Smoke Gets in Your (Third) Eye

Late to the party yet again, I'm joining the millions of folks out there seeking validation through the public musings of their own warped minds. A very funny conversation with a friend several months ago occurs to me that can be distilled down to: "Why would anyone deem their own mundane lives valuable enough to the rest of us that they need to write about it?" Please note, this friend, and most of my others, are bloggers (and mostly good ones). So here I go, officially opening myself up to this phenomenon and hoping that, even if it doesn't improve anyone's life outright, it will at least be entertaining for you, dear reader, and fun for me. Validation would be nice, too...

There's certainly no better time than now. I've just returned from a 4-week stay at an ashram in India that begs to be blogged about, and I've no doubt been doing just that in my head. But right now, at the keyboard, I'm at a loss. A 28-day yoga training intensive that was easily the most disciplined and difficult thing I've done in my adult life...how do I write about such an experience without cheapening it? Without losing some part of its meaning and impact? Without succumbing to my need to make everything at least mildly funny?

So, then, I will begin posting my notes from worn journal. I hope I can convey to you the same joy, frustration, devastation, resentment, appreciation and love that I experienced during my time away. And with that, my blogging adventure begins...