That was definitely a weekend
And there's a going away party for someone in the Blues scene, which starts at a bar on meridian hill in, oh, half an hour, and much as it would be nice to have more of an in in said scene, I'm sure she doesn't care if I get there or not, and it would be nice to be asleep by then. I'm not expecting to be, because I'm writing right now, and I need to possibly mess with a resume more or at least send along said resume, and I feel I should somehow make it look more like I have better Instructional Design chops, but ugh, fried
{and then I started to write all about thurs and fri and sat and today, but then realized I really /am/ falling asleep, so I'll leave it short form}
Friday included swapping out cars and columbia mall and an awesome makeup lady who has a piano teaching studio in damascus, and photos with MM behind the camera (which, since he doesn't seem to need one to hold still, was a way relaxed experience) and RHL providing clothing and posing expertise, and then a little time hanging out in her marvy space, and then after many phone calls securing no plans near Mobtown ended up meeting many friendly Baltimore people (the ones who pointed me toward a place with wireless and remembered me later, the ones at the bar who were going to the dance, the ones at the dance) and fun dances and fun teaching (perhaps expand on the breakdance instructors and the earlier older guy) and a ride home that got me home 2:30 but not asleep til after 4, what with ipad photos and getting the mascara off. There was also the job lead from the lady in the DefCon tee shirt, and the revelations about myself and dance level and teaching and such.
Saturday included a few walks and a lot of not getting to stuff and another trip up near baltimore for a party that is in fact next week. It also included stopping off at starfyrone's for a short visit on the way to Glen Echo, and a less well attended dance than I would have liked (given that I was trying to promote it and everybody I mentioned Boilermakers + Craig Gildner to said it sounded awesome) and a few of the worst dances I've ever had, though I did choose the guys, and a few very very good dances, at least one of them chosen deliberately as "I must dance with a known good now." I didn't mind not dancing quite as much b/c mobtown the night before. (at some point expand on Mobtown's awesomeness and my envy of those who live close by). Saturday also included, though I suppose it was by then Sunday, a blues house dance, where I got far more comfortable as it got later and there were over time fewer folks. It, too, included teaching -- I had just noticed a guy's shirt (friends don't let friends live in Indiana) and the other folks on the porch were trying to explain Blues to him. I asked his permission and started to lead a bit, and then we went inside wehre there was more room and I gave him a couple ideas of a blues frame and that there wasn't really a basic we could do whatever and we spent a few songs and he already was a salsa dancer, so those were pretty enjoyable songs as he very quickly started playing in the rhythms, etc. Danced with another Salsa/Merengue/various other latin dances guy who maybe we were doing swing by then? Dunno, but he'd said someething about having trouble with X and I said try tightening your frame, and he did and then he thanked me for the suggestion. Indiana shirt guy said I had been more helpful than any number of people before. And it included even more kudos. Less so on Friday as it was balanced out with a bunch of beginners, but I had felt so outclassed at Mobtown on Monday. There are a lot of champion dancers there. And I tend to downplay how long I've been dancing, 'cause there are a lot of world traveling teachers out there who've been lindy hopping a far shorter time. But on Friday I said to myself, "hey, you might not be a top of the line dancer, but you are really good at helping people get the basic stuff right." And last night (well, around 3 this morning), a gal I don't all that much know had been sitting on the couch and I'd been dancing with someone in front of her and the song ended and she said my dancing was beautiful. And this boggled me. I blinked at her and protested that I was nowhere near as good as so many people there. She said she wouldn't have said so if she hadn't thought it, and rather than protest again, I asked her to dance, and it was great, and she complimented my leading.
By the time I'd driven L home a little after 4 and then we'd talked past 5 in the car (about dance and gender and sexual identities and a few other topics) and then i'd gotten home and wound down it was past 6.
Got up in time to straighten some and get to Greenbelt Youth Circus with Alain less than 30 seconds before the lights went down. (Some confusion about time on his part; we finally ended up driving separately). Fortunately aramintamd had saved us two seats. As last year, the circus was great fun and damned impressive, including tightrope, clowning, tumbling, silks, lyra, static trapeze, juggling, unicycles, and ball walking. This year's theme was mythology. I'm sure you can guess what Sisyphus included.
Then, starving, Alain and I went to Chevy's, where we enjoyed the lovely evening. Then to Ross, which also amused the hell out of us. I got some dance shoes and galaxy leggings. They have some astonishing shoes there.
Gorgeous sunset, then got home a little after 9. And I had best go to sleep lest I not stay sleepy.
er, I guess that wasn't so much short form. The pics are over on ThinMint. Maybe later.
{and then I started to write all about thurs and fri and sat and today, but then realized I really /am/ falling asleep, so I'll leave it short form}
Friday included swapping out cars and columbia mall and an awesome makeup lady who has a piano teaching studio in damascus, and photos with MM behind the camera (which, since he doesn't seem to need one to hold still, was a way relaxed experience) and RHL providing clothing and posing expertise, and then a little time hanging out in her marvy space, and then after many phone calls securing no plans near Mobtown ended up meeting many friendly Baltimore people (the ones who pointed me toward a place with wireless and remembered me later, the ones at the bar who were going to the dance, the ones at the dance) and fun dances and fun teaching (perhaps expand on the breakdance instructors and the earlier older guy) and a ride home that got me home 2:30 but not asleep til after 4, what with ipad photos and getting the mascara off. There was also the job lead from the lady in the DefCon tee shirt, and the revelations about myself and dance level and teaching and such.
Saturday included a few walks and a lot of not getting to stuff and another trip up near baltimore for a party that is in fact next week. It also included stopping off at starfyrone's for a short visit on the way to Glen Echo, and a less well attended dance than I would have liked (given that I was trying to promote it and everybody I mentioned Boilermakers + Craig Gildner to said it sounded awesome) and a few of the worst dances I've ever had, though I did choose the guys, and a few very very good dances, at least one of them chosen deliberately as "I must dance with a known good now." I didn't mind not dancing quite as much b/c mobtown the night before. (at some point expand on Mobtown's awesomeness and my envy of those who live close by). Saturday also included, though I suppose it was by then Sunday, a blues house dance, where I got far more comfortable as it got later and there were over time fewer folks. It, too, included teaching -- I had just noticed a guy's shirt (friends don't let friends live in Indiana) and the other folks on the porch were trying to explain Blues to him. I asked his permission and started to lead a bit, and then we went inside wehre there was more room and I gave him a couple ideas of a blues frame and that there wasn't really a basic we could do whatever and we spent a few songs and he already was a salsa dancer, so those were pretty enjoyable songs as he very quickly started playing in the rhythms, etc. Danced with another Salsa/Merengue/various other latin dances guy who maybe we were doing swing by then? Dunno, but he'd said someething about having trouble with X and I said try tightening your frame, and he did and then he thanked me for the suggestion. Indiana shirt guy said I had been more helpful than any number of people before. And it included even more kudos. Less so on Friday as it was balanced out with a bunch of beginners, but I had felt so outclassed at Mobtown on Monday. There are a lot of champion dancers there. And I tend to downplay how long I've been dancing, 'cause there are a lot of world traveling teachers out there who've been lindy hopping a far shorter time. But on Friday I said to myself, "hey, you might not be a top of the line dancer, but you are really good at helping people get the basic stuff right." And last night (well, around 3 this morning), a gal I don't all that much know had been sitting on the couch and I'd been dancing with someone in front of her and the song ended and she said my dancing was beautiful. And this boggled me. I blinked at her and protested that I was nowhere near as good as so many people there. She said she wouldn't have said so if she hadn't thought it, and rather than protest again, I asked her to dance, and it was great, and she complimented my leading.
By the time I'd driven L home a little after 4 and then we'd talked past 5 in the car (about dance and gender and sexual identities and a few other topics) and then i'd gotten home and wound down it was past 6.
Got up in time to straighten some and get to Greenbelt Youth Circus with Alain less than 30 seconds before the lights went down. (Some confusion about time on his part; we finally ended up driving separately). Fortunately aramintamd had saved us two seats. As last year, the circus was great fun and damned impressive, including tightrope, clowning, tumbling, silks, lyra, static trapeze, juggling, unicycles, and ball walking. This year's theme was mythology. I'm sure you can guess what Sisyphus included.
Then, starving, Alain and I went to Chevy's, where we enjoyed the lovely evening. Then to Ross, which also amused the hell out of us. I got some dance shoes and galaxy leggings. They have some astonishing shoes there.
Gorgeous sunset, then got home a little after 9. And I had best go to sleep lest I not stay sleepy.
er, I guess that wasn't so much short form. The pics are over on ThinMint. Maybe later.