kayak #2

Well it wasn’t a perfect day but still pretty darn good.  I’m wiped.  This was the second to last Saturday acting class.  But when we get done with these, we are doing day seminars on Saturdays.  What was I thinking scheduling myself to keep working these six-day weeks? Come July, hopefully it will quiet down. 

I stayed up way too late chatting with new friends.  Its strange, most of the single people here in Bahrain, and there are a lot of beautiful single people, hang out in the clubs.  I loathe clubs.  I’d rather stay at home rather than go out.  So am I anti-social?  I don’t think so.  I love going to house parties, interacting with my acting students, love going out to dinners and lunches.  I love being around people, but meaningful interaction is what I’m after.  I can find that more readily online now, then hanging out at night.  So I was up chatting til 2am.  Could hardly keep my eyes open.  I decided it was time to go to bed.  So what did I do after I brushed my teeth?  I had to watch an episode of LOST.  Im so addicted…but the good thing the addiction will end soon, Im not sure if Im happy or sad about that.  I’m about halfway through the series. 

I slept in and got up at 10.  I headed to the water.  I timed myself again, and sure enough 3 minutes til I was in the water with my kayak.  The people yesterday on the yacht, kept calling me the guy with the canoe, which was kind of funny.  So what surprises me about the work out is how much my abs are being affected.  I have my father’s tummy, and I eat like crap.  So its no wonder.  But this is helping.  I’m good with eating comfort food non-stop til I get married then I’ll eat whatever my new wife wants to cook for me.  So I took the kayak out about 45 minutes today, and was completely knackered (tired).  There were less Jellyfish today.  Khalifa told me yesterday that it is the season, that is why there is an inordinate amount.  Im hoping they are headed back out.  They are kind of creepy when you paddle over them. 

I had about two hours before my acting class.  I wanted to do something nice for Nader.  He’s been going through a very stressful time in his bank lately.  Its really taken the spirit out of him.  He’s been very good to me.  Tanya told me last week that he always had talked about buying a kayak. Since I had so much fun with mine, I knew immediately I had to do something.   So I went back to the store and bought him one.  I bought him the same model I had.  They had newer and bigger ones.  I thought about if I should have waited and bought the bigger one for myself or Nader.  But then I wouldn’t be able to fit it in my car, and the whole beauty of simplicity thing would have been ruined.  So I bought it, hoping he would feel free to exchange it in case he wanted a bigger one, or a two person kayak.  My dream is to someday get a clear, collapsible Kayak, that is made out of titanium.  How cool would a clear kayak be?  It would be like seeing under water with a scuba mask.  But those run around $4000 and I can’t justify it just yet.  Hopefully once we get through the summer months and the company becomes financially stable…who knows.  But you have to have goals and dreams. 

We did the showcase for the children’s class today.  We put together all their scenes with the monologues, improvs, and movie.  I’ll probably post the Zombie Shopping Movie later this week.  Its pretty cute, considering how little time I was able to put into it.  Give me a couple of days to post.  We had about 40 people there all watching their children and friends.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it.  I had one mother pull me aside privately.  She told me the acting classes had been so good for her daughter.  Her daughter was having emotional problems with bullies at school.  She was able to channel her energy and anger out through her acting and told her mother it made her feel much better about herself.  That’s what I love to hear.  That is why I teach. 

Reji is back in the office after a month’s vacation and rehab.  He got into a motorcycle accident and strained his shoulder and broke his ankle or something.  He had been in a cast and had to stay in India til it came off.  Reji…what are you thinking?  You’re old like me.  Stick to kayaks if you want a thrill.  I miss him, Im glad he is back.    But what a sacrifice he is making being away from his family while he provides for them.  I think it is quite heroic and something that goes unappreciated by the west.  There are many people like Reji forced to leave their families to provide for them.  So next time you see an illegal alien in the U.S. try to make a living.  Realize the sacrifice they are making.  Cut them some slack if they don’t speak English.  Throw a few bucks their way too.  Just remember to count your blessings…always.