Daypacks, yoga and Maharaji's Keys

Went into town today, visited the travel gear shops in the Valley (Fortitude Valley). I'm looking for a new daypack. I need one that can carry my laptop too, since I'm taking that with me. I guess I can leave it where I'm staying in London when I go out, but definitely don't want to leave it anywhere when I'm in India! Specially since I'm probably going to Delhi and will end up staying in some cheap(ish) Lonely Planet-type hotel!

Found a really nice Macpac one (how appropriate, since I'm a Mac user!!) They're going to order it in and I will bring my laptop in to make sure it fits OK ...

Yesterday it was just me again doing yoga at lunchtime. Craig seems to be too busy at lunchtimes at the moment. This time I tried something different which someone suggested on the Ashtanga discussion board. Normally I just go through and do what I can in an hour. But this time I did the standing sequence, and then started from Navasana. Seems like a good idea - I think I'll alternate where I start the sitting poses from now on ...

Tomorrow I'm going to a repeat showing of the Keys videos (well, dvds) - at Amaroo. Saw them there before on the Queens Birthday long weekend, but it'll be wonderful to see them again. I remember how completely stunning they were ... I decided not to sign up for the dvds till I come back from India - well, probably not till next January really. But there's plenty of time. It's going to be wonderful - like going through the process of preparing for Knowledge again.

On my iPod/iTunes at work: Robbie Robertson - Music for the Native Americans

Got my air tickets !!

They arrived at work today!! Wowww! Is that scarey or what?! I worked out that it's 8½ weeks till I stop work, 10 weeks tomorrow till I fly to London ... Lauren who I work with is going to housesit my house and Miss Mieke Pussycat (see sweet photo of her). So that issue is sorted!

8½ weeks also means it's 9 weeks till the event with Maharaji -woohoo! Can't wait! I'm running an internet centre at that - I'm sure there's stuff I should be doing now for that!! And Wendi and Jack (from Portugal) will be arriving in about 5 weeks - god it's all rushing up at me!! I really need to get focussed and - yes, write another list <.grin>

Flew down to Sydney on Friday - met Mum at the tax accountants, and then met Johm, Jo and Peter for lunch nearby. Great to see them all again - I guess it'll be Christmas till we meet up again. Then Mum and I drove down to Bowral (countryside) for the rest of the weekend. Had a lovely quiet, not too cold weekend. Wasn't able to regale people at work with my usual horror stories of Bowral winter - frozen water in the bird-bath etc!

Class (ashtanga) tonight - really looking forward to that. It's been 2 weeks since I went to an actual class.

What Communication Skills?!!

Well, obviously the lessons learnt in my Communication Skills course haven't sunk in yet. (Either that or I need to practice them ) I'd booked one of our seminar rooms at work for lunchtime today to do yoga, and when Craig turned up for yoga there was a lecturer sitting in there! I couldn't shout at him so went chasing round the office to find out what was going on, inwardly fuming! Luckily he'd just been plonked there to look at some of his course materials and was easily moved to another room!

Anyway - soo good to do some yoga. Didn't go to class last night as wasn't feeling too good. So it's been almost a week ... my hamstrings were certainly telling me that! My head is nearly on the ground now in Prasarita Padottanasana A. I can touch the ground if I try for a second! I'm losing weight (mostly inspired by the need to do certain poses!), so things are getting better ...

INFP ... "I dig my heels in and won't budge from my ideals"!!

Been a few days since I wrote. I went to a 2 day course from work last week - on Communication Skills! One of the main reasons I'd wanted to go on this was because you do the Myers-Briggs personality test and I've always wanted to do that! Turns out I'm an INFP - which is worked out like this:

Energy line:
Between Extrovert and Introvert I'm an Introvert (anyone who knows me knows that!!)
How I perceive things line:
Between Sensate and Intuitive, I'm Intuitive
Decision-making line:
Between Thinking and Feeling, I'm at the Feeling end
And the Structure line:
Between Judgemental and Perceiving, I'm more on the Perceiving side.

It was all really interesting! Once we'd been given the results, we were put into 3 groups and sent off to work out our design for a new university for 20 minutes. Couldn't quite work out the groupings at the time, but unbeknownst to us we'd been grouped according to our personality types, and it was quite amazing the way the results turned out! My group spent 20 minutes talking about the big picture, and ethical issues. Another group spent the whole time working on systems and rules and workplace issues. And the third one spent about 5 minutes working out how to keep staff happy, and then finished and when the convenor walked past, were busy doing deals on the side for freelance work!! We were all doing exactly what our personality types do!!

Anyway, it was a very interesting 2 days. Nice to be lifted out of my normal worklife too ... :)

Apart from that, I had to pay for my ticket on Friday - scarey!! But Singapore Airlines is going to put on some more fuel taxes next week, so this was the only way to avoid them! I'm already having to pay about $480 in taxes - can you believe it!!!

Yoga - been a bad week I'm afraid. I went to class on Monday evening, and did lunchtime yoga on Tuesday. But wasn't able to do any more during the week. Hopefully I'll manage to do some this afternoon, and then back to class tomorrow evening. I'll be really stiff at class if I don't do some today, that's for sure!

Windy Ekka weather

Only people who live in Brisbane will know what that means! In Australia, all the capital cities still have big Agricultural fairs/shows – and they’re a public holiday for people who live there. In Sydney it’s the Royal Easter Show. In Brisbane it’s the Brisbane Exhibition – known colloquially as the Ekka! It’s in early August, but the month or so around then are usually really windy – and that’s always known as Ekka weather. Not the sort of day to spend much time outside!

At yoga yesterday I got 2 new poses – kurmasana and supta kurmasana. I’m thrilled! Note I have not linked to supta kurmasana. It just seems completely ridiculous to imagine that I could ever do this!!! Though I guess I thought that about hasta padangusthasana which 3-4 years later I can do, even though not completely properly. Practicing at least 4 times a week (twice at class, and twice at work during lunchhour) has made a big difference to my practice.. My balancing is getting a lot better, and having straight legs in navasana has been a big boost to me. Yeah, I know it’s not a competition, but I have to say it does make me feel good! Specially when there’s so much else that I still can’t do!!

Off to meet my ex in a bookshop (Avid Reader) in Brisbane … I absolutely cannot spend any money!!!

London London London ...

omigod ... got home late-ish last night and the news started filtering through as I sat down. Tried to ring people in London but all the lines were engaged when I tried. So I ran to the computer and started firing off emails to friends and family there. Having sent them I checked my email and found emails from Judy (half sister) saying they were alright. Then checked this blog (OK, it's new, I'm a bit obsessive!!) and found that Wendy had put a comment here to say that she's OK too. Back to my email and further emails from both Judy and Wendy! What a relief ...

Reflecting on it all, and the reported calm acceptance (or at least not violent panic) of Londoners - I remembered when I lived in London and was actually in Harrods when that bomb went off there. I guess Londoners got used to bombs with all the IRA stuff that went on in the 80s. (And, as my mother would remind me, the Blitz during WW2!) You just have to get on with your life. After all you could get run over by a bus tomorrow! Doesn't have to be a bomb!!

However, it is one of those times when I feel very strongly the British half of my (dual) nationality!

lists

Thought I could cross another thing off my list of things to do, but turns out getting a mammogram was never on it ...:)

Still haven't found someone to housesit the house and Mieke (pussy cat) but I've put an ad in the University News, and sent blanket emails around. Hopefully someone will turn up.

Did yoga at lunchtime yesterday - I was the only one doing it (again!) Just did an hour, and took it easy as I was feeling a bit off. I'll do it again at lunchtime tomorrow, and then go to my normal Saturday afternoon class.

Still hanging out for iTMS to be released for Australia! A few weeks ago there were big announcements in the press - Russell Crowe had let something slip. But it all got put on hold because one of the aussie music companies decided to hold out. If that hadn't been announced and got us all excited I probably wouldn't mind so much, but it really pisses me off now. Mind you - probably a good thing it's not available yet. The temptation to download song after song would be extreme!!

Oh and another thing (this was crossed off the list!) On Monday night after class I went and spoke to the choir conductor for the choir I sing The Messiah with each Christmas. I've been worried coz I won't get back till about halfway through the rehearsal period for this year's performance, and wasn't sure that he'd allow me to join in just 2 weeks before a performance. But luckily, my enthusiasm won the day and he agreed! i've got the alto part on my iPod and will copy the music (words) and sing it to myself while I"m on holiday! I have done this before for a different choir concert, so know I can/will do it!! Singing in The Messiah every year is a big highlight for me - I just love it!! I think my Mum might be coming up from NSW to hear it this time ...

have to start somewhere

So I guess it's here and today! Just got an email from Vishwanath in Bangalore saying I could do yoga and stay even though it's for less than 14 days (which is their current minimum period to stay) ...

I said in an email to Wendi on Sunday that this trip feels more real than the September event with Maharaji at the moment! Probably just coz I'm all excited about it - Judy emailed me asking if I'd like to go to Dublin for the weekend (to visit another of my un-met half-sisters) I've never been to Dublin and I'm thrilled!