I haven’t written about hula and Tahitian dance in awhile. Things have been going better there. So well, in fact, that I have decided to take ballet class. Actually, ballet class should help me be a better hula and Tahitian dancer. My first ballet class was on Friday, except the teacher had some emergency, so I showed up in pink tights and a black leotard to a dance class that got canceled.

You may expect to read about my ballet mishaps either late Friday or Saturday. I must love trying new things that no one else would do at my age. I guess I like a challenge, although dance classes have often been more misery than challenge. The torture my body goes through… The comparisons I make to the teenagers–thinking I should be able to do what they do. I don’t exactly learn quickly. I’m improving on that though. I’m ambidextrous, which is mostly cool, until I want to do something physical. Then I don’t know which is left and right. When everyone else is going right, I’m typically going left. I have to think about it. I have to make a physical memory, so that I remember what to do.

I really don’t know what to expect in ballet. I’m sure that four years of dancing will help in any type of dance that I do. I’m not very fond of the tights and leotard, although I have to admit that they are comfortable. It’s more clothing than Tahitian dance–that took a lot to get used to.

I survived the all day Tahitian dance competition. I arrived at just before 8 am and left just before 8 pm. With over 200 girls and 30 boys competing, it took awhile to have everybody dance. My group (the “old ladies” 35 and over) was small, so we advanced directly to finals without preliminaries. That means that in my first competition ever, I danced alone in the center of the gym with the judges, musicians and about 100+ people watching. I hardly saw the people. I was surprised to see that those of us in the older age group don’t move that quickly. I also got to see my competition in this area. It was over quickly, and frankly I was relieved. I had waited all day to dance at about 6:30 pm.

Today I’m resting and nursing a sore throat. I had no idea that I would be so tired after only dancing for 90 seconds.

That sunburn I wrote about earlier in the week blistered on Wednesday night. Now how a burn blisters 4 days later puzzles me. I expected there to be blisters within 24 hours or no blisters. But no. Now I’m peeling skin in sheets. I have the hula and Tahitian dance show on Saturday (tomorrow). Luckily, I’m probably far enough away from the audience that the peeling skin won’t be noticeable. Did I mention that it itches like crazy?

Well since I last wrote, my new puppy has gotten his housetraining back on track. He peed and pooed the house and his crate for two days immediately after Ana died. I’m waiting for the granite memorial to arrive. It’s going to be really nice with her picture on it.

I still don’t have the files from my bad hard drive.

I have a hula and Tahitian dance show coming up this Saturday, so the past Saturday was spent rehearsing. I got a severe sun burn. My skin is still hot. It has been a little tough to sleep. I’m doing whatever I can so I don’t peel. I can’t have flaky skin next weekend for our show.

Amazingly, I have an interview on Wednesday. I will have to write about it afterwards. I applied to that one on whim thinking that I haven’t applied to that company so it might be good to get my resume in there. It seemed rather unlikely to get a call. But I’m excited. It’s a different industry and more what I’m interested in.

There probably is no help. I’m not completely uncoordinated, but last night’s dance class would make you think otherwise. I don’t know what happened or what was going on with me. I just couldn’t get the movements right. If everyone was moving right, I went left. I couldn’t remember the steps that I know. Today I’m too tired to care.

I’m sore and stiff this Monday morning. I spent four hours yesterday at the halau for competition practice. Three hours of that time was actually spent practicing. It sounds exciting when I say I was at dance practice. What few realize is that dance practice consists of pushups, situps and sweat dripping down your face and soaking your clothes. Now it sounds icky and more like work. Unfortunately, I won’t be going to more Sunday practices (I could really use the workout) because the leadership program I signed up for interferes with the tryout and subsequent practices if I made the group.

Despite being out of breath and thinking I was going to die of pain, I actually had fun yesterday. Lots of fun. There is always next year to tryout, and I will be a much better dancer by then. I have seen a lot of improvement in just a year. I have been dancing just short of a year now. I certainly pick up the dance moves a lot quicker than I used to. I remember them and know what I’m doing right and wrong.

August already. Tahitian torture begins this Sunday. I’m kidding but only partially. It feels like torture to practice for 3 hours. It makes Monday hell. I doubt I have the skills to make the tryouts for next year’s fete group, but I want to get in that practice. Sort of. I want to get better, but I don’t want to ache. I’m not feeling the best today, and I have a two hour practice tonight. Joy. With all the other stuff I have going on this year, I doubt I really have time for dance even if I did make the group. I need the exercise though. In just a few short weeks of having my son around, I managed to gain a few pounds. I think I’d like to go back to bed and stay there all day.

Well we’re gearing up again for competition in Tahitian dance. I entered a solo competition in mid-July. I’m beginning to think I’m crazy. I’m still sore from Saturday’s practice, which was 2 1/2 hours. In the next few weeks our practices will be 3 or 4 hours.  I absolutely have to get in some practice myself. Funny how everything else in life gets in the way except for those scheduled practices at the studio.  I’m not feeling very ready, but then I have a month.

I get asked that a lot. Lately I haven’t known what to say. I know there is a lot that is new, but how interesting do others find it? I’m still working on my project, although it has been a slow week coming up to the holiday. I had a seminar end this week, and the other didn’t meet. So I’m off to live in my now quiet head.

I have my costume for Tahitian competition. Well, all but the flower. I have to decide on a flower, and it has to be real. So that means it has to last all day (from 7 am to about 6 pm).

Last weekend I was busy meeting up with friends–even after a long day at the garage sale. It seems that most people are out of town this weekend or have other plans, but perhaps something will come up spur of the moment. A friend is supposed to have a party either Friday or Saturday, but I haven’t heard anything further.

Oh, I finally got a Nintendo Wii, which is supposed to be for my son. I have been playing. It’s a lot of fun. I ended up with a sore arm from playing tennis.

Work? Well, it’s still the same, although it seems that some new interest could provide more immediate funding. Just have to see.

The cats are pretty much the same. So is the dog. I have one cat with an immune disorder, and he’s not looking so good right now. Not much I can do about it other than keep him comfortable. It’s kind of icky to watch him waste away.