Tag: Dance of Life

Posted on

Dance Goals For 2007

La Duca shoes

Thanks to Natalia for forcing me to come up with these, because one must always have goals, and putting them down on paper (or blog) makes you organized and keeps you focused. I’ve divided mine into three basic categories:

1) CUT BACK ON EXPENSES.

Unfortunately, I think my biggest goal, at least regarding my greatest dance love — ballroom — is going to have to be to cut back. Looking over my expenses the past year, I’m a bit overwhelmed (okay a lot overwhelmed) at how much this wonderful hobby has cost me. I had wanted to go to Brazil this February for Carnival, and it looks like that’s not going to happen, I’d wanted to do some more travel even to places as close as Washington D.C. (do-able, but not without fret about cost), and even looking into possibly adopting another pet since my dear Najma passed away last year freaked me out a bit expense-wise. I simply have nothing left over in my leisure spending allotment after all of my ballroom. My parents, embarrasingly, have even had to help me pay for showcase, costume, and private coaching costs a bit here and there. Plus, my studio has just increased their prices $10 per private. So, with each private costing $95, each coaching $150 on top of that (for both teacher and coach), costumes running a minimum (and I mean very very minimum) of $500, and I don’t even want to say what the showcases cost, you get some clue as to the thousands. Not a happy bank account have I.

So, I’ve decided that, since of course giving it up is completely, ridiculously out of the question, I must force myself to take only one private lesson per week, and do either one showcase or one competition per year (ONE is the key number, in other words). Perhaps I can take one or two group lessons per week, but I’ve really got to watch that expense as well.

2) RELAX, LET LOOSE, AND HAVE FUN.

Second, and related to my first goal, I attended several Alvin Ailey performances this season and was really just mesmerized by what I saw. Watching the dancers closely, I realized Ailey must have had an extremely wide dance background including not only ballet, modern, and jazz, but African and Latin as well, because the way his dancers move incorporates all of those. And, I specifically saw some Samba, both in Revelations and other dances, and not only in the hip and pelvic movements generally, I mean I also saw some of the exact same steps I have learned in ballroom. And I felt like these dancers moved so amazingly. Jazz dancing is “bigger” than Latin ballroom, in that you take far larger steps and really work on moving your body without restraint; with ballroom, you must take very small steps and keep arm and upper body movement very small and controlled so as not to whack your partner or others on the crowded dance floor. And, because of this forced constraint, I found the Ailey dancers so much more interesting than ballroomers. Often at the ballroom competitions, there’s so much smallness of movement in Samba that I can’t even really see the dancers moving their hips and contracting and expanding their pelvises; it looks almost the exact same as a traveling form of Cha Cha to me.

Teachers at my old school used to tell me that studying any dance outside of ballroom besides ballet may well hurt my ballroom, mainly because of the uncontrolled movement. But these Ailey dancers just moved in such brilliant ways; really made me want to learn what they do. Plus, it looks so damn fun! So, I have decided that I will start taking some jazz, street samba (the Ailey School teaches it!), and African, in addition to my ballroom, at schools that offer group classes in those areas like Steps, Broadway Dance Center, and the Ailey school. If it hurts my ballroom technique, so be it. I love the way these modern dancers move and I’m not ever going to be a professional dancer, so it might as well be fun for me!

3) WRITE WRITE WRITE.

Third, I’ve realized through some recent discussions with friends and work and writing associates that a lot of people really don’t understand two basic things: 1) how frigging hard it is to become a great dancer — good enough, that is, that people will actually spend money to come see you perform; and 2) fun as it may be for most of us, dancing is actually a profession for others, and those others deserve to be taken seriously, just like doctors and lawyers and other professionals, and should be compensated appropriately. I came upon these realizations when some of the aforementioned friends and associates expressed difficulty understanding how I, with two whole years of part-time dance experience, could possibly need MORE practice (don’t I know everything already???), and that I actually had to pay for my teachers’ services — particulary at competitions and showcase events — as if my showcases and competitions were supposed to be so much fun for THEM that they were willing to forego an entire day’s worth of teaching wages to spend the day dancing with me, as if they don’t have rent to pay like the rest of us… Anyway, these discussions really enraged me, and one of my goals, as a fledgling writer, is to create more respect for professional dancers through not only this blog, but hopefully with magazine and newspaper writing that I will actually be compensated for, please please!

I also intend to attend as many ballroom competitions as I can — already have my tickets for Blackpool in May, of course of course! — and will most definitely blog about them, and take as many photos as I can, which I will put on the photo page here. I may take a course in digital photography, through the School of Visual Arts perhaps — to learn how to make better use of my camera.

And, finally, I intend to write my next novel this year, and to have it finished by the end of the year! It will deal, in some way, with dance, which is what that goal is doing in this blog entry, though I’m not sure how much of it will be devoted to dance, since, of course, plot and theme change a bit as you’re going about the writing process. But definitely definitely there will be dance in the novel 🙂 My last one took me one year, at least to get the first draft down, and I’ve already started this one (okay, I just have about the first 500 words!), so I am giving myself until, at the very very VERY latest, the end of the year. And, if I’m not finished and don’t have it out to my agent by this very day next year, please someone shoot me!!!!!

And of course, ballet, my lifelong love: I’ll be going to every performance I have the time and money for, am just sending off my ABT subscription renewal to their Met season now 🙂 🙂 🙂 and will likely run down to D.C. for a couple of Othello’s this January (since I’ll likely miss that ballet during their Met season, when I’ll be in England). And of course, I’ll obsessively be reading The Winger…

Posted on

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone!

Christmas card from client

This is a Christmas card I received from one of my clients in prison. He obviously spent a good portion of his inmate funds on this, and I found it so sweet when I received it Friday, I burst into tears. Anyway, I will share it with you all, to wish everyone a wonderful holiday. I have to say, Christmas sometimes really depresses me. I start thinking of everyone who is alone — my clients in prison, the homeless, the elderly, the mentally ill who have no one, orphans, etc. etc. etc. It’s just heart-breaking. Since I’m spending the holiday alone myself (though not ALONE alone; I expect to be receiving umpteenth phone calls from relatives 🙂 ), I contacted a local volunteer organization that sends people to soup kitchens and shelters, but they told me that, ironically, Christmas-time is just about the only time they are NOT lacking in help — just about any other time of the year they’d love me. I made a mental note to try to volunteer at some other point, if and when I’m ever not dancing or working!

Anyway, trying to keep sadness at bay and keep an upbeat attitude… this weekend I had another dance / theater marathon. Yesterday, I went to my last Alvin Ailey performance of the season, sadly. I saw some brilliant dancing and choreography, of course! The matinee’s ballets included The River, a gorgeously dreamy ballet choreographed by Ailey himself to Duke Ellington music, with all dancers dressed in light blue, which kind of reminded me of Clear or Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes — beauty for beauty’s sake. And, I saw Pas De Duke for the first time, which was originally choreographed for Judith Jamison and Baryshnikov. I liked, but didn’t love it. Ailey called it a modern pas de deux (dance for two people), but there was hardly any partnering; it was mostly side by sides, with the dancers interacting a lot with each other emotionally, but not physically. I loved Dwana Adiaha Smallwood (probably the most famous current dancer in the company) in the female role — she was a badass! I can only imagine how Jamison must have performed the part! Then, Solo, by Hans van Manen, was next, a beautiful piece designed, despite its title, for three men, alternating between a pas de trois and each man dancing alone onstage. And the last was Love Stories, a very fun ballet choreographed in honor of Ailey by Jamison, Robert Battle and hip hop choreorapher Rennie Harris. It alternated between hip hop, disco-y jazz, and ballet, and had some absolutely spectacular lifts — man carrying woman over his head while circling the stage multiple times — and jumps — twice a woman jumped up on the chest of a man arching his back — crazy!

ailey dancers taking bow

I sat in the orchestra pit for this one! I don’t know why these seats are so cheap ($25) — they’re so close to the stage, you feel like you’re practically one with the dancers (a feeling that of course I savor!), and, unlike at the Met when you’re so near to the stage, at City Center you can still see the dances’ feet perfectly. Afterward, they held another post-performance panel discussion with some of the dancers, like last time.

ailey dancers at post discussion

This time we had two Frenchmen, Malik Le Nost and Willy Laury (in the glasses — one of my favorites, whom I always seem to see in the Sinner Man part of Revelations which is odd because they always say they alternate between all the roles; I recognize him partly by this cool tattoo that he has on his hip snaking down to his groin area, which is always peeking out from the top of his cinnamon red Sinner man pants 🙂 ), and I think the woman was Khilea Douglass (she was sitting on the far side from me, so I didn’t hear her name clearly or see her face). I really enjoy these discussions — I appreciate hearing the dancers talk about the work from their perspective.

Today, I went to see Spring Awakening, the new big thing on Broadway.

spring awakening

There were a lot of people out in NY for it being Christmas Eve day…! This Rent-like musical was recommended to me by my friend, Mark, who knew I liked Bill T. Jones, the show’s choreographer (hi Mark!) and I also saw a fellow Winger post about it on her website. I liked it, but I have to say it didn’t move me hugely on my first viewing. It’s something I may have to see again (when it comes down a bit in price!), but I did like the music, the singing was great, and the staging (which I assume was what Jones was responsible for, since there really wasn’t any dancing) was a lot of fun. I guess what I didn’t like was the basic story — it’s based on a German play from the 1890s — and wasn’t something I haven’t heard a zillion times before, so it definitely told me nothing new. And, it seemed a bit melodramatic and I couldn’t understand the motivations of some of the characters. I also wanted some real dancers for Jones to work with! Maybe I’ve just seen so much dance lately I expect everyone to go soaring through the air like an ABT or Alvin Ailey member. I’ve got so used to seeing abstract expressions of thought revealed through the sublime vehice of a near miraculous human body that I just didn’t want to hear any dialog! — which is VERY odd for me since I used to be so into dramas. But I guess I’ve never been a huge fan of musicals in the first place — the only one I think I’ve ever liked is the Cabaret of the Mendes / Cumming variety. But, everyone seems to love this musical, so I’m sure that whatever I didn’t see in it on first viewing is just me 🙂

Christmas dinner for the single girl!

So, this will be my single-girl-in-the-city Christmas dinner for tomorrow: an artisanal chicken pot pie made by Just Rugelach and bought at my local Sunday farmers’ market, fresh spinach with Olde Cape Cod honey mustard viniagarette currently on sale at my local Food Emporium, and Barefoot Sauvingon Blanc from Nancy’s Wines, preceded by my favorite appetizer of Greek taramosalata (red caviar mixed with pureed potatoes and other lovely ingredients) on Russian black bread, and for dessert, thick delicious (and immensely fatty) Southern Comfort Egg Nog, and some Haddington Farms chocolate-covered peanut caramel clusters sent by Mom 🙂 Yum!

Christmas reading

And, finally, here’s some of my Christmas reading! Two novels I’ve been hoping for time to sink my gums into — Home Land by Sam Lipsyte, which is a dark comedy in the style of Augusten Burroughs and consists of letters an alum writes to his alma mater on the eve of his high school reunion basically telling them how life DIDN’T pan out so hunky dory (just my type of thing 🙂 ), and the other, The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter, was recommended by Nick Hornby to his fans a long time ago, which I never got around to buying, but some nice person in my apartment building left this copy for me on top of the recycle bin! And these two lovely works of fiction sit here atop my stacks of trial transcripts for the next case I’ll be working on. I promised friends and family I WOULDN’T do any work work, but if I get antsy enough….

Anyway, happy holidays everyone!

Posted on

Becoming a Criminal On My Way to Defend My Client!

Does this look like the face of a criminal?!

me after court

Oh I fear it is! I had to turnstile-jump this morning on my way to this lovely place:

Appellate Division courthouse

… which is the Appellate Division courthouse in Brooklyn Heights, where I had an oral argument. I didn’t mean to commit a crime! I was running late on my way to court because I was hysterically researching cases on Westlaw this morning before I left — I always do far far far too much research and am pretty ridiculously overprepared for court. I’m always so afraid the judges are going to ask me something about some obscure case and I’m going to look stupid. Not that overpreparation is bad, but it does sometimes get me a little behind on my caseload. And, when you have about one of these a month, spending several days obsessing over case law and trial transcripts and penal codes and sentencing guidelines can really put you a good, full case behind…

Anyway, so I was researching hysterically, not realizing the time, until it was about 9:00 — an hour before I have to be in court. Calendar call (which every attorney with a case on for argument has to attend in order to tell the presiding judge how much time s/he is requesting to argue their appeal) is strictly at 10, and if you’re late, you’re in big trouble. So, I grabbed my argument outline, the mass of cases and trial transcripts I wouldn’t need (since I basically had all of them memorized), and, shoving an extra pair of hose into my briefcase, fled my apartment for the 2/3 train.

When I went to go through the turnstile, there was a man entering before me, and I guess his Metrocard didn’t go through and the machine told him he needed to slide it through again. But since I was in such a hysterical rush, I’d already swiped mine. So, when he walked through, it was on my card. Since I have a monthly, I couldn’t swipe it again for another 15 minutes (for non-NYers, that’s the MTA’s means of preventing people from buying one monthly pass and then letting all their friends and family ride on it as well). Of course I didn’t have 15 minutes to spare. Normally, I’d just explain to the agent in the booth what had happened and they’d let me through, but for some crazy reason there was no agent in the booth this morning. I searched for another one, but couldn’t find any. Angry that I was actually going to have to buy a single ticket, I whipped out my wallet only to find I had no small bills. I started crying out, asking anyone within earshot if they had change, but no one could be bothered to help the poor, hysterical, screaming besuited lawyer. So, I did the only thing I could do: jumped the damn turnstile! Actually, I didn’t jump; I slid underneath. And as I went, I waved about my Metrocard just in case any officers were spying from behind some “janitors’ cabin” and came after me. Nothing happened, other than a few odd looks from commuters. I’m just afraid they have some surveillance camera and I’m going to get a summons in the mail! Or worse, served at my place of work … Well, I have a damn good excuse. It’s just kind of ironic: the criminal defending a convict!

Anyway, I had a lesson with Jacob tonight, after not seeing him, or the studio, in over two weeks. My back knee bent badly while he tried to take me down into a split in our opening trick. Uh, so out of practice! And, the DVDs from our October student / teacher showcase are in. I bought two — one for me and one for Dad for Christmas 🙂 Oh, I don’t know if I want to look though!

DTS DVDs

Posted on

First Nutcracker Since Childhood :)

Was feeling a bit stressed yesterday — so so SO many work deadlines (why does Christmas have to be at the end of the year!), writing deadlines, and just the stress of cocktail parties (of which I had my first Saturday night, hosted by a friend from college, who’s a corporate lawyer and hence knows A LOT of corporate lawyers — at one point, we went around the circle and by way of introduction announced what we ‘covered’ — which, in in-house corporate lawyerese, I soon realized meant hedgefunds, foreign investments, mergers, etc. etc. When we got to me, I shrugged and said in a low voice, “Uh, I cover poor people.” Everyone laughed, but I did get several looks of pity. And one woman, in-house counsel for Donna Karan, began a discussion about her awesome finds at the latest Jimmy Choo sale, then suddenly stopped herself, glanced at me, and asked if anyone had read any good books recently… Which I thought kinda funny… just because I’m a public defender doesn’t mean I don’t have any interest in fashion (!), although I have to say, I do prefer book discussions :)).

Anyway, after beginning three projects at once yesterday and realizing none was going to get finished as I was going to have a nervous breakdown, I decided to take a walk. My walk ended up at Lincoln Center, where I decided to buy my Fourth Ring Society membership for the upcoming NYCBallet season, and figured while I was at it, I’d buy a ticket to the evening’s Nutcracker performance as well. I’m so glad I took the evening off. It was so much fun. As much of a ballet fan as I am, I actually haven’t seen the Nutcracker since I was a child. I remember my mom used to take me and my childhood friends, Debbie and Tammy (I have no siblings), to Phoenix Symphony Hall at least once every holiday season to see the ballet. I always loved the “It’s a Small World After All” aspect of it, with the Spanish and Arabian and Russian dancers, and of course, like all little kids, I loved the “fat lady” who harbored all the children within her skirt. And afterward we would always go for dessert at either The Sugar Bowl or Farrell’s. I remember I was always so conflicted over which one I preferred, as The Sugar Bowl was more off the beaten path, quieter, and had very cute tables and chairs in amusing heart and other such shapes, and smaller, but more spirited-looking dishes. Farrell’s was far more crowded and noisy, but they had absolutely ginormous sundaes. My friends always wanted Farrell’s, but I always wanted to at least take a peek in S.B. I guess even at 10, I was inclined to be the weird one!

Anyway, Megan Fairchild and Joaquin DeLuz were my sugarplum fairy and her cavalier yesterday. They were adorable together. Megan has such a sweet face, and, since seeing Joaquin in Jorma Elo’s ‘Slice to Sharp’ last season, he is now one of my favorite men in NYCB. Sterling Hyltin was a gorgeous Dewdrop. From the back of the Fourth Ring, she reminded me of ABT’s Michele Wiles, but if I was closer I might not have thought so. Perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Here’s a pic of the lovely ‘performing arts’ Christmas tree (notice the violin and pointe shoes ornaments) at the Lincoln Center Plaza:

While on the Nutcracker theme, here is a very charming couple of blog entries by Ariel, a David Hallberg and Winger fan, upon meeting him backstage when he guest-performed this past weekend with her sister’s company, the Mobile Ballet.

Posted on

No Blog Award Category For Dance!!!!!

I just saw this on Konagod’s blog. Congratulations, Konagod, for making finalist in the best new blog category! But what stunned me is that there is a category for just about everything under the sun, except dance. Yet another instance of dance not being taken seriously in our culture. Yet there is an increasingly large number of blogs by dancers, choreographers, and dance enthusiasts and advocates, and there are a few excellent dance blog / websites that provide an invaluable service to the dance community, such as The Winger. Upon closer inspection, I found that the arts in general were profoundly underrepresented. I find this very disturbing; a society without a strong arts life is greatly lacking.

Posted on

I Am A Dedicated Reader, Of Course Of Course:)

What Kind of Reader Are You?

Your Result: Dedicated Reader

You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader

Another quiz I found from Konagod. Fun for avid readers, and likely designed by one judging from some of the answer choices, which I could have come up with verbatim. You mean there are people who don’t have at least two books — one fiction, one non — on them at all times, who don’t carry at least three in their carry-on when traveling, whose apartment floor is not sagging from the weight of their three floor-to-ceiling bookcases?? Who are such people and what planet do they come from? Ha ha. Well, I’m a wanna be writer, so it makes sense that I’m a crazy, insanely obsessed reader — almost as much as I’m a crazy, insanely obsessed dance fan…

If you wanna, take the test here.

Posted on

Money-Hungry, Who Me?

birthday quiz

***Your Birthdate: May 8***

Watch out Donald Trump! You’ve got a head for business and money.
You’ll make it rich some day, even if you haven’t figured out how yet.
A supreme individualist, you shouldn’t get stuck in a corporate job.
Instead, make your own way – so that you can be the boss.

Your strength: Your undying determination

Your weakness: You require an opulent lifestyle

Your power color: Plum

Your power symbol: Dollar sign

Your power month: August

Ha ha ha — I don’t know about this? It’s partly true — I am determined, want badly to be my own boss, and am a “supreme individualist” (and I think, with this trait, I greatly annoy and worry friends and family by traveling and going to theater alone, etc., as well as dance teachers who try to dictate to me my styling and costumes, etc. 🙂 ). And I guess I do require just a bit of opulence, seeing as how I absolutely need: 1) to sit in the front orchestra at ABT so as to have the perfect view of all my wonderful men; 2) to travel to exotic places, like Rio where I can witness real Samba, and Blackpool for real ballroom dancing; and 3) to take ballroom-dancing lessons (by far the greatest cost of the three!!!!!) But I don’t really consider myself on a money power trip?… Although, maybe, this sheds light on some of my previous dating posts… Oh no, I am not a gold-digger, I swear!!!

Anyway, Konagod always comes up with these fun / goofy quizzes. If you’re dying to know what your birthday means, take the quiz here.

Posted on

Ever So Fun Goofy Thanksgiving Meme

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Since I’m too lazy to figure out how to connect my wireless from my mom’s house in North Carolina (where I’m spending the holiday) so that I can download pics and therefore write a proper blog entry, I am cutting and pasting this “Thanksgiving meme” from one of my favorite blogs and filling in my own goofy answers. Why are these crazy things always so much fun?!

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? Oof, where did those heinous under-eye bags come from? Do I need to spend another few days contact-lense-less, or am I allergic to Katydid, the cat with whom I’m spending Thanksiving, who has found in my face her perfect little bed?

2. How much cash do you have on you? $0.33. One of best things about visiting Mom is that she pays for everything 🙂

3. First word that comes to mind that rhymes with more? Bore. (what does this say about me?!)

4. Favorite planet? Mars (reminds me both of candy and bravura men from American Ballet Theater 🙂 )

5. Who’s the fourth person on your missed call list on your cell phone? Dance Times Square, reminding me that I have an upcoming lesson.

6. What’s your favorite ringtone to download on your cell phone? Same answer for me as for ABB. I’m not savvy (or patient) enough to learn how to download ring tones. I just chose the cheesy “Latin” that came with my phone — which is totally corny and bears no resemblance whatsoever to real Latin music.

7. What shirt are you wearing? I’m wearing a black dress with a pink wrap-around Danceskin sweater.

8. Do you label yourself? Hmmm. I don’t like to, but sometimes feel the need to.

9. Name the brand of shoes you’re currently wearing. Stuart Weitzman.

10. Bright or dark room? Bright, definitely, ‘a clean well-lighted place’ 🙂

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you? Love her, can’t get enough of her! She is by far my favorite non-dance blogger!

12. What does your watch look like? I don’t wear one; I use my cell phone to tell time.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night? Drinking green tea (as recommended by Kristin Sloan) and reading Fred Astaire’s autobiography en route to falling asleep.

14. What did your last text-message say? Can’t remember; my friends know I don’t use the cell all that much and prefer email 🙂

15. Where is your nearest 7-11? Geez, dunno; I don’t think we even have any in NY??

16. What’s a word that you say a lot? Heinous (used hyperbolically).

17. Who told you he/she loved you last? Mom.

18. Last furry thing you touched. A sweet, smelly, slobbery lovable black Lab named Gilley, who lives with Mom.

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days? Does Advil count? If so, four doses for tendonitis flare-up.

20. How many loads of film do you need developed? None; I only use my digital now.

21. Favorite age you’ve been so far. 23, when I’d just moved to New York and before I went to law school.

22. Your worst enemy: My own self doubt.

23. What is your current desk-top picture? A vintage New Yorker cover.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone? Pass the mashed potatoes, please … again. (I don’t eat turkey).

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or be able to fly, what would it be? Million bucks, definitely. I have fear of flying!

26. Do you like someone? For sure.

27. The last song you listened to. ‘Rocka My Soul’ from Alvin Ailey’s ‘Revelations’ soundtrack.

28. What time of day were you born? 4:15 a.m.

29. What’s your favorite number? 3.

30. Where did you live in 1987? Arizona.

31. Are you jealous of anyone? I try not to be, but can’t help succumbing to that nasty little emotion from time to time.

32. Is anyone jealous of you? I hope not.

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened? On the PATH train from Hoboken, bound for the concourse of the World Trade Center. Needless to say, I didn’t get to my destination; train stopped halfway under the Hudson river and we returned to N.J. I’ll never forget what I saw when I angrily emerged from the station for the rest of my life, of course.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money? I honestly can’t remember the last time I ever used one.

35. Do you consider yourself kind? Yes.

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be? I can’t imagine ever getting one! They’re just not me 🙂

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be? Mandarin.

38. Would you move for the person you loved? Ohhhh, I really don’t think so, I love New York so. Only if it was absolutely essential to his health or career and only if it was to a city not one bit less exciting!

39. Are you touchy-feely. I guess so 🙂

40. What’s your life motto? Geez, this is questionnaire is hard! I’m stealing Hughes de Montalembert’s (which is posted on the side of my blog) — “If you learn to dance with people, with life, than nothing wrong can happen to you.” I was introduced to this man at the Tribeca Film Festival. He was a French artist and filmmaker who was blinded with his own paint eraser by burglars in New York in the not-so-good-old-days here. He learned to “see” in other ways, traveled, and became a writer. Talk about not letting life’s tragedies get you down…

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times. pen, notebook, camera.

42. What’s your favorite town / city? Duh, New York! After that, Paris.

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash? A cheese and cracker plate and mini bottle of white zinfandel, on the Amtrack from NY to North Carolina.

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it? In June, I wrote a letter to my dad to accompany my Father’s Day card.

45. Can you change the oil on a car? Hell no! I’ve lived in NY for so long now, I don’t know if I still even know how to drive!

46. Your first love, what was the last thing you heard about him / her? My very first love ever, that he had dropped out of high school. (Can’t even imagine what he’s doing now). My first love in adulthood, that he’s a professor at the University of Chicago, that bastard!

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry? Just about three generations, unfortunately. I know that my great great paternal grandmother was an American Indian from the Blackfoot tribe!

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? For the finals evening of the U.S.National DanceSport Championships in Florida, we were supposed to dress up. I wore a little black cocktail dress and a crotched green shawl with black velvet tango shoes.

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now? No,thanks to the aforementioned Advil! Before that, my left tendonitis-prone knee was aching a bit.

50. Have you been burned by love? Definitely.

Okay, gotta get back to Mom. Thanks to ABB and Toddspot for the fun diversion from food and family 🙂

I don’t know how to tag people, but if anyone else does the survey, let me know! And happy Thanksgiving all!