Flamenco Protest Group - Spain

Wow they have balls! Great idea but I pity those people working there who are just trying to do their jobs. The common working man is often a casualty.

Got my mojo back

So maybe last Thursday's session was an out-of-practice funk. Tuesday and tonight's were marginally better. I think Tuesday's session was the best so far because I really, really let loose and enjoyed myself. It could have something to do with the bridging practices I've been implementing. Will talk about the book it's from later.

I even made new acquaintances! Instead of staying put in my shell of awkwardness and self-loathing, I crept out and interacted with the ladies. I still have that messed up envy/longing thing going on but I think it's all just because I haven't seen gorgeous costumes in a long while. I'll get over it soon.

Because my sights aren't set upon merely performing in a group for hafla night. Or even in a restaurant for one night a week. Nuh-uh. I'm thinking big time baby. International stage and all the works. So I am not blonde nor Russian, doesn't matter. I will get there. Somehow.

Just need the right attitude, lots of practice and the right connections.

Anyway, thought I'd review my progress. I'm learning musicality and expression in the classes but my individual movements need a lot of work. For that, I'm planning on drilling with the DVDs once a week. About all I can manage with my schedule and hours. Drilling isn't much fun but I notice they do work well. I'm not so fond of using the term "muscle memory" but there's something to it I suppose.

Well here's to many more excellent lessons. And even when I don't do so well, I hope I'm able to rest my Identity System and just be in the present and enjoy what's here. Will really talk about that book soon. It's life-changing, honest!

Inspiration: Soheir Zaki

How Do I Get Out Of This?

I am at this moment wallowing in self-pity and self-revulsion. Might as well throw in horror into the mix too as I've come to realise today that even dancing my favourite style has caused distress and no joy. Absolutely no joy. Just deep disappointment with myself and embarrassment.

It wasn't anything special. Merely started going to class again after a long hiatus. My last lesson was Taly's workshop, yes that long ago. Perhaps I was rusty. Perhaps my heart just simply wasn't in it. I think pride and ego had something to do with it too. There were all these great dancers in the class and I was simply not doing too well. I kept missing steps, not feeling the music and worst of all, I looked like shit.

I couldn't smile without looking like a loon. I couldn't free-style without feeling self-conscious. I just felt awkward and so out of place.

I wish it weren't like this honestly. It started out well. I had a chat with my dear teacher, Shiblie, before class officially began. I told her I missed it all and had to come back. But maybe I left for far too long and just fell off the wayside.

Just great. I'm in a rut when it comes to life, I'm in a rut when it comes to dance. Only problem is there's no pill to take for that is there?

The Flamenco Academy by Sarah Bird

Be warned, if you dislike romance novels, you'd be tempted to throw this book against the wall several times as you read it. But do press on as you will be duly rewarded, much as I was.

This book shines in the descriptions of dance and flamenco's passion. Even music was lovingly recreated in prose form. I loved the stories and the side characters more than the main one involving the protagonist Rae, her frenemy Didi and the guy she has an obsessive love for, Tomas. I would have given up on the book if the writer hadn't returned to flamenco each time she leads the reader to the highest point of frustration. I didn't like that minorities were treated unkindly in several instances either but perhaps that is a device employed by the writer to show how unsympathetic the narrator really is.

I didn't care for the ending but it was an ideal one for a character such as Rae and I can't find fault in that. I like that there's no magical fairy-tale ending. It was 'real' in that regard and I could forgive and sympathise with the character after all. The thing that saved it though was on the next page. The author listed many names, providing a list of resources on flamenco in her acknowledgement page. I'll write again after I've explored them. I hope the writer will try her hand at writing bellydance next. I will certainly read that.

Two links for keeping. I was left worried after a scene involving the fictional flamenco legend, Dona Carlota Montenegro. Her feet were wrecked after years of dancing and even Rae mentioned the pain in her own spine and knees. Don't want that to happen to me.

Flamenco Injuries 1
Flamenco Injuries 2

Seche Vite Top Coat Review

So I ordered this Seche Vite Top Coat from a spree and was hoping to use some Grade A manicure crack. The way people have been raving about this product, I thought it should be the answer to all my manicure problems so I chose the Secrets of the American Pedicure kit since it has this and a few other products. Cheaper than if you buy individually.

When Saturday rolled in after I received the items, I prepared my mani/pedi tools and got this bottle out of the package. What I saw pissed me off



If you can't see it clearly, the brush is stuck inside the bottle leaving the cap bare-assed and looking like the end of a lollipop stick.



But that's not the bit that annoyed me. It's this:



If you look at it hard enough, it looks like a black broomstick floating in a sea of frozen white turd.



Now it looks like a butterfly! Or a propeller.

The spree was from Transdesign and I've heard good things about that site too. My other items were fine so maybe this is just a fluke. Pity though that neither Transdesign nor the spree organiser answered my emails. Oh well. So much for the review, can't used frozen turd to get quick-dried, hard nails.

Waxing - myladyq (Eunice)

Image by Bill Longshaw

For the first time in many years, I'm hairless! Well in my hairier bits, aside from my head that is! I shaved it 1 year plus ago and so I thought it's time to get rid of the other kinds of hair this year.

I tried out a new salon, this time an at-home service. Meet myladyq. Eunice, the therapist, does only waxing and she has the best prices in town! She has a room set aside just for waxing so you don't have to worry about it being a home salon. She is also really personable and friendly so you won't feel awkward at all while you're getting waxed. So if it's your first time, rest assured that there won't be any discomfort save for the pain from waxing of course heh.

Speaking of which, I think it's the least painful experience I've had. Of course, I haven't tried out any other waxing salons aside from Strip so ymmv. She's really quick and will keep chatting with you so time passes really fast and before you know it, you're done!

If you're in Singapore and don't mind travelling to the West (Bukit Panjang), give her a ring! Contact info is in the website. The best part is the fact that she doesn't push any products at all. I'm sick of salons insisting that a peculiar product or set of products will be the only thing that can keep you from deteriorating so it's really refreshing when she said that the most you should do is a scrub twice a week. Any kind of scrub that isn't too abrasive!

Personally, I think honey + sugar scrubs are cheap and good so here's a recipe to round this off:

Ingredients
- Honey, preferably raw
- Brown sugar, you can go organic if you wish

Steps
- Mix about one part honey with 2 parts warm water
- Add the brown sugar
- Mix some more!
- Massage mixture into skin, gently!
- Leave for at most 30 minutes (if on face)
- With some warm water on palm, massage the mixture off
- Rinse!

If it's all tl;dr then all you have to do is mix sugar and honey and then use it as a scrub. HAH!