chestnuts roasting on an open fire.....

i cannot get "the christmas song" out of my head.

and i love it.

when i grow up

The ladies!

Thank yous to all of you (especially Jenn) for this experience. You don't even know how lucky I feel to have been a part of this. To dance, to express myself, to be on stage again... the feelings are tremendous.

For months, I had felt like Kirkland was just a place in passing. Not my home. Just a place I'd be for another year...

But now... now that I've become a part of this community (through dance), I truly feel like this is my home, that I have a reason to be here, that there are people I care about up here and want to develop friendships with.

I'm growing up. Away from everything that I've known as home... and I'm okay with that.

Thank you. You are all so amazing. I hope we get to do this again.

Dance for Hope III

Kirkland Dance Center is doing a 3rd charity show! The date is set for Saturday, November 15th 2008, 5:30pm at Cadle Theater in Lake Washington High School.

This year's Dance For Hope III is for a very worthy local charity - Feed Our Children. Since 2002, Fed Our Children has been assisting the school lunch program. Many of the children on the program only get one meal a day because most of the children's families cannot afford to give their children other meals throughout the day. Feed Our Children's strongest desire is for people to remember that these children are not in a third world country - they are only 15 minutes away in our own backyard, in our own neighborhood.

Please come along and support KDC as we try to raise some very much needed money for this VERY deserving charity!

Admission is $15. All are welcome.

scrunchies and headbands

Currently enjoying my cousin's 90's RnB Mix. Nice mix, Mark.

What is it about those 90s beats... I've been in such an "old school" mood lately. One Saturday I went a little to crazy downloading, but now I can make some sick mixes via iTunes Genius. =)

I wonder what my kids will think about the music I grew up with...

something new.

HOT YOGA - my new "addiction".

Really, it's ten 90-minute sessions for 10 dollars. Quite the deal, huh?

At the end of your ten sessions (or one month), they offer you a three-month unlimited package for $300 after tax.

I wish I could just waste electricity, heat our extra room to 105 degrees w/ 60% humidity, and do this all myself... but alas, I cannot. We'll see how the 10 sessions go and whether or not it's really worth keeping up... on top of dance.

----
The Connection Performing Arts Center in Mukilteo - a new dance spot.

Tonight I ventured out into the dark and rainy night to take a class in mukilteo. it's about a 20-minute drive up 405. (yes... we have a 405, too)

I really enjoyed the vibe I got from the studio, and I'm curious to take some classes by other choreographers. Ron - an instructor at KDC - also teaches at The Connection. He's amazing... I am really glad to be moving again. Just trying to keep up w/ the ever-changing styles of hiphop... it's a challenge all its own. Well, several.

I just want to dance. It is probably one of the best things I'm doing for myself up here. It keeps me happy, and healthy, and it makes Washington feel like home.

----
An New Driver's License as of 11.07.08

Last Friday, I surrendered my CA Driver's License... =/ It was such a weird feeling. Just signing it away, but it had to be done.

There are only a few things left to do before I become a full Washingtonian.
1) File taxes to Washington State
2) Buy deicer for my car in the winter
3) Start sunless tanning...

I hope that day never comes.

----
And last but not least, a new president.

Words really cannot express the joy (and relief) that I felt last Tuesday evening. The hope. The confidence. The pride. 11.04.08 No one will ever forget.

Be the change you wish to the see in the world. It will take all our efforts to make this country what it ought to be.

at your best.

Genius Playlist: At Your Best You Are Love

At Your Best You Are Love - Aaliyah
Red Light Special - TLC
Brokenhearted - Brandy
Hold On - En Vogue
Need U Bad - Jazmine Sullivan
If I Had My Way - Chrisette Michelle
Kiss of Life - Sade
Magic - Robin Thicke
Falsetto - The Dream
That Girl - Stevie Wonder
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Al Green/Joss Stone
Miss Independent - Ne-Yo
Angel of Mine - Monica
Free - Mya
I'm So Into You - SWV
Life To Me - Estelle
Sending My Love - Zhane
I Love Me Some Him - Toni Braxton
Full Moon - Brandy
Is It a Crime - Sade
Giving Him Something He Can Feel - En Vogue
No Scrubs - TLC
Bust Your Windows - Jazmine Sullivan
Turn Down the Lights - Shanice
Before You Walk Out Of My Life - Monica

Genius Playlist: Black and Gold

Black & Gold - Sam Sparro
Wow - Kylie Minogue
Better in Time - Leona Lewis
Real Girl - Mutya Buena
Just Dance - Lady Gaga & Colby O'Donis
Love Song - Sara Bareilles
See You Again - Miley Cyrus
Damaged - Danity Kane
Geraldine - Glasvegas
How Deep Is Your Love - The Bird and the Bee
I Love Your Smile - Shanice
Addicted - Saving Abel
Versions of Violence - Alanis Morissette
The Greatest - Michelle Williams
So Sick - Natasha feat. Clipse
Sick - Sam Sparro
Hometown Glory - Adele
Give It 2 Me - Madonna
Footprints in the Sand - Leona Lewis
Stepping Stone - Duffy
When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls
Break The Ice - Britney Spears
Disturbia - Rihanna
Hot N Cold - Katy Perry
So What - Pink

Genius Playlist: Two Worlds Collide

Two Worlds Collide - Demi Lovato
Full Circle - Miley Cyrus
Bottle Pop - The Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dog
Look Through My Eyes - Everlife
T-shirt - Shontelle
Poetry - Danity Kane
Ready, Set, Go! - Tokio Hotel
Take a Bow - Leona Lewis
The Show - Lenka
Walking on Air - Kerli
Disturbia - Rihanna
Dream - Priscilla Ahn
On the Line - Demi Lovato feat. Jonas Brothers
Heartbeat - Madonna
Last Words - The Real Tuesday Weld
Melt My Heart To Stone - Adele
Strict Machine - Goldfrapp
The Driveway - Miley Cyrus
Black & Gold - Sam Sparro
I Hate This Part - The Pussycat Dolls
If You Can Afford Me - Katy Perry
I'll Try - Jesse McCartney
Bad Girl - Danity Kane/Missy Elliott
Yesterday - Leona Lewis
Feelings Show - Colbie Caillat

to the newly-ordained

believe what you read.
teach what you believe.
practice what you teach.

Haute Mess

Looking forward to this tomorrow night.

185.2 - slow week

185.4

The truth about tampons

forwarded from Cesca:

Use of sanitary for more than 3 hours can cause cervical cancer & bacteria infection.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO USE SANITARY NAPKINS/PADS:

IF u ever wondered what were the ingredients that made popular brands so
'free! and light and carefree', well here's the bit:

The material that makes the pad so paper THIN , is cellulose gel. YEap,
it's not even cotton…

DO NOT wear the same pad for more than 3 hours of a maximum. After
this duration, the genital area is prone to bacterial action and may
result in cervical cancer or other complications.

REMEMBER! NEVER NEVER NEVER WEAR THE SAME PAD FOR MORE THAN 3 HOURS!!!

SO yes, please pass on this message to as many women as possible and
save lives!!!!!!!!!!

If you are a woman and use pads, but especially if you use tampons,

Read this and pass it on to your friends.

For the men receiving this email,
please forward it to your friends, significant others, wife, sisters, mothers,
daughters, etc.) Thanks!

Check the labels of the sanitary pads or tampons that you are going to
buy the next time and see whether you spot any of the familiar signs
stated in this email.

No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and
womb tumors. Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in
tampons? Why would they do this?

Because asbestos makes you bleed more, if you bleed more, you're going
to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law since asbestos is so
dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their wisdom (not), did
not consider tampons as being ingested, and, therefore, didn't consider
them illegal or dangerous.
This month's Essence magazine has small article about this and they
mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies
are: Organic Essentials @1-800) 765-6491 and Terra Femme @(800)755-0212.

A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado at Boulder sent the
following: 'I am writing this because women are not being informed about
the dangers of something most of us use: tampons. I am taking a class
this month and I have been learning a lot about biology and women,
including much about feminine hygiene. Recently we have learned that
tampons are actually dangerous (for other reasons than TSS ). I'll tell
you this - after learning about this in our class, most of the females
wound up feeling angry and upset with the tampon industry, and I for
one, am going to do something about it To start, I want to inform
everyone I can, and email is the fastest way that I know how


HERE IS THE SCOOP…
Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmf ul: Rayon (for
absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching the products).. The
tampon industry is convi nced that we, as women, need bleached white
products in order to view the product as pure and clean. The problem
here is that the dioxin, which is produced in this bleaching process,
can lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is potentially
carcinogenic cancer-associated)and is toxic to the immune and
reproductive systems. It has also been linked to endometriosis and lower
sperm counts for men. For both sexes, it breaks down the immune system.


Last September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that
there really is no set 'acceptable' level of exposure to dioxin given
that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes
from repeated contact Karen Couppert 'Pulling the Plug on the Tampon
Industry'). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month,
for 38 menstruating years is 'repeated contact', wouldn't y! ou? Rayon
contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a highly
absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons are left
behind in the vagina (as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground
for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it would with just
cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome)
occurs.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?

Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all
cotton. Other feminine hygiene products
(pads/napkins) contain dioxin as well, but they are not nearly as
dangerous since they are not in direct contact with the vagina. The
pads/napkins need to stop being bleached, but, obviously, tampons are
the most dangerous.


So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons that
are made from 100% cotton, and that are UNBLEACHED. Unfortunately, there
are very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are usually
only found in health food stores.


Countries all over the world ( Sweden , Germany , British Columbia , etc.)
have demanded a switch to this safer tampon, while the U.S. has decided
to keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a
campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later,
the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the
green methods available) (MS magazine, May/June 1995).

WHAT TO DO NOW?
Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are being manipulated by this
industry and the government, let's do something about it! Please write
to the companies: Tampax(Tambrands), Playtex, O.B. , Kotex. Call the 800
numbers listed on the boxes. Let them know that we demand a safe product
ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.

References:
1 Women Health Issues - Thrush