la, la, la, la, la. Does anyone remember that song?
Maybe it was from my long nights spent in Euro trash clubs in Boston, with my short shorts and long teased hair.
Sounded a lot better after a few goldschlager shots and a Zima. Oh, the old days.
Life.
Life is never convenient.
Never.
Things don't happen according to schedule. The blackberry. The plan.
Never.
Love,
sickness,
car batteries dying on Sunset and Laurel 30 minutes before you are supposed to teach a class.
Panic.
Lesson.
If I panic, I will miss the lesson.
So, I breathe.
Call AAA. What would any LA driver do without it? I never used it, ever, before last week.
I have called AAA three times in one week.
1st, I busted a tire and had to replace three.
2nd, I locked my keys in the car for the first time in my existence, right in the Liberation Yoga parking lot in Hollywood. I called them up and said that I was foolish and mindless and that I can see my keys sitting in the drivers seat.
I look into my car like there was a puppy or cheesecake inside. Longing, worried.
The AAA woman said that if I thought I was foolish that she may as well be the queen of fools because she's actually locked her keys in the car while it was running.
Everyone does it, she said.
Wow, so, I'm just like everyone else now, huh.
I've joined the club.
I'm an active member.
Well, I'm the mindful yoga teacher that's about to teach a class and has apparently left her keys, mind, cheesecake and puppy in the car.
3rd, I drop something off at a friend's apartment.
Parked in front of his driveway, I dash inside. I'm sooooo speedy. This will take a few seconds then off to my thousand other things to do. I get back downstairs. Not a full minute has passed and the car won't start.
I call AAA again. They don't even need to ask my name at this point, they just send someone over.
I call the necessary angels, the teacher to sub my class, the client I need to postpone, the thousand other things that need to wait until tomorrow and tomorrow. They will all wait. Life is happening.
I look forward to teaching. I look forward to my class at Liberation. My dear friend and fabulous teacher, Michele takes the lead.
My said friend that I was dropping something off too, offers to buy me dinner and drive me home if I need.
AAA takes me to a place in Hollywood to recup my poor little car.
I'm continually amazed at how much responsibility it takes to be an adult. I don't like it. I'd like to return it for a full refund of playing on the playground and coming home in time for grilled cheese and after-school specials, thank you very much.

My clients and students are always surprised when I have something planned for class. That's what you do as a teacher. You make the plan and then you throw it out the window when you find out who shows up in the classroom or how a client is feeling that particular day.

Teaching and training is improv.

As a yoga and fitness trainer, you have to plan to be surprised. So, of course, life would hand over the same lesson to me.

I don't think it's nearly as funny, though.

Last week, 3 tires, $246.
This week, new battery and starter $400.
Teaching the AAA guy yoga while my car is being repaired and he's chain smoking cigarettes while Michelle is subbing my class less than a mile away at Liberation Yoga...
priceless.
I've never taught yoga outside, in a mechanics shop with a chain smoker before.
His legs get tight. He's on the road all day.
So am I. I give him some moves between drags.
He puts the butt out. I actually see him stretch and breathe...
in Hollywood.
My car is fixed. I'm in debt, but happy I made someone's day.
He made mine.
I didn't make class.
My lesson...
be, wherever you are.
Because wherever you are you are needed.
Wherever you are, you are supposed to be, even if it is not part of the plan, the schedule, the blackberry.
I will see you all as scheduled, tomorrow and next week...
or will I?