29. Take a zumba class

Haven't I just turned into a little exercise queen? Swam 10 laps last week, as well as a yoga class. Took zumba last night... my body is probably wondering what's going on with me doing 3 cardos within 10 days. Heck, I wonder, too! I can't believe all the exercise/ healthy things I put on my "40 before 40" list so my subconscious must be wanting to be thinner and healtier too!

I took zumba last night. Again, I brought reinforcements with me: SisIL, XRay Girl, and a co-worker from Alcatraz. We all showed up on time and found spots together in the back row.

I like that the woman who taught/ led the class wasn't some tiny Barbie type. She was about my age and she was a little overweight but not a lot. She was friendly but not in that overly chirpy way that would make me want to smack her. I liked her. She also said zumba was about having fun and she didn't care if we went the wrong direction or needed a break, as long as we had fun. I liked that idea, too.

And she meant it. The four of us were going in all directions and were all twisted around at times and she didn't care. She was really positive and energetic.

Man, did I get the work out to end all work outs, though. Seriously. I shook body parts I forgot I had or didn't know I had. And I sweated a lot. I won't go into the amount of sweating details but if I were jogging in a rain forest in July wearing all wool, I don't think I would've sweated that much. I can say I got my cardo work-out down pat, without a doubt.

I have to say at about 10 minutes into class I was ready to die. I thought we probably only had 15 minutes left and then I looked at the clock: 45 minutes left. At once point, I told the girls to just zumba around my dead body or roll me out of the way. And that I wanted to be cremated.

About 40 minutes into the class I was ready to be finished but I didn't stop. Do the words Bataan Death March mean anything to you?

When the class ended at 7:10pm, (oh yes, it ran OVER- that was the meanest thing anyone had ever done to me, by the way!!!!) I was tired and hot and sweaty and tingly but yes, I did have fun. Yes, I want to do it again. Yes, this was a good thing. Oh, I wasn't as coordinated that I thought I was and no, I didn't always know all the steps or couldn't get the footwork combinations as quickly (let's be honest, or at all) as I wanted, but I got an amazing work out and had fun at the same time. None of us died. As a matter of fact, though XRay Girl and I were ready to pass out at the end, my SisIL who gave birth 9 months ago and spends her days chasing around a baby and a toddler (Fab Finn was having milk shake for dinner last night!!!) was still bopping around at the end of the class with as much, or more, energy as she had at the beginning!

I was really worried that I would be sore today. I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to move but I was wrong. My shoulders ache a little bit between my shoulder blades and spine. My neck is a bit sore from head poppin' but otherwise, I feel really good!

I'm proud of myself because I never stopped moving. Even when I didn't know the steps/ moves I just sort of danced in place and copied the arm motions. I "zum"-ed when I should've "ba"-ed but it was all good. But when I did get the moves, I was excited and danced along. And since it's so much Latin dance, I have the booty to shake, I was certainly a shakin' it! XRayGirl and the co-worker were teasin' me about "gettin' into it", but they were teasing in a good way.

We all had a good time and are planning on going back again. As a matter of fact I had such a great time that I signed up for a discounted Y membership so I could take the class on a regular basis, as well as use the rest of the facility. I know, I know...

So zumba was a rousing success! This is once of the most fun "40 before40" items so far!

Maggie

(and yes, I do know "sweated" isn't really a word, but I sweat so much I added an ED to it...)

Oh, and in case you're not sure what zumba is, here's a youtube video. This is not my class and I don't know these people, but it's close to what it was like:

More random Thursday thoughts from a tired brain

I zumba-ed tonight and am so tired that I can't string together coherent thoughts so you get random stuff. I'm not sure my fingers can type. I think I'm really gonna hurt tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow I'm supposed to appear in court on behalf of Princess; this is a typical thing that happens not because she was in more trouble. Her court hearing is 5 hours away. We're supposed to have 2 inches of ice and then 6-11 inches of snow on the ground by morning. Her caseworker, who is doing the driving on this road trip, said we're going no matter what. I told her over my dead body would I let her jeopardize the safety of Princess. She asked how I would stop her from going. i said I'd call our company President if I had to. I emailed her this morning, after she was dithering around to me that she didn't know "what to do if it snowed here tomorrow." I suggested that she call the judge, talk to his clerk. explain the situation and see what happens. The judge would either say call us tomorrow to see if you got the weather, tough crap and be here, or give us a continuance. I'm betting on option three. I'm frustrated. I don't think she did her job and I don't think she should endanger lives because she doesn't want to make a phone call. Ugh! Furthermore, I don't want to go tomorrow if the weather is that bad.

I still haven't heard anything about the job. Ridiculous.

I filed my taxes and I'm getting a return and I can now finish Mac's FAFSA. Please pray we get a ton of money.

Mac announced he wants to buy a MacBook Pro to use in college. He's opting out of prom since I said I would give him the cash I would spend on prom to put toward the computer. Those things are $1500. I hope he gets a lot of money for graduation gifts.

I like the word maelstrom.

Tons of movies are being released on DVD next month that I want to see: 127 Hours, Black Swan, Faster, Inside Job, Morning Glory, Next Three Days, Switch, Tangled, and Fair Game.

Okay this is it. My brain is yogurt. And I want chocolate. Now.

Maggie

What doesn't kill you makes you...

So, you know how I have take a spinning class and take a yoga class on my 40 before 40 list? And lose 10 pounds? Well, I now have no excuse to not do the first two which are the steps to either the third one, or steps to death. Could go either way.

A friend of mine from work gave me 2 free passes to our YMCA. Our Y gives members passes to give to friends who are non-members. Cool idea and cool for me.

I said I wished I could afford a Y membership and we were all talking about how prohibitive it is. It was funny that everyone at the table thought it was spendy yet everyone but me belonged. Everyone there either had a discount membership or a free one because of where their spouse worked. So later in the afternoon this colleague friend gave me 2 of her free passes. AWESOME!

So I hopped on the Y website and you will never believe what I found. In the month of February they are holding their very first "Beginners Yoga" class. One hour a week for 4 weeks. On Tuesdays. AND they are also trying out, for the second time to see if it's as successful as the first time, a "Beginning Spin" Class. One hour a week for 4 weeks. On Wednesdays.

Since I have these passes I can go to the first class for free to try it out. If I like it I can pay for the rest of the classes or if I don't, then forget it and move one, thank you very much.

It just seems like fate, doesn't it?

Guess what I'll be doing on Tuesday night, and God help me if yoga doesn't kill me, then a spin class on Wednesday. And I'll blog about both--- unless I'm dead from all the exercise.

Maggie

Spinning delay- UPDATE!

So I went to work at the insurance office tonight to work AND to confirm with Insurance Barbie about spinning class tomorrow and SHE CAN'T GO in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!! She has day care issues- no one to watch her little tyke!

Apparently, I won't be spinning on Wednesday morning. I'm gonna spin at 6 am on Friday morning. What can be worse than getting up to exercise at 6 am? Getting up to exercise at 6 am on a FRIDAY morning... OMG- I think I've lost my ever lovin' mind!

What doesn't kill us makes us sore

I'm supposed to go to my first (and maybe last) spinning class tomorrow morning at 6am. I sill cannot get over the fact I agreed to exercise with Insurance Barbie let alone that I agreed to to do it at 6 am. yes, I whined about this before but I'm still feeling rather incredulous over my dumb self. I know I've been dragging my feet on this and I blogged a few weeks ago that I was going to do it- but I still haven't. One reason is because Insurance Barbie didn't go 2 weeks in a row and I wasn't going alone. Another is I was gone. Another time she was gone. Now I've run out of excuses!!!!! And I'm worried! I'm worried I'll be the fattest person there with all the Barbies. Or that's I'll have a heart attack. Or that I'll sweat so much my hands will slide off the handlebars and I'll smack face first on the floor.

And here's the thing- I am so outta shape that today I'm sore because I've worked three straight shifts at the ice cream parlor the last three days- all 6-7 hours each, standing the entire time- nope, there's no time to sit or take a break- and today I am SO SORE. My ankles, knees and lower back are all killing me from the 18-21 hours of standing on a linoleum floor, bending, scooping, etc... And we don't even have those black mats to stand on that are supposed to help the body.

I'm thinking if I'm this sore after working, I 'll probably die after a spinning class. How tragic to die at a Y, during an exercise class, in a small town. Oh Goddess-- that's so redundant!

If I live to tell the tale, I'll report back on my first time spinning. And if I don't, you can read my last will and testament here.

Peace out,
Mags

YMCA

Recently our town has just built and opened a brand new YMCA facility, a multimillion dollar project with top of the line facilities. The building has the best of the best of everything from weight equipment to personal child care monitoring to a lush indoor pool, just to name a few. The programs are varied with choices from the youngest person in a "mommy and me" class to senior citizen water aerobics. There is something for everyone. Well, it seems there is something there for everyone who has money.

And I want to preface this post that this is not sour apples because I can't afford the membership fees. This runs a little deeper, and as a former social worker, I have issue with what is going on, as I hope you can tell from the rest of my post.

Again, this is a day to learn something here at "shoes/purses" rather than me just sitting here looking pretty- I'm going to educate and get on my high horse at the same time! I live in the second poorest county in my state that has the third highest unemployment rate in our state, and this information can be found at our state government's website. What I want to know is that if this county is so poor and we have so many people out of work, why is a family membership to the YMCA $708 a year (which is lower if you can pay in cash upfront for the whole year) plus the one time fee of $75, which breaks down to $59 a month? In a community where people are struggling to put food on the table, are using public transportation 60% more than last year because of the increased cost of gas, the food panties have seen an 80 % increase- why do we have a YMCA that would think of charging astronomical fees? (Our local newspaper recently ran an article with the stats about out city's need). On a personal note, my sister-in-;law works for a mental health facility and she says that the case managers there are seeing a doubling in client case load just in the last year.

I went to our local Y's web site and I've poured over the slick mailings I get and yes, they do have scholarships, but they are "limited." The mission of the YMCA says:

To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Please notice the "for all" in this that mission statement. FOR ALL should mean all, not just "for all those who can afford it." If a person visits the national YMCA web site and reads through the history, readers will find that since this program started in London in 1844 to now, the Y had grown and changed and evolved to meet the every growing changes with societal norms, offering programs to people of all race, gender, creed, and religion. They helped with healthy body and healthy mind. They provided educational programs when needed. Through it all, the Y has continually catered its programs for those in need.

I want to know how these programs are going to reach those who need it? I'm sick of people saying that with this new building "we want it to stay new so prices need to reflect the sort of people who will respect that". I have heard this repeatedly. And I think it's abhorrent. Others say that the T isn't a baby sitting service and that people will just dump their kids off. Oh, and I like that I heard someone say 'we need to keep the riffraff out." I'm sick to my stomach and appalled when I hear things like this. And to be honest, I have no idea is these people who say these things are those folks who are YMCA members or board members or employees or just townies shooting off their obnoxious mouths.

I live in a county whose population is about 35,000 according to the last US census. Of this population, 7,170 are children under age 17. 13.9% of children in my county live in poverty, the highest rate in the last five years. And 27.2% of children in my county receive public assistance- government public assistance. (data taken from the Kids Count Data book, 2008) With numbers like these, HOW can this brand new YMCA, who is supposed to provide FOR ALL charge these prices??????

My brother has banned the Y on his personal principles. My sister-in-law got herself and my niece a membership. And me, well as for me...I'm too poor to join.... I guess I'm the riffraff they want to keep out.

I wouldn't want to belong to a club that would have me as a member,
Maggie