Amazing Daytrip to Woodbridge JCC
Today I got up early for two reasons. I was parked on Columbus Avenue, and they start cleaning the street and ticketing furiously at 7am sharp.
That gave me impetus to get out there, but I was already on my way out for a class in Woodbridge, CT. I figured on 2 hours to drive up there and to arrive an hour before class, puts me leaving New York around 7:15, so I left a little early.
When we got there, we found a big lawn and I let River run around on it for a while before class.
I taught a truncated version of Amazing for at least a dozen (maybe 13?) Nia-ers. Some of them were there for the first time.
They turned the lights off and I thought it was too dark, but I didn't object, just went with it. I found the group loved the anonymity and didn't tend to break out of their routines. So during segments of the songs, unscripted, I went into FreeDance, asking them to walk all around the room. I spent a long time letting them shake it up until it was all loose. We definitely got there by the end.
I lured one woman away from her spot. She resisted at first, but I kept encouraging her because of her big smile. I reassured everyone it was a good idea to try new spots and get new perspectives. It was all in fun and we found our edges and grew a little in the process.
After class, my host, Nancy took me to lunch at the snack bar in the JCC. We sat out on the deck under a big umbrella as River laid at our feet. He did bark a few times, when guys moved those heavy chairs across the deck making a horribly loud sound. Otherwise, I enjoyed our conversation and a really delicious tuna melt sandwich.
On the way back to the apartment, I found a short term parking spot nearby and used it to unload River and his crate and my stuff into the apartment before going back out to the car to find a better spot to park it. But once I got out to the car and started driving, I figured it would be easier and quicker to drive down to my next appointment than it would be to drive around and try to find parking in this mess. I figured as long as I was going to be driving, I might as well get myself closer to my destination.
I was going to text him to let him know my spontaneous plan but found that I had left my phone in the apartment with River, so I just trudged onward. Fortunately, we had been in touch earlier that day and I told him my plans. I also told him I'd keep him posted, which was a promise I wasn't able to make good on. I finally found parking near enough to him that I could walk the rest of the way.
And then I drove back up to the neighborhood I was staying in. It was fun to drive up 8th Avenue and drive through Columbus Circle. I found parking again on Columbus Avenue which means I have to get up early in the morning to move it again.
After a long day, River is now happily sleeping on the floor while I eat the leg of lamb that Michael made for dinner. River already ate.
That gave me impetus to get out there, but I was already on my way out for a class in Woodbridge, CT. I figured on 2 hours to drive up there and to arrive an hour before class, puts me leaving New York around 7:15, so I left a little early.
When we got there, we found a big lawn and I let River run around on it for a while before class.
I taught a truncated version of Amazing for at least a dozen (maybe 13?) Nia-ers. Some of them were there for the first time.
They turned the lights off and I thought it was too dark, but I didn't object, just went with it. I found the group loved the anonymity and didn't tend to break out of their routines. So during segments of the songs, unscripted, I went into FreeDance, asking them to walk all around the room. I spent a long time letting them shake it up until it was all loose. We definitely got there by the end.
I lured one woman away from her spot. She resisted at first, but I kept encouraging her because of her big smile. I reassured everyone it was a good idea to try new spots and get new perspectives. It was all in fun and we found our edges and grew a little in the process.
After class, my host, Nancy took me to lunch at the snack bar in the JCC. We sat out on the deck under a big umbrella as River laid at our feet. He did bark a few times, when guys moved those heavy chairs across the deck making a horribly loud sound. Otherwise, I enjoyed our conversation and a really delicious tuna melt sandwich.
On the way back to the apartment, I found a short term parking spot nearby and used it to unload River and his crate and my stuff into the apartment before going back out to the car to find a better spot to park it. But once I got out to the car and started driving, I figured it would be easier and quicker to drive down to my next appointment than it would be to drive around and try to find parking in this mess. I figured as long as I was going to be driving, I might as well get myself closer to my destination.
I was going to text him to let him know my spontaneous plan but found that I had left my phone in the apartment with River, so I just trudged onward. Fortunately, we had been in touch earlier that day and I told him my plans. I also told him I'd keep him posted, which was a promise I wasn't able to make good on. I finally found parking near enough to him that I could walk the rest of the way.
And then I drove back up to the neighborhood I was staying in. It was fun to drive up 8th Avenue and drive through Columbus Circle. I found parking again on Columbus Avenue which means I have to get up early in the morning to move it again.
After a long day, River is now happily sleeping on the floor while I eat the leg of lamb that Michael made for dinner. River already ate.
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