31.7.06

7 more sleeps!

I know all I'm posting about these days is dance related, but with rehearsals, performances and more rehearsals, it's constantly on my mind. I can't wait to just be on the plane, with all of the months of hardwork and preparation behind me. I have no expectations except for the fact that it's going to be an experience.

Some random thoughts:

• I can't believe summer's almost halfway done. One year ago, I was preparing for my trip to the Philippines. So much has happened since then, and that trip seems such a distant memory.
• It was Cassandra Jayne's christening and party on Sunday. It is nice to see all the little kids growing up. I'm also very excited to become an uncle!
  
• I need to pack.
• Life is too short to repeat mistakes.
• I read this in someone's online profile, and it stuck with me:
  Love is not finding the perfect person - its seeing the imperfect person perfectly.

Here's a group shot from our fundraiser, courtesy of Wyness. The black and white makes it so "Bayanihan 72"...:)

24.7.06

2 weeks to go.

It seems all I post about these days is about dancing, and well, it's because I'm so busy with the company right now. Rehearsals at least twice a week, meetings, organizing, casting, re-casting, and shows! This weekend was no exception, with rehearsal on Saturday, followed by a performance on Saturday night, and then two fundraiser shows at the Scotia Dance Centre on Sunday. I'm very proud of how everything turned out -- the energy of the group was high, albeit a bit nervous and frantic for the first show. Things however calmed down into a nice rhythm by the second show, which is hopefully a sign of things to come in Belgium. One thing that I noticed is that I'm not very conditioned right now, especially in this heat. While I know all of the choreography for parts not mine, it's getting harder and harder to keep up with the dancers (gulp) half my age!

Thanks to everyone that came out.

During this busy time, I'm still trying to keep a semblance of a personal and social life. So much goes on in the summer, I'm one of those people that wants to do it all, but there is rarely enough time. More and more though I feel like do need to spend more time to re-charge and be with myself.

I love giving gifts, especially when it's not just for the sake of getting something for someone. The element of surprise and the unexpected for the receiver makes me happy.

One of the reasons why I dance is because the connection that I feel to the piece and the emotion I am able to express. This can be something that the audience relates to and 'gets' or something that can fall flat. But if you are truly honest with what you are expressing, the audience can respect it, no matter if they like it or not. Thus, the highs and lows of performing is not disimilar to the strong emotions I have when I have feelings for someone.

I really need to do a lyrical piece next year, really.

18.7.06

smart cars.

• Pictures taken from the crowd on July 9th. Check them out.
• I saw a Smart car, driver unattended, with its lights on. Isn't it smart enough to turn them off?
• Still not enough time to do everything. What happened to the lazy hazy days of summer?
• I'm going to be an uncle soon -- very excited about that.
• Belgium is approaching fast. If you want tickets to our fundraiser Sunday, hit me up!
• You cannot help who you like. Some people can help what they do about it, but I'm not one of those people. I'll always do what I want to do, even it means throwing normal, rational thought processes out the window.

11.7.06

random thoughts.

• Saw this movie last night. It was better than I thought it would be, worth watching for Meryl Streep's performance, Anne Hathaway's fashion makeover, and all of the real world references to the fashion industry.
• The dance company had a well-received performance at "All Over the Map" at Performance Works in Granville Island. Outdoor performances are fun. It reminded me of why we work so hard. It also reminded me that I need to up my stamina since I have to dance a few more numbers than I would like in Belgium.
• Finally checked out 1181 on Sunday night. Very cool space, love the washrooms. Now I know why some places have cocktails that are 9 to 12 dollars.
• It's less than a month away until Belgium. I'm getting excited!!!

7.7.06

hotspots.

As a resident in Vancouver's "Entertainment" district (I live on Seymour right behind the Roxy), I often wonder how many people actually want to go out on Friday and Saturday night to a club/lounge/drinking establishment on Granville. From the paper plates that once held 99 cent sliced pizza littered all over the road, to the paddy wagons on the side of the road are a familiar site as I make my way home at night, I realize that this is part and parcel of where I live, and at the same time something that I support, which is the development of a nightlife that is second nature and makes up the very fabric of what it is Vancouver. Granville has come along way -- and while places like Sanafir and Republic, while at first glance is a tonne of money spent on decorating a concrete box -- these places all contribute to the growing desire of Vancouverites to have fabulous, cool little spaces that are cool all the time, instead of fizzling out until the next "in" place comes around.

On Tuesday night, for Ed's birthday we checked out Republic on Granville and Marmalade, near Beach Avenue and the new fabulous Nu. For us Vancouverites to have a right to complain about places to go, first we need to support the business that are trying to build a cool scene here in Vancouver. I mean at Marmalade, we were sitting on the patio, listening to cool tunes, with great service by the owner, sipping interesting libations all while looking onto the water as the sun set on Vancouver. Come on people, no matter what people say, Toronto or any other place in Canada can't compete!

5.7.06

wedding weekend.

I remember when I was in Grade 8, I used to feel that time would stand still, that it would take forever until I would get to summer vacation, and the start of a new grade. Now it seems like the future can't stand wait, and life is in constant motion, sometimes moving too fast. My brother is now married and him and his wife are expecting their first child, some of my friends are on their second and third child, and the last of the bachelors and bachelorettes are getting married.

This weekend, Martin and Christine tied the knot. A surprise to most, it kind of goes to my theory -- that when you've met the one, everything falls into place and what might seem a short period of time, in fact is not because for most individuals, they've been looking for "the one" their entire lives. It was a beautiful wedding on one of the most beautiful of days at the Vancouver Club. My favourite part of any wedding is the speeches, and the highlight for me was Martin's of course. He has always been someone who speaks with such thoughtfulness and intelligence that it was no surprise to anyone that his words, filled with honesty and sincere emotion, brought the house down.

Congratulations Martin and Christine!