West Linn Days are Numbered
My computer died on Thursday. Or maybe Wednesday, but I didn't discover it for a while. Today I took it to the "Genius Bar" at the Apple store in downtown Portland and they fixed it -- for free! The power control unit on the mother board needed to be reset. That's it. Phew! When my machine chimed I told the guy "You ARE a genius!"
I had a lovely bike ride back up to NCNM from downtown Portland. The school is very close to town. I am going to start going to town one day a week after school, just because I enjoy the city so much. It hums, and I hum right along with it. I love to see all the crazy wild people on the sidewalks. There was a lady sitting on her jacket on the sidewalk, playing violin---wow she was incredibly good! Music makes me happy.
I'm hoping that this is the turn-around point. My life has been ridiculously hard for my first month in Portland. I've encountered nothing but obstacles everywhere I've turned. I cannot help but to think that I am bringing these challenges upon myself by the energy that I am putting out into the world. The Law of Attraction. I don't want to believe it....but feng shui is basically another restatement of that law, and feng shui is totally real to me. I think I'm carrying the crappy energy of my homespace along with me throughout my days. My school is also a chaotic spot, surrounded by interstate highways and internally problematic as well. I need to go to a mountaintop and cleanse my soul.
The other day Brian's cat pissed on my bed. This room has crappy low energy anyway, but that really took it down a couple of notches. I washed all my bedding---TWICE---yesterday. Today I cleaned the room, thoroughly. It's still a vomit-smelling low vibe place, but it's better than it was. I hope to be out of here very soon. I gave my notice yesterday. I must be out of here by October 28. Strategically, that falls on a Sunday.
I looked at an apartment today that would suffice, and visited a very lovely house that I would love to rent, but it's much more of a commitment. It's a 2BR 2.5 bath with a small studio in the basement. The owner is very nice. She wants to rent the whole house to one person for $1450/mo, and wants a year's lease. I would need at least three people to share the place.....it's tempting to take the studio in the basement and get a couple more students to take the top part. It would work. It's just a matter of who is going to sign the year's lease.....me? Yikes. But possible.
I talked to my dad this morning. He's been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, and they're going to shock his heart to try to reset his sinoatrial node (natural pacemaker in left atrium). I hope it works! He has volleyball competitions to kick ass in yet.
I went to yoga class today at the Amrita Sanctuary, which is the Anusara studio of the town. It is very new and clean and fancy.....but somehow ostentatious, not as open-hearted and joyous as the tiny little studio where I studied in downtown Flagstaff. I went to a level I class the other day, and wanted to try another teacher, but the same teacher was there subbing for someone. The pace of her class is too slow for me at both level I and II. I want to vinyasa between asanas, and there is zero vinyasa in her class. She shorts the side B every time. She makes us use props even when we don't need them. The resting period at the end of class is too short. I could go on, my list of gripes is extensive. Can't wait to try some other teachers!
However I must give her credit. We did one exercise today that allowed me to go deeper and more happily into revolved triangle than I ever have before. It was a very simple partner exercise in which my partner pushed against the top of my head, giving me something to push against while revolving. It helped so much with the balance that I was able to fully realize and experience the pose for the first time. Yeay! Thanks, teacher, for that one!
I have begun teaching a little bit of yoga to my housemates and classmates. Everyone wants to learn it, so I am teaching the most basic of sun salutations, complete with breathing. And a little bit of pigeon, hero, warrior, extended side angle and such. I feel comfortable teaching basic yoga. I have also been guiding my housemates through the basic belly buster series from pilates. I have no certifications, but I would be willing to teach. We shall see if that willingness goes anywhere.
I had a lovely bike ride back up to NCNM from downtown Portland. The school is very close to town. I am going to start going to town one day a week after school, just because I enjoy the city so much. It hums, and I hum right along with it. I love to see all the crazy wild people on the sidewalks. There was a lady sitting on her jacket on the sidewalk, playing violin---wow she was incredibly good! Music makes me happy.
I'm hoping that this is the turn-around point. My life has been ridiculously hard for my first month in Portland. I've encountered nothing but obstacles everywhere I've turned. I cannot help but to think that I am bringing these challenges upon myself by the energy that I am putting out into the world. The Law of Attraction. I don't want to believe it....but feng shui is basically another restatement of that law, and feng shui is totally real to me. I think I'm carrying the crappy energy of my homespace along with me throughout my days. My school is also a chaotic spot, surrounded by interstate highways and internally problematic as well. I need to go to a mountaintop and cleanse my soul.
The other day Brian's cat pissed on my bed. This room has crappy low energy anyway, but that really took it down a couple of notches. I washed all my bedding---TWICE---yesterday. Today I cleaned the room, thoroughly. It's still a vomit-smelling low vibe place, but it's better than it was. I hope to be out of here very soon. I gave my notice yesterday. I must be out of here by October 28. Strategically, that falls on a Sunday.
I looked at an apartment today that would suffice, and visited a very lovely house that I would love to rent, but it's much more of a commitment. It's a 2BR 2.5 bath with a small studio in the basement. The owner is very nice. She wants to rent the whole house to one person for $1450/mo, and wants a year's lease. I would need at least three people to share the place.....it's tempting to take the studio in the basement and get a couple more students to take the top part. It would work. It's just a matter of who is going to sign the year's lease.....me? Yikes. But possible.
I talked to my dad this morning. He's been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, and they're going to shock his heart to try to reset his sinoatrial node (natural pacemaker in left atrium). I hope it works! He has volleyball competitions to kick ass in yet.
I went to yoga class today at the Amrita Sanctuary, which is the Anusara studio of the town. It is very new and clean and fancy.....but somehow ostentatious, not as open-hearted and joyous as the tiny little studio where I studied in downtown Flagstaff. I went to a level I class the other day, and wanted to try another teacher, but the same teacher was there subbing for someone. The pace of her class is too slow for me at both level I and II. I want to vinyasa between asanas, and there is zero vinyasa in her class. She shorts the side B every time. She makes us use props even when we don't need them. The resting period at the end of class is too short. I could go on, my list of gripes is extensive. Can't wait to try some other teachers!
However I must give her credit. We did one exercise today that allowed me to go deeper and more happily into revolved triangle than I ever have before. It was a very simple partner exercise in which my partner pushed against the top of my head, giving me something to push against while revolving. It helped so much with the balance that I was able to fully realize and experience the pose for the first time. Yeay! Thanks, teacher, for that one!
I have begun teaching a little bit of yoga to my housemates and classmates. Everyone wants to learn it, so I am teaching the most basic of sun salutations, complete with breathing. And a little bit of pigeon, hero, warrior, extended side angle and such. I feel comfortable teaching basic yoga. I have also been guiding my housemates through the basic belly buster series from pilates. I have no certifications, but I would be willing to teach. We shall see if that willingness goes anywhere.