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December 30, 2005
To Do List
-move to Toronto tomorrow without completely losing all patience with my mum
-move to Toronto tomorrow without yelling at the Guy
-i.e. successfully move to Toronto tomorrow
-make it to Yoga Sanctuary before 3 p.m. tomorrow so that I can get in on the "$99 for unlimited yoga in January" deal that expires tomorrow
-start my intership on Tuesday and make Peter Mansbridge fall in love with me
-marry Peter Mansbridge
-buy honey balls and baklava for dessert tomorrow night at The Model's house...because I live in Greek Town now!
-savour every last bubble of the Moet & Chandon that I bought for tomorrow night
-practise, practise, practise (post-new Year's)
-cleanse, cleanse, cleanse (also post-New Year's)
-now: pack, because I haven't started yet
Bonne Annee!
On my iPod: "Party Generation" --Dar Williams, "Paint's Peeling" --Rilo Kiley
Posted by alegato at 9:18 PM | Comments (1)
December 23, 2005
Last time I checked I was neither pretentious, nor a New Yorker.
As predicted, I was incredibly sore after class on Sunday. Like, every single muscle in my body hurt. That always shocks me about Ashtanga, even after all this time. When I'm back on the mat after some time off I catch myself thinking (while all warm and bendy and melting into my mat), "This doesn't seem so hard. I don't really feel like I'm over-exerting myself. There's no way this will make me sore." Cut to the following morning when I always, inevitably, have a hard time lifting my arm to turn my alarm off.
I decided the best way to beat the soreness was to get back on the mat. I took a primary class on Tuesday evening. It was the most of the series I've done in awhile, up to bada konasana. It made me feel like less of a yoga failure (I know, I know...non-attachment). Things went well. Katie asked me to demonstrate kurmasana for the class, and I actually managed it with straight legs, which shocked me. And she got me close to a bind in supta kurmasana, also surprising. My back was quite open in back bends too....so there is hope for my practice to make a come back in January when I'm living in Toronto.
Savasana was interesting. I was really overcome with emotion. It's definitely not the first time that's happened. But it's the first time it's happened in this way. Whereas, in the past, it's always happened when something sad or upsetting has been going on in my life, this time it was more that I was suddenly hit with this huge wave of gratitude for everything in my life. Right now everything is so wonderful.
Speaking of which, I'm in London right now visiting the Guy. We had a great night last night....Thai green curry, strawberries, champagne. Tonight: sushi and maybe a house party with some of his friends that I met last weekend.
I got an email from the Gay Husband today berating me for not emailing or calling him in the past week (since he's been in India we've been talking about twice a week, in addition to emailing). He blamed it on the new guy. Yeah, he's right....that and the fact that I've been too cheap to buy a new phonecard. Anyhow, he's in Mysore for Christmas (colour me jealous), and he's staying with a friend of his who's living in Mysore for the year and studying yoga. I'm not sure where she's studying, but I know it's not with Guruji, and I think it might not be Ashtanga. She practises Ashtanga, but I think that while she's in Mysore she's taking a teacher training in another form of yoga. All that to say, that her roommate isn't studying with Guruji either, and when the Gay Husband mentioned that I'd been there in 2003 and studied with Sharath, said roommate's reply was, "Only pretentious New Yorkers study with Guruji and Sharath." That reponse kind of upset me. I know that there's a lot of controversy surrounding how much Guruji charges, and the whole "is it right to profit from yoga?" issue that arises constantly in Mysore. HOWEVER, I really do take offence to someone judging and quantifying all those who study with Guruji as, "Pretentious New Yorkers." Is that really necessary? Why say anyting at all? And for the record, while I was in Mysore, I met a lot of New Yorkers who were practising with Guruji or Sharath, none of whom were pretentious.
Who I choose as my teacher is a very personal decision, but who others choose is none of my, or anyone else's, business.
I probably won't be posting between now and....I dunno....when I start my internship on the 3rd, maybe. The shala's closed and I'm going to be caught up in festivities. So happy holidays to one and all, and all the very, very best in 2006.
On my iPod: "Magic in the Air" --Badly Drawn Boy, "I Love You Anyways" --Travis, "Ball and Chain" --Martha Wainwright, "White Christmas" --Dean Martin
Posted by alegato at 1:26 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2005
A sad state of affairs
I finally practised today. This week has been busy to say the least. Last Sunday was my brother's 16th birthday. I was in Toronto on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning (I got the greatest apartment for January, while I'm in T.O. doing my internship). Thursday I had a dentist appointment, and then there was a snowstorm, which prevented me from going to Thursday evening or Friday morning practice. And I was in Toronto again Friday and Saturday.
So I made it to class this morning. It was Katie's Sunday "Freestyle Flow" class, which I've only been to once before and is basically an Ashtanga improv class. Oh my God, it kicked my ass. It was basically some hardcore improv sequences repeated over and over again that made me realise how totally out of yoga-shape I am. In that regard though, it was a great motivator. My bandhas were WEAK. My hamstrings were TIGHT. And my hips were anything but open. It felt great though. To be on the mat, breathing, sweating, stretching, without thinking, without daydreaming, just being there.
By the time I got home I was absolutely exhausted and wanted to do nothing but nap. However, my aunt and uncle came over for the first of three Christmas celebrations that I'm going to be a part of in the next week. So I ate too much and felt gross. Right now I'm finally relaxing. I just finished slathering myself with Tiger Balm and I can feel it starting to work its tingly magic. I want to be able to make it to an evening class tomorrow, but, that all depends on whether or not I'm able to move!
I've done a total 180 lately in terms of my lifestyle. I've been driving everywhere (because I live in London....stupid London). I've been drinking. I've been eating absolute CRAP (I think I've eaten more pizza in the last month than in the previous 3 years combined). So, it's time for a change. To that end, I ordered this book on Amazon today: Dr. Joshi's Holistic Detox. Has anyone done it? Loved it? Hated it? I'm not sure if I'll be disciplined enough to do a 21 day cleanse though. And by "not sure" I mean, certain. But, I figure I'll do my best. I feel like I've been treating my body so horribly lately that my usual 7 day cleanse just isn't going to cut it.
Anyhow, I'm really excited that I'm going to be in Toronto for January. I'm living in a WONDERFUL neighbourhood. My place is about 10 minutes from The Model's house. AND, it's across the street from an INCREDIBLE organic market/health food/products store, which is amazing, amazing news, especially given the lack of good health food stores in London. I'm going to be so spoiled in Toronto.
Speaking of spoiled, I had another wonderful weekend. The Guy had to go to Toronto for a trial, so he invited me to come in on Friday so that I could meet his friends. I did. And it was splendid. We went out for a delicious dinner, and spent the night hanging out at a pub with his friends and mine. All went well. And hanging out with all of our friends changed things. It really legitimized the whole thing (I mean, not that it wasn't legitimate before, but, I guess it made it kind of official). Things are going wonderfully and I'm very excited. But more than that, I'm very comfortable. Probably the most comfortable I've ever been at the beginning of a relationship, and that feels wonderful. I'm just entirely content and comsumed by happiness. It's going to be a good Christmas!
Also, just looking for some reassurance: it's normal to walk around with two Green & Black's chocolate bars in my purse at all times right? And the funny thing is, I'm not even a big chocolate person....those two bars will last me at least a month, but they're like, my security blanket. One caramel and one Maya gold....you never know which one you're going to crave. It's important to be prepared.
On my iPod: "The Zephyr Song" --Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Volcanos" --Damien Rice, "Baby, It's Cold Outside." --Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald
Posted by alegato at 11:30 PM | Comments (0)
December 9, 2005
School's out for......winter!
Yesterday was my last day of school until the second week of February! I'm terribly excited to have three weeks off now, and then a month of internship and a week in Ottawa before I head back to school.
I thought today would be a wonderful day to get up bright and early and practice and let all the stress go, but, other circumstances intervened...good circumstances. I was up quite late last night. All-you-can-eat sushi with the girls, and then The Guy came over. We watched Crash and drank a wonderful bottle of wine. It was lovely. I think I've just landed myself in a real, adult relationship. And it's weird, because everything's going so smoothly that I almost don't know what to do with myself....it almost seems too easy (exccept for the fact that I'm leaving until February).
The most exciting news of all is that I'm heading back to my parents' place tomorrow and I'm getting a pass for Katie's shala. Regular practice with a teacher! This is SO exciting! Heaven knows I need it. I've spent the last week buried in work and stress and eating HORRIBLY. I think I've eaten one meal at home all week. Everything else has been pizza and grilled cheese and pasta and...basically nothing conducive to twists!
After New Year's I'm going to be in Toronto. And while I really wanted to be able to practise mysore at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala that's not happening because I have to start work at 7:30 a.m. However, I'm going to check out Downward Dog, which is supposed to be quite fantastic. And if I feel like mixing things up, The Model lives right across the street from Yoga Sanctuary It's like Ashtanga heaven, as opposed to the Ashtanga hell I've been living in for the past eight months!
On my iPod: "Set Yourself on Fire" --The Stars, "Celebration Guns" --The Stars
Posted by alegato at 1:04 PM | Comments (1)
December 6, 2005
Unstressed
It's so strange the way that stress affects you. I'm not one to get especially stressed about school work. Yeah, sometimes it gets a little out of hand, but, the one major thing that the frequent insanity of McGill taught me is that it may be a lot, but it always get done. So I don't stress about it, I just work like hell for a couple days. Well, yesterday I had a paper due as well as a presentation. So I didn't really sleep very much Sunday night. Then I spent the whole day yesterday getting last minute shit together. Also, the weekend didn't really serve to lower my stress levels, which don't really manifest themselves in my behaviour, but clearly do have an effect on me.
Last night I slept for ten and a half hours. It was great. I woke up this morning and felt like a whole new person. It wasn't just the sleep, it was the fact that that huge black cloud of school work was no longer hanging over my head. So I lounged around for a little while. Then I did my practice. And it was really, really great. I had a ton of energy. It was the most I've enjoyed practice in a while. I practised up to kurmasana. Everything went well. I thought that my hamstrings weren't too tight. Until I got to kurmasana...then I realised that in fact they're pathetically tight....I couldn't completely straighten my legs. Oh well.
Why oh well? Because I know it will come. Because, BECAUSE, I'm done school on Thursday so I get to get the hell out of London and spend the next three weeks at my parents' places and the following month after that in Toronto. That means REGULAR PRACTICE! I am SO excited!
I found out that I start work at 7:30a.m. when I'm in Toronto. So, that sucks a little, because it means I won't be able to go to mysore classes...however, it means I'll finish early and will be able to go to evening led classes. Not the same as mysore, but better than the state of yoga nothingness that exists here in London!
So, essentially two more days here. A little business that I need to figure out. My answering machine is flashing, meaning that I have one new message. Yeah, I know. I was screening. I was too wimpy and socially inept to answer the phone. Okay, I guess I have to return the call now...which would be easier if I knew what the hell I wanted.
On my iPod: "Come Pick Me Up" --Ryan Adams, "Fade Into You" --Mazzy Star, "Walking With a Ghost" --Tegan and Sara
Posted by alegato at 7:01 PM | Comments (0)
December 4, 2005
Uncomfortable
That was one of the stranger nights of my life.
I have no idea where to go from here.
I need practice so badly right now, but I honestly have no time. Tuesday morning. I promise.
On my iPod: "Une Annee Sans Lumiere" --The Arcade Fire
Posted by alegato at 5:14 PM | Comments (0)
December 3, 2005
Nerves
I practised this morning. It was brief but relaxing. It slowed my mind down for a little while. Of course, it's racing again now, but, I guess that's part of the fun!
I just did sun sals, some standing and then whatever I felt like doing. So I did some hip opening and some back bending....and that was pretty much it. It was nice and chilled out. Nothing too structured, no expectations, I just did whatever I felt like doing...maybe it should be a metaphor for the rest of my life!
Anyhow, I have to get going on this paper that's due on Monday. I think I've run out of ways to procrastinate. Somehow I have to find time to finish this paper this afternoon (and start it!), go to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of wine and make myself look decent (right now I'm still wearing my yoga clothes).
I'm actually nervous. It's weird. But I think it's good. I haven't felt this way in a long time.
On my iPod: "Falling For You"--Jem
Posted by alegato at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)
December 2, 2005
Smitten
I have become one of those annoying, smiling, smitten people.
Funny the change in one's state of mind that comes with things like this. I smiled all day yesterday. I had the stupidest grin on my face at the grocery store. I woke up this morning and laughed at the snowstorm that was wreaking havoc outdoors.
Practice in the moring.
On my iPod: "In Your Eyes" --Peter Gabriel, "All These Things that I've Done" --The Killers
Posted by alegato at 5:21 PM | Comments (3)