Thursday, August 7, 2014

Firework

Hello Darlings...

I'm holding myself to 7 Katy Perry songs...so far this makes 5...it has pushed me creatively to try and do this and it did get me inspired for my shows for this school year but it has been a challenge to figure out what a want to write about to make it fit...but that is why I did this for the challenge...and I am all about a challenge...

So with that I give you...

FIREWORK

Last Saturday I had the privilege of getting to attend a new instructor's community ride at Revolution Studio.  A community ride is a free ride the studio offers when a new instructor is being introduced to the studio as a solo instructor.

KuteKim opened Revolution with the vision of making indoor cycling not just fun but to inspire, empower and transform the riders.  It is a great vision and she has it nailed.  But to be an instructor at Rev you have to be able to do so much more than put on some music and tell the riders to "put on some tension and run"...

To be an excellent indoor cycle instructor takes training...a lot of training...

Anyone can be an instructor...but note that I said to be an EXCELLENT instructor it takes training...that is why even though I do have a few indoor cycle certifications I am far from qualified to really teach cycle because it takes more than passing a test...it takes work...it takes commitment.  JayVee is constantly taking new classes and training and I know the instructors are Rev don't just teach they take classes as well to keep on top of their game.

KuteKim wants her instructors to not only be excellent but to take it to the next level...so if you are going to take the stage at Rev you are going to go through months and months of training and co-teaching.  And only when an instructor is fully trained is she/he allowed to climb on that bike on the stage and lead a class.

It really is a coronation of sorts...and last Saturday was particularly fitting because BeautifulBertha, who we refer to as Queen B, was leading her first class on her own.

She.killed.it.

Like...it was amazing...

She rocked us out...and at the end of the class we were overjoyed to cheer her on as we took that tension off the bikes and got ready to cool down.

I cried...

I was super proud of her...she has become a friend and when you watch your friend reach her goal and dream you can't help but burst with joy.

She was beautiful up there...she was beaming...the rest of the Rev team was glowing with pride and she was an inspiration to us all...

QueenB...you deserve your crown...and I can't wait to clip in and rock out with you again...

So now you are sitting here reading this saying "here she goes again with the spinning"...but I promise I am getting to a point...

so bear with me...

Football season has started...my son sometimes spends up to 6 hours at the school for practice, training, conditioning, etc (and yes, there are rest periods and snacks).  Football takes a lot of work if you are going to put on those varsity colors and start hitting people.

He has great coaches and plays with his friends.  They are a team.  They work together for that win...

But after football comes wrestling.

Wrestling is different...

Wrestling is man to man.

You are on a team but when you are on the mat it is just you and the other guy.

All you have to rely on is your body and your training.

Wrestling may look like two boys/men out there rolling around on a mat but it is so much more than that.  I'm talking about REAL wrestling here not the entertainment that WWE is...

My son spends hours learning and perfecting his moves.  There are specific holds and things you can do to counter those holds...ways to get out of things and how to avoid being pinned.

My son hates to get pinned

It rarely happens and when he does he gets pretty mad...he would rather lose on points...

When he started wrestling I said "oh! Will you learn how to do Full Nelson?"

The Cutest Boy in the World just looked at me and sighed and said "Mom, that is totally illegal"

So much for what I knew about wrestling...and frankly after all the wrestling I have watched over the past 5 years you would think I know a lot more but sadly I don't...

To me it just looks like 2 guys rolling around on a mat

But I know the hours and training my son has put into it and I know that it is so much more than that.

My son's freshman year in high school he placed 3rd in a state championship meet.  Not bad for a freshman kid who was in the largest (number of athletes not the heaviest weight) weight class.

When he came off the mat he was sweaty and bloody...his mouth was bleeding because he bit his tongue or cut something... he thought it was the other boy's blood but I reminded him he was not a vampire and had not bitten the boy.  He smiled a bloody smile and I cried with pride.  Because I know how hard he trained to get there and I remembered him as a 7 year old boy telling his camp counselor that he would like to wrestle for him.

His camp counselor ended up being his wrestling coach...my son told him at camp he would wrestle for him and he did...and he did coach proud.

He got hurt at the start of the season last year but they still made him captain for this year and next because even when he wasn't on the mat he still trained and helped coach and inspire his team mates.  He's honored they have made him captain and it was something he has wanted since he started high school.

Being well trained and taught can make your goals happen.

That is why I took the training I did for indoor cycle...not to teach but to be well-trained enough to ride better...to ride stronger...to ride smarter.

And so when I was leaving after that great community ride I got to thinking about how cool it is when someone commits to learn to do something and then does it.

My friend MarvelousMargaret put her "bucket list" of things she wanted to try on Facebook the other day.  She asked who wants to do these things with her.

We all wanted to take the wine tasting class....no surprise there...

But she had a lot of other fun things on there and I told her I would try "archery" with her.

I don't think for one moment I will become Katniss Everdeen by learning how to shoot a bow and arrow (and I have done it before at camp but I was terrible at it) but I do think it will be fun and sort of empowering to learn how to do that...

and yeah maybe I will braid my hair and try to channel my inner Jennifer Lawrence badass-ness and pretend I am Katniss...but what I am excited about its that MarvelousMargaret is inspiring me to try and learn something that is sorta outside my wheelhouse.

And I also plan to take some shooting classes with KuteKaren so get ready people...I may just be the most dangerous woman you know...

I'm turning 50 in a few months (don't worry I plan to make all of you know it so I can get through it...but for now lets just say it is coming...) so I like the idea of learning something new...or of improving skills I have...and to train up...

When I sub teach I can honestly say I am not sure I really teach the kids anything...especially if it is math...but I do try my very best to help the kids and to inspire them to work harder for their teachers (one of my favorite things is when I get to sub on test review days and I challenge the kids to make awesome grades and bring them a prize the next time).  But I would like to be a better teacher...so I spend time trying to learn more and I always meet with the teacher when it is a scheduled sub time (like a teacher going to conference) so that I can be fully prepared for the kids.

I train some moms at the school on how to teach some of the art history lessons they teach the kids.  It's a very cool program and it takes a lot of prep work to teach a lesson on Picasso...or Monet...or cave paintings.  I try to not just teach the moms the lessons but HOW to teach the lessons and how to keep the kids engaged.  I don't just want to say "this is the Monet lesson", I want to teach them how to get those kids to want to learn about Monet...(don't even get me started on Bernini....but if you want to know I will tell you...).  I want to train them up so that they aren't just regurgitating a lesson to they kids...

And when I work with my high school kids doing costumes I make sure I teach my student team how to think for themselves and how to work the costume changes as if I wasn't there...my goal is for them to feel like they are in charge...and so far I have let them because they have done a great job.  My sweet MOD showed me the way (and she was the student!) but I think I taught her how to feel a little more in charge of it and we had a great time.  I want the kids to have fun doing what we do and take pride when they see the cast up there in what we have put on them.  I don't dictate with my girls...I let them make decisions and figure things out---I want them to LEARN from it and not just do what I tell them.

I like to teach others but now I am finding I am back to the point in my life where I want to learn some new things myself...

So here is my challenge to you...inspired by my son, Queen B, and MarvelousMargaret...

Think of something you want to do...something you want to learn...something you want to get better at...

and then do it

It doesn't matter what it is...just challenge yourself to grow...

Because as my girl Katy says:'


Do you know that there's
Still a chance for you
'Cause there's a spark in you
You just gotta
Ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July
'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on show them what you're worth
Make them go, "Oh, oh, oh"
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make them go, "Oh, oh, oh"
You're gonna leave them all in awe


Read more: Katy Perry - Firework Lyrics | MetroLyrics 


I want to inspire you to grow...to be a better you....

Inspiration Song: "Firework" by Katy Perry.  The lyrics to this song are some of my favorite lyrics to any song...I find them empowering and inspiring..,

Bye Darlings...be a firework and let your colors burst...and leave em all in awe...we all know I love to do that and I want to light up the sky with all of our beautiful colors....

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