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Monday, June 11, 2012

Dancing Update

Dancing…
Something happens to me when I dance.  I feel free and lighthearted.  A childish giddiness comes over me and while I am focused and constantly thinking about my committing to my weight transfer, keeping a strong posture,  pointing my toes for nice lines, big arms, tight arms, etc. etc., I am smiling from ear to ear on the inside.  Don’t let me serious, contemplating faces trick you. 
Ryan has been very busy with school, work, baseball for Jared and life in general, so I have had a few solo dance lessons.  These lessons have helped me focus on my technique which is really fun for me.  I love to dance with Ryan, but I also love to improve and when I have one on one instruction on my technique, I tend to improve much more. 
In the Rumba and Salsa/Mambo, I have been working on my Cuban motion.  Transferring my weight to the bent leg is so not natural, but practice makes for muscle memory…I wish I could say perfect, but that would just be a lie.  I am so far from perfect, but much closer than I was a few months ago.  I also need to work on creating strong lines and committing to my steps.  I tend to anticipate the next step.  Tiss Tiss. Committing to my steps, not settling completely into them, but rather keeping my engine in idle and being reactionary to the leader, is what I need to work on.  It’s hard for me, but when I do it, it looks and feels so much better.  I actually feel like a dancer then.  It’s like magic!  Another not so natural thing for me is using my arms and using them in a big way.  I think of my arms and I think flab.  I look at my arms and I see flab.  Why in the world would I want to accentuate my flabby arms?!?!  Well, once again, I am looking at myself through the most critical microscope possible.  My arms are fine, just not as defined as I’d like them to be.  While I think they are jiggling all over, they actually aren’t.   I just need to do a few more pull-ups and push-ups a day to convince myself my arms aren’t waving all over the place. 
In addition to all of that, I have to work on my posture and collecting my feet.  A good posture makes the dance look better, but also allows the man to know where I am and what I am doing at all moments.  Partner dancing is a lead and a follow.  Both parts must be strong because they need each other to be successful.  Collecting my feet will help my moves be sharp and allow me to be reactionary.  I tend to anticipate steps, so I seem to be in constant motion when in reality I need to take each step completely before moving into the next step.  Don’t get me wrong, these steps might be extremely fast, but if I am not collecting my steps, I will be off balance, a poor anchor for the man, will not be a strong follower, might lose balance…the mishaps are endless.  Having a strong foundation is vital.  It’s like building a house of cards.  If the bottom levels are weak, the top will be wobbling and will eventually collapse.  
Oh and remember, you want to have a smile on your face and look really beautiful the entire time!  Easy as pie, eh?!?  I love dancing. I love the challenge. I love the constant learning.  I love learning…plain and simple. 

I will try to take some photos the next time I dance, but it's really hard to take photos when you are dancing...or want to be dancing.  I'll try to get creative!

Much love.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Graduation

Graduation is a time of reflection, of moving on and of celebrating your accomplishments!  My little, well, younger, but much taller, brother graduated from high school yesterday.  Sadly, I wasn’t able to attend, but I have seen pictures (Thanks to facebook and his girlfriend who posts pictures at rapid speed…totally love it!) I’ve also gotten the recap and mood of the day from my mom and the graduate!  Mom’s recount was sappy, sweet and completely endearing.  Mike’s recount was along the lines of “I was so ready to be done. It was good. Speeches weren’t so good.  LC is changing.  Traditions are being lost. It’s a good time to be graduating.”  After an hour long and extremely insightful conversation with my brother, I have fully realized that he is a young man.  I love the way he thinks so thoroughly, the way he feels honestly, his strong confidence that is becoming more silent with each passing day, and the passion and dedication he has for life. 
As St. Francis de Sales once said and my dad quoted…
“There is Nothing so Strong as Gentleness, and there is Nothing so Gentle as real strength.”

This quote sums up my brother perfectly.  I am proud to be his sister.  Greatness awaits him and I am excited to see in what form he embraces it!  Make us proud little brother.  I love you!
P.S. Yes, I am an emotional sap right now.

Here are some photos that I am sharing from facebook…
Mike, his lovely girlfriend and a friend
National Honors Society! Carrying on the tradition!

 My family with Mike and Meg.

 The graduates with their mothers and grandmother.

The love birds!
Congrats you two!

Much love.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Mini Bucket List

Well, the past two weeks' bucket lists have been quite successful, but I have a sick feeling that this week won't be quite as successful because I am one tired lady!  This past weekend I danced, cleaned the beach (30 lbs. of trash is gone!), trimmed my hedges and hauled the trimmings to the back pile for 3 hours (holy sore arms), went to the beach, watched some pups, attended two baseball games, went to Church, went shopping, cleaned a bit, killed ants that seem to be invading my house, and the list goes on...needless to say, I'm a little tired come this Monday morning...and afternoon. 

This weeks bucket list:
1. Learn how to make a movie montage.  Once I learn, I want to make one for my Gramma, one for my friend who moved away and one of this past weekend!  We saw the Blue Angels!  Eeek!  They are the sexiest piece of metal ever. 
2. Listen to some live music this weekend...thinking Harbor Fest!
3. Purchase and wrap all of Ryan's birthday and father's day presents.
4. Make something cute in my house.  I need more cuteness.  :)
5. Blog with pictures.  I have been failing at that one.  
6. Finish a book.  I am in the middle of two. One needs to be finished.

Crappy internet picture, but aren't they sexy?!?!  Yes, is the correct answer.

Happy Monday!
Much love.