Wonderful

Many life pleasures. Alcohol is a wonderful thing. Ok before all you people think I am drinking for the wrong reason, it is not to forget, it is not to escape, and it is just a nice release at the end of a crazy week. It is nice to find typing difficult—spell check is great! I am going to go back to my couch, pass out and wake in the morning. Oh by the way swearing off dating for a while.

Crashing!

Does anyone else hear this roaring that is all around me. I can’t hear my radio, I can’t hear the TV, I can’t hear my phone. It is like a thousand mosquitoes all around my head. I spoke too soon yesterday when I wrote what I wrote and thought what I thought. I was on a the rise of a ride that could only go down. My hands are shaking as I struggle to type this. For 6 weeks I have gotten closer and closer to someone who I can honestly say I love. Please don’t judge and say I too young to understand that word, please don’t be that judgmental. Ana could see right through me and read me like a book. There was nothing that was hidden from her. She made me feel like a child. I would dance a jig in the middle of the street or just skip through a festival with, I was on cloud nine. So many people think of me as always being serious, but she brought out the best in me and I loved her for it. She was with me with some of the most horrible times these past few weeks with Ben, and she always knew what to say and how to say it. She became someone who I always thought about, and even more often called.

Tonight as you can guess we had to meet to ‘talk’. What hurts the most is she feels the exact same about me, it turns out it is religion. Yes I know before I said she was Jewish, well that is not all there is to it. She is half Jewish, half Christian and you can guess which side she falls more into apparently. Well her faith means as much to her as mine does to me. Growing up in a family that got split because of religion she swore to herself she would never do the same. Why this didn’t come about earlier, well she always swore she would end it before each date, and never did. Now I can’t stop thinking about her.

Just when I pull over and can’t seem to drive any further for fear of being unable to control my vehicle she calls me. I almost don’t pick up, I don’t want to talk to her right now, I don’t think I could take it. But I do. She is in tears, her cousin just died. Her cousin, husband to a wife, father to a 2 and 4 year old. He died of an electrocution accident in a house he is restoring. I turn around race back to her and be with her until her roommate can get to her to pick Ana up to bring her to her parents. As I sit there on the side of the road completely emotionally drained, I know I have lots to be thankful for. That my family is all healthy and going strong (I love you all more than I could possibly express here), and I have some of the most amazing friends. But yet I am also so incredibly hurt. I just… I don’t know…. I can’t stop the roaring all around me. She brought out the best in me, she made me feel like I didn’t have to act, I could be me. Every Disney loving, SUV driving, adrenalin medic running, child like person that I know I am. She knew it, and loved me back for it.

Thoughts and Non-Events

How can we be so busy and yet when we try to take a second and write what we have done, it all escapes like mist in the morning. But thankfully for you my friends and family I have retained just the barest inklings of what my week has been like.

Between taking on new projects at work and helping out every weekend with Red Cross it has been a lot of running around. This weekend I volunteered in San Ramon (only about 40 minute drive for me) at a national final track and field event. As you know this weekend saw record temperatures around the country and fine and fair California was no exception. It hit 108 on Saturday and 115 on Sunday, and here is the crew in long pants and a work shirt. Suffice to say it was a tough tour. But I am happy to say barring a few dehydrations and numerous muscles pulls, there was nothing more serious that required medical attention, quite lucky actually. The way home definitely called for a quick stop into the Dairy Queen, which I am thrilled to say is finally making its way across the country to take up residence in CA. Who would have thought how much I missed that divine desert locale with refreshing and tantalizing treats.

Work this week consisted of making power point presentations that I doubt that people are actually going to use. But hey it was a ‘fun’ experience and I spent a ton of time on them. But this is part of the life in the corporate world.

Overall it has been an interesting week, but tomorrow I help load up the rigs for the garlic festival, one of the largest events we run, and then afterwards go out for a nice relaxing date with you know who. Its kinds strange between my hectic schedule and hers we haven’t had many real dates, you know dates with just the two of us not running between events or meetings. We seem to spend as much time on the phone as some of my long distance relationship of long ago, or on email. Not that I am complaining, we really get to know one another, but sometimes I just miss the ease of dating in college, so much less life got in the way. Although last night was nice, we went and donated Platelets together, now nothing says romantic than having your arms stuck by needles simultaneously (by professionals I would like to add). Tomorrow is much look forwarded to.

Have a good night everyone

To actually see this over a dozen times was mesmorizing. 

This is without a zoom lense! Beautiful majestic animals. 

First checking out the food for the whales. 

This is the boats we took to go whale watching. 65 MPH, out of the water by 3-4 ft at a time. 

View from my window. Sorry Chi town people, this view trumps Lake Michigan 

Where I stayed in Victoria, just a normal hotel made in 1908. 

Not Fair!

There are countless books endeavoring to explain why bad things happen to good people, and although I am not the definitive expert on the subject I have seen my fair share in others. A close friend, one that has been the most supporting of Ben’s family for 7 months and played an integral role in the Big Bash, was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Before I go into that I want to go on a tangent for a second, she actually found the lump herself and to thank was a former doctor of her who used a silicon model to show her exactly how to do a self examination and exactly what to look for. Woman if there was ever more a reason to ask your doctor for skills like these, this should be living proof, she is well under the age range and very healthy, it can happen to anyone. So please learn to check yourself and most especially learn how and what to look for.

With that said, her is just a wonderful person, who is completely giving to others and even before one storm has passed another closes in much closer and personal. She is going through so much else, but that does not limit her positive attitude or her unstoppable desire to help others. Why is it that these things seem to happen to the best people. Yet another to pray for, and pray beyond all prayers that this is quick and as painless as possible for her. I only hope that it is heard, for what else is fair, and what it fair? Well I will leave that question for another day.

It humbles me to say that with everything else going on still with Ben and now her, I am so privileged and lucky that life is actually going exceedingly well for me. I am in a very good place at work right now (hence some of my entries last week among other things), socially I am seeing just an unbelievable person. I do not wish to reveal anything as I very much respect her privacy, but suffice to say she makes me laugh like I haven’t laughed in quite some time and makes me feel like a kid again. For now I am happy and so very lucky. Oh and beside that all in my family are quite healthy and doing reasonably well. What have I done to deserve such good fortune, and when will it end? How hard will it be when I hit the ceiling and fall back down, and why must I ask such a depressing question when everything else is so wonderful? I don’t want to dwell on that, but it is certainly in the back of my mind. As for now I am so happy I could burst and that, well is a wonderful place to be.

Ruffles

What an unbelievably fun day. I am still in Victoria where for all morning and into early afternoon we continued our large summit discussing future marketing strategy and routes to revenue. But in the afternoon was our fun activity time and what a treat. We had the choice of golf, kayaking or whale watching. Duh, of course you know what I chose. Because it is so cold and we are in these small zodiac boats that go up to 60mph with only 12 people (no shelter or shielding) we are in these full head to toe, red, bulky but warm full outfits. It was a sight to see. We all pile into to boats and I would like to think the group I was with got the better boat, simply because of our driver, Tom. Tom has been leading tours for 3 years and before that in Search and Rescue for 7 years. He knew the waters like the back of his hand and all the history attributed to it.

We go out onto the open water and after warning us we take off. Now I am in the front row with two others as it is supposed to be dryer but bumpier. I figure I can take bumpy over wet. This boat is literally leaping out of the water and our butts are coming off the seat by a good 12-15 inches. We can see our sister ship literally hitting waves and flying out of the water by 2-3 feet. It was jarring and exhilarating all in one. Better than any roller coaster I have ever been on. We see some sea lions on the rocks and frankly cute but pretty far away nothing special. We hear of a sighting of whales and we head off. What luck, we ended up finding a pod of 75 (pod group J and K) Orcas just cruising into the bay calm as can be. They are literally on all sides of the boat and just looking as beautiful as can be. After they all pass, we zoom back to 65 miles an hour to get back in front and watch it again. The second time they are even closer but as the main group passes we see three whales in the back making a big of a ruckus and well above water. We ask all knowing Tom what we are seeing as they approach quickly. One of them turns over and man it looked like it was giving birth. Tom soon informs us that this is Ruffles, a 50 year old Orca that has been mating with anything that swims for 35 years. That was exactly what we were watching, two females and good ol’ Ruffles. Women, when a boyfriend or husband asks for a three-way and as you are so disgusted and ask where he got that idea, don’t be surprised if he says from the Discovery channel apparently this is common. I think we might have a picture of the member (will have to check camera later) but might have to warn people of adult content before posting. Suffice to say Free Willy lived, literally.

As we roam to see the whales a third time, Tom tells us about the intelligence of these majestic and graceful animals. They are apparently not only incredibly intelligent but also very family oriented. He tells the story from a researcher who had been following one pod where this one baby Orca was always with his mother. One day he is in the middle between two male Orcas for some strange reason with no sign of the mother. They later find out that the two males are the uncle and brother and were with the baby because the mother is dead. Since none of the other female Orca’s were lactating, the uncle and brother were taking turns catching salmon, chewing it and feeding it to the baby until he could catch his own food (I think we could all take example from these animals). Another story revolved around how much the Orcas love a certain type of fish that lives deep in the ocean. Fisherman used to lay deep lines and as they reeled up the line the Orcas would eat the fish off the line. Clearly this did not make the fisherman happy so they developed ways to stop this behavior. They tried reeling in empty lines to try and discourage the Orcas, but the Orcas could actually hear the difference between a full line and an empty line. Next they tried to lay one line far out from the group distract the pod and reel in their catch safely. The whales caught on and swam at 35+ mph and still got the fish. Finally the fisherman divided the lines in half at far distances so they assumed they would only loose half. Guess what, on the fly the Orca pod divided in half each taking half of the lines. How amazing is that?? Such majestic and unfortunately endangered animals. I will definitely post pictures as soon as I can figure out why I have been having problems posting, but suffice to say unbelievable!!

Remorse

A warning to my readers, although I will not be revealing any specific plot twists or revelations in any way, the general emotions expressed in this entry may reveal some background to the latest Harry Potter book that avid fans not having completed the final chapter might want to hold off for the time being.

That being said this latest installment definitely moves the Harry Potter series definitively away from a strictly children’s series into an mature adult content with complex sub-plots and emotions. Reading the book like a starved man dying for just a taste of words, I finished in upon landing in Victoria, British Colombia, Canada. I find myself in a state of melancholy after the completion of the book, for it was both satisfying but enormously emotional. We begin to see these characters as real people and to have things happen both physically and emotionally takes a toll on our own emotions. I long with a yearning seldom felt for the next book, knowing it might be two years away and if tragedy were to strike, never. Is this akin to how Star Wars fans felt as each new installment was revealed to tell just a tantalizing bit more of the tale? I love the story and the characters, but the mantras and the underlying theme of love, childish delight, curiosity, and adventure is certainly where the prize lies. So to all those who have not yet picked up the books of Harry Potter may I certainly recommend them, they will do more for your inner child than all the GI Joe and Barbie ever could.

As I alluded to I have returned not as a conquering warrior but by a neophyte in life to Victoria. The last and only other time I was here was four years ago accompanied by my first long term girlfriend who I had been dating in college. She lived in Seattle and when visiting her we took a day trip up here to Victoria by Hydrofoil. Although the relationship is no longer (and I wish her well in med school) I have returned a little wiser and quite a bit older and experienced in the ways of the world. I am staying at the famous Empress Hotel built in 1908 for British royalty when they needed to get a while from the stresses of London for a little while. A location made famous by still serving high tea just as they have for almost 100 years to a select few who make prompt reservations and dress in a manner according to the hotels prestige and lineage. Imagine Cape Cod with the friendship (and relaxed pace) that only Canada clearly posses. A fellow air passenger missed his connecting flight in Vancouver where I transferred, he arrives at the counter with moisture along his forehead and along his back, and yet quite calm. The desk agent already had a replacement ticket prepared for the very next flight, they exchanged pleasantries and the passenger retreated to a seat where he relaxed and purchased himself a latte. No arguments, no swearing, just understanding and an ability to move on. Quite impressive. More on this later, as for now I need to get in a quick jaunt to the gym.

Chapter six

The clock struck 11:30 and every nerve stood on end, the electricity was in the air. Over a thousand people milling around, munching on donuts, looking for the shortest line, but an excitement pervaded over the entire crowd. The minutes ticked by slower and slower as the hour of the morning approached. The awaited time seems to never arrive and yet with a whisper more than a roar the register rings. Just that simple beep evokes applause to break out from over a thousand people. The latest Harry Potter installment has just sold its first issue, it was impossible to not be caught up in the current of excitement that is flowing through the crowd. I am 507 in line waiting my precious copy of nothing more than paper and ink, and yet I would wait for hours for a chance to read these scribbles on paper. Kids are falling asleep in the aisles as they wait in line for their turn to get their issue. Many of the kids and a surprising number of the adults dressed up as their favorite character. There was energy in the air as more and more customers successfully obtained their copy of the book. I was finally awarded the opportunity to buy my copy at 2:07am. Keep in mind coming from Chicago that very same day it felt like 4:07am, but no complaints I had my copy of the book. However this now opens the new fear, as I began to read this morning and I am loving the book, I do not want anyone to give away any aspect of the storyline before I finish. So thus begins the time I no longer talk to anyone who has read it, read any articles that even hint of Harry Potter not walk near conversations. I will say this the first 200 pages are great!

Coming back from Chicago I just had to laugh at some of my fellow passengers as the baggage claim. I was surrounded by 7 or 8 people from different families all struggling to remember what their suitcase looks like. They each took turns complaining that all suitcases look alike (who told you to buy a black bag in the first place) and they should change that someday. I was overcome by mirth of my fellow passengers angst as each new bag had to be inspected by numerous people to ensure it was not actually one of theirs. It would be thrown back on the belt only to have its inspection location taken by yet another. Let this be advice to all others, buy pink bags.

Boondoggle

I love corporate trips, they really know how to treat customers and even their own employees. I am in Chicago (as has been previously mentioned) for an event that my company holds every three months where we fly out about 30 of our best customers out to meet with us so we can present them our roadmap and get feedback. Now this is such an important activity as these are customers that spend annually more than $60 million each! It would be a huge mistake if we design products that they don’t want or misses the mark, so this is our way of keeping our focus.

But that is not what I wanted to write about. These same great customers are then treated to the best we can offer for these weeks. The first night we took everyone to one of the best steak joints in Chicago (by whomever ranks steak joints), second night to the leading sea food restaurant, and last night was to take a river cruise which ended in fireworks that was enjoyed by all. Now having had the privilege of attending with customers both to talk to them and understand their top concerns, these guys and girls who do this every 3 months are some of the most fun people I have traveled with. The New Yorkers just love showering Chicago with accolades about how wonderful the city it, while insulting how easy they have it and how they are wimps (not their exact word). They also freaked out just a little when they saw people swimming in the lake. To swim in the Hudson is to take your life in your own mind. The Bostonians are amazed by how straight the streets are and that each intersection meets at 90 degree angles. But all the same these customers love to work hard all day sitting for 9 hours of straight power point presentations, but love even more drinking beer at the top of the John Hancock building (unbelievable view of sunsets) or on Rush street. By the way did you know it takes the elevator in the John Hancock building 42 seconds (approximately) to travel 96 stories? Unbelievable. Yes this is what happens when you put 12 slightly tipsy engineers into an elevator together.

Having gotten very little sleep I am eagerly anticipating flying home and sleeping in my own bed. But while we are on the subject of going home got to tell you about something I think you might enjoy. Last week Thursday (a week ago today) I was asked to take on an entire new technology and help on the virtual team. Now this is an entirely new technology that I have absolutely no understanding of, but this does not scare me as I should be able to learn new things and technologies. I knew I would have a few weeks to study and talk to people and watch other presentations and although I needed to ramp up quickly, but I had no idea how quickly. I received a call last Friday asking if I could do a customer briefing on this technology for a week from that day (i.e. tomorrow) as everyone else is out of town. This call came from my manager and although I was reluctant I agreed. It gets better, this presentation will be given in Japanese. This is challenging at best, harder when I am not comfortable with the content at all! Suffice to say it will be interesting and will put to test any and all presentation skills I might have. Wish me luck.

As for now I need to go back to my meeting, but wanted to give everyone an update. Have a great Thursday.

Chi-Town

I love this city. Coming back to Chicago in the summer, in a very pleasant summer to be specific is simply fun. I am here in this trip for work of course, but spend a bit of time out on the town last night with co-workers and customers. I am here with a number of New Yorkers who of course are an interesting group just in general. But here we are at the top of the John Hancock building having a drink overlooking the entire city, and they are just loving aspects of it, while mercilessly ridiculing the softness (not their exact wording) of the residents. They were flabbergasted and in some cases horrified that people actually sat on the beach and even swam in Lake Michigan. To go into the Hudson is to take your life in your hands. They were tickled by the fact that there is no trash in the streets, we use alleys to hide our garbage, and that even the homeless are fairly well dressed and carry a Starbucks card. Yes this really is a great town.

To link back to something I was talking about yesterday concerning our freedom, we had a good discussion over this over lunch and dinner. Like I said many of these customers are from NY and they are equally if not more upset with the freedoms we have had to give up. Someone commented on my blog to just take off your shoes and deal with it, its not difficult. But this is the whole point, it is not about what is easy it is about the underlying issue of giving up basic freedoms. If we accept shoes, maybe we will accept pants next. Do you think this is a stretch? Well there is a theory that you can put primer cord in your pants unnoticed and you can use it to blow out a window. Security already has separate screened in areas for men and women, and you already have your pockets empty and your shoes off. How about we just take off our pants? Its not hard, should we accept that? The purpose behind my entry is to raise awareness, to quote a poem which I believe is quite fitting in this scenarion.

“Rage Rage against the dying of the light, do not go gently in that good night!!”

Courtesy

There is a reason I would never fly Southwest, but oh no they are now spreading onto the primary airlines like United. Who are they? They are the basic Americans who believe they own the whole world and can be arrogant and discourtesies to others. I am sitting here in my seat watching in disbelief as the man in front of me finishes a meal he brought with him from the airport, calmly takes all the trash returns it to the original bag and stuffs it under his seat (which is where my bag is by the way). Ok maybe once, but then he buys a meal onboard and proceeds to do the same with the snack box. But wait it gets better. He finishes his cup of coffee and take his cut and throws it under his seat as well. I now have a mini-landfill directly in front of me. When he gets up to go to the bathroom, I ask if he would like to take some of his trash back with him. He looks at me like I am absolutely crazy, like how dare I imply he should clean up his own trash. For those of you who fly United he was a blue ticket! (for everyone else, this is a person with no affiliation with mileage plus and is thus a recreational or non-seasoned traveler).

Even getting through the airport security was a nightmare. Keep in mind that I travel virtually every other week, many times with as many as 6 trips a month, so suffice to say I know the routine at security. I am actually quite lucky San Francisco has a dedicated security screening line to first class and senior status members such as myself. I Show my ticket and ID and this security employee tells me my bag is too large. Now keep in mind it is maybe 2 inches too large using their own measuring system, but have been carrying it on every flight for multiple months. I tell her not to worry it is ok with United. She is of course a brick wall and asks me to have the United rep next to her agree. I talk to the United rep who immediately says no problem. She tells the security woman no problem, and walks away. But wait we are not done with this representative of the United States federal government. She is on my left and proceeds to talk over me to the other employee on my right in a foreign language. (probably telling her that she should speak English in front of her clients didn’t get on her good side, on the other hand I felt I was justified as she was being rude to begin with). They tell me now I need to get a United supervisor as the other rep was only a mere employee not management. Are you bloody kidding me? I tell them to call their supervisor instead. They do, I explain the situation and as she begins to tell me that just this once…. I turn my back and walk into line. There is no way this is a security issue, this is just them on an ego trip, especially when the airline rep agreed with the customer.

Oh wait we are not done yet. So I approach the screening area and of course empty my pockets, identify my badge and prepare to walk through. Traveling as much as I do, I have light shoes without a stitch of metal and in every other airport just sails through. The screener asks if there is metal, I say no. He says we recommend taking them off, but ok. Cool ok I am walk through and sure enough no annoying beeping declaring that I have some metal anywhere in or on my body. He they tells me to move to the second screening area. I inquire as to why, he tells me because I didn’t listen to him and take off my shoes. Let me get this straight, since I took the option that I am allowed by TSA policies, and PASS the test, this piece of work was offended and decided to second screen me. He takes me aside and asks me when my flight is. I ask why, and he replies so he knows how long he has to search me. Ok this is so not happening, I decide not to answer and tell him to get on with it. Now a normal person would think if you were worried about my shoes after all, ok take them, but now his tiny little pride is offended, so he conducts the full search from testical to wallet and hair to toes. I pass with flying colors (again) and he is very disappointed.

As I walk away from being molested by these outstanding federal employees I have to reflect on the differences between our American attitudes and European. I have been to London which has more terrorist bombings and events in a single calendar year than we have had in decades. They don’t require you to strip or even remove electronics from your bags. Don’t get me wrong, they are careful, but they use technology and highly skilled individuals to ensure proper screening. As compared to our way of solving a problem. Taking under skilled (or just no skilled) staff and creating massive processes that inconvenience everyone. Like what is up with having no less than three members of the security staff check ticket and ID (once to get in line, once at end of line, and once 4 feet later walking through the metal detector). Yet we put up with this. We accept that a 23 year old with zero training is telling us we need to take off shoes, belt, jacket, long sleeve shirt, hat, and anything else he can think of to walk through a machine that does just fine with all those articles on. I find that losing those rights in an airport to be much more upsetting that some of the other rights we have lost since 9/11. We live in such fear of speaking out or seeming to have any opinion whatsoever that we dare not speak out or against such rubbish. Having a screener tell me he is taking me aside for no probable reason other than because he didn’t like my attitude shows an arrogance before not accepted. And yet we do accept, when I or someone else speaks out, they all throw the security for the common good in our face. But yet these excuses are just to placate the ignorant and stupid.

My favorite was when they told kids they could not have their computers using ad-hoc or peer-to-peer networking to play multi-player video games on the plane as it was a security hazard. Let me get this straight using a wireless network which United among other airlines offers on a number of their airlines as a service, now poses a security risk! And yet without batting an eye, the parents quickly close the kids computer and calmly put them away. Have we lost our desire to question these things, to defend our rights? Believe me, I am all about security as someone in planes very often, but common sense should poke its head up every once in a while. Just some thoughts from seat 15A.

Drip Drip Drip

Let me start this riveting and sometimes hygienically questionable entry with the basic premise that new experiences may not always be good, but one should always be willing to try new things. So with that mantra in mind, I agreed to go with a friend to Bikram yoga. Now for those of you not familiar with the varying and multitude types of yoga, Bikram yoga is very similar to normal yoga in regards to movement and stretches, however instead of being in a comfortable 68 degree environment, rather this is done in a studio that is 105 degrees and 60 percent humidity. Does this seem like a reasonable environment to do strenuous activities? Let me assure you just walking into the room was challenging. So lets walk you through this.

We arrive at this studio which has two changing rooms. They are on either side of the lobby and are nothing more than a section of the lobby separated by a floor to ceiling drapery which reveals behind it just a single bench. The male side houses a industrial size heater designed for nuclear power plans and small cities. Is this my first clue that men might not be the most welcomes of gender here? I rapidly change as we are running late (I wasn’t driving so no hits on men being late). Before being allowed to enter into the studio I am requested to sign a Death and Dismemberment waiver. This waiver is just as long as bungee jumping, but I am feeling optimistic and this does not even give me pause. I grab my yoga mat and together we enter the studio. Having frequented saunas or steam rooms before I was at least prepared to expect the impact of the heat wave. The room was no more than 15 feet wide and a good 60 feet long, with evenly alternating yoga mats placed like table settings as a dining room table. Along the entire room women (ironically no men) were warming up (no pun intended) and preparing for class. I lay my mat and towel upon it and try to prepare myself, nothing was going to fully prepare me for this though.

Little did I know that the desk assistant was actually the instructor for the class. We hear a voice preparing us and as I look over I see a bear. No, not a metaphorical bear, an honest to goodness bear. Was this the heat already going to my head, or maybe the steam from the 3 humidifiers? I squint to see more clearly, which just causes more water to bead up in my eyes. As the bear approaches I see it is not a woodland creature, but our instructor without the benefit of a shirt and with mounds of black curly hair covering both front and rear. He finishes this ensemble with short athletic shorts revealing a majority of his legs covered in compatible hair. He begins to lead us through the class as I desperately try not to look at this sweating coordinator in front of us.

Having not practiced yoga, or the gym in general for that matter, I was expecting a tough workout. By the third move my leg was shaking like a jackrabbit to the point where I was not sure I would be able to stop the shuttering. Fear not left leg ceased its palpitations when the right leg began. Sweat is now begin to bead up throughout my body, but I still believe I am in control of the situation. I try to keep up with my classmate in front of me only to find out after the session she is actually an instructor at different classes, not the person you want to try to set pace with. After 45 minutes, my lungs are screaming for oxygen, my legs are like Jello and my head is preparing to pop right off my neck. But I fear not as I know the end is approaching. The great bear in the front says something I don’t think I quite heard correctly so I whisper to my friend inquiring as to how long classes are. She whispers back, 90 minutes. WHAT????? I do everything I can to contain my fear of trying to last not another 15 minutes, but rather another 45 minutes. She asks if I need to step outside. Keep in mind this would require walking in front of, over, of around over 20 women who are all cheerfully contorting away with the great bear. Now my masculinity is in question (or what’s left of it) so of course the choice is obvious, stick with it! Up to now all exercises were standing exercises which include balance and contortion, the latter half focuses more on stretching, this I can do. When he directs us to the mat, I collapse as a man would collapse into a lazy-boy after a 60 hour straight shift on his feet. Never planning to move or get up, soon we are being directed to throw our feet over our head and remove our spine from our body, and believe me every other classmate was able to accomplish these feats with no sweat (actually with a lot of sweat). But I hang with them, and after 90 minutes when everyone is in their individual silent meditation I am just trying to determine if I am still alive. I am poured into a glass and walked to the main lobby where I am poured out onto the blissful cold floor. Oh celebration, I survived and the 80 degree weather outside feels positively frigid. Our bear, now clad in a shirt as our eyes would not be able to take the site if they were not protected by the steam in the studio, congratulates me and asks if I would like to sign up for their ten week special. I told him I would take it under advisement and would email him.

To give true credit, I did feel quite good afterwards on the drive home and the jamba juice that quickly followed, however that might simply be relief upon realizing I actually survived. So for those of you who have not gone sky diving, or bungee jumping and are looking for a thrill, this isn’t terrible. You will feel close to death at times (maybe this is what hell will feel like), but you will emerge just as Dante once again returned under the night stars to face new challenges and see life (or at least women in yoga) in a whole new light.

Mortification

We as people are fairly similar. We all have the same internal organs, and based on the food that we all tend to eat there are certain side effects. Like the results of many chemical reactions there is a result which is undesired but many times easy to ignore. We are people spend inordinate amount of time trying to hide or mask some of the more unpleasant of these undesirable effects. However sometimes beyond our best effort, or maybe when we let our guard down for just the briefest of moments, something slips by. We sure enough I am no exception to the major rule. In front of a stranger and someone I very much life (but don’t feel comfortable around yet to simply laugh it off), while chucking at a joke someone else told, out pops a little pocket of air. Now this air was not flowing north, rather it was traveling at a rapid velocity south. I think we all know what I am talking about. Many times we can squeeze the path shut to an extent slowing the velocity and thus deadening the noise. Due to distraction of the joke I was caught completely off guard and out it flew, with scent being carried like a horse and chariot off a starting line. To say I was mortified is an understatement. I looked down hoping the stench would cause the floor to open, swallowing me and saving the embarrassment of having to face the consequences, no such luck. This was not a situation where one could look around and say, who did that? Nope I had to take full credit and shame. Will it happen again some other time in my life? I am sure, but for now this mortification is fresh in my memory for quite some time.

On a completely separate note, this weekend was July 4^th weekend and as such around the country celebrations broke out in honor of our country’s birthday. I worked of course this weekend, but as a medic for the Morgan Hill July 4^th celebration. It reminded me so much of home back in a small town in Wisconsin. There was a parade in the morning with it seemed half the town in the parade leaving barely enough people to watch it. The only aspect missing is having all the children join the parade at the end with decorated bikes. Regardless with 190 entries in the parade including multiple vintage cars and fire engines, bands, clowns, and the occasional school queen and court, it was a sight to see. The rest of the day was spent at a community park where games, food, and music was set up so the community could spend time together before the much anticipated live fireworks show. This was not a huge event catering to 10,000+ people, rather it was a small community. The great part is this is exactly what July 4^th is all about, small communities celebrating what Independence Day means to them. Its great to see and even better to participate in! Happy Independence Day everyone!

A day in a life, or life in a day

I find it remarkable sometimes how much and how disparate our lives can be even in a single day. One minute we can be planning a marketing strategy for a line of business the next flying off to deal with something in personal life. It makes you wonder if we all have some sort of ADD (attention deficit disorder) where we need multiple different types of stimuli in our life to keep it interesting. In many ways that is what email is, simply multi-faceted distractions that keep us entertained during the day, some from work most not.

But enough on that. As a brief update Ben and his family have flown the coop to New York where Ben is undergoing treatment with a doctor at NYU hospital. Ironically the hospital is maybe 2 blocks from where my sister used to live for many years. I let them know there is a great Greek vendor who sets up shop right in front of the side entrance during the week, great Gyros! It never ceases to amaze me how small the world is and how interconnected we all are. So let us continue to pray, maybe this treatment will be the one!

Life is actually quite good otherwise. I am starting to slowly find my niche in my new job, a mere six months after I started, and beginning to understand what I am doing. Have finally been put on some projects I find interesting and should be indeed challenging, I might even have the opportunity to make a difference. On a personal note I have been going out much more with friends and more, and that is quite nice. To have a balance between work and personal has been a luxury and a blessing that has been lacking in many ways since I moved out to California. Its weird, here I am finally building a base here and I am planning my departure for grad school in a year. Who knows maybe I will stick with grad school out here in sunny CA.

I need to cut this short, I am helping a friend find an apartment in the city, so my GPS, her little bug, and a couple of bottles of water (and aspirin) have a date with the city.