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Bettie Page died this Thursday, and the world is a less beautiful place because of it.

She has always been an icon to me because of her representing what real beauty looks like to me.  Not an airbrushed, 80 pound weakling walking down a runway somewhere, but a real honest-to-God woman, with curves and breasts and a big smile.

I've taken fashion cues from her, as well as the lesson to be yourself and follow your heart, no matter what everyone else is telling you. 

 

She will be missed.  RIP, Bettie. 

MSN Article

 

So, I just booked my flight today for a 7 day trip to England!  My Dad goes to Southampton a good bit for work, and I was supposed to go with him for a week almost 2 years ago and the trip fell through.  I had my passport ready to go and everything and his trip got cancelled and I was so sad.

So, cut to this year, and my mom and dad have been trying to plan a family trip to the UK in conjunction with another business trip my dad is making this month.  They've been talking about it vaguely for a long time now, and I've really just been feeling deep down like I wasn't going to get to go, what with work and all.  I had just accepted that it wasn't my time to take a cool vacation--but I talked to my boss today and she's letting me take a whole week off to join them in Southampton!

They will be there for 2 weeks total, and I will be with them for the first 7 days.  I am so excited.  I have been overseas before, but that was over 20 years ago (yes, I was very young).  We are planning on seeing a play and doing some traveling around and I just can't wait!

I have to pack!

My sweet lil puppy has to have surgery!!!  It's called a Cherry Eye and it's when the lower eyelid get rolled back on itself and gets inflamed.  It doesn't hurt her, but it is huge!!!!!!! :-(

I am happy to be back in Athens (even though I wish my vacation was a little longer).  I hope everyone had a great Christmas and got everything they wanted.  I had a great trip to Kentucky and had a great time hanging out with my family (especially those I don't get to see that often). 

Among the great presents I received were a new massage chair, a beautiful photo collage plaque from my sister and a ornate wall hanging from my other sister, some lovely crystal wine glasses from Mark and from Nathan--in addition to the Feist CD I had been wanting--I got the gift of my new baby, Koei! 

Koei is one of Sebastian and Bella's puppies born earlier this year.  Koei is both the Dutch and Afrikaan word for "cow," because she is spotted like a little bovine.  Coincidentally, Koei also means "I Love You" in Japanese!!!

I don't know what everyone has planned for New Year's.  Nathan might be heading to New Orleeans, but we don't know yet.  I will probably either be here in Athens or heading to see the Modern Skirts in Atlanta--so hit me up!!!!

Sorry it's been awhile since I've posted anything. Life has been pretty hectic lately.  Nathan is getting over a bout of pneumonia that turned into a nasty drug-resistant staph infection and we've been in and out of the hospital and dealing with this for over a month.  He is in the home stretch and should be finishing treatment this week and back to his normal self in about another month.  Huge thanks to everyone who has visited and been supportive during this time--you've all been a huge help!

But on to happier things.  We (Nathan, Mark and I) are having a Halloween party at Timothy Road on Friday, October 26th and hope that everyone can attend.  Yes, costumes are MANDATORY!  If you show up without one, I will put you in the paper gowns that we had to wear at the hospital, and no one wants that.  Also, on Saturday, October 27th, the Carnivale of Black Hearts is happening again--this time at Tasty World.  I will be bellydancing outside with the fire eaters, carnival games, burlesque girls and apparently some guy with a ginormous head (I dunno).  There's even an evil pumpkin carving contest.  It's going to be a ton of dark fun so everyone needs to shake off their Halloween Party hangovers and come out for that.  Here's the site if you want more info:

http://www.myspace.com/carnivaleofblackhearts  

Also on the bellydancing tip--I landed a solo gig!  There's a company in Winder that's a big United Way supporter and I've been asked to come out and entertain at their end of campaign dinner.  Approval from the higher-ups has to be secured, so y'all keep your fingers crossed for me!  This gig may possibly lead to another (paying!) one for a woman in Winder who is getting married.  So if anyone else out there knows of someone needing a bellydancer for any reason--let me know!!!

Love and kisses and I hope to see you all on the 26th!!!!!

 

So little ole' me created a scandal in Monroe last weekend.  Crazy, no?

The dance studio where I teach bellydance had their dance recital last weekend.  My ladies didn't feel comfortable dancing in public just yet, but Kim wanted me to bellydance at the show.  I was slated to go on after all the kids' danced and right before her drama club acted out a scene from Aladdin.  Cool, right?  I got the obligatory warnings about covering my belly, not just in something flesh colored, but something that didn't even give the illusion of belly.  OK, no problem I just slap a black tank top under my bedlah.  Tacky, I know, but I really wanted to wear my new bedlah (check out my pics for a photo of the awesome bedlah/tacky black thing combo).

I come on Friday to the dress rehearsal--that's a whole 'nother story involving me being told to show up at 5pm and then sitting on my ass until almost 8pm (well I guess that IS the whole other story, but I digress).  I did a two-part routine--starting with an improv veil dance (aka, me flinging my veil around for a couple minutes) and then the song turns into the drum solo which ANYONE who has come to any of my shows has seen.  Well, the only comments I get from a smiling Kim once I come off-stage are, "Wow, it's really LONG!" and "We were making sure everything stayed 'in place' up there."  As I said before, I had on a sports bra AND a tank top under my bedlah--my shit wasn't going no where.  But she was smiling and said I did a good job and I'd see her tomorrow for the show so I felt fine.

Amber and I show up Saturday evening and watch the youngest girls ballet and tap dance (so cute!) and go to find Kim so I can change and get ready to go on.  Kim comes up to me with a "little problem."  Apparently, she received numerous parent complaints about my dance at dress rehearsal and how it wasn't appropriate for kids and how they were offended by some of my movements.  Kim starts asking me if I can take certain moves out of the drum solo--ones where I'm "jiggling" or "shaking my butt" or where my butt is facing the audience.  I'm just kinds of taken aback--but Kim seems really apologetic and explains it's not her, it's the parents, etc,etc, so I say OK. 

So cut to me in the bathroom with Amber, getting dressed and trying to figure out things to substitute for the "offensive" movements and meanwhile parents are coming in and out of the bathroom and all I can think is "Which ones talked about me?  Are they looking at me with disgust right now?"  One woman walks in the bathroom with her 3 or 4 year old son, takes one look at me, turns around and walks right back out.  The more I try to figure out the "bad" moves and replace them with "good" ones, the shame I feel turns to anger and I decide not to do the drum solo at all.  I tell Kim just to fade out the music after I walk off stage with my veil, and she seems relieved.   

The performance goes off without a hitch--I did well (Amber videotaped it and I'm going to try to post it sometime) and we go home.  But all I can think is--why would Kim do this to me?  The whole reason she even started the adult-themed classes (aerobics and bellydance) she was trying to gain her student's parents as clients.  But from the moment she informed me that the leotard I substitute-taught her ballet classes in was "too revealing" for her student's parents, I thought "Why in the world is she trying to sell them on bellydance, then?"  My class is tiny, and not a single parent in the group--why on earth would she think that my dancing would be accepted at this dance recital?  Now I'm the one who is viewed is this offensive presence and I just feel like I was set up.  I don't know, but it really bothers me.

 

OK, folks.  So it's killing me to be at a desk all day, so I've been looking for a part-time job that's creative and has me on my feet.  So last week, I randomly applied for this job at a dance studio because I noticed they had bellydance listed.  So I went and interviewed and gave my "dance resume," which actually turned out more impressive than I thought.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I've taken dance or danced in some way forever, but never anything professional or competitive; except for maybe when I did flagline.  I've even taught choreography that I've made up, but I've certainly never taught a technique class.   So I was supposed to go in tonight and assist the ballet teacher, just so the owner could see how I did. I had to wear a leotard, tights, bun...the whole nine yards.  I've been freaking out about it all week--I keep thinking that the studio owner is going to take one look at me in my ghetto leotard and think "This girl is no dancer!"

So, cut to tonight.  As I am literally pulling into the parking lot of the studio, the owner calls to tell me that the regular teacher is sick and I am going to be teaching the class tonight.  Me.  Teaching a ballet class.  By myself.  I haven't even been in a ballet class since middle school.  But I did it!  I taught two hour-long ballet classes (one with parents in the room) and didn't screw up!  We stretched!  We did plies at the barre!  We practiced chaines, arabesques and attitudes! I even remembered my terminology.  It was like it all came back to me in a flood and I was doing it!  I even had two of the little girls in the younger class tell me I was their "favorite teacher."  I mentioned to the assistant that I'd never taught a ballet class before and she couldn't believe it.  I couldn't believe it.   For two hours, I was a real, honest-to-God ballet teacher and it was awesome!!

Just thought I would share a little bit of my joy and disbelief.