The World Can Change In A Day

This made me tear-up a bit.

The World Can Change In A Day (2WENTY 4OUR)

Though I did have to look up the Soweto student protests.

Team Auditions

The auditions for Atomic Ballroom's swing teams were on this past Saturday. The format this time was interesting, requiring that everyone progress through the requirements of each level.

First was a good group photo, then an orientation session, discussing what the various levels do, what is expected, costs, etc. Questions and answers, the fact that Atomic Ballroom is an official Disney entertainment vendor now, so we can and will be asked to do dancing for them (a great fund-raising source), other stuff.

The we all went through the beginning choreography for the level 1 team:
East Coast Basic
Under-arm turn (no tuck)
Walk-through (lead a walk-forward on 1)
Walk-through
6-count circle
Swing-out (from closed)
Swing-out
Sugar-push


Level 2 requirements:
The Shim-Sham
Learned this late in the game (started about a month ago), but I was pretty confident, and it went fine. I did screw up on camera, though. A bit more pressure. Also tough to stay on when the people in front of you screw up. So more repetition would have solved that. I'm happy about my shoulder styling, but I doubt I'm inventing anything new.

Jeep Jockey Jump
I don't remember my partners, but we did fine. Jerry asked us to do solos, which I've always had an aversion to. However, when I danced with Laura, we did it. The key was to go for the first 8 8-counts so as not to have to time the return to the line... Did scripted solos once and impromptu solos twice.

Big John's Special
My only issue is with the Tandem Charleston push-out exit to an over-rotated circle, to swing-out. When I danced with Michelle on the first run-through, it went great. But with Sydney, I didn't have as good a connection, and we didn't get enough rotation. Oh well. Maybe I should have practiced it with her the way I did with Michelle.

And then we were done. Stayed around to watch the Swing 3 auditions. When I stepped outside to make a call, Jerry came to find out why I was holding up the audition, assuming I was trying for the Swing 3 team! I told him I didn't have the choreography or the aerials. Watched the Atomic Routine and the snip of the California Routine they did, and felt a twang of regret as I realized that adding those two routines wouldn't have been that hard... But in reality, it would have been tough. I still can't do the tap section of the Atomic Routine at speed, nor have I anchored the choreography after it. The California Routine has a tough slip-slop section I don't have, and all of that is besides the point as I haven't done the aerials besides the Frog and Toss Out. And the Frog is the only one I have solidly. And I still forget the ballroom hold at times... Yes, I made the right decision. But two months from now, I think I'll have had time to get up to speed on the rest of it.

Ate a late lunch with the team at TGI Fridays afterwards. Nice to spend time with the group, bantering, telling stories, acting out, giving massages. But not getting them. No means no, Heckman.

Analysis

Sometimes I'll say, "I feel like having a cup of coffee." And he'll say, "Can you get me a cup too?" But what I really meant was, "Can you get me a cup of coffee?"

Some friends (CH), accuse me of over-analyzing other people's feelings and motivations. As I wrote, it occurred to me that my family relationships are the cause of this (over) analysis. I really fear that I'm missing what someone says or does. That's a real quote from my mother, by the way. One that's stayed with me and always makes me gun-shy when I talk to her. Does she mean what she's saying? Or does she mean that she wants something from me? And that translates to my relationships with other people, not matter how shallow that relationship.

All I can do is take what people say at face value.
--A lie I tell myself and others

Whether or not it's reasonable, I feel compelled to analyze people's underlying motivations and deeper meanings.

All I can do is tell people what I mean, what I want, and how I feel.
--A truism that I tell myself and others

I can't expect other people to know what I want or how I feel unless I tell them. That sometimes comes off as sharing too much or getting too personal. Why? Oh, probably because I sometimes feel compelled to explain why I feel a certain way or make a certain request.

Whoa. Kind of like this entire post.

Fear

I've seen the episodes of Tell Me You Love Me, the new HBO series which there seems to be a mini-uproar about. There's some buzz and controversy around the graphic depictions of sexuality, and at one time, I'm sure that would have hooked me into the show. The truth of the matter is that the sex isn't that interesting. In fact, it's a little desperate and sad. Graphic real-life portrayals of sex aren't always that hot to watch. Especially when you're aware of the emotional overhead surrounding every encounter. Trying to get pregnant. Trying to avoid other relationship problems. Trying for any shred of intimacy.

What has me interested... that's not even the right word... what has me spinning are the relationships between the married (and almost married) couples. There's an amazing lack of communication that's going on there. They don't say what they feel. They don't express what's important to them. They're not honest. They carry secrets. And not in a dramatic soap-opera way, but in a very real, believable way.

Part of me recognizes that it's a great way to hook an audience. "Why doesn't she just..." "Why won't he tell..." Etc. And though it's not-quite-real situations, I recognize the frustration and grinding away of life that might cause someone to shut down.

It's amazing how honest and open with your feelings you are. Most people have a lot of trouble getting in touch with how they feel and expressing it. It's really refreshing to meet someone who doesn't seem to have a problem with either.

MS paid me that compliment (paraphrased) a few months back, and it stuck with me. At the time, I realized that it was troubling, but only after watching TMYLM did I realize why. My family and I have had terrible, horrible fights with each other. Yelling, screaming arguments. And none of us is stupid. And I don't think that any of us thought we were defending the wrong position while we were arguing. But we still had these blow-ups with each other. And they were all like this show: Caused by pent-up frustration, the daily grind of living with people, and lack of communication. So if I'm an open and honest person, how can I have the same problems as people who aren't?

That thought haunts me.

Proof of Purchase

Wow. Breathtaking brevity.

Proof of Purchase

New Material

At Atomic Ballroom's Saturday night dance:

Me: So I'm sorry but I don't remember your name.
A: That's OK, I've been in Europe all summer, it's A.
Me: And I'm John.
A: That's right! I remember because my boyfriend's name is John.
Me (internal): Is she giving me the 'I have a boyfriend?'
A: I remember I told you that and you called me on it.
Me: Wait, what?
A: You said, "Did you just give me the 'I have a boyfriend?'" I wasn't, but that's what you said.
Me: That's right, I did. And the same thing just went through my head.
Me (internal): I need new material.
A: I think you need new material.
Me: OK, stop reading my mind.

Well, OK, she actually said that she was dating someone at the time named John. Wait, did she just give me the I'm-not-dating-anyone-right-now?!

Resident Evil: Extinction

Synopsis:
Zombies kill people.

Lessons Learned About The Zombie Future:

• You won't live very long unless you're super hot
• You'll worry about gasoline and ammo, Mad Max style, but not about water
• If you're a super-hot surviving woman, you'll have immaculate makeup and plucked eyebrows
• You shouldn't go to Vegas
  

Lessons Learned From Seeing This Movie:

• The Resident Evil franchise is best experienced on cable