Eye of the Tiger

When I first arrived in Florida last September, I signed up for a few enrichment classes.  I registered for a class about my iPad, a couple of writing classes and cardio drumming.  The drumming class started last Saturday. I signed up because I thought it would be a good way to help build my shoulder after my surgery.

I also joined a gym and have been going several times a week. My membership includes a variety of classes, and I average three a week.  Cardio drumming is one, so I started attending.  I thought I’d get a jump start on my enrichment class.

There’s about fifty people in each class and the instructor stands on a mini stage so everyone can see her.  She does some demonstration but the majority of the time we’re banging on a drum which is really an exercise ball placed in a large bucket.  We have several moves involving all parts of our body.  The gym provides the equipment, so we just show up and bang away.

I have to have my own equipment for my enrichment class.  I thought it would be an easy purchase, but it’s proved to be a challenge.  I bought an exercise ball, a bucket and drumsticks.  Buying them was not an issue.  Getting the correct ball to bucket ratio was.

I went to a local farm supply store that I was told carried the bucket I required.  I received a two-dollar discount because I was making the purchase for exercise purposes.  When I got home, I blew up the ball that I bought on Amazon, and it didn’t seem to fit right.  It was a bit lower than the one used in the exercise class.  I decided I needed a taller bucket, so I returned my original purchase and bought a taller one.

The next day I went to the cardio drumming exercise class.  We had a new instructor, and I noted her ball to bucket ratio.  After class I asked her what size ball she had.  It was larger than the one I bought on Amazon.  She bought it at Walmart, so I headed there.  Once I made that purchase, the new ball and the taller bucket were too tall.  I felt a bit like Goldilocks looking for the right size, but in the end I had it.

I returned my too small ball to Amazon and my too tall bucket to the farm supply store.  I ended up with the same bucket I started with.

Last Saturday I took everything to my enrichment class.  I paid $50 to attend a one-hour session for six weeks.  There were no guys.  It’s twenty-five women and me.  I’ll just have to make the best of it.

When I got home Saturday afternoon, I set my drum set up in my kitchen.  I’m playing it a bit each day.  It helps me keep loose and I am getting stronger, just as I thought I would.

Every class I’ve attended starts with the same song, Eye of the Tiger.  I ask my new echo to play it each morning.  That’s how I start my day.  After watching the video, I’m thinking about buying a beret.