Success!
10:42 Posted In life Edit This 0 Comments »
My work table is cleared! my supplies and reference materials are accessible! (mostly)Of course, there is the other half of the room but for now I can bask in the glory of working in usable space!
We had a blast on stage!
22:43 Posted In Dance Edit This 0 Comments »
And we only fumbled a little, not bad considering the relatively small amount of practice time. Everyone had to go through a dry run to get to know the stage. This was also for the benefit of the lady handling the lighting and sound. We discovered the stage was smaller than our routine so some slight adjustments had to be made. For starters - baby steps! I did not fall off the front of the stage and the girls behind me did not get pushed into the curtain so we did well.
A good thing to note is that one should quickly learn how to find that gap in the curtain to exit the stage! There was some good natured fumbling on the part of a few people over this. When you can't find the way out, things get a lot less graceful but it is funny.
We had a great show from a variety of performers. Some of them were new like ourselves, some had been dancing for several years. My classmates and I drooled over pretty costumes and admired the skill and hard work that went into these performances. I was happy to find everyone supportive and encouraging. One group in particular sat center front row specifically to cheer everyone on! Would I do this again? Yes! Although for now I will say I am glad the next show is many months away. I need more practice!
A good thing to note is that one should quickly learn how to find that gap in the curtain to exit the stage! There was some good natured fumbling on the part of a few people over this. When you can't find the way out, things get a lot less graceful but it is funny.
We had a great show from a variety of performers. Some of them were new like ourselves, some had been dancing for several years. My classmates and I drooled over pretty costumes and admired the skill and hard work that went into these performances. I was happy to find everyone supportive and encouraging. One group in particular sat center front row specifically to cheer everyone on! Would I do this again? Yes! Although for now I will say I am glad the next show is many months away. I need more practice!
Yesterday
22:20 Posted In life Edit This 0 Comments »
Yes, I am obviously excited for the arrival of spring when the appearance of a pair of mallards sends me into a happy mood! These two were taking a brief rest on the front lawn at work yesterday before continuing on their way.
Today of course we are bombarded with snow and sleet. Winter is not giving up just yet!
My first dance recital
16:58 Posted In Dance Edit This 0 Comments »
The one dance class I attend is run by a lady who has organized an annual student recital each spring. She has several classes of different levels / abilities plus some ladies who have been with her for several years. The new students perform in groups, no costume required (that's me). The more advanced students will perform duets and solos in full costume. Personally I think the idea is a great one. It gives the beginner student a good chance to see how their dancing can progress if they choose to carry on. And it gives friends or family a chance to see just what we all have been up to!
I have performed on stage in choir and band before and I don't mind the anonymity of that shadowy mass of faces on the other side of the lights. I find that much easier to deal with than just dancing for one person up close (ie. showing my friend a new step). I have not danced for my boyfriend yet, largely because I suspect he is expecting something quite different from what I am actually doing (he is a man after all). He will be attending the recital, along with some friends of mine. It will be quite interesting to hear what they think of it afterwards.
In the meantime we have two more practices before curtain call and I am seriously hoping we do not have any more changes to the choreography!
I can reach my work table now...
21:28 Posted In life Edit This 0 Comments »
I am still plugging away at my studio space. The new arrangement is basically forcing a medium scale purge of materials. As I have commented to one friend, it is therefore a good thing that I went into this wanting to purge and organize everything. Otherwise I would be feeling very resentful towards someone right now.
Some old paintings are going to get tossed, although a couple may find welcoming homes with friends. I have culled a substantial pile of old magazines and some books. Several dragon statues have been packed away in the storage cubby. Some of my favorites are still on display of course!
Next up I need to go through my art supplies. I know a few people who would enjoy using whatever I pull out so that is not so bad. Over the years I have collected a lot of stuff for 'great ideas' and 'future projects' which never materialized. I have come to the conclusion that streamlining my focus to a couple of areas is going to help boost my productivity as well as the overall quality of my work.
After that there is the closet in the room which has been stuffed full of "stuff" until it is ready to burst. I can think of a couple boxes at least that can be tossed outright. The rest will have to be gone through. Once all that is done I can re-arrange accordingly.
There are a lot of things that are too good to throw out. I had thought about selling some of the smaller stuff online but realisitically that is a hassle and I'm not sure I want to fuss with that. I am thinking most of it is just going to get donated. To say I am going to be overjoyed when this is all done will be an understatement! I feel like I have been at this forever...
Some old paintings are going to get tossed, although a couple may find welcoming homes with friends. I have culled a substantial pile of old magazines and some books. Several dragon statues have been packed away in the storage cubby. Some of my favorites are still on display of course!
Next up I need to go through my art supplies. I know a few people who would enjoy using whatever I pull out so that is not so bad. Over the years I have collected a lot of stuff for 'great ideas' and 'future projects' which never materialized. I have come to the conclusion that streamlining my focus to a couple of areas is going to help boost my productivity as well as the overall quality of my work.
After that there is the closet in the room which has been stuffed full of "stuff" until it is ready to burst. I can think of a couple boxes at least that can be tossed outright. The rest will have to be gone through. Once all that is done I can re-arrange accordingly.
There are a lot of things that are too good to throw out. I had thought about selling some of the smaller stuff online but realisitically that is a hassle and I'm not sure I want to fuss with that. I am thinking most of it is just going to get donated. To say I am going to be overjoyed when this is all done will be an understatement! I feel like I have been at this forever...
The taste of nostalgia?
22:12 Edit This 0 Comments »
My co-worker came in with a case of girl guide cookies this week. Cookies of any kind do not sit around long in this place - the guys have long since embraced cookies as a singular food group! It works much the same way that my girlfriends and I embrace Chocolate.
I bought a box because it has been years since I have indulged in those cookies. I remember going door to door as a Brownie selling cookies in the annual fundraising drive. The troupe I was in did various activities but the only one that really stands out in memory was winter camping. I remember falling over in snowshoes, trying cross country skiing and living in the bunkhouse. I also remember the milk froze, or at least part of it. Someone at the table announced that the solid chucks were in fact rotten milk! So a full table of little kids were suddenly busy trying to pawn off the solid milk chunks to someone else. As I recall it was one of the leaders that started that chaotic jumble! I kept my glass under the table so no one could dump their 'chunks' in mine.
I never made it past Brownie level. I think my favorite part of going to Brownies was getting to play on the playground at the school - it had a spiral slide! Other than that, I liked the dress, hated the tights and overall I was only somewhat interested in the whole affair. I don't even recall what badges I attained. My parents decided not to keep me enrolled as a result.
But I remember the cookies! One row of vanilla and one row of chocolate filled the box. We would purchase a few boxes for the house and my dad and I would trade flavours, he preferred the vanilla and I the chocolate. These days I am more equal opportunity, I enjoy both flavours!
I am going to attribute this to the fact that my pallet is quite a bit different than when I was little, but the cookies just do not taste as good as I remember. That and the cookies these days are made by a different company than when I was a kid. In fact, they taste almost empty? There is a little flash of flavour and then the rest just fades out. Ah well, they are fine on their own, without trying to compare them to a distant past. But I do not think I will get any more this year.
I bought a box because it has been years since I have indulged in those cookies. I remember going door to door as a Brownie selling cookies in the annual fundraising drive. The troupe I was in did various activities but the only one that really stands out in memory was winter camping. I remember falling over in snowshoes, trying cross country skiing and living in the bunkhouse. I also remember the milk froze, or at least part of it. Someone at the table announced that the solid chucks were in fact rotten milk! So a full table of little kids were suddenly busy trying to pawn off the solid milk chunks to someone else. As I recall it was one of the leaders that started that chaotic jumble! I kept my glass under the table so no one could dump their 'chunks' in mine.
I never made it past Brownie level. I think my favorite part of going to Brownies was getting to play on the playground at the school - it had a spiral slide! Other than that, I liked the dress, hated the tights and overall I was only somewhat interested in the whole affair. I don't even recall what badges I attained. My parents decided not to keep me enrolled as a result.
But I remember the cookies! One row of vanilla and one row of chocolate filled the box. We would purchase a few boxes for the house and my dad and I would trade flavours, he preferred the vanilla and I the chocolate. These days I am more equal opportunity, I enjoy both flavours!
I am going to attribute this to the fact that my pallet is quite a bit different than when I was little, but the cookies just do not taste as good as I remember. That and the cookies these days are made by a different company than when I was a kid. In fact, they taste almost empty? There is a little flash of flavour and then the rest just fades out. Ah well, they are fine on their own, without trying to compare them to a distant past. But I do not think I will get any more this year.
