I've been included in a Minnesota anthology "Under Purple Skies", now available on Amazon!

My second chapbook, "The Second Book of Pearl: The Cats" is now available as either a paper chapbook or as a downloadable item. See below for the Pay Pal link or click on its cover just to the right of the newest blog post to download to your Kindle, iPad, or Nook. Just $3.99 for inspired tales of gin, gambling addiction and inter-feline betrayal.

My first chapbook, I Was Raised to be A Lert is in its third printing and is available both via the PayPal link below and on smashwords! Order one? Download one? It's all for you, baby!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

I’m Thinking of Wearing A String Anklet

I went to a noon yoga class on Friday.

To be out in the world, moving amongst the people during the day? I’m like a rich person over here!

Have you been to places – outside of work – during the day? It’s another world altogether. The daytime people, moving about in the sunlight, they’re different than you and I.

There’s even a difference between my regular, 5:30 yoga class and the noon class, not in the flow but in the people.

Come with me, won’t you? You’re going to need to change – not that you don’t look great, because you do! – but you’re never going to be able to move properly in that skirt…

Outside of the first five minutes, there’s little chance to look around in a yoga class, not to mention that it’s not polite.

So let’s take a gander and be quick about it.

The biggest difference between this class and my usual class is the average age. Look around: I’m the oldest person here. Everyone else is clearly in their mid-20s. These are the waitresses, the bartenders, the musicians, the strippers, the unemployed and the wealthy. They don’t stand in line, they don’t awaken as the sun rises, and they’re not concerned that their tattoos will make them unemployable.

They also tend to wear bits of string on their ankles and wrists. I’m not sure what that’s about. Perhaps it’s a conservation-thing? Have those things been made of old clothing? Are they reducing their string footprint?

And of course I’ve already mentioned the tattoos. I’ve not mentioned the fact that some of these people are wearing wool stocking caps in a class that will average, over the course of the hour, 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The 5:30 class smells of rush-hour stress.

The noon class smells of sandalwood.

You know, I wouldn’t want to be in my 20s again, but today’s class reminded me: I need more sandalwood in my life.

17 comments:

a mouthy irish woman? ridiculous! said...

i think we could all use a little more sandlewood in our life's......awesome post pearl.

Beth said...

I know that smell of stress you speak of. Sandlewood? It seems like a distant memory.

Anonymous said...

What a great blog! And your timing is impeccable. And (literally) in the middle of moving and thought I would check Mom's blog (Kacklin' with KaLynn) and saw yours in her sidebar... It made me smile. Reminded me of Sandlewooded times. So, thank you. I, too, need to chill about and allow a little more Sandlewood in.

(And, if I remember correctly, the string jewelry has something to do with The Kaballah - I remember at a time Madonna and Britney Spears sporting them in their latest Religion O' the Day not too long ago.)

Thanks again for such a wonderful blog and reminder.

Take care of you!

Venom said...

Isn't it nice to get to the sandlewood stage of life? I would not go back to my 20's if there were a suitcase full of money in the deal...

ellen abbott said...

Sandlewood is my favorite scent (even way back in my 20s too). Would not want to re-do the 20s, or the 30s for that matter.

Jayne Martin said...

Sandlewood? For me it's patchouli oil and the sweet smell of weed.

mapstew said...

I'm one of the 'daytime people'. Yes, a musician with tattoos, who goes to the gym at noon and sometimes has the swimming pool all to hisself! Joy!

xxx

Anonymous said...

I always see all of the OLD people when I'm out and about during the day....
And I have NO idea what the string thing is... Interesting. Start the trend.

Douglas said...

How did you know I was wearing a skirt?

Linda said...

I too am one of the 'daytime people', having always worked second shift. How do you get anything done if you are working during business hours?!?

I work(ed) in customer service in a call center, and there is a big difference in both customer's and employee's attitudes between 1st and 2nd shifts-like day and night, you might say.

Not that people are more or less polite, but daytime callers are more, driven, shall we say, and reps have to match their pace.

Pat said...

I've heard that Minnesotans don't get sick much because the low temps kill almost all the viruses and bacteria. Is that an urban myth?

Neo said...

Pirate Named Neo was here, good read, keep it up I do enjoy your posts

Mandy_Fish said...

I need to know what the strings are.

Anonymous said...

Get more sandalwood, take a lot of it.

Bill Lisleman said...

Please stop by my blog - I'm presenting an award for you.

honest scrap award

Kavi said...

Sandalwood !! is in the news. With your post, i realise that thats the case all over the world !!

Soak it in..the woods are disappearing here !

Gadjo Dilo said...

Don't worry, I also am always the oldest person in any class I go to now. "Take a gander" - I thought that was exclusively Limey English, but it seems I was wrong :-)