I'm rapidly typing in this entry from the office of a dentist that I've decided to try out. It's been several years since my last dental appointment, due mostly to the other guy being a real prick when it cones to dealing with his patients. This wad a guy who must have taken the 301 course in oral torture techniques, and wouldn't listen to anything I said to him. So, out with the old and here I am waiting for my mouth to be poked and prodded by someone new. Hopefully this new guy turns out to be ok. I hate shopping around for competent people... Hopefully my search ends here.
Speaking of competent people, yesterday I went ice skating with my wife and kids, and met a young lady at the skate center who in only 5 minutes, changed me from a hopelessly unbalanced ice clown, to a confident n00b. Sure my feet still hurt, and I lacked the grace of a Disney On Ice dancer, but I could skate!! Lots of fun for my better half and me, and even the kids showed a huge improvement. I love it when someone has the ability in a handful of succinct comments to effect great change in a person, or in a person's abilities.
I felt so confident with the skating, that before too long, I was moving away from the edge, and mixing it up with all of the more confident skaters towards the center of the rink. Suddenly, closing in on a slower skater was no longer a fearful exercise in wondering if you will actually slow down enough, or end up veering into some little kid and making her dad angry - and why is it the angry dad's all know how to skate really well?!!. The really nice thing though, was being able to skate hand-in-hand with my wife without fearing that I'd make us both crash, or without shaking her hand off for fear of risking being unbalanced when she was only trying to help. A couple of romantic laps later, and I had to call it quits... but next time will be more fun for the both of us.
When I got home that evening, I pulled on the old pair of roller-blades that I only ever managed to use twice, and skated about the kitchen making the dinner. I gave everyone a laugh as I boldly skated back and forth with plates full of hot food and glasses of juice. Yes, that nice girl who taught us all to feel more confident on skates has created a monster out of me, and one that will probably strap on the skates quite often. I'll need to get my lovely lady a pair of roller-blades so that we can enjoy together some of the many paths and tracks around our local area.
Now, speaking of teachers and dancers, my family day didn't end with the skating. Late yesterday afternoon, my lady and I attended s free beginner class learning to dance the Salsa! I know, me with the 7 left feet was to be seen in a large outdoor public space, shakin' my groove thang, and actually enjoying myself. Seriously guys, if you want to really connect with a girl, learn to dance in an easy Latin style. Smouldering looks deep onto each other's eyes, and all that guff. It the romantic stuff that the ladies just soak up... And truth be told it doesn't do us fellas any harm either.
The cool thing about learning to dance with a loved one, is that you get to inject a little exercise and frivolity into your relationship. Date night becomes more than simply reverting to the old cliches of dinners and movies every time. You get to mix with others, meet new people, and generally have a fun time if you don't mind the social awkwardness when your dance instructor decides to spring a little "partner swapping" on you without notice. No, No, that doesn't turn this into a swingers club. Instead you get to learn from others as you go. Every personality is unique, and even if you are all beginners and feel like you're moving all stiff and robot-like, your dance partners will all move differently and teach you to loosen up a little.
The dance instructors were both "sombody's" too. The guy in particular has been on the TV for the Australian Dancing with the Stars... minus some of the ego, although they did play on his supposed fame a bit, but it was all in good fun. This was however the second time we've had a Salsa lesson. The first was on New Year's Eve, when we attended a Salsa party night. That was lots of fun also, but yesterday was even better, although we ended up having to stop earlier than we would have liked because our feet and legs were sore from the skating we had been doing earlier. It's a day later and my feet and calves still hurt, but it's good hurt that suggests I've had a good amount of exercise using some of the muscles that don't get to see much use during my usual day-to-day routine.
So I'm back home now, at my laptop to finish writing this blog. My teeth are shinier (dentist was ok, so we'll give him another go), my feet are dancier, and I'm actually considering making a regular thing of both the skating and the dancing. Anything to start me gently to get back into shape after all of the end of year excess., but more to be able to spend quality time with my sweetheart, and to give us both an enjoyable activity to share together... although next time, I'll try to encourage her to go rock-climbing... just to help me keep up a more manly image!
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