I try to swim a 1000 meters a day, five times a week.
For my age and limitations, that is the only exercise I can do.
To make the 100 laps go by quicker, I have little by little invented and memorized this rhyme.
I call it my Lap Trance.
If you take the time to listen to it done to a great tribal beat.. you will really know for sure how insane I truly am:):) and…how I drive myself crazier 5 times a week:):)
One One
One is a gun
no more guns
No more guns
not even one
The children now
are safe in schools
No more guns
not even one
No more guns
not even one
Two Two
they walk to school
they walk to school
in their shiny shoes
they walk to school
Two by two
in their shiny shoes
in their brand new shoes
in their store -bought shoes
In their shiny store -bought shoes
they walk to school
Two by two
Three Three
The Tree of Life
On their way
they pass the tree
The Tree of Life
Tree of fruits
Tree of roots
Tree of love
Tree of shade
The tree where we play
our violins
When the sun goes down
At the end of the day.
the tree of life
Tree of fruits
the tree of roots
the tree of love
the tree of shade
Four Four
… is the open door
We do not not
go thru that door
where the ravens cry out
Nevermore
Death is the owner
of that door
where they ravens cry out
Nevermore
When we die
we walk thru that door
and we are heard from nevermore
Nevermore Nevermore
Five Five
We are Alive
and we are thankful
for our lives
and we are grateful
to be alive
we say Thank you
for our lives
Thank you
for being alive
we are grateful
to be alive
Five Five
we’re still alive
Six Six
pick up sticks
to build a fire
and cook a soup
to feed a child
to build a fire
and cook a soup
to feed the neighbors
Pick up sticks
to build a fire
and cook a soup
to feed the world
to feed a child
to feed the hungry
of the world
to feed the hungry children
of the world.
Seven seven
Seven is Heaven
When we die
We go to Heaven
My mother and father
Are now in Heaven
Gino and Natascha
Chico and Juan Ra
Are all in Heaven
Noreen & Lamo,
Mardee and Bill
Memo & Memo
Milton & Aunt Lil
All in Heaven
Eight Eight
The Pearly Gates
They went through
The Pearly Gates
They didn’t even
have to wait
They walked right though
The Pearly Gates
The Pearly
Twirly
Swirly Gates
Eight by Eight
They passed The Gates
The Pearly Gates.
Nine Nine
Nine is a vine
Plant a vine
To make your wine
Plant a vine
To grow some grapes
Crush the grapes
To make your wine
Bottle & cork it
To make your wine
Take your wine
When you go
Out to dine
Take your fine
Rosé wine.
Ten Ten
Ten is a Den
The Kitty Den
the Kitties all safe
In their Kitty Den
Sleeping & Snoring
in the Kitty Den
Crying and whining
in the Kitty Den
Dancing & Prancing
in the Kitty Den
Waiting for me
to finish my laps
and come back again….
Waiting for me
to finish my laps
and come back again…
Karima Hoisan
June 7th 2023
Costa Rica
Digital Rabbit Hole 
Wild and hypnotic! It reminds me in a way of the “Punch Brothers, Punch With Care” song. 🙂 And the music and your reading is really compelling, woot!
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Thanks Dale and for the images, even though AI doesn’t have a clear concept of swimming:) (standing in the water and waving arms:):) This really makes the hour go by fast…and is so embedded now in my strokes, it’s totally part of my routine. I thought it might be time to share:)
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Your play up of words and rhyming here is beyong impressive Karima…and i could really use this recording while on the road for a run.
I don’t swim ( i never learned) and i admire swimmers like you. But i do yoga and i do run.
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And I admire runners like you..Because of my Ehlers Danlos hypermobile joints, running threw my knees out. Yes all sports put us in a trance after while and that is a very fun way to enjoy our sports even more. Thank you Mich for your understanding and enjoyment:)
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This is a real inspiration to young people 🌟
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Thank you so much for commenting Lokeish!! How nice of you to say that. I hope it will inspire more young people///It’s a great sport for any age really:)
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Swimming is one of my favourite hobbies
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Ahh I so agree.. I have been a swimmer all my life and living here in Costa Rica, that allows swimming to be a year round sport. I know how lucky I am to have that opportunity:) Thank you Lokeish, for visiting my blog and leaving your comments.
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A great piece of writing. The obsession with firearms was something that confused me when in the USA. How do you develop a culture where people feel so insecure, so lacking in trust, so unloving, so opposed to forgiving that killing has become acceptable. I admit that my fitness level is now way behind yours. I did hike a little in Turkey recently but daily walking has lapsed with hip issues.
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Thanks so much David for your thoughtful and well-said comment. Here in Costa Rica, we don’t have an army, one of the 39 countries in the whole world, that don’t. Of course we have gun deaths, but up to this date no “mass killings with a firearm” and no incidents in schools. It is very hard for us to watch this phenomena, and understand how this can keep happening in the US. I too have a “bad hip and knee” from slippage because of lax tendons. (Ehlers Danlos type 3) If I could not swim..I would have almost 0 exercise, so I understand:)
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What a fun and easygoing rhyme, I love it! And I really admire your fitness. I need to work out more regularly again, too 🙂 Hugs!
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Hi Joey! You’re back!! Would love to get together in SL next week.. Let me know in Whatsapp is good for you.. 12 pm slt would be the earliest because///swimming 🏊♀️.That is very kind of you to say.. Let’s talk soon inworld. Hugs and thank you for commenting!!
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Wow, not only is this interesting but it also is very impressive…how cool is the flow of your spoken word…just like the rhythm when you swim 10 x 100 in your pool…absolutely brilliant all the way…the poem & your swimming…finesse – fitness…I’m proud of you, dear friend 👏❤️💫
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Awww thank you Naveen:) One day I tried to tell my son what goes through my mind and he said..”Stop..please..this makes me feel crazy” lol. Nevertheless, I decided to record it and I’m glad I did:) Now , today, when I swam, I couldn’t get that tribal drum beat out of my head.. It was really fun…more fun even. Thank you for your kind words..I’m trying to stay fit as I can..Glad you liked the total package. I really appreciate you listening and leaving this great comment my dear friend.🌹
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Lol@”stop..please”…crazy is great…the drum beat is catchy…it’s my pleasure listening to your beautiful voice, dear friend 💫❤️💫
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What a great way to make your swim go by faster! Love the beats in this rhyme and the way it blends with the tribal beat music. 🙂
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Thanks so much Layla.. it really does make an hour fly:) I do 10 laps of a stroke, then start over counting on a new stroke. I do freestyle, back stroke, inverted backstroke, breaststroke and my last 10 laps I cool down with sidestroke. Now I am hearing this beat in my head haha.. I think it makes it even better when I’m swimming:)
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brilliant! 💎👍🏼🙏🏼❤️😎 i love it, love especially the spoken version🙏🏼🤗 i deeply appreciate the whole wonderfully personal quality of your “lap trance” that also encompasses universal human issues🙏🏼🦋🌹❤️ truly, soulkin, this is a genius way to combine prayer, practicality & whimsy, all in a catchy & energizing dose of healing🥳🌈🌳🌞🥰
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Soulkin!! I had an idea you would approve. It’s exercise, it’s prayer, it’s gratefulness, mindfulness and social conscience all wrapped into a one hour swim.. It just works! Yes whimsy for sure..we need some of that during our day too. I loved your comment..I give thanks for you..every day❤️🌹🦋🏊♀️
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it is mutual, dear one: heart❤️to heart❤️, soul🦋 to soul🦋🙏🏼
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Brilliant Karima xxx
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Thank you Maggie for commenting. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed my Lap Trance:) 🏊♀️🌹
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I did 😊
Very much 🥰🥰
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🤗🌹
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Oh Karima what an amazing song! Kudos my friend, take a bow! I love the music so upbeat and so right on the money. One of my daughters co-workes at her school had a classmate that was in 8th grade that brought a gun and knife to school in his backpack and was arrested. Luckily the police were tipped off. It’s so scary and so sad we have to worry about our kids like this, the teachers, all of us really. This should be played to everyone at a young age. I loved it and am sharing it with her now!!! Thanks for your lovely gifts of love and heart, not to mention your amazing voice! 💗
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Oh Cindy, I must have fallen into the deep end of the pool, because I just saw your comment. weeks later…so sorry and thank you too for commenting about the worry parents and students alike suffer for guns in the schools. “No more guns! Not even one” I am so happy you enjoyed the total package and you know…now that I added this music, the beats, it too runs through my head while I am reciting my trance while doing my laps:) Thank you for being supportive and wonderful….Always!!
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LOL, real life, raw and uncut! ❤
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You can see how I drive myself crazy for 100 laps each stroke is 10 then start another. Yes funny how it even has social commentary is parts… it wrote itself to tye numbers. I just had to learn it
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Reblogged this on johncoyote and commented:
Please read and listen to the amazing writers.
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Thank you so much John for reblogging my “lap trance” Honestly, it goes through my head over and over while I am swimming..It makes it all go by so fast:) I switch strokes at 10 laps and start again.
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I loved the written and verbal poetry. I must listen to, again.
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Thank you Thank you!! It is a very addictive beat.. glad you enjoyed the whole package
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I agree dear Karima. And you are welcome.
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Haha… it was so much fun! I couldn’t stop smiling all the way, humming along as I listened. And 1000 metres 5 times a week! Wow. Hands down. I do something everyday too, but man that’s what you call a fitness regime. And swimming is such a wholesome exercise too. More power to you, Karima. More fitness. And more strength. Keep inspired, my friend. And Keep inspiring.
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Thanks so much Sundaram and I am so glad you enjoyed what goes through my head when I’m swimming. Of course every day I change it a little bit so it doesn’t become too boring day after day. It really does help to make the time fly by. Glad you could appreciate my routine.😊
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