So i was just browsing through our local paper and noticed that one of the local school districts was discussing the addition of yoga to the physical education curriculum for 4th and 7th graders. A move- i might add- that has been done in schools throughout the country. Apparently, there was a heated discussion at this board meeting because some parents do not agree with teaching a practice (well, they did not use that term) that has Eastern origins.

huh?

Some quotes from the article:

"The yoga proposals...drew parents to the the Bus Barn... for a lenthy talk about the suitability (italics mine) of yoga in public schools."

" ' Several parents expressed concerns about the proposals... Their major concerns were that yoga is historically based in Eastern religions and they felt it was counter to their beliefs to have students doing yoga in the school."

(beliefs about no religion in schools? no eastern religions in school? no hippie-liberal-vegan-crazie things in schools? no activities that will actually benefit their children in schools?)

but apparently..

"In general, the parents and board members who were in attendance favored the idea of physical movement and relaxation for our students.'"

oh, well, ok then.

however,

".. a motion was made to suport the yoga programs if the term 'yoga' were removed from the description, if parents were notified about the program, and if alternatives were available for students whose parents did not want them participating...."

I see. So, let me get this straight. As long as you don't use that funny non-English word to describe what they're doing, they can pose like a Cobra (on second thought, maybe we should call it a Garter Snake pose...then the kids will be able to relate), Pigeon, or Warrior (Sniper Pose, anyone?).

Maybe it will backfire, and yoga will become the new clandestine activity. Preteens will sneak out of their bedroom windows at night to meet at Haili's house, who's hippie dad will look the other way while they do Sun Salutations in the barn. Smug parents will believe their good red-white-and blue blood kids are getting buff from tossing the ball in spring Little League, when really, ol' Junior is able to hold Crocodile pose with his belly off the floor for longer than any other 4th and 7th grader at school. Namaste will be whispered after the morning flag salute, and asthmatics will breathe deeply for the first time in years.

Yeah, challenging yoga in schools, that could be a good thing.

it's been a long time since i've been around the ole' pottyparty neighborhood. in fact, i've been quite far away; we took ourselves a little trip out west and frolicked around the old neighborhoods of Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara and came home by way of Vail (which, i highly recommend) and now i am finally over my traveling hangover and finding my way back here.

it's occured to me that i lack regularity in my life- ok, *sometimes* in the potty-way, but mostly in the way of being consistent. i can't take a daily vitamin for more than 3 days consecutively to save my life. getting my hair cut takes somewhere on the order of 7 or 8 months. exercise used to be one of my more regular pursuits, and now its a luxary i covet desperately.
this lack of regularity, or consistency has never really been an issue until i had children and my life became complicated and different. when you only have to look out for yourself, its much, much easier to keep up with things. being busy makes people either hyper-consistent so they dont forget anything, or hyper-scatterbrained and unable to attend to much other than necessities. Seeing myself fall into the latter category, i have began awhile back to see what i was going to lose, principally- some relationships. so, i have set up with 2 of my best friends regular monthly phone calls on dates that are easy to remember.

it's fabulous.

i no longer have to put "try to call bartlebee" on my To Do list, and stewing about why she hasn't called me is no longer a layer of my stress. Same with my other friend.

I think this blog is going to become my next regularly scheduled program. and in short order, i will have 2 blogs, as i plan to start a new one focusing on our move up to Appleton which is officially going to happen, not just because we say so, but because someone is offering us real money for our house! yup- news just in, numbers headed our way on monday. pray for a spendthrift kind of offer....

someone once told me that Organization is Freedom. i agreed wholeheartedly at the time and would muse upon it every once in awhile and organize some corner of my life and then promptly fall back into bondage within a week. but, i'm ready to try once again to try and break free of the chains and add a bit more regularity and organization, bit by bit to my life. Course, it took me 24 hours to post this since Liam woke up mid-post last night and i am only just getting back to it, but a job finished is a job finished.