I set my alarm for 5:30. Of course, I was then awake from about 3am on worried that if the alarm really did go off, The Dog would wake up which would then wake everyone else up... so I kept waking up, looking at the clock, drifting off, waking up... repeat, rinse, cycle again. The reason I set the alarm clock so early was to try and take the Motrin 1.5 hours prior to practice rather than right as I'm leaving. So in the dark, under the covers (so as not to wake up The Dog or at least let him know I was awake), I managed to open the Motrin, find 4 pills and down them before then drifting back off to sleep, forgetting to set the alarm to a more reasonable 6:15. Fortunately, I managed to wake up again around 6:20 and fled out the door. Practice started out stiff... icky... and I started early in the still cold room since I had a conference call at 8:40. YogaChickie, the last two days, for your benefit, I've timed my practice (since both days I had no time to dilly dally around) to Supta Kurmasana... 45 minutes easy BUT I only usually do 3 and 3 of Surya A & B and I have been skipping Somakonasana and Hanumanasana which you guys don't do anyway but we normally do at our studio.

Kiran was next to me today and at some point, after watching her do Bakasana, the light bulb went off for me that part of the reason I am mentally incapacitated with this pose is that I'm afraid of the landing. I am still working through chatarungas... I can only occasionally do them correctly without bearing some weight on my arms from my sides and I definitely would be afraid to land that and be in the correct position... so I leaned over to tell this alarming news to Kiran who then told me that I should move from Bakasana into plank instead of chatarunga... and she nicely gave me a demonstration... after which we looked up to the face of our teacher with one of those looks that you aren't sure resembles your dad when you are 15 and caught smoking a joint out of a soda can in the back of school (no no, not like that ever happened to me or anything) or an indulgent smile you might give your five year old chatterbox. Shortly thereafter Kiran leaned over and said "He's gonna give you that pose today." To which I replied "No no, I don't want it."

Kapotasana wasn't as readily available for me today... and I didn't have time to do it a bunch of times like I like to.... and then Supta Vajrasana... after which I was met with "Okay, Julie, today... Bakasana... since you had the lesson from Kiran." He then informed me that my exit had to be correct. Great. After my first attempt my teacher said "Looks like we'll be staying here for awhile." Gee, ya think? :)

I did Bakasana about 7 times. The first few times I can kick one foot out (the left one) but the right one just doesn't go. Finally I managed to get the right one to kick out but not at the same as the left one.... then finally I got them both out and back at the same time but I landed on my belly (and my teacher didn't see this attempt)... my last two attempts were poor imitations of attempts.... but I suppose now I have something to chew on since I really am the only person on the planet that can't jump out of Bakasana.

Bakasana... there probably isn't a pose I dread more than Bakasana and that includes Kapotasana. But there you have it... Bakasana on my plate... Bakasana... Bakasana... Bakasana.

End Whine & Dine.