General Notes around swimming
Introducing ---- Aish, the swimming champHave been wanting to learn swimming for over 7 years now. Finally started 3 days back. Had to do some heavy duty maneouvering for that- come to Mom's place, so I can have the time. Wake up at 6:00 so I get to come back home by the time sanj wakes up. The most difficult part, however, was finding the place to learn. This is rather surprising considering my standards arent all that high- I just wanted some place which would teach me, prefereable early morning. Technique, style be damned. And you wont believe how long I took to finalize upon one.
Some thoughts:
1. Savera Hotel has a decent pool, but the atmosphere gave me some really bad vibes. I dont mind getting into a co-ed pool when a male friend/companion is around, but without one, all by myself, somehow makes me feel defenseless. I generally dislike these ladies only things - reservations, train coaches, etc. But swimming and buses are two areas where the sheer practicalityof having ladies' seats and ladies' timings/pool hits me. hard. This is because of guys being such creeps here, more than anything else. The fact that people think "Why does she need to learn swimming at her age". My regular auto guy actually asked me that. "Ithu romba over". WTF?
Its funny that something out of the VERY ordinary is equated to to crankiness/loose morals in chennai. Not funny, actually. Incredibly Annoying.
2. I dont have a great figure, but when I went to the pool I was actually happy I was not as plump as some of the others- which is quite a shameful thought. It struck me that the girls who were not particularly terrific to look at and still did not think twice about climbing into a very fashionable suit are the ones to be admired. It denotes a "Who cares" attitude, which is exactly what, in future, I would love to have Sanjana develop. Also brings to my mind, that for all my posturing about beauty being merely skin deep, I fundamentally dislike not liking looking anything less than presentable.
3. I have always felt (thinking objectively) that I am good in water- the very first time in my adult life I was dunked into the sea by an idiot thinking she was drowning, I found myself thinking very, very objectively, with no signs of panic. I took me jsut about 15 minutes in a pool to lose my fear of putting my head under water. And just one session with Suresh to learn to float. (Leaving the rail the first time is the most difficult, IMHO). And today, I was doing a few lenghts (supported by float, of course), I felt rather sad I never had the opportunity as a child to explore this. I never learnt anythign interesting when I was a kid- none of the schools I attended had any focus on anything extracurricular. and damn it, I had potential (we all do, so am not boasting).
I dont want any child of mine thinking his/her parent did not do something that could have added value to her.
But otherwise, am having great fun. the coach is teaching us the breaststroke. No individual attention or anything - too many women and kids in too small a pool for that. But am finally learning.
posted by Aish @ 3:24 PM
2 Comments:
Do you feel that sometimes we ourselves suffer from the same prejudices that we perceive (and dislike) in others? Having said that, this is really cool! I am sure you will enjoy swimming...and even though its late, its ok...
Oh, yes, very often (feeling that I suffer from prejudices I dislike_)! I sometimes wonder if its because we have unconsciously internalized those ourselves, or if its because we are extra particular about those prejudices we dislike, perceiving them in anything and everything.
But have really noticed some of the things I dislike in my dad in me. So it can't all be just paranoia.
And yeah, love the swimming. Its great. Better late than never and all. Dont know if you remember, but that sunday at Just 'Round the Corner, I kept looking at the tiny pool they had outside, imagining how it would be to jump into it (It was a really, really hot day)
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