Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Spanish

Although the language of tango may transcend the need to know spanish, there may be a few key phrases I need to know to survive. Not having a spanish/english dictionary I found a web site instead. Shouldn't be a problem carting a lap top around with me everywhere just so I can communicate should it? Better get a dictionary. Should fit better in my shoe bag.

Como te llamas?—how come when you ask someone their name you ask about their pets?

como estás—how are you. Knew that one already.

¿Dónde está él baño?—where is the bathroom. Hum good to know in any language.

¿Dónde está? where is—insert appropriate word, like zapato.

¿Cuánto cuesta?—how much does it cost. Apparently I'm a shopaholic, so I need to know this. Will go well with the previous question about the zapatos.

¡Qué buena fiesta!—what a great party, insert milonga and we should be fine. Armed with all my beautiful zapatos, I'll need to go dancing.

Que hora es?—what time is it? Just in case the previous isn't true.

No te olvidare (olvidar)—I will not forget you. What you say to the guys to guarantee they will dance with you the next time they see you.

And of course abrazos and besos.

Monday, October 23, 2006

10 Days and Counting

Into the final countdown to flight (could be in more ways than one). 10 days. Or four days of dancing here in Victoria. Or one more night of pilates. Or one ballet. I have to sacrifice my last class of yoga for Wen Wei dance, but that is a sacrifice that will be will worth it.

A friend has given me a number of tango magazines from her trip to Buenos Aires, so I've been looking at milongas, lessons and of course shoes. The shoes are proving to be the easiest to locate. Go figure. I have an idea what I'm hoping to achieve with lessons, but am not sure how to find it. As a follower, my challenge is getting to dance how I want without telling the lead what to do, so (if possible) I'd like to learn techniques for leading from the follow position--changing the dance so it is slower allowing me more time for embellishment. In a dance of great passion and sensuality it seems like we as couples and as a room often dance like we are on speed. So I want to change that, at least for myself.

Armed with tiny ads in spanish (which I can't comprehend) I purused web sites in spanish. At least they have beautiful pictures. Then, buried in one magazine, I saw an ad for El Gato. Wow, he's real, not just some guy from Marina Palmer's book. I did a google search, and came up with a tango festival happening in Buenos Aires while I'm there. www.pulpostangoweek.com.ar/html/

This could be worth checking out. They recommend where to dance as well. I'm hoping for an authentic experience, and this might be too touristy, but I will have to check it out, even if just to look. Do you think he dances without his shirt on?

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Product (Red)

This is a web site worth check out. http://www.joinred.com/. Purchase of products from companies like GAP and Apple will buy anti-retroviral medicine for people dying of aids in Africa. Like they say, we all have a choice. Let's make a diffence with our choice.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Men

It is interesting how many women seem to think I need a man to be complete in my life. Don't get me wrong, I love men, the smell of them the feel of them; they delight all my senses. I just don't need one to make me complete in my life.

This week, I emailed a client at work regarding an upcoming ballet production and he was kind enough to offer me tickets. The first friend I told asked me if he was cute (thinking it was an offer of a date). The second girlfriend told me a week gave me plenty of time to drop hints to all the men I know and get a date. Am I missing something (other than the man)!

I never did understand that simpering airheaded behaviour of girls (or women for that matter) that prance around men, flick their hair and bat their eyelashes. I know it works, but I'd rather climb trees, catch fish and live my life on my terms. To live to any other way feels lesser some how.

Funny thing is, the fellow has set aside two tickets for me. Must be he assumes there will be a guy as well. Guess one of my well meaning girlfriends will have to stand in. Not that I swing that way. I'd much rather put my arm around a man, rest my head against his, breathe in his scent. I'm never quite sure what do to with all the extra equipment a woman has, if you know what I mean.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Serenity

Or Searching for Peace

Tonight at yoga, laying there after a great workout, I think I realized what I lost during the long dark tea time of my soul. My sense of peace. The ability to just chill, find great pleasure and relaxation in the little things in my life. Meditation has always been something that comes naturally to me, so I'm not sure why circumstances managed to get control of me so badly. It's not like the things I went through are the worst in my life.

Okay, maybe that isn't true. I almost lost two kids in one year, lost my grandfather and a marriage, a job and my entire support network (i.e., I moved to a new city). It is easy to forget how important our friends are when things are tough in our lives. And when they are tough, making friends is harder for me as the last thing I want to do is spill my guts to a virtual stranger.

I found myself thinking in strange ways, lost my focus and my sense of self as a result. Note to self, never lose your sense of self. Hum tricky that. You don't usually realize it's gone until you get it back.



So here I stand in my warrior pose (that's not me by the way) considering how to live my life from here. With serenity. And definitely without fear.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

101 Moments Worth Living

I ran across an ad in a magazine the other day with 101 moments worth living. Things like climb to base camp of Everest, catch a fish with bare hands and kiss a complete stranger.

So I thought I'd create a list of 101 things I want to do or accomplish in my life. Some might even be the same. Of course, some of the things on their list I've crossed off already, like buying a standard without knowing how to drive one.

1. See all the Cirque du Soleil shows. Talk about visual art. Breathtaking, awe inspiring. Makes a person laugh, cry and dream. Who wouldn't want to see them all. Plus, at least one is in South America so maybe I can see it on one of my trips to Buenos Aires.

2. Sit on a beach in Rio. Hum, maybe I'll do that during a trip to see Saltimbanco.

4. Climb to base camp of Everest. Okay, this was on their list too, but hey I always wanted to try it.

5. See a Broadway show. Forever Tango would be the top of the list. Would even have to do more travelling to get there.

6. Cruise around Cape Horn.

7. Visit the pyramids (and or cruise the Nile). The tourist thing wouldn't work though. If you've ever read Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie or Whispers in The Sand by Barbara Erskine, you know what I mean. The whole ethereal 1800's thing.

8. Play with my granddaughter. If your going to make a list of 101 Great Things To Do, you have to remember to hug babies, pet dogs and make cats purr.

9. Okay, it isn't really fair, because the number one thing on my list I'm heading off to do in only 14 days. A trip to Argentina to dance tango, take lessons and of course, buy shoes. It just doesn't get any better than that. Until the next thing on the list.

Of course, I'll have to add to the list. But this will keep me busy for a while.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Belonging

I love to watch a dance floor move. Like a coreographed piece of artwork without the rehersal. The images of tango evoke a sense of belonging. We form bonds, often with people we don't know; dance as couples with complete strangers.


We search for a place of belonging, of acceptance. And in the embrace, we find it.
Place your head just here at his neck, hold his hand just so, relax the knees and go.

A friend thinks in my trip to Buenos Aires, that I will find it difficult watching the dancing and not participating. But I love to watch. I learn by watching, and the patterns are like visual art.



I look forward to forming new bonds, both the visual ones when I watch dancing I can't even begin to imagine. And the bonds of placing my head just so, holding a hand just so, feeling the pressure on my back just so.

And go.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Passion of tango

Here you can post your inner thoughts and musings and complete strangers know what is going on in your head. Things that I would't necessarily share with my closest friends. The question then becomes how much to say. Do I tell people I like erotic fiction? What I think of our dance community? I could just write like a diary--dear blog, today I bought Purel so I don't dysentery while I'm in Argentina.

Hum, I'll tackle world travel alone, but the thought of any one knowing the workings of my head frightens me. Guess there is something I'm afraid of after all.