11/28:nanowrimo

Hi Friends:

 

Well, it's the end of the November and I have to admit my total failure to complete Nanowrimo this year.

 

What is Nanowrimo, you ask? It's National Novel Writing Month. 30 days to write a 50,000 word novel. It's like sprinting with your brain for 30 days. It's stressful, exhilarating, headache-inducing, and fun. No really, it's fun. You're supposed to push through the judgemental voice in your brain that tells you that you can't, push past any writer's block, run over any messy plot points. It doesn't matter if it's good--you're just trying to get the word count. You finish the month with a novel and a sense that you can accomplish anything!

 

That's the idea, anyway. This is the fourth year I've done it, and I've only finished one novel--which is, true to nanowrimo tradition, total crap. The rest of the time, I get about 25,000 words in. This year, I only got 10,000 words in. But it's 10,000 more words than I've written in a long time (well, since last November). And nanowrimo always reminds me why I love writing, and why I hate it, and the magic that stories have. And 10,000 words is always something to build on in the future.

 

So, let's apply this to fitness, or to Zumba. Sometimes, it's tough to do the whole workout. Sometimes you can't finish the whole workout. Sometimes you finish the workout and just feel awful. But at least you did it, and you can build on it. There is a certain amount of success in trying. So, Bravo! to me (hee hee) for writing 10,000 words, and Bravo! to you for anything you try.

 

-Meredith

 

ps. THIS THURSDAY is cut-tshirt workshop. Bring an old tshirt or two and some scissors. I'll do some technique and style of shirt demonstrations, and you can cut and tear to your hearts' content. CUT TSHIRTS: 5:30p.m. ZUMBA: 6:00p.m. See you then!

11/21: in the middle

Hi Friends!

 

Happy Thanksgiving! We do not have class this week, but I will do a Turkey Day Walk (see, I put it in capital letters to make it seem official), if you want, from 8:30a.m. to about 9:30a.m. around the neighborhood. If anyone wants to come, we can take a pre-feast stroll. Let me know.

 

We are now getting to the middle of the holiday eating cycle, which, let's be honest, starts with Halloween, then goes to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and rounds out (pun intended) with New Year's Day. These are all largely (ahem) food-centered holidays, and we are a food-centered culture. In the midst of your holiday enjoyment of baked goods, I would like to remind you that food is just one element to the celebration. We are supposed to be coming together in the spirit of fellowship, not just to see how much pie our families and friends can collectively consume. So, should you find yourself feeling like all this eating is a chore, or conversely, that you can't stop yourself from having more prime rib, please try to take your mind off your meal for a minute and turn to whomever is seated next to you and see how they are doing. Hang out with that person, be it your spouse, your neighbor, your weird cousin, or that coworker you always meant to introduce yourself to. Now's your chance for some camaraderie. Put your fork down and really listen to them. Repeat on your other side.

 

At the end of the party, you might find that you have not consumed as much as you might have, but you are nourished much more.

 

Have a great week!

 

-meredith

11/14: Creativity

Hi Friends:

Hope you've been enjoying your Zumba vacation. We are back ON this week Thursday, whoo hoo!

Just have a quick list, for your consideration. 33 ways to stay creative:
http://andthem.tumblr.com/post/6047705733/lzapanda-33-ways-to-stay-creative-if

I especially like #26: don't force it. And the other one: get lots of rest. Hope something on this list sparks something in you.

If you have suggestions you want to add, please let me know. We can have our own list.

Have a great week and I'll see you on Thursday!

11/7: fantasy

Hi Friends:

Happy Monday! I hope you had a good Thursday off. In fact, I hope you liked it so much you want to do it again. This Thursday is fall movie night at Nuuanu Elementary, so it's at their gym. You bring blankets and buy food and watch a movie in the gym. Did I mention it's in the gym? Yeah, so class is cancelled. So sorry, I was just informed not too long ago (thanks Rhonda!). This month is weird. So NOVEMBER 17 is the only class this month. It'll be free, because why not. Ok?

So, we went to the Aulani Resort this past weekend. They have a huge water/pool extravaganza there. My husband had a mural painting project with the hotel staff, and I had a date with the lazy river. So this was my fantasy: the kids were magically taken care of, I had a fruity beverage in my hand and spent the day just floating down the lazy river on an oversized tube. Sounds great, right? Well, they have a babysitting service (free!), so the first part, the kids, were done. No beverages in the pool? No problem--I just drank one really quick with lunch. Oversized tubes? Dozens of them available. Commence floating. Ahhhh.

But guess what I found myself doing? Paddling, kicking, and pushing off the walls to make myself go down the lazy river faster. I was trying to expedite the lazy river! My fantasy was spoiled by my inability to relax. Dangit! Relaxing is not something you can try your hardest to do, unfortunately.

So I guess the relaxation part was the most fantastical element in my whole imaginary scenario. Go figure.

I hope you have a stressfree week, and are able to unwind when necessary--like, every day! It's no fun being tense. At least I wasn't as bad as my husband--when he finished his project, he joined us on the lazy river, not only lapping us but also pushing our innertubes down the way after caught us up. That guy needs a vacation! : )

See you next week,
meredith