Sunday, February 17, 2008

Empty Nest

The last of the visiting bloggers leaves in a couple of hours. Eor came mid-week last week, but was only here long enough for some bending and brunching, then had to go back to the City. JLafitte headed up north on Friday for another week of west coast action with the LA crowd. I think he'll be going to classes with OvO. The ashtanginis, Anna and Linda, left yesterday evening, redeye-ing it back home to NYC after a week in the sun spread between Del Mar and LA. Carl, the sole remaining scribe, flies back to the mist this evening. He's getting in one more class this afternoon, the Intro to 2nd class with my wife at 4:30, then it's off to the airport. Thrifty man he, he used all ten of the classes on the card. I tried to get him one more go out into the surf today. I dug my old wetsuit out of the garage and gave it to him to try on after he got all the old spider nests and mouse poop off of it. He tried it but then handed it back, indicating that it was too tight in some places, like the crotch. Thanks Carl, you testiculus maximus you.

Carl and I went to led first series this morning. I think we both got a little more worked than we expected. I hadn't done first in something like three weeks, so i had regressed a fair amount in a couple of things, like Supta K. I must have also put on some poundage, because i had to work to get my arms thru in Garbha Pindasana, even after slathering all available sweat onto my legs and arms. After the class, Carl said that he had definitely felt the previous day's surfing session. Jois' Dictum: Ashtanga makes everything else better, everything else makes ashtanga harder.

So now comes the post-sybaritic pause, the return to reality check. Play is over, back to the babies, back to the socks, back to the computer monitors, back to the briefs, etc. It will probably be easier for me, as i don't have to leave our weather and I don't have to endure a long trip home right before going back to work. On the flip side, I don't get to go to happening places like NYC, Seattle, New Orleans or San Francisco. Like Steve Martin in "My Blue Heaven", I'm embedded in suburbia. It all balances out.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've wondered about "cross training" with ashtanga, i.e., going back to running a few days a week - but then I remember how many years it took me to become ashtanga-limber and I don't want to undo that!

NYC is cold and grey and people are much nicer in California.

; )

okrgr said...

we can be, when you get to know us.

Anonymous said...

I really do think it's true. I went to the supermarket today - everyone, snarly! At the vet- the woman at the front desk, snarly! Lets not even discuss that tomorrow I have to get in a taxicab, go back to work, etc.

I also think smiles make smiles - I'm so happy in CA, and everyone is lovely, I am lovely, it's all good.

: )

Unknown said...

Anna: Now I HAVE to ask: is the snarly woman at the vet named Natasha???? If that is the case, she is ALWAYS snarly! Particularly is the vet you go to isn't her husband!

okrgr said...

i was expecting mean new yorkers when we were there last spring, but people just seemed like people to me. it's not like i was trying to be anyone's best bud, but people were friendly and helpful. even in the subway stations. especially the guys from india. they saw us with our yoga mats and gave us the special treatment.

Anonymous said...

YG, no...

Okrgr, I'm kind of flabbergasted. Are you sure you were in NYC? And you're not talking about DC, Boston, anywhere but here?

okrgr said...

maybe because we had our kids with us most of the time. but, whenever i went to get food and stuff, people were maybe busy but not mean. maybe it was just my natural charisma that temporararily transformed them into a state of behavioral SoCal? maybe being nice is contagious. i know being mean is.

okrgr said...

maybe i could start using another word than maybe

okrgr said...

maybe baby

okrgr said...

uh oh, i feel one of those alliterative fits coming on

Boodiba said...

"Embedded in suburbia"!!! :)

New Yorkers are very friendly. I was interviewing for freelance work when the barricade was still up after 9/11. I'd hurt my ankle doing drunken yoga the night before & was sort of limping along & then coming back, I was frustrated & limping along crying my little eyes out. A woman stopped me to ask me if I was ok & then gave me a hug. Complete stranger.

OK this was right after a terrorist tragedy, but still.

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