlD+Fx0QAZN8DBKBz/gkzg+YVc4GX1tPMMktc98nrFkeDQCk94TR/ACVtoLWo0XETGAwYBhzAxZRDoAYkZ515VjmF6vvf/34BH1MNYTplQL4AiWZz14yL57bbbisjWQZihlf9I2kanCBbIcVvdgaoD+w/UFYry2dqHuWnGW0oYjpSSeSTpqXFjZD/FHzin5Z8dWHEbRIfWOXDnV954w+w5EN+k6TjCpN73GPmJ6bJGKkHBy3/t+j00ermz+8rX6oUtr+/7m5ED29x1sICg2maL8IXLR1mJH5rG1/9LZRMr/XeGXitIZb5nU1H62uFk5lWwhCjTgsvAchIj0bwLAymGeUyZ9AmDLEYSnAAQFPwe1ccWfZ0vCMEgwFC0m/EbKBnZwMMYJamoyMA4eKLLi6bZlQKzbcNQ9LQhNGMd99zd0zXvVCATOsII78ACtQ0IYDQ0t7LE/ODdN8Ov06A0iXgR96UzYYkS4n0WTWlBw4eKHEpk4pIA0tfnh584MGywNI5dPgnPWYieZUefhvFKqMwRsX4IR3dA2BW2QACP1vlQ8NxHxqiBWOqMBTHTHRDZmdNu/XH+rswEvctrdGOx/W3cm2V83K/TxjwlksAE9VCjMAUBUaaB8zERJQMxzx+Mcy0Gbueps0zwaTm0qSJj2ABUm0GXlpTn0tHHhGqtIDOpSkDEiNhmkv+gBWwakEMlbxIR3q0oHQIXx41P8qQfTH5VA6VRNoApNKIz13ZhRG3/AG1eDXV8iJPVi6LTxhlkScmESuRn3zqyeJXGTKfBC8P/AK3OPBRK5HxSVNlk3eXfCbhMXLnXrRUlA/fdQ9od/wV/5atdd9vKeWR8XVz7xp4qzkzI2sX5qvpCSyaAKNcmI0AyHsCw2yEiRgkPH/uhM2tCWR+CZt/JF5xIYyjjRDgJdCkwx8CBv7kIfME2Jnf4in+SJMffrNsQCltoMiyeEd4GT9BA4gr48z0AQ9AuItXXOLhN4EvPs8ZH6ApKz7hibRd8kY7i6OVxJHE79BQ2PhmfV3cLJLuzbbod4/H9Nue4IcmOirdEna7erXyys0p0mpS18BrRrKS52bCGIsAhzAw2J07NxcQIExOAAIO4GIyPyngvBOE99Jy+U1Q6V98KVgC4NdF6Pwn2PhD8sRNGCRNceaz9yncTFtesjziln6S3/wJIy6gS74kuPCAPyR+ec/yyaf33PJK/1nGZnyZrnsCjr8mOYRn4li9aX7zltHq7N07q0suu6i6+NILqy1jo9Wxqb8F7+IS+RYwNePt9Nw18FYyEZyJY0ZTAOlOoCm4ZHa+w2zhUlDcU5DJPIITRwoGSAgif2dc7vzJA4EjQsywwniX4RKItBXinuFS4O7pn58sh2fknUv+VRjhaXgAkG9pKl+Wmzs/4pUv5D1/wntWPgSQwuXv9O93xt/MG7dMr0Sw8Ec809Pxmfu4W5Rhzvhq19VXlSbX8RuDsTDUAU3CN6lu8Y5rz+a7pZ5bw3cNvKUiX86NUBMsGJZMSaYLl8DEJH6TqTQf/zLOP39Z87klIDJtbgThLi6AcG8KR3y0aGrSDAsQhICa8aZAM7/i408aCSrNW5ZRPAlkbvwK69nlOcunLEkZnn/pJxDFhzKM3/IAjMoiLWGSr/KVzxl36x0/5KM/VhAxQ336hutjNujbxUTD+G2l0ZuvHwpj/O7FoOKdm4vKsOAi/W7ppAFPBrOwyWAZxzBMTBBgapNx+jiIO2a6UgMQNiK8pmDFRxgEJZx0xC9el3x4Lx+ATcB+o9RynnW0E1D8ircpfG76iijLJq2mQPhvhlHeLCtt2OSFeORXebhn/uVN+dI/d/Hwi7xLUr5MP1uLzHumpRzCuO/cdVbYCHeEWeqy6qrQdAZmm2NH2WgcT7Zz51kl2pWuNs88rOTeM/A0uYvNblSALLRCJXHzO8GQ75IRwNTqlr8zjvTLPbVR+mmt3U2/+Swe+cj8+S18gsBvfjNOvxPY6dZ8n/HmuwSucJlGvuOGhGmGS0Dylzzw3uAHcU//6Tfd3bkBmrQzzSYvvFexVCbxeOYP/4CSre+Gm64Le+reMu0HdAzcbHbHpupKPdhfn84gvUILGA+pl58huq6oZ+BJdakRroK2Mr6rHH7IAyXwkg14Cmyp5ZqA5Icm9A7AXKnBadEm6CwaNXvztW/cWp1ZZmrOLRreHDGyBo8WXys6IcBbq8ydjvdvOQB0LuTe1IrcEnC0INACDzBmGHZGU2379u2rbon1fdddf1Xxwx//U5O1iWokTCkWVPS4tUKWlqSugZdaLu9Lxh6OrTV2OX+n3VfGAU0pICUBTIIveZ2g4wfgsmtibtn8rylDwKP1hBFeGH7F7Xdq1Eyn17sK0aTjJWi6nn7eMBwAApSg8tzsxyVQcnScAgacBCRAGZBZkHHrrbeWJfVApzkdGIxddCO1WUrcDlwUx+x0jF7jHkHXhLoGXg4o8r5c7pJxy70/7d4dB/AVoIAQqEz/Ob/ORD8yeHDRcjkNZkGFtYMWZ+SWxWIRiAGiuIB7Pg5OT81nv0Wv2xizdOJsUtfAa0Zy+nntONDUdMBGkxFi3vXZ2N2s4sn1f5pNgDPHrWkFTCt8jGLNwWqeNb82Jc3OxKqisOUtfBOlFCTjX7tSxSBoLSM/HfeJ40CCLptQ4HBpPi2xsrnIGkAGc2YgALMSu4AxjhEDMiC16JQW0zcfHmQztYssmuVBMxQsFJpbMzxMNAYnC/aTE1eUEtMKgEelx9QOU3b5Vm0YbmIfbdjLw4IdKznesZtdXyCG71FtbAT2O7R2+b3UqKjZOdZUYKoL6V80O8fpXl5+iP8AHL7hFx6xt42Pj1df+MLNBXiOwt26day8Z4cbDCDxNxrNLTo+v+pQ8BgNh5xmZiajOWYywXMSXaAAYC2O2hgN4Cjv4kXucGERgUufsazFC/e+SKNdN2wFwCtpLPuH2j4Sc3r1Wq7akJknSSXogEemMa9JWQDNSbNJ4ec04GpOmZ3AG5UR6PBbE+orRrZzfu5zN5UVzZYy4Sc/zmfhz0BhJprSIo8G681EAMjxj+Q0pXJynnsGnpqlcNbf5xkc1HWTMA6QMA9zWkHW9Os5geo5wen5w0hN7a/iWolswSmTiP3AF1+8twwegGlysl5SNhKrkcniWPC91nwN1AUTixJYaGHWi6erBt5SQOC2Ob5oY/SU6ji0bjE+ah7SLQuZbukufMabbk2GZ7gP8x3P8Nd+DdrO8n/HcdRf3amXl2liaTI0Gf26iTiRwTSZljJboaa2q3ld+1+OtymX5d6v1L01nlUDrzUhBRmKXWG7zt5VOrdW2SKFotm8d3dpBjBQzfXelX2WDFMz46/tViXCD+mfnOrSdBqZ0nb6c0BXzi2J0elMmD3wlXZDQDYQg4lNm+qFrxuRdasGXgIjC6OAhuvjMQ2jFlqtYbk5hJsnPHTorfIMYCgB570Jes1qs+nFYH7S3f3DTHhR+m0x12ovyZ49e4rWY7czEh2KaS2Ao/nmgsfsePpu+EguNF87apVnq99WTdX6fqW/W9NZNfBaExKhIw7M/xnSj41ticFGvRrC/oKnn362ANC3TZE9s8iw3wWkGOsZsS+pvaep5gDeqJg0n91wH7vgYwWABh2Axdxhl1jOOAjld19fvYYxm94w1pUIc1BBblqj9aKeJaxGqGGaAStXd+w4I5pSA4nZsonlxhs+U75+bU8Ce5FNOJhpT4DL+SAJurx7f5pqDuAFkDEI69+Nj48XG51ZCVsaZ+dqjeZrimYukMWaU7GbzZEXPl1atFaYN5ISdAYgoSDXhVYAPMPxyGD8i65D1JIIElcc4hCXbxyw3bGEx8rgqIEXXrynFDQUf7Xnoguq6WNzReNZvoOBGEb920H1+muvl51b9opicAJPM8II2lwrt1bcaTbzS6XRa1PfGn/Gl02P/m4ubcpuhjAumj/2s8VH+uIQycFN1ebRbbFoMz51Gvt1J49Nhj0uTKoMwNHdQRGkEE1m405S6IUlaSWgy3yKoLXZ9Y4hmo3QNdsXffrACn9+N8O2ZmAFwGsN8te/RV4WBSp7bOxmVq4TrEs7Ek2vkRXyJRhaD6Mxy8E0zjaxD9RuqVyo6D3QEYTR7QeZEnQAmYL1nADtjw+ZGETQaPh6fJYhwBX8mZlpsV2dIszqGXgYgmGQHsgL7VfXDDMZhQI37EpARLVPmSOMqkqr+SaWzc1XxelOariBiSY5V/4KczK03nrLSktQtFvwEuGFFgAooxqXf0ePHikrk48u9IX11fgLnVfCnGp/ugZersNTA+fjs/B+O7I2FG/hQfZbp4+xutu7GSo4ltoYPDjIWb9QTTb187+/+904JWp3OTXAPlY1W2ca42vmrh9b1yr9UlnxIFoBzwYKZh9outzoruLNz+iHxaewomnNfci4IV9Hj5ryqg/mWT8OrSzl1Obpu2vgZQR9AbyAVNF4hvTlORgaeq8AaGhzHKsQ7kmG/i4Z4T4+Pl5WVxgBO2kJ2DCfQE6GtssmLfPXel8r4GU6OZDSzXCODLD5NGruu+jrDwM8o3D8z24HPwWMwatTlboGXk4Aw1jiihbLPl4O4wej82uUVY6rDwYOxkBE59fvudB+RmYvv/lyORwbszGVVkwmdwLGWjO+1/SXA27dD653pymzlSXWyym34zVKxYzn+dBsPu2UzTFrgaVMwvTHIONUoSxv5rdr4GUErXcJGKkZ1QKiGk2zlVGOmhuU0zfe67Mcif6LZgRz1XxbGjHe7+UE15put79bGdIaT2sT0fq+198AZPmSaTCXyvdcnK1ihE/jWwG0Y8eZ5VMFZi22bYvzXnRVYnA2PEzz9ZqD9QnfM/BS27VmH6hQWXAYgwnNK00HdIRZRmcBLOYYR3FpZhxmY7YD8ADO1avGac3XRvytb2dN3VVXXlUqIR7o8wLf1i1nlrP6zo9T8Pfu3RvXnsVWYTCWrYetYCMWqWOeegZefZRVmlCMsMKIqUu30K2LMcJfEfAtYLK4W+9Ps5n1ADxHgJkaAlg1HvDSvscG2HTL5nwAAAzlSURBVASkZonG4hfRHqnBvEttlVpTXC5+vOMn+1jCywfKfia//Lma/vQ/M11+2lF4jbD1gUCz8aG6makwuIcxlxlk29Y4b3j3WWWViVXE5ryBy8AKEJUfKA08LBBwNyCTti4K68BaU/JzuXTwRreqXkgasyjRFcAr4YLbywXbGCuQLSDcFWvMHKoNRI78cppnnvgJOAqSF4BozmttWi84SKAlCJUYKBJ0fidoPSdlXMIDHAIs8ad/gOYvQegd4i5cO+ofiIpYzp2L79FO1eaP2VmDsJjtiTLfcssXq3379hWt71RTxmFL1LcvNKm6Hpk+PhWDrUrDmh+AJvBTkXrWeL0WGlDUYketfuazn6ku+/hl5Vy3x+J8ukfjEEKHbvND6KmhCF6f0JQboQCId4CZgHEHILWvqeXSr/cuWgWouCdxF1e6SZ8fbqgJ0Ayz3B3AMh+GpiPDMVqfig06I0PVpZdcunjCKYClVs1NOvJRNIpyRUuRYDOLhHIAt1zaG9m9a+AVJpyAkhUBh3rGZM1KOTAmGH3F5VdUn4oTM194/oWivvkjGEIHFt+fcKysg6n9BpLUVLIFLMIAZArPPYWb/vn1nKDyWxiA1ry5i19znwDmB2Vc9a+l//aZRurLE63qQycBz8KKC2LC38R/di1y13/5blhURt+GRfKT+yT8BkKDi2aeua8nFcWwUCGWyof3TeoaeM1IenlWuzFQxlyYT7ucFQfGbN22tRzZT8De5Z0fzZEZDrMdGQ54gU98qbUy7iZIEkDC0TRAiuQFeW+TjIoAeM8//3wBPIDKW2pIcTfjLYFb/kTWI0/12TGBpEWwMIsox/RUrfFTo+q7Oa5WxZ4JgHIv86DhH0mTpitlTC3Ykuap8LNr4KUdr9dCEhywELALCCyhGo1FjKbVED+0AKDo51ipMT4+XqbbDEjSD20IHAkQnfScfstmSxxFaAFSbtJL4HlnJ5ZFljr3LgeDe2/5lnizSfcMoK52xF+mNzV1fDAzOTEV9ronqz/c+4f4Vu351QXnX7DIA/HhBS2nvK4+Mz8m3gN08o28F/dGoKwIzlJeilrz2TXwloq8G7eylW6+rvXZkQY0jFf72axsyatiwJkjJu+M/gBNU8vgun///sUjawHO9j5GWc1kAsxCBBoyZwWy75WA99tGGifL3/aVr5SvCDns2iHZzikGYuDspOVa+SCMuM1lT8fZJKMx8T8bo1qHe/vKIvsdDesqZYwyGzQAHMpuTYIu+3tZiYqnU+zPugOPZgMOWiVNK3joN1AWAYQQgI8A2PgADrgA65//3z9X991/X/lEgNEwUAGwz0o5DYkwkYOoHaTtQ3OaTiACSBqLlqPJAEqcdtt/IsAgHkZbBl79vQSe+FKryksnagJkJkC4JcoyM+DrQYdLPIC/bWu94x+o5IOGSC0hb7RdMVksaLtOaW709x2Bp8CtCyAKU/Qz4uqV5uamQ7vVTUeIMzSKZsY+jtqmlvO8k3EWL+Pz6GiYMMLTcIwON28+Lzrnu+KYre3xYbnzyvH770STaOEB8FiKPzoagImmmya5Ib4X+x//8R/VT37ykwJg2s3KaX07GgmYnSny8cs+XkBntM125gMsvn1hFA2o/BpVA5/n1IDeJYDxRbyT03HyewCrHjgMVmNb4pzmiHf3rt3xlcjLqtu++sWinYGvgC60nXAqhbiyWW3yOTXgUu+a/jbyc0fgbeTMlznf0A47d+6qPvfZsyrf4KKBVAzCGwgBE3jObRpB+l4tsBilAp5DbHTgaVfgpP0Alx9hCV//C/hoTeBLgzZNhqSXz00wpL+ZvuNakea86EIf+ru6fGvjmk9cXVYW02ZlUBHpyU/pQ2d93MhC6DJvpxTwAE0/qfxtCIUmpDGc5etu/wEAuurNMPXgZUssStX8jsfAxDt9yO1n1AMYQNO0prbR1AMRreaI1qMT9ZcQDWZ8c8NqGs16NqO0Hr9IHoRH4mW/G4pDrOXFZ0+/+tXbqq9/7X+VtMe2xeffx7YWoAmjFcm+nQoDkB9EWnfgZT9mOeYWkIVmIZAyqlsA38CClqHFLC6lnSaj3zYbAKAxgMgFC0V7RAI02mInPoRKwwBaNpvyAkBACUT6lbQi8PicFXubAYo+os9YWbIPeJpY92xyxaOJFkd/rFG080veZ+NwnPn4bkTZtDN+QfnEVAkXzSu7HJDVQK0HFPK3ebBevb0cfzaKu3KkYXupPHnfpHUHXjMzyz2X5VaR8cU+Ze6YWuhi6kMNL5hexEHgKWz7RYZiFUdxtz8kgEsjGSUbzOjHIaABQkTzAICBD63jnR38V191dQGzjzMbSfuqjgFHaRqX6PTTmIMxZdYnP6GVc4GEwWoss4udAj5jUH8CQZ5oOgJSQdwThCVTH7A/6w68uvlcnqtOLEK52qX8aOyY0u8ajflNm5dpHtoPcDS3qLnpxW/mmTI6DADSQu8erj8wzC0n4QsweQ7SkQe+cspSfGAOKOzcMihxaXoL0CO9DEdjJnkaim+D0YIjcZL6mWHm2TLmU6HxbYmPhhE87HnClWY94p4LIKpgwKwrkAOJjG+j3pVPpT5l7HirYaTCtRJ7XYIXAJAvSqe28GVJBDBJgEmj0GRppM53BO0dPwBkMJCDk7kwAJdtmqENLWG65ZZbyuBDn4878LiQOAqg+mJr4tb4DGqcKbwztoBeGwshpPn2O29G072jaFV+XcqnAuTvzNMH8b7uGm8lTF0KcBkO6LIJ41bvAXFKgQ8UGyFuqjVgPANjNq0lfNil9Q31rwgb2KRF27CrIUDkjrKZBpwrrrg8jNH1F7N9PM9XHI2AgU14aeljXnbJNdV4DGZ27doZGi5shJ+6ttp9bv39iNkwnM9G1MLJ18joyOLAQv9Oukw8H0TqCLwUCnMDymaqHRhWx6jG8HSJgJ3Ssaw+ILEYMvBTSLOLAEoZ/ENNzee3fl5SNpV+a5IRLQoQ4vHMz1SA2g65r8ZHnM84Y0cxVpvh0Oxrkp0jY1ACeJdcdEX57OmOnWeEhttetN1IrEwZHF7Q3nPHRUADzy18qlP+swwlI+v0R7nbkTzjS/EXRSKvHJXnoG6p8MdLvdTbJdyKAKLZkiBqCmsJ7z07dSp4pwR6DV+YFwzNvpbfjm7tj7OCxX39p66v9sSqYF/+1jQbhBj9aqJpvZnJuvkcGo5BzXCMWkOzzceKlRSWPShouQrWa/478afT+5Wmv1J/md6KgZeMd1buzMK5HJqI1SaYCa/0XmZOVup5DfylGUfUyYMsM7AYkFgp4wgPGiqb2WI+iQo6EF9E9GwEOz8fn8RiOgnlG1aW0h/MZrwJvKamWBzJr0HZVhKlCtKO8CL5kfxp5z/frRh4AkiAraYvOuwYBnianfWkToLpBNxO4VdTNjxpzucC08hQVM4G8Aw+9AIG4svYgDp5rO4/LpVOE/RLvT8Zbp3ApAwFfLo8x3s8f5O1BGe+WBXwBBJB1oKSYPxeT9LktSOVox11Cm9Em9QEaVNDeaalLNx07w/zCc2nvzd1LPgTQJsLP2yKeKebMhUX/g30HT/DrlU4zZPYMw8n+96p4pZyq1gxCGvlZZNfrfnuCLwCrohYAk3LdMlQyDzNB60Rn6jf0u2FDCx6oXIUfyOCJuA4m/XQz3XlO8DCNxqwby6WzIddri/6he6pIUINFhBmR5zgMnwTgOnWyMJJfcxV0MslKt+uZp4LCFvk1lqOzsCjQheoCYJEc9Mt/Z3Ie6azXJydamSv4VWsJlOb+eBuc46RftoN9X9twsnB1+x0GKwjDjMVZcbC80KFLZV2QSGXih0CbKW15m9req2/m8qm9Z3feJD8cU+AdeJ7R+C1JtaMUCKt5olW/73+rg8DWj6WLPRyPnoNn/FmOgl0tTrJbEMOEriVQUZ8QwJo5mNki+Jj9qHkwvQQAw7HeVU+ahIUPb5y90cafxP/qiW0GN0JechyLxdZAq2Tv9bwpVgCG/5rNjBNbXW3WjcXUrYG9FtimfBS70+E22oL1Jpmr+Ezviyn7zegtAvm+9a7dMv0EZAFCdW32Owv3fxLY6Xxl0hPwp8sd7ukWk1qi9o/cGSwJY7CjwU7qEo6mH2ObBok4Jln9qjTdJoDvXAAjmBMt8Jz/g5w1itoc6TqfvDgwbJ1MEHZLuFOo8Z2YU+/++BzYP/+/YvnXFNoOQgbTBUIZNBIDdqXkBtiuLejE9WUtUvj9LtTlwNwZAWPJhdRVJRbX9ib5k31AFheJqZZ5IHqNLBOXaFvlJzbAgB42TouAo9DDihoPeSuXbYDrB1lR7Kdn9PvPrwcyLEDgzqiyMrgAvqyOfWcfT6eaL3WEQv3JiVQm26nn09zoMmBxFdqPBgbbAKPZ1qOR+48pudmRM1n/k7TaQ4sx4HUdM1V2dz+P7dvcZHzZ94MAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" /></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <em><span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></em></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Recently, thanks to favorite Cleveland resident <a href="http://clueintocleveland.wordpress.com/">Amanda</a>'s suggestion, I joined the </span></em><span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ohblogging"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Ohio Blogging Association</span></em></a><em><span style="font-style: normal;">. Today is <b>November Blog Swap! </b>- bloggers from around Northeast Ohio are guest posting on one another’s blogs as a way to get to know others in the blogging community. For a full listing of blog swap participants, check out </span></em><a href="http://www.poiseinparma.com/"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Poise in Parma.</span></em></a><em><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></em></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><em><span style="font-style: normal;">I tried to convince Lyn to take my class and blog about it, but I think she still needs a little convincing...in the meantime, she's got lots of tips and tricks on eating locally here in Cleveland to share, which is always useful for the health-conscious yogi. I, for one, am delighted to learn that winter CSAs are available in Cleveland. Enjoy!</span></em></span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVVMzXrVoILNkAlrQkMuuZDmgt1_-00GdkCxZU3yQi0tx5XisxBRqYMINjzpqBPrfyBb8fWtdulkPZ5r8dNwpHRL8f2gZpk0glHaFKy8Ew2VH_frktRVdViMHWKxhFVBsd7nHGCFTVg4/s1600/LynLifeStyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVVMzXrVoILNkAlrQkMuuZDmgt1_-00GdkCxZU3yQi0tx5XisxBRqYMINjzpqBPrfyBb8fWtdulkPZ5r8dNwpHRL8f2gZpk0glHaFKy8Ew2VH_frktRVdViMHWKxhFVBsd7nHGCFTVg4/s320/LynLifeStyle.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Local Eats in Cleveland, Ohio</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hi!<span> </span>I’m Lyn from <a href="http://lifelynstyle.com/">Life Lyn Style</a> and I’m guest posting today.<span> </span>I write about food, family, exercise, eating local and other life happenings.</span> </span></div><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Over the last 3 years, I’ve been developing an interest about eating locally-grown foods and I have been surprised how many products and items come from within 75 miles of Cleveland.</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I thought I’d share my 3 favorite ways to find local foods.</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>1. Join a CSA.</b><span> </span>“CSA” stands for Community Supported Agriculture.<span> </span>In most cases, you buy a farm share where you pay up front at the beginning of a growing season.<span> </span>Then, each week all season long, you receive a box of in-season local products.<span> </span>Some CSAs are all produce, while others include dairy, meat and dry goods.<span> </span>We are members of the <a href="http://freshforkmarket.com/">Fresh Fork Market</a> and <a href="http://geaugafamilyfarms.org/">Geauga Family Farms</a> CSAs.<span> </span>We have received items ranging from chickens and veal to tomatoes and plums.<span> </span>I never knew that items like apricots, yogurt, whole wheat flour and oats are available from local producers.</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>2. Search out your local farmers’ market.</b><span> </span>I enjoy the market at Howe Meadows in the Peninsula area.<span> </span>It’s a bit of a drive for us, but we enjoy it a couple of times a summer.<span> </span>I also like the Shaker Square market.<span> </span>I make myself buy something I’ve never tried whenever I go to a market.<span> </span>Usually, it’s an unusual melon or squash that catches my eye.<span> </span>It’s also fun to talk to the farmers and learn about their business.</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>3. Going to U-Pick farms is another great way to find local produce.</b><span><b> </b> </span>We’ve really enjoyed learning about the seasonality of fruits and some veggies for picking.<span> </span>This year, my kids and I picked strawberries, grapes, plums, apples, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, tomatoes, peppers, and peas.<span> </span>We could have picked even more varieties, but there are only so many days in a week.</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A good reference website is <a href="http://www.growohio.org/"><b>www.growhio.org</b></a>.<span> </span>This site has CSA, farmers’ markets, pick-your-own information, and much more.</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Try including some local products in your diet.<span> </span>It’s good for you, the environment and the economy, and my husband keeps telling me how much better the local products taste!</span></span></h1><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>...and we now return to regularly scheduled yoga programming!</b> </span></span></h1><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/enFsZB8VxtA" width="560"></iframe> <b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Yoga...<i>Competition?</i></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2011/01/northern-ca-regional-yoga-asana.html">Remember when I first blogged</a> about<i><b> </b></i>the phenomenon that is the USA Yoga Federation?<b><i> </i></b></span><span style="font-size: small;">Well, guess who's going to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/231601263567923/">Pennsylvania Regional Yoga Asana Cup</a> in January?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't get TOO excited...I'm certainly not doing it to become a serious competitor. You have to train long & hard to get as good as current world champ Joseph up there. But it's a really great opportunity to bring my own practice to the next level. Besides, what else am I going to do this winter here in Cleveland besides hibernate and spend as much time in the hot room as possible? (seriously folks. I'm already wearing a bathrobe over a sweater indoors and it's not even cold yet. <a href="http://youtu.be/k2-15mYWpmA">I am getting closer.</a>)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plus, now I've got access to the aforementioned Pittsburgh studio owner and <a href="http://www.bypgh.com/teachers/zebhomison">yoga champ Zeb</a>, who despite my limitations has been teaching me training exercises and getting me excited for the possibilities. This will be fun! But I'm realistic...much like my <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2010/09/we-interrupt-your-regularly-scheduled.html">triathlon</a> goal of "Don't Drown," my yoga competition goal is "Don't Embarrass Yourself and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD9Z-xVw_Go">Fall Down</a>." Fingers crossed...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JQkeqtQ9SxssPvgde8qqVzC2jdwBrIEG6mnhd0wCqRsuLfR3c-Ih41muE4KTc-h-8LuSOItdPUpODDUtaHufdsBMwq7DX4wW4waUMTieSQuQvTTw2M4vtcFh0AHh4M-er3RxnPNiRhA/s1600/Mary-Jarvis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JQkeqtQ9SxssPvgde8qqVzC2jdwBrIEG6mnhd0wCqRsuLfR3c-Ih41muE4KTc-h-8LuSOItdPUpODDUtaHufdsBMwq7DX4wW4waUMTieSQuQvTTw2M4vtcFh0AHh4M-er3RxnPNiRhA/s320/Mary-Jarvis.jpg" width="272" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>MJ Visits the 'Burgh</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of Pittsburgh, guess who's coming for a two-day seminar extravaganza December 17th and 18th? The legendary <a href="http://www.globalyoga.biz/About_Mary.html">Mary Jarvis</a>, that's who! I saw Mary speak at the Northern California regionals and she is so inspiring and hilarious. I tried to take her class a few times in San Francisco, but she was always out of town doing seminars like these. Now is my chance! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">She'll teach a 10AM class and then run seminars and posture clinics until evening-time. It's pretty exciting and if any Cleveland folks want to spring the $85 to take the Saturday class/seminar, I've got four seats in my little Yaris with your names on it! <a href="mailto:danielle.hoffman%20@%20gmail.com">Just let me know.</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Kp2riyk5Tmn3sa94fYdgB-D65rLi7b1UoRdsoLJOP_LMHwDjM7r_LgF9CH5849ivcFCaRsjqxO72yeW5IQ7Z-60bsuV15NFnr2DD0TVawRKiBDMu-WA1auRagGHRl7WFjdgCzcxXrao/s1600/DSC01850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Kp2riyk5Tmn3sa94fYdgB-D65rLi7b1UoRdsoLJOP_LMHwDjM7r_LgF9CH5849ivcFCaRsjqxO72yeW5IQ7Z-60bsuV15NFnr2DD0TVawRKiBDMu-WA1auRagGHRl7WFjdgCzcxXrao/s320/DSC01850.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My mom and sister in a happy/yoga-free moment</i></span><b> </b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Breaking News: Mom Does Bikram Yoga</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I don't think I told my blog readers this story, but right before <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2011/08/updates-galore-road-trips-yoga-postures.html">our road trip</a> my little sister Allison took a class that I taught at Bikram Yoga Walnut Creek and she HATED IT. She hated every single sweaty second of it. Any time I met her eyes she would give me this horrible, baleful look of anger and despair. Not on purpose, because she tried...she really tried...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Admittedly it was a hot class, and I wasn't at the top of my game, but still...she got on the phone with my mom immediately afterwards, who had recently purchased a <a href="http://www.groupon.com/r/uu331032">Groupon</a> to <a href="http://bikramyogapittsburgh.com/">Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill</a>, and told her in no uncertain terms that she should never, ever try Bikram Yoga. Ever. Don't listen to Danielle. EVER.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.oprah.com/health/Paige-Williams-60-Day-Makeover"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyNaMd9yBW24tg_SW3FNO7c7d8DZ-AckAqnfYmRx0OIa62cSJggXm9Eyg1rgSgpAXjgNGPJL9aZJYhU3EJVuGDNTJivC49CB4fiKN7tK27fgcd8zcsIRBD6N-2WWKkv84K_HjltRoz8Q/s1600/201001-omag-paige-williams-yoga-220x312.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Image stolen from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_356535177">Oprah</a></i></span><a href="http://www.oprah.com/health/Paige-Williams-60-Day-Makeover"> </a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, some time went by and Mom isn't really one to waste money, and after I tried a few classes at Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill I was confident that they would take good care of her (and the class wasn't TOO hot). So last Friday, off we went together to Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh, finally cashing in that Groupon.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks to chronic knee and neck issues, my Mom was terrified ("I wrote down all my problems on that piece of paper," she whispered. "They're going to read it, right?") </span><span style="font-size: small;">but game. She assured me that she planned to sit out the whole class if she felt like it; but she was willing to give Bikram a chance, Allison's ominous warnings or no. I fully expected her to take a hot nap and maybe be impressed by my floor bow.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But guess what? <b>She loved it! </b> She did so well, trying each and every posture to the best of her ability. She liked the heat, enjoyed the teaching and felt taken care of by teacher Lisa...and <i>really</i> loved how she felt afterwards. She went back a few days later on her own! So for those family and friends still too afraid to try Bikram....talk to my mom. It's not so scary after all!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MVj2zs0Rqdc" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Along those lines...I'm always enthralled by the stories of Bikram yogis whose lives are utterly transformed by the yoga. But how often do you actually get to be <i>a part </i>of that transformation? Well, the other day one of my dear students, who started Bikram when we opened the studio in Cleveland, mentioned that she's suffered from chronic pain most of her life. "But the other day I was standing in the kitchen and I said to my husband..."I don't feel any pain right now!"" </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes leaving the nonprofit fundraising world to teach yoga seems a little selfish or self-indulgent to me. But when I hear stories like these, I know that I'm still having a positive (albeit different) impact on the people and world around me...and that's pretty awesome.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That's it for now friends...have a beautiful week and see you next Monday!</span></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-14841669488123067352011-10-25T14:19:00.000-07:002011-10-25T14:19:14.000-07:00Six Weeks in Cleveland: I Have Become Mr. Rogers<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5Fk8SOGBEow" width="560"></iframe></span> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who's ready for an update on learning to be a good Bikram Yoga instructor? It's been a fascinating, busy few weeks, and I wanted to share a bit on what I've learned and experienced.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But first...I'm finally living by myself! I have a cute little carriage house in Cleveland Heights. The previous tenants were: a fellow who was commuting back and forth to Detroit for a year...and before him, a woman who lived there for SIXTEEN YEARS. Well, first she lived in the house (according to oldest of the three young daughters who live in the main house, she "came with the house") and then she moved to the carriage house, where she gradually went a little bit crazy.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PuTCqfhgowKOe6jnK1BMUNK16xi93kZxegryigK6qZ9OZ6GnUkfWEvFPeb9nXe-SP5JwZ2UsI4fIgE3L0jmJu5xEEBNldItO4_ylxhHbtiSKe-2lXLNUuZUsUa3N3irdlHhSBcVANFQ/s1600/crazy-cat-lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PuTCqfhgowKOe6jnK1BMUNK16xi93kZxegryigK6qZ9OZ6GnUkfWEvFPeb9nXe-SP5JwZ2UsI4fIgE3L0jmJu5xEEBNldItO4_ylxhHbtiSKe-2lXLNUuZUsUa3N3irdlHhSBcVANFQ/s1600/crazy-cat-lady.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes, I have taken over a crazy cat lady's home. It's already furnished, which is SO fantastic, but every once and while I'll notice that the mug I'm drinking from has a cat painted on it or says "Retired, Not Expired!" and wonder if the spirit of the crazy cat lady is the reason that I'm suddenly obsessed with getting a kitten...so thanks a LOT, Stephanie, for introducing me to <a href="http://cclaspets.blogspot.com/">this blog.</a></span> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My other obsession over the past week has been finally becoming the proud owner of my very own Vitamix. As you probably know because I couldn't stop talking about it last week, I successfully traded a batch of peanut butter cookies, proofreading a few papers, and almost HALF the price the dude on craiglist was asking for his six-month-old barely used Vitamix. I have since made wonderful breakfast and lunch smoothies, the best gluten-free pumpkin spice muffins ever...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To sum up, I now spend many of my non-yoga-ing hours looking at photos of adoptable kittens, drinking tea from a "Retired Not Expired" mug as my baked goods are a-baking. I AM turning into a crazy cat lady!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjieY0qE0dJglLa2YM2Frr8x4mEaf3axUFQGSKiT8EH6x-I_LLAvLPaLdfkLagobLy5Qxh030YO_f-drIy98QUuN3eIxnCRfjHEmjtwlcB9LtxQoF03P7MaRgvdTV5ugFVRSQBiJtB8A/s1600/Crazy+Cat+Lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjieY0qE0dJglLa2YM2Frr8x4mEaf3axUFQGSKiT8EH6x-I_LLAvLPaLdfkLagobLy5Qxh030YO_f-drIy98QUuN3eIxnCRfjHEmjtwlcB9LtxQoF03P7MaRgvdTV5ugFVRSQBiJtB8A/s1600/Crazy+Cat+Lady.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i>You can actually <a href="http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/crazy-cat-lady-adult-costume?refItemId=AAAABEnqbkgAAAAAAksNZw&fromStoreDomain=halloweenexpress.com">buy this costume online</a>. Lame. Although I think I just figured out a possible Halloween costume...SEXY crazy cat lady? Along the same lines as the classic <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4rUiV_Hh74">sexy Abraham Lincoln?</a></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of yoga-ing, that's been going GREAT. While I miss my SF friends so much sometimes it hurts (and I'm so proud of them all...Kelly is rocking 14 classes a week, Renata ran a freakin' HALF IRONMAN, Stephanie moved to Chicago for a bigwig nonprofit job, just to name a few - yeah, I only make friends with awesome people), I've been enjoying my new lifestyle here in Cleveland. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Its been fantastic to see how our students are already growing and blossoming (like a flower petal blooming!). I'm also grateful for the three lovely ladies I'm working with every day - I never, ever leave my house thinking "I really don't feel like working today." I'm learning so much about teaching and doing yoga, I love it! Here are just a few recent revelations:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pVaaaMKjT44aLYMt6JxZVon3pLhvNaZqidGT73nEpgXd7R4YVUbwfE32FzjesjlhoSXDTrxbC8hNmIVDs23KCOKUG8GoTYzgek9_UIEqwRmuJi10iE_wRgi3jTxwsL8i_53xvXTuCzI/s1600/rachel%252Bsmile%252Bin%252Bmirror.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pVaaaMKjT44aLYMt6JxZVon3pLhvNaZqidGT73nEpgXd7R4YVUbwfE32FzjesjlhoSXDTrxbC8hNmIVDs23KCOKUG8GoTYzgek9_UIEqwRmuJi10iE_wRgi3jTxwsL8i_53xvXTuCzI/s320/rachel%252Bsmile%252Bin%252Bmirror.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I feel obliged to point out that I stole this adorable image from <a href="http://roedhouse.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html">a stranger's family blog</a> via Google image search. Creepy. But she's so happy with her image in the mirror!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bikram Yoga is great for overcoming self- consciousness. </b>Bikram studios have mirrors - big, floor to ceiling mirrors, like a dance studio, covering one whole wall and at least one side wall. These can take a little getting used to, and I often see new students looking here, there, everywhere - at the students in front of them, watching me on the podium - rather than following the instruction to look in their own eyes, even smile at themselves, at the mirror.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They are baffled by the skimpy clothes that we have available for sale, because they'd never be caught dead in them - they're too fat, skinny, veiny, etc. You're just not pretty in Bikram yoga...no one is! (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPyzFME8ccE">except for THESE people</a>. As my mom used to say, Jeez Louise!).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But what's wonderful to see is when beginners start to overcome that initial self consciousness - when they're confident enough to move closer to the mirror, when they stop watching other people all the time and start seeing themselves more clearly, when they buy a pair of tight short shorts because let's face it, it's hot in there and if other students see my muffin top, so be it. Bikram ultimately forces you into a self-acceptance that I think is a really beautiful thing...but it takes time.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thus I found the cheesiest phrase leaving my mouth last week - "You're all beautiful in your own unique way." And I was COMPLETELY sincere. Because I could see people getting frustrated, sighing in exasperation, shooting me a look when I tell them "eventually, two knees in one line," because they think that will never happen for them. And I felt at that moment that maybe they didn't fully appreciate just how beautiful, strong, and flexible they really were! But the Mr. Rogers (or god forbid, BARNEY) moment was maybe a little much, earnest as it may have been...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nVwq6U0bhyw" width="420"></iframe></span> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've had my own lessons in overcoming self consciousness recently. I finally bought a pair of the Tonic booty shorts (kind of like <a href="http://www.chictini.com/chictini_items/4018-tonic-lifestyle-heron-yoga-shorts">these</a>) that we sell at the studio, and Erica was exactly right - they're not cute, but damn if they don't stay in place the whole class.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also stopped saying "I'm not very good at this posture" before demonstrating a posture for my class - because I'm as good as I need to be, they're getting the information they need regardless of how high up I can kick in Standing Bow, and ultimately that sort of self-deprecation is exactly what I'm reminding them to avoid!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>After all...Yoga is fun. Yoga is a practice! </b>One of my new regular students in Cleveland (who deserves some sort of fashionista profile in a happenin' Cleveland magazine or something (is there such a thing?) given that she has the <i>best</i> outfits) told me that she carries a lot of tension in her shoulders and hunches them in class (the same problem I used to have). She felt like the yoga was working but wondered if there was anything she could do, other than just relax them when she saw it happening. And...that's exactly what she needed to do! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41Hey-4sx2n36jTDwsj9G859hndQDbMf3pdWdd5QsFrnNcqVS1rmpPoDWjUMTuCD-aW6Qwvv5NXP6FqghAwj2xYjPuNAamY1FYXDVMlP2byvzrTKyVaXnpuq65_ZzWDPlMnIRXbbIQTE/s1600/DChitwoodItTakesTime.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41Hey-4sx2n36jTDwsj9G859hndQDbMf3pdWdd5QsFrnNcqVS1rmpPoDWjUMTuCD-aW6Qwvv5NXP6FqghAwj2xYjPuNAamY1FYXDVMlP2byvzrTKyVaXnpuq65_ZzWDPlMnIRXbbIQTE/s320/DChitwoodItTakesTime.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yoga is not a magic potion that will suddenly, immediately cure what ails you...it takes time, and practice, like any other physical discipline or sport. <b>Patience and compassion for where you are right now is all you need in Bikram Yoga - the rest will come in time </b>(as long as you're still using your English bulldog determination and Bengal tiger strength, of course!)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of patience, slowly but surely I've been improving my teaching in Pittsburgh, where I now teach 3 times/week on Thursdays and Fridays (and thus get to hang out with my mom and drink wine while I raid her refrigerator...good times!). It's different from what I'm used to, not just in practicalities like teaching from the back/sides of the room instead of on a podium at the front, but the students themselves! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdyv5YzywNX5RuKZtFJcKTeAknNZl5FVjdpZ_XIxxACDhytAVQs0QrI_zAncP5W20SS_C7dFWayhx5NtbB-QADQH-uZo_r3UHk8xMVF4fEnfPVFpwwF0TIHzvEl8_DaR-7T6inq4uAKA/s1600/der_baum_314975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdyv5YzywNX5RuKZtFJcKTeAknNZl5FVjdpZ_XIxxACDhytAVQs0QrI_zAncP5W20SS_C7dFWayhx5NtbB-QADQH-uZo_r3UHk8xMVF4fEnfPVFpwwF0TIHzvEl8_DaR-7T6inq4uAKA/s320/der_baum_314975.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Allison can translate this for me but it's got something to do with the tree calling tree pose "Boring!!"</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've become more comfortable with the genuine stillness and silence in the Pittsburgh studio that the owners have cultivated and the students have achieved over the past 3 years, and thus am better able to share that stillness with the students in Cleveland. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From taking classes with Zeb and Shannon, the yoga rockstars of Pittsburgh, I'm starting to better understand the intricacies of postures and can then share them with my advanced/advancing students in Cleveland...but what I'm learning from Jeannine and Erica and with the students in Cleveland helps me be compassionate and effective towards new students in Pittsburgh.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Basically, the contrast between these two studios - and the sheer amount I get to teach now - means that I think I'm becoming a better teacher!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hiNGswEIWZeNwegoNzidGN3YS6pyDiDdJc4vO0ES5yC_amOYQ2wjEsojUYOIdUnZsKQQY7pExwrCEMCgepBLvk8xmDOKFgA9fZVN1Es2qcdhYSPoKOVFWIPXj-O2RjJC3IBMEmBa8Is/s1600/yoga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hiNGswEIWZeNwegoNzidGN3YS6pyDiDdJc4vO0ES5yC_amOYQ2wjEsojUYOIdUnZsKQQY7pExwrCEMCgepBLvk8xmDOKFgA9fZVN1Es2qcdhYSPoKOVFWIPXj-O2RjJC3IBMEmBa8Is/s320/yoga.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>You may be surprised to learn this but...there's a fair bit of yoga going on in this fair city!</b> And I've had some fun exploring it when I can. I always like trying out other yoga disciplines, to remind myself what it's like to be a beginner, to push myself a little harder with the unfamiliar, and to see where my students are coming up with some of their own wacky modifications on the Bikram series. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For example, bubbly front desk lady Sarah invited me to my first <a href="http://clevelandyoga.com/">Cleveland Yoga</a> class, where I very much enjoyed the teacher's informal vibe, the six hour long partial pigeon pose, and seeing Sarah rock out the power flow. I was not such a fan of phrases like "nobody co-signs your shit" (um...what?) but to each his own...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXVkY0zdokP2j2XmJGC1TBMO0zpo9nC6pZXD7Dddt35KetlesD1ys3y5jK2EFoQaTUXmXhe8E1FpCUtNaP-J1Gk9SsV0n3yQLjlUAc9c6ejjDuS-hKDA2B9ATXyHpzs0NUiWEr7qgY2I/s1600/yogaHopehandsonback-500x749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXVkY0zdokP2j2XmJGC1TBMO0zpo9nC6pZXD7Dddt35KetlesD1ys3y5jK2EFoQaTUXmXhe8E1FpCUtNaP-J1Gk9SsV0n3yQLjlUAc9c6ejjDuS-hKDA2B9ATXyHpzs0NUiWEr7qgY2I/s320/yogaHopehandsonback-500x749.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also drove out to the middle of nowhere to check out <a href="http://chagrinyoga.com/">Chagrin Yoga</a>, where I discovered that my arm/ab muscles are stronger than the last time I tried to hold plank in vinyasa yoga, and that I'm still thrown when yoga teachers grab my sweaty back without warning to push me deeper into a posture - there's far less (if any) touching in Bikram than in other forms of yoga. I could have done without the Dave Matthews band too...but it was fun!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I went to a second class in Chagrin last night with an admittedly less open mind, given that it was their "Bikram Style Yoga," and a student had responded to our claim "we're the first official Bikram studio in Ohio" with "no, you're not." There are a lot of requirements in order to use the Bikram name, particularly using only certified teachers and teaching only Bikram in the Bikram studio, neither of which are true at Chagrin (if you're curious, you can see <a href="http://www.bikramyoga.com/Studios/BikramYogaBasics.php">the whole list here</a>, but keep in mind that very few studios have the wherewithall to follow EVERY SINGLE RULE. Did you know in Canada it's a health code violation to install carpet in a Bikram yoga studio?). It's hard not to get a little uppity about "fake," unaffiliated pseudo-Bikram classes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIDesP6uslD9u6BpnZn06QyUhF19a31TZmCdTy7iVdCGnrPPbQgjgNMu2TVNpjHs-h24qh8TDyCHWsTjqNLFckk-6qrif4BK4VYZ9ODVhdHlQdrKDDHYEoEL2bkTA9Tf_SUNiUyoALqI/s320/DJ+kitten" width="320" /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yeah, I don't know. Apparently I find pictures of kittens funny now. SAVE ME!</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So. Anyway. What is this Bikram Style Yoga <a href="http://chagrinyoga.com/hot_hot_yoga_26.cfm">so clearly masquerading</a> as REAL Bikram yoga? Well, let's see...it was a small class of three people, nice and hot and humid - although bizarrely, the (wood) floor was cold. I was wondering if I was having some sort of weird illness or blood pressure issue every time I picked up my cold foot with my sweaty hand, but once I lay down in savansana I realized "wait a minute...it's the FLOOR." </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The teacher used a mix of dialogue and not-dialogue, and a mix of Bikram-style jokes with deep thoughts like "You're not really here. This studio doesn't exist." I spent much of the class in an obstinate and offended state, coming out of postures early when he held them too long, frowning when he made a suggestion or correction that I thought was "wrong."</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But then...I talked to him afterwards and he was a perfectly nice fellow. He was honest about the fact that he hadn't been able to attend training and had learned from other teachers. He shared some of the details of his newfound <a href="http://kriya.org/">Kriya Yoga</a> path with me and suggested I check out <a href="http://kriya.org/calendar__event.php?id=1202">an upcoming public lecture in Cleveland</a> (which I plan to!). He was in fact the one who had introduced Erica to Jeannine earlier this year, and made that connection critical to getting Bikram Yoga Cleveland off the ground. He'd introduced a fair number of people to the idea of Bikram yoga, and since BY Cleveland has opened, his classes have shrunk significantly - which he didn't resent, since he was glad we were here. Well, after that, obviously the holier-than-thou attitude I had built up through the class dissipated.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also I left a SEA of sweat on that wooden floor thanks to a less-than-effective rented towel and the condensation caused by cold floor/warm Danielle, so I owe him!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEUm8DYmpJnj71A2BBJvXfQD-847bwnTijAkk_OvAdqQZyocoLCvBSlnYWKFuP-IKWuPRBFgn_GxL60pTfedca5W3h8rq8LL7WyoPbNIEUGei9hAZYsDILwF0NkRyyHAuIyeSzLY1LYY/s1600/Sea-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEUm8DYmpJnj71A2BBJvXfQD-847bwnTijAkk_OvAdqQZyocoLCvBSlnYWKFuP-IKWuPRBFgn_GxL60pTfedca5W3h8rq8LL7WyoPbNIEUGei9hAZYsDILwF0NkRyyHAuIyeSzLY1LYY/s320/Sea-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">More next week...on possible yoga asana competition news, and the stuff I cut out of this blog post because it was just too damn long! Love you all and see you in the hot room!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. My Mr. Rogers nostalgic googling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mister-Rogers-Swings-Holly-Yarbrough/dp/B001BTZO28/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319569517&sr=8-1">led me here</a>...hope this brightens your day as much as it brightened mine!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/t8p5E_p75E0" width="420"></iframe></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-69407811986708578932011-10-09T10:55:00.000-07:002011-10-12T11:43:08.594-07:00Just call me "Bikram Blogger Extraordinaire"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcDekM9GWV9q7J8aul-MJYx1ofl-CsPUAP-Hdx2TBAJghtD86jSxDPeweOhOMPY0MU1MIqXKyMy38WvHuApvh6nFPo8_DPHhzf0jM9ijWJ_aCPfaDC3d15lGvk8lPMyLpZ87ziaFPZYk/s1600/blog-update.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcDekM9GWV9q7J8aul-MJYx1ofl-CsPUAP-Hdx2TBAJghtD86jSxDPeweOhOMPY0MU1MIqXKyMy38WvHuApvh6nFPo8_DPHhzf0jM9ijWJ_aCPfaDC3d15lGvk8lPMyLpZ87ziaFPZYk/s320/blog-update.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Cleveland friend Amanda, who has been mentioned in many posts, generously gave me some blog space to introduce her readers to Bikram Yoga. <a href="http://clueintocleveland.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/guest-post-namaste-or-should-i-go-to-cleveland-bikram-yoga-arrives/">You can read the original post on her site here</a>, but I've pasted it below too - just so I don't have to write TWO blog posts this week...I'm a busy girl! But looking forward to telling you all about my adventures in Cleveland's non-Bikram yoga offerings, my snazzy new apartment, and my inability to drive in reverse. Enjoy the last gasp of beautiful weather here on the East Coast!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>AMANDA SEZ...</i>While I’m enjoying a weekend with my incredible in-laws in New Jersey, a friend from my Philly theatre days shares how Bikram Yoga’s recent arrival in Ohio led her to “flee to the Cleve.” I’ll be back Monday with an (overdue) recap of my first attempt at a Cleveland Clam Bake!</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-3279" height="351" src="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/half_moon_v-_2.jpg?w=468&h=351" title="Half_Moon_v._2" width="468" /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Danielle shares her love for Bikram Yoga at Bikram Yoga Cleveland -- Ohio's first studio of its kind.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello Clue into Cleveland readers! In another lifetime, Amanda and I were theatre nerds together in Philadelphia through the Walnut Street Theatre’s apprenticeship program. She was having nightmares over <i>A Christmas Carol</i>‘s group sales, while I was getting shoes thrown at me from irate <i>CATS </i>audience members. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fast forward six years and Amanda is loving life in Cleveland as a skilled and successful editor lady, while I’ve been fundraising for nonprofits myself – and getting hooked on Bikram Yoga – in San Francisco. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Bikram Yoga addiction led me to an intensive nine-week yoga teacher training program in Los Angeles with Bikram Choudhury himself this past summer, but when I returned to SF I knew I couldn’t teach full time in San Francisco for long before I’d go broke and be living in a box, offering yoga lessons for spare change. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That’s when I discovered <b><a href="http://bikramcle.com/">Bikram Yoga Cleveland</a></b> - a brand new studio opening in September 2011, the very first official Bikram studio in all of Ohio! I had some wonderful phone conversations with the owner, Jeannine LoConti, and it sounded like a great fit – and I really liked the idea of being a part of a new yoga studio right from the beginning. So I stuffed my car to the brim, drove across the country…and here I am! </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now Amanda has generously given me a bit of time and space to introduce you, her loyal readers, to Bikram Yoga Cleveland! Hopefully I’ll convince you to come check out our clean and beautiful, welcoming studio! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/corner-view.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-3278" height="312" src="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/corner-view.jpg?w=468&h=312" title="Corner View" width="468" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The newly opened Bikram Yoga Cleveland in Shaker Heights</span></div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_3278" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; width: 478px;"><div class="wp-caption-text"><br />
</div></div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></i><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>We start, of course, with…What is Bikram Yoga?</b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bikramcle.com/about/">Bikram Yoga</a> is a sequence of 26 Hatha Yoga postures (and two breathing exercises) selected and developed by Bikram Choudhury. These postures, performed in the same order each 90 minute class, systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, ligaments, and muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And yes, it’s hot in there; we heat the room to 105 degrees with 40% humidity. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/wheel_in_seattle_wa.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-3282" height="351" src="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/wheel_in_seattle_wa.jpg?w=468&h=351" title="Wheel_in_Seattle,_WA" width="468" /></a></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The heat in Bikram Yoga helps students safely get into poses like these</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Wait, what? 105 degrees?!</b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bikram likes to use the metaphor of forging a sword to explain the need for heat (I’m quoting from his “Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class” book): “Suppose you are going to make a sword. You start with a piece of fine steel and the first thing you do is put the steel in the fire and heat it up. When the steel is hot, it becomes soft. Then you can hammer it and slowly you make it change shape to the sword you want…now, if you don’t heat it up and start hammering the cold steel, nothing is going to happen to the steel, but you break your hand, the hammer, your arm. The same thing happens when you do any exercise, even Hatha Yoga, in a cold environment.” </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The heat makes you less likely to strain, to pull a muscle, to hurt yourself. You’re more flexible and malleable, just like that fine piece of steel. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also, when you exercise in a hot, humid room, you sweat. You sweat a lot. And that has such a wonderful, detoxifying effect on your whole body. When you walk out of that room, and you’ve worked every muscle and joint in your body and sweated out every toxin, you will feel AMAZING. There’s no high like a Bikram Yoga high, I promise you that! </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"></div><dl class="wp-caption aligncenter"><dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/studio-4.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-3281" height="312" src="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/studio-4.jpg?w=468&h=312" title="Studio 4" width="468" /></a></span></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bikram Yoga Cleveland’s studio space</span></dd></dl><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>So what do I actually get out of it besides this “yoga high” business?</b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Weight loss, reduced stress, better endurance, more energy, improved immunity, a stronger heart, expanded lung capacity, relief of chronic pain, toned muscles, prevention and rehabilitation of injuries, detoxification, increased balance, strength and flexibility, increased willpower and mental strength…to name a few! </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>That all sounds marvelous, but I’m a beginner and I’m frightened.</b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don’t be! The great thing about Bikram Yoga Cleveland is that because we’ve only just opened, we have a wonderful mix of beginners and advanced students alike. And because every class is structured the same, you’ll feel more familiar with the poses and start seeing improvements in balance, strength and flexibility within only a week or two! </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Besides, in Bikram Yoga it doesn’t matter how flexible you are, how close you can get to the full expression of the posture – as long as you’re doing it 100% the right way, you’re getting 100% of the benefit, regardless of how deep you can go, how long you can balance. Bikram Yoga is for everyone! After all, as Bikram says, “you’re never too old, never too bad, never too late and never too sick to do the yoga and start from the scratch once again.” </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/lounge-area.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-3280 " height="562" src="http://clueintocleveland.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/lounge-area.jpg?w=374&h=562" title="Lounge Area" width="374" /></a></span><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Before or after a Bikram class, there's a lounge and shop to peruse</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Okay, I admit it, I’m intrigued. How do I learn more?</b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There’s lots of useful information on our website, <a href="http://bikramcle.com/" target="_blank">http://bikramcle.com/</a>. And stop by any time, we’re happy to answer any questions! We’re located on Fairmount Circle by John Carroll University. There’s plenty of free parking in the adjacent lot. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">See you in the hot room!</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><i style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></i></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-88249482713658173732011-09-28T13:59:00.000-07:002011-10-03T11:43:31.277-07:00"I'm So Happy I Get to Do This Because This is What I Love."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJN23Rj-5EVgz1cyqKWHWSm9FoHZs_UsTAQRi44_At2Fv0IHH2Cook_WXyEMAuLYmWxlrx0vuhNf9-aTyDmH7Q2nJDuymIqoT-fYW2jw_DM_s5O92L8-PwUFsZRo9V8xD0IuPASADGv4w/s1600/kickboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJN23Rj-5EVgz1cyqKWHWSm9FoHZs_UsTAQRi44_At2Fv0IHH2Cook_WXyEMAuLYmWxlrx0vuhNf9-aTyDmH7Q2nJDuymIqoT-fYW2jw_DM_s5O92L8-PwUFsZRo9V8xD0IuPASADGv4w/s1600/kickboard.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The quote above is from one of my new students, Sheila. She's maybe a little older than middle aged, and probably part of the reason I can't pin down her age is that she swims EVERY MORNING AT 5AM (the photo above is of the gear I would need if I swam every morning at 5am. You think I'm joking...).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At a time when I'm either still in snoozeville or dragging my sleepy ass out of bed to teach the 6am class (because when I teach 6am, I wake up 15 minutes before I need to leave the house...but tomorrow I move into my sweet, peaceful, non-basement, non-loud-roommates-above-me-all-night-stomping-around one-bedroom apartment, so I am entertaining dreams of waking up well in advance of class and sipping coffee in my brightly lit all-to-myself kitchen, perhaps reading the paper or a yoga book, so that I am refreshed and awake in time for 6am class. But let's be honest, I'll probably still roll out of bed & into the studio. Anyway...)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, Sheila. Many people look at their exercise routines as a necessary evil to stay healthy and in shape. But Sheila (who has a lovely dry sense of humor, don't get me wrong) told us in all sincerity that she says to herself, every morning at 5 AM when she's stepping her toes into that cold swimming pool, "I am so happy I get to do this because this is what I love." </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It reminds me of <a href="http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/yoga/transcript.shtml">this wonderful podcast</a> that my friend Susannah shared with me a while ago, that I've listened to several times, and that I'm now sharing with all of you. In it yoga master Sean Corn says:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"I trust that if I do my yoga practice, I'm going to get stronger and more flexible. If I stay in alignment, if I don't push, if I don't force, then my body will organically open in time. I know that if I breathe deeply, I'll oxygenate my body. It has an influence on my nervous system. These things are fixed and I know to be true. </span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">But I also recognize that it's a mystical practice, and you can use your body as an expression of your devotion. So the way that you place your hands, the ways that you step a foot forward or back, everything is done as an offering. I offer the movements to someone I love or to the healing of the planet. And so if I'm moving from a state of love and my heart is open to that connection between myself and another person or myself and the universe, it becomes an active form of prayer, of meditation, of grace."</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55UDZs5jx-3-y7VKYvbbuv-VQzI6bDIizhRG3jS2xTU8R1ru68dFf8KxGCWylo8zg__lGtUvTAPpzjwYJ5WPVx58tJ0XbKdjuJ7KfnG7RF0vPYOz_gcIAyjWK3mkkm9AWweyPYIqTRXw/s1600/p_seanecorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55UDZs5jx-3-y7VKYvbbuv-VQzI6bDIizhRG3jS2xTU8R1ru68dFf8KxGCWylo8zg__lGtUvTAPpzjwYJ5WPVx58tJ0XbKdjuJ7KfnG7RF0vPYOz_gcIAyjWK3mkkm9AWweyPYIqTRXw/s320/p_seanecorn.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Forget the Sean Corn pose...I want the Sean Corn hair!</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In Bikram Yoga sometimes we can get so caught up in pushing and struggling and getting things just right, that we forget to be patient and loving with ourselves. Bikram can also attract a certain type of personality, one that scoffs at the idea of "body prayer" and chanting words we don't understand and sniffing essential oils instead of just DOING THE YOGA, ALREADY. No doubt I am of that mindset. But if we think of every class as a gift we're giving ourselves...if we start each class thinking "I am so happy to be here, that I get to do this..." think of what we could accomplish!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ursnJjaKOxkNnR7nnNd7zWVbKos4mkP63xiPnMFjKhAR-bMcIyulFFXLARNPXyBQyVqqrpjPAQPhfYNRdracsdYSnBD-fJR4EvE3gmT63e8DbsFg7gsSRtnZw-oVKyO51pT4A0Phxh8/s1600/superstar" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ursnJjaKOxkNnR7nnNd7zWVbKos4mkP63xiPnMFjKhAR-bMcIyulFFXLARNPXyBQyVqqrpjPAQPhfYNRdracsdYSnBD-fJR4EvE3gmT63e8DbsFg7gsSRtnZw-oVKyO51pT4A0Phxh8/s1600/superstar" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of what we can do, I was taking lovely co-teacher Erica's class this week and she was talking during savasanas about the importance of staying focused, staying in the present moment, staying together with the class. I was listening, but I was also thinking about how my practice has been getting a little junky lately, maybe it's time for me to do a vegan month again, and when I move into my new apartment I should practice my wall bends every morning to work on my upper back flexibility and "DANIELLE. Don't go on autopilot. Move with the class and stay with my words." </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Erica had TOTALLY CAUGHT ME. And once I realized I was on autopilot...I realized I had been on autopilot pretty much since I moved to Cleveland. You know what would make your practice less junky, Danielle? ACTUALLY FOCUSING ON YOUR PRACTICE.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Later that week I went to <a href="http://www.bypgh.com/">Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh</a> in the Strip District. The first time I went to this studio (forgive me if you've heard this story already, but let's face it, it's a good one) was a 6am class the weekend before I arrived in Cleveland. Class was moving right along and at</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"> party time (our "first official water break" about 20 minutes into class) I reach down for my water and realize that no one else is doing the same...then I look around and realize that NO ONE ELSE HAS WATER. Not a single person in a class of 25 or more. NO PARTY TIME. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_f7ssfqmWWoY4r3-WNBypLci0yzIVVRqjWam4Zd1FHk1rN-cgPiNyQRCe69QYlmpdBzr5Dvbwd3m-G2_vc4rQ1b1gmV9D3UxSqgq8Pouk_ooBsKJEDKV8Wed4KPFjcbhpyjWffOHzMjo/s1600/no+water" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_f7ssfqmWWoY4r3-WNBypLci0yzIVVRqjWam4Zd1FHk1rN-cgPiNyQRCe69QYlmpdBzr5Dvbwd3m-G2_vc4rQ1b1gmV9D3UxSqgq8Pouk_ooBsKJEDKV8Wed4KPFjcbhpyjWffOHzMjo/s320/no+water" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The inside of my mouth the first time I tried Bikram with no water.</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">The teacher Shannon was fabulous and didn't call me out on my water drinkin' ways until Fixed Firm. It was definitely one of the most focused, disciplined group of students I've ever encountered. Anyway, when I took class there again last week, I was still a little on auto pilot, and it was painfully, flagrantly obvious when everyone else was so in sync...</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">But since then, not only have I successfully worked on my water discipline (I've taken a couple of classes with no water, and even taught a few times without water - in fact, twice I've given my Cleveland students my water bottle rather than have them leave the room, which I never would have done before, given my selfish attachment to water in class)...but I'm also going to start teaching at Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh a few times a week, on Thursday nights/Friday mornings!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">I'm excited about this not only because I'll get a wider range of feedback on both my practice and my teaching (not that Jeannine and Erica are not fabulous - they most definitely are - but I was spoiled in San Francisco with the WEALTH of fabulous teachers at my disposal), get to spend regular time with my family, but eventually, I'll take advanced classes and become the super duper bendy person I was meant to be (like BY Pittsbugh owner Zeb who is, let's face it, AMAZING. Check it out:</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br />
</span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Wbv_RD28N4w" width="560"></iframe></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Moving on! Everyone keeps asking me what I think of Cleveland. I don't know much about Cleveland yet...but I'm getting there! Tomorrow I move into my sweet, bright, many-windowed new home (which is NOT a damp moldy gross basement where I shiver on my twin size air mattress and silently curse the noisy roommates stomping above me at 1AM I CAN'T WAIT TO LEAVE THIS PLACE.) I really do think that once I'm settled in a place where I know I'll be living at least a year, I can fully unpack, start making plans & friends and making Cleveland my own.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But speaking of friends - on Wednesday theatre buddy & blogger Amanda took me to the opening night of <a href="http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com/main-stage/the-life-of-galileo">Life of Galileo at the brand new Cleveland Playhouse</a>. There IS culture to be had in Cleveland! The production was <a href="http://clueintocleveland.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/cleveland-play-houses-life-of-galileo/">top-notch,</a> the lead actor was phenomenal, and the space was simply gorgeous. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The story I want to tell though is when we get back to my car and it is COVERED IN LITTLE GREEN CRAWLY BUGS. Like, out of a strange, weird horror movie. Amanda, after she has put several hours into singing the praises of Cleveland, says, totally blase, "oh yeah...I forgot to mention the bugs." Apparently the bugs lay eggs in the river and then they hatch and cover the buildings and the cars and any stationary surface in certain seasons. Little green crawly bug-free wintertime is starting to look a lot more appealing...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1i1io4q1m_-ryf2M_OpZ4PPbDQZzliQC7ziohog9YHVzPcarVa6hjx-FeKefJmWDUMfpZM1PW-vetHSy2FQ5on3KSCsmxnng7-5P1V6TU2uAvlcX23ZS23xnTA9oVGegmeSfFNV50sI/s1600/swarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1i1io4q1m_-ryf2M_OpZ4PPbDQZzliQC7ziohog9YHVzPcarVa6hjx-FeKefJmWDUMfpZM1PW-vetHSy2FQ5on3KSCsmxnng7-5P1V6TU2uAvlcX23ZS23xnTA9oVGegmeSfFNV50sI/s1600/swarm.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think that's about all I've got for the week...thanks for listening, and see you in class!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. Check out our first Yelp review...it's a doozy: http://www.yelp.com/biz/bikram-yoga-cleveland-cleveland </span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-91001841476711688742011-09-19T19:20:00.000-07:002011-09-19T20:38:42.023-07:00Bikram Yoga Cleveland is Incredible (and I Don't Know Much About Cleveland...Yet!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8XwpSCarSScmguSt3efyTO5HLGMZJURlJ6KJjIQaM2XZHXw-uAmFZs3kc-4GiaSX48v-UVgH8ZUsQamTfdO3hgTDLckHsMYWnNRngFpAX0y3Ye5rcaFXKUfp5i1uh7vDI0txYbpjHjY/s1600/cleveland_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8XwpSCarSScmguSt3efyTO5HLGMZJURlJ6KJjIQaM2XZHXw-uAmFZs3kc-4GiaSX48v-UVgH8ZUsQamTfdO3hgTDLckHsMYWnNRngFpAX0y3Ye5rcaFXKUfp5i1uh7vDI0txYbpjHjY/s320/cleveland_map.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well hello my friends! After five days of driving, and three days of recovery in Pittsburgh eating my way through my Mom's kitchen (and getting a new tattoo with my brother...maybe not the best idea right before starting at a new hot yoga studio?), and five days of throwing myself into the joy that is teaching and taking yoga at Ohio's first official Bikram studio, I am FINALLY ready to catch you all up to date! But first and foremost...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAv7NY7P9hRprCDRUTr4TUjYqZFsaVWZ4iunHbDibFxsedbar5Ub1xXf4GXGkLVClaCxfHxyZxxCj9fc7zt13jNjy0MfOxET3EXTY61PdiBkWx6eabz3nG38k3U6S7lpVWDmJjOv8h4yI/s1600/605-325.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAv7NY7P9hRprCDRUTr4TUjYqZFsaVWZ4iunHbDibFxsedbar5Ub1xXf4GXGkLVClaCxfHxyZxxCj9fc7zt13jNjy0MfOxET3EXTY61PdiBkWx6eabz3nG38k3U6S7lpVWDmJjOv8h4yI/s320/605-325.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Fall 2011 Bikram Yoga Teacher Training starts today! </b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am so excited for: my fellow <b>Danielle</b> back in San Francisco, who has great dialogue, an amazing practice and is just an all around lovely person...<b>Barbara</b> from Budapest, a sweetheart from Hungary who has practiced at Bikram Yoga Cleveland every day since we opened (and when she forget the question she meant to ask me and I jokingly suggested she write it down during class, she actually took me seriously and paused during class Saturday afternoon ten times or so to scribble down a question, most of which started with "which is more important?" (usually the answer is...both!)...and my blog readers, like <b>Jill, Spring, Kat,</b> and <b>Gamebred</b> - I may not know your last names (or even your first names!), but your comments and feedback have been a joy! Enjoy your time at the Radisson LAX...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnYqD2pMI1uqcqQmtAYj-OWR1vVUv0KjlHN5P-5og-38Fzgzu3FB9ER0mdWk-YiOXnibNUFIVcziNOcEkd-WEaNXSIDx5fmPFsTfnvOimEMjKrHX497a_0Aw5XB-GXfWw5uun1Yz3C0g/s1600/highway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnYqD2pMI1uqcqQmtAYj-OWR1vVUv0KjlHN5P-5og-38Fzgzu3FB9ER0mdWk-YiOXnibNUFIVcziNOcEkd-WEaNXSIDx5fmPFsTfnvOimEMjKrHX497a_0Aw5XB-GXfWw5uun1Yz3C0g/s1600/highway.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Road Trip! </b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let us begin with the cautionary tale of my trip across the country. As you know, I became a licensed driver at the ripe old age of 27, so I don't really like to drive...a fact I conveniently forgot when I decided to drive across the country by myself. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cross country trips are not really something to wing, nor is it a good idea to throw your goodbye party the night before the first leg of your journey...but with a bellyful of eggs, bread, and my last Ritual coffee soaking up the night before's beers and whiskey (always with Kelly, the whiskey! I will miss her and her whiskey ways) I got on the road...four hours late...and ran right into two hours of traffic. So of course I floored it after the traffic finally cleared and got my very first speeding ticket for driving 92 in a 70 mph zone...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I had said goodbye the night before to so many people I loved so much, and I was so tired, and I was on my way to an unfamiliar city where I knew no one and OH MY GOD I HATE DRIVING AND MY HEAD HURTS WHAT HAVE I DONE.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7f8PHR51ysL05xNjCSQbjKpZpEeWvKgx-_N_unGZ3nldy0XzmUk2mSpGmUc2uCv-AZukY6CUH8ja23uL8pngcA5SAGD0GaBHpZTXShhl4uBJVWoCkC4M-2OKiPbI59-epEoVPNKIK88/s1600/crying-dawson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7f8PHR51ysL05xNjCSQbjKpZpEeWvKgx-_N_unGZ3nldy0XzmUk2mSpGmUc2uCv-AZukY6CUH8ja23uL8pngcA5SAGD0GaBHpZTXShhl4uBJVWoCkC4M-2OKiPbI59-epEoVPNKIK88/s320/crying-dawson.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So yeah, I pulled a <a href="http://www.jamesvandermemes.com/post/2579152178/10-year-anniversary-crying-edition">Dawson</a>. Luckily I had supportive friends & family to listen to me vent and help me plan, and Patrizia (and her boyfriend Karl), who welcomed me into her home at 2:30am on Saturday night, didn't give me grief for arriving so late that we had to skip our early morning rock climbing plans, made me TWO delicious vegan feasts to fuel my drive, and just generally was her calming beautiful self. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The rest of the trip was just fine, although I stopped so frequently for bathroom, snack and stretching breaks that if I <i>had</i> had a driving partner, they would've rented a car and driven off without me in a huff. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6BjEkXW-spZdnV71qXSiN2wGWYvwaMjqXdsdSjpgLRqLbocv0iYdq-3uz7S_4unTLe-Xlpze68m96Irp6FKVoDxdCk8sVTpb2kvKyoSaBjfTRHPE_-HEv1BriyxiDH6EEfP0gJIETJU/s1600/8557511-scenic-drive-in-arizona-on-a-clear-summer-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6BjEkXW-spZdnV71qXSiN2wGWYvwaMjqXdsdSjpgLRqLbocv0iYdq-3uz7S_4unTLe-Xlpze68m96Irp6FKVoDxdCk8sVTpb2kvKyoSaBjfTRHPE_-HEv1BriyxiDH6EEfP0gJIETJU/s320/8557511-scenic-drive-in-arizona-on-a-clear-summer-day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was awed and amazed by the canyons of Southern Utah and the mountains of Colorado.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I ate lots of grapes and peanut butter crackers and chocolate and drank enough coffee to drown a small child.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I watched three episodes in a row of "The Millionaire Matchmaker" in a hotel in the middle of nowhere eating takeout from Applebees on the bed.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I listened to a lot of <a href="http://alanwatts.com/">Alan Watts</a> recordings, nerdy podcasts (</span><span style="font-size: small;">while I was enthusiastically describing <a href="http://www.soundstrue.com/podcast/bruce-tiftbuddhism-meets-psychotherapy/?#bottom">one of my favorites</a> to Stephanie on one of our daily calls (my Dawson moment was effective enough that several people called me daily to ensure my continued survival - I am lucky indeed to be so loved!), she said evenly "wow, you've really been wanting to talk to someone about this, haven't you?")</span><span style="font-size: small;">, Moth stories (including <a href="http://gpodder.net/podcast/the-moth-podcast/michaela-murphy-all-star-game">an incredibly funny tale which involved a trip to Cleveland</a>!), and music old and new (while my old roommates' <a href="http://www.insound.com/New-Villager-CD-New-Villager/P/INS97016/">new album</a> was energetically fantastic, especially while driving through Colorado mountains, Massive Attack albums just made me sleepy)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I learned that I still know all the words to the first Weezer album, the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack, and every album Tori Amos released before 1999 (my nerdiness began in childhood, clearly).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was stopped by a policeman my next-to-last day of driving, only twenty minutes from Kate's house in Chicago, for going ten miles over the speed limit. I couldn't find my license in the disaster area that my car & purse had become. When I finally dumped out the contents of my massive purse onto the driver's seat to dig through gas receipts and phone cords and crumpled dollar bills to find it, he said "you have got be kidding me," gave up, handed me my registration, and told me to drive slower. Phew!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I took out my camera to record my dear old high school friend Kate's astonishing ability to recreate Starbucks mochas at home (and her adorable kids too, of course)...and then left my camera behind, hence the lack of personal photos peppering this post. Oops!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jmh5WBuOIqTzWmTE0bpA771G4O0nLiC4Pq8bL4zDQg2XUBm8OHmFt4xBQFiYGjyGQMF83-hDOGsGaVDVjCgk6WKWrhXCP1eqH_EQJjuu29HcqGM5x9SJPj_-lXaIDUyWqAInx3hX7k0/s1600/bored+baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jmh5WBuOIqTzWmTE0bpA771G4O0nLiC4Pq8bL4zDQg2XUBm8OHmFt4xBQFiYGjyGQMF83-hDOGsGaVDVjCgk6WKWrhXCP1eqH_EQJjuu29HcqGM5x9SJPj_-lXaIDUyWqAInx3hX7k0/s320/bored+baby.jpg" width="307" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But you're not here to hear about my almost-fail of a road trip...you're here to hear all about Cleveland! Two things you should know: <b>1) Bikram Yoga Cleveland is Incredible</b>,<b> </b>and<b> 2) I Don't Really Know Much about Cleveland...Yet!</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bikram Yoga Cleveland is Incredible</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I walked into this studio Monday morning for a test class and my jaw dropped. Those years spent in the small, sweaty, smelly studios of San Francisco did not prepare me for the lavish environment in which Clevelanders can now do yoga (is it Clevelanders? Like Pittsburghers?). </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The studio is big, beautiful, wonderfully laid out, clean & sparkly. Any amenity you can think of it is there. Multiple showers, each with a little privacy stall of its own? Check. Travertine tile (I think that's what it's called...and I only know that word through a brief addiction to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=928l9nT4EB8">this dumb show</a>) on the bathroom floors? Check. The finest, most sophisticated heating system and carpeting you can find? Check. The carpet is actually a brushed linoleum called <a href="http://www.forbo-flooring.com/Business/Products/Flotex-flocked-flooring/">Flotex</a>, cleaned <i>nightly </i>by a professional cleaning crew, so I think that that distinctive Bikram aroma may never find its way to Cleveland.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aNRLJNiX-mnz6mK2Kmb0h0bJdAUox5mXrBP_MS92tpsCJQUwgyFFOvltAlTUyug2cAMWtx3K6xLoPNmBg0C9iE2ewyeKYC9OoQ4VGIbCT5OSxM88oHERRzghC8eSlceJ3o1_6cwtKNQ/s1600/jeanine1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aNRLJNiX-mnz6mK2Kmb0h0bJdAUox5mXrBP_MS92tpsCJQUwgyFFOvltAlTUyug2cAMWtx3K6xLoPNmBg0C9iE2ewyeKYC9OoQ4VGIbCT5OSxM88oHERRzghC8eSlceJ3o1_6cwtKNQ/s1600/jeanine1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeannine's Pada Hastansana - the only photo on today's blog post I didn't get via Google image search. I need to get that camera back!</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, fine, you say. So the studio is all sunshine and rainbows. But what about the people? Well, that's where I'm so lucky - all the ladies of Bikram Yoga Cleveland are a delight. My fellow teacher Erica, so genuine and sweet, moved here from Naples, Florida to help her husband's family with a now-thriving <a href="http://mackenziecreamery.com/">goat cheese business</a> (why yes, goat cheese IS one of my favorite things!). Sarah's cute & bubbly personality livens up the front desk (she recommended I pick up a winter sport to better survive the brutal winter season - and took only her second Bikram class from me!). And of course Jeannine the owner, who is smart, capable, warm, and all the adjectives you'd hope for in an owner. I know I sound like a big ol' kiss ass...but it's TRUE!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Teaching at Bikram Yoga Cleveland has been a fascinating, eye-opening experience. Our first week we offered all classes free-of-charge, so the hot room was packed - with mostly beginners. My first class was almost 40 people, well over half of whom had never done Bikram yoga - many of whom had never done <i>any yoga</i>! I did my little opening spiel, started the breathing, and just looked around like whoa. Where...what do I...how do I even <i>begin </i>with this...so I rallied, took a deep breath, jumped right in - and never looked back! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9f5EhgMsh9bHjXqVx8IDEzb8LSU2-xeWZcjN_ZJegrAry9A6jl5Z4tQM_Rw3jS9w12soteUydwKDQ_JBiElXb6TfbkKJ9P9bWlDakYl1KENN9EjN73hahzvoJo-bsiQBeMB629KBvHAs/s1600/StandingDeepBreathing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9f5EhgMsh9bHjXqVx8IDEzb8LSU2-xeWZcjN_ZJegrAry9A6jl5Z4tQM_Rw3jS9w12soteUydwKDQ_JBiElXb6TfbkKJ9P9bWlDakYl1KENN9EjN73hahzvoJo-bsiQBeMB629KBvHAs/s1600/StandingDeepBreathing.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Good breathing form, random dude I found via Google image search!</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When you're teaching mostly beginners you have to stay completely engaged, focused, and high-energy the ENTIRE time. Whenever my energy started to flag or my attention would wander the least little bit, I would actually <i>see </i>the results of my inattention right in front of me. Forget to say "keep your arms over your head?" Half the class has their arms down. Haven't looked over to the right side of the room in five minutes? That guy is about to fall over and he needs a correction NOW. It's such a wonderful way to reinvigorate my teaching.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plus, the students so far have been fantastic. Of course, we have our share of wacky characters (and I've taught very few hot shirtless guys thus far - clearly I was spoiled in San Francisco. C'mon boys, no modesty here, Bikram yoga is good for you and I need some eye candy!) But in general, the enthusiasm and that distinctive midwestern kindness displayed by Cleveland yogis thus far has been really heartwarming. I had regular students coming in every day that first week - one of them even gave us each a little bar of homemade soap to thank us for the free week of yoga...only in Cleveland, folks.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOcJwfkqg-jJ5Pfb-4Z0UoWoD5vFWZtfqH8WV3Ebsv1HGwcdSVPB20RW1HJRk6KBtEPCLZs-vr7drCda1fEupFChC8NKFuq-yHhh9Cg5nW88R-QfLGa8xKj2__zWFaHAqzvboFS_EJWQ/s1600/starbucks.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOcJwfkqg-jJ5Pfb-4Z0UoWoD5vFWZtfqH8WV3Ebsv1HGwcdSVPB20RW1HJRk6KBtEPCLZs-vr7drCda1fEupFChC8NKFuq-yHhh9Cg5nW88R-QfLGa8xKj2__zWFaHAqzvboFS_EJWQ/s1600/starbucks.gif" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, so you've got the point. Bikram Yoga Cleveland is a wonderful place, and I definitely made the right choice. But what about Cleveland itself? Well...<b>I Don't Really Know Much About Cleveland...Yet</b>! I've only been here a week, and I both live & work in the suburbs (Shaker Heights).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The apartment I moved into sight unseen turned out to be a damp, moldy, depressing basement (though the roommates are nice enough - one of them even came to try Bikram!), so I spent a lot of time in that first week at various coffee shops (no internet in the damp moldy basement either), and visiting other apartments while the dehumidifier chugged along back at home, doing its best to keep the pages of my books from curling. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">By Friday, pretty much all I knew about Cleveland was that the avocados suck and unlike San Francisco, there's no little jar of soy milk alongside the skim and half 'n half at Starbucks (but I also found a wonderful little one-bedroom place, with lots of light and a great kitchen, for $150 <i>less </i>than I paid in SF with three roommates. Oh, Cleveland.)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDfZp6GfQKVdJt072Vg3NhwHsWmYVS5gHkl3JZbh_KeSXyQi9TjuP15YTxBOQnU4tLQrOBtSlOj3l_pusRi9MM43CggoAMABS0saeIb16VqcsXn3TJ4rA6BjktyKR9ekeVeXzJd5-JZQ/s1600/cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDfZp6GfQKVdJt072Vg3NhwHsWmYVS5gHkl3JZbh_KeSXyQi9TjuP15YTxBOQnU4tLQrOBtSlOj3l_pusRi9MM43CggoAMABS0saeIb16VqcsXn3TJ4rA6BjktyKR9ekeVeXzJd5-JZQ/s320/cats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Walnut took years out of my life. YEARS. </i>Cats<i> alone took at least two.</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This weekend, however, I finally got to see more of the city. An old friend from my year as an apprentice at the <a href="http://walnutstreettheatre.org/">Walnut Street Theatre</a> (when we were both much younger and quite a bit less wise) is now a devoted Cleveland resident. Amanda's <a href="http://clueintocleveland.wordpress.com/">popular blog</a> is, in fact, so popular that on Wednesday I get to see a show with her for free! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amanda, her husband Scott and I checked out the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ingenuityfest">Ingenuity Fest </a>and then wandered around the quirky, Northern Liberties-esque neighborhood Ohio City, where we visited a glass blowing factory, checked to see if a particular bar was still illegally selling Philadelphia's yuengling lager (it wasn't), and then went to <a href="http://lightbistro.com/">Light Bistro</a> and partook of the most delicious bacon wrapped, cheese stuffed date deliciousness that's ever been in my mouth.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amanda is a wealth of Cleveland history, factoids, trivia, and knowledge. I left our lovely evening together feeling far more positive about the city and all it has to offer in terms of food, social life, theatre, the arts, etc, etc!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once again, I write too much - I wanted to tell you about Bikram Yoga Pittsburgh, and the restaurant where they serve primarily enormous grilled cheeses, and my plans to spy on a studio offering fake Bikram classes in an area of town called, appropriately enough, Chagrin Falls - but it's time to wrap it up.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm going to start making a concerted effort to post on a weekly basis, to keep you all up to date on my Cleveland shenanigans and the joys, trials and tribulations of being a part of a brand new studio...So I'll see you next Monday!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Much Love,</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Danielle </span></span>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-6491108774742024462011-08-23T21:26:00.000-07:002011-08-23T22:25:46.561-07:00Updates Galore: Road Trips, Yoga Postures in Odd Places & Fleeing to the Cleve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDf5ivdOME7s89QvtpLmoc08Q4y3n_H_3HTVd0gaw2pA4J-rxZMb5z20zV-SbHRiktkLlC25f3yV6jKVLZomhVXibUa3zg_wi2lhN-J92I-LC8wXMVSxegkvnvV8bKonYssKs6t4DIIw/s1600/Danielle+%2526+Aimee+HTK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDf5ivdOME7s89QvtpLmoc08Q4y3n_H_3HTVd0gaw2pA4J-rxZMb5z20zV-SbHRiktkLlC25f3yV6jKVLZomhVXibUa3zg_wi2lhN-J92I-LC8wXMVSxegkvnvV8bKonYssKs6t4DIIw/s320/Danielle+%2526+Aimee+HTK" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello my friends! I know, it's been a long time (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcIvIladNnQ">long time, shouldn'tve left you</a>) and there's lots of news to share. We'll start with my sister's and my road trip all the way up to Victoria, BC and back down to San Francisco for our stepbrother Rod's wedding.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was lucky enough to both teach and take class at a number of studios on the way. My sister and I also planned to take photos of all 26 Bikram beginning postures on our way up and back for this very blog, but we got bored...so a few of the good ones, pre-boredom, will be illustrating this post as we go!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRq4x1y4FUj34KM2AWc3gKVglt4AcuwHRYmZKMo8O8HN_L4NyEPJpvGV-s-cIdlq24Q7jZSrQhvHvZGKfZrm4aH7NL-soGa3Y2Ji8ircq6WIwh655PtWytu5SuxKsrhLzk8ggHqrnUfw/s1600/Danielle+%2526+Aimee+Tree+Pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRq4x1y4FUj34KM2AWc3gKVglt4AcuwHRYmZKMo8O8HN_L4NyEPJpvGV-s-cIdlq24Q7jZSrQhvHvZGKfZrm4aH7NL-soGa3Y2Ji8ircq6WIwh655PtWytu5SuxKsrhLzk8ggHqrnUfw/s320/Danielle+%2526+Aimee+Tree+Pose.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Me and Aimee in Tree Pose</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Our journey began in <b>Ashland, Oregon, </b>right over the California border. One of the amazing side effects of having gone to Bikram Yoga Teacher Training is that you're part of a worldwide network of likeminded people who went through the same wacky experience as you. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, even though </span><span style="font-size: small;">Aimee and I didn't know each other well at training - I think we may have met briefly once or twice - </span><span style="font-size: small;">she graciously hosted my sister and me in her sweet little rustic cabin above <a href="http://www.ashlandbikramyoga.com/">Bikram Yoga Ashland</a>. Aimee and I spent several glorious hours gleefully sharing training stories and gossip the night we arrived (my poor sister was SO bored. But I was SO happy!)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next day, Aimee and I shared a silent Bikram class together in the early afternoon. The Ashland studio is gorgeous: wood floors, muted lighting, heated by a natural gas stove. It was a really relaxing, delightful experience and a great way to start off the trip (</span><span style="font-size: small;">we also decided to do three sets of camel and two sets of advanced camel...just for fun!)</span><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQirobBLXRUOfi3z3DFrwL6IjLXFSg4Tu9JYNMDFxLR8ATedj9gu-fojOrFgyRbHdDGK6OVRljQatrKXjA9-dQaWL59-1RqUfVvfwitJcYoDv9GCRqyCgJrG4Bcqg8WPTjmeDIoixnZw/s1600/Balancing+Stick+in+Portland%252C+OR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQirobBLXRUOfi3z3DFrwL6IjLXFSg4Tu9JYNMDFxLR8ATedj9gu-fojOrFgyRbHdDGK6OVRljQatrKXjA9-dQaWL59-1RqUfVvfwitJcYoDv9GCRqyCgJrG4Bcqg8WPTjmeDIoixnZw/s320/Balancing+Stick+in+Portland%252C+OR.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Balancing Stick in Portland, Oregon</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Next stop, <b>Portland, Oregon </b>- where we stayed with <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/namasteorshouldigo/">couchsurfers</a> for the first time and where, despite the fact that there was a <a href="http://bikramyogaportland.com/">Bikram studio</a> TWO BLOCKS away, I was gently reminded by my sister that our trip was NOT going to revolve around yoga. In Portland we ate fantastic street food and explored some of the bohemian neighborhoods. Of all the cities on our trip, I could see myself living here someday.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY8yuNUyZUTuo8qTF0xPndoYxhsVfDDxV8ju-wkPfd0e2AfbybyXKF-veymVcJTYi_lWXaYAlc6j-VnMYIEvCu0rsJmhyLn_P5C-jpsEqIvCmtslk0C5ykz2nvxjnI3t-4INdFHj5JH8/s1600/Wheel+in+Seattle%252C+WA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY8yuNUyZUTuo8qTF0xPndoYxhsVfDDxV8ju-wkPfd0e2AfbybyXKF-veymVcJTYi_lWXaYAlc6j-VnMYIEvCu0rsJmhyLn_P5C-jpsEqIvCmtslk0C5ykz2nvxjnI3t-4INdFHj5JH8/s320/Wheel+in+Seattle%252C+WA.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Wheel in Seattle, Washington (true, not a beginner pose, but how can you NOT do wheel next to a wheel sculpture?)</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In <b>Seattle, Washington </b>we stayed with Allison's friend from her year in Spain, the charming and very hospitable Kalin, who is living the dream - she met a sexy Spanish guitarist while an au pair in Barcelona, and she's now living there with him and teaching English full time. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We agreed that I would be dropped off at <a href="http://www.bikramyogaseattle.com/">Bikram Yoga West Seattle</a>, Allison and Kalin would have breakfast, and I would be picked back up for a full day of Seattle tourism. Unfortunately when I arrived, I learned that the studio was under renovations and there were NO. SHOWERS. Well, I was already there, so what the heck.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl3sdcmXIvEbSAiy5XE6-IjQb9sy5FtIj1GnHRoCSSO_dD5JRyxCP6aCVoRLwUztfKQi3DmwVvEGUzHzocOcP7_NTAUzc1kHRCEsa8-LAnhzeyobKIXCxF5M4wnbxg3wAtKl5q-dxxE0/s1600/Backbend+Fremont+Troll" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl3sdcmXIvEbSAiy5XE6-IjQb9sy5FtIj1GnHRoCSSO_dD5JRyxCP6aCVoRLwUztfKQi3DmwVvEGUzHzocOcP7_NTAUzc1kHRCEsa8-LAnhzeyobKIXCxF5M4wnbxg3wAtKl5q-dxxE0/s320/Backbend+Fremont+Troll" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I blame Seattle's Fremont Troll for my lack of backbend. Hips FORWARD, Danielle!</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The class was great, nice and hot and fast paced. Since there was no carpet, when we moved to <a href="http://www.bikramyogaportsmouth.com/byp/26-postures/standing-separate-leg-stretching-pose-%7C-dandayamana-bibhaktapada-paschimotthanasana.html">Standing Separate Leg Stretching</a> we turned to the side to stand on our mat; the teacher saw me slipping and recommended that I stand on the rubber flooring. <i>Psh, </i>I scoffed inwardly. <i>Does she not see how I have sweat more than any of the men in this room? I don't think my feet will have better traction in a puddle of sweat. </i>But they DID! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbL_Y11J7UbY-HZI_9Ini5QsOEWvdJTw7dB49ZGDMBTMo7s6_8R7wYyql4b1bRUg3VdyLdyaZUToXbVQQt6A8ZoRnwDgf-rGYBTSj40Ekx70SNopt4vzlPfvPuvsXMDtiE3J0YnO-HPn0/s1600/Bow+Pose+by+the+Gum+Wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbL_Y11J7UbY-HZI_9Ini5QsOEWvdJTw7dB49ZGDMBTMo7s6_8R7wYyql4b1bRUg3VdyLdyaZUToXbVQQt6A8ZoRnwDgf-rGYBTSj40Ekx70SNopt4vzlPfvPuvsXMDtiE3J0YnO-HPn0/s320/Bow+Pose+by+the+Gum+Wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Standing Bow by Seattle's Gum Wall</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Afterwards, I had the opportunity to chat with the owner, Kevin Cooke, who was a very warm and talkative fellow and who explained how that magical non-slip flooring worked. Their very special, very expensive <a href="http://www.mondoworldwide.com/FlooringUSA_IndoorSport_Products_Fitness%26Aerobics_Advance_en.cfm">flooring</a> is antifungal, antimicrobial, smooth-surface, 100% recyclable, made up of several layers, used in the Olympics...too cool.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, attempting to "shower" by rubbing myself down with a damp towel was a bit of a struggle, but I managed, and Allison and Kalin assured me that I didn't stink. And if I did...sorry, Seattle! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gY5tpVyJ-hZEtHMW5MJuoYHwro0pxiRdejnT76wUv1frfX5HMPUiVudhEdOl4xBfRfVmcbnJ0Jn62Td_3vfCfnb9zB7dZxKatafLEOjTO8CpqXkXq8B1AO0dzm2Y7Oeg6Fe6QQe1uvU/s1600/Rod+%2526+Jill" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gY5tpVyJ-hZEtHMW5MJuoYHwro0pxiRdejnT76wUv1frfX5HMPUiVudhEdOl4xBfRfVmcbnJ0Jn62Td_3vfCfnb9zB7dZxKatafLEOjTO8CpqXkXq8B1AO0dzm2Y7Oeg6Fe6QQe1uvU/s320/Rod+%2526+Jill" width="240" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Rod and Jill - now that's what I call a handsome couple!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Onwards to<b> Victoria, British Columbia,</b> for Rod and Jill's wedding! It was a marvelous affair that included breakfast food for dinner, a 60's cover band, and a photobooth. We also enjoyed catching up with all the various family members, step- and half-siblings scattered across the US and Canada.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My fellow Spring 2011 trainee, John Ellis, and his lovely wife Jacqueline generously welcomed me into their studio, <a href="http://www.bikramwestshore.com/">Bikram Yoga Westshore</a>. First I took a class the morning of the wedding, to learn a little more about the in's and out's of their complicated (but effective!) heating, cooling, and air system. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NSfL23hwN-S0nES50iIvtyVnHfFPr2tyzq3lQgtH5W-Lw0WehicvYiCzxUxHP2b9VKN9OidMSuWDKlrt9S-ZHZiVKY_edBEjF_qvT4BzFLZaV7EhzX_XRav74ApwXDQUexo2u2cN2LI/s1600/Canada+Here+We+Come.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NSfL23hwN-S0nES50iIvtyVnHfFPr2tyzq3lQgtH5W-Lw0WehicvYiCzxUxHP2b9VKN9OidMSuWDKlrt9S-ZHZiVKY_edBEjF_qvT4BzFLZaV7EhzX_XRav74ApwXDQUexo2u2cN2LI/s320/Canada+Here+We+Come.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>On the ferry from Seattle to Victoria</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next morning, I taught a small class of around fifteen folks. Everyone was friendly and listened closely, even the woman who spent the whole class frowning at me and slowly shaking her head in disapproval (I kept thinking, "What? What am I doing wrong!?" but after class she was friendly as can be. John and Jacqueline's daughter told me she does that all the time...it's funny how people aren't really aware of their facial expressions in class!)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNRvxbWzK7WZwX1c1an3YADZN7boW6dsqao-FnGFWpTv9c91TP9bUlBxpfB5cQPVs0V3BKSBj9vux8s8NOkUGrgzEb2JhUKF70Ws1_8KAkplGo4XuUm9D3X2UMaXpIu0eW9F6_QDJcAg/s1600/Allison+%2526+Danielle" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNRvxbWzK7WZwX1c1an3YADZN7boW6dsqao-FnGFWpTv9c91TP9bUlBxpfB5cQPVs0V3BKSBj9vux8s8NOkUGrgzEb2JhUKF70Ws1_8KAkplGo4XuUm9D3X2UMaXpIu0eW9F6_QDJcAg/s320/Allison+%2526+Danielle" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>All dolled up wedding-style!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">When it was time for Standing Separate Leg Stretching, just like in Seattle, everyone moved sideways to stand on their mat rather than on the rubber floor. And WHOA...it threw me like nobody's business. With everyone turned sideways rather than facing me, my lefts and rights went out the window and I scrambled to regroup. You wouldn't think it would be so disorienting...but it was!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the end, I had a great time, and Jacqueline gave me some really helpful, unique feedback. John said that the students liked having a new voice teaching the class. It was fun!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSu9aSz59n6LC0oa0SAO0DMwICdtuA3Q6Byhg4X8Ufzn43GjPQ-VCwOGOmu8s3fNV9vW_il653DdLL72RSxfKyxnexbnFP5Zgutc5F5usb6k5-kICZ3EqTj2FgJMjPIOkMqrk_Ci9ePbY/s1600/SSHTK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSu9aSz59n6LC0oa0SAO0DMwICdtuA3Q6Byhg4X8Ufzn43GjPQ-VCwOGOmu8s3fNV9vW_il653DdLL72RSxfKyxnexbnFP5Zgutc5F5usb6k5-kICZ3EqTj2FgJMjPIOkMqrk_Ci9ePbY/s320/SSHTK.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Standing Separate Head to Knee on Granville Island, Vancouver BC</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">On to <b>Vancouver, Canada, </b>where once again, yoga took a backseat to food (and fireworks!) We stayed with a truly wonderful couchsurfing couple who had a personalized map and everything. We were unimpressed by our first real <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaimo_bar">Nanaimo bar</a> (a cookie that's been a staple of every Hoffman Christmas), but Allison was properly impressed by her first taste of <a href="http://electron.mit.edu/%7Egsteele/poutine/">poutine</a>.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">From Vancouver, we traveled back down to <b>Corvallis, Oregon. </b>Kelly, the lady whose dreadlocks have often graced the pages of this blog, spent a couple years living in Corvallis, and when she heard about our road trip north she insisted we make the stop. </span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately we arrived too late & too tired to partake in Corvallis', shall we say, limited nightlife (how could I have missed <a href="http://drinkthedog.com/dd/"><i>this</i></a>!?), but I did get to share a beer with one of Kelly's dearest friends, Scotty! who was just as genuine and gregarious as the exclamation point that seemed to follow every time Kelly said his name, and who gave us a place to crash.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPZqOyNCIVqn2_1XXP8k0k0a371qCnZgDKnOLuWjllUwh1UN3k2ud1ECCCblJW_kJifT0ekp4dfMt1ks-4c3kOy3-A-NNboRLcwLUFyO-PyA8f9puhzBQQVgLVyMfpIbto8c8r-LoCHs/s1600/DSC03265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPZqOyNCIVqn2_1XXP8k0k0a371qCnZgDKnOLuWjllUwh1UN3k2ud1ECCCblJW_kJifT0ekp4dfMt1ks-4c3kOy3-A-NNboRLcwLUFyO-PyA8f9puhzBQQVgLVyMfpIbto8c8r-LoCHs/s320/DSC03265.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Allison is not terribly impressed by downtown Corvallis</i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next morning I drove to <a href="http://bikramyogacorvallis.com/">Bikram Yoga Corvallis</a>, where Kelly had practiced many times and left behind many good impressions (several students said "Oh, I miss her...tell her I said hi!") Unfortunately owner Carol was out of town, but her second-in-command Jeannie was just the sweetest little lady; her husband even brought fresh watermelon in for the class to celebrate Jeannie's yoga challenge milestone (I can't remember what it was now, but it was impressive. 250 classes in a row? 300?).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The students were FOCUSED - if you're going to come to a tiny little, hard-to-find studio, you're committed. They followed my every word. The studio was good and hot, and when I asked about doors or fans or anything like that Jeannie said "oh no, we don't open the doors here" - these students were way too hardcore for that stuff. It was great to teach them!</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDa06d1t36cUM5XJ4DUZWfdi0IWOIQbbOZBtYLty7NuEwG8o8n8r0IoKln1mZAcqfM81dLUlaf97V2y3QE3MS_1qthcgOGAc1WJEfThJf5yftkPg_KwERcI05xT55WKGKRS90XH6xqj74/s1600/Fear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDa06d1t36cUM5XJ4DUZWfdi0IWOIQbbOZBtYLty7NuEwG8o8n8r0IoKln1mZAcqfM81dLUlaf97V2y3QE3MS_1qthcgOGAc1WJEfThJf5yftkPg_KwERcI05xT55WKGKRS90XH6xqj74/s320/Fear.jpg" width="240" /></a> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Oh god oh god it's far and it's cold and I just learned how to swim...</i></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I returned to Scotty!'s, met back up with my ever-patient sister, and we filled our bellies at the <a href="http://www.broken-yolk.com/">Broken Yolk</a> before driving off to <b>Crater Lake, Oregon. </b>As you might expect, there are no yoga studios in this national park...but we did manage to set up a tent AND start a fire on our own! And after a brief childlike moment of abject fear, I jumped off Crater Lake's infamous cliff into the icy waters below. Bracing! </span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3R4sjm5G-RBtlcUplQEOUF6PJjhk9X4HIXyl7AhhaWa-nVEsKrzrw8srGJL_bgBhUF4kFohpgjy2R0ovkzDipVyYlt3e16TLJRA6cH9SNfmlxiNj8-AWNDnlS4tuBeiZyaJOlaqgZNv8/s1600/Conquering+Fear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3R4sjm5G-RBtlcUplQEOUF6PJjhk9X4HIXyl7AhhaWa-nVEsKrzrw8srGJL_bgBhUF4kFohpgjy2R0ovkzDipVyYlt3e16TLJRA6cH9SNfmlxiNj8-AWNDnlS4tuBeiZyaJOlaqgZNv8/s320/Conquering+Fear.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!</span></i></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">Back in San Francisco, Allison flew home to Pittsburgh (she'll be on an adventure of her own in Chile this September, <a href="http://www.ve-global.org/">volunteering</a> for a full year - I miss her already!) while I taught two early morning Walnut Creek classes on two hours of sleep...for the first time, I sat down during most of the floor series, but I discovered I actually liked that viewpoint of my students. Live and learn...</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I picked back up with teaching, but still only a few days a week, applying for jobs all over the globe but with no real bites. I was starting to worry that I would remain in limbo forever, doing lots of yoga but slowly eating through my savings, until I was living in a box or crashing on a couch like the yogi hobo I am.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtGA26uTRJhBjZftEHEDmysZ1KF6ZHmEg7zGYg0_7W7lYZvMSa0BSWNzY8fXXEYjO6d5NT0BK_A10En_IqHUeAvmRj1exdf255V6kr-OPGWiD7xsbgpqgtvC0tWgrJXih3o1vPDOk_sM/s1600/Hmmm...jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtGA26uTRJhBjZftEHEDmysZ1KF6ZHmEg7zGYg0_7W7lYZvMSa0BSWNzY8fXXEYjO6d5NT0BK_A10En_IqHUeAvmRj1exdf255V6kr-OPGWiD7xsbgpqgtvC0tWgrJXih3o1vPDOk_sM/s320/Hmmm...jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>What to do, what to do...(in Portland)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">But the day after our amazing senior teacher Julia told me "If you're ready to go...just go!" I had a few phone conversations with Jeannine LoConti, who is opening the first official Bikram studio in all of Ohio. We both felt an immediate rapport and had very similar teaching philosophies. Cleveland is two hours from my mom and little brother back home in Pittsburgh, PA, I'll be working full time...all the puzzle pieces and priorities seemed to fit. And for the first time, it just felt RIGHT - the right decision to be making, at the right time. </span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vU0JpyH1gC8" width="420"></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">So...I'm off to <a href="http://bikramcle.com/">Bikram Yoga Cleveland</a> on September 3rd! </span></b><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm throwing <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237409659635814">a goodbye party</a> on the 2nd to which you're all invited. I'll be doing more driving, stopping (tentatively) in Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, Denver, Des Moines, and Chicago. I'll arrive just in time for the grand opening. I can't wait! It's amazing how everything came together.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I know this post has become, once again, obscenely long. But I just wanted to say how truly lucky, and how grateful, I am. The friends that I've made here in San Francisco I know I'll treasure forever. I'm so lucky to have the opportunities I've had - not everyone can just drop everything and go to training, then drop everything again and move across the country, and still have the unconditional love and enthusiastic support of their family, friends, and everyone around them. So...THANK YOU, to all of you...you mean so much to me.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now come visit Cleveland! You can <a href="http://www.nbc.com/30-rock/video/cleveland/117364/">club up at the flats and have lunch with Little Richard</a>!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love always,</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Danielle</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3btLLQv0q3SnQvXSrmlGdS6cuFF1rJf8aiouSjCca6XIzgPo_dTxTxlBLvJBO1Bt6Zfx-dicZhi3rwu7dC56QnlPi-mYa2_U7i1cj1CQLObVMnnBOZrMMHcDGv_fLu3XNV2O4Ci9s6w/s1600/Danielle+%2540+Crater+Lake" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3btLLQv0q3SnQvXSrmlGdS6cuFF1rJf8aiouSjCca6XIzgPo_dTxTxlBLvJBO1Bt6Zfx-dicZhi3rwu7dC56QnlPi-mYa2_U7i1cj1CQLObVMnnBOZrMMHcDGv_fLu3XNV2O4Ci9s6w/s320/Danielle+%2540+Crater+Lake" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Why yes, the sweatshirt I wore every day in training is still in active use...AND WHAT OF IT?</i></span></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-61004582472287169682011-07-18T17:52:00.000-07:002011-07-18T17:52:44.045-07:00One Month In: Helpful Hints & Was It Worth It?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvEtHpY2wbcb35ldJjysI9TC0nr44rXILu2CUiTBtQXRM877uNQl9gLSo25MNE8CnV4EUO3_hotsaw4CT8b5O9WN3035aGxc-ZpmgnJnlt3ncsAQOuRiVATllTQimOu2iVjOPIqWX_KA/s1600/envelope+yoga.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvEtHpY2wbcb35ldJjysI9TC0nr44rXILu2CUiTBtQXRM877uNQl9gLSo25MNE8CnV4EUO3_hotsaw4CT8b5O9WN3035aGxc-ZpmgnJnlt3ncsAQOuRiVATllTQimOu2iVjOPIqWX_KA/s1600/envelope+yoga.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWl9SWFWRNZIYzY2BMSgHk5P3010-vbvGqRau3F3csS6r9LdB8cQuIQN6WM3gsI_6ph7gA8S1J7mgbyu4FBPk5zQCa-agAl1U_vNniuu0KiW1GG4ko-yP5wlJpRyJLX64j9j9XW1EGYFQ/s1600/Tiffany+%2526+Bikram" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">First, a quick update on teaching. As of Friday, I'm lucky enough to now be working at TWO studios - Mission Yoga is my first love, of course, but I'm also teaching a few times a week at <a href="http://www.bikramwalnutcreek.com/">Bikram Yoga Walnut Creek</a>, the home studio of friend and fellow trainee Tiffany, pictured below with the boss's watch. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWl9SWFWRNZIYzY2BMSgHk5P3010-vbvGqRau3F3csS6r9LdB8cQuIQN6WM3gsI_6ph7gA8S1J7mgbyu4FBPk5zQCa-agAl1U_vNniuu0KiW1GG4ko-yP5wlJpRyJLX64j9j9XW1EGYFQ/s1600/Tiffany+%2526+Bikram" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWl9SWFWRNZIYzY2BMSgHk5P3010-vbvGqRau3F3csS6r9LdB8cQuIQN6WM3gsI_6ph7gA8S1J7mgbyu4FBPk5zQCa-agAl1U_vNniuu0KiW1GG4ko-yP5wlJpRyJLX64j9j9XW1EGYFQ/s320/Tiffany+%2526+Bikram" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So if you're looking to take my class...check out the Mission Yoga schedule <a href="http://www.bikramyogainthemission.com/">HERE</a> or the Walnut Creek schedule <a href="http://www.bikramwalnutcreek.com/?page_id=57">HERE</a> and look for my name!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Moving on...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7FklIQzDtEMOk5KsNTsRKWKmB_IBwaV8uPKaS07rhMH4bE5LpxUrn3YBfnEgCGoRjQBBzYlIlwyx56INN9ROtBjQf0wTFAQf0KpvfVsSb5H0-vBUlReJWpUFrxKY7Fn5M-SuW5G9L_Y/s1600/DSC_6083+%2528640x428%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7FklIQzDtEMOk5KsNTsRKWKmB_IBwaV8uPKaS07rhMH4bE5LpxUrn3YBfnEgCGoRjQBBzYlIlwyx56INN9ROtBjQf0wTFAQf0KpvfVsSb5H0-vBUlReJWpUFrxKY7Fn5M-SuW5G9L_Y/s320/DSC_6083+%2528640x428%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Just before I left, Andrew gave me a bunch of great photos he'd taken, so I'm just going to pepper the rest of this post with them, regardless of relevance.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>gamebred said...</b><i>danielle! thanks so much for sharing your journey! i cant believe it's already been 9 weeks and im in the real world. i'm so excited for my turn in the fall. wishing you well wishes for your first couple classes. also, a blog post for future trainee helpful hints would be so super awesome! i love to get everyone's hints as a guide for my prep. thanks so much for your positive outlook on training.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's impossible to be fully prepared for the madness that is training, but here are some ideas:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Talk to people. </b>Talk to your studio owners, your teachers, anyone you know who has been to training. Especially, talk to people who operate in the world similarly to you (for example, if you're really shy, you're probably not going to have a similar experience to someone who is really loud and outgoing).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Trust the process. </b>You'll hear this so much it'll be alternately ridiculous and infuriating. But it's true not just in the sense that there is a method to Bikram's madness (there is most of the time...not ALL the time, let's be honest) but true in the sense that if you just let go of expectations, frustrations, intentions, so forth and take training exactly as it is, you'll have a far, far better experience. It's kind of another way of saying <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLFYx6xlhB0">"This is it. Fuck it. It is what it is."</a> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEild_k0ytD7ucH5KfokShuqhLce7I_trfw6qcLW6Wke6GMs4CcSyRB0wC8rKATdFZiI9S0V2jN7HL87CwWgQ3shKOiJBzPGZyqdqfGHk3J-PSjTIm23dbC5YsSrn8M1rgqlMrtrBhljHVY/s1600/DSC_6110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEild_k0ytD7ucH5KfokShuqhLce7I_trfw6qcLW6Wke6GMs4CcSyRB0wC8rKATdFZiI9S0V2jN7HL87CwWgQ3shKOiJBzPGZyqdqfGHk3J-PSjTIm23dbC5YsSrn8M1rgqlMrtrBhljHVY/s320/DSC_6110.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Study the dialogue beforehand. </b>The more you've started to get a grip on the dialogue and your studying techniques beforehand, the more time you'll have to adjust into life in the yoga bubble when you get there.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Think about how you'll feed yourself. </b>One of the most useful things I brought was a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40898-Cool-Touch-Cordless/dp/B000ES7I8A?ie=UTF8&tag=naorshigo-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">high speed tea kettle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=naorshigo-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000ES7I8A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, to make soups, lentil mix, tea, you name it. Some people brought toaster ovens or hot plates. What will keep <i>you</i> fed on the cheap?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bring a drying rack if you have one. </b><i>Very</i> useful.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Plan to use two yoga mats. </b>Either bring them, or buy them there. My first mat (that I bought from the Bikram store for $30) had to be tossed after only 3 weeks; the two $10 mats I subsequently bought at Target lasted through the rest of training. Having two mats gives them time to dry in between classes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Pack sweatshirts and warm clothing. </b>I figured I was going to LA and would need sundresses and tank tops. But I was living in a heavily air conditioned hotel that, sometimes, I wouldn't leave for days. Keep that in mind when you're deciding what to pack in your suitcase. Basically, imagine that you're a cat lady and take it from there - stretchy, comfy, warm clothing. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OWIKyZGTbm8MwAEkpBga0V0tYrXYz9FhlLrbic2joqvh8nm5rfAgk0X15oi9nRgy-T5oI9ZeNAiv2uP5koqUmTDpHqP2sgZrF_lWp2SY8MZUTb2mvCjRU2W8UMFjnCoiEQ3w5ku_KGs/s1600/DSC_6182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhaoHoDIEYZ8S3ICJeZ79hAZ0KPZs3CC9MgLQB0tHrnCadNzf250wQqICHz8BGjijn4VZVUPUgS_vLWzJQbc5NpJ3g9w4zcwJumWMLPuEtFlini1SvggrmE7zpeIlDY2V6OlhV38Jf20/s1600/DSC_6183.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhaoHoDIEYZ8S3ICJeZ79hAZ0KPZs3CC9MgLQB0tHrnCadNzf250wQqICHz8BGjijn4VZVUPUgS_vLWzJQbc5NpJ3g9w4zcwJumWMLPuEtFlini1SvggrmE7zpeIlDY2V6OlhV38Jf20/s320/DSC_6183.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Be okay with getting fat. </b>Or any weird physical side effects. You're putting your body through a lot of stress and it's going to react in strange ways, so listen to what it wants and don't stress yourself out even more because you're breaking out or getting fat or whatever. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Maybe you're going to retain fluids and feel sluggish...maybe you're going to eat burgers every weekend whereas red meat used to be an every-two-months treat...maybe your lips are going to get so chapped that moisturizing them every five minutes is not enough...maybe you'll lose your flexibility from sitting in hotel chairs for hours and forget how it feels to be even CLOSE to locking your knees in Pada Hastasana (and yes, all these things happened to me). Just be okay with it and you'll have a far better experience than if you're running around whining about being fat (I <i>swear</i> I got better at being non-judgmental! Really I did!)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Keep a journal. </b>Everyone told us to do this but I never felt like I had time. I couldn't even keep up with weekly blog posts! But the few emails I sent to my friend Stephanie are the only moment-in-time records I have of training (yes, I didn't include EVERYTHING in this blog, believe it or not), and I really value those now. So even if it's just five minutes before you crash at 2AM, it's definitely of value; see if you can develop the habit right away.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OWIKyZGTbm8MwAEkpBga0V0tYrXYz9FhlLrbic2joqvh8nm5rfAgk0X15oi9nRgy-T5oI9ZeNAiv2uP5koqUmTDpHqP2sgZrF_lWp2SY8MZUTb2mvCjRU2W8UMFjnCoiEQ3w5ku_KGs/s1600/DSC_6182.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OWIKyZGTbm8MwAEkpBga0V0tYrXYz9FhlLrbic2joqvh8nm5rfAgk0X15oi9nRgy-T5oI9ZeNAiv2uP5koqUmTDpHqP2sgZrF_lWp2SY8MZUTb2mvCjRU2W8UMFjnCoiEQ3w5ku_KGs/s320/DSC_6182.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I DID, of course, keep a notebook full of lecture notes and doodles, and found the following list of mantras/affirmations Kelly had collected at the start of training - all of these are also good to keep in mind:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stay Focused</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Willingness</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Openness</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Trust the Process</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Smile</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Breathe</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Patience</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gratitude</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">No Expectations</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grow</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Be a Sponge</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love and Be Kind</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stay Positive</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">No Judgement</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNPJEZH5Iky16q8ZeT_0X5TWqSpccoFLUCDB1KMsM5JOhZ1D2xiOckoIoGCrPwStkBr9I6qegiUeyNvQlGVQLoxGCad0hQ1x8Y7K6um7jmVGQFG7Q0BC4oPBt3Q5JRFFGquhlsRAfB3w/s1600/DSCN3183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNPJEZH5Iky16q8ZeT_0X5TWqSpccoFLUCDB1KMsM5JOhZ1D2xiOckoIoGCrPwStkBr9I6qegiUeyNvQlGVQLoxGCad0hQ1x8Y7K6um7jmVGQFG7Q0BC4oPBt3Q5JRFFGquhlsRAfB3w/s320/DSCN3183.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Jill said...</b><i>Hey Danielle, your TT experience sounds a ton more delightful and encouraging than another blog I read. I am planning on going to TT in the fall. Do you think that the money spent on TT is worth it? I feel after reading the other blog that it isn't worth the time, effort, and money. I have a full-time job and am very passionate about Bikram yoga and feel a calling to go to training. I am just a little discouraged, nervous, and anxious especially the $$$ part. What are your thoughts and what do you suggest? Thanks for your blog and insight. </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">First I wanted to speak to the whole money part, because <b>Bikram Teacher Training costs a LOT. </b>There's the mandatory housing (and sure, you'll probably hear about people who get away with living off campus, which I also tried to do - but in the end, I was really grateful that at 4:30am, I only had to walk upstairs to get to bed, not to the parking lot and drive all the way home), the tuition, the food (anywhere from $800 - $2K for training, depending on how much you eat out and whether you shop at Whole Foods or Trader Joes), then all the incidentals like laundry, car expenses (gas, parking), yoga clothes, etc. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhiXb37FfqAjsw3YLBS-KalhR4beCMwIpYh-rvQpc2nwLDAaQyplF0oG3o0cOPrXGzh_940R6MwEZCabdeDI5qoNH2CLjkFLTQihrL0if2ezqJL_UIOsltulRL-S8FF8RG3mk89J2sQk/s1600/DSC_6093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhiXb37FfqAjsw3YLBS-KalhR4beCMwIpYh-rvQpc2nwLDAaQyplF0oG3o0cOPrXGzh_940R6MwEZCabdeDI5qoNH2CLjkFLTQihrL0if2ezqJL_UIOsltulRL-S8FF8RG3mk89J2sQk/s320/DSC_6093.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So if you're thinking about going to training <b>have a plan for how to pay for it. </b>Keep in mind that you're going to come out of training and be making $35 - $40/class - and that's before any taxes. Some studios don't even pay new teachers. Your best bet is to teach part time, but if, like me, you really want to teach full time for a little while upon your return, make sure that you've saved up enough buffer money to get you through the first few months. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can't recommend <a href="http://mint.com/">mint.com</a> highly enough for this sort of thing. I started saving for teacher training two years ago using this site - totally free, it helps you keep track of your money and where it goes, set budgets, track progress, and best of all, set a goal (like "Yoga Teacher Training"), tie a specific savings account to that goal, and let you know how much needs to be set aside each month to get there (sure, it's a little disquieting that all my financial information is all tied into that site, but all that info is out on the interwebs in one form or another anyway, so I'm okay with it). </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBkrLJSFpIIu1PUwR9tDX6794VICLhvr_u_KvglqKs9tJiwZrmdBIxV_LQ9QkfQ5OJ5sQnHJdiBG_OvoFDanoGDq-BlmdyBaBZT7mCX8-Cj8Zha6TDw7aShYMl8DSFnKJm4YRWXY_xq0/s1600/DSCN3196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBkrLJSFpIIu1PUwR9tDX6794VICLhvr_u_KvglqKs9tJiwZrmdBIxV_LQ9QkfQ5OJ5sQnHJdiBG_OvoFDanoGDq-BlmdyBaBZT7mCX8-Cj8Zha6TDw7aShYMl8DSFnKJm4YRWXY_xq0/s320/DSCN3196.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are definitely people who just put the whole shebang on their credit cards and hope for the best. And I've talked to current teachers who did this successfully, and are glad they did it, but they're still paying it off. If you're like me, and throw caution to the wind ONLY TO A POINT, make sure you have a budget, a plan (and if the plan changes, fine, but have a plan), a savings account. <b> This is a huge investment that shouldn't be made lightly.</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now to the Ultimate Question...<b>was it all worth it? </b>If you interviewed a hundred folks at our training and asked them what the experience was like, they would probably give you a hundred different answers. But ask whether it was worth it, and the vast majority would give you the same answer: FORTY-TWO. I mean, YES!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PUwPGo5mZjIXEVEownig98kkr74M925M5sDw2CaTj-6MVs9xRjSLqTIjF6b2xC_LNGBdCWqZhBbq_ZiROpnrWtTVDsscvKtLalzabgLjkvd2U9pXCo4sQQaWiHScfxuV0WH1Z2qYKEU/s1600/DSCN3168+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PUwPGo5mZjIXEVEownig98kkr74M925M5sDw2CaTj-6MVs9xRjSLqTIjF6b2xC_LNGBdCWqZhBbq_ZiROpnrWtTVDsscvKtLalzabgLjkvd2U9pXCo4sQQaWiHScfxuV0WH1Z2qYKEU/s320/DSCN3168+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As an illustrative example...Kelly will be the first to tell you how much she doesn't miss training. Long, repetitive lectures till the wee hours of the morning; classes that left her physically and emotionally drained; she was not a fan. <b>But if you asked her if it was worth it, her answer would be an unqualified YES. </b>She is a teacher now, and a really fantastic, stand-out teacher, and she loves the yoga again, and if training was what she needed to suffer through, well then, it was worth it to achieve this particular dream. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Second example: </span><span style="font-size: small;">another friend went to training without EVER intending to teach - she just wanted to take some time out from a stressful job and learn more about the yoga. She was frustrated that we didn't get structured classes on yoga theory, history, etc and instead there was so much emphasis on the practicalities of delivering dialogue. But now? She's taught several classes and loves it! <b>Was it what she expected? Not at all. Was it worth it? Yes.</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I read blogs that made me think twice about going too. People get angry, frustrated, pissed off. A lot of the time it feels like there's no structure, that no one really knows what's going on. Not only does Bikram repeat himself endlessly, but he can act like a jerk (he said it himself: "I'm more American than you! But underneath I'm very conservative, old fashioned, a little bit prejudiced"). I thought <a href="http://heatandhumility.blogspot.com/2007/05/as-promised.html">this blog</a> did a great job of expressing the darker side of the experience, the push and pull...training is definitely not all sunshine and rainbows.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDAEvfLpsx6xYf8AcT8-inFXGAYWaqEp37aPNnph6tTjVdgpFf-s9dyonngfVI5hU1J0tw0kBM1fnQ4MSvcMK_81MXEpHJOPWB5j1HcyXB-88XZuTLGuxzfQiDVIee1HVVwvvcpeo_3E/s1600/photo+bomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMp1Cj6qeeGMKdG_gWDthAUTJFLGLfoysdUONpzBEfrHkGN1N2pzwTzEmv1clFOcH9TVt7WFaXatLZ5LaPgTNSJE0L6JotkSGtC7T0mhMli2wz-4Lc4APTut9DaePBFN9MA67r2pWTze8/s1600/black+%2526+white" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMp1Cj6qeeGMKdG_gWDthAUTJFLGLfoysdUONpzBEfrHkGN1N2pzwTzEmv1clFOcH9TVt7WFaXatLZ5LaPgTNSJE0L6JotkSGtC7T0mhMli2wz-4Lc4APTut9DaePBFN9MA67r2pWTze8/s320/black+%2526+white" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoZXgpA7HIq6IB8pRoczlQ78A5QAtmEfuLmCmobMFx6NMFPHNX6li5s1zkwhTU4CuDBZhL8l5e81XXlZpHn7TINBlwWV_pYfjStHnW-HMA3n1qlFegdk22Dga9SV4DyUyciESqm8hVrw/s1600/DSC02958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But of course it was worth it for me. It was worth it because I'm now part of this worldwide community of people who all went through the same intense experience of training at one point in their life, and share that bond with me. It was worth it for all the time I had in class to really think about myself and how I live my life, and what I value, and what I want to change. It was worth it for the close friendships I made that I know will always be there, even if years and years go by before we see each other again. It was worth it for the laughter, the tears, the joy, the challenges, the new way I look at challenges in my non-yoga life. It was more than worth it...it was one of the best decisions I ever made.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDAEvfLpsx6xYf8AcT8-inFXGAYWaqEp37aPNnph6tTjVdgpFf-s9dyonngfVI5hU1J0tw0kBM1fnQ4MSvcMK_81MXEpHJOPWB5j1HcyXB-88XZuTLGuxzfQiDVIee1HVVwvvcpeo_3E/s1600/photo+bomb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDAEvfLpsx6xYf8AcT8-inFXGAYWaqEp37aPNnph6tTjVdgpFf-s9dyonngfVI5hU1J0tw0kBM1fnQ4MSvcMK_81MXEpHJOPWB5j1HcyXB-88XZuTLGuxzfQiDVIee1HVVwvvcpeo_3E/s320/photo+bomb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jim encouraged us to make a list titled "Why am I here?" and refer back to it whenever training was breaking us down. I thought I might end this post with my list, since it's also relevant to the whole "is it worth it" question. Also, if my fellow new teachers want to pipe in with their own tips, tricks, and musings on this blog, I'm sure it would be much appreciated - and I'm curious!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Why Am I Here? (as of 4/25/2011)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because I love doing bikram yoga.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because I want yoga to be an important part of my life, for the rest of my life.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because it is a challenge I can meet.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because I know it will help me break bad habits and become a better person inside and out.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To realize what power I have (per Bikram)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">To cultivate compassion (per Jim)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because I paid $11,000 to be here!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoZXgpA7HIq6IB8pRoczlQ78A5QAtmEfuLmCmobMFx6NMFPHNX6li5s1zkwhTU4CuDBZhL8l5e81XXlZpHn7TINBlwWV_pYfjStHnW-HMA3n1qlFegdk22Dga9SV4DyUyciESqm8hVrw/s1600/DSC02958.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoZXgpA7HIq6IB8pRoczlQ78A5QAtmEfuLmCmobMFx6NMFPHNX6li5s1zkwhTU4CuDBZhL8l5e81XXlZpHn7TINBlwWV_pYfjStHnW-HMA3n1qlFegdk22Dga9SV4DyUyciESqm8hVrw/s320/DSC02958.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-7040051984447750322011-07-02T14:50:00.000-07:002011-07-02T14:50:43.251-07:00Week Nine and After: Tales from Inside and Outside the Yoga Bubble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiUJV8Bt0dBMqWDHrZHvLAXS9wOLStuMsWxS3sIeMro5uGLgXAbm68tn8HC_z29Ifqljhz6eFyEN577jgdiMEx8Gguh_MI22Qm9uoFs8X1uZkKMhXtEkLCOe8pZhIP_hp7HKqRS9wcIo/s1600/Graduation+%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiUJV8Bt0dBMqWDHrZHvLAXS9wOLStuMsWxS3sIeMro5uGLgXAbm68tn8HC_z29Ifqljhz6eFyEN577jgdiMEx8Gguh_MI22Qm9uoFs8X1uZkKMhXtEkLCOe8pZhIP_hp7HKqRS9wcIo/s320/Graduation+%25232.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many of my loyal readers (well, my Mom) have been asking for a wrap up post. What happened in Week Nine? How was your first class? What happened in Vegas? Did it STAY in Vegas? There's so much to tell about the past three(!) weeks, and going back through my pictures trying to decide what to write about has made me all nostalgic, so I'll try to keep this relatively short and sweet, but still satisfying...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMeT_YQf3ImsLtT3kUUIOWTle_E8tv55QgbF9j-mrvCuBncz_V8OTfRFyrtxqPB1NlmGSWQbLTlOgo8WCZdg3zFp56LopOdOnQFxiAG3O2raIA8iXEAPuU3HZm6p01H2OOUDrqRXxjDw/s1600/DSC02963.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMeT_YQf3ImsLtT3kUUIOWTle_E8tv55QgbF9j-mrvCuBncz_V8OTfRFyrtxqPB1NlmGSWQbLTlOgo8WCZdg3zFp56LopOdOnQFxiAG3O2raIA8iXEAPuU3HZm6p01H2OOUDrqRXxjDw/s320/DSC02963.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Our "artsy" LAX photo</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had planned also to respond to two questions from commenters that are not members of my family or friends (whoa...I'm like a real blogger!) but I've run out of time - a good reason to return to this blog within the week!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And don't worry, I do plan to keep blogging, since things will keep changing over here - I'll hopefully be teaching a few classes in Corvallis, Portland, and Seattle on my way up to Canada for my stepbrother's wedding in Victoria, BC, and in a few months I'll probably be moving out of SF so I can teach full time without going broke...surely that will all be interesting to read, no?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArPcFyeVZlWlkrjT_DAgJ05vLC4YIuQjaLWVKM0SrSsPKpTy79qGeCFcxXkBCYLdpareXJZDZSm_fj0d1LI4AURb1hYdmqBY4xE6v3nvSaZNiU2aF_G0eNg_T01AZ5-VH2n-Moqntri4/s1600/DSC02878.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArPcFyeVZlWlkrjT_DAgJ05vLC4YIuQjaLWVKM0SrSsPKpTy79qGeCFcxXkBCYLdpareXJZDZSm_fj0d1LI4AURb1hYdmqBY4xE6v3nvSaZNiU2aF_G0eNg_T01AZ5-VH2n-Moqntri4/s320/DSC02878.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Why yes, Emmy CAN still get both legs over her head!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Week Nine</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the beginning of Week Nine we had a special treat - an advanced class demonstration by a crew of yoga badasses, led by Emmy herself. Advanced class is the next step, two hours of both beginning and advanced postures. I took my first advanced class yesterday and it was like my first Bikram Yoga class all over again<b> </b>- will I EVER be able to do some of that craziness? Time will tell. Bikram and Emmy were like two bickering siblings the whole two hours - it was a delight!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSj96IeJch5TZL6OXv4Sd8oZv_hyphenhyphenmJX7xNq0bbmphBP8kV-JFWelXxFdkQyGOIEACG8V2KxOpW8uUVN93751tFXeCChRVm1Sg8OcRAlSKCz2eJPwmB9aX5QaMPvKm2X7zYRDQPin7P8c/s1600/DSC02862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSj96IeJch5TZL6OXv4Sd8oZv_hyphenhyphenmJX7xNq0bbmphBP8kV-JFWelXxFdkQyGOIEACG8V2KxOpW8uUVN93751tFXeCChRVm1Sg8OcRAlSKCz2eJPwmB9aX5QaMPvKm2X7zYRDQPin7P8c/s320/DSC02862.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i>Who's that in the middle? Erstwhile Mission Yoga teacher, former yoga champ and awesome dude Amir, of course!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Week Nine was also full of "lasts" - the last time we do laundry and study dialogue at the same time...The last time we go food shopping for the week...Our last Emmy class...Our last Rajashree class...our last Bikram lecture...our last late night Bollywood movie...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS41mDELoCQyJYQieXwn0gvSQ_wxColDwdj-lxIlaieESLtLHDTMjuP5Rw0G1LGKthqHZkPRWG3QHtL6zwhXjVKragQQT3WAWwXgRknOE_CNfbJYywHBjqCrk52Q2kuVs5nbzhdqafb8/s1600/DSC02838.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS41mDELoCQyJYQieXwn0gvSQ_wxColDwdj-lxIlaieESLtLHDTMjuP5Rw0G1LGKthqHZkPRWG3QHtL6zwhXjVKragQQT3WAWwXgRknOE_CNfbJYywHBjqCrk52Q2kuVs5nbzhdqafb8/s320/DSC02838.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>All you need to stay up through the last late night movie is pillows and popcorn - and without a doubt, this was <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432637/plotsummary">one of the best</a>.</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our last class of training, which happened Thursday at 5pm, was utterly overwhelming. First off, there were lots and lots of extra people in the room (visitors for Graduation the next day, competitors for the International Championships that weekend, etc) which, as you know, brings the heat and humidity way up. Also Bikram was teaching, drawing it out as long as possible.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKltFmOhv8GuChmaE6YzSWC-nb7WdE7DGEgE5m6mx0jDlQm7YuIS7b08cg09v4CZ2o7zLZYrW1uI6WDnW3yZtxHldhItk-dao8q6Ac7l7b2VWksgUpziywJZDyShTVK4PNPIcj_HxXBAQ/s1600/DSC02895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKltFmOhv8GuChmaE6YzSWC-nb7WdE7DGEgE5m6mx0jDlQm7YuIS7b08cg09v4CZ2o7zLZYrW1uI6WDnW3yZtxHldhItk-dao8q6Ac7l7b2VWksgUpziywJZDyShTVK4PNPIcj_HxXBAQ/s320/DSC02895.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mission Yoga representin' before the last class!</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before class we were running around taking photos and buzzing like little almost-graduated bees. When pranayama breathing finally began, my heart was pounding fast and I thought "oh man...this class is going to be TOUGH." And it was. People cried, passed out, left the room, were carried out of the room, ran out of the room. I was determined to push through the whole time, so that by the middle of class I think I may have actually been semi-conscious, in a weird sort of out-of-body state of mind. Yeah, I know, crazy. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngglJXuu6VFe3Dde5ZxfDRNUiY_HS78jLbZx1_2ln7zSS3tRxs8ANs-yJ2gX1olxYZ1HlPaWyiOozmA3SKFPqcQ5BQotsOsp5Fhv0pnRCGk2e062zo4_ezxHRQmjFe7wGXPHP8Evcgqo/s1600/DSC02902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngglJXuu6VFe3Dde5ZxfDRNUiY_HS78jLbZx1_2ln7zSS3tRxs8ANs-yJ2gX1olxYZ1HlPaWyiOozmA3SKFPqcQ5BQotsOsp5Fhv0pnRCGk2e062zo4_ezxHRQmjFe7wGXPHP8Evcgqo/s320/DSC02902.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Last time Bikram sits up on his podium!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the next to last posture (Spine Twist) people began to whoop and holler. Almost the minute class ended we all leapt up for sweaty hugs, laughing and crying and cheering all at the same time. We were so worn out from such a difficult class but it didn't even matter. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2AbQk54CHO2SN1wVhB55CnzNRObb6JVVn6FFXtXbZAulW13sDhxLtzYSKCayPHLy7gyf_WenAAXhyHJAJIHTsL1Vyu4YsevgE7CdYIT_B_BT-CZIAhwyckAi8WduKFboHsnFNLFPuX4/s1600/Danielle+%2526+Patrizia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2AbQk54CHO2SN1wVhB55CnzNRObb6JVVn6FFXtXbZAulW13sDhxLtzYSKCayPHLy7gyf_WenAAXhyHJAJIHTsL1Vyu4YsevgE7CdYIT_B_BT-CZIAhwyckAi8WduKFboHsnFNLFPuX4/s320/Danielle+%2526+Patrizia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sweaty post-class hug with the beautiful Patrizia</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was one of the most memorable moments of training. A bunch of us ran downstairs and plunged into the outside pool (despite the Week Two warning from hotel staff that we really should shower off the sweat before going into the pool). I couldn't believe it was over. It was OVER.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, Bikram kept us all up till 3:30am with another rambling lecture - reminding me that there were parts of training that I wouldn't miss QUITE so much...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Graduation Day</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We had the morning off before 2pm graduation on Friday, so we slept in, then joined Julia, Steve23, Juicy, and newest arrival, three-week-old little <a href="http://www.bikramyogainthemission.com/2011/06/announcing-california-poppy-sanchez/">California Poppy</a> from Mission Yoga for lunch at <a href="http://www.tinroofbistro.com/">Tin Roof</a>, using up the last of the lunch coupons so generously gifted to us by the owner back in Week One. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHu8zDJ3vd9AmKlfd6lU8YuD5gq1IsIn-ZcuWIKb6-uVgPYCcgKaxcLkPO_YMwbTL-U1nQyeTJIPlHJzOlRUZaZuXMWGa5hyrUek3Pj31FiCDlRRVhOleZStdB_CwZP6GshELyhIOYIg/s1600/DSC02911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHu8zDJ3vd9AmKlfd6lU8YuD5gq1IsIn-ZcuWIKb6-uVgPYCcgKaxcLkPO_YMwbTL-U1nQyeTJIPlHJzOlRUZaZuXMWGa5hyrUek3Pj31FiCDlRRVhOleZStdB_CwZP6GshELyhIOYIg/s320/DSC02911.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Graduation was a little microcosm of the whole of training. It took place in the hot yoga room (they hadn't even ripped up the carpet, so the minute we walked in the smell was just...gross). Bikram gave a long lecture. Rajashree made us all feel warm and loved. The demonstration team of fellow trainees absolutely killed it with a demo of each and every posture in the beginning series. There was a long line for the buffet, which was not very good food. My buddy Andrew trusted me to take a photo of him receiving his diploma with his fancy camera and I FAILED miserably (despite the amazing photo he took of me that opens this blog post!). Awards were distributed to just the right people. We all laughed and cried and took pictures and were amazed at how different, yet the same, we looked with makeup and real clothes on.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGUbjs5wS0wYwXCzMcPIIDF5c5di-gUKTqY2z7GSvC9eVG61NpIAOEfpd-Ws-xweN0PCBVoaFthrEToyLIP0REeAbAFNvMbbTQRpR8ZaFGEAs-UyVVTmnztUIK1hW-gznACc7maSLhNI/s1600/DSC02951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGUbjs5wS0wYwXCzMcPIIDF5c5di-gUKTqY2z7GSvC9eVG61NpIAOEfpd-Ws-xweN0PCBVoaFthrEToyLIP0REeAbAFNvMbbTQRpR8ZaFGEAs-UyVVTmnztUIK1hW-gznACc7maSLhNI/s320/DSC02951.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Group 8 all dolled up!</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After graduation we piled into Andrew and Chris' room for a college-style gathering with wine and champagne in plastic cups and glasses borrowed from the hotel restaurant. Then several of us ventured down the street to the <a href="http://www.barmelodylax.com/">Melody Bar</a> (stopping to take a photo at the LAX sign, of course). I have danced to cheesy music in a divey bar with a gin and tonic in my hand many times before, but now, with my yoga friends and ten weeks without, I had a newfound appreciation for just how awesome it was.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSb97PgTJZI7HJtK72v0URIZMVVrTXPNFH7aKi5bYyQBSrzoT0dTJAf-oI4ytk6oRBlZBBE7GojWWR7f1uysaG7vGJVC3XzokX5O-3m6hpCyzeUghUs110WPXqqRiqNbV4j7io6RC8mU/s1600/DSC02958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSb97PgTJZI7HJtK72v0URIZMVVrTXPNFH7aKi5bYyQBSrzoT0dTJAf-oI4ytk6oRBlZBBE7GojWWR7f1uysaG7vGJVC3XzokX5O-3m6hpCyzeUghUs110WPXqqRiqNbV4j7io6RC8mU/s320/DSC02958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yogi pile post-graduation</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Graduation Day was a whirlwind, but I'll never forget it!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>International Competition</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saturday and Sunday were the <a href="http://ghoshcup.com/">International Championships</a>. Yogis from all over the world arrived to show us how it's done - and yes, the championships took place in that same smelly giant yoga room. Man, was I done with that room.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1OCxlRAhZRcRKBuibel80Z9aEF1BK5Q1RmJgfTZtdCMfnuoBOizx_oSgoKS5uy-kr9GoYAi87982BoYXP8KOL6OoeWTAdpw5KHNeP-WQ2szSZskPcf98YDOkl12iUNLNoyCAME4nyt0/s1600/DSC02990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1OCxlRAhZRcRKBuibel80Z9aEF1BK5Q1RmJgfTZtdCMfnuoBOizx_oSgoKS5uy-kr9GoYAi87982BoYXP8KOL6OoeWTAdpw5KHNeP-WQ2szSZskPcf98YDOkl12iUNLNoyCAME4nyt0/s320/DSC02990.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNYQzXzaHF2DuKlYCHlitre2wfBrLpM-u6zI3Zyy4-xCsGbUKqroUCXjup78ev7JEphtOsNsZVFt9M-FWk0teP31EP3coESw6VW46LYsqWrHAceDSFKJBm9HN242kCcbyAkcVb8uOgOg/s1600/DSC03004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNYQzXzaHF2DuKlYCHlitre2wfBrLpM-u6zI3Zyy4-xCsGbUKqroUCXjup78ev7JEphtOsNsZVFt9M-FWk0teP31EP3coESw6VW46LYsqWrHAceDSFKJBm9HN242kCcbyAkcVb8uOgOg/s320/DSC03004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUihQ1_B7Nl5K543HPkmAOyoy1w0uYJCVd5mvHEpdQuv2mKXIcAn-63OrJZeZpCNtkHoerqdrHL_y064AbeOPw0gQNdsSdlsAf4pAzF1zqf5Frqz0o-ysDSkK8A5nGHo2_zpCpYYqHjHE/s1600/DSC03015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUihQ1_B7Nl5K543HPkmAOyoy1w0uYJCVd5mvHEpdQuv2mKXIcAn-63OrJZeZpCNtkHoerqdrHL_y064AbeOPw0gQNdsSdlsAf4pAzF1zqf5Frqz0o-ysDSkK8A5nGHo2_zpCpYYqHjHE/s320/DSC03015.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yup, I apparently only took photos of the male competitors...AND WHAT OF IT?</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Week That Followed: Arizona and Vegas</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After way too may goodbyes and a departure straight out of a Lifetime movie (Danielle driving away from the LAX hotel that had been her home for nine weeks crying like a baby? Yeah, I'm not ashamed) I got to spend a day and a half with the lovely Angie Sun. We cooked my first real meal together (salmon and potatoes, with beets and goat cheese on ciabatta toasts to start! how Trader Joes gourmet are we?), saw a movie, decompressed a little.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Nead96BlN8JDEimbdtAHtGg3Q5fY1mgNrqbmoXkYIgIa80nMz-6z_9P1we0cQtTMBKNWV_RQzwlbAuQK1B4Y_Gc6Ik8FZLXSK_JxBAIGcZ3-o35ITzDOqu7LPa0tb9uD7g089i3TW5A/s1600/DSC03040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Nead96BlN8JDEimbdtAHtGg3Q5fY1mgNrqbmoXkYIgIa80nMz-6z_9P1we0cQtTMBKNWV_RQzwlbAuQK1B4Y_Gc6Ik8FZLXSK_JxBAIGcZ3-o35ITzDOqu7LPa0tb9uD7g089i3TW5A/s320/DSC03040.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i>Look ma, we're cooking!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I spent Monday afternoon getting some R&R with the three small dogs belonging to Angie and her roommates, all of whom fought for position on my lap while I recorded all 26 postures worth of dialogue to study during the long driving trips I knew I had coming up (hence why, when I was driving the next day, I couldn't figure out what was jingling in my car, stuffed to the brim with suitcases and bags and boxes, until I realized it was the dog tags that made it onto my recording). We also saw Jeff Goldblum's jazz band, thanks to a tip from Kelly's lovely cousin Kristin - thus finally having, at least marginally, the LA celeb encounter I'd hoped for.</span><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dyYSam2JWXR5ntABTbaMjxm3Q_IZjN1RtFQX31hUBlhXboGXswQEBq5WYZCuIA-nwWoRvVuBdCWrSj69EmU5POsRD1QM9W2cFD7TPgVdcQdfWAiRRb2l0k5czI-vyz5Y45vNzeN62M4/s1600/DSC03042.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dyYSam2JWXR5ntABTbaMjxm3Q_IZjN1RtFQX31hUBlhXboGXswQEBq5WYZCuIA-nwWoRvVuBdCWrSj69EmU5POsRD1QM9W2cFD7TPgVdcQdfWAiRRb2l0k5czI-vyz5Y45vNzeN62M4/s320/DSC03042.JPG" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kristin watches Jeff Goldblum tinkle the ivories...</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxcZ2kiwRD_jGwdntYrp19rXRXKtL1bdo3xOkWOdcehQQ2u2Cb7zh5ZLL7y5YiQJ6JcjqWeDIbzOYp30JALbOJLjVKQif9RCkHDXg2YU2-u5cpQZBPjB9SG3TcW-PgXoFIsdM24GzOw4/s1600/DSC03045.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxcZ2kiwRD_jGwdntYrp19rXRXKtL1bdo3xOkWOdcehQQ2u2Cb7zh5ZLL7y5YiQJ6JcjqWeDIbzOYp30JALbOJLjVKQif9RCkHDXg2YU2-u5cpQZBPjB9SG3TcW-PgXoFIsdM24GzOw4/s320/DSC03045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> ...while Danielle, Victoria and Angie take photos on the stairs</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then off I drove to Arizona to spend some time with the marvelous Rippey family - Aunt Margot, Uncle Paul, and Cousins Jake and Cole. Aunt Margot was my favorite aunt growing up (the youngest, and a cool NYC city girl who would play board games with me) and she definitely lived up to the title of "favorite aunt" when she took her very first Bikram class from me - as I taught my very first Bikram class! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8bWKk1-9tbWCbvHhCQ7MYmO9jLfrSEKB7Z6yE2M_uo9l2lYkMO6kC9EHvXDsrRsMH_Tt4XbvDtmPrN0fGDdt-q5pu6Z-jH-i2_oyw6rkj6NXbT6nxoYn2J48irtxSQa7X4M_duPQTVE/s1600/DSC03049.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8bWKk1-9tbWCbvHhCQ7MYmO9jLfrSEKB7Z6yE2M_uo9l2lYkMO6kC9EHvXDsrRsMH_Tt4XbvDtmPrN0fGDdt-q5pu6Z-jH-i2_oyw6rkj6NXbT6nxoYn2J48irtxSQa7X4M_duPQTVE/s320/DSC03049.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Aunt Margot makes the BEST </i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>post-hiking, pre-teaching </i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> breakfast sandwich ever...</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-v_Vm7GhHOY3GtDUW59-JxG-LlSXNF7RG2ph40S5mjx9WidtasQuVw2yxOzDvyMlOjLsbdL3EvA1Z1BwBtjPqgAZAMwYOY0w9bJ4kfefHalaZXcuPaRnPDKwsPjNJjZGtw4AOWgzu3hU/s1600/DSC03050.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-v_Vm7GhHOY3GtDUW59-JxG-LlSXNF7RG2ph40S5mjx9WidtasQuVw2yxOzDvyMlOjLsbdL3EvA1Z1BwBtjPqgAZAMwYOY0w9bJ4kfefHalaZXcuPaRnPDKwsPjNJjZGtw4AOWgzu3hU/s320/DSC03050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>...and I eat the best post-hiking, pre-teaching breakfast sandwich ever!</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The wonderful Kelly Green was also there, and I took her class right after mine. Having taken four other trainees' classes since, I can tell you that it's very hard not to jump up off your mat and clap and cheer "you did that SO GOOD! I'm SO PROUD OF YOU!!" You have to wait till the end.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4kIJIWYLI0VHtKK8-g7sI77mVUK6Ta7rZk2U9qjeLIzGE2aglHPC3W_GzpWFng2IWEeAw5VDV5gvRShqKys7lP_7C_jZr1I-iVHSbbcct5oOk2jlQC_kcW1KUxlUOHJx0sxCNG03Fuw/s1600/DSC03051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4kIJIWYLI0VHtKK8-g7sI77mVUK6Ta7rZk2U9qjeLIzGE2aglHPC3W_GzpWFng2IWEeAw5VDV5gvRShqKys7lP_7C_jZr1I-iVHSbbcct5oOk2jlQC_kcW1KUxlUOHJx0sxCNG03Fuw/s320/DSC03051.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Guess who just taught her first class?</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bikram Yoga Avondale was a perfect studio in which to teach my first class - it was a small class, the studio was peaceful and serene, and the owner Shelby not only gave me a time slot but also took the time to sit down with me, Kelly, and another teacher afterwards to review feedback and suggestions.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2e1Wpi0NsyjT2mzO-lqc10C0GLpmTWrEm6Qy1EfI8HUCv5cirhgL4g3Fo3uwOgIK0aLwL7g7mCWUKH6BKZyWHODzcTHBwlGngJhQWqjf3N61Dz5aLPnsfhE_b02uYzO5mVURd5ujaFA/s1600/DSC03056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2e1Wpi0NsyjT2mzO-lqc10C0GLpmTWrEm6Qy1EfI8HUCv5cirhgL4g3Fo3uwOgIK0aLwL7g7mCWUKH6BKZyWHODzcTHBwlGngJhQWqjf3N61Dz5aLPnsfhE_b02uYzO5mVURd5ujaFA/s320/DSC03056.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i>The Grand Canyon! Clearly I did not pick up anything resembling a tan while in LA.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After two days in Arizona, I picked up fellow Group 8-er Emma in Flagstaff and we drove together to Vegas, where we met up with Patrizia and did some canyon sightseeing and indoor rock climbing. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCq_DEnC7t2e1dC28PBGFcxKg04sCab6KufVz1h4LPQx3AvO7ODOQzqo8_o9TtrlJ-nes2QT3LLTF4EztT4_BNmyUcSLyp9If_BBJSgsV3wjlxzm3nkUYip6RkkL_er2Ho0pm6tjXIrg/s1600/DSC03063.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCq_DEnC7t2e1dC28PBGFcxKg04sCab6KufVz1h4LPQx3AvO7ODOQzqo8_o9TtrlJ-nes2QT3LLTF4EztT4_BNmyUcSLyp9If_BBJSgsV3wjlxzm3nkUYip6RkkL_er2Ho0pm6tjXIrg/s320/DSC03063.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Emma is very good at driving on the "wrong" side of the road! </span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Emma taught a class at <a href="http://www.bikramgreenvalley.com/">Bikram Yoga Green Valley</a>, a large and wonderful place run by Stacey, who had been one of our favorite Posture Clinic leaders back at training. Unfortunately Emma was late because Patrizia and I didn't realize just how lazy the Lazy River at the MGM Grand was (I am incapable of being on time...that much hasn't changed!). </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't know if we had got her there five minutes earlier, she would have been told about the big double doors that needed to be opened halfway through class to let in fresh air...regardless, it was SO. FREAKING. HOT. Poor Emma kept trying to turn on fans and open outside doors to solve it, to no avail. Patrizia and I tried to conserve our water sip by sip, and have at least one of us standing and doing the posture at any given time, but we were most definitely humbled by the experience. Most of the time half the class was on the floor. Poor Emma! But she perseverved, and her dialogue was spot on, and her Australian accent was melodious and comforting, and overall it was awesome.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNh2rNsczlsodszEVJulNiN47CLGf_Ev2ZoFrQkz2BXJnymlkl3DosGhjr92ebG2KRXAImdnKwJzp97eNdBcaaI4Cr_-_B0zMbuV1kCW4w1t19C6-pmLzkQp8cn_87gxxuNCykqTvfCKc/s1600/Vegas%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNh2rNsczlsodszEVJulNiN47CLGf_Ev2ZoFrQkz2BXJnymlkl3DosGhjr92ebG2KRXAImdnKwJzp97eNdBcaaI4Cr_-_B0zMbuV1kCW4w1t19C6-pmLzkQp8cn_87gxxuNCykqTvfCKc/s320/Vegas%25232.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Vegas baby, yeah!</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The less said about the rest of Vegas with my crazy-wonderful girls Carolyn, Nikki, Shanna, Laura, and Stephanie, the better. I'll just let the following photo sum it up:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0uogf3yP8lbjvL_0i88hs3A1TKRkWHw1o2tHrRiBNQVXX-WONi_D_D1X25igsOkEHHlIBcj7VNMavTFPjQcYfpL_1Ps1_wrT1KOATNF7Oiso88EnmYMj717fQrgVabeen6ekqAlhmN8/s1600/Vegas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0uogf3yP8lbjvL_0i88hs3A1TKRkWHw1o2tHrRiBNQVXX-WONi_D_D1X25igsOkEHHlIBcj7VNMavTFPjQcYfpL_1Ps1_wrT1KOATNF7Oiso88EnmYMj717fQrgVabeen6ekqAlhmN8/s320/Vegas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yeah, I'm the fake bride-to-be at our fake bachelorette. AND WHAT OF IT?</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Week That Just Ended: Teaching in San Francisco, There is Life Outside the Bubble</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b>So as you can imagine, the near-11 hour drive back to San Francisco was a bit of a wash. Listening to dialogue, once again, made me fall asleep, so I relied on M&Ms, coffee, a stop at In 'n Out, and <a href="http://www.delilah.com/main.html">Delilah</a>'s soft rock (or whatever else I could find on the radio to sing along to). As I pulled into San Francisco, for the first time, the city felt like home (of course, when I opened the car door, the cold was a bit of a shocker).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJSTzRfVkl8UhQNyK9e8mjKwGi7Qe7pBXju-tDEKc4wsykLkHwjI1A9FhK9SGu7bcW2IDlpT2hZl-cc-xKp371ccJZdV9OoPT4kwwsQvPgW50jmLZPL2pmhyphenhyphenKVfqkaV4VRZ3iwKYPgW4/s1600/DSC03089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJSTzRfVkl8UhQNyK9e8mjKwGi7Qe7pBXju-tDEKc4wsykLkHwjI1A9FhK9SGu7bcW2IDlpT2hZl-cc-xKp371ccJZdV9OoPT4kwwsQvPgW50jmLZPL2pmhyphenhyphenKVfqkaV4VRZ3iwKYPgW4/s320/DSC03089.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Why is there a fake Liberty Bell at the Bellagio?</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was so surprised and delighted at the folks who showed up to my very first Mission Yoga class Tuesday morning - including teachers like Tracy, and Big Brothers Big Sisters coworker friends like Stephanie and Laura. Laura taught a kickboxing class in Pleasanton that morning and STILL managed to make it for the second half of my class! I wasn't thrilled with how the class went - I was a little too much in my own head, trying to put into action everything Shelby had given me, and I got confused about timing, thinking at 9AM that I had only half an hour left when I had a full 45 minutes to go - but it was fun and comforting to finally be back in my own studio.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNAfZRrZsdImpyRJv-PS7JEdoc7T7lnRG8q545HoNoNtm-Yd5orIoso29C8xC9R7DYvgAGhLkc4gWuIOK4OvQ_T7RRbFKHkQRBvTYcikVbS8n506DQszg48PsmXbJQI4v5I9l03gc5CM/s1600/DSC03071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNAfZRrZsdImpyRJv-PS7JEdoc7T7lnRG8q545HoNoNtm-Yd5orIoso29C8xC9R7DYvgAGhLkc4gWuIOK4OvQ_T7RRbFKHkQRBvTYcikVbS8n506DQszg48PsmXbJQI4v5I9l03gc5CM/s320/DSC03071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Patrizia's epic Standing Bow at Red Rock Canyon</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since then my teaching has improved every class I teach. And I LOVE it. I had a moment on Tuesday when I was in the midst of taking my first of two classes that day, after teaching that morning, and I thought:<i> at least for a little while, this is my LIFE! I get to teach yoga, and take yoga, and immerse myself in yoga, and while in the long term this is not sustainable, and I'll have to leave SF if I don't want to go broke - how lucky am I!?</i> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well this afternoon has run away from me and I want to get out and enjoy the rare warm SF weather. In my next post I'll try to do more of a wrap-up rather than an update, and address the questions from <a href="http://www.teachbikramorbust.com/">Gamebred</a> and Jill - namely, helpful hints...and was it all worth it? (spoiler alert - in my mind, the answer is yes!)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love & Hugs to you all!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-20157984435551121522011-06-15T10:50:00.000-07:002011-06-15T10:50:53.977-07:00Weeks Seven and Eight: Three Days Left!?<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSKGiqht5F64WVFzK6T3uHd_vT1_vsS6FlQXijday61x3DEWY8H0iRx9updJP9BpGM4OLK-bBUMI8MK5vqjf5STtVrdcNXn6AE_vsHWI2lGPG8FGw1BW8rH_1p6RryaHV2aLIcUP8OGQ/s1600/DSC02752.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSKGiqht5F64WVFzK6T3uHd_vT1_vsS6FlQXijday61x3DEWY8H0iRx9updJP9BpGM4OLK-bBUMI8MK5vqjf5STtVrdcNXn6AE_vsHWI2lGPG8FGw1BW8rH_1p6RryaHV2aLIcUP8OGQ/s320/DSC02752.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSKGiqht5F64WVFzK6T3uHd_vT1_vsS6FlQXijday61x3DEWY8H0iRx9updJP9BpGM4OLK-bBUMI8MK5vqjf5STtVrdcNXn6AE_vsHWI2lGPG8FGw1BW8rH_1p6RryaHV2aLIcUP8OGQ/s1600/DSC02752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">Wow. At the start of training they told us that time would fly by, but with 95 classes staring us in the face that just seemed absurd...but now here I am already deep into Week Nine, with a mere four classes to go! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><br />
So in one of those weird sort of karmic coincidences, turns out my buddy Kelly from my group (GROUP 8 IS GREAT!), happens to be from the same tiny Arizona town, Waddell, that my aunt and uncle live in...</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7_sWHEdcVuJ9nM1f5xH9v_5eW3owgiOfK9XTEwZT5TspBwG6SfD081-nCA35hAslyQortAy9ZrgdFVZ_3KvsxpeIEfbOnjNg2ilh84ZoNRcp4fJA7rD2yS4FZ-zcGg_sEJJSkM1AZsM/s1600/DSC02794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7_sWHEdcVuJ9nM1f5xH9v_5eW3owgiOfK9XTEwZT5TspBwG6SfD081-nCA35hAslyQortAy9ZrgdFVZ_3KvsxpeIEfbOnjNg2ilh84ZoNRcp4fJA7rD2yS4FZ-zcGg_sEJJSkM1AZsM/s320/DSC02794.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Kelly and me at Group 8 Dinner! </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">So on my way to Vegas to meet up with Carolyn and the girls for my very first Vegas trip (stay tuned for stories of how Danielle drinks one cocktail after nine weeks of yoga & no drinking and passes out at 10pm at a penny slot) I'll stop in Waddell, visit the fam, and teach my first class at Kelly's studio in Avondale! SO SOON! At <b>12pm on Wednesday, June 22</b>...so pretty please send as many positive thoughts towards Arizona as you POSSIBLY can.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaf-Uu4nNT_AgE68YKlLpECtztpTCYpIrvDlNlNci4mCIrXAIqddz_gBuovjEVjLCiS-kF7Mqt0Hb5b9fLufDox_1rdJb8wWDqq5ZBUe5PgZyob0x7uhbR_3ZewQxXIOitBd7SRbNDtS0/s1600/DSC02815.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaf-Uu4nNT_AgE68YKlLpECtztpTCYpIrvDlNlNci4mCIrXAIqddz_gBuovjEVjLCiS-kF7Mqt0Hb5b9fLufDox_1rdJb8wWDqq5ZBUe5PgZyob0x7uhbR_3ZewQxXIOitBd7SRbNDtS0/s320/DSC02815.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>The Habit...Giving In 'n Out a Run for Its Money</i></span> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmdVlFS677c74QY4uTR_Mplz2qDY_cXvsIIHFvn0QAfQeBfDG5V68lY4FiqOtNNpX9JmHNu7lSP7RHfTdvPTHMye38T4kJF2EO34cO-eIumh0NtTSKRcs_j1YJIOrVeBg__k0qFk-N6o/s1600/DSC02821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">So Week Seven (well, Week Seven and a few hours on Monday Week Eight) we made it through all 26 postures in Posture Clinics! Towards the end it felt like the last week of high school, where everyone was getting rowdy and a little silly and having trouble keeping quiet even when exasperatingly shushed. Also our studying was not necessarily as effective as it had once been, so we ended up saying stuff like:<br />
<br />
"Grab your big feet" - Yukari<br />
<br />
"Suck your thumb" - Becky<br />
<br />
(for Head to Knee with Stretching, a seated posture): "This is Head to Knee with Standing" - Michelle<br />
<br />
"Ready or not, here I come, you can't hide. Gonna find you...and make you do rabbit." - Mike<br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmdVlFS677c74QY4uTR_Mplz2qDY_cXvsIIHFvn0QAfQeBfDG5V68lY4FiqOtNNpX9JmHNu7lSP7RHfTdvPTHMye38T4kJF2EO34cO-eIumh0NtTSKRcs_j1YJIOrVeBg__k0qFk-N6o/s1600/DSC02821.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmdVlFS677c74QY4uTR_Mplz2qDY_cXvsIIHFvn0QAfQeBfDG5V68lY4FiqOtNNpX9JmHNu7lSP7RHfTdvPTHMye38T4kJF2EO34cO-eIumh0NtTSKRcs_j1YJIOrVeBg__k0qFk-N6o/s320/DSC02821.JPG" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Studying outside the laundromat for the last time!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">But Martine showed us ALL how it's done with an epic display of dialogue mastery. Michon (our Posture Clinic leader Friday night and a star staffer) started throwing postures at her one after the other, and she kept up with word perfect dialogue like I have NEVER seen. Incredible!<br />
<br />
Another funny coincidence... remember Byron from Bikram Yoga Chelsea? With whom I had the following interaction upon arrival in NYC back in September?:<br />
<br />
<b>Byron the Yoga Teacher: </b>Bikram Yoga Chelsea, can you hold please? <i>He tells someone where the locker rooms and towels are. The studio clearly exists</i>. How can I help you?</span><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>Me Dragging Suitcase: </b>The sign says you’re on the 3rd floor, but I can’t find it?<br />
<b>BYT</b>: No, we’re on the 4th floor.<br />
<b>BYT</b> (five minutes later): Bikram Yoga Chelsea, how can I help you?<br />
<b>MDS</b>: I can’t find you on the 4th floor? You’re at 150, right?<br />
<b>BYT</b>: No, we’re at 250. On the 4th floor.<br />
<b>BYT</b> (five minutes later): YES?<br />
<b>MDS</b>: Um, this is an apartment building. And the guy living on the fourth floor is very nice, but not running a yoga studio out of his apartment.<br />
<b>BYT</b>: We’re at 250 West 30th, not 250 West 26th, sweetheart.<br />
<br />
Guess who ran my very last Posture Clinic? You got it!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OFc0-iRXp96JHSJWyR2lh_nP6JukgWhqnTzdB6lCQOR3aVQ58Kme6JGt_M230jjXLtnjrkASAZVbp83zmJM35YGszKyhX9jEG_1QPt-nnqtxzoW3TuFD_oSoRaIfFTZnr0yy2EsunQI/s1600/DSC02772.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OFc0-iRXp96JHSJWyR2lh_nP6JukgWhqnTzdB6lCQOR3aVQ58Kme6JGt_M230jjXLtnjrkASAZVbp83zmJM35YGszKyhX9jEG_1QPt-nnqtxzoW3TuFD_oSoRaIfFTZnr0yy2EsunQI/s320/DSC02772.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A friendly face - Oscar from Mission Yoga, here for recertification!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">On Friday of Week Seven, we were joined by no less than 120 visiting teachers, the vast majority of whom who were completing their re-certification. Every three years, Bikram teachers must "come back to the source" - go through the same huge classes, long lectures, and late night movies, but only over two days instead of nine weeks. That Friday class was BRUTAL. Like, very first class brutal. Like, lying on the floor in a sea of my own sweat unable to breathe brutal. When you add 120 bodies to the hot yoga room and put a bad mood Bikram up on the podium for a 2 1/2 hour class? That shit is TOUGH.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6u140M-c0eljiWKEGw6LSFiHn1By2ZmSb0pZ1_AaPCKbW-hbKO-NJIKhXxsxdNoglGCyjLqD8P0N17zvgfAR2Sigxpy-bgGPJvL7phqJYKWldOX4vAy3IrpuREI5KLPjera8fR-OleI4/s1600/251243_10150197888621854_500151853_7533068_8246643_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6u140M-c0eljiWKEGw6LSFiHn1By2ZmSb0pZ1_AaPCKbW-hbKO-NJIKhXxsxdNoglGCyjLqD8P0N17zvgfAR2Sigxpy-bgGPJvL7phqJYKWldOX4vAy3IrpuREI5KLPjera8fR-OleI4/s320/251243_10150197888621854_500151853_7533068_8246643_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">But it was followed not by another four hour lecture but instead by...A pizza dance party! 280 pizzas were ordered and eaten by ravenous yogis, many bottles of sugary sodas were drunk, and Michon put on the tunes for everyone to dance the night away - even Bikram himself, who, as you can see, is sporting quite the sportcoat! It's amazing what some pizza and dancing can do to pick you right back up!<br />
<br />
Saturday morning class was tough too - those 120 people were still there, sucking up all our oxygen and heating up our room and generally making life miserable -and it didn't help that Jim too decided to teach for almost 2 1/2 hours. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjva1CQQO1nAwAbdWjLXht_F7fg2ZlDdRUXpmTsS9FprtSnwTKR9ZMYqcPmS06YY9TruTXxhqsiDD6Sk_T6FPEn_vp-7bia_T92SeAUBB-T0QWRpyQLyNAk7LnR12LyrYbZ2ECrDZxdQjk/s1600/DSC02818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjva1CQQO1nAwAbdWjLXht_F7fg2ZlDdRUXpmTsS9FprtSnwTKR9ZMYqcPmS06YY9TruTXxhqsiDD6Sk_T6FPEn_vp-7bia_T92SeAUBB-T0QWRpyQLyNAk7LnR12LyrYbZ2ECrDZxdQjk/s320/DSC02818.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: x-small;">Urth Cafe in Beverly Hills...just as good as rumored.</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">Luckily I powered through, and then got to spend the weekend relaxing, catching up with friends in SF, seeing the super freakin' awesome new X-men movie, taking photos underwater at the Sheraton pool (why did we sneak into the Sheraton you ask? There's a hot tub!), and joining a group trip to the Yogananda Center. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcI27-XQbDfTYyIiZNsbcTY_ecKnxdwfJJHgXVq52O92KbO4aM0K4Gaj-s7o71UeCJsl8wnxgkWWw8pOq3oyUpFDGkm9oUs7HUBGMq5zhNgQ68GTcuw7rcG8Ty5WTIbzhxUReSk0Dd1g/s1600/DSC02776.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcI27-XQbDfTYyIiZNsbcTY_ecKnxdwfJJHgXVq52O92KbO4aM0K4Gaj-s7o71UeCJsl8wnxgkWWw8pOq3oyUpFDGkm9oUs7HUBGMq5zhNgQ68GTcuw7rcG8Ty5WTIbzhxUReSk0Dd1g/s320/DSC02776.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Paramahansa Yogananda </i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">A bit more on that -</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Paramahansa Yogananda </span><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">is one of the most well known yogis in the Western world, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Yogi-Paramahansa-Yogananda/dp/0876120834?ie=UTF8&tag=naorshigo-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Autobiography of a Yogi </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=naorshigo-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0876120834" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />and founder of the <a href="http://www.yogananda-srf.org/">Self Realization Fellowship, </a>headquartered up in the hills of Pasadena where our carful of yogis accidentally went first (oops!). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hD-8uPqEov2s9rymI_UjtZen6tfmD8m1orm0NocTcXWPcJ1BpFdwR1BkfZawgKgy1PLyLKJPNFN2rLBo5gZUKXBVbTV5P4cOBJa8X79obbD-yE277eL3vu3VY1aEfdhQbf0SZ6BDy64/s1600/DSC02781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hD-8uPqEov2s9rymI_UjtZen6tfmD8m1orm0NocTcXWPcJ1BpFdwR1BkfZawgKgy1PLyLKJPNFN2rLBo5gZUKXBVbTV5P4cOBJa8X79obbD-yE277eL3vu3VY1aEfdhQbf0SZ6BDy64/s1600/DSC02781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hD-8uPqEov2s9rymI_UjtZen6tfmD8m1orm0NocTcXWPcJ1BpFdwR1BkfZawgKgy1PLyLKJPNFN2rLBo5gZUKXBVbTV5P4cOBJa8X79obbD-yE277eL3vu3VY1aEfdhQbf0SZ6BDy64/s320/DSC02781.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">There's also a Lake Shrine Temple up in the Pacific Palisades, an idyllic manmade lake, where a few dozen of our training group had the opportunity to participate in a service (which we missed...see above), and hear from one of the monks about Yogananda's teachings, which are mostly around the oneness of all religions - I liked the metaphor the monk shared of a lamp with many flames, where each flame is a different concept or incarnation of the idea of god, but they're all fed by the same oil. We also walked around the lake in the sun. Gorgeous!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0tuYbI1j6hzXl2mJNly_v_N-uqN0WH4rrViVAKShAwc-7BmlKMh2yWxslrkggOK8AzXX2MgilWZFU75ta686H5692oJjJ9cI9H0v_wSi6EshZvHgN4Z_B0j9tWCPOZ0eWAV2mnLx9Ks/s1600/DSC02802.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0tuYbI1j6hzXl2mJNly_v_N-uqN0WH4rrViVAKShAwc-7BmlKMh2yWxslrkggOK8AzXX2MgilWZFU75ta686H5692oJjJ9cI9H0v_wSi6EshZvHgN4Z_B0j9tWCPOZ0eWAV2mnLx9Ks/s320/DSC02802.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMOSZ-y2uNzRH4-vpBC9U_BH2PNr246USWG_kjlTW044irIhvkBLqLV6sajP9-QuZav56-thVHy3tuOILfShm4uW1_lkl7BL6UVwZ7LRYDsot6g6jA45vVZSsDBYsXT5J4YGGVhrXYN4/s1600/DSC02801.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMOSZ-y2uNzRH4-vpBC9U_BH2PNr246USWG_kjlTW044irIhvkBLqLV6sajP9-QuZav56-thVHy3tuOILfShm4uW1_lkl7BL6UVwZ7LRYDsot6g6jA45vVZSsDBYsXT5J4YGGVhrXYN4/s320/DSC02801.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kelly might look a </span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;">little</span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> more badass with Bikram's watch on... </span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">Bikram decided not to travel for the rest of the training so we've had a LOT of late nights, long lectures, and showings of Bollywood movies and the televised Mahabarata (with the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOBi6gDIaNg">best special effects ever created for the small screen</a>). And without posture clinics we also had a number of guest speakers, from the relevant to the random, from Karen the new nurse (we get a new nurse every week, and this week there's no nurse - what are we DOING to them?), to Dr. Tracy's talk on <i>Yoga, Aging and Neuromuscular Function</i>, to Dr. Choudhury (no relation to Bikram), a renowned gynocologist(? I know, right?), to Rajashree's lecture on yoga therapy.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqogJ_DDizPDVnbscbH1E2y9AMpTniU18oJ2u05VqlMts3_OACX88NmkYYgUuHIkbPC0AVVbo2s7Tqbz4D-BEnZi8dnZxoe9F09NNOjdF5PSAJ_JROpLzWnlTBFkJxajbCwEWcaVtW5A/s1600/DSC02809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqogJ_DDizPDVnbscbH1E2y9AMpTniU18oJ2u05VqlMts3_OACX88NmkYYgUuHIkbPC0AVVbo2s7Tqbz4D-BEnZi8dnZxoe9F09NNOjdF5PSAJ_JROpLzWnlTBFkJxajbCwEWcaVtW5A/s320/DSC02809.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Mission Yoga crew!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">My favorite quote of Week Seven, courtesy of Rajashree: "I know you are tired, and my voice is very lullaby, and my subject is very boring, and you will fall asleep right away." Her gentleness is a fascinating contrast to Bikram's brashness, but she can still kick our butts in yoga class...Lisa, one of the senior staff, also sat onstage to tell us every detail about graduation and, I kid you not, read everyone's name out loud to ask them how to pronounce it. All 430. That was painful. And yes, in three days...I'll be a teacher training graduate!</span><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgFIcAhzNybV_FEyITkrMbSEYMPFFNOUgW4IqjhzDkROXAReFBh9HA703KzhgQCgxRaNoOYfsZuBByAny8GY6ackpZiWjlfv7mDqG23N0HsJrORDeaFXwXqafLBr1gGWT6nTjhoE_F6o/s1600/DSC02819.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgFIcAhzNybV_FEyITkrMbSEYMPFFNOUgW4IqjhzDkROXAReFBh9HA703KzhgQCgxRaNoOYfsZuBByAny8GY6ackpZiWjlfv7mDqG23N0HsJrORDeaFXwXqafLBr1gGWT6nTjhoE_F6o/s320/DSC02819.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Papaya King in Hollywood! </i></span><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGVcrCmf_8FA9226IbvlmZpd2edpI1-kshWLP63NT5DcCEploBKyS8j42vKqB88GwzBpjUiAr73PcdGwuwIvT2AiCsjUjqUi3FxPu7ReTzKfnHpjQgP8BTLD2LBoNXvFZC1BuzRdbxgc/s1600/DSC02835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGVcrCmf_8FA9226IbvlmZpd2edpI1-kshWLP63NT5DcCEploBKyS8j42vKqB88GwzBpjUiAr73PcdGwuwIvT2AiCsjUjqUi3FxPu7ReTzKfnHpjQgP8BTLD2LBoNXvFZC1BuzRdbxgc/s320/DSC02835.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Sunset over Manhattan Beach</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">As things start to wrap up, my body is thrilled to by its impending break from twice daily classes and long hours with my butt in a hotel chair, and I'm looking forward to getting my first few classes underway (Wednesday June 22 in Avondale, AZ at 12pm, as I mentioned, and Tuesday, June 28th at 8:15am at Mission Yoga! Mark your calendars!)...but I'm also not quite ready to leave the yoga bubble and go back to the real world. Can we give it another week, maybe?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms9ztiF0hpFeqqQA2manO9OyyUUe_8Y-1VxTto0yCpjDUbgOa-RovgOMBVmgmTlUke8Hb3YvlkRqPKVkdeM2WtHxj25hYxgtNY9YIxLqgLLmAFft-cOZ6tcuWmJ2XXgcy4FUhh2uvP7w/s1600/DSCN3193+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms9ztiF0hpFeqqQA2manO9OyyUUe_8Y-1VxTto0yCpjDUbgOa-RovgOMBVmgmTlUke8Hb3YvlkRqPKVkdeM2WtHxj25hYxgtNY9YIxLqgLLmAFft-cOZ6tcuWmJ2XXgcy4FUhh2uvP7w/s320/DSCN3193+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Underwater camera fun!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;"><i> </i> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1678613117" style="font-size: small;">Looking forward to sharing stories about my last week with you, hopefully it'll be a little more exciting - and I'll be sure to continue updating this blog even after training, and let you know how life as a teacher transpires. Thanks for reading!</span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-58187253298496888952011-06-01T02:17:00.000-07:002011-06-01T10:24:40.611-07:00Week Six: Portraits, Pointing and Pizza (or lack thereof)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ba-ry1vfDsUypSavQNDWAaAshlhLnkT_nWLfgbM7MuitaQrqdOsnYsbX_VTzKm325k8dyA_-3XdO6EdpnlCr3NcKE4Z3AMScCQSRQfl9Pxwc0b0_9zL5Um4EPYfnPSSBaouDT8ykRR0/s1600/DSC02721.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_271580850" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRuZOIAfqKJ_7ZQFVDCFIRFgo7XXEbigfgEoxpgLahvjy0H7Zpsdjyx2OwfA2x7CLJoSxniMQd6i4fFNct8z8fA1bk-SgGKrla-u-DvGIcM7d8MWBke-TzL8kNGwpde_wK8ILHFHsGrE/s320/DSC02718.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ba-ry1vfDsUypSavQNDWAaAshlhLnkT_nWLfgbM7MuitaQrqdOsnYsbX_VTzKm325k8dyA_-3XdO6EdpnlCr3NcKE4Z3AMScCQSRQfl9Pxwc0b0_9zL5Um4EPYfnPSSBaouDT8ykRR0/s1600/DSC02721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here we are, already two days into Week Seven and I'm already behind! Even though its late and I am fried from post-Posture Clinic study group, I will spend the next 52 minutes providing you, my loyal readers, with a few quick updates.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Week Six is generally known as the week when hormones rage, tempers boil over, meltdown frequency increases, and everyone's emotions are at a fever pitch. But believe it or not I have stayed shockingly stable, beyond the giggle fits and the fact that my sense of humor is now that of a 13-year-old boy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_271580850" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ba-ry1vfDsUypSavQNDWAaAshlhLnkT_nWLfgbM7MuitaQrqdOsnYsbX_VTzKm325k8dyA_-3XdO6EdpnlCr3NcKE4Z3AMScCQSRQfl9Pxwc0b0_9zL5Um4EPYfnPSSBaouDT8ykRR0/s320/DSC02721.JPG" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yogi Beach Party at Venice Beach! </span></i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">In class one day the teacher asked<b> "how many people here haven't had their meltdown yet?" </b>There was one Posture Clinic in Week Six where I had a bit of a cry after I didn't deliver my dialogue like I wanted to, but when I got back to the room Kelly said "if it makes you feel any better, I cried for half an hour watching <i>So You Think You Can Dance</i> this afternoon. I was just so happy for them following their dreams...!" Clearly that bit of cry does not count as meltdown material. So I feel some trepidation...but in general, still happy.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">And after six weeks all the <b>strange habits and bizarre aspects</b> of training start to feel very normal. Waking up early so I can chug water and eat a Trader Joes fig bar, then go back to sleep? Normal. Getting sprayed with sweat from the dude taking class next to you? Or worse, the girl walking over you AFTER class? Normal. Peeling someone else's hair off your sweaty leg in class? Normal. Peeing on your yoga mat during class? NOT NORMAL (but supposedly, it occured).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZV2xti_E5Uiuqy7CIC0NbQk5m1EHO-qaTDsK9QLmf_NnDESc6Ocjkh3WkWW2tCfU9_NQTgNU7LPuu5s_Gvj-mtrjymQCBEhtTJINUNYdVYVyI8mgrrA1U_EM_1VxtE4fAyYH322-hnUI/s1600/DSC02741.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZV2xti_E5Uiuqy7CIC0NbQk5m1EHO-qaTDsK9QLmf_NnDESc6Ocjkh3WkWW2tCfU9_NQTgNU7LPuu5s_Gvj-mtrjymQCBEhtTJINUNYdVYVyI8mgrrA1U_EM_1VxtE4fAyYH322-hnUI/s320/DSC02741.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Portrait of Kelly's Cousin Kristin as We Wait for Burgers, #1 </i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">by Kelly Sheridan</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Posture Clinics </b>were twice a day more often than not in Week Six, meaning that we met and learned from guest teachers from all over the world. Some of my favorite Posture Clinic leads were: Nicole from Phoenix, Arizona, who really spoke to what a lot of us were going through when she said "at the end of training, I thought - I'm less flexible, I've gained weight, and NOW I'm going to teach yoga?!";<br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">and Jena from NYC, who you may recall from <a href="http://namasteorshouldigo.blogspot.com/2011/03/giving-up-to-live-it-up-22-days-to.html">a long-ago post</a>, and who not only led two of my posture clinics (where I learned the value of POINTING DOWN as I talk so my sentences? don't go up? at the end?), but also taught a fantastic yoga class. What I love about her teaching style (and hope someday to emulate) is that even though she uses mostly dialogue, the words we've been hearing and learning and delivering for six weeks now, she is just so focused and right there with you - you never feel like she's reciting words on a page. Another good Bikram quote courtesy of Jena:<b> "You can be perfect, or you can be great - your choice."</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5AaSvz8yMhUGFTV4b72WaXR0aNGoRqVwe9vWImBUJ5x90LzWUXvBoAaVlqtndgptPKcdSe9IaHllwmB36t1-ZWb80TiNY59sak2uILKmnL7XJRqdvlPZgI5xt6n-X2LTY5aL3Qa4Rrs/s1600/DSC02743.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5AaSvz8yMhUGFTV4b72WaXR0aNGoRqVwe9vWImBUJ5x90LzWUXvBoAaVlqtndgptPKcdSe9IaHllwmB36t1-ZWb80TiNY59sak2uILKmnL7XJRqdvlPZgI5xt6n-X2LTY5aL3Qa4Rrs/s320/DSC02743.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Portrait of Kelly's Cousin Kristin </i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>as We Wait for Burgers, #2 </i>by Chris Hingel</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Did I talk about <b>makeup classes </b>yet? If you miss a class or lecture (or go, but are late/forget to sign in) you have to take an 11am class right after the 8am class on Saturday. But </span><span style="font-size: small;">makeup classes are like mini yoga vacations - the temperature is balmy, the class size is tiny, and you're in and out in no time, so while precious Saturday time is whittled down, I'm okay with the occasional makeup. B</span><span style="font-size: small;">ut the tragic part is, this week I decided to sleep through a morning class and it turned out that was the class taught by Julia from Mission Yoga! Tragedy, and lesson learned.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_aQu1eFnxZOpnx2qb-Rws2LywqY898UVOTKU9ZjJepMen1BU6tvL0xdHCA8shB9OTr8U4uzsAMb3n_VN6zJoZuwcQEm493CgCgaN9YLnPKC6mKyC6CK6XjMZt_htqMt-kDdlC16Y5aQ/s1600/DSC02731.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IzLKIA2xUpTJB0MIa-3PCw_JkGLm1MoKOGcQfFSnC_3pSkh_uiiJYFenWg4bSy39z22hmRrCG5hl_clqggnVRBcGmfIr_zxxAJ1rV0tfqvwwWlOcyO-BXi3buPw0kESAufEb_Hm7NTE/s320/DSC02740.JPG" width="320" /> </span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kelly's cousin Kristin sitting for her portrait at <a href="http://umamiburger.com/">Umami Burger</a></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
We had two lectures by a massage therapist/bodyworker/natural health aficionado named <b>Jon Burras</b>, who was quite the character. He believes that the health of your fascia, the connective tissue of the body, is the key to physical/emotional health. I'm not saying this man loves fascia, but he DID say the word "fascia" 213 times in three hours (someone counted). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
One thing that Jon said really stuck with me though: <b>"if you stay committed to your limitations, you get to keep them." </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4oqOK_asyla7M5Kyyz5hf89GymkLGL0NpZ99TuxhjPRbhhK9gimBKCHRD7vP-5FY3CqP2Iy_JMQYBwgpr-CD7juE-ikB9jG4iU8K_XnBCP96vDISj-UB4urDESfV7lJVV54Ai8ImPYM/s1600/DSC02735.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4oqOK_asyla7M5Kyyz5hf89GymkLGL0NpZ99TuxhjPRbhhK9gimBKCHRD7vP-5FY3CqP2Iy_JMQYBwgpr-CD7juE-ikB9jG4iU8K_XnBCP96vDISj-UB4urDESfV7lJVV54Ai8ImPYM/s320/DSC02735.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_271580913"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jumpinginphotos.blogspot.com/"><i>But I used to be so GOOD at taking jumping pictures!</i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Did I mention that sometimes training is like being in high school? So late Thursday into Friday, <b>rumors</b> started going around. Rumors that Bikram was going to give us Friday night off, because we were doing so well in dialogue...no wait, he's giving us the night off AND he's giving us a pizza party! These rumors were so widespread that they simply HAD to be based in truth. We didn't want to get our hopes up, but just in case, plans were made and joy was felt...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">...and subsequently dashed when, after a class that started with a staff member dance party (I mean, c'mon...the staff is in a good mood for a REASON, right? A pizza-related reason?) Michon got on the mike to announce "Posture Clinic...be in your rooms by 8:55" and the whole room groaned and booed in unison. Michon must've been flabbergasted. What I want to know is...who started that dirty, dirty rumor?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4LZzIqtECwD9P6eIUkKHhkwWrOOJyXYLUDzigKVB1zKajsWxwFPgdzFVUto8nOBvJrcAzdohpQy9e5DXJhpAQUTEDGJRMJRZXskNlFv4Bi-I3J3Ogy-PCEZHlI0acTFMd1O83rs3wr0/s1600/DSC02717.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4LZzIqtECwD9P6eIUkKHhkwWrOOJyXYLUDzigKVB1zKajsWxwFPgdzFVUto8nOBvJrcAzdohpQy9e5DXJhpAQUTEDGJRMJRZXskNlFv4Bi-I3J3Ogy-PCEZHlI0acTFMd1O83rs3wr0/s320/DSC02717.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Patrizia enjoying the sun</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">But the weekend more than made up for it. A yogi beach party with live music and 40 - 50 people crowded onto Venice Beach...studying dialogue in a hot tub...delicious burgers and sweet potato fries in Santa Monica...how did I get so lucky? You mean I have to go back to the real world in three weeks?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I miss and love you all...and can't wait to start teaching! (hopefully that's not when my meltdown finally occurs...)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. I leave you with Kelly's brave dip into the ocean (while the rest of us sat on the beach in coverups and hoodies) and her triumphant return, Bo Derek style.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRuZOIAfqKJ_7ZQFVDCFIRFgo7XXEbigfgEoxpgLahvjy0H7Zpsdjyx2OwfA2x7CLJoSxniMQd6i4fFNct8z8fA1bk-SgGKrla-u-DvGIcM7d8MWBke-TzL8kNGwpde_wK8ILHFHsGrE/s1600/DSC02718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkB2DaB52Ck0y8XBrkMuoOd3_gW7vyWVYFb_ITFNUhslZGYOtPJB0X8a-8fkJe7dHxXQ4I_jOThafXc6H2dKgQ9VEnDr3vTYs-OaurABNOuJHvnI3MbAoO_kkcP04HBkMkuXe556xUpsg/s1600/DSC02727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkB2DaB52Ck0y8XBrkMuoOd3_gW7vyWVYFb_ITFNUhslZGYOtPJB0X8a-8fkJe7dHxXQ4I_jOThafXc6H2dKgQ9VEnDr3vTYs-OaurABNOuJHvnI3MbAoO_kkcP04HBkMkuXe556xUpsg/s320/DSC02727.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_aQu1eFnxZOpnx2qb-Rws2LywqY898UVOTKU9ZjJepMen1BU6tvL0xdHCA8shB9OTr8U4uzsAMb3n_VN6zJoZuwcQEm493CgCgaN9YLnPKC6mKyC6CK6XjMZt_htqMt-kDdlC16Y5aQ/s1600/DSC02731.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_aQu1eFnxZOpnx2qb-Rws2LywqY898UVOTKU9ZjJepMen1BU6tvL0xdHCA8shB9OTr8U4uzsAMb3n_VN6zJoZuwcQEm493CgCgaN9YLnPKC6mKyC6CK6XjMZt_htqMt-kDdlC16Y5aQ/s320/DSC02731.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-72456871618612439672011-05-23T11:36:00.000-07:002011-05-23T11:36:27.062-07:00Weeks Four and Five: Dreadlocks, Decisions, and Steak Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UJUh8hlo6H1wvLZC72G-OpeseZnBHtXVLClsYeX3UGrTRCt2N9zygst0tttbkjKLQQf63DwzNfySlSGqVwiBrcst_wgnOwL-XnWryeIZ6d8K3yvn9vDMhblJm1E9ZjDb4RAPDFxnW8Q/s1600/DSC02705.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UJUh8hlo6H1wvLZC72G-OpeseZnBHtXVLClsYeX3UGrTRCt2N9zygst0tttbkjKLQQf63DwzNfySlSGqVwiBrcst_wgnOwL-XnWryeIZ6d8K3yvn9vDMhblJm1E9ZjDb4RAPDFxnW8Q/s320/DSC02705.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i>How could you not love Kelly's face in this photo?</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So here I am, kicking off Week Six, and I genuinely have not had a spare two hours to put together a coherent blog post. The speed of posture clinics has picked up, meaning that we need to memorize and deliver a new posture an average of once a day, and as a result weekends are the only times available to catch up on studying, do laundry, food shopping, and okay, watch the 11pm episode of the ridiculous over-the-top HBO show<i> Game of Thrones </i>to which Kelly and I are totally addicted. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But I'm sure you're ALL waiting with bated breath for an update, so I'll just share a few snapshots and thoughts and see how far I can get in the next 37 minutes. If I suck at delivering Wind Removing Pose, I blame you all!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4q5rX2_o2L_wI0msd8_bifgvmTxhns95qYgQy6xaZUxRJEpu3SngyTOgZyO2wsRU7qJ5oL-_GaXe-qX5GqZHYSP1Dz0j88iMBvJ1mhjZEWNL7q0nvDUP3ZO3bFrmpM05hV_JFUn0nfo/s1600/DSC02699.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4q5rX2_o2L_wI0msd8_bifgvmTxhns95qYgQy6xaZUxRJEpu3SngyTOgZyO2wsRU7qJ5oL-_GaXe-qX5GqZHYSP1Dz0j88iMBvJ1mhjZEWNL7q0nvDUP3ZO3bFrmpM05hV_JFUn0nfo/s320/DSC02699.JPG" width="320" /> </a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Another great photo face courtesy of Julian, who didn't know we were still taking photos.</i> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Week Four </b>was a settling in sort of week. I formed a great little study group, my classes were generally strong, I figured out a hydration method that works, and I started to feel like I could do this forever. There's something very freeing about giving up control of your day to day life towards a larger goal - I decide when and what to eat, when and how to study, what to wear, and everything else is pretty much going with the flow, doing what I'm told, not knowing until late in the day whether I'll spend the night delivering dialogue or listening to a lecture or watching a move till 2AM. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
And eventually you stop getting frustrated or antsy or judgmental or whatever and genuinely TRUST THE PROCESS, a phrase that's frequently invoked whenever we start to wonder whether anyone knows what the heck is going on. I feel great!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9Y9AYn4RjByLgOAwGnHfyE1VeubVXAAcpFE8IaDb_0kgPqm97sM0whoogmM8U7sRkwN4iiHbfhUfUPaUiaQ-rXr7T0bQY9uA1Z8zPhVJtXhonQQXdYmahkqaWIrYZofDXeFlpMJVwI0/s1600/DSC02688.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9Y9AYn4RjByLgOAwGnHfyE1VeubVXAAcpFE8IaDb_0kgPqm97sM0whoogmM8U7sRkwN4iiHbfhUfUPaUiaQ-rXr7T0bQY9uA1Z8zPhVJtXhonQQXdYmahkqaWIrYZofDXeFlpMJVwI0/s320/DSC02688.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tiny aquarium at the end of the Pier in Manhattan Beach. </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You can go there while doing your laundry!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Week Five</b> was when my composure started to flake. I found myself in fits of giggles, or acting like a five-year-old ("but I don't WANNA study!"). I got really, really excited about little stuff like drinking chocolate milk or when we got almost everyone in our posture clinic group to say "Present" instead of "Here" during roll call. We had a fantastic class from a guest teacher in San Antonio, TX named Lisa, who not only had us do a "yee-haw" sit-up, which was so much fun, but put on "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LanCLS_hIo4">Three Little Birds</a>" by Bob Marley during final savasana, and as a room full of 430+ people began to sing "Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing, is gonna be alright" I finally had a good yoga class cry.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEvHRdG-ti_-TGivY6U8LrzdjJV_8NKnl65tf8Fh6ZZUt-2F3iEaEqt1rTqGsrFjA7YA-NRHSZumgnMYtva-3T9jwn9SjG4Qmt4LwD1rNMQHvl8pF_c3ZXszma5oy_5cR1XGGI0V7f5U/s1600/DSC02692.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEvHRdG-ti_-TGivY6U8LrzdjJV_8NKnl65tf8Fh6ZZUt-2F3iEaEqt1rTqGsrFjA7YA-NRHSZumgnMYtva-3T9jwn9SjG4Qmt4LwD1rNMQHvl8pF_c3ZXszma5oy_5cR1XGGI0V7f5U/s320/DSC02692.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sunset from the Manhattan Beach Pier. Laundry's almost dry!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b>J<b>ohn Salvatore from Las Vegas</b> taught a hilarious and fantastic class. When he had us all in Standing Bow, the room was utterly silent but for the gentle rain sound of everyone sweating. He's the star of <i>Jersey Boys, s</i>o he's a performer and entertainer who kept us laughing and delighted the whole class, but he was also just a warm and instructive personality. I'll be in Vegas the weekend after training ends, believe it or not, so I really hope I'll get another chance to take his class.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
During John's class I was right beside his podium when a girl behind me started sobbing - these terrible, heart-wrenching sobs. I wanted to reach back and hug her but I've learned that a lot of the time, the people crying in class or crying in the halls or crying in posture clinic (and there is a lot of cryin' going on here) just want to be left the hell alone. So I held back. Then John ended his class, climbed down off the podium, and without hesitation wrapped this girl in a big hug and started to reassure her and it was beautiful. And I thought "I don't know what people want, what would help, unless I ask."</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLk4r_iGHjNZNPCIT4iEhV6fwEBRJlHMUjQF0ms-yYPQ2vbXEsetGH8tg8DHChoEcpi51jKN4k7t1chN9Vl0n-ImtML1KC-y937pfJ3v1CTUKvvcsoppwR35m_Ksj6PhBep3bBpcviQWk/s1600/DSC02683.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLk4r_iGHjNZNPCIT4iEhV6fwEBRJlHMUjQF0ms-yYPQ2vbXEsetGH8tg8DHChoEcpi51jKN4k7t1chN9Vl0n-ImtML1KC-y937pfJ3v1CTUKvvcsoppwR35m_Ksj6PhBep3bBpcviQWk/s320/DSC02683.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We closed out Week Four with a steak dinner at <a href="http://www.555east.com/">555 East</a> in Long Beach...SO worth it.</i> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of my favorite Posture Clinic leaders thus far was Juan, who called my dialogue delivery <b>"relatively satisfying"</b> (my study buddy Chris was "overall, very promising!" No fair!) and taught another fantastic, fast-paced class in which he told the following joke:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Q: Why are short people aggressive?<br />
A: Their balls are closer to their brains.<br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hahahaha! Oh my god, I really am regressing in age.<br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIO-XtbWMVO7guk257sjW4UJIDuDnnKxtgo6bYptW9J6EdnuZPwNXIyrW52P_a6VmtYtNsIq7U7ElRuruujPaADg-JsB_RQDE9Kwl5Mr_XAxGPzAV-RPrbissUdW-ootT0GDYOn-IMIVs/s1600/DSC02708.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIO-XtbWMVO7guk257sjW4UJIDuDnnKxtgo6bYptW9J6EdnuZPwNXIyrW52P_a6VmtYtNsIq7U7ElRuruujPaADg-JsB_RQDE9Kwl5Mr_XAxGPzAV-RPrbissUdW-ootT0GDYOn-IMIVs/s320/DSC02708.JPG" width="240" /> </a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This place was in </i>Inception<i>! We went to the Annenberg Center for Photography yesterday.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>I had my best class of training ever in Week Five.</b> I've mentioned my new idol Emmy Cleaves before. Usually she walks around the room for the first half of the class, correcting as she goes. You have no idea where she is in the room until suddenly she's right behind you, saying "shoulders back. Shoulders BACK. You need to get out of la-la land!" Then she sits in the back of the room for the floor series.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Point being, she hates the podium and never uses it. So morning class Thursday, I set up right in front of the podium so I could see myself in the mirror. And Emmy decided that day to stay on the podium the whole class. And it was the BEST CLASS EVER. I have NEVER been so focused or worked so hard, because I knew the minute I let up, didn't give it my all, Emmy would know and call me out on it (and she did, several times). It was amazing.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Of course, night class Thursday was brutal, as I was basically broken and have never been so tired and sore, but it was worth it to remind myself how much further I can go when I really try.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fsKBKJ8qIdD4BDgvYZJwfvryvH6W9jZzuFPwwa0K8DP5fqyajFPdt31EC_OUIDzwuD5z0tVx-2p71CBXm0PB59ToKqP7KFSDR1hninzkTuChRBG-So60Yjtx8UgdGh139_RLfgFmS_Q/s1600/DSC02695.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fsKBKJ8qIdD4BDgvYZJwfvryvH6W9jZzuFPwwa0K8DP5fqyajFPdt31EC_OUIDzwuD5z0tVx-2p71CBXm0PB59ToKqP7KFSDR1hninzkTuChRBG-So60Yjtx8UgdGh139_RLfgFmS_Q/s320/DSC02695.JPG" width="240" /></a> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Kelly's dreads BEFORE I drove her to South Los Angeles for three hours of tightening...</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UMlwhjdKmOW6Z4-HOVLiRBrWz3RVKJpkS32YDSUQhnJYUVSKozhwfJbAxbCQVrbXxP1QJuOLeX6NOmH2YDUQlx7Oy2Kf_dYQfrfz1VyIagEiSVKnh9N9lmNxiTP1p_LTTdOnKhskcLk/s1600/DSC02698.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3UMlwhjdKmOW6Z4-HOVLiRBrWz3RVKJpkS32YDSUQhnJYUVSKozhwfJbAxbCQVrbXxP1QJuOLeX6NOmH2YDUQlx7Oy2Kf_dYQfrfz1VyIagEiSVKnh9N9lmNxiTP1p_LTTdOnKhskcLk/s320/DSC02698.JPG" width="240" /> </a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And AFTER. What a difference!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh, one last but important thing! W<b>eek Five was the week Bikram finally noticed both me and Kelly. </b> For me, it was in class, where I was set up just to his right, so I was paying close attention. I was regaining some of my lost flexibility that day, which was a delightful surprise, but when I got to Locust Pose the flexibility was DEFINITELY not there. And of course, that's when I heard it: "You! Miss Tattoo! ... Clock Tattoo! Your legs are coming up not at all!" Uh oh. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Then he climbs down from the podium during second set, grabs up my foot, says "see? your foot is HERE at my knee" - yanks it up - "it needs to be HERE - at my waist! Got it?" It was awesome. And scary. And scary awesome.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
For Kelly, it was in lecture. He notices her in the front row, walks over to her with a mischievous smile, picks up a dread, and says "What is this?" He then told us a story about how the yogis who meditate in caves would grow long dreadlocks, but the fake yogis would grow dreadlocks out of their bum - or something like that. I don't know. It was awesome. And bizarre. And awesomely bizarre.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
That's it for now folks, I need to go remove some wind! (also known as Wind Removing Pose).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Thanks again for your love, support, and comments. See you in Week Seven!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4q5rX2_o2L_wI0msd8_bifgvmTxhns95qYgQy6xaZUxRJEpu3SngyTOgZyO2wsRU7qJ5oL-_GaXe-qX5GqZHYSP1Dz0j88iMBvJ1mhjZEWNL7q0nvDUP3ZO3bFrmpM05hV_JFUn0nfo/s1600/DSC02699.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtrVgCEaVzDdWX4u-txgFRR0WL7OiWEeA3Zd-SunO-dReSe-2kyqooL1P5sh9N3KkCyHtcJQ3UdqHjsGpVWsbKtjrDsvvNUY2OdTkjcRSTzvdafEO93Eeh9vAkQxIDnsB60Ld-IikNDE/s1600/DSC02706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtrVgCEaVzDdWX4u-txgFRR0WL7OiWEeA3Zd-SunO-dReSe-2kyqooL1P5sh9N3KkCyHtcJQ3UdqHjsGpVWsbKtjrDsvvNUY2OdTkjcRSTzvdafEO93Eeh9vAkQxIDnsB60Ld-IikNDE/s320/DSC02706.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i>Need the most sugary sugar high of all time? </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Do a week of 11 yoga classes and then eat one of these suckers.</i></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672359654132219164.post-32227355289173228292011-05-10T00:50:00.000-07:002011-05-10T16:24:42.211-07:00Week Three: in which I am SO THIRSTY (but life is good!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0JSskTIJ9Fb3YqB2eJgmw4WeIQksgqQsm2P7hE7_xYI4BWXd0WDWhgr1JR-yR05N03mvI0bhz4wJTmtKgNtxA9KJ_YD7sYzUNJ7RJ_aJ8JI7er2qaHxaPP08IJt-_8NfQ-a8Lgsicyc/s1600/DSC02639_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0JSskTIJ9Fb3YqB2eJgmw4WeIQksgqQsm2P7hE7_xYI4BWXd0WDWhgr1JR-yR05N03mvI0bhz4wJTmtKgNtxA9KJ_YD7sYzUNJ7RJ_aJ8JI7er2qaHxaPP08IJt-_8NfQ-a8Lgsicyc/s320/DSC02639_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Week 2 may have crawled by at a snail's pace, but Week 3 went by FAST! I think this was mostly due to all the changes - we broke into smaller groups of about 20 each (<i>yeah Group 8!!</i>) and spent a few hours each day with one of the other groups and several visiting teachers, who listened to us deliver dialogue and gave feedback. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Posture Clinics alternated with Anatomy lectures by the incomparable Dr. Jim Preddy (Dr. P). Bikram was out of town so most nights we were in bed by midnight (shocking!), and his wife <a href="http://www.bikramyoga.com/Rajashree/rajashree.php">Rajashree</a> taught almost every day. Lots of changes - lots of strong classes - lots of studying - it's been a good week! Here's a few highlights/lowlights/points of interest:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRB2nACrXz6ZMHwAgVVxvapNXNtJeTjMTvraSiOWrQTFgokbUeqX-zNLgHCI3JRbwVzXL2TZCnGrOn4GVzAGX-KQfzA0NrAMkUrelv4O4P35rcRL5d3sFUYaVGS7E9SYl840Avi0G2_tY/s1600/anatomegummi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRB2nACrXz6ZMHwAgVVxvapNXNtJeTjMTvraSiOWrQTFgokbUeqX-zNLgHCI3JRbwVzXL2TZCnGrOn4GVzAGX-KQfzA0NrAMkUrelv4O4P35rcRL5d3sFUYaVGS7E9SYl840Avi0G2_tY/s320/anatomegummi.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Anatomy is Cool</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b>All you really need to know about Anatomy lectures is that Dr. Preddy is sheer brilliance. He is funny, clever, endearing, and makes anatomy not only understandable, but FASCINATING! He paces around like a stand up comedian, interspersing his lectures with anecdotes and jokes still relevant to the material. For example: "Passing out is God's way of making you lie down." The reason dogs seem to possess so many more human-like emotions? They have eyebrows, so their nonverbal communication is ten times that of cats (cats are still better...just sayin'. You don't see a cat having to be taken outside to poop three times a day.)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
At one point mid-week, a lot of people started asking him very specific questions about the effect of eleven classes a week on their body (i.e. "is it bad that my knee is swollen?" "why can't I turn my neck?" "what should I do about my back?") to which he would often respond, pointing to himself, "Anatomy. That is a yoga question. <i>(pointing to himself)</i> ANATOMY." </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
But finally, after one too many "why does it hurt because -", he told us something about teacher training that I think we can all relate to: "Look, this is hard stuff. You have to force your body to do this against it's will. It's unnatural, it's not normal...but it works. "</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I want Dr. P. to be my uncle or something so I can be around him all the time.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4jVYw609jXoMkfOH0b-mCrkA7pU5BsBP9Fg1gHS2UidR1j2kSEorhRujAcwkniR3-yopsckSRXXAnQXlpMN7SkZ0xN9LoTkEssHDNQYYcfMEYdDyMXE5UyEsxkA8HJhyphenhyphenF1hCWRI3vDc/s1600/thirsty_woman_loc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4jVYw609jXoMkfOH0b-mCrkA7pU5BsBP9Fg1gHS2UidR1j2kSEorhRujAcwkniR3-yopsckSRXXAnQXlpMN7SkZ0xN9LoTkEssHDNQYYcfMEYdDyMXE5UyEsxkA8HJhyphenhyphenF1hCWRI3vDc/s320/thirsty_woman_loc.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>Water is My Favorite Thing</b> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Week 3 is when hydration, always important in Bikram Yoga, started to occupy a higher percentage of my waking moments. As you know if you've been reading my blog, I'm not a dainty, dewy yogi in class - I'm more like <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/17115/x-men-one-less-human#s-p1-so-i0">this guy</a>. So it makes sense that if I'm doing way more sweaty yoga than usual, in a hotter than usual room, I'd need to bump up the water & electrolytes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But last week I was thirsty ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME. I've figured out that I drink around 6 - 8 liters of water a day, which seems like plenty, but I still spend the first ten minutes after every class standing in front of the bathroom sink just outside the yoga room, filling my water bottle and chugging it down and filling it again and chugging it down again and - I mean, I can't even wait ten minutes to get back to my room & my water filter? Oof. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
I also started giving in with startling frequency to the delirious joy that is an ice-cold Gatorade post-class. Joy joy joy joy for a thirsty lady. Then I started bringing Gatorade INTO class and whoa...suddenly I was able to power through the end of class and still put some strength into the last two poses instead of hanging out giving a little tug on my feet like a lazy bum. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The cons to bringing Gatorade AND a liter of water into class? I have a sloshy bellyful of water by the end of class, which can kind of get in the way...and (as I learned from Dr. P, of course) all that sugar can switch on my digestive system and make me suddenly, ravenously hungry. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also on Thursday my tummy got confused and upset (water! Gatorade! hungry! what's going on!? screw this!) and I had to run out of the room. My ego was all tied into the fact that I'd never left the room, so I was disappointed in myself for caving less than a third of the way through...but (say it with me!) it is what it is. So I definitely don't recommend a liter of water and Gatorade every class for most Bikramites, but for me and my training, right now it's what I need (although next week I'll experiment with watering it down...because Danielle NEVER leaves the room). </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_ah1BeFzeqezRJ5HdlihtMiENx25EAmZvk277V3esFHVzEPcLJZY8_I8CAmBrs5KueD2fglk8C-dtQIyP1fkclqCmxAyzeiW1NZ1MWBF5309gOnB4G8c49S45xzVaKDqw9y_IQcr69E/s1600/standinghead-to-knee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_ah1BeFzeqezRJ5HdlihtMiENx25EAmZvk277V3esFHVzEPcLJZY8_I8CAmBrs5KueD2fglk8C-dtQIyP1fkclqCmxAyzeiW1NZ1MWBF5309gOnB4G8c49S45xzVaKDqw9y_IQcr69E/s320/standinghead-to-knee.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Posture Clinics!</b> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's been a lot of fun to get to know new people in the smaller groups and get feedback from a variety of Bikram teachers and studio owners. Of course, the leaders of my third posture clinic were...Steve23 and Juicy! It was such a delight to see them, and they made everyone in my group smile, laugh, and learn something - I felt the sense of affection and pride that I guess sports fans have for their home team members (I can't think of the right analogy...you know, that sort of <i>aren't they awesome? You love them, don't you? They're my studio owners!</i> feeling<i>).</i> In any case, it was great.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They told me to stop rocking back and forth on my heels - my "homework" (every posture clinic you get homework) was to plant my feet. It seems that planting my feet moved the nervous energy up - the next time, I was told to loosen up my shoulders since they were too stiff, and to use my hands (by </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4a-swQhv64">this lovely woman</a> who has two kids! Can you believe it!? And <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xah9SL-hvs4">this</a> is her husband. Those kids must be bendy.)</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I'm just glad that my feedback so far is about my posture and delivery rather than my words - overall I'm doing well.</span></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rah Rah Rajashree!</b> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wanted to talk a bit about Rajashree - the perfect good cop to Bikram's bad cop, yet still tough as nails, prowling around like a cat on the podium, bending down to give corrections to people around her in her graceful, ageless way - but I seem to have wasted all my blogging time and space going on and on about Gatorade.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I will leave you with a Last but not Least...at the start of a lecture on pain Emmy, the incredible 86 year old teacher I mentioned last week, was wondering aloud about the setup of her podium and the fact that everyone couldn't see her demonstrations, but quickly threw up her hands and moved on, saying "It is what it is, I guess." A Paul Crik reference? I think yes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. Do I really laugh like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVcmzKsJsS8">this guy?</a></span></div>Daniellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15241858605137654621noreply@blogger.com4