Hot Mess

Yesterday I was thrown a little bit out of my comfort zone. Okay, a lot. I agreed to try Bikram Yoga.

For those of you who don't know, Bikram Yoga is essentially yoga done in a room that is 105 degrees. Hot yoga. Like, really hot. When I agreed to it, I didn't necessarily think that the plan would actually come to fruition. You know, when you're with friends and they say, 'Oh we should try that sometime!' And you respond with, 'Yeah that sounds like a good idea!' Then nothing comes of it. That's how I thought this was going to be. Ohhhh, no. No no no. This one came to be.

I happen to be off work on Wednesdays, and lo and behold, Wednesday was the day to do it! At 6:30 AM no less! That was a bit off-putting. I was told that the new people had to be there at 6 so that we could sign up. So I dragged my happy (kidding) butt out of bed at 5 to get ready to sweat.

When we arrived, the instructor was very nice and very welcoming. She was much more excited about us being there than we were. I could tell that all of my friends were a little apprehensive about it, as was I. Once we were all signed in and paid for, the instructor started going over how the class works. The first thing she said to us was, 'Now since it's your first time, your whole goal is to just stay in the room.' And immediately I'm on alert. I'm sorry, just stay in the room? How bad is it? What's going to happen? Stay in the room? So, naturally, that one worried me a bit. (Also, we were told not to eat for 3 hours beforehand, so that added to my anxiety as well.)

So we get all set up with our mats and go into the actual yoga room, and I tell you what, it is hooooot. Hot hot hot. Fortunately it wasn't a humid hot, but a dry hot. Then the class starts. Everyone has a towel over their yoga mat, because naturally people are already starting to sweat. The instructor tells us that for the first 30% of the class, try not to drink water, and allow your body to warm up. (Picture me giving her the 'WHAT' face here...) She also told us that if we felt off at any time, to just lay down with our feet facing the wall. Try to stay in the room. So of course by the time the class gets underway I'm thoroughly anxious for how I'm going to do and how the class is going to play out.

Now I'd done yoga a fair bit before- I'm definitely not a savant- but I knew a lot of the poses, so that was a benefit to me. We did each pose three times, and were allowed a 20 second rest period in between. We started with standing poses and then moved to sitting poses towards the end. The class as a whole was an hour and a half long. And to be honest, I have never sweated so much in my entire life. But the joyous thing was, everyone else was just as sweaty as I was. (Thank you, towel over my yoga mat, for not betraying me.) Aside from the obvious heat, it was a very comfortable setting. I actually ended up liking the class a lot, and afterwards, once I recovered a little and got some more water into my system, I felt great. Like I truly accomplished something, and it was no little feat. I'm actually going to go next week.

So, in conclusion, if you're considering trying Bikram Yoga, definitely give it a shot. Bring lots of water, a towel (or two) and a can-do attitude (even though I may have left mine at home). Don't be discouraged if you can't do all the poses or if you need to lay down for a bit- I definitely did a few times, and I am not ashamed! The feeling afterwards is great, plus the shower is one of the greatest showers you will ever take.

Go for it, try something new. If you don't like it, at least now you know, and you're not left wondering.

That's all for me, now I'm off to find something else to occupy my time while I rehydrate.

Be good,
KG

VMAs

So I just finished watching the 2013 VMAs, and I'm essentially speechless. I don't know that I've ever watched an awards show and felt so awkward. Even when Kanye took the mic from Taylor Swift, it didn't feel this awkward. Miley Cyrus? Really? And the fact that I wasn't entirely appalled by Lady Gaga's performance? What is happening? Did anyone else feel that way?

However, I will say that I truly and completely enjoyed the performances by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, as well as Justin Timberlake. Macklemore is a phenomenal rapper, and that's coming from someone who rarely listens to rap. He uses it as a platform to address social issues, and his videos are not rampant with female dancers and fancy cars like I'm used to seeing. It's a very refreshing change.

And quite honestly, who doesn't love Justin Timberlake? He is a born performer. I'm truly impressed by his ability to give a 20 minute performance without a break. AND the fact that he threw N'Sync in there. I died a little. I'm not normally the type to fangirl, but I'd be lying if I said my 13 year-old self didn't squeal a bit. And that my Twitter blew up. Not ashamed.

With all that being said, I do enjoy awards shows, but hopefully next year I can watch the VMAs without feeling some sense of discomfort. I definitely think that I value an artist based on whether or not they can give a solid, entertaining performance. My M.O. seems to be that if you are a genuinely talented person, and can perform well on stage, usually I'll like you. Though no matter what, I just can't seem to enjoy the scream-y type music. Alas.

Hopefully you all enjoyed the VMAs, or at least felt less awkward than I did. I'm off to the wonders of dreamland now.

Be good!
KG

Observations

Since I work at a theme park (and been to quite a few, living in central FL), I have noticed many a theme or popular occurrence among members of the human race. A lot of what I've noticed has to do with culture and upbringing, and a lot has to do with my personal observances. I might just bullet point it and go from there.

1. Manners
   
   I'm not sure if there's a magical force field that the guests walk through when they enter the park, but the vast majority of the people I encounter forget to say please and thank you. Of course, it could be happening everywhere- not just inside the theme parks, but I definitely have taken notice. I've also noticed that the people who say please and thank you are usually not from the United States. The most polite folks are the ones who hail from the U.K. (Sorry America.) 9 times out of 10 any person I interact with from the UK will have said please or thank you at least 3 or 4 times by the time our exchange is finished. And as a side note, they generally seem to be much happier. Initially I think I thought it was because they're on a vacation, but then I figured that so was practically everyone else in the park at that moment.
   
   I will say this: working in a theme park has made me so much more aware of how I act when I'm out to a restaurant or checking out at the store. The people working there are just like us, and who knows, maybe they're having an awful day. Saying please and thank you should be an automatic thing. I make a point of being extra nice.
2. Navigation
   
   I know I'm not the only one who's experienced this one, and I know for a fact it doesn't just happen at theme parks. I know that mostly because I'm not that swell of a navigator myself, and because if you've ever listened to Dane Cook's BK Lounge bit, he sums it up brilliantly. There's a part of his spiel where he's talking to a woman at the drive through, and after she places her order, she asks him where to go. You can probably assume his reaction. Something along the lines of, 'Where do you go?! Go down the one road you're on to me!' etc. etc.
   
   The EXACT same thing happens on a daily basis at the park. I'm not sure if I notice it because I know where I'm going, but a lot of people seem to get themselves into a tizzy about where to go, when the pathway is right in front of them, or they just need to round a bend. There have been numerous occasions where I have to stop myself from looking stunned at how confused guests get in a really easy situation. Those are the times when my dark sunglasses come in very very handy. I feel that I spend a lot of time steering people around and getting them to notice their surroundings. Because of this, my friends and I spend a little more time acquainting ourselves with the maps of any other parks we visit, and trying to figure it out ourselves before we ask someone. I think the employees can tell that we make the effort.
3. Small Talk
   
   This is a BIG one for me and my co-workers. We get this on the daily. And, of course, I realize that many of the guests are just making small talk, but I just ask this ONE THING from you. Please think about what you say before you say it. I have people constantly commenting, 'Oh my GOSH it smells in there!' and 'HOW do you deal with the smell?!' and 'Your boyfriend must really hate the way you smell after work.' (One of my favorites...)
   
   Okay. Most of the time I'm pretty good at being positive and responding with things like, 'Oh I honestly can't smell it anymore' and 'I get used to it, it doesn't bother me.' But that last one? Come on, people. If I could respond to these statements the way I wanted to, I would no longer have a job. I understand that my job and my work area may smell different than you're used to. I'm guessing the vast majority of the population doesn't work around fish or a fish kitchen. But you don't see me coming into your place of business and going, 'OH MY GOSH it smells like PAPER in here!' or 'I bet your wife HATES that you smell like an office building when you get home! YEESH.' My poor parents have to deal with me venting about this on a very frequent basis. My advice is: if it seems that you're stating the obvious, think about it before you say something. I know that I smell at work. But at least I'm working, and I get to do some really amazing things at my job. Please don't tell me I smell. Nobody wants to hear that.

Honestly, reading back on it makes it seem like all I do is deal with really frustrating people all day long. Sometimes, that's exactly what happens. But the thing that makes it all worthwhile is being able to give people a once in a lifetime experience, and seeing it on their face. Or the people that ask the really amazing questions and show a genuine interest in what I do and why I do it. Or the people whose opinions I can change. Or the little kids whose minds I can expand a little bit more. That's the really cool part. Like I said in my last post, there are some downsides to every job, but there are upsides too, and that's the stuff you have to focus on. It's something I'm still trying to work on every day. I hope you will too. :)

Be good.

KG

At long last

Ah, here we are again.

The last time I had a blog, it was because I was a world traveler- venturing all over and doing exciting new things at every turn. Now, I have a blog because my life is at that unsure-I'm-24-and-kind-of-confused-about-where-to-go-slash-what-to-do-next point. Yayyyy. But Mom always said I should write. So here I am. Taking Mom's advice. (Hi Mom.)

I also had the idea of starting a blog with two of my nearest and dearest friends. Almost as a way of keeping in touch with each other since we are now living in three separate corners of the country. So hopefully that will come to fruition soon, but don't hold your breath. (Remember, I'm 24 and unsure of just about everything.)

Anyways, so to bring all you readers (or non-readers) up to speed, here is a summation of my life since last I wrote. (Which I believe was in 2011. Oy.)

After completing my two internships- one in Bermuda and one in Vancouver- I moved home to Minnesota. Since adult life couldn't be put off for much longer, shortly thereafter I got a job at a facility in central Florida, which is where I have been for the past year and a half. Here is a list of how I feel about my job:

• There are things I love about my job
• There are things I like about my job
• There are things in my job about which I feel indifferently
• There are things I dislike about my job
• There are things I hate about my job

I'm sensing this list can be applied to most normal peoples' jobs. Everyone is constantly asking me about my job, and I could go on for ages about it, but I wish I could just give them the list and be done with it. There are pros and cons to everything, but lately I've been feeling the need for a change. Who knows what'll happen, but that's just where I'm at right now.

So I currently live in Orlando, FL. I do love the sunny weather and the palm trees. It is a bit odd to me though that on Thanksgiving and Christmas I have the option of wearing shorts due to the warm weather (but due to my northern upbringing I sweated it out in pants). I do not like the tourists and the drivers. Has anyone driven here?! I feel like I'm going crazy anytime I leave my parking lot. I recently visited my home state of Minnesota and I immediately felt at peace on the roads. I remember remarking to my mom how calm I felt, and said things along the lines of, 'I don't immediately feel like yelling at anyone' or 'They just used their blinker and merged properly, how nice!' So there's that. I've found that I will always have more faith in Minnesota drivers than Florida drivers.

I have two roommates, a lot of movies, and a complete lack of pets. I will admit the lack of pets part is a bit weird sometimes, being that I've grown up with animals around me always. Though one of my roommates does have two cute little brown and white rats, they stay in her room and we only see them if they venture out in their little rat ball. It does mean that we have the ability to leave the apartment whenever we like without worrying about the welfare of a fuzzy friend, so that is nice. We also do a fair amount of dogsitting for our more established and adult-like friends.

Anyways, I don't want to first post on this fresh new slate to be a long-winded ordeal, so I'd better leave it off here. Though come to think of it, the blog is called KG the Rambler, since I'm excellent at rambling. I'll ramble plenty about other things another time.

Hope all is well. Be good.

KG