Deliverable

It’s been some time since I last did one of my “challenges”. For this week I’ve decided to do another 7 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge.

Here it is:

For the next 7 days, I will attend one Bikram yoga class a day.

See you on the other side, with updates (hopefully) in between.

–Update: 2/4/08–

My updates a bit belated but here goes:  I completed 5 of the “7 Days of Yoga”.  My schedule wasn’t going to allow me to complete the final Saturday & Sunday so I let it drop.  I enjoyed it just as much as I did last time and really want to find a way to work this into my life as a regular event.  I’d say that the biggest drawback to Bikram Yoga is the expense.  The cheapest option involves a 6 month commitment, and even then it’s a bit steep.  There’s also the time involved to consider (90 minute class, travel to and from, downtime afterwards).  Still, I can think of no other exercise that I’ve done that makes my body feel as alive and healthy.  You’re working every muscle group and it’s an incredible cardio workout. With just the week of yoga, I noticed a definite physical change.

I think what I’ll do is begin doing it a couple times a month as a part of a larger workout plan.

I’m experimenting with morning routines and wanted to give this one a try:

• Get up immediately with the alarm
• Turn on light
• Drink a glass of water
• morning pages / eat breakfast
• exercise for 20 minutes
• Shower/Shave/teeth
• Organize/clarify my “ideas binder” for 20 minutes

This routine wouldn’t work for the days where I have to be up crazy early to teach, but I think it might work for days when I have more time in the morning. (I can drop the 20 minutes of exercise on the days I teach if I need to.) I think it’s also important not to do any reading of blogs, or other computer work before this routine is complete as those tend to distract me.

This routine makes the statement that “My mental (morning pages) and physical (exercise) health are the most important things in my life. If I don’t have those then I have nothing, so I begin my day committed to my health.” On the days when I eventually have to teach my plan is to use the gym facility at school. I might even be able to add a yoga or other class in there as time and finances permit.

It might not be a perfect routine, but I’ll give it a go and see how it works.

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2 Day Challenge
Start date: Tomorrow

I will write my morning pages before 9 a.m. today. complete

I will do my exercise before 9 a.m. today. complete (finished by 9:30 a.m. / see below)

I will complete my acting actions before 9 p.m. today. complete (finished by 11:45 a.m. / see below)

I will visit Staples/Jennifer Sofabeds/Bookstore before noon today. complete (was out the door a little after noon / see below)

I will do a vocal warm-up before 2 p.m. today. (incomplete / see below)

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. today. complete

I will complete at least 100 minutes on the book before 5 p.m. today. Finished 50 minutes by 5:30 p.m. (see bel0w)

Notes to Self:

• To do all the things I have to do before 9 a.m., I need to start by 7:50 a.m.
• If I do all my trombone practicing in the afternoon, I’ll have to start by 2:20 p.m.
• If I do all my work on the book in the afternoon, I’ll have to start by 3:20 p.m.

–update: 5:39 p.m.–
I had a pretty full day today but scheduling really got thrown off. My acting actions today took way longer than the 20 minutes I’d originally allotted. This started a ripple effect which rolled into the afternoon. Not a total loss, though. The acting things I did really needed to be done, and I still got some practicing done in the afternoon, even if I didn’t get to sing.

—
1 Day Multi-Challenge
Start & End date: Today

I will write my morning pages before 9 a.m. today. complete

I will install the shelf in the studio before 10:30 a.m. today. (attached the brackets by 10:30 a.m. / waiting for drill to charge to finish) complete

I will purchase Backstage before 10:30 a.m. today. complete

I will complete my acting actions before 5 p.m. today. complete

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. today. complete

I will complete at least 180 minutes on the book before 11 p.m. today. I got 100 in on the book tonight. Had a couple of unexpected phone calls come up.

I will plan out tomorrow with a “1 Day Multi-Challenge” post before midnight. complete

Notes to Self:

• If I do all my trombone practicing in the afternoon, I’ll have to start before 4 p.m.
• If I’m to do my acting actions before 5 p.m. (and also meet with C. & practice trombone) I’ll have to start them no later than 3:30 p.m.
• If I do all my work on the book in the evening, I’ll have to start before 8 p.m.

—
1 Day Multi-Challenge
Start & End date: Today

I will write my morning pages before 9 a.m. today. complete

I will sand and stain the shelf for the studio by 11 a.m. today. complete

I will finish my laundry by 11 a.m. today. completed by 11:15 a.m.

I will do a vocal warm-up before 1 p.m. today. complete

I will complete at least 180 minutes of work on the book before 5 p.m. today. finshed 189 minutes by 5:25 p.m.

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. today. complete

I will plan out tomorrow with a “1 Day Multi-Challenge” post before midnight. complete

Notes to Self:

• If I’m to finish my laundry by 11 a.m., it means I have to start it by 9 a.m.
• If I do all my work on the book in the afternoon, I’ll have to start before 2 p.m.
• If I do all my trombone practicing in the afternoon, I’ll have to start before 1 p.m.

—
1 Day Multi-Challenge
Start & End date: Today

I will complete at least 180 minutes of work on the book before 11 p.m. today. complete

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. today. complete

Plan out tomorrow with a “1 Day Multi-Challenge” post before midnight. complete

Notes to Self:

• This means if I do all my work on the book in the evening, I’ll have to start before 8 p.m.
• This means if I do all my trombone practicing in the afternoon, I’ll have to start before 4 p.m.

—
1 Day Multi-Challenge
Start & End date: Today

I will complete at least 180 minutes of work on the book before noon today. complete

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. complete

I will complete at least another 100 minutes of work on the book before 5 p.m. complete (The last stretch was actually completed at 5:53 p.m. For some reason I thought 4:20 p.m. was 100 minutes before 5:00 p.m. Clearly my math skills need some looking into.)

—
1 Day Challenge: Multi-Challenge #4
Start & End date: Today

I will complete at least 150 minutes of work on the book before noon today. complete

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. complete

I will complete at least another 50 minutes of work on the book before 5 p.m. complete

—
1 Day Challenge: Multi-Challenge #3
Start & End date: Today

I will complete at least 100 minutes of work on the book before noon today. complete

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. complete

I will complete at least another 50 minutes of work on the book before 5 p.m. complete

—
1 Day Challenge: Multi-Challenge #2
Start & End date: Today

Something new… More than one challenge rolled into one day:

I will complete at least 100 minutes of work on the book before noon today. complete

I will complete at least 60 minutes of practice on the trombone before 5 p.m. complete

—
1 Day Challenge: Multi-Challenge #1
Start date: Monday, 8/7/06
Check-in date: Monday, 8/7/06