A (masked) breath of fresh air

Despite what the president has to say, things aren't getting back to normal any time soon. So it's been a breath of fresh air to have one bit of my normal return: pole. Though I've mostly focused on aerial silks and lyra since moving to California, I've been doing these at a pole studio since Oakland became my home a year ago. Gyms are still closed for the foreseeable future, but by a stroke of luck my studio happens to have a backyard space and managed to fill it with outdoor poles. It's been a fun new challenge, learning to pole on equipment not secured at both ends, and doing so under full midday summer sun. There are also a few new accessories to adjust to: face masks and shoes (the latter to protect us from the "hot lava" sun soaked black bases supporting each of the outdoor poles). But more than anything, it's been a (masked) breath of fresh air, a small moment in my week when the non-work parts of my world feel like they've returned to nearly normal. I can't express just how much I've needed a little taste of normal.