Moving

When in doubt, dance it out.

I'm so grateful for dance as a means of expression. I have had a lot on my mind the last few months, and I've discovered that one of the greatest comforts for any mental turmoil is movement. If I'm feeling stressed, broken, confused, or frustrated... all I have to do is improv a little bit, work up a sweat, breathe hard, and let those emotions just ooze on out of my system. It might sound strange, but it is fact. As someone who keeps most negative emotion to herself, dancing has really provided an incredible outlet for me.

I've started recording some of my improvisation sessions for a couple reasons... 1) So I can give myself corrections to make sure I don't start losing my technique. (It's hard to not be a consistent student anymore!) and 2) So I can look back and see if I did anything worth repeating in some choreography. I recorded a video a few weeks ago and thought I'd share it... I'm very nervous about this. But hey--this is a blog about my thoughts, and if there's one thing I'm thinking about more than anything else, it's dancing.

Just keep in mind that this is not choreographed, so there's nothing brilliant here. There's some rough transitions and repetition... I'm just moving for my mind's sake, trying not to think too much, doing what felt good to my body and soul.

Random Nugget of Thought: The human body is an amazing creation. The intricate intertwining of all the systems and their functions just boggles my mind. I am proud to be the keeper of such a fantastic facility.

STYX

Whenever I wear my STYX shirt, sporting the artwork from "The Grand Illusion" album, I get quizzical looks. Those puzzled glances are usually followed with a question like: "STYX, huh?" I answer, "Yep."
Then a pause precedes the next question: "... and how old are you?"

I have often wondered what made my twenty-something self became a fan when there is so much other good music out there. How did they work their way, so effortlessly, into my heart, playlists and banter? All I can say is, there's something about STYX.

There's something about those sweet harmonies.

There's something about those tasty guitar licks.

There's something about those kick-butt power stances.

There's something about those aging men, and how much they love their music.

There's something about being at one of their concerts, seeing it all in action.

Most particularly... there's something about Tommy Shaw. Those biceps. That hair. That face.

And there's something about meeting him (and kissing him) that will cause you to do something like this:

And there's something about sharing it all with your best friend, that just puts the icing on the already-audibly-delicious delight that is STYX. No shame. No apologies. No regrets. 

I love STYX.