YMCA

The Jordan YMCA

I stayed after my water aerobics class tonight to take an extra half-hour resistance weight-training course in the pool. Man, I thought I had endorphin highs before. I feel great. There were tons of people at the Y tonight — the construction on their new wellness center is finished and they have a lot of new equipment, so that was at least part of the crowd, along with all the New Year’s resolution folks. But as long as there’s room in the pool, I’m okay with that. I’m just glad that I have some physical activity that isn’t tedious and boring to do.

Continue ReadingThe Jordan YMCA

Do Not Drink the Pool Water

Last night I went to water aerobics at the YMCA with my friend Chi. I’ve taken swimming classes (years ago) but I’ve never done a water aerobics class – it was excellent. It’s high-impact but low stress; you get lots of exercise but you don’t put stress on your joints, or sweat, either. In fact, you don’t really realize what you’re doing is that hard. Until you get out of the pool after an hour and gravity takes over; suddenly every muscle in your body is very, very tired.

I’d forgotten how much I enjoy being in the pool; it’s been years. Like 1994, actually, when I lived in the Marott Apartments, and swam in the pool in the basement in the mornings before going to work.

I’ll definitely be going regularly. The only drawback is that I’m afraid I’ll suddenly start doing water aerobics moves in ballroom dance class, or vice versa. After all of the moves for water aerobics, the steps of ballroom dance went completely out of my head.

Continue ReadingDo Not Drink the Pool Water

Weekend Update 2006-09-25

Friday night we went to Hogeye Naavy’s concert for “International Talk Like a Pirate day” at the German Liederkranz Club on Washington Street.
pirates!
See the concert photo album
Hogeye Naavy is a really fun band that plays sea shantys and traditional folk music of Ireland, Scotland, England, and North America. Their instruments include concertinas, bagpipes, Citterns, Pennywhistles, Irish Flutes, Irish Tenor Banjos — things you don’t hear much in a traditional concert setting any more. Their fans tend to be really interactive with the band; singing along, banging beer bottles and steins on the table in time to the music. It’s impossible not to have a great time.
The German Liederkranz Club is a German singing society with mixed choir founded in 1872. Originally a male singing society, it now has a men’s and a women’s choir with 20-25 members in each. The public is welcome to join the choirs, which maintain German culture through music, food and dancing at each program. It’s tucked back off the street next to the Fraternal Order of Police building on Washington Street.
On Saturday, Stephanie went to work on her house with her dad, and I worked on the flower beds in front of the house. Last weekend, Stephanie’s dad helped us rototill the beds because the dirt was too tightly packed to do by hand. I’m not sure they’ve been worked on anytime in the last ten years or so. This Saturday I bought another load of compost for the beds and started spreading it out, and working on putting in edgers to keep the dirt in. It was pouring rain while I was working, and at some point in the process, I gashed open my finger, but I didn’t realize it until I noticed the blood. So I stopped for the day and worked inside the house instead.
More compost
See the gardening photo album.
Oops.
I finished up spreading compost Sunday morning and washed the truck, then drove all over town looking for a swimsuit, because I’m starting water aerobics classes at the Y with my friend Chi. Of course I’m looking out of season, so there wasn’t much left, but I finally found something. So we’re ballroom dancing one night, and I’m taking aerobics the next. That should be good for me. Stephanie put the “For Rent” sign out in front of her old house. Yay!
south flower bed
And Sunday night we helped Stephanie’s friends move a couch, and they provided us with pizza and great conversation, so we had a pleasant evening. Busy weekend, but fun.

Continue ReadingWeekend Update 2006-09-25