Passion and Perseverance

I have had a passion for dance since the age of 11.  The beauty of it often moves me to tears.  Each movement is a word, a fluid expression of one's heart.  With SYTYCD Canada, I come close to tears with nearly every episode, especially last night's episode.

To give you a quick recap, our Canadian SYTYCD decided to broadcast all the auditions within one week, and start the finals as well.  Last night was day 1 and 2 of the finals (in Toronto).

A dancer, named Luka, suffers from a physical disability that leaves him needing crutches to assist him in walking.  First round is the hip hop (choreographed by Luther) and he does it, though with adapted movements he created himself.  Luther was impressed, as were the other judges that passed him on to the next round, theatre.

The theatre routine choreographed by Shaun, was more difficult, as it was further from his genre.  The song was "Defying Gravity" from the broadway musical "Wicked".  Most of the routine had to be reintrepreted to the extreme by Luka.

When it came time to dance with the group, dancers in the audience were anxiously awaiting his performance, chanting his name.  Judges, after the routine, were on their feet and crying.

Comments that were made by the judges include:

Jean-Marc:  "You are everything this song stands for.  Watching you perform it was an honour.  Luka, everyone has challenges.  Me, is English...My daughter is talking and walking and what you are is an artist.  I wish my daughter can see you...and she will be very proud of you..."

Trey:  "When you dropped your crutches and they looked like they flew away, for anybody who can't walk, you make them believe they can do it and it doesn't matter where you end up in life as long as you love to dance, you can dance"

Blake: "It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life-to make us react like this and bring out our most beautiful, deepest, insecure crying, anything moments to see how truly beautiful you are.  Thank you so much..."

Luther:  "...when I first saw you dance in Montreal, you amazed me then but you totally amazed me now.  And I think you're holding it down for all the b-boys and all the people of Montreal."

Mary:  "...you make me happy.  You are overcoming everything in your own life to inspire us.  Thank you so much..."

He was given a standing applause not only by the judges, but by his fellow dancers.  His group helped him back up and recovered his crutches for him.  Unfortunally, he had to be cut for the next round as it was ballroom, which required him to be able to pair up with a partner, something he was unable to do.  I truly don't believe this is the last we have seen of Luka.

The fact is, we are all crippled.  Some of us, it is seen on the outside while some of us, it's on the inside.  My struggle is on the inside.  I struggle on this road, determined to make something of myself and to be able to work with at-risk youth.  It's not easy, in fact, this has been the toughest couple of years of my life.  But just like Luka, I can't stop what's against me from keeping me from doing everything I can to persevere and rise against "my disability".  Giving up would be the easy thing to do-but I have never done anything easy, or looked for an easy way out.  So like Luka, I will pesevere.

Smelling Funny

Do you ever have those days where you think you have it all together only to realize you made the biggest faux paux???  Yup...that's my day today...I stink...

I needed to go out to run a few errands, including going to the library so i could get on the internet, so I thought gee, maybe I should actually try to make myself look decent.  I put on a jean skirt and even put on some make up (despite it being so blistering hot).  Not bad I thought.

So driving in my car, I thought gee, I need to febreeze my car tonight before my trip to Winnipeg tomorrow for a wedding.  See, my car often leaks water when it's raining so sometimes the upholstery gets a little wet and it can smell musty from time to time.  I thought, okay, I can do this.

I'm in a store looking at something I needed to pick up for the wedding and I kept thinking, gee, I still smell the musty smell and then I start wondering if it's my skirt?  I pulled my skirt out of the back of the closet (though it was hung) and hadn't worn it at all this year yet.  I couldn't exactly pull my skirt up to smell it though in the store, so I had to wait until I got to the car.  I got in the car and pulled up a corner of my skirt to smell it...I stink, and I mean I really stink.  I don't know if others can smell it, but I sure can.  I'm skirting away from everyone, hoping they don't smell me.  I hate days like that.  You mean well, but it turns out you stink....

New Art Work For Sale

So, this will be my last post from home tomorrow as I'm handing in my gadgets to my cable company for internet.  I'm still going to be posting, but it will be from the public library for the next while. 

So I think I mentioned before that I had some new work coming out, and I finally have it available for you guys to see!

This is one piece available.  I don't know if you can tell in the picture but there is one crack in it from the location that previously had it, so this one is one sale.

Quilt Block Regular $80

Now on Sale for $25

Inuskuk square stepping stone.  Black glass.  Approximately 10 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches and nearly 1 inch thick. 

Price:  $40

Polar Bear on Ice.   Small crack in polar bear from previous venue.  Regular $150

Sale $60

Small round Fish stepping stone in metallic blue, metallic white, and orange. 

Price $25.00

Pink Water Lily.  On sale due to air bubbles and rippling on side.  Regular $25

On Sale for $10

Small round inukshuk, approximately 7 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.  Regular $25.  On Sale for $20 due to a couple of faint lines from contact paper

Silver stepping stone, approximately 7 1/2 inches by 7 1/2 inches and 1 inch thick.  Shades of silver, cream, black, and metallic wine.  Price $40

What I'm Willing to Give Up

So, in the midst of all this, there have been things that I've had to give up and that I'm going to give up.

Things I've given up include:

• driving whenever and whenever i want
• frequent trips to dollarama (I don't know if that constitutes giving up much though because most of my trips were for school)
• spending money
• going and doing most things

Things I'm going to give up include:

• internet (I'll just go to the library, as hard as it will be)
• extras for cable
• pop (most of the time)...I really need to lessen my pop consumption

And something I was going to give up but have changed my mind:

• my expensive razors...however, i just had to shave my legs with the 5 for a buck from superstore razors...I've reconsidered, and no way after I had massive blood running down my leg.  Cheap razors are horrible...I tell you it drew blood to make a vampire happy!  I'm sorry, but I can't do it.  I can't submit to my legs and underarms to the horror.  i just got a gift card for a grocery store from my great grandmother, so I will use the card toward the new razor.  To think I used the cheap ones for so many years...I wonder if that's why my legs are so sensitive now? 

Men and Cars

So I would like to know what is with men and their cars and flirting?  I'm driving to the bank today and I stop for a light, well, this guy pulls up beside me and is staring at me, grinning, and obviously trying to get my attention.  This isn't the first time, and really, do you expect girls to be impressed because you have a set of wheels?  Not this chick...sorry but all that does nothing for my libido, doesn't get me excited, doesn't put a smile on my face.  It's just stupid.  If that's the only move you have, I hate to see what your future looks like! 

THE STONING OF SORAYA M.

Tonight I finally decided to watch a movie that I've had on hand for awhile. I hadn't watched it before as I kinda of figured this would be a tear jerker. I had no idea.
The film is based on a true story; an Iranian woman married to a man who is wealthy with much influence. They have four children: two sons and two daughters. She is met by the local shaman/minister who advises her that if she'll give up her husband and his rights to her and her daughters, in exchange she will receive the house, its belongings, and a stony field in which to grow food. She refuses and the minister continues to proposition her saying that if she'll allow him to come visit her, she will have food to put on the table.
She goes to her aunt, a well respected woman in the community, who questions her on her attempts to make a good marriage. After showing proof of her husband's attention to her body, her aunt is convinced to keep her and her daughters safe. After a man's wife in the community dies, the mayor and minister convince the aunt to let Soraya do his cleaning, cooking, and tending to his son.
Her husband starts to hatch a plan with the minister to see that Soraya is taken care of and out of the picture. They meet with the local mayor, who says that they must present evidence, not just gossip. They come back with witnesses, and a trial is held, without any women present (as was customary). She is found guilty and sentenced to death by stoning.
The day after her death, a French/Iranian journalist becomes stuck in the community after his car breaks down. Her aunt takes him aside and tells him the story.
Soraya's husband comes back through town in his fancy car saying the wedding is off to his young bride, saying how much he wanted her. The witness overhears and in front of the community says I lied for nothing? The mayor learns the truth (though in fact, he had known the truth all along).
When the minister discovers this, he goes berzerk, and places guns on the man if he goes any further. His belongings are destroyed and he is finally allowed to leave. However, what they don't know is that the aunt has the tape, and while he is leaving town, she is able to pass the taped transcript to him.
What results is a book that speaks for the first time on a customary practice against women in the Middle East. A book that perhaps speaks the truth of women having no voice and no rights. Whether or not you know much about world issues, you must watch this movie. My plan is now to get my hands on the book (which has been translated into English). This film makes me appreciate being a woman in North America, having freedom to say what I want and to be with whom I want. I may sometimes have my gender against me, but at the end of day, my rights can go before a court, in which I can be present. We should all be so lucky.

Losing Weight...

Losing weight is hard...especially when you find it hard to be motivated because your whole life is out of wack...

This month after weighing in at Weight Watchers, I have consistently been down every single week!  Yay!  A couple of times it wasn't a lot, but I have to focus on going down.  In truth, I only lost 3.8 pounds, but I have to be proud of those pounds lost.  I'm determined to do this all the way.  It's not about focusing on a number for me, it's about being the healthiest I can be.  I've been doing this so far for about 3 months I guess, and going down 1 size is not bad for me.  If it takes me 2 years then I'm fine with that.  My goal is to lose weight the healthy way.

In Canadian sizes, I've dropped to a plus size 18 (from a 20) in tops, and in the bottoms, I've dropped from a size 20/22 to a 18/20.  The only real goal I've made for right now is that I desperately want to get into a size 12.  When I get there, I'll make some other goals.

What's hard though is doing proper meals...summer gets really messed up and that's what I'm struggling with right now.  I'm determined to take some hamburger out of the freezer tonight so I can make my Mexican Salad Topper.  It's super yummy, high in fiber, and really nice in the summer.  So tomorrow?  My goal is to make a proper meal.  You're to keep me in line.