More scuttlebutt!  Well.  Suffice to say, I don't think the instructor I know is renegotiating her deal.  I'm not going to ask her what happened. I don't want to make her feel any more down than she's probably already feeling.  But, word on the street is she was fired.  Fired!  That's the word from the gym.  Well, I don't know what really happened for sure, only what I've been told.  They say she missed too many classes.

It's a shame it came to that.  She worked there an awful long time.  I feel bad for her.  I know people think I'm peculiar feeling that way on account of, technically, she's competition for my business.  But oddly, I do not feel threatened at this time.  Perhaps it will change when there are six Zumba instructors in town instead of two.  My belief will not change though.  I believe if I apply myself, practice regularly, listen to students, be reliable, begin class promptly, choose the right songs and the right moves, and keep it fun, keep it fresh, that they will come.  They will continue to come.  I was told that one student said I was "organized."  I suppose I'll take it as a compliment!  I still pray every day before class and after class.  And when I arrive to the center I pray real loud because the Holy Spirit inhabits our praises says the Bible, and I hope my praise hangs in the air for the next hour and blesses each person.

That's today's excitement in my town.

I had 19 in class tonight.  I love the chatter before class.  It was loud tonight.  Sweetness to my ears.

I earned enough to order a new pair of pants tomorrow!  Purple!  I was thinking maybe a red daisy instead, but I'm drawn to the purple daisy.  Yet, I already have one pair of purple tie-dyed pants.  Too much purple you think?  Naaah, ya can't have too much purple.

Karaoke.  I sang tonight.  My first time.  I had such fun.  Now I can't stop thinking of more songs I wanna sing.  I sang Bye, bye, Miss American Pie, drove my chevy to the levy but the levy was dry.  The words were really easy to see in front of me and the word you're supposed to sing lights up.  I killed part of the song because I only know the chorus by heart, but luckily my friend, Sarah, from Zumba came and sang with me and she has a duper good voice and she knew the tune!  She's in her early 30s and she knew the tune in its entirely better than I did.  We got a big applause when we were done.  I'm not sure why because my voice was pretty bad in parts, but it was fun.  On my way out they said, "Why are you leaving so early.  You sing and leave?"  I told them it was time for me to go home because it was already a late night out on the town.  It was 8:15pm.

Going for a two hour hike tomorrow with Audon leading.  He says he found a place here that's nearly as pretty as Sedona.  Can't wait to see what he speaks of.  Mayela's coming too and hopefully my husband.

One of my favorite times to go to sleep is when my tummy is full.  I just heated up the delicious dinner husband made and it's so good.  Meat and potatoes.  I can't live without him.  I can't really eat other people's food.  Very little is as good as what he makes.  I would wither without him.

Chocolate cheesecake husband bought from the store is my dessert now.  Mmmmm.

There is Zumba excitement and change going on.  Evidently there's been some sort of unrest at the gym - same gym where I started and left within a month.  In retrospect, leaving was the best decision I could have made.  The pay is low.  Extremely low.  Well, the scuttlebutt is that the instructor I know is wanting to renegotiate her deal there.  I hope it goes well for her.  She loves Zumba and she has done fitness for 17 years.  She's good at it.  Well!  If they won't work with her, she wishes to go on her own.  And!  She asked me if she got a studio and made it a Zumba studio would I want to join her.  I said, if I made as much or more money as I do now, I would be interested.  We'll see.  It could be a potential opportunity.  Other news...the gym is going to get Zumba licensing for four people.  My goodness. I think it's overkill, but whatever works.  I love Zumba and I expect it to grow but I don't think six instructors here would all fare well.  Nevertheless, I will do what I love and hope students will come.  I'm expecting a good Zumba year.  January has been good so far.  I'm working on a hootchie mama routine.  Haha!  The song is "Buttons" by the Pussy Cat Dolls and it has no profanity.  Hard to find that, ya know.  I think the ladies will get a boot out of it.  I have a 'pull your lace stockings up' move in it.

My husband says I have a good thing going and don't fix what ain't broke.  He's usually right.  He says they want what I have and that's why all the hullaballoo.  Funny thing is, I went through a phase when my confidence was shaken because a student I really liked changed to the other location.  But after a week, I shook it off and realized there are more people out there and there's no need to fuss over the exact same students.  I will find new students!  I have. And she has come back occasionally so it's not that she hated me.  She just likes someone else a little better.  That is okay!  My goal this year to improve as an instructor is to be more verbal.  I'm doing it every night.  It's a challenge because I'm naturally quiet.  But I can see it helps to give verbal motivation and to share information.  I spend time reading online to find something to say. I like finding quips that make people smile.

Life is good.  Although, I've had no swelling for awhile and I told a friend I had no swelling and I guess I shouldn't say it out loud because the next day I woke at 8:00am with my left pinky swelling up.  Dang.  Took a Zyrtec and it stopped and went away in a few hours.  God is good.  All the time.

I bought a totally cute top online.  I wore my new knee high boots, black leggings and the top to church last week.  The boots...hurt my feet.  Booo.  But they're really cute.

Fifteen students tonight including some new ones who returned from last week.  Sold two sets of toning sticks.  They'll love 'em.  I sure do.

So I saw a thread at the Zumba forum tonight.  Questioner says, "My classes are small and I want growth, so how do you get an old hippie community inspired?"

The answerer says, "even old hippies need to exercise, don't they? Perhaps, you could include some of Beto's rock 'n roll music. The old hippies (italics are mine) are beginning to have a variety of health issues like high cholesterol, heart, etc. So play up those elements. The hippies  (italics are mine) loved their music & they loved to dance."

Dang.  I resemble those remarks.  "The Old Hippies."  Puh-leeze.  Are they lab rats?  Do Old Hippies not have a heart?  Do they not have human feelings?

I got called a hippie last week.

I woke early.  At 10:30am.  With Zumba music playing in my  head.  Then I got butterflies in my stomach.

Twenty-two students Tuesday night and I expect a generous turnout tonight too. I'm learning and improving as an instructor I think.  To my mind, the class is a little bit easy but to non-dancers and those who are just getting into a fitness routine, it is not.  I've slowed myself down a bit and took more time to do the steps without style and flavor at first and then as a song progresses add style so they can digest the steps more easily.  I'm not sweating as much but it appears the students are getting a good workout.  I forget that I'm in fairly good physical condition and then I would tend to go all out in the routines and I think I was alienating new students.  On Tuesday night I had that realization.  I realize now I must cater to the needs of my class.  It is not my own workout.  It's for them.  I learned this from Diane at Zumba.com.

I'm excited and anxious for class tonight.  The new routine I introduced Tuesday was a hit.  I believe a few people might come back just for that one song!  "Taki Country."  I earned enough Tuesday night to help with the new car payment.  Praise God.

Also on Tuesday two ladies came and watched and they spoke to me after class and sounded very interested in returning to do the class.  I hope they enjoy doing the class as much as they enjoyed watching it.

God is great and greatly to be praised.

It went very well and on my husband's advice I decided not to make an announcement to the entire class, but rather take the one person aside and talk with her when class was over.  She started to cry and apologized half a dozen times before I even said three words.  We talked a few minutes.  She hugged me.  I hope it never happens again.

I think she's a binge drinker.  That's my take.  My heart breaks for her.

Had a student in class who had been drinking.  I have to address it tonight to the entire class.  Not especially looking forward to it, but I'm a man.  I can handle it.  I can do it.  I will do it right because I want it to be a good class.  A righteous class. 

I read a girl's blog and it was interesting and I was fascinated to get such straightforward insight into her thoughts on things and her life.  She comes to my Zumba class and she invited me to read her blog.  I'd love to leave her some comments but I have to sign up.  Like I need one more profile and password on the internet.  She's at tumblr.com.  I'd never heard of it.  From what I gather it's great for photography and people repost others' photos.  They "retumble" photos. I may sign up just to see what it looks like.  But I'm going to tell her about blogspot because she's definitely a word person.  Definitely.

I finished a blue and purple daisy chain necklace.  It has one boo-boo in it but otherwise is very pretty.  So delicate.  This is a progress photo.

Good grief.  Pastor's wife is holding a volunteer meeting on Thursday and Mayela wants to go.  I asked her if she realized we are supposed to show up knowing what we want to volunteer for.  She said no and asked what do I think I'd do.  Told her I would offer to give a beading class.  How to make a daisy chain bracelet.

I don't know what to volunteer for!  Look at me.  Look at me!  I don't know about this whole thing.  It has me worried.  It never works out for me.  I have not found what God wants me to do.  Supposedly he's given me at least one gift and talent.  I don't know what it is.  I can bead alone and I love to bead alone or with my sister or with a few ladies at the beading store.  But teaching people?  Teaching Zumba to the 10 to 15 year-olds stunk.  I was so excited to share the joy of exercising and fitness and dance and they were not interested at all.  Well, a few were.  Five out of 23 were interested and their faces were a pure delight to me.

She couldn't decide what to volunteer herself for.  I told her to think of what she likes to do or what she liked at the Catholic church that we could do here.  She said she likes retreats.  Oh Lord.  So tomorrow she's going to come over and we're going to brainstorm volunteer ideas.  I'm going to suggest she think of something, hello?, SMALLER, that she could do because she suggested she and I plan a retreat together.  I've never even been to a retreat before.  Ever.

Yikes.