MOTHA!

A Point for New York

Remember this? And this?

Well, yesterday I missed NYC for the first time. I needed to shape the mop of hair that is slowly growing out on my head and so I scheduled my first salon visit in CA. I picked a place that was relatively close - 1.7 miles away- so that I could walk there... because I could use the exercise and I miss walking places.

I especially miss walking places in NYC. Yesterday's trip to the salon and home again was so lonely. Where were all the people? In their cars. There were moments on my walk when I could not see another pedestrian in any direction. I felt like the odd man out... like all of the people in cars were thinking, what is this crazy girl doing, walking around like that? Where is her car? I tried to console myself with the fact that it was a sunny 72 degrees outside, while in NYC it was below 30. (I'll admit.... it helped.)

Even though it was a lonely walk, it was refreshing to walk with a sense of purpose again, to walk like I had somewhere to go... because I did. I think I will make it a point to walk to as many places as I can since I am lucky to live in a fairly walkable area- there are plenty of places within a 2 mile radius of me. And if you've got the time, two miles is walkable people! You should do it, too, if you can. I refuse to let that part of California, the let's-just-drive-even-though-it's-only-a-few-blocks-away part, get a hold on me. I want to get to know- at least a little piece of- this driving city on foot.

 

 

Feel the Beat

There is a wave of dancing happening across the blogosphere. Lots of awesome people pointing out how important it is to let go and DANCE! Because, guess what? Life is short! And we've got to celebrate these bodies while we are in them!

My home is filled with dance and music. We are a dancing family, we two. Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Take That... When one of us is in a funk, the music comes on. When we've got something to celebrate, the music comes on. When we're trying to wake up in the morning- what's better than coffee?- the music! We don't kid around when we're kidding around. We took a hip hop class together in 2009. And recently we purchased Michael Jackson The Experience so that we could take our dancing to whole new level-  of competitiveness.

Not only is dancing a great form of exercise, which we all know is good for us in so many ways, but it helps us to let go- to let go of fatigue, depression, anxiety, self consciousness, etc. And it helps us to embrace- to embrace our bodies, joy, a good beat, laughter. In the company of others it helps us to say, hey! I'm going to be sillycrazywacky right now and I'm not worried about what you think about it because I feel GOOD. Moving to our own crazy, internal (and for me, often out of rhythm) beat is liberating. 

I wanted to post a video of myself dancing in the spirit of i'mhavingfunandidon'tcarewhatyouthink, but I am having some serious technical difficulties. So I present you with the following video of my un-perfected moon walk. And as my friend Jess says at the end of the video- it's like magic.

Please note the look of extreme concentration on my face. This is because, even if you aren't all that good at it, moonwalking is HARD!

It's not the all out dance extravaganza that I was hoping to share, but I hope it gets you in the mood to let go a little, put a little wiggle in your step, a little dance in your day. There's always a good reason.

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye 2010! Yo, what's up 2011?!

Well. Shawn and I celebrated our first New Year's Eve as a married couple. It was New Year's Eve my style, meaning we took it easy. We met friends for all-you-can-eat sushi, which sounds scary (in terms of quality), but trust me- it's AMAZING! And then we had those friends over to our new, awesome home where we watched the ball drop, danced to Michael Jackson on the Wii, and played Apples to Apples. I LOVE APPLES TO APPLES. It was a great, friendly way to wrap up 2010 and begin 2011. Which reminds me...

There once was a man named Michael Finnegan,
He grew whiskers on his chinnigin,
Shaved them off and they grew in ag'in,
Poor old Michael Finnegan, begin ag'in!!!!!!!!!

Which reminds me...

This is the song that never ends,

Yes it goes on and on my friends,

Some people started singin' it

Not knowin' what it was

And they'll continue singin' it forever just because...THIS IS THE SONG THAT NEVER ENDS...

 

Which reminds me...

 

JK! JK! I'm annoying, but not that annoying! (right?)

 

Back to you, years!

I want to know. What will you bring me, 2011?

2010 brought me school, marriage, and California.

Can you top that, 2011? (Do I want you to top that?)

It's ok, 2011. Don't worry, I am not asking you to compete. Every year is beautiful and special in it's own way and you will be too, I am sure of it.

I'll tell you what- you do you, 2011. Do your thang. The only promise that I'm going to make is to be open minded, to be ready to catch what you throw at me, to walk through the doors that you open and embrace the challenges you present.

I'm ready for you, you new year. Show me what you can do! (No pressure or anything.)

Our last photo of 2010. My face was a little- aaah! white!- so I had to make the photo b&w to shield your eyes from the blinding glow of my ghost skin.