Feeling my age this weekend

[MJ]

I went to rehearsals with a pinched nerve in my neck, I could not raise my left arm above my waist. The sword fighting scenes in R&J were painful to say the least.

 

Home traction and strong anti-inflammatory and steroids got me on the road to recovery.

 

As I started feeling normal, I was taking company class as a guest yesterday before rehearsal, I really strained a Hamstring.

 

I'm big-barrel chested and have "Celtic-calves" as the costume mistress says. Every costume has to be let out and none of the boots I'm wearing are easy to get into.

 

One of my partners on stage is less than half my age!

 

Gold tights, no britches, no pantaloons, just shiny gold tights.

 

No hats or wigs either; hello "hair in a can"

 

I'm in a touring production as a volunteer, on stage with world class dancers, so I shouldn't complain.

[ripresa]

Yeah, the first time I felt old was in a ballet studio.

 

Ballet makes you feel old.

[Mazenderan]

OK, I'm of entirely Celtic extraction - and am now worried about my calves . What are Celtic calves?

[MJ]

Costume mistress is well known and shall remain anonymous. Celtic calves, are big calf muscles (back of the leg between foot and knee) that happen more often in Irish, Scottish, and Welsh. Ireland and Scotland are full of wet bogs, and strong leg muscles may have helped some of my ancestors escape a watery death.

 

Costume Mistress noticed one shoulder was lower than the other, she did not know I had a pinched nerve and thought I had scoliosis.

[jimpickles]

"Celtic calves, her name, are big calf muscles ..."

 

Or could it be all that Scottish and Irish dancing?

 

I'm often at the barre behind an Irish dancer, whose calves are indeed whoppers, and whose movements are very bouncy, electric and lightning-fast. Most disconcerting!

 

Jim.

 

PS though the racial explanation would say why my Celtic-origin but non-dancing wife has big calves. Interesting!

[Boots]

... I always assumed that my big calves came from the German side of the family. But now that you mention it, there is some Scots/Irish ancestry on the other side of the family. Hmmm.

[Laschwen]

I don't know about the ethnic legs for sure. I am sure there was a lot of cultural mingling going on over the centuries.

I do know after viewing some of the statues in front of the Heidelberg Castle some years ago, one of my Aunts on the side of the family with some German blood decided to attribute her large muscular legs with not so much definition to the German ancestry. Of course she has Irish blood too, and Bohemian. Classic American Mutt.

Those statues do have tree trunks for legs.

I seem to have taken after the more lanky Sweedish folks on the other side of my family. We fight for any evidence of leg muscle at all.

[MJ]

Statues with skinny legs do not last long. Cracks are forming in the ankles of Michelangelo's "David".

[pss]

Back to your original post - thanks for the chuckles - and I think your last line said it all. Have a fantastic time.

 

But seriously, "shiny gold tights"? Lucky you!

[Guest MasterPuppeteer]

MJ -- when I restarted again, I think I got overly enthusiastic about the stretching and pulled something. My butt muscles have never hurt so much, not even during cycling. And they have taken so long to heal! I definitely feel my age. And look it too. Gotta suck it up a lot more while in leotard, don't you know it.

[MJ]

Update:

 

Doctor says I have Microtears, and need to rest it. The performance is not strenuous, but long. I just need to be careful and keep my muscles warm.

 

Tech and Dress rehersals tomorrow, Performing in 3 Connecticut cities.

 

Wish Me merde!

[Tiffany]

merde! how great you're getting to perform!

[MJ]

Update parte Due':

 

I grew a goatee, it has more gray hair than brown! Just dyed it this morning.

 

I bought a "hair in a can" a la Ron Popeil to hide my balding spots. and had to shave my chest and back since my costume has cleavage and backage.

 

On the good side, Costume mistress says I'm thinner and so does the bathroom scale!