MY LIFE IS VERY BLAH!!
Update Overview:
*why my life is blah
*Contra Dancing
*Harry Potter Party

Hmmm...Why is my life blah. It just is. I feel like I have been coasting along for days at a time, not really thinking or doing much. Which I suppose is okay. I failed to finish my story outline from the last post, and now I'm too bored to do it. So you will not be seeing the rest of that story.

The bottom is about about to drop out from under me regarding my college career. Math ditching has become too consistent a passtime, 10page+ report on making the Avenue (on-campus eatery) a place for wireless internet is due in a few weeks along with class presentation (which sucks because I know nothing about computers,) and 30page+ report on our military trainer is due as well as powerpoint and presentation to industry. AWWWWW....my life will be sucking majorly for the next few weeks. So I will enjoy this last week of freedom.

I went contra dancing this weekend. I almost didn't go either. I am usually a social chicken and therefore I almost decided to stay at Anime club and not suck it up and try something new. The only thing that got me to walk into the building was the thought that I may actually have fun on a saturday night. So I got dressed up (black skirt, brown tank top, and nice black shoes,) put on make-up, and sat through 2 hours of anime before getting in my car and going to the slo veterans hall just down the street. To be honest, I was reallly nervous. It isn't like me to be this spontaneous. Especially when I don't know anyone there. But I did it. I walked into the building, payed the 10 bucks and waited till the dancing started.

Contra dancing is not line dancing or square dancing. It's similar to square but is done with a partner in long lines. There is a live band playing music and a caller who will teach the dance and call the steps. This is definetely a mixer dance. You will dance with pretty much everyone in the room during a particular dance and it is customary to have a different partner for each dance. There is a ton of twirling and strangely enough, bodily contact. My favorite part is the fact that while dancing the room tends to be spinning all around you and the only thing that remains clear is your partner's face.

Before attending this dance I had never been asked to dance before, I had never really danced with a guy before, I had never danced the waltz, and I had never actually enjoyed dancing. This dance changed all of that. For starters, I was really nervous about being asked to dance. But, I shouldn't have worried because I was asked within 10 minutes of arriving. I was also nervous because there was no instruction class so I didn't really know what I was doing. But everyone was so nice and helpful that I learned it as I went along and everyone gave me tips. It was actually not that hard to learn and I had learned several of the steps in my folk dance class (buzz step for the swing, allemandes,circle right/left.)I danced all of the dances except for 2 (one contra and one of the 2 waltzes)and I was asked to dance all of the times except for 2 or three, where I had asked the gentleman to dance.

It seriously pays to dance with more experienced dancers. In class, when we had done the buzz step/swing it always felt awkward since we didn't really know what we were doing or there was this whole feeling of avoidance of touching another person (2 of the guys in my class are the exception; they are actually fun to swing with)But dancing with experienced males (hmm...nevermind) was a treat. They know how to give weight (leaning back a bit while turning as to give tension)and therefore there is this whole spinning centrigugal force thing which can be really fun!! The problem with the people in my class is that they don't know how to give weight and therefore they feel like limp noodles in your arms. Spinning with them does not have a fluid motion.

I can't wait till the next contra dance on June 4 (same day as Harry Potter.) They also hold contra dances every week in San Diego, so I better get some support when I come back. I expect my friends to come and join in the fun.

Okay I am announcing that I will be holding a Harry Potter party in June to celebrate the debut of the newest movie. It will be a costume party, so come dressed as your favorite character. There will be lots of food and decorations (I'm making my own little Hogsmeade)We will be watching HP 1 and HP 2 and doing little HP crafts and games (I'm going to try to find an HP trivia game or something) The evening will end with massive carpool to Mira Mesa to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Since everyone except for lucky Laura will still be in school when it premieres, I will be holding it Sat June 26 and will start the first movie at 4pm, Hogwarts dinner feast (probably pizza and whatever traditional British foods I care to make) at 7pm and HP 3 will be at 9 or 10pm. Hope you all can make it, I will send formal invites out later this month, and I need RSVPs for HP 3 so I can buy tics in advance.

- posted by ariel at 11:26 PM