SLATE Real Basics Computer Workshop is Rewarding

Each month, I’ll be sharing a “Great Story” about my service with AmeriCorps St. Louis at SLATE Missouri Career Center. Below is my first story, about the basic computer skills workshops I’ve been teaching.

My first month or so at SLATE has been an eye-opening and rewarding experience. When I think to a time that exemplifies both of these overarching themes, I think to the Real Basics Computer Skills workshop I have taught.

Attendees range in age, sex, race and gender, but all have one thing in common: they know very little about the basic operation of computers. As the students trickle into the workshop room, a small classroom with nine computers, I greet them and tell them to have a seat at one of the computers. I watch as they sit dumbfounded by the machine in front of them. It appears that they are scared to touch it, as if it is an explosive with a lit fuse.

When I begin to deliver the information to them, their eyes widen. Many gaze into the screen, jaws dropped with amazement at the white arrow moving across the screen, along with their movement of the mouse. The mice, by the way, have been the older sets’ most challenging skill to learn. Aged hands, often arthritic from years of labor, have a hard time maneuvering the small, delicate electronic devices. Patience is practiced here on both the student and teacher’s end, especially when it comes to the dreaded double-click!

With a few laughs and practice, by the end of the hour-and-a-half session, about half the class feels comfortable with the materials. Others, still unsure about the new world of technology that has been unleashed upon them, ask if they can come back next week. Many do. In fact, for the three weeks I’ve taught the class, a few students have been to each session. They are slowly improving and arrive with a positive, dedicated demeanor that makes me happy to assist them for as long as it may take.

This experience is eye-opening because, having grown up in a generation that was born double-clicking, I’ve never had the difficulty that some students do. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like for people who have gone more than half a century from not needing or wanting to touch a computer to now relying on the mystery machine to find their next paycheck. I am thankful that this potentially frustrating circumstance has not, at least on the surface, ruined the students’ desire to continue learning and practicing this evolving technology.

Coming up next: I’m still working on finishing Deepak Chopra’s new book…a review and insight on that to come!

Reiki

Last Monday, after listening to Deepak Chopra speak to the power of the mind to heal the body and reading from his new book, “Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul,” I decided to make an appointment for a Reiki treatment. I had never experienced Reiki before, and had always been intrigued by the (what I thought to be)  non-massage-massage.

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing. Reiki practitioners use their hands to promote the flow of “life force energy” through the body.

For the previous month or so, I had been feeling drained. I’d been battling a cold for weeks, which included lots of coughing and a nearly constant runny nose. I was sick of being sick! A Reiki session seemed to be in order.

I made an appointment with the Reiki and massage therapist who practices at one of the gyms I teach yoga at (gotta love employee discounts!). She was able to get me in last Wednesday. I heard from two friends that I would love Reiki. One even shared that her experience was so powerful she cried afterward! I had varying expectations as the day of my appointment approached.

I arrived at my appointment after a extremely stressful and annoying situation at work…being talked at for nearly 2 hours by a person who was ignorant to the fact that his ideals were falling on deaf ears…but that’s another story…

So, with all these emotions of frustration, anger and anxiety boiling about in my body, I followed my therapist into a small room with a massage table. I’d had massages before, so this was all familiar to me.

For Reiki, you keep your clothes on. I laid with my back on the table (each time I have a massage, I want one of these things in my house!). My therapist instructed me to being with deep abdominal breathing…I guessed to get myself to relax and settle into the room.

The “treatment” is hard to describe. My therapist brought her hands to different parts of my body and held them there for varied lengths of time. I eventually turned onto my stomach, and she touched other areas of my body. Finally, she brushed my body with her hands as if she were brushing off dust.

I was instructed to slowly sit up. I was a bit light headed at first, more relaxed than when I walked into the small room. The therapist asked me to rate my level of relaxation from 1-10. I felt pretty relaxed, so I said between a 7 and 8. She looked at me with surprise, and said that usually people will let out a sigh at some point and let go completely.

I took that to mean that I was not one of those people. I reevaluated my answer…my mind was still during the session, but perhaps my body was tense…

To be honest, I left the room feeling slightly defeated and wondering if any of the treatment would “take” after all! I decided there was nothing I could do now, I just had to wait and see what happened.

I taught a class about 15 minutes after my treatment. Class was great, as usual. I went home, ate, read, slept. The next morning I woke up and did a mental scan of my body for any illness. I felt pretty good, the best I had in a while.

I wasn’t sure if I should attribute all my healing to the Reiki or the Emergen-C I’d been taking for days. Either way, I was glad to be feeling like my old self!

Since my treatment, which was about 5 days ago, I’ve been feeling better every day! On the second day, I felt an openness in my neck and lower part of the back of my head (areas I’d mentioned to the therapist as being tight and holding much stress).

I am undecided as to whether I will go back for another session. I think I will be able to become more relaxed the next time because I will know what to expect. I believe my inability to relax was from anxiety about the session and the expectations I’d had. But, I’m unsure whether I will go back to the same place (it wasn’t till after the session that I was told the rates had changed and raised…ugh!).

I am excited to try other forms of healing. Anyone out there have suggestions? What have your experiences with this type of therapy been?

Update!

For anyone out there still reading this lil blog, I am still alive!

I’ve had trouble deciding what to write about, though there hasn’t been a shortage of interesting happenings in my life since August 14th (the last time I posted!).

One of the biggest changes in my life has been my new position as a Member of AmeriCorps, the Career Corps, specifically. The Career Corps is a new program for AmeriCorps-St. Louis, which was designed to help alleviate the overcrowding in career centers across the state of Missouri. So, for the past month or so (man, it’s gone by fast!), I’ve been serving at SLATE (St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment) Missouri Career Center in downtown St. Louis.

My efforts have mainly been dedicated to assisting our clients while they search and apply for jobs online. There is a huge portion of our population that hasn’t the faintest idea how a computer works. So, I teach two classes here, one on the basics of computers (how a mouse works, what the desktop is, etc.) and how to use email (go GMAIL!).

The work is rewarding, and I’m learning a lot about people, myself and the state of our economy today. I wouldn’t have though when I moved to St. Louis that I’d be serving the community in such a way, but I’m glad I chose to take this path. The next 10 months or so (the length of my service with AmeriCorps) will probably end up being one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.

I’m still teaching yoga! I teach five classes throughout the week, and I love seeing my students GROW! It’s so great to see how they are progressing in their own practices, and I enjoy seeing people return again and again for my classes! Teaching (yoga or computers) is so rewarding for me…I’m toying with the idea of graduate school…maybe I will teach yoga and writing for a living someday

I’ve got a few exciting posts coming up. On Monday, I attended a book club meeting with a special guest–Deepak Chopra! So, I will tell you all about that…I’m trying to finish the book before I post, so hold on tight (I’m more than 1/2 way finished!).

Also, last night, I experienced my first Reiki therapy session. I’m going to give the treatment a few days to “kick in,” so check back for that as well!

Wow, I’m so happy to be writing again…even if no one reads this!

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know if there are any topics you would like to read about! I love constructive feedback!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

At-home Yoga Practice and Playlist

I had a great at-home practice yesterday morning. Using the following playlist as inspiration, I flowed through my hour-long impromptu practice.

The following songs and sequence are a suggestion for you, if you’re looking for a fun at-home practice. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts and your own playlists and sequences!

“Northern Lights” by Emily Bear

Neck rolls, easy sun salutes, chakravakasana (cat/cow), child’s pose, centering, pranayama (breath exercises)

“By the Morning Sun” by Sound Tribe Sector 9

(more sun salutes, adding lunges, deepening cobra and moving with the breath)

“Bus Ride” by Marco Benevento

(half down dog, elongating the side body, getting warm with more sun salutes with side-angle stretches, Warrior I)

“Bhajore” by Jai Uttal & The Pagan Love Orchestra

Tadasana (pushing hands overhead as if I’m going to push against the ceiling, preparing for handstand), L-pose (hands on mat shoulder-distance, feet walk up the wall so the body comes to an L-shape)

“Eyes of the World” by The Grateful Dead

Inversions! Kicking up to handstand at the wall, try leading with each leg, (I got very close…but this is still a pose I’m working hard on), To boost my self-esteem, I popped up to Pincha Mayurasana (Peacock pose, forearm balance), concentrated on working the ribs back and lengthening through the feet (I balanced here for almost a whole breath!)

“Positive Vibration” by Bob Marley and the Wailers

(rest in child’s pose, soften breath, down dog (had to sway my hips here and bend my knees one at a time with the beat)

“Gold to Me” by Ben Harper

Hip opening time! Pigeon pose, triangle, wide-legged forward fold, Warrior I

“Living in the Moment” by Mason Jennings

Tadasana, Ardha Chandrasana (Half-Moon Balancing Pose), Triangle

“Across the Universe” by The Beatles

Standing forward fold, into Malasana (squat), flowing back and forth a few times

“Sky Blue Sky” by Wilco

seated forward folds…can’t remember all the variations…I was sooo relaxed and tuned in by this point!

“Fearless” by Pink Floyd

child’s pose, bridge, back-lying twists

“The Wind” by Cat Stevens

Apanasana (double knee hug), Pavanamaktasana (one-leg knee hug), windshield wiper legs, prepare for savasana

Namaste

Nope…don’t like foam.

I don’t like Styrofoam. Never really realized why until today.

 

I read this article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about using Styrofoam to fill in an underground tunnel in downtown St. Louis. The foam will not expand sideways and crumble antiquated buildings’ basement walls. I wasn’t satisfied with the article’s explanation of environmental concerns and the fact that the paper’s misleading use of the term “green” in the photo accompanying the online story (no image in print).

 

So, I looked into it.

 

Here is just a bit of what I found: 

 

Polystyrene (aka Styrofoam):

Is made of nasty chemicals (aka. bad for the workers making it, the area in which it is made)

It leaches these chemicals that can cause health problems to the consumer

It is not a “closed loop” recyclable product (A foam cup doesn’t become another. It goes into something else, and new foam must be made for more cups.) 

I got all of this from here. Check it out for more info. 

 

I would like to know if the foam will be “recycled,” and if they are doing anything to protect the foam from leaching! Ahhhhh, right into the Mississippi! 

 

On another note, also in this article from the Post, funding for this and other road projects is coming mostly from the stimulus package. There are a ton of bus stops in my neighborhood (most, in fact) that are closed for lack of funding. Why are we relying more and more on the automobile? (Also on the front page today: biofuel.) 

Final irony: the tunnel they are filling in with foam was once used for passenger trains. There was a tunnel under the Mississippi River to Illinois!!!! Runs were suspended in favor of the automobile.

I’m In!

I attempted to get a library card the first week I arrived in St. Louis in a desperate attempt to use their Internet. I was turned away because I didn’t have any proof of my new address . Fortunately, my birthday came and my loved ones sent me cards (proof that I exist in St. Louis)! That was a few weeks ago, and we got Internet soon after…today, I finally got around to going back to get my card. 

I’m in with the in crowd now! Well, me and the bum napping in the periodicals section are! I spent a few hours out of the house working at the library. It was a nice change of pace. 

I also checked out the dvd selection. I’m not about to go to Blockbuster to spend a ton of cash on renting movies and I don’t want to feel obligated to watch movies becaues I have a Netflix subscription, so FREE movies it is! I got a couple yoga dvds and parts of the series Freaks and Geeks! (note: the St. Louis library does NOT rent out whole seasons, each disc is rented seperately…I know, LAME…I was spoiled at the Barrington Library!) 

I’m excited to use my card now and visit the other branches. Hopefully, there’s a branch with a larger dvd selection…I will have to do some exploring! Plus, I’m going to be able to request materials! YIPPIE! I already have a list of books and other things in mind! Catalogue search…here I come!

Romance is in the Air

I just finished my second project for Purple Sheet Publishing. It’s always a relief to hit send and shoot off an assignment into someone else’s hands. For two weeks, the project looms over my head. Then, in an instant, it’s gone. Now, I wait for payment and hopefully, another assignment. 

Romance novels are not something I ever thought I would be writing. In journalism school and in all my time as a magazine writer, I’ve been looking for facts, checking with a source to fill in any blanks. With fiction, I get to make it up as I go along. I have some guidelines, but it’s mostly up to me what my characters look like, do and say. It’s freeing but also trying at times. 

As I continue to write about love and lust, I sometimes wish I could ask these imaginary people what they’re really thinking and feeling. Often times, these characters are in situations I’ve never been in, nor do I ever wish to be in. I get most of my inspiration and ideas from the movies! And, most of the times, I feel like I’m being totally cliche.

I guess I let these feelings role though. After all, this isn’t the type of writing I’d set out for. It’s paying the bills though!

I’ve still got some “real” journalistic projects underway. It’s nice to escape to my fantasy land after writing about health crisis around the world. But, I am conflicted because I find more reward in the true stories.

Still, I’d like to be more sleuthy…get the scoop. For now, though, romance is a money maker, so I’m going with it!

Bell Mountain and Elephant Rocks State Park

This weekend, my friend Katie and I went on an adventure! Saturday, we drove about 2 hours south of St. Louis to the Ozarks. We visited Elephant Rocks State Park and hiked Bell Mountain, Missouri’s second highest peak! 

Before I get to the photos, I want to share this resource with you. It’s a wonderful trip planner to the Ozark Trail system. You can choose what kind of hike you’d like to take and what length and the program suggests paths for you and provides detailed directions and maps. It was a great tool for us and helped us organize a fun 8-mile hike! 

The early settlers stumbled upon this rock formation and named them after the circus elephants the boulders resemble. 

Geology lesson: the granite boulders were once covered with loose sediment. Years of wind and water wore this covering away and eventually carved out the rounded boulders we see today. 

Katie tried to push the boulder. She couldn’t move it…

On top of Bell Mountain, Missouri’s second-highest point! 

 

Me, the mountaineer! 

Spring…Summer…is that you?

Slept with the windows open last night!

Inspiration…Move Me Brightly

Hello, blog, remember me…it’s been a while…I know, I know…

I have some good and bad excuses, laziness being at the top, I’m afraid. My creative juices have been tapped and drained by my paying freelance gigs lately, and I’ve been left with little to share with my blog friends (the few following). 

First, let me say HAPPY EARTH DAY! I hope you all figure out something to do today to celebrate MOTHER EARTH! I’m going to a yoga event under The Arch today at noon! 

Back to this blog post…Really, a lot has been going on. I’ve moved to a totally new city…HELLO?! St. Louis, the Gateway to the West ….oooooooooooooooo…….aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah  

Highlights of my life here so far include: MY PLACE! Zach and I live in two-bedroom flat, with an office, living room, dining room, kitchen and SUN ROOM! It’s awesome…a great place to work from home! Here are some pics:

We’re on the second floor. Our neighbor is nice!

The living and dining rooms are filled with SUN in the morning!

Home Office

A nice big kitchen for making delish veggie meals!

The bedroom and sun room…so relaxing!

I’ve been trying not to spend all my time at home…even though last week was soooo rainy! I’ve taken a couple bike rides to Tower Grove Park and Francis Park. Both are very close and so beautiful. The fountains and gardens in both reminded me of the parks in London…so well tended and rich feeling! 

I’ve also started to get involved in the community. Starting May 3, I will be teaching FREE community classes on Sundays at 10 a.m. at Southtown Yoga. I love this studio, the staff and students. Living in the suburbs of Chicago before, I was usually the youngest, most advanced student in the classes I attended outside of my teacher training. Now, I feel a lot more challenged and have more experienced teachers to help me develop my practice more! I’m very excited about this! 

Happy Spring everyone! I hope to update more frequently and take some pictures of the area…I can’t wait until things are blooming at the Missouri Botanical Gardens!