Saturday, March 14, 2015

And We're Gonna Let It Burn Burn Burn

So, I taught my first class on Monday! Other than a bizarre stress dream around 3 a.m. where I was teaching a class and no one liked it and then the time ended before I got to do anything but warm-up, I wasn't overly freaked out about it, particularly once I woke up and realized I still had the opportunity to not be terrible and went back to sleep holding on to that positive thought.

I got to the studio early, only to be locked out because I don't have a key yet and the woman who was supposed to open up and check everyone in was running late. She arrived only 5 minutes before class started, so my plan of hooking up my music (I agonized over the playlist for approximately 3 hours the night before; first the songs, then the order, then a lot more agonizing over the order, then memorizing the order so I could use it as my pacing mechanism), carefully laying out my cue lists, and meditating until I reached a zen-like state where my voice wouldn't shake was completely shot.

Instead, I ran in, shedding my boots and slipper socks, threw my mat down in the position of power in the front center of the room (ahh!) and came to a stop at this sweet note from my fave teacher and barre mentor:


It made me smile. I more calmly took off a few other layers, greeted my students, confirmed that yes, I'd be teaching today (they're used to me being in the back), and got this party started.


barre segment; written with my new and necessary barre teaching school supplies

And you guys, it was SO. MUCH. FUN.

It was a bit surreal... doing the moves, counting out loud, having no idea if I was doing too many reps or too few because it was all a whirlwind and I couldn't tell if I was winded because I was counting or because I had crafted a really hard class (probably both). I did have one moment where the whole room spun upside down and I had to grab onto the barre while telling myself very sternly you will NOT black out goddammit you will NOT, and then I grabbed my water and decided to check everyone else's form for a little while. I sweat all the way through my top and I hardly ever sweat in barre anymore, so I think teaching kicks everything up about six notches.

I ended exactly on time, having completed almost all my choreography (I chopped part of my barre section because my legs were shaking too hard and I felt I wasn't giving off the proper air of authority, plus we were running out of time), and my students clapped for me and told me "that was really hard!" So yay! I was kind of high from that point forward, all day.


high! with my new barre binder!

Then I went home, took a shower, did my still-under-construction "quick" makeup look and raced off to work where I sent a memo up to the Commission which is basically the biggest deal thing we do. I capped off the day singing loudly to my new barre playlist while sipping white wine and chopping all the vegetables for my beloved Greek Quinoa Salad. JP and the big kids were at Claire's soccer practice and Cora was dancing at my feet. It was a really good day.


Friday casual look: shortcut makeup, jeans, boots, hair on head;
giddy grin not pictured b/c selfies are serious

So thank you for your encouragement and song suggestions! I marked 3 years at the SEC on Thursday and I think marking 3 years + 1 day by taking an hour to teach an exercise class pretty well captures how much this job has changed my life. It was just 2.5 years ago when I walked into my first barre class and promptly blacked out (full circle!). It's been a journey, a fun one, with abs and confidence and Lululemon along the way, and I can't wait for the next step!

14 comments:

  1. Aw that's great sweetie! I'm so proud of you (as much as one can be proud of a stranger's accomplishment, but still...so very proud).
    -Desimom

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  2. You continue to inspire me in so many ways! : ) So impressed with this. Congratulations!

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    1. Thanks Desi and Misha! It was so much fun- it had been a little while since I'd been that delightful combo of scared and excited about something new. I'm now subbing for the 6:15 a.m. class tomorrow- yay!

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  3. LL can we get the final playlist? I think I need some of that music in my life :)

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    1. That will be the next post! I tried to include it with this one, but I wanted to embed a few of the videos and it was getting too long. I found some really great new songs (well new to me anyway) that are so fun to run/barre/chop vegetables and sip wine to!

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    2. Yay!! Can't wait

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  4. I believe your real name is showing.
    Good job teaching the class!

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    1. That it is. I don't worry about it too much for pictures. My anonymity concerns mostly circle around this blog not being the first result when someone googles my real name for a job application. Although it's probably not a bad thing- they'll know right away how I feel about important things like margaritas, french fries, and shoes.

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  5. Delurking to say how cool this is! So great that you had so much fun.

    (Also that I've been reading since you were in law school and then at the firm and am slightly amazed to see you've been at the SEC for three years... am laughing at myself because I don't have kids so your kids growing up and getting big doesn't faze me, but I think of the SEC as your "new" job and how has it been 3 years already?? lol)

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  6. I need to tell you what is bothering me about this post… So I've been a long (LONG) time loyal reader and a very occasionally commenter. I first started reading your blog when you guys were living in Chicago-- I found your blog on the sidebar of a girl I taught with at the time, Ally Saxe. I was instantly captivated by your story and drawn to your writing. I've followed your adventures as you moved to Texas and had more kids, and eventually ended up moving about 20 minutes away from where we live. (Also, I'm pretty sure your office is in the building right across from my husband's)… So all this to say… I've followed your family's story through your blog for years and years and years and it's been cool to see you move half way across the country to right near me! And in that strange bloggy familiar way, I feel like I know you so well. So that brings me to today's post. The sticky note. REBECCA. What the what?!?! It dawned on me for the first time EVER- in all these years- I have never known what your name was and I've never even thought twice about it. I seriously had to enlarge the pic with the note two different times. I was all, "Did I know this was her name?" "Is that REALLY her name?" "That can't be!" I have no idea what I thought your name was all this time but it threw me for a loop! The blog world is such a strange and mysterious place. And I'm freaking out that your name is Rebecca. You have a name?!?! ;)

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    1. Chelsea, this is maybe my favorite comment ever. And so crazy you found me via Ally! I grew up with the Saxe boys- my brother is best friend's with their #3 and Ally's MIL is Landon's godmother and it was the Saxe condo we stayed at in Steamboat this past Thanksgiving. And it is so true about the bloggy world- who needs names?! (Though now I'm kind of curious- does my name fit me? is it what you expected?) JP is James and it's because our names are so nickname-able that our kids each have names you can't shorten :).

      Where are you guys? If you ever come into Fort Worth and want to meet up, let me know! We some lovely parks and a zoo right by our house. And thank you for reading all these years- I love knowing that some of the people who read back during our tough times are still here seeing the good ones :).

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    2. Yeah… Rebecca totally isn't what I pictured, but again, what the heck have I been picturing all these years?!?! It's freaking me out. JP has always = John Paul.

      We frequent Ft. Worth a lot. My husband Nick works down there (we are in Southlake) and my brother lives near Tanglewood. There are just so many fantastic places to eat/drink/shop/hang out. Yes, maybe we can meet for margaritas at Joe T's or a glass of wine at Winslow's sometime. I still may not call you Rebecca though. HA!

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  7. The shortcut makeup looks good!

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  8. Really great news on many fronts,. Especially happy and proud of how well your first Barre class went. Well done!! See, you CAN do it all, Miss. :)

    Lindsay
    www.theflynnigans.com

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