Hola Kiddies!

Just checking in from California where I'm in my final week of studies at FatChance. So far, I've had four classes with Carolena herself (totally charming and really knows her rules of hospitality!) a class with Sandi (Girlfriend WORKED me!) and today was my first of three classes with Kristine (Who also WORKED me into the ground... and I love it!) I will have one last class with Sandi on Wednesday before I head home.

So far, we've polished a lot of moves I already know, and I've learned a few new things about my body when I dance. 1. I have neck extention problems. 2. I need to pull my arms down even further. 3. I nitpick at too many of the details. 4. I need to totally drill my Turkish Shimmy (up on toes, check angle of chest, lift feet higher each time I step). If you are one of my students, count on a style revision the first chance I get my hands on you. :)))

Kristine also worked on some combo stuff with me that I can't wait to try out at home!

The only negatives so far on this trip has been the driving. Oy vey, four hours daily on the road! Two hours to San Francisco, and two hours back to Monterey. Today I took a wrong turn and took one of the most challenging drives I've taken in a long time. I missed a turn and ended up taking hwy 152 to Watsonville, which took me over a very windy road on a very high mountain. Uhm, say YIKES with me now...

YIKE!

I had been whining about taking hwy 17 (which is also windy and dangerous) but this one had me break a sweat while I was driving! I won't make THAT mistake again.

Other things I've done include going to Alkatraz. Wow... what a foreboding place. I highly recommend it if you are coming to the Bay area. Just make sure to make reservations because it was packed the Saturday I went.

Saw Chinatown and bought some nice new chopsticks and found another chopstick case.

Rode a cable car. Fun!

Saw FatChance in performance.

Saw Rachel Brice in a small bar. She was totally thrown off-guard when she saw me standing in the crush of people. She put her hands out, pushed them back and just stared at me for a moment before pulling me into a hug! :)))

Visited the divine Ms. Ess (Amy Sigil of Unmata) in Sacramento and hung out at The Hot Pot. Got to see Ms. Kari again and met some of the Hot Pot students and the other Unmata girls. Missed seeing The Eye Of LuTay. Will have to make it up to her in the future. :)

Made it into Amoeba records. Okay... I went twice because I kept finding more and more cool music I HAD to have.

Visited Six Degrees Records, which may well be my fave record company (Next to Motown...) where I got to browse their catalogue. My VISA bill will be bleeding next month... but that's not this month... heh, heh, heh...

Home soon!