Funniest Video ever

Wow. The whole world needs to watch this!



(I don't want to use my blog for video sharing, but I was laughing HARD all by myself)

Everyone Has A Story

In an effort to keep up with my positive outlook on life as an escape from the bleak feelings and bitching tendencies due to my broken bank, I usually pop into the Dance! class at Equinox after the class I teach. I'm the youngest person by far in that class, and to the outside world, probably seem more fit to be mowing the lawns of the people in attendance. But through the simplicity of music, movement and of course, sweat, the outside world fades away and we are all on an even playing field. Even Charlotte, who is at least 72 and dances like she's 22.

Today was extra special, as a long-time friend of our Group Fitness Manager and Recruiter was in town. Her name is Judine (Richard) Somerville, whose most recent and famed work is noted in her completion of the entire run of Hairspray on Broadway (with 4 other shows and Rockette status to boot). I am making special note of her class today, because the energy and atmosphere created in the studio was incredibly inspiring and uplifting. Judine has the ability to focus her extremely positive energy into each and every person in the studio so much that when asked to move across the floor one-by-one (something this group never does. One woman admitted that she likes "fading into the background"), they kicked their legs high and strutted to the music and cheers from the other members. That's right - cheers.

Judine reminded us that everything happens for a reason inside and outside of the studio - using the way each persons' individual expressions came out through dance. She taught the beginning of "Nicest Kids in Town" to the class - even the moment where the whole group comes together for a "photo op."
While all posed together like high school students in a play, Charlotte (who had been placed in the center) turned and said, "Where's the camera? This is beautiful." Then grabbed my hand and said, "I'm so glad you're here."

I entitled this post "Everyone Has A Story" because not only was I anxious to know Judine's, but it appeared as if somehow she had ours figured out by the end of the hour. And as we left the studio, we somehow knew each other a bit better and walked a little taller. For me, though, I found myself pondering who Charlotte really is and wondering why this 70-something who keeps up with a 20-something may become a new character in a story I've yet to write.

How Expensive Is It Really?

In light of a brainstorming session with a good new friend of mine here, I was helped to fashion a new weekly series in my blog entitled "How Expensive Is It Really?" We were really just winding down after working a show and laughing about the episode of Friends where Monica and Phoebe took home wedding dresses because Monica didn't want to take Emily's off when she went to go pick it up for her.

My friend and I decided that we should just go try on wedding dresses, too.

With that suggestion, I responded, "In nice places! We might even get complimentary wine!" We then wondered about other free things we could possibly receive on our day out as brides-to-be, when it dawned on us both that this could be done for a variety of things.

In our search to entertain ourselves during days off, we've been scouring the internet for free days at various museums, and finding hook-ups for everything in between VIP entrances and free dance classes.

Not that this is in any way related to the current economic status of our country...but if you have an event (wine tasting? sushi party? Friday night date?) you'd like me to go in-depth researching to find out How Expensive Is It Really, go ahead and leave a comment. I'd love to help you out!

(P.S -my new favorite product this week that makes me feel back to 120%after my runner's high has died down is Muscle Milk Light. It has a great blend of vitamins, and depending on the flavor, at least 15 grams of protein to shoot right back into your bloodstream. I would save the couple dollars and buy it from the grocery store or pharmacy instead of a certain GNC.)

Running a Marathon

Knowing that I need to get my first blog of the week completed by yesterday has forced me to sit down and blindly enter the realm of a racing brain ==== fingers computing words.

Speaking of racing, I am now in my third official week of training for the Chicago Marathon (another event which I also blindly stumbled into). I have always been a runner, and it's no secret that I've got a lot of energy bottled up inside my 5'3'' frame, but when conversation turns to that topic with outsiders, I get one of two reactions:

#1.) Oh you are?! That's so great - I ran in it last year and the year before. It's such a fun, rewarding experience. Where are you at in your training? What's your long run now?

or

#2.) Stephanie, you know that is 26.2 miles, right?

For Reaction #2, I usually just smile and say, "Yes, I know. But on my long run days I already do 12 miles. So what's 12 more miles...and then 2 more miles? You know?" And they will continue to chuckle at me and shake their heads while averting their eyes out the window or something.

For Reaction #1, a small conversation is then usually continued where we talk about our motivations or I ask questions about past running experience. Sometimes, an area running group is mentioned for weekend long runs, or the person will offer their number so we can buddy up and help each other reach our goals. I attribute Reaction #1 people to real baseball fans. Real baseball fans will talk the sport any time, any team, and any player. Real runners must be like that. For both, the mere mention of either words "marathon" or "baseball" conjure up nostalgic or positive feelings that make the person excited to share.

Reaction #1 people will often mention a few things that highly motivate them. We all know that this past fall, Ryan Reynolds ran the Chicago and NYC Marathons as a part of Michael J Fox's organization as well as to honor his father who was lost to Parkinson's Disease. Not only did he run for a cause, he ran because "my competition is the most formidable foe of all; ME. The person I have to beat is the guy I was last week. The person I was yesterday."

Aside from celebrities and their causes, one other blogger/runner made a very nice column noting 26.2 reasons why she ran a marathon. Among some very good reasons (and aside from vanity reasons like the people at the beach will be jealous of your toned legs), my favorites were: Learning to Love and Respect Your Body, Time to zone out and listen to music, Bond with other runners, Add structure to your life, and being able to say "You did it."

So...why am I going to run a marathon (and hopefully others to follow)?

1.) I already accumulate quite a lot of miles per week as running has already become my out from the rest of the world (and the most primal form of cardio I can get).

2.) I need a new goal to reach for.

3.) The moment I made up my mind to officially start training was the moment I made up my mind to completely overcome an eating disorder that has plagued my mental space since I was a junior in high school. Training for this marathon and knowing that I now have some other goal to reach for has helped me to add structure to my life. I'm no longer running with the sole purpose of burning calories - I'm running so that I too, will be able to say "I did it."

4.) I want a picture of me crossing a finish line.

5.) I want to make my parents, sister, and close friends proud. I want them to know that next year, on October 11 2009, their little Stephanie will be running the longest run ever. It will be a run to commemorate her first full year out of school and in a city all by herself, a run that has helped her overcome the challenges the past year brought on, and a run that celebrates her passion and commitment to not just goal setting - but life. In the words that will commemorate this past year, "Yes I can."

Top 5 songs to dance to while alone in your room

Procrastinating a new project? Dreading your 5:00pm shift at work? Thinking about eating another bowl of cereal instead of getting out and doing something? Just don't want to face life? Here are some momentary cures for those moments...

Right Round, the cover by Flo Rida.

FLO RIDA - RIGHT ROUND 2009 NEW HOT HQ
Uploaded by Alissam91

I usually hate covers of beloved retro songs. But Flo Rida (um, I hate typing that) gets a hot beat going in there with some hotter female vox by Kesha that make me bring in some Fosse foot isolations that flow right into head-spinning, hair-flipping, arm-throwing goodness.


Rock It Man, by Ghosthouse (read review on their live show here)

The hook gives way to a fun slide step, followed by a series of robot poses on the lyrics "5, 4, 3, 2, 1." You can have fun in your own space age fantasy before heading out the door for a night on the town, or use this track to kick off a night in. After perfecting your robotic poses, you might want to let some friends in on this local Chi group's fun song. Warning: This song is an ear-worm and will get stuck in your head. Not that that's a bad thing.

Shake It, by Metro Station

Artist Site

More Videos

This is a total guilty pleasure, and I almost regret admitting that yes, I will jump around my entire apartment to this song. If it comes on while I'm at a bar and you're standing next to me, I will grab your hand and you will jump with me too. Not to mention when the mastermix of this song (provided by Ronnie Maze) comes on in any of my fitness classes, I sing along as people's lower bodies tremble on top of BOSUs.


Closer, by Nine Inch Nails

Ever want to imitate Jamie Lee Curtis in True Lies as she strip teases/bed pole dances for Arnold Schwarzenegger? Let the lyrics and the sick nasty groove of this song take over your body. It may be a little shocking, but remember, these are songs when you need to let loose alone in your room. No one will hear you singing along to "I wanna f*ck you like an animal" unless you have nosy neighbors. Or cool neighbors that had no idea you too liked NIN.


Proud Mary, the Tina Turner version

Tina Turner • Proud Mary • 1970
Uploaded by gippo

I hadn't realized the crazy potential this song ensues until someone screamed it out at a LiveBand Karaoke outing a couple of weeks ago. It starts out nice and easy, giving you a chance to fool yourself (and if you're in public, your friends) that you might be a cool, suave dancer. Then the drums kick in and you can't help but go crazy. Just like "Shake It," there will be endless jumping up and down as well as fast foot work. Put the back-up singers' "doo doo doo doos" into your hips and you're all set. If you choose to let this one out in public, just be careful not to run into the man who's walking behind you. Also, invite your friends to join you in a chain similar to a conga line all the way around the venue. I promise the laughter brought on by the endorphines will last until tomorrow morning. You might get sweaty, but isn't that why we dance?


Happy dancing!

(P.S. this is what I'm groovin to right now

Samuel L Jackson - Ghost House )

Words of Wisdom

I wandered through Wicker Park yesterday in search of Valentine's Day goodies, and found myself in the middle of a used bookstore. Suddenly it dawned on me that even though it had been a year since I began her class, I had yet to read my last creative writing teacher's best selling book. Sure enough, Myopic Books had The Madonna's of Leningrad, by Debra Dean.



I think about Professor Dean every time I sit down to write. Her class changed my life and helped me to approach writing from several different perspectives as well as a place closer to my heart. While winding down after my classes and running this morning, I came across her publisher's home page where the stories behind her most recent book of short stories, Confessions of a Falling Woman, were posted. Here is an excerpt from the last paragraph of her explanations.

"I went to the graduation last night of a goddaughter whose life Cliff and I have been privileged to share for nearly eighteen years. She is off to college in Ohio, we are off to Miami, and her parents are also moving to another state, so this may well have been the last of many evenings spent talking and laughing around a table together. A life rich with friends and family and interesting work is also, perforce, a life filled with losses. Even the most comic moments are recalled with a catch in the throat. If you are a writer, you save it all."

Thank you, Debra Dean. Thank you for encouraging me. Thank you for nurturing all of us in your classes. And thank you for recognizing the pain behind the need to express.

The Inconvenience (artistic syndicate)

Bohemia: A fallacy in our heads? In underground Chicago, Bohemia is not dead.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a night themed "Down and Out in Chicago" at loft dubbed The Inconvenience, which is run by the dedicated and artistic dwellers of the space. I'd attended one other showcase-like night right before Christmas this year, and was excited to find myself immersed in what society on the outside might call a throwback to the true Bohemian lifestyle of the '90s. "I can feel the love" was a common phrase uttered by the attendees that night.

"Down and Out in Chicago" opened with a welcoming speech by Inconvenience dweller Walter (and another roommate whose name I've yet to learn) and followed by a comedic essay delivered by a woman approaching her late 20s. Her words, though funny, offered a poignant yet comforting perspective to the crowd of young artists encircling the small thrust stage. "The new Depression may do us some good....because I know that when my friends offer themselves in any way to my day or my life in between their three jobs, they really mean it." I wish I could remember her name because she writes and speaks in such a manner that is both grossly hilarious and soulfully uplifting.

The show continued as the "audience" followed a floating house down the loft toward a stage at the back of the space, where a band consisting of two guitars and a singer was set up.

Progressive Theatre may be a term for this kind of night, as the audience and artists are always moving throughout the space, relocating from stage to stage to a chair in between. It may sound a little chaotic, but there is a stage manager, a set list, and a time limit that the producers take care in trying to abide.

Standouts from the night included acoustic music from the rhythmically aggressive Ryan Murphy, whose lyrics appear to take a sarcastic look at life and love while staying true to the feelings that lie underneath. His song "I'll Sleep When I Die" is danceable yet the title alone offers itself to a more poetic point of view on this singer/songwriter's outlook on life.

Another almost impromptu standout was the harmonica styling offered by Andrew Taylor, who belted out the blues in between sweet rocking licks. There were moments when his groove hit so hard that the members of the audience couldn't resist to offer accompanying percussion in the form of foot stomping and hand claps. His lyrics about losing a love who didn't even know his name fell secondary to his soulful outburst in the harmonica solo. This kid could play forever, inviting us all to some part of his heart along his own musical journey in and out of a simple metallic device. Who knew a white kid who could scream the blues while circling his hips in time to a slow blues jam would be one of the sexiest moments in a night full of sexy people.

When one gets tired of focusing on a musical act or spoken word on one of the stages, there is plenty of visual art displayed along all of the walls for enjoyment. I'm still unsure as to whether or not this artwork can be purchased, but given the environment of which it is displayed, the artist can be found and and arrangement made.

I would take care to remember who is showcasing their talents at these nights, which are rumored to now happen every second Sunday of every month, with more information on an under construction website. The music heard, paintings displayed and words written are those that while in the experimental phase now, may just be found at the top of our new, booming artistic Rennaissance in the middle of the Second Great Depression.

Teachers Learning From Students

The women I come into contact with every Thursday afternoon at Flirty Girl Fitness never cease to inspire me with their work ethic, positive attitudes, and expounding energy. We kick the day off with Cardio Dance, which I've changed my format around a little bit so it's more interactive and I'm able to incorporate more dance moves that the members want to be learning/executing. For instance, I have a bride-to-be (Feb 21) in my class that wants more moves for the dance floor at her bachelorette party. Where else to learn them while she's getting her weekly cardio fix? And the rest of us being curious and wedding-loving women want to learn those moves too. So last week I dubbed "Throw-down" week, while this week I created a fool-proof bachelorette playlist showdown.

The rest of the Thursday crew comes in an hour later for Body Blast, where more laughter and catching up is made before they start complaining (with smiles on their faces) that we've just done too many shoulder press reps.

One of the best things I take away from the 2 hours there is the knowledge that women of all different age groups and at different stages of life are capable of hanging out and being nice to one another. While the bride-to-be has a goal of just toning up and feeling better in her wedding dress, the massage therapist is looking for a way to make weight-lifting fun.

I think I've learned the lesson before that a group who sweats together, gets together. Memories of too many hours dancing in rehearsal for Grease or Footloose come back and I remember the bonds instantly created within the cast as we gulped water and nursed each other through muscle tears and headaches. It's a very cool feeling now for me to realize I have that same sort of atmosphere in a not too entirely different way. Rehearsals for Grease got us ready for the big show. Working out gets us ready for this never-ending show that I'm learning is called life.


(p.s. - yesterday I invested in a French Press to replace my broken $10 coffee pot and I'm in love. I know I can't just turn on the coffee pot and take a shower while I wait for the drip...but I can sit back and enjoy the taste as my favorite, freshly ground blend enters my blood stream.)

6 Accomplishments for 6 Months

As of yesterday, I have lived in Chicago for 6 months. Though I feel a little disappointed in myself, and I'm more broke than I have ever been, I am taking a good friend's advice and counting my accomplishments thus far.

#1 - Equinox Group Fitness Instructor (step aerobics, Evolution, cardio junkie/cardio blitz). Still not teaching enough permanent classes to receive health insurance, but covering for enough instructors to have the members requesting my name on their schedules more often.

#2 - Wicked audition

#3 - Jersey Boys singers call followed by the next day dance call.

#4 - Performing at Double Door

#5 - Getting into the Midnight Shows and lining up gigs

#6 - I don't know. I can't think of a #6. Possibly the fact that I'm still alive? I didn't move away to New York when things got hard? I'm almost done combing through my musical for the last time?


Six Things I want to have accomplished:

#1 - Have lined up a theatre company or space in which to produce Something New: A Musical Dramedy

#2 - Play gigs more than once every other month.

#3 - Pay off my credit card

#4 - Get cast in a show (I will not refer to myself as The Callback Girl ANYMORE)

#5 - Finish recording an EP with Adam

#6 - Get cast in another show