The Bloom

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...

Sit and watch a sunset long enough and you’re just asking for trouble. Which is every reason to catch as many as we can. For me, a good sunset frees my mind to wander where it will. It’s a place where the world’s distractions fade into the twilight, and that gives me room to reflect on things I didn’t even know I was thinking about. Without moments like that, there will always be secret dreams I’ll never find and plans I won’t know enough to make. Last night, I sat on the roof with my good friend Malbec and nothing...

I am not a morning person. I am a creature of the night. When the sun goes down I wake up. Which is great except that when the sun comes up, I just can’t and conflict ensues—between me and my alarm, me and my job, me and the world. It’s hardly on purpose. I’m reading or writing away, deep into a Netflix run, zoned out on a new project, and suddenly it’s 3:00 am. Or worse. How’d that happen? I have no idea. But there I am. Facing another much-too-brightly lit morning coma which I’ll slog through like it was...