"...Or Are We Dancers?"

This week I solicited some help with my dancing.  I would practice the routine and knew what I was supposed to do but when I would spin I would bobble and then be off on my count.  I called my friend Rende who has had years of experience in dance and movement.  She is a Pilates instructor and is presently studying the Franklin Method.  Both Pilates and Franklin are about moving your body the way it was made to move.  Franklin applies visualization to get your body to move how it should.  That is my very raw, very layman translation of these very complex practices.

Rende came over on Thursday morning and began by getting me in tune with my body and getting it to move how I asked it to.  We then watched the video of the most recent dance routine I had learned.  Rende was a quick study of it (as I knew she would be) and she set to work on helping me with my technique.  Her tips and using visualization really helped!  It was just what I needed.  We danced for over 3 hours.  It was so fun and I felt much better about my next rehearsal.

My house guest has left, the local yokels are either out of town or working and so this week has been a particular drag.  My kids are bored and I am bored so having the dance to work on has been great for me.  To break up the monotony in my kids day we have taken to "swimming" in the hot tub.  The kids love it.  We don't turn the heat on and I let them "man" the jets as they care to.  In the mean time I sit in the shade of the patio and read or lay out and get some sun.  It's been a little life saver!

The book I'm reading is called Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner.   It's about a mother-daughter relationship.  The mother is a writer.  She had previously written a book about her life that had some people upset.  Though the book was fiction, she gleaned most of the tale from her actual life.  Those who recognized themselves in the book were angry that their business had been aired.  That's been the biggest reason I have not written a novel.  (As if it would actually get published.) But I have not even ventured to try because I know people would recognize one another.  It would be a really good book though....  I try to figure out how could I twist it up enough with other people's stories enough to not make certain people or even ME seem obvious. 

Blech.  Forget it. 

I have started a collaboration with another friend who writes and so maybe that will be the key.  It's nothing like I ever write or even rarely read as it's a sci-fi/fantasy sort of thing.  Crazy huh?  It's been surprisingly fun, though we are just in the beginning phases of it all. 

Yesterday's dance rehearsal went much better than the first.  We learned the rest of the routine and it's super hot!  I love it!  It's the dance for the song Buenos Aires.  It's basically a big street party!  The choreographer wanted to record it for at home practice.  She and her husband danced and she asked for my partner and I to dance with them as well for the recording.  This was both scary and WOoHoO!  We must not be doing too badly if we are in the "training video."  Ha!  Rehearsal was much more fun this week.  *Wink to Rende.*

I dreamt last night that I made french toast.  I whisked the milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon together and added a tablespoon of orange juice to it.  When I woke up I had forgotten about it until my kids asked for breakfast.  I decided to make my "dream french toast" but we were out of orange juice.  I think I've made it that way before...surely I did not just dream that up.  Literally.  I looked it up on http://www.dreammoods.com/.  I love dream analysis!  Apparently to dream of French Toast means that you are happy and content in your present life and to dream of orange juice means that you have a positive out look on things.  So there you have it! 

The current state of things is French Toast and Orange Juice.  I just keep on dancing through life.

Shout out to my reader in Kenya!  I am fascinated by my international readers.  Who are you?  Why aren't you blogging?  You must have absolutely amazing things to share!  It's gotta be more interesting then hot tubbing with your kids and reading...

It's Genius

I had exhausting dreams last night. The first was that my sister was in a race. She looked amazing! She was talking smack to this other runner and then she took off running and totally smoked her.

In another dream several moms and I were sort of being held hostage by this other woman who then tried to take our children from us. I attacked her and totally kicked her ass. There is no mincing words about it. I tore that lady up. I even remember while pounding on her face, thinking how good it felt. I was puzzled that it felt more like hitting a punching bag then someones face. Not that I've ever hit any one's face but from what I've heard it would hurt your hands. This just felt solid but not painful.

When I woke up I lay there with an empty hole feeling in my chest and considered this series. They may be about two different things but they are mostly about my sister and I's relationship. It is estranged at present.

When one dreams of a person it is not actually about that person but more about your own character. You have to ask what about this persons character is me too? In this case I think it was the competitiveness of my sisters character in the dream. I don't think either of us have truly competitive natures in real life but we do between each other. Dumb.

I think the second could have either to do with Sissy and I as well or about my former blog, Do it Scared. After consulting Dream Moods (a great website for dream analysis) I think that the fight with this woman was either about me being frustrated with the feeling of being held back from dealing with my sister and I's relationship head on or it's about how I am fighting against the things that are keeping me from doing what I feel God is asking me to do, i.e. take care of homeless children.

I prayed a long time this morning, seeking council and peace in all of this.

My iPod nano broke this weekend. Did you know that when you have a problem with your Apple thechno-thing that you can make an appointment to see a "Genius" at the Apple store nearest you? It's true. It's like making a doctor's appointment for your child.

Drew and I went to the apple store with my iPod baby. I don't know how genius these folks really are but they were smart enough to have a low desk with a computer loaded up with games for kids to play. Thank you Jesus! Drew sat there and played while I checked in at the front desk. We were early for our appointment but if all went well they would get to me ahead of time.

So I sat on a stool and watched Drew play his game. I was amazed at how fast he figured out how to make it all work. S to jump, W to do...I don't know what. I would never have thought to try those keys. I would've stuck to the big ones like the space bar, shift or enter. Arrow keys...hello! Anyway, he was having a great time and everyone could tell. Other people waiting to make an appointment or for their appointment just sat there watching Drew play. It made me smile to see how Drew made all of them smile. There were some ear to ear grins, some chuckles and a few one sided smiles but Drew brought a little amusement to many today. Love it!

My time came and I brought the patient to the Genius. (That is the actual name for the techs that are going to care for your broken techno-thing.)

"So what is going on with your nano here?" my Genius asked as he whipped out a small flashlight to examine her with.

Amused by the parallel to a real dr.'s appointment, I went on to explain the problem. We then moved to another area where he could examine her better using other techno-things. Apparently nothing could be done at this time and place to fix her and so with little pomp, Genius handed over a brand new iPod of the same color and generation as my nano. I was lucky to have had 9 days left on my warranty. Sweet! So Drew and I left Apple as very happy customers.

On the way home that empty hole feeling in my chest started to creep back though with not quite the same vengeance. The distraction proved to be a blessing. A temporary anesthetic to life's ug-ohs. If only life's problems could be as easily fixed as my problem with my iPod was. It would be nice if the Genius up stairs would just pull a new solution out from under the counter with a Wa-la!

In the mean time I will keep my eyes on the good things happening in my life, like my sweet little Drew-Bug. I'll let his fun loving personality remind me of all of the good in my life and the simple pleasures that are to be found all around.