zumba-larious

    i assume everyone's heard of zumba - a latin inspired dance workout class. it's pretty amazing and i'm totally hooked! aaaand apparently over christmas break everyone else in stillwater become hooked on it too because our class is now almost twice the size it was in december. (i'm actually still waiting for all the new year's resolution hype to wear off and the girls to start dropping like flies, but we'll see what happens.)
    anyway, there's a fun little self esteem hike that comes along with the class. really its an hour of booty-shakin' and pelvic thrusts! you feel a little girly, add your own twist to the moves, realize that you can actually move in a semi-attractive way without tripping onto your face...
and then you notice them. you know who i'm talking about...the flail-ers and the divas. you can't not see them, even if you try. and they make zumba hilarious.
      poor ames is like sticky fly paper to the flail-ers. regardless of where she plants herself in the room there's always one that finds her. and halfway through class after multiple near-eye-gouge experiences she gives me that look that warns "if she touches me i'll smack her!"  i can never help myself from cackling out loud.
     and ohhhh the divas! not much needs to said really. but just tonight i was nearly severed in two by the laser stare of a diva while she was watching her pelvic thrust in the mirror!  frightening- those sucked in cheeks and pouty lips! the smoldering stare of a woman measuring herself against the world she's aimed at seducing. i love to watch them because they are too caught up to ever notice.
    i can't say i don't watch myself in the mirror occasionally, but usually it's more along the lines of "ooh, preston will like this" or "don't trip, shake it, don't trip!" Or to just make sure i don't look like a complete fool! i watch my legs from just under my brow with embarrassment, or stare out in space and wonder just how many people dancing behind me are in disbelief at the size of my butt compared to the rest of my body.
    then i spend half the class laughing at myself, or at the divas, or at the flailers and amy's space bubble being intruded again. it truly is the most fun you'll have at the gym! i love it!
   so chin up! sexy face on! suck in that tummy and push out that chest, girl! shake it shake it and flail like there's no tomorrow!