The new guy at yoga

DISCLAIMER: This post has since been shown to be totally untrue. But I'm leaving it for its comedic value. Enjoy.

Last week, a new guy started coming to morning yoga class. He seemed to know my teacher, Todd (maybe from Todd's studio in Athens?) and he also seemed to know Ashtanga yoga, but had been away from the practice for some time... trying to pick it up again. I noticed this, offhandedly, while I was doing my own practice that morning. The next day, I was slogging myself in at about 6:30 AM and there he was again, walking from his car to the door. We smiled and said hello, somewhat sleepily, and he held the door for me as we walked up the steps to sign in. When he told the receptionist his name (you have to do this to get a slip to go to class), he said "Thile... T-H-I-L-E". I thought, huh, unusual name... and how funny, I just missed the Chris Thile show at Variety last weekend!

At first I wondered if he was any relation to Chris -- the insanely gifted mandolin player from Nickel Creek. I'd seen them play a few years back and remember them all, especially him, being just sick talented. Then I though, wait a minute, what was Todd calling him yesterday morning? Couldn't remember. I got kind of excited thinking about that maybe it WAS Chris Thile as I was putting my things in the locker room, and so I went back to the receptionist and asked her, "Umm, sorry, but that guy who I walked in with... is his name Chris, by any chance?"

Scrolling, scrolling, searching. Recognition. "Yeah, here it is, Chris. Thile." Obviously no idea who he was.

"No way! That's so cool! He's like, a super-famous mandolin player!" (Go Wendy, way to act like a 15-year-old fan.)

So then I go into class and am all giddy with kind of like, "I have a secret"-feelings mixed with a little star-stuck weak knees (I could actually feel this during practice). Its cool to live in a city where you can brush up against famous people in a yoga class of about 6-8 people. Indeed, Todd referred to him as Chris the whole time, and asked whether he was in town for a while... he said yeah, and he was trying to get back into the practice. Strangely, he doesn't look anything like his pictures or what I remember from the show years ago. (Which, OK, its me, so when it comes to faces, that's pretty much two eyes, a nose and a mouth. And when I look at the picture above, of course his face looks exactly like that, but still...) His hair is buzzed now (a step down, I'd say, from the shaggy look before), and it really changes the way his face looks. I wanted to talk to him, but the way the class is structured, everyone just comes and goes on their own, leaving when they're done with their practice. He finished earlier than me, and I couldn't see any real reason to run out after him like a ridiculous fan. But I hope he keeps coming, and I get to "run into him" and chat a bit. He seems cool, quite normal actually.

Many yoga teachers I've talked to and trained with have taught yoga to famous people, mainly musicians, who seem to gravitate towards Ashtanga. Ah, yet another reason to realize the yoga-teacher-studio-owner dream: hobnobbing with cool musicians.

On that front,
YOGA:1
SCIENCE:0

Maybe next week Madonna will show up.