A year filled with moments

I am a very present person, and sometimes I don't want, or, got used to not looking back, but somehow I was reflecting on the moments that made up this year 2010 and I am amazed on how much and yet, in more than one occasion I could hear myself "where did this year go" , "It went so fast" etc, now I think I said it more out of habit, and since I am now aware, is is very unlikely that I will be using any of this phrases ever again, at least in that context.

In this year we welcomed Kora Lena, Vanessa Goz's baby Girl in June; in August we welcomed Andrea Luna, Ely Sandoval's Baby girl, we also had to say good by to my godfather Simon Cardenas and shortly after to his wife of many year America. Mireya's abuelo Juan Torres also left us.

I made new friends, reconnected with some other friends and family and lost contact with a few. Got to spend time with my father also for the first time in many years. Most of the year had Girls Friday night out, or wee night.

Got a great new job, new coworkers, new city and with that, a new home.

The kids came back home after tasting independence and responsibility for a while.

I went from living by myself for the first time in my life; an experience that I enjoyed while it lasted, specially the silence, the neatness and the "me" time. To sharing a house "part-time"for the first time in my adult life, with a person I just met, Sophia Dandrinos and her Dog "Max". In a new city that was lost in my mind, and that I could barely remember from my teenage years. With this relocation I met new people and established new relationships.

I visited Paris the city of lights, and there reconnected with Rosita Mucura and Rebeca Sanchez. Olena Prykhodko, Emmita and I had a wonderful time, we eat exquisite food in great company. I got to see the Code of Hammurabi and was amazed by The Winged Victory of Samothrace.

I went to the suburbs of Chicago and got very close to see the lake, I will leave that for later on. I also Visited Greenville S.C. and had a great time bonding with teammates on the road.

Paid off my car and I am practicing Yoga every day.

My mom and I made Hallacas and they came out really good.

Julian discovered his shadow and Cybele had one too.

I got to work from home for a bit while our office is undergoing renovations.

I think I can summarized this year by a comment I overheard in a B-day party from one of my former coworkers and friend, he was telling someone how the company we worked for together decided to close the branch in October 2009 and let go of most of the employees and he was saying, "I was one of the lucky ones" and I overheard and said I think you have that reversed as "I am the lucky one".

I discovered Yoga

A few years ago I bought a Yoga DVD with a title somewhere along the lines of Yoga for absolute beginners. I didn't like it at all, so much that I gave it away soon after, never sought about Yoga for a while, until we were talking about Yoga at work and one of the comments was that theYoga instructor in YMCA was a man, and how the other instructors made fun of him.  After that I was reading Dara Torres' book and she talked about this stretching method based on Yoga. Soon after we were in a meeting and one of my coworkers said that during a difficult time in his life he was practicing Yoga so I decided to give it another try.
 I did some of the exercise TV for a bit and went to the library and gather all the books and DVD I could get my hands on; Among the DVD's I took from the library there was one called Power Yoga by Beryl Bender Birch, it was long and I was unable to get most of the poses but I loved it so I decided to start with BKS Inyengar, but it was hard for me, to see the pictures and try to follow the sequence. My the way that book is very good, it will give you pictures of the poses viewed from every angle but it wasn't what I was looking for. At this point I was already feeling my body changing, my mind calmer, the pain dissipating. I look for classes and I found Yoga on the Beach and I tried that but it wasn't for me. It was cold and my body doesn't handle cold and exercise to well. Also I felt it was more like a workout for the instructor and you just tried to follow along, I was looking for more feedback. So I decided to try back home again.

I started reading the Power Yoga book from BBB and it all stared to make sense. You have to warm up. Actually she uses the term you have to be hot to be able to stretch and I think she is right, I started doing only the sun salutations and for the first time in years I wasn't following anyone, I was working at my own pace keeping records of what I'm doing and remembering the sequence. This by itself is a workout. I realize I am working my body, my mind and believed or not the effect I least expected and I am most happy about is the workout I'm giving my eyes. For year I been working out my my eyes closed. In this sequence you have to look at some points and its actually working the muscles in my eyes. Its even working my internal organs.

I after about a month of practice I can say that I love yoga. I am very far from being an expert, I learn every day and discover a new benefit and I feel better than ever.