I finally got the news I've been waiting for. I got home last night at around 10PM and found the letter confirming the oath taking date – June 25. I was jumping for joy last night. I even wanted to scream (Whoppeeeee!!!!) but I didn't want to wake up my neighbors. I've been waiting for this letter for the past 5 months or so. I can now get my passport after the oath taking and then I can get my Indian visa. I decided to set my departure date to August 23, give or take a day or two. I was really considering the Esalen massage workshop in September but that would mean I wouldn't get to Mysore until October. I'm dying to get to Mysore now so Esalen will have to wait. Now I feel like it's really happening. I'm excited and scared at the same time.
Yesterday I couldn't decide on where I wanted to go for lunch. I hate the food in Century City. It's not only disgusting but expensive too. I've worked in this area for over 2 years now and I felt this way the first week I started. Nothing has changed. Anyway, I was deciding on whether to drive 10 minutes to the Westside Pavilion and have some Indian food but for some reason I decided to go to Govinda's instead. Now Govinda's is less than 5 minutes from where I live but a good 20-minute drive from Century City. I haven't been there since Saturday so I thought it was time to go. I'm so glad I went there for lunch cause I bumped into Noah & Kimberly. I joined them of lunch and was able to talk to them about my trip to Mysore. It was really nice to talk to both of them outside the shala. Kimberly said that she is meeting some of the students after class this Sunday to give us information on Mysore. So I'm practicing in Silverlake this Sunday coz I want to get as much information as I can. I really like the fact that they both encourage their students to practice with Patabi Jois. I think a lot of teachers look at their students as their livelihood or possession and that practicing with someone else is not always encouraged. As teachers, they're very secure about themselves and I know for sure that I'm going to practice with them when I get back.
This morning's practice was pretty good. I woke up this morning really tired and was considering taking a day off. I forced myself to go anyway since I need to practice 6 days a week now. I've been doing 5 days a week for the past 3 months now and I feel like its time to go for 6. Jorgen wasn't in today so we had one of his assistants. I think tomorrow is his last day before he goes on tour with Madonna for 2 months. I guess when he gets back I'll be gone.
It's such a small world. I was getting my things together in the reception area after practice when this young lady sat beside me. She wasn't in my class so I assumed she was going in the next class. Anyway, I looked at her for a while and thought that she looked really familiar. The fact that she was cute made me look twice. I was talking to other people while she sat silently beside me. When my friends left, I took a long look at her again and then I remembered. She reminded me of this girl I had practiced yoga with about 6 or 7 years ago in Fort Lauderdale. She had just graduated from the University of Miami and was living in Fort Lauderdale. I remember talking to her in Fort Lauderdale a couple of times but we were more of an acquaintance. I finally decided to ask her if she used to practice Bikram in Fort Lauderdale and she said yes. She didn't remember me but I remembered her because she had one of those beautiful faces you can never forget minus the youthful glow. She still looked beautiful but there was this glow about her, which was no longer there. It was so strange to bump into her. Why??? I didn't even know her that well but I remembered her so vividly. Why???
I finally gave in. I was supposed to take a day off to clean my apartment. Between a full time job, 12 to 14 massages a week and practicing yoga 5 to 6 times a week, I really don't feel like cleaning my apartment. So this Saturday, I decided to pay a cleaning lady. I met her at the massage place that I pick up shifts in. I may eventually convince her to trade cleaning for massage. I'm only paying $35 for the cleaning and I charge much more than that for a massage. We'll see how it goes. I'm just looking forward to a clean apartment. I expect some private clients to come over soon so it's got to be clean.