I'm a yoga teacher!!!

I taught my second class at the Yoga Source this morning. How thrilled was I when I saw a bunch of people in my room waiting to take my class? Lisa from last week was there with her friend Gail who works at the front desk on Wednesday and then 4 ladies that I didn't know!!! Yay!!! I had 6 students and I really felt in the groove. I was really feeling my class. I still need to improve though. I forgot to invert and I forgot fish pose. On the other hand I went and got bolsters from the Hatha room and started them lying on them. It was really cool. Then we did some seated postures and then I brought them up to standing and we did some half sun salutation. Then we did triangle, both sides of course and then we went into wide legged utanasana, to the right, to the left, spider and then my favorite squat down and come up and finally down forward bends, twists and savanasana with Lavander oils. It totally rocked. :) :)

The salon went well. It was just Erin with a bad back and Tim so I took it really easy with them but it turns out that the half sun salutations helped Erin with her back along with half moon. Yay. Go me!!! I am pretty awesome. Yep, pretty awesome.

I have jury duty tomorrow. I hope they don't want me. I sure as hell don't want them!

My letter to Richard

Hey Baby, :)

How are you? I saw you on TV and once again you looked very svelte and fabulous which is always wonderful to see. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas holiday with Lenny and Cathy. The new year looking very bright for both of us. Ok, so you have a new TV show coming which is way cooler than what I have going but my stuff is pretty cool too. :)

Cool thing number one is....As you know I became certified by the Yoga Alliance and I have been teaching my own classes in a small studio that I share with a friend. I have also been subbing for some of the finest yoga teachers in this area at the premier studio, The Yoga Source. It is not easy to break into this studio. They are very picky about who they allow to teach there and just being on the sub list is a huge accomplishment. Well, guess who got offered her own gentle yoga class at 9:00 every Sunday morning? Yep, Me!!!!! They got great feedback from the students who were in class when I was subbing and it seems that they were looking for someone just like me for this early morning slot. I think they are looking to attract some of the more mature (did you like the way I phrased that?) ladies who might be intimidated by the younger teachers. They said that they loved my positive attitude, my energy and style of teaching. Last Sunday was my first class and it was a fabulous experience. I'm sure it's going to take a while before the word gets out but I'm teaching at The Yoga Source and I am more than thrilled about it. I got to meet all the other teachers at the Christmas party and I've also scored a few more subbing gigs. As a matter of fact I'm subbing today. Yay.

Cool thing number two is....I got on the scale this morning and it said 149.5. This is the first time I have been in the 140's in about 3 years or more and I feel great about that too. I've been much more active lately and I've also been watching my portions more. Yes, I've always known thats the way to do it but actually doing it was the hard part (as you know). I am very proud of both of this. I even went hiking in the Everglades yesterday. Wow! Go me! :)

In December I started thinking about making my New Years Resolutions and I was really apprehensive about it. I know you are a fan of them but I've always had trouble keeping the resolutions that I have made in the past. In a wild, crazy moment I said to myself that teaching my own classes at the Yoga Source was going to be one of my resolutions for the new year never really thinking that it would ever happen. I did it last Sunday, January 2. Resolution 1..check! I also made a resolution to see 14anything even 149.5 on the scale again. This morning I saw 149.5. It's January 6. Resolution 2..check! The last resolution that I made is that I am going to come to LA to spend some good time with Laura and come to see you for my yearly visit. That one may take a little while longer because of money issues but I'm going to do that too. :)

I just wanted you to know what is going on with me. I'm very proud of myself and I'm thinking 2011 is going to be an awesome year for both you and me. :)

I love you so much.

Claudia

New Years Day

I am feeling pretty good today. I'm a little nervous about my class at The Source but nothing too terrible. I'm sure once I get started I'll be fine. I really need to look my crowd over and teach what they will want. They are coming to a gentle yoga class so I guess I should give then just that. Gentle. OK, we'll do pranayama on our backs and warm up there. Then I will bring them to seated. Maybe some eagle arms with circling and sweeping, half moons, maybe some twists too. Then up to hands and knees, balance, knee to chest, cat, cows, maybe some child to table with arm sweeping, and then up to standing, half sun salutes, half moons and some triangles. If I have time some forward bends and twists and to the back for relaxation. It sounds like a good class to me. I know Ruth will be there and Wendi said that she would be there too. I'm secretly hoping for a big turnout. :)

The front reception area at The Yoga Source

I lifted weights today while watching the Gators play Penn State in the Outback Bowl. I'm not feeling real good about this. I'm hoping that next year will be better with the new coach. At least I have the Irish (how ironic is that?) LOL