Catching Up

So. First things first. MSH and I went to Kauai. It is a place of incredible natural beauty and lush foliage. It IS warm all the time, and frequently sunny but with enough clouds and rain that (did I mention the lushness?) with the help of my trusty companions BullFrog SPORT SPF 36 and Broad-Brimmed Hat Collection I avoided sunburn and only acquired that variation on my vampirishly pale skin tone: Dark White.

We had a fabulous time. Activities included:
Snorkeling
Eating
Lying on the beach
Golf (even some for me!)
Hiking
Eating ice cream
Admiring little geckos on our window screens at night
Trying not to scratch mosquito bites--all mine (lots of standing water on the island at the moment)
More eating
More snorkeling
Hiking
Helicopter ride!
Massage and body scrub (aaaah!)
Laughing (MSH is even funnier when he is completely relaxed!)
Doing what we wanted, when we wanted

In short, a great vacation! Wish we'd been able to stay another week, but the way we were spending money, it's probably a good thing we came home. And: we did eat a LOT of food.

Second: I am going to yoga teacher training this summer in Florida. Peep it here (click Teacher Training.) I first had the idea of becoming a yoga teacher last fall, after the meditation retreat. I reluctantly volunteered to lead yoga each day for those interested and contrary to my expectation, I really enjoyed it. More importantly, at the end of the retreat (when people could talk) a few people told me that that yoga, as poorly as I'd taught it and as abbreviated as the series had been, helped them meditate with less discomfort. Wow. I have also been feeling (for two years, but more concretely in the last few months) that I'd like to be spending my time in a way that more directly benefits other beings. So due to some ad hoc life coaching from a friend of mine, I acquired the chutzpah to actually make it happen NOW. (This year, anyway.) I leave in 8 weeks! In the meantime, I am doing Bikram yoga every day for sixty days straight, to prepare. Today will be day 8. I feel great, and make a little bit of improvement each day. I am hoping to make this blog sort of a yoga blog for the length of my sixty-day practice. I'm thinking I can steal away to an internet cafe once a week while I'm in Florida, too--it's a pretty intense schedule. Anyway, for the three of you who still look at this blog, I apologize in advance if the prospect of all these yoga posts bores you to tears. Vote with your browser. Although, i don't know how to check stats on my blog, so I won't know. Tee hee.

Third: I am getting my haircut very short today. Like Natalie Portman on the March cover of Vogue. I can't find this cover anywhere on the internet, so I'm glad I bought the magazine and tore off the cover.

Fourth: Found this meme on ANd I Wasted All That Birth Control and thought it might amuse:

Taken a picture naked? No.

Made out with a member of the same sex? Not really. A kiss once.

Danced in front of your mirror? Frequently!

Told a lie? Yes. Isn't that sort of a stupid question? Lying sucks, but we've all done it, right?

Gotten in a car with people you just met? Yes. I got lost jogging last Thanksgiving in the nouveau office park part of Hillsboro, Oregon and flagged down a car for directions. (It took a while since people just thought I was giving them a friendly wave!) They gave me a lift back to my cousins' house. They were a sweet little family on the way to the gym. MSH was horrified I'd gotten in a car with strangers!

Been in a fist fight? No. Thank goodness.

Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back? Of course. Hasn't everyone?

Been arrested? No.

Left your house without telling your parents? No.

Ditched school to do something more fun? Only if you count sleeping through Spanish 105 twice a week in college. Kids, don't sign up for 8:00 classes your first semester.

Slept in a bed with a member of the same sex? Since I have a sister, this is a dumb question, but I have ALSO slept in the same bed with friends of the same sex. Shocker!

Seen someone die? I was with my grandmother a few days before she died.

Kissed a picture? Plenty.

Slept in until 3? Oh. I kind of doubt it. If I were that hung over, I would have to get up and seek McDonald's fries before 3.

Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? Absolutely.

Played dress up? Sure.

Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes.

Felt an earthquake? Spring Break Quake '93 (Oregon) and Nisqually Quake (Seattle) 2/12/01.

Touched a snake? Yes, I like snakes just fine.

Ran a red light? Oh, all the time. It's terrible. I am trying to quit. I can't stop the u-turns, though. Sometimes you gotta flip a bitch!

Had detention? Yes, in junior high because a science project stuck me with some COOL kids and I lit matches with them over a garbage can. I was completely humiliated that I had done something so dumb, gotten caught, and got detention. I was the goodiest two shoesiest detention participant ever!

Been in a car accident? Only a few fender-benders.

Pole danced? No.

Been lost? So, this question is open to interpretation, but in both senses, yes.

Sang karaoke? Yes, in groups. "I Will Survive," anyone?

Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? Yes. How does that happen, exactly? Am I not the boss of me?

Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Not nearly often enough.

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes. :)

Kissed in the rain? I hope MSH and I did on vacation! Don't mind the warm rain in 75 degrees.

Sang in the shower? ALL the time!

Got your tongue stuck to a pole? No.

Ever gone to school partially naked? Only in my anxiety dreams.

Sat on a roof top? I don't really remember. I'd sure like to.

Played chicken? No.

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? Sort of. We had to for swim safety/lifesaving class. Then we tied knots at the ends of the legs of our pants and made floats.

Been told you’re hot by a complete stranger? I guess. Word gets around.

Broken a bone? No.

Mooned/flashed someone? Yes, there was a lot of mooning in high school. Both kinds!

Forgotten someone’s name? Frequently.

Slept naked? Yes. But I don't like it as a rule, the sheet tickles my bum.

Blacked out from drinking? Yes.

Played a prank on someone? Yes. This guy my freshman year of college--it was pretty innocent stuff--gave his computer boobs, pinned up a suit of clothes on the wall, switched his CDs into wrong cases, but he was really pissed. He revenged himself by screwing up my computer (made it look like it had lost its memory) and stealing my mattress and putting the sheets on the wooden box under it so I bruised my tailbone as I sat down in shock over the screwed-over computer (thinking that he'd taken the bed box.) I gave him a verbal dressing-down so fierce he remained terrified of me the remainder of our college years.

Felt like killing someone? Yes, I suppose, in adolescent rage and pain.

Made a parent cry? My mom and I had some epic battles in high school (I was such a rebel! No, I WON'T take the AP French test!), and many ended with one or the other of us in tears.

Cried over someone? Oh lots.

Had sex more than 10 times in a weekend? No. Honestly, wouldn't that get boring?

Had/Have a dog? No.

Been in a band? I suppose they mean band like a "cool" band, but I was in marching band and sit-down band, in high school, and I dearly loved it. Those were good times, and I get misty for a marching band still!

Drank 25 sodas in a day? Eh, no.

Shot a gun? Yes.