University of Minnesota kinesiology professor, Beth Lewis was quoted as saying: “For someone who’s physically fit, probably going for a run is going to provide a better workout, but for people who work out rarely, this is a fabulous gateway exercise…”

I very much disagree with Ms. Lewis. Zumba is a great interval workout for people of all fitness levels, not only “people who work out rarely.” The Zumba format allows each individual to work as hard as they choose or as hard as they are able. Zumba recruits muscles from the entire body while challenging the cardiovascular system. Choreography may be difficult for some former athletes to pick up and therefore, some “physically fit” participants may need more time and practice to feel comfortable enough to work at a high intensity.

I have been a long-distance runner for over 15 years and I never saw the rapid results that I saw from Zumba from running. Since doing Zumba for the first time in March 2009, I personally have lost over 30 pounds. I consider myself well-conditioned and toned. I ran my best-ever Ragnar Relay race in the summer of 2010 after training by primarily leading Zumba classes.

I love seeing my participants smile and build confidence, spirit, and attitude through Zumba. Viva Zumba!

Zumba with a Purpose to benefit Toys for Tots with a $10 donation on December 12, 2009 from 1-3pm at Gold’s Gym in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. This Toys for Tots benefit will feature a group of local Zumba instructors and, keeping in the spirit of Toys for Tots, Marines.

Click here for more information and enjoy!

Centuries ago many Norwegians went to Ireland to escape the bitterness of the Norwegian winter. Ireland was having a famine at the time, and food was quite scarce. The Norwegians were eating almost all the fish caught in the area, leaving the Irish with nothing but potatoes.

St. Patrick, taking matters into his own hands like most Irishmen do, decided the Norwegians had to go. Secretly, he organized the IRATIONAL (Irish Republican Army To Rid Ireland Of Norwegians At Last).

Irish members of IRATIONAL sabotaged all power plants in hopes the fish in Norwegian refrigerators would spoil, forcing the Norwegians to a colder climate where their fish would keep. The fish spoiled all right, but the Norwegians, as everybody knows to this day, thrive on spoiled fish.

Faced with failure, the IRATIONAL sneaked into the Norwegian’s fish storage caves in the dead of night and sprinkled the rotten fish with lye, hoping to poison the Norwegian intruders. But, as everyone knows, this is how lutefisk was introduced to the Norwegians and they thrived on this lye-soaked smelly fish.

Matters became even worse for the Irishmen when the Norwegians started taking over the Irish potato crop for lefsa to go with their lutefisk.

Poor St. Pat was at his wits’ end and finally, on March 17th, he blew his top and told all Norwegians to go to Hell, and it worked…

All the Norwegians left Ireland and went to Minnesota.

I first saw Matty O’Reilly (acoustic guitar and vocals) and John Schjolberg (pedal steel guitar) perform Speed of the Sound of Loneliness by John Prine at one of Matty’s restaurants, the 318 Cafe in Excelsior, Minnesota. I loved it so much I told my friends it was like, “Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one.”

You can download a free live version of John Prine performing Speed of the Sound of Loneliness from Glide Magazine here: http://www.glidemagazine.com/free-music-downloads/1012/john-prine-speed-of-the-sound-of-loneliness-mp3.html

Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
by John Prine

You come home late and you come home early
You come on big when you’re feeling small
You come home straight and you come home curly
Sometimes you don’t come home at all

So what in the world’s come over you
And what in heaven’s name have you done
You’ve broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You’re out there running just to be on the run

Well I got a heart that burns with a fever
And I got a worried and a jealous mind
How can a love that’ll last forever
Get left so far behind

So what in the world’s come over you
And what in heaven’s name have you done
You’ve broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You’re out there running just to be on the run

It’s a mighty mean and a dreadful sorrow
It’s crossed the evil line today
Well, how can you ask about tomorrow
When we ain’t got one word to say

So what in the world’s come over you
And what in heaven’s name have you done
You’ve broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You’re out there running just to be on the run

You’re out there running just to be on the run
You’re out there running just to be on the run
You’re out there running just to be on the run

Monday

Hoggsbreath – Country Music Night
2504 Rice St
St Paul, MN 55113
(651) 484-7067

Tuesday

1200 Club (Burnsville Bowl) – Country Music Night also Ladies’ Night
1200 Highway 13 E
Burnsville, MN 55337
(952) 890-1200
http://www.1200club.com/

Wednesday

Starks – Country Music Night
3125 Dodd Rd
Eagan, MN 55121
(651) 454-8251
http://www.starks-saloon.com/country.html

Thursday

Lone Tree – Country Music Night
528 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 338-1730
http://www.lonetreeannex.com/

Friday

Saturday

Starks – Country Music Night
3125 Dodd Rd
Eagan, MN 55121
(651) 454-8251
http://www.starks-saloon.com/country.html

Sunday

Minnesota Nice has also been called Minnesota Ice. I have lived around the world, even in a country where I did not speak the native language, but I’ve never felt less welcome than I do in Minneapolis-St.Paul. Over the past four years, it has been a constant struggle to meet quality people who I would like to get to know better. I have met some nice people through work, and most of them were transplants to Minnesota like me. Since getting laid off in December, I often wonder what I am still doing in this cold (literally and figuratively) state.

My favorite version of the song is performed by Johnny Cash. Download Just The Other Side Of Nowhere at Amazon.

Just the Other Side of Nowhere
by Kris Kristofferson

I come from just the other side of nowhere
To this big time lonesome town
They got a lot of ice and snow here
Ain’t half as cold as all the people I’ve found
Every where I try to go here
Somebody’s always tryin’ to bring me down
I’ve seen about enough to know where I’ll be bound

I’ve got a mind to see the headlights shining
On that old white line between my heart and home
Sick of spendin’ Sundays wishing they were Mondays
Sittin’ in a park alone
Give my best to anyone who’s left who ever done me
Any lovin’ way but wrong
Tell ‘em that the pride of just the other side of nowhere’s
Goin’ home

Takin’ nothin’ back to show there
For these dues I’ve paid
But the soul I almost sold here
And the body I’ve been givin’ away
Fadin’ from the neon nighttime glow here
Headin’ for the light of day
Just the other side of nowhere
Goin’ home

I’ve got a mind to see the headlights shinin’
On that old white line between my heart and home
Sick of spendin’ Sundays wishin’ they were Mondays
Sittin’ in a park alone
So give my best to anyone who’s left who ever done me
Any lovin’ way but wrong
Tell them that the pride of just the other side of nowhere’s
Goin’ home

I’ve got a mind to see the headlights shinin’
On that old white line between my heart and home
Sick of spendin’ Sundays wishin’ they were Mondays
Sittin’ in a park alone
Give my best to anyone who’s left who ever done me
Any lovin’ way but wrong
And tell them that the pride of just the other side of nowhere’s
Goin’ home