tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18875683507658012512024-03-05T19:16:57.759-08:00Confessions of an Adult Irish Dancer30 years old and starting overUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-46845555660912386222017-10-21T19:49:00.002-07:002017-10-22T19:35:11.167-07:00“Giving up ... is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times.”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How does the saying go, "If you love something, let it go."<br />
<br />
I let dancing go for a while.<br />
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But it now seems to have come back . . . hopefully more to report soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-74946733969961378232015-10-22T19:37:00.000-07:002015-10-22T19:38:00.871-07:00Adults vs. & Overs: an op-ed on the various pros and consThis was the first week this term that I missed class. I will let you guys be my judges - I had to skip cause the house we are in the process of buying was being inspected and we kind of needed to be there for it. Valid excuse?<br />
<br />
So, to give you an equal break from my class updates, of which I have none, and I am sure you were sick of them anyway, I decided to write about something else this week. After a conversation with one of my besties (who also happens to dance), I was inspired to do this little opinion piece of the various pros and cons of both Adults and &Overs.<br />
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For the sake of clarity, I am referring both to the obvious (competitions) but also to classes. I've danced both with the littles and other adults, and while by no means consider myself expert on the subject, I at least have a little knowledge I can share with you, rather then waxing philosophic for another week about my struggling through class. PLEASE, keep in mind these are all just from my personal experience and do not represent all, or even MOST dance classes. All schools and classes are unique<br />
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Without further ado:<br />
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<b><u><br /></u></b>
<br />
<ul>
<li><u>Conversation/personal interactions during class/competitions</u></li>
<ul>
<li><b>"Adults" Pro: </b></li>
<ul>
<li>peer group</li>
<li>easier to talk to </li>
<li>more shared interests and life experience</li>
<li> ability to swear without feeling bad</li>
</ul>
<li><b>"Adults" con; </b></li>
<ul>
<li>sometimes you end up shooting the shit more and dancing less</li>
</ul>
<li><b>"&Overs" Pro: </b></li>
<ul>
<li>get to form relationships with youngers, </li>
<li>maybe provide a good influence</li>
<li>show them it's never to late to go after dreams</li>
</ul>
<li><b>"&Overs" con: </b></li>
<ul>
<li>You have to listen to conversations about Disney Chanel, homework and such statements as "my life is OVER (insert tweeny drama here)" and NOT laugh at how trivial it sounds compared to grown up problems</li>
<li>kids might look at you like you are weird</li>
<li>"Aren't you too old for this class" (see <a href="http://rinceoirfasta.blogspot.com/2014/03/dance-class-update-in-which-nine-year.html" target="_blank">some of my previous experiences</a>)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><u>Practice/Drill time/Class time</u></li>
<ul>
<li><b>"Adults" Pro: </b></li>
<ul>
<li>People mainly learning at the same pace as you, </li>
<li>people able to focus as long as you, </li>
<li>needing the same amount of water breaks as you</li>
<li>people who understand the aches and pains of being an older dancer</li>
<li>classes tend to be little less structured, a lot more independent practice and personal input into what you want to work on (this also depends on class size) </li>
</ul>
<li><b>"Adults" con; </b></li>
<ul>
<li>If one person needs to sit down for a minute it's tempting for everyone to sit down for a minute (see above, both about being able to converse, and about spending too much time talking lol!)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>"&Overs" Pro: </b></li>
<ul>
<li>CHALLENGE! </li>
<li>Keep up with the kids half your age</li>
<li>high energy class </li>
<li>more strident drilling</li>
<li> more repetition of steps (kids with short attention spans need to have the 'learning' part of their steps repeated), </li>
<li>usually very structured classes</li>
</ul>
<li><b>"&Overs" con: </b></li>
<ul>
<li>more repetition of steps (kids with short attention spans need to have the 'learning' part of their steps repeated) - it's both a blessing and a curse. </li>
<li>Kids can sometimes just do more then you can, </li>
<li>everyone looks at you weird when your trick ankle flares up and you are limping across the room</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><u>Feiseanna</u></li>
<ul>
<li><b>"Adults" Pro: </b></li>
<ul>
<li>camaraderie </li>
<li>sense of team work </li>
<li>get to know everyone in your competition really well </li>
<li>less stress/pressure </li>
<li>competing against people with similar ages and strength/weakness brackets </li>
<li>focus more on competing against your previous best, rather then against the other dancers</li>
<li>don't have to worry about the blingy outfits and wigs </li>
</ul>
<li><b>"Adults" con:</b> </li>
<ul>
<li>Smaller competition sizes (depending on region/feis/phase of the moon - some regions have more in adults then in the highest age &overs), </li>
<li>Restrictions; must wear tights, can't dance non-trad speeds, can't wear blingy stuff if you want to</li>
<li>adult catagories at competitions are usually very small, if they exist at all </li>
<li>will have to drop down to &overs if you want to go further then prizewinner</li>
</ul>
<li><b>"&Over" pros:</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Bigger competitions (usually)</li>
<li>varied competition</li>
<li>If you can beat someone half your age, you <i>know</i> you've earned it</li>
<li>Can wear the fun dresses - or not. Same for tights (TC usually does have opinions that need to be taken into a consideration no matter where you go though) *Bonus; If you wear a wig, guarantee it will take between 4-10 years off of you!*</li>
<li>Can keep rising through levels without having to change catagories and re-acclimate yourself to a new competition "set"</li>
</ul>
<li><b>"&Overs Cons:"</b> </li>
<ul>
<li>You are literally competing against 15-20 people who are half your age - ARE YOU CRAZY?</li>
<li>Younger, sprier bodies mean high jumps, bouncer steps and better stamina with less effort</li>
<li>More competitors means harder competition</li>
<li>less people to "hang out" with - you aren't part of the "adults" club to hang out with them between dances, but you are to old to hang out with the teens you dance against.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So .. . there it is. Again, these are just my observations, and there are a lot of variables that need to be taken into consideration. Some teachers are adamant about not wanting the adults to dance with the kids, some prefer it. Some regions have a SUPER active Adults category, while other have none. Some kids classes are super laid back, some adults classes are super competitive. There are no right or wrong answers here. If you are an adult considering a class, take EVERYTHING into consideration and decide what feels right for you. Like I said, I've done both. I've loved doing both. What's right for me now is slogging alongside the kiddos - doesn't mean that down the road kicking butt with fellow adults isn't in the cards for me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is only ONE thing for certain - if you are considering taking a class or competing as an Adult, not only CAN YOU . . .but you have OPTIONS. So do it!!!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-50164378835011064062015-10-12T17:57:00.000-07:002015-10-12T17:57:22.016-07:00Class report 3: thing's I've learned1. Don't cook your post dance class pierogis and onions while still dressed for dance class. Onion smell does not wash out easily and boob sweat is gross enough, so you really don't want your sports bra to smell extra weird.<br />
<br />
2. I might overheat less if I wore less layers. And if the dress code adopted by the rest of the class is any indication, no one will care if I wear shorts instead of old lady capris. Just, don't wear shorts as short as some of the teens - that is, with an inseam shorter then some pairs of underwear.<br />
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3. My stamina improves every week. My complete, death-like exhaustion post class remains consistent. This is. . . . good? Despite being able to maintain energy through class, I am still pushing myself hard, I guess?<br />
<br />
4. The medium sized child who stares at me all the time (who I was terrified was going to turn into Demon Spawn 2; return of the nine-year old) actually smiled and talked to me for a minute today - and was following my lead in drills. So - yeah! Another tween who doesn't think I am a complete freak-show! I am winning them over, one Disney-channel-lovin'-heart at a time.<br />
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5. The trick to my second Novice LJ step is to remember that the heel is the directional lead, not the leap!!! Now just pull it up to speed and keep the bounce<br />
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6. Other LJ news, my directionals are good, nothing else to learn there, and my bounce is continuing to improve.<br />
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7. The five year old practicing LJ with me is basically my spirit animal, complete with exhausted sighs of 'oh, I need to sit down' 'ouch, my knee hurts' and 'here, let me just go practice by myself over in the corner'. Only she's cuter. Cause she's five. Though, I actually went the whole class with having to sit and breath, so neener-neener . . .<br />
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I think that's it for this week gang. I am beat, full of chicken sandwhich amazingness and about to veg out on the couch watching Love It or List It, while yelling at the TV like my Great Grandmother used to.<br />
<br />
Slainte!<br />
~Meara<br />
<br />
PS. It's like I'm a real student now - finally got around to ordering a school jersey! Woot!<br />
<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-91581712251218449632015-10-05T17:48:00.001-07:002015-10-05T17:52:03.663-07:00Class report 2Wow, second class into the year and my resolve was already tested. Didn't sleep well last night, my knees hurt, I am late getting out of work, I smell bad, I have like 5 books I could be at home reading right now, I haven't played zoo tycoon in AGES.<br />
<br />
Like - sometimes I wonder why all the things I never actually bother to do when I am home on the couch aimlessly chanel flipping decide they must be done when I am supposed to be in class. That little bewigged irish dance blerch taunting me with cookies, and rewatching Jig a few times and crying.<br />
<br />
BUT! I went. I am even more tired, even more hurty, smell even funnier. I was 10 minutes late to class and I was not prevented from walking through the door by an invisible "you're late" barrier. I still have those 5 books to read to keep me entertained now that I am not convinced I will be able to move for the rest of the night, and zoo tycoon is still an option. Cookies might still be on the agenda, because they are a perfectly suitable post-work out meal, right?<br />
<br />
Progress was good tonight though I felt - honestly, being a little late actually works to my advantage. I don't burn out all my energy on endless hardshoe drills in the first 10 minutes of class.<br />
<br />
Continued work on my SPD. Remembered the new chunk I learned last week (second half of 1st part - god that sounds sad) and then began working on the rest of everything and was reminded my sticking point with this good ol' set dance - it's not the dance it self. I have all the chunks, all the pieces pretty wall nailed down. It's just there are soSOso many friggle-fraggle brush hop heel downs, and tip-down tip-downs, and then just some random rock-rock-rock thrown in there - it's all to much the same stuff being repeated and for some reason that makes it a pattern I can't seem to ever remember! I mean the 4 trebles, the treble cut treble, and the tip outs - perfect! Have had that part down pat for years, precisely because it's a sequence. The rest, I just don't know if I will ever be able to wrap my poor brain around. But, that is the focus for this weeks.<br />
<br />
Highlights from drilling the SPD tonight were having my TC say my trebles were best in the group (best agains 10 year olds, but hey, I take what praise I can get) and that my rocks, which she only just showed us for the first time tonight were actually not too bad at all. High praise, considering . . . . Also, that blessesd "ah-ha" moment when my stumbling through steps actually fit the timing of the music.<br />
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For softshoe it was all Light Jig again. Miracle of miracles, still remembered the whole 1st and 2nd step from last week. Still occasionallly wrong foot myself on the second, but in general it's there and I can start bashing out some technique, which I did for most the class. My teenager drill master also had a little to deal with so I managed to score some independent practice. Like, let's be honest, I will be my own harshest critic when I do it wrong, and this way you don't need to stand there feeling awkward as I melt into a whimpering puddle on the floor. After a good chunk of solo practice had her go over it with me again.<br />
<br />
Highlights were getting confirmation that I had significant more bounce and better pointed toes this week. Also actually got to use some mirror space for most of my drilling and could really make sure that I was staying turned out and up while doing my back-two-three-fours.<br />
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Exhausted but victorious. One victory a week I guess.<br />
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Now, to continue my glam life report - I have 2 piles of cat vom to clean up and tea to dribble down my front because it hurts too much to sit up to drink it.<br />
<br />
Slainte!<br />
¬M<br />
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<i>Bribes to practice form this week: new ghillie laces if I practice this week and go to class next week</i><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-18614216832722196032015-09-28T20:10:00.000-07:002015-09-28T20:10:10.510-07:00Class report 1So I told a lie the other week - TONIGHT was <em>my</em> first class. We were on an alternate schedule for 2 weeks so I couldn't make it. <br />
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Class was good, it was good to be back, even if it was so hot and I was so over heated I felt like I was going to puke. I didn't, so we will consider that a win.<br />
<br />
Amazingly, I remembered more of my SPD then expected. On the down side, I totally space-cadetetted, on my new light jig that I had started learning at the end of last year. The silver lining to all this is they are both dances that I need to work on, specifically SPD, which is my last dance still in AB. Light Jig is just a good place to start the ball rolling on my plans to dominate novice. I already know the step, I just need to remember it, and, according to the teen teacher's helper that was drilling me, make it more bouncy, hop into the air more, keep my feet pointed down on my kicks, pull my knees up higher- pretty much everything. She was actually super helpful and sweet. I don't mind when she is the one drilling me; she actually pretends to laugh at my stupid jokes and is abundantly patient with me when I am literally crawling on the floor out of breath, or when I am completely fumbling the step I had right just a minute ago. <br />
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I am taking a lot of signs and opportunities this year. I only signed up for once class a week. I know this may sound counterproductive to you multi-classer types, but it always ended up being "Eh, I am not up for class today, I will just go hit the Wed. night class - wedsnday classes are better for me anyway cause that is the adult class." And then, when Wednesday night would roll around "Tonight's class is just so late and I have been at work all day, and I have to work in the morning and and and . . . ." Needless to say I had the exact same excuses for Saturday classes too.<br />
<br />
So, one class a week, all or nothing. If I don't go tonight, I don't go this week.<br />
<br />
I have also resorted to self-bribery.<br />
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If I don't skip a single class (barring actual illness and previous commitment) between now and December, I will treat myself to some new dance clothes and sports bras.<br />
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If I don't skip a single class (again, skip by definition meaning not going just cause I am lazy or moody, not any valid reason) for the entire year, I will let myself consider buying a new wig at the end of the year.<br />
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If everything goes through on this house that we made an offer for, and we get in there and I have darling husband build me a practice floor, there will be some other kind of bribery to get me to practice at least 2 times a week between classes. Just not sure what that bribe will be. I am open to suggestions. Any thoughts?<br />
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Goals until next weeks class: review the second half of the first SPD step, and remember to make my LJ more bouncy. <br />
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Literally taking this one step at a time here. . . .<br />
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Cheers all, I am exhausted. <br />
~Meara<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-30552758027087716452015-09-13T15:56:00.000-07:002015-09-13T15:56:39.106-07:00Announcement: I am NOT retiringNot that anyone has been asking if I am planning on it, but I have been considering it. But, let me rewind here.<br />
<br />
The last we talked, I was packed and ready to go to Feispocolypse 2015. I woke up early that morning, looked at the schedule, saw I wasn't set to dance until a little later in the morning, puttered around, ate some breakfast, and some how managed to come down with my first ever panic attack. That was not fun. I physically could not get myself out the door. I was CRYING for pete's sake - crying when I should be happy and excited and maybe even nervous, but I was none of those things - I was CRYING. The only impetus that I was feeling to consider going was the fact that I needed new laces and didn't want to pay shipping by buying them online!<br /><br />
After calming me down (first having to wake up to find out why I was crying) Husband took me out for some breakfast and talked me through what I was going through.<br />
<br />
I just wasn't prepared. Not in technicalities. Not in mentality, Not in emotions.<br />
<br />
Now, anyone who has followed this blog at all knows that I normally I am no where near prepaired enough to compete. I never have time or space to practice, and I some how always manage to miss a bunch of classes before feis-time.<br />
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I have gotten as far as I have in competition with sheer determination, enthusiasim, moxie and/or giant balls. I just go and brazen my way through it, confident in what I know, and confident that I am good at hiding what I don't know. Sometimes I still make an ass of myself, but I have some kind of something as a fall back.<br />
<br />
I didn't even have that before this series of competitions.<br />
<br />
So, with placing out of my Slip Jig at North Coast I am no longer straddling three levels (I still technically have my SPD in Advance Beginner, but I will worry about that . . .at some point). It's pretty easy and straight forward - LJ, SJ, RL, and TJ are all in Novice and somehow, HP is in Prizewinner.<br />
<br />
But here's the thing - I don't know ANY of my novice dances 100% yet. Normally that is not a problem for me. Hardly ever are any of my dances at 100%. But usually, I have my baby Beginner 1 or 2 steps to fall back on that I can do in my sleep, so I at least feel like I have something to fall back on.<br />
<br />
I didn't have that this time. I had been working so hard on learning the new Novice steps, that I hadn't been drilling the old AB steps.<br />
<br />
I basically was an Irish Dance version of Jon Snow - I knew nothing! No new steps, no old steps. And I just sat at my desk wondering why I was even contemplating going!<br />
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So over coffee and eggs, Husband, being the pragmatic, reasonable person that he is asked me a series of questions.<br />
<br />
- Do you WANT to quit? . .. .No<br />
- What DO you want? . . . to not suck at this any more<br />
- What do you need to get this? . . . to practice more, to not miss so many classes, and to be more talented<br />
- Is signing up for feiseanna helping or hurting? . . . helping in that it puts on pressure to practice more, hurting in that I don't respond well to that kind of pressure.<br />
- Can you give up competitions? . . . . I could, but not if I want to continue to level up<br />
- Ok, so what do you NEED to not suck any more and to make competitions less stress full.<br />
<br />
So here was the plan we came up with. I needed more time. First I needed a little time to decompress. Luckily summer sessions were starting, so I was basically on a 3 month break from class. While I knew I was going to despretely miss it, a little hiatus was probably a good thing. I also needed a little more time IN class. If I am going to compete in Novice, I actually need to BE in novice. I need to have a couple solid months of class under my belt before I compete again, so I am planning on sitting out all other feiseanna until 2016. I need practice space outside of class, so he's promised me once we finally get a house (we've been shopping seriously for a few months now) he's going to build me a dance floor in the basement. I need him to be a little pushier too - he's always been super supportive, but when I am saying that I might just be lazy and not go to class I need him to kick my butt out the door.<br />
<br />
Husbands are highly encouraging and wonderful dance support. I recommend them over Feis Moms any day, if only for the fact they can't ground you and are pretty fun to kiss too. . . .<br />
<br />
But at any rate. . . .<br />
<br />
Classes start again tomorrow. I am rested and excited and of course a little nervous to be going back. I've gained another million pounds over summer break. I've not exercised at all. But I have retreated, fallen back, regrouped and am ready to attack this again. I have from now til the end of the year to get to where I need to be, and then Novice - I am going to kick you ass. . . .<br />
<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-17462407443027907342015-05-22T20:43:00.000-07:002015-05-22T20:43:57.346-07:00Everything but the Kitchen Sink: Packing for a feis, or the apocolypse, whichever comes first<br />
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I think I will affectionately refer to this weekend as Feispocolypse 2015.<br />
<br />
Akron and Cleveland are this weekend. The only thing that is prepared is my feis-on-wheels.<br />
<br />
I've spoken about it before, but being your own feis mom can be kind of stressful. Even if some moms make their older dancers pack for themselves, let's be honest, they are probably looking over it for at least the essentials. Luckily, I've never forgotten my shoes, but I have forgotten a sports-bra. That was a painful day.<br />
<br />
Packing for yourself, but even more-so having to wrangle your own pack can become burdensome, so my best recommendation is to part smarter, not harder.<br />
<br />
A while back I decided schlepping everything in a jumbo dance bag was beyond my upper body strength. I also decided that more popular wheeled cratey type things would make me one of the coold Irish Dance kids, I had no inclination to spend over $100 on a suit-case with light up wheels that I could maybe sit on. Let's face it, Irish Dance is an expensive enough hobby as it is. I also wanted something that I could keep a little more organized. So, I thought outside the box, or rather, inside the box. The tool box. I bought myself a Stanley Rolling Workshop. $50 at Home Depot. It fits my essential feis pack list.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69GODtjpjXB_K4pVSjGRIWF5PKvuaZ16yuPtAh5pmG_WcbXlqdn4m9zct4WFq_ceEUjfhxdoL-9XOhZWl-V0wlqeWZ2hBJ9eTNtX9yw4R39ntOjx1CKf-ujtzc6AK2xNlQuUrKZFk4e4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69GODtjpjXB_K4pVSjGRIWF5PKvuaZ16yuPtAh5pmG_WcbXlqdn4m9zct4WFq_ceEUjfhxdoL-9XOhZWl-V0wlqeWZ2hBJ9eTNtX9yw4R39ntOjx1CKf-ujtzc6AK2xNlQuUrKZFk4e4/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three separate cases that stack, latch and roll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHaBsIwq1MOxnJSqyDRvzK-5csi-TGRmjmXsx3LnyMOuyFgayKYL3-_IriykxQxW9G67bTSKrpH7wt_wjsni1uI908BYGwCfP44dbvYWas-vYcVQU_5gwhR2oO2hS8XO4VCBp3Nzbp-s/s1600/trays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHaBsIwq1MOxnJSqyDRvzK-5csi-TGRmjmXsx3LnyMOuyFgayKYL3-_IriykxQxW9G67bTSKrpH7wt_wjsni1uI908BYGwCfP44dbvYWas-vYcVQU_5gwhR2oO2hS8XO4VCBp3Nzbp-s/s400/trays.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of first case has latching trays, perfect for bobby pins, safety pins, hair ties and clips</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WmnL80S9EkcM-JtgVy0CAHxzz_mjs1eKrZNljo0zPDrI3HmY0sfUSgPzBLbEahWECylolN4gHY4i22mJ8NSQk6r5sJv4Efth15Fw2Ir5hKbh_JuoEymUSZ-UbXCHehCmlNPMPGuhHIo/s1600/toolbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WmnL80S9EkcM-JtgVy0CAHxzz_mjs1eKrZNljo0zPDrI3HmY0sfUSgPzBLbEahWECylolN4gHY4i22mJ8NSQk6r5sJv4Efth15Fw2Ir5hKbh_JuoEymUSZ-UbXCHehCmlNPMPGuhHIo/s400/toolbox.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of first case: pretty standard tool box, but adapts well to wig, hair product, deodorant, brush, mirror and sock glue storage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WVLmDx9QAtbET_lEzLOahnhX_ESh_NdxKALEN6jP-lPn8xTOFapmdzq6dwoLhfRVyYztwJMRMFBA_53R1cthRoczf5TtRt_islZCesUGHHy7gZDet19qSVHn5fHVrkz_MTq2e8P5oNw/s1600/makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WVLmDx9QAtbET_lEzLOahnhX_ESh_NdxKALEN6jP-lPn8xTOFapmdzq6dwoLhfRVyYztwJMRMFBA_53R1cthRoczf5TtRt_islZCesUGHHy7gZDet19qSVHn5fHVrkz_MTq2e8P5oNw/s400/makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The middle case, designed for small nuts and bolts serves well to keep make up sorted</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHCRTJVmKdmUcaDLOFaiqiwMuJd_l7bkPhT_cJo68KJIxtL_TkGz5_auErZXD-ywyygu8XJILnjbKiZbhOh9Hfxg2MGvrhhJsJi776TqGrLUXtPjMr-a56i8g7pCMvk_2S26CJMZMF_k/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHCRTJVmKdmUcaDLOFaiqiwMuJd_l7bkPhT_cJo68KJIxtL_TkGz5_auErZXD-ywyygu8XJILnjbKiZbhOh9Hfxg2MGvrhhJsJi776TqGrLUXtPjMr-a56i8g7pCMvk_2S26CJMZMF_k/s400/shoes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom case is big, and deep. Good home for shoes, tape, snacks, water and even a change of clothes. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
So, my entire feis gear, in an easy to roll, mostly waterproof case. No having to juggle wig box, makeup case, shoe bag, etc. This also sums up my packing list pretty well. I also usually bring a book, or my tablet for those long periods between dances or lunch breaks.<br />
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I am pretty sure, between the snacks and the change of clothes, I could probably live out of my feis-in-a-box for like 48 hours.<br />
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If you are at Akron, come and say hi!<br />
<br />
<i>Akron Feis:</i><br />
<i>Start Time: 9am (currently expecting approx 8hrs of sleep)</i><br />
<i>Registered for: 416LJ, 416RL, 416SJ and 416TJ</i><br />
<i>Prepared for: none of the above (!!!)</i><br />
<i>Number of competitors: 7, 11, 13 and 10 </i><br />
<i>Hoping for: Widespread 24-hour influenza and lots of no shows</i><br />
<i>Will settle for: the usual - not placing last</i><br />
<i>Shopping list: new ghillie laces, mine are mismatched. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhR_8-OYHZn0xH8K9bPPRfoylCgxnvlRU7v79hK9YTge8fs1xSH3uiTLcu58eViBeT0ilMtMi4-EHRXKdBLTe9S-ZWGnsvgIqxOmnwvFi2oysWFpafTHN08kb1hOr_bNg7bL1SH-k4n8/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-60886185960014996142015-05-18T19:44:00.000-07:002015-05-18T19:44:57.415-07:00The Irish Dance BlerchDo any of you guys follow <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/" target="_blank">The Oatmeal</a> at all? It's hysterically funny, albeit, not for the easily offended. I'd like to say that I've been following it since before it was popular, but that wouldn't be entirely accurate, mainly cause I am not convinced that there was ever a time it wasn't popular. But I digress. . . .<br />
<br />
There are many side-splittingly funny and educational comics on there. You can learn why Tesla > Edison. You can learn about the Mantis Shimp. But most importantly for the case of this blog post, you can learn about The Blerch.<br />
<br />
A while back, The Oatmeal (he might actually have a real name, but if I ever meet him I will probably call him 'Mr. The Oatmeal') did a comic entitled <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/running" target="_blank">"The terrible and wonderful reason I run long distances."</a><br />
<br />
As I have often said that I am rather dwarf-like in regards to running (as in <i>"I'm wasted on cross-country! We Dwarves are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances. Just keep breathing, that's the key"</i>) I figured that I would not be able to identity much with this particular cartoon. But being the good quasi-fan-girl that I am, I opened it up and I started reading it. And I discovered the name to something that has been haunting me for years. But, really, you need to go read it yourself. I'll wait . . .. .<br />
<br />
Ok, so. The Blerch. I have one. Only instead of a running Blerch it is an Irish Dance Blerch. The same little fat cherub that follows The Oatmeal when he runs has a sister that follows me when I dance. They look identical, except instead of a sweat band, my Blerch wears a giant crazy wig.<br />
<br />
Like seriously . . . I want to start a hash tag campaign or somehow directly contact The Oatmeal and have him draw an Irish Dance wig on his blerch, just for me. Somehow, I don't think this will ever happen. But a girl can dream, right?<br />
<br />
Basically, what I am trying to say is "what he said", only I am entirely less funny about it.<br />
<br />
I've been blerching so bad recently when it comes to dance class, and it's landed me where it always lands me; right before a feis, out of shape, out of practice and thoroughly unprepared. It's a double-header memorial day weekend. Historically, I've done pretty well at the two competitions, but that isn't enough.<br />
<br />
The Blerch is telling me not to go. I've learned like 15% of 2 of the new steps I need to learn. I've forgotten steps that I've previously done well at because I've been ignoring them in favor of practicing my trouble-spots. I've been feeling particularly fat and gross and self conscious the last few weeks. Y'know, all those terrible little voices - Fear, regret, doubt, cake.<br />
<br />
But, As I was sweating my ass off in class tonight, a muscle tweeking behind my knee and convinced that I was going to die - either from over-exertion or embarresment, whichever came first, I wasn't picky - I kept reminding myself of a few things (except my treble jig - despite my best efforts, I was completely unable to remind myself of that, causing me shuffle like a moron by myself in front of the whole class).<br />
<br />
The things I reminded myself of:<br />
<br />
1. No matter how much I wanted to drag myself home and drown my sorrows in Peach Milkshakes rather then sweating and derping infront of a bunch of children, I remembered that I am never going to give up this fight. And the only way I am going to get better at it is to keep pushing through it even when I don't want to.<br />
<br />
2. No matter how terrified I am of going to these feiseanna and embarrassing the ever living jibbers out of myself, I've already tanked at competions before and I have managed to NOT die from the shame. And I am not going to give myself the option of not going! (remind me of that on Friday when I am trying to bail again, ok?)<br />
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3. I might not get a medal, and that is ok. First off, I hardly deserve one with the lack of practice and effort I have been putting into it. And second, to have the privlidege of doing something I love, of pursuing a childhood dream that was always unavailable to me - that means alot. Medals are just icing on the cake. <br />
<br />
So, I have a busy week ahead of me. Besides normal life tasks such as work, church, home, husband, etc, I have to find some time and place to practice, I have to ice down my bad knee, I need to soothe my wounded pride and then find somewhere to lock it away so it doesn't get permanently damaged this weekend, I need to iron the frumper and trial run the wig. I need to scope the competition online, find my lost treble jig and lose my bad attitude.<br />
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Think I can manage that all in a week?<br />
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Alright, going to go put up mt feet as they have not stopped aching since class. I will leave you with this parting thought . . . .<br />
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<br /><br /> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-26866836295564958252015-02-07T09:39:00.000-08:002015-02-07T14:04:44.570-08:00Live from North Coast Feis: with a prayer to Saint Bridget and a promise of JamisonThe good news is that I made it in time for my dances but the bad news is that I made it in time for my dances.<br />
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Came at lunch time. Less parking, more camping. Set up next to a nice family from my school. Didn't recognize me at first but no one does with the wig. Mom helped me with the cape, which admittedly is one of the hardest parts of being my own feis mom. <br />
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I am doing my reel and light jig (novice) and my slip jig (ab). Pray for my slip jig. It needs it.<br />
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If any one else is here come find me between stage c and d.<br />
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**Update**<br />
<br />
I apologize - I had every intention on live blogging updates throughout the day, but my phone, and it's lack of service in the basement had other plans. So, now, a post-feis recap:<br />
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1. Reel; What was I thinking? Competing against 13 other dancers, 3 from my school, actually all doing, y'know, novice steps. There am I, in my fumper, toodling along with my AB steps. At least I didn't screw my little baby steps up. That would have been double the embarresment.<br />
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A thought hit me, as I was dancing on the novice stage - I really don't get why some people where solo dresses at novice. I mean, it's like, it's only novice. <i>I've</i> gotten into novice. It's really not that big of an accomplishment. I mean it is, but it used to be you had to work your butt into PW before you could bust out the big guns. Oh well.<br />
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2. Novice Light Jig: Didn't make it to this comp. My slip jig ended in just enough time that I could have made it, but as I was running over to the other stage, I realized I could not get my light jig step straight in my head. It doesn't help that recently I learned a new one and in my stress/frenzy, I kept mixing them up. As the dancers were already lining up and I am desprertly trying to remeber how many back-two-thre-four/front-two-three-fours there are, decided to cut my losses on that one. I'm ok with letting myself not compete, and avoid the embaressment on this one. I am sure I can nail it at the next feis.<br />
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3 AB Slip Jig - this was the one. Competition of 8, I think, maybe it was down to 7. Momentary panic as we are lining up "which to do, new step, old step, new step, old step . . . . shit I'm going first noooooo . . . okay, old step!" Some how miraculously, auto pilot took over and I didn't screw it up. There was a headless moment where my feet were just doing something that I am not even sure was Irish dance, but luckily it was while the judge was looking at the other dancer. *phew* not displeased, but not feeling 100% confident on it.<br />
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Went with the dance family that I was camped next to, to wait for results. Yah for having people to talk to! No joy on the reel. Would be lying is I said I wasn't disappointed, but I am firmly planted in the reality of that situation. Haven't been practicing, no novice steps. Again, not so worried, I'm ok with staying in novice for a while.<br />
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Finally found my slip jig results after waiting a while. And just like that, I placed out - 3rd out of 8. I'm not giddy, but I am certainly relieved.<br />
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Slip jig, I have conquored thee. . . .. no to up the game for the novice attack.<br />
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Cheers all - it's time for some celebratory Chinese food and alcohol. <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-64553842000704665802015-01-03T13:18:00.000-08:002015-01-03T13:20:51.399-08:00I Have Kidnapped myself; Unless you pay me a ransom in Red Bulls and a new wig you will never see me again.OK – this one is going to be a big one!<br />
<br />
Let me start this post of with some apologies; I am sorry I have been an absentee writer Since October – what the feck is up with that, right? I’ll be lucky if any of you stuck around from that communications black out.<br />
<br />
In a feeble attempt to justify myself, let me sum up the last 3 months:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Broke Toe</li>
<li>Finished planning a wedding , including dance classes of a non Irish variety</li>
<li>Got Married (it was gorgeous and tons of fun in case anyone was wondering! No, we didn’t have any Irish Dance as I was the only dancer present and I was wearing a million pounds of Taffeta.We compensated by having DJ Ipod Shuffle play a selection of Dropkick Murphys, Pogues and Great Big Sea)</li>
<li>Spent a week recovering from the wedding</li>
<li>Spent the entire month of November at work, at work, trying to catch up from my week off</li>
<li>Long weekend trip out of state for Thanksgiving</li>
<li>Family in town for Saint Nicholas’s Day</li>
<li>More Work Drama</li>
<li>Baking a bajillion Christmas Cookies</li>
<li>Family in town for Christmas</li>
</ul>
<br />
Which brings us to date. So, dear readers, please don’t think that you aren’t priority to me – you just aren’t priority that show up at my door demanding attention and baked goods!<br />
<br />
But now that we have the random life updates done, on with the DANCE updates:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Halloween Feis</b>: Ended up not going. See aforementioned broken toe. Of all derpitude, I didn’t break it while dancing. I broke it walking into my kitchen and slamming my foot against a chair leg. But, for the sake of my pride, can we say I broke it doing some kind of crazy awesome dance move? Yeah, let’s go with that. Anyway, it was almost healed up in time for the Feis (read; at least the swelling had gone down) but it was still pretty sore and hard to dance on. Between that, feeling the $ pinch from all those final wedding payments and only 2 people registered for the one dance I still need to place out of in AB2, I called it. Just wasn’t worth it. Not even for the promise of IKEA meatballs afterwards.</li>
<li><b>Class in general</b>; Have pretty much entirely transitioned to Monday night classes. This is a multi-purpose boon. First, I get to leave work 30 minutes early to get there. Second, It is only a 15 minute drive as apposed to 45 minutes. Third, it doesn’t waste a large chunk of my Saturday that I could be spending with my husband (Call me weird, but I kind of like him). Fourth, a certain child who shall continue to remain nameless and non-descript doesn’t come to this class. Yah for not having my self esteem shot to hell with one critical glance of a nine year old!</li>
<li><b>Previous Dance Goals</b>: I am now split between three levels. While this irritates me greatly, and makes stage assignments a bitch to navigate, I am still not going to complain. There was a time in my life when I thought I was never going to see Novice, none the less actually make it to Prizewinner in one dance (although I am still convinced that must have been some kind of fluke). I haven’t made any further progress on placing my Slip Jig or my SPD. Between holidays, and me having family commitments, I haven’t had much class time. I have started learning some of my Novice steps though, so I won’t feel like a complete spaz case still doing the easy steps all the time</li>
<li><b>Future Dance goals: </b>Register for North Coast and Possibly West Virginia. Focus on SJ and SPD to finally kick Advanced Beginner’s ass to the curb. Finish learning other Novice steps so I can start placing them as well. Start getting comfortable with new Hornpipe speed and finish learning other novice steps so I can eventually start actually competing in Prizewinner because . . . .</li>
<li><b>Maybe I should have mentioned this first and foremost</b>; I BOUGHT A SOLO DRESS!!!! *aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh*. Ok, so long story short, I happened to find a listing for a used dress that was in my price range (rare), actually a style/colour that I don’t hate (uncommon) and it was my EXACT measurements (a miraculous aligning of the moon). After confirming with my TC if it would be ok for me to go ahead and make a pre-emptive dress purchase, I went for it. It arrived in the mail a few days before the wedding. Best. Wedding. Present. EVER. Obviously, I can only wear it for my one prizewinner dance (which I am not going to be competing in for a while), but there is something very surreal about actually owning a dress. Again . . . things I thought would never happen. It’s not my “dream” solo dress, but it’s my first, and that is amazing. </li>
<li><b>Final thoughts</b>: (a la Jerry Springer, but with out hitting people with chairs) Despite all the great <br />things that have happened over the past 3 months, it’s been a struggle. I’ve been having a hard time really pushing myself to make it to classes. I guess it’s winter hibernation mode or something, but I want to just go home shove an obscene amount of carbs into my pie-hole and snuggle with the husband. Energy has been nil. I’ve been fighting a lot of the “I suck at everything’ thoughts. And it’s true, I am still fairly sucky at Dance. I am not naturally gifted or talented for it. But if you can win Championships on desire, determination and sheer stupid stubbornness, I will someday bring home a big trophy – might not be til I am 90 years old, but hot damn I will chug my Metamucil, strap on my heavies and kick some butt. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Slainte, team!<br />
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PS. I want a “old person” ID bumper sticker. Has any one found one in existence, or should I just trot out my poor to craptastic graphic design skills and just make my own?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-21234576480136787762014-07-23T17:46:00.004-07:002014-07-23T17:46:54.248-07:00Will Dance for MeatballsSigned up for Pittsburg Halloween Feis.<br />
<br />
The fact that it is 3 weeks before my wedding does seem a trifle ambitious of me.<br />
<br />
There were several things that swayed me into registering.<br />
<br />
First: I bombed at Celtic Fling. Like, I have never embarressed myself so badly on stage. A month later and I STILL don't want to talk about it. Needless to say, that damned Slip Jig is still eluding me, and I want everything out of AB by the end of the year (which was my goal last year, but we see how that went). I need a few more to try and place out, and Pittsburg is close.<br />
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Second (and possibly more important reason): the Feis is located EXACTLY 7.4 miles from IKEA and I have been jonesing on some meatballs and flat-pack furniture like nobody's business.<br />
<br />
Ah, the things that will motivate me to dance. So not normal. . . .<br />
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Anyhoo, the third reason was that I can dance in a halloween costume. Years of being deprived of halloween costumes as a kid has left me with a penchant for dressing up round-about October time. When I sat and pondered what I would dress up as, my usual halloween costume seemed logical - Hogwarts School Uniform. It's not totally unlike what I dance in already, would look super cute, etc. But then I thought that was boring, and I should get creative. I *do* have a closet full of Ren Faire garb, but pretty sure steel boned corsets would count as "carriage aids". Thoughts?<br />
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Then I thought about getting all ironic and finally making myself that dirndl that I've been wanting, so I can finally look like what I truly am - a dumpy german haus-frau irish dancing.<br />
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But I will probably stick with Hogwarts Uniform because it requires very little thought and effort. And Wizards are cool . . .<br />
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So, agenda for next three months:<br />
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- Make it to some summer session classes. <br />
- Practice!Practice!Practice! Even if I can't drill steps, practice walking in turn out, up on toes, etc.<br />
- start re-building stamina, so when full time classes start again, I don't waste three weeks wheezing and stumbling my way through.<br />
- watch lots of videos of slip jigs and wonder what the eff I am doing wrong. . . .<br />
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Slainte, gang!<br />
~MUnknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-88952698964235966112014-05-25T17:40:00.001-07:002014-05-25T17:40:04.455-07:00Once more, with feeling . . . . So today was day 2 of the double header weekend of Feis-doom.<br />
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Having done this exact same weekend last year, I am starting to notice a trend. I always do better on day 1 while expecting to do not so well, then expect better from myself on day 2 and fall just a teensy bit short.<br />
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That being said, I am pleased with today's results, even though I still wish they could have been better.<br />
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I didn't place at all on my slip jig, so it, along with Saint Patrick's day are the last 2 things I have left in Advanced Beginner. I am still waiting to see judges comments to find out how far I was from placing. I will be honest - I am kind of disappointed. I thought I danced pretty well in this today. Toes were pointed, kicks were high, legs were straight. The only thing I can think of was that I didn't have a lot of "bounce" today. Venue didn't allow outside food or drink, and while I accidentally smuggled in my can of red bull (I didn't have room in my regular dance bag, so I had shoved it in my dress bag, which they didn't search) I didn't want to run the risk of getting kicked out of venue/disqualified for disregarding that particular rule. Asking me to be bouncy with out giving me the requisite 80mg of caffeine doesn't seem like a good idea. So, I guess I will really, reaaaally need to focus on Slip Jig over summer session at class and hopefully place out at my one summer feis.<br />
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Also did not place in my novice Light Jig. I think this had very little to do with my execution, and mostly to do with the fact that the competition was fairly large and the other dancers executed their slightly more novice-level dances just as well. Not too sad about that. I mean, While it would be a real feather in the cap to place out of <b>2</b> of my novice dances without learning a single novice step, I have no delusions of grandeur.<br />
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So, the hornpipe that got me <b>FIRST</b> yesterday got me a fifth today. Again, not actually too disappointed by this. The fact that I tied for fifth with 2 other girls out of a total of 20 competitors is still nothing to scoff at. If I had never gotten that first yesterday, I would be blown away by a fifth, so I chose to be still happy with this score. I mean, let's be realistic. I was up against twice as many dancers and I still got a medal. I still scored better then 14 other dancers. That thought just blows me away.<br />
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However, The highlight of the day was my Treble Jig. Twice in one weekend I have the jaw-dropping, heart racing, mind numbing, unbelievable experience of seeing my competitor number written up in First place. I was convinced I wasn't going to get much in it. I had the unpleasant experience of finishing my Slip Jig and having to literally RUN all the way back to my camp in the nose-bleed section of the stadium seating to grab my hard shoes and be back in time for Treble Jig. I had banked on there being 3 competitions between my SJ and my TJ. But one of the competitions had 0 competetors, and the others only had 2 or 3, so really, I had NO time. So, I was already a little breathless but I danced as best as I could. Timing felt a little off, but I managed to keep with it and. . . . well, I guess I did better then I thought.<br />
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This weekend was the boost I needed. Spring has been rough and I have once again gone through the agonizing thought that maybe I should just give up. I will probably always have those doubts, that stupid inner voice telling me to quit. But my hardware tells me otherwise . ..<br />
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Every award is a pat on the back. Every award is encouragement. Every award is at least one impartial voice saying "YOU DON'T SUCK!". And everyone I get makes me want more. So, I will get more, come hell or high water. </div>
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But for now, I am going to sit back, watch a Rocky marathon with my ever patient and loving fiance, while cuddling my medals and eating ice cream. </div>
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Good night all, happy memorial day and happy feising!</div>
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Weekend:</div>
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Day 1: 4th AB Slip Jig, 3rd AB Treble Jig, 1st Novice Hornpipe</div>
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Day 2: 5th Novice Hornpipe, 1st AB Treble Jig</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-30842455506721857082014-05-24T16:49:00.000-07:002014-05-24T16:49:06.203-07:00I'd like to thank purple lace, Red Bull and Saint BridgetFeis today; What a roller coaster it was - assumed scene of "meh" turned into strange triumph.<br />
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It started as most feis days start for me. No desire to crawl from bed and an impending sense of doom. I had stayed up to late packing. I had orginally planned to do it as soon as I got home from work, but I got a last minute bug up my butt to go over to my best friend's house and rummage through her sewing shop and see if I couldn't due anything to make my Jumper-of-Frumper a little less. .. well, frumpy. It worked. She had a miraculously perfect bundle of purple lace trim to add to the hem of my dress and it really makes the whole thing look much more polished than it had been. I think if it hadn't been for that shot of confidenc, I might never have crawled out from under my blankies.<br />
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Did my usual 'dawdle to long around the house and leave the house fifteen minutes late' routine. Luckily, traffic was nil and my minorly lead lined foot has not left me. Got there right on time and fought for a camping spot. Besides the fact that the place was already pretty darned packed, it's not easy being a single camper at a feis. You'd think it would be. You take up so much less space than a large family/group. But seriously, the large groups will judge nudge and push you out of the way to make room. Word of advice to those that don't already do this; if you see a solo camper, ask if they would like to set up with you, rather then just build up around them making it complicated for them to climb over your stuff and awkward for them while they are trying to sit there, minding their own business and you are literally talking over them. Might just make their year!<br />
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Anyhoo. .. got geared up. Makeup. Hair. Wig actually cooperated with the new hair cut, but it took a bit more 'doing' than it used to. Dress on - incidentally, may I just say, my jumper and shirt combo may look frumpy teetering on the verge of derpy, but I love how easy and comfortable it is to put on/wear. Completely changed from warm ups to competition wear without a single sight to scar young children. Also, as a side note . . . new adult irish dance wins . . .<br />
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Also, this way, no one needs to see my thunder-thighs. . . .<br />
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Anyhoosen-whatsit. . . .</div>
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Changed, ready to go, have guzzled a 12oz can of Red Bull and I'm ready to go (read; jittery). Go down to my stage, and realize that while there is only a handful of dances before my first, there is a METRIC BUTT-TON OF DANCERS, so I decide to wander around. Look at the T-shirts. Same dreck as last year. Look at the shoes and wigs I have no intention of buying, and then hit the jewelry stand. I always look. I have been getting by with a borrowed brooch and a safety pin to attach my cape, and I am thinking to myself, maybe if I do well today, I will finally buy a set of actual cape pins and then, along with my newly lace-trimmed dress, I will feel SUPER spiffy. I had never bought any of the brooches, cause, well, none of them seemed to say "buy me". They were all nice, but I didn't love them enough to say "Shut up and take my money". But today . . . I found the brooches I was meant to have. . . .</div>
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Let me rewind here, and give you a brief narrative on events in my NON-Irish-Dance life (amazingly enough, yes, I have one). I recently had the great honour and joy of being baptized into the Eastern Orthodox church. I took Bridget as my Saint's name and as my patron Saint - I was thrilled to discover that she is venerated as a Saint by both Catholic and Orthodox churches, so I was actually able to have her as my patron. When my priest asked me who I wanted as my Saint, she seemed the obvious choice for me - I have always been fascinated by her both historically, culturally and spiritually. </div>
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So, when I got to the jewelry vendor today, I saw these pins and I knew I had to have them, and I had to have them before I danced. They were Saint Bridget's Crosses in a circle of knot-work. That visual reminder of my Saint, and the idea that she was with me suddenly cast a whole new light on the day. I bought them immedietly and scrambled to get my cape re-pinned before it was my group's turn to dance. (Also, again, if you don't already; you see a lone dancer struggling with zippers and trying to pin their own cape to the dress they are already in, offer to help. Just don't sit there and tease your daughter's pouf when it's already teased within an inch of it's life and you just established 2 seconds previously that she doesn't dance til after lunch. I swear, you will be thanked profusely and given all kinds of compliments and praise. ) </div>
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So with the love of my friend stitched onto my dress with lace, and the emblem of my Saint pinned to my shoulder and side, I danced. </div>
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And between that, some stubborn determination, and enough caffine to make small animals go into cardiac arrest, I actually danced pretty well.</div>
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I only ended up making it to three of my competitions (stage conflicts that I just didn't feel like trying to sort out), but I placed in all of them. </div>
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I placed fourth of five in my Slip Jig. Respectable. Still get a nice ribbon 'placement'. Still a thrill to see my number on the board. But still doesn't get my slip jig out of Advance Beginner. (But there is always tomorrow)</div>
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In my Advanced Beginner Treble Jig, I got 3 out of 5. Certainly an achievement to be proud of, and that means that I am offically placed out of AB in my Treble Jig (but I have no intentions of moving up to novice in it until the new year)</div>
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But here is the ultimate highlight of my day. I was registered for Novice Reel, Light Jig and Hornpipe. Hornpipe was the only one I made it to the stage on time for. There were ten girls total dancing. Most of them looked like they belonged on the cover of IDM - new shiny wigs, expensive, blinged solo dresses and all kinds of fancy steps that I can't do. I was pleased with the way I danced but I accepted the fact that there was no possible way I was going to really place up against these girls. Maybe, MAAAAYBE get a fourth, or even a third - I did get a fourth and a third in 2 novice dances back in February, but the competition was much smaller, like 4 girls.</div>
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I got first. </div>
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I still . . . I don't really believe it. Me. I got first. This was my first "real" first so that was thrilling in and of itself, but . . . I got a first in NOVICE, while still doing AB steps, competing against 8 or 9 other girls. Me. Old, overweight, tights-wearing, home-made-jumper-wearing, second-hand-wig donning, old-fashione-pin-wearing ME. In a dance that I used to HATE cause it was so hard. I didn't believe it when I saw my number. I didn't believe it when they gave me my medals. I didn't believe it when I went out to dinner with friends to celebrate. As I sit here now, I still don't 100% believe it!</div>
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But there it is. My medal is sitting right next to me. They wouldn't have given it to me if it wasn't mine. </div>
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I just hope I can do half so well tomorrow. . . . .</div>
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And now . .. we nap!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-41282773823745830222014-03-23T13:16:00.000-07:002014-03-23T13:39:09.002-07:00All the awesomes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Watch this. It's amazing. Just do it. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-2259628654110482682014-03-19T20:02:00.000-07:002014-03-23T12:42:49.498-07:00Non-Traditional Speeds; An Irish Dance Novel By Meara KellyThe official "blurb" for my book;<br />
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<i>Lorna Wozniak is 25 years old, twenty pounds overweight, has the physical coordination of a three legged hamster, and has never hear Irish music a day in her life - other then the requisite playing of “Danny Boy” and House of Pain every Saint Patrick’s day, which she is sure doesn’t qualify. But all of that changes when she stumbles into a dance studio on the wrong night of the week. Instead of the thumping base and strident horns of music for Zumba, there are bagpipes and the thumping of feet.<br /><br />Dhá mBráithre Scoil na Rince na hÉireann – or Two Brothers’ School of Irish Dance, for those who don’t have enough phlegm to try and pronounce the Gaelic – is owned and run by Patrick and Aiden Murphy, brothers who are as dissimilar as could possibly be, except in their love for dance. Their constant, personal rivalry is only overshadowed by their epic rivalry with the neighboring school. Taking a foolish barroom bet, the brothers find themselves in the position of need to change Lorna from clumsy Adult Beginner to winning the World Championships in three years time, or face closing their school. <br /><br />Not only does she have odds stacked against her, and stigmas to defy, Lorna’s path to the Worlds is made more complicated by the brothers themselves. As Aiden’s obvious affection for Lorna grows, Patrick’s notice of her changes too. Somehow, she has to decide who’s training– and who’s heart- she <br />will accept.</i><br />
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Now, let's get this sucker written . . . .Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-67276113825034808832014-03-16T14:30:00.002-07:002014-03-16T14:31:21.253-07:00Non-traditional Speeds; A work of Irish Dance fiction for the "old" people?Hey Gang! Still alive and dancing here. Haven't killed any bratty kids and have managed to get in a better head-space about it again. More details on that in some other post.<br />
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By the way, happy early Saint Patrick's day. I know everyone is probably running ragged with shows, parades and parties. I am not. . . .<br />
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So, instead I am dedicating some time to a little Irish Dance side project I've been thinking about for year, talking about off and on for about that time, and finally started taking a whack at.<br />
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Some of you may know, when I am not spraining ankles, being the laughingstock of children and managing to get better scores than I deserve at feiseanna, I am a writer. And no, not just this strange, oft times Joycean, stream-of-consciousness blog. I have been writing stories and novels from a young age. Luckily, most of my pre-highschool graduation work has been lost to the ravages of time and the world is a better place for it. But for the last ten years I have been working on several pieces - a couple historical pieces, some modern, some tending towards the epic-y other no more then romantic schlock.<br />
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But I digress.<br />
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Everyone always tells writers, write what you know. The problem is, I know a little bit about lots of things, but there is very little I know well. Irish Dance from a unique perspective just happens to be one of those things.<br />
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There is some Irish Dance themed fiction out there - some of it remarkably good. If you haven't read "Awakening" by Christy Dorrity, do it. It may be geared more towards the YA crowd, but I couldn't put the thing down. Read it in less then a day and am anxiously awaiting Book 2. Fantastic writing. <br />
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But that's just the thing, most of the ID fiction out there <i>is</i> geared towards the largest demographic - the younger crowd. And that's ok . . .but I have always thought to my self how fun it would be to have some Irish Dance story geared to my own reading level. And then I got to thinking, that I am not the only Adult Irish Dancer, or Adult Some How Involved With Irish Dance out there, and that maybe there are others out there that would also get some pleasure out of reading the same. I mean, not just late starter like me - Dance mom's waiting for class to be over could kill some time reading, late teen to college age dancers traveling to feis/O's/Nans/Worlds, even people who love watching Irish Dance but aren't involved themselves.<br />
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So, with all this thinking, I also remembered - hey, you want to write a book. Why don't you write this grown-up Irish Dance novel that you are always complaning doesn't exist.<br />
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So, just recently, I started to.<br />
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I've got a synopsis, a basic plot outline, characters in the early stages of development. I kind of like where it is going and I think it could turn out ok, but I guess I am just worried that maybe I am going to write something geared to too much of a niche market. What do you all think - think Irish Dance fiction would be enjoyable? Would it be something that would interest people, do you think?<br />
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I have also thought about perhaps not "publishing" it, in the real sense, but just posting it on Wattpad, or Fictionpress.com or the like (probably Fictionpress as I already have a fanfiction.net account and they are practically the exact same website). Y'know, get a feel if people would actually enjoy what I am putting out there, before I go through the agony of actually trying to put something out there "for real."<br />
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Perhaps I should put up a chapter here, or a blurb or something? Let everyone get a taste for it?<br />
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Anyway . . .there's lots to think about and I am trying to get the first chapter done, so I've got plenty of time to try and figure out the answers. In the meantime, I will keep jotting down ideas between classes and feiseanna. . . . <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-60686360875789092652014-03-01T12:48:00.001-08:002014-03-01T12:57:23.629-08:00Dance Class Update: In which the nine year old has finally made me cry. . . How does one tell a parent that their child is a little shit-head?<br />
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How does one tell a parent that if said little shit-head is being this deliberatly snotty to you - an adult that she barely knows, chances are she is being as equally cruel to her peer-set?<br />
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At least, how do you express this without you traumatic experiences with bullying as a child turn you into a screaming neurotic mess?<br />
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I mean, I can see how this conversation goes;<br />
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me: so, you are nine-year-olds mom?<br />
mom: *beams with pride at her baby* Yes, yes I am.<br />
me: Oh, ok. Your kid is a shit-head.<br />
mom: *gasps in shock* How dare you say that about my precious baby!<br />
me: Well, she's been shitty to me for the past year and a half . . .<br />
mom: she's NINE?!!? You're how old? Thirty? Get over it! She's just a kid . . .<br />
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So yeah - not really a conversation that I want to have.<br />
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In a futile effort to be fair to this kid, my confidence has already taken a beating from lots of other angles, so it's not like she had to be supremely shitty, to finally get me to crack.<br />
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I mean, I've been feeling in rough shape - at least when it comes to my confidence with dance - since my Feis at the beginning of February (that I still haven't blogged about, because my emotions about sway to violently still). Long story short on the Feis front, it was hard. It was my first time dancing 3 of my dances in novice, and I felt thoroughly unprepaired in every aspect. I hadn't learned my novice steps yet, so I was still dancing my AB moves, wearing my Jumper-of-Frumper against a bunch of girls doing moves I last saw in a YouTube video of an OC Parade of Champions wearing $2000 dresses. I mean, whatever happened to not getting a solo dress until Prizewinner?<br />
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Anyway, I technically got three medals at that feis. I feel I can only be proud of one though. I actually got 4th out of 9 in my Novice Reel. That really shocked me. But the other one was a 3rd our of 3 on my Light Jig in Novice is really nothing to write home about, and the last one was a 3rd out of 4, on my AB Treble Jig. Again, don't get too excited. This isn't to sound intentionally cruel or critical of the other dancers, but beating one of them was not particularly hard to do. I could blame the music - I had said I needed fast but they played slow - but really, I just didn't do well.<br />
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But what does this have to do with nine-year-old-shit-head? Well, other then the fact that she really managed to get under my skin at the feis too, and I spent the whole day in a funk after she talked to me ( <b>Me</b>: *sitting in my camp chair, in a corner, minding my own business, putting on my wig/make up <b>Shit-head</b>: *walks past, sees me, double-takes, walks back, looks me over critcially* You're Meara, right? <b> Me</b>: Yeah. I guess the wig makes me look really different, huh? <b>Shit-head</b>: Woah *sneer, walks away*)<br />
<br />
So, lack-luster results, bitchy comments about how I look, another feis without a single soul talking to me (other then shit-head making fun of me), several missed dance classes, an extra five pounds I gained over the whole christmas/holidays/winter thing. . . and yeah, I will admit. I am kind of in a fragile state of mind.<br />
<br />
But! I made it to class today. It's a struggle getting there alot of days. I work long weeks. It's a long, sometimes harrowing drive getting out there. I'd like to have some time occasionally just to sleep in and hang out with my fiance. But I went, and I was drilling, doing my steps, working hard. I rolled my left ankle pretty hard right at the begining of class - second step of my hornpipe, I landed funny. But I was dancing through it. I was trying to baby it, but then incessant leap drills were getting the better of me, so I had to sit out a few bars.<br />
<br />
Well, towards the middle-ish of class, TC sends one of the new-new little girls off with the class helper, making a teasing comment "So that way she can stop staring at me like 'I can't do that' every time I have them do the harder stuff." Then turning and smiling at me, she jokes "You know, like Meara does" I don't mind when my TC teases me. She knows I am working my butt off, knows what I can and can't do, etc. But, in the jovial spirit, I laugh, and feign offense. "That's not true!" I protest with much laughter.<br />
<br />
But then this shitty little voice out of the back corner of the room, where she is showing off, rather then waiting her gaddam turn to dance says. "Oh, it's true. It's like, totally true. Meara can NEVER do the hard stuff." I turn and shoot her a dirty look, thinking maybe she will shut up, but she doesn't. She turns to one of her friends, and still lauging at my expense says "It's true, she really can't" And they giggle like it's the funniest thing in the world.<br />
<br />
So there I stand, ankle still throbbing, exhausted, and giving my all . .. being laughed at.<br />
<br />
I know what you are all going to say -God knows I heard it when I got home, still crying. "You are taking it too personally." "She's just a kid" "You are a grown woman with a job and car, who's getting married, you should be past crying when a kid is mean to you."<br />
<br />
But here's the thing, hearing that malicious little laughter is like a proverbial Agent Orange flash back and suddenly I am nine years old again, being told I'm weird, being laughed at, being friendless and ignored. Yeah, I'm 27 years old now, but all that means is that my inner nine year old has had to put up with being picked on for 18 years. <br />
<br />
I can try to talk myself up all I want. Use all the confidence boosting cliches. Remind myself that I am supposedly so above this. But in the end, it doesn't work. In the end, no matter how hard I work - and there are days where I literarlly feel like I am slowly killing myself doing this - but no matter how hard I work, there is still someone laughing at me. <br />
<br />
That kind of thing sticks with you.<br />
<br />
<br />
Then, to make matters worse, I was rushing out of class to my car, still favoring my left ankle, and I didn't see a pot-hole in the tarmac, stepped right in it, wrenched my right ankle and took a total prat fall in front of like five people.<br />
<br />
This has just reaffirmed that I need to drop this class and start going to Monday nights. I don't think this kid goes to that class. I CAN'T keep dealing with her. Today, after leaving class, still crying, I was seriously considering quitting because of this kid. Now THAT would be stupid.<br />
<br />
I think I am going to go buy a wedding veil now, to attempt to cheer myself up.<br />
<br />
Goals for this week: Keep practicing Novice reel step that I started last class, get to Monday and Wednsday night classes, stop eating . . . Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-52145585696230804072014-01-23T18:32:00.002-08:002014-01-23T19:56:56.537-08:00SlackingSo . . . I have yet to manage to find that perfect balance of dance/rest of life. Let me sum up the last few months (both sides of life)<br />
<br />
1. Got Engaged<br />
2. Immedietly started planning wedding<br />
3.Started learning St. Patrick's day and was doing pretty well with it<br />
4. Extra curricular church type things in the process of becoming a member<br />
5. Christmas and all the brands of crazy that entails (including a road trip to another state to see all of the extended family that hasn't seen you since pre-engagement.)<br />
6. Missing my only winter feis because of above said road trip.<br />
7. Started class again after holiday break.<br />
8. Realized I have forgotten pretty much everything I learned of the St. Patrick's day<br />
9. Got another year older. Yep. I'm offically ancient as far as Irish Dance goes. <br />
10. Miss 2 weeks of classes due to exhaustion, over time at work, and bridal expos.<br />
11. Going to bed tonight with the shocking realization that I have a feis in a week from Saturday at which time I am signed up to compete in 3 dances in novice and I haven't learned my novice steps at all yet.<br />
<br />
But, I am going to that feis, gosh darn it, cause I still need to get my slip jig and treble jig into novice. Honestly, I still can hardly believe that I got my Reel, Light Jig and Hornpipe into Novice. But yeah.<br />
<br />
I have got to drill this week. I am thinking of cutting my loses on the novice dances and just focus on doing well on the other two and place well in them, and pull all of them up to novice, and then really prepare for the summer competition season.<br />
<br />
In good news, though, my TC has suggested I start coming a bit earlier on my Saturday sessions, so I can actually start dancing with the Novice class. That is thrilling to me. Mainly because I can start not having to dance with the new influx of 4 year olds. But also, so I can get away from that gosh-darned evil 8 year old that keeps making fun of me when she think's I'm not noticing! Silly kid - I've got 20 years on her, there is no eye roll too subtle to escape my notice. But I digress - I am hoping to see more progress in the coming months.<br />
<br />
<br />
But in the continuous struggle of Adult Irish dance woes, I still really want my new shoes. But I also want a wedding cake. So much demand on my money, so little actual cash . . . oh well. On that note however, I will rap up tonight with this happy thought. . . .<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-8657079165465419102013-10-09T20:50:00.001-07:002013-10-09T20:51:24.733-07:00Hot Date With My Hardshoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I went to a Wednsday night Adults class for the first time. It was thrilling! Besides not having snot-faced kids telling me I am too old for their class and critiquing me not knowing the 'harder steps' yet, there were lots of things to love about it. Dancing with peers, yes, people my own age - I forgot how nice it was. When you are achy and tired, they are too. When you collapse on the floor in a heap because you knee just did it's funny twinge thing, they understand. Comparable height is always nice too. That being said, evey one in the Adult class (there were a total of 5 of last week, and only me and one other girl this week) is in Prelims or Champs. SO, yeah, I am SUPER the remedial student. One thing about dancing with the 5-10 year olds is even if they know the step, they are usually too busy running around and making fun of the "old woman" in their class that they don't pay much attention to their form, so, I can at least feel superior in some small ways. In the kids class, I am not the bottom of the barrel when it comes to skill set. I am one of the dancers that the little kids coming to their first class look at and whine about how they want to dance what I am dancing, without having ever learned their sevens or hops yet. Pretty much, on wednsday nights, THAT is what I have become, while I am DESPRETLY trying to get the timing right on my Advance Beginner Treble Jig, they come sweeping across the floor with their sets, feeting moving in ways that astound me, and I find myself mentally whining 'but I want to do <i>that</i>'. Luckily, I have the maturity and mental age to grasp the idea that I have to learn my stuff FIRST and the harder I work on it, the harder I will get to their level.<br />
<br />
It is a strange, but I think good for me, dichotomy between the Adult and the regular satuday classes. Saturdays with the kids, I break down the steps more, go over them time and time again. That's good, I need that. Wedsndays, when it's just me and a small group of others, it's just pounding out you steps over and over and over again. Which, is also good, and I need that too. Dancing with the kids, gives me confidence. Not saying I gloat over the little mites, but seeing them struggle with things makes me feel slightly less useless - I can accomplish SOMETHING and I once was where they are at now look at me sort of thing. Dancing with girls that are miles away better dancers then I am gives me a challenge. So, it's sort of like I am either dancing with where I have been, or where I want to be, constantly stuck between the two. It's good though, gives me different levels of motivation.<br />
<br />
Other benefits of dancing with people my own age. I can actually talk to them - work, boyfriends, car repairs, etc. There is something to actually chit chat about. I can swear around them. That was an amazing feeling. I don't have the worst potty mouth in the world, but I am constantly watching myself around the kids. But being able to go "Shhhhit!" When I screw up my Slip jig for the millionth time - it's cathartic, really.<br />
<br />
And victories. I finally got through right and left of my second sip jig step. I had been working it all soft shoe, but I just kept tripping over my own feet. Kids don't see all the hard work. Some just see you messing up and wonder why you haven't gotten it yet. Others don't even see past their own feet. But to have a peer, a girl my own age (roughly), who has gotten to a much high level of compition than I am stand there and watch me do my sad, (comparatively) simplistic little Slip Jig step, see me get through it and cheer and give me a high five - well, yeah. That was kinda great. <br />
<br />
Little victories. Little victories everywhere. My victory tonight was my slip jig Which brings me to a long over due "Win"<br />
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Maybe kids don't either, I don't know, I've never danced as a kid. And I don't mean to down play how hard kids work on their steps, but it seems to come easier to them - for all the obvious reasons that we area always talking about. They are younger, fitter, more energetic, less exhausted from work (they don't have work). Their minds are sponges and show them a step twice and they at least get the gist of it. I fight, I battle, I WAGE WAR on every single step, and when I finally get it, I never get over that sense of victory. I see kids take certain things for granted, like "Oh, <i>of course</i> I know my light jig. Light Jig is so stupid simple." while I just go "HECK YEAH I know my light jig! Boooya!"<br />
<br />
Anyhoo, this old woman is going to bed. More old lady things in the AM.<br />
<br />
Slán! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-84866649294082840182013-09-14T14:38:00.001-07:002013-09-14T14:40:31.076-07:00I'm not stressed, I'm trying to breathe!Maybe it's that the kid likes me, that she keeps talking to me? I don't know, all I know, was I was still a little cranky with little miss "aren't you too old", so her asking me today after class, whilst I am trying to pack up my stuff, fill out the new years registration form, find my checkbook, remembering how old I will be on January 1st (no, really, I had to think about it for like 5 minutes) and y'know, catch my breath from getting my ass handed to me within the first 20 minutes of class, if I was alright, cause, y'know, "you looked stressed" *read in snotty 9 year old tone*. My response was "No, just trying to catch my breath. We aren't all young and energetic." Her parents were standing there, or else Evil Meara might have popped out and said something to the extent of "When you are pushing 30, overweight, a former heart-patient and don't have your mommy to tie your shoes for you, you can talk to me about stress, ya little turd!" . . .. I am pleased to say, Evil Meara was held at bay.<br />
<br />
Despite pre-class social anxiety panic attacks, I got there walked in the front door, and it was almost like there hadn't been a summer break. TC was happy to see me, so that was great. All the same little faces lined up on the floor next to me. The only thing different was all that stamina I had been building up over all of last year left me high and dry weeks ago. Some warm up drills and two times through my treble jig and I was ready to collapse. Amazingly enough, I didn't forget every single thing I had learned.Treble jig & Hornpipe had nothing more then the usual technical difficulties. But then, one of the munchkins decided to ask to do slip jig first thing in shoftshoe.<br />
<br />
When my TC was confirming with me that I didn't know it, I did have the decided pleasure in telling her that I knew my first step well enough and that I had danced it at my last Feis, AND DIDN'T GET LAST - my "fifth place slip jig" was the joke for the rest of the class. And honestly, my first step still wasn't bad, having only just learned it right before the competition and then not working on it at all since then.<br />
<br />
After class (somewhere in between being insulted by Miss Smartypants) I got a chance to catch up with TC. She was pleased with all my 2nd places, liked the idea of me coming to 2 classes a week was encouraging of me entering a feis in December, pointing out that I would still be able to dance in AB, but as of the new year, anything I had placed in I would have to move up in. I managed not to scream like a teenage at a boy band concert, and just said something to the extent of "Yeah, I was thinking that I was going to have to. I was hoping. Now, maybe if I work really hard and do well at this feis in January, I can move ALL my dances up at one time and not have to be split between two levels.<br />
<br />
But, really, what I was thinking was "HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT!!!!! I'M MOVING UP TO NOVICE"<br />
<br />
I mean, it's only been eleven bloody years!!<br />
<br />
So - no messing around from here on out!! I WILL have all my dances ready to move up to Novice by the new year. That means I need to place my Treble Jig, my Slip Jig and my Saint Patrick's day at this feis in December. So I HAVE to go to all my classes, if not 2 classes a week. I need to practice over the weeks, I need to start eating better, getting better sleep and being more focused.<br />
<br />
CAUSE HOLY SHIT I'M MOVING UP TO NOVICE IN THE NEW YEAR!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-76255901028227875262013-09-06T17:10:00.002-07:002013-09-06T17:10:30.230-07:00Keep Calm and . . . no, screw that, panic and freak out!Dance class FINALLY starts again for me a week from tomorrow. Have I practiced at all? No. Have I drilled. Nein! Have I even gone over my steps in my head. Niet! Have I spent countless hours looking at pictures of dance dresses in hopes of being encouraged to dance. Sure. Has it actually motivated me. Nope.<br />
<br />
And now that I have seven days to worry about my TC wanting to flay me alive for going two and a half months without so much as doing an over-two-three what is my game plan? I don't know - I don't have one. I am pretending I am both Irish AND southern, and pulling a Scarlet O'Hara - I'll worry about that tomorrow.<br />
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Stay tuned . . . the panic is only going to get worse . . . .Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-14068112843235594292013-07-16T23:10:00.002-07:002013-07-16T23:10:26.981-07:00Mid Summer BluesI've been out of class since May. Summer classes are only on limited weekday evenings. I attend weekend classes normally, since I work second shift. So, no summer classes for me.<br />
<br />
My major problem is that I am lazy. Bone idle. A complete lard-ass. I could drill on my own, but I find any number of excuses not to. I could have contacted one of the champ dancers at my school that tutor other students, but I am a chicken-shit as well as being lazy. I manage to hide my anti-social tendecies well enough, but contacting people I don't know still freaks me out. Which is really just more excuses. <br />
<br />
The boost I got from a reasonable showing at my three summer feiseanna has long since fallen away, and while I still get giddy looking at my plethora of Silver medals, I don't get motivated. Which I will regret when I get back to class in September, and my form is STILL a mess, I have a whole bunch of judges' comments that I have done anything about fixing, and my stamina is shot to hell.<br />
<br />
I want to be a motivated, go-get-it attitude kind of person. But that has never come naturally to me. Cynical, do-the-least-amount-possible-to-get-decent-results kind of person - THAT I can do, no sweat. The problem is, decent is decent enough for me any more. I've set the goal higher, but I have yet to figure out how to set my my determination accordingly.<br />
<br />
I always have the best intentions to drill . . . but the road to hell is paved with good intentions and all that.<br />
<br />
I guess I am just waxing philosophic here to anyone who happens to read. Sorry about that. It's 2am and it's just been on my mind.<br />
<br />
I guess I haven't talked about my third, and final (for a few months) feis. It was about 3 weeks ago already at this point. 2 more second places, for my reel and my light jig. Hornpipe was 5th out of 6th. I can't complain - I wasn't last place, and yet again, I hadn't practiced before the competition. I really can't fathom how thoroughly decent I could actually be at this if I just tried a little harder.<br />
<br />
But honestly, getting to hang out with a friend at a Feis was the highlight. That and the Feis Mom's next to me, being so nice and helping me out with all the little stuff that FM's help out with, y'know, zippers, pinning capes,fixing collars, all that. But mostly, having the friends around. Friends there to watch (although, I always feel guilty when my non-dance friends come to my competitions. Feiseanna are hardly a spectator sport), and a friend to dance with. Most fun I've had a feis for a while.<br />
<br />
So, I guess next up on the agenda for me, is finding the mental fortitude I need to push past the excuses to drill, drill, drill, drill. That and sleep. I could really use some sleep.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-66992823814825085492013-06-15T16:35:00.003-07:002013-06-15T16:37:51.688-07:00Creativity: Wig BoxWhen I first <a href="http://rinceoirfasta.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-surviving-saint-patricks-month-my.html" target="_blank">bought my wig</a> two years back, I, like all other wig purchaser, found myself in need of something to store it in. After looking around at all the options of wig boxes (I've seen people store them in fancy specialty boxes all the way to large tupperware containers) I, being me, decided to do things the hard way.<br />
<br />
I used to a be a crafty type person on a regular basis and I felt the crafting itch, so I decided to "make my own" wig box.<br />
<br />
I started the idea with the blank, round, paper mache hat style boxes you can get at any old craft store. The idea was to buy one of those and decoupage all sorts of awesome Irish Dance pictures and inspirational quotes onto it. But when I got to the store I was waylaid by this beauty:<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
It being square wasn't the beauty of it - it having a tray WAS! Unlike the round versions, this one screamed "I'll hold your wig AAAND keep you bobby pins, hair bands, etc, organized"<br />
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It was bought, it was filled and it when two years just being the plain paper box, held closed by an over sized rubber band.<br />
<br />
Finally, a few weeks ago, the crafty itch got to be too much, and I finally figured out that I wanted to ditch the decoupage idea (just this time around, I want to go back to that for the next box) and go for a hand painted look.<br />
<br />
Another trip to the craft store, and paints were purchased. I won't bore you with how long I agonized over colours but I settled on 2 of my favourites, blue and silver.<br />
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So without further ado, the finished project:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWg0RiN3YC06tlchyphenhyphen9gFDhPIiEx6q1yIMyzYbej_67i1YdRMJ7tE6oxWi01lOo7JadIk3rWPqM_B-b3ZcHyeN0hmMFKwA2CHNMdmNE_itVi274Hixy7BsdySc_lz8ATgkwRtH470QQPrM/s1600/IMG_20130527_003713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWg0RiN3YC06tlchyphenhyphen9gFDhPIiEx6q1yIMyzYbej_67i1YdRMJ7tE6oxWi01lOo7JadIk3rWPqM_B-b3ZcHyeN0hmMFKwA2CHNMdmNE_itVi274Hixy7BsdySc_lz8ATgkwRtH470QQPrM/s320/IMG_20130527_003713.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This version only has a ribbon that ties around the box to keep it shut/make it easier to carry. Mach 2 is going to have actually attached handles and maybe a latch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7eLwhwUIXXImRhzGrZVCd7MxHqyRbl87qLYVc9GlIfemhnzIP7-YI15XptPjTfS_rqX0gx_3r3FieJQEHrmghCka3BynvP00EG4jDEpx2jcDazzjsz790afrAjmWLj1vte86-ExN1HU/s1600/IMG_20130527_004203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7eLwhwUIXXImRhzGrZVCd7MxHqyRbl87qLYVc9GlIfemhnzIP7-YI15XptPjTfS_rqX0gx_3r3FieJQEHrmghCka3BynvP00EG4jDEpx2jcDazzjsz790afrAjmWLj1vte86-ExN1HU/s400/IMG_20130527_004203.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and the other side and a glance of the top</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5Sa8LQJ7bARkJoVc14coItbY833Ln0PI3uGwOhq4Kaatg7RUIE_ugD3HEGj9QW-PKb4Y18yTWy1_SwDbssWWxSrgIkJp_G-VVTSoKburn5SQ3TfPzgrIhH90GREHshy_ZEWvKt5EvBE/s1600/IMG_20130527_003947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu4K6RqqDw8y2kB6Djas_kUTDTGjtmQWfeGiKJYdvjUFk0bdgkbYfQtX42xOoSrZcbfI0c23wrXJfDGgSF2ak3rC4AekVkD20J3Aqjm67iYSqCfMQNFwchTI4iUa6qVhlYBoo2DmkXhk/s1600/IMG_20130527_003805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu4K6RqqDw8y2kB6Djas_kUTDTGjtmQWfeGiKJYdvjUFk0bdgkbYfQtX42xOoSrZcbfI0c23wrXJfDGgSF2ak3rC4AekVkD20J3Aqjm67iYSqCfMQNFwchTI4iUa6qVhlYBoo2DmkXhk/s400/IMG_20130527_003805.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tray holds bobby pins, hair bands, safety pins and the minimal amount of make up that I use. That's really my favorite part, makes packing so much more compact</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJULTrN83wEZb2TEmBY89k_e3gN9g2TgsLKkFFBwlyE7XoMfMAuSuEXeIYs55NcMjlh1CwLEWd0Ql63CVSOYEujcBPDhULda42SCIYwATWAklCOPIptdGdw2qwPk81jLIMjz0rD9DAos/s1600/IMG_20130527_003947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJULTrN83wEZb2TEmBY89k_e3gN9g2TgsLKkFFBwlyE7XoMfMAuSuEXeIYs55NcMjlh1CwLEWd0Ql63CVSOYEujcBPDhULda42SCIYwATWAklCOPIptdGdw2qwPk81jLIMjz0rD9DAos/s400/IMG_20130527_003947.jpg" width="400" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the tray fits my wig, neatly bundled in it's hair net (think Mach 2 will be cloth lined as well), and I can usually fit my headband and a small hand mirror in with the wig as well</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />
So, there is is. I can't wait to experement with making different sizes, give it different styles, ect. Maybe I'll even do custom orders/sell them at some point. Maybe they aren't for everyone. Some people will always like the snazzy, zippered, not awesomely handmade wig boxes, and that's cool. But I love it. So, there you go. Adventures in craftyness!!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-66724979251646775842013-06-10T10:16:00.001-07:002013-06-10T10:16:48.098-07:00Fit for danceI am sure that it won't be surprising to hear that I have been trying to lose some weight. I mean, first of all I am woman, over the age of 12 in the USA - aren't we ALL trying to lose some weight.<br />
<br />
Unlike most of my countrywomen however, I don't want to loose scads so I can look good in all the trendiest clothes and make a pastime out of counting my ribs, or flexing my muscles. Unlike most, my target goal is the *highest* weight in my "healthy" range, according to the whole BMI thing, not the lowest. And it's only about 20 pounds away. I've lived my life within 10 pounds of it, most of my adult life, with a couple years in what is now my ideal weight, and I don't think I would be comfortable in my own body if I was any smaller then that.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I've been trying to use dance as, if not so much a REASON to lose weight, certainly an inducement. Luckily, Irish is nothing like ballet, you don't have to meet certain body type requirements to ever be considered "good" at it. And there are no leotards in Irish dance (at least not required).<br />
<br />
But I have been well aware that if I want my stamina to improve, if I want my leaps to be higher, and if I want to actually someday be able to fit into a solo dress, losing that 20ilbs could be of extreme benefit.<br />
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The problem I am running into is - it's *ONLY* 20 pounds. I don't mean to lessen the work that people who lose lots of weight do, but I am starting to get the opinion, it's much harder to lose the smaller amounts. Usually, when you have 100 pounds to lose, just starting by cutting back on your diet and some basic exercise will start showing some impressive results. But I already don't drink soda (except for an occasional treat, and it's usually diet when I do), I eat reasonable amounts of vegetables, and usually manage to keep my intake to under 2000 calories a day. Admittedly, cookies and ice cream are a weak spot, but I don't keep them in the house so they aren't a temptation, and when I do splurge a little, i keep it in reasonable proportions. I exercise, admittedly, only once a week at dance class usually, but I don't have a completely sedentary life style so I keep pretty active.<br />
<br />
And despite all this - which seems like some hard work to me - I am lucky if I budge a pound off of me. So anger making!<br />
<br />
I know what I could do to make it happen more - cut out all the tasty foods and subside on celery and prune juice for a month, practically live at the gym, etc. But I am not a gym rat, and I like food and going out with friends to eat, and drinking beer and eating ice cream. I hate exercising just to exercise. I'd rather swear off food then commit to spending 7 hours a week on a treadmill. So, what can I do.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I have a work out game on my xbox - that helps. While it's really just regular fitness exercises, I am enough of an Xbox junkie that I have to get good scores and achievements, so that makes a game out of it. But even that gets boring, and I will go one week, using it everyday, then 3 weeks not even looking at it. I've been trying to drill my dance moves at home more, but my concrete sub floors hurt me.<br />
<br />
I guess this is just another metaphorical brick wall I am hitting. If anyone has any brilliant ideas, short of liposuction, let me know.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887568350765801251.post-80228442524292726602013-06-01T19:50:00.001-07:002013-06-01T19:50:46.662-07:00Dress Sizes: A Quandry . . .Why do dresses in the Irish Dance world all get sized by age? I realize, that we dance divided by age, but not all ages, nor even age ranges wear the same size. Is it because kid's clothes tend to be sized by age and most dancers are kids? But then what about adults? "Dress suitable for senior lady" . . . that could mean anything, ANYTHING! And even on the kids sizes. "Will fit 13-15?" Not only was my shape COMPLETELY different from everyone else my age whilst in that pre-teen bracket, it shifted DRASTICALLY between those ages? People also post measurements usually - pretty detailed measurements too, and that is significantly more helpful, but an at a glance perusal of the title/heading of a for sale post, it doesn't much help does it. I mean, even with my current, much beloved, second places, I am about a million miles to go til I get a solo dress, but I like cruising the ads on Dance Again, just like everyone else. And I don't even know where to start looking!! 16 and Over? Well, I am much the same size as I was when I was 16, but my 16 year old self had the figure of a 30-something mother of 4 so I don't really know if that catagory works. And then to look at the pictures, you have no real idea of size until you open it up, when they tell you the dress was work by a petite 16 year old with the measurements of 22,16,23 and you feel like you either wire your jaw shut and just stop eating anything solid or just go all Shylock and remove a pound (or 2) of flesh in an ill-advised home lypo-suction job.<br />
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Why can't normal dress sizes be used? Like really! "Stunning Size 00 dress"? Know it's not the one for me "Elegant dress of an appropriate size for a dancing hippo?" Might be a bit loose in the hips, but I know I can tailor it down and might be worth a look.<br />
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Oh well, add to the list of other things that make NO SENSE and just get out my measuring tape if I want to know what size dress to shop for.<br />
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That's it . . . sorry, this was kind of a pointless post, but it just crossed my mind.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0