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| That’s me, bustin’ a move. Or hurting myself. |
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When I was 8 years old, I let some scraggly kid ruin what
could have been a glorious future.
could have been a glorious future.
See, my parents enrolled me in a jazz dance class. For fun.
And I loved the idea.
And I loved the idea.
Until I saw Kyle Z. there.
He was in my first-grade class in school. He was icky. And
he wanted to dance next to me and tease me.
he wanted to dance next to me and tease me.
All. Class. Long.
So, brilliant kid that I was, I raised my hand and said I
didn’t feel well. Problem solved.
didn’t feel well. Problem solved.
Every week.
When my parents saw what appeared to be my lack of interest,
they didn’t sign me up for dance again.
they didn’t sign me up for dance again.
Okay, so I got to thinking about all of this last night,
when I attended a Zumba class at my gym. *
when I attended a Zumba class at my gym. *
Because last night, I was reminded…this girl caaaaan’t
daaaaaance.
daaaaaance.
Well, I’ve got rhythm…just no grace.
I started wondering what would have happened if I’d have stuck
with that jazz class.
with that jazz class.
I mean, I coulda been a dancer. A star.
Instead, I just got a sore rear from sitting on the
sidelines.
sidelines.
The adult me wants to go back and yell at the 8-year-old me,
“Hey, I really want to know how to dance well, so suck it up and go stand next
to the icky boy.”
“Hey, I really want to know how to dance well, so suck it up and go stand next
to the icky boy.”
I mean, being a dancer would have really helped me to be
that triple threat (singing, acting, dancing) I always longed to be when
auditioning for musicals.
that triple threat (singing, acting, dancing) I always longed to be when
auditioning for musicals.
But alas, I can’t go back.
I’ve just gotta learn from it, not sit out in the future
when I want to join in.
when I want to join in.
So maybe I’ll never be on So You Think You Can Dance?, but I’ll do the Funky Chicken and
Electric Slide with the best of ‘em.
Electric Slide with the best of ‘em.
Or at least have fun looking incredibly silly.
Your Turn: Is there
something you wish you were good at that…well, you’re just not? Or ever have
some regret you’re just dying to lament about here? Any other wannabe dancers
out there? Have you tried Zumba? Do you like it?
something you wish you were good at that…well, you’re just not? Or ever have
some regret you’re just dying to lament about here? Any other wannabe dancers
out there? Have you tried Zumba? Do you like it?
*For those who don’t know, Zumba is a cool workout class
that incorporates Latin dance moves.
that incorporates Latin dance moves.
**Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
I lack rhythm and grace, so dance was never a part of my future. I wanted to play the piano and sing. In high school, my choir teacher let me know I was not destined to be a singer…sigh.
I love watching Zumba videos on YouTube, but my fear of looking stupid prevents me from enrolling in a class.
How sad that your choir teacher said that to you! And you know what? Honestly, everyone is too worried about how they're looking to look at anyone else! 🙂 It really is fun.
I zumba and I like it. However, I try not to look at myself in the reflection of the TV. It hurts.
A lot.
I wish I could play the drums, like major awesome. Sigh.
Teehee. Ooo, is there a good video that you like? Maybe I should try it at home. I've only ever done it in a class at the gym.
And you would make an awesome drummer. Well, you've got the cool personality of one anyway. 😛
Oh man, I wish I could sing. I can. I do. I'm a shower singer. I'm a in my car singer. I sing all the time. But God smiles when I do (a whole different kind of smile than he might when someone is on pitch, or key, or in tune…see, I don't even know the lingo).
~ Wendy
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, right?
As a singer, I would like to share with you, dear Wendy, that we actually use the phrase "it sounded good in the shower this morning" when we get to rehearsal. It is a well known fact that bathrooms are quite good for learning one's music. The throat is moist and warm and the close walls bounce the sound back so nicely that I do alot of my warm ups and work through the tough parts in the shower.
God only hears praise from a sincere heart, not pitch.
Yes – I love Zumba! I took a class all winter, but the instructor couldn't teach it this summer, so I wait to start again. I took ballet lessons most of my life – so I have some rhythm and grace, but I'm no longer as fit as I once was. Ha!
The "icky" boy thing – I have a story about that, too. I could have been an All American Girls Scout (what's the top honor for a Girl Scout??) But in first grade when I joined a troop there was this boy named Christopher who wanted to join in – and he was allowed. I was DEVASTATED by his enrollment in GIRL Scouts and I look back and I know I was probably naughty to him. After a couple of weeks I remember standing outside the classroom door with all my girlfriends leading a revolution! I convinced most of them to quit Girls Scouts until he left. I don't know what ever happened to that poor boy, or to the Girl Scout troop, but I never joined again. *Shake my head* 🙂
By the way, you're probably being harder on yourself than you should be! I'm sure you danced great!
Oh my goodness, that story is ah-mazing! Gabe, the revolutionist!! Haha.
And yeah, I just like to make fun of myself. 😛 It's more fun that way.
Haha! Now I've got visions of you doing the funky chicken. I did the same thing when I was little, but it was with the piano. My mom tried to teach me and that side of my brain doesn't work very well, so I was so confused and hated it. It's one of my favorite instruments to listen to and if I could have one wish, it would be to play the piano well and I can pretty much bang out Mary had a little lamb on a good day. It's a regret for sure. I am thankful, though, that it's not life changing and I think that's good because it's God's way of leaving that little inkling with us as we face greater challenges–to not give up.
I'm totally with you! I took a class in like kindergarten and never continued. I hit myself for that. I'm a singer but have no way to accompany myself. Boo.
I can relate!! I wanted to be awesome at tumbling–back flips, ariels, you name it! But my parents didn't have the time or money for all the lessons. I took a class when I was in Kindergarten and that was it. So in fifth grade, an after-school tumbling class was available. I begged to take it, and lucky for me, my parents relented. Two mean girls, who were actually good at tumbling, took the class right after me and I knew they were making snide comments since I was in with much younger kids. Funny,though, I still wanted to tumble so badly, I didn't care! I kept right on going!
I'm so glad I did. That was the last tumbling I was able to take, but it meant the world to me. And the mean girls? Started talking to me a few weeks later (I still tried to avoid them!).
My own daughter recently got back into tumbling and she was with much younger kids to start, but I encouraged her to not let it bother her. She did great this year! Sometimes extracurriculars aren't exactly what we had in mind, but there's strength to be found in sticking with something. 🙂
I always wanted to do tubmling and gymnastics but was afraid it would hurt. And girls can be soooo mean, can't they?
Lindsay, this made me laugh out loud: "I’ve got rhythm…just no grace." That sums me up in a nutshell. I'm not on speaking terms with Zumba. I tried Pilates once … let's just leave it at that. Happy Friday!!
"I'm not on speaking terms with Zumba." Ha!! That's awesome. I've never tried Pilates, but would like to…Happy Friday to you too.
I've seen you do Zumba! You're not bad! 😉
I regret not taking ballet when I was a kid. I gave in to peer pressure and tried gymnastics with my friends. Of course, my friends were all 4'11" tall and I was 5'7" tall at that time and still growing! Bad choice.
I love ballet and missed my chance. Oh well, I can watch it and appreciate it and support it now.
My advice? Try everything at least once in life!
Happy friday!
Haha, thanks, well…
And that's hilarious about you being so much taller than all of your friends. That was totally me too.
And I like your advice to try everything once. Except, you know, getting arrestd. I don't think you have to try that, right? 😉 Although it would make for a good story…
I was a natural athlete when I was young. I led my town in the high jump and dashes. I was tall, but did gymnastics for balance and coordination. I played basketball and softball – thank you brothers. I could dive. I could pick up a golf club and swing away. It came naturally. I always wondered what would have happened if I pursued any of it to a top level. Olympics? That was always a dream way in the back of my mind. I always wanted to do pro archery…weird, huh?
I love to do the electric slide!
That's so cool that you were so good, Loree. My husband was a record-setting swimmer in high school, and almost pursued Olympic stuff, but he had to choose between that and playing the clarinet. He chose clarinet. Got a college scholarship for that though, so obviously he was good at it. I'm not sure if he regrets it or not.
In high school I walked into the tryouts for the volleyball team and watched some of the girls playing on the court. I promptly walked back out again convinced in those two minutes I'd never make it. I've always regretted that decision, because a few years later in college I took two semesters of volleyball and found out I was pretty good. I was even asked to be on some intramural leagues after that.
I always wondered what would have happened if I had summoned up the courage to stay at the tryouts.The memory and the regret sometimes spur me to take chances when my nerves want to turn and run.
I did the same thing, Ava! Totally went to tryouts for volleyball…and all the girls who knew what they were doing were in their little booty volleyball shorts and kneepads…and I turned and left.
I'm glad you found the courage later to play in college, though, and enjoyed it!
There is not a bra on Earth that would make me try Zumba. I am not blessed with my mother's humble B cup. Nooooo. I am a bit of a family freak and never once have needed a life jacket. Other people's babies look at me when I go near them. There is no WAY I'm going to Zumba, or any other activity that involves upper body activity.
I truly wish I could play the guitar.
Jennifer, with every sentence you wrote I had a clearer and more vivid image come to my mind. Ahh! 🙂
Oh. My. Goodness. This is hilarious!
But you know, shimmying would be so fun for you. I try to shimmy but, uh, yeah. I basically just shake my shoulders. Ha.
SHIMMY?!?!?! Surely you jest?! I tried that once and pulled a muscle. In my shoulder. From the impact. Of the other boo…anyway.
No shimmy for me.
I'm not sure my insurance covers "shimmy induced multiple organ failure".
Haha, you crack me up!
Although organ failure of any sort is no laughing matter. ;P
Hahahaha!! I HATE t-shirt shopping. I almost always have lines across the front.
Now go read a book on clearing frightening thoughts from your mind.
Sometimes having fun while looking silly is all you need in life, right? 🙂 There are a lot of things I kind of wish I would have stuck to (like music) or a lot of things I wish I'd given up on sooner so I didn't have the stress. But really, I think trying so many things helped me decide who I wanted to be when I grew up, and it's kind of nice to have an idea of who I am now. Sort of 🙂
I totally agree! Looking silly rocks…if you can laugh at yourself.
And it's true…there is a flip side to all of this, with things we wish we hadn't wasted our time on. 🙂
Oh my gosh, this is hilarious!! You should just go enroll in a children's dance class to make up for lost time. hehehe…
Umm…something I wish I was good at…I was going to say seducing a wealthy man so I could quit my job and write full-time, but that makes me sound really horrible and slightly less than virtuous. 🙂
Oh my goodness! First Jennifer is talking about…well, nevermind. And now you're talking about seduction!
The world has gone crazy today! 😛
And btw, Tim Tebow won't know what hit him. Hehe.
"Melissa Tagg-Tebow"
"Melissa Tebow"
Melissa took Zumba with Tim and ta-dahhhhh!!!
Ya know Lindsay,if you enabled algebra questions as your comment filter, no one would ever see my words here….
Both of those names have quite the ring to it. 😉
And Jennifer, what would be the fun in that?!
Oh my word. Oh my word. I didn't even mention Tim Tebow!!
But as long as we're talking about him…he seems so nice and innocent–which is exactly how a man should be. I don't know if I'd feel right seducing him.
Which begs the question, would I feel right seducing anyone?
Hopefully not.
Haha, you KNOW you were thinking about Tim when you wrote it…subconsciously.
And girlie, you don't need to seduce anyone. Just smile and they'll melt like putty in your hands. You have a great smile and laugh. 😀
Aww, you are too sweet.
And I will totally admit to thinking about Tim when I wrote it…totally consciously. 🙂
I see you're already on a first name basis with him, huh? Are you going white white, creamy white, iridescent white, cream, milky cream, bright white…
You know? The dress?
Haha, Jennifer. Umm…I didn't know there were that many kinds of white. This is bad for my not-so-awesome decision-making-skills. 🙂
Then you and Tim can elope to Vegas and you can just wear a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Sooooo much easier. Dontcha think?
No fun at ALL!
Did I mention I'm exhausted? My son graduated last night then went to an all nighter and I picked him up at 6:30am.
Let's just say I had our youth pastor once say "Nothing should be more scary than handing Jennifer Major a microphone", then he handed me the microphone.
Heheh.
If we do manage to rendezvous in Phoenix, I PROMISE to behave. I swear, on my life sized cut outs of Daniel Day-Lewis and Wes Studi from Last of the Mohicans, to behave…in Phoenix.
I said nothing about Glendale.
Haha! I'll just have to make sure wherever we meet is in a Phoenix coffeeshop. 😛
As long as it aint a police lock-up, I'm good.
Who is this gal Jennifer Major and why have I not met her before?
🙂
Because, Beth, you've been spared.
That is…until now.
🙂
She just appeared one day…
Isn't she a hoot?
"She just appeared one day…"
I LOVE it!
As soon as the warden gave me access to the internet, I was all over the place!
😉
Thanks for the hoot compliment.