I thought about it, and maybe I am being a bit harsh on Hamlet. His father did die (well, murdered) and his uncle took his father’s throne. And, his uncle married his widowed mother as well. Maybe that is reason enough to go mad. I don’t have that worry though, because for this sort of situation to arise, either one of my parent’s would have to marry someone of the same gender. While there is nothing wrong with that, it would probably make some family get-togethers quite awkward and my grandmother would have a stroke.

Anyway, if I drop all of the sarcasm (which I failed to do in the previous post) I really loved how this scene provided me with enough information to officially despise the “incestuous, [and] that adulterate beast,” (I.v.42) that is Claudius. And, I genuinely felt bad for Hamlet. He has no control over what happens to him, his mother or Denmark. And, he doesn’t have trust in someone like his father to rely on. However, I did enjoy how Marcellus and Horatio want to know what just happened to their friend and his conversation with his late father. But, the trust that Hamlet has to share with them what he was told (even though they had to swear more than a few times) I think is indicative of Hamlet will act for the rest of the play. That he will rely on these allies to do what he wants; get rid of Claudius.

ACT I SCENE IV

So Hamlet finally meets the ghost, who we suspect for the moment, to be King Hamlet. Yet despite being the very two who led Hamlet to this fateful encounter, Horatio and Marcellus are against the idea of their royal friend going off with the ghost alone. Hamlet is determined to find out what the ghost has to say however, and in the end, tears himself away from his friends’ clutches and follows after it.

There are two main reactions to the ghost beckoning Hamlet to which we must pay attention – Hamlet’s reaction and Horatio’s and Marcellus’ reactions.

Hamlet appears desperate to know why his father has reappeared in his life. He insists on going, to the point that he even threatens to “make a ghost out of” his own friends if they did not let him go. Though some may perceive this as an extreme reaction, I think it’s pretty understandable, considering the grief he expressed earlier of his late father’s recent death.

Horatio’s and Marcellus’ reactions, though their comments also reflect the naturally concerned nature of friends/servants, are particularly interesting to me. Especially the part where Horatio warns Hamlet of the ghost’s intentions:

“What if it tempted you toward the flood, my lord?
Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff
…And there assume some other horrible form
Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason
And draw you into madness?” (77-82)

I wonder if it’s safe to assume that this is Shakespeare’s way of foreshadowing what’s to come? Although I doubt the ghost would lead him off a cliff – as that would be a very quick (& sad ._.) ending for our protagonist, and we’re only in the first scene – maybe it’s a figurative way of hinting that something terrible will happen as a result of this meeting. Something terrible that will especially hurt Hamlet, and perhaps even “draw him into madness.” Something terrible that would result in the ghost figuratively leading Hamlet off a cliff to his downfall.

The fact that both Horatio and Marcellus seem to have a gut feeling that something is wrong about this scenario further supports this point. Even though they’re lower in rank, they still think that their judgment of the ghost is better than Hamlet’s (“’tis not fit thus to obey him” 98) and follow after him despite the fact that he wants to be alone with the mysterious spirit.

Most people do this before Thanksgiving, but just before I wrap up this year’s iteration of the holiday, I thought I’d share what I was most thankful for this year:

• Patrick. He’s my best friend. He makes me laugh all the time with his often horrifically corny jokes and genuine sense of humor.  Also, it has been a rough year, and he has been a steady rock for me even when horrible situations have made me an absolutely atrocious person to live with. He’s just the best.  Most of the time I feel like any compliment I give is an understatement.
• Thankful for all the girls who dated him previously who were too dumb to keep him around. Much appreciated!
• My friends.  Especially over the past month, as I was dealing with the drama surrounding my mother.  Many of you read this, and I love you guys so very much. I hope you know that.  I feel very lucky to consider some of you my friends.  It took me awhile to learn that even though my family is, well, a mess, I can create my own out of wonderful people.
• Patrick’s family. They are good, sincere people. It’s rare.
• Derek, my brother. You’re stupid, and I love you. Fatty.
• Clover and Horatio, our dogs.
• Blogging and the internet.
• My Kitchen-Aid Artisan Stand Mixer.
• Cheap wine from Trader Joe’s.

And now, here are some pictures from the holiday weekend:

Now, onward to Christmas! I’ve gotten a few gifts taken care of so far, but there is still so much to do. I’m rather excited. The next two weeks are filled with Christmas parties at work and with friends, and then it’s the holiday itself.

This time of year is filled with fun. It’s a shame it goes by so quickly.

This weekend? It’s our two year anniversary, and it’s the Scottish Walk. We’re also finally getting a showing of a potential apartment in Alexandria.  It’s going to be amazing.

ARTIST….: 2doR
TITLE…..:Make The Dub (part 1)
GENRE…..: Tech-House
SOURCE….: http://mzq4djs.forumz.ro
RELDATE…: November-29-2009

TRACKS….:7
LENGTH….: 39:58 min
SIZE……: 36,6 MB
QUALITY…: 128 kbs

LISTEN -> http://www.trilulilu.ro/Dj2doR/ab1bdf64ab90fa

1. Dan Andrei – Untitled 5
2. Livio & Roby – Fluier de Tigan (Original Mix)
3. Horacio – Horacio is back Again (Original Mix)
4. Rhadow & Luca M – Prinicaieri (Original Mix)
5. Horatio BC – Sing with the Swing (M.In & Bastian Remix)
6. Rhadow & Luca M – Printexas (Original Mix)
7. Vlad Caia – Al doilea (Yohan Esprada Remix)

Lots of Dancing  (2 hours worth) over on ABC…read my Dancing with the Stars commentary for all the glittery details!

CSI Miami-

One of the best deaths (can I say that without sounding macabre?) I’ve seen on a CSI. Death by venomous Jelly fish. Its bad enough that the poor man is dangling from the third floor of a glassed atria, but to fall to his death into a tank of deadly jellyfish… you offically cannot complain about anything today. The new CSI (the dark-dimpled one) tried to lend a hand…literally, by sticking his arm into the tank (smart? heroic? brave? I think none of the above…) and get stung – tried to cure the wound with balsamic vinegar (whateer happened to peeing on a jellyfish sting?).

At any rate, the episode focused on the bourgeoise vs pauper relationship in America and how some companies actually take out life insurance policies on their own employees without them knowing— making money off of any employee death (capitalism is an ugly thing America…) I actually have read that as recently as 10 years ago, Walmart practiced this money-making scheme on its employees…which explains why they hire 100 year olds to be the ‘front-line’ of their business…shameful. Michael Moore exposed this in his recent film Capitalism: A Love Story…making big businesses  blush across America!

Moving on, this was one of the better CSI:Miami’s I’ve seen in a while, lots of red-herring style deduction, lots of witty commentary…and in interesting hook. Did you watch last night? Did you have nightmares about falling three floors and unfortunatley landing in a pool of death? If given the choice, I’d rather just hit the floor…

Leafs vs Islanders-

Result: Leafs 3 vs Islanders 4 (OT)

The Good:

• Kessel scores again, and had close to 10 shots on the night…not surprising seeing—
• …Leafs take an astonishing 61 shots on Roloson….not since 1976 has this been seen from the Leafs…61 shots… (reminds me of playing against New Jersey in the playoffs eons ago when we had no defense and CuJo was in net doing everything but scoring)
• Hagman scores a very pretty goal to tie things up at 3 in the third giving us a chance at winning
• Gustavsson comes in and stands tall to also give us a chance at winning.
• Roloson…had the game of his career (we bring the best out of goalies…how nice of us.)
• Matt Moulson’s pre-game interview was adorable, AND he scores in his dream-venue as a North York boy.

The Bad:

• Leafs go down by 3…and it shocks no one, we are totally used it at this point.
• Toskala bails…no word on why.
• Islanders score 3 quick goals…and sit back to watch the rest of the game. (thank you…)
• In 61 shots…only 3 went in, and Leafs only manage 1 point out of the effort.

Next try: vs Lightning, Wed. 7pm TSN

As a new week begins…so does a GREAT line up  of television shows to fill your nights! It may be hard to get up on Monday morning  but Monday night is certainly easy to stay awake for… get ready for a  fantastic TV Night!

Here’s what I’m watching tonight:

DWTS: Finale- The Final 3 couples dance for Mirror-ball supremacy, and an even more enticing,  extra couple of months in the fame spotlight!
Will it be…

Donny Osmond- his smile is legendary, his name is iconic…but will his dancing be enough to propel him past the ladies? Donny has been solid throughout the competiton, and a couple of weeks ago I had him pegged as the potential winner…last week he fell slightly flat for me (and the judges), so it will be interesting to see if he can revive his once stellar ability to hide his inadequacies behind his smile and showman-flair!

Mya- She’s starting to be memorable now…for instance, this week I remembered her name without having to look it up. She still needs some of Donny’s personality, and some of Kelly’s edge…but technically she’s probably the most precise (could it be her previous dance training?…no I will not let that go!) She will look hot, she will have hip-action and pointed toes…but will she stand out? If I can still remember her name tomorrow, she could have a shot!

Kelly Osbourne- Came out of the gate as the surprise of the season…surprise in that she has shed her bratty image and has a mega-watt smile that seems to make people forget how much they hated her 6 or 7 years ago! She is definitly a crowd/fan favourite, and although she has not been as strong throughout the competition, she has some serious voter support, she is quirky enough to stand out, and she is getting stronger at the right time— don’t count her out (she WAS on Ellen today for a final push!)

tune in for the finale tonight on ABC/CTV 8pm

CSI Miami- I get some really mixed reviews on this show, and it all comes down to the love or hate for (insert dramatic pause) …Horatio Cain. It still breaks the top ten every week, and I’ve heard it continues to be the most watched TV show internationally. Love him or Hate him…Horatio will solve another crime, put another bad-guy in cuffs and ride off into the Miami sunset again tonight, CBS/CTV 10pm

Leafs vs Islanders - This is really billed as Leafs vs John Tavares. The Leafs are coming off a great game on saturday night, whereby the “rally helmets” came out and inspired a shoot-out win. Looking to continue and win ANOTHER (gasp!) game tonight vs the returning-local-phenom. Hey, they managed to beat Ovechkin… Tonight 7pm RSO

Other Mentionables:

John and Kate plus 8…its over, this is the LAST time you’ll have to sit through John being interviewed on his dull couch, in his faded jeans and Ed Hardy Tee…The LAST time you’ll have to watch Kate sitting in the same dull couch (John-less), oppposing whatever John just said and playing Mom of the Year. So if you think this is worth watching because it has historic significance… Tonight at 9pm on TLC (unfortunately I cannot promise you will never see these two again, Kate has a talk show in the works…and John continues to breath.)

Whatever you decide to watch, have a great TV Night.

Eric and Alan were 20th century staples.  Does this old school smoosh work in the 21st?

Thanks to Charlotte Vera for suggesting Alaric as Name of the Day.

Alaric is Goth.  Not the dark eyeliner, Siouxie Sioux Goth.  Nope, we’re talking the havoc-making, Rome-sacking Visigoths.

Alaric I ruled the Visigoths early in the fifth century, establishing a new royal line and invading the Eternal City in 410.  He was a big deal back then, and you’ll find references to him in art and literature through the ages.

Alaric II came along a few decades later, in 485.  In between the two Alarics,  Gesalec, Sigarec, Wallia and Thorismund held the throne, among others.  Your average Visigoth monarch’s moniker would not wear terribly well circa 2009.

But Alaric is the exception.  He sounds like a three-syllable combo platter made up of Eric and Alan, but he’s actually from the Germanic elements ala - all and ric – ruler, or something like “king of all.”  It’s a fitting name for the founder of a dynasty.

Besides the Visigoths, there was a legendary king of Sweden called Alrek 0r Alrekr, and often Anglicized as Alaric.

While Alaric has never appeared in the US Top 1000, you’ll find Alaric in the census records.  The Latin form of the name – Alaricus – pops up in medieval records, too, suggesting that he’s been in occasional use for generations.

But most modern parents probably discover Alaric in the pages of a book.  If not history, then fiction:

• Katherine Kountz used Alaric for a character in her long-running Deryni fantasy series – he’s a duke, and a good egg;
• Stephen King used it for Roland’s grandfather in his Dark Towers series;
• One of Anthony Trollope’s Three Clerks was Alaric Tudor;
• PG Wodehouse, best known for his Jeeves & Wooster series, also wrote about the inhabitants of Blandings Castle.  The elderly, grouchy Duke of Dunstable is a frequent visitor – and wears the name Alaric.

The British Navy used Alaric for a submarine late in World War II, and at least one Alaric has served the US military with distinction – back during the Civil War, Union Army officer Alaric Chapin was awarded the medal of honor.

It’s difficult to decide if Alaric is over the top in 2009.  Gavin and Tristan are Top 100 picks.  Boys answer to Sebastian and Julian.  Romeo ranked #466 and Orlando #419.

Perhaps the best way to describe Alaric is from the title of one of my favorite user-created lists at Nameberry:  My Braver Alter-Ego Would Totally Use These.  The list groups Alaric with other gems like Horatio, Junia and Crispin – quirky and stylish, but just a bit less accessible than almost mainstream choices like Asher.

Alaric offers a few nicknames – Al, Rick and Aric are the obvious three.  If those don’t thrill you, proceed with caution.  While more and more parents use – and prefer that others use – their child’s full name, there’s no guarantee what will happen when your son hits middle school.  Or tuck Alaric in the middle spot, where he’d be a good substitute for Alexander.

Then again, what kid wouldn’t be delighted to learn that he was named after a barbarian king?

When I got up yesterday morning, it quickly became clear that all was not well with Horatio, B’s soft and cuddly cat. He couldn’t put his near foreleg to the ground, though an inspection failed to reveal the cause: no heat, no swelling, no obvious injuries, no bites or cuts… He still wasn’t using it by the time I’d fed the dogs, had breakfast, done the washing up etc, so I bundled him into the cat basket, drove to the farm and fed all the animals, and then took H to the local vet.

Typically, when he came out of the basket, all four legs seemed to be in perfect working order, though the vet did point out that the adrenalin from the shock of the car journey would have helped him there.

She took his temperature and said it was a unusually high, so gave him a couple of jabs (painkiller, anti-inflammatory and antibiotics) and sent us both away with a course of antibiotics.

I gave him the first tablet this morning and we’re no longer talking, mainly because he sank his teeth into my finger. Git.

Still, get better soon, H!

Horatio - 29 April 2009

The start of another week… and it’s a big TV night…it almost makes monday do-able.

Here’s what I’m watching tonight:

Dancing with the Stars- There are three female “stars” and one male “star”  left…and whooda thunk the lone male standing would be (Utah darling) Donny Osmond!

Not only is he the only man left standing, he beat out the sports stars(usually shoo-ins for the finals), the cute (former…very former) pop stars AND a (slightly notable?) politician! All younger, all held far more odds…but they did not have the missing ingredients that have gotten Donny Osmond this far:  a) Personality (in that…he has one) b) Fans (in that…he has them) c) Celebrity (in that…he IS one!) He’s the lovable uncle/ harmless nice-guy who’s smile and infamy caters to the shows admittadly older demographic audience (present company not included), and he may win this whole thing. Which would make sense…he matches the mirror-ball trophy.

The other contestants include:

1. (Super) model whats-her-face, dancing with Derek. I feel like in this case, Derek makes her look good and perhaps even draws voters. He is fresh-faced and all american, he is also extremely talented and throws 110% into every dance… Whats-her-face is small enough and unassuming enough to be lead entirely by Derek and work as a perfect show piece for his choreography (and DWTS producers are loving having her body around to show off their costume dept.)
2. Mya- A good dancer, but she totally lacks any personality to draw in a following. I keep forgetting about her…and that doesnt bode well in the long run.
3. Kelly Osborne- 6 years ago, parents all over the world cringed at the thought that their children may turn into, or be influenced by the bratty shenanigans of the Osbourne kids. Look at Kelly now! Those same parents are shedding a tear after her waltzes and foxtrots and falling for her mega-watt smile. Good for her, she’s managed to make it this far on live tv without cursing the judges, flashing the audience or having hissy fit/drunken crusade on set. All that being said, I do find her transformation into a fan-favourite entertaining and…don’t count her out either! If she is able to pull out another heart-warming dance routine akin to her first outing, she could walk away with the trophy.

The final four dance tonight, ABC/CTV 8pm

Battle of the Blades-Finale/Results - I have already predicted a Craig Simpson win… but in all honesty, I have been second guessing myself all day. This actually is a close battle, and if CBC continues to be quintessentially Canadian about this whole competition…they may ALL win. A three way tie. I wouldnt count that out…

We shall see tonight at 8pm, CBC

CSI:Miami- After last week’s 3-CSI-City tour… CSI Miami returns tonight — minus Dr Ray. I will still be tuning in, after all…Horatio now has the spotlight all to himself again—which calls for some serious sunglass action and witty one liners. CTV, 10pm

Have a great TV Night.

I was running around doing…something…yesterday and didn’t have time to write and today I was running around again to several different stores looking for a stand for my laptop (which I didn’t find one that I liked…going to have to order one online).  Now that the northern hemisphere is in its colder months, I like to use my computer in the warmth and comfort of my bed, and set it on top of a mini-table.  But that alone is not enough, and so I stack it on a makeshift laptop stand that is currently comprised of a large book on Personology and a 3-ring binder, to angle it upwards.  The reason why this is so important, and especially for dancers is because you need to have the monitor up by your face at eye level in order to maintain good posture.  One should try to avoid sitting for too long because creasing your hip flexors for extended periods of time is going to make them tight, but when sitting, one should sit upright, which is impossible to do when the computer is far below eye level.  Good posture is not only a part of the ballet aesthetic; through personal research I have found that good posture is the key to good flexibility.  And I’ve done a LOT of research, because nobody has tighter muscles than me (hips like rusted iron hinges as I like to say).

All dancers want to be more flexible, but sometimes there’s a lack of attention paid to the relationship between alignment and flexibility.  For example, many people have an anterior tilt to their pelvises (pelvii?), which actually pulls on the hamstrings and weakens the lower abdominals.  The end result is constantly aggravated hamstrings and weakened hip flexors, neither of which can lengthen properly (and you stick your butt out like a baboon).  Furthermore, when you’re staring downward at a computer, your shoulders are hunching forward and it tightens your chest muscles.  Like the tilted pelvis/leg relationship, the upper back is equally affected by tight chest muscles, leading to less mobility in the shoulders, thus affecting your port de bras.  If your chest muscles are really tight, you’re going to have problems taking your arms up to a nice an open fifth, and keeping your shoulders away from your ears.  Cuban Marden would always tell me to relax my shoulders, and I would try but I literally could not lower my shoulders because I had so much tension in my upper torso.

So what to do…stretch a lot?  Not quite.  A lot of people improve flexibility with what they believe to be proper stretching, but for some of us, it hasn’t worked so well.  I know for me, I’m so behind in mobility that no amount of stretching ever seemed to help.  However, what I realized is that flexibility is not muscular, but mental.  Jigga-what?!?  I completely changed my mind on what flexibility is after talking with a friend who is a med student, and told me that they can play with cadavers and manipulate their joints into contortionistic positions and full splits like it’s no big deal.  First of all, that’s kind of morbid, gross (sorry to paint a graphic picture) and slightly disturbing that these are the people we trust to take care of our health…but it’s also really interesting.  That means when our brains don’t meddle and tell our muscles via neuromuscular functions that they can’t go any further, that the muscles themselves are actually free to do whatever they want.  So stretching isn’t about physically lengthening muscles, but rather, instructing the muscles that it is okay to lengthen.  Translation…every body has the potential and the key is learning to access it.  Ta-da!  Step number one in improving your flexibility is trusting that your body CAN and WILL get there someday.

But, you still have to put in some work.  You can’t just tell your body to be more flexible, because it knows better.  So how to improve flexibility?  I would honestly encourage anyone to do a lot of research and figure out what they need for themselves.  For me, I actually did yoga for a few years and didn’t have much improvement at all.  I hated it…it was boring and didn’t really sufficiently connect the dots for my brain.  Pilates on the other hand, I got a lot out of (even if I haven’t been able to get myself back into a regular routine of doing it).  I got more out of two months of pilates than I did doing two years of yoga.  Every body and brain works differently, and because I have a lot of instability in my core, pilates was doing more to correct my body than yoga was.  However, the idea that stretching is about accessing potential is universal, in my opinion.  As is massage!  Massages are freebies to better flexibility.  The more tension you release in your body, the more flexibility you will have.  Not just muscles, but the all important fascia (which is what yoga actually stretches.  Yoga works for a lot of people…I just hate it).  That’s why I got Horatio (who is excruciating on my quads…that tells you how tight mine are) and a couple of inflatable balls as used in the “Franklin method.”  Eric Franklin’s book Conditioning for Dance has a lot of great theraband exercises for strengthening as well as myofascial release techniques using those inflatable balls for self massage.

So after a lot of research, and looking into the different ways to achieve better flexibility, not just in the realm of dance but from martial arts people to physical therapists (some of which are crazy…and very wrong), I found a flexibility program that is very much in line with my beliefs on how flexibility works.  Although I heard of the various techniques in the program here and there from my research, the program organizes it in such a way that makes it easy for me to make it a part of my daily routine.  I will in fact, embark on this new journey to better flexibility tonight!  I begin as the tightest human being on Earth, and hope to achieve a good split, because Yen Fang told me if I did, I would turn into a prince.  When that day comes, I shall post a complete review of the program…mum’s the word for now because I don’t want to necessarily endorse something I haven’t really tried and had results from yet.  Wish me luck!

Neglect. Ignoring important things – people that matter, bills, coursework, maintaining a semblance of organization in my room…the month of October in general.

You could call it fail, too, but that’s a bit rough, and would be a bad way to try and catch up on over a month of not writing. Over a month! Fuck it. We call that failure.

The Month of October:

1. The Death of Reggie. This is a recent occurrence…I believe he died a whole three days ago. I was on my way home from glorious Esme’s with a certain Miss Clements in tow when I decided that a particular gorgeous tree, wrapped in fog and splashed with streetside lamplight, would make an awesome photo. Sans camera, out came Reggie, and what do you know…that was the last I saw of him. Did I put him back in my purse? Did I accidentally slip him past my purse and not hear him hit the ground? Did he jump out a few minutes later when Laura and I decided to run for all of fifty feet? God only knows, but the end is the same. Reggie is dead, and now I have Horatio – a modular downgrade, but we’re hoping an inability-to-get-lost upgrade – and life is good again.

2. A Slew of LCR’s That, Though Thematically Similar to Those of Last Year, Were Definitely Not As Good. Now, this event is pretty self-explanatory. I’m not saying I haven’t had any fun this year – far from it – but it’s definitely not going down the way shit flew this time last year. I didn’t really expect a repeat of the awesomeness of Action Man, School Daze, and the like…but I won’t lie: the LCR, when not packed with three essential Australians, one Maggie McBride, and the entirety of D5 in one orgy of awesomeness, is just not the same. Still fun, and chock full of double vodka Redbulls and the folks that have had one too many – but not the same. Rave on!

3. The Gradual Digression of My Room Into a State of Chaos. Towards the end of September, my room still maintained a shred of identifiable dignity. No longer. Total, we’re looking at one square foot of uncovered floorspace, and my drying laundry hanging on shelves, doors, and desktop until it gets worn and tossed groundward. The three guys I live with are quickly learning that communal spaces can’t really exist without some part of my wardrobe inhabiting them.

4. Classes With One Of My Favorite Teachers Ever. (That would be Joad Raymond.) Legend! I don’t really understand what goes on in 17th Century Writing a lot of the time, but Joad is nice enough to smile and nod when I say things that make absolutely no sense. Like, I don’t know, when I relate the Pastoral movement of Fantasia to a stanza in a John Milton poem. Me and Milton, we don’t really jive. At least thus far in my life, seeing as every time I try and talk about him or something he’s written in a seminar, I end up looking like a complete idiot (i.e. using the word “dude” while paraphrasing Paradise Lost).  So yeah, Joad is amazing.

5. The Ludicrously Beautiful Transformation of Summeresque Norwich into Norwich in the Fall. Maybe it’s because I lived on campus last year and didn’t constantly see so much of the city…but I swear, I never noticed how incredibly beautiful this city is in the fall. Every single leaf is in the gorgeous process of death. That sounds morbid, but maybe slightly poetic? It’s true either way. The trees here are on fire and it’s amazing. Most every time I walk home from work I’m inspired to photograph some part of the journey. That is, when I’m not wearing the Boots of Death and falling on my ass while crossing cross-walks in front of loads of cars. But Norwich in the fall – or autumn, as I’m regularly corrected on this side of the Atlantic – makes me wish that life was a constant Renaissance Faire. I know that sounds like the most random feeling ever, but it’s true. The amazing costumes and drunkeness and endless amount of character that is a ren faire PLUS the gorgeous goldenosity of autumn in this city? I can’t really think of much that would be more amazing.

Speaking of not really being able to think, I’m at a loss mentioning anything interesting that’s happened over the past neglected month. How sad is that? I really should learn my lesson and just not not write for absolute ages at a time. Hardly does anything for my readership, I’m sure.

Completely off topic, but hopefully the kind of interesting something that will keep you clicking back for more, the online game Winterbells (http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/bells.htm) is amazing. Seriously. I have spent more time than I like to acknowledge playing that game, studiously ignoring mounds of coursework. I’m even struggling as I type this to not to hit ctrl + t and open it up in a new tab for a few rounds. I am so lame. Give it a whirl though – in the Christmas spirit! (As somebody who lives in a country that doesn’t wait till the day after Thanksgiving to slather the mall in Christmas decorations, I’m allowed to encourage this).

I am officially coming home for Christmas break! Which is only 47 days away. HOLY SHIT, where does the time go. At this rate I will be violently hurled into the real world and all of the bill-y and career-y and debt-y stuff thus included in about, oh, two days. That is most definitely what it feels like…meaning I should probably get going on that manuscript I’ve promised myself I’ll have finished by the time I graduate. Ah, having the will power to work on the same story for more than twenty pages. I bet that feels awesome. I certainly wouldn’t know.

One thing I do know, once again, completely unrelated, is that I never thought I would drink beer by choice. My whole drinking life it has been disgusting and people have insisted that eventually I will acquire the taste and I have insisted right back at them that no, I will never enjoy the taste of carbonated urine. And then you have me now. Me, who, thanks to a weekly soup-and-beer-centered meeting with Esme and Laura, randomly has the urge to have a beer with dinner. WHAT HAPPENED. I blame Esme and Laura. And living with boys.

Boys who, up until about two weeks ago, loved to do nothing more than complain about how much I shed (to be fair, it was a rather beastly amount). Why don’t they complain anymore, you ask? Because I chopped all of my hair off and am, once again, a pixie! This time, I carry it off a whole lot better and look more stylish than boyish, which was the unfortunate result of the last pixie-esque cut back in my junior year of high school. So yay for whims (Eleanor, that’s you!) and Callum the amazing hairdresser and basically life in general, because no matter how much I procrastinate or neglect or whine or do anything, life is awesome.

Yeah. Top five things I need to remember: Life is awesome.

(And yes, I know that’s not five things.)

Edit: Muy grande el detalle, poniendose las gafas encima de las gafas…

Fuente | Randall Stevens

Really good theater is more than timeless; it’s a cord that the actors and director pull which unearths the past in the present, connecting us in an almost eerie, ephemeral and visceral way; pulling us into a journey in which finally we are but a timeless audience ourselves in homage to the joy, the revelry, the delighted surprise or pain that is the “human condition” in art.

Just that kind of experience was Hamlet last night.

It was the kind of show that you sense, while in it—ah, see, I’ve said we were in Hamlet, rather than we were watching it—is more than simply a production of a show.  It was a piece of history in the making.

The kind of performance that enters history on its own powerful wings, that gives pulse and flight to Shakespeare fit even to astound the playwright himself.  I believe Shakespeare himself would have walked out like us last night, aware he had seen greatness; that he had seen his words filled with even more soul than ever even he’d imagined.

Oh, to share that with the wider world in the US…

I hate collecting unnecessary things, including paper.  I’ll collect a million notes and whatnot for my books—yes.  I’ll collect books themselves—yes.  But nothing else, really.  I don’t like to have too much.

But by the time the first act ended, I was scrambling for the playbill I’d tossed aside, and I clutched it close thereafter.  History’s in that playbill.  Some of our finest actors are in there now, forever captured in their great roles.

I won’t lie, my first thoughts were less…lofty.  My first thought, as the scene opened with Hamlet on the floor, dressed in distinctly not-old Scandinavian garb, the light and music highlighting his silent inner torment, was: “Oh, they’re using music?  And simplifying the wardrobe?  Hm.  Sigh.”  And then, only because I said I wouldn’t lie, I’ll admit to another thought: “Huh, so Jude Law really is that handsome in real life.”

But then it began.  Horatio (Matt Ryan) and the guards seeing Hamlet’s dead father’s ghost, and in horror summoning Hamlet (Law).  Hamlet questioning them and dashing up.  Within two scenes the humor, the madness, the compassion, the loyalty and friendship, the fear, the profane and profound, and we were hushed and breathless.  And now I can add to my summation of Mr Law that that man can act. 

No, not just act.  Not just inhabit a role. 

There simply is no way to explain it.  The actors acting as Horatio, Hamlet, Polonius (Ron Cook)—at whose name alone I already begin to giggle in anticipation—and Guildenstern (Harry Attwell) were stand-outs.  Ah yes, and the King (Peter Eyre) and Hamlet’s uncle (Kevin R. McNally). 

I tell you, those actors did their entire (what shall I call it?—craft? industry?) profession justice of the highest caliber.  They bowed before us when the show was over, but I tell you, we might have bowed to them.  Bowed in gratitude that they brought us a living, fraught Hamlet.  They delivered Shakespeare from the 17^th century for us.  They brought us back, brought us in and delivered us back home safely but changed.

They were brilliance.  There were scenes so powerful—in acting, lighting and directing (and never has the impact of that strong nexus been so clear to me as in this production)—that one felt the audience itch to clap but refrain, in fear of distracting the players in the next scene, or missing a single moment of the drama. 

At the end of the first act, I turned to my friend J and said, “This makes me want to reread parts of the play.”  But what madness, I already do from time to time reread parts of the play.  By the end of the entire performance, I had regained my senses.  “This makes me want to reread most of the play.”  (I can skip some of the political scenes, I admit it.)

And when I got home, I did.  And as I did, I strove to hear their voices, their cadences in the words.  For the life in their words was such as to fill the play as never had it been filled before for me.  I can still hear Hamlet’s voice now in my head…  Polonius’s…  Horatio’s…

Never had I heard these speeches as I did last night.  Never had I felt such compassion for Hamlet, but likewise never had I loved Horatio before, and never laughed so hard at poor, confused Polonius.  Never had I felt anything much for the Queen at all.  Never had I pitied the Ghost King.  Never had I marveled at the control of the King Usurper before all unraveled.  Never had I sorrowed over the loss of faith betwixt Hamlet and old buddies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. 

Oh, oh, oh.  What brilliance and what beauty was that play. 

If you get the chance, please see it.  You will see history thrumming with life, heart and fury.  You will bleed.  You will love.  You will blog.

* Directed by Michael Grandage; Set & Costume Design by Christopher Oram; Composer & Sound by Adam Cork, and Lighting by Neil Austin.

As you would expect, our three cats have differing and distinct personalities.

Queenie keeps herself to herself, fighting off unwanted attention but never able to get enough … when she’s in the mood!

Horatio is a softie, gentle, loving and sweet.

Mac is a hunter, as much of a cat’s cat as it’s possible to be.

Mac (with his head popping up over the fence), Horatio (on the fence) and Queenie (on the top right on the wall) - 29 April 2009

At night, Queenie sleeps in her own bed and woe-betide anyone who gets too close.

Horatio would love to come under he duvet but is scared of the dark (!!) so instead curls up at the foot of the bed.

Mac is actually banned from coming under the covers on the grounds that he’s a sadistic little git who thinks that human feet exist to allow him to hone his hunting skills – stalk, pounce, disable using teeth and claws!

The ban worked well over the summer but now that it’s getting colder at night, I have discovered a fatal flaw. The so-and-so waits until I’ve fallen asleep and then climbs in beside me! So far, he’s been more interested in snuggling up than feet-baiting but that doesn’t stop me waking up whenever I feel his soft fur brushing up against me, just in case I have to call an ambulance or something!

Cats! Horatio would be the purrfect (sorry!) feline hot water bottle: why do I get the psycho?!

Dicen los expertos que la ficción española no tiene nada que envidiar a la del resto del mundo. Como acabo de inyectarme morfina, estoy de acuerdo.

Sé que podríamos hacer series como las americanas, adaptándolas a la realidad nacional. Basta con querer…Por ejemplo, podríamos producir Cómo conocí a vuestra madre. En España, el personaje no se acordaría de nada, no podría contar la historia porque cuando conoció a la madre de los chiquillos estaba borrachuzo. Es más, se la enrolló y no sabía ni su nombre. Ya luego se vieron cuando ella iba a abortar e intimaron.

Podríamos adaptar CSI, pero aquí Horatio trabajaría en Vodafone. Cuando le llamases diciendo que te quieres dar de baja, él te diría:

-Demuestre que es usted. Mándeme una prueba.

Tú le contestarías:

-Pero si te he mandado 3 fotocopias del DNI, la declaración de la Renta, una copia del pago de la luz, dos faxes, cuatro emails…

Y Horatio:

-Pues ahora me mandas un análisis de sangre y dos muestras de pelo.

También podríamos crear series “fenómeno”, de esas que tienen mogollón de fans enloquecidos que hacen lo que sea para bajarse un capítulo. Claro que en España en vez de ver el final de Perdidos la gente preferiría ver el final de Ramoncín.

(Para evitar el pirateo por Internet, la SGAE diría: No te bajes su serie. Ramoncín da bajona).

Podríamos ir más allá, y hacer como los yankis. Podríamos atrevernos con la ciencia ficción. En la versión española de la serie Flash Forward, Camps se desmaya y al despertarse alguien le ha pagado los pantalones.

Quizás incluso podríamos trasladar a la pantalla el caso Gürtell. Los directivos de televisión al ver la pinta de los personajes te preguntarían:

-¿Esto qué es, una comedia o un drama?

Y la respuesta dependería de si la da Rubalcaba o Rajoy.

Eso sí, el casting de la tv movie sería complicado. Habría que elegir a actores capaces de hablar con la voz engolada de Ricardo Costa. Algo difícil teniendo en cuenta que nuestros actores vienen más del perroflautismo.

De hecho, las series de televisión pueden servir para explicar lo ocurrido. Podríamos decir que Costa estaba a punto de dar Un paso Adelante, pero que en Madrid La Familia Mata.

También hemos sabido que había un Equipo A que se ponía Manos a la Obra. Que muchos se sentían tentados por conseguir El coche fantástico. Que los de la trama practicaban el Sexo en Nueva York, pero también en Benidorm. Que había mucha Cuestión de Sexo y que del dinero, como siempre, Sin Rastro. Que Camps y El Bigotes eran Hermanos de Sangre, aunque ahora el presidente de la comunidad valenciana esté En Terapia y Fibrilando.

Está por ver si la audiencia nos daría su bendición. Quizás, dado el bochorno, el público prefiera meterse A dos metros bajo tierra.

What stops a man who can laugh from speaking the truth?

- Horace, cited in P.J. O’Rourke’s book Parliament of Whores

He’s a hero in history and fiction alike, and his sprightly sound might appeal to modern parents.

Thanks to Paul for suggesting Horatio as Name of the Day.

First, let’s give credit where credit is due:  Horatio might have slipped into obscurity, save for David Caruso’s appealing character on CSI: Miami.  Without the small screen connection, it would be far more challenging for parents to consider this literary choice.

And he’s a literary heavy hitter.  Horatio comes from the Latin Horatius.  As in Horace – known back in the first century BC as  Quintus Horatius Flaccus, one of the greatest poets of the Ancient World.  You know his work even if you don’t know it – carpe diem, anybody?

Along with Homer and Virgil, Horace was sometimes bestowed by parents with an affection for the classics, beginning in the Victorian era and lasting into the 20th century.  While Horatio last made the US Top 1000 in 1899 – and wasn’t common then – Horace appeared in the US Top 100 most years through 1902, and remained in the Top 250 into the 1940s.

Today, Horace is out of the rankings entirely and he’s not primed for a comeback.  (His pal Homer might stand a chance.)

Horatio (and Horatius and Horace) all link back to the Latin hora – as in time, though the original concept was far less precise than our modern sixty-minute hour.  But his most powerful associations are not related to the calendar, but to several other well-known figures.  Post-poet, there was:

• Shakespeare used the name for one of Prince Hamlet’s hangers-on, a man of humble means who studied alongside the troubled Dane at Wittenberg U.;
• Visit London’s Trafalgar Square, and you’ll find statue of Lord Nelson, commemorating his defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar.  Born Horatio Nelson, not only did the admiral fell the famous emperor, he also lost his life in the battle;
• C.S. Forester penned the Horatio Hornblower novels between the 1930s and 1960s.  Hornblower’s first name is a nod to both the Bard’s character and the Admiral – the character’s roots are humble, but through a combination of moxie and smarts, he eventually becomes an admiral – and a baron, too;
• The nineteenth century writer Horatio Alger, Jr. is known for writing a certain kind of American story – tales where a boy of humble circumstances manages (through a combination of moxie and smarts) to rise to better things.

Lastly, there’s Horatio at the Bridge – a nineteenth century poem by Thomas Babbington Macaulay – based on a semi-legendary tale of a brave Roman solider defending his home against the odds.

So he’s storied.  But with no easy nickname option, Horatio makes for a bold choice.  I can imagine Horatio playing with Atticus (or Homer) in Park Slope, but would he wear well in Des Moines?  A Nameberry user included Horatio with Junia and Crispin on a list titled “My Braver Alter-Ego Would Totally Use These.”

So if Marco strikes you as daring, this one is out.  But if Rufus and Isabeau make your short list, Horatio might fit right in.

My boyfriend and I spent a long time last night discussing a production of Hamlet we would like to stage someday, in which I would play Horatio (my dream role, ever since I was little). One of the things we went into particular detail about was Horatio’s introduction and first interaction with the ghost of Hamlet’s father.

Productions I have seen usually have Horatio struck with fear and wonder upon the very moment he sees the ghost, immediately believing what he sees and trusting his eyes. But is that really how most people would react at that moment?

The play begins with guards at their posts, changing out their shifts, in the middle of the night. Horatio enters with Marcellus, and they all greet each other in a friendly way. Marcellus has filled Horatio in, telling him that there is a ghsot that they have seen twice, but Horatio believes it is all in their heads – ” ’twill not appear.”

But it does appear. The ghost shows up and Horatio says that “it harrows me with fear and wonder.”

Now, what if Horatio is being a little sarcastic here? What if Horatio thinks this is all a big jest that his friends have cooked up, that they have created a ghost story and are not trying to trick him, just for fun? Horatio plays along, speaking to the ghost: “What art thou that usurp’st this time of night/Together with that fair and warlike form/In which the majesty of Denmark/Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak!”

By the time Horatio gets to “by heaven I charge thee”, he realizes this might not be a joke after all. Everyone else seems genuinely terrified, and if they had wanted this to be a prank, wouldn’t the ghost be far less ghostly and far more chatty, eager to get a laugh at Horatio’s expense? The ghost is dressed in “the very armor he had on/When he the ambitious Norway combated” and remains grave and silent. It can’t be a prank – this must be for real. That’s when the fear finally kicks in.

I think mosty of us, encountering a ghost among friends, might have a similar reaction. “Oh, yeah, sure guys, yeah, there’s a ghost. Ooooh, spooky. Oh, sure, I’ll talk to it. Right…wait, it’s not talking to me…this isn’t funny…where is it going? How did it just disappear like that? And now I am officially scared.”

Having Horatio interact with the ghost in that way would help start the play on a somewhat lighter note, then have it immediately turn dark – like so many things within the script. Hamlet’s enthusiasm at greeting Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is soon darkened by their willing betrayal of him. His love affair with Ophelia is darkened by how she is used as a pawn by the other men of the court. The list goes on and on. Horatio perceiving the ghost as a joke and then having that assumption yanked out from under him would set the tone for the rest of the play, warning the audience that in this tragedy, the laughs are incredibly fleeting.

It also helps to set the tone for Horatio’s character. Calmer. More rational. A scholar, as others point out. We see that he will go along with his friends’ plans and follies, but will not dive in headfirst. He will first take the side that makes the most sense, and then feel out the situation as he goes. He’s a bit like Spock in that way, trusting logic first and the supernatural later. But he’s also loyal. He might think that his friends are either tricking him or are a bunch of overexcited, superstitious loons, but he’ll still show up in the middle of the freezing night to investigate this “ghost” they keep talking about.

That’s a pretty classy move, and that’s why he’s such a perfect friend for Hamlet. Maybe Hamlet’s plans aren’t what Horatio would use as his own course of action, but he’ll support his friend and do his best to help.

I’ve been a little cranky the past few days, for no particular reason, just having a lot of frustration with different things.  Fortunately, my Manon soundtrack that I bought on Amazon arrived today and it brings back such good memories.  To date, this is by far my favorite soundtrack that I’ve purchased, because it’s not fluffy and grandiose like some of the classics or creepy like Prokofiev.  I was a musician before a wannabe dancer, so for me, what I love most about Jules Massenet’s works that are pieced together for the ballet is the depth and warmth.  My favorite part is the music after Des Grieux’s solo in the courtyard in the first act, where there is this stunning melody that deliciously harmonizes the oboe, violin and cello.  If I recall correctly, it’s the music for the first pas de deux between Des Grieux and Manon, and it makes me melt so much more than the famous bedroom pas de deux.  Overall, Massenet and the orchestrators (Leighton Lucas and Hilda Grant according to my handy dandy library copy of The Ballet Goer’s Guide) did a really wonderful job, especially because virtuoso violin work can get really screechy at times, but it remains really docile and sensual throughout the soundtrack.  Yum!

Meanwhile, yesterday was my first session with Horatio and it kinda sorta really hurt.  A lot.  Especially on my quads, where the recommendation is to stop on tender spots and wait for the discomfort to diminish but I had tenderness and pain every single millimeter so I’m getting the feeling that years of a sedentary lifestyle have left my quads a conglomeration of big fat knots.  I’m not really surprised, but I never expected that they were THIS bad.  Although on the topic of thighs, I read an article this morning that said larger thighs were possibly an indicator of longevity (although not necessarily associated).  People who gain the “spare tire” had higher incidences of heart disease, whereas people who gained weight in their thighs lived longer.  See, I knew there was no reason to be ashamed of having raw materials.

In other news, I’ve been watching the US Open, and they do these technique snippets where the commentators will demonstrate some moves for viewers at home, one of which they called “the pirouette.”  This involves an extended backhand usually, and then a quick pivot away from the court to run back towards the center, and of course geeky me was thinking “that’s no pirouette…it’s a détourné.”  I tried to be a good Samaritan nerd and find a way to contact the broadcasters and inform them of this little misunderstanding, but alas, I could not find such means of contact.  Looks like some dance vocabulary is going to make its way into tennis lingo, even if it is inaccurate.  I still love tennis though, although I wouldn’t recommend it for dancers because it makes your body develop very lopsided.  My right forearm is a lot bigger than my left one, my right shoulder rotates differently from the left…it’s just a hot mess.

Anyway, so back to dance related dance, last night I heard about a dancer, Rasta Thomas via twitter.  Having the time on my hands that I do, I checked out his website and looked for videos on the tube, and I really like his companies’ work.  For one thing, I was cranky at the time so I was kind of in the mood for something angsty, which is out of character because usually my friend Nacho is the one that goes for this kind of stuff (she has rage issues) while I gravitate towards…well I don’t know.  Anyway, one of his companies, The Bad Boys of Dance does some really dynamic, acrobatic dance that is grounded in ballet but draws influences from other forms of movement as well, including martial arts (urrrrgh).  Now normally, the so-called contemporary dance genre is not my favorite because it turns into a circus of gymnastic tricks in a sexualized “look what can I do!” display, but I have to say Bad Boys is the most intelligent and thoughtful presentation of this kind of dance, and I really enjoy it (even the martial arts influence…hoy!).  When it comes to “contemporary,” there’s a good way to do it and a bad way to do it and Bad Boys is very good.  There’s obvious concern for artistic intent, which to me makes the difference in this genre, because a lot of times there are plenty of athletic dancers who have the hat tricks, so how the dance is expressed becomes the cornerstone of defining it.  To me, weakness in expression is most exposed in “contemporary,” and a lot of dances end up looking the same with no differences between them.  But it’s great to see Thomas’ Bad Boys successfully present modernized virtuoso dancing that is easily absorbed by a range of audiences that include crotchety classicists like me and young-uns.

Here’s a trailer for Bad Boys, and apparently one of the pieces uses that song for Requiem for a Dream, which unfortunately I despise (that song and Maurice Ravel’s Bolero are two of my most hated songs in all of life), but I really hope to see them live someday!

And just for kickity-dees, a solo by Rasta Thomas to some MJ.  Love it!

One might think to write a worship song titled, ‘It is well with my soul’, you would indeed have to be a rich, successful Chicago lawyer. But the words, “When sorrows like sea billows roll … It is well with my soul”, were not written during the happiest period of Horatio Spafford’s life.

On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy. Horatio G. Spafford and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago.  In 1870, however, things started to go wrong.

The Spaffords’ only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings were wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.

Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England.  And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French steamer ‘Ville de Havre’ across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned. He would follow on later.

With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: “Saved alone.” On November 2nd 1873, the ‘Ville de Havre’ had collided with ‘The Lochearn’, an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people.

Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up.

When the survivors of the wreck had been rescued, Mrs. Spafford’s first reaction was one of complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her, “You were spared for a purpose.” And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, “It’s easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God.”

Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father’s voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. “A careful reckoning has been made”, he said, “and I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep.”

Horatio then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn. The words which Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26. They echo the response of the Shunammite woman to the sudden death of her only child. Though we are told “her soul is vexed within her”, she still maintains that ‘It is well.” And Spafford’s song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers was.

It would be very difficult for any of us to predict how we would react under circumstances similar to those experienced by the Spaffords. But we do know that the God who sustained them would also be with us. No matter what circumstances overtake us may we be able to say with Horatio Spafford… When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul! It is well … with my soul! It is well, it is well, with my soul.

So, Center Stage 2 was an abomination, and I noticed that the girl who starred in it (Rachele Brooke Smith) is also starring in the fifth installment of the Bring it On movies, which was just released on dvd yesterday.  I know, I know…she’s probably a nice girl and she’s an actress just trying to make a living, and I have nothing against her personally but this news kind of makes me die a little on the inside.  The Center Stage sequel was bad enough, so this is like going from F to Q, except she’ll probably be more well known for this movie than CS2 even.  Oy.

Anyway, I was browsing Emily Kate Long’s website, a ballet dancer with Ballet Quad Cities.  She has some lovely studio shots, a black and white one that I liked in particular but I noticed a wall hanging with some Japanese calligraphy.  Dusting off the recesses of my brain, I translated it as “from the heavens, the way of karate.”  Mraow?  So I asked her about it on twitter, and she replied that the studio doubles as a karate dojo and even has a punching bag.  People do that?  Obviously, I had no idea people maximized studio space that way, and surely the karate kids pull out mats and such.  I consider myself fortunate that I haven’t had to encounter such circumstances, because I have a tendency to look at the mirror or the floor (bad habit, I know…I slapped myself on the wrist just now), and would probably run into it.  It brings back memories though, because eons ago I was unfortunately once a participant of the martial arts.  People are surprised when I tell them I had a second degree black belt because I am the most harmless human being alive.  Honestly, I don’t even know how I got that far, but it is what it is and I hated being forced to do it.  It’s like I always say…my only regrets in life are things my parents made me do.  They even said I fought like I was dancing (HELLO, CLUE NUMERO UNO!) but they had this thing of making me learn “practical skills.”  I had to learn how to defend myself because apparently everyone in the world is out to get me and I had to take swimming lessons so I wouldn’t drown if my plane crashed into the ocean or I was washed overboard a boat.  The results: I have forgotten everything I learned in taekwondo and usually the people who beat me are friends (or ballet teachers) anyway, and I’m incapable of enjoying the pool or swimming at the beach.  I guess my parents made a lot of mistakes, but I’m still alive.

In other news, I’ve joined dancebloggers, which is a really great resource for finding out about what’s going on in the dance world.  At first, I was kind of nervous about joining because there are actually legitimate dancers, choreographers and the like with actually useful, current information.  Meanwhile, I’m still posting about things forty years behind the times as I struggle to discover and play catch-up.  But I bit the bullet and joined anyway, and decided dance humor would be my niche, so hopefully nobody will take me too seriously!  Anyway, if you don’t know about dancebloggers, they have a really great system set up where you can subscribe to their mailing list and they send a newsletter with previews of the latest entries from bloggers who have joined.  I think the newsletters are daily, and I’ve already gotten a little “participant happy” by commenting on some people’s blogs.  You don’t have to have a blog yourself to join the mailing list, but if you do have a dance related blog, be sure to join!  Get yourself some readers, build a fan base, do the hokey-pokey.

Speaking of current events, I had an amazon gift card and decided to jump on the foam roller bandwagon, which was delivered to my door by the UPS man just minutes ago.  It’s blue and I’ve named it Horatio.  Local stores didn’t carry the size I wanted, as they only had 3ft which was too big and unwieldy and 18in which was too small.  I wanted 2ft, which is a good size and I can use for my back too because I have a short torso.  Dancers are always looking for new ways to release, stretch, strengthen, etc. and I thought I’d give it a whirl.  Especially for me, who is really tight and as much as I stretch my right quads feel tighter and tighter when I lift my leg in second.  As a quick test I just slithered onto it and worked my IT band for a few seconds and it was unpleasant in the good way so I’m really hopeful that this will soothe the fascia and let it know that it’s time to let go.  With Horatio as my personal masseuse, perhaps there is more these old bones can accomplish.

Horatio, sleeping on the couch after a long trip on the UPS truck.

Before the commercial interruption, I was browsing the tube as I do, and one of my favorite things is looking at the “recommended for you” videos because a lot of gems will pop up that I never thought to look for.  The most recent one I favorited was Vladdy-V coaching former Paris Opera Ballet dancer Eric Vu An, in Le Corsaire.  Vladdy-V must be in his late forties-ish, maybe early fifties in the video, but he was still as sharp and vivacious as ever.  I don’t speak French, so I have no idea what he was saying, but on certain accents he would shout “EEE!” to specify where Eric needed to be.  Next time I’m in a ballet class, I’m totally going to try that on a piqué or a whatever that needs to be hit with some oomph.  I’ve tried something similar before, but it was more like an “EEEEeeeeeeeeee~” that trails off as I lose my balance or fall over.  This might work, and like I said, I’ll try anything to improve.  Check him out in his coaching glory, with Eric Vu An and Richard Wilk (Giselle).

Aunque para muchos es la peor serie dentro de la franquicia de CSI, nadie puede negar que CSI: Miami es una de las series más exitosas de la televisión, por lo que hoy vamos a presentar el primer adelanto oficial de su octava temporada.

Esta temporada continuará con los eventos de la pasada, ya que la vida de Delko continua en riesgo, por lo que Horatio comienza a recordar como se conocieron todos los miembros de CSI y se convirtieron en un equipo.

Junto a este adelanto, los productores de la serie también han confirmado que Christian Clemenson (Boston Legal) aparecerá en esta temporada, interpretando a un nuevo medico forense en al menos dos de los primeros episodios.

La octava temporada de CSI: Miami comienza el lunes 21 de setiembre en CBS.

FUENTE: http://www.fullseries.net