So Much Sweat

Source: getskinnywithit.tumblr.com via Courtney on Pinterest

A while ago I wrote a post about a new love affair with Bikram Yoga. And a few weeks ago I wrote about how I was going back a lot more recently. And here's the real deal about it: I love it.

Honestly. I never thought I could be that sort of person who loves yoga and goes on to everyone about just how amazing 90 minutes can make you feel. How much of a difference it can make in a day. Heck. In your life.

It's sweaty {like, sweat literally dripping off you constantly sweaty} and it's hard to breathe at first. But you get over it. Your body adapts to it and learns how to work in that sort of environment. It stretches you. It works your muscles. It works your heart. It's one of the most amazing workouts I've ever experienced. I'm sore for days after - but not in that ugh, what did I do to myself? sort of sore, but rather dang, that felt good.

Source: bikramyogasanjose.com via Courtney on Pinterest

And the rest of my life outside the studio?

It's improved my running so much. Where I used to feel like I was breathing in all the wrong places when I ran, I now feel like I'm keeping things even. Using my breath to help me run. My hips are looser so my strides are more even. I imagine my fencing, once I really get back to in in earnest, will have improved a lot as well.

My knees and shoulders are so much happier with me. Which is saying a lot considering all the hell I went through in college with those two joints. This makes life a lot easier, let me tell you.

And me? I find that I'm a lot happier and more focused on what is important to me. The endorphins explode out of you and then say with you for hours after. Seriously. All this new-age, hipster, OM!, whatever stuff aside. Bikram is a serious deterrent for anxiety and depression. You give yourself over to just you for 90 minutes of intense work and focus. You leave behind everything at the door, even if you don't want to because it really, really has no place in the hot room.

So basically? Try it. Really.

Any questions? Just ask. I'm no yogi by any means, but I can give you my honest opinion on the matter.

Namaste. :)

Source: google.com via Courtney on Pinterest

Painting The Roses Red

So, yesterday:

- Latin Class

- Meet with Advisor

It wasn't the best of mornings, and

it wasn't the worst of mornings, either.

But, it really sucked.

Latin was fine,

(as it usually is)

but my advisor has decided that

all the work I did over break

(yeah, remember those long hours in Starbucks?)

were not useful, and therefore needs to be

redone in a new and, supposedly, "better" way.

Ugh!

Well, I guess that's grad school for you, right?

Have any of you out there in Grad School had similar experiences?

So, needless to say I was bummin' a bit on the way home.

So, I stopped first to get myself some mini-chocolate stuffed croissants from the cheap bakery type place that is all over Hungary (called "Princess"),

and seriously, they're the best things ever. Someday soon I will take a picture of them and their deliciousness, promise.

Then I stopped and bought myself some roses from the local florist.

Seriously, flowers automatically can make a bad day, a good day.

And, so can buying yourself small presents.

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Then I got back to the dorm, vegged out for a little bit

and then decided to go to Bikram.

Best. Decision. Of. The. Day.

[credit]

And God! was it hot in there this time - so, so, so humid.

But also so, so, so, amazing.

It was packed - the room was full of men & women,

sweating, stretching, yoga-ing.

Sometimes I still felt like this:

[credit]

But, it was exactly what I needed after a day like that.

It got my mind back somewhere in my body.

I was so much better after I left than when I walked in.

I think I am going to make going at least 2-3 times a week

part of my routine, no matter what I have to do,

or how much work feels like it's piling up.

I need more "me" time this semester!

Have you guys tried Bikram?

If not, I totally recommend it.

Oh, and again:

Keep your eyes pealed

Sam, Neely, & I have a surprise!

After All, You're My Wonderwall

Did I tell you that I finished all my papers?

Because I did. All of them.

Now, that doesn't mean that all my work for the [last] semester is done yet, but it does mean that I am no longer a slave to the click, click, click of my computer keyboard. That makes me happy. Though, yes, I am still sitting in front of it for other work, I'm not actively formulating smart things for days on end. My brain has decided to take a small vacation.

I've decided to try and force this never ending jet-lag out of my system (seriously, 4AM-1PM sleep times? that's just crazy-talk). So, yesterday morning at 7AM I got out of bed after hitting the snooze button a few times, and got my stuff together and left the dorm at 8AM to go find the Bikram studio that's in the city (unlike the one 2hours away in the Buda Hills that I went to last January). And I found it! And the people were nice that worked there! And, while the studio wasn't as hot as the one I go to back at home (seriously, it's almost like I'm complaining about that...), it was still hot enough to remind me why it's called hot yoga. And it was just what I needed: relaxing, working, centering, and exhausting. I was tired by 10PM and ready to sleep shortly thereafter. Though I still didn't fall asleep until about 1AM - that's better than 4AM. I'm on the right track.

Right now, I'm really loving this cover of Oasis' Wonderwall by Ryan Adams. I hope you do too, as it's a calm, almost haunting, version of an old favorite of mine. I like that Adams' doesn't try and remake the song, instead he puts himself into it, and gives it a new feel, a new life.

My classes this semester are okay, nothing that I really like (except my Latin class - who would have thought that crazy language would be my most useful/enjoyable class?), but I'm only taking 5 classes this semester which is such a relief (compared to the 7 last semester, or the 9 of my first semester...).

Let's pause a moment so you can think about how 5 classes is considered an "only" and a "light semester" at this school. Yeah, it boggles my mind too.

But, this leaves me a lot of free time to sleep work on my thesis and get other important things done (like my applications, eventually). So, I'm good with it.

How is your week going?

Home Again, Home Again...

Well, I've been back in the States for five days now. Five glorious days. And I've done next to nothing (which sorta explains the "glorious' part, no?). I am loving this, but I know it can only last so long. Sigh.

The flight back here was, well, it was long. 9.5 hours from Budapest Airport to NYC (JFK). Dear Delta - get some new airplanes. The ones with only a few TV's for the whole coach section? Not cool. Every other international airline (except the Russian Aeroflot - but let's not start in on them again, that was an experience I'm willing to forget) has little self-controlled TVs in the back of each seat. I had close to ten hours and only watched a movie on my iTouch because I could not see one of the big TVs (plus, let's admit that I'm a control freek and would much rather be able to select what I watch, when I want to watch it, and be able to pause/rewind/stop when I want!). Oh, and Delta? Your food sucked too. Oh well, I got to the States, right? And that was the important part! Customs went quick (though they make you get your bags, drag them through a checkpoint, and put them on another conveyer belt yourself.)

Then the four hour layover in NYC? Not so fun for someone who had been up for close to 20 hours (I only napped on the plane, which is unusual for me, usually I can sleep a majority of the way - but the seats were tiny and my isle partner, though skinny, managed to still take up her space and half of mine as well!). I got some Chili's (YAY HAMBURGER!), a Starbucks (YAYAYAYAY!), and enjoyed listening to announcements in ENGLISH. The flight to Boston was short, my bags got there in time, the bus ride to my town was fast (and had internets! hence the "Budapest, I Love You" post). And then I slept till mom woke me up for Easter Church.

Easter was nice and quiet. Just the way I like it (well, the way I liked it this year in a hazy, sleepy state). Church was nice. Breakfast with mom and dad was nice. Got a Starbucks card to gorge myself on while home, a new Napster card to support my music habit abroad, a chocolate bunny (because what is Easter without a chocolate bunny?), and some flowers from dad (that I think mom has semi-stolen from me). I napped. I sat on the porch swing with a book. It was awesome.

The only other news of this vacation so far is that I've started Bikram Yoga. Yes, you read that correctly. Bikram. Yoga. As in - HOT yoga. As in it's around 105 degrees in the Studio during the whole class. It's the most insane thing ever, and yet I love it. I've gone 3 mornings so far (and will go again in the morning). The trick is getting past the first class. I spent at least half the first class sitting on my ass trying not to pass out while watching the sweat drip, no, pour off everyone else in the room. It was intense. I was gross. I wanted to cry and run out the room and never come back. But I forced myself to go back. And it's been so worth it. Even only three classes in and I feel amazing. I'm sore in places I've never been sore. I feel more alive the whole day when I start my day at 9AM with a 90 minute sweaty class.

If you haven't tried it, no matter how old or broken you may think you are, you really ought to. They were talking about a student today that comes to the studio. She's 65 and she has an injury to her elbow that she sustained when she was 14 that has left her unable to straighten it past 90 degrees. She's been doing Bikram for 6 months and she's at 170 degrees and close to being able to fully extending it! Some of the other older students have told me about how they used to have intense joint pain and now it's gone and their flexibility and strength have improved remarkably. And some others have even said they've lost 50+ lbs by just adding Bikram into their lives. It's intense. You'll try to convince yourself to quit. But do this - go for three classes (in one week) and then make your decision about it. If I had made my decision after one class I wouldn't be doing it any more.

Okay that's my life over the past few days! Now, back to reading a fiction book of no consequence and early to bed! Night all!