graceful dancing

But in reality, I make goofy faces and have such an awkward and disjointed spastisity going on, that you’d feel quite sorry for me and perhaps reach to dial 911, but realize that I’m ok, just stare in abject disbelief that one could look so wrong but feel so right. It’s not quite this bad, but close.

Elaine dancing

Someone else apparently has this same problem. They asked yahoo to help. I always have ‘felt the song’ inside. I’m very musically inclined. And I was once complemented on the amazing arches of my feet. “They were MADE for ballet.” Really? I would so love to prove that true. See example of supreme arch below. Ignore lack of pedicure.

Are you impressed? Well, I really don’t know how impressive it is. I was inspired to write this post on dancing because I felt like twirling today and got a laugh. It was fun. There was an empty space, I felt glee, and I twirled.

At least I didn’t trip. Did I mention I’m clumsy? Yeah. This is the girl who had an imprint from the spout of a soda can, on her forehead. I hurt myself in the weirdest ways, always accidentally.

You ever have bruising you can’t explain? I do. I don’t even remember hitting something. But that’s ok. They heal. Eventually.

]]> http://leighroyals.com/2011/11/07/i-have-rhythm-but-i-dont-have-grace/feed/ 3 http://leighroyals.com/2011/11/01/incongruity-in-action/ http://leighroyals.com/2011/11/01/incongruity-in-action/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:47:46 +0000 Leigh http://leighroyals.com/?p=272 I want to illustrate the futility of certain things. There is a course in which the assignment far differs from the subject being studied. To protect myself, I will use an analogy with a different subject. But trust me, the example will give justice to the true event. Let’s say you are studying literature. That is appropriate for an author’s blog. And in doing so you are on a section about the history of literature. Long way back to the beginning of literacy, you are required to answer questions related to the topic at hand. But instead of discussing man’s enlightenment, you have a four part question about ink. How was it created and made and what were it’s possible uses. What is its impact on literature and is it relevant today. Is there an ink factory I’m modern times? Granted,this example almost makes sense but the real event was further removed from logic. The real question was more historical and had nothing to do with the subject. So I have to make an educated and creative guess that it iS possible that the ink was first created from mineral extract decocted after the person with the strongest teeth I’m the village chewed up rocks and spit them out. Of course a few days of that would see him losing his title. I was so frustrated last night when working on the assignment. It seemed quite ludicrous to discuss something that might normally fascinate me. I do like history. But it was NOT a history class. The questions weren’t even the history of that subject. It was more like this literature thing happened at this time. Now write a treatise on something else nonliterary related that was also in this time. The assignment was completed and I finally got to bed around 1am. Bit I gotta tell you,I am one very tired history student. What chapped your hide lately?

We must approach writing like this too, but to do it without losing our voice. Otherwise, you’re writing too close to formula. What I mean by that is to listen and heed the advise of the industry’s professionals, but be true to yourself. If your voice doesn’t meet with current trends, just wait; I truly believe that your turn will come.

Now I’m off to absorb more information so that I can be the best team member I can be. Yay me.

The problem with self imposed deadlines is that the self that imposed them can flake on it without consequences, except for guilt. Well, and loss of, or impaired, credibility to any who wanted to see you succeed to that goal.

And as I sit here coming up with one excuse after another, I realize that I shouldn’t be aiming for a finish line. I want to reach a goal, sure, but I don’t want to end this journey. That would be sad.
But it is a point to ponder when one has a goal. It sometimes seems that…that place is just out of reach. It can be discouraging. But then you have to ask yourself, “Do I really want this?” And without thinking, if you don’t answer yes, what on Earth are you doing?

I answered with a resounding yes. Emphatically Yes. YES YES YES. And then, when I get in the groove and head toward this goal, I feel full of vim and vigor (the second time today I’ve used that phrase…), and I get all this momentum. Then… I fizzle out. I know I want this, but what happens? I wish I knew. Sometimes life gets in the way.
So put on your britches and face life. Live it. Embrace it!
And write that book! (or do whatever it is you want to do!)

Well, I’m not sure. But it seems to have started, or at least stemmed from Godspell. For the life of me, I can’t remember how I got on that. But I was probably singing in my head this song:

It’s a good musical. A little odd at times. But entertaining. I like the very modern telling/showing (ah! Writer-speak!) of events in the New Testament’s Matthew. Do you see some recognizable faces? Well, two, for me. Victor Garber and Lynne Thigpen. Victor Garber has been in countless roles. So has Ms. Thigpen. But I first was acquainted with her in Carmen SanDiego.

 She played the Chief.  But, alas, she, like many of the other actors from Godspell, are dead. Lots of lost talent.
Now, as aluded to, I was thinking of that show now. And the music. The Theme song:

I love having songs stuck in my head. Sometimes. But that one is a fun one. And I sang it for days. I was working 12 hours shifts and by day 4, was a bit delirious. So it came as little surprise that another coworker began her earworm. She lamented getting it out of her head. I was all too happy to oblige. She hasn’t thanked me yet….

According to her blog, she’s Staycationing. In this economy, it’s easier to do this than big cross country travels. It’s a beautiful state. 
But you want to hear about the sights? As a history lover, I think I’d be partial to the museums and tours. With its rich native american history, Mille Lacs is right up my alley.  Don’t they look so happy? 

IF you liked the movie Signs, and you like the real thing, except this isn’t from aliens, it’s from the earlier indians, you’ll love the Petroglyphs

And where there are lakes, there are light houses. One of my upcoming books features a lighthouse. (A new england state.)

So, tell me more about where you’re from!

Anyway, back to the point. We start from nothing. No talent, no skill. Then a seed is planted and we grow. We practice and we learn. We practice more, and we excel. Could I play a few notes on the clarinet when I first got it? Yeah. But it wasn’t anything you’d want to hear. It would make my dogs ‘sing.’ But I practiced and played and worked my way up to the lead clarinet and Lieutenant in marching band. We were top of our class and division. That photo is from a competition we did at Georgia Tech. We kicked Brass! So, apply this same concept to my writing. I’ve always written. I wrote my first song lyric in third grade. It was called ‘Hello, Country” and was an impassioned plea to clean up this place. (Seriously, that was the lyric.) I enjoyed creating my own little fairy tales. Then, as I alluded to in my welcome page, I wrote a story, a poem really, that was published. I was on cloud nine! I never tired of wanting to get my thoughts out and have it ready for consumption. Of course, in high school, I had morbid and grandiose thoughts of those like Sylvia Plathe or Virginia Wolfe, but thank God I snapped out of that to more lighthearted fiction where love conquers all.
Now, you may ask, what does the title have to do with any of this? Well, as I said, you have to start somewhere. You either stay where you are, or you grow. Simple as that. But the key is you must work at it. Even those who seem to have overnight success put some effort into it.

It was nice to get out yesterday and spend some fun time away from everything. The kids and I needed that. We were able to play and play without being among sand, sharks or seaweed. No jellyfish either. There was a crowd, but that’s ok. Even in the wave pool where you were bound to get bumped into by another inner tube, we made our way and rode some waves. Or my children did. I held onto their inner tubes while the waves raised then lowered them. I am thinking of it as my unofficial exercise for the day. I have to because my pectorals, biceps and deltoids and some in my back hurt. To add insult to injury, my porcelain skin is pink. Despite the liberal use of sunscreen. Three times. The sting didn’t really get to me until today. Thank goodness for aloe. I wanted to add, this photo is actually from last year, in an indoor pool. But I wore the same ‘mommy’ one piece yesterday.

And as for the sleepy, my brain won’t turn off so I can rest. And I have to get up early in the morning. *sigh*

To top that off, these same two kids hear that I’m up and keep getting up too. We must ALL go to bed. Night night.

Muita obrigada, Brasil.

I love Brasil. I would love to visit one day. I want to be the girl from Ipanema and play capoeira. 

I still have my abadas and cordao. I could tune up my berimbau. E que es berimbau? A cabaza, arame, e Pedaço de Pão.

I loved this art and this country so much that I will eventually write a story about a capoeirista and her Mestre. It is tentatively called The Heart of Balance.

So, where are you from, really, random visitors? Let me know, and I’ll write a post about your location.

During my shift today, I had the opportunity to take a personality quiz. It was a bit more insightful than those online social media apps in which your random answers generate an even more random result. I’ll share mine more in a moment.

When I read my outcome and saw in stark black and white my strengths, weaknesses, motivations and fears, I was pleased. I knew that it was 98% right on. But then I thought about some evening magazine show I watched years ago that had similar testing on subjects who were skeptics regarding horoscopes. The testers gave the testees a phoney personality self assessment of likes, dislikes, et cetera, and then gave each member of the testing group a result. Almost all info given was quite positive. Each participant seemed pleased with the results and proclaimed something to the effect that it must be true. But the veil was lifted and the horoscope results were revealed to not be their own but those of some multinamed serial killer. Chilling. This relates to my thought because I was so pleased and saw myself in the list I was given today, but for only a second did I consider if the other possible outcomes could be equally beneficent.

As my analytical and mayhaps paranoid mind worked this little puzzle that wasn’t, I read each possible profile outcome, and while there were good and bad, pro and con for each, none really seemed to fit me. So, my little serial killer theory was nil. Whew! On paper, I’m a pretty decent gal. I have flaws, but we all do. Overall, and I must boast, I have a GREAT personality.

This exercise was given out by a leader of that unit on which I toiled today in order to better staff for maximum proficiency and a more positive dynamic. That sounded so good in theory, I’m trying to figure out a way to incorporate it into my scenes.

I can’t even think about it just yet, because I first need to share my results…the way the answers were derived seemed childish. Two columns of preferences list, side by side certain aspects you either agree with or don’t. Different letters are next to each: B,G,Y or R. These represent a color. You select either the left or right option for each row and then add up your letters. It turns out my Dominant personality is represented by Y, or Yellow. I have a blend of B/G. These are not representing your aura, although that would be interesting too. It’s just a key to the personality profiles. Here is what yellow means: My strengths apparently, are being people oriented (because yeah, sure, I’m sooo shy.) I’m flexible, and love to talk. Check, check and double check. It states my weaknesses include time problems, lacks enough facts, doesn’t listen. Well, I agree with the time management thing….and I do listen. I just have ADD so I might space out before you get to your… It indicates a fear is social disapproval. Well, maybe. I don’t want to care what others think, and for many things, I have enough confidence in myself to not, but for other things, well, approval is nice. The B/G mix indicates some of my gestures, I guess. Direct gaze, relaxed stance, gestures used sparingly. As if! I use my hands so much when I talk, that I have hurt myself. (Grace is not my middle name, Mom always said.) It further adds that I lean back, eyebrows raised, with controlled gestures. The first set was blue; second, green. So, this part was less accurate. I am very demonstrative, in facial expressions (much to my detriment. No, I promise I’m NOT thinking anything/mad/sad) and in my physical body language.

Oh goodness, there’s more pages! So then it goes to further evaluate me. Or what this test says is me.
“Yellow/blues have natural ability in all aspects of the job.” Well, ok. “They sell ideas or services with emotions and word pictures.” That might be my favorite part. (It’s says I’m a writer! Then dang! I must be.) “They are well organized and have a competitive spirit.” Meh. “They get along with most everyone and welcome change.” I guess. And to be more effective I should conciiously deal with high energy and my need to change to control. (It’s MY blog, darnit.) They need a variety of tasks and help with more routine tasks. Hellooooo. ADD

Then, because this test skewed me into a Y/G mix too, I have more almost right descriptions. I feel like I made enough of a point to stop there. Another page describes my yellow dominant. But I, again, digress.

The point is how could I apply this to writing? I really could. You see, on the first page it describes some gestures based on personality. And there are descriptions of a variety of talents, fears, etc. I could so do a character outline just from this exercise!

So, long story short… too late?…How do you get into the nooks and crannies of your character? Add those fine tuning aspects that make them leap from the page. This is one tool that certainly can help. Me anyway…