I am Tami. I live in Sacramento,California with my 14 month old daughter, Ruby and my husband, Jed. I’m on parental leave from my third grade teaching job to take care of Ruby. I also teach restorative yoga at It’s All Yoga on the first Sundays of the month. I first found yoga in my late 20’s, but didn’t start really practicing in a meaningful way {ie not just as exercise} until my mid-30’s.
I also came to teaching later – at 33 – I entered my credential program and landed my first teaching job the following summer. Part of the reason I found a quieter and kinder yoga practice is because I was burning myself out on teaching. I needed to find a way to help me relax enough to enjoy the career I finally loved.
Obviously I have a blog, you are reading it right now. I read about a gazillion other blogs daily while Ruby sleeps on my chest, so if you’d like a new reader, please be sure to include a link. My tastes are all over the board, I like: minimalist lifestyle blogs, fashion/body image blogs, yoga blogs, life (versus lifestyle) blogs. Some of my favorites are Pink of Perfection, Yes and Yes, Just A Titch, Non-Consumer Advocate. I’d love to hear about your favorites, so tell me what you love to read.
I’m always looking for post ideas, so please don’t be shy about what you like and what you don’t. Some of my most popular posts have come from suggestions from readers, so I’m all ears.
I’m always slightly confused when someone I’m talking to refers to something I’ve written about that they haven’t left a comment on because I have no idea who reads and who doesn’t. PS – it’s thrilling, but momentarily confusing, so be sure to come out of the lurking closet so I don’t feel like I’m talking to myself and I don’t have to wonder if you are reading my thoughts from my head or the internet.
Now your turn!
- Where do you live?
- Are you a life long yogi or teacher or did you come to it later in life?
- Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
- What posts on Teacher Goes Back to School do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
- Do you know me, if so how?
- And anything else you wish to share.
Teacher Goes Back to School 
Where do you live? I live in the middle of NC, between Greensboro and Chapel Hill in a country development with little houses on acre sized lots.
Are you a life long yogi or teacher or did you come to it later in life? Yes. ;-) I took a yoga class with my mother when I was 16 but neither of us stuck to it. in 2009 (I was 49) my friend was diagnosed with colon cancer. She asked me if I would drive her to yoga classes offered by a cancer support center. (http://www.cancersupport4u.org/) it would be free for both of us. I was glad to help and loved the classes for both of us. She has been cancer free since early 2010. I didn’t feel like it was honest to keep going to classes when she didn’t need me to take her any more. But, my work life has changed and I am now able to go to regular classes a little closer to home. (http://www.hillsboroughyoga.com/) Even though I am stiffer than I was, it’s getting better and I still think savasana is the best part.
Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link! I am ENTJ. That may have something to do with the fact that I tend to compartmentalize things. Because of this, I have 5 blogs going. (http://www.blogger.com/profile/07529961044790691589) Mebane Labyrinth is about the labyrinth in my backyard and the ones I visit. a cunning cook is my cookbook. It has taken the place of my index card file and makes it easy to share recipes with my son and friends. Labyrinth Farm is where my husband and I keep up with what we are growing in this yard. The Story of Me is just exactly that; whatever passes through my brain about my life. Here and Now is about being part of the Singularity/multiverse/God. I have a couple of statcounters on them, so I know people read them. But NO ONE ever responds. Except on the Farm. We have some friends who do actually speak there.
What posts on Teacher Goes Back to School do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? The one about loving savasana drew me in. I haven’t gotten bored yet, but I just got here. I will comment if I ever have anything worth saying. I promise.
Do you know me, if so how? Nope. Stumbled on this blog randomly. Except I don’t believe anything is truly random, just that we don’t see things coming.
And anything else you wish to share. I don’t know that there is much left to say. let’s see what happens.
Good morning from Boston!
I live in eastern Mass (as above), but I’m a multi-state transplant, having grown up in Maine, gone to college in Vermont, and lived in California before coming here to go to grad school in 2006. I’m an archivist and historian and interested in lots of things! :)
My practice was spotty — due to a bad relationship — before 2006, but when I moved down to Boston I made daily practice a priority, even if only for 15-20 minutes a day. In the past year, I had a couple of bad injuries — not practice-related! — that slowed me down for awhile but they also led me to different aspects of practice and different teachers than I would have discovered otherwise.
I do have a blog (The Red Crow: http://redcrowblog.wordpress.com/ and the name is courtesy of Charles de Lint’s wonderful novel “Memory and Dream” — the red crow is the spirit of creativity and inspiration). I don’t blog about yoga, though; mostly about horror movies (I’m a huge fan), “Doctor Who” and other genre television offerings (“Supernatural,” “Being Human” (BBC, of course), etc., etc.) and I try to put up a fun video every Friday for my own entertainment as much as anyone else’s!
I’m a very peripatetic blog reader, to be honest, so I can’t really say, “Gosh, I really like it when you blog about X” because it totally depends on my mood per day. I’ve been really enjoying your posts lately about restorative yoga, I can say that.
Hi I am Lisa, I live in Orinda. Just came across your blog via FB and Jen’s comment on Duran Duran day! Love the blog… yoga, reading and list. All good. We do know each other from Jen Cola. Glad to see you are well!
lisa! so glad to hear from you. it’s been a long time. welcome to the blog and thank you! hope you are well too. xo
Pingback: Nice to meet you! | Rosie Molinary
So I thought that I left a comment earlier, but I must have flaked out and not hit post. I am Rosie, I live in NC, love your blog posts- all of ’em. I feel such a kindredness to you in teaching and parenting! And I love this idea of introductions so much that I am going to plagiarize it (with citation of course!).
What an awesome idea! I love it and I am going to plagiarize it. But it’ll be the good type of plagiarism where I credit you. Just not in a footnote. I am Rosie, a writer and teacher, and I live in North Carolina with my family which consists of Lola, our diva mutt, my husband, and our 3 year old son who is Ethiopian. I love your posts on lessons from life, teaching, and parenting. And I think you are pretty fab.
Hi Tami!
My name is Rebekah and we met a short while ago at a lovely women’s retreat at IAY. I live in Sacramento (and really like it). I came to yoga recently, in January to be exact, though I’m quite certain that I’ll be sticking with it for a long while and have fantasies about doing IAY’s teacher training program, even though I quite like my day job (as a University administrator) and have no intention of leaving. No blog right now, but maybe someday. I’ll keep you posted. So far, I like all of your posts; you’re both clever and honest, which is a great combination in a writer.
Looking forward to seeing you at the big clothing swap this weekend!
Rebekah
1.) I’m LOVING looking back on what I wrote roughly a year-and-a-half ago!
2.) I’m SO stealing this for my blog (and will obviously credit you accordingly).
Hey Tami! Sorry for the delay and Happy Birthday!
A midtowner…life long yogini and started training when I was 31…It has been said that my dharma is to teach others in all arenas and specifically the young. :)
Stop by my blog if you are so inclined…you are always welcome… http://typractice.com/blog/
I was so lucky to meet you at the Yoga Teacher party at the Yoga Seed Collective so grateful…you are true inspiration in so many ways.
Have a wonderful week…
Parvati
Hello, Tami! I just couldn’t help but leave a reply for you, as I really just stumbled upon your blog while looking up the best way to introduce myself to teachers I’ll have this late-spring session. (The classes are all online, so I’ll probably never meet them in person.)
Interestingly enough, I don’t do yoga or have a blog. However, some of my best friends are bloggers! I am happy to have found your little corner of the world, as I feel I could be inspired to plank someday!
These days I live in Sparks, Nevada. I can’t believe I’ve been here for 7 1/2 years. Not where Rob and I would have chosen to live, but sometimes life throws curveballs and you either hit it, or strike out…so here we are.
I was a preschool teacher in California and I loved it. Here, I’ve not taken the time to get my teaching credential, but I am subbing (elementary school) at my kids’ school and another that is close.
The only yoga I’ve done is on the wii – heh heh.
I do have a blog – it is http://ardentpeace.blogspot.com (my kids’ names are Irene and Rhys — Irene means peace, and Rhys’ name means ardent – hence the name). It is sometimes poorly neglected, but I write whatever. Mostly ramblings about life, the universe, and everything (and yes, my favorite number IS 42, and I *do* have a towel – god…i’m a total nerd).
So far, I’ve enjoyed all of the posts I’ve read. Not a single one bored me to tears.
And I *do* know you, though sort of peripherally. We went to PVHS together. I started going there in 10th grade. I mostly was doing a’capella and pro musica antiqua and did drama too. I was also in CSA and AFS. Took AP classes, all the fun stuff. We had several of the same friends.
What else…? My kids have somehow grown up on me — I can remember when they were both Ruby’s age and am somehow shocked that they are now 12 and closer to 9 than 8 1/2…They are the light of my life, but also have shown me new challenges. There are so many times that I look at Rob and say something to the effect of “This parenting gig? It’s WAY more than I thought I signed up for.” Would I change it? Not for the world.
I’m pretty liberal and living in a VERY conservative area. It’s been a challenge all its own, but I continue to speak out and fight for what I believe in. Many of my friends from around here and I do our best to NOT speak about politics (hmm – that was a piss poor sentence).
Were there more questions? Do you have questions for me?
My name is Cheree & I live in Citrus Heights with my wife Meg and our two kids MonkeySee and MonkeyDo. We also have two cats, one pit bull and one chupacabra. We were told he was a Doberman, but I’m not so sure about that.
I started taking yoga just over two years ago at my gym. Since then, while I still take classes at my gym, I have moved on to taking yoga at Real Studios, including hot studios (East Wind Yoga is my “home” studio, with Yoga Seed being a close second) and even indulging in Yoga in the Park! This year I took the Yoga Teacher Assistant training through East Wind and will be taking their Teacher Training starting at the end of this month. I’m pretty excited (where here “excited” is used to also indicate “really nervous”).
I DO have a blog! It’s mainly rambings from my life, which can include fitness stuff, yoga, running, as well as stuff about my dogs, cats, kids, wife, friends, frustrations and sometimes political stuff. I also have a feature called “Internets Radio” where I post random songs that are playing in my head, or songs I’ve found that I enjoy. My blog is here: http://dolphyngyrl.blogspot.com/
I love your Saturday Senses posts, mostly because I like recurring posts on a theme!
I DO know you! We met on twitter and I’ve since taken TWO of your Restorative Yoga classes, which RULE, by the way. My second favorite way to nap!
Hi, Tami!
What a great idea — I noticed this on Facebook and made a point of coming back to it when I had time to “introduce” myself as well.
I now live in Washington, DC and I miss you, which is why I read your blog. We met in Oregon, advocating for women’s health care (or, as Rush Limbaugh would call it, “whoring”), and you introduced me to Melissa and Little Sue, for which I will be forever grateful. As one of my sanest, smartest, and funniest volunteers, you helped me survive a trying time and made me laugh and laugh and laugh some more.
What was the question? Oh, right. Yoga. Not so much a conventional practitioner. Dance is my primary form of physical and mental exercise, so I struggle with the “stationary” aspect of yoga. I do poses and some easy videos at home occasionally to stretch, relax, and use different parts of my body and brain. I love what it does for my core and my breathing. I really identify with your descriptions of needing to do less in yoga — I am a chronic over-doer often in denial about my competitive nature, even with myself.
No blog for me.
So, not surprisingly, the posts I like most are the very personal ones that sound like you chatting with me from across the table during a break at a Laurelthirst Little Sue show. I am so happy technology allows us to so easily stay connected. Hello to Jed and kisses for Ruby. Love,
Alicia
Hi Tami! What a great idea! We met several months ago through It’s All Yoga, and I think I found your blog through their website. I love your writing style, and especially love reading about Ruby and your experiences with the adoption and new motherhood.
I’ve lived in Sacramento since junior high, with the exception of a six year stint in the Bay Area for college and a few years afterwards. I live in Midtown and I LOVE it here!
I’ve been practicing yoga on and off for the past 5 years or so. Recently I discovered I have a thyroid/autoimmune disease and have found that yoga is really the best thing for me in so many ways – I can get my exercise, relax, etc all in one. I’m also in education, but not a teacher. I manage a work-study program at a small private high school in South Sac.
I also write a blog – http://www.hashisanon.wordpress.com. I write about dealing with my autoimmune disease, food allergies (I have tons also), and life in general.
I love Pink of Perfection (I think I started reading her because of you!) and highly recommend Gluten Free Girl and the Chef. Even if you’re not gluten free her writing is beautiful and she’s also in the process of adopting a baby.
carmen: thank you for commenting and for reading. i just added your blog to my reader and left you a comment. i’m so happy to know my readers have blogs too. yay for new readers!
i totally remember meeting you. i think we were both taking a madeleine class? in any case, it was lovely to meet you.
midtown is the best. i can’t imagine living anywhere else in sacramento. being from the east bay originally, i can see myself back there sometimes, but i think sacto is home.
thanks for the gg recommendation. i read her book and loved it. i have such a ridiculous girl crush on sarah from pop, it’s embarrassing. i lied. it’s not, she’s great, dammit!
SUCH a great idea! I think you should rotate this every few months so new readers can introduce themselves and you can build a little community right here. I am going to click over on the blogs of the other people who commented.
As you know, I have lived in Sacramento for almost 10 years, and you and I met at the amazing It’s All Yoga. I love all your posts but especially the ones about Ruby and being a mom since I can totally relate and your recipes. I wish I could say I am a lifelong yogi; I thought I would be after practicing for years but now hope to find my way back. I am a teacher and love my job! I teach ESL at a community college, and I have incredible students– smart, motivated, diverse, inspiring. I have a blog, This Is My Happiness (http://thisismyhappiness.com) and though it focuses on travel (especially traveling with my kids), I write about other parts of my journey as a busy mom with big dreams :)
So glad to call you my friend, Tami!
jenna: thanks for the idea. i think i’ll do it. i’m following all the bloggers who comment, i think it’ll be a nice way to get to know each other. plus i’ve really been feeling like i’m talking to myself lately.
teacher to teacher, i think we both have pretty great jobs. i love the idea of teaching at community college, it is where i thought i would be some day. so funny how life takes you where you need to go.
i’m so glad to call you friends, too. i absolutely love your blog. makes me want to travel. you make it look so easy!
I’m Leah, and I think I got to your blog via Yes and Yes. I just started reading. I am finishing up my teaching credential (in MS/HS science) and excited to read another teacher’s blog. I live in Minnesota with my husband but grew up in the Pacific NW, and we’re debating moving elsewhere after I get a year or two of teaching under my belt. He is also a science teacher, so we’re nerds together.
My dream job would actual be teaching just science at a K-8 school; I’d love to be a science specialist and teach special classes for students just like they get special music and art education.
I do have a blog (linked with my name), and I am trying to post a bit more. I have been a bit lazy recently — I blame wedding planning and the credential program + working. But things are starting to look up. I talk about the miscellany of my life, so there’s no real strong theme, but I do try to bring the science in when I can. I keep meaning to start another blog to share curriculum ideas and ways to do science at home for families that want to supplement/enrich their childrens’ education.
leah: thank you for both your comments. i am so excited to have been a guest poster on yes and yes – that sarah von rocks my world.
i have added your blog to my reader. i’m slow to comment (oh the irony!), but i definitely read. sleeping baby and all….
nerdy teacher couples are the best. it’s so nice to be understood by your spouse. i am definitely interested in science at home ideas, so if you start that new blog definitely let me know.
Hi! I’ve commented on your blog before, but I thought I would formally introduce myself.
My name is Gina. I live in Suwon, South Korea, but I’ll be moving back to Sacramento soon. I’ve been practicing yoga on and off since Fall 2009. Yes, I blog over at http://www.ginamarierose.com. Most recently, I’ve really enjoyed your posts about teaching; I also enjoy the ones about motherhood and yoga. I don’t know you in person, but I would like to someday! :)
hi gina! thank you for commenting on this post. we’re getting formal around here.
i’ve been following your blog for the last couple months and i’m thrilled you’ve been having so much of an adventure with your teaching. so exciting to go the non-traditional route into the classroom.
we definitely need to get together when you return. xo
Hello fellow watery friend. I read your blog faithfully {love that I get the updates straight to my email} and particularly enjoy any post that features raw honesty, some insights into your history/journey {like how you came into teaching, the trajectory of your yoga “career”, the story of Ruby}. I also like the little details of your everyday life – being able to picture what you’re doing/being out there in this new chapter of your life. I’m inspired by the reminders that there’s no set time table for when we find our calling in life, and how or when (or whether) we create a family, a blog, a yoga practice – you name it. I love your sensitivity and vulnerability and the deep, insistent drive to live your truth.
And to “introduce” myself? Well, I’m Keleigh and I live right in your ‘hood, a Sac resident of almost 6 years. I volunteer with a nonprofit self-awareness group called the Center of Consciousness, which has awakened in me a depth of passion and purpose I have always longed for. I write and edit for a beauty website, and I’ve been practicing yoga as an integrated “habit” for about 5 years. One day I’d love to do a teacher training, when the timing is right. I also run and dance and concoct vegan delights, and someday soon I’ll get back into a creative swing that reconnects me to my core inspiration as a writer.
Thanks for you, Tami! <3
kel! i just love you to pieces. what can i say? thank you for being a faithful reader, a subscriber no less!
i’m glad you are in my life. xo
Hello! And I just would like to say, I love this idea!!
I live in Austin, TX, which is a fabulous city, almost a little oasis in the middle of Texas. (and i have family in Sacto.. so i very much love the city you live in!) I’m a yoga lifer, I found it during massage school and I just can’t get enough of it. I teach donation classes out of my home and I teach a lot of private one on one classes.
I have two blogs (which btw is way too much to keep up with) yogabetty.com, which is my work blog mostly (covering yoga lessons and info on yoga) and “love and yoga” (fortheloveofyoga.wordpress.com) which is more personal (yoga and life really)..
I’m fairly new to your blog (and I tend to go through phases of reading.. like a read a bunch for a week going over old posts and then i’ll let some time pass before I come back and explore!).. but i do love your writing style and how personal posts can be… i like reading things that make me feel like I know you (even though we’ve never met!)..
again, love this meet and greet! xo
~liz
liz: thank you for saying hello – it’s nice to meet other yoga bloggers. i’ve now got both of yours in my reader. i’ll warn you though, i don’t comment much because of the sleeping kiddo, but i definitely read.
i got my start doing a year of community (free) classes and i loved giving back to my city and meeting tons of new people, both to the studio and yoga. one of my life list goals is to TAKE a private class and i’m looking forward to soaking it all in. i’m very curious about how they even work – i’m intrigued – maybe you could do a post about how you prep for them, how you get clients, etc….
someday i plan to visit austin, if for nothing else to see old 97’s play there. i really need to make this happen!
thanks again!
Hi! *waves*
I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. I actually have avoided yoga, my dad has been into it since I was about 4 so I’ve always associated it with being a stuffy pursuit (wrong, I know, but coming downstairs to see him standing on his head just seemed run of the mill). I have been trying to do a kid yoga class for my little ones, though. My SIL is a teacher & loves hot yoga. I don’t teach, I’m staying at home but was an attorney before that.
I do have a blog about vegan & vegetarian recipes for my food allergic kids (free of wheat, corn, soy, milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, grape, oats, sesame, apricots, and some free of tomatoes as well) plus local family activities in and near Vegas.
I found you via twitter a while back when you let me know you’d entered my happy haulidays contest attempt.
I love reading about Ruby, my son is 18 months and my daughter is 3 1/2. I read online via my phone while I rock my son to sleep so commenting can be hard so I’ll often reply to people on twitter so I don’t have to do all the comment form fields. Plus, I’ve a tendency to ramble and twitter contains me. :)
thanks for dropping in and saying hello, homa! i’m now following your blogs on my reader and of course, you, on twitter. i am very interested in allergy blogs, since i suffer from so many myself.
i love that you are a yoga rebel because of your dad! he’s clearly the opposite of mine. i wonder how ruby is going to take this all in, since both of her parents are yogis.
thank you again for clicking over. i also read while she sleeps, so i totally get the commenting issue.