Yoga.

I'm always looking for ways to enhance the life and yoga seemed like a good option. God knows I could work on that whole relaxing thing.  And it's been going pretty well, that was, until this week. I went on Monday. I wasn't in the mood to go, but I went anyways. I was running late, so I had to drive instead of walk. I enjoy the great outdoors, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Being all in a rush, I ended up parking in a tow zone.  Naturally, it's impossible to focus on my Ujjayi breath when I'm thinking about my car getting towed. And the incense...oh, the incense. Scent is my strongest sense which oftentimes works against me. There are a lot of things in life you just don't want to smell. Have you ever wondered why the smiley face is often missing a nose? Most likely because it wouldn't be smiling if it smelled its surroundings. Anyhoo, the incense was something fierce and something yucky when it hit my nostrils. So, I'm all "relax, or else" but literally can't because ya know my car is about to get towed and the smell is literally killing me. To top it all off, the instructor had the WORST New England accent ever.  No offense to accents or anything, we've all got them, but ya know, if you have a strong one, don't become a news anchor or yoga teacher.  Downward facing dog is something else and something not pretty when it becomes "downwahd facin dahg". Brutal.

A Day in the Life of the Squirrel.

It has occurred to me  that while I'm on "sabbatical", and actually have the time to write, I unfortunately am not being exposed to as much crazy stuff as I had been in the city. In the last few months, I haven't had my cab driver serenade me with his flutes as he drove me home (very strange time), nor have I worked a show where the trumpet player strips down to his birthday suit (traumatizing). So what happens in the country? Good question. Well, here are some highlights....I had to stop for some wild turkeys to cross the street on my way to work the other day. Last night, I double checked to make sure my cat was inside because I heard coyotes howling. And this morning, my dad and I talked about how there aren't as many titmouses at the feeder this year. Real exciting stuff people. Yeah.. I have been pondering ways to spice things up. Maybe I could follow my cat around for a day or a neighborhood squirrel. Really get into their heads. Report back...

Thank goodness my A Day In the Life Of the Squirrel has momentarily been interrupted by me getting out of town for a couple of days. Mini-New England tour, hey now. NH with the parents then back to my original city, Boston, for some hang time with my sibs.  Highlights/low-lights as followed:

1. The Lobster Boat Restaurant in Merrimack, NH. Lobster risotto, lobster roll, Cabernet. Two nights in a row. Enough said.
2. Sitting by a pool and reading magazines hands down beats sitting at home looking for jobs and pondering life paths.
3. Splitting three chocolate heart donuts from Dunkin in 24 hours. They are surprisingly amazing.
4. Taking my brother's dog for a walk. I'm a fan of all animals, but I really don't have the dog thing down. I couldn't get the harness on the poor guy correctly so he kept escaping and I'd have to grab him as I held his poop in my other hand. Definite low-light.
5. The Estelle concert in Cambridge held both high and low lights.
   
Highs include:

• The keyboardists in all of the acts actually were playing. And doing a damn fine job. So many times I've watched shows and the keyboardist is literally pressing one button and just looking cool. Every time I've seen that, I'm like that dude/dudette is totally doing nothing. They have one of those keyboards from childhood that automatically plays an entire song by touching one key. You're not fooling anyone, buddy.
• The show was held at the Regattabar Jazz Club in the Charles Hotel which made eating at the divine Henrietta's Table (also inside the hotel) quite easy. Hello, cheese!
• The opening acts got it going on.
• Estelle's voice is effortless. She is very charismatic. And she makes me wants to buy a flapper-esque dress and shimmy.

Lows include:

• The show was held inside the Regattabar meaning that everyone was seated even though there were times when they should be gettin' down.
• The crowd was talking and rude and deserved a good slap.
• The waitress gave me back the wrong change.
• A lady walked in on me in the bathroom and then proceeded to talk to me instead of shutting the door. SHUT THE DAMN DOOR. The lady was also one of the opening acts "nanas" and kept doing crazy things throughout the entire show.

Despite holding a conversation while trying to pee, it was a nice mini-getaway. Now I'm back and am about to go outside to find some animals to follow around....