Here I am in the Ivy League-whooda thunk it?!
I'm here at Cornell for a two week Executive Leadership program. It's a pretty intense program-a lot of work! There's about 60 people in the program from all corners of the world, New Zealand, Australia, Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, Egypt, Croatia and of course the USA.
The presenters have been outstanding. Today, I was privileged to have lunch with one of the presenters, Ken Blanchard, author of the One Minute Manager and about 60 other books. He gave an awesome presentation on Leadership. I can't wait to bring some of his ideas back to my company.
I practiced at Bikram Yoga of Ithaca last night. Whew!! An amazing class-I think I lost ten pounds! The instructor, David Corson, had a dialogue that sounded as if Bikram was in the room, including the language and phraseology.
Since the class was relatively small, he gave a lot of personalized instruction (unfortunately much of it directed at me! :) ) He was very strict on exact postures. I made some great gains. For the first time I was able to completely straighten my leg in both Standing Head to Knee and Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee, thanks to David's guidance. Unfortunately my regular studio has too many students to provide the type of instruction I received in Ithaca. I have not been that worn out after a class since the first week I practiced. I thanked David after class for his instruction. He called himself an "old school"style instructor, with a smile on his face. I can't wait to get back there tomorrow.
Well, time to run, I've got finance homework to get done.
Joe
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
One month later-again!
Ok-I'll admit-I'm a slacker! Over a month since my last post-again!
It's been a busy month. Oh yeah-I graduated! I now officially have my masters! A great ceremony on the water (Boston Harbor). Of course, it was about 95 degrees-but luckily my 89 year old mom was fine with it! It was a great time to celebrate with my fellow sufferers (I mean graduates). We went through a lot over the two years (every Tues and Wed night, for the most part) that the program entailed, but we did it!!!
I've been in contact with a few people who have given me advice (and hopefully will be willing to continue to give me advice) about the next step-opening a studio. Of course, the next step is going through Teacher Training. I can't do this for at least one more year (if not two). I have some serious commitments to my "real job", which I can't short-cut. But I will still do it (despite the newly created "franchise fee" which has really bummed me out!)
I have been enjoying my practice. I practice at Yoga Crossing in Waltham. Ma, a totally awesome studio with amazing instructors. I'm still doing 5-6 times per week, when my schedule permits.
I'm actually on vacation right now on Martha's Vineyard. (definitely google it if you aren't familiar with the location-it's one of my favorite spots). I've been practicing on the island, but am leaving tomorrow and am looking forward to practicing at home.
I'll be spending the next two weeks at Cornell University in a Leadership program. I've done the research :) and have discovered a Bikram studio outside of Cornell in Ithaca, New York. I'm hoping that my schedule will allow me to practice (otherwise I'll be a bear for two weeks).
Ok-I have to break this habit of only doing this on my vacations. Good bye for now, and hopefully I'll be able to say hello while at Cornell, working!
Joe
It's been a busy month. Oh yeah-I graduated! I now officially have my masters! A great ceremony on the water (Boston Harbor). Of course, it was about 95 degrees-but luckily my 89 year old mom was fine with it! It was a great time to celebrate with my fellow sufferers (I mean graduates). We went through a lot over the two years (every Tues and Wed night, for the most part) that the program entailed, but we did it!!!
I've been in contact with a few people who have given me advice (and hopefully will be willing to continue to give me advice) about the next step-opening a studio. Of course, the next step is going through Teacher Training. I can't do this for at least one more year (if not two). I have some serious commitments to my "real job", which I can't short-cut. But I will still do it (despite the newly created "franchise fee" which has really bummed me out!)
I have been enjoying my practice. I practice at Yoga Crossing in Waltham. Ma, a totally awesome studio with amazing instructors. I'm still doing 5-6 times per week, when my schedule permits.
I'm actually on vacation right now on Martha's Vineyard. (definitely google it if you aren't familiar with the location-it's one of my favorite spots). I've been practicing on the island, but am leaving tomorrow and am looking forward to practicing at home.
I'll be spending the next two weeks at Cornell University in a Leadership program. I've done the research :) and have discovered a Bikram studio outside of Cornell in Ithaca, New York. I'm hoping that my schedule will allow me to practice (otherwise I'll be a bear for two weeks).
Ok-I have to break this habit of only doing this on my vacations. Good bye for now, and hopefully I'll be able to say hello while at Cornell, working!
Joe
Sunday, June 1, 2008
One month later!
Well...here it is, June 1. Over one month since my last post!
One week to graduation. It has been really weird this last month, not having school two nights per week. All this free time!! It's really helped my practice, having all this free time.
I'm in the process of deciding what I'll be doing with all this free time. Some options include:
a) Teach one night per week as a professor, as my faculty advisor recommends b) Enroll in a PhD program (I'm doing the research now) c) Help my advisor write a textbook d) Slack off for the summer and go on vacation (except for two weeks in July when I'm at Cornell for an executive leadership program).
I'm trying to put together a Mediterranean cruise in August to Greece, Turkey and Croatia. Unfortunately, I'm meeting resistance from my friends who don't want to travel that far-they're getting old!
Anyone want to go?!
My Bikram practice has been going well. Good days and bad days, of course, but I can feel the improvement in myself. Lock that f****n knee! The healthiest addiction one can experience.
I've been seriously considering teacher training (just not sure if I'd be able to get the time off) as the first step to opening a studio. There's an outstanding blog on teacher training that I've been reading the last couple of months:
http://yogabootcamp.blogspot.com/
This blog, by Jenn from Seattle, gives an incredible inside look at teacher training. I've gotten a big kick out of her accounts of the program.
A friend of mine was a guest instructor for teacher training-she said it was incredible. She was also mentioned in one of Jenn's blogs. Jenn's opinion was the same as mine for Terri- an awesome, high energy instructor!!
Signing off...next time we speak I' ll have graduated!
Joe
One week to graduation. It has been really weird this last month, not having school two nights per week. All this free time!! It's really helped my practice, having all this free time.
I'm in the process of deciding what I'll be doing with all this free time. Some options include:
a) Teach one night per week as a professor, as my faculty advisor recommends b) Enroll in a PhD program (I'm doing the research now) c) Help my advisor write a textbook d) Slack off for the summer and go on vacation (except for two weeks in July when I'm at Cornell for an executive leadership program).
I'm trying to put together a Mediterranean cruise in August to Greece, Turkey and Croatia. Unfortunately, I'm meeting resistance from my friends who don't want to travel that far-they're getting old!
Anyone want to go?!
My Bikram practice has been going well. Good days and bad days, of course, but I can feel the improvement in myself. Lock that f****n knee! The healthiest addiction one can experience.
I've been seriously considering teacher training (just not sure if I'd be able to get the time off) as the first step to opening a studio. There's an outstanding blog on teacher training that I've been reading the last couple of months:
http://yogabootcamp.blogspot.com/
This blog, by Jenn from Seattle, gives an incredible inside look at teacher training. I've gotten a big kick out of her accounts of the program.
A friend of mine was a guest instructor for teacher training-she said it was incredible. She was also mentioned in one of Jenn's blogs. Jenn's opinion was the same as mine for Terri- an awesome, high energy instructor!!
Signing off...next time we speak I' ll have graduated!
Joe
Monday, April 21, 2008
Three Weeks Later!
Wow- three weeks since I last posted!
I returned from LA-more or less in one piece. What a city-a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there (OK-maybe for a year or two!).
I went to a Bryan Kest power yoga class in Santa Monica as I mentioned I was going to do in my last post. It was my first non Bikram yoga class. It was a great experience-I really enjoyed it. Ami introduced me to him after class-he's a really nice, regular guy. I plan on downloading his class onto my ipod so that I can practice while I travel, a flexibility that you can't get with Bikram.
My Bikram practice has been pretty steady, 5-6 times per week (it's amazing what you can do when you have time). I'm experiencing some great improvements (I can actually see my foot over my head in standing bow-something I never thought would happen). Now that school is almost over (two classes left-tonight and next Tues night), I plan on doing a thirty day challenge. The closest I've come in the past is 14 days straight.
Graduation is getting closer-June 8. We just ordered our caps and gowns.
I returned from LA-more or less in one piece. What a city-a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there (OK-maybe for a year or two!).
I went to a Bryan Kest power yoga class in Santa Monica as I mentioned I was going to do in my last post. It was my first non Bikram yoga class. It was a great experience-I really enjoyed it. Ami introduced me to him after class-he's a really nice, regular guy. I plan on downloading his class onto my ipod so that I can practice while I travel, a flexibility that you can't get with Bikram.
My Bikram practice has been pretty steady, 5-6 times per week (it's amazing what you can do when you have time). I'm experiencing some great improvements (I can actually see my foot over my head in standing bow-something I never thought would happen). Now that school is almost over (two classes left-tonight and next Tues night), I plan on doing a thirty day challenge. The closest I've come in the past is 14 days straight.
Graduation is getting closer-June 8. We just ordered our caps and gowns.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Life in LA
What a city! I love it-except for the bumper to bumper traffic on the freeways, the smog, and the lack of parking!
Great nightlife, great restaurants, friendly people, beaches...I could definitely live here (ok-maybe not-the real estate prices are outrageous).
I've practiced at Bikram's headquarters the last few days- an interesting experience. I started out by standing at the front door on La Cienaga Blvd, reading the sign that said "this isn't the entrance, stupid-go around back" ok, so maybe I'm paraphrasing a bit :). After parking on the street and worrying about a ticket, I discovered the "secret "entrance around the back of the building and down an alley, where the private parking lot is located (for a one dollar fee). It's actually pretty convenient, once you find it (I wish they listed that info on their website though).
Great facilities at the studio-multiple showers in the locker rooms (why was that women in the mens shower area though? not that I'm complaining! ;) ) Free towels (two for class and one for showers) and a free mat all come with the twenty dollar entrance fee for class.
The studio was enormous ( a sign was posted that said that maximum use is 300 students-yikes!) There were about twenty students in each class that I took, which was a surprise-maybe I was at off peak classes. There was the usual heat and sweat, but I didn't really feel the humidity that I feel in other studios-they must have primo de-humidifiers.
I was pretty shocked at an incident that occured in the class this morning. A couple were complaining about the heat (I actually heard them huffing and puffing when they came in the room). The woman stuck a towel in the door to get a cool breeze, which frankly, I didn't like (along with a few other students). When the instructor asked her to remove the towel she refused, saying it was "too hot" in the room. Huh? The instructor explained the problem, but the woman was having none of that. It took the focus away from everyone in the class. I've never seen a more obnoxious display of disrespect. My thought was that she should return to the trailer park she was from (ok-not a zen-like yoga attitude) A really big student explained to the women that if she couldn't take the heat she should get out of the kitchen (since he was about 6'2", 300 pounds she didn't respond to him and left the class soon after-her boyfriend had left a few minutes before that). I've never experienced anything like that in a Bikram class.
I'm meeting up with a friend tomorrow who's going to take me to a power yoga class. She's a Bikram instructor who moved back to LA and also does different types of yoga. I'm looking forward to trying it out since I've never tried any form but Bikram
Ok-what am I doing typing away whle I'm on vacation? See ya!
Great nightlife, great restaurants, friendly people, beaches...I could definitely live here (ok-maybe not-the real estate prices are outrageous).
I've practiced at Bikram's headquarters the last few days- an interesting experience. I started out by standing at the front door on La Cienaga Blvd, reading the sign that said "this isn't the entrance, stupid-go around back" ok, so maybe I'm paraphrasing a bit :). After parking on the street and worrying about a ticket, I discovered the "secret "entrance around the back of the building and down an alley, where the private parking lot is located (for a one dollar fee). It's actually pretty convenient, once you find it (I wish they listed that info on their website though).
Great facilities at the studio-multiple showers in the locker rooms (why was that women in the mens shower area though? not that I'm complaining! ;) ) Free towels (two for class and one for showers) and a free mat all come with the twenty dollar entrance fee for class.
The studio was enormous ( a sign was posted that said that maximum use is 300 students-yikes!) There were about twenty students in each class that I took, which was a surprise-maybe I was at off peak classes. There was the usual heat and sweat, but I didn't really feel the humidity that I feel in other studios-they must have primo de-humidifiers.
I was pretty shocked at an incident that occured in the class this morning. A couple were complaining about the heat (I actually heard them huffing and puffing when they came in the room). The woman stuck a towel in the door to get a cool breeze, which frankly, I didn't like (along with a few other students). When the instructor asked her to remove the towel she refused, saying it was "too hot" in the room. Huh? The instructor explained the problem, but the woman was having none of that. It took the focus away from everyone in the class. I've never seen a more obnoxious display of disrespect. My thought was that she should return to the trailer park she was from (ok-not a zen-like yoga attitude) A really big student explained to the women that if she couldn't take the heat she should get out of the kitchen (since he was about 6'2", 300 pounds she didn't respond to him and left the class soon after-her boyfriend had left a few minutes before that). I've never experienced anything like that in a Bikram class.
I'm meeting up with a friend tomorrow who's going to take me to a power yoga class. She's a Bikram instructor who moved back to LA and also does different types of yoga. I'm looking forward to trying it out since I've never tried any form but Bikram
Ok-what am I doing typing away whle I'm on vacation? See ya!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
California
I'm out in California for a week and a half-life is good!
It's my first time in Monterrey and Carmel, and definitely not my last. It's an incredible area, so much natural beauty. I think I've taken over fifty photos already! It reminds me a bit of a tropical Newport, RI-incredible coastlines and quaint streets.
I practiced at Bikram Yoga Monterey yesterday, and met some great people. I had a great conversation with the owner, Emily and her husband Billy. Emily is originally from Marblehead, Ma and is a diabetic like myself, so we had a lot to talk about. Her husband gave me some great tips about Monterey.
The instructor for my class, Terry, was an amazing woman. I fed off her energy during the class. I needed that energy since I hadn't practiced in over a week (that whole "work" thing got in the way). She told me that she is going to Acapulco to help instruct at Bikram's next Teacher Training session. I'm not surprised, she's that good! A very motivating person with a great personality.
It's pretty amazing that at every studio I visit, people have such a positive attitude and friendly manner-I definitely attribute it to what they're doing with Bikram!
I'll be working the next few days at my conference, but will hopefully still be able to practice there. I had to blow it off tonight since we're having a group dinner in Monterey.
I'm heading to Los Angeles on Sunday, the start of my vacation. I'm going to go to Bikram's headquarters for classes-that should be interesting.
I'll be hanging with my buddy John, who's a doctor of accupuncture in LA. Knowing John, he'll have some fun things set up to do there. We're actually heading out Sunday night when I arrive, so I'll be experiencing the LA nightlife immediately!
It's my first time in Monterrey and Carmel, and definitely not my last. It's an incredible area, so much natural beauty. I think I've taken over fifty photos already! It reminds me a bit of a tropical Newport, RI-incredible coastlines and quaint streets.
I practiced at Bikram Yoga Monterey yesterday, and met some great people. I had a great conversation with the owner, Emily and her husband Billy. Emily is originally from Marblehead, Ma and is a diabetic like myself, so we had a lot to talk about. Her husband gave me some great tips about Monterey.
The instructor for my class, Terry, was an amazing woman. I fed off her energy during the class. I needed that energy since I hadn't practiced in over a week (that whole "work" thing got in the way). She told me that she is going to Acapulco to help instruct at Bikram's next Teacher Training session. I'm not surprised, she's that good! A very motivating person with a great personality.
It's pretty amazing that at every studio I visit, people have such a positive attitude and friendly manner-I definitely attribute it to what they're doing with Bikram!
I'll be working the next few days at my conference, but will hopefully still be able to practice there. I had to blow it off tonight since we're having a group dinner in Monterey.
I'm heading to Los Angeles on Sunday, the start of my vacation. I'm going to go to Bikram's headquarters for classes-that should be interesting.
I'll be hanging with my buddy John, who's a doctor of accupuncture in LA. Knowing John, he'll have some fun things set up to do there. We're actually heading out Sunday night when I arrive, so I'll be experiencing the LA nightlife immediately!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A light at the end of the tunnel!
My thesis has been submitted, three classes left, and I'll have completed the coursework for my masters. To use a very tired cliche, the weight of the world is off my shoulders! It's an incredible feeling! Another great feeling was deleting the software and research sites that I used for my thesis...ahhh, what a great feeling!!
Back to a regular routine for Bikram also. 110 degrees in class the other night, and it felt great. I feel like I've improved greatly in some of the postures, especially standing head to knee-even though I can't get my knee straight or my head to my knee-slowly but surely I'll get there.
I'm heading to Monterrey, California for a conference next week and am definitely going to get to a Bikram studio there-I'll have more time than I did in Seattle last week.
I'm flying down to LA for vacation after the conference and will definitely go to Bikram's headquarters in LA for a few classes-I'm hoping I'll be able to find a class that Bikram is teaching (if he even does that anymore-I'll find out when I'm there, I'm sure). I'm also going to see an old friend from Boston who just moved back to LA and hopefully will be teaching in a studio there-she's a Bikram instructor.
I'm visiting an old roommate/friend that is a doctor of accupuncture in LA. He said he'll try a class with me. Of course, after he introduces me to the wild nightlife in LA, the class could be torture!
I definitely need this vacation!
Back to a regular routine for Bikram also. 110 degrees in class the other night, and it felt great. I feel like I've improved greatly in some of the postures, especially standing head to knee-even though I can't get my knee straight or my head to my knee-slowly but surely I'll get there.
I'm heading to Monterrey, California for a conference next week and am definitely going to get to a Bikram studio there-I'll have more time than I did in Seattle last week.
I'm flying down to LA for vacation after the conference and will definitely go to Bikram's headquarters in LA for a few classes-I'm hoping I'll be able to find a class that Bikram is teaching (if he even does that anymore-I'll find out when I'm there, I'm sure). I'm also going to see an old friend from Boston who just moved back to LA and hopefully will be teaching in a studio there-she's a Bikram instructor.
I'm visiting an old roommate/friend that is a doctor of accupuncture in LA. He said he'll try a class with me. Of course, after he introduces me to the wild nightlife in LA, the class could be torture!
I definitely need this vacation!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
