Zumba Instructor Kara Doyle in Herald Square

Leave your business attire behind, stash away the unfinished paperwork, and throw on your comfy workout set. Exhaustion is unacceptable where you’ll be going. Put on your worn in sneakers and bring along your dance moves. Last week, I had the pleasure of taking part in a Zumba class taught by Kara Doyle, an instructor and individual who radiates charisma and is full of life, at a New York Sports Club (NYSC) in New York City. Doyle, started the class off pumped with energy and excitement and kept the enthusiasm rising through out the whole hour. With the lights dim in the exercise studio, it was as though we were all in a dance club moving to the beats in unison. As the ladies in the class were moving, each one added her own touch and flavor of movement to the instructor’s steps.

 Whether you come from a background of extensive dancing, love to dance, or want to try something extraordinary that will get your blood pumping and heart rate up-Zumba is worth every drop of sweat. Dancing is not only a beautiful form of expression, but it’s a way to unwind after a demanding week or day. Even Doyle was new to Zumba. “Honestly, before I went to the workshop, I had not been taking Zumba. I have been a fitness instructor now for about five years and have always loved to dance, so I figured I would check it out and see if it was something that I could teach,” says Doyle, AFAA Certified Personal Trainer, Kickboxing Instructor and Certified Turbo Kick & Zumba Instructor. Words cannot do enough justice to the pleasure one feels during and after a Zumba class. Doyle describes Zumba as an addiction; you just can’t get enough of it. You don’t have to wait for Friday night to get your hips moving and hands up in the air. You can Zumba everyday or any day you desire.

From left: Zumba Instructor Kara Doyle with guest instructors from Australia

 Interview with Instructor – Kara Doyle– Her bio and class schedule can be found at http://www.kickingwithkara.com/.

Jane: How is Zumba important in your life? 

Kara: Zumba is not only important in my life, but I can honestly say that it has changed my life.  I have always loved to dance and teach, and Zumba brought both passions together for me.  I cannot express in words how special Zumba is to me.  For one hour, I’m able to share my passion for music and fitness through dance.  I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to teach every day, and I can honestly say, it is my favorite and the most special part of my day.  To be able to lead a group in movement to amazing music and provide not just a wonderful workout, but a spiritual experience for one hour a day is beyond rewarding for me. 

Jane: What are the greatest benefits of Zumba? 

Kara: Zumba is a tremendous workout physically, mentally, and even spiritually.  From a physical perspective, it is essentially an hour of interval training without the orange cones and drills.  Interval training focuses on bringing your heart rate up high, then slowing it down, then bringing it back up etc… In Zumba, the songs are organized in a manner that create an interval training workout. For example, one song will be a fast merengue, with the next being a slower cumbia. 

 There are tremendous benefits from interval training:

a. Slower resting heart rate over the long term, which means that your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to support the body’s needs.

b. Endorphin highs are maximized – Endorphins are the feel good natural opiates that are produced in the brain during intense exercise.  This is a big reason why you see everyone smiling during Zumba – It makes us feel GREAT!

c. Overall cardiovascular fitness levels improve, which results in decreased risk of high blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels (LDL), and increased stroke volume (amount of blood your heart pumps per pump).

 Zumba is also mentally challenging. Your brain must work during class to put all the moves together. Arms mixed with legs, directional changes, and overall moves will stimulate your brain to work during class! You will find over time that your hand eye coordination improves as well.  Your movements will become sharper and you will be able to combine moves more easily as many of the steps are repetitive in Zumba.

 Lastly, Zumba can be a spiritual/emotional experience. I find it hard to explain, but after teaching, I feel a tremendous release and an overall euphoric feeling. Perhaps it’s the endorphins, but it’s not the same feeling that I get after a kickboxing/other workout. There is something magical about it.  Beto Perez is the founder of Zumba, and his vision was to unite people all over the world through music and dance. Zumba does just that. It provides an outlet for anyone to just let go and dance for an hour. The stresses of their day and the worries on their minds are released for that one-hour to focus on the wonderful music and movements to free themselves. In that hour they experience not only a phenomenal workout, but a feeling of peace and happiness. This is why a tag line in Zumba is Peace, Love, & Zumba!

 Jane: How is a Zumba class set up? In terms of, is it a continuous flow of dance moves?

Kara: Yes – Zumba is a non-stop dance party! We move from one great song to another.  Additionally, the moves while mostly Latin, are also international, which give students the opportunity to experience other cultures through movement and music.

Jane: What types of dancing are incorporated into a class?

Kara: Because Zumba is international, you can experience so many different types of movement.  Since it was founded by Beto Perez, who is from Colombia, there are many Latin rhythms as a base, along with other types of dance incorporated. For example, one might experience salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton, hip-hop, samba, flamenco, belly dance, African, and Bhangra, just to name a few!

Instructor Doyle and Zumba Participants Dancing in Herald Square

 You may not be aware at the time, but when you’re shaking up the dance floor at a nightclub with your significant other, girlfriends, or with your guy pals, you’re working out. Avoid the cramped indoor dance club, full of perspiring people rubbing up next to you and overpriced beverages. Instead try a free demo Zumba class in Manhattan. NYSC is sponsoring FREE ZUMBA demos at the front entrance of Macy’s in Herald Square every Thursday from 6-7 pm through September 30^th!  For more information about the demo and NYSC Zumba class offerings, please visit http://www.mysportsclubs.com/. Bring along your dancing partner and enjoy the outdoors as you learn new Latin dance moves and drip off those calories! Doyle says, “When I went to the workshop, I have to say that I was so inspired and motivated by my ZES (Zumba Educational Specialist), Tanya Beardsley, that I couldn’t wait to start teaching! I prepared tirelessly for my first class (probably put in close to 40 hours). I wanted my students to have the same feeling of energy and spirit that I had felt when I took the workshop with Tanya.” A great instructor can make all the difference when it comes to the level of energy of a class as well as the level of enjoyment.

If you’re not a fan of the gym, but have an interest in music and dancing, Zumba will get your whole body into action. Don’t despair if you’re not a professional. “The brilliance of Zumba is that it is a beginner, intermediate, and advanced class baked into one! A good instructor will present the moves at a basic level, and then build on them to provide advanced variations. For example, movement may start with a basic salsa (side to side), and then arms can be added.  For someone who is brand new and rhythmically challenged, he/she can stick to the basic footwork and leave out the arms until comfortable with the footwork. And the brilliant part?  Even with just the basics, one can still have an amazing workout! I have had many in my classes who struggled initially, but kept coming back. They started in the back row, and moved their way up to the front,” says Doyle. Everyone in the class is there to learn, let loose, and get a full body workout. Most importantly, you are there to enjoy yourself and have fun! Exercising and being fit shouldn’t be a chore, but a way to maintain and stay healthy, in a way that makes you feel most comfortable.

If dancing makes you feel intimidated or the thought of dancing makes you nervous, listen up. Everyone in a Zumba class is learning together and the instructor is there to keep you on track and guide you. This isn’t America’s Best Dance Crew, you’re not in a competition, and no one is giving you a score. “From consistent participation, one can take away physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.  Self-esteem and confidence are also built as students shed weight and feel great!” says Doyle. This is a way for you to put aside the mayhem of your day, listen to uplifting Latin beats, dance your heart out, and even merengue away from your stress. 

Find a Zumba class near you, by going onto the website: http://www.zumba.com/us/, click on find a class, enter your city, state or zip code, and there will be a listing of places where Zumba is offered in your town and area! Get off that chair that has you tied down at work and unleash excitement into your life with Zumba!

“The best reward is getting to share Zumba with others. Watching others enjoy the choreography that I put together is so gratifying.  Now factor in that you are providing a wonderful outlet that will help them physically to achieve fitness for life, and possible spiritually/emotionally, to afford a release from life’s worries – What else could be more gratifying? I am blessed and so grateful to have the opportunity to teach Zumba,” adds Doyle. Loose yourself in the music, clear your mind, and let your body and mind hear the music. You just may surprise yourself and find you’ve been suppressing some sexy moves.

Last Wednesday, September 8^th, Herald Square in NYC hosted the event, Huddle To Fight Hunger by Kraft Foods’. Herald Square was set up like a football field, with various stations for individuals to participate to end to hunger and donate meals. One section allowed individuals to be featured on camera and tell their story, take three shots at throwing a football and scoring meals to be donated, as well as signing up to win a trip to San Francisco, CA on January 9, 2011 for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. By participating in these activities meals would be donated. At the end of the event, 50,000 meals were reached according to Caroline Guth, Account Supervisor at Weber Shandwick, who was also present at the event.  

Huddle to Fight Hunger Participant

Participating in the event gave me a sense of belonging and the urge to stand up and take action. Although I am no football pro, I was able to score 15 meals to be donated, which made me extremely proud. Before January 9^th, 2010, everyone can participate and donate to the program. According to the Huddle to Fight Hunger website, anyone can donate by “coupon redemption in newspaper inserts, online, and in-store on September 26^th, a Maxwell House Coupon Booklet, specified retailer coupons on Kraftfoods.com and Huddle to Fight Hunger specified retailer coupons, through “liking” Kraft Foods on Facebook, uploading photos and “tweets” as well as through texting and mobile programs and brand specific initiatives.” 

“Hunger is a very serious issue. It’s no longer only the chronically poor and impoverished who seek emergency food assistance. It can happen to almost anyone: working families, people you might even know. In fact, for more than 49 million Americans, or 1 in 6 of our neighbors, hunger is a reality. More Americans are struggling to make ends meet. And that means many are choosing between paying bills and buying food. As the nation’s largest food company, Kraft Foods feels that it is their responsibility to give back to the community and those in need,” said Guth. 

Huddle to Fight Hunger Field of Activities

Interview with Caroline Guth, Account Supervisor at Weber Shandwick 

Jane: Will the Huddle to Fight Hunger program be distributing meals throughout the months leading to January 9, 2011, or at the end of the program? 

Caroline: The goal of the Kraft Foods Huddle to Fight Hunger program is to reach the 20 million meal donation. Feeding America is able to secure seven meals to local food banks for every dollar they receive. Feeding America will be responsible for seeing that our contributions to hunger are evenly distributed to those in need throughout the country over the duration of the campaign, and beyond. 

Jane: Is there a specific person or people you have met that drive you to bring awareness to others and show them how they can help fight hunger? 

Caroline: No one in particular. Hunger is an issue that affects millions of people. There are also many great organizations and awareness campaigns out there all working to fight hunger. Kraft Foods is just proud to be in the same fight with them. 

Jane: If you could send out a message to readers about putting an end to hunger in the United States, what would you say to them? 

Caroline: Kraft Foods would just like to continue to encourage everyone to join our huddle at http://www.huddletofighthunger.com/, where they can learn more about the program and ways to help us give as many as 20 million meals or more to Feeding America.  Just for joining the virtual huddle, Kraft Foods will donate one meal to Feeding America. Kraft Foods also plans to give a meal to Feeding America for every Huddle to Fight Hunger coupon that is redeemed during the football season.  The special coupons will be available in newspapers nationwide, as well as online on September 26. 

Hunger in America is a major problem that affects way too many men, women, and children. No individual should go hungry and without food, or have to worry about where his or her next meal will come from. For a country that is constantly producing mass-market products, we need to take a step back and truly think about what is important in America.  When people go hungry, whether it is because they can’t afford to buy food, were let go from their job, or are homeless, we should all be ashamed of ourselves. Kraft doesn’t play on the sidelines, but is a major player in bringing awareness and participation in ending hunger. “Fighting hunger is not new for Kraft Foods. Although August 22^nd marked the official launch of our Huddle to Fight Hunger campaign, it is the biggest opportunity to give back to the community. As the nation’s largest food company, Kraft Foods has partnered with Feeding America for decades to do just that. Kraft Foods has been a proud partner of Feeding America for more than 25 years,” said Guth. 

We each can make a significant difference, or we can stand to the side and do nothing. “A study by the University of Arizona Garbage Project shows a per-person food scrap rate of 1.3 pounds per day or 474.5 pounds per year,” according to Waste Age magazine, 2009. Food gives each of us the energy and fuel to make it through the day, as well as contribute to society. To see the statistic of Americans who are going hungry rising, should be fact enough to band people together to help feed one another. Huddle to Fight Hunger, has set a goal to reach 20 million meals by January 9^th, 2011 and will give the meals to Feeding America. Everyone can be an active participate in the Huddle to Fight Hunger. Every meal and donation counts and can change someone’s life forever. Guth says, “Kraft Foods is committed to fighting hunger for the long term and they’re always looking for ways to raise awareness of the issue and get consumers involved. And programs like Huddle to Fight Hunger are a great way to do it.”

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Last year Peter had heard a city bus with a hole in its manifold. The bus would make a strange, almost bagpipe like sound. It was deemed, “the singing bus”.
Since the busses would run different routes all the time, you wouldn’t know where you would be in Manhattan and suddenly you would hear this weird sound that didn’t quite fit in. “The singing bus”.
Now it wasn’t a sound that one would hear unless being alerted to it. It would sort of float under all the hustle and bustle of the city, remaining unnoticed by the majority of the city’s inhabitants.
Max knew this for a fact. One night after drinking in a bar with a party from school, upon leaving, he heard, “the singing bus”.
He shouted out happily, “the singing bus, the singing bus, I hear the wonderful singing bus.”
Since that night that same group of friends won’t allow Max to drink more than two beers while in their company. They say he can’t handle it. Needless to say Max doesn’t see them socially any longer.

“I don’t hear anything, maybe…”
“Shhhhh. Man. Can’t you hear that?” It was like Peter was in a trance, listening wholly.
Max wanted to get there, to where Peter was, able to here this sound.
“Man, it’s like the generator at work, I can almost feel it in my bones. It’s like it’s under us, but at the same time its like all around us man.” Peter said in a hushed voice.
“The singing bus?”
“Nah, this is something else. Something I’ve been hearing for some time, too.”
As Max tried to use those cryptic clues to hone in on this strange sound, Peter snapped out of his trancelike state.
“Let’s go cop a bag down by the park.” Peter wanted to smoke another joint before he was to go home.
“You know the weed is for shit and there are plenty of cops out on a night like tonight.”
“Yeah but I just figured that…”
Max interrupted Peter’s train of thought by offering a cigarette. Don’t you have work in the morning?” Max finally asked after lighting his cigarette.
Peter gave a long pull on his Camel Light, not his particular brand of choice but a smoke’s a smoke. “Why? What time is it?”
Max didn’t need to look at his watch; he’d been watching the time for a couple of hours now. In fact, he was the one who suggested that they start to get going back at the bar. “Well it’s getting late, it’s about quarter past two. How about I start to walk you home? I’ll go with you up to Fourteenth.” This being their usual custom- walking each other most of the way home.
The two friends didn’t live too far apart. Peter was living up on Twenty-Fourth Street, between Second and Third with his girlfriend, Fiona. Max was on Tenth Street between First and Second. Their walk together would take them past Max’s block but Max would walk with Peter up to Fourteenth Street.
Once past Fourteenth the neighborhood would change for the better. Fourteenth Street being the borderline, beginning and ending the East Village, depending on which direction you were walking, north or south.
Max elected to walk with Peter rather than being left at his door for fear of leaving Peter to walk the rest of the way through the East Village alone. For some reason that Max could not figure out, Peter had this aversion to going home when it would get late. Despite the facts that he had to get up early for work in the morning and that one of the world’s most beautiful women was waiting for Peter each night when he got there.
Peter really needed to get home. It was getting late and he had work the next day. Max headed up Second Ave. Peter followed. It seemed the night was coming to an end.

I want you to think about a married couple as two individuals, as two worlds, because most times those two people get lumped into one, in every sense. We do it to them, and they do it to themselves. Their individual personalities become lost through this.

But before we get to that, lets ask ourselves if these individuals are whole people. What I mean by this is: Have they gotten over the hurts from their past before entering in this marriage. These hurts can be related to childhood, or past relationships. If these issues aren’t dealt with before marriage, these hurts are going to be the root of many unforeseen arguments/problems. Now, think about two worlds that are at war with each other. How is that going to work?

 When a person is whole I believe that person is over the uneventful past. That person is strong enough to be on their own, be okay about, and be comfortable about who they are and what’s happened to them. 

I’m not sure if we’ve ever accomplished this as humans. We’ve done away with the windmills, but we’re still harping on the bad stuff that has happened to us.  I don’t think adults actually exist, we’re just all children that never the bad, so we clamp onto other people (marriage) so that we don’t have to deal with ourselves.  Then we sit around in wonderment asking our friends why everyone seems to be getting divorced.

And in a sense being a child within is a beautiful thing. I strive on seeing the world through a child’s eyes, this being a positive aspect of being a child. And for some reason we’ve dropped the positive for the negative.

What I’m trying to say is, we have to allow ourselves to grow into the best people we can be. I’m not a little tea pot, I’m a bottle of wine, and I’m only coming out when I taste really really good.

 Now imagine all the good times the two peaceful worlds will have together. All those great vacations, and dinners, and walks, and what ever. And the key word in that sentence is, “two.” Because there are two people in a marriage. When we put a puzzle together, the two pieces connect, they don’t over-lap each other.

Before seeing S&S I heard mixed reviews about it, which I thought was a positive since I saw the first one, and yeah, that didn’t make me happy at all. They had Samantha’s character sell out throughout the entire thing, until the very end when she realized that that wasn’t her. If you’ve watched the show, you know that our Sam would never put up with that. But let’s leave number two in the past.

As for ’Sex & The City2,’ I’m going to have to say that they did a really good job with it. The movie followed the footsteps of the television series, nearly to the T. I think Samantha’s character was a bit over done in order to compensate for the first film. But other than that the girls, were the girls.

And although this movie is about the elite of New York City, and how luxurious they’re lives are, the movie did call attention to a couple of important topics: such as whether or not to be honest with a mate about an infidelity, (Even if it’s just a kiss) how scary marriage can be after the vows are said, the danger of a hot nanny, how it’s normal to need a vacation away from your children, and the unfair treatment of Middle Eastern women. So, yes beyond the sparkles, there is real skin there.  Wow, I may need to see this movie again.

Which issue lingered on my mind the most? The marriage part, I guess since it’s what I can relate to. Marriage is a very mysterious thing to me. And the more I think about it the more mysterious it seems. It seems like it takes a lot work. I do have a theory about how it could work, but we’ll visit that theory tomorrow.

I posted a picture of ABC Carpet & Home’s sign out front since that store meets the sparkle standards of the movie.

On account of having a Brazilian mother, I root for Brazil. This is the first time I’ve ever closely followed the games. And when I say following, I mean it’s on everyday at my house, and when I’m out I figure out a way to catch the games I need to see.

For instance this past Tuesday Brazil played Korea. I was in the city, so I looked up places that were showing the games, Opia was close by and it appeared to be a nice venue, so I went. I went alone since everyone else I know works, and truly, I have no problem with doing things alone.

Who won? Brazil. I was going to say, of course, but I don’t know..Korea started to fight back at the end.

When I rose to leave this fellow gestured for me to join his table. When I approached he said, “Please meet my friend Bruno, it was just his birthday.” Then he invited me to join them. So I did since Bruno was not unattractive.

But as we sat there and drank our drinks over conversation the man who was supposed to be the connector would not stop chatting with me. I kept trying to speak with Bruno, but it seemed that every time I did, the conversation would be interrupted by the other guy? And some how before we left this other managed to text his phone with my phone, and in doing so, he got my number.

After this incident I became a little bothered by the whole thing since I invested an hour of my life to try to get to know one person, while this other person behaved like a huge road block. So, as I walked to meet with another friend, I texted the road block to send on my contact information to Bruno.

At that I was told that I would get a chance to see him the following Friday. (They invited me to watch another Brazilian game with them.) But next Friday? That is a year from now. (8 days)  Then I specifically asked for his name, by this point this had become a challenge for me. And no he side stepped me again by telling me he won’t let Bruno forget about me. So I gave up.

The following morning Bruno friended me on FB. But didn’t say anything. And by that night I received a text from an unknown number, naturally I thought it was Bruno so I continued to have a 2 hour text conversation with this person. Before the conversation was over I invited this person out to drinks, he called me, and after 10 minutes of speaking with him, I realized that this was not Bruno, this was another guy! No not the road block, another guy I had sort of interviewed for my blog.

I found this out when he asked me what team I was rooting for, since he didn’t know why I would root for Brazil. Now this guy, I like him as well. He’s a cool guy, but goshhhh. What on earth is going on here?

Did the interview guy figure out that I thought he was someone else for the majority of our conversation? No. I’m a pro. After the explosion in my head, I re-grouped, and switched gears. And nooo I’m not that person. This stuff is happening to me.

I guess there isn’t a end result to this post, since I’m so confused about this whole thing? If I haven’t mentioned this ever….Welcome to my life.

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Peter was told as a child that he may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive tendencies. He couldn’t make much sense of it, even when he asked his uncle Louie. His uncle had told him that it meant he would have a lot of bad habits if he didn’t choose good habits first. This didn’t clarify the matter for the then nine-year-old Peter. But as time went on he started to understand.

He began to smoke cigarettes at the fine age of ten. Drinking and smoking pot habitually since the age of thirteen, and vaguely remembers the three years he was high on cocaine, which happened to coincide with his first attempt a collegiate life.

So Peter figured he had better get his obsessive-compulsive ass some good habits, especially after that three year coke binge. Peter needed some beefing up. He decided to take all that energy and compulsion and put it into himself, he joined a gym. So, after spending two years hooked on anabolic steroids, blowing up to a whopping two hundred and forty five pounds of solid muscle. He has managed to condition himself to training five times a week, provided he wasn’t too hung over. He also developed a habit of counting protein gram intake throughout his day. By Peter’s precise calculations with a protein intake of two hundred and twenty grams a day, keeping with a full week of training he would remain at his desired weight.

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None of this information was given to the Swedish student photographer before he had taken that one innocent picture. Alas, the product of all that meticulous calculating and rigorous training was headed across the pool table straight for him. Max, no small puppy himself, stood at six foot one inch, and weighed in at two hundred and fifty-five pounds. But Max’s weight was distributed differently than his soon to be opponent’s.

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Max was always a big boy — a chunky child growing up in the safety and snowbound tranquility of northern Sweden. Sundsvall, a little town tucked safely in the snow about a hundred miles from Stockholm, the capital of his frozen homeland was the place Max spent most of his peaceful childhood. He could remember bright winter nights when the sun never set, sitting on momma’s lap as she sung sweet Swedish songs, slowly lowering his eyelids and slipping into slumber.

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Turning the small handle attached to the film spindle on his HassleBlad 5×5, an old knocked-about camera, which was the tool of Max’s study. It also being the only thing Max had of his father’s, except, the bad memories.

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Max’s father was a gambler and a drunkard, who seemingly for no apparent reason, just up and left one day.
The feeling of being left alone, abandoned in the snow, left to take care of his mother; only the two of them in the home. He was only five he didn’t know how, there was no male role model to show him how men deal with life or to watch the relationship between man and woman grow as his parents spent a lifetime together. None of this had he had.

Max loved his mother with all his heart but there was something he needed to discover which he couldn’t find in his own small town. Departing for America was the last of many attempts to leave home. First, to Stockholm. Not far enough. Then Prague, too much like home. Then to the south of France for a summer, something was still missing.

Max decided to come to America to follow his dream of being a professional photographer, a paid voyeur. He loved the idea of watching someone through his lens, then when he had created a mood for this image in his mind, push and click. The world, in his control, no one to say he wasn’t good enough. And there was no better way to get girls to take their clothes for you.

Ah naked girls. Always better in front of the lens. Never have to worry what to say, what to do, if I’m good enough, big enough. In front of the lens I have the power. I have control. There are no “what if’s” in front of my lens.

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Max finished rewinding his roll of film, content that the images he captured would develop wonderfully. As he raised his big, blue, bloodshot eyes the locomotive of a man headed his way. Max could not look away. The image he had just captured, strong, graceful, frozen in time in front of his lens, was now headed right for him.

Max met eyes with the charging man of steel, they were gray and piercing, staring into his. The face he saw, clenched with anger, jaw line and cheekbones razor sharp; this man’s black hair streaming in his wake, as he got closer. His equine nose a flair and his full lips set askew as if he were about to let out an ancient war cry.

Max could not help but see this approaching animal as a vision of beauty, sheer strength and raw power in its essence. What an image, he wished he had loaded his camera again. The raging man stopped right in front of max.
“What the f#@k do you think you are doing?” Peter snarled.
Max checked over his shoulder to see who the recipient of these coarse words was. He looked back in front of him, pushed a lock of his blonde hair away from his eyes, only to lift his head and have a clear view up this guys nose.
“What are you some kind of wizeguy. I’m talkin’ to you, what’s with the picture.” The enraged American was now poking a finger into the soft fleshy part of Max’s chest, which more resembled a breast than a chest.

Max wasn’t too good with speaking English yet but two things were clear, this guy was mad at him and it was something about the picture he just took.
“B…B… But I’m just student.” Was all max could unscramble in the whirl of Swedish, English, and adrenaline, spinning uncontrollably in his head.

Tested when he was eight, found to have an IQ of 142, Peter was put directly into accelerated learning programs at his school, Our Lady of the Amazing Patience. Soon after the sister’s of the Amazing Patience lost their cumulative patience trying to teach the rest of the class when young Peter was busy disrupting everyone. So, off to public education he went where one can get an education if one is to apply himself. Peter barely graduated Columbus High School, not for lack of brains mind you, more of a lack of focus.

Fast forward a dozen or so years and back to the here and now… Peter was considered a brilliant thinker and a wonderful storyteller in the circles in which he traveled. A wonderfully handsome, powerful, outgoing, quick-witted young man sought after by many women and men around the city.

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Not feeling that he fit in – always standing out in a crowd. Peter would complain privately to Max, his best friend, how difficult he was finding it living up to the reputation that Walt Disney and other story-tellers and movie makers were creating for him.

“Always the effin hero, gotta save the effin day, be Prince effin Charming. How come? Just ‘cause I look like this every woman in the world expects me to be their… their… their… I don’t know what they expect but it’s effin crazy.” Peter would rant.

Max sometimes wished he could suffer from that wretched curse once in a while, but he could understand what his friend was saying. Maybe not so much to why he was saying it though. They would look at each other give a shrug, as if to say ,”f#*k it.”, And move on to another topic.

As Peter climbed the last of the three worn stone steps of his favorite watering hole, he heard the still swinging door slam squarely into the unexpecting chest of Max. Peter burst out laughing, uncontrollably belly laughing until he tumbled to the floor. (Passers by not particularly paying him any special notice; that’s how things, and people, rolled here on St. Mark’s.) Max, being the understanding counterpart to Peter’s unpredictable temper, quickly join in on the laughter, falling on top of Peter. The two laughed for what seemed like hours, it was probably more like a minute or two.

Laughter along with crying is funny like that, the time thing. Always a weird feeling when you really do it, really go with the laugh following it to the heart of all laughter. Laughing for the sake of laughing, to be free enough to laugh, laugh for reals as the teenagers say. As you would have already guessed the same principle applies to crying.

Their sides hurt, their eyes were red and full of tears. Almost as suddenly as it had started the laughter ceased.
Peter looked up into the red round face of his best friend and said, “Sorry for the door thing.”
Max shrugged it off, letting Peter know that there was no foul committed. Max got up first, then stretched out his large Swedish polar bear paw to help Peter up.
Peter jumped to his feet, “I don’t need your help to get up. I don’t need anybodies help.” Peter made an about face and headed east towards third avenue. Max was right behind.

Lately Carlo has been converting plastic newspaper boxes into household appliances, such as wine coolers, dishwashers, aquariums, and small green houses. He also uses other  materials such as glass for tables that he creates out of police barricades.  He also fashions chair out of  those large-ish orange cones that one would see on a highway. The whole concept is pretty unusual, yet it falls in line with Carlo’s way of life.

You see, Carlo doesn’t really know how to read or write in any language, but he has taught himself how to speak English, Portuguese, and Spanish by listening to it on the street. When I heard those words fall out of his mouth, the wheels in my head started to move. I thought: I have to teach him. And I insisted, I mean suggested for him to allow me to tutor him, if not for himself than for my peace of mind. This request was declined.

At first I could not grasp this concept of being okay with not being able to read or write at the best of his ability, but in retrospect, I guess I can understand. The whole not being able to read or write bit has caused Carlo to view the world in a different manner. I guess it improves his creativity in a sense. Another artist that I’m familiar with turned me onto to this notion. Although Carlo already told me this himself, I just figured it was an excuse. But, there may be truth to it.

This definitely opened my eyes to the world a little more. Hello Jane, there are people that don’t know how to read or write in this world who are alive and happy. No you don’t have to cry for them, because they are okay. (That’s another story which I will share with you on Thursday.) Gosh I have so much to say, I feel badly for my imaginary husband. (See I believe in marriage.) Huh, what am I saying? Any man would win the lottery of life if he were to marry me. That’s just a life fact.

Anyhow, allow me to return back to the moral of this story. If you’re looking for a piece of furniture or an appliance that will start up conversations when persons come for a visit, check out Carlo’s website at www.thestreetisinthehouse.com.