One class lasts 90 minutes and you can take a class more than once a day.
No one will give you a hard time for just laying there.
People clap when you take your first class. 
Big sweat, hard work. Burns alot of calories!
Even though you are doing the same routine for every class, its always different because your body is different. You will never get bored.
Instant feedback and encouragement from teachers.
No talking in class.
No need for social lubricants like alcohol and drugs.
Not scandalous! No one will ever accuse you of doing the walk of shame from a yoga studio.
If you fart in class, lots of people to take the blame.
You are encouraged to yoga often. With different teachers!
Ladies wearing very little. Dudes in speedos. Does it get any better?

This post is dedicated to Miss Mei Ng while she is sworn to celibacy between October 4th to Dec 5th during Bikram Yoga Teacher Training. Buy a t-shirt! Read her blog!

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you will know that I’ve been working since Sept 1st for a local engineering firm. It was around 10 months ago since getting laid off that this job came my way. Day to day, it is really perfect for me. Long term, not sure yet. I know that my brain and heart is not invested right now and its ok, because we all know from one looksy at my resume, I have a tough time with commitment. I am thinking about this because Jessica got offered a job with the local government, not sure doing what, but different than what she was doing before getting laid off. It also took her 10 months.  

Back to July 2009, Oregon’s annual Beerfest at the Waterfront park. I am sitting around with Jessica, Dave and Tom (and a few others). We all worked for that disfunctional company and all of us were currently unemployed at the time of the beerfest. The four of us represented four different decades and an interesting skill and experience mix. Spending time with my ex-coworkers helped me realize that there was nothing wrong with me and my unemployment, because Tom’s A list, all sitting at the table, drinking beer, we were all unemployed. I was looking at three people that I felt were smart, talented, maybe a little high maintenance, but still very employable people. Why were they not working? Why was I still not working?

Hmm, I was going somewhere with this post. Ah yes, A listers. Ok, so after i heard about Jessica’s job offer today, I was thinking, my generation of designers and architects are in trouble. If young professionals start choosing non-traditional career paths and not returning to typical office structure, then the “kids” getting out of school will be mentored by a much older, retiring, and potentially out of touch with the latest technology. Don’t want to sound age-ist but I will assert that a diverse office makes for the best mentorship experience. Maybe I am making some big generalizations here, will probably need to think about this some more.

What’s my plan? Pass all of my exams the first time. Send out “Suck It Bitch” cards to all the haterz that made my working life mizzerable. Then retire my license in good standing and do yoga everyday, all day long. And ride my bike and drink coffee. Sounds good doesn’t it?

I am kicking myself for not doing it while I was unemployed these last 10 months but I also see my new job as an opportunity to learn more about the MEP side of the business and helping me with the exams. I also wonder if I would’ve gotten the job if I was done or had my license. I also wonder how many jobs I may have been looked over for not having a license. At this point, I cannot stress out about it and just move forward.

I am able to do it mostly because my friend is lending me the money so that I can schedule them all at once. Test fees increase by 25% after the new year and all exams have to be scheduled before October 1st to get the old price. Its so fucked up because most people in my business do not have a job or have experienced a pay decrease like me for new jobs. So aggravating, but its definitely kicking my ass into high gear and I am going to take most, if not all of my exams before the year is over.

Having the money loaned to me reminds me of the time I loaned an old college buddy money to go to Europe after graduation, in 1997. I can’t recall how much it was or how long it took to pay back. All I can remember is how happy and important this trip was to her. I was happy to be able to help her at that time. Kind of weird that I had the money back then to lend her, I remember being poorer than poor back in 1997. I think I was couch surfing for a few months before moving in with Kitty in our Park Slope apartment. So long ago, events start to fade but the emotions are still strong.

Back to exams, last year, I promised to go on a multi day bender as soon as I was done with them all. Now, not so sure. Definitely want to do something to acknowledge being done but not sure yet, open to suggestions, so let me know what you would do. If you are not familiar with the exam process, just understand its a big deal and I am making a big sacrifice. Average time is 28 months from start to finish. I am shooting for 3 months, which is only possible if I pass everything the first time. Wish my ass luck.

Tueday night - Two friends were having break up issues and were coming to me for advice/rant. I told one to kill the other person just to see if a light would go off in her eyes. There was a spark, scary!

Wednesday night - I won $2500 in some kind of raffle and found out that I aced the MEP portion of my ARE exams. I could even see the letter congratulating me on my test performance.

Thursday night - I was working with a team of people, decorating for Christmas. It was some kind of facility that had alot of kids and kid toys around. I remember seeing an obese baby and he was eating a cookie, which freaked me out in the dream. Afterwards, I was talking to a guy and his friend, The Hulk. Not Lou Ferrigno, but a real Hulk. I was flirting with The Hulk and trying to figure out his “situation”. Then I return to my apartment to sleep, Margaret Cho and I are roommates. I am asleep, and all of a sudden, I start to hear very distinct noises coming from Margaret’s side of the room. She’s decided to have sex with her boyfriend/husband while I was sleeping. I tried to fall back asleep and the next thing that wakes me up is I feel someone trying to push their way into my bed. I jump out of bed, put on a robe, and ask him who he is and what the fuck is he thinking. He claims to be my neighbor downstairs, meanwhile, in the dream, I know that we live on the ground floor. All this is happening, I am in my robe and somewhere in the background, The Hulk is starting to get mad with this stranger that tried sleeping next to me.

Thursday night’s dream is more complex because I am basically recounting the event just when I woke up. This is your opportunity to analyze, dissect, understand my sleeping brain. Or just enjoy a sequence of events that make absolutely no sense.

It’s not because I don’t have a driver’s license (never learned)
It’s not because its good for my body or the environment
It’s not because its cheaper and easier on the wallet. No gas, no insurance payments.
It’s not because its faster and more efficient to get around a tiny city like Portland
It’s not because its safer for me or for all humans
It’s not because its fun and enjoyable and free exercise
It’s not because I feel connected to my community and with other cyclists and pedestrians.
It’s not because I can park anywhere and not pay to park.

I do love my bike, I really do but I am not always convinced that my bike loves me back.

The REAL reason why I bike is because I am working on my tan. Summer is coming to a close and I have the best tan ever!

So generally speaking, its been a mellow, easy week. Went to yoga class everyday except wednesday. Can’t remember why I skipped? Oh and for anyone who wonders why I don’t like my birthday (though I am softening in my old age), when I was a teen to 20’s, the transition between summer and fall was always very traumatic. When I think of all the craziness in my life, growing up in NYC, I was usually having a tough time with life around this time of year. Every year without fail, something would be going on that posed challenges to my peace. My inclination is to hide. I think I am learning to cope better as I get older. Big three five. That is old.

Here is a photo of the tattoo, Hello Kitty in a geisha outfit, flowers in the background. What do you think? Tattoo? Hello Kitty tattoo? I love nerds tattoo? Its all good.

A few blog posts back, I complained about a lady in my studio who would not quit talking to me, especially before class starts when I am laying in savasana. After the public rant fest, she stopped talking to me. She hasn’t stopped *talking*, I see her harass other bikram practitioners before and after class, but for whatever reason, she is leaving me alone.

So here is my wisdom for this weekend. Complain, complain, complain, cuz the universe will hear you and things will fall back into place from your whining.

I have found in the last two weeks, my balance is worse than ever and my knees are “tight”. Last time I was having knee issues, my chiropractor aka magician, tweaked my knees, legs and back muscles. I walked out of her clinic with the knees of a new born baby. Wow, what a difference. I also demonstrated a few poses for her and got some great bio-mechanical advice that only a pro chiropractor/structural expert can give. For example, I learned that my feet were too far apart in awkward pose, and possibly contributing to my previous knee issue. This was a few months ago. Fast forward to the last two weeks. My balance is terrible, knees are tight, but not terrible, hamstrings and leg/thigh muscles are fine, feet and ankles are tight and some yoga poses are really intense.

So looking at what else is going on in my life….biking daily, now more because I don’t have a job and not tied to desk (thanks Obama!). Playing softball once a week, it requires some sprinting from base to base and bending cuz I play catcher. I must admit, I really enjoy cycling and softball and I am not going to stop either activity.

Back to my legs, not sure what to make of it all. No sharp pains, just feeling like there is *something* happening and I can only hope that it is good movement and I am not making it worse. I have terribly flat feet and I know that is part of the balance issue. I’ve never had great balance, even out of the studio, I am bit clutzy.

One more thing about the ankle, I fractured my right ankle back in 2003 from a bike accident. It was a small fracture and it healed quickly. I know some of the ankle tightness is from that and generally weak ankles. Fixed firm is wonderful and hard for my ankles.

Anyway, not sure what I am looking for when I put this all out there. maybe somehow the universe will hear my rant and go easy on my body.

Because of all the available resources, creative people have built shelters on the beach. The picture below is a little hobbit-like shelter with a covered area to the right. I got in and felt very comfortable and safe inside the hobbit house.

Another driftwood structure, a bar on the beach. We found an empty PBR can and posed with it. My camera didn’t get any of those images but you all get the idea right?

Best part about Nedonna beach was how deserted it is. I hope to go back soon! Hint hint, drive my ass out there!

I found the heat to be more tolerable than previous years and I want to credit the yoga. I kept up a daily practice this week and biked all over town like I any other day. I did consider taking the bus tuesday evening to yoga class, but ended up using the “wet t-shirt” trick. Basics are, you soak a long sleeve cotton t-shirt with cold water and then put it on. It kept me cool, too cool, I barely broke a sweat. Also keeps the sun off your skin and no need to put chemical sunscreen on your body. It is absolutely brilliant.

Yoga, hmmm, its been a mixed bag this week. I had awesome/strong/focused classes on Monday (6am), Wednesday (9:30am) and Friday (6:30pm). Had awful/distracted classes on Tuesday (6:30pm) and Thursday (4:30pm). Friday was the best class of the week, getting compliments and making improvements on some of the postures. I felt so strong and flexible. Sometimes I consider going every other day, may try it one week soon. But for now, I am loving the daily practice. Oh, and in regards to the heat, it is easier to take a class when the temperatures inside and outside are the same. I find that the hardest, can’t deal with the heat classes are the evening classes where the outside temps are in the 90’s and the humidity has gotten higher as the day progressed. Don’t be afraid to do yoga or any activity in the heat, just stay well hydrated! My advice for everything!

During this week’s softball game (in 106 degree temps, no shade), I realized that my mild left wrist tweak is probably from softball. I know locust pose is helping with the wrist injury, and the yoga totally makes a difference in soreness and game performance. During my volunteer shift at Brooklyn Community Acupuncture clinic this morning, the acupuncturist working there placed 4 needles on my arm. Hopefully, there will be some noticable healing this evening. Oh and my neck? I woke up Sunday morning with awful neck pain. Got an acupuncture treatment Sunday and Monday from Maria at BCA and my neck is almost 90% back to normal. So awesome.