Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
Yesterday morning I got up mad early to get to Planet Granite for my second rock climbing experience. Being there at 7am is so different from going in the evening. The place is nearly empty, the morning light streams in through the giant windows, calm music is playing. So much nicer for a newbie like…
Tonight I went indoor rock climbing for the first time. It was a little scary but mostly awesome. The thing I remember not liking about the last time I tried rock climbing (outdoors) was the mental strain of trying to solve a problem while you were physically getting more and more exhausted. I just found…
I wrote an opinion piece over on Yehoodi.com on why we should rename the Jack & Jill dance contest to something more inclusive. Read it all here!
My friend DJ posted to his Facebook wall this excellent summation of why fan culture matters in an our current era of aspiring autocrats and empires. I got his permission to repost it here. Remember, when you're rolling your eyes at all the people posting about "May the 4th be with you", think about what that actually…
Urban dance has many facets and manifestations — club dancing, sessions, cyphers, workshops / classes, crews, performances, and jams. One aspect of urban dance culture I've never really been that interested in is battling or competitions. It just never interested me as a fairly non-competitive person. I enjoy going to battles and contests. Watching people…
I run, dance, and eat healthy for a lot of reasons. One of the most important is that all those activities help me feel strong and capable. I have a good understanding of what my body can do, what my strengths and limitations are. I have pushed my body to be as close to its peak potential…
The New York Times reported recently that researchers had found that running for as little as five minutes a day may add years to your life span. Scientists scrutinized several health studies conducted at the Cooper Institute in Dallas and found that runners tend to live longer, up to three years longer, than comparable non-runners,…
Going on an African safari is something that has long been on my bucket list. Finally getting to South Africa to see animals in their native habitat was beyond amazing! Here's some of the highlights. Penguins We saw African penguins on the beach! (In case you didn’t know, African penguins are a thing.) Just a…
As part of the benefits of a fancy new credit card I got recently, I now have access to hundreds of lounges at airports throughout the world. When I got my airport lounge access card in the mail, I thought to myself, "now I've arrived!" I've been flying for most of my life, always the…
I knew a little about South African politics and Apartheid before coming there. But being there in person brought home the brutality of Apartheid and the continuing challenges South Africans face as a multi-racial society. Historic Sites On our second day in Johannesburg, we visited the Apartheid Museum. The museum presents in rich and compelling detail…