12.30.2009

Oh! The Horoscope!

So here is what 2010 has in store for this spunky Leo (from Yahoo):

Oh, big playful Leo -- how the last couple of years have been dramatic (and often less than kind) for you! There's little doubt that whatever you've gone through in the last year, the uppers have fueled your inherent charm and lovability, and the downers have gotten a little ignored. That's one of the problems with being a Leo: you can be so sunny that no one notices the rainy days. Mars in your sign this spring is going to give you newfound energy and motivation to really get things done your way, and the summer will bring new opportunities to express yourself.

The challenges will be slowly changing from big drama to smaller, more manageable issues. You've probably been too busy taking care of others to really take care of yourself lately, but 2010 marks a new direction in taking yourself seriously, and taking care of yourself with the due diligence and concern you usually reserve for others. Don't think of it as becoming inwardly-focused; think of it as doing the necessary maintenance on yourself so you can do a better job of letting your light shine for others.

Life is going to be taking a turn for the philosophical in the next year. All of the noise and confusion of the last year may have made you neglect your Higher Self; that too should be a part of your personal care regimen. This year is going to provide ample opportunities for you to get caught up on your spiritual homework. And, unlike regular homework, you'll probably feel like there's a point to doing it!


Considering I've considered choreographing my routines more and how neglected my faith in 2009, I'd say this isn't that far off. (Particularly the parts in purple.)

Interesting...

12.29.2009

Have a Nice Decade!

I vaguely remember how I started this decade. I'm pretty sure it involved too much alcohol, fraternity boys, and Y2K panic. But, I digress.

So I'm dusting off the blog to wish everyone a Happy New Year and good riddance to this wacky 10 years of chaos. A nice change from all the micro-blogging I've been doing lately. (Thanks Twitter!)

Not all of it was bad - I graduated college, got a "real job," got married, bought a house, kind of started a business, started a worth while hobby, and finally traveled out of the country. Wow - living the American dream and stuff.

But I'll start small. I'm not going to analyze every little thing that did or didn't happen this last decade. Instead, here is what I wanted to do last year before 2009 began:

Things on my to do list this year:
1) Start my wedding stationary business... for real this time.
2) Improve my Photoshop and Illustrator skills.
3) Study for the CMP exam and take it in 2010.
4) Get ahead of myself at work more often so I'm less stressed around the event dates.
5) Plan a totally awesome Marker Reunion/Meet Up in July!
6) Be a more attentive wife to my husband and spend more quality time with him.
7) Dance... dance... and dance some more! YAY! I'm so excited to take the adult beginning jazz class this semester. And even more excited that the studio is offering PiYo classes now! Score!
8) Scrapbook. Because I haven't touched my supplies in THREE YEARS and I should really start documenting things. (One of the Markers has totally inspired me to pick this up again.)
9) Watch more movies and read more books! Especially ones that I haven't seen or read and really should.
10) Travel somewhere I haven't visited before. I'm thinking Seattle with a road trip up to Canada. But I could totally change my mind.
Hmm... looks like the only real thing I did was number 5 and number 7 (even though I never finished that jazz class, and can never make it in for PiYo). And the Netflix subscription has really assisted number 9, but I haven't really read a whole lot more.

Yeah. I suck at making resolutions and keeping them. So here is my resolution for 2010:

Stop making resolutions. The end.

Happy New Year!

10.23.2009

Baking October Away

October 2009 draws to a close in a week. So I was going to round out the month by baking Pumpkin Butter Cheesecake muffins. It's a recipe someone posted a few years ago on TheNest.com... who probably got it from Trader Joe's. I have no idea. Anyway, it uses the TJ's Pumpkin Butter. And I wanted to make this last year, but got side tracked. And the butter went bad.

So, we'll try it again this year. And yes, Sunday Spotlight Crew, you'll get samples this weekend.

Pumpkin Butter-Cheesecake Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cornstarch

Muffins:
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour (sifted first)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup oil (or melted butter if you prefer)
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups Pumpkin Butter
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Have all ingredients at room temperature before starting. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour muffin tins or line with paper baking cups.
In medium bowl, with electric mixer, whip the cream cheese and sugar till fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat some more. Stir in cornstarch, mixing till well combined. Refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter.

In large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon till well combined. Set aside. In medium mixing bowl, whisk oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin butter and flavorings till well combined. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquids all at once, stirring just till barely combined. Do not overmix. Batter will be thick.

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 of the way full. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cheesecake batter on top.

Place muffins in oven and bake for about 18-22 minutes for dark or coated pans, longer for shiny pans. Check for doneness with toothpick. When it returns with just a few crumbs, take the muffins out and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the muffins should release easily and should be placed on a rack to finish cooling. Yield: 12 standard muffins.

10.02.2009

Misc. Musings

Musings for the beginning of October:

Starbucks Via is gross. Don't drink it. I mean, okay, maybe if you are in a bind and you really need a caffeine fix. But at that point, I'd rather have a Mt. Dew. And I hate Mt. Dew.

Sprained feet actually heal faster if you just keep working through it. It was amazing. I tried heels for the first time in 3 weeks and taped the foot. It hurt like hell for the first 15 minutes... but after that... nothing. Felt great! And now I'm tape and Motrin free. Hooray!

Red Velvet Cake is the best stuff ever. I bought a box of it at the grocery store. I think I'm going to make some this weekend.

We've finally reached fall in Sacramento. However, last week, it was pushing 100 degrees. Now, it's barely 75 degrees. My allergies are really working overtime here. Either that, or I'm getting sick. (No!!!!!) No worries though... this weather will be gone in 2 weeks and suddenly it'll be winter.

It's amazing how all the dances I hate are all the dances I do really well in. I can't stand foxtrot. But it's the only one I can recognize patterns really well in. (WTF is a corte w/leg crawl, by the way?) Let's put it this way: I couldn't stand the Hustle last January.

Just because I'm under 5'2" does not mean I enjoy being picked up and lifted/flipped/spun-hugged. Not all of us are aerodynamic. Not all of us enjoy heights.

I'll be celebrating a 2 year wedding anniversary this month.

The first two weeks of November are going to suck.

I'm not as flexible as I thought I was.

I need longer hair. Alice Cullen spikes don't work well with a long, flowy dress in smooth.

Yes, those little tiny insulin needles can leave nasty bruises. I just don't think I've seen a shot injury bleed internally. I guess I need to get back on the pump here soon.

Halloween costumes for women that are modest, but cute and stylish, don't exist. Apparently my ass, boobs (or lack thereof) and back all have to be showing in order for the costume to be age appropriate.

9.12.2009

Those who can't dance... bake!


Note: I did consider naming this entry "Bun in the Oven." But that would be completely misleading and inaccurate.

So, I stuck with the truth. I'm sidelined slightly due to a strained foot muscle. Lots of rest, IcyHot, and relaxation. (Tomorrow and Monday are important practice days... but everything else is auxiliary.) And when I can't pursue my favorite hobby, I start baking.

Baking not only occupies my time and cleans out my pantry, but there is something therapeutic about mixing butter, eggs, and flour together with an electric mixer. (Unless I'm making rice krispy treats... just... no...) Maybe it's the smell of home cooked goods that fills my kitchen and living room. It doesn't matter that it's 90 degrees outside; if the mood strikes, I'm baking.

After this weekend, there will be 4 different recipes. Ginger Chocolate chip bars, pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, Rice Krispy treats, and Cranberry (or apricot) and almond scones.

Here is the Ginger Chocolate chip bar recipe. It's my favorite of the bunch. And it's very easy to sub out the sugars for Splenda or Splenda blends. So, the ones I made (and gracing the studio tomorrow with) are low-sugar!

From Real Simple Magazine's December 2008:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350° F.
  2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line it with 2 crisscrossed pieces of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugars, using an electric mixer, until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips.
  4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in the pan, then cut into 32 bars (8 rows by 4 rows).
    To store: The tight seal on a take-out container will keep the bars moist and chewy.
    To freeze: Instead of baking the batter, freeze it in the pan for up to 2 months. To bake, follow the recipe instructions, baking from frozen, and use the upper end of the time range.

9.07.2009

It's a Dream... I swear...

I can't believe my 3-day weekend is over. I don't really want to go to work tomorrow for fear of more dumb questions about how to get on an airplane and how to book a hotel room at an already full hotel.

I can't believe I totally forgot Mark's birthday is this month. I'm a sorry fan/friend. 9/17 just wasn't ringing any bells.

I can't believe it's still 100+ degrees outside and it's Pumpkin Spice latte season at Starbucks.

I can't believe I didn't really have a vacation with my husband this year.

I can't believe, after years of trying to get on the insulin pump, I'm slowly starting to miss being off of it. I'm wireless again. And actually kind of enjoying it.

I can't believe I was looking up Sacramento dance studios a year ago and kept coming up with excuses NOT to attend the Wednesday night WCS class. (One was valid... my foot was swollen.) Look at me now.

I can't believe we bought bedroom furniture, with cash, in this economy, and still have an emergency fund. (And jobs... and a roof over our head...)

I can't believe I have another wedding to attend in less than 3 months.

I can't believe my father in law is turning 70 on Wednesday.

I can't believe my grandfather is turning EIGHTY this November. EIGHTY! WOW!

I can't believe that 10 years ago, I graduated high school... and I went away to college... and I joined a sorority. And I'm totally skipping all the reunions.

9.03.2009

40 Things About Summer

Stolen from Miss Bri. :)

For Facebook followers: You were tagged because you've been a part of some memory of the summer of 2009. This doesn't mean you need to turn this into a chain letter, but Bri had a good idea. So here is a collection of memories and things I've learned during these last 3 months.

Here's to the Summer of 2009:

1) Just dance. It'll be okay. (Da da do.)
2) Sometimes the reason you clash with another person is because the two of you are more alike than you realize. And sometimes it's hard looking in the mirror.
3) Always be prepared with easy-off shoes - you never know when you are going to get asked to dance on a piano, in a bar, in front of a lot of drunk people, to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."
4) one, two, three, four, FIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Alright, fine, I'm turning around.)
5) There are a lot of movies that should be considered staples in your collection. The Labyrinth can probably be omitted.
6) Know when to say "enough is enough." Pushing yourself to an extreme limit will cause a system overload that will benefit no one.
7) Daily trips to Starbucks can quickly drain the budget. It means less money for cute dance outfits.
8) Pinkberry isn't all its cracked up to be. But the experience made it worth it.
9) I can take a bad photo. You will just never see it posted anywhere.
10) MKIK - you are a brilliant teacher and choreographer. Thank you for taking me out of my comfort zone. I still can't dance like you, but at least I tried. And it was meaty and fun.
11) It is possible to go through 200 text messages in a single weekend.
12) Remember to look up. You never know what you'll see.
13) Very rarely can I say I'm the tallest gal in a group.
14) Disneyland... in July... friends definitely make it better.
15) Utah is just like Lake Tahoe. But drier. And more conservative. Sans casinos.
16) It was a summer of extremes: I will never go skydiving for real, but the indoor option is a pretty good alternative.
17) How do you play "September" for my birthday jam and expect me NOT to want to hustle to it?
18) I don't have an accent. But everyone else does. (Still don't know what a "Beg" is, Becky. Or a Pooty Coach. LOL!)
19) Seeing Nigel Lythgoe stuffing his face at The Grove in LA - priceless.
20) Why is that when you give something up, you miss it? And when it surfaces again, you don't want to have anything to do with it. (See: Graphic design work.)
21) My tango music selection sucks. It's not like West Coast Swing music - which could be just about anything. Including music without a drum beat. (Yeah - I won't be dancing to acoustic guitars any time soon.)
22) When in doubt - add more rhinestones.
24) And if you do add more rhinestones, make sure they are 12 mm or larger!
25) When you said "create a 'hit-by-a-bus' desk manual," I didn't think I'd actually almost get hit by a bus in a cross walk!
26) Someone's bad day can be changed with a smile, a hug, and a good joke.
27) Bota fogo, no... go... uh-oh... a g0-go!
28) Proud member of the Loud Table.
29) Plan ahead like crazy. And then when you arrive, just throw everything out and roll with it.
30) You really can fit 4 people in the back seat of a compact car for 2 hours. Though it's not very comfortable.
31) God Bless The California Pizza Kitchen in Anaheim.
32) Duck tastes just like chicken. But it's not a replacement.
33) Be careful what you post all over Facebook. I often forget how many people are reading/watching/stalking my profile.
34) One can only handle so many Mary Murphy screams and poor critiques.
35) Don't limit yourself. A year ago, I only wanted to learn West Coast Swing and Salsa. I like West Coast, I don't really salsa dance anymore, and picked up Foxtrot, Tango, Waltz and V. Waltz - which were NOT in the plan at all.
36) It's hard to not hear samba rhythms in pop music now.
37) Just breathe. It's only a minute, thirty.
38) I suck at Rock Band... please don't ask me to sing.
39) I need to realign my priorities.
40) Don't look at me... I'm just following.

8.07.2009

Smooth Operator

So now that IGB is over, and my b-day is coming up... I am looking at dance costuming. For real now. After my experience with tiny ass rhinestones, I'm never making my own costumes ever again. The time, effort, and MONEY involved in all that mess ended up costing more than a cheap dress from Korea.

So here is what I'm looking at currently:

Blue and Mesh dress: Shocking... it looks strapless, but it is isn't. Price isn't bad either. Yeah it's a little more than I'd like to spend, but it's a used dress that says it's made well. Plus I can have it sent to me, try it on, and if it sucks, I can send it back.

Light Blue dress: Downfalls are that it might be too big... and I don't think the floats are detachable. So... if they aren't, I can't really use it. But it's still really pretty.

Turquoise and black: It's definitely different. But also really pricey. And I'm not sure how long sleeves will work on me.

Pink dress 1:
I'm not sure how this will look. But I like the color.

Pink dress 2: I'm not sure about the vendor... or the bodice of this dress. But the price is right.

Pink dress 3: Love the back of this dress.

Orange, but would be Aqua, dress from Ebay: My original choice, but don't really trust Ebay vendors because of quality control.

Input is appreciated!

7.04.2009

Detecting a wireless signal

I've been off the pump since Thursday night. Color me surprised that this process is going much smoother than anticipated. Even with a full 4th of July BBQ buffet in front of me AND a trip to a restaurant, I have managed to keep my sugars under 250. But haven't dropped below 95 either. Actually, I've been consistently running in the 150s. It's kind of freaky. I'm never in this good of control. Granted, running in the 150s may not be fantastic, but still... I was expecting (and I was prepping my dance partners and instructors for this) to be dropping into the 50s without really feeling a thing. I don't think this is going to happen. (*knocks wood repeatedly*)

However, there are some things I miss about the pump.

For instance, that 4th of July BBQ buffet from this afternoon - there was a lot of good crap there. Chips... crackers... dips... candy... beer... And usually I'm pretty good about stuff like that. Very rarely, unless I'm starving, do I plop myself down in front of a basket of BBQ chips and have at it. And if I do... I would just pump in more insulin to cover the sudden urge to pig out. Now, I have to simply fill up one plate, carb count it, bust out the syringe in front of everyone and give the proper amount of insulin for that one plate. And if I want more... I need another shot. Frankly, after the 3rd one in 3 hours, you learn that your body doesn't want to be a pin cushion and you learn to control yourself. But... I just wanted a chip... and a gummy worm... and some crackers. Is that too much to ask? I guess so.

Secondly, snacking at home is suddenly a challenge. Every little thing I used to snack on at home in between meals would be anything from cheese to crackers to fruit to cereal. Now everything has to be a "free food" unless I want to give insulin for it. So... I guess I'm making some jell-o and buying more string cheese and veggies.

But... just the fact that I can wear a dress without worrying about a stupid leg band and a piece of equipment ruining a good silhouette is worth the "pain" of not eating that extra chip. I know it sounds really cosmetic and shallow, but hey... I miss wearing dresses and pants without pockets... and sleeping peacefully without rolling over onto the pump... or the simple act of changing clothes on a whim... or walking around the house naked. (Sorry... maybe TMI for some.)

I think I'm going to enjoy being wireless again.

6.26.2009

SugarStats.com is GENIUS

Yes, I know y'all don't need to know the personal inner workings of my illness, but I figured I'd throw it out there just in case you were interested.

I'm tracking my blood glucose readings on SugarStats.com now. My profile is here:
http://manage.sugarstats.com/starla487

And for a minute there, I was thinking I'd have to carry around this silly log book. I knew that SOMEONE would have created this sort of application so I wouldn't have to. I don't even keep a paper checkbook register. Why would I carry around a log book?

6.23.2009

Did I Really Just Ask This?

About 3 years ago, I was looking for a solution to end my blood sugar woes. I finally was approved to get on an insulin pump.

It's been a rough couple of years. I mean, I love the flexibility of it and the fact that I don't have to carry around shots everywhere I go is great. I can adjust levels when I'm dancing so I don't drop into oblivion.

But my problem with it is that it's a hassle sometimes. I can't spontaneously buy pants without worrying about if they have pockets. I will always roll over it when I sleep and get tangled in the pump cord. There are some days, I swear, I'm in worse control than I've ever been. But each time I make an adjustment, I fall to pieces. It's the most conveniently frustrating piece of equipment I own.

And I've gotten so lazy with it. I eat whatever the heck I want and just dose up. I don't keep records anymore. To think that 23 years of careful calculation has slowly become obsolete.

So I emailed my doctor this morning and told her I need a break from the pump. We'll see what happens and how many times my dance buddies have to watch out for me.

6.22.2009

Good Eats in Placerville

M and I took a small day trip to Placerville this weekend. We were going to try for South Lake Tahoe, but got kind of lazy. (It's kind of a hike if you aren't prepped for it.)

Anyway, we stopped for lunch at my new favorite restaurant: The Heyday Cafe. This quaint, cozy cafe is located on the main street in downtown. (Actually, I think there only is one street in downtown.) Both times we've been there, it's been super busy, but we manage to snag the last table in the joint. Service was a little slow on Saturday, but they also had 1 waitress and 2 large groups walk in by surprise. The food is well worth it.

Menu includes favorites like salads, paninis, pizza, and desserts. They have a few beers on tap and a large selection of wine. Since it was lunch time, we opted for waters and coffees instead.

I ordered a Heyday salad and their Roasted Pepper Bisque. M had a chicken panini with mango chutney. My seemingly normal salad of romaine lettuce, apples, and walnuts has a kick - their custom apple cider vanilla vinaigrette dressing. This salad dressing is worth the trip alone. I've asked each time when the restaurant is going to start bottling it. (Apparently, soon.) It's got a tangy, unique flavor. It's sweet and fruity, but not overbearing like a raspberry dressing. It's so good!

And the soup is great too. Kind of like a spicy tomato bisque. But not so spicy that you are searching for your water glass after each slurp.

I didn't try M's sandwich, but he said it was yummy.

A few other tables ordered pizzas - which you could smell throughout the cafe.

Definitely check it out if you can. It's a good, little, lunch date location.

6.21.2009

Recent Downloads

The start of So You Think You Can Dance often brings on a sudden increase in my iTunes bills. The choreographers tend to choose songs not found in the Top 40 radio line up. So of course, I LOVE it. Here are the latest songs I've downloaded as a result of the SYTYCD wiki page:

"Did Ya" - BoA: Asuka did a jive for her "dance of desperation" last week to this song. I actually already have "Eat You Up" on regular rotation. This song is even better.

"Great DJ" - The Ting Tings: Part of Sonya's Vegas choreography. I also downloaded "Shut Up and Let Me Go" and "That's Not My Name" as well. I like to do jazz walks around my kitchen to these songs. But don't tell anyone. Shhhh.

"Felt Mountain" - Goldfrapp: From Wade's Crash Dummies routine featuring Ashley and Pono. This song (and artist) is AWESOME. I'm very sad this piece won't be on the tour this year since Ash was eliminated this week.

"24 Hours (Aston Shuffle A-Bomb Remix)" - Terry Poison: From Sonya's jazz piece for Melissa and Ade. It's got a dirty beat to it. LAHV it!

"I Only Have Eyes For You" - Jamie Cullum: I love the Flamingos old school version. This one is kind of slinky, sexy, and hot. I can't really imagine doing anything but a jazz routine like Evan and Randi's to it.

Bonus tracks (not from SYTYCD):
"Beautiful is Gone" - The Ruse: Was iTunes freebie single of the week a while ago. Never heard of the band but it's pretty good. Typical alternative-pop. Radio friendly.

"A-Punk" - Vampire Weekend: A good song to bounce around to. 'Nuff said.

"Brazilian Hipster" - Fort Knox Five: Found this mix when looking up remixes to "Hip Hip Chin Chin." Definitely one of my new favorites and a fun, loungy, party song.

6.15.2009

So you think you can get injured...

*Sigh* The downfall of taking on so much dancing at once is that all my injuries from high school sports are suddenly starting to make a reappearance. Sadly, there is only so much you can do with ballroom shoes.

When I ran and I encountered shin splints, I put insoles in my shoes and sat in an ice jacuzzi for 20 minutes after practice. While it wasn't the most pleasant experience at all, it did help. With ballroom dancing shoes, I can't exactly put arch supports in those tiny little sandals. So I guess I'm back to icing and Motrin for the next few weeks. And - sigh - wearing my flats and practice shoes for the next few weeks. So much for breaking in the new shoes early.

What I hate about these injuries is that I KNOW I can do therapy exercises to strengthen the muscles that ail me. Or sit on a stationary bike or something. But when the hell do I have time?

In addition to the shin splints, the kneecap issues are coming back. I can't seem to stand up from a sitting position without getting up with a stiff knee. It goes away fast, but the initial stretch is always rough. I'm not really sure how to fix that except ice and rest.

Overall, I just feel like a little weakling. Ballroom dancing is a lot of work and is a great workout, but it's taking its toll. I really want to get some strength back - but I'm not really sure how.

6.13.2009

So True...

6.03.2009

Dancing Around the Options

I hate making decisions. Since I've taken on Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot) for IBG this summer, I need to start looking somewhere else besides Forever 21 for costuming. (Actually... it's not really a good place for cute shirts for me anyway - but that's besides the point. There is a reason why it's called Forever 21 and not Forever 28.)

I'm not really ready to drop $200+ on a costume complete with chiffon arm flairs. (And really - some of the dresses on Ebay look like the rhinestone fairy got really ill one night and threw up on some lime green lycra.) Especially since, hey, I can't make up my mind, so I might want to skip out on doing smooth after this experience. Or, I may love it and want to start Quickstepping my life away. Point is, I don't want to invest in something I'm not sure I should be pursuing quite yet. (I'm kind of using IGB as a test run for which direction I want to take.)

But I still need to find a dress for July, regardless of my indecisiveness. Here are my options:

Option 1: Reese Dress from Windsor (Front side) (Back side)
An impulse buy after I discovered that my prom dresses from 10 years ago probably wouldn't work. (They just looked - old. And after 3 sorority formals and no money for dry cleaning at the time, it was definitely time to toss them.) Anyway - love at first website. I bought it, it shipped, and it fits just about perfectly. (Sans the necessary hem.) The problem - while the dress is HAWT, it's very simple. But I have a problem with adding stones to this because I feel like it would ruin the integrity of the dress. Kind of like painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa. You just don't do it!

Option 2: Baby Blue ballgown from SaveOnDancewear
You really can find cheap ballgowns online. I just have no idea whether these folks are legit. Although - since I'm paying through Paypal, I'm not THAT concerned. Anyway, baby blue isn't really my color, but this is probably the closest I'm going to get to something that doesn't scream "NEWCOMER," but also doesn't say "my outfit is much more planned out that my dance steps." And I can always add to it later - if I want to. Only downfall is that since the skirt is full, I have no idea how it'll look with my tiny frame. Definitely don't want to be lost in a sea of tulle and chiffon. On the upside - if I ever wanted to do a V. Waltz to Dave Matthews Band's new song, "Baby Blue," I've got an outfit!

Option 3: Wine ballgown from SaveOn
The color really caught my eye on this one. And it's a predictable cut, so I'll know how it'll flow. But, there really isn't too much room for embellishment, unless I get some of those cool fingerless sleeve thingies. It'd definitely be easy to alter as well.

Option 4: Aqua ballgown from SaveOn
Actually, the only thing I like about this one is the color and the embellishment. I'm a little concerned about the lace up/corset back and the fact that there looks like there is a weird seam across the lower center of the dress.

Option 5: Aqua/White Halter from Dillards
This would be totally eye catching if it didn't say prom queen, rather than ballroom dancer. And as always, I'm concerned about the neckline. (That's a really deep halter for someone with absolutely nothing to show off.) But the color and back are really different.

So - which direction should I go in?

6.01.2009

Ponder this...

How does one's house value plummet, but then one's property taxes go up?

I know Jen-Math is a common term at my workspace, (I don't do it... it's just bad... this is why I was an art major), but this really doesn't compute. Lower value house with property taxes fit for the value from 2 years ago. And apparently, our house WAS reassessed.

Maybe that dress I bought for Smooth rounds is just going to have to do. (Seeing as how I can't pay for ANOTHER dress... well I could... I'd just be carrying a credit card balance for a few months.)

In other news... M needs another new windshield.

Cha-ching!

5.19.2009

Current Annoyance: Sunless Tanners

After watching Dancing with the Stars this season, and participating in the spring show at Spotlight, I've been reintroduced the glorious world of sunless tanners. Sunless tanners are fantastic for people, like myself, who burn to a lobster-red crisp every time they go outside. Yet, feel uncomfortably pale during the summer months. Since fake-n-baking is just as bad as walking around in your backyard naked, the spray tan booths and tan-in-a-bottle products are godsends. Relatively foolproof. You get sprayed and you end up with this tropic tan in a matter of hours.

Except there are people like me who can NEVER figure this stuff out.

I bought a brand of tanner that was recommended to me during the show. The bottle said "no streaks" because it's essentially an airbrush (read: spray paint) can that lightly mists the tanner evenly with no rubbing in... no extra layers... nothing. Fine. Easy right?

Wrong.

I had white splotches on my arms and legs because the "all over airbrush tanner" apparently missed a few spots on my first try. So, naturally, I try to spot spray the slightly lighter spots and fail to add more tanner to the developing pale orange shade. The following morning, I have stripes. Yes, folks, I have orange freakin' stripes on my arms.

Hello! Oompa Loompa Zebra! Gah!

Y'know, give me some more rhinestone or glitter or something. I'll fall into that ballroom trend, no problem. Feathers and fringe. Sure! Spray tanning. Ugh! No, thank you. Not only do I fail at this completely, but I smell like a combo of fermented beer and coconuts. Yuck!

5.10.2009

Show is a Success!

I survived Spring Show. Never in my life would I think that I'd be on a stage again with just one other person behind me. (Or next to me... or spinning me... or picking me off the ground in a lift.)

Dance wasn't always something that came naturally. I often remember being laughed at, or having someone avoid going on the dance floor with me, or being ignored or passed over in other performances. I'm not really sure what changed or if I was just going about it all wrong.

I am not a jazz or hip hop dancer. I can't flail enough to be contemporary. Definitely can't do cultural dances. Ballroom just sort of comes naturally. I know I can't always straighten my legs all the way, or keep my arms in all the right places quite yet. And I still like to back lead. But it's something I feel confident in performing. And doing. And pursuing.

Never in my life have I had so many people come up to me and tell me what a joy I am to watch. I've always kind of spent my life doing background work. Spent too many performances in the back of the formations. (And behind taller people.) To be in that spotlight, almost on my own, quite literally, is the biggest natural high there is. It's addictive. It's healthy. It's now a huge part of who I am.

I think I can now say that I'm a dancer. And it feels so awesome.

4.30.2009

It's MAY, people!

Things I'm looking forward to next month... because April hasn't gone by fast enough.

1) The end of the BSI Regional Meetings and copying items to little orange flash drives, which people will just end up deleting anyway.
2) May Show!
3) No more practicing for the May Show. (Sorry... I love my routine, but variety is the spice of life and the Bee Gees are grating on my last nerve.)
4) Angels and Demons premier! Plus all the really GOOD movies start coming out in summer.
5) SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE returns!!!!!!!
6) We're moving offices! And the wall colors won't be maroon!

What am I not looking forward to?
1) Packing up 2 years+ of crap in my office. That recycle bin is gonna be FULL.
2) Planning Faculty Leadership. My first contract that I put together is finally here to bite me in the ass.
3) The fact that I may not get Memorial Day off.
4) The weather going from mild and cold to HOLY HELL HOT in a matter of one week. Or less.

Happy May!

4.22.2009

We say this every single year!

Who's bright idea was it to schedule 3 meetings all on the same day? In 3 different locations? Right in between 2 of the largest events in the spring semester? Seriously, we say this every year: we will learn next time about our Basic Skills Initiative fiascoes. But every single time these meetings come up, we end up with the same clusterfuck that we had the previous series.

I've got attendees more confused that I am. And that's bad. But seriously, a lot of this can be alleviated with a little common sense, which I've come to realize doesn't come very easy for some. I mean, if you are going to be traveling to a meeting and will require a hotel room, why are you waiting until 1 day before the meeting at 4:59 pm if you have a hotel room? C'mon.

Totally frustrated right now.

4.15.2009

Mindless musings for April

I'm bored. It's the first of about 4 trips I need to make in the next few weeks. 11 events in 6 weeks. So far, I'm on event #2. (And it's a big one too... I really should head to bed. But my $5 internet hasn't expired yet.)

Anyway - so M and I fostered a litter of kittens. And to be quite honest, I thought this was going to be a strong pack. Turns out - 2 of them got really sick and died. Total downer. One dies on Easter Sunday and I had to take one in today to be put to sleep. It's very surreal to hold an animal that is completely helpless, can't stand up on its own, but is totally lucid. And when you put him down, he'd start crying. Not the typical, "don't lock me back in the bathroom again because I want to play" cry. But the "Oh my gosh, everything hurts and I'm scared" cry. Foster care provider took one look at the poor guy and said "oh no - we need to take care of him." Now it's got me worried. Pan Leukemia isn't something to sneeze at. It's got sudden symptoms and when the occur - it's almost always fatal. I'm hoping the other 2 surviving mates end up okay. Needless to say - Lucy is seeing a vet on Friday and we're not fostering cats any more. Kind of sad, really. I enjoyed fostering immensely. But with my travel schedule, dance schedule, and Lucy, we just can't do it.

And frankly the kittens stopped being cute after they started pooping all over our living room floor. Ugh. Spot Shot - best stuff ever!

In other news, I'm apparently heading for Utah, in addition to Los Angeles, this summer for vacations without M. Which is weird to me. But Hawaii in January is looking more and more like a possibility. I can't wait for a vacation where I don't have to WORK. Disneyworld and Europe were great. But they were WORK. Languages, screaming children, walking, walking, and more walking. BLAH. I just want to sit on an empty beach and sip Mai Tais for once.

Now - if I can keep my spending in control. This includes no more dance shoe purchases and dress shopping for like the next 6 months. Part of me wishes I could return those Capezio shoes. They are too tall and I feel awkward in them. I hate having small feet.

So do we get a stimulus check soon? Really soon? I have a credit card to pay off.

4.04.2009

Ice, Ice, Baby

And Motrin... and heat... and physical therapy! Woo!

Gotta love strained muscles in your shoulder.

NO! I didn't injure it dancing, dang it! (Though... it probably made it worse. No more salsa dancing for Jen.)

3.23.2009

My Life via Dave Matthews Band

Using only song titles from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. (Well, okay then! Twist my arm!)

Pick Your Artist: Dave Matthews Band


Are you male or female: Sister

Describe yourself: Dancing Nancies

How do you feel about yourself: I'll Back You Up

Describe where you currently live: Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: You Never Know

Your best friend is: Some Devil

Your favorite color is: The Stone

You know that: You Might Die Trying

What's the weather like: Halloween

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called?: Rhyme and Reason

What is life to you: So Right

What is the best advice you have to give: Don't Drink the Water

If you could change your name, what it would be: The Song that Jane Likes

Your favorite food is: Too Much

3.20.2009

Kitteh vs. Toilet paper

What happens when you leave a 6 month old, rambunctious kitten locked up in a spare bathroom for far too long.

3.18.2009

Oh Hai! Dance Related Gushing!

Yes, I'm still alive.

Between travel and nightly classes, I haven't been home much. And when I am home, I'm quickly spinning through my Netflix queue or catching "Dancing With The Stars." As cheesy as it is, it's suddenly more interesting than American Idol. I guess three years ago, I was more interested in watching singers on TV. Now, I'm just more interested in dancing. And I can see Mark on my TV again.

Much more interesting hobby, I might add. And physically trying. Somehow I have to convince my 27 year old body that I CAN be flexible and wrap my leg around a partner in a lift. (Sigh... this getting old thing sucks.)

I'm happy to report I can do a complete single pirouette on my right leg without falling over. Just don't ask me to repeat it.

And dance is slowly taking over my wardrobe. But I'm on a budget. So when I go shopping, I now think: "hmmm... can I wear this to practice/dance party/competition?" And: "does this come in any other color besides black?" And of course: "am I going to have to add more sparkles to this later?"

Don't even get me started on shoes. I already thought about buying some slick Puma sneakers and putting suede on the bottom. I held back. But still bought Sketchers on sale.

Music: Ah yes. I've got a choreography bug. But most of the ideas are probably better suited in my head. Especially since doing a Paso Doble to "Knights of Cedonia" might not be a good idea at my skill level. But, it's still fun to think about. So is Basement Jaxx and WCS. (Squee!)

So for now, I'll just add "Pokerface" to my Cha Cha list, most Tom Petty songs to my [ECS/WCS/Lindy] Swing list, and Dave Matthews Band to... well, pretty much anything. (Hmmm... Dave and Rumba... heh...) What? If the DWTS folks can Tango to the Star Wars anthem... *sigh*

And... my leg muscles still really hurt. From 3 days ago.

2.28.2009

Lenten Fail

Yeah, so - I'm still logging into Facebook. I fail.

I mean, it's not bad, really. It's only to check to make sure that no one is still trying to contact me with important info through facebook. Though, I am really surprised at how much SPAM I'm getting in my notifications now. I log off for 24 hours and I have 10 new notifications - most of which are ads. It's really bizarre.

But at least I've cut back significantly. That's a start, right?

2.27.2009

Ben and Jerry's Does Politics

A friend posted this to MK-O recently. Hysterical. Just thought I'd share because everyone loves ice cream!

Ben & Jerry’s created "Yes Pecan!" ice cream flavor for President Obama. They then asked people to fill in the blank to the following: For George W. Bush, we should create "_________".

Here are some of their favorite responses:

1. Grape Depression
2. Abu Grape
3. Cluster Fudge
4. Nut'n Accomplished
5. Iraqi Road
6. Chock 'n Awe
7. WireTapioca
8. Impeach Cobbler
9. Guantanamallow
10. imPeachmint
11. Good Riddance You Lousy Motherf’er...Swirl
12. Heck of a Job, Brownie!
13. Neocon Politan
14. RockyRoad to Fascism
15. The Reese's-cession
16. Cookie D'oh!
17. The Housing Crunch
18. Nougalar Proliferation
19. Death by Chocolate...and Torture
20. Credit Crunch
21. Country Pumpkin
22. Chunky Monkey in Chief
23. George Bush Doesn't Care About Dark Chocolate
24. WMDelicious
25. Chocolate Chimp
26. Bloody Sundae
27. Caramel Preemptive Stripe
28. I broke the law and am responsible for the deaths of thousands...with nuts

2.24.2009

Is it that time of year already?

Happy Mardi Gras! Of course, this means that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.

So what did I decide to give up?

Facebook. Yeah - seriously. Just as everyone was starting to migrate over from MySpace, I've decided to give up the social networking site for 40 days. So no logging in... no surfing on my IPod, no keeping the browser window open at work... nothing. I'm done with photo posting, status updates, and wall-spamming.

It really is difficult. I logged off tonight and restarted my browser after surfing ITunes. Force of habit put me back on the homepage. Guess I'll have some web-reworking to do.

Why give up something so trivial? Well, isn't that the point of the Lenten season? Give up something that doesn't make you a better Catholic? Granted, I haven't been to church in... well... a really long time... but I could be doing so many other things than surfing on to Facebook. Like spending time with M, practicing my dance steps, exercising, cooking, or meditating. Sitting in front of the computer at night does take away from some of my social time. And I seem to communicate with my friends more through wall posts than from phone calls and emails.

So that's why I'm taking a break for 40 days. I'm sure I'll break down a few times and check on certain people here and there. But I won't be on 24/7 y'know.

But for those of you who are following the blog on Facebook: you'll still see notes posted because my Blogger account is synced with Facebook Notes. But I'm not actually logging in. (That's not cheating!)

See you in 40 days!

2.22.2009

Minty Fresh

It's amazing what you discover when you are on the road. Late night news watching prompted me to sign up for mint.com: a personal finance tracking website that allows you see your spending habits without having to do the math.

It sounds a little sketchy at first. Enter in all your bank log in info and let the pie charting commence. But I figure, if the local news is reporting on it, it can't be that bad, right? (Plus, there is a whole privacy policy, secure server, statement all over their website. I think we're okay.)

So now, I can see how much I really DO spend at Target per month. Oh... wait... this is supposed to be a good thing?

Anyway, the point is to see, on average, how much we spend where per month. And then set a budget. And maybe stick to it.

Just a tip: turn off the alerts to your email. Otherwise you are gonna get spammed every time you fall below a certain balance or go over budget during the month.

2.17.2009

Movies Move Me

With the weather being the way it was this weekend, plus having an extra day off on Monday, I decided to take advantage of my extensive free time by catching a couple of movies.

As I mentioned before, I saw Slumdog Millionaire on Friday with M. This movie is well worth your $10. It's not the most feel good movie ever, and frankly, I left the theater feeling more like a greedy American, but it is a good film. The story is kind of familiar (guy loses girl, guy tries to find girl, guy has loser-ganster brother... etc.) but the way its told is totally unique. Plus, you get to see a nifty little Bollywood dance during the ending credits. Hooray!
Verdict: SEE IT NOW!!!

Sunday included dinner with K and J and Burn After Reading. This was a movie I originally wanted to see when it was in the theater because Brad Pitt plays a complete moron. Well, let's just say that this was one of the most f'ed up movies I've ever seen. Actually, I wasn't really sure what the plot was. A brief synopsis: everyone is sleeping with everyone else. People die. And the CIA are involved. The end. Oh, and Brad Pitt plays a funny gym rat.
Verdict: see it... but you need a dark sense of humor.

I took advantage of Netflix's Instant Play option and watched Across the Universe on Monday. I remember seeing previews for this a while ago, but don't remember the premise. Storyline is simple enough. But it was kind of like watching Mama Mia on LSD. Every character is named after a Beatles song (Jude... Lucy... Max[well]... Prudence). The characters bust out into Beatles songs throughout the movie. There is lots of sex, drugs and rock and roll. And Bono makes an appearance and sings "I Am the Walrus." What? Wacky. Kind of glad M missed that one. The crazy animation sequences probably would have freaked him out.
Verdict: I'd say it was worth it. But I probably would have liked a few martinis before taking this on.

2.16.2009

Names

Because I can't get enough facebook spam - so I'm bringing this over here too:


1. YOUR REAL NAME:
Jennifer Marie

2. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (mother and fathers middle names):
Marie McDonald (Not bad... not bad at all. I could move to the midwest and stuff.)

3. NASCAR NAME (first name of your mother's dad, father's dad):
Tony Wallace (I can't make this stuff up...)

4. STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name):
Groje (now, the trick would be to figure out if you pronounce the "j" as "jay" or if you pronounce it has "hey."Hmmm... decisions...)

5. DETECTIVE NAME (favorite color, favorite animal):
Brown Cat (well, that's just pathetic.)

6. SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, town where you were born):
Marie Hayward

7. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd fav color, fav drink, add "THE" to the beginning):
The Aqua Latte?

8. FLY NAME (first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name):
Jess

9. ROCK STAR NAME (current pets name, current street name):
Lucy Beadnell (I kind of like that...)

10. PORN NAME (1st pet, street you grew up on):
Cleo Adrian (technically, our first pet was Bozo, but we got Cleo, the goldfish soon after.)

11. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (first 4 letters of real name plus izzle):
Jennizzle

13.YOUR GOTH NAME (black, and the name of one of your pets):
Black Lucy

14. STRIPPER NAME (name of your fav perfume, fav candy):
Happy White Chocolate (say... what?)

2.14.2009

Happy V-D!

What? V-D isn't appropriate? Fine. Yes - it's Valentine's Day y'all. Even as a married woman, I can't stand this holiday. (Although - it did give me the excuse to bust out my bright red Puma sneakers.) I mean, fine - the holiday is cool for little kids with puppy love crushes, new relationships and newlyweds. Granted, I'm still technically a "newlywed," I've been with M for a little over 4 years. And he never liked the holiday to begin with.

This time around, we're actually going to a nice dinner. (Which is shocking in itself - I'm all for eating at Jack's, but something about a good prime rib is definitely calling my name.) So we're heading to Carver's with J and B tonight.

But even last night, things were all V-day like. M and I checked out Slumdog Millionaire because we've had this Regal Theater gift certificate sitting on our fridge for the past 5 months. (The movie was incredible! Definitely see it if you can.) But there were lots and lots of couples (some more decked out than others) in the theater too. So I guess more and more smart couples realize that you don't need ONE day to celebrate your love for one another.

Apparently you need an extended weekend. *groans*

Anyway, happy Valentine's Day or Singles Awareness Day to all.

2.12.2009

Movie Buff

I finally broke down and rejoined Netflix today. I'm hoping that I can catch up on the movies that I failed to watch growing up (and within the last several years.)

The top five on my list:

1) Burn After Reading
2) Amelie
3) Hairspray
4) Failure to Launch
5) In Her Shoes

And Slumdog Millionaire is in there too. But won't be available until March. I guess I should add Twilight for kicks as well.

2.11.2009

Oh. Just Because...

2.10.2009

Random Squees

I'm super excited about a couple of things:

I found out today that the level 3 (intermediate) classes at the studio for Samba, Quickstep and a few others are actually "beginning" classes for "intermediate" dancers. Kind of like the Paso Doble workshop I took this weekend with Ron Montez. (Which by the way, was awesome. Ron is FUNNY. And brilliant. Well worth my funds.) Sooooo... I can take more classes at the studio on Thursday. And I was kind of curious about Samba anyway. Especially after Benji and Dmitry's choreo posted below.

Mark started a blog!!!! And I'm now one of his "followers." So perhaps I can find out what really is on his iTunes playlist because he seems to be posting quite frequently. You can follow along here: http://mkik.blogspot.com. I'm excited to follow along.

Speaking of iTunes: I caught a segment of "The Italian Job" this weekend. During this segment there was this eletronic-type song playing the background. Some Googling later, I found out it was a song called "To Get Down" by Timo Maas. I am now addicted to this song and I'm trying convince my instructor to use this as a showcase song. (But I might have an uphill climb. The song is pretty quick for a WCS.)

And finally, this may be the season that I finally tune in to Dancing with the Stars. The additions of Chelsie Hightower and Dmitry may be the final calling. Plus, M is probably going to tune in because Steve "The Woz" Wozniak is competing. Yup, the guy that founded Apple computers.

2.06.2009

Plain Dumb Luck

I have had one crazy week. Between appointments, meetings and my CAR not starting on Wednesday, I consider this to be pretty amazing considering.

So yes, my car decided that it didn't want to start Wednesday morning. The key physically would not turn in the ignition. Called AAA Emergency Roadside. Said it might be the starter. Said I might need a new one. Fantastic. Was able to get it started but instead of going to work, I drove it straight to Nissan. Coincidentally, I also needed my 60K check up. So I guess this was my car's way of saying "get off your ass and take me in."

Rented a car because I needed to go to work and didn't want to sit around for 5 hours. Got a Nissan Maxima... which was huge. But kind of cool. Push button start. Fast car. :) Maybe a little Bat-mobile-ish. But it was either that or a Kia Spectra. (BARF!)

Into work I go. Get a call 4 hours later. Service desk says they want to recode all my keys because the key that has been working for the past 3 years suddenly doesn't want to work anymore. Fantastic. Especially since all my keys are in different places and if they aren't coded together, they won't all work. So off to Rancho to grab M's key for my car, then back to Enterprise to return the really expensive rental, then back to Nissan for another 45 minutes. (At least there was free wi-fi, snacks, and Scrubs on TV in the lounge.) Get car back. Jet back to work for the last 30 minutes of my shift. (And office birthday cake. Score!)

Leave work - realize that I'm leaving work a little later than I should on a Wednesday because I need time to dress out for dance. Accidents on the freeway galore! I don't get home and settled until I'm supposed to leave for my class, ready to go. My justification for not going: by the time I'd make it there, I'd be 15 minutes late and be counted as absent anyway. What's the point? So hmm... that leaves my evening open.

What do I do? Attempt the Argentine Tango! (Attempt is the key word. With one class, I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.) But yeah! I get to go West Coast Swing. Kind of glad I did that. Ballroom makes me happy. I was not in the mood for jazz hands after today.

Friday rolls around and I get a message from my dance professor:

Dance Students -

Unfortunately I had to cancel class this past Wednesday last minute; I rarely miss class, and when I do I try and find a guest teacher to substitute. I want to remind everyone that despite the holiday we will have class this Monday, February 9th. ARC observes the holidays on February 13 and 16. Have a good weekend.

Tight! I lucked out with that one.


1.28.2009

I Almost Forgot About This

I forgot to mention this weeks ago. So the gals over at MK-O decided to have a Superlative contest for all of the active members to participate in. We all got to vote on a number of categories. Quite fun. I even got a few awards.

The one I'm most proud of:

I Will Never Talk Smack about Jazz Hands Again

I didn't think my jazz class would kick my ass so much. Seriously. My calves are on FIRE. I'm very happy now that I only signed on to do 3 dances on Saturday for City Lights because dancing in heels for any longer might kill me. I'm THAT sore.

I won't even go into the pain on my lower back. But that's my own fault for not bringing a mat to class for ab work. I hate the whole "I can't sit back straight because I feel like my lower back is black and blue." Stupid, dirty, ant-infested, high school multi purpose room.

I'm either going to injure myself or be hella buff by the end of the semester. I'm hoping for the latter.

Please pass the anti-inflammatories. I think I'm actually going to get some sleep tonight. For once!

1.27.2009

School = FAIL

I dropped my Photoshop class today. And I'm kind of relieved. I wasn't really motivated to take it. Especially after I saw the syllabus and realized that a) I could probably teach the course myself and b) I just have WAY too much on my plate right now. Between dancing, work, travel, and therapy, M will be lucky if I make dinner twice a week now.

Thank goodness Trader Joes has frozen dinners I feel less guilty about whipping up real fast. (Their Mac And Cheese is to DIE FOR. YUM!)

Now I can just focus on the ballroom and jazz thing for this first half of the year and not worry about whether or not I turned in a photo assignment. Maybe next semester. (Glad I decided now - the last day to drop for a full refund is Friday!)


In other news - my teeth are finally finished! 4 appointments and lots of Novocaine later, my veneers are on and my thinning front teeth are so much better for it.

Currently obsessed with the following songs: Katy Perry's Hot and Cold, Sam Sparro's Sick, and Fatboy Slim's Everybody Loves a Carnival.

1.24.2009

This is Why I Miss Season 2

Don't get me wrong: I loved SYTYCD Season 4 and the fact that it made me find a hero in Mark, but Season 2 is my ultimate favorite. And... this is why.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzbro3S593I (link for those following on Facebook.)

Yup - that is Benji following Dmitry in a Samba routine. A little too well, I might add. And Travis is somewhere grooving along in the background. I miss these guys. Anya and Neil are there as well (S3).

This vid is courtesy of Ivan, who you might remember as the hip-hopper that could. Apparently he runs a video-blogging/documentary website. His other stuff is pretty funny.

1.22.2009

And All That Jazz...

I'm happy to report that signing up for ARC's Beginning Jazz class is probably one of the better decisions I made last year. It started up last night and here is what I thought.

I was really hesitant about the class because it's a community college course. So I went in half expecting 18 year olds with tons of dance experience trying to get an easy A or something. And then there would be me, who is 10 years their senior trying to bend in all the wrong places. Or the class would require just a ton of group choreography work done on your own time. Blah. "Group homework" is not fun.

Turns out there is a really, really diverse mix in the class. Some with lots of experience, others with none (and I mean, NONE! I jokingly suggested to a small group that we bust out with the Running Man, to which I got two replies of "What's the running man?" [/stunned]). Some looking to up their technique, some are losing weight, and one is cross training for a marathon using the class, so she doesn't get bored looking at the passing scenery. It's really, really neat.

And the teacher! OMG I remember watching him dance when I was in college. (He was part of the theater/dance team.) He is all kinds of awesome so I'm very excited to be learning from him. He likes the word "awkward," I've decided.

Apparently we all have to perform in the college recital at the end of the semester as our final exam. So um, that should be interesting to say the least. (Brings back memories of Greek Sing practice... yuck.) So if you would like to watch me fall over myself on stage, you can probably catch the performance the first weekend of May on the Main Campus. This, however, may or may not happen if the show falls on the same weekend as the Spotlight Spring Show (which, I'd much rather you see me in... no jazz hands for Jen.)

1.21.2009

Play It Again, Sam...

My coffee is cold
And yesterday
Is stuck with me
And I can't wake up
From my sleep
I feel
Like a grain of salt
In the shaker
But the day
That I meet
My maker or the day
That I see my undertaker
Ya see

All I have
Is too many questions
Is there something
Someone forgot
To mention to me
But I walk on
With out hesitation
To my unknown
Own destination
With the music
Like syncopation
And explore
My own imagi... nation

How do I know
If I am right in why
I feel like I do
And separate the truth
From the lies
And why do we only
Take any action
When it comes
To our satisfaction
When we only need
Just a fraction
Of what we need

How do I climb up
On out of this funk
I'm in
And how do I cling
To the frame
Of diving timing?
Why do
I doubt sometimes
That of which
I know for sure?
And why
When I've had enough
Do I seem
To ask for more?
How do I climb up
On out of this funk
I'm in
And how do I cling
To the frame
Of diving timing?
Why do old habits
Die so hard
God knows
I try and try
And why ask why?

-"Too Many Questions" by Sam Sparro

1.13.2009

Random Tidbit

Why is that I only get trivia questions correct that pertain to late 80s and early 90s one-hit wonders?

For example: last night's trivia get together. The answer to the question was the uber explicit, and sexually charged, hip hop group, 2 Live Crew. And the question was "Name the group that came up with these 2 albums titled [insert albums titles here]..." Why was I the only one in our group that knew the answer to this question?

Crap...

1.11.2009

Come to the Dark Side... We have cookies....

I have to commend Ulta Salon for letting me walk in for all of my appointments. I've lucked out with good stylists at the Natomas location for the last couple of months. And they all seem to know what they are doing without a whole lot of explanation. Especially from me, since I can't nail down a trendy hair style pick before it's suddenly not cool anymore. (Looks at the actress that plays Alice Cullen in the Twilight film and sighs.)

So of course I had to take advantage of their 40% color sale they were having, even though I just dyed my hair from a box shortly after Christmas. Unfortunately, I didn't have too much time to think about my color so I randomly picked two colors for mixes that might look good together. Caramel and Mocha Java. Well... it's good for Starbucks... maybe it's good for my hair.

Well... let's just say that it's dark. Very dark. I mean... it's fine. Kind of cool even. But just a bit shocking. It's not permanent, so it'll fade nicely. But the initial impact of my pale skin vs. my dark hair is jarring. I'll need to switch my make up a bit... otherwise I'm going to get Goth Chic comments.

At least she styled it nicely.

1.05.2009

ARGH! That's It... I'm Upgrading!

I'm so sick and tired of running Parallels on my MAC so I can support my office's need for Windows applications. One thing I can't stand is the gratingly slow process it takes to upgrade the dang thing. Granted, updates don't come very often. But I seriously have to stop EVERYTHING for at least 20 minutes while the thing shuts down, reboots, shuts down, reboots, repeat, repeat, repeat. *bangs head here*

I have been holding out on purchasing Leopard (which comes with Bootcamp!) because I've found more important things to buy (um... like Salsa shoes... and Wicked tickets... and plane tickets for another impromptu trip to LA in March... lulz priorities.) But I'm thinking... well, why not be in even more debt than I already am?

Leopard is only $110 on Amazon. My sanity is justification enough, right?

1.01.2009

Happy 2009!

I want to interrupt the LA's BEST recap to say "Happy New Year!"

I hope 2009 is awesome for everyone.

2008 was pretty rough in spots, but it definitely had its moments. So I'm very happy that another year is over and I can start with a clean slate. I'm still thankful for all the things I mentioned in an earlier blog and can't wait to see what 2009 has in store. Again, cautiously optimistic.

I know that a lot of my friends are either getting married, having kids, or graduating this year. Good luck and congrats to all of you!

Things on my to do list this year:
1) Start my wedding stationary business... for real this time.
2) Improve my Photoshop and Illustrator skills.
3) Study for the CMP exam and take it in 2010.
4) Get ahead of myself at work more often so I'm less stressed around the event dates.
5) Plan a totally awesome Marker Reunion/Meet Up in July!
6) Be a more attentive wife to my husband and spend more quality time with him.
7) Dance... dance... and dance some more! YAY! I'm so excited to take the adult beginning jazz class this semester. And even more excited that the studio is offering PiYo classes now! Score!
8) Scrapbook. Because I haven't touched my supplies in THREE YEARS and I should really start documenting things. (One of the Markers has totally inspired me to pick this up again.)
9) Watch more movies and read more books! Especially ones that I haven't seen or read and really should.
10) Travel somewhere I haven't visited before. I'm thinking Seattle with a road trip up to Canada. But I could totally change my mind.