"Come along" my work colleague suggested, "you'll love it". In my never-ending effort to get fit, take a few pounds off and just be more healthy, I decided to try something different from the normal pump class I had been attending. So, I made a hasty decision to go straight from work to the gym and try out the Sh'bam class. Sh'bam, described in the brochure as "a moderate intensity dance-inspired class - the perfect way to get in shape and let out your inner star", might be a good start. Inner star? I want to get fit but perhaps I, and the rest of the world, want to keep my inner star inside, where I presume it's being living quite contentedly. I'll go so I can get fit but I reassure myself that I will keep my inner star away from any bright lights.
The darkened room increases my confidence as do the other attendees; all women wearing loose clothing which is in stark contrast to the scantily-clad Friday pump class attendees, and I'm just talking about the men! Some are in barefeet, some in socks and others wear runners. I introduce myself as a newbie to the instructor, who I will call Rosita, and ask if it's better to wear shoes or not. She says it doesn't matter so I go barefoot. Note to self: wait to see if instructor removes her shoes.
Ok, so we're ready to go. Music very loud, check; instructor's headset distorting so you can't really understand what she says, check; position myself behind someone so I can't see my reflection in the mirror, check.
And, we're off. Easy-peasey. Side steps, followed by toe-taps to the front, toe-taps to the back. Simple, I've done this sort of stuff before. Throw in a little shimmy and then a couple of little kicks and then we're sliding, jumping (oops) and running with arm movements and changing direction quickly, running back the other way, another jump (oh-oh), a sudden twirl and I've nearly knocked out the woman next to me! Quick apology, try to get back in step with Rosita, who's yelling something I can't understand, but I forge on determined to keep up and be in sync with everyone else. Yeah right, I can't understand her so I don't know when I'm meant to turn, twirl, throw my arms around, tap, kick, belt the woman next to me and whatever else I'm meant to be doing. Then the music slows; Rosita is shaking her hips, lifting her arms, sensuously running her hands down her body and suddenly I feel my inner star stirring, or is that sparkling? I can't be sure because my star has been in hiding. The music quickens and the wiggling hips, the shaking booty and flailing arms are way out of control but my inner star is revelling in this new found freedom. Why have I been locked away? Thank you for releasing me. Wow this is good. Keep me out; I'm never going back in there! Shimmy, shimmy, kick, tap, slide, run, jump (egads!), twirl and I'm moving with the best of them, well, in my class anyway!
And then the 45-minute class is over. Wow, I've worked up a sweat, burnt some calories and my inner star is out there! I'm feeling good. Until the next day. When I try to move. My left knee wants to remain straight, my right big toe is aching, specifically if I want to move, and my boobs feel 3" longer. What was I thinking? I'm 60. My body demands respect, not punishment. I'll return to my regular pump classs where I can keep both feet firmly on the ground and my arms and other wobbly bits fully controlled.
My work colleague was right, I did love it, but my body or, more to the point, my knees, arthritic toes and well-loved boobies didn't. However, I now have to tell my inner star, who is now outer, to return from whence it came. Or do I? It might be harder than I think.
I'd love to hear from anyone who has some interesting ideas or experiences about increasing fitness levels.
Cheers, Sue.
Tags: #fitness, #sh'bam
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
Retirement. Are you serious?
Yes, it's fast approaching. 30th of January, 2014. My last day of full-time work in the Australian workforce. What was I thinking? Do we have enough money to keep us going until we don't need it anymore? Will we have enough for me to keep getting my hair done every 5-6 weeks as I have for the past, what? 10, 15, probably 20 years! Can we afford to buy all those little things we've taken for granted during our working lives? This time last year I wasn't ready to retire. What's changed?
MY LIFE.
Twelve months ago, I was made redundant, sorry, my role was made redundant. I had been in tertiary education for over twenty years and had been part of the senior management team for more than six. Life was good and I loved my job. Then whammo! No job. That's OK, pick yourself up and get another one. I'd never had any trouble getting jobs; I'd been born one of the lucky ones, a baby boomer. Born in the '50s, in a time of prosperity and growth and "the world is your oyster". And it has been. I've been bloody lucky and will be forever grateful. But, things change.
MY LIFE.
So I got a full-time job on the other side of the country in tertiary education but not at quite the same level. We moved to WA on a 3-year plan to help a family member so the less senior role freed up my time. Oops, the plan has changed; it is now only one year. Back we go to the East, but to what? No job; 60th birthday last November, and do I really want to continue working full-time and probably not in my chosen field. Forget it! So, what do we do? We divest ourselves of possessions and buy a boat; not here but over there. What, my family and friends say, you get seasick! What are you thinking? What are you doing?
I DON'T KNOW!
Yep, that's right, not sure exactly but we're doing it. Gone is the house, gone is the car, gone is the fridge, the mattress, the piano, the mother-of-all barbeques and lots of favourite things. And, we're off. Well, we will be on the 14th of February. But, I've got to get to the 30th of January first, my last day of full-time work in the Australian workforce!
OMG!
Thanks, if you waded through this post and got this far. I'm interested to hear from you if you have had similar feelings approaching retirement or if you also have done something crazy, wild like we will be!
Tags: #retirement, #changingworld, #babyboomer, #redundant
MY LIFE.
Twelve months ago, I was made redundant, sorry, my role was made redundant. I had been in tertiary education for over twenty years and had been part of the senior management team for more than six. Life was good and I loved my job. Then whammo! No job. That's OK, pick yourself up and get another one. I'd never had any trouble getting jobs; I'd been born one of the lucky ones, a baby boomer. Born in the '50s, in a time of prosperity and growth and "the world is your oyster". And it has been. I've been bloody lucky and will be forever grateful. But, things change.
MY LIFE.
So I got a full-time job on the other side of the country in tertiary education but not at quite the same level. We moved to WA on a 3-year plan to help a family member so the less senior role freed up my time. Oops, the plan has changed; it is now only one year. Back we go to the East, but to what? No job; 60th birthday last November, and do I really want to continue working full-time and probably not in my chosen field. Forget it! So, what do we do? We divest ourselves of possessions and buy a boat; not here but over there. What, my family and friends say, you get seasick! What are you thinking? What are you doing?
I DON'T KNOW!
Yep, that's right, not sure exactly but we're doing it. Gone is the house, gone is the car, gone is the fridge, the mattress, the piano, the mother-of-all barbeques and lots of favourite things. And, we're off. Well, we will be on the 14th of February. But, I've got to get to the 30th of January first, my last day of full-time work in the Australian workforce!
OMG!
Thanks, if you waded through this post and got this far. I'm interested to hear from you if you have had similar feelings approaching retirement or if you also have done something crazy, wild like we will be!
Tags: #retirement, #changingworld, #babyboomer, #redundant
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