Being Amy

I have very few things that are my own.   Where I can go and be myself, just me - not mom, not wife, not sister, not daughter - just Amy.

As a matter of fact, I can count them on one hand, with two fingers.   That's right.  I Have Two Things - That Are My Very Own.  To the average person, that may sound sad - but to me??  It's perfect.  I love spending time with my family, can't even begin to put it into words how much I do enjoy spending time with them - however, I need my time too.

The first of these two things is sort of - practical.  In a way.  I have refused to join a gym since 2005.  I was a member of Planet Fitness for a few years, and used that membership for a pretty significant amount of time prepping for my wedding.  After we received word that my Grammy was gravelly ill and fighting Stage 4 Lung Cancer - I stopped going.   It felt - vain, shallow - wrong.  I still dieted and took care of myself, but for much bigger reasons. I digress, at any rate - since then Mike and I have been tightening our belts, and cutting unnecessary spending - and in my mind, the gym at 60+ dollars per month, was one of them.  Enter Dance Class.   For 40/month - Emily has been enjoying learning ballet and tap at Studio 109 - every Wednesday night from 5pm to 6pm .. which I am beyond excited about.   That being said, every Wednesday night from 5-6pm, Studio 109 also offers Kick Boxing.  For 5 dollars per class.  I began to ponder whether or not I would survive an hour of kick boxing - it's not as easy as Billy makes it sound ... trust me.

After a couple weeks of pondering (Emi's first dance class was September 8th) I decided to put all my cons aside and give it a shot ... in reality, my cons were thrown out the window ... A) It was inexpensive B) I was already there - I didn't have to drive to a different town to attend the gym C) I was there with Emily - I didn't need to arrange child care, which was cost effective ... and finally - D) I knew people there, I wasn't alone, and I wouldn't be embarrassed because they were there for the same reason I was.  After stopping at the clearance racks at the local Kohls I was ready to get my kick box on.

I have gone for 3 straight weeks, and look forward to going more and more.  Was even thinking of adding a second class to my schedule, but we'll have to work that out with Mike's work, and child care, and all that - plus I'm not sure if I could function if I added a second class - just yet.   soon, I'm sure.  Just - not yet.  I'll get there.  I have faith.  Lots of faith, that I'll get there one day.

The second thing I have .. is more .. personal.  I love to read, I make no bones about that - I have personally devoured more books than I could recall, and I continue to devour books by the day.  Yep, BookS as in - plural  ...  a good friend of mine posted once on her Facebook about a Book Club meeting - to which I responded with my interest, and from there - the journey began.

The first book we read was:   Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress ... hilarious.  Nothing like the *movie* of the title Waiting - however, hilarious none-the-less.  I read it, and enjoyed each page .. prepared for the meeting and posted on my friends page that I couldn't wait for the following day ... ONLY TO FIND - I'd missed it by a week.   Yeah, I need a calendar - badly.  (I could also use an address book, but - baby steps ;) I have it on my Christmas List.)

The second book we read was: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo ... by far - one of the best books I've read in a while.  Gripping, tantalizing - Horrifying.  If you haven't read it - trust me, you need to.  I will be taking time to read the second - and third - book of this series - Sadly, the author Stieg Larsson passed away before finishing books 4 & 5, so in a way, we'll never get to know what happens to the characters of the books - specifically Lisbeth.   Read it.  Please.  Just - trust me.  Read it.

I made it to that meeting, and enjoyed myself so immensely I couldn't believe I was lucky enough to have those few hours being Amy.  Discussing a passion of mine, with fellow adults - discussing a book I thoroughly enjoyed, and taking part in foods that are either traditional Swedish fare, or silly-like related to Sweden (IE the Swedish Fish I brought .. sort of an Ice Breaker :) hehe)  I cannot wait for the next one - cannot wait.

This book is: Ape House:  A Novel ... when you read the description, which I know you will .. my little book worms - don't be discouraged, I'm more than half way through it already - and it's a very decent read.   For this meeting (the 21st of November) we'll be bringing a dish, a bottle of wine (or our drink of choice) and a Yankee Swap Gift, up to 25 dollars - that is fitting with the theme of "animals" .. not just Great Apes - but all animals.   

I am giddy with anticipation, and I can't wait to continue this track of having things of my own. 

I am happy to be Amy.   Just - Amy.