Daily Grind

My day starts out at 6:30 AM at my yoga studio. I'm there till about 8:30, go home, and get ready for school. I get to school usually about 9:30-10 AM, and leave around 7 PM. Depending on the day I'll be dropping off the recycling, attending community group, happy hours, Grey's nights, or going home to study more. Around 11, I decompress and have some quiet time, and go to bed at midnight.

I feel that I'm working much harder than I did as an undergrad, but somehow I'm more disciplined, I'm happier, healthier, and less stressed. Today I'm feeling a little more tired than usual, but last week and this week just happen to be tough weeks.

One of the neat things about Austin is its thriving yoga community and excellent teachers. There are three teachers I have "adopted" here in Austin. In terms of yoga lineage, I'm studying under the students of Pattabhi Jois (the founder of Ashtanga Yoga), Shiva Rea (who is considered the Madonna of Yoga), and Rod Stryker. Does that make them my grandparents in yoga? Monday through Thursday mornings I attend a Mysore Ashtanga where I work through the primary series step by step. It's difficult most mornings, but I've found it to be so rewarding. I'm learning to not push myself or beat myself for not yet reaching a certain stage in the series, to be forgiving towards my body and mind. I'm hoping that this lesson on the mat is translating into how I relate to myself and to others in school. I find that I carry a lot of my stress and grief in my left hip, and through releasing those emotions through the sitting series I'm able to get through my day with a clear mind. Most of all, I find myself able to meditate on the things I learn during my quiet times the evening before. The current move I'm working on, bhujapidasana (the end of part b shown above), is really a struggle for me. But I'm learning to draw strength from my core rather than just my arms. The thing about yoga - it really teaches self-love. To do any of these moves you have to trust your body, and when you achieve the move, you love your body all the more for what it just did.

Today I also had lunch at Mellow Mushroom with two of the girls in my community group. Not only was it nice to sit and chat with them, I think we're starting a weekly accountability group!

Routine School Emails

This was in my inbox this morning:

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and the Office of the Vice President for Employee and Campus Services (ECS) want to remind you that Austin has a significant bat population, and though they're really cute--bats are considered a high-rabies risk species and should NEVER be touched.

If you find a live or dead bat in a building or a live bat that can not fly outside, please call Environmental Health & Safety's Animal Make Safe program at ###-BATS (####).

don't call me

So out of the blue my phone decided to go kaput today. I ordered a new phone online so I may be cellphone-less until the end of the week or early next week. If I don't answer or return your calls, it's not that I don't like you - give me till next week. Same cell phone number. Peace.

Lessons Learned

School's started and it's been a long week. It's been awhile since I've been in school, so my stress level shot up way high this week and insomnia kicked in again. Truthfully, I've probably been putting in more time than I needed and have been reading about 8-9 hours a day the first week of school.

Last night I stayed in and got 12 much needed hours of sleep. Sleep really does a lot to alleviate stress levels and after some quiet time and reflection today, I've started gaining more perspective on life.

I'm learning that everyone's different and no one can make me feel inferior but myself. Part of the reason that I was forcing myself to work so hard is because otherwise I felt inferior to those who put in more hours. That's very stupid on my part - no one really cares how many hours I put in but myself. As long as I finish what I need to finish, there's no reason to tack on extra unecessary hours. There'll be plenty of opportunity to work late as the semester progresses.

My research is going well - I'm diving into the world of intercultural research, a topic I've never focused on before. As a result, I have to spend a lot of time learning the basics of cross-cultural research. I love it, though, and can't wait to tie into it theories on personality as well as close relationships and self-esteem, which are topics I'm more familiar with.

I finally settled on a church in Austin and have joined a small group. I was talking to my mother on the phone and she asked me if God's grace has been sufficient for me to get through each day. Of course the answer is yes, but it got me thinking about how I've been approaching my life. I've been told in graduate school, you're always supposed to be thinking one year ahead. But the problem for me is that I get to thinking about so much that all of a sudden life becomes overwhelming. I need to learn to take things one day at a time and trust that God will provide enough grace for me to finish each day.

My New Life in Austin

Life moves fast. We had our first day of orientation today. I registered for classes, settled my tuition bill, and started moving into my office at school. Next week is the first week of class and we also start our TA assignments. Yes, Tracy is a TA now. I get to grade and hold office hours for unfortunate Intro Psych students.

The Psych building is about 5 years old. The building is new and spacious. I share an office with one of my cohorts. Next door to us is the office shared by the other 2 first years. There are 4 new students in the Social/Personality area this year among which I'm the only girl. That is pretty much unheard of in the Social Psych area - usually the demographics are female heavy. The 4 of us, I have a feeling, are going to get really close as we pretty much take the exact same classes our first year here.

Because I don't live near a bus line, I have to drive to get to school. The commute is about 5-10 minutes by freeway (which in Austin is considered a stone's throw away). I ended up buying a white 2002 4-door Chevy Cavalier. It's small and gas economical, but the pollution score not up to par. Still, it's nice to own a car without dents or duct tape. It's also a dream to navigate and to park. I have my University of Michigan decal proudly displayed on the rear window.

I live in a cute 2-story condo with 2 other girls I met on Craigslist. NC, the owner of the condo, is a 2nd year Counseling Psych student at UT. Counseling Psych is in the Educational Psych Dept, so we're in different departments, and it amazes me how different her department is from mine although we're both Psych. NC is 28 (I'm guessing) and already has her Master's in Counseling Psych. She's been great at showing me around town and helping me get to know Austin better. JR is 27 and an interior designer. Although we keep our condo very clean and bare, I snuck a peek in JR's room and it's gorgeously decorated. She and I like the same TV shows and sometimes watch reruns of Friends, What Not to Wear, and (cringe) Lifetime movies together. Our condo is in a shadier part of town, but luckily my next door neighbor T looks out for us. She's the type to constantly peer out the window with one hand on the phone to call the police or to warn us if anything is happening. She's already helped me out with finding safer parking and kept me in the know with who's been arrested and which neighbors are fighting with whom. Bless her heart, I think we all need neighbors like T.

I joined a Yoga studio in Austin and have been going daily. The studio is huge with 4 locations spread throughout the city. They offer 350 classes each week taught by instructors well versed in human anatomy and yogic philosophies. I've been finding that having a knowledgeable instructor makes a HUGE difference in my practice.

There is just so much to do in Austin. This weekend I'm going to learn to be a pool shark (my officemate made his gas money to drive down to Austin through playing pool). Saturday there's the annual Hot Sauce Festival as well as something called Flugtag where people build flying contraptions and try to fly them off the bridge. It's going to be a full 5 years ahead of me, I imagine, but I'm really excited about them!

Local Foods

One of my favorite activities over the last week and a half I've been in Austin is to explore the local grocery stores. Here is what I found:

There is no Meijer in Austin; however, there are both Super Targets and Super Walmarts. I haven't been to the Super Target as it's too far away to drive for food, but my parents and I went to Super Walmarts while they were here. The prices are fair and it's nice to get everything in one place, although I feel like the quality of produce is a little lacking. Still, because I'm from Ann Arbor and have been inundated with criticisms of the way Walmart treats its employees, I tend to stay away from that store.

H.E.B. reminds me a lot of Kroger. The store brand products are cheap (like their oats and kitchen supplies) and they also have a selection of whole grain pastas and rice (although whole grain is not as available as it is in the Midwest). The produce was a little disgusting in the store I visited but that may not be true of all the H.E.B. stores. I'll probably mostly shop at H.E.B. for all my non-produce food.

Randalls (yes it has an "s" in its name) is convenient because it's right by my condo. It also reminds me a lot of Kroger. The prices are pretty cheap as well, with the exception of dairy products. The produce here is good - I bought bananas here when I couldn't bring myself to buy the bananas at H.E.B. Still, since yogurt and soy milk are my staples, I can't shop anywhere where prices are over $3 for each product.

Fiesta is huge. It has an overwhelming selection of international foods and produce. I went yesterday and had a lot of fun. The patrons mostly consisted of Mexican Americans - I felt a little out of place shopping there - but I got a lot of food for cheap. There are also open market stands lining the outside of Fiesta selling clothing, accessories - reminds me a little of the outdoor stands in New York. I'll definitely come shop here again.

Lately, I've become more convinced about the benefits of eating local. Between Time Magazine's article on local foods, and a fellow first year in my department expounding on the environmental impact and health benefits of eating local, I'm starting a habit of buying most of my produce from the local Farmer's Market. The prices are a wee bit higher, but I buy so little food each week that I feel it's well worth it. This week, I bought my bread and produce from the Farmer's Market. In the future, I may buy my honey and start preserving my own fruit. It's nice because they only sell what's in season. I've never had okra before, but the stands are teeming with okra right now, so I bought a pound and cooked Smothered Okra. The garlic from the market is harder to peel, but when I cut into the tomatoes, I was amazed by how deep the color was. And the food really is so delicious and fresh.

One of things that surprised me about shopping in Austin was that they don't give you an option of paper or plastic when it comes to bagging up your groceries. Everything is plastic and they use a lot more bags, I feel, than they need. My roommates use the bags at home as trash bags, but between the 3 of us, we have enough already to last us the year. I finally caved and purchased 2 reusable grocery bags online. I figure, if I'm going green, I should start doing it right.

Everything's Bigger in Texas!

In the 8 days that I've lived in Austin, I've made a few observations. I think it's safe to say, "Toto, we're not in Michigan anymore." The saying "Everything's bigger in Texas" is true from what I've seen.

1. State Pride. I really think Texas takes this to another level. Not only do they have a Texas day parade, but when we crossed the state line on our way down here, Texas symbols and icons appeared EVERYTHING. I'm talking billboards, road signs, even bathroom doors of rest areas. Not for 5 minutes have I forgotten I'm in Texas, and there's always something less than 200 yards away to remind me in case I do.

2. The traffic. Austin is not built on a grid. And the freeways do not work the same way as they do in Michigan. Roads rise up on bridges and wind and swirl over and under one another. It's almost futuresque in appearance. Luckily for me, I live at the intersection of three freeways in Austin. I got a hands-on crash course on how to be an aggressive driver.

3. The heat. I was warned, I really was. But Austin is really hot and humid! Unfortunately, my car's A/C is not in the best condition so commuting around town is like sitting in a sauna. I try to make the best of it and remember that a steam sauna has health benefits and promotes weight loss. The sun is stronger too. I'm already 2 shades tanner and my hair is a shade lighter from the sun.

4. The night life and live music. I love Ann Arbor, but Austin puts Ann Arbor's night life to shame. Every other bar has live music and downtown gets so busy that it's routine practice to block off a few of the streets from traffic weekend nights. The Austin City Limits music festival (ACL) is coming to town bringing with it artists like Bob Dylan, Bjork, The Killers, Amy Winehouse, and more. I'm also going to a Tori Amos concert in November with my roommate. How I'm going to afford to do all this? I have no idea.

5. Friendliness of the people. People are really talkative here! I've met my next door neighbor (she's a talker!) and I find myself having conversations at my yoga classes, grocery stores, even Target. People are really easy-going and very interested in getting to know who you are. Sadly, the only place I've been so far where not a single person greeted me was the church I visited last Sunday...

In case you were wondering...

Chris Tomlin did lead worship at church this morning.

Road Trip

Finally (somewhat) settled in Austin! Here are pics of our trip down.
First stop: Kokomo, IN where Richard was born.

My old school:

Richard was excited to find the same VBS program elsewhere:

Richard's birthplace:

Our old apartment:

Our old house:

My dad's old workplace:

Stop 2: My aunt's house near St. Louis, MO

My crazy cousin:

Us in front of her house:

Stop 3: Graceland in Memphis, TN

Elvis' kitchen:

His living room:

Trophy room:

Grave:

Stop 4: Arlington, TX

My first home:

I don't have pics of Fort Worth, TX (my birthplace) and Austin because my camera may have broken. =(

Moving!

In less than 12 hours I will be on the road to Austin...

Music and Lyrics

"2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song / If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me / Threatening the life it belongs to / And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd / Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud" ~Anna Nalick, Breathe (2 AM)

I've never been particularly talented at expressing myself through words and music. Rewinding back to the last few years of high school and even through the first few years of college, I was so angsty and desperate to let my emotions out that I made a few paltry attempts at song-writing. Looking back, the superficial lyrics and melodies masked a depth that I couldn't seem tap into myself.

I envy those who are in touch with their emotions. I envy those who can put their stories to music. When it's done well, when I hear a particularly personal perfomance, I feel this stirring in my heart.

Maybe one day I'll be able to tap into my life and come up with beautiful music and lyrics. Till then I'll content myself with listening to others.

Current obsessions: Bon Jovi "You Want to (Make a Memory)," Taylor Swift "Teardrops on my Guitar," Kelly Clarkson "Sober."

Home-stretch

I'm looking forward to sleeping when I get to Novi.

Moving really stinks - I'm having a really tough time packing. This week:

• Monday: lunch at Cosi, putt-putt with small group
• Tuesday: lunch at Jerusalem Gardens, babysitting (one last time)
• Wednesday: lunch at Zingerman's Roadhouse
• Thursday: maybe movie at Michigan theater, Backroom Pizza, one last evening of randomness around downtown Ann Arbor and campus
• Friday: goodbye party at work, dinner at Blue Nile
• Saturday: Farmer's Market at 7 AM (!!) finish packing, dinner at Seva, drinks at Rush Street or Bar Louie
• Sunday: move!

Of course with every move, things seem to go wrong. Like I think there may be a dead mouse stuck somewhere in the oven. Or that my rearview mirror fell off and I can't seem to fix it! Or that half of outlets in my house short-circuited this morning and I have to find the circuit board thing.

I'm also trying to finish Harry Potter book seven before I have to return it to my friend tomorrow. I'm on page 200, read between the hours of 11 and 1 AM last night...

Crazilicious Month

My last three weeks in Ann Arbor:

1. Lunch everyday with old friends
2. Training my replacement at work
3. 5 goodbye parties
4. 2 Cedar Point trips
5. 2 yoga classes a week with this amazing instructor
6. 2 birthdays
7. 1 day at Art Fair
8. 1 final babysitting gig for my surrogate nephew

scenes from my vacation

Vacation

This is where I'll be all next week. =)

Yogic Meditations

Yesterday, we ended our yoga practice meditating on how to love and accept ourselves as well as people who have wronged us. We practiced the act of forgiveness. The instructor told the class that the meditation might not seem real at first, that we may not feel the emotion of forgiving, but we must commit to going through the motions and hope that grace will allow our emotions to catch up with the motions.

Sound familiar? I remember being taught this in Sunday school about not only forgiveness, but prayer and worship. If yogis can practice this without the Spirit of God, I can definitely commit to obedient acts of prayer and worship toward God and trust that God will grant me the grace of allowing my emotions and feelings to catch up with my actions.

We ended with a mantra spoken toward someone who had wronged us:
May you be safe and protected
May you be free from suffering
May you be healthy and strong
May you be able to live in this world happily, peacefully and with joy

I didn't like this mantra so I found myself repeating instead:

May God keep you safe and protected
May He carry you through suffering
May He keep you healthy and strong
May God grant you His happiness, His peace and His joy

poor cat, poor me

Fat cat got an infection from a horrid spider bite so I took her to the animal ER. Poor thing was shaking from getting her blood drawn and from the trauma of the whole visit. We got back around midnight and I decided to let her share my bed as a pity gift. Unfortunately, I didn't sleep a wink last night as she thought it was a great idea to keep stepping on me to cross sides of the bed.

shame

after yesterday's sermon, i realize i live with a constant feeling of shame. i wonder how much of it is from never really dealing with my cultural identity crisis.

My Summer Thus Far

Well, technically isn't summer yet, but it's been warm and sunny.

I leave Ann Arbor in less than 2 months, yet I'm so excited for the 2 months to come. We started interviewing for my replacement at work this week, making my move seem more real. I've been up to a lot of nothing it seems. I'm taking full advantage of my library card and have been reading and watching DVDs like mad. I've also been baby-sitting a lot since sadly, I won't get to witness little Bubs growing up after my move.

Things I'm looking forward to:

• Sunning by the pool this weekend
• Cedar Point
• The annual Kiss My Vacation - this year at Hocking Hills
• Company picnic at the Tiger's game
• Road trip to Austin

Things I've yet to plan:

• Meals at: Jerusalem Garden, Zingerman's Roadhouse, Blue Nile
• Karaoke
• Trip to the beach

It'll be a good summer. =)

My Surrogate Nephew