To quote Matthew Broderick's character in the movie Biloxi Blues, at practice today, it was Africa hot. I pulled up right at 9:00. I was expecting that most of the people in the 7:00 mysore class would have finished or be just about to finish and the room would have emptied out quite a bit. When I walked in, it was still packed and the walls were already running with sweat. The people like me who came around 9:00 just sort of filled in when a mat space came open, just like happens in Guruji's place. We don't experience that here usually because mysore only lasts 2 hours. Even when there's a class after mysore, the room empties completely and refills with new people getting ready for the next class. While that transition is going on, the room is usually opened to the outside to let out some heat and let in some fresh air. Today was one long ongoing class, so no cool down for the room.

The adjustments today for the overflow group were pretty much the trainees adjusting the other trainees. None of them have come by me in two days. Tim and his assistant were doing their own practice--third series today. A couple of times Tim stopped what he was doing and moved to help someone else in the room but for the most part we were on our own. That's fine by me, I mainly wanted the chance to practice all my postures. The two of them did come over my way to give me another kapotasana adjustment. I had seen them doing their own stuff as I dropped back into the pose, so I wasn't expecting any help. I had tried to catch the eye of one of the trainees who was watching Tim practice to see if he'd come over but I couldn't get his attention. So, I just did the best I could on my own. As I came up to kneeling, standing right about two inches from where my face stopped was Tim. I wasn't expecting that and let out an audible "Whhoooah." I looked back behind me and there was his helper at my feet. I felt like someone who has been perfectly surprised by muggers. "You looked like you could use some help," Tim said with a straight face. I admitted that was indeed the case and dropped back for a second version. I don't think I'm really able to do that much more on my own, but each time I get adjusted I am getting put farther into the posture. It's a start.

That it was hot at mid day in late June may not sound to unusual to most people. Southern California has weird weather though. June is usually cloudy and cool thru most of early to mid June, cool meaning the mid 60's to low 70's. This June has been marked by unusually heavy cloud cover and more precipitation than usual. The last week or so, most highs were in the low 60's. I've been wearing my sweatshirt to practice and whenever I drive in the car with the top down. Today was bright and sunny, a Chamber of Commerce kind of day. A tank top day for driving.

I was more tired than usual today. No big surprise there given the heat. I think some of it was doing my full practice yesterday and then again today. Lot's of folks do that each day but I almost never do. When I do get the chance to practice for a few days in a row, most of those classes are led first series classes or improv classes. Doing all of first and some of second is a bit more of a drain for me. I could get used to it though, just looking for the chance.

I was a bit more of a lookie-loo in class today than I have been for the last few weeks. Mainly, I was watching Tim and his assistant do their third series. There are plenty of people I know who are more flexible in some areas than Tim. Yet, he goes into every pose, even raja kapotasana. And Tim is plenty more flexible than almost anyone in plenty of areas, especially his mutant hips and hams. Tim is also quite strong. When he did the demos for the arm balances in that Improv class last Thursday, he just went into the pose, came up, went into the other side, came back out, all with no discernible exertion or wavering. The people in the class who are working on 3rd series poses looked..., diplomatically put, they looked not as good. He is fun to watch.

Well, the crew is expected back from the Del Mar Fair any minute, so time to spell check and post.