Life Is _______?

There's a popular quote by Helen Keller that says "Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."  With apologies to Hellen Keller, I just have to say that life is a fucking blast!  What a trip!

I just feel like sometimes I'm having way too much fun.

Examples:

- I got to visit teacher training, run around LA for a couple weeks, and teach class to 400+ people a couple weeks ago.  That was very exciting and hasn't quite worn off.

- We are having a beautiful fall in Baltimore and I've just been driving around the back roads with the windows down admiring the colors and listening to an awesome mix CD that my friend Liam made for me when we were visiting training.

- I invented an awesome crockpot recipe for pumpkin curry and it came out great.  Before everyone asks, the ingredients that I used are: one sugar pumpkin, 2 cans chickpeas, 1 can tomatoes, 1 onion, some garlic cloves, curry spices, and coconut milk.  Basically just saute the onions and garlic in oil for 5 minutes, add the spices, then throw everything except the milk in the crockpot and leave it all day.  Then add the milk.  It is super delicious.

- One of my best friends came down from Philly and my sister came up from College Park, and we had an awesome evening last night.  Went out for sushi, then discovered a Greek festival at the church up the street.  Drank ouzo and danced to the live band with all the Greeks.  Then went back home when we couldn't stand up anymore and watched the Princess Bride.  This is my idea of a perfect weekend.

- Bought a plane ticket to go down to Mobile, Alabama on Tuesday to teach for a week.  Just because they had a need, and just for fun.  I've never been to Alabama and I am excited!  I'll be teaching with my good friend Lucy, who I met ages ago through her wonderful blog.  I've never bought a plane ticket on such short notice - only 6 days in advance - and it makes me feel very free and spontaneous.

- Taught a billion classes as usual.  Lots of beginners, some of them even more hysterically funny than usual.  Very enthusiastic, too - makes my day.

- In between teaching classes today, went out for brunch at favorite restaurant and wandered through the shops in my neighborhood.  Had interesting chat with a couple of old guys in an antique store when I walked past and heard one of them say to the other: "Have you ever seen the Mahabharat?"  Attempted to see Chef Gordon Ramsay, who is at a restaurant across the street shooting Kitchen Nightmares.

- SAW CHEF RAMSAY!!  After teaching class!  Stood on the corner with a bunch of neighborhood kids and tried to watch through the windows.  Eventually he came out and we got to see him up close!  He was super sweet with the kids.  He went up to them all mock scary - "Don't you kids have homework to do?"  He is fucking gorgeous in person.  One of the little girls asked if she could take a picture with him, and he said "Yes, of course."  Immediately after the picture was taken, the girl started SOBBING with happiness.  It made my night!  Hoping to see him again tomorrow and actually shake his hand!  He is a very sweet man - his production assistant calls him a "cupcake."

All in all, just way too much fun.

One of the other teachers at my studio was telling me this week, "I'm just so happy every morning when I wake up and I'm pain free!"  (She's been practicing for years, but lately she's had some real breakthrough and is now in the best shape of her life.)  I told her, "Yeah, I know what you mean - I'm happy every morning when I wake up and I'm a yoga teacher!"

And I mean, it's not like everything is sunshine and roses, 24 hours a day.  Sometimes I'm tired, sometimes I'm sore, sometimes I get frustrated or bored with certain things.  Blah blah blah.  But overall?  I just feel like I have some good karma going on and anything can happen.  Life is a fucking riot and I am just happy to be here for it.

Now I must finish my pumpkin curry, eat some pumpkin ice cream, watch another episode of True Blood, and set my alarm for 4:55am. That's the wake-up call for teaching the 6am yoga - UGH!!  So early!  But hell, I don't really mind.  Even with the shitty early morning parts, I wouldn't trade this life for the world.