Fruit

Today I am wishing I had all this beautiful fruit at my fingertips.

The taste of freshness -- it's just not the same with our grocery store produce.  

And the prices. 

Wow! 

It's so affordable to eat plentiful and fresh foods in India. 

Good grief I miss it. 

Mango. Banana. Tangerine. Papaya. Pineapple.

Breakfast Goa, India February 2011. 

Wake Up!

Tea towel + kettle + 5am brain = kitchen fire!

I'm up!

Adjustments

Things have begun to feel more "normal" again which is nice and not nice too. I miss that feeling of excitement that comes with looking at my place of birth through different cultural eyes. I miss, missing Asia everyday. I think about it often but it does not permeate my thoughts like it did only 2 months ago. I've gotten back to a more American way of life. I've started thinking about how I'm going to pay my student loans back (likely NOT from getting a teaching gig in Thailand). I've started working on my resume and thinking about where I want to live that is
A) a bigger city --all this driving is for the birds!
B) has an Ashtanga teacher and studio that I will learn from/be comfortable at
C) Has a climate that I can tolerate (note; not 7 months of winter/cold)
D) has enough of a culture that I won't feel isolated (ie; not a retirement community in FL)
E) has affordable housing and something resembling a job market
F) has a food culture that embraces vegan/vegetarianism--a little more than one might expect in say, Oklahoma for example. : )

Ya so that's a list. If you know a place, I'm taking suggestions. I already have a city in mind but many things will have to fall into place first, more on that later.

For now I'm taking it easy, nursing my body some (A dislocated rib is healing and some severe knee pain is there--due to hip adjustments I've been getting) and doing my best to stay here in the now enjoying the sunshine while we have it.  

32 and A Cleanse

I'm 32 years old today.

All things considered I'm in better health both mentally and physically than I was 10 years ago. I'm perfectly happy about turning 32.

My practice this morning was awesome. I sweat a lot, landed some poses I was struggling with and have made good improvements on my back drops.

Tomorrow I'm starting a cleanse. My body needs some clean out time. 10 days of the "master cleanse". Last time I did this cleanse I only made it 7 days. I'm hoping to go for the full 10 this time but I will take things as they come and make adjustments to my time frame if need be.

I imagine I'll be resting a lot this week. I'll probably be posting about my cleanse too.
Wish me luck!

Graduation! Stuck it!

I graduated college over the weekend AND landed Laghu Vajrasana.

I did some serious eating during all the family celebrations so this week I'm working on moderation and feeding myself only healthy foods. More apples, nuts, water, and vegetables less deviled eggs, cupcakes, and lemon mascarpone pound cake with figs. I can do this!

I'm getting rather obsessed with this pose, I've been watching videos and reading up on it. I think what will help me be more comfortable as I continue to move into second series postures is to land my drop back on my own. I'm pretty close to having the confidence to go it alone but not quite there yet. I still need mats to land on or teacher assistance. It is all in my mind. I know this. I must let go of the fear of falling on my head and breaking my neck. I will work on that this week too.

Outstanding!

I had an amazing practice this morning. Really, really, really good and unexpected. 

I was instructed to work on the next two poses in the intermediate series, Ustrasana--nailed it! and Laghu Vajrasana--butchered it. 

I'm a little confused why the teacher thought I should move forward. I thought my practice was crap last week and yesterday and the day before. I have been feeling the effects of, 1) putting on 5lbs (a little over to 2kgs) which has seriously altered my binds. Altered them to the point where I am getting only fingers in poses that I had my wrist in 2 weeks ago. Ugh! And, 2) I was not at practice bright and early at all this week. Even today I didn't get there until a few minutes after 7am. 

I don't need to dissect it, I have new poses to work with and it's exciting stuff. 

Ustrasana 

Laghu Vajrasana 

Badly

I miss proper Thai coffee with sweet milk.