.: Poking at the Pain :.

So it goes on.. my treatment on my right ankle. I had rolled it after an awfully timed tacklehug right before Fizz months ago. Then, I went ahead and danced on it that night. And continued to do so for weeks later. Over the year, I've done a poor job of letting it heal properly and missed out on weeks of running and Eskrima. A perfect excuse to sit and pout really...

Today, my acupuncturist and I started a more aggressive treatment of my ankle. I had my usual needles in the usual points for stress and pain in general. I'd been doing my ankle strengthening exercises and so it was easy to for her to palpate the points of irritation on my ankle. For some reason, the needles she'd applied at these points gave me a strong reaction. One reaction was too burst out laughing for one point. A little unexpected there but as a massage therapist its happened to me with clients on my table. Another reaction being a incredible burning sensation at the point that soon dissipated. A little shocking at first...

What would be more shocking (pun warning) was the electricity that was applied to a few of the needles that were in the medial and lateral sides of my legs. So this little machine sent little bursts of energy that simply felt like poking poking poking poking poking... The idea was to force the muscles to work and then fatigue and relax. She also applied a heat lamp hovering above my ankle then she left me alone in the room darkening the lamps. Before she left, Kristl told me to just let the reactions happen and if that included laughing, go with it...

I may have giggled a bit after she'd left but mostly I tried to do some deep breathing and follow the pulsing of my electrified muscles. I started to relax and fall into a little sleep when my arm jolted and I jarred a needle in my wrist. That kinda hurt and then I got it in my head for a second the idea of burning flesh...I remembered a Tom and Jerry cartoon where Jerry gives Tom a hot foot with some matches burning at Tom's shoe. "My heart is burning, burning, like a giant flame...hey, wait a minute...something is burning!" But upon further reflection and some real deep breaths, I realized I wasn't burning... The rest of the treatment was very very relaxing...

So now here I am at home, very relaxed, calm, ankle wrapped up, ear seeds for future self-treatment, and determined to heal this damn thing correctly... so no massive high heels or dancing for a few days..

Oh and if you're interested: http://www.kwaifahacupuncture.com. Tell Kristl, I sent ya!

.: Fizz Flashback :.

Just coming home from yet another fantabulous night at Fizz. It was Fizz Five Dollar Flashback Night and it was glorious. Gosh, I had so much to write about when I started up this post but then I just hit a big wall of tired. I'll post this anyways since it seems I've forgotten how to post for some time now.

.: Hedwig Sunday :.

I think my only mistake that day was to pop in the "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" DVD that morning. For one thing, the PS2 it was playing on was being a bitch. Frustrating. But the DVD ever so slightly colored a wonderful production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch playing at Chicago's American Theatre Company.

First, we had to walk into the ATC space via the alleyway. Making our way to our seats was like making our way through the maze of an underground club adorned with torn and aged concert posters. Upon closer examination these posters are from local Chicago clubs and concert venues, most importantly Martyr's, which is right next door. I was excited to read "The Cure", "The Dead Kennedys" and others lining the walls of the theater... before the show started...

I'm not even sure how to explain the plot of "Hedwig" so I'm just going to talk about it as a concert knowing full well its a play. Hedwig (Nick Garrison) stormed the stage and the back up band was solid. The video/photo media background was fantastic especially in the space. Impressive but for a while there I'd felt that it was holding itself up well to the movie.

Yet the audience interaction was exciting and a lil bit disgusting bodily fluid-wise. That's what finally pushed me to accept this production beyond what I had already seen of it as a movie or the reputation as a play. This piece made such fantastic references to Chicago and its music scene. It was all its own! That and Hedwig called my friend Laura and I (and the few other Asians in the row)out for being the soy sauce to the white rice in the audience.

The rhythm and the timing of the entire production built nicely to the wonderful and emotional ending. Just like a really really fantastic concert...

Finally, we were lucky enough to get rare encore. Hedwig, Yitzhak, and the Angry Inch busted out with Cheap Trick's "Surrender". It twas awesome!

I so want to rock out with some karaoke or Rock Band :) Hopefully, I'll see it again before their additional two weeks ends. You can check out some video and grab some tickets at the ATC site.

.: Happy Monday :.

Its a rare Happy Monday... a holiday... where I am glad to work... and I am thankful for the troops that have let me live the life I live and and : LIVE @ Fizz tonite Solomon Douglas & Quartet! http://tinyurl.com/fizvw2 Can't join us in person?check us out on the internets....

.: Worky Days :.

Well, tomorrow will be a very busy day for me. A rarity. A full day. So for some reason I'm a bit tweaked out about it though I should be trying to get some sleep to get a an early jump on the next day.

Saturday was a workday for my brain as it was the first day that I had a theatre/improv rehearsal. The very first one in YEARS. I have to admit that my ego had a work over as well but there's my expectation that I'm going to awesome after all that time not working on the funnies. Not only was I slow, I completely stalled and forgot simple rules. But honestly, it wasn't as horrible as I had envisioned it.

But I have to get my butt in gear. And fast. The group has been signed up to preform in the next few weeks. Let's see if I've still got it....

.: Its Been Too Long... :.

..again.

It's been strange. Horribly, uninspired in general. Not that nothing has been happening.

The biggest thing lately has been the passing of Frankie Manning, The Ambassador of Lindy Hop. It had affected me much more than I ever would have thought. Frankie Manning, for those few readers not familiar with him, is considered the biggest influence of the resurgence of Lindy Hop since its origins in the 30s. Actually, I'll just link to a very well written note by snora88.

I had many opportunities to write and discuss. What writing I have done has been on FB and twitter. But even in those brief forms, my notes have barely risen above mentioning my health and the weather.

I did want to share something I have been thinking about the last few days. Its the fact that I'll be missing the Frankie95 festivities this weekend. What was going to be his 95th birthday celebration will now be an immense memorial. While I've felt jealous of those that are now going to be able to since they've opened up the registration for the event, I'm discovering ... I'm not really.

I wasn't planning on going for the birthday party in the first place. Despite the money situation, I'm no longer attracted to huge ticket dance events. If I wasn't actually working at bluesSHOUT, I probably wouldn't have gone to half of the events. So while I'd love the idea of celebrating the birthday of one amazing human being, I might've hated being in such large party.

Its more attractive to me now to be able to commiserate with so many friends and share so many more memories but I think I'll just have to make due here in Chicago.

I'll have to share the story of the night at Fizz on the day he died. I'll write it another time. And much sooner.

.: Creative Week :.

I can't tell you how long its been since I've felt I've been the least bit creative. I know I've been incredibly and horribly depressed in the last few months but I feel so inspired over the last few days. I feel good. I worry about that. Like its too good to be true, but I do know that I'm going to try to take what I've picked up in the last week and run with it...

btw new dance venue I'm trying to start up in a new creative space, The Solarium. I think I'm going to be a bit more involved with The Solarium in the future.

Here's your invite:

At The Solarium (1245 Jarvis Ave. Apt.3)
On Saturday, March 14th
From 8:30p-2am

Here's a link to the Facebook invite with more information!

Hope to see you there!

.: Blues Dancing :.

I dunno I needed a little more in my life. I've been doing volunteer work here and there. It only makes sense that I dedicate a little more time to another dance project.

But I'd ditched blues dancing for a while I just wasn't excited by it. Certainly with the lack of CUBE this past year I really really wasn't feeling it.

Then tonight I stay for the last part of John's set and have a couple of inspiring blues dances. It really made me remember what I liked most about Blues dancing. Two different dancers but brothers, interesting no? One brother gave a pretty secure lead to I felt relaxed about - just following along. The other brother gave me license to just go for it - which I did. Kinda fun but mostly just refreshing as hell. A very nice way to end the evening... off to bed. Sweet Dreams.

.: New Post, New Year :.

Been a long while... I've been doing a bit of writing just not here...

So getting a foothold into the new year and I'm looking at last years posts. I accomplished quite a bit to be proud of myself. I particularly love the 5K and The Fizz. I'm proud that I survived quite a few challenges that I didn't even bother to write about apparently... The last part of 2008 and probably even to now, I'm having a hard time. Basically, treading water. I've been here before. Things will "fall" into place. Meanwhile,

"Do any damn thing you have to do to keep the heart and the soul alive."- Peter Nichols, playwright

But I do have some new goals I want to become a part of my life.

1) Make simpler choices to be greener. I already carry around the great little bags my sister gave me. Recycle better. Not using paper towels.

2) Eat local and organic. Might be a little tough. Starting out small with just organic milk and what I can afford. I'm trying to definitely add more protein to my diet so organic meat will have to be a later goal for now. I'm luck to have a couple of open markets very close to my neighborhood in the warm months. I've yet to visit a Winter Market and check that out. Maybe next week in Evanston...

3) Take care of my brain more. I've been reading "Magnificent Mind at Any Age" by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. . Looking for some other things I can do than rely on meds to get me out of this funk. I'll have to expound on this later...

4) Open my heart more. Not only have I not been out there physically,I'm realizing I'm not there in spirit either. That's not good. Especially for someone like me.

Thinking back on my all my journals and blogs...I know I'm crazy and passionate and boisterous. Its written down. I've proof. I can't say that I've been being "The Tessa" lately. I'll work on it more this year...