Dancing with the Stars, in real life

Dancing with the stars has truly brought a spotlight to the world of ballroom dance.  I happened to start taking lessons in latin ballroom dancing about 6 months ago, and I am slowly learning the lingo - a third language if you will.  Even though I've danced for years, ballroom dancing is a whole new beast, however, it is one I am coming to love.  


This weekend was the Indiana Challenge, one of the biggest competitions for the midwest in ballroom dancing.  It rivals with the Milwaukee challenge, but it is quite a sight to behold.  While I did not compete myself, many students and all of the teacher at the studio did, so I had a first hand look at what competing entails.  WOW - new found respect.


For one, they are all in seriously AMAZING condition.  I'm just a starter ballroom dancer, but between the use of your core muscles and the blisters on your feet from your shoes, your body is definitely being used.  And they have to be to fit into some of these costumes!

Not to mention, these dresses are anything but cheap.  Think . . . bridal gown expensive.  That's right, these dresses, from what I have seen, can run from $2500 - $6000+ . . . and that's just the dress!  Then, (note picture above) there is all the required bedazzling:  bracelets, necklaces, fake eyelashes, tanning, hair accessories, and professional shoes.  My bank account hurt when I looked at the price tags.  This is not a sport for the faint wallet-ed.  However, it is extremely easy to get caught up in the hype and want to be a part of what is going on around you.  I have enviously watched the dancers and dreamed of being able to dance around and look as beautiful as them.  I mean, seriously, where else is it acceptable to be as bedazzled as these ladies?!  Maybe in ice-skating, but personally I don't stand a chance against ice.  No no.  I'll stick to the floor, and hope that maybe someday I'll be able to perform in such beautiful attire . . . when my bank account gets an extra zero at the end.  :-)  .... anyone care to donate?!  

The "What-What"

Leave it to students.  You know, if it weren't for them I probably wouldn't be teaching.  They make my days worthwhile because they come up with some of the weirdest things to say.  It probably doesn't help that I have foreign language as my subject, which means all of the words they see are new words which need pronunciation practice, but still, they manage to find some new way to create comedy.


For example, Meet "Ñ" (en-yay), or the "n" with a tilde over it.  This is a famous Spanish character and is used in words like "niño" (little child), "baño" (bathroom), and montaña (mountain).  However, I've learned students don't actually like saying "tilde" and are semi-okay with saying the letter "ñ" (en-yay).  Sometimes I'll pull a Jeff Dunham and call the accent mark a "chik-a" and the tilde a "nya".  They seem to enjoy a short laugh as a result.  


However, my new favorite, is a gift from a student of mine the other day.  When saying "ñ" as I was spelling out the word for him in Spanish, he said "What?" and then proceeded to say "ooooh", and as he drew the tilde over the "n" he said "the what what".  Needless to say, I also said "What?" and furrowed my eyebrows and stared at him bewildered.  He had no idea he said it based on his blank stare and when I repeated his words laughter ensued.  Yay teenagers.


So, dear Jeff Dunham, if you could from now on insert the "what what" into your José Jalepeño on a Stick sketch it would be greatly appreciated.  Just be sure to give credit to my student!  :-)  Thank you Spanish language for giving us the "what what".  

Dave and Busters Brilliance

I may be 24, but I prefer to think I'm "playing adult" every now and again.  It's interesting, this whole getting-older thing.  There are daily revelations, and, I will admit, they are not always everything they're cracked up to be.  Yes, I have more freedoms (woo-hoo!).  Yay for no more curfew!  And here's to finally being able to be the director of my own life.  Woot woot!  However, these things that we, as children, look forward to having someday do come with equally weighted costs:  Bills (boo), the work schedule (yay real life!), no more "safety net" (Mom?? Dad??  Can I have 20 buck??).  Yup.  Hello being an adult.


However, have faith.  There is hope.  It's called Dave and Busters.  For those who had the pleasure of fully experiencing Chucky Cheese's, Enchanted Castle, or any of the plethora of arcades as a kid, fear not, there is an arcade for us children trapped in adult bodies.  And it comes complete with arcade games, tickets, and prizes.  And even dinner and a few drinks for those who find that part of adulthood well deserved and worthwhile.  Or maybe even just for those who enjoy letting loose every so often.  Either way, my past Friday "funday" was spent at this amazing Chicago temple.  

Please note:  Dave and Busters is not cheap nor does it pretend to be.  I discovered that fact as I giddily touch-screened my way to a Dave and Busters game card.  You can get really overly excited about very stupid stuff when the people you are with are also equally and stupidly excited about being kids all over again.  But this touch screen machine is a shiny beacon of trickery!  I love touch screen technology, but if I were drunk, this is a drunk's worst nightmare!  Forget buying people free drinks, this thing just begs for drunk people to not read any of the words and happily hit the "yes" button over and over and over . . . .and over again!  Every time you think you're closer to actually getting your card it tricks you by giving you a "would you like more tickets; it's only half of your life savings for 25 more tickets!" option.  NO!  NO!  No I do not want more tickets!  I just want my plastic orange card so I can swipe away my $20 into a night of useless arcade games!  Just give me my game card!


However, once said plastic card is possessed, all inhibitions are to the winds.  Games like skeet ball, Deal or No Deal, Basketball, Jurassic Park, horse racing, and token tossing call your name at every turn, making you incapable of saying "no" at all for the rest of the night!  And the outpouring of tickets is like liquid cocaine to your soul.  It's addicting!  And you can't help but scream like an idiot when you and your best friend actually picked the 600 (top prized amount) Deal or No Deal case!  The tickets just stream out of the machine and suddenly all you want is more tickets!  More tickets to buy more of the useless crap that they have available to you at the end of the night.  Just swipe your card like you're at your college dining hall all over again - immediate satisfaction - and you too can have a furry Fred Flinstone tie or Blue Dolphin at the end of the night for only 450 tickets!  Pointless, useless crap has never been so fulfilling and meaningful, at least, not since you won the overstuffed dog at the carnival playing the ring toss!  And do you know what the best part is?  You end up having so much fun, competing with your friends for top score or who can win the most tickets, that you pass hours playing games you haven't played since you were a child.  You suddenly get in touch with the "fun" side of you all over again, and all the other parts of being an adult are no longer relevant.  All you need is you, your orange plastic swipe-y card, your friends, and the outpouring of tickets you might be lucky enough to win at every turn.  Aaaah, adulthood.  Who thought it would ever be this much fun!?

¡CARNAVAL!

Bienvenidos a una celebración loca y famosa del mundo. . . Welcome to a crazy and famous world celebration.  Let the gluttony of the world begin.


Yes, this is "carnaval" - en español (Car-nah-vahl) - or, as many American's know it - Mardi Gras.

Carnaval is an incredible celebration not only for its history but also because if it's wide-spread reach around the world.  For those of you who don't know, Mardi Gras is not the biggest festival.  In fact, it is far from it.  The biggest celebration is  . . . drum roll please . . . Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Here, hundreds of thousands of people line the two-mile long strip to see two days worth of crazy celebrations and one of the biggest parades in the world.  The stadium seating holds a plethora of people, and the sky lights up with flashing lights and fireworks.  

And . . . everyone does a little "samba", as the music begins.  Granted, it is all in Portuguese, but a little thing like a language barrier never stopped anyone from having a good time at a party (think, Oktoberfest).  Dancers, musicians, and parade workers all bedazzle themselves before strutting down the parade's line.  Even parade goers don't pass up the opportunity to throw their cares to the wind and put on a crazy costume or face paint, or just take a 2-day break from reality.  

And the parade is a sight to behold.  There are more colors and shiny objects than the inside of a confetti filled balloon or piñata.  Although, I must admit, as much as I love dancing, I'm not sure I'd be too secure in one of those dancers' costumes.  If you google carnaval dancers you will see there is often little besides two small bedazzled jewels up top and some string down below.  . . . But there are a LOT of feathers and head-dresses / masks going on!  And all of this before the 40 days of "oooh, I think I'm supposed to be giving up something" (aka Lent) starts.  For some of these people, I imagine it takes 40 days just to detox from the experience!  Although . . . come to think of it . . . ok, just kidding.  :-)


Again, fabulous festival, and I hope you are all enjoying the festivities that embody Carnaval, whether you are christian or not.  Every deserves a chance to party every now and again!

AVATAR

I finally jumped on the bandwagon.  W-O-W


For those of you who still haven't seen the movie - shame on you.  Movies like AVATAR shake the foundation on which we stand and force us to not only re-evaluate life and our perception therein.  They also, however, redefine movies in general.


Yet, to address the good of the movie, you must also address the opposing viewpoints.  Numerous critics have torn AVATAR apart for it's "anti-American", "treehugger", and "racist" themes.  Having seen the movie, I can understand how and why those viewpoints are held by people, but I have to wonder of those critiques are short-sighted and overeager to make criticisms for the sake of criticisms.  I'm not one to push my political or other beliefs on people, as I believe that beliefs are only stronger opinions, and opinions are the rights of every individual.  However, I do think that the messages in this movie are not only important to understand, but also warranted, and that those critics are really just missing the point and the bigger picture.  Self-reflection and criticism are necessary tools one must utilize to prevent the destruction of one's own self through ignorance and the failure to face reality.  It seems like AVATAR is an intended message to us to tread softly in our advancement if it is only for the mere sake of "advancement".  


Yet, to criticize Cameron so strongly isn't right either, as he is not, in fact, the first one to bring to light such commentary.  Think:  The Matrix or even something as seemingly innocent as Wall-E.  The warnings are there.  This movie was not the first, but it does make apparent the notion that there is a difference between advancement merely for the sake of advancement and advancement when it is necessary.  


However, all the same, the visual affects of the movie push the boundaries of film-making.  The 3-D experience (and IMAX!) jetted this movie's impact forward 10-fold.  Who doesn't like seeing 3-D adventures and wearing those fun, hard-framed, oversized glasses? And the fact that a 3-hour movie didn't even seem like it was 3 hours made it even better.  I won't say too much on the movie itself, as I dare not give anything away to those who really have not seen it yet, but it is no wonder AVATAR has broken the records it has.  


So, therefore, I say:  Congratulations, James Cameron, for beating your own record.  You officially deserve every bit of your fame.  Maybe someday we'll see the "trifecta"?

"An arm and a -" . . . wait no. Just legs

It isn't often that I head into downtown Chicago on a weeknight, but tonight was an exception.  During my endeavor, I stumbled across human statues missing an entire chunk of their bodies.  I didn't I would ever see half-human statues, yet tonight, I stand corrected.  Welcome to Grant Park, at the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Michigan Avenue.

This is an installation created by Magdalena Abakanowicz.  Agora is only one of this artist's many famous installations.  Completed in 2006, it has a total of 106 pairs of walking legs spread throughout this southwest corner of Grant Park.  Inspired by the notion of "the Countless", as she calls it, this particular installation attempts to spark recognition amongst viewers in the reality of those exact people - the "countless".  

Quite honestly, initially, I was shocked and disturbed.  I passed the installation in my car and seeing it from inside my car, only in passing, during the cold, snow-covered night, truly sent eerie chills through my spine.  It probably doesn't help, granted, that there is a huge World War II / Holocaust unit encompassing everything "8th grade" where I teach, because I couldn't digest the images for quite some time.  However, I must note, that true artists require and are excited by these responses.  To observe a piece of art with indifference and not being somehow emotionally moved by it or even confused by it, is actually a bit of a slap-in-the-face to the artist, if you will.  Ideally, artists wish to create some form of impact in the viewers - good or bad, pleasant or unsettling.  A reaction means an emotional or intellectual response.  It means a connection to the artwork and therefore an internalization of the artwork and possibly a conversation sometime thereafter about said artwork.  Thus, this explains why I have been mulling over this installation for the past few hours.


Again, as mentioned, initially this disturbed me.  However, the more I think about it, and learn about the artist and her intentions, the chosen site and the "why" for the artwork, the more ingenious the installation truly is.  Think about it.  How many times a day do you pass even just one person without acknowledging him or inquiring about his day, even if you do or do not know him?  Now think about how many people you pass DAILY - whether it be on foot, on public transportation, during errand shopping, or even those people in the cars next to you.  All these people that you encounter daily - DAILY - that you have no interactions with, that you cannot distinguish from the next, are the people represented by these statues.  In fact, these people are nothing more than what her installation suggests - legs.  They have no heart or identity, no mind or soul.  They are two more countless feet that you pass on your way to where ever it is you are going.  


This artwork forces you to interact with your "countless" encounters.  It forces you to recognize the complexity of your day and yet the sheer, simple, undeniable fact that you not only create the "countless" around you because you fail to acknowledge them, but that you yourself fall into this category as a result because you are that same "countless" person in someone else's life.  


Scary.  But true.  Much like the reflection of my responses to the art:  Fear and confusion to understanding and agreement.  And ultimately, appreciation.


So, next time you find yourself on an errand, or out living the next moment of your daily life, take a moment to notice the number of nameless feet that you pass.  Think about the fact that you are and extremely important individual and yet utterly anonymous all at the same time.  How much does the truth in Agora infiltrate your life, and is there anything that you can do to change the reality of its presence?

Thursday Night TV

I realize it's only Monday, but I truly count down the days to Thursday.  Thursday night TV is my Mecca.  Unfortunately all of my favorite shows are simultaneously on at 9pm, but that doesn't stop me from reveling in all of their amazing-ness at once.


Here's the line-up:  America's Best Dance Crew, Project Runway, and Burn Notice.  It's my life's trifecta.  Everything I love embodied in 1 hour:  Fashion, Dance, Music, Love, Shoot-em-ups, Drama, Intelligence, and Passion.


A-mazing.  And it's even better because they are on "repeat" all week long, so I get double and triple doses whenever I need!  My goal in life is to become all three of those shows wrapped into one - the Power House / Triple Threat woman.  Mmmm.  


Here's to ambitions and the TV shows that make us feel alive!

"Eat" the plank

No, no pirates here.  You don't have to abandon ship or sing a dirge to experience this plank.  Although, if it meant I got to meet Johnny Depp, I'd consider walking a plank.  


But, no, this plank is different.  It's the name of a new granola bar I discovered.  Made by Honest Foods, Granola Planks are delicious, satisfying, and average only 190 calories for a large bar.  Coming from a girl who loves Lara Bars, Luna Bars, and Odwalla Bars, these are a new favorite of mine, and I found them for a steal.  Whole Foods sold them for only $.99 a piece last time I was there, so I stocked up with 6.  So far, the Maple Almond Crunch and Pomegranate Walnut crisp are delicious.  I imagine broken up over yogurt they are equally wonderful and satisfying.  The best part?  They're healthy!  They're made basically from all natural foods with very few, if any, unpronounceable adjectives.  It's great!  I can actually say all of the words in the ingredient list!

Again, they are delicious and come highly recommended.  So have a break, and enjoy this plank!  Let me know if you meet any pirates!

¡¡Taxes "Terminados"!!

Ready? . . . . . . 


Taxes are done! Taxes are done!  WOO HOO!!!!!  Taxes are done!


Mmmm, what a great feeling.  Between the personal little happy dance and the insanely large smile beaming across my face, there are truly only a few moments a year that surmount to the unmistakeable pleasure, joy, and sense of relief one has when he hits "send" or closes the mailbox door and officially files his taxes.  Aaah.  Take a moment.  Think about it.  Think about how absolutely refreshing it feels to know that April 15th is no longer a date of fear, worry, and last minute scrounging.  Relish in how wonderful it is to know that you no longer have to drown in unreadable or senseless paperwork for another year.  Even if you are that person (because we've probably all done it at least once) that runs to file his taxes at the last millisecond possible on the 15th, there is still a pause-able moment of sheer joy and relief that comes the instant they are filed.  You think "I'm free!"


Unless of course you owe money.  Then you probably think "%@(#!" and stomp around your house a few times.  You might even cry a good 3 tears.  All are totally understandable, and I doubt you are the only one having that reaction.  The bright side, though, is that you're still done.  The taxes are filed and they're done.  YAY!  


All the same:  Tax Lesson 101:  Always keep your receipts and paperwork!  This is probably about the only time in life when being a pack rat = good.  Keep it in a box, or a file, or a bottom dresser drawer.  It doesn't really matter; the important part is that you learn to keep receipts and anything you might need for tax purposes next year.  This is one area of life that should always been well recorded and searchable . . . at least for the next 7 years!


So, if you haven't finished your taxes yet, best of luck and keep going!  For those of you that are finished, well done!  I hope you all enjoy your own personal Taxes-are-Done "fiesta" this year.  Good bye 2009!