Objects In the Mirror

A continuation of my frustrating search to find jeans that fit me, I, once again,
     subjected myself to heart-ache and torture
by stepping foot inside one of those claustrophobic "chambers"
with the four walls and talking mirrors.
 
Much like the warnings on side view mirrors of cars, there ought to be a message above the
dressing room door that reads:

Objects in the mirror appear larger than they really are. 

I remember the first time I experienced a "talking" mirror.

It was the first time I experienced getting a facial.

The Esthetician made me hold up this horribly thick piece of magnified glass
     that showed me all of the wrinkles and sun damage and pimples
and black heads and white heads ( and red heads and bed heads and dead heads )  . . .


     I never went back there again.

And, the place ended up going out of business,
so maybe I was not the only one who ran away
     HORRIFIED.    

I just think there are certain things that should be left unseen.

No one should have to look at themselves THAT CLOSELY. 

Unfortunately, until I find the right jeans,
I am going to have to continue to re-visit the horrible fitting room chamber with the talking mirrors.   

I just have to prepare myself, as I always do -

     close my eyes, hold my breath, hope for the best . . .  

And, when I open my eyes, if I don't like what I see,
     I remember a phrase from childhood :

         Sticks and stones can break my bones,
                         but words ( from talking mirrors ) can never hurt me.

And, then I go home and order yet another pair of jeans online.  

Bullhead

Late in the afternoon, I received a text from a girlfriend that read "bullhead".

That's all it said.

Just . . . . . . "bullhead".

I stared at the word, and couldn't make sense of it.

          Is she calling me stubborn?

          Did she text the wrong person?

          Is it part of a joke that I am not comprehending?  

          Is there a conversation that she and I had, and I can't remember?

DING, DING, DING  ! ! !  

AND, the light bulb turns on.

 Earlier that day, I had sent her a text that read:

          "What was the name of those jeans you said you liked?"

Her answer:

     "Bullhead".  
 

Exercise Class

Today, I co-taught Music & Movement to a class full of 4-year olds.

While they were sitting in a circle, waiting for instructions, 
     one little boy spontaneously pushed up on his hands and feet,
pushing his bottom into the air, and announced,

      " I know how to do a table!"  

And, without further ado,
     several other children joined him in the "table pose",
announcing that they, too, could do it.    

     "That looks like yoga," I said.  "Where did you learn that?"  

     "I don't know, " said the little boy.  "We just know it!"  

     "Do you like doing yoga?" I asked the class. 

     "YES!" said the class, unanimously.  

Then, my co-teacher said, 

     "Maybe we could do a yoga class in here, one day soon."  

     "YAYYYY!" they all cheered.    

And, one little girl added,

     "And, after that, we should do . . . . . . 

ZUMBA!" 

                                 

Who needs to join a gym, when you can teach preschool ? ! ! 

"Valentine Appreciation Month"

Yesterday afternoon, I stopped by the store to pick up a few items for dinner.

Why is it so crowded?

Then, I noticed.

I noticed the beautiful and enticing display of long stem strawberries.
I noticed the fancy, chocolate filled boxes, tied up with strings.
I noticed a large crowd, frantically hovered around the greeting card aisle.
I noticed a suspicious number of dazed and confused looking men. Carrying flowers.  

I have nothing against Valentine's Day.

I think it's GREAT for preschoolers.

I think it's GREAT for teenagers who have a crush,
     or are experiencing their first "love".

I think it's GREAT for couples who enjoy going out to dinner
     on a night when the restaurants are over-crowded and over-priced.

Personally, however, I resent feeling pressured into
     showing my affections on a specific day.

That being said, I AM a romantic, and I don't want to be a complete HUMBUG.
   
So (I thought),

How do we make Valentine's Day more pleasurable?

Then, it came to me.

Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days.

Mardi Gras lasts (depending on who you ask) between 3 days to several weeks.

Why not EXTEND Valentine's Day?

Make the entire month of February . . .
                
                     VALENTINE APPRECIATION MONTH.   

One could have the entire month to 

     buy a card, 

purchase flowers, 

     make dinner reservations,
find someone to BE your Valentine,

and it would be a "win-win" situation for everyone -

                 the merchants, the restaurant owners, and the proprietors.

The down side would be an entire month of Hallmark and Kay Jewelers commercials.

Hope you are well stocked on tissues.    

Valentine's Day

Preschool is a GREAT place to be on Valentine's Day. 

The girls embrace the opportunity to wear their "pretty-in-pink" . . . . . .  or purple, or red.

And, the boys, too, wear their colors, handsome and proud.  

They bring with them valentines, either store bought, or made from home. 

Eyes all aglow with anticipation,

     as they wait for the opportunity to hand out  their paper-made gestures;  

then, carefully placing them into decorated envelopes or bags.

For snack, some sort of sugary sweet,

     shaped like a heart,and dipped in chocolate . . . . . . yum!

Which, we enjoy, as we talk about love and giving,

     caring, and sharing, and friendship.  

That's what Valentine's Day is about.  

To Swing

I recently saw the movie, Extremely Loud and Uncomfortably Close,

and there is a scene where the main character

     discovers the joy of what it feels like . . . 

to SWING.

Do you remember what it feels like?

That feeling of weightlessness and flying.

No worries or thinking about the time. 

Anything can happen,

     and we can be anyone we want to be.    

Challenging ourselves to swing higher;

     releasing our hands from the chains;

surrendering our bodies into the sky.  

Soaring, soaring, soaring

                                 . . . . . . landing.      

Then, right back up again. 

  

It's been a while.  

Maybe I should go for a swing.