By Kathleen Guthrie Woods
A local yoga teacher got fired for asking a student to turn off her cell phone in class. (Read the full article here.) The class was held at Facebook offices, so the argument was made that constantly checking her phone was part of the student’s job responsibilities, but others jumped into the fray and pointed out that she wasn’t saving the world. President Obama may need to be on call 24/7, but the rest of us can tune out for 50 minutes without serious repercussions. Seriously. Or, if it is that important, step outside and take the call where it won’t disrupt others.
Everyone I know who practices yoga does it for the physical benefits and for the calming effects, and they have the right to expect both. I go to the gym to exercise, clear my head, take care of myself, and I’ve been subjected to other gym-goers’ loud one-sided conversations about inappropriate topics including toe-nail fungus, a daughter’s STD, a string of cuss words that would make Howard Stern blush (still not sure what the actual topic was for that one). I’m so over selfish people who feel they have the right to subject everyone else to their boorish behavior. My whine this week: Turn off the damn phone!
What’s yours?
I feel like whining because my appointment with my oncology surgeon has been cancelled 3 times this week. Last night I waited at the hospital, only to be told 2.5 hours later that he was busy with a surgery in another part of the city and I needed to wait another 2 hours. I left.
Part of me wants to whine because I think *I* am the one who gets to cancel doc appointments, not the doc. Part of me is happy and grateful because my lab report says “no malignancy”.
I guess I’ll be happy and grateful yet post the whine here, to get the best of both worlds, you know.
Oh and about the phone, I love mine dearly but I promise to turn it off if I ever find myself in a yoga class.
Last week, my whine was that I live in NJ and didn’t have power because of Hurricane Sandy. I’m writing today to say I’m grateful I have power again and my home wasn’t flooded. There is so much suffering going on in this area right now, I feel like I don’t have the right to complain.
Having a baby meltdown today. Just found out that a co-worker, who is my age 42, is pregnant – from IVF. I decided to go to yoga class hoping it would take my mind of it when, surprise!, my yoga instructor who was on maternity leave is back, eagerly showing off baby pix on her cellphone. It’s been one of those days…
Ugh. Totally understand. Went through it recently with a 44 year old friend who had a baby through IVF and a donor egg. Hang in there. I went through 9 months of pain and when I saw her birth photos, my first thought was I am so glad I never did that. The baby didn’t look like her husband so it obviously looks like someone in the donor family. That would bother me for the rest of my life. I’m sure your 42 year old friend used a donor — most people just don’t admit to it.
Cellphones in public places are a particular pet peeve of mine as well. I’m also whining because it’s November, and I hate November almost as much as I hate February. :p Busy at work, dark & dreary, my daughter’s due date. Need I say more? :p