I figure that I'm on a posting frenzy, apparently, so what's one more? Also: This is subject to change... so far, this is my second edit. There will be more. I'll let you know if anything really important changes.
This is mainly for my wonderful dancer's benefit, as it's generally helpful to know what the hell you're supposed to be doing, but it's here instead of on e-mail so that it's easier for me to find and, in the off chance that anyone wants a look into my disturbed mind, they can have this as a good reason to run away screaming. (Plus it's easier to share if trying to explain this dance to other people). Besides, it's easy for me to refer to this when I keep trying to remember what the hell I decided last week.
First off, this is a dance that I'm choreographing. I'm inflexible and not an extremely talented dancer in any way, shape, or form, but I supposedly have an excellent sense of timing and I love to choreograph. Personally, I like to have a story when I dance... it gives me a sense of dancing, as opposed to just doing steps while music is playing. To me, dance without feeling and emotion is rather pointless. (Not to say that there aren't times when I do like pointless dancing).
Why am I choreographing this dance? Because. (Saying that inevitably reminds me of a parent scolding a child... "Because I said so! Now go to your room!" And, with this comment, my hopes that the explanation would be less rambling if via a blog... went out the window and are halfway to the moon... with Steve). No real reason, honestly. After the...disastrous Reflections contest (Don't ask. I'm not in the mood to get angry about that at the moment), I realized that I love choreography, and I don't need some self-righteous PTA mom to tell me whether or not my dance was "good" or "bad". I honestly understand that it's not the next work by Twyla Tharp or anything, but it makes me happy, so there you go.
I choreographed a dance to the song Drops of Jupiter, which I promptly forgot. Considering the dance was about four minutes long and I really liked it, that was really upsetting. But the dance to Thank You by Dido (the Reflections dance) is on tape, so I at least have it there if I ever want to go back to watch it. Plus it's on YouTube. (The rough version is at least. It remains to be seen if I'll ever post the finished version). So... just for fun. And in case I ever want to look back and remember how much fun this used to be.
Now that I've gone completely off topic... the dance is weird, even for me... which is saying something. As a hint, let's talk quickly about the song. It's by Spoonphase and it's called "Youtensel Drawr." The name in itself should tell you something. It's funky, and it really is something you could do given a utensil drawer. (And some mad skillz). I can't find a clean copy anywhere online, and the copy I have found, aside from having a minute and a half of words, isn't just on a website... so I'd have long and complex instructions on how to find it, which is energy and I'm lazy. (So I'll write six pages of rambling about a dance instead). If anyone wants it though, I have an mp3 (or, thanks to Zamzar, any type of file you want) with an edit (thanks to Audacity) of just the song. It's no problem to e-mail it to you. I honestly like the song, and if anyone has heard of it before, you're my new favorite person. Seriously.
The dance. (I'm getting so off track here). Basically, it's about living life and breaking the standard conventions of normal. A really long ramble about the dance will likely follow, but that's basically it. And before I forget -- I'm not seeing this as a duet. I didn't really like the duet to Thank You if only because interaction was only physical for 0.42 seconds at the very, very end (and some angry looks throughout). I'm seeing this as a solo, but with different dancers. Okay, that wasn't explained well. I see us each doing the solo separately. I've seen people do it before, and it's really neat to see different dancers' different takes on the same dance. It's a good way to see how a dancer dances with their own emotions and feelings. There is also an added benefit in that I didn't worry about counts or anything, and my timing consistently changes, so it'll be less stressful as a solo. There is space to add yourself, to add your own uniqueness to the dance, and that's what makes it a dance. It's not supposed to be a cookie-cutter "step-step-leap-turn-step-jump" form dance without emotion. It's supposed to be YOU and a SONG and EMOTION. (And lots of other capitalized words as well).
Back to explaining the story. I originally planned to use a different song (Sing Along by Blue Man Group feat. Dave Matthews), and, taking that into account, the rest of this explanation seems like bullshit. Which, it may be. But it still works. Sing Along worked, but I'd have to cut to about 45 seconds into it, which irritated me because I love this song, especially the beginning. Besides, Youtensel Drawr started playing on my iPod, and it seemed to fit scarily well.
I'm going to stop using transitions because they (clearly) are proving to be useless, as I have yet to actually begin explaining what the hell I was talking about earlier ("Basically, it's about living life and breaking the standard conventions of normal.").
Hypothetically (or so I hope, otherwise my views of the world will be drastically altered)... You're a fork. (Or a spoon, if you'd really prefer). (FINE! Be a knife if it really means that much to you!). You sit in the drawer forever until someone finally decides to choose you, to pick you. But then, as quickly as your usefulness began, it's over. Back to the drawer. You really only have one purpose, and you don't do much aside from that. But... what if, once the people are gone, the drawer comes to life? (Think Toy Story, but a bit more disturbing because instead of cute cowboy dolls, you're a huge fucking knife). You can finally break away from society's expectations and set standards of functionality and live. You're vibrant and just... alive.
Granted, unless you're combined drunk/high/mentally insane, this isn't literally true, and you might have to be at least one of the three to see this is a metaphor. But it's a literal interpretation from the song. In practical life... it's about living. It's about understanding that you're supposed to behave in a certain way, but you need an outlet for your creativity, your energy. It's about taking what's expected, and being different. Going against society's norms.
Then again, it's not simply about rebelling. (This is when you start throwing things at me). It's not just about saying "Hey! Let's stick it to the Man!" It's about more than that. (Or at least the bullshit surrounding it encompasses more than that). It's about being free. It's about being creative. It's about being who you are. You're that knife who can finally stop cutting up the apples for the kids' lunches and do a little jig. It's about showing that there is more to life than what is at the surface.
Or maybe it's just a bunch of steps being danced while music is playing. It's up to you. :)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Linkage... Without Shrinkage (Give Me A Break -- Nothing Else Rhymes!!)
I do this constantly... I write a post that I'm particularly proud of (even if it's really not that great), then think of something else... so in the rare chance that someone will encounter this solitary blog, they are less likely to see it. Alas, my far-off dreams of... a reader... will be put aside for more helpful posts. (Helpful to me at least).
So, I realized that since I'm not always on the same computer, it'd be helpful to have some links somewhere that I can generally access.
PostSecret - Everyone should know about this project. I realized that after sending mine in, I always look a bit more closely at the rest, or I'll skim down the page to see if it's there, and still get this vague sense of disappointment and relief when it's not.
revision - I honestly keep meaning to go back and read her earlier posts, but I always get sidetracked. (Likewise with her vlogs).
Chez Kiwi - Kiwi's generally awesome. 'nuff said.
Verbatim Musings of Shower Monologues - I <3 this chica. :)
Zamzar - Zamzar has saved my life. Multiple times. The best conversion site EVER. No lie.
Questionable Content - QC is a comic. It's amazing. Marten is adorable and I just want to hug him sometimes.
Least I Could Do - LICD is another comic that can have rough humor at times, but still hilarious.
Johari - It makes me feel happier when I'm upset. (Same with old reviews for stories).
Dressed to Kill - Who doesn't need a transcript of this show? Eddie Izzard is amazing.
The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator - I always get inspired with a great story line then something happens and my inspiration flies out the window. But I still have this generator.
So, I realized that since I'm not always on the same computer, it'd be helpful to have some links somewhere that I can generally access.
PostSecret - Everyone should know about this project. I realized that after sending mine in, I always look a bit more closely at the rest, or I'll skim down the page to see if it's there, and still get this vague sense of disappointment and relief when it's not.
revision - I honestly keep meaning to go back and read her earlier posts, but I always get sidetracked. (Likewise with her vlogs).
Chez Kiwi - Kiwi's generally awesome. 'nuff said.
Verbatim Musings of Shower Monologues - I <3 this chica. :)
Zamzar - Zamzar has saved my life. Multiple times. The best conversion site EVER. No lie.
Questionable Content - QC is a comic. It's amazing. Marten is adorable and I just want to hug him sometimes.
Least I Could Do - LICD is another comic that can have rough humor at times, but still hilarious.
Johari - It makes me feel happier when I'm upset. (Same with old reviews for stories).
Dressed to Kill - Who doesn't need a transcript of this show? Eddie Izzard is amazing.
The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator - I always get inspired with a great story line then something happens and my inspiration flies out the window. But I still have this generator.
General Annoyances with Humanity, Part I
So... I could rant for pages and pages, but instead I'll only say a few things that I got angry about on the drive home tonight.
Complaint Number One... I think we need to do a quick refresher course on traffic signs. "U-Turn Must Yield" is, as far as I'm aware, not a code for "U-Turns Must Yield... Unless They Really Would Prefer To Talk On Their Cell Phone And Turn Whenever They Want. It's Up To Them." Maybe I missed the memo. Personally, I can't think of a time when I'll see a sign like that and think to myself "okay... a car is about halfway in the middle of a right turn from a side road into the right lane of the side of the road that I'm about to make my U-turn onto... great plan! I'm going to do my turn -- into the far lane -- even though that car's there. Hell, they're a small 1997 Honda Civic and I'm in my Hummer... even if I do hit the car, it probably won't even dent my bumper." (Background knowledge -- it was two in the afternoon and my blinker was on... it wasn't easy to just "not see me." Though, thankfully, my dear Marvin -- my car got it's name from the robot from the awesome book of Awesomeness (a.k.a. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) -- has new brakes that work very well... not that the other car attempted to stop, though the driver did slow down and get off his cell phone long enough to flip me off).
Complaint Number Two... smoking is nasty. It really is. I'm not going to go into a whole spiel about why it's disgusting and gross, but, for the sake of this complaint, even if you think it's cool and sexy (insert other words here), pretend that you agree that it's vile. Anyway... if you want to smoke, that's your business. But if you're driving and I'm behind you, don't just throw your cigarette butt out the window. Not only is that littering and it's disgusting (plus Mother Nature will hate you and she will make it rain at the most inconvenient times, like when your car is really, really, really far away from the store), but I don't want that on my windshield. It's not even like I was that close to you (at least four seconds behind or whatever it is they teach you in Driver's Ed), but still. Eew.
Complaint Number Three... is more of an acknowledgment of a lot of stuff that bothers me, without the actually complaining part. For the most part, these are topics I could rant on for pages and pages (entire blogs each, really), but that will only serve to get me really angry, and won't change any opinions. I could also provide a few succinct, logical arguments against why I think your viewpoint is ridiculous, ignorant, and just-plain-dumb, but I won't bother. I won't. But I will acknowledge that there are a multitude of subjects that I may not ever rant about (but I could if I ever decide that I have enough self-control to not injure my computer in the process), but I still have very strong opinions about. (And I am using sarcasm for some of the below reasons... because if I honestly sat and wrote all my opinions... you'd get one very angry book to read). For example...
"Homosexuality is an unnatural sin! We must urge these people to change their lifestyles!" Since when do we actually care if someone else is sinning? Aside from taking a perverse joy in spreading the gossip about which celebrity is 16 and pregnant out of wedlock (the scandal!), people ignore (or condone) lots of behaviors that are "abominations" according to the Bible. (Don't get me ranting about how people pick-and-choose what they want to believe... I could yell for hours).
"Same-sex marriage will ruin the institution of marriage!" To that, I could always respond with the 12 Reasons Same Sex Marriage Will Ruin Society. Then again, most people who I've shown that to just don't get the sarcasm, which really makes me sad. Simple solution to this whole issue? If you don't agree with same-sex marriages... don't get one! (Problem solved!) Honestly... we have a 52% divorce rate. How can letting two gay men in a committed relationship to get married going to ruin that?
"Global Warming is not real!" A multitude of responses to this... but I won't get into that. Just one question for you. If it's not real... can we build a habitat for the polar bears in your backyard?
"The Holocaust never happened!" No response aside from a slap and a trip to the Holocaust museum. (Which, incidentally, I haven't actually been to, but I've heard a lot about it and I've read a lot about it.)
"You-Know-Who has not returned!" So Cedric just dropped dead of his own accord?
Complaint Number One... I think we need to do a quick refresher course on traffic signs. "U-Turn Must Yield" is, as far as I'm aware, not a code for "U-Turns Must Yield... Unless They Really Would Prefer To Talk On Their Cell Phone And Turn Whenever They Want. It's Up To Them." Maybe I missed the memo. Personally, I can't think of a time when I'll see a sign like that and think to myself "okay... a car is about halfway in the middle of a right turn from a side road into the right lane of the side of the road that I'm about to make my U-turn onto... great plan! I'm going to do my turn -- into the far lane -- even though that car's there. Hell, they're a small 1997 Honda Civic and I'm in my Hummer... even if I do hit the car, it probably won't even dent my bumper." (Background knowledge -- it was two in the afternoon and my blinker was on... it wasn't easy to just "not see me." Though, thankfully, my dear Marvin -- my car got it's name from the robot from the awesome book of Awesomeness (a.k.a. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) -- has new brakes that work very well... not that the other car attempted to stop, though the driver did slow down and get off his cell phone long enough to flip me off).
Complaint Number Two... smoking is nasty. It really is. I'm not going to go into a whole spiel about why it's disgusting and gross, but, for the sake of this complaint, even if you think it's cool and sexy (insert other words here), pretend that you agree that it's vile. Anyway... if you want to smoke, that's your business. But if you're driving and I'm behind you, don't just throw your cigarette butt out the window. Not only is that littering and it's disgusting (plus Mother Nature will hate you and she will make it rain at the most inconvenient times, like when your car is really, really, really far away from the store), but I don't want that on my windshield. It's not even like I was that close to you (at least four seconds behind or whatever it is they teach you in Driver's Ed), but still. Eew.
Complaint Number Three... is more of an acknowledgment of a lot of stuff that bothers me, without the actually complaining part. For the most part, these are topics I could rant on for pages and pages (entire blogs each, really), but that will only serve to get me really angry, and won't change any opinions. I could also provide a few succinct, logical arguments against why I think your viewpoint is ridiculous, ignorant, and just-plain-dumb, but I won't bother. I won't. But I will acknowledge that there are a multitude of subjects that I may not ever rant about (but I could if I ever decide that I have enough self-control to not injure my computer in the process), but I still have very strong opinions about. (And I am using sarcasm for some of the below reasons... because if I honestly sat and wrote all my opinions... you'd get one very angry book to read). For example...
"Homosexuality is an unnatural sin! We must urge these people to change their lifestyles!" Since when do we actually care if someone else is sinning? Aside from taking a perverse joy in spreading the gossip about which celebrity is 16 and pregnant out of wedlock (the scandal!), people ignore (or condone) lots of behaviors that are "abominations" according to the Bible. (Don't get me ranting about how people pick-and-choose what they want to believe... I could yell for hours).
"Same-sex marriage will ruin the institution of marriage!" To that, I could always respond with the 12 Reasons Same Sex Marriage Will Ruin Society. Then again, most people who I've shown that to just don't get the sarcasm, which really makes me sad. Simple solution to this whole issue? If you don't agree with same-sex marriages... don't get one! (Problem solved!) Honestly... we have a 52% divorce rate. How can letting two gay men in a committed relationship to get married going to ruin that?
"Global Warming is not real!" A multitude of responses to this... but I won't get into that. Just one question for you. If it's not real... can we build a habitat for the polar bears in your backyard?
"The Holocaust never happened!" No response aside from a slap and a trip to the Holocaust museum. (Which, incidentally, I haven't actually been to, but I've heard a lot about it and I've read a lot about it.)
"You-Know-Who has not returned!" So Cedric just dropped dead of his own accord?
Sunday, March 16, 2008
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