About a month ago, our little $9.00 toaster from Target died.

In abject panic, my immediate thought was to run out and buy a new one.  What was I going to do without my toaster???  Luckily, not having a car makes it tough to dash out and buy things. So I paused … and I remembered that I has just discovered the over broiler.  Unlike previous ovens, this one’s a bottom drawer that just so happens to be the perfect size and height for making toast!

Good-bye, toaster!  Hello, broiler!

One less gadget to store (in a kitchen with 2.5′ of counter space that’s awesome!) and the broiler is actually faster than the old toaster.  I’m still learning how to gauge time so I don’t end up with burned toast, but I think I’m in love.

Funny how, with a breath and some ingenuity, what seems like a problem turns into a wonderful new experience!

So you can imagine my joy when I was introduced to “rock star” earlier this week (Adena’s 4:00pm class at yogapower in Waltham, MA). We came into the pose from side plank and I could feel my chest fall open, my shoulder blades move down and in … and I was grinning like a fool the entire time. Love at first pose.  So of course, I have to share my love and all my classes this week have incorporated rock star as a mid-way point for deeper backbends. Love rock star and I’m starting to reconsider my perspective on backbends in general.

Rockstar Yoga
75 minutes
(Much gratitude to Adena for inspiring this sequence!)

supported fish
roll to table top
cat/cow
opposite arm/leg extension, with optional bind
all-fours core (press toenails to mat, lift knees one inch – YIKES!)
downward facing dog
high plank
down dog
plank with knees down
lower to belly
cobra
all fours
down dog
three-legged dog
runner’s lunge
pyramid
(breathe lunge/pyramid three times, then repeat other side)
walk to front of mat
tadasana
om om om
vinyasa to down dog

dolphin

down dog
three-legged dog with hip opener
core plank
three legged dog
runners lunge
crescent lunge
tall twist
reverse twist
windmill down to plank
side plank
ROCKSTAR
vinyasa to down dog

three-legged dog
core plank
three-legged dog
warrior II
reverse warrior
half moon with optional bind
warrior II
reverse warrior
reverse triangle
triangle
prasaritta A/B
revolved triangle
utkatasana twist
dancer

half pigeon

(take mats to the wall and roll egde of mat in 3-4 times that’s closest to wall to provide knee padding)
quad stretch against the wall
lunge out from wall

(lengthen mat back out)

bridge/wheel at wall
supta baddha konasana
happy baby
inversion at wall
spinal twist
savasana, optional legs up the wall

Note: “Rockstar” and variations are also called “Wild Thing”.  Two names you cannot go wrong with in a yoga class!

My second annual Year in Books is coming up soon.  I always like seeing the breakdown of what I read, genres, etc… It’s an interesting retrospective and a fun way to remember the very good and the very worst books I came across in 2011.

To finish out the year, here are the books I read in December.  Links take you to full reviews on Goodreads.com.

The Black Hawk (The Spymaster’s Lady #5), Joanna Bourne
4 stars
Adrian Hawhurst, head of Britain’s spy network, a man very rarely surprised, is just that when former lover and current enemy Justine DeCabrillac stumbles up to his front door, gravely wounded, and seeking help.

The Kitchen House, Kathleen Grissom
4 stars
A darker, grittier, violent version of The Help. If you felt The Help was weird and wishy-washy, pick up The Kitchen House. Read as an ebook. (December book club pick)

Flawless (The Christies #1), Carrie Lofty
4 stars
Late 1800s South African setting, an estranged marriage, a diamond mine and a whole lotta angst make this a different type of romance. If you haven’t yet read Lofty, this new series is the place to start.

A Murderous Process (Mistress of the Art of Death #4), Ariana Franklin
3 stars
Adelia & co. accompany the King’s young daughter to Sicily for her marriage to Henry’s cousin, the King of Sicily. An old enemy of Adelia’s is tagging along and the body count start to rise the closer they get to their destination.

Roseanna (Martin Beck #1), Maj Sjowall, Per Wahloo
2 stars, DNF
I didn’t dislike this book, but I didn’t like it either.  Too “meh”-lancholy in characters and setting.  Meh.

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows (A Flavia de Luce Mystery #4), Alan Bradly
4 stars
It’s Christmas at Buckshaw and Flavia is right in the thick of things. Precocious, wise and funny, Flavia is simply jolly good fun.

I explored more styles of yoga and attend some wonderful classes and workshops.  I am in better control of my finances with an emergency fund, a travel fund and a plan to pay off student debt.  Career goals were tougher, but I remain positive in the face of transition. As for fitness/wellness, I finished my first 5K, though not in under 30  minutes, and learned that I can run!

When thinking of my goals and resolutions for 2012,  I realized my yoga goals make a pretty awesome intention for the entire year. They all have one thing in common: FLIGHT.  In 2012 I want to figure out crow (bakasana) and headstand (sirsasana). Both poses require learning to lift off the ground and find flight and balance in space.  Both poses require a solid foundation and a trust that even if the foundation shifts, you can take a breath and try again. Sounds like a perfect theme for 2012 to me!

Thus, 2012 is THE YEAR OF FLIGHT.

YOGA
- Crow Pose: figure it out, get into it, and hold it for 3-5 breaths
- Sirsasana: figure it out, get into it, wall support is totally ok
- Continue to invest in my practice and my teaching by attending workshops and classes
- Commit to a home practice and complete a 30 day “home practice” challenge to set the habit

FINANCIAL
- Pay off 1/3 of my student debt by 12/31/2011
- Continue to build the travel fund (possible goal: Thailand in 20??)
- Become a more savvy budgeter (this includes actually creating a budget and having a “come to Jesus” with shopping)

CAREER
- Stay employed
- Own my new responsibilities and role in the library. This is a year for me to shine and become a resource and local expert for my colleagues

FITNESS/WELLNESS
- Continue to eat healthy, happily and safely (I really like that goal.)
- Work with a personal trainer to build a habit out of weight training and cardio

PERSONAL
- read more poetry and non-fiction
- be kinder to myself (positive self-talk and belief)
- learn to appreciate black coffee
- wear mascara 2 or less days a week

What are your goals and resolutions for 2012?

Question for Perusers: are you part of a book club?  If so, what do you read? A specific genre or anything that looks interesting? How to do you choose what book to read next?

Oryx and Crake (MaddAddam Trilogy #1), Margaret Atwood
4 stars
Titillating, horrifying and fascinating, Atwood truly is the queen of “speculative fiction.” I have read anything of hers since The Handmaid’s Tale when I was in high school. I plan to remedy that in 2012.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Jamie Ford
3 stars
Some glaring anachronisms and a terribly maudlin ending kept this book from being as good as it could have been. The middle sections, set in the 1940s though, are a vivid depiction of being Asian in the US in World War II.

Follow My Lead (The Blue Raven #3), Kate Nobe
3 stars
A good close to the Blue Raven series, I was delighted to read about younger brother Jason. Different setting (Germany) and two character who are definitely not your stock type made for a fun romp.

Grade Goods (Mistress of the Art of Death #3), Ariana Franklin
4 stars
To help quell an uprising in Wales, King Henry needs to know if two recently discovered skeletons are in truth Guinevere and Arthur of legend. Adelia finds herself with much more than she bargained for, as multiple mysteries and deaths start piling up.

The Thief (The Queen’s Thief #1), Megan Whalen Turner
3 stars
Slow to get started and get the world figured out, but an interesting start to a series. I’ll check out book two for sure.

Leonardo’s Swans, Karen Essex
DNF
Enjoyed the relationship between the sisters and the characterization of Leonardo da Vinci was awesome. However, the choice to write in the present tense, and then not stick to it, was distracting to the point of headache. Not worth continuing.

When working with shoulders I emphasize three major points:

1. shoulder blades on top of the back, accessing the serratus anterior muscles to keep the bottom tips of the shoulder blades tucked in, rather than winging out. (For a great write up on the serratus anterior, check out Sarah Court’s post on YogaDork.)

2. broad collarbones and an open heart.

3. knees down will build more strength than you can possible imagine. So get over yourself, get over your ego and stick you knees on the mat. (Yoga tough love.)

Strong, open shoulders are a key component to an open heart and chest. Let’s get opening!!

Strong Shoulders a la Michael Mann
Time: 90 minutes
Suggested music: Justin Bieber mashups and Passion Pit (::wink::)

table top
cat/cow
thread the needle
tuck toes & lift knees 2 inches (ABS!)
downward facing dog
down dog to high plank, hold plank
three legged dog
bend knee, open hip
core plank
three legged dog
step to low lunge
deepen lunge on inhale
exhale back to pyramid pose/hamstring stretch
pulse with breath four times
runner’s lunge
down dog

step to front of mat
tadasana
side stretch
intention setting
om om om

step back to down dog
dolphin with fingers interlaced
walk back to dolphin plank
child’s pose
down dog
three legged dog
core plank: right knee to outside of right elbow (maybe arm balance)
three legged dog
crescent lunge
eagle
airplane
crescent lunge
step back to plank
side plank
vinyasa

down dog
runners lunge
back knee to mat
modified twist with knee down 3 breaths
lift knee and open arms
half bind top arm
lift hips high and breath for 3-5 breaths
lift up to warrior II
reverse warrior
side angle
half/full bind
reverse warrior
triangle
prasarita A/B
walk hands around to back of mat and lunge into opposite knee
repeat standing sequence from runners lunge
walk hands around to front of mat

dolphin (forearms parallel to each other on mat)
forearm balance or little hops

active child’s pose (pressing hands to mat, drawing shoulder blades and hips back)
inchworm/puppy pose (anahatasana)
sphinx
prone shoulder stretch
locusts with block between ankles and hands interlaced
floor bow
table top
down dog
jump through to seated, roll to back
supported bridge/bridge/wheels for 20-25 breaths

supta baddha konasana
knees to chest
happy baby
rock n roll to down dog

half pigeon/double pigeon

inversion

supine twist

savasana

(Links take you to full reviews on Goodreads.com.)

Good-bye, Chunky Rice, Craig Thompson
4 stars
A beautiful, short elegy to the things we leave behind when we grow up.  Thompson’s illustrations are so expressive, you don’t even need text.

Dark Road to Darjeeling (Lady Julia #4), Deanna Raybourn
3 stars
Light on mystery, but deep on Julia and Brisbane’s relationship. Deeply insightful into marriage and partnership.

Three Nights With a Scoundrel (Stud Club #3), Tessa Dare
4 stars
Finally we get to Julian and Lily’s book! One of the most interesting pairings I’ve ever read. Not too often you get a deaf heroine and a non-gentry hero!

First Comes Marriage (Huxtable Quintet #1), Mary Balogh
2 stars
Love Mary Balogh, but this wasn’t her best. To quote The Bloggess, the hero is a total douchcanoe and the heroine is impossible chipper and annoying.

What Happens in London (Bevelstole #2), Julia Quinn
4 stars
Light, charming, wonderful romance with great dialogue, OMGHOT scenes and lovely secondary characters. Nothing too deep here, but sometimes that’s all you need: comfort food for the soul.

The Dark Enquiry (Lady Julia #5), Deanna Raybourn
4 stars
This mystery aims at the heart of Julia’s family and explores some of the deeper secrets men and women keep from each other. Excellent mystery and wonderful relationship building for Julia and Brisbane.

Silk is for Seduction (The Dressmakers #1), Loretta Chase
3 stars
Interesting new series from Grande Dame of Regency romance: all three heroines are dressmakers. Dress porn abounds, but the story feels unfinished (series syndrome). It’s also hurt by an annoying plot moppet.

The Serpent’s Tale (Mistress of the Art of Death #2), Ariana Franklin
3 stars
Menacingly atmospheric, what this book does well is compromised by lots of repetition, character confusion, and the noticeable absence of the more beloved secondary characters.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen, Christopher McDougall
4 stars
Inspiring storytelling, though a bit meandering in places. McDougall has me convinced of the Running Man evolutionary theory and I am amped to try barefoot running.

I encourage you to join in this month of appreciation, either by posting your own daily thoughts on your blog, Twitter, Facebook or taking a quiet moment during the day to count the things you are grateful for. When you take the time to notice all the good around you, it’s amazing how that good increases.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

image from smitten kitchen

I was introduced to yin yoga a little over a year ago when I attended the beautiful Rhea‘s class in Cambridge, MA. It was the perfect compliment to my previously only power and vinyasa yoga practice. (And really, separating those out is splitting yogic hairs.)

Anyhow, power yoga and yin yoga were made for each other and the two styles have become the peanut butter and chocolate of my practice. I just gotta have ‘em together.

I love my power/vinyasa practice: I love the intensity, the heat, the ability to go upside down and attempt to balance on parts of my body that seem completely insane. I love the predictability and creativity in a power yoga class. The downside of a vinyasa and power practice is that it’s all movement, all the time.  With the possible exception of half-pigeon, most poses are held for no more than 5 breaths and those are are designed to maximize intensity.  I’m not knocking power yoga or vinyasa, it’s what I love and teach, but the gentle stillness of yin has a lot to teach, too.

Yin yoga targets the connective tissue of the body. It is slower paced, maybe 4 or 5 poses on each side, and is usually performed with lots of props: blocks, straps, bolsters, blankets, and towels. It is absolutely scrumptious! I am often more sore after a yin class than a power yoga class due to the deep stretching.

The slower pace of a yin class also allows lots of time for deep breathing, relaxation, meditation and, often, napping. It’s often jokingly said that a yin class needs to come with a warning label: “do not drive, attempt to talk, walk, or operate heavy machinery after class.”  This is seriously yoga-coma-inducing!

If you’ve never tried a yin class before, go try it out! It’s magnificent. Best of all, you don’t need to have any previous yoga experience. EVERYone will benefit from their very first class.

Any one regularly practice (or teach) yin yoga? What do you love about it?

For added fun, here’s my quick yin home practice

Yin at Home
Props: two couch pillows of equal size, two hand or dish towels
Soundtrack: the chillest music you got. I love The Swell Season and Bon Iver.

supported supta baddha konasana (pillow under each knee, 1 rolled towel beneath neck)

knees to chest and rock to table top

cat/cow

child’s pose (pillow under chest and forehead to start. Hold for a few minutes. Remove chest pillow and thread right arm under torso, reaching out to left for shoulder stretch. Can turn right cheek to pillow under head. Eventually unthread and send left arm under to right side)

sphinx (towel under hips bones, pillow under forearms)

table top

roll onto your back

supported fish (pillows or rolled towels under back (the long way) and under neck (the short way), adjusting height as needed so shoulders and chest relax)

hamstring/inner thigh stretch (right knee to chest, loop towel across instep and press foot to ceiling, hold 3-4 minutes.  Switch to right hand, keeping left hip on mat, slowly lower foot our to right, resting on floor on or block. Hold 3-4 minutes)

IT band/outer thigh stretch (bring leg back up to center, sole of foot towards ceiling, switch straps to left hand and slowly lower foot out to the left, supporting on a block. Hold 4-5 minutes)

repeat leg stretches with left leg

gentle twist (with pillow between knees)

savasana (pillows under knees and rolled towel under neck)

image from cozy.spicy.saintly

Some days just call for a simple class taught with maximum amounts of joy. No intense themeing or “peak pose” that you’re trying to achieve, but a plain, simple, deliciously vanilla flow that hits all the right spots. A flow where you can focus on breath and breath alone.

This, for me, is that sequence.

Simple – Joyful – Yoga
(approx 75 minutes)

seated side bend
gentle seated twist
table top
cat/cow
thread the needle shoulder stretch
downward facing dog
high plank and hold for 5 breaths
down dog

low lunge, knee to mat, arms up overhead
vinyasa and repeat on other side

tadasana
vinyasa
three legged dog, hip open
runner’s lunge
crescent lunge
warrior II
reverse warrior
vinyasa and repeat

three legged dog, hip open
warrior I
humble warrior
warrior II
side angle
half bind
half moon
triangle
prasarita A/B/variations
parsvottanasana (gratitude pose)
revolved triangle
forward fold at front of mat
utkatasana twist (going opposite of revolved triangle)
padangustasana/padahastasana
vinyasa to child’s pose
breathe in childs pose for 10-15 breaths, then repeat standing sequence

from down dog, step up to tadasana
dancer
eagle

vinyasa to downdog and step through to lay on back
supported bridge
bridge with block in between thighs
supta baddha konasana
happy baby
rock n roll to down dog
half pigeon or double pigeon
paschimottanasana
supported fish
inversion (viparita is my fav!)
spinal twist
savasana