all MINE
started on December 18th, 2004
my longest and most satisfying love affair committment to date
Jaywalking at its worst
Jay walking n. walking across a street outside of marked cross-walks and not at a corner, and/or against a signal light. If there is vehicle traffic or clear markings of a place to cross, this is a traffic misdemeanor subject to fine, and may be (but not conclusively) contributory negligence in the event of injury to the jay walker by a vehicle.
This happens everyday.
This irks me every single morning on my way to work. Pedestrians ignore the traffic lights and risk life and limb to dodge traffic as they illegally cross the road.
A herd of Jay Walkers
I took these photos with my phone on my way to work this morning. I apologize for the poor quality of photos, but I wanted to show the very real side of everyday life in the “tropics”. This blatant disregard for basic traffic laws, is an everyday occurrence. You can clearly see that the light for pedestrian crossing never turned green, but these people crossed anyway. Then we wonder crime is so high in our country? If we cannot get the little things right don’t be surprised when we can get a whole Section 34 wrong!
Move ya body!
What is Zumba?
According to their website: The Zumba program is a fitness-party with a contagious blend of Latin and international rhythms that provides a fun and effective workout to a global community, either at home or in the gym…Using easy-to-follow moves and exotic, high-energy music, Zumba routines successfully tone and sculpt the body while burning fat.
I was the first one in the class. All excited to try something new. This was new to all of us, so the playing field was pretty level. And from what I heard from friends who tried it, it’s quite popular with the older crowd. So if a bunch of retirees could do it, how hard can it really be right?
I was immediately impressed by our instructor. Her wonderfully colourful outfit, think purple tights, hot pink sneakers and lime green top, was the first sign that this was going to be absolutely fun. Karen, our instructor, a petite, über-toned mother of 5, yes you read correctly, she has 5 kids and looks like she doesn’t even have one, reassured us that the hour-long class had only one rule: Do not stand still, if you get lost or can’t do a move do your own thing. Zumba is about having fun.
She wasn’t kidding.
Karen only spoke during the breaks between music changes and that was to encourage us. Such a change from regular aerobics and most definitely spin. It was both disconcerting and liberating to not have orders barked at me. After a crappy day at work, Zumba is an excellent way to loosen up and burn some calories as well.
We moved from Latin, to Bollywood to hip-hop to dancehall to a whole lot of booty shaking, the easy dance steps had us all in a party mood. Karen also said if we ever went to a Zumba class and the instructor played only Soca that it was not a Zumba class.
I was sweating so much after the “warm-up” I couldn’t believe that we were just “dancing”. I made a lot of errors, got lost many times and guess what? Nobody cared. I was laughing so hard most of the time it didn’t matter that I was turning counterclockwise instead of clockwise. Oh and those retirees are definitely on to something here!
The hour went by so quickly I couldn’t believe the class was over. Also I had so much energy afterward. I needed to keep moving. So I headed to the Savannah for a run. This is seems to be a common side effect from a Zumba class. The energy boost is incredible.
Reasons to try Zumba:
1. It’s awesome.
2. It does not feel like a workout. It feels like a party yet you are moving your whole body and after a crappy day at work, this is a fun way to burn some calories and get a good sweat.
3. Anyone can do it. It’s super easy, even if you think you have two left feet. As long as you can move you can Zumba.
4. The feeling afterward is awesome. After spin I feel like I can take on the world. After Zumba I simply feel energized and free, like all the stress of the day is left in the sweat on the floor.
5. It’s something different. If you’re in a gym rut, Zumba is a great way to add some spice to your gym routine.
Dear Stress
Zumba can teach us a lot about life. There are no manuals or instructions on how to do it, you learn as you go. There is no “right way to do it”. You just show up prepared to have fun and get moving. You make mistakes, you work hard, nobody cares if you look silly, you learn to laugh at yourself and most importantly you have fun. You keep going until the end of the class. Give it your best and have a good time. You truly have to be fully present in the moment because nothing else matters.
Tuesday evenings are now second only to Friday evenings. I absolutely cannot wait for my class next week.
I’m now a zumbaspinaerobicsyogaphile.
Do you Zumba? Don’t you just love it?
Near and Far
I loved how the ocean looked here. The pier and the boat partly hidden and of course the horizon in the distance. Scenes from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest were filmed here.
What would you tell your 16-year-old self?
Yesterday was my little cousin’s 16th birthday. I love her like a sister. All day I thought about what advice I would give her when we met for her surprise dinner later that evening?
It got me thinking about what I would tell my 16-year-old self, now 16 years later. I remember her, so ambitious and so afraid to let people see the real her because she had this soft under belly covered by a hard shell and was so easily hurt. I love her so much.
I would tell my 16-year-old self: You are enough.
Forgive your father now. Holding on to the hurt will not change the past. You are going to have to forgive him at least two more times in the future, so get some practise now.
Be more patient with mummy. Enjoy her jokes more. Time with her is shorter than you think.
Forget how big you think your boobs are right now and how awkward you feel. Trust me, their size is a very good thing as you will soon learn.
Don’t be so hard on people, especially the ones closest to you. They are the ones who see the real you and love you just as you are. We are all human, let some things go.
Don’t worry, your first kiss is coming (yes you are a pretty late bloomer in ALL things and that’s perfectly ok) and it’s every bit as awkward as you imagine it’s going to be.
Oh and no matter how cool you think getting a nose piercing is in a year’s time…save yourself the pain. You keep the ring in for all of 8 days and then take it out. It so isn’t worth it.
And finally my love, enjoy being 16 for as long as you can.
Looking back, I have no real regrets about the path my life has taken. I truly believe the experiences I’ve had all brought me to where I am today. Had anything one thing been different I would not have had all the awesome experiences that I was blessed with. I am thankful even for the painful moments, the heartbreak and sadness because they all helped me to grow forward in some way. I am right where I am supposed to be and I am at peace. I am happy.
My toast to my cousin Azaria: You are enough.
Now it’s your turn. What would you tell your 16-year-old self?