Dance Class

Today I took my first ballet class in a really long time - I was trying to remember the last time I took a ballet class, and I think that it was when the First Bush was president! That's a while. Needless to say, I was a little worried that it would be a disaster.  But, it was awesome!!  My body remembered a lot of the steps, even if I'm much fatter and clunkier than I was the last time I tried dance.  The class was held in this beautiful old church in Cambridge.  Totally going to go back.  There's a ballet school in Newton also, which will be close to my new job (and there's a sierra trading post outlet there, which is an added bonus/expense), and they also have adult classes.  They are both on my list!  I did the beginner class - maybe at some point I will progress to elementary :)

I spent the last two days recovering the wingback chair that I have in my living room.  I had a piece of material basically thrown over it before.  It looks really nice, and it's pretty close to done now.  I just hope that my little punks (aka the cats) don't totally destroy it.  Tigger already clawed at it, and now it has a few loose threads...

Christmas Fells Walk

I should have blogged about my first walk around the lake, it was really nice and there were students running around it.  There were a couple slightly hilly spots, but for the most part it was pretty flat. It's so pretty. I won't have to go to the Charles, there's a lake!  It took me about an hour and a half to walk around, but that was much longer than it should take.  But, #1 I was texting with a friend. #2 I stopped to look at things, like trees that beavers had chewed, landscaping that looked like it was done by Dr. Seuss, and the really really big houses.  Also, I got lost on campus and couldn't find the parking garage.  I think a good goal would be to be able to run around the lake by spring!  (there are lots of roots and rocks, so it would be a little slower than my usual slow time).

I went to a spin class last week.  It was this fancy one that had flashing lights and it got dark and then the instructor would be lit up, and then she would yell "ha" in time with the music.  There was a board that showed how fast we were going, and I was #17 or 18 for the class.  I passed someone!  The next day my legs were jelly.  The lights and fancy stuff was all well and good, but it didn't fool me.  I was still on a bike, going nowhere.  On the bright side, the class was only 45 minutes.

Today I went for a hike in the Middlesex Fells.  I went from the Shepfold to the tower where you can see Boston, and looped back on the Reservoir trail.  When I hit the Reservoir trail, I accidentally went the wrong way, and walked for a good 10 minutes in the wrong direction.  Awesome.  It was uphill first, so downhill on the way back.  It took me pretty much exactly 3 hours, with only a short stop to admire the view of Boston - since it's pretty cold out. It was a really nice day out, not too cold, sunny...

I spent a lot of the walk thinking about how different a place I'm in this year as opposed to last - I've finished my dissertation, which I hadn't started this time last year. I have a shiny new job waiting in the new year - last year my old job was messing with me a little, and reluctantly giving me a chance because there was no one else.  Last week, though, my interim boss sent me a very nice email, saying that they made an excellent choice in hiring me and he was sure I would do great  :)  So, I did well, even though they didn't expect it of me.  I'm excited for this next year!  And, I am resolved to network.  It's not my favorite thing, like eating vegetables for a kid, but it's important, and I will do it.

Barre

I'm wrapping up everything at work, I only have 5 days left, but not really 5 days because tomorrow I have to leave early to fill out paperwork, my boss says we can leave early Friday because of the break, and he said I could leave at noon on my last day.  So, 3 or my 5 remaining days are half days.  Which is 3.5 days left.  Shit's getting real!  I got some nice notes from some of my students, and I'm having a little gathering at a taco place on my second to last day.  I kind of wanted to just skulk out, but I guess that's not what you should do after almost 20 years.

Tomorrow I'm going to fill out paperwork at the new school.  There's a lake on campus (!) that I plan to try walking around.  I think it's 2.6 miles, which would be perfect for a jog.  It's going to be so different.  I mean, now I can see the city from my office window.  Soon, there will be a lake.

Anyhow, I've been trying to figure out this exercise thing, and I finally settled on class pass.  You pay a membership fee and can take classes at studios all over the city and burbs.  Which seems like it will be perfect, because I can take classes near my new work, and also near home on the weekend. Or I can stop on the way home.  I can even do crossfit!  I just started a week's free membership on Monday.  I did yoga on Monday, which was fine.  Yesterday I did my first barre class ever.  I've wanted to try it for a while - it was a lot of squats.  My legs were shaking!  Today I was trying to walk up and down stairs and there was some serious protests from my body.  It was fun.  Not something I would want to do 4 days a week, but maybe once?  And yoga once?  And spin once?  And climbing once?  Or, run around the lake.  I think that could be a plan.

Fells Walk

I took an hour walk in the Fells today on what's now my favorite trail, the Rock Circuit.  Winter is definitely coming, it was pretty chilly out.  I decided it was OK to just do an hour instead of getting to the view point.  It gets dark so early.

Well, another hike on the Rock Circuit trail isn't that exciting, but - more exciting is the fact that I GOT THE JOB!  I will be a director, and I will be leaving my current school after 19.5 years. It's a big scary move, but one that I'm excited to be making. Everyone at the new place has been so welcoming and friendly, they seem so excited to have me, and that's cool.  I will be sad to leave some of the people who I like so much. But, my office moved in Sept anyhow, and I don't see my former people anyhow.  I like my new people, but it's not the same...

I'm feeling good about the last year's adulting.  Now, I can get back into exercising. Cause, I'm pretty out of shape.  Maybe I'll try running again?