revisit. revitalize. renew.

i'm going to make a conscious effort to blog on a regular basis. life is just too short and it goes by so fast, that i want to document it anyway i can. this seems to be the easiest and most efficient way as i can hop online and post from anywhere in the world.

today is December 28th, 2008 and i have a new passion. that passion is yoga. Bikram yoga to be exact. what is that you might ask? Bikram yoga is also known as Hot Yoga, it was developed by Bikram Choudhury and is usually practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees F with a humidity of 40%. Classes are guided through dialogue and include 26 postures as well as two breathing exercises. Each class lasts around 90 minutes.

this past Thursday I took my first Bikram class with K. we bought a couple weeks of unlimited classes and have gone each day (with the exception of Christmas). the energy, renewal, and refreshed feeling that washes over you the minute you step out of the studio into 16 degree chilly Minnesota weather is like none i've felt before. this type of workout isn't comparable to running on a treadmill or lifting weights... using the body by tightening and holding postures that are sometimes really difficult, in a room that is as hot or hotter than our July summers, is challenging and extremely rewarding.

this morning was my fifth class and i can already notice differences taking place in my body, muscles and joints. the great part about this style of yoga is anyone, at any age can participate. each morning class holds younger adults like myself, older men, as well as middle-aged women and everyone in between.

at the end of the 90 minutes, our yogi gives a small inspirational speech about feeling the gratitude and positiveness of our yoga session extend throughout the rest of our day and bids us farewell with "namaste", (pronounced na-ma-stay) which is said to mean "The light in me honors the light in you". It's basically a salutation recognizing and appreciating the spiritual level we were on for the previous 89 minute adventure...

to you I depart with, namaste.

nut label design

My uncle is starting his own business with a mixed nut product and I'm designing the label for the jar... this one's my favorite so far!

parking tickets

I found these parking tickets to stick on cars whom deem themselves unable to drive a vehicle as a result of their parking skills... they hail from a site called ShineBox Print

Really, I cannot wait to stick one on the windshield of the next nimrod parked downtown.

phenomenal video

on a regular basis, I watch videos on www.ted.com about every subject ever contemplated by humankind. this is a phenomenal video titled "Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity". He is humorous and entertaining in his attempt to make a case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Plus his accent is one of the greatest things I've ever heard!

Watch it!

sea otter pup takes a water nap...

I've just decided what my fourth favorite animal in the whole wide world is....

1. Siberian Tiger
2. Polar Bear
3. Panda Bear
4. Sea Otter

This little guy is to die for.