Day 78 Tripping on the Finish Line?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Pl7d2fyc8]
I just signed up for a workshop with acclaimed screenwriter Michael Hauge, sponsored by my local chapter of the Romance Writers of America. (Same guy, different event from the one advertised above, but wasn’t that a cute clip?)
Michael Hauge is a story and script consultant, author and lecturer who works with writers and filmmakers on their screenplays, novels, movies and television projects. He has coached writers, producers, stars and directors on projects for Will Smith, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Kirsten Dunst, Charlize Theron and Morgan Freeman, as well as for every major studio and network.
He’ll present his unique approach to creating compelling fiction, and eliciting emotion in readers through story concept, plot structure, character development and theme, plus reveal his proven method for getting manuscripts noticed by the people in power.
And it’s happening right here – not in Hollywood – but in Vancouver.
This is all well and good, however, there’s one small glitch: it happens to fall on DAY 90 of my yoga challenge.
You know what that means.
I’ve got to do another double-day somewhere in the next eleven days!! ARGH!
Day 77 Sing It, Sarah!
Brian, our marriage counselor, once told us very firmly that we were to make sure we had a date night once every week, and an overnight or weekend trip every couple of months. “There’s no reason you can’t do this!” he emphasized.
No reason, maybe, but lots of excuses, especially in the last few years.
Nevermind all that, though; tonight, it’s Date Night! Dear Husband bought us tickets for the Sarah McLachlan concert tonight, third row seats. And I don’t know about men and dates (well I do actually… hm, nevermind that, too) but in my world, a date always has to involve one thing: food. So we’re going out for dinner first.
In Western union money transfer honour of the event I have donned clothing other than yoga wear and – wait for it – applied cosmetics. True story.
Brian would be so proud.
Day 75 McYoga Bad Boy
There’s another woman at my studio who’s also going for 90 days, Heather, and we compare notes whenever we happen to be at the same class. We’re both a little amazed, I think, that we’ve made it this far.
Today Heather brought her brother in with her. She’d been talking it up, I guess, and he finally decided to give it a try. As always, it’s a bit entertaining when there’s fresh meat in the hot room. (For a few minutes anyway; as soon as we get going, it’s all you can do to pay attention to your own breathing, never mind anyone else’s performance.)
But unline Naked Sweaty Boys, Heather’s brother was of mature years and girth, and our gentle amusement gave way to alarm as reality landed on him. He spent the last few postures listing sideways on his haunches, one hand on his chest.
“Is he okay?” another woman asked in the change room, after class. Several of us gathered around to hear the answer. It had crossed my mind that if I do Bikram yoga long enough, I’m bound to see someone pass out or throw up or something eventually.
“He’s fine,” answered Heather, waving away our concern with typical sisterly nonchalance. “Probably has a bit more respect for me now.”
Fortunately, the instructor told him, as they do all beginners, to lie down if he began to feel dizzy, light-headed or nauseous. The goal, we’re all told, is simply to stay in the room.
But some instructors are more stringent than others. Bikram Choudhury himself has a reputation for insulting students, chastising them, berating them all as part of his unique – and copyrighted – version of yoga. Maybe he can get away with it because of his broken English and chipper accent, but I don’t think I’d have gone back for a second class, had it been my junk body he was poking at.
I like my studio and I like the workout, but the man himself… well, you decide …