Fiddling With Balance

Finally got to Yogawood today. It was a full class, 15 people plus the teacher Micki. Thankfully, we didn't do too many complicated moves. My left foot is a bit sore from my old winter boots (which I really need to replace). We did a lot of stretching, which seems to be Micki's forte. (Jill's is headstands.)

I spent the rest of the morning watching Fiddler on the Roof and making Banana Pound Cake from the Fast Food Fix cookbook I took out of the Haddon Township Library yesterday. Fiddler is the film version of the long-running 1966 Broadway musical. It's a slightly gloomy but generally enjoyable story of a Russian Jewish milkman, Tevye, who watches as his three oldest daughters marry against his wishes and the tradition orthodox Jewish life of his small peasant village is menaced by outsiders.

Doesn't sound like your typical musical, does it? For all the dark material (one of the girls marries a revolutionary; another elopes with a gentle, non-Jewish Russian youth), this is a very life-affirming film. It's also a very sad one; I cried when the second daughter left for Siberia to be with her jailed husband, and when Tevye remembers his daughters in a touching montage number towards the end. The music (including "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," "Sunrise, Sunset," "If I Were A Rich Man," and "Miracle of Miracles") is lovely, the dancing's a blast (check out the wedding dance with the bottles on the heads), and the cinematography's stunning - it deservedly won an Oscar in 1971. There's some fine performances, too, including Israeli actor Topol as Tevye.

Two warnings - first of all, this movie is long. Three-hours long. It's one of the last of the major extra-long "epic" musicals made in the 60s and early 70s. It didn't feel that long to me, but it does require a bit more of your time than most musicals to take in. Second, this is not your typical spangles-and-glitter musical. Those expecting the Technicolor frivolity of something like Hello Dolly! will be disappointed. It's not for people who don't like musicals, either - people do start singing in the middle of a sentence.

Work was steady all afternoon, with no major problems. I had a lovely ride to work and to Yogawood. It was sunny, less windy, and somewhat warmer than yesterday (though not as warm as the weekend's supposed to be).

By the way, Tina, Cheer Bear says...

"Have a happy day, hip-hip-hooray!"
"Hug me if you're my best friend."
"Hello, I'm Cheer Bear, with a smile just for you!"
"Hey, how about a Care Bear hug?"
"Let's play some more. You're fun to be with."
"Being friends with you is the best!"
"A cheer-rific day is heading your way!"