I've been feeling a little intimidated by my blog.
Why?
There is so much going on, but I don't think much of it is that exciting to the outside world. And then I don't have much time to sit down and blog. This leads to the accumulation of the vast things going on that I have not reported on.
Okay, so my life isn't that great and grand but still I feel an inability to convey my doings in the form of a blog.
But here I go with an attempt to summarize and update on a few bits and bobs:
Working at the chiropractor's office has been great. I'm definitely not as busy as I could be but I have many more clients than I did at the spa. And I get along really well with the chiropractor and receptionist. My private practice is also picking up. I did so well last month that I was actually able to pay all my bills without dipping into my dwindling savings account! I'm definitely not making anything close to a decent, sustainable living but things are improving.
I've also "diversified" my employment in several ways that just sort of came to me. A massage school friend referred me as a nanny to friends of hers and so I'm taking care of a pretty fantastic 4-year-old about 10-12 hours a week. It is nice to have that little bit of extra income (nannying doesn't really pay all that well 'round these here parts) but it is even nicer having a young person to interact with again. It had been about six years since my last regular child care gig and I was really missing it.
In addition to nannying I've found myself doing a little bit of graphic design work. Just business cards and fliers and things such as this. I've never actually taken graphic design courses or done this sort of work officially but I've filled that gap at various places of employment from time to time, enjoy doing it and know a little something of how it all works.
And then just this last week I started teaching yoga. A massage client of mine knows I'm really into yoga and we talk about it sometimes and a few weeks ago she asked if I would do private sessions with her. I told her I wasn't certified to teach in any way, shape or form. She said that was okay because she didn't want to do it in a big class and felt comfortable with me and would I please consider it? I thought about it and realized, "why not?" I already do yoga every morning and have been looking for a way to reinvigorate my daily practice. This gets me to think about my yoga in a little different way, share it with a lovely person and get paid to do so.
Lastly, I've applied for an internship with the magazine Yoga Journal. It would be November - February, two days a week, unpaid in San Francisco. Logistically I'm not sure how it would work exactly and who knows if I'll actually get the internship but the idea is fairly exciting. I love doing massage and all the other things I've been doing, but it doesn't feel to me to be a permanent, full-time means of employment. I feel a little bit like I'm just treading water and waiting for whatever is going to happen next. I'm enjoying where I am and what I'm doing and learning a lot and trying to take advantage of all that this place in my life allows, but I'm still looking ahead and trying to figure out what it is I'll be doing next. The work with Yoga Journal feels like it could put me back into the current that will carry me to that next thing. I was a little downcast there for a week or two when it seemed like they weren't ever getting back to me, but I just got an e-mail yesterday and should have some info on the status of my application in the next week or two.
In other news of my world - my Christopher and I are going to Alaska!!! We leave next Wednesday!!! We fly into Anchorage but then head directly up to Denali National Park for a week of fun in the sun. Actually it has been raining all summer and will probably rain on us the whole time we are there. But we have a big tent, waterproff clothes and aren't made of sugar so I think we'll be okay. We will be camping for three nights at a place called Savage River. We then journey deep into the park (80-something miles) to camp for another three nights at a place called Wonder Lake. My brother is working up there this summer and is probably going to join us for the first night at Savage River and part of our time at Wonder Lake. We then journey back to visit my brother, bathe, do laundry and stay with him for a night before heading back to Anchorage. Here we plan to play it by ear. We'd both like to explore Anchorage a little bit and the State Fair will be happening (can't pass up the State Fair!) but I also really want to go see the ocean and glaciers and stuff. But we'll see.
We will definitely take a lot of photos and I shall tell lots of Alaska stories when I get back. If we don't get eaten by a Grizzly Bear. I guess more people are injured by moose than bears though.
