So just to get this over with – the word of the day is serendipity which means: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: a fortunate stroke of serendipity | a series of small serendipities.
Its origins are interesting, it was coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole, suggested by The Three Princes of Serendip, the title of a fairy tale in which the heroes ‘were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of. Where would you be, gentle readers. without all this trivia I heap upon you? I am convinced your life is richer and fuller knowing about Horace Walpole – it might make interesting cocktail party conversation.
It is my opinion that a sense of humour is contagious. It is based, in part on the following scenario. I was corresponding with an individual who is mentioned often in this blog using her real first name. It did seem time to give her a nickname and so I suggested one.
Me: Everyone on my blog has nick names to protect their innocence and offer some privacy. Yours could be CPI which will stand for Couch Potato Introvert. It does make me giggle. Alexis
She: Could be taken as Canadian Price Index
Me: You made me laugh out loud – but I am in bed (alone) and so no one heard.
So CPI and I/me do laugh together a lot. She once said that her husband did not think she had a sense of humour. Huh?
So now we are moving onto Serendipity. A lot of it concerns my recent water aerobics session at the YWCA on Horny Street in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. That recent slip has brought new names to the streets of Vancouver, aided by people of my acquaintance that have a sense of humour. Butte, a major thoroughfare will become Butt. West Georgia will become West Groping. Burrard shall be Butthard. It is an adolescent male exercise but such fun and people help me secretly.
But back to the YWCA. I graduated from the University of Alberta in 1964 and obtained my first job. I worked for the YWCA in Edmonton. That is true and I did not even exaggerate. So here I am in Vancouver going to the YWCA, some 54 years later. Of course, I told everyone upon my initial tour. One goes on a tour and then one gets a free pass (or two if you are lucky) and that is how and why I went to the Y on Monday, August 13, 2018. I was so nervous for some reason – like it was the first day of school. I needed a lock for the lockers and I magically found the lock but no key. But then serendipity stuck and I found the key on the same key ring as my Equinox fob (and the Shopper’s Optimum fob). I decided to put stuff in a back pack and found my London City University one in the den. That was serendipity as you shall see – I hate that school, not the whole school which has many independent and worthy schools (such as law, interestingly) but the Creative Non Fiction program is destructive to all. The reasons are articulated on the blog. So off I struck off to class, leaving behind my credit cards and my phone so they would not get stolen (stupid decision, for goodness sake I had a lock and key).
I got there and it was immediately jolly and fun. The women there are the antithesis of the women that attended the water aerobics class at Dolphin Square in London. Opposite!! Please read about them – those women and all of their glory may be found on my March 13, 2017 blog. Read it – the women in the Y class are wonderfully friendly. They welcome me and joke with me. For example – there are rubber dumb bells that are used for an exercise – some are blue and some are yellow. A helpful woman passes me a pair of yellows.
Me: Thank you so much! What is the difference between yellow and blue.
She: The yellow ones are heavier.
Me: Good! I am tough so the yellow ones are better
She: I knew that just looking at you.
Me/She: Much laughter.
In the beginning I met this really interesting woman in the locker room. We totally connected and she said that it was fate that we should meet because she wanted to do some of the things I did and I want to do some of the things that she is thinking of doing. She lives in Vancouver, works but comes to aerobics before going to work as she has flexible hours. We are going to come early before the Wednesday class and have a chance to talk to one another and we have spoken of meeting at another time and having a glass of wine. In this connection I texted Hottie, Sir Richard of Hot.
Me: Heads up! Water aerobics at Y wondrous. And you were right and I was wrong.
He: Amazing. Glad you went
Me: And you love being tight! (no right). So you said that I would make new friends there and I said NO, I will not!
Me: BUT I made one already and her is D****. So there! More of the experience in blog in about two days.
Well, Hottie (the worst texter in the universe) did not respond and he does not read the blog. But, it is not my problem as Hottie readily said to me. It is not my problem.
But getting back to humour. CPI asked in an email
She: Don’t you miss the buff bodies?
Me: Not at all! One buff body (with a handsome face on top.) is enough and there is a life guard there who is gorgeous. One is enough actually.
As I bounced up and down in the class I turned around and noticed a gorgeous life guard. So I turned around and waved at him. He waved back. Then I gave him a blow kiss. He gave me a blow kiss back. And we just laughed. Two more blow kisses but then I paid attention in my class. I did turn circles, not facing the instructor, and wave once in a while. He laughed. I laughed.
After the class I went to adjacent hot tub with others all women and one man. I spoke to the man but then joked with the women. In the meantime the life guard helped place a woman with disabilities into the pool in such a kindly way. I spoke with him.
Me: I used to belong to the Equinox populated by many handsome trainers. But I do not miss them because of you. It was so much fun to wave at you and have you wave back. And then the blow kisses!
He: Thank you. It was fun for me as well.
I spoke to others about the life guard and he is regarded as a jewel. I will be fine. I miss my Equinox men – but I will be fine.
Then later i went to VAG and ate at the cafe, sitting next to a woman who gently reminded me that I had met her earlier in the day – in the hot tub. I hope to see her tomorrow, she said she will be there.
Very different experience from that of the Equinox.
No relevant picture, that I can think of.
