To Spite One's Face....

The Wall Street Meltdown continues. I find it interesting that there is a groundswell of protest against the bailout. From today's Hartford Courant.

"Some of my constituents would sooner walk the bread lines than to see wealthy Wall Street tycoons not pay for what they've done. There was a real sense that these folks have to feel some pain," Shays said.

He said calls to his office came in 30-1 against the bill.

"In some districts, it was literally 1,000-1," Shays said. "Nobody wanted it."

I have to say I've been mixed about this whole thing myself. I've tended to have a distrust (and downright dislike) for those who make their living off the pushing around of capital without adding value. There is a small bit of leftist in me that find speculation in the markets, and investment banking and such to be somewhat morally bankrupt. So I'm all for a shakout in these systems, for tighter regulation, for having some pain be felt by those who have been playing fast and loose with the economy.

Ah well. Right now, it seems to have minimal impact on me. My work is busy, my life is busy. If anything, a gross devaluation of housing, services, and an economic slowdown will make life somewhat easier and more affordable for those like myself on the fringes of the economy.....but time will tell how things trickle down to my level.

Moon in Uranus

A quick websearch reveals that:

Uranus rules technology, but Pallas Athene personalizes how you integrate it into your life. As the goddess of wisdom and courage, Pallas Athene influences how quickly you adopt an innovation and how drawn you are to technological advances

My life is manifesting some technology at the moment. Yesterday, I received a wireless headset, for use at the library yoga classes. The space was too large and open, the students too numerous, and the tendency of people to set up at the edges too powerful to bring them all in close. So my voice just did not make it to the far corners of the room. I took the headset in to the studio and connected it up to the sound system there - it worked great: clear, no feedback, no static or hum, and not to disruptive of my own postures. So I am hopeful this will be a good tool this afternoon. I need to be a bit careful with my own breath - I tend to breath deeply while teaching (mostly to inspire my students to breath) and I really do not need all that wind in the microphone. And I need to remember to push the mic away from my mouth for individual assists and the like.

I am sure it will be a learning experience working with this prop - but life is a learning experience, no?

Yesterday afternoon, the UPS guy showed up with a small (4Gig) MP3 player. I'm on my 3rd generation - a small Dell device (lost), another small generic device (began to malfuction), and now this. Not stepping up to an iPod at this point (too cheap!). Right now my focus will be to load in my yoga music, and set up some playlists for classes - I have been relying on off the shelf yoga disks and typically find myself distracted by the music - always a few winners and some music I am less happy with or does not fit the rhythm of my classes. So will be nice to set up a few playlists with music that works.

Today will be a bit of a hustle - my 5:30 library class, this week introducing amplification and a teaching assist. Afterwards, buzz back to WHY for a gentle class - a last minute subbing for Shankara. He has quite the following, so subbing for him is a bit daunting. Students who walk in looking for him are bound to have some disappointment, and he often has huge classes. So...a challenge. He left me some rather explicit instructions for the class, which helps point me in a particular direction.

Wed-Sat, I'm doing a 24 hour teacher training with Tias Little. I'm looking forward to it, but I am pretty sure I am not going to have much time to breath. And Thursday night, I move right out of teacher training into assisting Barb's power class, and then teaching my own intro to power.

I've come to look at my yoga teaching right now as an internship - working my ass off, for not so much money, but getting put into new situations, testing my limits, learning, learning, learning. It's quite energizing, although I think I do need to take some deliberate down time to rest, recover, regroup......

Dhafer Youssef at Real Art Ways

My friend AC had tickets and offered to take me, and what a delightful evening. Dhafer Youssef plays the Oud, but also sings and composes. And his trio (percussion, electric guitar, and various synthesized and looped effects) was an incredible foundation for his oud playing.

Hard to really describe it all, and I can not find a video of the current ensemble online. But I saw some digital videocams in the house, so maybe something will be online anon.

Amazing that we can find this sort of eclectic and excellent talent in Hartford CT on a Saturday evening in September. Props to Real Art Ways, props to Hartford.

Community Yoga - September 28 @ 3:00 pm

I'm teaching this week. A special $5 yoga class with all proceeds benefiting charitable causes (I donate my time, the studio donates the space)

This year, one of the good causes is bringing yoga to the Hartford Public Library - but the studio also supports hunger, animal issues, homeless, HIV, etc. with the donations to this special yoga class.

If you have the afternoon free, come on down, the more the merrier!

Lomax: The Hound of Music

Spent Friday down at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, for a press event launching the new PBS series Lomax: The Hound of Music. It's coming soon to PBS, look for a special evening launching the show on October 8th (I think) on CPTV. A fairly comprehensive page about it all here.

Had an interesting time at the event. I'm the webwench for the steam train (how I got the invite) so I was somewhat drifting among the movers and shakers (state reps, selectpersons, CPTV execs, railroad board members). So when it came time for lunch, I draped my bag on a chair at the table at the back of the room, furthest from anything.

When I returned with my lunch, I found the table had been filled up by the cast and producers! So I had lunch with Amy, Delta, and Lomax. Well, the puppeteers who play Delta and Lomax (both of whom seem like great people). I should have known as much; I've been part of the crew before and we always seem to find the most out of the way place to sit...

Afterwards, a ride on "The Melody Hound Express" - a train consisting of Engine 97, a passenger car, and Amy's caboose, which figures prominantly in the series. It was a monsoon like day, there is something pretty amazing about a steam locomotive up close, especially spitting and steaming in a torrential downpour.

I loved the show; made me wish I were a kid again. Lot's of roots music - folk, bluegrass, blues inspired. The puppeteers were amazing, both on camera and live. I hope it does well, for all involved; in these days of educational testing and budget cuts, we need all the music inspiration and education we can get.

Like a Virgin

Taught a yoga class this evening at the Hartford Public Library. A HUGE crowd (40+ people, spread out over a warehouse like space cryptically named "The X Room". (X must stand for "Extra Large")

Some real challenges with the space - high ceilings, a persistant ventilation fan (probably the entire library cooling system), and a crowd drifted in over the first 15 minutes of class and that spread out after class began, when I could not easily get them to come to the front of the space. Even with my outside voice, I had trouble reaching the corners of the room.

So this morning, I am researching a wireless headset microphone (a la Madonna) that I can hopefully plug into the A/V system that seems to be semi-permanently installed in the space (judging from the taped down cables). With any luck it will be there and available for the rest of the series. Did not take me long to become one of those yoga teachers (you know, the prima donna rock star ones with the wireless headsets). I'll be in the green room, centering myself.

Actually, it was pretty incredible working that space; it's a population we normally do not see at the studio (transportation and cost issues, no doubt) and I am excited to teach the rest of the series. It's a joint project of my yoga studio, the city of Hartford, and the library.

Wait - it's Tuesday?

Monday was one of those days that flew by so fast I pretty much missed it. Yoga in the morning - a lower energy all-levels class. Just the ticket as I recovered from a bustling weekend and reserved some energy to teach Monday night. Good thing I saved some energy - I got a mid-afternoon call to teach a 4:30 gentle class which was full-up (19 people, I think 1 or 2 were turned away at the door) and then my regular 7:30 gentle (only 5 folks for this "first class, new on the schedule", which was a nice change of pace). So I'm pretty much taught out. Need to get my teaching mojo back, because tonight I'm teaching to a large group (31 pre-registered) at the Hartford Public Library. Anyone seen my bullhorn?

Sunday night we had a staff meeting at the yoga studio; most of the teaching staff was there and it was really wonderful to be in a circle with this group of people. It's hard to believe I stepped onto the mat a mere 3 years ago, and now find myself counted among these wonderful teachers I have come to love and trust my body and spirit to. Sobering and exciting.

Last night, my first yoga teacher (she took over my intro class a few weeks in, and I continued to rpactice mainly with her for many months) came into my gentle class and took practice. It was an honor to have her there, and she said she was welling up during class. I get that; a few of my regular weekday student show signs of getting the yoga bug, just as I have, an it feels wonderful to be passing this along. The seeds she planted in me a few years back, taking root, growing. I'm still a sapling here.....but I'm growing stronger and taller every day.

But the big picture will take care of itself. My body wants a hot shower, and a nice healing practice with the Nykkster. I've got work to do. And I've got a yoga class to prep for.....

Sunday Afternoon

My dance card is full today, but were it not, I would surely be visiting Real Art Ways - where a showing of the 1924 silent version of Peter Pan will be accompanied by live music from the NoHo alt-country group The Stuntmen. Details here.

I've seen other silent films at RAW - once with a Tuvan ensemble, another time with solo cello. Both wonderful - if you have not seen a silent film scored with live music, do go!

Weekend So Far

Friday night: 6 pm yoga class. 8 pm yoga info session. 9:30 pm borthday gathering at Chili's.

Saturday: 5 am wakeup call for ballooning. Flight, champagne, then breakfast.
Shooting an approach to a neighborhood in Meriden, off Diamond Hill Road

Run home, hang out a bit, then off to Bristol to see MYA for a few. Last night, down to Mohegan Sun with a friend to watch the Connecticut Sun hold off the NY Liberty. My first time down this season, the Sun were in control most of the game until letting the lead slip and turning it into a nail biter. Svetlana is not the same since her cute short hair days at U-Conn when I crushed on her madly, but she still plays great ball, and it was fun to see her playing for CT and sharing the floor with my Sun fave Erin Phillips.
Svet inbounds as Erin runs the baseline. Bonus points for Janelle McCarville on the court at the same time.

I had gotten a call to work the game Friday afternoon, a few hours after my friends with the season tickets called and I had committed to them. Just as well; it's a long day working on broadcast days, even if one gets to be down on the floor. I had to settle for an action shot of my furry crush Blaze; MYA's baby brother also has a crush on Blaze, so I picked up a Blaze beanie doll for him, taking advantage of season ending 50% off sale.

This morning: hot yoga. Then off to a mentoring meeting at 1 pm. And then to a yoga studio staff meeting. No rest for me this weekend....

A Happy Little Asana

My friend Megan compared my gentle yoga voice to Bob "A Happy Little Tree" Ross - the venerable PBS artist and host of "The Joy of Painting". Wikipedia here. Official website here.

"I mean this in the most complimentary way - I could listen to his show all day, it was so relaxing and comforting." says Megan.

Heh-heh. Let's put a happy little vinyasa.....right HERE!

The Darker Side of Twain

Stumbled across an interesting video this evening:


An excerpt from a video, The Adventures of Mark Twain, specifically drawn from Twain's unfinished work The Mysterious Stranger. Claymation by Will Vinton (famous for the California Raisins)

Just very dark, very weird, very unusual.

An Organizational Lifeline

I've been funked out about my office for a while - it's a dump. And it's piled high with boxes (mostly financial records, but also some old projects and piles of ephemera awaiting a good purge) and test equipment.

The building manager dropped by - heard I was asking around about a larger office space or a storage closet. He's got one available down the hall - $25 a month. SOLD.

I'm looking forward to taking some of the things presently under tables and on shelves into the storage closet, and turning this office back into a professional, presentable work space.

Lots of Clay and No Excuses

Cribbed from a friend's Facebook status. She is a potter (clay artist? kiln owner? wheel spinner?) whatever the heck you call someone who makes beautiful things out of clay, paint, and love.

Lots of Clay and No Excuses. This could be my new life philosophy!

Busy Girl

So here's my September / October schedule, as of September 17. Green is yoga. Blue is work. Red is personal. As one might surmise - I'm kind of busy. I've already racked up 27 hours of work for my biggest client this month - and I have another 7 hours of work in the queue due by Friday. Plus two trip reports, and some log delayed projects for other clients sitting on the back burner.....

Maybe there is a recession out there, or some sort of economic slowdown. But you can't tell that from my calendar.....

A Bucket Ride

A rare mid-week balloon outing this morning. Our passengers included a woman with terminal cancer - perhaps a few more weeks to live. Her friends treated her to a balloon ride. Quite a lovely, and sobering flight.

We often have folks ticking off items on their "Bucket List" - hot air ballooning is right up there with sky-diving, visiting exotic places,

But the love these folks had for their friend, the awe of lifting a delicate human frame into and out of the basket, and the preciousness of this life we are living.

Check something off your own bucket list, while you have health and time. Or maybe lose the bucket list, and live each day as it might be your last.

As we said our good-byes, RZ and I hugged our passenger. I hope my hug conveyed what was in my heart: love for a fellow traveler, any healing or comfort that might be transmitted via contact, and a little sadness for the death that we shall each find sooner that we could imagine.

The Plan du Jour

For Wednesday:

5:00 am - Wake up
6:15 am - Balloon chasing
8:30 am - Ought to be at my desk, with any luck, working
12:15 pm - Teaching yoga (class theme, shoulders)
2:00 pm - Back at my desk, hopefully
6:15 pm - Practicing yoga
8:00 pm - Home. Recover.

Busy day. I'll try to sneak some healthy meals in there somehow....

When You Ain't Got Nothing....

Vibing Bob Dylan as the financial world crashes down around me. The Dow was down 500 points yesterday; though it seems to have found some buoyancy today.

It's not like I don't have a dog in the hunt (heh heh - I just Freudian typo'd "a god in the hunt" and am amused by myself). I've got a nascent little 401K that I have been faithfully stuffing for a few years, and yeah, it's pretty much down 20% over the past calendar year. So be it. It's not going to change my plodding monthly investment strategy, it's not gonna make me panic. Wish I had some extra cash at the moment - I'd plow it into something or the other right now just to get my 2008 contributions up. Bargain hunting....

But really, it's all pretty amorphous to me right now. I'm investing for a retirement I never expected to reach. I've been living without much of a safety net for close to 15 years. I've come to trust the process. And I have been without the finer things in life, the right home, the right clothes, the right car, the right gadgets - that it hardly affects me.

Let it go, try not to beat yourself up or get too stressed out by it all. It will come back. Or not. But life will go on.....

With a Fizzle

My summer gig leading a yoga practice at a gym in Unionville ended last night; somewhat anti-climatically. I got there to find the manager (who I had never met) signing in a new instructor (my replacement) - apparently our signals got crossed and she thought last week was my final one. So I turned around and headed for home.

No biggie - my heart was not in it, I had gotten to the gym to find I had left my music at the studio. I wasted a trip out, but I was not highly attached to teaching last night - I had taught a noon gentle class, and have classes Wed and Fri. Last night fell into the category of "doing them a favor until they got someone else"

So, I am free to focus on my upcoming classes - one last week of summer schedule - then we plow into the fall, with new opportunities and challenges. I'm glad I had the chance to teach some gym yoga this summer; a stepping stone for me. But also kind of glad it's over.

Ira Glass Porn

I'm watching an episode of Ira Glass Porn*, aka the This American Life DVD. I picked this up as a public radio premium a while back and have not watched it yet.

I'm really enjoying it. The two stories in this particular episode are remakes of TAL radio segments: Chance the Bull (dead but cloned, his successor Second Chance turns out to be not quite the same gentle spirit as the original) and Best Gig Ever about an improve group that populated an obscure band's gig, previously blogged here. The video versions were good - not simply rehashings of the radio show, but fleshed out with good background video, as well as follow-up interviews.

Be interesting to see what they do with material they have not done on the radio show.....

* Coined by friend Kimi, who has a thing for Mr. Glass.

Lazin' on a Sunday Afternoon

With apologies to the Kinks.

Went with a friend to see "No Child" at Theaterworks. Quite a powerul piece, I really liked it. A bit short (1:15) and in some ways the translation from a one-woman piece to a small ensemble (4 actors) worked very well, although I think it suffered a tiny bit from being betwixt and between - having 4 actors made for some character differentiation but also a bit of mild confusion - was not 100% keeping up with all the characters throughout. A minor quibble; it's a pretty amazing piece otherwise.

Afterwards, we wandered down to Bushnell Park for the Hope Out Loud festival / concert, which was pretty small. Hope was sort of talking in an inside voice.....so to speak. A handful of tables, a small stage, not a lot of drama. Did run into WKW from RAW (who was out exercising) and I was pleasantly accosted by an Italian Ice vendor "You teach the $5 yoga classes at noon, right?" That has been happening more often, something I need to get used to.

After a quick circuit at the fest, we wandered up to The Russell for a bite; not particularly impressed. Although I recall going to that location about 25 years ago (no idea what it was then) for an art opening; I recognized the place inside once we were in there. I had a chicken curry sandwich, my friend had a salad. Mine was OK - nothing spectacular; my friend was less than impressed by her salad.