Between my various travels and performances, I have been slacking off in my duties to my rockin' sailing club, TASCA.
I joined them back in 2003 and became an instructor last year. The club is a non-profit group that offers very inexpensive sailing lessons ($275 for a 7-week course), and an opportunity to join the club upon completion for the hefty sum of $40 per year (yes, per year!).
Why so inexpensive? Because members are encouraged to hone their skills through volunteering to teach.
Although they offer classes during the weekday evenings, my work and class schedule prevents me from teaching then, so that leaves the Saturday classes: On the water from 10am to 1pm.
And because I just can't handle the weekend subway mess, I usually bike the 10 miles there and back on my snazzy Dahon folding bike.
Normally, that's enough to make a full Saturday. BUT NOT FOR ME!
Today I only had one student (who did very well, by the way), so it was easy to quickly review the day's lesson on dry land with her (shown here with her completed lesson sheet)...
... and hop back on my trusty bike to speed another six miles in the opposite direction towards the Hollis Queens Public Library, for, yes, a BELLYDANCE SHOW!
I've been studying privately with the fabulous Shoshana, who booked me to dance with her students a few weeks before. I knew I'd be teaching that morning, so another another TASCA member was going to drive me to the dance show, but that fell through.
So, I embraced the extra cardio!!!
And then I danced!!
Not surprisingly, Shoshana's students were amazingly good. One in particular, Safinaz -- who had only been studying for about six months -- gave a stunning performance of her own choreography.
Afterwards, Shoshana kindly packed my folded Dahon into her trunk and drove me part of the way home down the treacherous Hillside Avenue, and I completed the entire seven-mile length of Myrtle Avenue on my own.
EMBRACE THE CARDIO!!
Exhausted and butt-sore, I got home around 5pm.
Time to relax? Oh, no no no. Not me.
My dear friend Lourdes was holding a special "surprise" party waaaaay up in the Bronx. The surprise, according to her evite, was to be on her guests.
With equal parts trust and trepidation, I cleaned up, dressed up and trundled out again.
Hungry and cranky, I arrived nearly 2 hours late -- and everyone was waiting for me. :-P
Lourdes asked me to write two adjectives and two nouns on separate pieces of paper and drop them into their respective fishbowls. Just to be a punk, I threw "eponymous" into the adjective bowl.
Across from the food table sat four covered boxes, and a few feet from that were some art supplies... and then I realized my mistake.
The game was a sort of cross between Mad Libs and Pictionary: Two contestants pick an adjective and noun, and then paint it.
Everyone else votes for a "winner." But regardless of who "won," both people pick a prize blind from the boxes.
I got "whimsical ring," so I drew a cell phone playing an "Istanbul" ring tone. No one got it. My opponent drew something that looked like a puddle having a nervous breakdown.
Everyone loved it.
Then we went onto the second Pictionary-esque part where one person draws a noun-adjective combination and the group guesses.
One person got "enlightened bubbles" and drew Buddha with a soap-hookah.
And then it was Stacey's turn...
She fished out her charge and ran into the back room with Lourdes. Thirty seconds later: "CAAAAROL!!!!"
I gave her a more drawable word: incandescent.
Kisha got it and picked out Naughty Naughty Party Games.*
I picked out the Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure.
How appropriate!!
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*Actually, she didn't win the Naughty, Naughty Party Games... I did. I just happen to have that picture of her opening it. I also won The Book Lovers Kit. I don't remember what Kisha won. I was really, really, really tired that night!!
