[grayeyes]

Oh Cool Change, that sounds perfectly hilarious but only because it didn’t happen to me! Life goes on. Glad you can laugh about it. I just looked at your photos–beautiful horse–I’m jealous.

Tamarinda, you are right that it is all in the presentation if and when you decide to tell people. If you are not embarrassed and are proud of if, most (mature) people will react appropriately. If you are somewhat embarrassed, etc., that comes across to them and then you get some of the weird/stupid reactions.

Also, even though I’m a nurse and have had good reactions (at least that I’m aware of), I am 100% sure there would be some cattiness if I were a regular staff nurse working the same unit over and over. I’m a float so I don’t work on any one unit very frequently so I’m not really into the politics of the unit and, therefore, don’t have the usual array of friends and possible non-friends/enemies I might have if I were regular staff. I’m just kind of on everyone’s periphery.

[grayeyes]

Romo, I laughed out loud about the cat and the feats of strength. Your friends sound cool.

I meant to include this little story about “getting over myself” in my original post. I had a coworker who was having boudoir photos taken for her husband so I offered to let her borrow my beautiful thigh-high leather boots that I bought on a whim from the clearance rack. Mind you they had never been out of my house because I couldn’t figure out where or how to wear them. She loved the boots and I told her I’d never worn them in public because I thought I would look like a 45-year-old hooker. She said, “So?” And that was it. I thought, “she’s right, so what if someone thinks that.” And so they have gone out and about. She’s an interesting gal who is wise beyond her years (and at least ten years younger than me). Sometimes you just need somebody to re-frame things for you or just say, “So?”

🙂

[grayeyes]

I was a little embarrassed to tell people when I first started, but I think I was afraid that they were thinking, “does this middle aged woman really think she’s sexy enough to pole dance?” I was more into the acrobatic side at the time but very shortly into it, maybe several months, I was thinking, “hell yes I’m sexy enough to pole dance, and I don’t give a crap what anybody thinks about it.” I blushed one time when I told an older male physician I worked with, but I recovered quickly and shortly thereafter showed him a picture or two of what I could do. Not long after that he would ask me about it most of the time when he saw me, and not in a sleazy way. Now I don’t blush one bit. I know it’s awesome and if people are too dim to get it, that’s their loss. And, frankly, at my age (45) if someone is silly enough to think I’m a stripper they haven’t been to a strip club in a while. I’ve told all kinds of people from coworkers, male and female, to my hairdresser to patients (I’m a nurse). I also wear clothing with pole dance stuff on it all the time and to just about anyplace, including out to dinner with my 70-something-year-old parents.

Another person’s embarrassment, shame or sleazy response reveals far more about them than it does about you.

🙂

[grayeyes]

I warm up my muscles for about 5-10 minutes (neck rolls, arm stretches, a few lunges and leg stretches, some hip rolls, etc.–nothing major). Next I usually do some static spins like carousel and reverse grab to try to warm up the pole alternating with some climbs and V-leg lift type things to further warm up my muscles and build a little strength.

Here’s the part I think I need to change. I then sort of run through every trick I know because I’m afraid I’ll lose them if I don’t practice them. I need to stop this or I’ll never learn anything new. By the time I’ve done this I’m pretty worn out but I do usually try to learn one new trick or at least start learning one. I rarely freestyle but I do like to put my heels on usually at the end and dance around a bit or do tricks in them because I LOVE THEM AND THEY MAKE ME HAPPY!

[grayeyes]

If you use the search function in the upper right of your screen and search hamstring you will find lots of discussions about hamstring injuries. I’ve had an injury caused by working on splits in a yoga class for more than 8 months. MRI is normal so no tear but it feels almost exactly the same as it did when it happened. I’m starting myofascial release massage and acupuncture with my sports medicine doc. Good luck–these injuries can hang on quite a while. I hope yours heals quickly.

[grayeyes]

I know absolutely nothing about marketing but I can tell you I started going to a pole studio because of a Groupon.

[grayeyes]

I like Bring on the Rain by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw for this purpose.

[grayeyes]

Missy, your photos from that photo shoot are beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Perfect example that we don’t have to be able to do really advanced moves to take beautiful photos.

[grayeyes]

Oh dear, Lily. I can only imagine the shell shock. You know where to find your pole friends if you need support. Sending some positive energy your way.

[grayeyes]

I had not seen it and I love it! She’s like a beautiful, sexy, flying fish…in a bowl.

[grayeyes]

I’m loving all of your yoga challenge pics, ladies. I feel like I’m getting to meet you outside of your pole photos!

[grayeyes]

I thought I was the only one who wanted stall bars. After seeing Oona on the stall bars I became very interested but can’t bring myself to buy any yet–or more to the point–convince my husband I “need” them, especially since I’m not at all convinced I could do anything on them.

As for crash mats, I don’t have one and certainly can’t comment on any particular brand but I would recommend more than 2″. A 2″ inch pad, to me is kind of soft enough to work on head stands and stuff like that but it’s not what I would consider a “crash” pad. If I take a pretty bad fall, I don’t think 2″ is gonna do the job.

[grayeyes]

Happy Birthday! Thank you for all you do for all of us!

[grayeyes]

Yes, do tell us who your audience is and what your studio might look like. Is it a sexy adult fitness kind of place or more mainstream, family friendly. Any favorite colors you plan to decorate with? What inspired you to learn pole/aerial/dance. Tell us more and I bet you’ll get some great suggestions.

[grayeyes]

Don’t think there will be a video. The costume is rather limiting–I made it 18 years ago, never occurred to me I might try to pole dance in it one day.

🙂