Extrovert Introverted

Yesterday I participated in an introduction session to Interplay - a movement-based, community-building vocabulary. That's a non-profit lingo way of trying to say, connecting with people through movement. My friends Theron and Elizabeth are deeply involved with the organization and I wanted to appreciate what they find so inspiring. In the process, I learned some interesting things about myself. The grand conclusion is that I love verbal communication and am not so keen on physical communication.

I met a gentleman, at the start of the session, who immediately told me that he was relieved because two of his fears were instantly dispelled: he was neither the oldest participant nor the only man. It made me realize that everyone comes to these sessions with some trepidation. For me I am comfortable when we begin organized activities that involve verbal interaction, or even listening to a presenter. But when we start doing any kind of physical interaction I clam up. In fact, we did so much interaction that my brain went into a lock-down mode. Heck, I have been taking the same yoga class with the same group of people for years and still get nervous when we have to do partner stretches.

Usually I'm super creative, highly interactive and very extroverted - I have to hold myself back from dominating the room. I'm a verbal performer. When we were asked to stand up, find a partner and touch palms I went beyond my stretch zone and nearly into panic. Panic fully hit when we had to stand in a group of four and touch fingertips "in creative ways" for about five minutes.

So, what I learned, is that I want to be able to occasionally offer a comforting touch - kind of how people reach out to you to make a point. That's something I'm not comfortable doing. But in terms of lots of extended physical communication - call me a physical introvert.

All About Alameda

Today was Customer Appreciation Day along Alameda's Park Street. I was feeling the love on Park Avenue, the next street over and the one on which I lived up until six weeks ago. The day started with Yoga with Nancy at Alameda Yoga Station. She brought in a harmonium and we started and ended the class with chanting. I want to do more chanting - it clears your mind and creates a lasting vibration in your heart. My sister Marlene and brother-in-law Mandeep had two harmonium players at their US wedding and I will never forget the sound.

The day continued with a birthday party with my former housemates. Little Asher, has turned three. There were about 15 kids under the age of 8 running around and having fun. I so enjoyed picking apples with them and creating chalk art on the driveway. One mom said to me, "are any of these kids yours?" I told her no and she said that she could tell because I was having fun.

Next I partied with Theron and Elizabeth about 12 houses up the street from my old house. Theron and I use to work together and we both have similar Ike the Bikes. Today we celebrated Theron and Elizabeth's wedding which took place a month ago high up in the mountains of Colorado. The wedding was reenacted and we were in hysterics as they gave us the abridged version thanks to the picnic hostess Cynthia Winton-Henry, co-founder of Interplay. I caught up with friends and colleagues.

From there I biked back to Oakland in the warm, sunny, humid weather we are having this weekend. How lovely to have an extended summer.