Yoga

The Oakland Nights Music Series, an informal concert series featuring local musicians and sponsored by the Town Center Community Association, will present a Sunday afternoon performance by the Nonesuch Trio from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 13 in the ballroom at Historic Oakland, 5430 Vantage Point Road. Admission is free, but donations for the performers are encouraged. The Nonesuch Trio is an acoustic ensemble of three members of the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra: mandolinists Laura Norris and Jim Blanchard and classical guitarist Jeff Doll.

The morning sun was slanting through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the Well's yoga studio as instructor Jennifer Stukey swept the wood floor, preparing for the first class of the day. "I think it's such a great space to be in," said Stukey, who has been a yoga instructor for the center since it opened in November. "It's something that old Ellicott City has been wanting and needing for some time." The Well, described as a "community space for yoga and the healing arts," is run by Leslie Lewart, formerly the owner of Rugs to Riches, her daughter, Amy Meilman, and friend Lance Isakov.

Hospital schedules workshop on babies Howard County General Hospital's community health education program will present "Happiest Baby on the Block," a workshop on how to soothe crying newborns and promote more restful sleep. The program, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, is designed for parents of babies up to 3 months old. It will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 7 at the hospital's Wellness Center, Suite L-9 of the Columbia Medical Center, 11055 Little Patuxent Parkway.

The central library, 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway, will offer "All Together Now," a series of programs of songs, stories and activities for children and adults. All ages are welcome to participate in the 30-minute programs, which begin this week and are offered at 11 a.m. Fridays through March 30; 11 a.m. Saturdays through May 26; and 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Wednesday through May 16. Registration is not required. "Play Partners," a series of programs for infants and toddlers to 23 months with an adult, will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Mondays, March 5 through April 30; and at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 6 through May 15. The 20- to 30-minute program includes stories, baby games and musical activities, followed by a short play time.

There is a sign in the fitness club that I belong to urging members to sign up for something called Yogilates. "You should sign up," a woman said to me the other day. I told her I don't sign up for anything I can't pronounce. "Oh, it'll be fun," she said. No, it won't. If there's one thing I've learned in 25 years of going to fitness clubs, it's that this sort of exercise is never fun. Look, over the years I have watched people work out with free weights, Nautilus machines, circuit-training machines, rowing machines, ab rollers, stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters and treadmills.

Oakland Night Music Series, sponsored by the Town Center Community Association, will present Tres Amigos, a local band specializing in Latin, Brazilian and popular music, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday at Historic Oakland, 5430 Vantage Point Road, Columbia. Admission to the informal concert is free, but donations for the performers are encouraged. Musicians interested in performing at Oakland Nights should contact Patricia Loeber, 410-730-4744. Hickory Ridge plans family bingo night The Village of Hickory Ridge will sponsor a Family Night Bingo from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Hawthorn Center, 6175 Sunny Spring.

Slayton House Theatre in Wilde Lake Village Center will show the sixth of nine films in its Marvelous Movies and More film series, the 1955 classic, Rebel Without a Cause, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Film critic Mike Giuliano will lead a short discussion after the film. Dessert and coffee are provided. The cost is $7; $6 for senior citizens and students. Raffle prizes will be offered, and those who attend are encouraged to bring old tapes, digital video discs, compact discs and books to trade, sell or exchange.

With only the whirring of the heating vents, the crackling of their own joints and the occasional ringing cell phone to break the silence, the men and women moved deliberately and carefully through the series of yoga poses. They balanced on one leg while bringing their head to the knee of their outstretched leg. They kicked a leg up behind them, far above their heads while leaning forward with an outstretched arm. And they twisted, stretched and bent themselves into positions that seemed unimaginable.

The title of the CD -- Yoga in the Car -- made my editors laugh hysterically. And as I'm The Sun's resident yoga "expert," they asked me to check it out. The goal of the recording, by Los Angeles yoga instructor and cancer survivor Jen Swain, is laudable: to get people to chill out behind the wheel. But as I bopped around Baltimore attempting to do the exercises, I had to ask which was more dangerous: road rage or the risk of driving off the road? And if it's not safe to drive while gabbing on a cell phone, how can it be safe while doing neck rolls?

John Joseph Kohles Jr., 80, corporate tax adviserJohn Joseph Kohles Jr., a retired corporate tax adviser, died of heart complications Thursday at his Abingdon home. He was 80.After graduating from Loyola College in 1941, he joined the Internal Revenue Service, where he was a tax adviser for large businesses, and retired in the early 1980s.Mr. Kohles then worked about seven years as a tax adviser for the Maryland comptroller's office.The Baltimore native served in the Army in Europe during World War II.He was an active member of Parkville Post 183 of the American Legion and the Abingdon Council of the Knights of Columbus.

Literary journal The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Howard County is accepting submissions for its new literary webzine, "Inkwell: NAMI Howard County's Creative Journal." Submissions should focus on issues related to mental illness such as recovery, stigma, acceptance and relationships. NAMI Howard County will accept work in the form of poetry, essays and visual art. The deadline for the first edition is Thursday. For guidelines, go to nami.org/sites/namihowardcounty. In recognition of Mental Illness Awareness Week, NAMI Howard County will launch Inkwell on the Web site Oct. 7. The journal will appear twice annually and accept submissions year-round.

Literary journal The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Howard County is accepting submissions for its new literary webzine, Inkwell: NAMI Howard County's Creative Journal. Submissions should focus on issues related to mental illness such as recovery, stigma, acceptance and relationships. NAMI Howard County will accept work in the form of poetry, essays and visual art. The deadline for the first edition is Sept. 24. For guidelines, go to nami.org/sites/namihowardcounty. In recognition of Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW)

Soroptimist International of Howard County will sponsor a talk by Lynne Hammar, communications director at IMA World Health, at the organization's monthly dinner meeting 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the Cafe de Paris, 8808 Centre Park Drive. IMA World Health provides essential health care services and supplies to people in need in developing countries; Soroptimists of Howard County have partnered with the organization by coordinating the Soroptimist Village Dispensary Kit program since the mid 1990s.

COLLEGE PARK - Along with "press," "post" and "trap," Maryland basketball players have added some new expressions into their lexicon this season. Adrian Bowie, Dave Neal and the other Terps couldn't have told you before the preseason about "downward dog" or "child pose." Now, the players know all too well about these and other yoga positions. Their challenging yoga training - which began weeks before their opening game and has continued into the season - is part of the regimen introduced by Paul Ricci.

The Polk family heaved themselves onto the airport shuttle yesterday morning and, sandwiched there thigh-to-thigh, on the way from Baltimore to Thanksgiving in South Carolina, they heard the voice of an angel - the angel of airport serenity. "Roll your heads in a circle," the angel soothingly instructed. "Pretend there's an imaginary pencil on your head drawing big circles on the ceiling." Airport Fast Park hired Jean-Jacques Gabriel, who isn't exactly an angel - though he does have heavenly posture - to lead yoga classes on its shuttles from long-term parking lots yesterday and again this morning.

After battling obesity and other health issues for years, Arthur Boorman finally bottomed out. Literally. Boorman, a Brooklyn resident and special education teacher at Severna Park High School, was working with a student at the youngster's home about two years ago, when the chair that he was sitting on collapsed under his 5-foot-6, 340-pound frame. Unable to walk without the use of canes because of problems with his legs and back, the Gulf War veteran and former Army paratrooper realized after the humiliating experience that he needed to reverse his downward spiral.

Mostly sunny. Finally. Highs in the upper 60s and 70s this week. Finally. Spring. Finally. Given the weather, you have certain inalienable rights this time of year, and those rights shall hereby be called "The Rights of Springs," and these rights are as follows: You have the right to ... Assemble midday at Mount Vernon Square for no apparent reason Walk around the Inner Harbor and see Animal Balloon Guy Take any walk Call a friend you haven't talked...

The terrifying discovery of the lump in their breasts. The surgery, the chemo, the radiation. All of that was behind them, maybe six months behind them, maybe five years behind them. But behind them. The women had taken up life where it had stopped, suddenly, with the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer. Taking care of husbands, kids, aging parents. Working, cooking, cleaning, volunteering. And everyone around them was so happy to see them back. But these women weren't back. Dr. Kathy J. Helzlsouer, breast cancer specialist at Mercy Medical Center, was hearing whispered complaints of fatigue.

It's 7:30 in the morning and I am on a treadmill at my health club, watching CNN on the big plasma TV and slowly getting a migraine. I am here because if I didn't do this, I would weigh 400 pounds instead of having the sleek, pantherlike body I have now. A sign nearby says something about a yoga class. Don't talk to me about yoga. I tried it once. I went with my wife and a friend to this yoga place in Timonium. You had to take off your shoes, which I wasn't crazy about, and it was 95 degrees in the room.

Town Center Community Association will offer Sunday Afternoon Tea from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 20 at Historic Oakland, 5430 Vantage Point Road. Hot tea will be served in the manor's elegant ballroom. Sandwiches, desserts and warm scones will also be served. A live performance by the Celtic music trio Painted Trillium is planned. The cost is $20. Reservations are required at least two business days in advance. Information or reservations: 410-730-4801 or www.historicoakland.com. Around town Mah-jongg -- Those ages 18 or older are invited to Slayton House in Wilde Lake Village Center for mah-jongg at 10 a.m. Wednesdays.