POP!

I am in love.
This will be the summer of teaching myself to pop like griddle cakes! I feel it coursing in mah veins!!!!!!!!
Yes!

If you were to describe the motion in stillness, it would be like Gaudi, I think.
(check out the link by clicking the title)

Why do you dance?

A friend's query. My thoughts:

I grew up dancing--I think that's part of it: it's just part of my routine. But I continue it because I like moving my body, I like figuring out how it moves, how it can move. People always used to say I was a dorky dancer, but I loved moving/dancing anyway. I think I would have continued dancing even if I was never "good". The fact that people seem to enjoy my dancing now is a blessing--an added bonus that I never expected. Dance is so versatile--I can express my emotions, or an idea, or abstract shapes through dance. I can make it big, I can make it small. I can challenge myself to isolate parts, or let go and dance ecstatically with my whole being. Dance is also universal--to be enjoyed anywhere, anytime, with anyone, or alone--it sees no boundaries.
I teach because I am happy to share with others the joy that I get from dance, but also because I feel like I actually have something to offer. After this many years I feel like I have a good handle on doing things in a way that is healthful and not harmful for your body. And that makes me feel good to share.
Performances can be very nerve wracking, and they can also be really fun and rewarding. I think I perform for different reasons than why I dance, though. Partially it fulfills the ham in me, partially it is another avenue of dance that simply can't be explored in any other way, partially it is a good check on my abilities, on my confidence: What have I nailed? What do I still need more work on? Also, with costuming, performance allows me to express another avenue of my creativity.

I did it!!!

I passed fucking physiology by .09%
I am a quarter doctor.
FINALLY!

All right already!

So you saw the picture of me sick with some virus, and looking like a jaundiced neanderthal. Then 2 days later I went to bed losing my voice. Felt fine, just losing my voice. Woke up with pink eye. Had to go take a pathology exam anyway. Then to the optometrist to get antibiotics for my eye. After talking squeaky all day, I talked to Dad who said that my lost voice was due to another virus (different from the one that made me sick the other day) and that I shouldn't talk at all because it was laryngitis and talking was just going to make it worse. Victoria and I laughed and said "oh well, it could be worse." And then an hour later it was--my eye had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic and was REALLY red and swollen (first picture: allergic reaction in eye that already had pink eye). So I took some benedryl and went to bed. Could be worse.

But then I woke up and BOTH of my eyes were infected. Matted together, EEEEEEWWWWW!!!!!! And, as predicted, my laryngitis was complete. Can't talk if I wanted to today. And somehow I have to continue studying through feeling this ridiculous! All I want to do is REST my poor bloodshot infected eyes, not strain them reading! (picture below: that was my GOOD eye!)

"Has stomach cancer"

Can we just say that instead of "architecture of the gastric wall is transmurally effaced by a neoplasm"?

Flu

Apparantly I look like a jaundiced Neanderthal when I'm sick.


Well, I know I felt like ass, so maybe it follows that I looked it too. Ugg. Missed an exam. Fever, sweats, chills, aches, no appetite, sick dreams of battles in my body and my own body parts piled on top of me. Feeling better today, start studying for the exam I missed again tomorrow. Just one more week left! Come on, body, let's do it!!

Yet another great open mic

with irish music demos, amazing acapella trios, silliness of songs, fire-spinning, some bellehdancin, and smiles all around.
[Danee's coin belt in action; Natasha, Elliott, Amy in harmony; another Amy, myself and Jessamyn; the participators, all happylike.]

No end in sight

It's been raining at least a week, and the 10 day forecast shows no break in the rain. Try to enjoy.

Roommate

Jessamyn and I are moving in together. I feel stable enough emotionally (finally) to consider living with another human being (only sorta kidding). And if I break down next year, it'll be okay. She's seen me at my worst. And I at hers. And we can cook good healthy food together (she eats no sugar and is vegetarian!), and share rent (we have an awesome, cheap, close-to-school place!), and enjoy each other's company (excited about this! But fully aware that I'm going to have to be strict on the STUDYING first and foremost), and share a sewing machine, and kitties, and carpool or ride bikes to school...

[picture from the Walpurgistnacht Black and White Masquerade Ball a few weekends ago. Bunny just matched.]

Fairy Doors

Click on the title, listen to the story.

Ahh, delight.

Rocks grow too!

Next time you're in Washington, go see Mt. Saint Helen's fin of a rock that grows almost 5 feet per day!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo

even though this should be here for dia de los muertos. good enough.

What you see...

is knowledge going into my brain. Lots of knowledge. About endocrinology. Hormones. Enzymes. Actions. Diseases. Chemical imbalances. Symptoms. Learnin'. So much of it you can see it swirling in the air around my head. I can feel it.

Nice visit

Ben came to visit for 5 days and it was so lovely to LIVE with him. Still I had school, had to study, had to go teach dance classes, had to do errands, but I got to do the errands with him, I got to make food and eat with him, got to sleep in the same bed (cuddly), got to come home from school to his smiling face. And one day we had brunch out in Sturbridge--an old NewEngland hefty farm breakfast with a bunch of my friends for a belated b'day. And we saw an Alvin Ailey performance at the beautiful old Wang theatre (thanks BrieAnn!). And one night we went to eat dinner with Jessamyn and Emily. Jess and Ben pretend to be rockers while I play with my new camera. Ben looks magical. Maybe he is.