Wow…500 posts!

Writing journal (Photo credit: avrdreamer)

I was sitting here this evening wondering what to write about, thinking about this, discarding that, when it hit me…I’ve published 500 posts on this little blog of mine!  The first few months I didn’t do a lot of writing, wasn’t really sure what to write about or who to write for.   Then I wrote a little more, then a little more.  When I began writing for myself, expressing myself, sharing myself, that’s when I began to feel comfortable with my writing.  Now I’m writing almost every day, often more than once a day.

Writing has become my way of coping with the stress in my life, with disappointments, with loss…but it is also how I choose to celebrate my life.  For me, writing is the dance I perform to the words in my mind.  Hopefully we all find our passion in life…something that puts a sparkle in our eye, a smile on our face, and a swagger in our step.  That’s what writing does for me.  It allows me to examine my life, to become the person I want to be.  But it also allows me to create an entirely different life, to try it on for size…and then to proceed or abandon it, whatever I choose.

So…for all of you who have been along for the ride since the beginning (yes, there are a few of you…I remember how excited I was to have ten followers of my blog!), thanks for supporting me, encouraging me, and sharing this journey!  And for those who have only recently joined the party, welcome!  I hope we’ll grow together and toast our successes.  Salud!

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Last dance

2008 4×4 Ford F-450 Pick up truck. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sean chuckles, “I think she likes you, Becky.  She’s a pretty special lady.  I’ve known her for years and she’s taken quite  a few of us under her wing over the years…”

Blushing, Becky half smiles at Sean’s comments.  “Well, I could tell she definitely likes you.”

Sean leans back in his chair, shrugs, and asks, “Hey, what’s not to like?”

Sean and Becky spend the rest of the evening dancing and talking, then dancing and talking some more.  They are both surprised when they hear the announcement that the club is about to close.  Sean escorts Becky out to his truck.  Petite little Becky stands there with her hands on her hips looking at the huge truck.  “This is your truck?  You actually climb in and out of this thing…without a ladder?”

“Hmm…well, I am a little taller than you, I guess.  Let me help you up.”  After opening the passenger side door, he offers Becky his hand and then realizes she’s going to need more help than that to make it up into the truck.  “I think I’ll have to lift you up so you can get in…okay?”

Becky’s cheeks flush and she looks down, then lifts her gaze up to meet Sean’s.  “Um…yeah…I think I’d have a hard time climbing up into this thing with a dress on…so…yeah…”

Sean’s  hands span her tiny waist.  Becky reaches up for his shoulders, neither of them able to take their eyes off of the other.  He effortlessly lifts her into the truck, “Watch your head, Bec.”  She nods and smiles at the nickname.  She sits down, smoothing her skirt under her legs.  Sean closes the door and runs around the front of the truck and leaps into the driver’s seat.

Shaking her head, Becky notes, “You make that seem so easy.”

Sean reaches over and envelopes her tiny hand in his much larger one, laughing…”Hey, when yer 6’6″,  big trucks are no problem…it’s those tiny little cars that make life difficult.”

Becky likes the feeling of their hands being joined, but finds herself blushing again.  Then, to her mortification, she feels tears in her eyes and quickly looks away from Sean.

“Uh..Bec…are you alright?  Did I do something wrong?”

Still not looking at Sean, she shakes her head and wipes the tears from her cheeks.  “No, it’s not you…it’s me…I just don’t know how to do this.  I’ve never been good at this.”

Sean gently touches her shoulder, “Good at what, Bec?  I’m not…not sure what you’re talking about.”

 

And then we danced

Do I Hear a Waltz? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Um, yeah, I’d love to dance with you, Sean.”

Sean offers his hand to Becky (just like the gentleman his mama taught him to be) and escorts her to the dance floor.  As they sway together in time with the music, neither of them gives a thought to what a striking couple they are.  Becky, the tiny, five-foot-tall, fair-complected blonde and Sean, the six-foot, six-inch, long, lean handsome young man.  For both of them, their only thoughts are how right this feels, how in tune they are with both the music and one another.  How perfectly they fit together as they glide across the floor, her skirt swirling around his legs as they turn.  They have eyes only for each other, sharing smiles and their passion for dance.

When the music ends, they step apart, hands still joined, eyes still locked, the electricity flowing between.  Still holding her hand, Sean begins to lead her back to her table, neither of them wanting this to end.  As they approach her friends, the band begins to play another country song.  Sean stops walking, a smile on his face.  “Uhh…you don’t happen to waltz, do you?”, he asks.

A huge smile lights up her face.  “Actually, I do.  That’s my favorite dance.”

“Well then…could I…have this dance?”, he asks as he jokingly bows toward her.

Becky responds with a mock curtsey and says, “Indeed you may, kind sir.”

As the music envelopes the young couple, the dance floor becomes their world, and they its only inhabitants.  They are matched perfectly, sharing the rhythm of the music, magic sparking between them.  No dance has ever been more meaningful for either of them.  No moment in time more full of possibilities.

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Dance the night away

Beer bottles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“She won’t be interested in a guy like me…not a girl like that, man.”   Sean gulps the rest of his beer, looking at Kenny, still shaking his head.  He places the empty bottle on the table with a sigh.

“Sean, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.  All a the chicks like ya…why would this one be any different?”

Sean sprawls in his chair, draping his arm over the back of it.  “Kenny, I don’t even know how to explain it.  She’s just different.  A different kind of girl.  And I just can’t see her wantin’ to have anything to do with me.  You know me, you know how I am.  And she’s just…I don’t know…different…”

Kenny picks his beer bottle up off the table and runs his index finger around the water ring.  “I…Sean, I don’t know what to say…you can have any girl you want.  So…I just don’t see where this is comin’ from.  I mean, she’s just a girl.  You haven’t even talked to her yet.  Just…just go over and ask her to dance or somethin’.”  Kenny laughs and says,”Hell, she could be stupid or somethin’…somebody you wouldn’t even want to dance with, much less talk to.”

Sean’s lip curls in a half grin, “Dude, have you even looked at her?  I’m definitely wantin’ to dance with her…and somethin’ too.”  As the two friends share a laugh, Sean glances back toward the girl.  When his chocolate-brown eyes meet her vivid aqua ones, he forgets to breathe.  A slight smile flits over her lips and she looks away.  Sean takes a shaky breath, runs his hand through his thick brown hair, and whispers, “Wow”.

With both elbows on the table, Kenny covers his eyes with one hand, looking down, trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.  “Dude, you got it bad.”

At that time, a couple  stops by to talk with Sean and Kenny.  After talking for a few minutes, the couple makes their way down to the dance floor.  Sean’s gaze is pulled toward the table the blonde is sharing with her friends.  She’s not there!  The dance floor…is she on the dance floor?!  In desperation, Sean tells himself he’s lost his one chance.  His shoulders sag, he drops his head toward his chest.  Then, out of the corner of his eye, he catches a glimpse of pale blue.  He looks up over his shoulder just as the blonde makes her way toward his chair.

When she reaches Sean, she hesitates for just a second and says, “Hello.”  With the briefest of glances over her shoulder, she continues walking away.

 

Dance the dance

Line dancing at a Country Western Dance Hall and Saloon. Italiano: Esempio di Line dance. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He glances across the dance floor, the beer in his hand forgotten as he stares at the trio of girls standing in the doorway.  Without taking his eyes off the girls, he leans over to his buddy and nods toward the girls.  “Do you know her?’, he asks.

His friend looks at the girls, takes a sip of his beer, and replies, “Yeah, I’ve seen the tall one around town.  Can’t remember her name though.”

“What?  No man, the little blonde.  Her.  Ya know her?”

Kenny looks back at the girls, then looks at his pal with a grin.  “Mmm…nah, don’t think I’ve ever seen that one before.  She is kinda cute, though.”

Sean stares at Kenny in disbelief.  “Cute?  Are you crazy?  Cute?  Are we looking at the same chick?  That’s the most gorgeous gal I’ve ever seen…ever!”  Sean shakes his head and mumbles, “Cute.  What the hell are you talkin’ about, cute?”

Kenny laughs and punches Sean on the arm.  “Dude, what’re you waitin’ on then?  You better make a move on her ’cause I’m thinking the guys’ll be lining up to dance with that one.”

At that moment, an older man walks over to the girls’ table and escorts the little blonde to the dance floor.  Sean can’t tear his eyes away from the couple.  As he watches the man slide his hand down her backside, Sean nearly leaps from the table.  He sits back in his chair when he sees the blonde move the guy’s hand back to her waist.

After another turn around the dance floor, the older man slides both hands down the girl’s backside and pulls her into his body.  Sean stands, thinking he’ll go to the floor and rescue the little blonde, when he sees her slip under the older man’s arm and walk away from him.  When Sean slumps back into his chair, Kenny looks at him questioningly.  “What the hell is wrong with you?  She’s just another girl.  Go ask her to dance.”

Sean rubs his face and shakes his head.  “Nah, man, she’s not gonna be interested in a guy like me.”

 

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Dancing like a star

Image via Wikipedia

As I’m watching Dancing With The Stars (yes, Chris, instead of the Cowboys), it brings back some feel good memories of how good dancing makes me feel.  I’ve been struggling with my weight loss efforts and I just realized I need to do something that brings joy to my life, a smile to my face and a little more grace to my step.  Dancing fits the bill.

I’m going to get some dancing in at least three days a week, work on getting in better shape, and then start taking some dance classes after the first of the year.  Now, before you all start in with me, wondering why I don’t just start the dance lessons right now…time, work, time…this isn’t the time of year for me to be starting anything that’s going to require a big time committment.  But getting involved in some dance classes is stepping out of my comfort zone…and I need that! So…New Year’s resolution #1:  dance lessons…

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Dancing with the (not quite) stars

Image via Wikipedia

I love to dance…have always loved to dance.  To watch me, you might question that, but I don’t think how well (or not) you do something necessarily has any bearing on the enjoyment you derive from an activity.  I know I’m not any great shakes on the dance floor, but it still makes me happy to have upbeat music playing and to just move to it.

I’ve watched Dancing With the Stars from season one.  I’ve always imagined myself as one of the “stars”.  You know, coming in not really knowing anything about the different dances, but working hard and improving every week until my partner (Maks…yum) and I would win that world-famous mirror ball trophy!   Of course, I would love to look like those professional dancers in those revealing outfits, but that’s not a huge part of the fantasy (okay…yes, it is..looking like that has always been part of most of my fantasies, but I would settle for just being able to dance like they dance).

I know dancing is great exercise.  When I’ve worked really hard to get in shape, dance was always a huge part of my workout routine.  Dancing improves your cardiovascular fitness, your posture, your energy level, your strength and flexibility.  And it’s a lot of fun. 

I’ve just got to dance.  I may not ever appear on Dancing With the Stars, but I can sure get my groove on  in my kitchen!

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