Trying Something New
I got my hoop! It’s gigantic, which is kind of good because it moves nice and slow.
I can keep it up on my waist for a while, much longer than I’d be able to handle a small hoop for sure, but I still need a lot of practice. It’s a good thing for me to remember that sometimes it takes a while for a new activity to feel natural. Even if my first try doesn’t work brilliantly, I can improve my skill over time.
It’s a little bit like what it says in this article: What Kind of Genius Are You? Some people make their mark when they’re young. For other people, it takes a lot of trial and error, a lot of learning and building, to get to their peak. I’m not saying I’m going to hit my hooping peak at age 65 (ha!), but all of these little adventures give me stories to tell and help my perseverance.
Free Write
I don’t know what to write about today, so I’m just going to start typing and see what happens, ok?
Ok.
I think about money a lot. I’m not sure if this says bad things about my personality, like I’m greedy, or if it’s more that I like predictability. I like knowing that I can afford my rent and my next few meals. I like having the option of going out to dinner with a friend, or dropping in on a belly dance class… though I haven’t done that in quite some time now.
Why is that, I wonder? Why haven’t I been dancing? I think I haven’t been doing classes because of both the time commitment and the cost. I could/should dance at home though. I will say, I am tempted to go buy a hoop from SaraCura though. Not that I’ve ever hooped before, but it sure looks fun. And it seems like it would be good exercise. I’m just not sure we have room for me to practice in this apartment. It may require me to venture into strange areas of my apartment complex, and that might scare the old people! Ha! If I go get one it’ll probably be on Small Business Saturday. Seems like a good idea to me!
Henna Party!
On Sunday I went to the 2011 Jawaahir Dance Company Henna Party! I convinced a couple of friends to join me and we had a great time. It was so fun having the chance to dance in a party setting, as opposed to dancing in the play on Saturday, which was highly nerve-wracking. I think I could handle dancing with a group, but I don’t see myself ever doing solo performances unless they are very, VERY low key.
It was also super fun to play with henna for the first time! I got to draw a robot on my friend Mara’s arm, and she drew a turkey on my right hand. I couldn’t get a good photo of it though because I’m right handed, but it’s hilarious. Gobble!
Vay-Cay!
Aaaaand my 11 days away from work begins… NOW! Ok, vacation really started at about 3pm, but it’s close enough.
I’m keeping up with my photo project quite well thus far. I even posted two shots today! It never hurts to work ahead, heh. I’m going to try to take more interesting photos over the next week and a half since I’ll have so much more time available! I’m really hoping for a nice fluffy snowfall one morning so I can FINALLY get a shot that I bought props for a year ago.
Tomorrow is the 160th day of my new, healthier lifestyle. I’ve lost 34lbs now, and I’m feeling really good. I want to get to the gym several times while I’m on vacation, since I’ve been a bit of a putz with exercise lately. If I ever want to try rapier or armored combat in the SCA, I HAVE to start working out and getting in better shape.
Speaking of SCA, remember the play I mentioned in the last post? I’m belly dancing in it on Saturday! *gulp* I’m already nervous! I need to practice a bunch over the next few days. I also need to finalize my costume. So. Nervous. But also pretty excited. *grin*
Wish me luck!
Comfort In My Skin
One of the things I love about belly dance is the way it can bring me back in touch with my body. Any conscious movement would do roughly the same thing – yoga, running, swimming, etc. – but dancing also gives you an amazing opportunity to blend your physical self with your creative self. It’s a definite confidence builder, and it happens when you aren’t even paying attention.
I found this short documentary a while back and it does a great job covering why I’m so excited about belly dance. In the video, the women seem pretty typical, very similar to the people I’ve met in class. There are many different shapes and ages, and yet they all look graceful, confident, and like they’re having fun!
Also, I’m constantly amazed at the over-all intelligence level of the women who choose this creative outlet. Many of them are leaders. They are earning masters degrees and breaking glass ceilings in their career fields. It’s an amazing environment to be in. If you’ve ever been curious about taking a class, go do it!
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