.: In the Voice of Mandabelle :.

1> There is more than one Unicorn. And he found me.
2> A little less sleep can be a good thing.
3> I'd missed Manda. Balls, damnbit.

.: Good Times. Good Times :.

Last night I got the chance to hang out with a dancer from long ago. It was wonderful. It was so nice to bring back old memories and catching up on things, too. And nice it is too to fall into old habits...

D was always my "weekend boyfriend". I didn't bother with a real one as I always out of town traveling to exchanges and stuff anyways. Attentive and affectionate, D was the perfect boyfriend without all the work. More specifically, when I would have to go grocery shopping to feed the troops, D would help out. To the untrained eye, we looked very much like a couple shopping together. We would be refering to a list together closely, sending each other off to find things, then calling out "honey" up and down the aisles only to pair up again. Then we'd be all huggy or holding hands at the checkout line.

And that was how it was again last night. So easy and comfortable, just to hug each other. Holding hands as we stepped out to the dance floor. And then the dancing. we'd changed our styles over the years but I still felt a good connection though we were a little off. If that makes any sense at all...

Good times though, good times...

.: First Night of Tango :.

The first night of many, I hope...

I seemed to get the gist of it pretty easily. But as the Unicorn has said follows have it alot easier. With some pointers from M, I was on the dance floor.

So let me try to capture how fascinated with this dance I'd become. Its been very rare that I watch other dancers so intently. I try to break down the dance to little nuances. And there are many. Even trying to capture the attitude of each dance along with each song. Then there is the connection... much like what I love about blues dancing. In blues dancing, I adore the feel of the immediate intmacy, the closeness of the bodies, then the undulating momentums of the various types of connections. For tango, the changes of connection rarely ever happens. There is a constant forcefulness of the bodies that, perhaps, just makes a greater impression when the bodies are finally released.

The Unicorn and I are planning on making Wednesdays tango night a regular event as oppposed to GDS. I look forward to learning an entirely new dance. Funny, tho Jo and I would still mess around with some lindy and blues dancing. The poor Unicorn got so frustrated at "butchering" tango, we had to just kinda goof off a little.

As I was told, the tango community seemed very welcoming. Then my pet peeve happened. An older gentleman asked me onto the dance floor. He then proceeds to ask if I've ever taken any tango dance lessons. That sounds so judgemental! I give him the benefit of the doubt and mention all that I have learned came from what I'd learned from my friends. "Well, let's see if we can go through the basic, " he tells me. We rough it through. I swear I was floating wonderfully with other leads but this guy... this guy was trying to crank me to "put my foot there" and "shift your weight here." He then quits on me IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SONG!! Its insulting enough when a tango dancer says "thank you" after just ONE dance. The "gentleman" then proceeds to mention that the teacher that evening could teach me more...IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SONG!! Can cannot relate how insulted I was. Jo had to talk me down a bit. M made a point to mention this to the teacher who then came up to me to apologise for the putz.

Luckily, that experience hasn't dampened my determination to learn this dance.

Tango, anyone?

.: Get Out of My Head :.

I've had this song in my head for days but could not think of all the lyrics. Just one line was drilling into my head. Finally, I decided to google it. Here it is:

Love Is the Seventh Wave - Sting

In the empire of the senses
You're the queen of all you survey
All the cities all the nations
Everything that falls your way
There is a deeper world than this
That you don't understand
There is a deeper world that this
Tugging at your hand

Every ripple on the ocean
Every leaf on every tree
Every sand dune in the desert
Every power we never see
There is a deeper wave than this
Swelling in the world
There is a deeper wave than this
Listen to me girl

Feel it rising in the cities
Feel it sweeping over land
Over borders, over frontiers
Nothing will its power withstand
There is no deeper wave than this
Listen to me girl

All the bloodshed all the anger
All the weapons all the greed
All the armies all the missiles
All the symbols of your fear
There is a deeper wave than this
Listen to me girl

At the still point of destruction
At the centre of the fury
All the angels all the devils
All around us can't you see
There is a deeper wave than this
Rising in the land
There is a deeper wave than this
Nothing will withstand

I say love is the seventh wave

I've always mean to mention that the majority of views I get around the world are part of searches for the lyrics I end up posting up. :) Hello World!!

.: Talk To Me :.

So recently I'd learned some very insightful philosophies on communication. They also come with some lovely well phrased sound bites.

1)"The Opposite of Drama is Communication" - After Hawaii, I swore that I would just let any drama just float right past me. Good in theory. I still have this problem of not talking when I should. More specifically, dealing with a problem that could easily be resolved by either giving explaination or getting explaination. More easily still, talk instead getting all jealous, angry, or creating a grudge. Grudges. I've become an expert at grudges. I blame my mother. Anywho...

2)"The Golden Rule Doesn't Necessarily Apply in Communication" - Speak onto others as you would like to be spoken to. Not true. One may want to be talked to more immediately with more specific detail. But that doesn't mean that they apply the same process to a person that would rather not be spoken to for a while and in more general ideas.

I'm not used to communicating in either one of these concepts so please be patient with me... if I decide not to talk at all.

.: Unbearable:.

If there is one thing that upsets me the most its when someone talks to me as though I were an idiot. Its as though I were some moron, some imbecile, who can't comprehend the complex ideas set before me. Or the insinuation that said someone is somehow smarter or better than me.

I really shouldn't be surprised or upset. I kinda knew that this was going to happen.

So, really, the bad part of someone talking to me like as though were an idiot is when I believe them.

.: Slow Night :.

I feel like this is the very first night in a long long time that I just bothered to stay home. Parties and dances are being ignored tonight. Hedds will be shocked.

Its kinda nice and kinda necessary. I work early again tomorrow. Worked an eight hour shift in the sun today. In the sun. A few folks had work that had them under tents but not me. In the sun. I got a bit sunburnt. The ONLY time I've gotten sunburnt was in the Philippines.

I had a first wedding lesson today. The first in a long while. It was with a very good friend from high school who gets married in a few weeks. I was incredibly nervous for some reason. I just really wanted them to do really well. Turns out they picked all the moves fairly easily. Any problems were solved quickly and with little angst. The best part: They laughed. They laughed through all their mistakes. Ok, not all. But they laughed and they had fun. I'm a rockin' good teacher. I keep forgetting that.

So a busy day but a slow slow night. I forget I need those slow times, too.

.: Boner :.

Considering the in-depth conversation about sperm, I recently uncovered a Sinfest favourite:

.: SHhhhhh :.

Lyrics came to mind:

I've a fine little secret
I've promised not to ever ever tell
Yes it is a fine little secret
And its just as well...
They'd bury me
They'd banish me
to a liar's hell...

Lyrics came over the radio:

Dirty Little Secret - All-American Rejects

Let me know that I've done wrong
When I've known this all along
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you

Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret

Who has to know
When we live such fragile lives
It's the best way we survive
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you

Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret

Who has to know
The way she feels inside (inside)
Those thoughts I can't deny (deny)
These sleeping dogs won't lie (won't lie)
And now I try to lie
It's eating me apart
Trace this life out

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret)

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Dirty little secret
Dirty little secret

Who has to know
Who has to know

.: ha :.

I couldn't believe the first time I watched it yesterday in the World Cup finals. But I do appreciate this...

.: In the voice of MandaPance :.

1> Enablers. Not a good idea. Evah.
2> Unicorns and Dinosaurs. They exist. I don't know if I'm happy about that.
3> A bad idea is still a bad idea.

.: Surf’s Up :.

Surf Class
Originally uploaded by nuprinz.

I did it. Mark it off the 25 List!

I finally learned how to surf. And I rocked it. Not that I’m hitting the huge waves or anything but I held my own. And the best in my class ;) * sigh*

I’m sitting here in the airport terminal and I can still feel the waves that were beneath me this afternoon. An unfortunately calm day today though so the the ocean became a rocking chair lulling me into what must have been a peaceful dream.

Days before I was out surfing with my family and friends. I thought of the pride and excitement at seeing them ride a wave to shore. And the incredible rush I had when I first rode all the way to shore. I remember the heat of the sun and the coolness of the water. I remember seeing the palm trees ahead of me. I was too far from trees One and Two. If I were parallel to them, as Billy had suggested, perhaps I would have caught better waves.

Not this day. Many surfers were sitting up on their boards looking out to the oceans trying to spot a good one. Yet as I sat on my waiting for my wave I’d thought of how I’d be able to reflect back on this moment and how it will make me smile. I feel very lucky that I’ve been able to surf everyday since the day that I’d learned.

I should feel that sense of accomplishment and happiness every day. In every dance. In every massage. In anything I learn everyday. Or I guess I could remember these days and the rocking waves.

.: Move Along:.

Not the most brilliant thing I’ve done.

I’d locked my car keys into the condo/house that we’d had in Lahaina. I already had a pretty tight chance of making the 10:59 flight out to the mainland. So after a brief stint breaking and then unbreaking into this house, I found myself late for my flight. My sister informed me that I could try to catch the flight an hour later. I sped down the coast of Maui only to find that the airport was closed. There was no one there to process me through. What a waste of a trip. This would make my sixth trip to the airport or its surrounding area. ARGH.

Luckily, Joe from Budget gave me THE best customer service. He drove me in the rental car over to the airport hoping that I would be able slip in under the gun. He also took care of my paperwork considering I lost all my major travel information _somewhere_.
That and he was cute.

After much chatting at the America West operator, I failed to rip her a new one. I would have to fly standby or pay the fee and the difference in price. This was the even more irritating part of the entire stupid situation.

But I drove back to Lahaina, once again. This time I took my time. I watched the moon, so huge and pale. I watched it shine its light onto the ocean. I heard the waves and smelled the salty tropical air. Then I rolled all the windows down and turned up the radio. This was the song I sang along with. Fitting, I think.


Move Along – All American Rejects

Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone sins
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold

Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
Move along

So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold

Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)

When everything is wrong we move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong, we move along
Along, along, along

When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
[x3]

(Move along)
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
Right back what is wrong
We move along

.: World Cup in Maui :.

kinda sad but a chunk of my time in Hawaii was spent watching the World Cup on ESPN. DAMN you cable TV!!! One of the highlights is the World Cup advert from Adidas - Jose +10. Brilliant! be sure to catch the rest of the advert series....

.: Wedding Reception :.

As much as my sister's wedding was quiet and simple, the reception was a circus! It was held at The Feast at Lele. It took all my strength not to let ANYONE in one this secret after Hedds showed me their website long ago.... Its a shame that I don't have pics of this but I'm waiting on Nana's because her camera is far far more superior...