"WORDS ARE, IN MY NOT-SO-HUMBLE OPINION, OUR MOST INEXHAUSTIBLE SOURCE OF MAGIC. CAPABLE OF BOTH INFLICTING INJURY, AND REMEDYING IT." ~ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

In which I use zumba in a mathematical equation*. And also my stance on Conflict.


So I've somehow accidentally become addicted to zumba.

(Well, let's just replace the word "addicted" with "a class regular once or twice a week.")

(Truthfully, I walked out of the first class I ever took because omg it was so freaking hard and I thought I was going to vomit.)

(But then I went back a few weeks later and fell in love.)

(Which I thought would happen the first time because I danced my whole life, so it should have been, you know, like a thing. A dancer thing. Zumba = Dance. Except the fact that I look like an idiot in zumba and if I told any of my classmates I danced my whole life they'd probably laugh like they thought I was joking and then they'd figure out I wasn't and then it'd be all awkward turtle.)

source

Wait. Where was I going with this?

Oh yeah.

*gets back on track* 

Here's the thing. Zumba is popular at my gym. Like, you have to get there forty-five minutes early to get a good spot in line for class, which in turn let's you grab a good spot toward the front of the classroom (so you can see the instructor/yourself in the mirror).

So I usually get there super early with my Kindle/iPhone games and chill while the line forms. One particular day a few weeks ago, I was first in line. But by then, I'd started getting to know some of the regulars, so I'd turned around to chat with them--and by the time class was about to start, I turned back around and a girl was waiting in front of me. Now, it was pretty obvious she wasn't cutting to be a jerk or anything, she was just new and didn't realize that she needed to wait in line. Okay, and granted the line was long so it would have been obvious protocol--but in her defense, I had no clue when she'd arrived. Maybe the line was just a few people when she got there. Who knows?

Which is the somewhat convoluted way in which I come to my point. Conflict. I avoid it anytime I can. This is not meant to imply that I'm a pushover, or don't know how to stick up for myself or others. Believe me, I do. But I also pick my battles, and when conflict can be avoided, I take a different path. As was the case this day. I wasn't going to say anything to the girl who cut. Neither was the friend I'd been chatting with. But . . . Apparently not everyone felt the same way.

A woman about five people behind us in line TORE into that girl. Yelling and causing a scene.

It. was. SO. embarrassing.

For her, the yelling woman.

I mean . . . She looked like a complete nutso beyotch. 

I *totally* believe this. 

The new girl went to the back of the line. And honestly the moment happened so fast it was over before I'd even had a chance to stick up for her. Which I feel really guilty about--but I did look for her in class. She was on the other side of the room, but she seemed totally fine.

The crazy yelling chick, however . . . Not so much. She was a few spots behind me in class, and I could see her in the mirror. And she looked like a freaking idiot.

And, let's not forget, this is coming from a girl (me) who knows she looks unbelievably silly in zumba.

But this woman? I mean, she was bouncing all over the place and making stupid facial expressions and CLEARLY thinking she looked hot. Normally I wouldn't say anything. Normally I wouldn't even notice. But because I saw her be so rude to someone over something so small? I was on the lookout.

And that right there is why I pick my battles. Well, one reason anyway. I don't bitch if someone cuts in zumba line--because it's just zumba. You can pretty much make that metaphor for most things.

I don't snap over little stuff. Or, at least, I try my hardest not to. Because those little things? They're exactly that. LITTLE. Not life changing. Not life threatening. Why create conflict when it's not a big deal? Why let something small ruin your mood?

Anyway.

There's your "about Sara" bit for Tuesday! I like zumba and I pick my battles. :)

*What? You were expecting rocket science? Zumba = Dance is a MATHEMATICAL EQUATION.

17 comments:

  1. I'm also terribly non-confrontational. Most of the time thinking about a bad confrontation gives me the night sweats. Like the ones I've had with my parents? *shudder*

    Hopefully the woman eventually realized that she'd made an idiot out of herself. Probably not, but we can always hope...

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  2. "Rudeness is the weak person's imitation of strength." I LOVE that!

    I've thought about trying Zumba. But if I sit down with a good book, the inclination usually passes. *grin*

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  3. Um...did you just describe me? Yes, I think you did. However, a) I would've used the highest form of passive aggressiveness and found a small, yet damaging comment to try to make that woman feel about as not hot as you described her (this comment, of course, would only come after days of deliberating for the perfect comment and then I'd play out the perfect scenario in my head several times until I felt better about the whole incident and give rude woman evil looks when she wasn't looking) and b) my mathematical equation would have looked something like this: 37 years of dance + Alison's current age + the magnitude of Alison's clumsiness + one ZUMBA class = the number of weeks it would take her to recover from said Zumba class.
    I would love to take Zumba. I just know how much my body would hate me after. :)

    Great post!

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  4. Oh, I run from conflict. I think it has to do with my fear of rejection maybe. But when I get my temper fired up, roaring Carol makes an appearance. Now, I'd never be like that crazy beyotch. That's just plain horrendous. But if I see someone doing something intentionally mean and awful or neglectful and someone I love gets hurt, well, hello roaring Carol. Lol. But you're right, gotta choose the battles wisely.

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  5. This is the best description of Zumba ever. Some days, I will feel super awesome and I'm like, "YEAH, I'M THE BEST." And then I look in the mirror and NOPE. Awkward Turtle FTW. Also, Liz Lemon Dancing works as well.

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  6. I haven't tried zumba. Which is dumb because my mom keeps telling me I WOULD LOVE IT, and they offer FREE CLASSES at college here.....yet I never took it up. And now the free classes are over for the year :( Ugh. Note to self- always, always try.

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  7. I pick my battles, too. The problem is that I tend to pick the wrong ones. I've had confrontations with people in parking lots and department stores... When I think about it later, I'm so embarrassed. I really need to learn when to keep my big mouth shut.

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  8. You automatically lose the moment you resort to yelling and being out of control. I like to firmly and sarcastically state my opinion in most situations.

    I win by default.ha

    I also took kick-boxing lessons and I'm pretty sure the instructor was scared I was going to have a heart attack the first few weeks. SO MUCH FUN. But now I have to try Zumba.

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  9. I'm like this, too. I've learned I need to just pick my battles when it concerns anyone I might have conflict with. It takes too much energy to get into someone's face and yell at them over something really trifling.

    Plus, I just don't yell at complete strangers. To me, that is a sign of insanity (I certainly have felt insane when I've done it before a few times). I would look at the person like how you looked at the lady who yelled at the new student. What a freakin' nut-job! Yeah, that'd be my thinking, exactly. Even for myself, If I'm the culprit.

    Totally with you on this one (but, not on zumba. It seems like it would take years off my lifespan).

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  10. I'm truly terrible about confrontations, though I've gotten a bit better. My vision blurs, I shake, and it takes me forever to calm down, even if I wasn't yelling. I think that's my introvert screaming and running for cover.

    I'm so terribly uncoordinated, I fear I'd trip & kill myself if I ever took zumba. Bad enough the time I took Body Attack... *shudders in memory*

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  11. Some trashy-looking woman at Walmart a year or so ago tried to start a fight with me for taking a parking spot she said she'd been waiting for. It wasn't like it was Christmas Eve, when the entire lot is jam-packed and it actually doesn't seem so rude to stalk spots. She said it was so un-Christian of me, and I informed her I wasn't Christian. Then she said it was very unkind of me. I just went into the store, shaking with rage. I didn't get back into my spot so that Christocentric, trashy woman could have my spot. And honestly, did she think she were living Christian values by her behavior?

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  12. Um, you're making me feel bad about snapping at the Kinkos lady the other day because she wouldn't pause what she was doing to give me the bathroom key while my daughter whined about having to go "SO BAD!"

    Honestly, I'm usually VERY even-keeled. I strongly dislike conflict, so I'm more apt to bite my tongue than to fly off the handle. I like your quote about rudeness... so true!

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  13. Ugh, how silly! That yelling woman sounds ridiculous. What a horrible way to live your life.

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  14. Great post! I agree with you on picking your battles.

    I'm also happy that you're addicted to Zumba! :-)

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  15. DYING! :D Very well put. From one Zumba addict (and witness of this horrid event) to another, this made my day!

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Yay! I love when you have things to add :)