So I've had to get a whole mess of vaccines for this change in my career as children are all infectious and not immune to anything so in the last few weeks I have had mumps, measles, rubella, tb, and probably something else. The strange thing I just got the tetanus shot and I've had this horrible bruis-ey feeling in my arm although no bruise is visible. There is also a big red spot on my arm where the bruise should be. Is this normal? Molly are you reading?!?!?
Anyway, I should probaby call the doctor but don't feel like it.

Yesterday Ilan participated in an NYU developmental study where they videotaped him and recorded his footsteps on this sensor pad thingy. It was really cool to see him in this scientific setup where he would be running down the sensor walk and then stop and just stare at the facilitator and make sounds at him. He got a little infant scientist certificate and a magnet that says "Champion Walker". It's cool to think about a whole classroom watching videos on infant mobility and on the screen is Ilan in a onesie that says "headbanger". Awesome.

In other news he gives me five now (in Russian commands) and if you ask him where the light is he will look up and point at a light swtich. He's so damn cute. It's crazy.

So it's only week 2 of school and it's CRAZY but awesome.  I have papers due in every class every week along with a buttload of projects (group and solo) and hundreds upon hundreds of pages of reading. The cool part is that everything I read I LIKE and is interesting and RELEVANT! It's cool. Really cool.

Today I yoga-ed for Bent on Learning which is this super awesome organization that works on bringing yoga to poor kids in public schools - you know the ones where over 65% of the population eats a government funded lunch every day and only 7% of the population is white.  Some of you sponsored me - THANK YOU! I did 108 sun salutes in 3 hours along with a bunch of other asanas thrown in for good measure. The music was courtesy of Derek http://www.derekberes.com/ who also djs the soundscapes I love and adore.  There were a bunch of different teachers guiding us through 20 or salutes each.  It was cool to really dedicate my practice to something important - aside from my usual topics (Ilan, Red getting knocked up, health and happiness for those I love, etc) and actually having a real purpose.

After I chatted with one of the founders of Bent on Learning and hopefully I can do something with them while I'm at Bank Street and incorporate all this yoga with learning and do a really cool integrated masters project.

Anyways, I know I haven't gone out much lately -well get used to it. I'm swamped with work. See you in two years!  Just kidding, hopefully once I get a flow going with school work, and now that we've found a great babysitter, I should be out for the night shift more often. Soon!

http://www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?EID=&showCode=HOL14&GUID=6c129334-d288-400d-abb1-e6560793d39e
This is Joey's updated show. . .Buy tickets and come!
I think I'll go opening night. . . .

Ilan got his head shots today. We'll see what happens!

I am really struggling with my autobiographical statement for grad school. I know it's been almost 9 years since I last wrote an essay but seriously. . .this is HARD!  Alice, I have a whole new respect for yourr student status!

I am now a certified kids yoga instructor! I had the most hilarious 4 days of my life in training and the next training will be mommy/baby (for newborns to pre-walkers) I'm stoked!  I will be auditioning really soon to teach at the studio where I take Ilan and will start teaching in my gym in Brighton as soon as they figure out my start date. Yay!  I am also full of adorable little yoga songs - wait till you hear my yoga version of itsy bitsy spider!

As for my more official future plans, I am in the process of applying to grad schools to get my Masters in Early Childhood General/Special Education. I hope to some day incorporate my yoga training into my classroom and arm kids with a way to deal with all their childhood stresses - like growing up, fielding their anger and frustration, etc while creating strong bodies that give them confidence. 

So it seems that unemployment really rocked my world - how awesome that getting laid off paved a new path for me.


Life,

I love you.

You are full of surprises.

Namaste,
Misha

 

After going to a terrible interview last week (My first absolute disaster interview ever) I reached my job epiphany moment. I realized I detested retail and can't imagine myself working anywhere near a store (unless it's my yoga/cafe/ community space) in the next five, ten, twenty years. I hate the thought of being an aging woman and running around selling crap to people or trying to motivate a lame staff that doesn't care and has sex in fitting rooms.  So I began to wonder, what the hell can I do?

I went to my fifteen year high school reunion this weekend, I visited my two cousin Ina's.  One is black Ina and the other is blonde Ina and they are truly opposites.  Spending time with each of them really inspired me.  Each Ina has three kids, two cats, and a dog. They both live in nice houses and seem totally fulfilled by their lives. Black Ina is a teacher, Blonde Ina is a geriatric doctor and has significantly more money as a result. However, she only works part time.  Being with them and Ilan this weekend, seeing my old high school friends all made me think deeply about my career goals and what kind of mother I want to be. 

I spent Saturday and Sunday morning walking with Black Ina through Baltimore with her dog Sadie and dissecting my life and career aspirations. I talked to her extensively about yoga and my commitment to feeling centered and strong.  We talked about my mommy/baby yoga classes and how DOPE they are and how grateful I am to share that with Ilan.  I mean how many kids do you know who will have over three hundred hours of yoga under their belt by the time they are three years old?

I talked with many people who at thirty two/thirty three are changing their lives (high school reunion was super fun and interesting) and talked with everyone about how amazing it is to have kids, how incredible it feels to know you're doing something awesome for them, I talked with blonde Ina about being present in her family and being involved in her kids lives (soccer practice, plays, etc) and so I pretty much decided I'm going to try to get my Master of Arts and work towards becoming an elementary school teacher.  This way I get summers off with the bambinos, I have vacations free with them, I can incorporate a yoga pose of the day with five year olds, and basically work in a job that makes me smile until I'm old and gray and ready to retire.  I'll have weekends off with the family, I'll see my kids.  I won't make a lot of money. But at this point, I feel that I could live with less as long as I get to be a yoga mom who can find a way to inspire little people to be awesome.

I have my first meeting with an admissions councelor at Columbia University's Teacher's College on June 3rd. Pray for me!

Can you believe I'm going to my 15 year high school reunion in a couple of weeks?  I can't. It's so wierd. I just took a look at the roster of people who are coming and I started laughing! It is going to be hilarious.

I'm staying with two different cousins on two different days - anyone have good gift suggestions for family that's kind of New York-ish that won't rot or melt or break in a three and half hour car ride?

does anyone know anything about screenprinting?  If so, please direct me to some of your sources!