Dancing Queen

I know dancing's a major fear for many people but I love to dance! Anywhere. Anytime. With anyone. Okay, there are probably some limitations but I haven't yet found them. I dance after a few drinks. I dance stone cold sober. I dance at clubs. I dance at weddings (The bf and I are thinking about becoming professional wedding dancers.). I dance at non-dancing venues. With or without music. I dance in crowds where there are so many people, wobbling slightly would probably be a better descriptor. I dance in my room all by myself. I dance in the sun. In the rain. Clothed. Unclothed. Happy. Sad. Dancing makes me feel alive. But I do have a slight vendetta against my parents because they never forced dance lessons down my throat so I'm entirely self-taught. Which makes for a kind of Night at the Roxbury/Fame/Beyonce style that's all my own.

The bf and I as pro wedding dancers

In the event this hasn't yet convinced you non-dancers that dancing can be fun here are some reasons for dancing and how to have fun with it:

Benefits to Dancing

- Burns calories. Secretly. When you're having fun dancing it doesn't even feel like a workout but in actuality burns 265 calories an hour (if you're a 130 lb. gal according to Medical Movement). What!

- Aside from the calories it has much health benefits.

- You might meet your significant other. That's how I did. And dancing's still an important part of our relationship. I'd say he's a cross between Fred Astaire/Usher/Carlton/Andy Samberg, which compliments my own self-taught style perfectly.

- Other social connections. Should you work up the courage to do it in public.

And How to Make it Fun:

- Dance Alone: Choose your fav music and let loose. You don't need a mirror if even that makes it too embarrassing. At worst just wiggle your hips slightly more than normal. The average person might not even be able to tell you're dancing. But you know what? It doesn't matter because you're all alone and the average person isn't going to see you. See if it doesn't make you smile just a little.

- Get lost in the moment. When you do that there aren't any worries. You have nothing to worry about anyway. No one's judging you. Okay, no one who counts is judging you. And anyone who is judging you is probably not a very good dancer themselves or they'd be too caught up in their own movement to notice yours. The trick is to not worry and have an absolute blast. Dance elegantly. Dance goofily. Dance perfectly. However, you do it do it and as long as you're truly having fun people will be lining up to be your partner, or at least drift near your vicinity to steal some moves.

- Smile. And laugh. That always makes it look like you're having fun even if you aren't.

- And along with that fake it til you make it. I'm not entirely sure I actually am a good dancer but I fully believe I am. But it wasn't always like that. I had to get over some insecurities. And I did that by faking it until I turned pro.

Flat Stanley

About a month ago my bro called me to see if I'd help his boss' daughter out with a school project. I agreed and next thing ya know Flat Stanley was making a visit. I've never read the book or did this project while either in or teaching elementary school but I know it's a popular project in that circle. The bf, his parents, and I took him to the Huntington Beach Pier and had an absolute blast taking the following pics. Just goes to show ya even as adults you can still have tons of fun with the kiddy things.

It's Not the End of the World...

as we know it. That song ran through my head much of yesterday as I prepared for the demise of our existence. And by prepared I did yoga, went for a run, and attended a couple of parties completely unrelated to doomsday. Needless to say doomsday didn't occur. Unless that is even fewer chosen ones exist than previously thought.

While I obviously didn't think the world would actually end nor do I think it's going to end in 2012 or any time during my lifetime, events like this get me contemplating. Our lives could end in any moment. I won't go into all the ways this could happen since that would be the antithesis of fun. And really we all know this. But how many of us actually live like we're dying (not to steal anything from the song with the same title)? I probably deliberate over this more than the average Joe but even I live a life more in fear than love, adventure, spontaneity, and fun. Or at least in more fear than I'd like to. And so in honor of the latest doomsday prediction to go wonderfully wrong I vow to spend more time enjoying all of the moments of my life.

Perhaps a little more time spent riding these

Finishing Things

Having fun doesn't mean always getting to do what you want when you want to do it. There are many times I think I'd love it if my life were like this but in actuality it'd probably have the reverse affect if it actually happened. Plus I don't think there exists a single person who has this kind of life. So we all have to do things we don't particularly want to. Knowing that they contribute to an ultimate goal or allow us to more quickly get back to doing what we want to do helps the situation. Also, if you can somehow turn it into something more fun in some way that also helps. Or knowing how accomplished you'll feel in the long run. But there are times when next to nothing helps in that moment. So the next moment when you're FINALLY done that's when the fun really begins.

Studying is rarely fun but it always feels so good to be done.

I Am

If there's one movie you see this year you need to make it this one: http://www.iamthedoc.com/.

Mothers

In honor of Mother's Day and my mother in particular all of the reasons my mom is fun:

- She sends me cute and silly things in the real life mail (like the kind you go to the post office to buy stamps for).

- She calls me just because she saw something little that reminded her of me.

- She turned my childhood into my own personal after school program.

- She still cheers me on just like she did during AYSO.

- She plays with all the toys that make noise in the toy store.

- She sings loudly with me on road trips.

- She teaches me about all kinds of good stuff in life.

- She buys me all kinds of little surfing memorabilia I didn't know existed in the midwest.

- She's always excited to hear from me.

- She's always down to play and have fun.

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you mucho!

Fun Buster: Energy Suckers

Yesterday I finally realized my problem. Yep, I only have one and luckily it's because of other people (kidding for anyone who knows me... or doesn't know me). I am a sponge. That's what a newsletter I got from Oprah.com told me yesterday. I tend to absorb others' lower energy, take it upon myself, and then become unbearable to be around (okay maybe that isn't true but it's slightly unbearable to myself in my mind). I'd kind of realized this but it suddenly became clear just how much power I was giving these people and letting it affect my life (which is my problem).

We all know these Energy Suckers: The Debbie Downer, the Anger Management Candidate, the Ruminator, the Basket Case, the Worrywart, the Non-stop Talker, etc., etc., etc. I could probably think of at least a dozen more pseudonyms for my arch enemies. But that wouldn't be fun (actually I lied, that was pretty fun) and I've given away enough of my fun to these folks.

In recognizing this as MY problem I've realized I need to do something about this because this is something I'm letting interfere with my life and how much fun I'm having in it. Ideally I'd just not interact with Energy Suckers (Thich Nhat Hanh actually suggests this in his book Savor.). But since this isn't practical living where I live and doing what I do on a daily basis, I've come up with some fun alternatives to enhance my entertainment in dealing with them, which I'm going to list by my pseudonyms since I believe that each Energy Sucker must be dealt with in a different way.

Debbie Downer Strategy: When Debbie Downer gets going counter every complaint with a benefit of that complaint. For example if he/she says, "The weather's so awful today. I really hate rain," you could reply with, "Gosh, I sure do love rain. I don't have to wash my car then!" Do this often enough and Debbie Downer will probably disappear from your life forever on her own accord (or partner with you).

Anger Management Candidate Strategy: Stare lovingly, almost googly-eyed like at the Anger Management Candidate when he/she starts going off. That alone should be disruptive enough to at least cause an angry exit.

Ruminator Strategy: This person may not even have anything all that negative to say but the fact that they go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on is enough to drive anyone crazy no matter what they're saying. I suggest carrying a small tape recorder and when your Ruminator gets going hit record and then play it back to them. They'll either get the hint or want the tape recorder so they can listen to themselves in their free time.

Basket Case Strategy: Since this person is always in crisis mode play the one up game. If they think their significant other is about to can them bring up starving children. If they got a flat tire right after getting fired remind them that Mrs. Jenkins down the street got a fired, a flat tire, and lost her house all in the same day. Eventually they'll get tired of playing this game and you win!

Worrywort Strategy: Play the one up game here too. For every worry they have counter with an even bigger worry. What if I fail this test? Hmmm... well, what if you get kicked out of school? What if he never asks me to marry him? Hmmm... what if he leaves you and you're alone forever?

Non-Stop Talker Strategy: Start talking non-stop too. Either they'll stop and realize what they're doing. Or they won't and at least you can use that time to vocalize your true feelings (don't worry about doing this; they won't even notice), state your grocery list aloud, or practice for a presentation you have later on in the week.

A couple things to keep in mind:

- These strategies are only meant for chronic and persistent cases. It won't help anything if your usually cheery, half glass full best-friend is having a rough day. In this case be supportive and let them have their rough day.

- Many Energy Suckers will have multiple energy sucking techniques. In which case if you can remove yourself from the situation do so immediately. If not be prepared to employ multiple strategies and try to have as much fun as you can doing it.

Does anyone have difficulty with Energy Suckers? What are some techniques you've used that work?