Zumba Class

This last week, my mom and I started going to Zumba. It's a class put together by my mom's work, so it happens in her building. She works for CEVEC, which is located behind Mayfield Middle School. Being a Brush alumnus (as well as my mother), it's weird going to my rival's school, even if I pass the middle school and go for another building. as I drove back to CEVEC, I had to pass by Mayfield's soccer field that both the middle school and high school uses. At least they did over five years ago. I remember it being a crappy field and we ended up losing a lot of games on it. It had this annoying hill right behind one of the goals and if you shot and missed...

This isn't what we looked like, but I like the image.

All right, I'm getting off topic already. Anyway, I got there a little early because I wanted to make sure I knew where I was going and all that. My mom had enough time to show me around to the classrooms and workstations used by the students, not to mention introduced me to all of her coworkers. They were all very nice people and I made a point to keep eye contact and shake their hands because getting people jobs is what they did. I felt a need to prove to them I was a confident and polite individual.

When I went over to give my payment to the Zumba instructor, she stopped me and asked me a few questions. I think she thought I was a high schooler even though I was wearing my Marietta College soccer practice uniform. We got to talking about colleges, even though I think she missed me mentioning that I was in grad school. She also asked if I did Zumba before and I got to proudly answer yes. My mother though, has only used the Wii. She seemed to understand that.

The women of the class first assembled in the space. They chatted among themselves as my mom continued to introduce me to them. Most of them wore baggy T-shirts and sweatpants or shorts, making it a very informal atmosphere. Even when meeting the principal, she wore a T-shirt that displayed a monkey and a funny phrase to go with it (since I am aware she should be respected, I will keep the shirt a mystery. In her defense, it was a gag gift conveniently useful for working out). We formed two hesitant lines with me near the windows and my mother to my right. The Zumba instructor took her place in front of us as the upbeat music began to play.

Now, I was a little nervous doing Zumba with my mother because it does involve a lot of shaking. Turns out, wriggling your rump aggressively can tone your abs and makes your butt fit and firm. It is a skill to be mastered, though, and I would say after the amount of dance floors I've conquered, I have a slight idea how it works. Not to mention, ten years of Irish dancing helps. Not entirely because Irish dancing does not move your arms, but it does train you how to isolate and control different body parts.

It felt great to be moving and dancing again. Sometimes the moves felt odd or forced because I occasionally my rump would forget which way to shake. Other times, it felt entirely natural and I could feel my smile broadening with every move. Since I am out of shape, I couldn't help watching the clock as my body protested. I wanted to keep dancing, but it probably was a bad idea to inhale a few mozzarella sticks first. Eventually, the hour ended and although my body felt worn out, I could feel the endorphins making me energized and happy. I quickly had to rush home and shower before going to work at the library, but the work-out was worth it and I look forward to it this coming Thursday.

I will always love to dance. Listening to the music and letting it take control over me. Ignoring any other thoughts and just focusing on my movements. Dancing makes me feel free. It makes me feel alive and powerful. I dance because I'm happy. No matter how stressed or angry I might be, dancing has always taken away my pain. It lets me let go of my worries and focus on what matters to me. As long as I can dance, I will always be able to find my happy place.

Cleveland Weather

For the past four years, college has kept me away from the wild weather common in the Cleveland area. I never noticed its strange behavior back when Cleveland was my world. As a child, it never crossed my mind that lake-effect snow wasn't a thing. Sure, I knew down south it was warmer and they didn't get as much snow because half of my family lives in North Carolina and they would squeal at the thought of a light dusting of snow rather than the avalanche we get (this is an exaggeration. Most of my family grew up in Cleveland and then moved south. It's just more fun to write it that way and really, they have to deal with ice storms that suck).

The snow comes fast and it comes hard. The first few snowflakes appear and gently dust the ground right before the wind picks up and a flurry immediately dumps inches upon inches of sparkling white flakes that stick to your clothes and have a nasty habit of sneaking up under your pant legs and drenching your freezing ankles. No matter how many times you stomp your feet, you will always track snow through the house. Even after pulling off your cold boots, the bottoms of your pants stay damp with the melted snow; a constant reminder it's winter. For Cleveland, there's usually at least enough snow to hide the grass and not so much you can't tread your way through it. Except sometimes on Easter, when there can be four feet of snow for no apparent reason, but that's another story.

Winter can be odd and confusing with hopeful rays of sunshine pushing through and giving us Clevelanders scarce days of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Suddenly, the world is warm and coats are thrown aside as we rush to feel the heat on our skin. For a second, we forget it's January and instead have a slight memory of what warm weather can be. Spring does not seem too far off then.

And yet, it never lasts. That nice spring weather was last Monday. It made all of the snow melt and I remember standing outside with my dog with a strong desire to bathe in the sun. Of course it wouldn't last and sure enough by Wednesday, all of the snow had returned. The temperature dropped below freezing again and Cleveland got on with winter. Right, this is how Cleveland weather works. After four years, I had almost forgotten.

This is also the first winter when I have owned my own car. His name is Archibald and he's a blue 2012 Ford Focus. I got him over the summer because I needed a car for my new jobs. He's spunky and just right for me. We've grown to love each other and have had our share of adventures like speeding down to Marietta for a wedding or driving randomly down Mayfield Road (also known as Route 322) that winds between civilization and nothingness. He likes to take my phone calls with his Sync technology and gets very confused when I get a text message. Archie's a good listener though, and pays very close attention when I use the voice command, usually getting it right on the first try.

If you hadn't guessed, this is Archie's first winter and I'd say he's taking it very well. I don't know how he feels always being covered in snow, but I'm sure sick of brushing him off. He's not the biggest of cars, so it never takes long, but when you have to do it multiple times a day it gets boring. To be fair, Archie has a tendency of swearing whenever he slips on the newly-fallen snow by turning on his little Slip indicator light blinking aggressively. The driveway can also be a pain because he's a light little car with front-wheel drive. As much as he tries to rev up that inclined drive, he seems to have a tendency of falling just a bit short and falling backwards. I cheer him on as he back up and try to rush up the drive again, this time maybe getting a little farther than before.

The mix of drivers is interesting. You can always tell the courageous veterans from the newbies and the elderly. Fortunately, most drivers are much more forgiving when the roads are bad, and there's an odd sense of camaraderie when someone hesitantly makes a turn. All Clevelanders know the feel of slipping wheels as your car fights to stay in control. For a second, your heart beats faster and you immediately think of a horrible ending for you and your car. Just then, the car gets traction once more, you take a breath, and keep going like nothing happened.

Archie's great at driving a straight line in the snow, but he's not a fan of turns. To be fair, I'm known to be impatient and probably should let him slow down a bit more so he could take his time. At least I will now slow down on streets to avoid slipping, which wasn't so true six years ago, so one step at a time, I guess.

No matter how much I may slide, no matter how many times I must brush off my car, and no matter how many times I have to shovel or use a snowblower, I'm not entirely against the snow. I love the light snowfall as the flakes gently waft through a soft breeze. How newly fallen snow looks like a blank canvas, smoothing over the imperfections of the land and leaving a soft blanket of clean beauty. When the sun sets and the streetlights turn on, the weak light makes the snow sparkle and glimmer, reminding me of fairy dust (I'd say glitter, but I'm really not a fan of glitter). No matter how cold it might be, if there's snow, it makes it worth it. I might not be able to feel my fingers and my pants might be soaked, but in that peaceful silence as the snow simply dances down from the sky and gently kisses the earth, I can't help but sigh and enjoy the season.

That, and I can always really appreciate spring when it gets here.

Quick Book Review

All right, lately I haven't had a lot of time for reading. Turns out, two jobs and full time grad school takes up most of my schedule. Who knew, right?

Anyway, I have been able to read one book: Triggered by Fletcher Wortmann. It's a memoir about the challenges of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and his own struggles with the disease. I found it a fun and enlightening read because I myself occasionally have anxiety attacks and have been considered OCD in the past. My decision to read it stemmed from the desire to understand the disorder better and to see it through the eyes of someone else.

Wortmann has a very clear voice when he writes, and I also found it easy to relate to him (aside from his love of dinosaurs. There's definitely something about boys and dinosaurs I don't think I will ever fully understand, but will happily support). There were moments when he wrote passages that immediately reminded me of myself, such as when talking about his shy nature he mentions that if he didn't have something profound to say, he would say nothing at all and would end up being ignored. Something I have also experienced many times.

The writing is light and humorous most of the time, but Wortmann then quickly shifts into a darker, harsher tone to illustrate his struggles. He also successfully keeps the story mainly on himself and allows the other people in his life to be mentioned, but never tainted with bitterness or dislike. Even when talking about "The Girl," the first girl he ever loved, she becomes a mix of problems, but also hints at what made her such an intriguing person.

Some of the writing becomes awkward, but the book is hard to put down. It moves quickly through his childhood and college years (since Wortmann is still in his twenties, there's not much more) and gives just the right amount of his everyday life and his struggles with the disorder, allowing a thorough and indulging narrative into his life and mind.

Although I don't feel like I now fully understand OCD after reading Triggered, I do feel like I have more respect for those suffering from mental illnesses and can now also see more of a spectrum of disorders rather than a black and white version of either you have a mental illness or you don't.

Procrastination...

Now, I don't know how many people out there are fans of the video game, Sly Cooper, but I certainly am. I pretty much got a Playstation 2 of my own just so I could get my hands on Sly Cooper: Theivius Racoonus, not to mention Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves. My brother and I now wait impatiently for the fourth game, that likes to push back its release date. I thought I would have it last fall, but now anxiously hope to play it this summer!

Sly Cooper. Cute little racoon, isn't he?

Granted, I don't have a PS3, but my wonderful brother does. It will be his game and I offered to help buy it as part of his birthday present (since games are expensive and we're both suffering from college-syndrome). He assures me he'll let me play the game in the summer after he's beaten it, and I know he'll be true to his word. He's a good guy, my brother.

Anyhoo, I recently found a link on reddit , where a girl made these adorable and a half headbands based off of her favorite things. The full thread can be followed here. I was immediately inspired and wanted to make my own. I liked how thin she made them as well as how unique they were.

marmosetohmarmoset is awesome.

I had always wanted something that could illustrate my love for Sly Cooper and the gang and ended up with a pretty simply design. Sly has a logo he likes to place on the crime scene just to mess with Inspector Carmelita, and it's quite snazzy, if I may say.

Sly leaving his calling card.

So naturally, I made it into a headband.

Sly Cooper Headband

I put a button at the end so that I could make it tighter if I wanted to. I've already gotten some compliments for it because I've worn it to work. It's a nice little accessory and takes barely any time to make at all!

So, a long post for something small, but what's life without the story?

Christmas Crafts Part Two

All right, so this post will focus on the odds and ends I made for my family. Most were inspired by the people who ended up getting the gifts, and no two are the same. Here we go again:

The only scarf I have ever knitted. A fun experience, but I'll stick with crochet, thanks.

A Pokeball for my dearest and favorite brother (fortunately, I only have one).

A necklace for my sister.

Matching earrings also for my sister.

I just realized I did not take pictures of the other necklace I made, but that's fine. My last project for the season involved painting tins for other people. I ended up painting five with acrylic paint.

These are the lids before I painted, but after I put gesso on them.

I first put gesso on the tins as shown above. For those non-artsy folk, gesso is an acrylic base that helps the paint perform better on the material. Usually, it's used on  canvas so that the paint doesn't just soak into the canvas and makes it easier for the artist. In this  case, it made it a lot easier to paint on the metal tins.

Sailing on Lake Erie

A sled in the snow

Tragoss, Austria

Skating on the Green Lake

Puppies in the snow

The ones with the mountains are from pictures I took while traveling in Switzerland and Austria. I did add the snow because when I was there, it was May, but that's a technicality. Each tin took about forty minutes or so to paint. I altered the images to also include a little character for the people who would eventually own them, such as the dogs in the last image.

I filled them with homemade Turkish Delight, but I'll probably not be making candy again anytime soon. Let's just say it was an educational experience and leave it at that. It's my favorite candy ever since living in London for a semester (see my blog, Mind the American for more on that) and I wanted to share it with others. The tins were the real present though, and I'm happy with how they turned out.

Stay tuned for more creativity and nonsense!

Christmas Crafts Part One

Well, it's been awhile, but here we go again. Since the  end of my first semester of grad school, I immediately descended into crafty mode for the wonderful Christmas holiday. I was so busy, I will need multiple posts (probably three) to show off everything I made. Today, I will focus only on the many many many-- and by that I mean seventeen-- Christmas cards I made for my fantastic group of family and friends here they are:

These are mainly the ones that liked loading. I made them from recycled wrapping paper we use at one of my jobs. This might become a tradition of mine, and it only took a Sunday to make them all. The best part was making each card unique for someone special to me.

Tune in next time for the rest of my nifty creations!

Update on my Life...

Life can be a stressful place, full of very low lows that can make the world dark and oppressing. These are the moments where even the strong may break down multiple times in one day as the issues keep piling up, forcing the person to feel like the world has turned over and soon the fires of Hell will lick her ankles. With every hour last Wednesday, I felt my world trying to crumble beneath my feet, and could almost hear those pesky little demons laughing and chanting my name from the deepest darkest depths.

Now that I've been nice and dramatic, let me tell you my tale. It actually began Tuesday when for some reason, we had no internet connection in the house. No worry, thought I, I only have grad school to do and seeing as Tuesday is my only day off, I usually take care of the lectures and keep myself on track that day, but it's fine. I've needed a break in a long time, so I'll take the day off from life as a whole. My two jobs keep me busy enough without the help of grad school, and I found all I wanted was time to myself. Thus I spent the day watching crappy television while crocheting because it's a relaxing and useful skill of mine, especially as I make Christmas presents. Tuesday flew by and we soon acquired internet once more. I decided to wake up early on Wednesday and watch my videos, but first, I noticed Windows 7 wanted to update on my computer. Being a good little girl that I am, I allowed it to do this instead of waiting until it forced the update, perhaps at a time that did not really benefit me.

Soon, it was Wednesday, and as planned I work up early and pulled open my computer, Zachary. At first, all seemed well and I began to watch my videos. But alas! Something went wrong! A few minutes into my first lecture, Zachary started to slow down and then stopped responding. I tried clicking around a bit, but got nothing. Eventually, I turned it off and on again in frustration, hoping that would fix the problem-- it didn't. For a whole hour, I kept trying to get it to work. I tried running scans for viruses, but  the machine would slow down too soon and abort the scan, so I couldn't even tell if it was a virus or not. Unfortunately, since it was Wednesday and not Tuesday, I had to get ready for work. Both jobs in fact, since I worked the other one that night.

In my frustration, I broke down for the first time before climbing into the shower, letting the hot water wash off my tears and get me ready for a hard day. I packed up Zachary and brought him to work, so that I could perhaps get him help between jobs. When I got to my first job, my boss let me continue to try to figure out Zachary. I called Dell and got as much help as I could since my warranty already expired. Then I tried a few tests and got nowhere. My computer seemed mostly fine, so what was wrong? I texted my computer-savvy boyfriend, but got no response.

I went home in defeat after my first job and tried to relax before the next one, since I still had no idea what to do. Computers and I usually get along because I know a little about them, but I knew I needed an expert. I went to my next job, hoping to use the computers there to at least do some homework and try to get back on track.

Alas! My problems were not over yet! There, I found two anxious messages in my inbox saying I forgot to take a quiz for a class. Once again, I broke down, feeling everything crash around me. I pulled myself together though, and emailed my professor. After a quick email chat back and forth, she let me take the quiz with a 15% reduction. I said fine and took it immediately. To be fair, this means I did not do exceeding well, but I finished and got it over with. I learned my lesson and have marked down the next quiz, hoping to regain some points by that score.

Finally, my boyfriend responded to my three texts I sent: one to tell him my computer was broken, one to ask if he could come visit me at work and fix it, and one to illustrate my frustration after I found out I hadn't taken the quiz. See, I'm not a crazy texter like other girls. I like giving people a chance to answer if I can. He told me to come over and immediately took Zachary from my hands. If not for him, I would not be writing this now.

Long story short, I got Zachary back and can work on him, even though he's not entirely fixed. I can at least stay on top of my classes and even wrote 6,000 words today of my novel. I'm still 4,000 (soon to be 5,667) words behind, but I'll figure it out and just write more words a day. My crisis has been averted and I live to see another day!