My Blog

Clearance sale on Punk Rock Yoga t-shirts

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:39:34 GMT

Size Adult XL and Child XL (fits like a crop-top for a size S woman) are left. Clearing out lots to make room for our new shirts coming in November. Get 'em while the getting is good: http://www.punkrockyoga.com/gear.php

My article on cloth diapering on Mamalode

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:12:49 GMT

Check it out http://www.mamalode.com/2009/09/why-cloth-diapering-on-the-road-—-what-was-i-thinking/

Caribbean!

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:13:44 GMT

We had a blast, and I cannot wait to go back. Our trip was a great success and we had the most wonderful group of people with us. Ivan had the time of his life as well.

off to the Caribbean--whee!

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:49:41 GMT

See you in two weeks! We do a few days with my folks back east, a couple days in St. Maarten where we honeymooned, then Dominica where we lead our first scuba & yoga trip--wish us luck! See you when I'm tanner.

We're off!

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:13:50 GMT

Off to the EC for Ivan's 1st Xmas with me folks and his first meeting with my dad and grandfather, preceded by a week in NYC. I love the city, but it will be a whole new world having a baby there. It will be my first trip without my 'puter in quite some time. Woohoo! Have a great holiday season.

Free at last!

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:57:39 GMT

Finally, some people are able to see beyond the crippling hatred of racism. Free from the Evil Empire of Cheney/Bush/Rove at last!

Our Yoga and Scuba Diving retreat to Dominica--tell your friends

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:49:53 GMT

Our retreat is next March, but the early-bird discount deadline is coming up. Tell your friends! http://www.8thelementyoga.com/yoga_scuba/retreat/index.php

my baby - born May 25!

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:12:35 GMT

as written by dad...mom too tired to type -- baby is now1 week old. Kimberlee started labor at 5am last Thursday. By 1am on Sunday she was having contractions continuously. We called our midwife and met her at the birth center for an exam to see how Kim was progressing. She wasn't. So we headed to the hospital. By 5am Sunday, after 3 straight days of labor, she still wasn't opening up for the little guy. So we gave her an epidural and some drugs to get things moving along. During the day she started to make some good progress! Then the little bugger retreated (we didn't realize that was possible!). By 9pm she still wasn't making more progress so it was time for a C-section. The little guy was a textbook pregnancy until the final few days. Then he he not only tossed the text book aside but probably pooped on it, too. Mom did great during the surgery and dad got to see a lot of cool stuff over the abdominal curtain. Mom was wondering when the surgeon would get started and dad told her they'd been at it for a few minutes already. Mom and dad actually sang to the little guy as they were finalizing their work. Then whoosh! He was pulled out and handed to the pediatrician standing next to the surgeon. He immediately started crying while they wiped him down on the way to the pediatrician's table and he let go of a huge pee on the way there. After 89 grueling hours, we finally got to meet Ivan at 10:06pm on Sunday. He was as healthy as we could hope for--Apgar scores of 9 and 9 (his hands and feet were a bit blue). After the pediatrician gave the OK we put him on mom's chest for a little while for some bonding time while the surgeon sewed mom up. Then dad went with the nurse for the weighing and measurements (8lbs 2.3oz, 20.5 inches long) and then we met mom in the recovery room for some boob time. Well, he got the boob; dad got to watch. We all had 3 days of recovery in the hospital, and all the staff there were great. The only downside of the hospital stay was the constant interuptions ("Cafeteria--what would you like for breakfast; Cafeteria--here's your food; Cafeteria--can we pick up your tray yet?") Dad considered posting a biohazard sign on the door to keep everyone away for a few hours of sleep, but during a sliver of sanity he realized the nurses probably wouldn't have been amused. Nicole, our doula, was awesome. She really helped Kim as the contractions got worse, and then stayed with us for hours at the hospital. Finally, she showed up just as we were heading home from the hospital--with some chocolate cake! Exactly what we needed. We've been home for two days now and are finding a routine that gets us some sleep and keeps us from getting too frazzled. Ivan loves his little hammock bed, and dad finally found the time to send this email

Yoga Dance Fusion Teacher Training

Sat, 10 May 2008 15:10:24 GMT

Yoga comes to life with this energetic fusion of flowing Hatha yoga and dance. Using moves from martial arts, belly dance, African dance, and modern dance, we dance our way into and out of yoga poses in this playful lively class. You get cardiovascular benefits plus strength and flexibility while exploring your own unique creativity. Teacher Training Description: Invigorate your classes with this creative fusion of yoga and dance: cardiovascular, strength and flexibility in one class. Learn moves from international dance forms to dance your way in and out of numerous yoga poses. What you get: This workshop includes great handouts on all of the dance and pose modules we cover, including origins and lineage of the dance forms, and modifications/contraindications for the various poses. You will learn more than 30 modules you can use to incorporate into your own yoga/dance fusion class. The workshop also covers choreography, creating games and play, a background on the various movement styles used, and team-teaching and peer-review opportunities. This workshop prepares existing teachers to teach a Shake Rattle & Pose class. In addition, we videotape the practical class portion of each workshop and will mail you a DVD of the class for your own personal review. Finally, we are offering an additional certification option, certifying people in Shake Rattle & Pose. Next Training: Missoula, MT! Shake Rattle & Pose Yoga Dance Fusion: Create Your Own Class (.8 ACE 6.5 AFAA credits) Saturday, September 13 9 am - 6 pm Downtown Dance Collective 121 West Main Street Missoula, Montana 59802 Note: Missoula is an awesome place to visit, particularly if you like the outdoors: great hiking trails are found right in town. It's a great place to get away for a couple of days. This may be the only teacher training Kimberlee is offering this fall, so don't miss it. Stay for the weekend and take the Partner Yoga Fundamentals workshop on Sunday. Tuition: Early bird rate $165--payment due July 30th Regular rate $195--payment due September 6th Same-day rate $225--register on site (space permitting) Register now! http://8thelementyoga.com/yoga_dance/teacher_training.php

In the home stretch!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:33:24 GMT

Finally, I'm officially in month 9. So far it's been an interesting ride, and with very few complications (other than stupid nausea and having difficulty getting comfortable at night) but I'm really looking forward to the day after labor. Most importantly, the kid is hanging in there and he's a feisty little bugger, so it bodes very well.

Overwhelmed

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:01:10 GMT

Just when you get through the whole process of making decisions about your labor, bam! You realize you need to decide about vaccines. Nothing is cut and dry/black and white, but one thing is for sure, the surface information coming from the CDC is not the whole story. I've long known this--just look at what they say about Hep B: only drug users and people who sleep around get it (read: "bad people") but then you read the fine print that 1/3 of the people who contract the disease don't have any risk factors and cannot trace it to any source, and there's a huge number of people who are carriers but never had any symptoms. It's the same deal with kids' vaccines. For example, Rubella is pretty mild for infants, but if a pregnant woman gets it, it can really harm the fetus. So why do we stick infants with it? To protect mom if she has a second child. So, why not just tell women who are trying to get pregnant to get the vaccine themselves? Unplanned pregnancies I suppose. We're definitely not anti-vaccine and one of those parents who doesn't give a damn if their kid makes someone else's kid very sick, or worse. But the amount of stuff they pump into kids before they're even 6 months old is ridiculous. Considering the flu shots were only 44% effective this year, why bother? It's so frustrating sorting through all this info, because you want to keep your child safe, and they can't speak for themselves.

Announcing our Scuba Diving and Yoga Adventure in Dominica March 7-14, 2009

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:20:36 GMT

Join us for an unforgettable Scuba Diving and Yoga Adventure, March 7 - 14, 2009 on Dominica, the nature island of the Caribbean. We are thrilled to hold this retreat at Jungle Bay, one of the world's top 10 luxury eco resorts (Forbes magazine, 2007). Dominica was the first country to be Green Globe benchmarked and the owners of Jungle Bay are leaders in ecologically and culturally sustainable tourism. You will enjoy diving the pristine reefs and spectacular 1,000-foot walls of Scotts Head Marine Reserve. The reefs of Dominica teem with life--Dominica was rated the #1 location for both healthy reefs and a healthy marine environment (Sport Diver magazine, 2006). You will have the chance to do a variety of dives including wall dives, drift dives, and a night dive. We are including the Project AWARE ecology course for everyone. If you're not an avid diver you can snorkel with us, or skip any day's dive trip and enjoy the many different hikes offered by Jungle Bay. Or you can just lounge around at the resort, enjoying the relaxing scenery, yoga studio, outdoor pool, and spa treatments. This is a great trip for a non-diving significant other. We have some fun non-diving activities planned for everyone, such as challenging jungle hike to Boiling Lake (a flooded fumarole whose waters really do boil) or a scenic ocean kayak trip, along with a whale watching trip--humpback whales frequent Dominica and we will be there during the prime season. There will be numerous activities for everyone--whether or not you dive. The yoga on this trip is unique also--you will learn yoga routines specifically designed to help strengthen the body for diving and restore the body after a day of diving. You will learn some applied anatomy and body mechanics of diving. We will also teach you breathing and meditation exercises to help you stay calm underwater for a more relaxed and enjoyable dive experience. We will also hold yoga philosophy discussions and the application for divers. Last, but for some not least, you will enjoy the wonderfully healthy cuisine of Dominica, using local ingredients. Mangos, coconuts, bananas, papayas, pineapple, coffee, cocoa, sugar cane, and root vegetables grow along with 1,000 species of flowering plants. If you've never eaten a ripe mango plucked from the tree yourself, its juice dripping down your chin, you're missing one of the greater pleasures in life. We sincerely hope you can join us on this adventure. This exclusive trip is limited, so sign up early. Please visit http://www.8thElementYoga.com/yoga_scuba/retreat/ for lots more information about this trip and to download the registration form. Some dates to keep in mind: Trip date: March 7 - 14, 2009 Registration deadline: December 31, 2008 Early-bird rate deadline: August 31, 2008

McCain considering perhaps the worst enemy of wildlife as VP

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:23:55 GMT

Email I received from Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Democracy, Wolves and the White House Despite her record on conservation issues, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been discussed as a possible running mate for Senator John McCain’s bid for the presidency. With last week’s primary wins in Texas and Ohio, Senator John McCain is the last Republican presidential candidate standing. Unfortunately, one name being circulated as a possible pick for his Vice President is someone who has made the slaughter of wolves a personal goal... first-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Wildlife conservation is not a partisan issue. Tell Governor Palin that you believe that no one should support her in a bid for the Vice Presidency or any office until she cleans up her act. This is the same Sarah Palin who… * Introduced legislation that could deny more than 50,000 Alaskans the right to vote on aerial killing of wolves and bears. * Has condoned a $400,000 state-funded propaganda campaign to convince Alaskans to support the state’s shooting of wolves and bears from airplanes -- even though wildlife biologists from around the world say that it is scientifically unfounded. * Nominated her high school basketball coach a man with no wildlife management experience to sit on the state’s powerful Board of Game. * Proposed a $150 bounty to spur wolf killing in specified management zones. Sign our petition and help us turn the national spotlight on Governor Palin’s shameful record. https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1013&autologin=true&s_einterest=C4&JServSessionIdr005=cisiapk7d5.app23a As the last eight years have demonstrated, leadership counts. Please sign our petition today and let Governor Palin know that dedicated conservationists across America expect better from our elected leaders. For the Wildlife, Rodger Schlickeisen, President Rodger Schlickeisen, President Signature Rodger Schlickeisen President Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Donate Now | Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Home © Copyright 2008, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund This message was sent to info@isiseyemedia.com. Please do not respond to this message. Click here to update your information or unsubscribe. Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm. Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund can be contacted at: 1130 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 Paid for by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund at http://www.defendersactionfund.org/ and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Our partner yoga book in the news - video and all!

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:52:55 GMT

http://missoulian.com/articles/2008/03/06/news/mtregional/news06.txt

Hurrah for Brattleboro Vermont

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:54:14 GMT

http://www.impeachbush.org/site/News2/1809391873?page=NewsArticle&id=5261&news_iv_ctrl=1041

Such bullshit!

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:46:17 GMT

The Federal Government has delisted gray wolves as an endangered species. The wolf population is nowhere near what it needs to be to be sustainable, nor is it anywhere near what it needs to be to maintain a healthy ecosystem and keep the population of elk and other undulates healthy (controlling the population so they don't destroy all the vegetation, making elk herds stronger by attacking the week and the sick). The state of Montana has already announced a wolf hunt for next year. Oh boy. Wolf hunting is strictly trophy hunting, it's not usable meat. So a bunch of rich folks from NYC can come to Montana, shoot a wolf and feel more like a ban. Yes, that's worth taking a life. The governor of Wyoming has already declared how giddy he is at getting to shoot a wolf. Good for you, now the visits to your therapists can end? Trophy hunting is sick. But trophy hunting on an animal whose population is still trying to recover is horrid. I'm donating to Defenders of Wildlife for their legal defense fund to get an injunction and stop this madness: http://www.defenders.org/index.php

Sure, the leader of our nation's economy doesn't have to believe in math

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:17:33 GMT

From presidential candidate Mike Huckabee: "I know the pundits, and I know what they say: The math doesn't work out," Huckabee said Saturday morning at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. "Well, I didn't major in math, I majored in miracles. And I still believe in those, too." Is that how you will deal with the deficit and recession too? Wait for a miracle? How about waiting for Santa Clause to fix it? Why is it that some people in the US now seem to want their presidents to be uneducated? Ugh!

Our partner yoga book is done!

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:19:20 GMT

Woohoo, just in time for us to work on taxes. Our partner yoga book, entitled Yoga with a Friend is out and available. We're currently running a special if you buy it through us you can save a few bucks. Yoga with a Friend Develop trust, communication, strength, and compassion when you practice yoga with a partner Practice this unique form of yoga where you and your partner work together to accomplish creative and challenging poses. Your partner can be your friend, roommate, spouse, life partner, sibling, parent, child, or anyone else whose company you enjoy. In Yoga with a Friend you will learn breathing techniques to facilitate tranquility together, and partner poses that develop trust and mutual support. You will develop strong non-verbal communication skills as you work together to achieve balance. You will amaze yourselves as you accomplish the poses. Along with poses and breathing techniques, you will learn some great visualizations and meditation techniques. You will also be introduced to yoga philosophy and understand how to apply yoga lifestyle guidelines to your various relationships. In Yoga with a Friend we hope to share this fun, challenging, and deeply rewarding practice with you. http://www.8thElementYoga.com/books/partner_yoga.php

Happy Day

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:25:14 GMT

Obama won, there is hope! http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/04/iowa.caucuses/index.html

Shake Rattle & Pose Yoga Dance Fusion this Friday!

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:46:53 GMT

I'm only teaching this once a month, so please come sweat, dance and play this Friday. Yoga comes to life with this energetic fusion of flowing Hatha yoga and dance. Using moves from martial arts, belly dance, African dance, and modern dance, we dance our way into and out of yoga poses in this playful lively class. You get cardiovascular benefits plus strength and flexibility while exploring your own unique creativity. Dance movements are both strong and soft, yang and yin, for a balanced mind body workout. Choreography is simple – we emphasize movement, not memorization. No prior dance experience necessary but some prior yoga experience is helpful, as this is a dynamic and challenging mind body movement class. Friday, January 4, 2008 5:30 - 6:45 pm Down Dog Missoula 2615 Connery Way Missoula, MT Drop-in rate $12

First Night Missoula

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:36:47 GMT

Man it was fun. There were tons of great performances. I had Todd pick out some things and he picked out a Mark Twain lecture that was hilarious. We caught the big band finale for a while and I absolutely love watching couples in their 60's and 70's dance. They move so gently yet so seamlessly. It's such a contrast to the younger dancers who seem to treat their women like a pair of numbchucks the way they whip them around (salsa everywhere I've seen it in the US seems to be like that). But the older dancers so complex moves but without the speed that makes them look flashy. I just love watching people who've been dancing together for more than 30 years, it's wonderful. It was great to hear a variety of music, especially the Brazilian band Rio. Unlike the typical American Idol style of singing now which is to be as loud and bombastic as possible, this singer captured the essence of subtlety which was Astrid Giberto. I thought the art of singing softly yet richly was a lost art, but luckily some singers still embrace it. Heck we even heard Klezmer music, which I didn't know much about. From what I heard Klezmer rocks! The only thing I missed was tango dancing - the one downside of Missoula is the dearth of tango. We didn't make it until midnight; me, dad and the baby to be were getting tired so came home and rang in the new year with some nonalcoholic sparkling cider and I read one of my pregnancy books before turning in. Happy new year

Winter Solstice Yoga

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:28:11 GMT

I'm teaching my annual (4-years running) Winter Solstice yoga class this Friday. We spend the first half of the class in darkness by holding gentle poses for an extended period of time. In each pose, participants reflect on a different aspect of the past year. This is a great way to reflect upon and learn from 2007. The second half of the class is the celebration of dark changing to light and we exchange the gift of yoga by sharing our favorite poses and yoga teachings with the group. It’s a wonderful community celebration and a great respite from the buzzing activity of the season. Please join us. Friday, December 21 5:30 - 7 pm Down Dog Missoula 2615 Connery Way Class drop-in rate $12 or use your Down Dog Missoula class card http://8thelementyoga.com/winter_solstice.php Happy Solstice

Why is everything made in China?

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:25:58 GMT

Ugh, big rant. I was trying to find some holiday cards to send out and made the mistake of thinking I could find some NOT made in China. I looked around in three stores (Missoula is not exactly a shopping mecca) and every single boxed card was made in China. I'm trying to boycott goods made in China because well, lead paint ends up in kids toys and that's an economy I just don't want to support. So, yes, I'll find some online, but still, it's insane to think we chop trees down in Oregon, ship either the trees or the processed paper to China, have them produce the cards, then send them back to us. How is this a sound idea?

Day of the Dead in Missoula

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:33:11 GMT

The parade was great. This year it started at the same time, but with the new daylight savings shift, it was twilight, which made it easier to see people's costumes. Some floats and costumes were very elaborate while other just wore skull masks. There were several funeral piles and altars people carried decorated with fall foliage, pumpkins, candles, incense, you name it. I loved the pagan spirit to the whole thing. There was a sweet randomness and chaos that reminded me of the Procession of the Species in Olympia. Sometimes you couldn't tell if people were in the parade or just walking down the street. There were lots of kids in the parade, which is something you don't see much of in the Fremont Solstice Parade. One clever teacher had her class construct huge wooden skeletons and then label each bone - I admire how she made learning fun for them. The steamroller prints were great as well. We went to the park afterwards to check out the action and saw a few fire spinners that were actually quite good. There was a drum ensemble playing fast West African rhythms. The belly dance troupes did their best and finally said screw it and did some taksim over the rhythm - I can't blame them. They must have been cold as I was cold in my layers and gloves! I kept hoping the drummers slow down and give the belly dancers more to work with but they were catering to the burner crowd. It was amusing to watch them - they would break into this spastic hybrid of Jane Fonda meets African dance, jump around for a couple of minutes then step out to rest once they got anaerobic. It might not look pretty, but it keeps them in good health. The drummers were tight, but I've been spoiled by complex Egyptian rhythms that can change 7 times in one song, so hearing the same rhythm for 20 minutes straight, especially a hyper fast rhythm, wore me down. But it did get people up and dancing, albeit for a few minutes with rest breaks. Still, it was fun to see crowds gathering on a dark fall night to celebrate something from another culture, but yet understanding the universal quality of the need for celebration as the days grow dark and the need to commemorate the mystery of death in a communal way.

Sin City sucked

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:35:02 GMT

We were so excited that I had a work engagement in Vancouver last week and we stayed through the weekend for Sin City's big Halloween event, especially since all the Halloween events in Missoula tend to cater to either children or college kids. We got dressed up as gothic Victorians which was fun and made to the event at 11 (had to watch the Red Sox in the World Series first). The event was sold out and there was a huge line for everyone who had tickets. We waited in line for over an hour - it was ridiculous. They were essentially playing the velvet rope game we think because rumors circulated that if you slipped the bouncer an extra $20 you could cut the line. The big hold up was the club's poor design - coat check is smack at the front door and of course in crazy costumes most people wore a coat. The coat check was moving slow, so they were holding everyone else back. It was ridiculous. After an hour, we finally get in and I'm already tired and ready for bed. The place was so packed you could barely move - forget making it to the dance floor, where no one was really dancing anyway just kind of bopping up and down in place. We arrived during the costume contest and there were some great costumes - you could tell people put hours upon hours into some of the getups. But, the best ones didn't win because there's a rule that drag queens have to win every time. Still, it was interesting seeing all the costumes, I was very impressed with people's creativity. The worst part, after waiting over an hour outside in line, was they were playing rap music and top 40 stuff. The closest they came to gothic/industrial was Depeche Mode. Now I like Depeche Mode, but that was as hard as it got. And every song was a 10 - 15-minute remix. After 10 minutes even Underworld (which they did not play) songs seem too long. So we lasted all of an hour, didn't even bother going to the 'stand in place' dance floor, paid $3.50 for a plain cranberry juice and went home. Life is too short to blow your eardrums on top 40 music. Overcrowded clubs I think are only fun when you're 25 and quite drunk. It was a nice reminder that as well get older and don't go out that often we're really not missing much since we've already had that sort of fun. We're now looking forward to our first year of handing out Halloween candy and going to Missoula's Day of the Dead parade on Friday.