Idiosyncratic notes

Last week when I was doing my laundry, I decided to take a look at the bulletin board up on one of the walls. There was the usual, used items for sale, rooms for rent, but then something else really stood out at me, an open memo pad with these words written in the bottom right hand quadrant of the page:

Housewife's Tip #14


take the phone off the hook
after you've booked a ticket to
anywhere.

leave.
don't pack. leave.


-Ann Shin

I found it rather mysterious, and due to the numbering, I figured there were more underneath that page of the pad, but I peeked behind it, and all the other sheets were the same. Bizzare. I took one of the sheets for some strange reason, and I just found it while cleaning up my room.

Timekode

Last night I attended a fun event right around the corner from my home: TIMEKODE. In the beginning, it was a full-on breakdancing competition, with really impressive breakers from different schools around Ottawa. I was inspired by the clown-like pop-and-lock style moves of some of the dancers. Then the circle broke up and everyone else started dancing. At one point, most of the dancers left, and there was a huge lull, but at around midnight a big rush of folks rushed in. A friend who also lives in the neighbourhood took a break to fetch her hoola hoop and I joined her and grabbed my wands (decorated broomstick cut in half ). Good times !

The highlight of my day today was a Bikram yoga class after my shift at the Rama Lotus. I got in nice an early and positioned myself right next to the heater. I was a bit concerned because it began at 3:30 and I hadn't eaten lunch at that point, but luckily I wasn't feeling hungry. I really got into the class and surprised myself at how far I could flex. By the end, I was awash in sweat and feeling euphoric. Earlier today I kind of beat myself up for not getting up early enough to get to the morning class.

What's going on with me

For the last 2 weeks I have been working 2 part time jobs, one at 123 Academy, an ESL school for Korean kids, and one as a care-taker for the Rama Lotus yoga centre. The latter opportunity I acquired recently; I like cleaning and it's nice to be surrounded by people who are focused on healing a lot (I otherwise don't make such opportunities readily). The best part of the job is that I get unlimited free yoga. Although I intended to do yoga on six of the days this week, I only managed to get out three times. I've really been struggling with self-discipline a lot lately. Particularly, today I rushed out the door to get to a 10:45 class and arrived at 10:48 so I did an about-face and back at home I am pushing myself to conquer feeling of defeat.

I feel like I'm boycotting Christmas this year. I'm not going home as I usually do this year, and I haven't purchased a single present or even wrote a card. Bah humbug ! Holidays often make me feel depressed because I get the sense that I don't have as close relationships with people as everyone else does. I know I'm completely responsible for that; sometimes it's hard to face.

On a brighter note, I'm going to a Mummers party this evening. A couple of years ago I spent my winter in St. John's, Newfoundland where this tradition is popular, but I didn't get to participate in it (I heard the city has "banned" it for security reasons).