Getting So Close!

Next week at this time I'll be cozied up in my room in Acapulco. I can hardly believe it! This week was eventful, so here are a few updates...I'll go backwards.

Today I spent getting organized and packing things I won't need between now and when I go. I neurotically updated my packing list to include another 20 things or so - highlights I'll call out: Heating pad (DUH!), laundry receptacle, Spanish phrase book, and I also detailed out the medications, etc. My list is getting shorter in terms of things I need to still get, and hopefully but being so prepared I won't get sick and will just have lots of stuff on hand for next fall's cold season! Today I did clothing and all of the "other" stuff; still have to organize the food/kitchen stuff, and the electronics. Oh, and I also went ahead and ordered a really cool water bottle that filters the crap outta everything, including "biological" contaminants - http://www.purewater2go.com/biological.html. While it may seem a bit overboard - I mean, we are staying at a resort intended for rich white people - having the runs at Bikram training seems like a fate worse than death. So, I opted in on this little gadget, just in case.

Dialogue is going well. Christian and I met up this week daily for 1 hour and practiced. We both have a fairly decent command up through hands-to-feet (so, for the non-Bikram folks, that's basically the first posture, which has 4 parts though we only have to learn/be tested on 3 of them). We also had a private session with Saiko who was so generous with her time and attention, I was overwhelmed. She had us go through each posture, corrected us, and then we took photos! She said this was a great way to be able to see how much we progress in each posture as a result of training. Her battery died after Locust, so I have pictures up to there, and Christian will be getting me the remainder off of his camera. It was really interesting looking at myself from angles other than "in the mirror." I did 9:30 class, and then we did this at 12:00, so I was nice and warm. Overall, it was good stuff - many of my postures look respectable, a few look better than others, a few need some attention. So cool to see! Plus, Christian and I practice together a lot, so we never really get to see each other in practice - some of his postures were stunning, and that was fun to see too!

Here's my Locust...and a photo I will entitle, "If Only...." or perhaps better, "Someday"...





Practice has been really good - I find I'm looking at it in a whole other way, thinking about being a teacher. I had one really distracted practice, so the next day, I waited and went late in the day after I'd gotten a lot done - then I had a fantastic "I wouldn't wanna be anywhere on Earth but right here in this hot room doing this yoga" practice. And, of course, a few in between. I'm doing a double here and there, and otherwise just trying to take it easy and be gentle with myself (without going overboard) since in a week, I won't have a choice. Plus, ALL my teachers keep saying "take it easy" ... "pace yourself once you're there - don't be all gung-ho and hurt yourself"... etc.

Life otherwise is better - I dialed back expectations on my contract job, and have more-or-less wrapped up my organizing/personal assistant clients, and have my Lead Organizer, Susannah, set up to hold down the fort while I'm away. I went and got a massage which helped my shoulders immensely, worked in a couple chiropractor visits, got my teeth cleaned/check-up and have my annual physical on Monday. So all of the physical service providers will be up-to-date. I've given up on seeing all the people I want to see before I go; honestly, short of having an actual party (not happening!) it's hopeless. I saw my family on Easter which was great, and have touched base with most friends. I'm figuring 9 weeks will fly by, and I'll be back before anyone misses me...except Jill.

Jill has been so fantastic in supporting me getting ready, giving me room to be a stress case and bitch-slapping me as needed back into reality. Her birthday is Tuesday so I'm working super hard this weekend to be squared away so we can enjoy our her birthday, and our last week together. She got her ticket to come to Acapulco for my last week, to be there for graduation and take the last class with us (family members are invited! apparently Bikram just runs around and makes fun of them :) She's looking forward to a week of vacation, as she will have just come off of covering her business partner's maternity leave...so the timing is good.

This last week is such a mix of stuff - I want to stay calm, focus on my practice, and get up through awkward down pat (or relatively pat). I hope to get my house in good order so as not to leave Jill in the wake of my departure; spend some nice time with her, finish off my clients and stay sane! :) Here's hoping!