Ballet Girl

Here are her pictures so far.  Since I don't know a thing about ballet, we had to have her teacher and the studio photographer pose her.

We've scratched Houston Ballet off our list.  Tonight, Emma told us she left their last year's audition in tears.  She said "It was really hard, and I made every audition except for theirs." 

We don't need that kind of performance stress in our lives, so we dumped that audish.  

I keep saying "we" because I kind of feel like I'm auditioning, too.  You might find me standing on the observation deck window doing the moves right along with the girls who are trying-out.  J/K, sort of. Seriously, stop the vicarious living.  Therapy.

Twirl 'Til You Make It

It's the time of year when ballet dancers begin auditioning for summer intensives--a must for aspiring ballerinas.  My homgurl's first audition is next week, and she's hoping to spend a month dancing in one of the following programs: Houston Ballet, Ballet West, Maple Conservatory, Washington Ballet, or Pacific Northwest.  We're saving School of American Ballet for next year, when she has a bit of experience under her leotard.

One of the requirements at every audition is that you have a head shot and a pose in first arabesque.  She's been practicing her poses in front of the mirror, and this Saturday our good friend Jill will be taking her pictures.  We can't wait.  Here's a video of an up-and-coming ballet dancer.  Don't you love her?

Here's a blog filled with useful summer intensive information, just in case you'll be auditioning too.

BOM.com

Our New Year's goal is to read the BOM as a family by December 31, 2012.

At our neighborhood New Year's Eve party, my neighbor asked, "Are you prepared for the Second Coming?"  I replied, "I'm pretty sure I'll be torched."  He chuckled, but then turned in closer and repeated the question in all seriousness.  I thought to myself, this is getting kind of weird, but for  some sick and twisted reason I'm going to entertain his question, as if it's any of his beeswax if I'm prepared or not.
     I said, "I don't think about it much. I have close to six months' worth of food stored and 72 hour kits for each of my family members.  But heaven knows there will be a major catastrophe and we won't be able to carry the food with us and we'll all starve and go Donner Party on each other."
     He continued, unphased by my last comment, "Don't you ever read Revelations?  Do you wonder about the moon turning to blood and the stars falling from the sky?  Like, do you want to know what all that means?"
     "No," I said, "those metaphors are for the Lord to know and for me to not think about, because when I start thinking too much about them, I become dysfunctional."  (He is obviously unaware of my tendency toward pandemonium any time I hear or discuss forthcoming gloom and doom.)
     "Well, they mean the earth will be knocked off its axis.  Did you know that?"  "No, and that's kind of scary to think about," I said. And then I turned my back and lit my sparkler. Totally awkward, right?

But then I decided I'd better read the Book of Mormon, again, and brush-up on my scriptural knowledge base.  I found this daily schedule that's manageable for a family filled with kids of varying ages.  If you're interested in reading the BOM this year too, here's the link.

P.S.  I do not take the signs of the Second Coming lightly, however, when someone asks me such personal questions, I will respond with ridiculous answers.

My Top 5

I think I'm suffering from post-Christmas depression.  Do you have it too?  I grouched through most of yesterday, saying things to my homies like, "Get your box of See's candy and all your other crap off this couch."  I'm toxic, I tell you, and my homies are steering clear of this hag.

Today is much better, though.  I started my morning off with my step class, and then I came home and took an extra-long, hot shower.  While in the shower I decided I should share with you a few of my favorite things.

1.  Alterna's Caviar hair care line has the best, I repeat, the best shampoo and conditioner I've ever tried (and I've tried them all).  They will blow away any other professional hair care line sitting in your shower's caddy.  Here's a picture and a link:

2.  I've been thinking about Bill Cunningham all week.  I admire his passion for fashion, not to be cliche, and I can't get him out of my mind.  His documentary, offered on Netflix, is a must-see. We have even started taking the Sunday New York Times, just so we can read his column each week.  Here's a sneak-peek in case you're interested.  *WARNING*  He does use the d-word and h-word, FYI, and so do I (New Year's resolution #1).

3.  Nothing has ever made my eye shawdow stay on better than Too Faced Shadow Primer.  Have you tried it?  If not, your local Ulta store should have samples you can try.  Here's a link with more product info.

4.  I'm reading and loving this book:

5.  I love the Christmas card I ordered this year.  This talented gal on Etsy made them for me.

P.S. Guess who I saw at Costa Vida yesterday?  Brooke White.  I bumped into her while refilling my Diet Coke.  We're kind of like best friends now, and she almost let me take a picture with her.  Don't be jeal of me, OK?

Midnight in Paris

This Saturday Highland High is having its mid-winter formal.  Are you going?  Do you wish you were 16 again and going? Do you wish you could spend hours in the mirror getting your lips ready for your first kiss? No way. We're glad we're old ladies now! And now we don't have to worry about where to place our sweaty palms while dancing to Chicago's "You're the Inspiration."(Do you still love that song or what?)

Well, the girl down the street is going to the dance, but she won't be dancing to Chicago.  L. Gaga, B. Spears, and a little Jay-Z will rock her through her magical night in Paris.  She asked if I'd make her something special, something that would make her stand-out from all the other danes.  You may know that I'm always up for a let's-outdo-every-girl-here challenge, so we designed this little sash.  Do you like how it looks on my head?

Just an FYI: I went to my senior homecoming dance with my brother David.  Remember that, David?  

Smile

These were yesterday's best shots.  They're not good enough, so we'll have to take more on Friday.  Are you sad for me, Jill?

I may have acted like a swamp witch while asking them to smile for the billionth time.  I've repented.

I may have turned gangsta' on the man who, my homegurl warned, was coming up from behind as I stood snapping pictures on a remote street in downtown Phoenix.  The guy asked, "Have you seen my friend...

"No," I cut him off mid-sentence.  "I have not seen your friend.  We just got here!"  I stared him in the eye and gave him the what's-your-next-question, chump? look.  Then I slightly wagged my head and neck while waiting for his response, and that's when he decided to turn and walk the other direction.

"That's what I thought," I said under my breath as he walked away.

"You're kind of tough," my homegurl noted.  And I said, "Dang-straight! That's how we do."

Then I turned and saw that Bryce was coming out from behind the building, so maybe it was Bryce who scared him off.  No...

P.S. Maybe I should repent for being rude to the man.

Tooth Fairy, Caesar, and Huck

Only three days left of teaching, and I've mixed emotions about it ending.  I love the students, like really love them.  I think about them as I lie awake in bed at night.  I think about the literature we're reading and how I will  make Shakespeare's Julius Caesar relevant to a room filled with eager to learn, but easily bored, tenth-graders.  I think about how I will skirt the 215 "n"words in Huck Finn. (We don't read the word aloud, ever.)  I think about how I teared-up (not cool) when I read to the class Jim's hurt-filled response to Huck's mean trick,

"When I got all wore out wid work, en wid de callin' for you, en went to sleep, my heart wuz mos' broke bekase you wuz los', en I didn't k'yer no' mo' what become er me en de raf'. En when I wake up en fine you back ag'in, all safe en soun', de tears come, en I could 'a' got down on my knees en kiss yo' foot, I's so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin' 'bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people dat puts dirt on de head er day fren's en makes 'em ashamed. (Twain, 83) 

I think about how some days the students like me, and the other days they want to hop on a raft to Cairo or put me at the base of Pompey's statue.  Just kidding; they don't want to kill me, I pray.

I asked my homies last night, "What if I become a full-time teacher?" They said, "We miss you when you're not here in the mornings."

"I miss seeing you in the mornings, too."

Unrelated to the above thought process, I found this Tooth Fairy letter from years ago.  Haven't I shared it with you already?  It's too cute, and I think I'm getting Alzheimer's.

We're still waiting for the magic, Tooth Fairy.  And I would like to retract the crossing out of "Clean the whole house in a second."  We'd still like that, too.