I just happened across a really cool site. It is called American Profile and it is a place where people are celebrating the American Spirit. If you have a story to share, you can share it here. They have stories about people, places, traditions, home, family food and entertainment. There are sports articles, travel articles, articles about finance, incredible kids and really cool tips on recipes, kids and pets.

This site is well laid out and has a plethora of articles and information. It is a one stop shop based on friends, families, communities and celebrities alike. If you are looking for a place to figure out where you want to go on your next vacation or how to decorate your home for Halloween, then you will not be disappointed when visiting American Profile. I loved the article Riding, Roping and Learning; there’s nothing like a cowboy on a horse! I can hardly wait to add my own story to this website; the only problem is deciding just which story I would like to add.

Do I add a sports article, a medical article, a personal remedy article, a travel article, a recipe or an article that is just shows my zest for life? If you are anything like me, you may find yourself spending many hours perusing this site; Enjoy!

One of the most difficult aspects of my life is time management. I know that everyone has the same number of hours in a day, but I also know that we all use them differently. Since being diagnosed with leukemia, my “usable” hours have decreased dramatically. If I am lucky, I can put in a good four hour day. This really is cutting into my lifestyle as I never even got closed to accomplishing everything that I needed to do in a ten hour day.

I have had to really prioritize and keep myself on task. This has been a bit more difficult since my watch bit the dust. Buying a new watch is now at the top of my list. Since I am a klutz, I have decided that a sport watch would be a great choice. While looking for sport watches, I found this great site that not only allows you to pick the type of watch that you would like to purchase, but it also allows you to choose the color. I really want to get an orange watch since orange is the color for leukemia. There are so many to choose from that I am wasting precious minutes of my usable four hours to choose! At least Kenmar Watches helps to narrow my choices and hopefully quicken my decision.  I am really getting used to this shopping online and staying out of crowds’ lifestyle!

For those of you that remember my last dance competition, things did not go very well. The event was in Portland, Oregon and we had flown there the night before the competition. I am not entirely sure what happened, but for whatever reason, I was totally wiped out and in a brain fog. I did compete and I survived, the only thing was that I really don’t remember much of it at all. I DO however remember my black dance panties! I have THAT on film.

The competition this past weekend was in San Jose, Ca. and it did not require a plane ride. It was a six hour drive, but I seemed to tolerate it much better than being in the air. That, coupled with the fact that I did not dance until noon, bode much better for my overall well-being.

In some regards I felt that I danced better than I did in Portland and in others not so much. The not so much was directly related to my making some pretty major changes in the way I actually dance, due to my muscles, tendons and joints finally healing, after being poisoned by Cipro for the past 15 months. Ironically, my muscle, joint and tendon pain seemed to dramatically improve after my chemotherapy. Maybe the Sprycel is helping to keep it at bay; who knows?

Since I do get a one day per week reprieve from Sprycel, I chose to forgo my daily dose the night before I competed. I definitely had a bit more energy and was much more clear-headed at this competition than I was at the last one. I once again came in 2^nd Overall, but my individual scores were much improved; and that for me is a win! I still have a ton of things to work on and we got a brand new Cha Cha routine while we were there, so I hope that my brain and body will decide to start co-operating on a more regular basis.

I AM going to dance my way through this damned leukemia!

I have just completed my first year of dancing on the UCWDC circuit and it has been a tough year! The first part of the year I was dancing on an old tendon injury in my foot and the second half of the year I was battling Cipro poisoning that effected my entire body. Nonetheless, I placed ninth out of twenty three dancers from around the world. Most importantly I danced my own personal best at the competition.

For those of you that have never competed, but think that they might like to give it a shot I would suggest attending a UCWDC event and watching the competitions. I competed in eight dances: Triple Tow Step, Polka, Night Club 2 Step, Cha Cha, Waltz, Country Two Step, East Coast Swing and West Coast Swing. Competing  is a great way to improve your dancing. It inspires you to work hard from one competition to the next. It gives you a bench mark of where you have begun and tracks your progress, or decline if you do not practice!  I have found that meeting other competitors can be both pleasant and unpleasant. I have found that I agree and disagree with the judging. I have found that every dance instructor has their own opinion and I have found that I still love dancing!

I never would have imagined that I would have danced in front of anyone, let alone be judged as I am very shy; but I can say that with each competition the nerves have declined and the confidence has increased. It has been an up and down roller coaster but well worth the E ticket!

So, I guess there are two things bothering me today:

1. Cipro poisoning SUCKS! I know that I should be grateful for the improvements that I have made, and I AM however, I am still so irritated that my body has been so compromised by Cipro. The fact that they continually dispense this drug without informing the patient of the potential side effects is criminal!

Of course, my small improvement of being able to slightly bend my toes caused me to test my limits and try to walk and dance like a normal person. That would be USING my toes and pushing off with my toes as opposed to walking and dancing on my heels. That unfortunately led to a bit of a toe injury on my right foot, yup, the BIG TOE! Ugh, wonder how long it will take that to heal?
2. I hate the inflammation underneath the skin that causes the skin itself to be so tender that you don’t want to sit or lie on it. The back of my thighs are killing me today, thank God it seems to be an intermittent side effect. It is so strange because een the slightest touch makes them feel as tough they are on fire! It has been long 5 months now.

So that being said, I hope those of you that have never been effected by Cipro, Levaquinn, Avelox, or any other floroquinolone, take my advice and steer clear of this poison! For those of you in the same boat or worse off, my best wishes to you and I hope you are having one of those “good” days!

I am sure that all West Coast Swing dancers do whips. The question is, do they really “whip”, or are they just going through the motion.  Last night at our weekly class, we spent the entire class doing nothing but two whips and honestly almost everyone was struggling.it wasn’t that they weren’t going through the motion and footwork correctly, it was that they were missing a key ingredient that actually creates the whip itself.

To create an actual whipping motion, both leader and follower need to have compression in the connection of the followers right arm and the leaders left. I am not sure exactly how to explain a “feeling”, but done correctly there is actually a whipping motion. Once you have experienced a whip done properly you will never go back to just walking through a whip again!

I am so confused! For the past two years I’ve been concentrating on learning a variety of swing & country dances. About a week ago, the ballroom dance club held a 2-day dance workshop. I signed up for the Saturday classes in which they taught ballroom waltz and the rumba. After the workshop, they held a ballroom dance with a free Bolero lesson.

I loved them……………….I mean I really loved them! I am so confused now! Which direction do I go, what do I learn next……….help me please. I’m afraid to try anything else new, or I’ll just be more confused. I want to learn them all! I love every kind of dance I’ve ever tried, well maybe with the exception of one, but I’m not going to tell which one that is, because I know many who do love it. So even if I eliminate that one, there are dozen’s more I love. I know there are many dancers who stick with just one dance and become very, very good at it and I do envy the fact that they are so good…………but………..I love too many to just pick one or even two. I guess I’ll just have to resign myself to being a jack of many dances……master of none! Not sure that is all that bad.

Last night, at the monthly ballroom dance, I had the chance to talk with a friend who has been dancing about as long as I have. I was explaining (more likely complaining) to her how hard it has been for me to learn balance (still working on it). She responded “You too? I thought it was just me.” I explained to her that both Ras#1 and I have had to work extra hard to overcome our natural tendency towards klutziness.

Her comment reminded me of all the times I have been frustrated, nearly to the point of quitting, thinking that I was the only one having trouble learning some facet or another of dancing. Well, it isn’t so! Sure, there are those beginners who just have that natural grace and talent that allows them to learn with ease. And then there are the rest of us, some of us with more talent, some with more grace, and some of us with just desire and determination. So, while these occasions can be frustrating and even depressing, take comfort in that you ARE NOT ALONE! Others now and before you have shared the same fears, frustrations and even despair while attempting to learn how to dance. Ras#1 and I have both been and sometimes continue to be there and while we continue in our quest to become better dances, always remember…..even those of us with no god-given graceful attributes can learn to dance!

You’ve finally taken that big step and committed yourself to learning to dance. And there you are…………standing in the middle of a dance floor with numerous other folks trying to remember how to do just the basic steps. Hmmmm, you say to yourself….I think I’ve got it. The, the instructor asks you to do the same steps to music and…poof…..everything you thought you had just learned is gone. You look around and everyone seems to have gotten it, everyone that is but you!  While that might appear to be the case, in actuality, it’s likely not. Some of those other dancers have probably taken the class before and are just brushing up on their skills, others have natural dance skills, while the remainder, like you, your just not seeing. In spite of your fears, you take a deep breath and forge ahead. By the end of the class you are feeling reasonably comfortable that you can do the steps illustrated in class and move to the side of the dance floor, now open to all dancer. You hope (or not) someone will ask you to dance and you will be able to practice you new moves.You watch in awe as the experienced dancers glide around the dance floor, with moves you think only the pros could master, and wonder if you will ever be able to dance even half that well. Then, one of those dancers ask if you would like to dance………………..and a whole new nightmare begins! The color drains from your face, you start to sweat, your stomach starts rolling and you feel like you might throw up……but you say yes. Out on the floor you wish you could just disappear into the floor and never be seen again, you apologize profusely to your dance partner and pray for the song to end. It does…… and round two begins…………..

Take Survey Now.

SCORING:

• 9 or more. Mayday, mayday. Houston, we have a serious dance problem. Don’t be surprised if your friends organize an intervention to confront you with your addiction. You can deal with problem directly by checking your phone book for the local 12-step-hop program in your area.
• 6-8. You’re a borderline dance-aholic. With some effort on your part you can take back control of your life without outside help. It may be enough to cut out dancing between dance classes.
• 3-5. Not to worry. You’re one of those social dancers. You can take it or leave it. You can walk off the dance floor anytime. Dance-aholics view you with suspicion.
• 0-2. Are you kidding? Are you taking this test as a joke? You probably don’t know a step-hop from a pivot. Get outta here — you wouldn’t even watch dance-related television programs!

As dancers, how about we make a pact to try and transform all of those couch potato addicts into Dance Addicts?

Many years ago a friend and I met in Las Vegas. One of our typical hangouts has always been the lounge in the Bellagio. The band is terrific and when they take a break you can go out on to the veranda and watch the fountain show from the backside, which is equally as amazing as watching it from the front.

Usually we spend many hours there, dancing the night away. On this particular visit, we sat and watched, discouraged and envious. Normally there are all types of dancers on the dance floor and we never felt the least bit intimidated. On this particular evening, it seemed as though we had been dropped right into the middle of an Arthur Murray dance studio. Everyone on the dance floor was partner dancing as though they had been dancing together their entire lives. We watched in awe as the partners and dances kept changing to the music, and wondered what had happened since the last time we were there. They were having so much fun, and while we enjoyed watching them, we were both thinking the same thing……….I want to do that! My envy turned to desire, I was no longer envious, and I became inspired.

What we learned, while commiserating on the veranda, was that there was a Ballroom Dance Convention in town for the weekend. Something that I never even knew existed. A world of dance. People just like me, not just the professional dancers that you see on TV, but everyday regular Joe’s. It was right then and there that I decided that I was going to learn to dance.

After returning home from that trip, I did not immediately start dancing. I did not have a partner and I really didn’t know what to do. While my excuses slowed me down, they did not quench my thirst. Several years went by and the desire to learn to dance just increased. “Dancing with the Stars” became a phenomenon and my feet became more restless. I moved from southern Ca to Idaho and said, “Self, you have always wanted to learn to dance, there is no time like the present”! Luckily, I stumbled upon a Cha Cha class at our local recreation center. I went alone and have never looked back. Dance is the greatest gift I have ever given myself.

For those of you like me, that have many excuses and reasons why NOT to dance, here are a few really good reasons TO learn to dance.

1. It is Fun!

2. It’s great exercise for the body, mind and spirit.

3. It’s a great way to make new friends.

4. It builds confidence and makes you feel good.

5. It relieves stress.

And did I mention that it is so much FUN?

Let me help you get started, so you don’t waste any more time. Often the most difficult part of doing something new and different is knowing where to begin. You have many options. Let’s compare them and you can decide what works best for you.

The quickest way to learn to dance is to take private, one on one instruction. It is expensive, but affords you the opportunity to progress at a quick pace. I have personally paid $50 – $85 per “dance” hour (which can be anywhere from 45-60 minutes), and have seen prices as high as $150 per “dance” hour. I feel that it is money well spent. I would recommend being careful and selective in choosing a dance instructor. (More on this in another article)

Group lessons are an alternative to private lessons. Most private instructors also teach group lessons. They are much more affordable and often a stepping stone to “interviewing” a dance instructor, that you may want to take private lessons from, after perfecting your basics. They typically cost $25-$55 for a 4-6 week course. You do not need a partner and will make many new friends. Group lessons are often taught at dance studios and local Recreation and Senior Centers. The atmosphere is non intimidating and fun.

Many cities and towns have local Swing Dance and Ballroom Dance organizations that offer monthly dances with a lesson prior to their dance. They are also a great way to find instructors and ongoing dance classes. These dances and lessons are generally $5-$10.

Organizations and dance studios may also offer weekend workshops. These can be overwhelming at first, but give a beginning dancer the opportunity learn and practice for many hours at a time, helping to develop muscle memory. I encourage you to sign up for the first weekend workshop that you can find. The typical cost is $40-$100 per weekend. They often coincide with membership drives. I encourage you to join the organizations and get on their email list. They will keep you informed to upcoming dance opportunities.

If you really want to indulge yourself, attend a convention. Make sure if you are a beginner, that they offer beginning instruction. Conventions offer intensive instruction and many hours of dance practice as well as competitions. The last one I attended, I danced until 4 am every night, and when I left the dance floor, it was still packed! At a convention you will have the opportunity to watch and dance with incredibly talented dancers. Keep in mind, that the only difference between you and them is time and effort. Conventions typically cost $100 plus for 3 or more days. They are worth every cent!

Local bars, pubs and lounges often offer free dance lessons several night a week. Check them out and make a few phone calls. You are sure to find them.

Online instruction and DVD’s are another alternative to learning to dance if there is no instruction available or if you are intimidated or self conscious. It is also a great way to reinforcement all of the above suggestions. Remembering what you learned in your lesson is very difficult in the beginning. Do not become discouraged! It gets easier, I promise.

You can find excellent online instruction at www.LearntoBallroomDanceOnline.com

If you have a desire to learn to dance, do not allow anything to stop you. I hope that the above suggestions will help to move your feet onto the nearest dance floor.

Happy Dancing,

Ras #1

Any of you who have ever had the chance to be thrilled with the discovery of a place to dance while traveling out of town and felt shock and awe, not in the sense of military doctrine regarding overwhelming power, rather, in the realization that the quality of dancing was frightening, would understand what I’m talking about! Ras #1 and I discovered such a place….Tuesday 2-step was our agenda for the night! Now….don’t get me wrong….I’m not claiming to be a great dancer, in fact, I’m still on the huge upward learning curve, so, on that basis, you may have an understanding of how sad the dancing really was.

Now, Ras #1 and I have attempted on a few occasions to play the man’s part (lead) of the dance team, usually when there is no-one to else to dance with, and country 2-step is one of those we have attempted to dance the boy (oops, I mean man)-part. The fact that, while playing the man part, we were about as good at dancing as most of the men on the dance floor, and better than some, just proved how bad it was. DO NOT DESPAIR! DO NOT GIVE UP! More that likely you can find better dancing material in your area, you may just have to look longer and harder and/or drive further.

Ras #1 and I decided, right then and there, that we would never again complain about dancing in our own locale………..that is, until we attended the Palm Springs Swing Dance Classic……………………but that’s another blog for another time.

The New Year started with a bang, or should I say a splash or two, or three, of champagne, while dancing the night away at the Palm Springs Swing Dance Classic. After five days of dancing and workshops, Ras #1 and I have so much to talk about, that we have actually been in a “quandary” (not to be mistaken for “at a loss of words”), as where to begin. So, rather than sit and stew, I thought I would just pull one subject out of the hat……hmmm……what is it going to be? I suppose that I will talk about the subject that stands out the most, and that would be………how one dancer can make another dancer feel. I’m not just talking about whether or not you were able to follow or lead during you dance or whether or not you were making eye contact with your partner while dancing with them, but were you smiling? And I am talking about smiling from the inside out. As a dancer, I can tell you that I can “feel” another dancers’ smile!

For those of you who are new to dancing, it is important to make eye contact with your dance partner, while not staring at them. Dancing with a partner who either stares at you, or at the opposite extreme looks at everyone else, on and off the dance floor, with the exception of you, is very uncomfortable. Focusing on your partner while you are dancing increases your awareness of how they’re moving and what they are doing and makes your partner feel like you are actually part of a dance team. In addition to focusing on your partner………smile! Social dancing should be fun. A snobby, arrogant attitude based upon anything, including your superior dance skills (if they indeed exist), is inconsiderate and very intimidating, particularly to a beginner. Considering how passionate dancers are about dancing, we should be doing everything in our power to encourage others to discover the joy that can be achieved from dancing. Joy, now that is an interesting word…it may sound like corny verbiage attached to dancing, but Ras #1 and I are here to tell you……………..dancing is pure “Joy”. The more we dance…..the more joy we experience and the more we want to dance. Yes, it is a vicious, addictive cycle!

One more thing I want to add is….….when you have a genuine smile on your face, your parnter “feels” it, not just “sees” it, it’s like putting the icing on the cake.

We danced with one particular gentleman in Palm Springs, who we’d previously met and danced with. I am here to tell you that dancing with Mark is simply, pure joy! Every dance that man dances, he smiles, with his entire being! It is as though he is dancing the best dance he has ever danced! Dancing with him is pure “joy”. That is the kind of partner we aspire to be, the kind of partner that everyone should aspire to be!

Happy New Year and Enjoy,

Ras#2

Tonight was my Keller Williams Christmas Party. In my “spare” time, much to my dismay, I am a real estate agent, so instead of heading out to the dance floor, I headed to the party. And, as usual, I had no date, so Ras #2 agreed to come with me.

First things first………what to wear? OK, not dancing so that open backed, spaghetti strapped, really flowing, long black dress that is collecting dust in my closest finally gets its night out on the town.

Second, two white elephant gifts…………hbmmmm, isn’t there some sexy, brand new, tags still on, lingerie still hiding out in a drawer somewhere, waiting to be worn?  Yup, one down. Ohhhhh, look a silky black rode, too! And one more thing, all of that Cover Girl Makeup that I got for free with those coupons, that makes three, we are more than covered! That takes care of that. Perfect!

Third thing, directions……….leave that up to Ras #2. She beats me there, it’s snowing and cold. As I am driving I realize that I am starving! Those 4 Triscuit crackers just didn’t do the trick. I finally get there and we slip and slide, in our heels into the party.

First and most important stop, the buffet line. Now remember I am starving, so looking at those tiny little plates, I pick up two. The food looked and smelled great and by the time I reached the end of the line I had acquired another on of those tiny plates. Ras #2 is behind me and we head to the only open spot at the bar, I looked at her and she looked at me and we both started laughing….we had 6 plates of food! Needless to say, there were a few judgemental looks. Yes, we ate it all, and those that were giving us funny looks made MANY trips through the buffet line, I’m thinkin’ they were just wishin’ that they had been smart enough to grab a couple of plates the first time through. Then, just as we finished eating they actually started playing music and taped down a piece of vinyl, yes vinyl flooring to dance on. Whoo Hoo! Dancing after all. Good thing the dance shoes are always in the car.  A gentleman that I have seen at out dance club a few times asked me to dance a Night Club 2 Step and then a West Coast Swing. What do you know, there is even dancing at the Christmas party.

Next it was time for the gifts. I was lucky enough to pick out a picnic basket, you know the kind with two bottles of wine and wine glasses. My thought, being a single girl was……another relationship gone bad, another picnic basket rescued from the closet. Oh, well, I fared better than Ras #2, she picked a great big Santa candy dish……….no candy!(Don’t tell anyone, but we sneaked over and peeked in all the leftover bags and picked out one other “good” gift, each) So all is good.

Now, back to the dance floor I go. This time with a cowboy. Now I don’t do Country Swing often, because of all of the twisting and pulling and shoving, but it was Christmas and he wanted to dance. What I faile to remember was that I was in a backless, spaghetti strapped dress. And yes, you guessed it, Wardrobe Malfunction! One of those pretty little straps just popped and my dress nearly hit the floor! Thank goodness I have quick reflexes when it comes to public nudity. I managed to yank that dress up without scaring too many people!

I’m afraid that pretty little black dress is just going to have to get happy hanging in the closet.