Getting Ready for the New Year

Yesterday, I went to San Marcos for the Eye of the Tiger Practice. Check out Christina's blog for pictures and details about said event. It was really fun and I am definitely getting better at the arm balancing poses. Here's a picture of me after falling out of one. Christina and I are pretending to be tigers if you can't tell from the picture.

I'm getting ready to go upto Waco for a couple days. hang out with Lenore and Henry for New Years and catch up on some personal and professional things.


My colleague Daniel is doing a bit better according to the most recent email update. He is going upto the Mayo Clinic for additional treatment. Do continue to keep him and his family in your prayers.

more later.

Fun Times in Austin

Well, it is Friday night and I'm actually watching Cold Mountain on TV, but somehow even that is more fun in Austin. I've had a great past couple of days. Went to Mandy's class Thursday morning and then met a former student of mine, Ashley Hayes for lunch at Hyde Park Cafe. Totally yummy. want to go back there many times. Then, the yoga marathon, or 2/3rds of it. Ari and I went to see Sweeney Todd instead of doing part three of the marathon..

This morning, I subbed class at Yoga Yoga and took Dylan down to San Marcos to visit the hounds while CT and I practiced.

Got a great manicure at Polish, bought a cool shirt at Kick Pleat and went grocery shopping at Whole Foods, pretty much the total Austin experience.

I came home and found a distressing email...

On a more sober note, a friend and colleague Daniel Payne is hovering at the edge of death with Whipple's disease. Please pray for him and his family.

The Misplaced Keys

Sometime during Phase V (waiting in DFW) I realized I had left my car keys and my house key in my back pack in Lavonia. How might you ask did this happen?

Well, in many ways it really has to do with the "free gift with purchase."

I've been on the market for a new computer bag for sometime (I bought a Prana one from Michelle, but for a variety of reasons didn't like it and so I was back to using my old black leather one, that has seen many many better days) . Christina and I really liked the Vera Bradley bags at Moonwater when we were visiting for Grandmartha's funeral. So we decided to go shopping for them for possible Christmas presents to each other. Well, I ended up getting a whole matching ensemble. Bag, hand bag, check book, wallet and when I was checking out, there was a free gift, but they were out of the key chain in my pattern so I got a cute little notepad sticky holder.

We wrap up all the presents and open them Christmas morning. At various junctures during the DHW marathon, we transferred our old purse plunder into their new homes, Sort of the grown up equivalent of playing with your Christmas toys... Late last night in the guesthouse, I did transfer the plunder from my old computer bag, but i did not take the keys out of the mesh inner pocket where I always keep my keys when I'm travelling... (so if only I'd gotten the key chain free gift).

We are off, admiring our bags much of the way. But for some reason just as we are in the midst of realizing we can get on an "earlier" flight to Austin, I also realized what I had done. So, Christina calls mom and Dad to get them to check down at the guest house for the keys.. but we still have the problem of me being locked out of the house (But decided that CT could fit through Dylan's dog door if necessary) and me being without a car for two days until the fed exed keys arrived. So CT called Kelly to come rescue us and she was going to loan me her new car (is that sisterly dedication or what?)

All this is going on via cell phone as we are boarding so our fellow passengers heard the tale of woe and got a great deal of enjoyment out of the story.. particularly when Dad made me get my suitcase down from the overhead bin to make sure the keys were not in my old purse.. Then when the "plane broke" okay, it didn't really break, but the auxiliary engine did... the guy behind us goes, "maybe he's lost the keys to the plane and he's looking behind the seat for them." Very funny.

We sat on the run way some time and in one of those travel hell take your chances lottery , our original flight actually got to Austin slightly before the earlier flight we boarded with much enthusiasm.

On the way home, it occurred to me that I might have a key to the back door in the Odyssey and so I could get triple AAA to come it turns out I'd left the Odyssey unlocked and also that the spare key for the Odyssey was in the glove box, so that problem was solved unfortunately, I didn't think of that option soon enough to keep Kelly from making the trip up.

But all is well. and I"m here in Austin. getting ready to have lunch with a former student and then do some Christmas shopping for Lenore, Henry and H.W. (we are exchanging presents at New Years instead) and then hitting the yoga marathon.

It is great to be back.

Heading Back to Austin

Christina and I got up early to walk one last time in the woods. We saw a lot of deer in the woods this morning. We leave in a bit for leg one of the long day of travel: the two hour drive from Lavonia to Atlanta.

PhaseII: navigating the Atlanta Airport post-Christmas, Phase III, Flight to DFW Phase IV: long lay over in DFW unless we get on an earlier flight Phase V, Flight to Austin Phase VI, cab ride to Bridle Path Lane. Christina then has Phase VII ahead of her, the drive to San Marcos.

Merry Christmas

Good morning all.




Christina and I are getting ready to go walk in the woods. Then, we'll go down to the main house to open presents. More later I'm sure

Little Cabin in the Woods

A couple years ago, my parents bought a small "guesthouse" just down the road from their lake house. Some time last year, after much hounding from the elder daughter, Dad, (aka AP1, Aged Parent 1) agreed to get high speed Internet access installed in the guesthouse. So Christina and I are sitting here this morning, checking email, Facebook, and doing the blog rounds, eating breakfast, and just generally gearing up for the big day ahead.

The big day includes: A walk in the woods, lunch, a bit more shopping, a forward bending practice, the Christmas Eve service, dinner, and opening presents after midnight. oh yes, and some Desperate Housewives. We did procure additional DVDs in case any of you avid readers were worried about our supply.

Desperate Housewives

Just that little sentence from yesterday's blog, "went down to watch Desperate Housewives." Little did we know 24 hours later, we'd be completely addicted. It started out innocently enough last night, watching the pilot and one additional episode, but last night one episode turned into four and only with great difficulty and much laughter about our state of desire did we manage to rise from the living room floor and go back to the guesthouse. We assessed the number of episodes left from their Netflix batch and we have determined it is not enough to last, must go in search of more episodes today.

Actually, it is quite fitting that we would entertain ourselves in this way today. Today is Christmas Eve Eve. When Christina and I were little, we would be so desperate for Christmas to come by this point, that this day was the breaking point, the longest seeming day before all the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day festivities, so we called the day Christmas Eve Eve. For years, we would call each other on Christmas Eve Eve and laugh about our private sister joke.

In Georgia for Christmas

Christina and I left Austin early this morning for our Christmas visit to Georgia. For a day of travel in holiday season it was not so bad, long lines and a few minor delays and we ended up in rush hour traffic in Atlanta, but we got here around dinner time. Had a great black bean soup that Mom made, sat around and talked, tried to convince Dad to get acupuncture for his arthritis, he says he will "first of the year." so we are going to hold him to it. Christina and I then came to settle in in the guesthouse and then went back down to watch Desperate Housewives. Life in the fast lane in Lavonia.

Since I slept so much on the plane, I'm not all that tired now.

Two Great Bumper Stickers

"I'll be a post-feminist in the post-patriarchy."

"Why are you driving so fast? You are already in Austin."


What a great place.

Off to teach restorative yoga at westgate.

Mid Week Update

Well, I've been having a fabulous time in Austin this week. Sunday, I drove down in time to take Mandy's advanced class. I subbed a yoga class Monday morning and took Devon's class Monday afternoon. Devon and I went to dinner at Vinnie's afterwards and then I met Mandy, Meg, and Jessy at Chuy's. They all took Charlie's class. Yesterday was a fun filled day. Christina wrote about it on her blog so if you want more details of the venue looking, chocolate eating extravaganza, click here. I did several drop backs unassisted in Christina's class last night, quite exhilarating and my padmasana has really come along lately as well.

Right now, I'm taking a break. I've actually gotten a little bit of work done today and plan to do a bit more. I had a great conversation with Devon about Plato's Agent and James and I had a good talk about it last night, so I need to get all the ideas down on paper, so to speak. This afternoon, I'll go to Devon's class and then sub a restorative class at 7:30 at Westgate.

Buying Art

I bought a great work of art today. I met a young artist, Caroline Wright, a year or so ago, and loved her work and today I finally bought something with some of the inheritance I got from Grandmartha. Very exciting.

In Austin for a good long while now

Well, it was a weekend of beginnings and endings in Waco. Friday night I went to Jessy Jordan's wedding. It was really a lovely event. Jamie's dress was beautiful, the church was lovely, decorated for Christmas. I had a great time! At the service, I was struck by the fact that weddings are both a beginning of a life together and the end of previous phase of life.

Saturday morning: Christa's graduation, more on that on the teaching philosophy blog. but also an ending clearly of a long educational process, but a beginning as well, a commencement of a new life.

So both those events seemed quite appropriate to my current state of new beginnings and endings.

Saturday night: I went to the philosophy department Christmas party. Fun event. My second encounter with Rudy's BBQ, went there for lunch with Christa and Mike and Joanne had it catered. Then I also went to Pam's holiday bash.

Great weekend in all, a nice ending note to leave Waco behind for a while. I'll be down here, until New Years when I go up for Skye and Cole's wedding and then back down here til school starts.

Today, I went to Mandy's advanced class, did inversions, and went to see Craig for acupuncture and whole foods where the mac and cheese had just come out of the oven!
YUM.

Friday Morning, Post Marathon

I had a super day in Austin yesterday. Beautiful weather. I drove down for Connie's class but it was canceled, just as well as I actually had time to get my car inspected. Fourteen days late on it. I feel like I really live in Austin now, doing that sort of domestic task. I also went to the Seattle's Best right near my house. It is a very nice coffee shop, a bit more of a coffee shop feel than the Starbucks. I also walked Dylan for the first time in a couple weeks. He has been sleeping over at Reggie's a lot.

The yoga marathon was lots of fun. Actually, I found it less tiring to teach three classes in a row than I was anticipating and unlike when I'm taking the classes, I didn't sweat. It was a lot of fun.

Ari and I went to Whole Foods for dinner afterwards.

I'm off to Devon's class in a bit and then up to a fun-filled weekend in Waco.

Rainy Morning in Waco

The weather is State College-esque. For those readers of the blog who are not my family members and long time friends, briefly explanation may be in order. It rains all the time in State College. Cold, wet, dark, damp rain. I didn't know I was Kapha then, but it explains a lot of why I was so unhappy and lethargic there. Anyway, today is one of those SC days. Imagine this for a month at a time.

After a few years I got over feeling depressed whenever it rained, sometimes I even like it now, at least I have a context for appreciating it (avoiding August water bills).

Anyway, one of the things I've been doing in my new phase of life is listening to more music. I've really enjoyed Robert Plant and Allison Krauss' Raising Sand. I was thinking to myself and musing to a friend that Robert Plant is a rock god and lo and behold, check out this morning's NYT review of the Led Zeppelin reunion. One great line, "the band found much of its former power in tempos that were more graceful than those on the old live recordings. The speed of the songs ran closer to that on the group’s studio records, or slower yet. “Good Times Bad Times,” “Misty Mountain Hop” and “Whole Lotta Love” were confident, easy cruises; “Dazed and Confused” was a glorious doom-crawl."

love that a glorious doom -crawl.

off to give my last final.

Monday Morning in Austin

Wow, what a fun filled weekend.

I went to Devon's class Friday morning and then to Whole Foods and Waterloo records. Got the Robert Plant and Allison Kraus cd, House of Sand and Jennifer Gentle and The Subdudes. All great picks. It is really fun just walking around that hub of Austin. Friday afternoon I drove down to San Marcos for the Noah Maze workshop. What fun. I'm sure Christina will write an update about that on her blog, so I'll just say, I really enjoyed it. Noah is a great teacher and it was really neat seeing how another Anusara teacher besides Christina teaches. (More on that on the teaching blog at some point). I really liked meeting Meg and Chris and Maple also. Meg is currently studying with one of my Iyengar Teachers, Chris Saudek, small world.

Anyway, it was a weekend filled with great yoga, great conversation and great food.

Saturday night I went over to Pam's party and that was really fun as well. the YYTT07 group are a delightful group of people, fun, enthusiastic, exuberant even.

This morning I went over to the open practice at Peggy's studio and took advantage of the rope wall!

Well, I'm off to Waco later this afternoon. Various obligations await!

late night update

Just finished grading World Cultures Questions. Long day. I worked at home in Waco this morning, then I drove down to Austin. I had coffee at CM with Nancy a YYTT student and then Christina and I met there for gelato. Dark chocolate flavor most excellent.

Then the yoga marathon, or at least two thirds of it. Next week I'm subbing all three classes of it.

Looking forward to the Noah Maze workshop tomorrow in San Marcos and it is nice not to be driving back up to Waco in the morning.

Oh check out clearspringstudio.com

My upcoming classes Friday's 9:30 to 11:00 are now listed along with the cool pictures of me above.

Wednesday Morning in Waco

I'm doing my various blog procrastinations, getting ready to put some writing time in. I did write a bit yesterday, clearing off notes on my desk and worked some on Plato's Agent, not the most productive day I've ever had behind the computer, but at least I put the time in and started getting the momentum back in place.

Last night was the annual feast of the lost Parthian lamb. The world cultures one faculty has an end of semester dinner party where we bring food from the various cultures we study. One year a classicist was going to bring Parthian Lamb (a roman dish) and he never showed up, so we figured the lamb was lost...

It was a really nice evening. Great food as always.

Getting Motivated to Write

Or deciding to write anyway. Okay, so I've made a vow to myself that I am going to work on my book everyday of the break. I was talking with Christina on the way upto Waco yesterday morning and she was talking about her own motivational strategies about writing and I decided I need to just hunker down and finish writing. So it is day one of Christmas Break and nine minutes until I'm starting to write for the day.

Not too much to report from yesterday besides what I wrote on the teaching blog. Mostly, I was pretty involved with a variety of Baylor tasks.

Jade seems to be missing Sam a bit. She is even more clingy than usual. Understandable. Poor cat has to deal with a missing beloved companion and a frequently absent owner. She does have a very indulgent pet sitter, but still.

Korean Food

I have a former student, Pete, who lives in Austin. Pete was a BICer and then was in the PhD program for a while. He left and went to teach English in Korean, married a woman Daun, over there and they live in Austin now. Tonight, I had dinner at their apartment and Daun cooked Korean food, my first real experience with Korean food. I have to say I've really not had food a lot like it, a really different set of spices and textures than I'm used to, but I really enjoyed it and I'm proud of myself for being so adventurous in my eating (okay, I had mac and cheese for lunch) but still....

I really enjoyed subbing the flow class today. A really receptive group and I went to Mandy's advanced class again, my arm balances are really coming along.

I also worked on some Baylor stuff today. Tomorrow is the last class day of the semester, the last day, I'll get up early to drive to Waco for at least a while. I am ready for the semester to be over.

Loving Austin

I know I sound like a broken record (skipping CD I guess now) but I really just love living in Austin. There is so so so much more to do and so so so many more people like me.

Last night, I drove back down to Austin. Ari and I went to a movie. This is the first movie I've gone to as an Austin resident. We went to the Alamo Drafthouse and saw Romance and Cigarettes. The whole thing was so non Waco. It is great to have real food and drink while watching a movie and the movie was surreal, campy, and great fun.

I slept late, did meditation and pranayama and chanting and went to J-Mo's 10:30 class at Kula. Again, it is just so great to go to a regular Saturday morning Iyengar class. Then I headed up to practice at Christina's Immersion at YY NW. good to see all my new yoga pals up there.

I just got back from the Austin Kula Christmas party. I'm on the sub list at Kula so I got invited to the party. Great vegetarian food! Really nice people.

Tomorrow, I'm starting off another fun filled day by subbing at YY N at 9

Exceeding High Expectations

I was really eager to come to Austin today. It seems like forever since I've been down here. Christina and I went to the Harold's Outlet going out of business sale. We only scratched the surface of what is there. more trips needed. Then, I had coffee with a yoga yoga student at Halcyon. Very cool coffee bar downtown and headed to the yoga marathon. I did actually, with help touch my toes however briefly in Eka pada rajakapotasana and so it goes.

then I went to get more acupuncture with Craig for my shoulder...

somewhere in there I walked Dylan. Actually, he accompanied us on the trip to Harold's.

Anyway, it was a much needed fun day in Austin. and only two more days of driving up and back on Friday and Monday morning!!!!

Saying Goodbye to Sam

This morning I put my favorite cat, Sam, to sleep. It was a very sad moment, but he was sick for a long time and was really only a shadow of his former cat self. Sam was originally Christina and Kelly's cat. They found him at a state fair in Oregon. He was drinking out of a cup. He lived with them in Georgia and survived the wilds of the Northeast Georgia woods while they were on long camping trips.

In 1996 or so, Sam came to live in Waco. Not too long after that he developed diabetes and we had to give him shots for many years. Anyway, he was a great cat, super fluffy, great fur. He was sort of like a classic cat, like the kind you might see in a Ralph Lauren ad.

Tuesday Morning in Waco

Well, Thanksgiving is over. The Thanksgiving pretty much left me ready for Christmas Break.
The Tri City Thanksgiving involved a lot of time on the highway, but the new adventures were well worth it. Friday I taught yoga in Austin and then met mom and dad at my Austin House. We walked Dylan and Indy and as luck would have it the owner of Kepa the Corgi who lives in the neighborhood was driving by and spotted Indy. Kepa is the offspring of the famous corgi Harry Potter who we saw a couple years ago at the dog show in Waco.

Even though the weather was icky, we drove upt o Sun City so Mom and Dad could show me the lay of the land up there and then we went into downtown Georgetown for the lighting of the Christmas Tree and we ate at Romeo's on the square.

Saturday marked the 13th anniversary of my first yoga class with Walter, so it was quite fitting that I got up and taught a class that morning. After that, Mom Dad and I headed up to Waco. Dad had his annual thanksgiving massage with CJ and we planned to have dinner with Lenore Henry and H.W, also part of the annual festivities. Lenore unfortunately, had the flu, so Henry brought dinner over for us. Then Sunday night, I restarted an older tradition. Post Thanksgiving Party!

Lots of Fun.

Yesterday a busy day at Baylor and today as well.

Off to Shower and get ready to teach the last morning yoga class. It just hasn't taken off and it eats up too much of my own time, so I'm cutting back to just the evening classes in my waco life.

First Thanksgiving Holiday in Austin

For about a decade, if not more, Mom and Dad, have spent Thanksgiving week in Texas. Prior to last year, they spent all that time in Waco. Last Thanksgiving, they came to Waco, went down to SM and I joined them there for a while and then they came back upto Waco I believe.

This year, Austin is in the mix. I came down to Austin last night after a great intermediate yoga class. James was in town for business and visiting his family for the holidays. We went to several places on South Congress. It was sort of strange seeing him in my "real life" or my "new real life." Usually, we connected when I'm in NYC for conferences. We had a good time, though I do think Austin is not particularly cool for someone who lives in NYC, where as it is very cool for a former non-dual citizen of Waco. There's much that Nietzsche is right about, but he's surely right about the perspectival nature of our experience of truth..
Be that as it may.

. I got up early enough to go to Devon's class and mostly had a mellow day. I read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This is a memoir of the former editor of Elle. He suffered a stroke and then "locked in syndrome." he could only communicate by blinking his left eyelid and he managed to write this totally life affirming work.

Peggy is coming by in a bit to deliver the art I won at the silent auction and then I'll go to Devon's afternoon class. I may drive down to San Marcos after that, not sure.

Post Weekend Update

Well, another fun 48 hours in Austin.

Drove down Saturday morning and taught at YY. Teaching yoga there is such a great learning experience. More on that at some point on the yoga and philosophy blog. Saturday, I practiced the sequence I mentioned last post. Devon and I went to Galaxy cafe again and I had sweet potato french fries for the first time. I'm now quite a fan of them. Then we went to this open house, art and music fund raiser at Austin School of Yoga. Met some new people and had fun just seeing yoga people in a more social context. I bid on some art in the silent auction, but apparently didn't win... Sunday I went to yoga class with Larissa at Castle Hill and then went to Mandy's Advanced Hatha class. Both women did an excellent job. Got some much needed grading done and then had coffee with a former student (actually a former Peer Instructor) Robert Watson. Robert is now studying French at Vanderbilt and was in town visiting his sister. It is really exciting to see his enthusiasm for learning.

Then I headed down to San Marcos. Had dinner with Mom and Dad at Christina and Kelly's house. Great pizza and salad,

Well, the traffic has cleared now so I'm back up to waco until Tuesday evening.

Fun night in Waco

I had a busy day at work Friday including a grad council meeting that lasted until 4, so I just decided to stay in Waco Friday night. Lenore and Henry and H.W. came over for dinner (pizza from Rosati's YUM). My house does look a bit like a small hurricane hit it. H.W. is now very mobile. He likes to climb on everything and really likes to play with kitchen utensils and he was quite fascinated with the turtles who guard the hearth.

Got up this morning and went down to teach a sun saluation class in Austin. Now I'm here catching up with various things hanging out with Dylan and Reggie. Plan to practice the excellent twisting/ arm balancing sequence from Carrie Owerko's class in NYC in a bit.

On the advantages of dual citizenship

well, it has been a bit of a hectic week, nothing like missing a bunch of school and playing catch up, but now I've caught up to normal levels of being behind on grading and T Day break is coming up and the end of the semester is definitely in sight.

today, the benefits of dual citizenship really hit me. I won't go into any detail, but various political issues at Baylor got me very down and it was so nice to just leave them physically and go down to Austin to walk Dylan and go to kick ass yoga with CT and then have a great accunpuncture session with craig.

Also, Tabitha gave me a pink pearl apple in class, that I cannot wait to try. Granny smith but better apparently.

I've moved some of my art and photos down to Austin and am personalizing my space down here a bit.

looking forward to mom and dad's arrival on sunday.

Update

Wow, it has been an eventful week since last I posted. I went to the Spanda workshop. here's a picture of me and christina at it. Tuesday morning, mom called to say Grandmartha had passed, so I drove back down to Austin, Christina and I hopped on a plane and several plans, trains and automobiles later, we were in Lavonia. Check out Christina's blog for more details. I'll just say that it was certainly the funnest funeral I've ever been to. We had a really good time hanging out with mom and dad and the hall/hamilton clan . Here is a picture of the whole clan.

Christina and I barely made our plan from Houston to Austin, but we did and the following morning I went down to the Southwest Philosophical Society, got there about an hour before my paper. Met some interesting people and had coffee with Willis and Vicky my two favorite English professors from Trinity

I drove back up to practice at Christina's worskhop, Here's a picture, you can see I'm looking a little tired,

Down in San Marcos

Yesterday was a lot of fun and a lot of driving.

Claire Katz , from TAMU, was on campus for the Heschel Conference and she spoke to a joint session of the feminism class and the teaching philosophy class. It was a great talk, more on it on the philosophy and yoga blog.

I didn't end up leaving Waco until 3:30 so got my first real taste of Austin at rush hour. Won't do that again if I can help it. It took about an hour to get from one end of Austin to another, but I made it to San Marcos in time for Carlos Pomeda's talk on Sponda (the pulsing vibrational energy that is the universe).

Decided to spend the night down here with CT and Kelly and the animal menagerie rather than just driving up and back. Good to catch up on a little sleep.

lots of yoga coming up.

Great end to a great day

So this morning, I woke up early and headed down to Austin. I went to Connie's class, which was excellent, nothing like the pure pristine Iyengar class experience. Then I met up with Pam and Christina at whole foods and then we drove up to look at a possible venue for john friend's up coming workshop.

Came home, walked Dylan and went to CT's advanced class. My backbends are really getting a lot better. Shoulder held up well. Then I went to Mr. Natural and bought tamale's for the dinner party Kelli threw. Lots of fun. I met a lot of really neat women. Then afterwards, I was walking Dylan and there was a deer right outside in the yard across the street. Very cool.

I love wildlife sightings.

Wardrobe Crisis

I had my first dual citizen wardrobe crisis on Monday. I do have a lot of clothes so I just moved half of them to Austin, but I had only moved late summer/early fall garb down there and it turned to genuine fall finally and I really had very little non-floral or pastel to wear. I ended up with these black linen pants with white dots on them, which Tom Hanks described as "cute." So either I was cutely professional or professionally cute.

In honor of Halloween, I'm wearing my burnt orange cashmere sweater today in Waco.

Black Cat

There's a new black cat that has been hanging out around my house in Waco. I am holding the line, however, and not feeding it. That's how Bounder integrated herself into the household, just hanging out and looking cute and cat-like...

Some pictures from CH

Here are a couple pictures from my recent trip to Chapel Hill...

Another long yoga filled day. I subbed a couple classes this morning at YY NW. That was my first trip to NW. Lovely studio, all four YY locations are really nice. I have to say I really enjoy teaching yoga in this sort of venue. It is a lot less pressure in a certain way. The Yoga Place Waco is just me. Here I'm just a small part of someone's overall yoga experience. If they don't lik me, they can still have yoga. Also, 17 people just show up for a saturday morning class. Its taken me 5 years to build up a regular following of about 12-15 per class.

After that, I went down to CT's intensive. I now have a thorough grasp of the principles of proper shoulder alignment.

Devon, CT, and I went to Clay Pit for dinner. It was good to touch base with Devon, however briefly and I have to say I missed eating at the Clay Pit. Normally, when we take the Baylor students to Barsana Dam, we arrange a lunch at Clay Pit.

I'm pretty tired and it is nice to just be sitting still for awhile, okay, well actually reclining...

Wow I'm tired

Yesterday I had a really long day up at Baylor. In addition to normal class stuff, I chaired a session at the Friendship Conference and it was also my week to take the World Cultures students to the Synagogue. Ordinarily, I would have just stayed up in Waco but Kelli was having her Red Door Halloween party and I wanted to attend, so I drove back down here last night after the synagogue service. The party was really a lot of fun, met a lot of intriguing people from all walks of life and got some good ideas for costumes I might actually be willing to wear! (I was a witch, which I often am when forced to dress up for Halloween, one very nice woman at the party said, it was good I was a witch because I was upholding the genuine Halloweenness of the costume party, without a witch it really is just a costume party. This morning I taught at Yoga Yoga, I really love teaching there and then subbed for Jessica at Kula. Then I visited Anusara land and learned all about muscular energy, organic energy, inner and outer spiral. I am pretty tired right now. It is sort of nice just to be vegging out doing nothing but blogging. Sounds like a broken record, but being down here is just so much fun.

Happy to be here

Great day in Austin. I drove down around lunch time. (worked for a while on my research leave application this morning). I went to Whole Foods and then had a meeting with Sadani at YY about doing some teaching for them. I went to the house and walked Dylan. Dylan was super happy to see me. When I was checking email, he just put his cute dog nose right on my chest. Went to two of Christina's classes, had some real breakthroughs in several poses and was the first practice in a long time where my shoulder really was not in my way.

went to Maude's with Pam and Ari for a drink afterwards. They are both super great women who I very much look forward to becoming friends with.

tomorrow is a hugely long day there and back again to waco.

Looking forward to the Halloween party.

Missing Austin

Well, it has been over a week since I've been in Austin and I'm really just wanting to be down there, but I'm in Waco watching Napoleon Dynamite. Christina asked me if I was excited about my trip to NYC and I said I was but I was way less excited than last year when I only lived in Waco. I love living in Austin so much that I feel less of a need to get away. That feeling lasted until about Friday afternoon when I was having lunch with Natalie at this great Greek place, three great yoga classes into being there and then going to the sutra discussion group. Sitting there in the discussion group, I just felt this incredible sense of peacefulness of being fully and completely at home. I really could move to New York. Except it really does get pretty cold there and then I just do love Austin it has so much of the things that I love about NY, good yoga classes that I don't teach, good food, hip people, a present moment enjoy life ethos, so I don't know I guess Austin is like the New York I can realistically manage from where I am right now and that is worth a whole heck of a lot, plus the better weather.

New York City

I had a fabulous time in NYC. I was expecting to have a great time and had an even better one. Great yoga, great food, great time with friends, both old (James and Joe and Natalie) and new (Carolyn, Sara and Ryan and philosophers et al) . Here's all the really great dining experiences: Pure Food and Wine, Ethiopian, Greek, Thai, Italian, and just pretzels and pizza on the street.

All the yoga classes were wonderful: Laura Warren, Carrie Owerko, Brooke Myers and a real highlight, going to the Sutra Study group Friday afternoon at the Institute.


And yes, I did see a show. Eddy Marks and I went to see Blue Man Group Friday night, totally bizarre random silly show.

I did even manage to work some philosophy in. My paper on two models of self-comportment went well. Janelle did a great job on her paper.

I'm pretty tired now!

Post Weekend Update

Had a great Fall Break in Austin.

I went to Devon's class Friday morning, which will become my own class at Clear Spring Studio in the Spring! Friday during the day I got some work done and ran various errands and of course walked Dylan the dog.

The Laura Allard workshop started Friday Evening. I learned a ton about the muscles of the hip and the leg and all sorts of nifty tricks with blocks. Devon and I went to an absolutely fabulous restaurant, The Buenos Aires Cafe Saturday evening for dinner. Wow! Really the best meal I've had in recent memory.

Had a busy day up in Waco yesterday and another one today. I've got a very compressed week due to the upcoming Society of Ancient Greek Philosophy Conference in NYC.

next posting from there.

Up coming Classes I'm teaching in Austin

Saturday October 27 9 AM YY N
Saturday October 27 10:35 Austin Kula


Sunday October 28 9 AM YY NW Hatha Star
Sunday October 28 10:30 YY NW Restorative

Sunday November 18 4:30 YY Westgate.


Hope to see you there.

Fall Break in Austin

Today is Fall Break and it actually feels like fall for the first time all season. It is really great not having to drive back upto Waco today. Last night, I went to two classes of Christina's yoga marathon, and my shoulder held up really well in backward bending... then I went out with Pete, former student of mine. Went to The Ginger Man again and to Opal Divine's for the first time. (I'm really looking forward to having Korean food with he and his wife soon.!!!) Impressive drink menus at both places. This morning, I walked Dylan, who is super excited to see me, went to Devon's yoga class, chatted with Jessica a bit and then went to Whole Foods. All the stuff I love about Austin!! It continues to be just fabulous for me here.

Now I'm revising my conference paper and looking forward to the Laura Allard Workshop this weekend.

Weekend in Dallas

Well, at first, I was a little sad not to be in Austin this weekend, but I was much less depressed returning to Waco knowing that I also live in Austin now. The workshop with Mary and Eddy was so fabulous. They helped me a ton with my shoulder. It feels better than it has in weeks. It was also inspiring to get more focused on studying yoga and yoga teaching more intently than I have the past few months (Drawback of passing assessment I guess). Michelle had a lovely dinner party for some of us Saturday night. Her new house is beautiful and she is just a fabulous cook!

I brought some salads home from Central Market and stopped by to see Lenore Henry and H.W for dinner. Here are some pictures of me and H.W.

Second Yoga Yoga Class

Well, I taught my second class at Yoga Yoga tonight. I subbed for Charlie. It was a lot of fun. He has the group really well trained. Jesse and Tabitha and Jeremiah even came to see me !! We worked on standing poses and some minor inversions...

This week is a quick visit to Austin. I spent most of the day getting stuff done in Waco, but I drove down in time to hit Devon's restorative class, quite lovely. (Christina is out of town, so no yoga marathon tonight!). Then I headed south to Westgate. I ate a bit at Central Market and shopped some, got a cool white shirt at Whole Earth. I read a couple philosophy articles that Jake Howland gave me. we are definitely interested in similar themes, philosophy, narrative, soul formation.... It was nice just to read some philosophy in a relaxed way..

Then I taught and went back to CM, got an array of apples to try (I'm supposed to have three a day according to Craig, aruyveda guy,) Three is a lot, may as well go for variety within appledom.

anyway, even though it is a quick trip this week, it feels so good to be here.

Mary and Eddy are in Dallas this weekend. I'm excited !!!

Chapel Hill

Where are you from?

This innocent social query has always been difficult for me to answer. Partly because we moved a lot as kids, I was born in NY, lived two places in Ohio, back to NY before settling in Chapel Hill for 7-12 grade. and then there was college and grad school and at some point, I realized I've lived in Waco longer than any where else, but I'm definitely not "from Waco." The most correct answer to that question is Chapel Hill. I really was just flat out excited about going to see the place itself again.

Well, Treeby, Laura and I had an absolutely fabulous time. I got into RDU around 4:00. Laura picked me up and we checked into the Franklin. The Franklin is lovely, very new, right in the heart of all the downtown action. We had drink at Dead Mule Bar, right next to the hotel while we waited for Treeby to arrive. Friday night we walked up to Crook's Corner. Their website has a great quote from the NY Times, 'sacred ground for southern foodies.' Indeed, it is. Eating there really did have this pilgrimage feeling about it.

Crook's has, quite simply, the greatest shrimp and grits in the world. They have quite excellent french fries as well. We got french fries as an appetizer and spilt shrimp and grits and a really good eggplant dish also. The fries and the shrimp were every bit as good as I remembered them and really I think the shrimp was even better than I remembered it, though that could have something to do with not having eaten bacon in over three years (I did make a couple minor exception to the vegetarian regime. I did not, however, have a chicken and cheese biscuit at Time Out, I settled for cheese alone, which truthfully was what I ordered a lot in high school during my early foray in the vegetarianism. We decided not to have dessert at Crooks due to the scheduled post midnight Time Out run. We hit several bars, Henderson Street is closed now, but we went to a nice wine bar and He's Not Here and the Cave.

Saturday, we slept late, walked around campus and met Molly, another friend from high school, and ate at Mama Dips. ( Lenore, you would love this place). Saturday night we ate at 411 West. Lovely Italian food, we got a wild mushroom polenta that was yummy, a seafood pasta dish and red snapper. It was also even better than I remembered it being. And we did get the Peanut Butter Pie for dessert.

Well, obviously, it wasn't just all about the food, but Chapel Hill is a food town, one of the many things I loved about living there and that I love about Austin. I've often thought that one of the reasons I like Austin is because it reminds me of Chapel Hill, but actually they are quite different. Austin really is a city compared to Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill doesn't have a skyline... There's the liberal college town ethos, of course, but mostly what Austin and Chapel Hill share has to do with the energy that pulsates in a town that people love to live in and that's the similar energy as much as anything..

It was great reconnecting with Treeby and Laura and hearing all about their lives and their kids. It was great reconnecting with that part of me that they know. We've decided to make it an annual event.

Gone to Carolina

Due to some pressing personal business in Waco, I didn't get down to Austin until late this afternoon. Dylan was super happy to see me. I went to Christina's Yoga marathon Tuesday. She helped me a lot with my shoulder issues. I am sure that my etheric shoulder is really perfectly in the socket and my etheric shoulder blades are on my back, but my shoulder of prakriti, my shoulder of the be here now, is a long way from that (see Teaching Blog).

Anyway, it was great fun and I am very much looking forward to the arrival of Pink Pearl apples having heard about them for the first time from Tabitha who also triple dipped today.

Went to Whole Foods for great macaroni and cheese.

Tomorrow I go to Chapel Hill for the first time in about a decade. Laura, Treeby, and I have a 48 hour eating extravanganza planned.

Anne Teaching October 4th in Austin

Hi Everyone,

I'll be teaching for Charlie Thursday October 4th at 7:30 PM Yoga Yoga Westgate.

Christina will be out of town that week, so no conflict with the yoga marathon.

Anne

What a day

I taught my first class at yoga yoga this morning. It went really well. Several people asked when I was teaching other classes. Then I came home for a while and headed up North to Geneieve's lovely home to do the BEOTCH, Baby Eye of the Tiger Practice. That was loads of fun as were the after practice snacks and drinks. It was nice to met Meg and Elaina. However, the real highlight of the evening was doing Acro batic yoga tricks. Jason, another member of the Kula I had not met yet came at some point and started getting us to do all these cool partnerish, acrobatic things. Christina and I used to do these as kids and we called them daggios. (Actually, I'm not sure how to spell daggios, because I've never actually written, the secret sister language word down). Anyway, it was a total blast. Great fun and my shoulder even feels okay. Ari has tons of pictures, so a link will hopefully be forthcoming soon.

Vegan Potluck

Okay, on the face of it, a vegan potluck does not sound like all that exciting a social event, but Eileen, Owner of Austin Kula, invited me and it turned out to be great!. The food was fabulous, including a TVP and saffron rice dice that really did taste like sausage! and a great dark chocolate tofu cream pie. Starting with 82% Dark Scharffenberger Chocolate doesn't hurt any dessert!. Eillens' house was lovely and I met a lot of people I've seen in various yoga classes, Like Cooper and Carolyn, and various people in the "you must be Christina's sister" circle of acquaintances. Anyway, it was a fun evening.

Prior to that, I went over to CM on 35th and Lamar to get my brussell sprout contribution (taking a cue from Stuart who always brings brussell sprouts to pot lucks). It was a zoo and I remembered I was supposed to go hear the african drum guy with Jesse, et al, but after the Temple, I had to go get a yoga chair and some Aruyveda stuff and then I really wanted to practice. I Actually haven't practiced a lot in Austin because there are so many classes to go to, so it was nice to sink into one of my all time favorite sequences, the sinus sequence from the BIG iyengar coffee table book. Dwi Pada Viparita dandasana is the pose that made me realize I'd do yoga for the rest of my life and wow, it came through today!!!

Just got back from walking Dylan (Dylan had a visitor Reggie earlier today. Reggie is a sort of lab-ish looking dog, with short stocky legs. He who like to lick you on the face! Still Dwi Pada was good.

Anne's Second Yoga Class in Austin

I'll be subbing at Yoga Yoga North for Mandy's Hatha Star Class Sunday morning 10:30.


Today was fun. Baylor has been sort of non-stop Baylor all week and I was almost like, oh what's the point in coming down for 24 hours, but the point is it is Austin and not Waco and it was great, a really nice break. I took Connie's class, had my orientation at YogaYoga, I'm now officially on the sublist and even have my first subbing gig re above. Connie is a great teacher. Manouso is her main teacher and seeing her take on what she learns from him always makes me want to study with him more regularly than I get a chance to do.

I also went to Devon's restorative class and she helped me some with my shoulder. Mostly I think I need to rest it rather than just ploughing through it.

Checked out the take out food place near the house. I think it is called FOOD FOOD. Got cheese soup and garlic broccoli. Then other normal stuff, did laundry, walked Dylan, Talked with Lenore, read tons of email, gave some thought to class tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to next semester when I can spend more time down here. This semester is hectic with all the Friday stuff and then I have a slew of trips coming up. But it is great to have a place down here, a marker for my new life.

More Fun

This morning I went to Connie's first class at Kula, great class. The studio has a lovely feel to it. Very mellow and welcoming. then to the neighborhood Starbucks, came home and walked Dylan. I finally got up with Shannon for brunch. Shannon is a really good friend of my from graduate school. We had awesome enchilada's at Cuerra's despite the wait and the construction on Oltorf. Good to touch base with her. She and Jenny are having a baby girl in December. They've decided on the baby's name, though they are open to suggestions, they aren't telling people the name because of people's basic inability to offer unsolicited opinions on said name, which I think is a great stance to have.

I'm going to try to write a bit and then go to my acupuncture appointment.

Saturday in Austin

Well, I had a fun night up in Waco at I35 Prime, got up this morning and came down to teach for Jessica at Austin Kula. It was a lot of fun, Jeri, Ari, Pamela, Genevieve, and Ross were there. We worked on inversions, dhanurasana and parsva dhanurasana. Then we went to eat at La Madeleine, Yummy. Yet another thing that would be great for Waco to have, that would do really well there and yet it doesn't. Ongoing puzzle. Class was really fun. A really nice studio space. I found out that Genevieve's dad is Henry Rosemont, a very famous Asian Philosopher. I've actually had dinner with him twice. We have a very gifted student in common, Erin Cline. Small world!

I went to Peggy's update from Pune workshop this afternoon, then Devon and I ate at Zocalo.

It sounds so cliched, but there really is just so much to do here.

Anne's Austin yoga Debut

I'll be teaching a class Saturday at 10:30 at Austin Yoga Kula.

Very exciting.

lots of inversions for sure.

Fun weekend in Austin

Yoga immersion for sure. Jaya taught a workshop this weekend as did Christina so I floated back and forth between Iyengar Yoga Land and Anusara Yoga Land. It was my first class with Jaya since rooming with her in India. It was great to hear her perspective on our shared experience of July in Pune. Christina did a fabulous job at her immersion. She is a really gifted teacher. She also has really fun students that I'm enjoying getting to know.

Lenore and Henry and H.W. came back Sunday evening for a visit in my new abode. H.W. didn't quite know what to make of Dylan the Dog. He is much larger, even than Miro, the largest domestic cat on the planet, okay maybe not the planet, but Miro, L and H's cat, (one of three) is QUITE LARGE.

Mostly, I just totally dig being in Austin. So much to do, see, eat....

Had a great day in Waco, lectured on Hinduism, taught a fun yoga class, the cats are happy to see me.

Yoga Teaching in Austin

Starting January 11, 2008, I'll be teaching a Friday Morning Yoga class at Clear Spring Studio.
9:30- 11:00. Clear Spring Studio is conveniently located just off South 1st, right across from Austin School for the Deaf.

Information about other public classes in the Austin area to follow.

The Week in Waco

After the Labor of Love festivities, I drove back up to Waco. Went to a fun dinner party at Anne and Mark's house. Tuesday was a catch up with the domestic dimensions of life sort of day. I wrote a bit and taught yoga. Wednesday- a whirlwind of Baylor activity. Dan and Janelle gave presentations on the Crito and I listened to an excellent lecture on the historical context of Exodus. Who knew that the structure of Hittite treaties had such relevance! This morning, I'm writing a bit and then heading down to Austin for a day of yoga. It is a little hectic this going back and forth, but well worth the effort!

Labor Day Morning

It is really nice to have Labor Day as a holiday again! When I first started work at Baylor, we had it off, but then there was a ten year period of time when we didn't get the holiday. However, order has been restored to that particular domain of the cosmos as Anne experiences it.

I'm getting ready to revise some of the Republic chapter. Then I'll head down to San Marcos for a visit to Anusara Land and then brave the traffic back up to a party I've been invited to in Waco.

Had a great weekend down here. Devon, Elana and I walked in the new park. Great views of downtown. Then, we ate at Galaxy Cafe. It is owned by the same people who run the Zocalo Taco place Christina and I went to Thursday night. Great food, great atmosphere, very reasonable prices. Though Macaroni and Cheese is not a high priced item. Sunday, I went to Gioconda's class again and did various Austin like things, BookPeople, Whole Foods, Central Market, acupuncture treatment. (okay, I probably could get acupuncture somewhere in Waco!)

Saturday afternoon

Had a fun time in Waco Friday night. Gabrielle and I checked out the new wine bar in Hewitt, but left after a glass (of one of their three chardonnays) and went to 135 prime, which is really the coolest place in Waco to hang out. Then, I met Lewis and Angela for dinner and looked at their wedding videos...

This morning I went to Jessica's first saturday morning class at Austin Kula. Great class. Great space and after a brief run down south to talk with Lori at YogaYoga, I met the pancake posse at Magnolia Cafe. Spent the afternoon resting and hanging out with Dylan. I'm getting ready to meet Alana and Devon for a walk and dinner.

I really just love being here.

A

Thursday Morning Update

Highlights from the week in Waco. Monday night was the annual welcome the graduate students to Baylor Party. Mike hosted it at his new house. The desserts were particularly impressive this year. Peach Pound cake, butterscotch pudding, and also one of those sugary coffee cakes made with refrigerator biscuit dough balls. Proust had his Madeleines... just think what Remembrance of Things Past might have been!!! Tuesday night I had dinner with Lenore, Henry and H.W. (now also referred to simply as H. Better choice than W. that's for sure!) Check out his recently updated web page www.babywrightcom. The beach pictures are fabulous.

After an excellent World Cultures I discussion of the Epic of Gilgamesh (Gilgamesh -hero or heel..) I headed down to Devon's class. Balance was the class theme. Which even included free balancing in full arm balance (in Iyengar Yoga Land of all things!) Dylan the dog was very happy to see me. We just got back from a great walk down to the lake.

So I'm off to write for awhile then meet Christina at some point before her class!

A great weekend.

even though I wasn't in Austin.

After my visit to Anusara land Thursday, I experienced the "class after class" and the Anusara Kula graciously allowed me to tag along with them to Trudy's. Trudy's, (another location, but still Trudy's) is actually the very first place I ever went to in Austin. My freshman year in college I came to some concert or another up here, and Susan Dobkins and I went to Trudy's. Funny, I remember the friend and the food, but not the concert. It might have been Sting, but you think I would remember that!!!!!! Anyway, I had a great time hanging out with Jessy, Pam, Ari, and Jenn. The drive up to Waco was not at all bad Friday morning.

Friday at work one of those Time turners would have come in handy. Most of the afternoon, I was supposed to be two places at once and for one 30 minute period I was supposed to be in three meetings simultaneously.

Friday night I went to a very fun place in Waco, the Elite Cafe, I35 prime is my favorite, but I really do like the Elite then I had book club. Marie picked me up and we went out on Nancy and Joe's boat. Perfect night to be on Lake Waco. I was feeling a tad guilty about not actually having read the book (My lack of reading fiction and attempts to overcome it will be a future blog post), but actually no one present read the whole book. (It turns out the book, Time Travelers wife, is most excellent and I read most of it last night). It was so calm mellow, and peaceful out there. A perfect end to the week. Saturday morning I drove up to Dallas for Laurie Blakeney's workshop (hello Newcomb's google alert). Totally fabulous workshop. It was great to see Laurie. She helped me a ton with my shoulder and also just gave a lot of useful advice/observations about how to integrate the whole Pune experience, not to mention, she was very patient listening to all my first timer processing... We also ate at three excellent places. Cafe Brazil, Curtis' favorite place for chorizo, Tin Star (upscale taco joint) and a Latin American Bakery Zagadun. Yummy.

It was really great seeing everyone in Dallas and really humbling to hear about other people reading the India blog and how much they enjoyed it/ benefited from it. Jenny, it is great to hear from you. I am definitely settling in. We miss you in Texas!!

Jeri, thanks so much for the coffee recommendations. I have been to Eastside Cafe before with my good friend Shannon, but I have not been to the other places. Just the sort of projects a new Austinite needs. I will definitely check out both.

Other Austin recommendations are more than welcome!!!!!!!!

Thursday in Austin

I'm drinking coffee Kelli's (and my) lovely dining room in Austin It is a great room and I'm optimistic that I'll write well in it. I drove down yesterday afternoon right after World Cultures I. My small group seems very enthusiastic about the discussion-based learning aspects of BIC. I went to Devon's 4:15 class (class was great, backward bends in honor of Devon's mother's birthday) and then Christina and Kelly met me there. We were supposed to go the Marcia Ball concert in Zilker but it was totally pouring rain when we headed there, so we opted for plan B. Central Market with live music and some shopping/browsing in Whole Earth and Bealls (for a new bathing suit for Christina) afterwards. Then I came home (loved the very short drive up Mopac) and I walked Dylan. In all, quite fun.

This morning I'll write and walk Dylan, meet Christina for Connie's Class and then take Christina's classes tonight, at least that's the plan. We'll see how it all unfolds.

Non Walmart ways in Waco

Jerri, my faithful blog comment poster, Walmart is the least of my various dissatisfactions with Waco.

But actually I had a good first day back in Waco. I'm teaching the class that teaches our graduate students how to teach and I have a group of students who seem really super committed to pedagogy. I'm also teaching World Cultures I and the students were attentive and inquistive. I had a really lovely coffee with a student Adam early this morning (we commiserated about the loathing that emerges with respect to scholarly tasks) and later another coffee later in the day (well I had club soda and waffle fries) with Lenore, my best friend. There's all the first day of school fun. Everyone is really excited to be back and there's no actual real work to do yet..that is the great thing about academia, always a clean slate, right around the corner.

I also taught my first yoga class since the return from India. (more on that on theyogaplacewaco.blogspot.com)

and then my good friend Gabrielle and I went to dinner at 135 prime, by far my favorite place to hang out in waco. I had a great side of squash and cilantro rice...

and new tile in the hacienda bathroom floor ... what more could one want in a day...?

Sunday Morning in Austin (and San Marcos)

George's workshop was fabulous. It was great to see him. The mini-van came in handy for the lunch time field trip to Whole Foods. It was also so great just to have somewhere besides a hotel room to hang out between classes. Devon and I went to eat at a very mellow Italian place, Cippolini's Grill. It has a very European feel. Devon used to live in this area so she drove me around a bit after dinner, showed me some cool houses. I came home and walked Dylan. This morning I went to the neighborhood Starbucks (still haven't managed to buy a coffee maker). I'm going to write a bit, go to Devon's yoga prop sale and then go down further south to practice with Christina and Jessica in San Marcos. Then I'll head back upto Waco. School Starts tomorrow.....

I really just love everything about this arrangement so far.

Friday Night

Well, I had another great day in Austin. I really think I'm going to be happy down here. I feel much more relaxed. There are just so many cool things to do, that's part of it, there are a lot of parts to it. But mostly, it feels easier to just be me. Today, I wanted to go to Devon's class but I wanted to get the cable working more, so Kelli and I waited for the Time Warner guy to arrive. I bought some new sheets, decided to hold of on the coffee maker and then went to Gioconda's yoga class at Castle Hill. I want to survey the yoga scene down here. Anyway, it was a good class, very practice based, (we just had free time for inversions of various sorts) some clear Anusara influence. I talked with her about getting on the sub list there, so that is cool. It is a nice facility. Then I went to whole foods for dinner and bought two new CDS at Waterloo. Totally Austin thing to do. I bought two employee recommendations, the first one, I like a lot. Chuck Ragan, Feast of Famine. The blurb described him as what you are looking for if you are looking for this generation's Dylan... well. Dylan is still Dylan, but this guy is really good. I'll report on the next CD tomorrow.

Tomorrow is George Purvis' one day extravaganza.

Off to walk Dylan the Dog.

Settling In

Well, I now have internet access from the house! Yesterday, Christina and I went to Connie's Yoga class at Austin Yoga. It turns out Beth was subbing. She did a great job. I'd never taken a class from her before and was happy to have the opportunity. Then, we went to Mr. Natural for lunch and I showed her my new housing situation.

What is my new housing situation? I am sharing a house with Kelli. She has a lovely home off Enfield Road west of Mopac. An added bonus, Dylan the dog, lives here along with two cats, Alley and Bailey. Alley is a tortoise shell cat just like Jade (one of my three cats in Waco).

Then I visited Anusara Yoga land and took Christina's fun filled yoga classes at Yoga Yoga. I met several friendly people there. It is quite the social scene there. Then we met Jessica at Whole Foods for Dinner. In all, a great first day in Austin!!!

This morning I actually got some writing done and am off to buy various things.

New Beginnings

Hi Everyone,

I've decided to start another blog! This one will chronicle my life as a dual citizen of Austin and Waco.

I spent my first night as an official resident of Austin last night. I've been coming to Austin for years but I really did feel differently about the city as I was driving down here. Wow. I live here now.

Right now I'm in Dominican Joe's and getting ready to meet Christina for Connie's yoga class.