single white neighbour

recently... i've taken to mentally jotting down a tally. this is a tally of things that i've done or do that the woman upstairs now does.

1. i have prayer flags on my little balcony... about a year ago, she added them. not so strange considering she practices native american rituals... i think. plus she's a yoga teacher, and these things sort of bleed together.

2. i've had xmas lights on my balcony for 2 plus years... this spring... bamm-o. guess what dolly daft donned her balcony with. again... not a big deal. go ahead.

3. i got a rug last year for my balcony... a few weeks ago, she did too.

4. i sit on my balcony all the time. used to be the most peaceful place in the universe. that was until dolly daft got herself a cheapy chair, too, and moved out here with me a few months ago. now, i'm privy to all personal phone calls. dolly is loud and shares everything on the phone. oh my.

5. i'm an npr junkie. i listen to it constantly. when i'm not listening, i'm probably watching football or a news show. dolly daft has always been a motown revue girl. i always dug that. until a couple of weeks ago when i realized that i've been hearing npr in stereo when i sit at my kitchen table.

6. about a week after max passed away, i ran into old dolly daft in the hallway. she proudly told me that she now has a cat, too. i felt an unholy urge to dive across the stair rail and tackle her. *sigh* that's just not nice.

well, that's all for now, but given her ability to drive me insane by merely breathing in my vacinity, i'm sure this is all but over. it's like having a horrible room-mate that you can't ditch.

seductive pancakes

54/365PancakesnCompote, originally uploaded by MisfitHue.

i was just marveling at how my photos of food have even more views on flickr than any of the belly dance pics i've posted.

soooo, food is sexier than cleavage? the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach, eh?

my food hits have been so high that i've actually considered expanding this blog to include more food photos. of course, that means i'll have to cook more.

i have been cooking more! but, i can't even pawn off the leftovers on a man whose counters are covered in granola bars with only odouls in his fridge. LOL

so, maybe my cooking isn't so tasty. i don't really know since i killed my taste buds during my childhood. however, the pictures are nice. at least the people on flickr think so...

what a long strange trip it is...

let's play catch up.

the show was a blast. truly. it was well produced, the dancing was fabulous and the audience... well, what can i say? i do this for myself, but take it to the stage to share--to bring a smile and maybe get the audience to move a little in their seat.

i was touched by how many of you attended our little dance show. overwhelmed, in fact, and i thank you.

also this month... mike decided to move, and though he refused help, i was always at the ready. oddly, his move has shown me how much i've changed.

those of you who know me well, know that i've always been a bit of an over planner and a little ocd about cleaning, organizing and keeping general order. back when everything i did was from scratch and i worshiped martha, they didn't call me the cleaning nazi for no reason.

what i've learned this month? i've left a major chunk of that behind. that powerful tugging undertow, the one that would cause me to straighten your stack of magazines when you left the room.... it's gone. i like my personal space tidy, but even i've learned to appreciate a good healthy pile of laundry in the corner. this is amazing on so many levels that only someone who has lived with me can truly appreciate the magnitude.

and then... there are my career struggles. and yes, i mean struggles. for one, i had to make a decision this month that had me in mental lock down for days. a decision that i appreciated in an economy like this. but, nonetheless, i faced the easy answer on so very many levels--and said no thank you. i've chosen to map a course to make what i love my career. it was especially hard because i've always taken the easy road... and this road is scary. really scary.

and these are the highlights i'm willing to share. the whole month has been full of things that have blown my mind. i've never been so happy, so terrified and so certain. and most of all, so pleasantly surprised.

and thanks to jonathan for the pic on this page...

varsity dancers...

DSC06259, originally uploaded by MisfitHue.

We had our first major rehearsal for the May recital on Sunday.

The room was three times the size of the studio that we normally practice in, and there was a host of students in attendance that I’d never met.

My friend, Irina, met me at the door with my freshly altered skirt and sleeves, and we all quickly gathered in the unfamiliar territory—the level 2 Shaw Studio class, that is.

We were dressed in varying degrees of costuming… a couple students wore pieces and parts and a couple wore full costumes. I changed into my skirt and sleeves, put on my bedlah belt, and grabbed my costume veil. I figured this was the best time to get used to dancing in this get-up. But, I was still not comfortable enough to don the bra. Next time.

Heather laid out the ground rules and the order of the rehearsal. Then she launched into her speech on make-up. “You want to wear so much make-up that you’d be nervous to walk into Schnuck’s.” chuckles and knowing glances…

Level 2 was first up and I was nervous. I had recognized some of the faces of dancers that I’d admired in earlier shows—beautiful dancers. I would never compare myself, but being surrounded by other dancers who take the dance seriously certainly raises my desire to perform well.

We started with the zil dance and it went well—a couple of oopses jumped out, but only first song jitters. It was also the first time the entire group had practiced together. People in different locations have learned the same dance. The night of the performance will be the first time that we all dance together.

The second song was more of a struggle. There are more people, it’s three times as long, there’s a prop section and several entrance and exits. I thought it went rather well, considering all of that… more importantly, Heather seemed genuinely pleased.

I love this song, Darb el Habayeb, and this choreography. I’ve never danced a piece this long with so many rhythm changes. It’s a piece of music written for dancers. It has several parts. It soars, yet it’s earthy… sexy and giddy, even a tiny drum solo… an exciting challenge. There’s a point in the song that always makes me tear up… I don’t know why, but it just FEELS so good.

Once we were released for the day, I thought about taking advantage of the free time. Instead, I cozied up with a friend and we watched a few of the Level 3 dances. I’m so glad that I stayed. The dances were more complicated than ours, and there was a polish that I can only hope to achieve.

As I watched my friend who had moved to level 3 this past year, it occurred to me that I was watching the varsity team. I had this sense that next year, if I practiced really hard, I could make the Level 3 dances. It was inspiring! How fun to continue to feel challenged! That is the fantastic thing about being with this teacher and this studio… the constant challenge.

I’m really excited about the show…I love how organized and professional it is being planned and executed. There are lots of beautiful dancers and a real sense of community.

I hope that my joy shows in my dancing. That’s my only goal… well, and to not forget my choreo!