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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

It's not that I'm obsessed with vaginas...

"When sleeping women wake, mountains move." ~Chinese Proverb 

It's just that I'm fully aware that I have one... as do perhaps half of the world's population. I find it very strange and somewhat disconcerting that, as my friend Shoeaholic has pointed out, men (and some women) cannot comfortably talk about what is only a natural part of the anatomy. 

Why is this really? Is it culture? Somehow related to religion? Why? I'm not in any way uncomfortable and in fact one of my earlier posts on this blog was about 'Vajazzling'.

My mom and I looked at the 2009 rom-com "It's Complicated" last evening... what struck me as most amusing and perhaps most relatable were the scenes where lead actress Meryl Streep interacted with her girlfriends - I can absolutely see my girl ppl and I in that same scenario as we've had (and will continue to have) group gatherings such as was seen on the film. One such scene was where they were discussing how a lack of sex could possibly lead to 'closure'... and the need for vaginoplasty.

Ladies, did you know that if you don't use it you'd lose it? Did you know that your vagina can fall out? Don't stress... read this article from Lissa Rankin on the "20 Things Every Woman Should Know About Her Vagina".

I'm a big fan of Lissa Rankin, founder of Owning Pink and perhaps The Coolest OB/GYN out there... I've posted on my personal facebook page, two of her articles which were what inspired someone (a male someone) to wonder whether I was vagina-obsessed. I'm not... I just believe in awareness and education and thus I'm posting the links here as well:
They're both really good reads. So ladies (and gentlemen), educate yourselves... be aware of what is part of you (or your lady-friend). As Lissa says, 
"Remember, the more we know, the more we can learn to love, honour, and respect the part of our body that brings life into the world. Enjoy!"
 And... because I just find this wonderful in so many ways: 

peace,
Ren

Edited to add:
Lissa Rankin was at Kripalu recently - I'm both happy about that and somewhat sad that I missed it.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Apparently I don't look tanned...

"If some people didn't tell you, you'd never know they'd been away on a vacation." ~Kin Hubbard

My response to that is that if I were to take my clothes off then one would definitely see where my tan lines are.
 
Tobago is beautiful... a more relaxed and rural version of Trinidad. The people were friendly, the sea was everywhere you looked (it's a tiny island...) and the food was a good version of our own home-cooking. This does not mean that our mini-vacation was without its stresses... as my brother says I can't operate without some idea of a plan... as in if no one says what they want to do then I'll very well tell everyone what we're doing. It can be awkward, it could also be fun. Wondering about some of what we did on our trip to Tobago? You can look at the photos when I get around to posting them on Flickr or ... see below:
  • stayed at Kia's Across from the Beach in a studio apartment ... comfortable, close to popular beaches and has it's own Garden Cafe (had breakfast and dinner on varying days... yum).
  • walked over to Store Bay with my mom, rented chairs from a guy called Gerry (Jerry?) who was both friendly and helpful and who told us as we were leaving that if we were to return and could not find him to walk right on over to the bright blue umbrellas and have a seat... Store Bay was most excellent with its very calm clear waters and surprising lack of people...
  • ordered pizza from La Cantina - Tobago's authentic Italian pizzeria - my brother and I had a good time checking out the authentic wood-burning oven and the skills of the guy making the pizzas.
  • rented a car and drove to the Tobago Cocoa Estate where I experienced The Most Fabulous-tasting piece of chocolate I've ever had. My brother and I also took a tour of the estate which was both entertaining and educational. Much thanks to Mrs Gobin, our estate tour guide.
  • had lunch at Jemma's Seaview Kitchen where the vegetarian lunch option consists of every side they were offering for lunch. Friendly service, fantastic view of the sea and really tasty food :)
  • braved the overcast, gloomy-looking skies and drove to Englishman's Bay - stopped to have breakfast at a coffee shop in Castara.
  • got lost on our way back and ended up at Footprints Eco Resort and Spa ... it's hard to get lost in Tobago when all the roads connect to each other and you  can drive around the entire island in a day... but, we got lost. Mainly cuz Tobago has very narrow (though very well-kept) roads that go up and down in the mountains... it's hilly and curvy and there are sometimes sheer drops on either side of the road - I'm not really fond of heights and that did not help with map-reading or figuring out directions. After successfully arriving at Englishman's Bay both my mom and I decided we couldn't take the up and down, winding roads and just really wanted to get back to our apartment... luckily we took a wrong turn and ended up at Footprints - which I'd wanted to visit but decided not to because of the driving. Footprints was amazingly spectacular and both mom and I spent time in the jacuzzi before my brother told us we had to be on our way.
Ah Tobago, I feel like I've just gotten started getting to know you... must definitely visit you more often.

peace,
Ren


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Separation anxiety... I have it...

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened." ~Anatole France 

I'm going to Tobago today... for the weekend! Will be back on Sunday... all is well but... who will take care of my Kitten??? Of course my dad will be home... but really. O_o How do parents do it?

peace,
Ren

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Interesting Vid: TED Talk: Daniel Tammet - Different ways of knowing.

"Our personal perceptions are at the heart of how we acquire knowledge..." ~Daniel Tammet 
 
 

Thought-provoking I think... what do you think?

peace,
Ren

Father's Day... Wedding Day... Holiday... Solstice...

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." ~Annie Dillard

It's Tuesday, day after the holiday, and apparently I look very tired-out. I need a weekend to recover/recharge from my weekend! Whilst very hectic and whilst now I do feel the need for sleep it was most wonderful in a fulfilling-life kind of way.

Father's Day was this Sunday... my dad is... indescribable. He drives me crazy. CRAZY. I love him dearly. We are most alike in nature (my mom says this all the time - she doesn't alway mean it in a good way). He's taught me a lot. I've recently come to realise that I have a lot of relationship issues because of my dad... both good and bad of course... for example, I'd really appreciate (re: expect) my partner to have skills of a practical handy-man nature - if I can use/operate basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, drilling machine etc) then you should be able to as well... I also have major trust issues in relationships which started off because of my dad. Ah well.

All week leading up to Father's Day he kept telling me that Sunday was Father's Day... which was of no help since I am able to read a calendar but not able to mind-read what he wanted for Father's Day... I got him a gift... he somewhat liked it... made lunch, told him he was skilled and I appreciate him as my dad. Then we went our separate ways... me to Wedding, him to Redbull Flugtag designing.   

Wedding (not mine) was most epic. Bride was stunning, groom was close-to-stunning (lol), wedding speech (written by moi & another girlfriend, presented by two other girlfriends) was well-received, food was good, after-wedding-party was excellent (dance, dance, baby!). All around good times were had on Sunday night. Best wishes, much love, continued happiness to my girl and her new hubby... I hope that all now you are thoroughly enjoying your honeymoon.

Monday was the day I wanted sleep - thankfully it was a holiday... in a half-daze I made lunch... then went up to Mount St. Benedict with my mom and brother and group. It's a beautiful place... quiet... a place where one can sense the stillness. We had a most delicious afternoon tea at the Pax Guesthouse and then spent a rather long time ole-talking on their verandah. As I type this I realise that I have a lot of photos to put up on the Flickr photostream...

Today is Tuesday, day after the holiday, longest day of the year, first day of summer (if there is summer in your country). It occurs to me that in some part of the world it may be the beginning of winter? I'm not sure and am feeling fuzzy today so there is no research to be done at the moment. If you want ideas to celebrate today though some can be found here.

peace & happy Tuesday to you,
Ren

Friday, June 17, 2011

Fantasy, whimsy, violence.

"Sheldon: As I will not be engaging in this nonsense, my choice of beverage is moot but for the record I only drink hot chocolate in months with an R in them.
Howard: Why?
Sheldon: What's life without whimsy?"
~Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper / Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz - The Big Bang Theory

As a young girl I was very into fairy tales... fantasy stories of any kind really which to me was what was found in all the books I read (I freely admit to being a bookworm). I could at any time escape from the ordinary, everyday life into adventure, suspense, action and later on romance, drama, philosophy - the things I've learnt from books are innumerable as are the hours I've spent reading them. As an adult I'm still very much a bookworm and still very into fantasy stories of any kind (I got myself late for work yesterday because I was rereading Nora Robert's Entranced).

A friend of mine took a photo recently of a giant chess set... it brought to mind thoughts of Alice in Through the Looking Glass rather than Ron and Harry in the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone. What is life but a game? What kind of game is life when the players don't play by the rules?  Who sets the rules? How do the players become aware of the rules? Sometimes I feel as though I'm going through my day and everything is so crystal clear that I can understand every little thing that makes up the mystery that is life. Other days there's the feeling of moving through... molasses? very sticky stuff... caught in slow motion and fog. 

There's been a lot of talk (news? discussions? information?) about violence in schools (and out). I wonder about the youth of today ... what do they think about? What do they fill their lives with? Who or what teaches them? I can't believe that their lives are filled with magic or whimsy if they're beating up each other... or engaging in decidedly non-childlike behaviour. I wonder about the parents of these children... the homes... the support systems - it takes a village to raise a child and I think in becoming more of a developed country we've lost that concept. 

I can be grateful that I had (still have) that support... not just from my parents but from the extended family (all the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents that both mind my business and look out for me). I don't know how to go about promoting such a lifestyle... I've been in some of the secondary schools lately (work, work, work) and the attitudes/behaviour/thinking of these children are completely foreign to me. It's so very different from what I (and friends my age) grew up with. 

Where do we go from here? As a person, a community, a country, the world... It's going to be bad in the future if we do nothing now. What needs to be done? How can we improve?

There's always so many questions.

peace,
Ren


Edited to add:
Got home and found my mom reading this book which a friend of hers brought for her today:
 If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules 
Obviously, I must read it when she's done.

Also, if I ever have space for a garden... I'd like a giant chess set... and a labyrinth as well. :)

Thursday, June 16, 2011

There are men sexier than I am.

"I am not handsome or sexy. Of course, it's not like I am hopeless." ~Keanu Reeves 

I should clarify that title by saying that there are men that are sexier in a feminine way than I am. I've known this for years of course (I know guys that can rock super high heels *way* better than I can)... it's just a little bit unnerving. Surely as a female I should have some innate sense of sexy movements?

I don't. At all. My body does not know how to move in certain ways... or it's just that I'm sexy in a way that's not the norm. It occurs to me that I should look up the meaning of sexy since I seem to be using it a lot in this post... and so, as defined by dictionary.com,

sex·y

[sek-see]  
–adjective, sex·i·er, sex·i·est.
1. concerned predominantly or excessively with sex;  risqué: a sexy novel.
2. sexually interesting or exciting; radiating sexuality: the sexiest professor on campus.
3. excitingly appealing; glamorous: a sexy new car.
So... hmm. Now I'm not sure that's the word I should be using... maybe sensual? seductive? Am not sure.

By now you're probably wondering why I'm rambling on about sexiness (or lack thereof) and it's simply that - I signed up for belly dancing... except it's a combined class which teaches both belly dancing and burlesque... Today was my first class and whilst I'm excited about the belly dancing (though my hips don't move by themselves - am a poor example of a Trini), the burlesque moves just make me want to giggle ... in a 'really? you want me to move like how now??' kind of way... if moves like the bend and snap can make me feel awkward then these moves... oh my word.  

Awkward in the extreme... and because I've got a fairly expressive face the whole class was aware of my level of discomfort... and the instructor - one very slim guy with way more moves than I could hope to have (and way better hair as well) just shook his head at me... in a 'oh-honey-you're-hopeless' type of way (at least that's what I interpreted it as). *sigh*

I'm told to practice, practice, practice. The thing is that I enjoy watching burlesque and belly dancers... I think they're most sensual and fabulous and just generally awesome... can I see myself in those moves? nope. Obviously I need to change my mindset... maybe then I'll get some moves.



night all,
Ren

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Full moon lunar eclipse...

"Astrology is a science in itself and contains an illuminating body of knowledge. It taught me many things, and I am greatly indebted to it. Geophysical evidence reveals the power of the stars and the planets in relation to the terrestrial. In turn, astrology reinforces this power to some extent. This is why astrology is like a life-giving elixir to mankind." ~Albert Einstein

There's a full moon in Sagittarius tonight but that's not all... there's going to be a lunar eclipse as well, one which will be the longest and deepest total eclipse in a decade. Fabulousness...

Google, who has my deep love because of their doodles, has done a total lunar eclipse doodle on their page to allow persons that can't view it to keep track of it. Google's Youtube channel also had a live feed of the eclipse which as I type this I realise may have already passed. Meep. Am not quite sure what to do with this blog post now as my intent was to tell you, dear reader, to keep your eyes on the skies... ah well... it's still a great day and will be a great night for moon-watching.

peace,
Ren

Edited to add (4.10 pm):
It's still going on! Mid-way through... hopefully I'll see it... :)

Edited again (8.02 pm):
So apparently we're not in the zone to view the eclipse... *grump* and even if we were in the zone - it's been raining all day... cloud coverage to the extreme... ah well.. there's supposed to be one viewable by us in 2018... Yay?

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Share life, give blood...

"Even if I died in the service of the nation, I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood... will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic." ~Indira Gandhi 



It's amazing to me that every day is a day to be taken note of... it's World Blood Donor Day today... go out and give some blood. This day, according to the WHO, "is celebrated each year to highlight the contribution voluntary unpaid blood donors make to public health." The WHO estimates that if at least 1% of a country's population donates blood this would be enough to satisfy the basic requirements for safe blood. For a country with more developed health systems, this percentage increases - Health Minister Therese Baptiste-Cornelis has indicated that 65,000 units of blood is needed to satisfy our population's transfusion needs - that works out to be 3% of our population. Go give blood.

I should state here that I can't. It's not that I don't want too (I can totally suck up my squickiness over needles to give blood!)... or that I'm not healthy... it's that I fall under the weight requirement. In my mind this completely sucks. When I was doing my first degree there was a blood drive - my friends and I were all excited to go... I didn't get to give because I was under the weight requirement. I've thought that as I get older I'd put on enough weight to reach that particular requirement... but nope. Still not there... which is in a way a good thing since I'm a tiny person but still... give blood... save lives... I've had my share of family in need of blood... I've known friends in need of blood... it pisses me off just a little bit that I'm not able to. 

So. Go give blood... do it for me. Do it for all those that can't give and especially do it for all that will need blood.  Basic requirements for giving: be in general good health, between the ages of 17 and 65, weigh more than 110 pounds... if you fit those requirements - I can't stress this enough - go give blood.

If you're in Trinidad and Tobago, more info on the Blood Bank and where you can donate is available here.

peace,
Ren

Monday, June 13, 2011

In celebration of shopping, peace and girlfriends...

"Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy." ~Rabbi Abraham Heschel

I've had a busy-ish weekend... am fairly sleepy and sluggish today (more so than usual for a Monday)... My weekend was entertaining, informative and fairly happy and so thought I'd share some of it with you...

I went shopping with my mom on Saturday... not just any shopping... Swimsuit Shopping. Regular readers of this blog are aware that my mom is a cancer survivor... she hasn't worn a swimsuit in forever because we've just never been bothered to look for swimsuits made for persons with mastectomies. We're going to Tobago however. Soon. And so, a swimsuit is needed. It occurs to me that I'm airing all my mom's business here but I don't think she'll mind (I hope she doesn't mind)... We'd been considering shopping online for such swimsuits when, as luck would have it, I saw an ad in the papers. East meets West has swimsuits - even the kind that we're looking for. In fact, they've got a pretty nice selection of styles/colours of the kind that we were looking for. Happiness = shopping = actually getting what you're out shopping for. I'm very pleased with them and their customer service. I'm even more pleased that we got a swimsuit as my mom told me after that she hadn't actually expected to find one! Low expectations mom. Tsk tsk.

After our shopping trip I kidnapped my mom. She would not think this was so (or she wouldn't admit it). As the driver though one gets to choose where one wants to go and I'd been wanting to attend the Trinidad and Tobago World Peace Festival since I first saw the event online. According to the website:
"The Trinidad and Tobago World Peace Festival (TTWPF) is a festival designed to promote peace, spiritual consciousness, social, environmental and spiritual activism, and awareness. It is also intended to provide a way to educate the general public on what organizations and businesses are already present within our local communities that support peace and peaceful living." 
It was most excellent (my mom thought so as well)! There were booths and presentations, information and demonstrations, a kids section (I stumbled across a puppet show in action) and food (food is important - must mention food.. lol). My congratulations to Bliss Yoga, Trinidad for hosting an exceptional event... I'm hopeful that it'll become a yearly something. I took photos, had sushi (well a roll really.. it's not sushi if there's no fish...), saw a dance, learnt about parenting and safe sex, saw some amazing art and met up with a friend.

Later in the evening was my girl friend's bridal shower... the private one... where it was just us girls being somewhat scandalous. I admit to being slightly afraid myself for my own bridal shower if that time ever comes... I've helped to plan two private showers... hmmm. It was fun... and scandalous... and yet also educational... and the bride-to-be had a good time :) I'm afraid that's all I can say about it as what happens at the bridal shower stays at the bridal shower... lol. 

I'm headachy and sluggish today but overall I'm thankful... for my mama, for people that would put together and host events such as the Trinidad and Tobago World Peace Festival and for my girlfriends who are a fabulous bunch of female people. 

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

peace,
Ren 

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Traffic woes...

"Each year it seems to take less time to fly across the ocean and longer to drive to work."  ~Author Unknown

Amount of hours in the day: 24
Amount of hours spent in traffic today: 4

I know this may not seem like a lot of traffic time to some of you. It is for me. I know that on a really good day it would take me 8 minutes from my home to my workplace. Yes... 8 minutes (driving). I know this because I've timed it. Over the past few years this time has gradually (sometimes not-so-gradually) increased. On a really good day it now takes me approximately half an hour to get to work. On a really bad day? Hours (upon hours).

It is frustrating and tiring and gets on people's nerves. I live on an island. If you look us up on a map of the world we're basically a dot... If one wanted to see the island the drive would take at most two days (48 hours). To be stuck in traffic for hours then is something that we're generally not happy with. 

It's the price of progress I think. We've got more cars on the road... more people needing to move around... it's only natural that road works/improvements would be needed. What's not needed? Accidents... which is something else that causes traffic... either due to the accident having to be cleared up or due to everyone stopping to watch the accident being cleared up.   

I got to work late today... am really glad that I wasn't driving as I may have just turned around and gone back home. Perhaps the traffic is really a test from the Universe... how dedicated are you to get to work?? Anyway, my mom, my brother and I were in the car... some questions that came up:

Q: when does a 10 minute drive turn into 2.5 hours? 
A: when there's an accident/road works/random crazy driver...
&
Q: when does a pedestrian get somewhere faster than the flow of traffic?
A: see above.
&
Q: have you ever noticed how many mango trees there are on the way to work?
A: no mom, I usually focus on the road whilst driving to work. 

It is stuff like this that keeps me sane... as well as discussions on telecommuting proposals to my workplace... and videos like the one below (Mr. Bean is now an honorary Trini in my book after seeing this vid).

Safe travels all.

peace,
Ren

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

World Oceans Day 2011...

"When anxious, uneasy and bad thoughts come, I go to the sea, and the sea drowns them out with its great wide sounds, cleanses me with its noise, and imposes a rhythm upon everything in me that is bewildered and confused." ~Rainer Maria Rilke

I went to the beach on Sunday.... Maracas Beach - which is one of the popular beaches in T&T. On the drive there I thought about how frequently (or infrequently as the case is) I actually visit the beach. One would think that living on an island would be reason enough for frequent visits to the sea but that hasn't been the case with me... Perhaps I'm not a beach baby? I remember a year or two when I didn't even visit the beach at all.

I did go this Sunday though. It was beautiful... calming in the quiet early morning. Waves crashing on the sand. Very few people about (my family isn't fond of crowds... when visiting the beach we leave home in the wee hours of the day, get to the beach before the crowds of people, and leave as the crowds start arriving). There is a peace that comes when one is able to relax on the shore... or float in the waters of the sea. Perhaps it is in the rhythm? The ebb and flow. It is simply centering... calming... beautiful.

It's World Oceans Day today... according to the website it is a day when 'people around the planet celebrate and honour the body of water which links us all, for what it provides humans and what it represents.' Take a moment to give thanks for our oceans... I don't think we have begun to understand all that it provides for us. Be inspired by these quotes from beliefnet. Check out my beach photos on Flickr.

peace,
Ren

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Interesting Vid: The Story of Stuff

With over 12 million on-line views, The Story of Stuff is one of the most widely viewed environmental-themed short films of all time. See this link to learn more about the film, the project and the issues they are concerned with.


Wishing you a fabulous day :)

peace,
Ren

Monday, June 6, 2011

Complete me.

"In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself." ~Krishnamurti

Last week I toyed with the idea of writing a post titled 'Dark side of the Moon'... because it was new moon, because I've been feeling.. antsy.. for lack of a better word - not quite comfortable in my own skin. I was thinking about the shadow side... and the different aspects of me. I didn't write the post then and I think it's because it needed a week of thought before it could fully come into being (and make some sort of sense).

There are many different aspects of personality that make up the complete me. As, I assume, there are many different aspects of your personality. I am simultaneously and in turns, a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, friend, coworker, classmate and any number of other beings. In the 'about me' section of this blog (which needs updating but .. meh) I state that: "I tend to compartmentalize my life... though am trying [as of this year] to integrate all areas." I think that perhaps all persons do this to some extent... I know I do it a lot... what my parents know of me is different from what my closest girlfriends know of me which is different from what my coworkers know of me. As I get older I've been trying to... integrate.. these different sides of me but I admit it can be a challenge. I came across this article though.. and it, along with my thoughts from last week, have inspired this post.

I don't talk about sex and anything related to sex with my parents (re: mom)... Am not quite sure how our relationship evolved this way but I've never at any point felt comfortable doing so. My dad jokes about random stuff sometimes but to say that either one of them know my thoughts, feelings and (oh dear goddess I'm putting this in a blog post! :s) desires on this subject would be very far off. That being said, I consider myself to be fairly open about sex (at least with people that are not my family). Perhaps it is that I am curious... perhaps it is that I believe one should enjoy themselves fully in the satisfaction of oneself. I haven't been having sex though... who would I have it with? I'm not the type of person to pick up some random person and I'm not with anyone at the moment. I satisfy whatever needs I have by myself and somewhat voyeuristically through the life of others... e.g. Kit (not her real name... she's got her own secret blog - am mildly jealous/intrigued) at BloggingDangerously or Jenny Lawson - The Bloggess or the folks at Toy With Me who have such wonderful articles like this one.
 
I'm fairly spiritual... which is partly responsible for me not being with anyone. I'd like to be able to talk to my significant other about enlightenment... or the possibility thereof, or of divination and astrology, of the world and our place in it.

I can be callous (so I've been told) ... I prefer to think of it as practical. Perhaps it's that I can be hard? BS is not acceptable at all times is all. One must come good or not at all. Mediocrity not accepted.

I am me... you may not know all my parts but that's ok... I think that for me to be completely happy with myself I need to accept/acknowledge all parts of me... the 'good' and the 'not-so-good' and the 'just plain weird' bits of myself.

I'm a work in progress.


peace,
Ren

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Reflections on a Zumba class..

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states." ~Carol Welch

I've mentioned in an earlier post that I've started taking a Zumba class... went to my third class yesterday - go me! It's still fun... and still leaves me feeling as though I've exercised. What is Zumba you wonder? According to the site: "It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health." This is only my third class but I've got some pointers for persons new to Zumba (or any majorly aerobic exercise really) like myself...
  1. Go with someone you know... went by myself yesterday cuz the girl that introduced me to it couldn't make it... I guess it's the same as if you have to go to a gym? I'm one of those persons that like doing stuff by myself - I can absolutely eat anywhere by myself... shop by myself... go to the movies with myself - for zumba you need someone with you... to cheer you on when you're ready to drop or commiserate when you feel like hurting the instructor or help you work out your coordination - thankfully someone I did know showed up so I had that bit of company.
  2. Following from the point above, don't feel bad if at some point you may want to hurt the instructor... maybe not in the beginning of the session when you're excited and not sweaty or tired, towards the middle to the end however... if the instructor says 'c'mon ... one more time...' you may want to hurt the instructor.
  3. Drink lots of water... and then drink some more... and in between sets - drink some water. In fact - are you thinking about Zumba? Go drink some water.
  4. Comfortable clothing + comfortable shoes... and a towel - I've never sweat so much in my entire life as I have when I'm doing zumba.
  5. Have fun... stop if you need to (but keep moving... so maybe just slow down)... ultimately - have fun, feel sexy, move.

peace,
Ren