Meet the Crisps

A couple of weekends ago I flew to Florida to meet Julians children. We hit it off wonderfully. They are amazing and I felt totally at home with them. I guess it helps that I'm perpetually a 10 year old myself... no wonder they liked me so much... that and I bribed them each with a dollar :)

Part-time madness!

Wow, first off I haven't updated this blog in a long damn time!
Well now that school is finished and the holidays are over, life is back to normal... HA! not really... I've started two teaching jobs back to back. I'm teaching Monday nights at the Crate corporate fitness center, and Thursday nights at a local coffee shop (for a community class). I also have one private client on Sunday mornings. All in all this is AWESOME!...but I now officially realize that I am working a part-time job. Realistically... it doesn't feel like work to me at all and I love it!
I don't want to be a yoga pimp, but I can honestly say that it has changed my life for the better. The physical part is good, but the mental part is stellar. I have an amazing amount of focus, and I'm no longer bitchy. Everything just kind of rolls off the back... and I can't even attribute that to booze as I've quit drinking all together!
What's wrong with me?!!!!
Seriously, I've never felt better in my life... now if I could only get that silly Brit in the same town with me, I would be in heaven.

Happy New Year!

Well hello all... it's really 2009. That's crazy. I remember when the big millennium scare was going on & that doesn't seem that long ago.
With this new year I have reflected on the last one and how crazy it really was. I went through a ton of emotional upheaval for a multitude of reasons, came full circle with my job (and how devoted I was going to be to it), began yoga school & got certified as a yoga instructor, and most importantly, met my soul mate. Yes I know that's the cheesiest most cliche word to use in a relationship... but it's true.
I look at 2009 not with resolution, but with intention. Intention to strengthen my faith and get back to church (even though I missed this morning...not on a good start!), to take yoga to a completely different level in my life, to help others who are less fortunate than I am, to continue on my alcohol-free path (which I haven't really advertised up until now!), to enjoy the relationship with my parents that has come to a completely different level, and to work towards getting my relationship with my sister back.
I call these intentions because it's all about the act of working towards these things, rather than a goal or final outcome. It's easy to say, "I need to lose weight" but if you don't, then you've set yourself up for failure. If you say, "I intend to eat better and work on my health", then you've got a much better chance of change then the previous statement. It's all in how you look at it and how you perceive it.
With all that mumbo-jumbo, I want to with each and everyone of my friends, family, and strangers who may read this, a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year full of good things and happy memories!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

...or Happy Kristmahkwanzaka... or whatever... May everyone have a happy and healthy holiday season :)

HIGH SCORE!!!

I got my grades back & I got the HIGHEST SCORE IN THE CLASS!!! Grades were based on a 500 point system with an optional 60 additional extra credit points. I got a 454/500 on the reg. section & 48/60 extra credit for a total of 502... which translates to 100%!!!!!
I AM OFFICIALLY A YOGA INSTRUCTOR!!!!
Namaste baby!!!

4 hours and I'm not shitting you!

That's how long the exam took!!! Holy cow... I know Livia said she was going to give us that long to take the test but did anyone really think it would take that long??? Hell no...

It was 26 pages long and I am SOOOOOOOO glad that I studied as hard as I did. I only left one thing blank.

...and can I just say, I haven't written that much since I was in high school and the computer wasn't really an option! Everyone of us was bitching by the end of class about how bad our hands, wrists and arms hurt. Whah whah whah...

Now we just sit back & wait for Liv to grade the tests & get back to us with our totals and certifications.

Then I'm officially a Yogi...

Yogi Neill... smarter than the average bear

...the countdown begins

Tomorrow is the big day! I am as studied up as I'm going to get. I can't study anymore. If I hear one more sanskrit word or anatomy part, I'm going to have a meltdown.
On the good side of this, I have to think this is truly the most passionate I have ever been about anything. I have NEVER studied for anything as hard as I have for this test. Once completed & graded, I will be able to register w/the National Yoga Alliance. Then I can officially put letters after my name... like, "Kristen Neill h.o.t" Hee hee hee

Tick, tock, tick, tock

I have 2 more classes left. You have NO idea how happy I am! Not only to be completed & ready to move on, but to have an entire weekend to myself!!!! YIPEEEEE!!!!!
I have been studying like a banshee all week. I was informed on Saturday that we would be given 4 hours to complete out exam this Saturday.... 4 hours!!!! I don't know if I've ever taken a 4 hour exam outside of taking the SAT in 1986!!!
Thank God for Julian. He has been the most amazing study partner. He drilled me questions for days while he was here, and now that he's back home, he's doing revisions with me via webcam. True dedication that boy has... true dedication.
I have Sanskrit words and anatomy parts floating around in my head 24 hours a day. Its beginning to disturb my sleep.
Well, wish me luck as I test this Saturday. I've been working on a few projects to get the teaching ball rolling and I'm about 99% completed with one of them. I'll keep it under wraps until it's a done deal & then I'll share the news.
Hope everyone is having a good holiday season & enjoying their friends & families.
Oh yeah, we're buried in snow up here!!!! The Fudd hat is in full swing!
Chat soon :)

Wow, did I fall off or what?

I have fallen off of the face of the earth due to this school thing. I have 6 classes left over the next two weeks and then I am a certified Yoga instructor!!! I am super duper jazzed about this!
I have taught twice the past week within our class and next Thursday I teach my first real class with strangers. Part of me is cocky and confident with it, the other part is scared shitless. I guess it's all how I prepare myself to go into it.
Okay so with that, the holiday is right around the corner. Is it wrong not to do any shopping when I'm working full time and going to school the equivalent of full time hours??? I will be going to Big D for Christmas and I really want to go empty handed and take the family out for a nice event. Any thoughts? Opinions on that? I am still trying to decide if it sounds selfish or not. I am more concerned simply with spending time with the family VS. getting stuff.
My materialism has finally fallen completely to the wayside... I guess that is the true meaning of Yoga.

Me old bones...

Okay I am LOVING my yoga certification classes BUT my body is still screaming every week from doing 3-5 hours of a yoga practice 3 days a week. I guess since the sore muscles hurt in the good way AND I am feeling muscles I've never felt AND I'm getting super toned... it's all okey doke.
I took my first test on Saturday. It was over the Sanskrit language and sequencing. I got the highest grade in the class... a 98! Yipeeeee! The only one I missed was the only one I didn't answer because I didn't know it. I am pretty freaking super jazzed about this.
Coming soon to a studio near you... Yogi Neill