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11 January 2009

this and that



I've been writing this blog since 2005. Blogging is the new journaling and I started this blog as a way of recording my thoughts, first, about my initial trip to India in 2005 -- and at that time I never expected to be planning my fourth trip to India at the end of this year -- and second, as a means of chronicling my own personal yoga journey. As the Grateful Dead sang, what a long, strange trip it's been.

The blogosphere, and indeed the internet itself, is still a strange place to me -- you make "friends" whom you never expect to meet, but if you really meet them, it's a beautiful thing.

I used to be a moderator of an India travel website, through which the Universe has granted me two dear friends who I love to death -- one is a woman in Chennai who calls me her older sister, akka in Tamil, and another woman in California with whom I will travel to the Kumbh Mela next year. A faithful reader who I have never met but consider a yoga friend has paid for my deposit at the ashram where I will study yoga therapy next year. Another reader has thrown it out into the Universe that maybe I should come teach at his holistic center in Taiwan that he is planning for some time in the future. If it happens, it happens, I am not attached. It's all good, that's the wonder of this thing we call the blogosphere.

And it always amazes how many people read this yoga blog. I post something and I can see on my sitemeter who logs on almost immediately to read my words, always the same cities. Y'all must not be too busy at work, so stop lurking and leave some comments! I also want to thank all the readers who have left comments of support regarding the trials and tribulations I've had with the yoga studios where I've taught in the past two years. I received more support from people in the global yoga community who don't know me and will probably never meet me than from yoga peeps in my yoga world. Astounding.

I've received my share of blog awards from people who I consider my blog buddies. I've just received another one from Fernanda Lima who writes her blog All of Om or Tudo de Om from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Call me a simpleton, but I'm impressed that someone from Brazil loves my blog. A 17 year old girl from Uganda loves my other blog. It just amazes me.

Fernanda writes about India, yoga, ayurveda, and all things in between. Who knows? Maybe we'll meet one day, either in Brazil or India. It's obvious from her blog that Fernanda loves India as much as I do. How about it, Fernanda, mi hermana? Sorry, I know Spanish, not Portugues! Muchas gracias, Fernanda!

And then there are the phrases that people google and end up on this blog. According to my site meter, the most searched for phrases are:

Mark Whitwell

St. Theresa's Prayer

and anything having to do with "hot yoga chicks", "naked yoga", "hot yoga babes", "skinny yoga chicks", etc. etc. etc.

Eeeeuuuuu.

But it's all good. And I'm glad you like what you read.

I'm giving the Fabulous Blog award to non-yoga blogs:

my sister from a different mother, Utah Savage

another sister from a different mother, Liberality

new found sisters, Evil Slutopia

the woman formerly known as DCup

and one yoga/mind/body/spirit blog:

Svasti, for her courage.



14 comments:

Life As I Know It Now said...

Coming from you Linda-Sama this is quite a compliment. Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

Well, hey there Linda! Thanks for the award, so kind of you to think of me. :)

I sort of do awards - I don't reject them, and I have an 'award' page where those I've been given live... and I even do a shout out to the giver of said award... but these days I generally only pass them on when/if I feel like it.

Great post BTW, I like that it wasn't all about the award stuff. Great acknowledgement of this funny online community that pops up as a result of writing a blog...

Om Shanti!

Anonymous said...

linda,

i'm a fan of your blog. i may be one of the few to show up on your map as reading from Afghanistan, (where i live and work).

just wanted to say hi and thanks for writing an honest and accessible yoga blog. it's an inspiration.

margaret

Fernanda R. Lima said...

Hi Linda,

Yes it´s amazing this thing called internet...but is a present to know that there are so many especial people around the world with the same interests.. i hope we meet someday.

I´m going to India in 2010, maybe january. And i´m planning to go to KYM, to study Vinyoga... you can give me some tips. A friend of mine , also a teacher gave me some..and he told me that Desikachar is no longer teaching there... is it true?

Tks so much for your kindness.

Shanti shanti!

Fernanda

Linda-Sama said...

thanks, margaret, please keep reading...and I think you're the ONLY person reading from Afganistan!

and Fernanda, we'll "talk"!

shanti!

lisahgolden said...

I am honored, Linda-Sama, to be counted among those you've awarded this title. Thank you so much!

And Chicago South Side? That's way better than soft-spoken Midwestern nice. It's much more colorful and distinguishable. (I have friends and family who have that same accent!)

R2D2 said...

Just a hi and a congratz wiv ur blog. Very inspiring indeed.

Thanks for sharing ur views.

Peace and blessings,
2Da1

Utah Savage said...

I swear I came yesterday and lookad. Either I'm going blind from "pitch writing stress" or too stupid to look around carefully.

Thank you Sister dear. You are a very generous woman. Me? I'n too hunkered down in my bunker with my crazy dog trying to finish this book, write a pitch and a cover letter. I should try a bit of detachment to get me through this, but I've been hoping forever to get published and never doing anything to get myself published. So this may be my brain yoga journey.

And I thank you for the gifts you given me. I will now take this home a post it proudly.

Alyssa said...

I love this blog! I have learned so much from reading it.

THE EVIL SLUT CLIQUE said...

Thank you from the ESC!

Our Blog is Fabulous

They call him James Ure said...

Take me to India with you--PLEASE!!! :)

Linda-Sama said...

ha! you will have to expound on that, James!

Anonymous said...

great blog!

Mary Ellen said...

There's no doubt about it, you are the coolest hippie-chick around, kiddo! Congrats!