Tidbits

It's been a while since I've posted. And yet, there's been a lot of things going on! So here's a little bit of catch-up for JLITH.

Took Beans 1 and 2 to see Walking with Dinosaurs down in Anaheim. It was the first time I'd seen them awake since before the summer. I can't believe how they've grown. So much more verbal and inquisitive. Bean 1 spent the entire time with his hands over his ears, totally enthralled. Bean 2 expressed his fear, but for all that, couldn't tear his eyes away from the full-scale dinosaurs roaming the arena. My favorites were the human-ish flying creature and the armoured dino with the swinging tail. When I stopped in to visit on the way down to San Diego, they both drew me dinosaur thankyou cards. Bean 2 did an on-the-spot stegosaurus. Bean 1 also had drawn a stegosaurus, but decided to customize it with zebra-esque stripes ... his own personal dino-style. Bean 1 also showed me his own dinosaur show. Withe me lying down on the opposite lower bunkbed, he announced, from the opposite top bunkbed, that I couldn't see him. Sure. Then, in front of a large, pen-decorated background, he suspended a paper-airplane-y puppet of a dinosaur, and flapped the "wings" by pulling it up and down like a yoyo. Brilliant.

Went to dinner and a movie at the Century City Plaza. We saw Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2. Fun, predictable, innocuous. That and I'd already seen Wall-E and the Dark Knight. I felt a little bad for the one guy that came. But not bad enough to suggest another movie. Probably the best part was getting to talk more with Ginny, fabulous author of La Dolce Vespa, and her roommate Fantastic Hat Lady.

Annual gyn appointment. Enough said. If you are a women in your thirties, it's important. If you haven't seen one, lately or ever, get thyself hence.

Went over to Paseo Colorado in Pasadena for some outdoor dancing to live music. This took a little preparation. To me, one of the prime delights of summer is to dance outside, under a lot of twinkly lights, to live music, with a partner, in a dress. Now, generally, I don't dance in dresses. Most groove lindy and WCS dancers just do it in pants ... there is no worry about having to wear special dance underwear, or that something that isn't supposed to show will show, and we can be more athletic and daring with our movements. However, there is just something magical about dancing outdoors that calls for a dress. Anyway, I'd been working on a dress for about a year ...

Many years agp, when I first started dancing, I purchased a dress at a little vintage clothing auction whose proceeds were going to charity. I hadn't planned on buying anything that night. But no one was bidding on this dress, as it was a little plain compared to all the other 40's regalia, and the model was a little short and dumpy. I am tall, but I figured that it would probably fit okay, and if not, the money was going to a good cause, and it wasn't too expensive. So I bought it. And have worn and loved it ever since. It's a simple sheath dress with a sweetheart neckline, done in washable cotton, in a fabulous red and fuschia artistic floral print. In the last two years it started showing the wear, and I started to take it apart to use as a pattern.

I should note that I learned to sew, first from my mother, then from my grandmother, by taking apart old clothes that I liked, and using the pieces as a pattern. The first thing I can remember sewing was a navy cotton hoodie, with small polka dots. I was still in grade school. Anyway, I was shooting to have it down so I could wear it to a field trip wit my school. However, when it came down to it, I wasn't fast enough, and when I went to sleep that night, I was exhausted, and the garment was unfinished. When I awoke in the morning, my mother handed it to me, finished and fitting fabulously. It had been her decades old hoodie that I'd torn apart. And knowing how much I wanted to wear it that day, she had stayed up the previous night to finish it for me. Now I'll continue with the original story.

So, the red and fuschia dress had sat in a bag, partially demolished, in my closet, for at least a year. And when I had some free time lately, I decided to resurrect the project. Took myself down to F & S Fabrics. There is something absolutely magical about being in a fabric store. The beauty of the laces, the luxury of the silks, vibrant cotton prints, warm wools, seductive georgettes and chiffons, not to mention all the notions! It's a world of possibilities. The one I finally settled down to was a firecracker red cotton with bursts of yellow and orange, with trails of kanji written lengthwise. I realize that it sounds like a mess, but it is spectacularly fabulous. The beauty of remaking a dress is that I know it fits. There's nothing worse that going to the time and expense of using a factory pattern, then coming to realize that the waist is too short, or the fit not quite right. Anyway, the original sheath fit like a dream, and so does its daughter.

So, I wore my new red dress out to Paseo Colorado to hear The Campus 5 play. I didn't get to talk with a lot of people, but it was great to see some old friends out and about. What with the knee trouble, I haven't done nearly as much dancing as I would have liked. The dance being done in the video clip is balboa, and it's absolutely divine. The clips shows a moderate tempo bal. There are some wild and crazy bals, but I am definitely in the the moderate to slow camp.

Have had a couple of dinners with friends. I even cooked curry one night, and have a couple of dinners portioned and frozen in my fridge. Japanese curry is one of my favorite comfort foods, and it's always nice to have a little stashed away.

Went out to Lindy Groove for eVincerator's birthday. It was the first night I'd been out to LG since July. It was great to catch up with old friends, especially some that I had seen but not talked to at Paseo Colorado. My only regret from that night is that I didn't dance with Musical Terubouzu. I wanted to, and he had ventured up from his usual spot to where I generally am, but he was either too far away, or other guys asked me to dance, or the song was just wrong for a dance with him. Lance had Daniel Newsome out from Denver to DJ, and he played a lot of great stuff. The best song of the night was Dancing in Black by Scratched Vinyl Innocence, which I danced with Blues to the Core, who must have the blues infused into every one of his fabulous abdominal muscles.

After the last dance, I exchanged contact info with Goth Girl. We'd bonded over hiphop lindy and sewing at last year's Camp Hollywood. I showed off my firecracker red dress. When I told her that I was spending Labor Day weekend in San Diego, she gave me a general invitation to stay at her place whenever I was in town. Yes, she comes up from San Diego to dance in Pasadena at least once a month. That's dedication ... and a strong desire to dance with good leads. Plus, she's a fabulous dancer ... both in hip hop and Hollywood styles. I was so delighted at her hospitality that I responded with the same invitation in return. Who knows when either of us will actually cash in on it, but it's nice to make and return the connection.

Went to see the educator at my physician's office. I really like her. She is absolutely wonderful. Besides being intelligent, pragmatic, warm and nurturing, she is also a nurse who has struggled with the same health issues as I have. She's talking to me from the same side of the table, as opposed to lecturing me from a podium. We're discussing several innovative modalities that I'm immensely excited about.

And just yesterday, I saw someone at work who has similar healthcare issues, and talked over some of the modalities. It was just a brief encounter, but always fun to catch up with him. He's a social worker at my hospital, and since we discovered out connection, it's been great to see him whenever he happens to be needed in my unit.

Speaking of social workers, I've been becoming better friends with Motorcycle Berry, the social worker based in my unit. I've known MB for years, and even remember him as an intern when he was still in grad school at USC (same as Perky)! However, it's only this past year that we've gotten away from the banalities of workplace chitchat and started being friends. I think part of it is that I miss my social work buddies Perky and Wry-an. It's been years since they've moved away from Los Angeles, but it's come home how much I miss having them to talk with. It always reminded me of Peer Counseling (and Yardstick Man) ... to be a warm, introspective, safe and nurturing environment. And even before Motorcycle Berry, Son of Cesar was our unit social worker, and a good friend who encouraged me to dream big. I just love social workers. Bless them!

Drove down to San Diego on Friday of Labor Day Weekend. Stopped off in Irvine to visit with Pilgrimsteps, my best friend from college, the friend I've kept in touch with for longer than any other. I was so glad when she and family moved back to southern California. There's just something about being able to spend time together that cements relationships for me. Was able to spend a couple of hours catching up with events over the past few months. Trials and victories and experiences and learning and sharing. The fabric of existence.

Also got myself over to see Bork, Genie and the Beans. This is when I received the aforementioned dino thank you cards and bunk bed show. Genie is so actively engaged with the Beans. I don't know how she has the energy to do it all. Bork starts his job in a few days, and I hope all goes well.

Finally made it down to Lovely Lady's place down in the Del Mar portion of San Diego. It's actually her parents' home, but since they spend the majority of their time in Hawaii, she invites us down for the occasional long weekend to unwind. The house is large and comfortable, there is an internet connection available to us, a pool and jacuzzi in the backyard, and parades of colorful hot-air balloons in the dusk-tinged hours of the evening. I confess that I spend most of the weekend watching movies as I knitted. Knitting is so very therapeutic. I love to use Rowan's 25g kidsilk haze (70% super kid mohair, 30% silk). When I use my 9g needles and a dropstich (which I learned from Perky), it creates a loose and airy weave that is light and yet warm. I'm currently knitting together a deep blue (632) and a soft gray (639) for a tonal effect. Haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep the shawl or gift it. I generally only knit shawls because I haven't the concentration to count and alter stiches. I started out by casting on 75 stitches, and the finished product will be about 2feet by 6 feet. The best part is that it scrunches up into about nothing, but can be used as muffler, shawl or blanket!

I can't even remember most of the movies we watched. It's all a haze of yarn. However, I do remember watching Rent, and being surprised at how much I liked it. I'd gone to see the musical years ago, and had found the characters too weird and self-absorbed to fathom. However, the movie seemed to delve in, and gave more character insight. And when it comes down to it, I identify strongly with the song Seasons of Love. How do you measure a year. It all comes down to friends and family and all the fabric of life things that may not seem important to outsiders, but which can be immeasurably moving from the inside perspective.

It was also great to catch up with the other ladies ... Lovely Lady, Feminist A, Girl Friday, Wonder Woman (who made the most amazing sheared egg open faced sandwiches!) and FGITW. Especially FGITW, which stands for Friendliest Girl In The World (with accompanying hand wave to signify the air banner). Since she moved back to Utah, it's rare that we get to see her. And since JLITH in in Boston for the academic year, it seems that my trip in July will be the last until next summer.

Got a last start heading out of Del Mar on Sunday, so was unable to stop again in Irvine. I was sad to miss PS's dinner, and even the welcome back party for some friends from Hawaii, but the time was too short.

Sunday night I went to a little get-together for The Jacksons who were visiting for the holiday weekend. It's hard to know what to say to someone who's suffered a great loss. Platitudes and pat answers seem so wrong. When it came down to it, there wasn't much I could say. But I could listen, and I could allow them to either talk or not talk, and I could ... just be there.

Went for a stake temple recommend interview. Met with the same person I always seem to get. Gave him a piece of my mind regarding the stake's resistance to setting up a Mid-single magnet ward. Not that it did any good, or that I expected to be able to change anyone's mind. But it felt good to vent a little steam. I don't know what else the stake can do to reach out to the inactive mid-singles. In reality, I don't think any of their official strategies are going to do any good. And so I just carry on my own little campaign to provide my own unofficial get-togethers, and help others who are interested in pitching in. I'm just convinced that these little things do much more that stake dances or FHE's that jumble together everyone from 31 to 75 years of age.

JLITH is now in Boston, as previously stated. A couple of weeks ago, I reminded her that Atul Gawande, one of our favorite authors, works as a surgeon in Boston, and that she might be able to meet him while she's there getting her MPH at Harvard (hurray for the crimson and white!). I'm so excited for JLITH to be in an area of the country that will be both academically, culturally AND spiritually stimulating for her. And I have hopes that it will be emotionally stimulating for her as well. In such a vibrant place, where she will have more freedom than she's had since San Francisco, anything can happen.

Well, a few days after my conversation with her, She gave me a call. She's got a great adviser at Harvard. His name is Atul Gawande!!!! This is the cake decoration on top of the frosting on top of the tiered cake!!! I couldn't have dreamed of anything more prefect for her. She also sent me this link of a book reading. It's a bit long, but very worth your time. I actually just finished Better earlier this summer. Great book. I especially liked the afterward, and his tips on being a positive deviant. If you're around LA and want to borrow it, I'd be happy to lend it. In fact, Ive been wondering about the advisability of taking to work and letting it circulate around. There is so much that we can all do to be better and inspire others to do so as well.

And, to add to the interminable link on this longest ever post, you might want to check out some short audio interviews from the New England Journal of Medicine.. It's interesting to listen to bits from the myriad types of people who have influence on how health care is run in the nation.