Yoga: The Half Naked & Very, Very Sweaty Kind

I teach a form of yoga myself, so I probably shouldn’t have had such a strong prejudice towards Bikram, but I did. For those of you who don’t know, Bikram yoga is unique because the room you practice in is gradually heated from 85 to 105 degrees over the span of the class, which is usually about 90 minutes. The idea is that such intense heat cleanses the body from the inside out. So you see why I hated it from the get-go.

First of all, I hate the heat. Don't misinterpret me here - Florida is my home and I love it dearly and there's cool things to do all over the place, but my goodness if there's one thing I can do without, it's Florida's heat. So ANYWAY, I hate Florida for its summers and overall balmy temperatures, I’d run my AC at 65 year round if my bank account dictated I could, and nothing puts me in a worse mood than hot weather. Nothing (well, for the purposes of this blog, nothing).

Also, I so badly wanted to come back to everyone with a hilarious account of how terrible my first Bikram yoga class was. I wanted desperately to compare it to Dante’s Inferno and drone on and on about how torturous it was and that I’ll never ever go there again. Instead, you have to hear about what a pleasant, soothing class I had. I’m not even cranky!

I enjoyed every part of this class. The heat wasn’t that bothersome. You do sweat a lot, especially if the room is full, and in this case it was. Did I mention you sweat? Like, A LOT? Your clothes are drenched and cling to you like Saran wrap, sweat drips from your chin and those little hairs on the back of your neck. Your back looks slick and your hands are slippery and the humidity rivals any that we experience here in the south on a summer day. But, I liked it.

I think all the sweating (okay, I know that sounds absolutely disgusting, but go with me on this one!) actually helps, because you don't feel weak. Even if you aren't as flexible as your neighbor, you both look the same: Your legs are trembling, you're gritting your teeth, and you're silently swearing to yourself that you will NOT come out of this pose. You're both just as sweaty, just as unsteady on your feet, and working as hard as your limits allow you. I don't know, it felt like there was some kind of silent camaraderie in there.

I feel refreshed and I SWEAR I’d even go as far as saying I look radiant (WHOA!). It’s very likely this is all in my head, but I feel lighter and relaxed… I may even go back next week, because at the studio I went to (Yogani) you get your 2nd class free.

As a sidenote, the studio was beautiful. Very clean, very friendly, and very simple and warm. I loved it.

Now, onto more important things… lunch!

We're Gonna Get to 100 With This Thing!

I HAVE to get to at least 100!

There’re an infinite number of things to do on earth. And even if ‘infinite’ isn’t the right word, there are certainly more than a person can do over the span of one lifetime. But for some reason, I’m drawing a blank as to what other things I can add to my list. I’m already five days into this and I haven’t actually done anything. Sure, some things take a little bit of planning, and I have a few things lined up for the next two weeks, but I can’t think of 100! Seriously, I almost wish I did this for ’09, because I did a lot last year. Like a lot, a lot. I learned so many new things and did stuff I never even would have thought of like feeding monkeys by hand and taking a break from school. I took trips and spoke new languages and faced fears and made unexpected friends.

I think my brain is a little too comfortable and proud of all my teeny accomplishments from last year and is refusing to give me any more ideas for 2010. I would LOVE to ski, but I’ve looked into that one and financing a trip would run me a couple thousand at least after lodging, flights, and equipment. Plus the cost of food and any spending money...

Skydiving is another one that I could technically do, but I’m too terrified. I want to do it in my lifetime, but I’m scared of crossing two things off my list: jumping out of a plane and plummeting to my death. Oh, and projectile vomiting at 13,000 feet.

I’m definitely not an adrenaline junkie (I don’t think), but for whatever reason, I have this unrelenting desire to collect as many experiences as I can. One of my biggest fears is that I’ll be nearing the end of my life and think, “I should have been more free.” Not even the end of my life, but even by the time I’m 40 I don’t want to think that I haven’t done anything worth talking about. And I think we should ALL want this for ourselves. Why not?

Bottom line is, I want my life to make an awesome story.

Anyway, The Secret still hasn’t arrived! But…

2. Take a Bikram yoga class (or “hot” yoga)
3. Take pole dancing lessons! (In the name of fitness!)

Happy 2010!

I guess today was technically the first day of my project this year. I haven't done anything new except get sick (hey, first cold of 2010, YEAH!), but I'm ready for some new stuff and will welcome any changes or opportunity that come my way.

Oh and here's something new: apparently my butt is so big it actually RIPPED my pants. No seriously, I bought brand new yoga pants (you know, the kind that are supposed to stretch), wore them for a total of a few hours and have discovered a hole in the seam that strategically lines the middle of my ass. Love it.

On a similar note, one thing I need most this year is a kick in the butt. I know I'm young, but I think people my age (myself included) overestimate the amount of time we have to establish ourselves in this life. I'm not talking about setting goals you don't think you can keep for yourself, but setting your focus and tirelessly working towards it NOW so you don't end up doing later and longer in life.

I just feel like time is about to start whipping past me faster than I can keep track of it, and I don't want 20 years to pass me by without having done anything of any consequence to speak of.

For now this 100 Things Project is a fun thing, but I hope something will come from it. I'm not even sure what yet.

Thing #1: Buy and read The Secret.

100 Things Project

My New Years Resolution is to do 100 Things I've Never Done in 2010.

The more I tell people this, the more daunting it seems, but I'm doin' it! ... and I think everyone can do this. It's small things just as much as it's big things. Start a gratitude journal, read a book, go snorkeling. It's anything, and I'll be the first one to start.

I'm gonna cook a live lobster, fly in a tiny stunt plane, take pole dancing lessons and about 97 more! Watch me in my success and failure and excitement and anxiety and pride and shame.

It should be fun. Just watch.

Raw Chocolate Truffles

Do you really need a better intro than that?

I recently named the raw food chef Ani Phyo as being one of my favorite people. All of her recipes are simple and quick, and I finally took a crack at the one I've been drooling over for the past month: Raw "Superfood" Chocolate Truffles.

It's just a few ingredients, and since they're a little tricky to find in your local health food store (at least they are in Tampa), she has them packages in a Ready Made Kit that you can order for less than $10 and have it delivered to your doorstep.

I love dark chocolate, but the thought of eating a truffle comprised of nothing but pure cacao butter and pure cacao powder left me a little confused. Bitter is good, but that bitter? I don't know...

I was so wrong! These are delectable. They taste as if you're eating something right out of the Halloween candy stash, but they're packed with antioxidants, healthy fat, and minerals. Pure, raw cacao is one of nature's superfoods, so eat up and enjoy!

A Week of Positive Thinking

I didn't want to put a limit on this, but I figured if I didn't I'd end up giving up in about an hour.

So yes! Here we go. I need a kick in the butt in life right now, so I'm going to try to go one week without actively thinking negatively. That't not to say that something won't go wrong, but instead of lamenting my misfortune, I'll try to put a positive twist on everything.

My day so far: I ate too many cookies, I keep remembering I'm working all day Saturday, my hair is annoying me, and my jeans are too tight.

I'm annoyed with today. Can I start tomorrow?

But, on the flip side, I've been published 7 times in the past 6 days on AssociatedContent! That's great because I'm getting paid to write (even though it's just for pennies)... finally!

Okay, no more down-time. The rest of this day is gonna be great because I'm gonna buy a smoothie with a $1.00 off coupon, and we're going to a friend's house later.

Let's go!

Five Romantic and Unique Gift Ideas for Your Girlfriend

The romantic gift is difficult to choose. You don’t want to make the mistake of being too trite, but you also want to make sure it’s special. So I came up with five great and unique romantic gift ideas for the guys out there drawing a blank.

1. Tango Lessons

Dirty Dancing, Moulin Rouge, and even Mr. and Mrs. Smith had some kind of romantic, sensual dance sequence in it, so taking tango dance lessons would put her over the moon. It may take you a few classes to dance like an Argentine, but the fun of doing it together will be just as exciting.

2. Swimming With Dolphins

This is totally romantic and will stand out in your partner’s mind as one of the most memorable experiences you two shared together. It’ll take you both outside your comfort zone and provide a little bit of excitement that you just can’t get at a weekend away at the Holiday Inn.

3. “What I Love About You” book

I saw this in a local boutique when I was shopping last week, and I loved it. It’s a full book of questions and fill-in-the-blanks that tell your love why you adore her in original and playful ways. For example, “I adore this little daily routine or ritual we have…,” and “If we’d first met in a comic strip, the bubble over my head would have said…” It’s romantic because it inspires you to reflect on other aspects of your relationship that you may not normally think about every day.

4. Couple’s Yoga Lessons

I teach yoga and pilates, so I may be a little biased, but give me some credit here! The benefits of yoga are real and phenomenal, and couple’s yoga offers a unique experience. You rely heavily on one another in couple’s yoga, so it slows you both down and really pushes you to pay attention to your partner. It’s the perfect romantic gift because it will strengthen the relationship and your intimacy.

5. Hot Air Balloon Ride

A hot air balloon ride is innately romantic. It’s just the two of you sailing through the across the sky, admiring the views and the sunset with a class of champagne. With crisp, cool Christmastime air, you’ll have to snuggle close to keep warm. If your girl is a hopeless romantic, this is the epitome of charm.

Keep in mind that it’s always more about the surprise of the thing than the actual thing sometimes. This doesn’t mean you can make a six-pack of beer romantic – just keep in mind that it does have to be heartfelt but it doesn’t have to be big.

Good luck shopping! And I’d love to hear of any more ideas that you guys have!