Yes, some of you musical aficionados may note that the title of this blog is also part of a Wicked song, so now you now that about me.
Also about me, I have started dancing. I never took ballet as a child, that was my sister, and as the second, I had to do something else, so I chose gymnastics, which I enjoyed, but still in college I felt I had missed that sexy, feminine, awesome dancer chance.
Now, as I have in the past year uprooted myself and moved across the country, I am taking leaps to try many forms of dance. It started as with Contra, dabbling in Lindy Hop, glimpsing Blues, a peek at Square, a first fumble at Balboa, and now more intentionally Lindy Hop, with hopes of more Blues.
Contra dancing was safe. Weird, I know, to describe an event where you enter solo into a room full of strangers and have to submit yourself to the awkward asking/not being asked ritual of partner dancing, as safe. But, as I say, they were strangers. I was alone in a new city and could make a fool of myself in front of these dancers, who were mostly many years older than me, or in the younger clique, but I didn't have to worry too much about grace. Dance steps were walked through before each song started, and after several repetitions you got into the groove. Not quite expressive enough, but definitely worked up a sweat, got to hear live bands, and enjoyed the choreographed dance hall feeling.
Lindy Hop, at first, terrified and also didn't entice me. I found the online YouTube videos jerky, not terribly graceful, and I never get the whole vintage scene. But my best friend here invited me, and as a new comer, I made it my goal to seize all opportunities that came my way, so I tried it. Seattle has a large Lindy scene, and it intimidated me (still does). I went cautiously, not even sure if it was a world I wanted to be in very deep. More on this dance later.
Blues dancing was something altogether different. Think of the cliche scene from the film Dirty Dancing, where Baby bring beer or something to the dimly lit, hot, sweaty, secret dance space with all the staff pressing against one another. Okay, good frame of reference. I went with my friend, same one, to my first Blues dance at 12 AM, with assurances from my friend that it would be going on until 4 AM probably. It was in someone's house, and on the porch was a pile of 50 or so pairs of shoes. We entered the house, shoeless, and walked through intertwined couples, through 3 rooms of hardwood floors filled only with slinking, grooving, sweaty bodies. Yes I was nervous, but these dancers made me feel graceful, sexy, alive. At the end of it I had the sweat of everyone I had danced with and my own mixed into the fabrics of my clothes, but I felt inspired, and cool! I have since quoted to a friend this line I feel fits the blues scene. "Blues dancing is like smoking, if smoking actually was cool." I don't know why this fits, I am not a smoker, but has that forbidden, feels so smooth feeling that I imagine people who smoke must like.
Anyway, I digress, and I haven't covered all the dancing yet! However, this is a good start. I must go, out to hear music or try some new steps, but I will return with more patchwork stories soon.
Go out and try some moves yourself!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thoughts on one of my often contemplated subjects... coffee
As I sit here, drinking, ironically, some tea, I am thinking about all the coffee shops I have visited (okay, not all, that would be way too much to consider at once). What makes a coffee shop a favorite of mine, how quality vs. expense rank, proximity and convenience, morning coffee and afternoon/dessert date coffee.
All of you tuning out because you don't live in Seattle, or don't drink coffee, I apologize. I promise not every post will be centered around coffee and my caffeinated addiction. But, for those of you who do share my penchant for the delicious brew... well, it will be a theme that sometimes will rear its hyperactive head.
Tonight I will list my most memorable coffee shops, and the reasons they have stuck the most with me. No ranking, because I have never been back to back to back to them. This will not just be Seattle shops, but spans the two coasts.
Okay, so the first one I want to write about is eluding me. It used to be in Providence, RI right by the waterfront, but I will have to edit this when I can recall the name and give it its proper due.
UPDATE:
Brewed Awakenings (now gone)
Providence, RI
This was my mainstay my freshman year of college. Far enough away from campus that you were out of the beaten path, long polished wooden tables for bringing all your books with you, great atmosphere. We used to gather groups together to go there and study, separate yet unified. Ah Brewed, you will never again be forgotten by me.
Coffee Exchange
Wickenden St., in Providence, RI
This one is another one close to my heart. They are open super late for a coffee shop, free wi-fi, and great indoor and outdoor seating. I spent many nights chatting with friends, both serious deep conversations and sunshine moments, and also lots of nights solo, when my apartment stolen wi-fi was not up to par. A big bonus in my book: they are sustainable, organic, and fair trade! My inner hippie smiles at this.
Vero Espresso
Eugene, OR
This coffee house reminds me of just that. A hard wood, cosy living room with large tables, comfy chairs, different rooms to sneak into for more or less privacy. They aren't open that late, but they have good drinks and food, and it just makes me feel like I am in my grandparents' living room doing some work with others around me. I spent unemployed days, a new west coaster, searching for jobs and catching up on new episodes of The Office, feeling a familiar sense in that space.
Bauhaus Coffee
Seattle, WA
A quintessential Seattle haunt, located on Capitol Hill. Here is where I met my Seattle book club for the first time, from which stemmed my closest friendship in Seattle! Bauhaus's walls are lined with books for the borrowing. Their outdoor seating, while just on the sidewalk, provides a great space to sit, sip, and people watch. Inside they have two levels, an upper area good for holding meetings, and a lower level, good for staring out of the windows or prime location to keep going back for more delicious java.
Lighthouse Coffee Roasters
Seattle, WA
First of all, they roast their own beans, as the name implies, and it is my go-to bean to buy and make at home. Secondly, they are located high in Fremont, so you look over to your left and see majestic mountains, look to your right, and see even more impressive outlines! On a clear day is is beautiful, and somehow, even in November, the sun hits that place just right that you can feel warm and Vitamin D loaded! Also, their coffee is phenomenal. A bit out of the way, but I have walked many uphill miles to seek out their particular combination of fantastic.
Okay, I could go on and on and on, and I probably have, but for now we will leave that there. I have written this in two part, one last night, with tea, and now it is morning. I must get off my butt and, you may have guessed, get my french press going! Peace and caffeine for this Friday morning!
All of you tuning out because you don't live in Seattle, or don't drink coffee, I apologize. I promise not every post will be centered around coffee and my caffeinated addiction. But, for those of you who do share my penchant for the delicious brew... well, it will be a theme that sometimes will rear its hyperactive head.
Tonight I will list my most memorable coffee shops, and the reasons they have stuck the most with me. No ranking, because I have never been back to back to back to them. This will not just be Seattle shops, but spans the two coasts.
Okay, so the first one I want to write about is eluding me. It used to be in Providence, RI right by the waterfront, but I will have to edit this when I can recall the name and give it its proper due.
UPDATE:
Brewed Awakenings (now gone)
Providence, RI
This was my mainstay my freshman year of college. Far enough away from campus that you were out of the beaten path, long polished wooden tables for bringing all your books with you, great atmosphere. We used to gather groups together to go there and study, separate yet unified. Ah Brewed, you will never again be forgotten by me.
Coffee Exchange
Wickenden St., in Providence, RI
This one is another one close to my heart. They are open super late for a coffee shop, free wi-fi, and great indoor and outdoor seating. I spent many nights chatting with friends, both serious deep conversations and sunshine moments, and also lots of nights solo, when my apartment stolen wi-fi was not up to par. A big bonus in my book: they are sustainable, organic, and fair trade! My inner hippie smiles at this.
Vero Espresso
Eugene, OR
This coffee house reminds me of just that. A hard wood, cosy living room with large tables, comfy chairs, different rooms to sneak into for more or less privacy. They aren't open that late, but they have good drinks and food, and it just makes me feel like I am in my grandparents' living room doing some work with others around me. I spent unemployed days, a new west coaster, searching for jobs and catching up on new episodes of The Office, feeling a familiar sense in that space.
Bauhaus Coffee
Seattle, WA
A quintessential Seattle haunt, located on Capitol Hill. Here is where I met my Seattle book club for the first time, from which stemmed my closest friendship in Seattle! Bauhaus's walls are lined with books for the borrowing. Their outdoor seating, while just on the sidewalk, provides a great space to sit, sip, and people watch. Inside they have two levels, an upper area good for holding meetings, and a lower level, good for staring out of the windows or prime location to keep going back for more delicious java.
Lighthouse Coffee Roasters
Seattle, WA
First of all, they roast their own beans, as the name implies, and it is my go-to bean to buy and make at home. Secondly, they are located high in Fremont, so you look over to your left and see majestic mountains, look to your right, and see even more impressive outlines! On a clear day is is beautiful, and somehow, even in November, the sun hits that place just right that you can feel warm and Vitamin D loaded! Also, their coffee is phenomenal. A bit out of the way, but I have walked many uphill miles to seek out their particular combination of fantastic.
Okay, I could go on and on and on, and I probably have, but for now we will leave that there. I have written this in two part, one last night, with tea, and now it is morning. I must get off my butt and, you may have guessed, get my french press going! Peace and caffeine for this Friday morning!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Suddenly there was a flash of light... and a blog was born.
Welcome to my brand new blog baby.
The title of my blog references the book A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, which I hope some of you have read. It has always been one of my favorite books, due perhaps in part to the opening chapter which finds Meg, our protagonist, reading a book in her attic room amidst a thunderstorm. What image could a reader more cozily relate to?
Anyway, a tesseract, as explained in the book, is the fifth dimension, which is a way to move through space and time that is not linear. Yes there is a mathematical tesseract, but for the sake of this blog, we are taking the definition that states that the shortest way between two points may not be a straight line.
In this blog I will no doubt talk in circles about ideas that many may think could be clearly stated, but bear with me, and at least you will get some interesting alliterations, allegories, hyperbole, and whatever else my mind comes up with.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the blog of a former English major, bi-coastal, caffeine dependent, thrifty minded, creative old soul, baby steps on high heels woman. Let's traverse these tesseracts together!
The title of my blog references the book A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, which I hope some of you have read. It has always been one of my favorite books, due perhaps in part to the opening chapter which finds Meg, our protagonist, reading a book in her attic room amidst a thunderstorm. What image could a reader more cozily relate to?
Anyway, a tesseract, as explained in the book, is the fifth dimension, which is a way to move through space and time that is not linear. Yes there is a mathematical tesseract, but for the sake of this blog, we are taking the definition that states that the shortest way between two points may not be a straight line.
In this blog I will no doubt talk in circles about ideas that many may think could be clearly stated, but bear with me, and at least you will get some interesting alliterations, allegories, hyperbole, and whatever else my mind comes up with.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the blog of a former English major, bi-coastal, caffeine dependent, thrifty minded, creative old soul, baby steps on high heels woman. Let's traverse these tesseracts together!
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