Leap Day

In honor of leap day, I'd like to talk about my modern dance class, in which there is plenty of leaping. I love this class. It is a little more intense and high-volume than the one I took in France, but modern dance is still pretty awesome: I love dancing barefoot and you feel like you're moving the way your body should. And I have to talk about my teacher.

She is amazing. She's either a professional dancer or a bodybuilder with dancing experience, because she's got more muscles than I knew existed and also dances very well (understatement). Even though it is a university-level class (and I take it with mainly undergrads) she still tends to conduct it like a classroom. She'll take role and then say: "Okay dancers, let's move into the space." When she really wants to test us, she throws the craziest combination and sequence and doesn't really go over it and just says "Let's have three dancers start us off" and even though we look like pathetic little messes, sometimes she sits in her chair next to the pianist or drummer (I LOVE that we always have live music accompaniment) and after a few minutes just says "That was so beautiful, dancers." I'm not actually so encouraged by this as I just think she is generous to the point I think it's funny.

Yesterday, it got real. Our class is everything you think about with modern dance: when we have the pianist for accompaniment, he combines this with his laptop for crazy Hindu-y background beats and then some solo notes on the piano. Last night we had to start on the ground and then "feel our way" across the floor in body movements that changed levels and were led to another one always with a point of contact with the floor and organic movements taking us across. I wish I could explain it better, but whatever image you have in your head when I say "interpretive dancing" is probably correct. This is more or less the studio we dance in:


I was NOT professional enough to not laugh about it the whole time I was going across. I'm not sure if I offended the teacher, but I couldn't help it! I was half laughing because of how ridiculous I knew I must have looked, and half laughing because I was SO uncomfortable doing it. Also, I have a crush on that little hipster piano player so it doesn't help interpretive dancing in front of him.

The Ambassador of Iceland

I love Björk. I think I should throw that out there first. She is so badass, and Lady Gaga is just smalltime news compared to Björk and her legacy. Björk will change your life. And because she is so heady and life-changing, you really have to be in the mood and mentally prepared for it. She is playing in New York for a few weeks, which made me think about it. I got to see her at the Coachella Music Festival when I went in 2002 and I wish I would have appreciated it more. (Her tickets now are about $75, before all those godawful fees). I was listening to her music all this weekend and getting chills. I CANNOT stop listening to her song Bachelorette, although the best song for starters is Play Dead.

Listening to her music takes me right back to my apartment in France. When I discovered the stereo system in the living room/atelier, I also came across my landlady's vast collection of Björk albums. I remember listening to those on full volume, sipping tea and standing on the tiny balcony overlooking the busy street below and all the rooftops of the city, or simply sitting on a couch with a cat in my lap with the doors open for a breeze.


(It was such a pain to move that ladder out of the way because the doors opened in)

The mirrored French doors behind my desk are the same behind the couch in the atelier. The view was basically the same.

All the Björk music I have now is from the afternoons I spent burning all of the CD's I stumbled across in our apartment. That, and most of my Tori Amos collection, although I still had a lot of Tori Amos from my days in dance classes.


There used to be a picture out there on the Interwebs of a swan wearing Björk (yes you read that right, and if you didn't get it, it wasn't meant for you), but I suppose in a way, this polar bear is also wearing her, so win-win. And who doesn't like her? I mean, even if you don't like her music, how can you hate someone so completely off their rocker? Did you know she BIT a paparazzi after they took a picture of her son?! You have to at least be interested in her. And let us be honest: she put Reykjavik on the map. She sings in her song Hunter "I thought I could organize freedom... how Scandinavian of me." Maybe she shouldn't hold political office, but she would make a great goodwill ambassador.

Baby Shower!

One thing (only thing?) I really, really miss about my old job is my co-workers. Jayna, Jenny, Joe and I were referred to as the Dream Team, and Jayna Jenny and I were pretty Three Musketeers-y until I left for Columbia. Last summer, Jenny told us she and her husband were going to be expecting a baby (a "mini-Jenny" as she called it) and because Jenny is from Singapore and doesn't have too many close friends or family out here, I felt it my sworn duty to throw her a baby shower. (By the way, Jenny tells us the Chinese tradition is to have the shower AFTER the baby comes so that people KNOW you had a baby and weren't faking it for money! Hahahhaha) So, Jayna and I got on it to co-host this thing, and because of the shortage of people we knew to invite, we made it co-ed.


I bet you didn't know that Jayna and I could host a co-ed baby shower that would last like, 8 hours? It turns out when boys are involved, there includes wings and multiple beer runs. It was so fun, even though Jenny's husband Joe showed up asking "What are we supposed to do?!" it ended up being a really fun baby-themed party where Jenny and Joe got to cash in on plenty of gifts for their upcoming baby girl. And I was surprised how well the guys took to the clothespin game.

We didn't take any pictures, but that's mainly because we were all too busy HAVING A GREAT TIME. And the Taro cake was om-nom-nom delicious! Today is nothing but Thin Lizzy and my homework. What a joyous Sunday.

NNNNNNNO.

I don't really like when people come waltzing indoors saying "it's so nice outside!" and I don't know why. You'd think I'd be used to it, and I can't point to why it bothers me. But what I really don't like is when they say "You HAVE to get outside today!" It's like, maybe I don't like the sunshine. And I don't like being told what to do. People kept saying that yesterday, and everytime they said it, I felt like this:


Today appears to be the antithesis of yesterday, now that it's gray and rainy and blah. And yet I still feel like the picture above. At least it makes me laugh everytime I look at it.

Spring Semester

This semester I am taking a creative writing class, continuing with my sign language pedagogy, and modern dance. Despite being an old woman required to roll on the floor in dance, and despite sign language being so late I want to bring a pillow to class, the creative writing is by far the most painful. Two Mondays ago I had to turn in a 20 page short story that the class had to read and analyze for homework, and this past Monday they discussed and critiqued it as though I weren't in the room (I wasn't allowed to say anything). I admit that dreading the class was more painful than sitting through it, in the end everyone was positive and uplifting and offered constructive criticism (maybe cause we'll all be judging theirs eventually!) but it wasn't SO bad... my eyes were really opening to the feedback. It was such a weird feeling though, and the first time I ever really shared anything publicly.

Related to that experience, I have a standing appointment every Monday with 2 coworkers at a local dive bar and though neither of them could make it that week, I decided to still haul myself and my piles of written critiques to the bar to read over some Yuengling and I had SUCH a great time! I just lovelovelove Tim, our bartender who's there every Monday who is always refilling us pro bono and talking with us, and I can always get him to play Tom Petty and Thin Lizzy and two weeks ago we even got him to put the TV onto Titanic. When I got there and dropped all my papers on the bar I told him my two friends wouldn't be coming and he said "That's no problem, you shouldn't feel bad coming here alone, I'll make sure no one bothers you." And he really did! Screw Triple Crown, I've officially moved my loyal patronage.

In sign language, we are learning to storytell and have to bring in a children's book to sign to the class. I don't have any here (except Harry Potter lolololol) but we're talking more Are You My Mother? type books (my instructor did that one for us and it was SO ADORABLE) so I went to a bookstore and immediately decided to get Dr Seuss' Oh The Places You'll Go! because I've wanted to get that since June 2009 when a friend referenced it to me. I read it last night before going to bed

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step,
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

Choosing Dr Seuss to sign was NOT the smartest decision I've ever made... (how the hell do you sign "Hakken-Kraks howl" ?!) but I've always appreciated a challenge.

"The 2012 Adelies"

All current event journalism should be this AMAZING and award-winning:

Seriously, a truck with British plates probably pulled up to the back of the Staples Center last night to take all of Adele's Grammys back to England. Adele won a Grammy for showing up. Adele won a Grammy for her Catherine Deneuve hair... All of Adele's Grammy speeches won a Grammy...

That ten hour-long show was just a waste of time. They should've held it in the factory where the Grammy trophies are made and just showed us Adele picking up each award from the conveyer belt and throwing them into her wheelbarrow while singing Whitney Houston songs.


Thank you, dlisted.com, for bringing meaning and entertainment to my professional life.

Live from New York!

A HUGE New York City bucket list item was crossed off yesterday when Jayna and I got to watch Saturday Night Live last night!

Jayna won the SNL lottery for them and brought me with her as her plus 1. We had tickets to the dress rehearsal which was awesome because it was 2 hours as they try out all their sketches and still weed them out for the live performance. The host was Zooey Deschanel and the musical guest Karmin. It was SO BADASS to be there and watch it live and see them all in person, and it really was a good episode, the sketches were killinggggg me (if nothing else you have to look up the Quirky Girl show with Zooey Deschanel played by Abby Elliott and Zooey Deschanel playing Mary Kate Olsen, and with Michael Cera and Bjork lolololol)

My new second favorite cast member (because I will always love Fred Armisen first!) is Jason Sudeikis. He interacted with us (forced, obviously) but still pretty awesome. How do you go on in life after something so fun and exciting?! If I survived after Stephen Colbert I guess I'll survive after this.

Oh, and Nicolas Cage made a surprise appearance too. NBD.

Still Gots It

A wanderer wandered into my office in Admissions today looking for information on getting into the school. He introduced himself as from the African francophone country of Ivory Coast. I explained the application to him and he looked a little bewildered and said that I spoke too fast. I asked his permission to use French.

I explained the process, talked about the programs, clarified living and tuition expenses, and answered his questions in French.

Some days are better than others, but this morning my French was on fire. I was pretty proud of myself. I really needed that. I've needed something to be proud of.


...and something to laugh about.

Stunner Shades

There is something about winter that makes sunglasses seem ungodly. I don't know if it's the East Coast, the cold, or it's all in my head, but I feel some sort of barrier keeping me from wearing sunglasses in the winter, or whenever it's cold... even when the sun is out! It's demented! I see people wearing them occasionally but as long as the sun is there, what is the problem?! I used to never be able to go anywhere without them, but mainly because I was driving everywhere, and I could keep them in my car (and frequently had 3-4 pairs shoved in some compartment somewhere) and now it's so sad. I've never felt like this before.


Jay-Z does NOT know what I'm talking about. Look at his bewildered face after reading this entry.

The Godfather: Part II

I love it when my weekends are so eventful that I don't even know where to begin! That means it will also be long-winded and illustrated.

FRIDAY: I have appointments in midtown on Friday evenings and was feeling very awake afterwards. Betsy and Ronnie were basically in for the night, but a friend of Betsy's that I had hung out with at that (devastating) 49ers/Giants playoff games had texted Betsy to hang out and so she set us up with each other. FUN FUN FUN. Triple Crown and then Fat Cat Jazz in the Village, not to mention it was relatively warm, I had such a fun night! It's fun to hang out with and get to know new people and make new friends. There's a lot of camaraderie with recent transplants in NYC (since that's everyone) so the tiniest connection yields a lot of friendship and trust and help. We didn't leave until about 3 a.m. and though I'm usually really good about being able to sleep on the train and wake up in time for my stop, I felt as though I had been resting my eyes for a few minutes when I woke up way uptown at 157th St. What was worse, I was so confused that even though the train was stopped and the doors open, I didn't know enough to get off. I still sat there. I got off at 168th St and had to wait 17 minutes for the train back! I had never been in this station before though, I thought it looked cute and antique.



SATURDAY: The bulk of my adventures this weekend took place on Saturday. Ronnie got it into his head that he wanted to go to Ellis Island. (He even manipulated me and said that Betsy was going to go too...) and I manned up from my hangover and got ready and met Ronnie at Battery Park on a crisp and sunny morning to venture out to Ellis Island!

As soon as Ronnie and I were in line for tickets, it was entirely reminiscent of our AWFUL trip to the Statue of Liberty. (It's the same ticket/boat, just two different stops). That day was so miserable we never wanted to do it again and we looked at each other and said "WHY ARE WE DOING THIS AGAIN?!" But we went through with it.

These were our "why are we doing this again?!" faces

Buuuut... IT WAS SUCH A GREAT DAY!! As we were going through (a much calmer, cooler, quieter and quicker!) security line, Ronnie said "This is like The Godfather Part 2, it's the BETTER SEQUEL" and it really was! We had so much fun on the ferry, predicting the moment when everyone would rush to the sides of the boat to get their pictures, and wondering what the hell half of these people were thinking.

(I really was waiting for this iPad to tumble overboard)

WE LOVED HER OUTFIT. I refer to her as Sparkle Pony, which is the name of a solo-girl singer from Portlandia.

Okay so, Ellis Island was INCREDIBLE. Ronnie and I really agreed we got so much more out of that trip than any of the other museums or touristy places we've been. What a moving portrait of history and immigration and America. It was mind-blowing to see portraits and artifacts and passports of immigrants from literally all over the world. China, Algeria, Finland, Italy, Albania, Israel, etc etc.

Here is the actual building everyone had to pass through

Me in the Receiving Hall (? I think? I don't know, we didn't do the audio tour.)

Ronnie in the Great Hall. You could try the self-guided tour *shoulder*

Foreign Ads promoting coming to America

A pillar outside the Stairs of Separation (? Maybe?) from 1864!

A Swedish immigrant

Proud new citizens

Awww, California! My ancestors responded to something like this at some point in life

I am learning to sew with them!

Ronnie and I were dyyyying over this picture! Everyone rushing to the side of the boat as soon as the Statue of Liberty comes into view... sound familiar?! Some things never change!


This was a dormitory room! Look how short and thin everyone had to be! Ronnie and I met in our college dorms, so this is him transferring San Nicolas onto the Ellis Island hall, and he's calculating how many and which ones of us from the girls' wing could fit there

There are ferries to Ellis Island from New Jersey and New York. We haven't spent much time in Jersey so we said we would get on the first boat that came. It was still New York bound. We took our sweet time getting into line so all the inside benches were taken, so we decided to head to the front deck. This is Ronnie being King of the World.


...and speaking of the Titanic!

This was inside Ellis Island above a drinking fountain. Classy. What would Leo and Kate have to say about this?!

This reminds me of Amsterdam

I was getting motion sick on the front so Ronnie suggested we play an alphabet game but we could only name things that were REFRESHING. A was for apples, B was for breezes... we got really creative there until Ronnie thought Y was for eulogy. Hmmmm. In the end I think Y was for York Peppermint Patties but I clearly won the game.

Triumphant return to Battery Park without throwing up overboard onto the iPad that probably ended up there!

After returning, we found our way up to Ground Zero (btw, Zucotti Park is cleared out. Whose Occupying Wall Street now?) and went to an Indian restaurant.

The most memorable part of the entire experience was the ceiling. (Should I Yelp that?)

Following this was Barnes & Noble and Bed, Bath & Beyond before finally trekking home tired and weary, but at least with some new pillows! I watched the first Harry Potter movie I got in on Netflix since I finished that book. It was so painful to watch.

SUNDAY: The elusive Super Bowl Sunday came up and honestly, I didn't really care. I was going for the Giants mainly because who cares about the Patriots, and I live in New York. I didn't even keep my grudge against them for beating the 49ers! This must be what growing up feels like!

I got to join Betsy and her friends from Notre Dame out in Queens. It was fun!

We watched the game via a projector which I thought was cool.

Because I didn't really care about the winner, it made for a much more relaxed and easy viewing, although ironically most people there were going for the Patriots.

Betsy and Sara made these cupcakes! We also had wings, meatballs, pizza bagels, pastries and plenty of beer.

The commercials were okay, but I really loved the Ferris Bueller one! It wasn't HILARIOUS but I thought it was creative and cute and he did his little signature smile. That was the moment I was won over. I left shortly after the game was over since I was in Queens and I tend to have to work on Mondays. I changed trains at Times Square and everyone was going crazy! Lots of people in Giants gear, shouting and stomping and cheering and screaming, it was fun to be around. It was also fun to see the subways packed so late, knowing everyone had probably all been doing the same thing... watching the Super Bowl and plenty of celebrations for the Giants, there was a really excited air pervading the city, I thought it was nice to have something nice going on around us. There's so much negativity, it's great to have something to celebrate together once in awhile.

...Even if it is as trivial and meaningless as sports.