dance parents

the other day I sat in line for 5 hours to get tickets to a show that I am in and even helped create. I really enjoyed it because I got to hang out with a whole bunch of dance parents from around the studio. I had the epiphany of how crucial dance parents are only after I quit dancing in my early teen years, which was re-inforced 10 fold waiting in this line. These are the people who pay, who bring kids to every practice on time, who wait patiently while their kids talk to be picked up, who hunt around for costumes (and sometimes even sew them), who raise amazing kids with amazing talents and even more amazing personalities, and despite all of this that I already know I continue to be amazed by them.

This weekend I was siting with parents who were enduring the cold and getting up early so that they can buy tickets for their kids dance shows, to support them, and show their love. the most amazing part of it is the fact that not only were they doing it but they were happy to do it. as if..... of course we wait, why wouldn't we wait in line?

this inevitably makes me think back to my own childhood and all the work my parents, especially my mom, put in to not only do the day to day running around by also the financial sacrifices they endured (the reason I try so hard to keep my costume costs down now). I remember my mom driving me for hours to an out of town festival and waiting in the auditorium for hours more, and making sure I had everything packed and was organized.... all for 3 minutes on stage. I also remember my mom doing secretarial work and cleaning the studio when I was little to help supplement the cost of classes/competition/costumes because I was so involved. I hardly ever heard a complaint but the work that went in to it is amazing.... I'm amazed at the work and love that goes into these parents children and their extra-curricular activities.

If you are a dance parent and reading this; know that all that you pour into your kids is realized and appreciated, even if you aren't told that it is. and if you are a dancer, think about everything your parents do for you and I'm sure you will be compelled to thank them and show your appreciation.

although I am not a dance parent or even a parent at all at this point in my life, getting a glimpse of what goes into it leaves me floored. you are unsung heroes.

douche bags

normally I talk about weird or quirky things that I find interesting. today the topics is douchebags and how to identify them:

1) a douchebag is pretty much anyone drinking energy drinks earlier than 10pm. drinking a "monster" or a "rockstar" looks ridiculous and douchey. if you need to wake up in the morning drink a coffee like everyone else.

2) a douche bag is a guy who has a huge truck for no real reason and when sees someone on a scooter (such as myself) suddenly thinks they need to challenge me. I'm not challenging you........ I'm on a SCOOTER! these morons don't realize that they're morons because not only do they accelerate only to break right away but also make sure to give me this look through their sunglasses to make sure I notice. what exactly is trying to be proven is beyond me. luckily I have a way of combating this particular breed of douche and that is by zipping right by them when they stop at a light. they are waiting to turn right at a red and I just zip to the front of the line and I'm gone. sometimes when they catch up I give them a little look to see if they are still challenging me, the eyes are suddenly on the road again.

3) sweat/track pants plus designer shirts. 'nuff said.

4) pretty much anyone with a chin strap, barbed wire tattoo, or any sort of chinese text tattoo. If you can't see the tattoo its probably under a "tapout" shirt.

and that's how to identify a douche bag!

text tone

conversations are one of my favorite things. whether its debating ideas, teaching something new, bantering, or telling jokes conversations are generally a good time. Now, sometimes we still need to get a hold of people or talk to people but they aren't in front of us or perhaps they are too busy for a phone call. enter the text message and the e-mail. E-mail is great for long messages or formal things but texting is something you do with friends so for the purpose of this blog I'm talking about texting.

as convenient as texting is, it has one major flaw: you do not know the tone of and intent of someone's words. many phrases can be interpreted many different ways take "I have something for you" as an example. I bet you can interpret that particular phrase at least 4 different ways. Sometimes its tricky to know a persons intent. Without knowing the tone the person is saying (or typing) a phrase is difficult.

Because tone text can be such a tricky thing to pin down the few times you get it exactly right is so satisfying. I have a dance student, N, and sometimes we text and joke around n text. recently we were texting and she had made a comment that I knew just the phrasing and the timing of it how she said it. so much so that I actually could picture the exact face she was making and how she laughed when she made the joke. So this blog is a light-hearted one. AS tough as nailing text tone is, it is so satisfying when you get it exactly right and you know what the person is saying and how they are saying it, its like they are right in front of you. One of life's very small but somehow satisfying victories.

old clothes

all clothes (or accessories) have an estimated shelf life. take shoes for example, when I buy a pair of shoes I expect them to last me about a year to a year and a half before being replaced (this is providing they are getting regular use). Most articles of clothing live close to their expected age before they are thrown away, donated, handed down, or made to be a 'work shirt' (I said shirt but this could be article). the passing through of clothes usually goes without incident and the person ridding themselves of the article has no special attachment. Sometimes the article lasts much shorter and we get mad. maybe it was expensive, may we only wore it a couple times, maybe you put a little too much mustard on that hot dog.... whatever. point is, its gone and you're not happy.
But isn't it great when an article lasts much longer then expected? when most items reach their expiry date we start shopping around and plan the transition but once in a while an item sneaks through and somehow avoids being replaced. the most interesting part of this is that when the article is discovered to still be around after all this time we don't immediately throw it out (I don't at least), rather we get impressed by the article and somehow a special bond is formed. A "you and me to the end" sort of thing. this article may get disgusting and may even lose part of its value but we become so impressed and sentimentally attached that not only do we not want to get rid of it but if someone else even suggested the idea it would become offensive.
I was packing up my backpack the other day and the thought occurred to me "I've had this backpack forever" when I thought about it I actually don't remember not having this particular backpack. it is old, tattered, filthy, and 2 zippers don't work. I could easily buy a more functional and better looking backpack but I really don't want to. me and this backpack have been through so much. its me and it to the end.

you look tired

a friend of mine told me I looked tired not long ago. I kind of shrugged and said I felt tired. a couple weeks later I told her I thought she looked tired on that day, she turned around and said "so you're saying I look like shit". now she said this in somewhat of a joking tone but I could tell she wasn't thrilled at my observation. We got into a conversation about how she thinks when people say that to her that they are really insulting her overall appearance as opposed to noticing heavy eyelids or darker circles. Apparently the word 'tired' holds a lot of hidden messages and feelings. do lots of people think this? should I never tell anyone that they look tired? was she saying I looked like shit? meh, life moves on and I write blogs. wha da ya gonna do?

you always get what you want

I was recently having a conversation with my ex. she told me that "you always get what you want." she didn't say it in any sort of hatred but more of that of being envious. I've been told this statement before. "oh marcus! you always get what you want!"
my reaction to this comment is "of course I do, why wouldn't I?" Most of the time I get what I want I made an active decision to get it and often had to work to attain it. so why shouldn't I get what I want? shouldn't we all get what we want? Am I supposed to want something and not try and get it because we are all supposed to be unhappy?
Life isn't difficult, too many people think it's much more complex than it is. Do things that make you happy, don't do things that don't, if you want something (that doesn't involve hurting others) then get it. of course I get what I want. why don't you?

passing on the highway

we've all been there. Long road trip on a two lane highway and the guy in front of you is going too slow so you need to pass them. Of course when you decide you are going to pass them it inevitably turns out that the road starts winding, there is always a car coming in the opposite direction, and it seems like the people heading in the opposite direction have had opportunity to pass forever. but then you finally get your window of opportunity and you go for it. you hit the signal light accelerate to a speed you don't normally cruise at and you merge back into your lane playing the adult game of leap frog. now think back to that experience. did you use your signal light to get back into the lane you just came from? the person you just passed knew you were going to come back into the lane but did you give them the courtesy? I did (most of the time). Here's why.
putting or not putting on the signal light send 2 very distinct messages. using the signal light says: "hi friend, you're going slower than me, that's okay I'll just pass you. enjoy the rest of your day." Not using the signal says: "hey jerk stop driving so F-ing slow! I've got somewhere to be.....jackass!"
maybe you agree with me, maybe I'm reading too much into a small yellow light on the back corner of a vehicle flashing a couple times. Either way the next time you're on the highway and pass or get passed you are going to think about me and my blog. booyah!