Post Yoga Adventuring Brain Swell

Do you ever get that feeling that you're so full of stuff, of ideas, of new information to process, when you have so much to say and share, that you could just burst?  It's May 17, 1980, just before a quiet St. Helens blew her top; it's the year 78 AD, just prior to the Plinian eruption of Mount Vesuvius that all but erased Pompeii from the map.  A moment of seeming calm preserved at the hand of Vishnu, before Shiva brings destruction so Brahma can create anew.

Since mid-November, I've been in a sort of learning mode.  Practicing with and learning from all my favorite teachers in the local community as well as some of the bigger names in yoga-land. Over the course of the last month or so, I've studied postural patterning with my local mentor and friend Pat Donaher (check out his blog), practiced with internationally known Shiva Rea, started a 500-hour teacher training with local Kundalini and TriYoga teacher Daniel Orlansky, and got immersed in the therapeutic side Acroyoga.

As a yoga teacher, I immediately look to assimilate all the new good knowledge into class material.  But my biggest lessons in all of this have been profoundly personal.  As a practitioner, I'm struck time and again by how I'm forced to compassionately confront my flaws, reexamine supposed positive attributes, and let it all be good.  All the while, there's this backdrop, a community that generally walks its talk and will pick you up when you do fall down (because there's also a recognition that it happens and it's normal).

Slowly, but surely, it'll all get out of my head on to (digital) paper.  Right now though, I'm planning to happily ride and nurture this yoga high...

Gone Droid and Loving It

I accidentally got myself a gift on Black Friday.  Well, I intended to get a Droid, Black Friday made it free.  Free is more gift-like than the sans contract, sans holiday discount price creeping towards $400.  

Considering the fact that I pretty much use Google for everything, the OS is ideal. Gmail functions nearly exactly as it does in browser, which is a step up from iPhone, where you could accidentally delete messages but archiving with labels was inconvenient.

I was reluctant about the service provider change, not because I had a strong affinity for AT&T mobility.  Mostly out of habit, I think; I had been an AT&T customer since it was Cingular; I've never had another carrier.  AT&T's loss is Verizon's gain -- the service tends to be more reliable, in my house (which had been a problem), on the way to the studio (also had been a problem), and on the roads I often travel... 

And thankfully, all the apps I didn't want to give up from my iPhone are there and much less buggy so far.


Returning to gratitude...
The technological age that we live in is a mixed blessing.  It is simultaneously wonderful to have access to instantaneous information and constant contact, and disappointing when we don't connect the way we now expect or believe we should.  Our expectations warp around our technology.  Hundreds of years ago we relied on horses to carry letters, there weren't phones, voicemail, texts, status updates or tweets; I highly doubt people were wringing their hands waiting for a reply to a letter reply--there was no way to know the original correspondence got to its destination at all.  Instant information creates amazing opportunities; I'm grateful to have a phone that enables that.  Now, if only I can keep my (interpersonal) expectations in check.

Turkey Flow & The Real Bird of Paradise

A week ago today, I taught a half flow, half restorative class to prepare folks for the Thanksgiving Day holiday.  We had a pretty good time, and a rockin', if not slightly nutters, playlist to practice to...  This is one of my more diverse ones, and I had some requests to post it publicly, so here it is:

1. Devotion, Stephen DeRuby
2. Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits
3. Just Dance, Lady Gaga
4. We R Who We R, Ke$ha
5. Bizarre Love Triangle '94, New Order
6. Raise Your Glass, Pink
7. Letting Go, Sean Kingston & Nicki Minaj
8. One Tribe, Black Eyed Peas
9. Like This, Kelly Rowland
10. Heart of the Matter, India.Arie
11. Thank You, Dido
12. Govindah, Rasa
13. Love, ANAHATA
14. Gift of Tears, Vin Mitchell
15. Silent Moment, ANAHATA

The Real Bird of Paradise? 
I split my Thanksgiving between the kitchen and the yoga studio.  And as such, my fella inevitably made a crack about the bird of paradise, a reference both to the bird I prepared (above) and the yoga pose (featured to the right).  The pose is quite challenging -- it's a balancing pose, with a bind, with some serious hip opening; it took me about a year to get the balancing and the bind, without the full extension of the leg.  Comparatively, the other bird took four and half hours to cook, and over a week later, we're still munching on the leftovers.

Which is the real bird of paradise?  You tell me.

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Hanukkah to all of you out there celebrating tonight!   
May you eat all the fried goodness you can handle.  I know I'll be thinking about sufganiyot, a delicious Hanukkah jelly doughnut.  I might just have to get myself to a dunks for an American version of the yummy, Israeli treat.  

On Gratitude: 
Gifts are always a good reason to be grateful.  Last week, I got a NookColor as an anniversary (and Hanukkah and Christmas and my next birthday) gift.  Of course gifts are great, but gifts that keep on giving are better.  For the bookworm in me, this is truly just that.  

I'm still stocking my virtual bookshelves.  Book suggestions are more than welcome!

Thanksgiving Week -- Gratitude & Beyond

Last year, following yoga pal Abby's lead (find her at Perusals), I tried to blog a daily gratitude for the lead up to Thanksgiving.   We have plenty to be thankful for, why not think about it on a regular basis?   This year, I was more than abundant in the lead up for Thanksgiving.  My cup runneth over, so to speak.

I am grateful for so many things.  For work that sustains me.  For yoga that nourishes me. For my friends, family and colleagues who support me. 

Last year at this time, I got a bit of a shock.  And as a consequence there have been some massive changes to my family. Without sharing the details of the family drama, I will simply say that the elements I was able to handle with a grateful attitude were much easier generally. 

As a sort of attitude coping mechanism for the holiday season, I'm planning to shift my daily gratitude to the month after Thanksgiving, leading up to Christmas-- traditionally a hectic time of year.  Join me?

Balance & Pants

Pants? What pants?

Ah, you see, that's the thing.  Until recently, I had been working from home and teaching a lot of yoga.  (I'm still teaching a lot, but stay with me.)  As a consequence of this constantly moving, computer-juggling lifestyle, I have a more than healthy closet full of yoga clothes (a la OmGal's "Reasons Not to Do Yoga" post).  An occupational hazard of teaching a lot of hot yoga, is owning a lot of athletic, stretchy, comfy pants, so you're not rushing home to do laundry in between classes.

But, as you may have guessed, I'm not working from home any more.  Well, at least not exclusively.  I am now expected to rock a pair of dress slacks and a button down two or three days a week.  So instead of wearing yoga pants while I work, and yoga pants while I teach, (and while I practice too), I'm wearing a different sort of pants.

It's been so long since I've gone to an office on a regular basis that only a pair or two of appropriate pants from my old life still fit.  Regardless of the fact that the whole thing warrants a shopping trip (ah shucks), the point has more to do with balance.

I'm looking for balance in pants.  Though I'm much more at home in a pair of Groove Pants, I think there's something to be said for carrying the ease yoga has brought me through the professional setting, into a pair of sleek, black slacks.  I've stocked my closet with yoga clothes to achieve simplicity, and now, I'm hoping these new dress pants can feel much the same. 

Wish me luck.

The Consistency of Should

I really should practice yoga every day.  I really should write more, blog more, participate more.  In yoga, in social media, in pretty much every sector of my life (personally and professionally, and in all the places that overlaps), I've noticed that I should / could / ought to do more. 

When I think about it, I tell myself that consistency is the big challenge.  And it's something people often write about in reference to branding, blogging, and pretty much everything else.  So clearly this search for consistency is a human endeavor. 

But I'm pretty weary of the word should.  Should usually tells me something funny is going on.  Should usually indicates some sort of judgment call, some sort of negative judgment. 

When I say I should do this, be it practice yoga or write a blog post, what I'm really doing is judging myself for doing (or for the inclination to do) the opposite.  When I say they / he / she should do this, even if it's probably a good idea (like wearing a helmet while riding a bike), I'm usually judging the fact that the person or group of people is doing the opposite.  

Why is it that should seems to be the more reliable constant? 

Pay it Forward

When I was in high school, I read Catherine Ryan Hyde's Pay it Forward. I loved the idea. Basically, do three good deeds for every single good deed that comes to you -- thereby spreading the good out exponentially, (ultimately and ideally) creating a wider social change.

It really is a lovely concept.

Today, someone did something lovely for me. I was rushing to get to the studio, per usual. And I didn't have enough quarters, per usual. It was raining. So I put what I had in the meter and ran inside to grab some change.

But there was a man in the parking lot. A city employee, no doubt. He was there pulling the change out of the meters. He saw me looking around for more silver to put in the meter.

When I ran inside, he actually fed the meter for me. It wasn't a grand gesture. It was a simple quarter, which he had plenty of since he was emptying out the meters. But it put a smile on my face.

So now I'm looking to pay it forward. That's a good place to be: actively looking for ways to help others. Do you need anything? :-)

Now, Where was I?

I've started three or more blog posts since I've last actually posted (in August -- ). And unfortunately, none of them have survived my recent battles with Firefox. It appears that having a high volume of windows and tabs open is incompatible with blogger's autosave feature.

I lost half a post about practicing / not practicing on an injury, my first experience with the famed Natasha (Rizopoulos), and a little ditty on how teaching (and practicing) different styles has made me better all around.

Losing work is disheartening, but now I'm just behind on blogging my exploits. I need to put my thoughts down on Johnny Gillespie (now two weekends ago). I still haven't written anything about Global Mala / Yoga Reaches Out, and I've been meaning to (three weekends ago). And I've got to share the video of my cousin proposing to his girlfriend because it's amazing!

So, I'm sorry for my techno-fail disappearing act. But there's lots of good stuff coming!

Mysore Week Three: Standing in Change

I'm on week three of my daily Mysore practice. What have I noticed so far? How am I doing?

Yesterday, I officially made it through the Ashtanga / Mysore standing poses. Although, the power yoga teacher in me knows there are plenty of ways to warm up and integrate movement into my body, I've actually been able to feel my body come alive through the sun salutations, breaking up my body's morning stiffness, going a bit deeper with each forward fold. You warm and open the front and back lines of the body with every full body stretches. You stretch and strengthen your legs and arms--all the big muscles, all the little ones.

Generally speaking, I feel more awake, more energized, on days I've practiced than otherwise. Today is not one of those days. I've been sleepy all day. In fact, I even broke down and had coffee (half-caff) for the first time in months. Oops.

It's funny how even as your body under goes changes, the mind can stand still. Or at least hesitate in changing... Maybe, that's why I've been so sleepy.

(Less Than) Daily Practice: Excuses

Between last Tuesday's moon day and today, I've made it to Mysore exactly twice. That doesn't mean that I've only practiced yoga twice this week, but it's not far off. I got to Mysore last Wednesday, unheated power on Friday morning, and made it back to Mysore this morning.

Daily morning practice is definitely a tall order. Especially when the practice you've decided on is only available five of the seven days a week. So of the four days I didn't go to Mysore, I only missed two actual Mysore classes.

But let's hear the excuses:

The past two weeks I've fallen down on Thursday. By the time Thursday comes around, after an almost full week of teaching, and a sizable week of practice, I'm just beat. Exhaustion is excuse number one.

Number two is family. This weekend, my cousin came to to visit. Instead of going to Mysore on Sunday morning, we went out for an early breakfast.

Maybe these are totally legit reasons for missing practice. Maybe they're totally lame. I don't know. They seem kind of normal. What do you think? What excuses do you use for missing practice?

A Moon Day; A Day Off

Tuesday was a moon day. Translation: no Mysore class.

I googled to find out what a moon day was and why it meant no yoga. Granted I didn't read past the first page of results, but all I could find was moon day calendars with short notes on each that simply state that Mysore isn't practiced on new or full moons. An explanation required a more direct approach.

So I asked an ashtanga teacher. He told me that moon energy is very yin, which is very much the opposite of a yang ashtanga or Mysore practice.

Make sense. Perhaps instead of a power / ashtanga / Mysore practice on moon days, perhaps a yin or restorative practice would be in order?

Adventures in a Daily Practice

Last I wrote, I was in my first week of my (still very new) daily Mysore practice. I was sore and tired, but finding gratitude and strength.

Friday, I walked into the studio for Day Five of Mysore, only to discover that there was no Mysore that day. Oops. I didn't check the schedule because I just assumed there'd be a class. So instead of Mysore, or the Ashtanga class level 2/3 that had just started, I decided to take Peter Crowley's Forrest intensive.

If you don't know anything about Forrest yoga, try a class. You move straight through your midline onwards to freedom--well, that's the idea anyway. We did classical sun salutations (something I only vaguely remembered from theater warm-ups in high school) nonstop for twenty minutes. The whole idea is to flow until all there is is happiness, no pain or anything else, just happiness. Forrest is heavy on the abs, so classical suns until you don't notice that your core is sore is a tall order. But it was amazing! Peter always kill with kindness.

Saturday was another day without Mysore. A bummer. But I already had my yoga adventure planned for the day: Yoga Nidra. What is a Yoga Nidra, you're probably wondering? I had no idea the first time I heard it mentioned. The person who recommended I try the workshop called it a very deep, meditative savasana; according to Wikipedia, it means "yoga sleep." And yes, I did sleep. It was wonderful. Peaceful. Blissful, even.

I was back to Mysore on Sunday morning, then again on Monday too. Ah, so much yoga!

Mysore Day 3 & 4: Thirsty, Tired, Sweaty Edition

Mysore Day 3
I don't know why exactly people think you need heat to sweat. With five sun salutation As and five sun salutation Bs, I was sweating enough to soak my yogitoes, even without a fancy heating and humidifying system switched on. Don't get me wrong, heat serves a purpose -- it warms you up from the outside, while your breath warms you from the inside. But breathing and sun salutations are enough to get the job done. Nice and sweaty.

It's a little embarrassing to admit that sun salutations had me sore the next day, but after minor adjustments to the flow and alignment from Day 2, my shoulders were really feeling the burn (you could call it internal heat) of all the physical exertion. Where I had been showing off with jump backs the day before, my muscles went on strike just a day later (Day 3). I was having a hard time making it through all the chaturangas, even with my knees down, dropping all the way down to the floor. Ouch.

With child's pose off the table and after being told the day before that practitioners don't drink water during class, I was completely on my own to hold my five breaths in downdog without distraction, break or mental recourse. I actually had to do the work of breathing through the discomfort.

A note on water:
I meant to include this discussion in my previous post... I had been forewarned about styles of yoga that forbid you from drinking water, but I had never actually been told, "don't drink your water." I expected to react strongly against the prohibition. I expected to be indignant. But the instructor said it so casually, made it all seem so normal, that I hardly noticed. Truth is though, for all my anticipated resistance to the idea, without the added heat being pumped in, I really didn't miss my sips of water.

Day 4: Sans Mysore
Although I had intended to only take Sunday or Saturday off of my new found daily practice, I skipped out this morning. My alarm clock actually woke me from a dream this morning. A dream! I honestly don't remember the last time, prior to this morning, that I slept soundly enough to dream. So I somewhat sheepishly, stayed late in bed, much later than I would have expected, to soak in the quality rest. I'm still sore, but my mind feels more awake. Thank goodness.

Mysore Day 1 & 2: Observation & Salutations

I reached the conclusion sometime recently, after teaching something like 35 classes over the course of two weeks, that I really, REALLY needed to make time for and guard my own practice. There's always plenty of reasons not to, plenty of crap that comes up. But run, run, running, makes it very clear. You can't drive your friends to the party if you're on empty.

Right? Right!

I decided I needed an unheated, early morning practice -- mornings being the only time in my schedule that aren't consistently occupied by teaching, client calls, meetings, and so on, and so on. Despite the fact that mornings are incredibly difficult on my body, this is the kind of commitment that really is required. So I found Mysore on the Back Bay Yoga Studio schedule...

Mysore Day One: Observation
A lesson, perhaps in patience, and most definitely a demonstration of commitment, you're asked to observe your first class. Admittedly, my first thought was to try to weasel my way out of it, "oh, that doesn't have to apply to me. I'm a teacher." But I forced myself to hold my tongue and sit. Ego is so readily available. Beginner's mind, on the other hand, can feel like a scarce resource. This is a brand new (to me) practice, at a somewhat new to me studio, in a space where I'm not a teacher. This is a space I can learn without feeling like I need to be more knowledgeable, more capable. Brilliant. So I arrived early, sat and watched for roughly two hours, and was told to arrive tomorrow between 6:30am and 7:30am for instruction--assuming I could commit to the practice between three and six times a week. Little did my instructor know, that was exactly what I was looking for...

I probably learned more about myself, sitting there watching, then I did about the practice. However, I did notice the slight differences in the sun salutations from power (my home base) and Mysore. My body ached to participate. Run, run, running takes a toll.

Mysore Day Two: Relearning Suns
Sun salutations are like bread. Every culture has some sort of bread, and every one has a unique way of making and enjoying it, be it Ethiopian injera or Wonder Bread. Similarly, each style of vinyasa, the flowy yoga, has its own style or version of sun salutes. And of course, Mysore sun salutations have their own unique qualities. But where the ups and downs differ, even in the alignment minutia, the focus on breathing is consistent.

While I do sun salutations pretty regularly, the slight differences from what I'm used to required I bring a renewed focus to the practice. I tired myself out pretty quickly trying to keep it all straight, stay present and breathe calmly. But it all builds, in time.

Sandying is Vacationing

I realized yesterday that I haven't taken a day off in three weeks. So today, I'm hitting the road. Here's to a weekend of R&R!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'd Be Happy If...

When you're really frustrated, and you're not entirely sure why, it's really easy to start an "I'd be happy if" list. Making a list makes you feel like you're doing something. But really, making the list is a distraction from actually addressing the frustration.

It's hard work to look inward. It's hard work to let the internal monologue run its course and listen long enough to find a truth.

It can even feel like the things that help are distractions. I'd be happy if...

I'd be happy if all my bills were taken care of. I'd be happy if I could get a full night's sleep. I'd be happy if I went to yoga.

Yes, all those things may be true. Trouble is that the perspective doesn't accept the present. Would and if are innately future looking words. So how about this?

I am happiness.

Sandy needs...

Last week, my gal pal and fellow yoga-goer, Abby Thompson got pressed (ah, the benefits of blogging on Wordpress) with her post What Do You Need? A riff off of a Facebook meme, Abby googled her name followed by needs and posted the first ten results.

When I read through her explanation and then her list, I immediately went and did the same thing. I googled Sandy needs, and here's what I got:

1. Sandy needs a girlfriend
2. Sandy needs to decide if she's happy or not
3. Sandy needs a spliff
   
4. Sandy needs pitches
5. Sandy needs a ride
   
6. Sandy needs a reconstructive surgery
   
7. Sandy needs some nurses
8. Sandy needs protection
9. Sandy needs 83 stitches
10. Sandy needs to blog

The first one, and the third one too, had me laughing out loud. But the last one hit home... Yes, Google, I do need to blog.

Driving to Florida and Back

--or Why I'm Giving Up Coffee--

Recently, I drove from my home just north of Boston, all the way to Tampa, Florida. I have family there. I also had heard a rumor that it's generally warmer there than in the Bean. So I hit the road.

The Black Bomber very rarely gets out on the open road. My 1995 Volvo 850 came to me with very few miles and aside from driving from this yoga studio to that one, I haven't added many myself. She's a tank, and a champ, and she loves the open road.

So do I.

Growing up out west, with a long, straight stretch of open road. Driving was always freedom for me...

Until you have to stop every hour or so to use the bathroom or get a fix. There's something about the addiction to coffee itself and the frequent but necessary bathroom breaks that feels anything but freeing.

So after spending 52 hours total in the car in one week, I've decided I'm cutting coffee again.

Photo by Selma60 via Flickr.

This Week: By the Numbers

2 - press releases written since Monday

14 - yoga classes taught since Saturday
7 - classes taught in the last two days

392 - unread emails in my inbox right now
19 - unread emails on my phone

0 - cups of coffee consumed
5 - cups of tea

32 - times B.O.B.'s song Airplanes (featuring Hayley Williams and Eminem) has played on my iTunes since downloading it this week

26 - cherry pits to my right
4 - cherries left in a bowl to my left


184 - miles on my tripometer (since filling the tank Sunday morning)


It's been a crazy week... I need a nap

Silence is Golden, Except When Blogging

Quiet feels so nice these days. Between running from here to there, keeping up surface-level connections with acquaintances and handling the personal necessities (eating, sleeping, etc.), silence really does feel like a coveted precious metal or gem.

I find I'm outwardly quiet when I'm keeping secrets -- though that doesn't last very long -- when I'm unsure about something or weighing options, and when I'm content. I have a lot more to talk about when I'm raising complaints, sharing issues, or looking for answers. Disease is fodder for conversation. Contentment doesn't yearn to be understood. It just is.

It's funny that the state of being content and the thing this blog is lacking lately (content) are represented by the same word. What can I say, synonyms amuse me.

Although I still find myself in that pleasantly calm place, I will be aiming to write more.

Patriots' Day -- Happy Marathon Monday

Happy Patriots' Day!

Since I don't know any Patriots, I'd like to also give a shout to what this holiday means to the New Englanders who are celebrating it. (Please note: I'm separating myself from the pack just a little bit here because where I grew up we didn't even get the day off school. And who wouldn't want another day off school?)

So for all the school-aged folks, bankers and business people:

Happy Day Off!

To those of you wondering why you're stuck in traffic or not able to cross the street downtown:

Happy Marathon Monday!

Or, to all my peeps back at BU (and my pals reliving that time in our lives):

Happy Marathon Drinking Day!


Oh, tradition...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Social Media & the Path to Anywhere

People like to talk about all the things you can do with social media, all the benefits of being in constant contact with your audience. Social media can bring you leads and sales. Social media can help your customer service team. Social media can.

Or that's what people like to say.

Social media can take you wherever you want to go. Social media is the path to anywhere...

IF, and only if,

you're willing to do the work.

Accepting the Now

We all have goals, wishes, hopes and desires. Some are more noble -- think world peace -- while others are more practical -- say making enough money to keep a roof over your head. There's nothing wrong with either. In fact, having a general direction is good.

However, wanting something to be true and making it happen are very different things. Regardless of where you stand on deliberate creation, you have to be able to accept the present. It's where you are.

Maybe it's not exactly where you want to be; maybe things could be better. But now is part of your path.



Red lights happen. Some times you just have to stop moving. Stop looking to the next thing. And feel the present. Feel present.

Sometimes it sucks. Sometimes you resist. Sometimes you can see your goal just a little farther in the distance. If only this. Or if only that.

Accept where you are. Leave the if onlys to hang out with the shoulds, coulds and oughts. Red lights aren't good or bad. They just are.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Tribute to the Sun

Joy is hiding behind the clouds. It's a gorgeous day here in Boston, and it's an opportunity to remember all the joys of sun.

Driving just a little too fast, windows open, music bumping.

The cooling condensation dripping off fresh home brewed iced tea--all the better if brewed in the light of the sun.

Lazy days that start whenever you wake and drag out on moonlight porches and front stoops.

Growing up under the cover of clouds and drizzling, leaky skies of my hometown in Oregon, the summers were blissful times. We'd bike and hike through the local park. We'd sit by the water of one of the dirtiest rivers around and happily dangle our feet. We'd eat more ice cream than my older self can now stomach. We did the things that made every day enjoyable.

Today is like that. Today is joyful.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone; Photo by James Jordan.

Learn Your Greatest Fear

The quickest way to learn about yourself is to find out what you're afraid of. Some people are terrified of drowning and stay as far away from pools as they can. Some people are afraid of creepy crawly things and scream very loudly when a spider comes into view. Me? I'm afraid of screwing up.

It doesn't really matter what your fear is. The reaction is usually the same. Your mind races. You start to make excuses for why you can't, why you need out. It's fight or flight. You might even notice some anger building up in to propel you to stick it out.

Fear triggers all your defense mechanisms. It's a physiological response to protect your ego, your person. But sometimes it just causes more problems then we'd like to admit.

You have to know your fears so you can learn to work within them. If you're afraid of water and your plane crashes in the ocean, you're going to need to stay calm and tread water or swim to safety. If you panic or freeze, you use your energy up too quickly or you just sink straight away.

For me, awareness is helpful. If I know I'm scared, I can allow the feeling to take place without acting on it, without it consuming me or becoming dramatic. I can remind myself that I'll be ok and wait patiently for that truth to come to pass.

Fear not, this too will pass...

Viva NashVegas

Nothing says Nashville like a mechanical bull ride. Right?

That may not be exactly true. But it was a good time, even if slightly peer pressure induced. :-)

___
I was in Nashville this past week for a client. Now, I had never been to Nashville before. I had never really spent any time in Tennessee before. And I can tell you, it is certainly the South. Mechanical bull aside, there was catfish, sweet tea and accents galore. It was great.

Added bonus? I got to see Diamond Rio!

Ramping Up New Clients

When you begin working with a new client, you must get up to speed as quickly as possible. You have to learn their industry, their place in the eco-system, competitors, suppliers, etc. Without direct access to the decision makers, this can be a very cumbersome. Research loops--reading and more reading--can go on forever.

So this past week was a wonderful opportunity for me. I started working with a new client just three weeks ago, and immediately was asked to travel to Nashville and then Vegas. That's where I was this past week.

Traveling for a brand new client is akin to speed dating. You have to take in new information as quickly as it comes in and then act on it. At the conclusion of your trip, you realize you've gone through the ramp up process much faster than you would have any other way.

What does that process consist of? For now, I've got it down to three major levels.

1. Existence - Hopefully, by the time you win the business you know the client exists. But you need to understand the "being" of the operation. Put simply, this is the what does my client's existence mean to me as a consumer?
   
2. Alphabet Soup - Once you understand the simplified version what your client does, you need to learn the entire industry eco-system. Acronyms and jargon -- in other words, alphabet soup -- are the next thing you need to learn and understand. If nothing else, you need to get yourself a very good cheat sheet.
   
3. Confidence - Although it may sound hard to believe at the beginning, eventually you start to feel like you know what you're talking about. You can articulate what you know clearly. And, with confidence, you can also articulate what you don't know.
   

Travel or no travel, you've got to keep learning to stay smart for your clients.

The plane image comes from Flickr and can be found here.

The Build Up of Minor Irritations

It's all about the little things. Or so they say.

Over time, little things turn into big things... That's one way to a landslide. The other way is a series of unrelated, but no less irritating, minor frustrations.

Like looking forward to a nice shower, only to have the hot water start giving out after two or three minutes.

Like looking for a quiet place to work and finding instead a barking dog, ambulances and car alarms going off.

It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife...

Ok, even if Alanis Morissette messed up the meaning of ironic, she was pretty clearly ticked off about some stuff. And by the sound of her list of stuff, it had been building for quite some time.

Minor irritations turn into big irritations when you don't address the minor issue, when you're not being honest about it being a minor irritation and when you're not able to let it go. At a certain point, these sort of annoyances can turn a person angry. If it's allowed to fester. I've had more than my far share of irritation recently, but the real issue is that it's starting to fester. It's like an infection. When you're annoyed, every thing is annoying. It becomes impossible to let go of the minor thing, because it's festered into something 10x bigger. We tell ourselves stories and add drama around the initial frustration.

It all needs to refocus, to shift. But man, oh man, it's easy to dwell on it.

Lost in TV

Lately, I've been completely consumed. When I'm not working or teaching, I've been Lost. I've been completely consumed by Lost. ABC's smash-hit show had taken over my life.

Well, that is until I got current with the series. Now, I'm just bummed that it's about to be over...

Until recently, I had only seen the first two seasons of the show. Then I learned that all of seasons 1-5 (season 6 is current) is available on Hulu.com. For free. Hence my being Lost.

First, let me say, if you've never watched Lost, now's a good time to check it out.

___

Since I've been watching lots of TV online, I know which types of online video ads I dislike least. Advertising is a necessary evil--we can agree on that. Some types of ads are less irritating than other--I suppose we can agree on that too. But it's frustrating to see the same TV ads run online.

Acknowledge the context. If I'm watching TV online, I probably do plenty of other things online too (like shop, read, research, etc.). ING Direct has a campaign running on Hulu that does just that.

Repackage TV ads? Sure, you could do that. But it's a waste. You get a chance to interact with people. So do it!

Interact with purpose. Letting your viewer play a game is a great idea. But TV trivia for an automobile manufacturer left me wondering why.

Options, Options, Etc. Give me a choice. Let me pick between long form or many short ads, or between interacting or just watching something.

Obviously, online ad formats are still being developed, especially for video. I know I'll keep watching. Please keep it interesting for me!

PSA: Negative Mindsets Suck

Nothing will deplete the human spirit faster than a negative thought pattern. Negative mindsets suck. They suck your energy, your spirit, and leave you dry.

What constitutes destructive thinking? I'd argue it's any line of thought that doesn't serve or help you in someway.

• Self doubt - though normal, isn't particularly helpful.
• "The people who care about me try to hurt me." - I dated someone who operated from this place. Nothing could have been more destructive to our relationship, let alone his perception of the people around him.
• "No body cares about me." - The sad thing about this statement is that you can make it true the longer you operate from that place. The people who do care about you get frustrated and hurt by your belief that no one cares about you when they clearly do. Then, as a way to protect themselves, the people who care about you are forced to distance themselves.
  

It sucks. Operating from any one of these mindsets just sucks. It sucks your energy. It sucks your confidence. It sucks the life out of your relationships too.

So please stop!



The image is from an OverHall.com article.

Original post draft: 12/27/09

When Searching for Common Ground, Accentuate the Positive

Everyone is familiar with the statement misery loves company. It's easy to complain and commiserate because finding the negative isn't overly hard. When you look around expecting people to screw you over, you'll likely spend your time stewing over how they have. It's really no mystery.

Trouble is, it's not really a great way to base a relationship. "Life sucks, so let's be friends." Taken to the extreme, when all you speak about is negative, it colors your relationship.

When searching for common ground, it's easy to find the negative. And that behavior, that bonding device, comes in many formats: finding a common enemy (ex. the government, roommates), sharing similar stories of being taken advantage of or mistreated (ex. rape, childhood trauma)... We compare war wounds, battle scares to offer proof that we've been around awhile. That we're human and have lived.

It's much harder to accentuate the positive. When you're focused on the negative, it can be difficult to even locate positive. But even though it starts off as work, happiness is in the positive.

___

This post started off as a way to address a friendship that I could feel being trapped in the negative. When we would get together, we'd only talk about the problems in our lives... It's funny to wrap this post up now, because I bonded with one of my best friends over the fact that 2009 was the worst year ever. From that particularly low point, we've been able to offer each other immense support and perspective for moving forward.



Sad Saucer image from Helgasm!'s Flickr feed.

Original draft date: 6/27/08

Good Acts of Good People: Haiti Relief

Bad things happen. Natural disasters. Acts of God (if you're a believer). Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Earthquakes... And people get hurt or killed.

Then something amazing happens. Good people all over come together. Haiti is the latest example of the goodness of man.

The American Red Cross raised $12 million by text messages.

Whole Foods of Woburn raised $71,079 as of 1/26 for Haiti Relief.

And Sue Jones of yogaHOPE and Maggie Juliano of Sprout Yoga founded a collaborative project to bring yoga to the trauma victims. The named their efforts Project Haiti and you can read all about it here. On their blog, Yoga4Trauma.WordPress.com, you can follow their progress and efforts.

We can do some amazing things when we put our minds to it.

Earth Lovin' Pictures

Living green is a lifestyle. Sustainable change is not something that can be done in a single day. We have to force ourselves to think green regularly. These two pictures highlight the specific and ongoing lifestyle choices involved in a green life. The first is all about small and simple changes you can make in your life. The second is a systems view of the lay of the eco-friendly land.

Good stuff.


From scrappindoodles.



From TreeHugger.

Food Network, Now I want to Cook!

Turned the television on to have background noise while I work my way through my in-box and I clicked to the Food Network. The show started in Portland, so naturally, it had my attention pretty quick.

If you ever visit Portland, Oregon, check out the Byways Cafe--even Food Network gives it a thumbs up!

Watching a show on diner and drive-in style foods reminded me that I need a good chili recipe. So now, I'm looking for recipes for chili online at allrecipes.

I found this recipe for simple turkey chili that offers a good guideline. But when I'm in the mood for chili, I'm not usually going for a healthy variety. I'd sub out beef and probably dump the whole thing in my crockpot for a couple hours...

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I started this post in 2007 and it's funny to look back on it now. I was just starting to cook for myself more frequently then. Now, I cook all the time, and in many ways I have the Food Network and AllRecipes.com to thank for my culinary education. I'd get an idea at a restaurant or on the Food Network and find a recipe to try out on AllRecipes. It's a great combination for the budding chef, or the curious college student trying to feed herself.


Original Draft Date: 9/9/07

Sorting Through Drafts

The other day, my pal on Twitter Leah Jones said she deletes more drafts on her personal blog than she publishes. She was talking about how she doesn't blog much anymore, but she got me thinking. I've had this blog since 2007, and I have my fair share of drafts that I never got finished.

I've got 30 some odd drafts that never made it to the finish line. And I'm thinking that sounds like a pretty great way to spend a Sunday. So if you happen to see a post that looks off topic, or seems out of context, look for an "original date" notation... I'm going to go through those old half posts, update them and queue 'em up for publication!

Wahoo! Cleaning house starts with my blog. Ha!

The above photo is from tellumo's Flickr stream.

Patience is Someone Else's Virtue

Why sugar coat it? Waiting sucks.

Whether it's waiting for a contract to get signed, or waiting for the results of a scary medical exam. Waiting is no one's favorite thing.

People always say patience is a virtue. I suppose it's not my virtue. I like to do. To accomplish. To fix.

It's taken me a very long time to learn that waiting, that being patient, can fix things too. If you just go on living life, the answer that you were waiting for, that contract you were waiting to sign, it'll show up eventually, in its own time. Worrying doesn't help. Worrying and over-thinking won't make the answer, the fix come any sooner.

But ah! It still sucks! :-)

Yoga-venture: The Maiden Journey

As a yoga instructor, I don't get out much. My practice and my home studio have been pretty consistent for quite some time. I take the same classes with the same teachers I've been familiar with for quite some time. As a yoga instructor, I worry that this truth might make my classes feel stale or overly familiar.

So a while back I decided to start exploring the full depths of yogaland. I'm taking it to the streets, trying new things.

Yesterday, I checked out the free Friday class at Be Yoga in Somerville's Union Square. Aside from losing my wallet on the way in (click here for that story and life lesson), it was a lovely experience. The vinyasa, the physical poses and their order, felt very familiar; the space and the language of the instructor were a delightful change of pace. Jenna used words relating energy and the elements ("feel earth") that had a profound effect on my relationship to my practice. At a time when I otherwise would probably have lost it (re: wallet), Jenna--and my good company--kept me present for practice. It was much needed.

The details:
Be Yoga in Union
Address: 11 Bow Street, Union Square, Somerville
URL: www.beinunion.com
Teacher: Jenna
Cost: 4pm class on Friday is free!

It was a treat and I will definitely be back, hopefully for a full class next time! :-)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

PSA: Know Your Bank

Today, I lost my wallet. Walking from my partner's car to the yoga studio we were testing out (yoga-venture post forthcoming), it somehow disappeared. I retraced my steps and couldn't find it anywhere, in the car, on the sidewalk or in the yoga studio. No dice. My pal retraced our steps too and found nothing.

So I took the first 20 or 30 minutes of the yoga class calling all my banks and credit card companies, cancelling all my cards.

And the lesson of all of this? Store your banking phone numbers in your contacts! You never know when you'll lose your wallet (or if someone will steal it). So you've got to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst... The faster you get the cards shut down, the less likely you are to have your money stolen.


My story has a happy, goodness-of-man-affirming ending. Someone found my wallet in the street and brought it to the police station. Thank goodness! But it's very clear how easily that situation could have gone differently... So semper paratus!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Crocheting My Way to Nirvana

Ram Dass tells this amusing story about one of his talks. He was speaking about an LSD induced transcendental experience he had, and there was an older woman sitting there nodding her head as if she understood all of the experiences he was describing. When he spoke to the lady after his formal lecture, he asked how she was able to relate to his experiences. She said simply, "I crochet."

He tells this story about half way through this video:


I crochet. A lot. Especially lately. It's a wonderful stress reliever. And it feels good to create something from scratch. Although I have no transcendental experiences to report, I have plenty of crafts to share--including my first attempt at a hat, an infinite (round) scarf, and a multi-colored scarf made from scraps (but ultimately the prettiest one I've made in a long time).




I've been crocheting so much lately, I'm running out of people to give scarves to. I've been considering starting an Esty store. Would anyone be interested in a hand-crocheted scarf or hat?

Regardless, I've got to keep crocheting. It soothes me.

From the Bookshelf: The Art of War

When my iPhone was replaced the other day, I spent some time playing in the app store. I always end up with at least one book reader on my phone, though usually I have a hard time reading on it. That was until I downloaded Classics, a free app, from the app store. I started reading The Art of War. I'm not very far along yet, but I came across a quote that stuck out to me about current international events.

"There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare."

~Sun Tzu, The Art of War



Good stuff. I'll have to keep reading.

Restarting the Writing Project: A New Plan

If you've been following this blog lately, you've probably noticed some time / day notation and topics. I outlined the idea behind this here, but it's time change it up a little bit. The idea is to gradually get me writing more on more regularly, and so far, I've had a hard time getting into it.

So I'm going to start over.

The new plan? Write everyday. Track how long I'm writing everyday, then work to write more the following day. I'll probably max out at some point, but I'll be pushing more thoughts to paper (or to Blogger as it were).

Practice is a funny thing. Every yoga class I take, or teach, is a part of a person's practice. Life is practice. Each blog post is a part of a practice. At least it is once I set the intention for it to be so. Right? Isn't that how intention works?


The photo is from Loungerie's Flickr stream.

Resolutions for 2010?

I've been meaning to post my resolutions for the coming year since New Year's. No need to reference a calendar, I know what month it is. What's the hold up, you're probably wondering?

Last time I posted New Year's resolutions was in 2008. Last year, was a year of major transitions but it didn't start it off with resolutions; it was just constantly moving. This year has felt much the same--big changes, constantly reevaluating conflicting moving parts to get the best outcome.

The usual resolutions have felt a bit halfhearted or contrived. Yes, I do want to eat healthier. Yes, I want to be better about saving money (and get myself completely out of debt). Yes, I want to write more (hence the writing project). But the truth is, for 2010, my resolutions involve states of being.

I resolve here to be happier in 2010.

That looks simple in text, but sounds particularly difficult. The marketer in me is asking how I'm going to measure that. I don't have an answer for that. How do you count smiles per day?

It's a matter of mindset. A friend of mine used to quote High Fidelity on a regular basis, "How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood and be in a good mood ... ?" It's really easy to get wrapped up in the drama of every day life; it's a lot harder to remain consistently upbeat. I used to think it was contrived when I'd see people behave as though everything was fantastic; now it seems like a fake-it-till-you-make-it mentality. Why not be happier?

Again, easier said then done. Here's how I intend to do it:

• Laugh Often
  
• Let Go of Things Quicker -- This one will probably be the hardest for me, as my clan tends to hold onto things for a long time (physical and emotional).
  
• Accept Things as They Are -- I have a strong desire to promote positive change that can sometimes hinder my own happiness.
• Stay Active -- Movement helps clear your head. And it makes you feel better physically (yay, yoga!).

I'll keep you posted on my progress.


The photo is a shirt from Threadless.com called "School Taught Me a Valuable Lesson; I'm Still Paying for It."

Music Connects Us

This post is a part of my writing assignment. For a full explanation of what I'm working on check out this post here.

Day 7: 7 Minutes
Topic: Music

The other day, I was at the store shopping. It wasn't any special store, in any special community. It was just a store filled with strangers. And the something magical happened; George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" came on.

Suddenly, everyone in the store was a chorus member of the same choir. The station that was blasting through the store sound system had united us. We were all singing or humming along.

Hare Krishna, Hallelujah...

It was lovely; everyone--black, white, Asian and Latin--singing along with George Harrison, singing along with an ancient chant from another place and time. Music is an amazing thing. Music has this mysterious power to connect us, with lyrics, with a melody that makes us feel something, with a piercing rhythm that gets us moving in the same tempo. You don't need to know the words to bob your head and appreciate a well orchestrated piece. You just have to want to listen.

You have to want to listen.

__

That's seven minutes, so I guess my time's out.

Catching Up: Writing Practice Day 6

As it turns out, I don't do so well with rigidness. I started this writing practice idea on January 14th; fourteen days later, I've only managed to get up five days of assignments. That's not very good.


Day 6: 6 Minutes
Topic: Blog Ideas I've Had

Working in social media, every now and again I come up with something or across something and think, "there should be a blog for that." If only there were more hours in the day, right?

Last year, I started a Boston Sushi Blog with a friend of mine. I think we got two posts up. The idea was to write about our sushi experiences all around the Boston area. Whenever we get together, we tend to go for sushi. So it just made sense.

With another friend of mine, I started a blog about chronic illness. There's definitely some back story here, but because of the nature of the subject, we've kept that on the DL. Sharing these types of stories is definitely important though--just wish we didn't have to worry about the repercussions of our openness...

Recently I've been thinking about another blog idea. The concept? White girl, black music. Let's face it, I'm pretty freaking pasty. But I have a love for rap, hip hop and R&B that most people make fun of me for. I figure the combination could make for some seriously amusing writing, or even a serious examination of race, gender, culture and music. Then again, I don't like veering off into the heavy stuff. I try to keep things light around here and on the other blogs I write.

If there were more hours in the day, I would write about the anthropology of social media, and all these other ideas. But I'm having enough trouble getting myself to sit down and write this blog!

__

That's it. Up you go Day 6.

I will likely revisit my holiday gifts topic next. I'd like to close that loop and post something complete about all the craftiness that went into this past season's gifts.

Writing Assignment: Day 5- ?

Can you say epic fail? I've definitely gotten behind with my little writing project! I'm going to need to do a little catching up over the next couple of days. It never feels good to be playing catchup...

So for today, I'm going to do Day 5 as a mobile edition. I'll come back to my holiday gifts topic when I'm back on my laptop!


Day 5: 5 Minutes
Topic: Excuses

There's a funny thing that happens when a person screws up. It triggers this irrational need to make good, to cover your tracks, to get the story straight. Never mind if the initial commitment was flawed or impossible to meet.

Here are a few excuses that I'm currently questioning the validity of:

"I don't have time." / "I'm too busy"
"I don't know how."

Re: time / busy: you decide to be busy. If something is important, you make the time.

Re: not knowing how: learn, or find someone to teach you. I'm not talking about astrophysics; I'm talking about everyday stuff like cooking dinner or changing a tire.

We make the time for the things we want to do...


Time's up! And I'm off to teach!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Celebrating Martin Luther King Day

How do you honor a great man? A man who sought to bring civil liberties and equality to our nation? With a bank holiday and a day off!

President's Day, Columbus Day, MLK Day signify three day weekends for anyone of school-age. For the rest of us, these are days to catch up on errands (no bank runs though) and relax... That is, of course, until MLK Day was officially dubbed a day of service.

I gotta say, props to all the folks who went out and did some service. For me, between the snow and the sprained ankle, I was thankful for a day to rest.

Writing Assignments: Day 3 & 4 (Homemade Holiday Gifts)

Hello there. I'm a few days behind on my writing assignment posts. So I'm doubling up today, and will probably do the same tomorrow.

If you need to get caught up on why I'm doing this, read here. Since day one and day two didn't allow for a lot of time to talk about all the holiday gifts I made this year, I'm going to continue with that topic--though I'm hoping to be done with it soon!

Here are the proceeding "holiday gifts" posts:

Day One: One Minute
Topic: Holiday Gifts

This year I made almost all of the gifts I gave out. For my roommates, I crocheted scarves (out of yarn I had them choose, so I knew they'd like the color). I made scarves for members of my family too.

Day Two: Two Minutes
Topic: Holiday Gifts

I did a little experimenting with crochet stitches while I was home too. Normally, I crochet the width of the scarf first and then just build up the length from there. For the first time, while I was home for the holidays, I made a scarf length-ways. My grandmother got that one. It was two-toned. I would have kept it for myself, because I liked it that much, but I already had one of that color (or at least one of those colors). I made scarves for my grandmother, my aunt and some of my friends.


Day Three: Three Minutes
Topic: Holiday Gifts

I played with stitching variations. And even stole one of my mom's book on crochet stitches -- she's more of a knitter anyway.

The crocheting was a great distraction to all the drama of being home for the holidays. But before I left I took on a different crafty project. I made lip balm / salve. It was kind of fun, especially because of how much of that stuff I go through. I bought all the ingredients needed online through two different wholesalers: Mountain Rose Herbs and Wholesale Supplies Plus.
I needed all sorts of random things you never think about buying--chapstick tubes, flavoring oils, raw mango butter...


Day Four: Four Minutes
Topic: Holiday Gifts
Needless to say, this project took a little more planning than finding yarn and a hook. I had to buy tins and tubes to put my creation in. Also, I took flavor orders. My brother requested nutmeg--he said he'd like to kiss a girl that tastes like nutmeg (I made some for his new lady friend). My mom requested white tea. For myself? I picked up a tinsy tiny container of chamomile essence because I thought it sounded soothing.

The first batch (recipe cut and paste below) was White Tea Mango Butter flavored. So it smelled a little like fruity tea. It was all experimental. I didn't really have the right tools; I had to jerry-rig a double broiler with a metal strainer and bowl. But it worked out. I learned a few things for next time. For example, don't melt hot wax in a container that doesn't have a spout.


Lip balm: First Attempt
1 tbs beeswax
1 tbs mango butter
1 tbs shea butter
½ tbs olive oil
10 drops of white tea oil

Combined beeswax, mango butter and olive oil in double broiler set up until melted. Then added white tea oil and shea butter. Once fully integrated, pour into containers and allow to cool.

Writing Assignments: Day Two

Yesterday, I started my writing assignment project (click here for the post). I'll be writing one post a day for 60 days, with the amount of time spent on each post corresponding to the number of days I've been in this little personally prescribed writing clinic (i.e. day three gets three minutes). While I'm well aware this project will become increasingly more time-consuming and potentially difficult to budget for in my day, I'm really hopping it puts me back in the swing of writing everything down with ease.

For today, I'll continue where I left off on yesterday's post, since I have more to say on the topic. For your reference, here's yesterday's assignment:

Day One: One Minute
Topic: Holiday Gifts

This year I made almost all of the gifts I gave out. For my roommates, I crocheted scarves (out of yarn I had them choose, so I knew they'd like the color). I made scarves for members of my family too.


Day Two: Two Minutes
Topic: Holiday Gifts (continued from yesterday)

I did a little experimenting with crochet stitches while I was home too. Normally, I crochet the width of the scarf first and then just build up the length from there. For the first time, while I was home for the holidays, I made a scarf length-ways. My grandmother got that one. It was two-toned. I would have kept it for myself, because I liked it that much, but I already had one of that color (or at least one of those colors). I made scarves for my grandmother, my aunt and some of my friends.

...

Out of time. It's looking like I can get a couple of days out of this topic. Stick with me and I'll get down to the good stuff (like the lip salve I made from scratch!).

Writing Assignments: Concept & Day One

Before I was a marketer, before I was a yoga instructor, before I was a public relations student, I considered myself a writer. I loved to write. And I still do, though now, after client work and teaching, I often find myself too drained to do any random writing. I post here on occasion with my ranting PSAs and my rare episodes feature. But in an effort to get back to writing, and practicing writing, I came up with a little assignment for myself. I will write one post a day for 60 days; each day, I will allow myself gradually more time (i.e. day one will have one minute; day 60 will have a full hour). Timed writing, at least from what I remember from school, is a great way to get back in the habit of writing everything down, then editing. I've gotten into the habit since graduating of editing while I write, so writing is rather laborious, as I check and recheck each sentence, rework flow, etc.

Today is Day One.

Day One: One Minute
Topic: Holiday Gifts

This year I made almost all of the gifts I gave out. For my roommates, I crocheted scarves (out of yarn I had them choose, so I knew they'd like the color). I made scarves for members of my family too.

...


Time's up. One minute really flies by. I'll have to continue this thread tomorrow.



Photo by wwarby.