Skip to main content

Just Dance

Let's face it. There's not too many positive things going on in the world lately. The economy is going down the toilet faster than Caroline's potty attempts. I rarely talk to someone who isn't concerned about the stability of his or her job and fearful to be living paycheck to paycheck or potentially losing benefits. Not to mention, summer is around the corner, along with high gas prices and out-of-pocket vacation expenses. Will there be an end to the madness? When is the bend around the corner?

I join the millions concerned about life right now. I'm your classic worry wort. For each positive thought I have, my brain instantly counters with a concern.

It's sunny out today. What if I get a sunburn?
We were invited to a party this weekend. I have nothing to wear.
My job is paying for me to take a class. What if I fail?
I'm joining a new social club. What if nobody likes me?
You get the idea. My job, my spouse, my parents, my spouse's parents, my kid, my friends, the economy, the news, the environment, the endangered polar bears and the receding ice caps: they are all swirling around in my head in a big ball of worry. I just want it to all be ok. We're all going to be ok, aren't we?

I let the weight of the world fall on my shoulders and my neck is killing me. I try the usual suspects to help me through the pain like yoga, running, chocolate, a funny movie, a good book and then there's wine. Lots of wine. (After Caroline's bed time and only on weekends, of course.)
These work, somewhat, but I've found most days, before work, after work and before family time and during some of the above mentioned activities, I find myself doing the same thing: dancing.

The cure is thumping, repetitive beat, LOUD music. Whether in the car, on the treadmill or in the living room, I love to turn up the volume and break it down. Like Kevin Kline in the movie "In&Out" I can not listen to a great song and keep my body from moving. First, it's one leg, quickly keeping in step with the beat. Then, a shoulder and then the other one. Finally, I let my whole body wriggle. If I'm not driving, I add in some hoochy momma moves, grinding and bumping the air, shaking my hips and "going low" to the ground, or at least as far as I can get without falling over onto my butt. If I am on the treadmill I let my mind take me to a dance club where I'm wearing a Madonna "Holiday" like get up with a crew of dancers behind me. We form a V and I'm in the front. I end in a split.

There are so many great dance songs but lately my favorite is a regular pop-favorite, Lady Gaga's, "Let's Dance":

"Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm. Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm. Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance. Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance."
I don't know what tomorrow brings but I know it's gonna be okay and no matter what, I'm gonna just, j-j-j-just dance.

Comments

phoeberl said…
Dance Workshop was worth it!
March 21, 2009 at 5:05 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TomKat or AndMel?

Over the weekend I had "my hour". Sixty whole minutes at the gym including 30 on the new treadmill and the latest In Style magazine to read while I sweat it out to my itunes. I happily flipped and thumped along, checking out the latest hand bags and arm cuffs until I got to an article about Katie Holmes. I had to flip back and forth several times to admire one of my favorite Hollywood pieces of eye candy. How can she and I have children almost the same age and she can look like that and have run a marathon this year? No matter what we all tell ourselves about celebs, we still envy them or just can't help but stare at their image in a magazine and read all about how they've found themselves via religion, rehab or marriage to Tom Cruise. My favorite part of the article was Katie recalling Suri's birth story. She says something about how supportive Tom was by placing candles and picture frames around the room. That's helpful? If Andy was lighting candles during ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Spoiler Alert!

It's no big shock that I opened my mouth and got myself in trouble earlier this week. This time it was my virtual mouth, and we all know that can be the worst. Saying something stupid, online, is like spreading a highly contagious virus. Speaking of which, with all of my recent coughing and sneezing, I've been really good at spreading a germy virus around. I teach students to be social media savvy, and gosh darn it, I did so as recent as yesterday. I provide them with some rules to protect them from looking like a virtual ass, but low and behold, I fall victim to assiness every once in a while. How am I supposed to know every single rule in life, and particularly online? I'm just a simple human being, with a big mouth, who wants to over share! So, here's what went down, if you didn't get pissy pants over my FB faux pas. I watched the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead on Sunday night. Andy was in the can and I just needed to talk about the episode. I needed t...
2 comments
Read more

LAX

Some people may think that Andy and I are "lax" parents. Our house isn't a free range farm by any means, although just throwing food on the ground, and letting the kids wander around and pick it up when they are hungry, sounds pretty enticing. It's true that we aren't the strictest parents and that, regularly, there is mutiny on the bounty and we are held hostage by little pirate people. The drill sergeant in our house is 3 feet tall and belts outs commands like, "Get me a drink!", "Turn on Netflix!", or "You will not wash my hair!" while wearing only a pullup, squinting her eyes, and pointing an accusatory finger in our direction. Our kids are often in charge. I'm not going to lie to you. The dog may also be in charge from time to time. That's just the way it goes. As more and more of our peers have a third child, we are, unfortunately, asked if we, too, plan to expand. Are these people insane in the membrane? Have they been...
2 comments
Read more