First Posted 6 February 2008

If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Tai Chi

Current mood:betrayed

I couldn't sleep for the life of me, again. I think it was the fact that I slept so much for the last few days and then took an "energy pill" that is full of caffeine and then worked out, not that I worked out all that hard but, endorphins are endorphins, no matter how I come by them. I rolled around the bed so much so that I pulled the sheets right out of their "nurse's fold" that I was taught many, many, MANY moons ago. I finally got out of bed around…gods know when, and I changed said sheets, got a shower, did yet another load of laundry and took my ass out of the penthouse and off on a tour. The weather was promised to be faboo and I wanted to enjoy it. Yet again we are having a wonderful bout of global warming and I wanted to get the best out of it. There was a funeral being planned at the flower shop so I made a quick exit after saying "hullo". I took off down Atlantic Avenue to the various businesses and friends that I know to wish them a "hullo" as well and then I crossed over to the Tropicana where I got a bit of an ego boost on my way through the casino to the boardwalk. As I was walking down the steps, a group of women were taking the escalator up and did the "mmm…mmm…mmm" thing when I went by. I wanted say, "Ladies, I'm a lady!" but, I just took the compliment and giggled like a schoolgirl half way down the boards. Beet-red I'm sure.

I power walked all the way to the Taj Mahal and then made my way back, chatting on me mobile and text messaging a few people about the Tai Chi class tonight. I'm trying to drum up some more victims so I don't look as dumb as I will. I ended up at Evo (hmm…how'd thathappen) and saw Lance (oh…that's why!) and we talked and flirted and I ate. Again. I had the filet mignon Panini and IT WAS DELICIOUS! The two Bloody Marys made it even tastier! We discussed the sixth ward councilman's recent troubles (we both live in that ward) and laughed at the audacity our civic leaders display when they are literally caught with their pants down, drunk, driving on the beach at night, without a license, with an African-American woman that wasn't his Caucasian wife.

He'll probably get off…

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Wait for it.

Wait for it.

Okay, ready?

…AGAIN!

Atlantic City politics, it's what we have instead of a football team.

By the way, it's not that I give two shits that he cheated on his wife with a black chick, my house is made of very thin glass, I can't breath too hard in here let alone throw a stone. I know the bastard, he's one of those bigots that hates everyone that's not like him (white, straight, you get the picture) so, for him to be cheating on his wife with this particular chick just makes it that much better!

I finished up my meal and made my good-byes and off I went. I wandered the boards and found that the eddies of air were rather chilly, flowing by me as I walked and I was wondering why since it was supposed to be quite nice today, near record temperatures. There were some warm air currents but, they were mostly cold and I decided to get off the boards where I was reminded why living on an island has it's quirks. It was warm as hell in the city! This shouldn't have surprised me but did. I forgot that along the shoreline, the water makes the air colder, the warm air from the south couldn't compete with the ocean temps.

I found my way back to the flower shop where I bribed Becky with fresh pretzels so I could update the Café. Well, I was an idiot (yet again) and screwed up the floppy disc that I usually put my entries on to transfer them to my journal (which is why you did not read the previous entry on Tuesday). I left there and made my way back home to fix the floppy disc and await Meredith to take me to my Tai Chi class and regular workout.

Meredith was running late although I didn't know this at the time, I divined it through my vast knowledge of…well…knowing Meredith. I had been watching the news and I text messaged her, asking where she might be, since the national news was on and we had to be at the class by seven. I usually don't vote in the primaries but I figured that since the voting booth was directly across the street from me (by which I mean, I was watching people vote from my front windows) I'll just go downstairs, vote and she'll be here by the time I'm done. She rang me as I was behind the curtain of democracy deciding on whom the Great State of New Jersey should nominate to be chosen as the next President of these here United States of America. She came driving up and we dashed to the gym and the class.

The Group Boxx class was just ending and we waited around for our class to begin, barely able to see the glass enclosed room through all the condensation that was clinging to the windows and mirrors. This odd little man in glasses, with a green T-shirt tucked into his striped workout pants, salt-and-pepper hair on his balding head and sticking out the top of his T-shirt was hovering around us and I figured he was our teacher. Once the previous class let out, we entered the humid room and kept the doors open and put on the fans to clear out the dampness and, well quite frankly, be able to see ourselves in the wall-to-ceiling mirrors. Once things settled down, he began the class. He reminded me of a hobbit, with a Jewish hint. He started by discussing what Tai Chi was (a martial art), how it began, who his "master" was and some of the breathing techniques, deep in your stomach, not your lungs, to lower your centre of gravity. He showed us how our "chi" works, that at certain times of the day it flows in certain directions. A bit "hocus-pocus" for me but I was a willing, if skeptical, student. As he began to show us the primary moves and linking them together, most of the class began to trickle out.

Not me, nor Meredith. I was fascinated. I honestly didn't think that I would like this as much as I do. He explained each move, how it relates to the martial arts, defense, offense, and the like. It was inspiring, to be honest and I canNOT wait to go back next Tuesday for the next session. Evidently there are over a hundred initial moves for the beginner and several hundred moves for the more advanced student. At the end of the session, he did a full set and it was graceful, interesting and very exacting. For this German-ancestor American, that is what I liked the most, I think. The flow from one move to the other, the exactness of hitting that move perfectly. It's attractive to that German perfectionism that I guess is latent in our genes.

After the class, I noticed that Meredith didn't look all that good, she said she had been asleep before coming to get me and didn't have dinner. I started my workout routine and told her to go, she looked miserable on the stationary bicycle. Of course, after she left and I was chugging along in the gym, I began to realize my predicament. I didn't have a bus schedule and I didn't know when the buses ran at this time of night anymore. I didn't have loose change or a dollar bill, which I'd need for the bus. I didn't wear an appropriate jacket because she was my ride; all I had was a hoodie.

Fucked! That's what I was.

I finished up my routine and made my way to the Pathmark, thinking that I'll just pick up a bag of lettuce and that'll give me some change for the bus but as I was in the grocery store, the bus came and left without me.

Bollocks!

I decided to walk, it wasn't that chilly out even though it's full-on winter. It felt more like an early cold snap in the fall, which was fine with me. My jacket wasn't quite thick enough for the long walk but I picked up the pace and kept warm that way.

As I passed the park along the oddly named Boulevard Avenue that runs along the bay, I noticed that the water was still and deep, barely a ripple disturbed the glassy surface that reflected the city so perfectly. I passed a house that lines the bay and a waft of smoke came from the chimney, drifting over my head with the pungent smell of burning wood, it slowly descended as it crossed the street and fell around the streetlamp that lined my way home.

I made my way over the bridge, through my neighborhood and came home, finally.

I am now full and satisfied, both in mind, body and spirit, at least for today. I am going to drift off to sleep, watching the election returns.

Looks like my choice took the Great State of New Jersey already