Nearly every day of my adult life requires me to wake up with the use of an alarm. Waking up with an alarm is normal for me; I even tend to use an alarm on a day off to make sure I still get up and do something productive. The only time I find an alarm annoying is when I fail to get a minimum of 6 hours of sleep - my body seems to function semi-normally as long as I get 6 hours a night, but it really wants 8 or 9 hours if possible.
Remember how I said I was subbing classes for another instructor? I was originally supposed to sub for about two and a half weeks, but just wrapped things up this week after subbing for four weeks! I definitely loved having the extra work and seeing my students more often, yet my body is ready for a break!
Tomorrow I have nothing on my calendar until 8pm. I can't tell you how excited I am to snuggle up in my bed tonight! And I will NOT be setting an alarm for tomorrow.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Sunday, February 8, 2015
The Magic Castle
Our final group consisted of 6 people; Blaine, a catcher in the flying trapeze world and aerial performer, his girlfriend Leia who is also an aerialist, my business partner Mike and his date (her name is escaping me right now), and myself with my friend/date Chris (not in the circus world at all). We arrived early and entered the castle for our dinner reservations, whispering a magic word to an owl on the bookshelf to reveal the secret door. Once everyone had met each other's dates we sat down in the lounge to listen to invisible Irma (a ghost) play the piano. If you ever get a chance to visit with Irma be sure to ask her what the scariest song she knows is - it cracked us up!
When our time to dine arrived we headed upstairs to the restaurant. Everyone visiting the castle is required to make dinner reservations and order an entree, and they start around $35/plate. With the main course, a few appetizers, and desserts to share, and gratuity included, our bill for 6 people was just over $400! We did know what we were getting into and splurged a little anyway - we were already there, why not enjoy the experience?
Wandering the castle after dinner was the best part of the night. Because we went during the week the castle wasn't very crowded and we could easily get in to see various performances. We saw shows in three different rooms, such as the Parlor of Prestidigitation (say that 5 times fast!), and the Close-Up Gallery, a tiny room that seated about 25 people, where the usher had me sit at the front table next to the performing magician! Because of my viewpoint I could figure out some of the illusions that were being done, but there were many I could not! A few other magicians performed in little alcoves along the hallway as well, and a couple of them even offered us their business cards with an invitation for us to come to the castle again in the future.
It was a fun night filled with good food and entertainment, and it was even more satisfying to have everyone in our group just enjoy each other's company, even though walking into the evening some people didn't know each other well, or at all. The conversation between everyone never once felt awkward or forced; a perk of growing up I guess?
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| Chris, me, Blaine, and Leia outside of the castle at the end of the night (photos aren't allowed inside); Mike and his date left later. |
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Happy Tired
It's only 4:30pm on Saturday and my eyes are drooping and my head is starting to do that bob to keep it from dropping as I start to doze.
I'm a week and a half through my subbing duties at work, and let me tell you - I'm exhausted! Not to mention I let myself fall in to a bad sleeping patten this week, and I feel as though I could say goodnight right now and sleep the whole night through. Hopefully blogging and grocery shopping will help me fight off the zzzz's so I can go to bed at a more normal time tonight and reset my internal clock.
To recount a little of my week I drove hundreds of miles, taught 11 classes, trained with a friend on hoop, and took a flexibility class. It's a lot (physically), but I am happy. Happy to be working, happy to be training, and happy that something I love is providing my income. Even more, I'm happy to see my students progressing, getting stronger, and recognizing the improvement in their own abilities. It's rewarding to see the direct results of my efforts. I'm one lucky gal to be able to follow my dreams.
I'm a week and a half through my subbing duties at work, and let me tell you - I'm exhausted! Not to mention I let myself fall in to a bad sleeping patten this week, and I feel as though I could say goodnight right now and sleep the whole night through. Hopefully blogging and grocery shopping will help me fight off the zzzz's so I can go to bed at a more normal time tonight and reset my internal clock.
To recount a little of my week I drove hundreds of miles, taught 11 classes, trained with a friend on hoop, and took a flexibility class. It's a lot (physically), but I am happy. Happy to be working, happy to be training, and happy that something I love is providing my income. Even more, I'm happy to see my students progressing, getting stronger, and recognizing the improvement in their own abilities. It's rewarding to see the direct results of my efforts. I'm one lucky gal to be able to follow my dreams.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Little Blessings
Working as an aerial instructor is not the same as a 40 hour per week office job. Obviously, I don't work in an office and I definitely don't work 40 hours a week! In fact, I don't think I've ever met an aerial instructor that teaches 40 hours a week - besides the job being physially demanding, studios typically want to offer a variety of classes and instructors that fit the many different needs of their students.
Right now I have a rather light teaching schedule of 5 classes per week between two studios, totaling 5 hours and 15 minutes of teaching time. Even though I get paid competitive wages for my classes, 5 hours a week is not quite enough work to afford any sort of California lifestyle (hello, rent!). Because of the need to pay my bills I often pick up side jobs: foreign language tutoring, house sitting, dog sitting, kid sitting, floral set ups...you get the picture. As it is, there are some months where I worry that I won't be able to pay all my bills on time.
This month was starting to look like one of those worrisome months; I had even put off grocery shopping and was making do with what I have in the cupboard to save money.
!!Side note!!
I'm not starving by any means, I just can't splurge. I try to stock a few extra supplies in the pantry during the more profitable months for occasions such as this one. I'm good. Honest.
A few days ago I was very happy and grateful to be asked by one studio owner to sub a LOT of classes for another instructor when she goes out of town later this month. I didn't take every class I was offered (I turned down the Sunday classes to attend church), but I am doubling my weekly workload for nearly three weeks! I'll be doing a bit more running around between studio locations, but I am totally jazzed that the studio owner reached out to me first.
Worrisome month? Gone. Someone is totally watching out for me.
Right now I have a rather light teaching schedule of 5 classes per week between two studios, totaling 5 hours and 15 minutes of teaching time. Even though I get paid competitive wages for my classes, 5 hours a week is not quite enough work to afford any sort of California lifestyle (hello, rent!). Because of the need to pay my bills I often pick up side jobs: foreign language tutoring, house sitting, dog sitting, kid sitting, floral set ups...you get the picture. As it is, there are some months where I worry that I won't be able to pay all my bills on time.
This month was starting to look like one of those worrisome months; I had even put off grocery shopping and was making do with what I have in the cupboard to save money.
!!Side note!!
I'm not starving by any means, I just can't splurge. I try to stock a few extra supplies in the pantry during the more profitable months for occasions such as this one. I'm good. Honest.
A few days ago I was very happy and grateful to be asked by one studio owner to sub a LOT of classes for another instructor when she goes out of town later this month. I didn't take every class I was offered (I turned down the Sunday classes to attend church), but I am doubling my weekly workload for nearly three weeks! I'll be doing a bit more running around between studio locations, but I am totally jazzed that the studio owner reached out to me first.
Worrisome month? Gone. Someone is totally watching out for me.
Monday, December 29, 2014
I, Lorelai
I've compared aspects of my life to Lorelai Gilmore from the TV show Gilmore Girls before, and I'm about to again. Don't worry - I don't actually think I am Lorelai, or that my life in some way parallels hers, yet, with any long running show one is likely to find situations or sentiments that resonate with your own.
Christmastime is known for family time, and every year I am blessed enough to travel back to my parent's house and open gifts with a large number of nieces and nephews. I always end my vacation spoiled and content; this year was no exception. I am so surrounded by people who care about me at Christmas I could never feel alone.
And then I go home for New Years. Maybe it's because of the traditional midnight kiss, or the abrupt change of being with a large family to once again being far away from almost every blood relative, but New Years makes me acutely aware that I don't have a family of my own, or even a significant other on hand (most years) with whom to count down the hours. To quote Lorelai:
"There are very few times in my life when I find myself sitting around thinking 'I wish I was married'...but every now and then, just for a moment, I wish I had a partner. Someone to pick up the slack, someone to wait for the cable guy, make me [herbal tea] in the morning."
I feel you, sister. I am happy with my life - I've started my own business, I work several other wonderful jobs on the side, I live in a good place with good roommates, and have made good friends along the way, but sometimes, about this time of year, I feel that longing for more, to be headed into the new year and into new adventures with someone by my side.
Christmastime is known for family time, and every year I am blessed enough to travel back to my parent's house and open gifts with a large number of nieces and nephews. I always end my vacation spoiled and content; this year was no exception. I am so surrounded by people who care about me at Christmas I could never feel alone.
And then I go home for New Years. Maybe it's because of the traditional midnight kiss, or the abrupt change of being with a large family to once again being far away from almost every blood relative, but New Years makes me acutely aware that I don't have a family of my own, or even a significant other on hand (most years) with whom to count down the hours. To quote Lorelai:
"There are very few times in my life when I find myself sitting around thinking 'I wish I was married'...but every now and then, just for a moment, I wish I had a partner. Someone to pick up the slack, someone to wait for the cable guy, make me [herbal tea] in the morning."
I feel you, sister. I am happy with my life - I've started my own business, I work several other wonderful jobs on the side, I live in a good place with good roommates, and have made good friends along the way, but sometimes, about this time of year, I feel that longing for more, to be headed into the new year and into new adventures with someone by my side.
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