Look How Happy These Women Are!

Brought the camera to share some photos from my weekend, and spontaneously was moved to snap one mid-song. This is why teaching Jazzercise is so worth it. Figured I'd better post in case there's a day when I forget and get all whiny about having to drag my ass over there. Not that that ever happens.

Jazzercise photos

At the request of my dear old friend, Kathie Roth (Johnson), I posted a photo of myself teaching Jazzercise on Facebook. Then, I realized that I had never posted a photo on the blog, basically because I have never had a photo of me teaching until someone (Terry E.) took a bunch on the occasion of my 40th birthday class (thus, the balloons and tiara).

So, here goes. I love these people. And, it's really true: I love Jazzercise.

Where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and the children are above-average.

This week:

• I have moved up to my 7-pound weights (well, at least my 6's with the occasional foray into 7-land). Tonight, if it is as hot as I think it's going to be in that blessed oven, I mean grange hall, I may do without weights all together.
• Jay is getting used to either biking to work (no small feat) or running at lunchtime combined with a sensible Subway lunch (a la Jared). He has trimmed off 7 pounds so far. (Although since the weather is over 100 at the moment, he may have lost another 5 in water weight just sitting in traffic on the I-5 bridge this afternoon).
• The girls have successfully moved up to their respective new classes at KinderCare. Ellie hit her new teacher the moment I handed her over the first day, but she came home with a groovy new hairdo that involved EIGHT ponytail holders and a zigzag part down the back of her scalp that afternoon, so it was pretty clear that she and Ms Renae had had some real quality time. Maggie keeps asking, "What class do I have to go to TODAY?" And when I say, "Pre-K, Mags. That's where your cubby is now." She just says, "A-gain?!"

Monitored

Last night my Jazzercise class was monitored, and it was relatively painless - although this morning, I am sore and my muscles are feeling a little like they would feel if I had held them tense overnight. I was long overdue for an observation - so far overdue that I had stopped driving into the grange parking lot with a knot in my stomach wondering when the unfamiliar car with the Jazzercise decal would show up. But, I had been given a little (unitentional?) heads-up the day before and had actually spent some time putting my set together early in the day and making sure it was well-balanced. Very fortunately, I had managed to stay sane, beer-free and on time earlier in the evening even though my post-Kindercare running around included picking up Big Chris at Julianne's, a hurried spaghetti dinner and a car swap.

Giving New Meaning to Walking to Work

Keep in mind that "walking to work" for me usually entails sliding on the old bunny slippers and shuffling from the bedroom to the kitchen for coffee and off to the home office off the great room.

Last Thursday, Leslie and I followed this approximate route from point A to point B. (Two important exceptions - 1. the exact starting point has been modified a bit to keep from revealing her address and 2. although Google maps won't let me show it, we walked on the paths through the park). After spending the day with my client at Point B, I walked to Point C to meet Dan (Leslie's husband) at his office. We then walked to Point D to meet up with Leslie for dinner.


View Larger Map

No wonder my ass hurt the next day... But it was a good hurt. The city really does seem a little smaller when you cross it on foot, and a week with the (wonderful) East Coast Food "Carb-o-Rama" and without Jazzercise or Rugrat Chasing needed a little something to keep the metabolism in check.

Speaking of dinner at Point D. We went to The Holy Basil. Finding a Thai place to love can be dicey, but when Leslie spoke of this one, it was with a sparkle in her eye that told of a long-standing love, so I knew it would be good. It was really wonderful - and the place had a little, well, a lot - more atmosphere than our old fave Thanh Thao in Portland... Leslie and I both had the Thai Salad (yum, peanut dressing) and the chicken Kang Ped (red curry) - can't go wrong with coconut milk. I have no idea what Dan ate - I was too busy shoveling my own food into my pie hole to look across the table to see. Mmm...

Just a little tired

I've taught three Jazzercise classes in the last 24 hours. There has also been a fair amount of "Jazzerdrama." There has even been some parenting/pet ownership peppered in as well (Read that as "I have cleaned up both puke and urine." So much for cutting down on paper towel use for Earth Day...). I really want to post a photo of my newly hung mirror (which I used yesterday to observe myself practicing some new songs before trying them out on the folks last night - awesomely incredible), but I am too lazy to go outside and take a picture, put it on the computer and upload it here. Perhaps tomorrow - or even later tonight, but right now, I'm just going to nurse this nice hot after-lunch cuppa Joe and think about how I really should be working on a PowerPoint presentation for a client. Three hours until I need to pick up the girls - If the caffeine kicks in, I can still make some good progress on that. Yep, progress...

Betcha' Got a Chick, and I Ain't Talking 'bout Easter

How Long (Betcha' Got a Chick on the Side)... I can't get this song out of my head. Really, I can't. It's an opener in our new Jazzercise set - Queen Latifah doing an old Pointer Sisters song. I just love it when "I know you're cheatin' on me" songs are so upbeat that I can't stop my toe from tapping and my head from moving like an old Taco Bell bobble head on a bumpy road. Back in the day when I had a man with a chick on the side, I really didn't feel like singing at all. Nope, not at all.

(available on iTunes)

The Ladies Love Dino

I finally learned an ender from our last set that's done to Dean Martin and Kevin Spacey (schmooshed together through the magic of technology) singing "King of the Road." (iTunes) Sometimes it's hard to tell if the folks like a song, but with this one - even the quiet ones sing while they stretch. It really is a catchy tune.

Love Songs for Workouts

In this week where love is our focus (as if there's ever a week in which love is not our focus...), here are a couple of love-centric songs that are great for getting the heart pumping in preparation for Valentine's Day.

All of Your Love (Hellogoodbye - the Jimmy Pop remix)
Every Time We Touch (Cascada)

...and then, if you want one that's just good for feeling hot and bothered and like you want to bump and grind - or perhaps just squeeze your glutes to a little High School Musical cutie:

Let's Dance (Vanessa Hudgens)

All are available on iTunes.