pressed for time

i'm off to peru later this evening. i just finished doing laundry, answering email, paying bills, taking out the trash... and oh yeah, overstuffing my suitcase with stuff i probably won't need...

since i'm only going to be there a little over a week, i won't have the luxury of having the time to shop for whatever i might have left behind. like hiking gear (we're visiting machu picchu. and no, we're not hiking the inca trail. sigh). and running gear (i'm meeting my running friends there; they just ran the buenos aires marathon this weekend and will be swinging by peru on their way home). and yoga gear (because yes, i have every intention of taking at least one class while i'm in lima, even if it means missing an eating, shopping, or touristing expedition with the group).

ONE yoga class over the span of NINE days. wow. that'll be a record for me.

although this week hasn't been much better because of all the things i've had to do :(

i was lucky enough to be able to squeeze in a yoga class at the mahasukha center in westchester on monday. referred to as "worldview yoga", it was co-taught by ersellia ferron and jessica larsen. it was a more meditative, a more calming class. and given all the "stuff" i had to get out of the way before my trip, it was just what i needed.

had to skip class on tuesday to get to my evening hellerwork appointment. yup, for the same old back issue. after two years of cycling through chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, and of course, yoga, it was time to try something different. similar to rolfing, hellerwork focuses on structural integration using deep tissue bodywork to release and reorganize muscle and connective tissue. but it also adds in movement education and mind/body awareness to help minimize the stressors that caused the pain in the first place. i wish i could say it's been a miracle cure, but after three sessions, i'm just slightly better. i know. patience.

wednesday was a no-go, too. an after-hours going-away party for someone at work. what can i say; it's good to be a party animal every now and then :)

thursday evening was the first ticket in my subscription series at the disney concert hall: esa pekka salonen conducting stravinsky's firebird and tchaikovsky's piano concert no. 1. with it being esa's last year as music director of the la phil, there's was no way i was going to miss that performance.

and friday was when i had to make sure i tied up all loose ends at work before my vacation. by the time i turned off my computer, my brain was fried. i suppose a restorative class would have been perfect for my mental state, but instead, i opted for some retail therapy at REI. i should be ashamed of myself!

saturday was when i decided to turn everything around and get back on track, at least yoga-wise. i filled my day with yoga events -- and food :)

first i had wine and cheese at robert sturman's poetry of the gods exhibit at his home studio.

then i shared a vegetarian feast with all the others who showed up for the iyengar institute's grand opening celebration at their new home on la cienega.

and to end the evening, it was birthday cake after the kirtan with joey lugassy and daphne tse at shakti's elements; not only was it an release party for new EP, mala, but it was also joey's birthday.

from a dearth of yoga to an obvious excess...

i just realized that i have to start making my way to the airport. i won't be bringing my laptop with me, so this may be my last post until i return. we'll see.

be good, and do send some yoga vibes my way while i'm gone!