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.

Rose quartz

This is on elastic cord but when I get a magnetic clasp I'm going to restring it on regular beading wire. The rose quartz beads are not good quality so it pains me to have them strung with the purple amethyst because those are of good quality.  I got those for $18 for a string.  And when I first started beading I really didn't get the different between base metal vs sterling silver and a couple of the spacers beads had tarnished so I think the spacers are sterling silver.  The focal bead has hearts on it so I'm thinking about using craft wire to see if I can form some head pins with a heart to make earrings.

I fiddled with a variety of beads to get a good combination with the rose quartz, then I realized sometimes it's best to stick with simplicity.

I like the feel of these on my arm even though I don't care for the beads themselves.  I think I'm liking smooth, shiny semi-precious stones.

Etsy says do not use a flash when you photograph jewelry so I photographed it in natural light on the coffee table. 

Next I'm going to try making a seed bead bracelet.

Carnelian

Mayela came over today at about 1pm and we had a nice long visit.  We ate tamales for lunch then watched Passion of The Christ, then sat down for more tamales (I had chicken soup) and she, my husband, and I, talked over dinner for an hour.  Then we did a Bible study on the Parable of the Sower aka The Parable of the Four Soils.  Then at about 9pm she left.  Tomorrow we might go shopping.

So I took my bead box out a last week, or rather I had my husband get my bead box out of the shed.  I love going through all my old beads.  It's like seeing old friends.  All the plans I had that I never followed through on...hopes, dreams, desires.  Anyhoo, I decided not to go to bed until I made something.

I used 1 mm Stretch Magic elastic cord.  I prefer elastic bracelets and I thought I was making it for myself.  This one fit rather high on my arm but it felt good.  Or I could let it go to the bottom of my wrist and it wasn't too annoying. The stones are so big that they felt smooth and weighty on my wrist instead of light and flittery.

I love the look and feel of these stones.  The findings are all leftovers.  The stones are actually several of my least favorite of the string but still gorgeous to my eyes.

Carnelian is a quartz that has a waxy luster and is usually brownish red to orange but comes in a lot of shades and colors.  Geologists classify is as a chalcedony in the quartz family.  It has the same chemical makeup as agate so what one person calls carnelian could be another person's agate.  I suspect these have been heat treated to make the hues and lines stand out.  Some carnelian is naturally very red, but heat treatment enhances the color and beauty of carnelian.  It has a hardness on the Mohs scale of 7.

As I gazed at it while the glue was drying it did occur to me that it looked like a something Mayela might like.  She came over and I showed it to her and sure enough, she liked it.  I kind of wanted it for myself, but she'll wear it more than I ever would.  It looks real purty on her arm.  She wears bracelets every day.

So my first bracelet made in a long time went to a home where it will be loved.

My husband got me Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish!  I'm installing it now.  Merry Christmas!  One week of 2011 left.  We got our son a butler bag which is an all season sleeping bag good to minus -20 degrees.  He needs it for trail riding in the wilderness with Anthony.  We got him the book Killing Lincoln and a red patriot pen from the O'Reilly site.

I desire to go to Costa Rica with Mayela next year.  She's invited me.  I only worry some about my body.  The Zyrtec works very well but this morning it started at 6:00am and part of my hand is swollen a little.  I took a Zyrtec at 6:40am.  I should have done it as soon as I felt the slightest itch.

Whenever I leave my husband I go into entropy - inevitable degeneration.  I gotta find my man pants, but once I pull them up can I keep them on for a few days in Costa Rica far, far from home?

My back is killing me today.  I don't know exactly how I did it, but my lower back is aching like last year when I rode that mule for 45 minutes.  I'm just chilling with it today as if you can chill with pain.

Husband and son are gone to Cruces to get gifts.  I told my husband not to go get me a gift today because I want him to sit with me and watch football (this means I'm on my computer and he watches football) but he flat refused.  They went earlier this morning and came back after they did a 360 on the interstate.  It's snowy and icy here.  They got to Cruces okay on their second trip in the afternoon because the road is thawed out now.

I just don't know how I did this to my back.

Talked to my dear old Dad.  They're expecting company.  His voice was quiet.  I'll call my sis in a little while.  I hear she has a cold so they aren't going to Dad's today.

The new Zumba DVD has a routine with Celtic dance on it and I'm crazy about it.  Can't wait to learn it.  I have it half way learned already.  I think a sign of excellent choreography is when it's easy to learn.

Totally want to go see War Horse this coming week.  I want to take our son to see it too.  It's supposed to be excellent.  The horse is played partly by the same horse who played Sea Biscuit.  The story is based on a fictional novel written in 1982.  Set in WWI.  Directed by Steven Spielberg.  Supposed to be awesome.  Hundreds of extras and horses used for the acting.  I was surprised by how many horses were used to play Blackie in True Grit.  They are so super careful to treat the animals well nowadays.  I'm so glad.  In the small part where Blackie swims across the river five horses were used and one was a mechanical horse.  Amazing!  I'm always trying to figure out which shot is the mechanical one.  I think it's the shot were you see a close-up of Blackie's breathing and laboring through the water as he swims.  I think that three-second shot is the mechanical one.

Got infected by a computer virus this week.  Husband was able to get rid of it for me.  It's the second time in two weeks.  It was coming down via an automatic update from Adobe Reader.  It was a fake update.  I went to Adobe Reader in my Programs list and selected Edit, Preferences, Updater, and chose "Do not automatically update."  I had to check it a couple times too because once it unchecked itself.  Evil people have nothing better to do than design malevolent viruses to attack innocent people.  Some people need a life. 

November hair.  Uncombed.  I need to measure.  Will I ever reach 50"?  Will I ever reach knees?

Aw, I didn't get the job.  They said they'd call today and last time she called me for the clerical test she called at 10:00am.  Someone did better than I did on the interview and clerical test and that's not a far stretch to figure on.  Shoot.  So it was practice for the next job interview.

Right now I'm making some Christmas ornaments out of candy to keep my mind occupied.  They're super easy and kinda cute.

I used a hot glue gun instead of frosting for putting it together because no one will want to eat them after fingers have been all over it.  I used red pipe cleaners instead of string.

Tonight at 7:30pm we're going on a horse and carriage ride with Laura.  We saw her and Joe driving by to set up last night.  It was like a caravan going by!  It'll be cold out but should be a neat ride.  I wonder where she'll take us.

On my way home from Zumba Tuesday night I got stopped by the coppers!  I'm such a ditz.  I was driving my new car in the dark with the headlights off.  Seemed like I could see fine.  Surely I would have noticed they were off eventually.  Anyhoo, I don't know where he came from but suddenly, bam!, he's right behind me with enough lights pointed on me to light up a stadium.  I pulled over and sat in my car and waited.  He took a long time to come over.  I was waiting for him on my side of the car, but he knocked on the window on the passenger side and I jumped.  I suppose it's safer for him on that side.  I already had my wallet out and he told me my lights were off.  I was flustered and checked and sure enough someone, named "my husband", took the headlight control off of automatic.  Soooo.  That's why they were off.  The policeman never asked for my I.D.  He was very nice.  I got home and told my husband never, never take the lights off of auto again or I will get stopped by the police!

I love Tebow.

Zumba was fun tonight.  Eleven people.  We did a new routine that's humorous - a funny song called "Chocolate (Choco Choco)."  Next week I'm adding a bachata!  I'm excited about it.  It'll be a brand new style for our class.  I hadn't even heard of bachata before Zumba.  I sold one pair of sticks too.  I couldn't decide whether I should buy more to sell because I don't make all that much money by selling them, so I asked Mayela.  Ha!  I can't make decisions.  She said get some.  So I did.  Then I told her I have 12 more to sell and she asked why so many.  Because to get the best price I have to buy 12 at a time.  But she thought I'd get a few pair.  Oh well.  Now I have TWELVE more to sell. Praise the Lord.  I'm into saying "Praise the Lord."  It's my new saying.

I hope I get a call for that job on the 15th.  I hadn't thought of it till my sister reminded me of it on the phone tonight.  Actually, she didn't remind me but I told her about it and so I reminded myself.  Darn.  It was better when it wasn't on my mind.

I'm thinking of taking Zyrtec every couple days whether I need it or not because I do need it every two or three days.  This way, theoretically, or is it hypothetically, I don't have to freak out every night wondering what's going to be swelled up tomorrow.  I'm paranoid about getting a job then what do I do if my eye or lips swell up.  I'll have to call in sick.  I hate calling in sick.  I don't want to make a reputation for being sickly and missing work.  That's not me at all.  Who wants to be the new girl and call in sick the first month?  Serenity Now.

Church was sublime this morning.  I learned about typology.  I learned about Eljah and Elisha.  Elijah was a prophet.  Well, yeah, he has his own book in the Old Testament, so I kind of knew that. Elisha was his servant, as in, student.  Elijah was Elisha's mentor.  I was never sure if the two names were the same person or two different people.  It's two different people.

Our Zumba presentation at the Veterans' Home went swimmingly.  They liked us!  They smiled and the employees smiled.  We all wore the deer antler headbands I bought.  And we got sweaty.  I might need to pick some slower routines next time.  I wore a snowman headband to the market and it was the darnedest thing.  Everyone was smiling at me everywhere I went.  It put me in such a happy mood.  I guess the snowmen bouncing on my head caused people to smile.  And when they looked at me smiling, I smiled back.  And felt good!  I spread a bunch of Christmas cheer around the store and it didn't hurt at all!

Speaking of hurt.  My hand and one eye swelled yesterday.  I was severely bummed.  But I went to Zumba at the Vet's Home anyway because from far away I hoped no one would notice one eye was little.  But at church today three people hurt my hand.  They shake it too hard and the swelling in it is down, but not gone. One lady, bless her heart, she shook my hand then smacked the top of it a few times (she was being friendly) and yowser, that woke me up alright.  My husband is going to buy me a thingy of some kind that I can put on my hand and that way on Sunday people can't squeeze it and stuff.

Getting a cold sore on the inside of my nose and part of my nose is red.  Man, I am falling apart here.  Had a giant stomach ache after dinner last night.  Spaghetti sauce apparently didn't agree with me.  I took Maalox and it actually helped.  In an hour I felt fine.  Praise the Lord.  I feel pretty good at the moment.  I have some Zovirax for the cold sore and Abreva topical for it so it ought to pass quickly.

I would like to do a hot oil treatment on my hair, but I am also very sleepy.  My big job of the day is I need to thoroughly clean Bella's water trough.  I'll do it right after...my nap.

I feel kind of bad today.  Just generally.  Sort of.  All around.  Could be my friend's sadness.  Could be the Zyrtec I took which helped tremendously but kept me from sleeping.  Could be for some reason I keep thinking of abortion and can't get it off my mind.  Keeps coming back.  Could be I'm done with the interview process and have only to wait.  Could be I want to know what is God's ultimate plan for me and I don't know the answer.  How can I use my gift(s) best and what are my gift(s)? 

Pastor's wife asked if we could have any gift we wanted what would it be.  That's like asking what would you do if you knew you could not fail.

I wore a reindeer antlers headband to Zumba tonight to make sure it doesn't fall off.  I liked wearing it.  I got a pair for each of the Zumba ladies who are going to do Zumba on Saturday at the Veteran's Home.  It should be a lots of fun!  We're spreading some Zumba cheer for Christmas.

Well, I guess I'm still in the running.  I did well enough at the interview that they've asked me back for testing.  I hope there's nothing about ratios on the test.  I can do the basics.  I took a practice online clerical test tonight to sharpen up.  It'll be 30 to 40 minutes she said.  Didn't give me much notice to brush up.  Human Resources called this morning at 10am and the test is tomorrow at 3:30pm.  I will do my best!  Say a prayer for me.  Did I say I want this job?  I do. 

I had seven peeps in Zumba and man, it's cold outside.  It was in the 20s.  Last night they closed the 10 and the 25 and truckers were parked all over the place.  They opened the civic center for people to sleep there.  We had a power outage for several hours from about 7am to 10am.

Again, I missed my own blog anniversary.  It was seven years on November 10th.

Today I am teaching myself samba.  It's the hardest of the Zumba steps, but technically not difficult.  You gotta get that little bounce in there to look good.  I want to add samba to our class.