Here are the schedule changes for the holiday season.  I'll have paper copies of this schedule available if you'd like to have one.  All changes are also shown on the Schedule tab of this site (above right).

Basically:

• Stores open at 9 AM for extra shopping hours as we get close to Xmas, so all Mall Walk programs get shortened for those days.
• NO MALL WALKING on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day.

Enjoy the holidays.  Include a little exercise if that fits.  Go ahead, have some chocolate.  Be sure to come back in January.

So, obviously, as indicated by the arrow, those are Lynne's knees.  Everybody knows Lynne, the Sears Line Dance Group Maven.  Lynne has led that happy, energized dancing group for 7 years now!  Whew.  She thinks it's about time for a change, so her dancers are making some adjustments.

Regarding anything you may have heard:  yes, Lynne is dealing with health issues; and no, that's not the only thing that's going on.  There's some good, even great, news to go along with the bad.  When you see Lynne, who will be around, ask her for the good news scoop.  You'll understand why she'd like to loosen up her calendar a bit by eliminating her 3-days-a-week Mall Walk commitment.

And then there's the stress of leading a dancing group.  Anyone who's done it can tell you - it's a mental as well as physical challenge.  So the group is looking to share that stress among several different dancers.  YOU CAN HELP:

• Volunteers!  If YOU can/will bring along a player/speaker combo, please let the group know your availability.  With multiple boom-box providers there should always music, but no one person has to be there every single day.
• The group is collecting suggestions for a FAIRLY LIMITED set of dances that folks can practice and learn.  This will let "leaders" off the hook for teaching each dance with a walk through, and feeling responsible for everyone getting the steps.  If you have suggestions for the Sears Line Dance Playlist, now's the time.  The list can be expanded, one a dance at a time, as everyone gets comfortable with the basic set.
• Lynne has loaned her huge dance music collection to the group.  The group will make the dance songs from the basic Sears Line Dance Playlist available to everyone on the player/speaker list.  So the songs you want will always be there.
• Kristen will teach the Sears Line Dance Playlist dances down at the Dillard's end, and roll them into her own playlist as well so there will always be a place for new dancers to come to get started, and player/speaker providers won't need to teach.

It's a work in progress, like all the exercise opportunities at the mall.  If you have suggestions, please let the group, and Kristen, know.  Remember: it's free, it's fun, it's for everyone.

MORE CHANGES

Surprise!

Our friends at the mall have opened up a little space in the Dillard's Court.

Groups that practice there - aerobics, line dance, yuanji/yoga/tai chi - can use area rather than being "on display" at the center of the mall.

THIS SPACE WILL ALSO BE USED FOR SOME HOLIDAY EVENTS, so it's likely we'll be displaced on some days.  If you find the area crowded with furniture, just head up toward the center of the mall.  Follow the music.  I promise, we'll be sweating to the music somewhere.

Holiday hours are now posted on the Schedule page (StocktonMallWalk.krinaker.com).  Please note:

• November 19 is our Mall Walk Holiday Buffet - all are invited to participate, by attending, and by bringing something to share.  Please join us.
• Holiday schedule also includes times/dates for changes to our mall walk exercise groups to make way for the mall's holiday days off and special hours for shoppers.
• Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are all exercise free.  Enjoy.
• December 10-26 stores open early, so all exercise ends at 9 rather than 10.
• Regular schedule at Dillards Court on January 1.  Check with other leaders about their plans for New Years.

Confused?  Well, the holidays can do that to you.  Here are just a few of the changes you'll run into over the next few weeks.

While the Dillard's Court remains too crowded for exercisers:

1. We'll meet at the center of the mall until Santa & the Tree arrive.
2. Then we'll move down towards Barnes & Nobel, being careful not to interfere with Lyn's dancing group.

But that's not all:

1. On Friday November 16 and Saturday November 17 kristen will be off bird watching - no line dance, aerobics, yoga.  Judy's taichi group will still meet . . . somewhere.
2. On Monday November 19 we'll have our Holiday Open House & Buffet.  This year Judy, Master Tam and George will host the buffet in their area just outside Penney's.  (Thank you very much.)  We'll need to start planning now since I'll be away the Friday before.

And, of course, there's the mall's holiday schedule:

1. Thanksgiving - Mall closed (until 6 pm) - NO EXERCISE CLASSES.
2. Friday after Thanksgiving - NO EXERCISE CLASSES.  Hey, join the shopping madness if you're up for that, or sleep in - your choice.
3. Monday December 10 through Wednesday December 26 - stores open at 9, so 9-10 exercise groups get a couple of weeks off.  8-9 am groups continue as usual.
4. Monday December 24 and Christmas Day - NO EXERCISE CLASSES.

More to come on all these changes.  Relax, abs tight, chest high, breathe, and go with the flow.

No line dance or aerobics NEXT WEDNESDAY - June 20.  Tai Chi at 9 will still go ahead.  Judy will lead & provide music.

Take the day off, or try out a different group just for fun (lots of line dancing with Lyn down at Sears), or go for a hike.  I'll be back  to normal schedule on Thursday for Yoga & Tai Chi, and beyond.