Sunrise Gentle Yoga

5:30 am on Hawthorne Blvd is lonely. The cold seeps in like liquid, drenching my coat, my shoes, my socks, my very core. This isn't like the workout sessions on the water front where camaraderie (and a fast paced workout) warm your soul; this is the line 14 waiting game. A few lone motorists pass, their headlights somehow gloomy despite the pre-dawn dark that renders them necessary. I watch my breath rise from my face, staring with a fascination that is mostly unwarranted.

The bright yellow lights of public transportation fall slowly over the crest of the major boulevard and promise warmth as they roll to a stop at the corner of 19th; my stop. The ride into downtown is more crowded than expected, and moving to be the first out the door for a sprint to the nearest Max stop is a challenge. The stress builds as I get closer to the Rec Center, concerned about my ability to pick up a fitness course pass before they have disappeared. The line visible from the street is distressing, and my jog continues up the steps in time to watch the grate raised to admit the early risers into the center; not nearly enough to take up all the passes. In fact, none but myself even stop at the equipment window to pick up a pass.

My goal that cold Wednesday morning was a Yoga class. A class that I was able to attend, and that, to my surprise, was not full. Not even close to full.

The window of the fitness classroom faces the river. It faces Mt. Hood in the background. Watching the sun rise over the East of the city of Portland made the experience all the more centering as I worked on my yoga feet, downward dog, and plank pose.

I do believe I will be doing Yoga this coming Wednesday, as well.

Happy Sunday-ing.

Rec Center Week

When I began attending PSU, they had already begun construction on what would be our new campus rec center. This center was completed at the close of the fall term, and is now open for use to the student body for free. It took me until last week to finally get myself into said rec center but now I am hooked.

I first went in on Tuesday, intending on going to a fitness class. Luckily, I was there early and was able to sign the necessary waivers to be able to take these classes before they started handing out passes for the class. Unluckily, I came back to pick up a pass moments after the last one had been handed out. But, having already changed into my workout garb and feeling brave enough to explore the building, I went up to the cardio floor and tried the eliptical machines, treadmill, and stationary bikes. I hate stationary bikes.

Stationary bikes don't allow you to ride aggressively like road bikes do, because they have you sitting more upright. I can't stand this. I have only ever ridden a road bike in my post adolescence and I simply have no patience to learn to be comfortable on anything else. Needless to say I haven't been back on one since Tuesday. In fact, I haven't been back on the eliptical machine either. I've simply kept to the treadmill telling myself every day that next time I would go down to the weights floor and do some weight lifting afterwards. That hasn't happened, yet, of course.

What I find most amusing about this, perhaps, is that it has resulted in taking fewer showers at home. Because the locker room has nice clean individual showers and I have travel sized toiletries, I've simply been showering on campus every day this week. Its an interesting experience, especially since I haven't gotten into this process well enough to always remember everything I need for the day. Thankfully, I have yet to forget clean underwear. No one likes to go commando when its 40 degrees outside.

I wish that I could go today, as I had to miss a workout yesterday, as well. Today, however, I am not feeling my best. Last night, likely due to stress, exhaustion, and mild food poisoning, I began to feel terribly ill. Though I feel better having slept for 11 hours, I still am not quite at my best. Especially since those 11 hours took away from being able to complete a research paper that is due tomorrow. Said research paper is a subject I would discuss further if I thought I could do so without using extremely profane language. I'm certain that its impossible at this moment in time.

Now I should try to find something that sounds appetizing... another feat that seems rather impossible at the moment.

Snippet. Snippet Good.

I will let you know now, that I have very little to say today. I shouldn't even be spending time on this, but if I'm checking facebook a couple times an hour, it seems pretty hypocritical not to write something.

I finally deposited my most recent paychecks and my Christmas money this past week. About a sixth of it all was spent on a collection of Mutts comic books. Another sixth was dropped on a grocery splurge. I'm certain a good bit more of it will be put towards buying new jeans, as it has come to my attention this past week that mine are frighteningly close to becoming inappropriate garments for public use. At 25, I've finally discovered that I do care whether I look presentable. Holes in my jeans that were acceptable at 22, are now a feature I would rather die than sport in the company of friends and strangers alike. My father would be so proud. There were a few occasions on which he had to literally cut my old articles of clothing into pieces to keep me from wearing them. Surprisingly, I don't remember having this battle with my mother. Either she didn't care or they had realized early on that I would be the rebellious child and each had randomly drawn the battles they would be responsible for fighting from a hat. Dad got clothing, piercings, hair dying, and tattoos; Mom got boys, friends, academics, and curse words.

Actually, I just don't think my mom cared as much about the things my dad did, because I got my fair share of battles over school and social life issues from him as well.

Hmm....

And now that I've given you that little entertaining snippet, I do believe it is time to go back to writing a research paper.

Toodles!