Bendy Certification

Get ready for lots of blogging this week. I am sitting at the desk of evil, watching a certain someone’s phones for the next couple of days. Sitting here does not inspire much productivity as I have very little access to the tools needed to do my job. But it is fun to catch up on CNN.com and find out what celebrity hijinks have gone down this week at USWeekly's website…

Well, I completed my YogaFit training this weekend. I think I would have had a lot more fun if I had been healthy. I still have this ridiculous cold. During the relaxation period of every class, I would have to leave because I was coughing so much. It was pretty annoying to say the least. The training was intense, 18 full hours of lectures and poses. I got to practice teaching a group of several people which was somewhat intimidating. Some of the instructors taking the course had been through all the levels and were retraining, so they were comfortable teaching while I was not so much…comfortable…with…the teaching.

I think the hardest part for me is the language of instruction. Instead of “you” you have to say “we.” “WE will now move into downward facing dog…Stepping back into Warrior one, aligning OUR heels and straightening OUR hips toward the front wall…” It’s like learning a foreign language. But I just have to do 8 hours of volunteering and then I can apply for my level 1 certificate. I’ll have to see. In order to become a master yoga trainer, I have to complete levels 2, 3, 4, and 5, repeating levels 1 and 2 to retrain. I have to take a two-day anatomy training, a seniors training, and either a prenatal training or a kids training. That’s like $4,000 worth of training. Not to mention travel and such. I was so excited about the teaching before, but now I’m not so sure…that’s a huge lifestyle and financial commitment. I love yoga, but I also love jogging and tennis and swimming and other forms of exercise. I don’t necessarily see yoga as a way of life.

On a sunnier topic, I now have studio space to start painting again. My wonderful friends, Ginny and Matt, just moved into a new house and have volunteered part of their basement for me to destroy with paint. I am so incredibly excited! I haven’t painted in months. Right now I’m working on illustrating a book for my friend’s daughter and I hope to begin an Iowa City series of paintings. I did a really fun one of the IMU Bridge a few years ago and it’s one of my favorite paintings. I think I’ll start with Kinnick Stadium at first and work my way around town from there. I’ve been shopping online for a new easel and am contemplating looking into a drafting table. It’s been years since I had actual space to work on projects. Space is such a valuable thing. I wish I had more of it. Someday I will own a house. And I will have a yard. And a garage. And a dog…

Things have been pretty quiet around here for the most part. My sweet neighbor is going to be moving away in a few weeks, leaving me to fend for myself in our building. But I’m excited for her. She’s talking about moving to Virginia, or Hawaii, or Florida. Lucky duck. She's a surfer, so Hawaii would be ideal. It’s cool she has options. She seems pretty overwhelmed, though. I don’t really blame her. Sometimes too many options are just as bad as no options.

I’m sitting by a widow right now, wishing I was outside. It is absolutely beautiful out there and I am stuck in here. I really want to take an afternoon off and just skip out to the lake and catch some sun. My friend, Jessie, was just talking about it and now it’s all I can think about. Ah well. I get to walk home. I guess that’s time outside. (Molly makes a face and sticks her tongue out...)

Peace and Love