Good Morning!

I generally despise mornings but they do have their purpose periodically.

This particular morning, my alarm woke me at 7:30 AM but I successfully ignored it for 15 minutes, enjoying a warm bed for just a little longer.

Once showered & dressed, I delivered the local civic association neighbourhood to the residents of my street. They've been sitting in our living room for almost two weeks. While I usually like to deliver them asap because (a) I hate having outstanding tasks on my to-do list and (b) activities which support community participation & connectedness are generally things I wish to support. The delay in delivery however was due to a very heavy work load, my periodic travel and my trivial bit of pique against the newsletter coordinator.

( Read more... )

Good Morning!

I generally despise mornings but they do have their purpose periodically.

This particular morning, my alarm woke me at 7:30 AM but I successfully ignored it for 15 minutes, enjoying a warm bed for just a little longer.

Once showered & dressed, I delivered the local civic association neighbourhood to the residents of my street. They've been sitting in our living room for almost two weeks. While I usually like to deliver them asap because (a) I hate having outstanding tasks on my to-do list and (b) activities which support community participation & connectedness are generally things I wish to support. The delay in delivery however was due to a very heavy work load, my periodic travel and my trivial bit of pique against the newsletter coordinator.

( Read more... )

Disappointing Haircut

I finally got a haircut this morning. I've been looking much shaggier than I'd like for the past two weeks but my workload hasn't spared enough time for a lunch break let alone a haircut. This morning was finally my opportunity.

I'm not thrilled with the results. I went to my usual barber shop but I wasn't able to get my preferred barber: he only works weekdays and is thus effectively out of my reach unless I take a day off work. While the trim I got is adequate, the more the day went on, the more I wish I had asked have it trimmed shorter. Call it hair-based buyer's remorse, or perhaps an early winter cut.

I typically get trimmed every 5-6 weeks. I think I'll be going back within three. And cut out of work early so I can visit my preferred barber.

Disappointing Haircut

I finally got a haircut this morning. I've been looking much shaggier than I'd like for the past two weeks but my workload hasn't spared enough time for a lunch break let alone a haircut. This morning was finally my opportunity.

I'm not thrilled with the results. I went to my usual barber shop but I wasn't able to get my preferred barber: he only works weekdays and is thus effectively out of my reach unless I take a day off work. While the trim I got is adequate, the more the day went on, the more I wish I had asked have it trimmed shorter. Call it hair-based buyer's remorse, or perhaps an early winter cut.

I typically get trimmed every 5-6 weeks. I think I'll be going back within three. And cut out of work early so I can visit my preferred barber.

Chesapeake Squares' Mainstream Class, Week #4

This afternoon, kent4str and I lead the Chesapeake Squares' fourth weekly session of our latest Mainstream square dance class.

Dayle had taught the prior class but that was two weeks ago: we all took last Saturday away from the class so that Dayle, kent4str and I could attend our previously-scheduled C1 boot camp weekend. As expected, the break took a bit of a toll on the new dancers' memories, but not as much as I had suspected. They lacked the sort of driven confidence on some of the newer calls (pass the ocean, swing thru, do paso, wheel & deal, etc.) but they managed well in the review and were clearly demonstrating much stronger confidence and faster reaction times as the afternoon went on.

This week, we introduced the following new calls:

• zoom
  
• flutterwheel/reverse flutterwheel
  
• sweep a quarter
  
• veer left/veer right
  
• trade by
  
• touch 1/4
  
• circulate (in all its glorious forms)
  
• ferris wheel
  
• cloverleaf
  
• turn thru>
  

Buried in this list are some additional subtleties: they were introduced to columns (via touch 1/4) and the split concept (via split circulate).

Recalling the problems of past MS classes, we kept the regular all-eight circulate from waves apart from split circulate in the teaching order as best we could. We also drilled a great deal with both and, towards the end of the afternoon, I think they had it down pretty well. At least they seemed to be having fewer issues than I've seen in other MS classes, including my own so many years ago.

We all had some fun, a few laughs and generally a good time, all while learning a few things. I'm declaring this afternoon's class a success.

Chesapeake Squares' Mainstream Class, Week #4

This afternoon, kent4str and I lead the Chesapeake Squares' fourth weekly session of our latest Mainstream square dance class.

Dayle had taught the prior class but that was two weeks ago: we all took last Saturday away from the class so that Dayle, kent4str and I could attend our previously-scheduled C1 boot camp weekend. As expected, the break took a bit of a toll on the new dancers' memories, but not as much as I had suspected. They lacked the sort of driven confidence on some of the newer calls (pass the ocean, swing thru, do paso, wheel & deal, etc.) but they managed well in the review and were clearly demonstrating much stronger confidence and faster reaction times as the afternoon went on.

This week, we introduced the following new calls:

• zoom
  
• flutterwheel/reverse flutterwheel
  
• sweep a quarter
  
• veer left/veer right
  
• trade by
  
• touch 1/4
  
• circulate (in all its glorious forms)
  
• ferris wheel
  
• cloverleaf
  
• turn thru>
  

Buried in this list are some additional subtleties: they were introduced to columns (via touch 1/4) and the split concept (via split circulate).

Recalling the problems of past MS classes, we kept the regular all-eight circulate from waves apart from split circulate in the teaching order as best we could. We also drilled a great deal with both and, towards the end of the afternoon, I think they had it down pretty well. At least they seemed to be having fewer issues than I've seen in other MS classes, including my own so many years ago.

We all had some fun, a few laughs and generally a good time, all while learning a few things. I'm declaring this afternoon's class a success.