I Teach Walking

Posted on April 3rd, 2008 by admin

Here, let me explain myself. My job as an Activity Planner gives me the opportunity to be busy all day. And not the sucky kind of busy-like entering numbers into a data base busy, but busy like walking all over the place doing this and that. I currently teach two “classes.” On Monday’s I teach what’s called Mind Aerobics. I put together a packet that contains little word games, math problems, puzzles, etc. The purpose of the class is to give the residents a chance to work on their memory skills, problems solving skills, and just have fun. And since I’m so freakin’ popular I’ve taking the class from have 6 participants to 19 participants. Woot!

The other class that I “teach” is affectionately known as “Walk Across Texas with Julie,” that’s me! Every Tuesday and Thursday I hold a session in one of the dining rooms. The residents and I walk for 15 minutes. We walk in place and I go through a routine that involves knee lifts, marching, kicks, etc. I have had up to 27 residents partcipate in a session, but I’ve been averaging 16-17 residents; which is actually pretty good considering most are not only old, but lazy too! And it’s a real workout, I sweat-so I know the old folks are breathing heavy when they do it. It’s a lot of fun and I keep getting more and more residents to try the class. So I technically don’t teach people how to walk-I lead a group of people who already know how to walk but they want to do more of it.

Teaching these classes really makes me love my job. If only I didn’t have to answer phones, work on the computer, and do paper work. If only. The resident’s who do come to my classes are so upbeat and fun, considering some of them are over 90 years of age. These people are truly inspiring and I want to be just like a few of them when I get old. Being around these old people has also taught me how to be a really crappy old person.

Back to the walking class. When I first started this back in March, I threw together a CD of some old music. It basically sucked and was hard to walk to. If you’re into exercising or walking or whatever you know what I mean when I say that. Songs need to have a good beat. But-I have a nice surprise in store for them! I burned a new CD that’s chock full (or is it chuck full?) of some freakin’ sweet songs. Now-remember these are older folks. Their idea of ‘sweet’ music may not match yours. Unless one of my readers happens to be an older folk-then it’s all good. I don’t know about all of you, but I love music! I love new music, old music, whatever. If it’s got a good beat-we’re suddenly bff’s. I have to admit that I do not think that I am living in a era of good music. Does that make sense? I just don’t feel like some of the music being created today is really going to stand the test of time like some of the older stuff has. Unless we’re talking about “Who Let the Dogs Out”-that song will live on forever. But seriously-this CD is so good that the old folks are going to be walking right out of their orthopedic tennis shoes!

Here’s the list of songs that I chose: (I’m sure that you know these!)

It’s In His Kiss
Help Me, Rhonda
Do Wah Diddy Diddy (dum ditty doo-you know it)
Please Mr. Postman
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)
Sherry (Sherry Baaaabbeeeeyy)
December 1963 (Oh What A Night)
The Lion Sleeps Tonight (everyone knows this one thanks to the Lion King a.k.a. the best movie ever created)
Da Doo Ron Ron
Sugar Sugar (a freakin’ great song)
Summer Nights (from Grease-another great movie that I will force T to watch someday)
Sweet Caroline (the Neil version, not the stupid club version that I absolutely love)
Rhinestone Cowboy (well they are Texans)
You’re A Grand Old Flag (if you don’t like this song then maybe you should move to Canada or Mars)

I’ll let you know how overjoyed the residents are with my new selection of oldies music. Now do you see what I mean when I say that we are not living in a period of great music? These songs were popular way before I was even a sparkle in my sperm donors eye, but I still love them. They will live on, unlike the songs of today.

Except for Flo Riders song. That bugger sure is catchy! I’ll be bustin’ moves to this till I’m 100! **boot’s wit da fuuurr**