As I was driving through Salem today, I was thinking about how much I really dislike this wretched town. It is eerie that we have been living here for over 4 years and very little has changed or has been added to Salem. It is such a depressing and dreary little city. It feels as if everyone is just existing, instead of thriving. There is no life behind anything. Dead, or just waiting to die.
Salem is about 10 years behind Portland, which says a lot because Portland is about 5-10 years behind major cities in the U.S. So, a lot of things in Salem are like deja vu for me. Didn't I already do this? Wasn't this already the latest cool thing to do? When I visit Portland I am made aware of how "left behind" I am. With each passing mile along I-5 north, I feel the pulse strengthen and the breath deepen as I get closer to home. I worry about my sons living and growing up in this town. I guess the one saving grace is that we make it to the Portland area several times a month.
So, back to my driving through Salem today and my thoughts about how much I dislike this town; I did the usual self-talk that I am so good at doing - "Oh, c'mon, it isn't so bad! blah, blah, blah." Alright. Maybe it isn't so bad. I decided to make a mental list of all of the things that I like about Salem.
Here is my list. Hope you have a lot of time to read it:
1) Devarshi has a short commute to work, therefore can spend more time with the boys.
2) We live about 5 miles from a great little organic u-pick farm that has rock-bottom prices.
3) Having come from Portland we were able to buy a decent house in a safe neighborhood (Safe is all relative. We have the meth users down the street, the alcoholics, the drunk drivers that hit parked cars, mail theft, the guy who is so clearly grooming the little girls for his personal pleasure, etc. The usual suspects. Still, it beats Felony Flats.)
4) Nikash was born here.
5) It is closer to Eugene than Portland is.
That's my list. It is time to go home.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Mr. Walken
Call me crazy, but I have had a crush on Christopher Walken for a couple of decades now. Not a Johnny Depp kind of crush; something a little different. Nonetheless, a crush. I've been watching the "Sarah, Plain and Tall" movies on the Hallmark Channel, late at night when no one is around. Christopher Walken plays the role of patriarch Jacob Witting. Such an odd choice to play that role, in my opinion. Who sat around thinking "Hmmm.....who should we ask to play the role of Jacob Witting, the strong, awkward widower farmer who turns out to be a subtly romantic man in need of a good plain woman? Oh yes, Christopher Walken would be perfect for that role!" As odd as it seems, he really is perfect for the role. Ok, ok, so this is not his shining moment in acting, not his greatest role ever. This is:
Just give me five minutes alone with him, it would be so much fun! No, no, no - get your minds out of the gutter! Dance, dance.....I want to dance with him!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Because I am too lazy and not creative enough to come up with stuff this good on my own.
(Thanks for sharing, Cheyenne!)
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers,a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard Law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well-grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", has at least one DWI conviction and no college education, didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
Jack Hession
Madison Government Affairs
444 No. Capitol St., NW, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20001
202.347.1223 ext 103
571.245.9094 cell
www.madisongov.net
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers,a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard Law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well-grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", has at least one DWI conviction and no college education, didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
Jack Hession
Madison Government Affairs
444 No. Capitol St., NW, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20001
202.347.1223 ext 103
571.245.9094 cell
www.madisongov.net
Are you with me?
Friends, compatriots, fellow-lamenters,
We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce—on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate—that has a real possibility of becoming fact.
Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, birth control, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she wanted to ban books and attempted to fire the librarian who stood against her), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-most-powerful person on the planet.
We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from.
First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly.
Therefore, we invite you to reply to womensaynopalin@gmail.com with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation.
Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence.
We will post your responses on a blog called "Women Against Sarah Palin," which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience—the greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be.
Thank you for your time and action.
VIVA!
Sincerely,
Quinn Latimer and Lyra Kilston
New York , NY
womensaynopalin@gmail.com
We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce—on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate—that has a real possibility of becoming fact.
Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, birth control, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she wanted to ban books and attempted to fire the librarian who stood against her), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-most-powerful person on the planet.
We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from.
First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly.
Therefore, we invite you to reply to womensaynopalin@gmail.com with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation.
Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence.
We will post your responses on a blog called "Women Against Sarah Palin," which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience—the greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be.
Thank you for your time and action.
VIVA!
Sincerely,
Quinn Latimer and Lyra Kilston
New York , NY
womensaynopalin@gmail.com
Questions to your Answers
No, the posts aren't about YOU. Or, if they are, I already talked to you about it before I posted a blog. That is how I like to work my friendships.
I didn't mean to close the blog. I'm starting another blog about strictly parenting hoo-ha. I meant to have that one closed until I can start posting there. Apparently, I closed both.
For all of you that inquired, quit worrying........it isn't about you. Depending on what is going on in your life, it might strike a chord with you, however.
It isn't about you......it is all about me, don't you know? ;)
I didn't mean to close the blog. I'm starting another blog about strictly parenting hoo-ha. I meant to have that one closed until I can start posting there. Apparently, I closed both.
For all of you that inquired, quit worrying........it isn't about you. Depending on what is going on in your life, it might strike a chord with you, however.
It isn't about you......it is all about me, don't you know? ;)
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Hola Papacito
Our future VP?
Telemundo all the way, baby!
I come across little snippets in books, blog entries, conversations, etc. that strike me as profound or funny or just really stupid. I read this one today at www.VPilf.com (yes, that is VPilf, like MILF, referring to the sexy Mrs. Sarah Palin):
"Is it just me or is she crazy hot. I heard Mccain is goint to hire Hugh Hefners girlfriends to be the Joint chiefs of staff and his whole cabinent is going to be made up of female Telemundo Journalists. And every time he enters a room they have to say "Hola Poppy" in-sync. I'm really starting to like Mccain." (all spelling and grammatical errors are courtesy of the original author, btw)
It struck me as hilarious, but I guess it is only funny if you ever watch Latin American t.v.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Crocs
One of the worst fashion faux pas in recent history is the Croc, or any of the knock-off brand look-a-likes. Seeing children in Crocs isn't too painful; in fact I don't really give it much thought. However, seeing grown men in this fashion blunder called Crocs is excruciating.
At my last visit to the beach grown man after grown man walked past me wearing these obnoxiously hideous shoes, or carried them in their hand while their other hand caressed their honey. I wondered if their girlfriends were embarrassed and asked them to remove the shoes, or if they really thought that it was ok to be seen in public like this. And the colors that these men chose, my God. Black, white and navy blue Crocs are bad enough, but day-glow green, bright orange, sunshine yellow,and, and, and, HOT PINK? We all know I am not some uber-cool fashion hipster chick who only wears cutting-edge clothes straight off of the Paris runway, but c'mon, man, what is wrong with you? Common sense should tell you that Crocs are just plain WRONG.
I want to say that this fashion trend is so,...... je ne sais quois.......so, gay. But even the gayest of my gay friends would not be caught dead in hot pink Crocs. Ew.
Please, gentlemen, do us all a favor and end this ridiculous debacle right here, right now.
Monday, August 04, 2008
For Megan and Ivy
May you be blessed with an easy transition
from mother of two to mother of three.
May you be changed
in all the ways you hope to be changed.
May your body open easily
and then heal.
May the messengers who surround you
guide you through what's coming.
May you know joy
in bringing another soul to the world.
May every first in your new life
and your new daughter's life
shine as brightly as this candle does today.
We love you, Megan, and we are all sending lots of love and light your way. The candles burn strong to help give you strength. I can't wait to meet your beautiful baby girl!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
(If swearing offends you, don't read.) Dear Eliana......
Dear Eliana,
I am supposed to be composing a mature, well thought-out letter to you and your boss about our phone conversation today. But, instead, I am writing THIS because this is really what I want to say to you:
What the fuck were you thinking, you stupid bitch!?! And, who the fuck do you think I am!?! I am not paying your fucking $114 bill. After I specifically told your scheduler, your receptionist, the nurse, the doctor and the nurse again that I did not want those services, that I just wanted the god-damned shot, you went ahead and billed my insurance company anyway for those said services that I refused. The insurance company won't pay for this (like I already told all of the other dip-shits at your office) and this is the second time I am telling you that I am not going to pay.
I told you and your henchmen that if you could not accommodate me, no big deal. I'll just go to the county clinic and pay $40 for the shot and be done with it. You all said, "No problem, Mrs. Bajpai. Come on in....blah, fucking blah, blah, blah." So, when I reminded you, Eliana, of this today you said, "You should have gone to the health clinic. But I am telling you, your children would have nightmares into their adulthood by going there. I was a single mom with no insurance and had to take my son their when he was a boy. To this day he is traumatized and shakes his fist at the county health building whenever he drives by. If you want to do that to your children, go ahead." Whoa. Had she and her son been teleported to a government-run health hovel somewhere in Africa?
Then you go on to tell me that you have worked at this same clinic for 10 years and that never, ever in your work experience have you had to explain to a parent that all of these other services were necessary and that billing for those services has never been a problem. You said that all other parents 'got' the necessity of those services. Your tone implied that I was functioning at the level of someone with a low IQ (possibly lower than yours), and in fact you had never met someone quite as retarded as myself. Maybe, Eliana, you just haven't yet met a parent who actually questions the services that their children receive? Welcome to the New Millennium, madame. We will not be bullied or coerced by you or anyone else who deems themselves to be in authority.
When I explained that once-upon-a-time in Portland (mistake), our pediatrician up there was able to provide the same exact service I requested without doing all of these other exams, you said, and I quote, "Well, Ma'am, you aren't in Portland anymore. I don't know how they do things up in Portland but what they did was illegal. In Salem we don't do things like that. We follow the law. And in Salem we care about folks, not like up in Portland." Do you have any idea how small-minded, ignorant and utterly bucolic you sound? YOU, Eliana, sum up why I so dreaded the move to Salem. Have you ever been out of Salem, even for a day?
Eliana, I have to tell you, I called my insurance company again (because I have so much free time with not much to do because I am so retarded) to chat about the bill, which they think looks "fishy" by the way. When I told the insurance company lady about your statement of "them-thar folks up on Portland doin' them illegal activities", she said, "WHAT!?! That is standard protocol and not illegal at all! The way [Eliana's Company] is doing things is not the norm." So, take that, you litigious bitch.
A few years back we were having a lot of problems with a particular phone company that I will call "Mobili-T". We had so many problems with their poor customer service, in fact, that for a couple of months every time ANYTHING pissed me off I would call their customer service line just to bitch about whatever. For example, let's say I was having a bad day and the straw that broke the camel's back was a driver that nearly side-swiped me. I would pick up my phone, dial 611 and wait for customer service to answer. When they would ask how I was doing I would say, "I'm doing awful. This stupid-ass driver almost hit me and my son and I really hate your piece-of-shit phone and your shitty service and I'm pissed that I am stuck in a contract with you. Blah, blah, blah." They would just listen, then apologize and give me 10 free minutes a month. This is what I want to do with you, Eliana. Every time I have a crappy day I think I will call YOUR direct line and tell you about what a crappy day it is and that I'm still pissed about your crappy service.
These are only snippets of our conversation today. Snippets, I tell you. I could go on and on about the all of the other disparaging and belittling comments you made. However, quite frankly, I'm getting tired and don't want to waste another ounce of energy on you.
Oh, Eliana, how am I going to be able to compose and succinct and mature letter tomorrow, one that airs my grievances towards you? It would have been so much easier for everyone if you would have just said, "Yeah, I feel your pain sister. $114 is a week's worth of groceries, I know. Let me see if we can find another way to bill this again."
Thank you, dear reader, for lending an 'ear'. Now I can go to bed and catch some sleep so that I look radiant tomorrow night when I see all of the really cool, important people with big minds who live in Salem.
I am supposed to be composing a mature, well thought-out letter to you and your boss about our phone conversation today. But, instead, I am writing THIS because this is really what I want to say to you:
What the fuck were you thinking, you stupid bitch!?! And, who the fuck do you think I am!?! I am not paying your fucking $114 bill. After I specifically told your scheduler, your receptionist, the nurse, the doctor and the nurse again that I did not want those services, that I just wanted the god-damned shot, you went ahead and billed my insurance company anyway for those said services that I refused. The insurance company won't pay for this (like I already told all of the other dip-shits at your office) and this is the second time I am telling you that I am not going to pay.
I told you and your henchmen that if you could not accommodate me, no big deal. I'll just go to the county clinic and pay $40 for the shot and be done with it. You all said, "No problem, Mrs. Bajpai. Come on in....blah, fucking blah, blah, blah." So, when I reminded you, Eliana, of this today you said, "You should have gone to the health clinic. But I am telling you, your children would have nightmares into their adulthood by going there. I was a single mom with no insurance and had to take my son their when he was a boy. To this day he is traumatized and shakes his fist at the county health building whenever he drives by. If you want to do that to your children, go ahead." Whoa. Had she and her son been teleported to a government-run health hovel somewhere in Africa?
Then you go on to tell me that you have worked at this same clinic for 10 years and that never, ever in your work experience have you had to explain to a parent that all of these other services were necessary and that billing for those services has never been a problem. You said that all other parents 'got' the necessity of those services. Your tone implied that I was functioning at the level of someone with a low IQ (possibly lower than yours), and in fact you had never met someone quite as retarded as myself. Maybe, Eliana, you just haven't yet met a parent who actually questions the services that their children receive? Welcome to the New Millennium, madame. We will not be bullied or coerced by you or anyone else who deems themselves to be in authority.
When I explained that once-upon-a-time in Portland (mistake), our pediatrician up there was able to provide the same exact service I requested without doing all of these other exams, you said, and I quote, "Well, Ma'am, you aren't in Portland anymore. I don't know how they do things up in Portland but what they did was illegal. In Salem we don't do things like that. We follow the law. And in Salem we care about folks, not like up in Portland." Do you have any idea how small-minded, ignorant and utterly bucolic you sound? YOU, Eliana, sum up why I so dreaded the move to Salem. Have you ever been out of Salem, even for a day?
Eliana, I have to tell you, I called my insurance company again (because I have so much free time with not much to do because I am so retarded) to chat about the bill, which they think looks "fishy" by the way. When I told the insurance company lady about your statement of "them-thar folks up on Portland doin' them illegal activities", she said, "WHAT!?! That is standard protocol and not illegal at all! The way [Eliana's Company] is doing things is not the norm." So, take that, you litigious bitch.
A few years back we were having a lot of problems with a particular phone company that I will call "Mobili-T". We had so many problems with their poor customer service, in fact, that for a couple of months every time ANYTHING pissed me off I would call their customer service line just to bitch about whatever. For example, let's say I was having a bad day and the straw that broke the camel's back was a driver that nearly side-swiped me. I would pick up my phone, dial 611 and wait for customer service to answer. When they would ask how I was doing I would say, "I'm doing awful. This stupid-ass driver almost hit me and my son and I really hate your piece-of-shit phone and your shitty service and I'm pissed that I am stuck in a contract with you. Blah, blah, blah." They would just listen, then apologize and give me 10 free minutes a month. This is what I want to do with you, Eliana. Every time I have a crappy day I think I will call YOUR direct line and tell you about what a crappy day it is and that I'm still pissed about your crappy service.
These are only snippets of our conversation today. Snippets, I tell you. I could go on and on about the all of the other disparaging and belittling comments you made. However, quite frankly, I'm getting tired and don't want to waste another ounce of energy on you.
Oh, Eliana, how am I going to be able to compose and succinct and mature letter tomorrow, one that airs my grievances towards you? It would have been so much easier for everyone if you would have just said, "Yeah, I feel your pain sister. $114 is a week's worth of groceries, I know. Let me see if we can find another way to bill this again."
Thank you, dear reader, for lending an 'ear'. Now I can go to bed and catch some sleep so that I look radiant tomorrow night when I see all of the really cool, important people with big minds who live in Salem.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
"What is Modern Dance?", you ask..........
Since my last post I have had many people ask me, "So, what exactly is Modern dance?" Ok, so maybe it hasn't been "many" people, more like 5 or 6. Considering I didn't realize that that many people read my blog, it seems like a lot.
Yes, what is Modern dance? A very good question. Basically, at the end of the 19th Century dancers in Europe and the U.S. started to rebel against Classical Ballet. It was deemed too constraining, too rigid, etc. These rogue dancers shed their pointe shoes and tutus and began a whole new movement of dance, with its own set of rules and techniques. Modern dance, at the time, was described as more of a free-style, expressionist type of dance and was greatly inspired by the ancient classical dances of India.
A few names you may (or may not) recognize are Martha Graham, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Merce Cunningham, Charles Weidman....... - Oh my goodness, I am getting way to giddy typing this list of pioneers of Modern and Post-Modern Dance - must...stop...now.
This is just a brief history of the very beginnings of Modern Dance. Today there are many different techniques that have inadvertently become just as rigid and as constraining as Classical Ballet.
Most community Modern Dance classes today are a hodgepodge of the different techniques and styles. Here is a short clip of the kind of stuff that we do in the class that I am taking:
Yes, what is Modern dance? A very good question. Basically, at the end of the 19th Century dancers in Europe and the U.S. started to rebel against Classical Ballet. It was deemed too constraining, too rigid, etc. These rogue dancers shed their pointe shoes and tutus and began a whole new movement of dance, with its own set of rules and techniques. Modern dance, at the time, was described as more of a free-style, expressionist type of dance and was greatly inspired by the ancient classical dances of India.
A few names you may (or may not) recognize are Martha Graham, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Merce Cunningham, Charles Weidman....... - Oh my goodness, I am getting way to giddy typing this list of pioneers of Modern and Post-Modern Dance - must...stop...now.
This is just a brief history of the very beginnings of Modern Dance. Today there are many different techniques that have inadvertently become just as rigid and as constraining as Classical Ballet.
Most community Modern Dance classes today are a hodgepodge of the different techniques and styles. Here is a short clip of the kind of stuff that we do in the class that I am taking:
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Dance
I am going to ramble and be disjointed and disorganized in my writing. Please forgive me.
Dance. Ah, sweet dance. One of the great constants of my life. I didn't actually start taking ballet until I was 12 years old, pretty late for an aspiring ballerina to start dancing. At my first class, however, I was bit by the bug and have been hooked ever since.
I have been blessed to study under some very talented dancers, some of whom were great teachers and some of whom were not. Regardless, being in their presence and knowing what they had accomplished as dancers greatly inspired me.
I was strictly a ballet dancer all through junior high and high school. I was never a great dancer, but good enough. I did, however, have incredible arches in my feet and teachers loved them while other dancers were green with envy. One of my teachers nicknamed my feet The Golden Arches.
My freshman year of college I received a scholarship and did an apprenticeship with Ballet Oregon (which later merged with Portland Ballet and became what is now the Oregon Ballet Theatre). That was also the same year that I took my first Modern dance class.
I think that the Modern dance class threw me into some kind of an identity crisis (for lack of a better term) with regards to my thoughts on dance and the dance world. I was so consumed with ballet for so many years that the modern classes tripped me up and spun me around on my head, literally and figuratively.
By spring term that year I had quit my formal ballet training and just took dance classes at the college. Who knows where I might be today if I would have stayed at Ballet Oregon and continued with my apprenticeship at the professional level.
"Just taking dance classes at the college" opened up some doors for me and gave me some experiences that I might not have otherwise had. I got paid $25/hour for several photo shoots modeling ballet garb. That was a lot of money to a poor college kid back in the late 80s. I was introduced to "liturgical dance" and performed with a troupe that recreated religious and folk dances from the Middle Ages. We performed all around town during Easter. We filmed the whole performance at Cable Access in Portland and to this day it can sometimes be seen on t.v. during Easter. Dance of the Angels; look for it. There were several other projects/performances that I got to be a part of that ended up being on t.v. and received write-ups in the paper. I even dabbled in jazz and folk dance.
When I transferred to the University of Oregon I immediately enrolled in ballet and modern classes. I received a minor in dance so I not only took dance classes, but also dance history, theory, staging and lighting, etc. I have so many fond memories of my dance experiences there.
So, fast forward 15 years, 2 kids and 40 pounds. I've been missing dance like crazy the past few years. I keep putting it off because 'I am too fat', 'I am too old', 'It is too expensive', 'I don't have consistent child care', or insert whatever other excuse you can come up with. However, I bit the bullet and signed up for a modern dance class at the YMCA. It is just a 4 week summer session class, so it is a good way for me to get my feet wet and see if I still have it in me. I have discovered that I definitely still have it in me.
It does kick my ass, though. What happened? Never before did I drip sweat or get winded in a dance class. Nor did my thighs jiggle. I am like a beginner on so many levels, which is humbling, yet at the same time I am relishing it. I am not there to compete with anyone or try to impress anyone. I am there because of my love of dance and because it is amazing exercise.
I am so looking forward to the fall when there are more classes available. I can't wait to touch a ballet barre again and continue to caress the floor with my Golden Arches, which I still have, by the way, and, thank you very much, it was one of the first things that the 20-something-year-old teacher noticed about me.
I caught wind of an Eastern European folk dance class in Salem that is supposedly free. Anyone know anything about it? Anyone want to take it with me?
Dance. Ah, sweet dance. One of the great constants of my life. I didn't actually start taking ballet until I was 12 years old, pretty late for an aspiring ballerina to start dancing. At my first class, however, I was bit by the bug and have been hooked ever since.
I have been blessed to study under some very talented dancers, some of whom were great teachers and some of whom were not. Regardless, being in their presence and knowing what they had accomplished as dancers greatly inspired me.
I was strictly a ballet dancer all through junior high and high school. I was never a great dancer, but good enough. I did, however, have incredible arches in my feet and teachers loved them while other dancers were green with envy. One of my teachers nicknamed my feet The Golden Arches.
My freshman year of college I received a scholarship and did an apprenticeship with Ballet Oregon (which later merged with Portland Ballet and became what is now the Oregon Ballet Theatre). That was also the same year that I took my first Modern dance class.
I think that the Modern dance class threw me into some kind of an identity crisis (for lack of a better term) with regards to my thoughts on dance and the dance world. I was so consumed with ballet for so many years that the modern classes tripped me up and spun me around on my head, literally and figuratively.
By spring term that year I had quit my formal ballet training and just took dance classes at the college. Who knows where I might be today if I would have stayed at Ballet Oregon and continued with my apprenticeship at the professional level.
"Just taking dance classes at the college" opened up some doors for me and gave me some experiences that I might not have otherwise had. I got paid $25/hour for several photo shoots modeling ballet garb. That was a lot of money to a poor college kid back in the late 80s. I was introduced to "liturgical dance" and performed with a troupe that recreated religious and folk dances from the Middle Ages. We performed all around town during Easter. We filmed the whole performance at Cable Access in Portland and to this day it can sometimes be seen on t.v. during Easter. Dance of the Angels; look for it. There were several other projects/performances that I got to be a part of that ended up being on t.v. and received write-ups in the paper. I even dabbled in jazz and folk dance.
When I transferred to the University of Oregon I immediately enrolled in ballet and modern classes. I received a minor in dance so I not only took dance classes, but also dance history, theory, staging and lighting, etc. I have so many fond memories of my dance experiences there.
So, fast forward 15 years, 2 kids and 40 pounds. I've been missing dance like crazy the past few years. I keep putting it off because 'I am too fat', 'I am too old', 'It is too expensive', 'I don't have consistent child care', or insert whatever other excuse you can come up with. However, I bit the bullet and signed up for a modern dance class at the YMCA. It is just a 4 week summer session class, so it is a good way for me to get my feet wet and see if I still have it in me. I have discovered that I definitely still have it in me.
It does kick my ass, though. What happened? Never before did I drip sweat or get winded in a dance class. Nor did my thighs jiggle. I am like a beginner on so many levels, which is humbling, yet at the same time I am relishing it. I am not there to compete with anyone or try to impress anyone. I am there because of my love of dance and because it is amazing exercise.
I am so looking forward to the fall when there are more classes available. I can't wait to touch a ballet barre again and continue to caress the floor with my Golden Arches, which I still have, by the way, and, thank you very much, it was one of the first things that the 20-something-year-old teacher noticed about me.
I caught wind of an Eastern European folk dance class in Salem that is supposedly free. Anyone know anything about it? Anyone want to take it with me?
Monday, July 07, 2008
Running with scissors
Just a couple of things running with scissors through my mind tonight......
1) I keep thinking about 4th of July. I went to a low-key, family-friendly gathering at a very dear friend's house. I knew, or at least had previously met, everyone there. Except for one - K. Sweetest young man, a very doting husband and father, a vet who has done a couple of rounds in Iraq. "Where's K.?", we asked, whilst watching the downtown fireworks from my friends' balcony. My heart was broken and sickened with the response. "He is in the bathroom hiding out. The explosion of the fireworks sound just like I.E.D.s", answers his sister.
2) I HATE drugs (as in heroin, cocaine, meth, etc.).
There really is a lot more to say, but enough for now. My brain feels heavy and I need to sleep.
1) I keep thinking about 4th of July. I went to a low-key, family-friendly gathering at a very dear friend's house. I knew, or at least had previously met, everyone there. Except for one - K. Sweetest young man, a very doting husband and father, a vet who has done a couple of rounds in Iraq. "Where's K.?", we asked, whilst watching the downtown fireworks from my friends' balcony. My heart was broken and sickened with the response. "He is in the bathroom hiding out. The explosion of the fireworks sound just like I.E.D.s", answers his sister.
2) I HATE drugs (as in heroin, cocaine, meth, etc.).
There really is a lot more to say, but enough for now. My brain feels heavy and I need to sleep.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Anyone want my alligator meat?
One of the things that I love about traveling, whether it be domestic or abroad, is trying new food. Or, trying old food (not old in the dried up or moldy sense, but old as in familiar) with a different twist. Some of the things I have tried I love and others I could never even see again and be ok with it. I'm not fond of alligator, turtle or most goat cheeses, nor do I like beef or sausage at any locale across the Big Pond.
However, here are a few of my favorites:
*Cheese - any kind of cheese (except most goat)
*Chocolate croissants from Le Panier at Pike Place Market
*Turkey po' boy sandwich at The Gumbo Shop in New Orleans
*Cornish game hen from La Lousienne in New Orleans
*Iced coffee and beignets from Cafe du Monde, New Orleans
*Hot dog from street vendor in New York City
*Fresh bagels from small cafe run by Jewish family just outside of Harlem in New York City
*Salad with ham and gruyere cheese at an outdoor cafe in Paris,France
*Roasted chicken at small inn near Glendalough, Ireland
*Chicken Cashel Bleu at classy restaurant across the way from the Rock of Cashel in Cashel, Ireland
*Toasted cheese sandwich at that pub on the highway near Waterford, Ireland
*Fried egg sandwich with bacon and cheese at cafe run by Italians near Buckingham Palace, London, England
*Coppa Nostra at Italian joint near Bedford Square in London, England
*Fish enchiladas at La Sirena Gordita in Zihuatenejo, Mexico
*Chicken tamales and cheese quesadillas from Cafe Tacuba in Mexico City, Mexico
*Tomato, avocado, onion salad from Los Arcos cafe in Cuernavaca, Mexico
As I make this list, I wonder if it was really the food that was so damn good and memorable, or was is the ambiance of the place, the people, the smells, etc.? Like the toasted cheese sandwich near Waterford, Ireland. I mean, c'mon, it is cheese and mayo and bread! However, I was the only woman in the pub and from the looks that I got I think I was the ONLY woman who had ever crossed the threshold of the pub. There were drunk Irishmen wearing knit caps and tweed coats who had arrived on their bicycles, pounding down pints and singing old Irish ballads. It was like stepping onto the set of "The Quiet Man".
Nonetheless, I am now starving and I am going to make some scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast with jam and an iced latte!
However, here are a few of my favorites:
*Cheese - any kind of cheese (except most goat)
*Chocolate croissants from Le Panier at Pike Place Market
*Turkey po' boy sandwich at The Gumbo Shop in New Orleans
*Cornish game hen from La Lousienne in New Orleans
*Iced coffee and beignets from Cafe du Monde, New Orleans
*Hot dog from street vendor in New York City
*Fresh bagels from small cafe run by Jewish family just outside of Harlem in New York City
*Salad with ham and gruyere cheese at an outdoor cafe in Paris,France
*Roasted chicken at small inn near Glendalough, Ireland
*Chicken Cashel Bleu at classy restaurant across the way from the Rock of Cashel in Cashel, Ireland
*Toasted cheese sandwich at that pub on the highway near Waterford, Ireland
*Fried egg sandwich with bacon and cheese at cafe run by Italians near Buckingham Palace, London, England
*Coppa Nostra at Italian joint near Bedford Square in London, England
*Fish enchiladas at La Sirena Gordita in Zihuatenejo, Mexico
*Chicken tamales and cheese quesadillas from Cafe Tacuba in Mexico City, Mexico
*Tomato, avocado, onion salad from Los Arcos cafe in Cuernavaca, Mexico
As I make this list, I wonder if it was really the food that was so damn good and memorable, or was is the ambiance of the place, the people, the smells, etc.? Like the toasted cheese sandwich near Waterford, Ireland. I mean, c'mon, it is cheese and mayo and bread! However, I was the only woman in the pub and from the looks that I got I think I was the ONLY woman who had ever crossed the threshold of the pub. There were drunk Irishmen wearing knit caps and tweed coats who had arrived on their bicycles, pounding down pints and singing old Irish ballads. It was like stepping onto the set of "The Quiet Man".
Nonetheless, I am now starving and I am going to make some scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast with jam and an iced latte!
Saturday, June 07, 2008
The Farmer's Field
Earlier today I was looking down into the kitchen sink as I was washing the dishes. I thought to myself, "Something is out in the farmer's field." Looking up, I scanned the field. Nothing there except for the rhubarb that is not being tended. This is the last summer that we will have this beautiful field behind our house. They will begin to build 34 new homes back there this fall. Yuck. Devarshi's voice jerked me back into the present as he called to the boys from upstairs. "Boys, come quickly! Look, there is a deer in the farmer's field eating the rhubarb."
Oh, Lucy!
I dreamed that I was pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl. I named her Lucia, because she was to be the bearer of light, and called her Luci for short.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Hi, I'm Karen.
I hit up an Al-Anon meeting last night and ironically the topic of discussion was 'blame'. Ironic because just a couple of days ago I posted about who, in my past, I blamed for my sister's battle with drugs.
I came away holding onto the reminder that in conflict sometimes no one is to blame. Sometimes the conflict is what it is and no one is right and no one is wrong, no one to blame. Just a difference of opinion. I have been too eager to take the blame for a lot of things in my life, when really there is no one to blame. This is a definite character defect of mine. It is easier to say "Oh, I'm sorry. That is my fault." just to avoid someone else feeling uncomfortable. Why can't I just let it be? For so long I had done such a good job of not doing this any more, but unfortunately, I have gotten back into this bad habit.
I love gentle reminders that kindly kick my ass, put me in my place and set me on the right track again.
I came away holding onto the reminder that in conflict sometimes no one is to blame. Sometimes the conflict is what it is and no one is right and no one is wrong, no one to blame. Just a difference of opinion. I have been too eager to take the blame for a lot of things in my life, when really there is no one to blame. This is a definite character defect of mine. It is easier to say "Oh, I'm sorry. That is my fault." just to avoid someone else feeling uncomfortable. Why can't I just let it be? For so long I had done such a good job of not doing this any more, but unfortunately, I have gotten back into this bad habit.
I love gentle reminders that kindly kick my ass, put me in my place and set me on the right track again.
Yeats
Have I mentioned how much I love W.B. Yeats? My love affair with him and his writing all began in the mid-90s when I first visited Thoor Ballylee, Yeats' home where he lived and wrote from 1919 to 1929. It wasn't until my second visit to the home in 2000 that I realized that the home was actually built in the 16th century by the de Burgo (later Burke) family, which are my maternal ancestors. Standing on top of that Norman tower and taking in all 360 degrees of the view, I felt so connected to the land, to the home, to the writer. "This", (she says with a grand sweeping gesture), "is what inspired a lot of his work." Ah, sweet William. Sweet Ireland. I miss you so.
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