Boeing 757.
She's reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma," by Michael Pollan. I'm in the window seat; she has the aisle. One empty between us. She opens the conversation:
"I hope nobody takes that seat. Should be a pretty light flight."
She's a fitness trainer from Florida. A self-proclaimed purist, she practices the teachings of Joe Pilates.
"Joe Pilates was a machinist. He built a machine to help people do the routine. I like the method the way it was created and I try to stay very close to it. It's a very systematic routine and it builds on itself as you get stronger."
I'm thoroughly impressed at how well she knows her subject. But of course she does--she's been doing this over 25 years.
Back to the machine... "It's not like a piece of gym equipment. You have to be present and centered. You don't have to count. Don't think too much. Just feel it."
She's on her way to see her husband. It's his birthday today.
"I'm his present," she jokes. "There's a reason humans lose their vision as they get older. It's so your husband can't see you properly so he still thinks you're beautiful."
"I use a lot of imagery when I teach. Not all images work for all people. Like I might say to one person, funnel your ribs, and to another soften your ribs. I might say, pretend you're putting on a vest and now go through the process of fastening each button. Ideao-kinesis, it's what Tiger Woods does..."
"Pilates has a rhythm to it. Sometimes it's quick and staccato, and sometimes more waltz-like. If you saw a group of teachers being taught by another teacher it would look like ninjas."
I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. I'm glad that seat was empty.
She's right--it is really hard to stand still on your toes with your eyes closed. I tried it after we landed.
