January '07

1/29 10:26pm: I guess it’s official: I live in Chicago. I arrived here in late November and unpacked a bit before heading down to South Florida for a few days for Thanksgiving and to head up my friend Tina’s Bikram Yoga studio for a couple of weeks while she and her husband John headed out on a cruise. It was good to see a bunch of folks down there that I haven’t seen since I taught/lived down there a few years back.

I returned to Park Ridge, IL where I’m temporarily staying with my oldest/closest friend from childhood, Bill “Tank” Sherman and his daughter Jackie. They are more than hospitable, and my arrangements here are beyond perfect.

The task at hand is three fold.

1)    Get to know this city: I’m most at home in NYC (called it home for years on and off) and lived in LA a few years back add 3 months during Bikram Yoga Teacher’s Training). Chicago caught my eye years back when I was working with Roberta Flack. We were in town for a couple of days and I had time to explore with friends. I just loved it and that was probably the beginning of this journey. It’s a beautiful city. It’s so clean. The folks here are so nice.

2)    Solidify my teaching schedule: There are too many Bikram Yoga teachers in this city! That’s one of the reasons I decided o open a studio here. So it’s a very good thing if you’re a studio owner. It makes being a teacher difficult. As a teacher you want to get paid well and create a workable schedule. That might take a bit of time as I get to know this new community.

3)    Find the right location for a yoga studio: I’ve got my work cut out for me because the town I’m hoping to open in is “the place to be”! It’s so charming, so beautiful and so close to the city. It seems like everyone wants to live and open a business there! Finding the right location at the right price is the foundation for any successful business venture. I’m not the slightest bit worried. I’m well prepared for what’s coming.