Pop! Ohm! Yarrr!

It's been quite some time since the last update, and I think we're all due for one. I've been putting it off because it's been so long and there's a lot to write about. The only problem with that plan is, well, the longer I put it off, the more there is to cover when I finally get around to it!

For 4th of July we went to El Paso to see the family, like always. It was great, except that I was sick pretty much the whole time. I came down with something terrible about 2 days before we left, and it was just letting up the day before we came back! I learned several things. 1) Don't fly when you're sinuses are full of funk. Your ears won't equalize for days and you'll feel dizzy until they do. And it hurts. 2) When you fly with a head full of funk, and your ears are trying to pop and such but they can't because of the aforementioned funk, it makes a lot of gross, squishy noises in your head, like an octopus trying to suck out your brain. At least, I think the noises are in your head. I hope no one else could hear that!

Anyways, we set of fireworks, which is always cool. There aren't many places where you can set off your own fireworks anymore it seems, so it's a treat every year to play firebug. Since I had a splitting sinus headache for about a full week, I could've done without all the noise, but it only happens once a year so I toughed it out and had a good time anyway. Since I was still pretty dizzy from the plane ride 3 days before, I didn't set off many fireworks myself. (Running away from an impending explosion in the dark across uneven terrain can be tricky, and I didn't want to take any chances). But I did get a lot of great pictures. My camera is so cool....

In other news, it's my 6th week at YogaDenton, and I'm really pleased with the results. That's not really a suprise for me, I mean, I've been practicing yoga pretty regularly for several years now, but I'm always happy when I get serious about it again and see progress. In the past 5 weeks, I've regained some of my flexibility (I've always been pretty limber) and really toned up a lot. As much as I like to stretch, I've been concentrating on building the strength to support my flexibility, and it's paying off. Plus, I have more energy, my back hardly gives me any trouble, and I'm so much more relaxed! Last semester, I was frustrated because I didn't have time to do yoga, and I was so stressed out. But I realized that the times when I'm busy and stressed - that's when I need to do yoga the most! It gives me energy and focus, confidence and calm, and it keeps my body working smoothly. I think I finally realized that I want to make yoga practice part of my lifestyle, not just a hobby. You won't find me up at 4.30 every morning doing sun salutations, but I need to be able to carve 30 minutes or a hour out of my day several times a week, just to keep up with myself.

I've also been introduced to FitYoga magazine, which I can get for free from my yoga studio. It can be a little exsistential in places, but I really like the articles with the asanas (positions). I always have trouble practicing at home because I can't think of stuff to do, but the magazine has lots of different postures and sequences to keep me from getting bored with one routine. Plus, it has TONS of pictures, so I can see what I'm supposed to be doing! Sometimes, doing yoga from written instructions is like playing Twister, so the pictures help a lot.

So, what have I been doing with my newfound serenity? Balancing it out with piracy, of course! Sid Meier's Pirates! (the ! is part of the title) decended into the magical $20 range, at which point there was no reason not to buy it. In fact, if you don't own this game already, you're out of excuses! It's a really great, totally fun game, and it's well worth your $20. There are several time periods to play in, four nationalities to choose from (Spanish, English, French and Dutch), lots of ship types, and a really cool-looking map-interface. If you like sims, you'll love it. If you don't really like sims but you like pirates, you'll love it. If you don't like sims or pirates, there's something wrong with you - seek help immediately.

I've also been playing Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates, a free multiplayer online puzzle game. If you like puzzle games, check out the 1 month free trial. I buckled and paid the subscription fee (which isn't bad), so if you're ever on, send me a /tell! I'm "Scuttle".

So, it's pretty much been pirate-overload here, but I'm having fun and even doing my online classes occassionally! Can't ask for more than that!