It's been a crazy few weeks. Emotionally, losing my uncle and Salvador, and dealing with all that surrounds loss, threw kind of a wrench in my vacation, but that is life. I am at the end of my 6 week summer vacation, and while I know I did a lot of the things on my to-do list, I always come away from summer feeling like I didn't accomplish what I wanted. I am knee deep in finishing my bedroom closet. It's a walk-in, and pretty spacious, now that all the crap I accumulated in there for the last 2-3 years is out. I mean, really. How many clothes does one person need? I have purged a ton of my clothes, especially over the last 2 years, with my weight loss. I have gotten really good at tossing, knowing that if I lose more, I will just buy new. I've gotten rid of my bigger clothes, to avoid ever going back to that size ever again. Well, getting Franklin to purge clothes is usually like pulling teeth. But this week I was able to get him to go through the millions of teeshirts he has. Alexander got rid of a few clothes, and I keep up with Cassie's clothes, but today I dropped off 13 bags and some books and toys. Felt SO good. Rearranged the closet, and now, for my last hurrah before Monday, to clean the rest of my bedroom. No, I didn't put all Cassie's kindergarten stuff in her scrapbook this summer. But all the pictures/papers are together in one place. No, I didn't clean the deck. No, I didn't succeed in getting Franklin to go through the billions of soccer papers, forms, passes and other soccer paraphernalia. No, I didn't see all the friends I wanted to see and catch up with. We didn't get to the pool ONCE. I didn't take a ton of different classes at the gym and work a lot on my own fitness. Sigh. I think that even teaching 3 weeks of summer school really does make my summer seem shorter. I am making a new goal of NOT teaching next summer, to have 9 weeks off. If I can swing it financially, I'm gonna take the entire summer. I have to start planning now.
But I DID do this:
Cleaned the hall closet. Discarded old medicines. Cleaned the tupperware cabinet and pared it down it so that they don't fall out whenever I open the door. I purged all Cassie's books and toys and clothes and actually removed them from the house. I went through all the videos of the kids and labeled them FINALLY. I cleaned my closet (ok that's almost done). I cleaned and organized the pantry. I shampooed the carpets. Yes, personally. I cleaned the bathroom top to bottom (this is a big task. Not a big bathroom, but a big task. Trust me.) I slept in. I spent time with Franklin and the kids. We went to a movie. We went to a whole mess of soccer tournaments.
I will start this school year, FINALLY, with a cleaner and more organized living space than I have had the last few years. Because I usually just say screw it and have fun and relax. But then it ends up stressing me out. This year, I did relax, I didn't watch too many movies and I did not read a single book. Shocking. But I had more energy than any other summer ever in my life. And so even if I did not do every single little thing I wanted to do, I did more than I have ever done. I will start the school year, most likely stressing, but over school and not school AND home. Phew. Finally.
I will also start the school year without Janet. Sigh. That's for another blog.
After my friend Rhonda created the before/after picture of me above, I bit the bullet and posted it on Les Mills BodyPump Face Book wall. It was weird putting it out there for more than my friends and family to see, but I had a ton of positive responses and actually became friends with a girl in NYC that has a similar story to mine and just became a BP instructor as well! She is coming to SF at the end of August and we are going to hook up and she'll take my class.
The club manager at my club in San Carlos wanted to use my picture/story to promote the next BP release at the gym. Well, to my surprise, this week he instead posted the picture/story right outside the Group X room! I am so flattered and more than a bit embarrassed, but if it gets one person into a BP class that wouldn't normally, then it's all worth it. The manager also told me tonight that he took a picture during my class on Tuesday, sent it to the Group X Regional Manager to show her how packed my classes are and to request more BodyPump! It won't be me teaching, though. Four a week = enough!! But it shows the need to hire more instructors, subs, whatever. As well as getting more equipment.
Since I haven't blogged regularly this summer, I just have to note some things from the last few classes so I don't forget. I taught at PAC this past Saturday for the first time in 3 weeks, and after class, one of the ladies came up to me and told me how happy they are that I am teaching on Saturdays. She said she takes 3 classes a week and that some instructors yell at them, some go too fast, some mess up.....and when I thanked her for her compliments, she again told me how glad many of them are that I teach there on Saturday and wish I taught there more often. It made my day. Then a man came up to me and told me that he is a professional musician, and that I am the only instructor that has musicality - is right on time with the music and the tempos. I told him I know other good instructors there and he said "Trust me. You're the best at hearing the music and the beat." I told him that it's because I listen to these playlists for a month before I even get the choreography so I really do feel the music, but I left there walking on a cloud. Finally, I am feeling more at home there. I hear the compliments from people at 24Hr because I am there more often, but with a class once a week, while people thank me for a great class, I haven't gotten much specific feedback.
At 24Hour, each class brings new faces. Tonight, as the crowd gathered outside the room while we waited for the TaeBo class to end, so many people were reading my story posted outside the room. I am truly feeling happy as I teach BodyPump here. It never fails to put a smile on my face, to be fun. Another new person came up to me tonight to thank me and to ask when I teach again. I am loving what I am doing.
I have also been thinking strongly about further certification. I have looked into AFAA and ACE and am beginning to lean toward ACE, which would give me a bit more time to study. I don't know how I would manage studying and teaching during the school year, but because this is again something I am passionate about, maybe it will be something I look forward to, rather than dread. I need to have a better understanding of the human body, our muscles, how it all works, in order to further meet my goals.
I had a dream the other night. I dreamt I opened up a gym, a small one, that was a Les Mills dominant club. With all the great programs, hiring great instructors, and people thrilled to have a gym that catered to the programs I am so passionate about but don't have in my area to take.
We all know where my dreams have led to over this amazing journey of mine. Do I dare to think this is something that could happen in the future? I would be happy to TEACH at a small gym that had all the Les Mills programs that was local to me.
Hmmmm......................
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