Arghh...Aye... Aiyee!

Here's what it looks like in Nevada at 5 a.m. Its beautiful - but - its 5a.m.! Crazy. The first account we called on was doing a trial that I had to a do a set up for and so the OR director had told us to be there at 8 a.m. but then the department manager said that we should be there at 5:30 a.m. Because we want the business we smiled and said OK. And 5:30 a.m. we were at Mountainview Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada with bells on. The only problem was - no one else was there. Not the director, not the staff - not the manager. We left phone calls and walked around and looked in offices and when someone finally made their appearance at the OR desk at 6 a.m. we were informed that the director wouldn't be there until 8:30 and the manager wouldn't be there until 7 a.m. ARGH! We got up at the stinking rooster crow of dawn and he was still in bed. AND THEN - when we finally came down to the department at 7:15 and the manager was making an appearance, he had the guts to ask us "what time did you get here?" as in, its 7:15, where have you been. ARGH!!!!

At about 10, we finished up at the account and I actually headed out to get a little gnosh as I hadn't eaten since the night before. I sat down to get some work done and eat and I got so excited I could barely eat! TONS of potential business -- some GREAT business opportunity at some great facilities. Not only that - but some GREAT locations! At least, I typify great locations with who they're near to!

I have to work back in Minneapolis the last week of July and my best friend in the world may have the chance to come and spend one night with me in the cities! AYE! We laugh SO hard when we're together that its the best therapy ever! Shopping, eating and maybe a spa treatment the evening that she comes. I work all day, but once she gets there - its party all the way! :)

Then, I just found out - double whammy exciting - I have to work at an account in Little Rock, Arkansas. Doesn't sound great, BUT -- one of my good friends that I know from the fall Campus Crusade project in Budapest -- lives in Memphis. Little Rock is only about 2 hours from Memphis so I called Beth up and she said that I should come one down! AND - since the last time I was there, they had a pool installed so, evenings will be fun hanging out with her awesome kids, Parker and Peyton. They are the most fun little southern kids ever!

The double AYE whammy of this situation is - the account in Little Rock is the second largest hospital in the state. And, the reason I'm coming in is because I was requested! The new director is a guy that I worked with in MD and have a great working relationship with and he loves our product. Thats the coolest feeling to know that I'm known in "the industry".

Okay - here's the last AYE that just made my day! The other large account I have to work is in Corvallis, OR. For those of you who read and don't know it :) my bro, Karl, lives in Portland-- so that means that I get to see my family for a few days. On top of that, Oregon is a pretty cool state so, its a long flight, but it worth it to see Oregon and my bro!

Some of the beautiful :) landscape outside one of my hospitals.

I love seeing all the different plants around the country - so many different climates, so many different plants.

This was around 3pm... The car had actually been sitting in the shade for a while so - who knows what 113 actually is!

Here's the AIYEE! My friend, Sarah is from CA. Out west they have these special yoga classes called bikram yoga. I've searched around Chicago and there are a few but they're namely downtown Chicago. We have hot yoga, which bikram is a variation of, but because bikram is more repetitive, I've been wanting to try it as Sarah has raved about it. So, as I'm driving around today, I keep on seeing bikram yoga signs. I never stay "out" this way even though I work it, so I think I'm noticing more.

Anyways, I finished earlier since I started earlier and I thought I would go and do some work at Starbucks and then look at taking a bikram class.

I found a bikram studio and I signed up for a 5 pm class and then proceeded to - DIE about a billion deaths. The picture below is a picture of my running gear that I used to do bikram in. They are SOAKING wet -- they STINK horribly and I don't even know if they'll be dry by the time I have to pack up and leave tomorrow. I am in AWE of how much sweat came out of my body.

Here's the skinny of bikram as Wikipedia sees it:

Bikram Yoga, commonly known as hot yoga,[1] is a system of yoga that Bikram Choudhury synthesized from traditional yoga techniques and popularized beginning in the early 1970s.[2][3] Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class runs approximately 90 minutes, incorporates a series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, and is ideally practiced in a room heated to 105°F with a humidity of 40%

Yes, thats right, I was in 113F weather and I subjected myself to a 90 minutes yoga class in a room heated to 105F. I actually think it was even a little hotter than that as she would open the outside door occassionally and it was actually cooler.

I was thinking throughout the class that I was in misery and I would never do it again. The room STANK horribly like feet and sweat and everything else and the guy on the yoga mat in front of me was about 2 centimetes in front of me so when we had to lie down and do cobra (stomach on mat with head up to start), this guys stinky, sweaty feet were right in my face. This guy was sweating so much that one of the poses where he kind of had to do this squat thing, this sweat came pouring out of somewhere and falling to the floor - its seriously looked like he was peeing. His towel was completely soaked when we were done.

Ok, I wasn't much better. I had sweat pouring in my eyes and every time I would try to take my hankerchief to wipe my face, the instructor would call me out and basically tell me that I didn't need my "hand towel" and that I should be concentrating on my pose. AIYEE!! I could even grip my ankles or anything else for my poses because I would just totally slip off myself.

However - I would totally do it again! The sweat felt awesome after and my arms totally feel it and I know I got such a better stretch because of the heat. When I'm back in the area, I'm going to be scheduling another class!

So, that was my day -- full of emotions -- and sweat!