AN OLD DOG DOING NEW TRICKS!

Yeah, the cat's out of the bag...Judy and I are "working out"!  We hadn't intended on telling anyone until we had been in the routine for several weeks, but Judy let it slip at our last family gathering, so it's no longer a guarded secret.  You know how people tease you when you announce something and then a few weeks or months later you quit.  Well, that's the reason I didn't want it told just yet, but I'll go with the flow now.

We aren't "working out" in the sense we are trying to bulk up, we're working out to keep these old bones loose and maybe to tone up a little old people flab around our edges!  It's just been 3 or 4 weeks now, but we try and go at least 3 times a week, and already I feel better after going.  This past holiday week they were only open one day and Judy and I sure missed it.  Our bodies could tell we had laid off too...man, this past Tuesday, when we finally got back in the gym it was rough!

The gym belongs to Roane State Community College, here in Roane County, Tennessee, and we love to go.  It's only $40 for a semester, each, and they have just about anything I would want, and some I don't even touch.  Those things are for serious "work outs" and I just know they would hurt an old dude like me!  I'll wait and see if I ever get up enough muscle and courage to hit the larger weights and the more strenuous machines.

The Fitness Center is set up in a "circuit procedure", which they call an Aerobic Super Circuit, that involves warming up on a treadmill for about 5 minutes or more, and then starting the machine circuit.  I understand from Judy that the circuit is much like "Curves", except there are longer sessions on each piece of equipment, and there are many more to use.

After warming up, we hit a machine, and listen for the recorded instruction to "stop, and change stations" announcement.  There's about 35 seconds use of each machine, and from each you move on to a bicycle and peddle it for 35 seconds, and then back to a different machine that works a different muscle group, and then move on alternating down through the length of the gym.

You don't have to stay with the announced changes...you can stay as long as you like, but you do have to try and not block someone from moving through their routine.  We just go to a bike and wait until the user clears the machine we want.

We'll never have perfect bodies again...not that we ever did...but just maybe we can get beyond some of the old age creeping into our joints, and tone up enough we won't break if we fall, and then we might be able to get up by ourselves.

We end up each session, which takes about 45 minutes, by cooling off on a treadmill or bicycle.

So, if you live near a community college, check into the availability of their gym.  They usually don't care if you are a student or not, or how old you are.  Take advantage of it folks...it can only help you.

BTW...I enrolled in a class this semester too...old people can get a great break on class prices, and that made me very happy.  I sit in there and ask questions with the best of them, and they don't seem to mind that I'm a Silverback!

I'm taking Apple's Final Cut Pro, and hope to be able to edit first class videos for our local TV station (Channel 15) and of performances on the Princess Theatre stage.  I've been to class twice thus far, 6-9 Tuesdays, and was surprised that I learned something each time. 

The class is being taught by Matt Waters, the manager of Channel 15 in Downtown Harriman.  He is teaching an old dog new tricks!

WENT TO THE "COTTON PATCH" TODAY TO HEAR THE GOSPEL

Judy and I took my little momma to see "Cotton Patch Gospel" today at Roane State.  There was some mighty good singing going on there, and we got to know Jesus Davidson and his gang, and saw him in a whole new light!

Cotton Patch Gospel is a musical by Tom Key and Russell Treyz with music and lyrics written by Harry Chapin just before his death in 1981. Based on the book The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John by Clarence Jordan, the story retells the life of Jesus as if in modern day, rural Georgia.

I know the photo isn't the best, but it ain't easy doing existing light when you're trying not to get caught!

The play is often done as a one-man act, but Roane State Community College presented it with four actors  (Amanda Bacon, Brian Bacon, Jessica Humphrey, and Amanda Peavyhouse) and an ensemble of bluegrass players sitting to the right rear of the stage.  Each actor took turns as Jesus "Davidson" and various other characters from the Gospel of Matthew and John.  Jesus was was born in the town of Gainesville, Georgia, and was laid in an apple crate. He was baptized in the Chattahoochee River, he preached to a crowd of thousands on Stone Mountain, and he met his end in Atlanta.  Or so the modern story goes!

 

It was quite entertaining and my mom really enjoyed it.  I have to admit, after Judd kissed Jesus and Jesus stumbled off the stage pretending to be pushed along, tears came to my eyes.  Before I could recover in the darkness of the audience, off stage sounds of scourging and nails being hammered began.  Judy caught me as I wiped my eyes with my red bandana, and smiled.

Afterwards, we discussed the play and its modern take, over a great meal at the local Cracker Barrel!  

We got a surprise after the meal, Tracy and Katie Bug dropped in with their extended family and we got to hug and kiss in front of people trying to eat!  I didn't particularly care...it was the first time I've seen Katie in a couple of weeks.  She's a pretty as ever and indicated she may come by this coming week to go on a "'venture" with me.  There's this old Confederate cemetery that I'm dying to visit and photograph.  So, I'm hoping she comes along.

I'm looking forward to next week...got something new planned for Judy and me to do.  More on that later.

Also, I've been down in the basement photographing my old fishing lures...quite interesting and colorful.  You'll probably see more of that later too.