in the garden

Ok so that last blog was a major downer I know! Today is better, mom is sitting in her wheelchair in the garden, looking at pictures in the newspaper, singing along w/ Riley, while Riley sings boogey woogey boog! I'm typing on a borrowed lap top, wearing fairy wings...I cannot think of a costume for MYthical Creatures! I know I must have wings...I know I must wear something...I have ears...hmmm...practicing is more important maybe I should just go and dance.
: ) E

things I probably shouldn't blog about

It seems ridiculous to state the obvious and say life is unpredictable, but well, it is. 10 days ago my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and we were told she needed hospice care. I had one day to clean out my studio to make room for her hospital bed and equipment. I canceled 3 shows last week, Gigi taught my Monday class.
I feel like the layers between my outer and inner self are so thin right now and because of it I cry at the drop of a hat. Some days are really good, my mom seems almost normal can walk and do things, and I think maybe they were wrong! But the last two days she's been sleeping almost all the time, she's hardly eaten and she speaks very softly.
I also just don't have a lot of patience for anything else that goes wrong. I'm grateful I have some really good friends who will protect me and take care of me or things I should be doing, like Heidi & Ayse & Sada. My husband Robert, my kids are the BEST kids in the world, my daughter in law. My dog is with me all the time. Love is good, I know this is a gift to witness this for someone. I know all the other work I have to do will fall together. I'm grateful that Tonantzin will understudy me in Mythical Creatures in case I can't dance. That Donavon calls me sometimes and says funny things. I'm also grateful when I'm shown how insensitive and selfish some people can be, I feel sorry for them and know I don't need or want them in my life any more and it's ok.
No one reads my blog so it doesn't matter if I say this anyway!

I have done it again!!!

Someone kick me! Please!!! I think I have gone and overbooked myself! I have a problem...stuff just comes to me...and you wouldn't even believe the number of inquiries I haven't answered because I'm so swamped! It's good actually I love it! I love work! I love creative work. But I believe it's time for me to learn how to book downtime! Ok I am going to Washington on Thursday...I have NO bookings there...only time to spend kissing babies and walking in the woods, having tea and visiting...good start I'd say.

ok I found this picture of me, I forgot I had it. I like it. It was taken by my friend Richard...I am not fat in this picture that makes it even better...I know kick me again...

I put this everywhere else...I might as well put it here too!

well here's where I'll be....

January 29-February 2 I'll be in Olympia Washington
...want a lesson? In dance that is! or to meet for a buscuit and tea?

February 17- Club Cleopatra
8644 W. Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

February 20-Froggy's showcase in Topanga Canyon
7:00 PM
Froggy's Topanga Fresh Fish Market Restaurant & Bar
1105 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Topanga Canyon 90290

Also with Performances by:
Om Sisters
Politti
She'enedra
2 Hip Tribal
Sherri Wheatly
Subee Djinn
& Karma will MC

February 22- Bellydance Kaleidoscope
3673 E. Highland Ave
Highland, CA 92346
doors open at 6pm
www.bellydancekaleidoscope.com/

February 27- Dar Maghreb
Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood
www.mesmera.com/calendar.html

March 7- Gothla, Mythical Creatures sneak preview
11:20 am
Cal Poly Pomona
www.gothla.com/faq.html

March 14- Agoura Hills Calabasas Community Center
Annual St. Patrick's day party
27040 Malibu HIlls Rd
Calabasas, CA 91301
818-880-2993
12noon
performances by
She'enedra
Nataraja
Tandava
TWNN & some solos too!

March 28- Mythical Creatures-LA
Fantasy bellydance fundraiser for Breast Treatment Task Force
2pm & 6:30pm
5122 Tujunga Ave.
North Hollywood
pre-sale tickets $15
www.sacredcirclsproductions.com/
see our blog for up to the minute details

It's a good day to be American!!!

I was born in the Netherlands and am a naturalized American citizen...I was raised really proud to be American, my father was very very patriotic. When he fought in WWII he was very impressed by the American soldiers and the way that America treated it's soldiers. He met many when he was held in a Japanese prison camp and worked on the Burma railroad. Eventually our family immigrated to the United States and after our 5 years of residency we wasted no time in being naturalized. For many years I was not very happy about our country and the way we've behaved, I even have toyed with the idea of reclaiming my Dutch citizenship. And I was really afraid that I would have to do it if McCain won...but we all know he did not!

Today I really really have hope! I loved President Obama's speech! It was absolutely perfect...
there will be many great quotes from it but I think today this is my favorite...

"Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more."

here is a picture from the day I was naturalized that ran in the Orange County register...I'm the little one in the front holding my papers in front of my face!

My parents are in there too of course! My dad is the tall man in the middle towering over everyone!

Due to lack of time...

I will be posting another thing I've collected out there somewhere...soon I will be posting something original...really... but for now this HOliday wish...

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit my best wishes for
an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress,
non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice
holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious
persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the
religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their
choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all;"

PLUS

"a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically
uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted
calendar year, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice
of other cultures, and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age,
physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or
sexual orientation of the wisher."


(Disclaimer: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms.
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely
transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no
promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for
her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is
revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted
to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for
a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday
greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement
of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the
wisher who assumes no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress
these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit.)

This is very very sad...and unbelieveable the workers who's tax money is bailing the auto industry out will have to be the ones to pay! I'm enraged!

Senate to Middle Class: Drop Dead

Friday, December 12th, 2008

Friends,

They could have given the loan on the condition that the automakers start building only cars and mass transit that reduce our dependency on oil.

They could have given the loan on the condition that the automakers build cars that reduce global warming.

They could have given the loan on the condition that the automakers withdraw their many lawsuits against state governments in their attempts to not comply with our environmental laws.

They could have given the loan on the condition that the management team which drove these once-great manufacturers into the ground resign and be replaced with a team who understands the transportation needs of the 21st century.

Yes, they could have given the loan for any of these reasons because, in the end, to lose our manufacturing infrastructure and throw 3 million people out of work would be a catastrophe.

But instead, the Senate said, we'll give you the loan only if the factory workers take a $20 an hour cut in wages, pension and health care. That's right. After giving BILLIONS to Wall Street hucksters and criminal investment bankers -- billions with no strings attached and, as we have since learned, no oversight whatsoever -- the Senate decided it is more important to break a union, more important to throw middle class wage earners into the ranks of the working poor than to prevent the total collapse of industrial America.

We have a little more than a month to go of this madness. As I sit here in Michigan today, tens of thousands of hard working, honest, decent Americans do not believe they can make it to January 20th. The malaise here is astounding. Why must they suffer because of the mistakes of every CEO from Roger Smith to Rick Wagoner? Make management and the boards of directors and the shareholders pay for this.

Of course that is heresy to the 31 Republicans who decided to blame the poor, miserable autoworkers for this mess. And our wonderful media complied with their spin on the morning news shows: "UAW Refuses to Give Concessions Killing Auto Bailout Bill." In fact the UAW has given concession after concession, reduced their benefits, agreed to get rid of the Jobs Bank and agreed to make it harder for their retirees to live from week to week. Yes! That's what we need to do! It's the Jobs Bank and the old people who have led the nation to economic ruin!

But even doing all that wasn't enough to satisfy the bastard Republicans. These Senate vampires wanted blood. Blue collar blood. You see, they weren't opposed to the bailout because they believed in the free market or capitalism. No, they were opposed to the bailout because they're opposed to workers making a decent wage. In their rage, they were driven to destroy the backbone of this country, not because the UAW hadn't given back enough, but because the UAW hadn't given up.

It appears that the sitting President has been looking for a way to end his reign by one magnanimous act, just like a warlord on his feast day. He will put his finger in the dyke, and the fragile mess of an auto industry will eke through the next few months.

That will give the Senate enough time to demand that the bankers and investment sharks who've already swiped nearly half of the $700 billion gift a chance to make the offer of cutting their pay.

Fat chance.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com