Couch surfing!

I've been hearing about CouchSurfing for years, but I haven't been brave enough to try it... until now. I finally have an account and I'm hoping to give it a shot (with a friend) in Italy this October. If you're on the site, please add me as a friend -- my username is Brynzapoppin. Maybe even write me a recommendation if you feel so apt! :)

I'm hoping this will be a great way to save money, meet people, and become better acquainted with the places I travel to.

Travel plans 2010-2011

This past year (September 2009 to present), I visited 5 countries I'd never been to before: Iceland, Wales (yes, I'm treating all the nations in the UK as separate countries), Spain, Sweden, and India. This coming year, I want to visit at least 10 more.

My plans are certainly subject to change, but I thought I'd start loosely plotting now... mostly because it's fun and exciting to think about it. I'm looking for travel buddies! If you'd like to come along, meet me somewhere, or invite me along on your adventures, please do. My travel dates are pretty much tied to the UK school schedule, though.

Late October: Italy (Genoa for Be-Lindy Zena Camp, Cinque Terre, Rome, Naples)

Early December: Ireland (quick getaway in Galway for The Crave)

New Years: Sweden (Stockholm for Snowball)

Late February: Tour through the Netherlands (Amsterdam), Germany (Berlin, Dresden, Frankfurt), and Czech Republic (Prague)

Mid April: Portugal for surf camp? Tour of Southern France? Who knows...

Late May/Early June: Greece (some island somewhere)

Late July/August: Africa (Ghana + possibly others)

That brings me to at least 7 or 8 new countries right there (since I've already been to Sweden and France). Somehow, I also want to sneak in trips to Belgium (Bruges!), Scotland (Edinburgh!), and other parts of England (Cornwall!). I'm also looking for a way (if I can afford it) to rack up 4000 more Aeroplan/Star Alliance points before the end of 2010. I want my Elite status, baby!

I'm also happy to go wherever you want me to teach, of course. And next time, I'll even build in at least a day for sight seeing. It feels like cheating to claim I've been to Sweden -- I never got to see anything!

Ahhhh another exciting year is about to start. I've experienced and grown so much over this past year, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead.

Feels so great to be Dancy McDancerson again!

To me, there's nothing better than the overwhelming stinging sensation in the days following a good workout. It reminds me that I'm alive and that I'm getting stronger, and has the added bonus of giving me an excuse to complain. 'Cause we all love to complain, don't we?

I've been fortunate to have been welcomed back with open arms into the swing dance family I left behind when I moved to London. For a multitude of reasons, I don't get to dance a lot in my new home, so getting the opportunity to social dance, teach, and take part in team practices a few times a week has been a real treat. Not to mention the social benefits!

Yesterday was particularly great. I woke up feeling tired and lazy after the social dance the night before, but was able to remind myself how much I love exercising and how soon I won't have this opportunity anymore, so I dragged myself to the All Teams practice (Swing Dynamite runs a number of performance teams, and every once in a while, they like to bring them all together).

Now let me start by saying that I'm nowhere close to the shape I used to be in when I took part in these practices regularly. The warm-ups are intense, designed not only to warm people up, but to increase their physical fitness so they can do cool stuff more easily. So during the few times I've taken part since I got here, I've visibly struggled a lot more than everyone else in the room. But what does that make me want to do? Do them even more until I'm able to keep up again!

After the warm-up, we worked on the very first team routine we ever did--Shout and Feel It.



I think it's awesome that 4 years and many generations of team members later, we all still have this routine in common.

After practice, we all headed out the 4th Annual Swing Dynamite BBQ, which is always a great time. It was pouring rain so we didn't get to do any of this...





(All photos taken at last year's BBQ)

... But it did give me a chance to hang out with old friends and get to know many of the new faces who've become a part of the family since last year.

Tonight, I'm heading to Bar 56 to listen (and hopefully dance a bit) to Renée Yoxon's incredible voice, and possibly try to sneak in on another team warm-up beforehand. If you're in Ottawa, I hope you'll join me. And also (shameless plug) please join me at these classes that I'll be teaching:

- Social Lindy Hop Moves & Technique: 3 week series, starting Tuesday, August 10th, 7:00-8:30 pm
- Intro to Blues: Free drop-in lesson prior to the dance at Bar 56, Monday, August 16th, 9:15 pm
- The Art of the Diva Drop-in Series: 2 weeks (come to one or both), starting Wednesday, August 18th, 7:00-8:00 pm -- ladies only for the first class, gentlemen welcome to join for free for the second class
- Charleston Drop-in: 1 class only, Thursday, August 19th, 6:30-7:30 pm
- Blues Dancing Drop-in Series: 2 weeks (come to one or both), starting Thursday, August 19th, 7:30-8:30 pm

For more info, see the Swing Dynamite website.

Dancer, Singer, Actor... Novelist?

I am always so much more productive in coffee shops. Sometimes more than I intend or expect. So yesterday, I sat down in Timothy's to jot down some ideas for a play I wanted to write and, instead, wound up with the first chapter of a novel. One that I think I'd really like to keep working on. Here's what I have so far...

Vanessa traced her eyes up the grey-white wall in front of her. There was a crack running along the baseboard that she’d never noticed before, and a few scattered patches where her photographs had once hung. There'd been a photo of her and her childhood friend Emily jumping through the sprinkler, their knees scraped and their faces painted with innocence. Another of Mouse, her yellow tabby cat, curled up on the tattered blue window seat. Then Logan, her first boyfriend (and continued love of her life), his hazel eyes shining and lips curling just so. Logan was like the Mona Lisa; people were always left wondering what was going on behind his smile (she'd never forget the day she found out it was his way of concealing and celebrating his lies). There had been a few horse race ribbons on the wall, too; purple, orange, and white, each one a symbolic way of saying “better luck next time.” A yellow and black Nirvana poster with a funny smiley face had hung over her poster bed, the corners ripped and frayed from having been moved so many times. But now, the wall was completely bare. And there she was in a crumpled heap on the brown shag carpet.

Had it been seconds, years, or a lifetime ago that she’d spoken to the man in the tweed suit, standing right there in front of her with his left hand casually propped up on the dresser? She couldn’t remember. It was the first time she’d met him. He’d brought along with him the faint aroma of cigars, which she’d found preferable to the usual scent of dust and rotting apple cores, and he’d told her his name was Eddie. His voice had been deep and soothing, like Papa’s, and there was something familiar about the creases around his eyes. She’d known right away that she could trust him.

“Ness,” he’d said, his face softening, “I know you’re feeling really alone and like nobody cares about you, but I do. I’m here for you.”

That was it—the end of her memory. She didn’t know if she’d thanked him or if he’d said anything else. She couldn’t remember how he’d entered the room, or how or when he’d left. She didn’t even know anything about him; who he was or how he’d known that at that moment, those were exactly the words she’d needed to hear.

“Nessa!” The shrieking voice wafted in through the open doorway and interrupted her thoughts. How had the man known to drop the ‘a’ in her nickname when her own mother couldn’t remember? “Nessaaaaaaaaaa! You forgot to clean up your dishes!”

No one in her house ate together anymore. Since Papa had died two years ago, her mother and sister had had to get jobs to pay the rent, and claimed to be too tired at the end of the day to bother with cooking family meals. Vanessa, although more than old enough to work, was under strict doctor’s orders not to. She used it as an excuse to get out of household chores, too.

“Sorry, Ma! I’m not feeling too well. Could you do them? Please?”

An aggravated sigh, followed by the sound of running water, emanated from the kitchen. Vanessa smiled to herself. “Works every time.”

Eddie. She found herself rolling the name around in her mind, wondering whether it was short for something—maybe Edward or Edmond or Edgar—but then quickly decided she didn’t care. She’d liked that he’d called her Ness. Eddie was the only name that mattered.

Still needs work, but I'm pretty excited to find out where it's going.

Standing too close to reality

Today is one of those days when the realities of life and death have come out screaming in my face. They are standing so close and shouting so loud that I can barely process it all. I don't know how to feel, so I feel... shock.

Last night, for the first time in my adult life, a friend passed away. He died in his sleep, presumably without warning. I am half comforted and half scared by that fact. He was 31 years old.

My heart goes out to his wife and two daughters, whom he loved with all his heart and who loved him with all of theirs. They were a beautiful family. The type you look up to, hoping to have the same one day.

RIP Keith Shapiro. You gave us all so much.

"Home"

I'm back. Two glorious weeks in the bubble that is Long Bay Camp... a world without internet, money, or other modern distractions. Just nature, people, and art. Lots of art. I did so much art, I was bursting at my creative seams.

It's nice to be back in the real world among friends, dancing, proper beds, and social media, but I have to be honest... I miss London a lot. In a way I just couldn't while I was at camp.

Ottawa is a sort of middle ground; not a megacity, not the middle of nowhere. I think that's what I've always liked about it, but now it feels like it's not enough of one either one. I want either a dock on a lake or a thriving metropolis. Not this tame, manicured, small-yet-clumsily-travelled-without-car, quiet little city (in the country of expensive food!). I used to believe (not very long ago) that Ottawa would always be my home, no matter where in the world I lived. How quickly that has changed. It's a tough realisation.

Ottawa does still hold two big pieces of my heart, though: dancing and friends. I plan to take advantage of both, as much as possible, so long as I am here. And make a bigger effort to introduce more of both in my daily life when I get home.

I leave you with some of my memories from camp...

Two of my favourite campers.

A captured moment.

One of my best friends visits me.

Day trip to Westport.

Multicoloured fire.

Synchronized jumping competition.

The staff team's genius plan to lose until the last second in the swimming race.

Synchronized swimming.

On set for our musical, The Venus Fly Trap.

More Venus Fly Trap.

A promo shot.

Dance party in the barn.

Panorama shot outside the barn (how I love my new camera).

And with that... So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.