The Bloom — yoga

Check this out. It’s a portrait of yoga insanity my teacher shared with the class last night called the Double Buddhasana. I know, right? I hurt myself just looking at it. My first thought was somebody’s going to need a good orthopedic surgeon. My second was that person won’t ever be me because there’s just no way. I mean, seriously. Did you see that pose? My instructor said you actually have to have somebody help you into it. That’s how hard it is. Then again… maybe that’s the point. Because for me yoga is all about the challenge. It’s not...

Sometimes you have to look yourself square in the eye and admit your failure. That was me in the bathroom mirror a few days ago as yet another attempt to hit the gym before work died a dishonorable death when I hit the snooze button. You, Madison, I said to myself, simply cannot get your workout act together. And it’s true. I can’t. Between responsibilities and temptations alike, I just am not finding the time to get (let alone stay!) in shape. A new approach is needed so I’m taking one. Instead of exercising all at once in a place...

Is it just me or is life getting out of hand? Most days, I can’t even find five minutes to focus on anything that really matters. My whole existence feels like some giant pinball machine, constantly buzzing and flashing and beeping, with me as the ball bouncing around all over the place just trying to score a few points and avoid tilting into Game Over. Phone, friends, work, city—every 30 seconds a new distraction pulls me in a different direction, and when I add it all up at the end of the day, all the stuff I really want to...

My friend Tommy dropped by yesterday. If you know Tommy, you know that’s trouble because he’s always got something to say about everything and is someone (you know the type) who knows, just knows, they’re right about it all. That makes him a lot of fun and a giant freaking pain. Usually at the same time. Yesterday, he showed up with lattes during my morning yoga, and I made the tactical mistake of finishing while he waited. And yeah, Tommy had something to say about it, mostly that my standing there like (his words) “some weird statue made by a...