It seriously is one of my favorites. I could watch it again and again! In the movie Kathy Bates ( of course i cant remember their movie names) plays a middle class burned out frumpy wife who is trying to figure out her marriage, her friendships, herself. She meets an elderly lady at the nursing home and they become acquainted and start to have weekly visits. As they become more and more acquainted Kathy Bates starts to find herself. In one portion of the movie she had been waiting for a parking space for awhile and finally someone pulls out of a spot but right before she pulls in some be bop teens zip around her and take the spot in their little convertible. They get out and look at her and are laughing. So Kathy sticks her car in reverse then drive and stomps on the gas and totally rams the back of their car a few times. As she does it she yells out "TAWANDA!". The girls come running back and she tells them. "Face it girls, I'm older and I have more insurance" and then drives off.
"Tawanda" has since been my go to word when I am amped up about something and ready to take a stand! However it's not what I look like on the outside. Usually I look something like this:
I don't like confrontation. Never have. I can feel strong and resilient in my head and know exactly what I am going to say and how I am going to sound saying it...but it comes out shaky, crackly, and not at all confident. Lol. Until today. Today I had a "Tawanda" moment.
All year we have been lap swimming while the kids were at preschool. And I think probably 90% of the time we are kicked out of our lane and told to swim in the 1 lane they have left open. Which is what the schedule says I open during the water exercise time so that's fine. Except for the fact that you can't ask two swimmers that have been on swim team to then get in a lane with 2 or 3 or sometimes 4 swimmers that either don't know how to really swim and are sort of doggy paddling it, or they are just using the lane to water walk, or tread water in the deep end. I could probably get a better work out sweating it out in the hot tub.
I was getting a pretty good swim in today. And sure enough I pop up and there is Jason the lifeguard mumbling for me to move over. normally I wouldn't say anything, today I was ready.
I looked at the lane next to me and then I looked at him ad I said "and exactly how am I supposed to swim in there? Seriously you kick me out of my lane every time I swim. I am going to talk to management because its totally ridiculous." And he mumbled something and as I passed him fuming I said "you know as well as I that you certainly wouldn't be able to swim or get a work out in that lane" (he swam college and certainly knows exactly what I mean)
I was so mad. So then the entire time I was getting dressed I had this internal battle. Do I really go say something to management or do I let it slide once again?
And then that little inner courageous voice yelled "Tawanda!"
So I decided to state my case and I went to the front desk and I asked to speak with a manager and the lady I asked was actually the site manager so as calmly as I could I just told her my frustrations, and concerns. I was proud I didn't cry but I did have that crazy crackly voice and was really upset. But it was improvement that I don't cry! Lol.
I am not sure what will come of my complaint. I am just one person. But I feel like my membership is just as important as the noodlers memberships (its what I call the water exercise people because they sort of flop about with their noodles trying to avoid being splashed). And maybe not one thing will change. But I did it! I stood up for myself and my cause.. Something I am trying to do more of now days.
"TAWANDA!!!!!"
- Posted By Brook
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