teaching in hotlanta

until this past thursday, i had been doing NO teaching in atlanta. neither yoga nor biology. if anything, everyone has been teaching me: in lab, in yoga class, in my fellowship, at the gas station (directions), etc.

monday night i went to clark atlanta university to participate in a panel discussion entitled "the INs and OUTs of graduate school" with my fellow FIRST fellows. btw, i need another word for "fellow" with respect to peer or colleague. anyhoo, the evening was great. i miss college kids SO much. they're hysterical. these undergraduates are mostly first generation college, so i did go in a bit nervous and curious how they would perceive me. "what the hell is she doing here?" or "she has no idea of my shit." this latter statement is true, but we all have our shit, so who's to say there is no level for understanding or connection?

long story short: i was well received. they seemed to appreciate my humor and even asked me several questions individually as we were all enjoying papa john's. (ps - the delivery guy definitely got pulled over on his way to the school...oops) as the evening came to a close and we were trying to give away extra pizza (whole pies), conversation shifted towards me and my yoga teaching experience.

between the successful evening of advising undergraduates and the enthusiastic response to my yoga teaching, i was completely motivated to get back in to teaching. i don't quite yet have that opportunity in the college classroom as i need to solely focus on my research. so i started Yoga for Scientists in my research building! just in the cell bio seminar room. 7:30 thursday mornings. yay for teaching again!!!

Yoga for Scientists

preach AND practice

i defended my dissertation on friday, sept. 18th. the 19th was an amazing party at my parents' house which my godparents, high school track coach, best friends, and advisor attended. my best friend from grad school who had already started her postdoc in dallas also surprise-attended! the bartender, a friend named misha, and the band, lead by prof. mike piatelli, made the event unique and unforgettable. after a fun sleepover and brunch, sunday the 20th brought a couple unfortunate events, and i stepped up to be there to support two of my friends. things began to resolve that evening, at which time i came down with an ear infection and took monday off.

the 22nd through the 25th i revised my written dissertation, submitted it to the graduate school, obtained the 5 necessary signatures, said goodbye to friends, and packed up my apartment. the 26th-29th i moved, hosted my parents till the 3rd of october, and began my new postdoc monday, the 5th...assuming i was superwoman??

preach AND practice. i preach self-care all the time. i remind friends and family to take care of themselves. i value self-care, and believe without it, we cannot support those around us. notice when you're overtired how you lose patience? when you're exhausted you dont want to pick up the phone? when you feel like you have a lame cold you can't keep your eyes open at work?

i try to practice self-care, and i have been taking care of myself (i thought), but i didn't plan out this transition well. now, on day three of my new postdoc, im already taking a day off. i had a hard time making this decision for three reasons: 1) i had already entertained the idea of a vacation and decided against it, 2) a fellow postdoc who also recently defended did not take any time off either (to my knowledge) and although she did not move geographically, she is doing just fine...what's my problem? 3) my new PI is ridiculously understanding and i want to prove to him i have a head on my shoulders...not off to one side.

my best friend/pseudo-sister called last night and after a few rings of staring at the phone, i decided to pick up. after talking this all out, i decided to take a couple days to myself. i communicated this with my PI, took a light jog this morning (1.5 mi) to get my blood flowing, showered, and came to starbucks to get a nice breakfast and plan my day. i feel like i need to get my life in order, still. im going to do that between today and tomorrow.

exciting news

i came to blogspot to post about my friend ellen and her new fiance roger. to write about their amazing bond, their adventure, and their love. just before beginning to write this, i checked out a friend's blog who ironically blogged about a similar topic: love. more coincidental: about long-term love.

i didn't know i could be this happy when someone else got engaged. B.O., i think this one was part luck. i think a lot of times it is. however you find that person who you can spend the rest of your life with, i believe you should enliven each other, not induce sacrifices. ellen and roger just returned from 5 months touring the world together. performing, laughing, blogging, and meeting people. naturally an engagement resulted from this ;) they have convinced each other to pursue their dream careers (yoga teacher/performer...see pic above) and i have no doubt this will result in a most content ellen who will share and radiate her joy to all around her. then guess what? we, the world, her friends and strangers, will benefit from their union! not that this is about us. it's about them. but it's not only about them.

the world is a community...at least that's how i view it. you let someone turn in front of you at a crazy intersection, they let someone turn in front of them, that person lets the person with 3 items cut them in line at the grocery store, that person goes home with an extra big smile and hug for his/her family.

the effects ripple infinitely outward...

spending time (or life) with someone you love can have amazing consequences. spending your time in a not-so-healthy relationship can also have rippling effects. i dont know how soulmates (like ellen and roger) find each other. i dont know if ill be that lucky. but i do know that i'm going to wait till the person who makes me as radiant as possible. and if that doesn't happen, which is ok, i'd rather stay single than be unhappy in a relationship that causes me to be a crab (of sorts) to my friends.

poison ivy myth

guess what? poison ivy is not contagious! get this: the only way to get poison ivy is by contacting the oil from the plant leaves. not from kissing someone with the rash. not from being in the same room with it. not from blister ooze. not from contact with a victim of its rath. it can't be spread.

here's the "catch:" the oil (urushiol, pronounced oo-roo-she-ol) from the plant is quite resilient. the toxin can stay active on clothing, shoes, and the skin for years. literally! for example, if after doing yard work you give your dirty clothes to your minion to launder, your minion will be exposed and can absolutely develop the rash. however, once you use detergent and wash your hands, body, and clothes the only place the poison ivy is present is in you.

from there, the oil induces an autoimmune response and gathers your T cells to direct them to attack your skin. bummer. now it's in your lymph system and although i was wearing a a tank and shorts in the woods, i have blisters on my torso and feet. and they can just pop up anywhere. ugh.

so you can still hug me, kiss me, and play with me without getting poison ivy ;)

decartes

I think, therefore I am. Descartes.

It rains, therefore I do yoga. Kat.

I do yoga, therefore I am nicer to everyone and I'm not a stiff, crabby mess, despite the rain. You.

one of my yoga teacher's emails began with this. i loved it, and had to share. i have found it so hard to get myself to yoga class (yes, it's true!) recently. i've gotten back into running, but with this rainy gloomy weather, it's hard to get outside for that too. last night i made it to class at soboyo (south boston yoga) and had an absolutely wonderful class with my best friend's mat next to mine. however, at the end of class all i could feel was guilt. guilt that i hadn't been to soboyo in so long. guilt that i haven't done yoga in so long. guilt that i hadn't been bringing new fun stuff to my own yoga students. guilt that i hadn't been taking care of myself physically. guilt that i've been a crabby mess and that i could avoid that simply by going to yoga a few times a week.

i'm still trying to wipe this "guilt" thing, but what allowed me to forgive myself was words from my best friend and teacher. she reminded me that every day is a new day and forget about the past. if i dwell, i can't enjoy and relish in the openness i just encountered. and my teacher, well, he said he loves to see me each time i can make it here, no matter how infrequent. (and he winked at me in the beginning of class which made me smile)

thank you katie, david, and kat <3

may you all find your own peace and happiness in this sun-less month of june!

back in Woods Hole

although i don't get to teach yoga down here (formally, at least), i do have the ridiculously fun opportunity to teach hands-on biology to professional science journalists.  it is no doubt a full time job (8am to 11pm-ish) packed with experiments, lectures, troubleshooting, beer, answering questions, wine, microscopy, and spontaneous planning (an oxymoron for sure).  i didn't think i was getting paid for this gig, i knew i didn't have to pay for room and board, but i definitely don't feel the need for compensation...really.  the 7 students are bright, interested, and just plain cool.  from the states, kenya, and brazil, they are well-established science writers who are here to play like a research scientist. to think like one, get data like one, and get frustrated like one. what really goes on behind the scenes and how do we do what we do?

i'm really content here at the mbl and in doing what i'm doing here, i.e. teaching. i'm not a "cell-science-nature" scientist, i don't think, but i do know i can teach an ant what the golgi apparatus is.  i love it (teaching, not the golgi), i can hold my own, and i heart seeing the lightbulb shoot off the crown of a student's head who "gets it." and let's just go ahead and make this all about me (haha)...it's damn rewarding and students teach me a ton. but seriously, i look forward to a career in teaching and hope my students (all disciplines) get out of me at least as much as they give me...

BC plex

id like to give a shout out to all my BC yogis and yoginis!!! thank you for visiting my blog :) welcome.

today i have a good, yet slightly melancholy, reason to start blogging again. 

this morning i taught my last regular semester yoga class here at Boston College.  In other words, there are several students who i will not see again on their mats here at the BC "plex," or recreational complex :( finals started today for the undergraduates, and although i teach next week and this summer, most students will be done with finals and home for the summer. i wish you all health and happiness in everything you pursue.  to those who i will see next week and this summer: yay! 

i truly love each and every one of you as i see your truth through your practice.  i feel blessed every time i look out and receive the most sincere of expressions from the faces looking back at me...be it a smile or a glance of mild hatred during utkatasana ;) always remember who you are, the amazingness that you radiate, and the life you bring to those around you. we take a risk every time we step on to our mat: we are about to discover something new about ourselves. you are more in tune with yourself than most; use that gift. i cherish all you have taught me and promise to share that with anyone who crosses my path.

self-care has given me the ability to offer all i have to each of my students.  one part of my self-care regimen (haha) is my choice (and theirs too, thank goodness!) to surround myself with three beautiful, strong, and humorous women. without them, i would not be where i am today and who i am today. i love you katie, nevine, and sara <3