Corpus Christi

The ride into Corpus Christi took longer than expected. I started off avoiding highways, just for fun but quickly realized that even using the highways, it was going to be four hours, so I was in for about five hours of driving through much of the same type of surroundings as I'd seen for the past three days.

To break things up, I like to take frequent stops and just run or stretch or explore the area on foot.

I was irritated because my calf or my foot, or both, were in spasm and I couldn't get comfortable. And in hindsite I guess that's why River was acting strange that day and didn't want to get back into the car when we made our first stop and stretch break.

I won't force him or order him to get back into the car. I have a suggestion tone and a command tone and I use the suggestion tone around the car hoping to keep it pleasant for him; and usually he's cool with it when it's time to go. But today he said "no".

I hung out with him for a long time. Finally he got back in and we continued on.

Being near the gulf was refreshing after being in the desert for so long. I gave myself an extra day here on purpose. I remembered the last time I was here, I really loved the feel of being so close to the water and didn't want to leave so quickly.

We stayed at the home of Manny and Bill and their three dogs Coco, Pippin and Gigi. It was a full house and I'm so grateful to them for putting up with us.

River is fine with small dogs. He even let's himself get attacked by them in the face and is entirely nonplussed. It's odd and interesting that his behavior is so different based on size of dog. I wonder if he feels more threatened by the ones that he's afraid might be able to 'take him'.

When these little dogs have unprovoked barking tantrums at River's face, he kinda skulks away and walks toward me, or just looks up at me if he's lying down.

Manny and I took River to Malaquite Beach on Padre Island. The three of us ran a bit and River and I played push and tug and chase in short spurts.


You can see an enormous pile of seaweed just at the shore. But that's about a twentieth of the size of the incredible pile of dead seaweed that separated the shore from the white sand. It was just beyond that fresh small mountain of seaweed you can see in the picture, but this was phenomenally big and black. A mountain range of dead seaweed that had to be navigated to find the driest and most solid spot and then crossed quickly like a fire walk of rotting seaweed and flies.

River was favoring his troublesome right rear leg by the end of the day. Hopefully just a minor irritation and not a setback. I'll give him the meds I have left from his surgery.

The next morning was Goldfinger! This class was extra special to me because Corpus Christi is a town without Nia. I wasn't walking into an established class or community, but a gathering of open minded people who were curious about moving their bodies. I felt so proud to be wearing my First Degree Black Belt and presenting the Nia Promise to them without the luxury of the language. It was a wonderful experience that sharpened my understanding of what's going on in this routine as a whole entity. By the end, the glow from them was palpable. It inspired a local teacher/trainer to spontaneously announce that based on today's attendance and enthusiasm, Nia classes begin two weeks from today!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Yay!!! Way to go, Jason!! By "bringing Nia" to Corpus Christi you REALLY brought it, by showing the teacher there the desire for it to be there. Yay!
Unknown said…
Jason, you definitely ignited something with the smokin' spirit fingers. The 13 Crystals loved the Nia you presented and I know we all crave more. Corpus Christi is ready for Nia. Yay!
The name of the finger move is not spirit finger. It is "spear finger". I'm glad Corpus Christi is ready to go ! It certainly was a spirited group we had on Saturday

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