Nicole Tries Ballet Part 8

Seems I've figured out why I had such a hard time last week. None of the flunkies were there! Everybody was back today and I got a little ego boost because we did p.k.'s and other spins that I've practiced a lot before. So I rocked going right AND left. Booya!

It seems registration for the next session starts April 1st. I think I'm going to sign up because it goes through May and June which is perfect for me. Things might be too crazy come July and August with wedding stuff. Besides, I want to take off for the *honeymoon* tee hee. Can't wait!

So I felt really good after class. I'm having a serious moment. I really think this class was a great idea. Starting out I knew it'd be a lot of fun, but I really feel more confident. I used to be more of a 'huncher' and now I feel like I stand up more straight. I feel less self-conscious about my arms, too. A girl in class said she thought I really improved! It was a nice compliment.

My new ballerina gear shipped yesterday. I'm so excited!!! I got tights, legwarmers and a leotard. Check it out.

Tootsies!

Wee wee I'm so cute in my legwarmers
In this ensemble I will be even more believable as a pro

Haha! My assimilation into the professional ballerina world is almost complete... little do they know.

Cat Fight!

I definitely stayed up last night playing with iMovie on my Powerbook. Something I had yet to do because I don't own a video camera. Recently I bought a digital camera, thus these lovely kitty pictures. And I have a 1GB memory card so I've been taking random videos of kitties. Yes, I do not get out a lot okaaaaay! Let's see if this works...

Project Die Bravo

Just so everyone knows I've sent a heated message to Bravo about my disgust of not having seen another episode of Project Jay.

Subject: What about Jay? WHAT ABOUT JAY?!?!?!?

Body: Where's Jay? I only saw one episode and I keep waiting for more... I miss Jay... Bring him back!!!

If this doesn't work, by God, I'm thinking we should start a petition!

::sniff sniff:: I smell a new blog in the works!!!

Please note: Author has had way too much time on her hands...

Mrrrow!

Saturday, March 25th. 9:15 a.m. I have to take the kitties to the vet for their 9:30 a.m. appointment. Unfortunately, my car is at Joe's place. And I'm extremely hungover. I have a few choices: 1. Take a taxi with the cats to the vet and back $$$ 2. Take a taxi to my car, back to the apt. then to the vet. 3. Take a taxi with the cats to my car and then to the vet. 4. Walk the four blocks to the vet.

So there I am, hungover, unwashed, carring my two 12 lb. cats, each in their own carrier on either side of me down the streets of Chicago. And all they can do is cry as loud as they can. You can imagine the looks people at the bus stop gave me, especially when the bus came and the cats FREAKED OUT! Even though they had nowhere to go they started running around.

Whenever you think you're having a bad day, imagine me walking down the street hungover at 9 a.m. with two cats in carriers flanking me, "Merrrrrrrrrrrow! MEOW!!! MERRRROOOOOOOOW!!!!"

As Kate pointed out, this is why I should've trained them to walk on a leash. Hindsight is 20/20.

What to Wear... What to Wear...

And if you need to, buy some new ballet outfits because it's 70% how you look and 30% how you dance!!" -Kelly

Hmm... how does one define 'need.' So far I've been wearing the same jazz pants with different t-shirts to class. Other people's outfits (not counting our esteemed teacher) have ranged from jazz pants to actual ballet tights to regular tights, coulats (::shudder::), leotards, and t-shirts. T-back is very found of his tights (::double shudder::). Maybe it IS time to shake it up a bit.

My cousin Kelly provided me with a couple websites to peruse in my off time at work (otherwise known as the other 7 hrs. I'm at my desk). What do you guys think I should get?? I'm thinking legwarmers are a non-negotiable purchase, but there are so many kinds!

This picture makes me want pointe shoes, just so I can wear them around the house with legwarmers.

They also come in stripes! And I think I really like the ones that have cut-outs for your heels. I dunno, too 80s stirrup pants?

I really like these ballerinas. They're so cute! They're all pink and black.

That's me in the front, checking out my hott a$$

So what about leotards? The problem is my ba-zooms. They're quite large. All these leotards that say built in bra, HA! I scoff at you! ::scoff!:: How do I fit an exercise bra underneath these things? Are they stretchy enough that I can even fit into them? More importantly, should I get a black one or a pink one?

Every leotard comes guaranteed with it's own personal midget.

There are different options with tights too. You can get cutoff tights, full-length tights, CONVERTIBLE tights.

Maybe a little too high-tech?

Now the question is: Can I just waltz into class with all of my new gear on? Maybe I should eeeeease into it a bit. Week 1: tights, legwarmers, short shorts and t-shirt? Week 2: Jazz pants, leotard? Week 3: tights, legwarmers, leotard, criss-cross sweater? no sweater? Oh the possible combos.

ADVISE ME!! NOW GO!
pictures courtesy of: www.discountdance.com and www.dancedistributors.com go visit if you want to add suggestions!

p.s. Check this woman out. Isn't she craaaaazy?

Nicole Tries and Fails Rhythm

I have a problem. With rhythm. Unfortunately it seems my rhythm skills are limited to my fingers and the violin. My wobbly flamingo legs are having issssues. That's double the ses for double the problems (sorry no cute twins here). I don't wanna talk about it...

I'm sorry to say I'm in a bad mood. Could be the disappointing ballet class, could be the fact Project Jay looks like it's cancelled and all I'm left with is crappy Lost. Damn you Lost! You never answer my questions! EVER!!! I enjoy a good mystery like any other person, Law and Order, Monk, Law and Order: CI, CSI: Las Vegas (NOT Miami), Law and Order: SVU, Murder She Wrote, but Lost is crazy ridiculous. What's-her-name is probably pregnant, blah blah blah I do not care! I am sick of the island, SICK I TELL YOU. I don't care any more if they ever get off.

::channel change::

AH VERONICA MARS!! NOOOOOoooooooooo!!!

::change!::

GILmore GIrls?!?!?!?!? Why wasn't this cancelled years ago? Who the hell is this teenager chick? They need another annoying nerdy girl on this show? I thought they already had a surplus.

::CHANGE::

American Idol. Ew that guy is getting all makey outy through the TV. And he is quite old.

::changey changey change oh baby::

Cops! Ooo hicks puking, good times.

::Change oh lordy!::

Oh Brother Where Art Thou?? Ok, I never got this movie. I know it's supposed to be based on The Odyssey, but come on! The only reason anyone heard of it was because of the soundtrack. By the way I do not remember a baptism anywhere in the book. Even so, speaking for grown women everywhere, white robes submerged in water seems like a very bad idea. Anyway, just because you take a classic book and put it in a different setting doesn't mean it's going to turn out well. Take O. WORST MOVIE EVER. Did anyone see that? Oh yah, that's because it SUCKED. And the rape scene? Just a little unnecessary. ::shudder::

::click!::

AH RAYMOND!!!

::you are HATED BIOTCH!::

basketball, basketball

::click click::

Parent Trap. Lindsay Lohan pre-crack addiction, interesting. Double the nauseation. Horrible horrible English accents. Their first mistake was not casting me. Yah I said it.

::cliiiiiiiiiiick::

Lifetime!!!!

::pooooop::

Ah Top Chef. Same as all reality shows whine whine whine whine whine.

::SOUFFLE!::

Animal Planet. Planeta animal. Ah me encanta la policia animal. Desafortunadamente, este no es.

::cambia!::

Mythbusters! Dang, seen it.

::kaboom!::

Ah Hallmark channel and Tori Spelling. That's an oxymoron.

::changey::

::GASP!:: Chicago WOLVES are on TV??? the WOLVES?? DIE WIRTZ!! DIE!!!

I will watch Top Chef. But only because RuPaul is on it.

I will leave you with KITTIES

Manus's myspace profile pic

Fenster hearts the sinkManus's "are you kidding me?" face

Bravo?

After talking about my love for Project Jay, I had some off time at work and decided to visit the Bravo TV website to see if there was any news about upcoming new episodes. No luck under current show listings :( . So I checked 'Upcoming Shows.' Well you could've knocked me over with a feather! Sandwiched between such gems as 'The Real Housewives of Orange County,' 'Million Dollar Listing: Hollywood,' and 'Work Out' ("a new character-driven docu-drama that will explore the world of high-end gym owner, Jackie Warner, her trainers and their clients" puke puke) is 'SIX FEET UNDER.' WTF????

Bravo has the rights for Emmy-award winning drama HBO series SIX FEET UNDER???????

Here's the projected TV line-up:

8/7c Blow Out - "Jonathan is on top of the world. He's asked to appear on Good Morning America alongside Diane Sawyer, does Diana Digarmo's hair for the opening of 'Hairspray,' and pushes the envelope during a photo shoot, which he proposes they do nude..."

9/8c Queer Eye - "You would think living the life of a circus carney is all fun and games but it's a lot of hard work. Just ask Michael since he's been the tent master for Big Apple Circus for the past ten years. Though he loves what he does, there is absolutely no "down" time, enter the Fab Five!"

10/9c Six Feet Under - "The inventor of a franchise pyramid scheme dies in a pool accident, leaving his widow and infant daughter with a mountain of debts and no money for a proper funeral. Nate offers a solution: rent a top-line casket, then cremate the body after viewing. There's just one problem: by law, a used casket cannot be re-sold. Ruth breaks up with Hiram during a nature hike, David receives an unexpected visit from his ex-fiancee Jennifer, and Gabe gets Claire to suck on his toes in the back of her hearse."

11/10c Project Runway - "In the workroom, the designers are disarmed to learn that they will be working in teams of two with equally shared team leadership, and they had 60 seconds to pair themselves up. They were to create one outfit per team, so they had to choose one of their two models to wear the look. Anxiety proliferated!"

::sing song voice:: One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't beloooong.

The One Jewish Girlfriend

I was reading my friend Paul's blog and I came upon this passage:

"my partner in crime over at FeedBurner who is also at the co-lo but at a different cage just said: "Because, its like an explosion of heavy jewish nerds back here." HAHAHA!!! Don't get me wrong, I love Jews. I dated one once even."

I promptly wrote him an email:

"how come catholic guys always have had like one jewish girlfriend? that they deem their jewish girl experience?

i only ask because joe dated a jewish girl and i asked why they broke up once and he goes "she was jewish and a vegetarian, i mean come on, do you see me dating someone like that?"
"i dunno, i guess..."
"no nicole, no. she would get up and go to all of her classes and work out."
"and you don't do that."
"no i do not."
"so she would hassle you about it?"
"well... no..."
"okaaaay..."
"she was jewish and a VEGETARIAN. VEGETARIAN!!!"
"ok ok i get it, it'd never work between you."
"never.""

Paul's response:

"OMG!!! My Jewish girlfriend was ALSO a vegetarian. The phrase "she
was jewish and a VEGETARIAN. VEGETARIAN!!!" pretty much captures it.
Creepy. Her name wasn't Michelle was it?"

No, no it was not, but this still cracks me up. Because I still don't get it, but I'm glad the guys seem to have an understanding.

(See a link to Paul's blog to the left in my 'links' column)

Sick Day!

Things I Learned on my First Legitamate Sick Day:

1. I will miss absolutely nothing at work.
2. Only one person will leave me a voicemail and it won't be important.
3. The only work e-mails I receive will be ones with the following titles:
-Coffee?
-Lego Church
-The pope and the republicans
-Engineers
-Fw: Which car are you? I am a mazda
4. Lea Thompson was a ballerina who originally auditioned for Mikhail Barishnokov (or as I like to call him 'The Russian' from S&TC) before becoming oh so famous in Back to the Future after The Russian told her she was "too stocky." Thank you AMC.
5. My kitties do nothing exciting during the day.
6. The garbage truck sounds like a dog in pain.
7. There are two hours a day when Law and Order is not on.
8. Project Jay may only have one episode... ever. I am not happy about this.
9. I have no food.
10. I still won't have any work to do the day I come in.

My day consisted of me sitting around watching TV and periodically calling Joe who's on his week off to bitch at him because I'm sicky and he's ruining my life because he finished anything and everything good in my kitchen.

::ring ring::
"Hello?"
"I just looked at my liqeur bottle, there is nothing left! You said you finished a lot of it, but I didn't know you meant practically ALL of it!"
"I'm sorry... are you still not feeling well?"
"NO! ugh..."
"I'll buy you a new one."
"I don't WANT you to buy me a new one."
"Okay..."
"I'm taking a nap." ::hangs up phone watches another 2 hours of Law and Order::

::ring ring::
"Hello?"
"Where is my popcorn?! I wanted to make a bowl for Prison Break, and I can't find it."
"Well, I made that huge pot on Saturday."
"You didn't tell me you used ALL of it up!"
"Well... yah... sorry."
"UGH! Fine, fine. I gotta go, Prison Break's on." ::hangs up, weeps for Wentworth Miller::

Cupcake Cupboard

Last Saturday I made chocolate mint cupcakes with white frosting. They were supposed to be in honor of St. Paddy's day but I forgot the food coloring to dye the frosting green. Get it? They're mint and green? eh? EH? It would've been fantastic. Oh well, they still turned out spectacular. So then I ran into a problem. I made 20 cupcakes, and I am one person without tupperware. Luckily, due to my lack of pots and pans I had ample shelf space. And thus the cupcake cupboard was born.

Cupcake and beer stein coexist in peace

Before you start to think I'm Better Crocker, you must know they came from a box and I just added mint extract to the mix. But I was pretty proud of my babies. I let Joe try them first.

Joe: ::takes huge bite:: mmm... You know, being in culinary school, the first thing I notice about food now is all the flaws.
Me: ::jaw drops::
Joe: No no, it's okay, I made the same mistake in baking and pastry.
Me: ::mouth open::
Joe: It's stupid, it doesn't mean anything.
Me: ::curled in a ball in the corner weeping::
Joe: Aw! They're really good! See? ::takes another bite::
Me: ::rocking back and forth::
Joe: My pastry teacher is just really picky
Me: ::gets up, walks to cupcake cupboard, SMASHES CUPCAKES!!!::

Oh I'm just kidding about all that, I would never smash cupcakes. Ever. No matter how 'flawed' somebody thinks they are. Because that somebody doesn't deserve cupcakes, not to mention MINT cupcakes. For the record, Joanie said they were "AMAZING." That's right, she said it in all caps just like that.

Nicole Tries Can Can Dancing

Dang it! I wanted blue! Those are the perks of sleeping with the guy who plays Billy the Kid.

We worked those high kicks today! The hardest one being where you kick high to the front then brush right down to the back. It's hard not to gyrate your pelvis front to back while you do that, gotta strengthen those ab muscles grrrrrr. The most awkward part of that exercise was the arm movements. We kicked out to the front, arm up above the head, out to the side, arm to the side, to the back, arm straight out in front. You don't have time to feel self-conscious about possible 'wetness.' I think this is a good thing, though. I don't have time to feel awkward about my monkey-arms. AND I didn't smack anyone today.

We've talked about the way to hold your hands, and more specifically, fingers. If Barbie wore legwarmers, she would have the perfect hands. Fingers are slightly separated, thumb out, index finger kind of pointed.

When brother Timmy expressed an interest in jewelry making, Suzy was excited! Little did she know it would end in carnage.

We also learned a new step today that was kind of like a waltz. You step with your foot flat, then take two more up on your toes. Your hands go from side to side. I don't think I even have to say how I flopped the arm movements yet again. The whole 3-step movement seems to mystify my coordination. I have 1-2 no problem, but going down, up, up? Sha right. That's going to take some more practice. How bout we just change it to down, up, down, up? No? The whole step reminds me of the first part of the Nutcracker where they're having the party and everyone's dancing around. I would be the huge attraction in the corner. You know, the tree? Yep, that's my starring role. It's totally brilliant. I look fabulous in green. I love accessories, and in the second scene, I get to tower over everybody. I've got to remember this suggestion for the recital.

p.s. My kitties are re-enacting Brokeback Mountain. Manus kissed Fenster, Fenster starting beating on him, it was claw, claw, bite, KISSES!!! Now I know what my boys do all day, they go to the movies! haha I just got a visual of Manus and Fenster sitting in the front row of a movie theatre with a box of milk duds (cuz they gotta have milk duds).

M: Stop hogging my milk duds!
F: Oh look, you have milk dud on you, let me get that... ::lick::
M: You bastard! ::hits with paw::
F: You're going to get it ::bites ear:: Oh gawd, milk dud! ::lick lick::
M: You son of a... ::bites neck:: mmm... some is on you here...
F: I'm not like that!
M: Quiet! I'm eating!

p.p.s. Looks like I jumped on the bandwagon with the Brokeback Mountain parodies... so low... so low...

Diffuser: 1 Nicole: 0

Did you ever have the thought "Hey, curly hair may be a good look for me" ::wink::. We-ell, I have had that thought a many times. So tonight, after my ritual of dinner and a few episodes of L&O, I decided to whip out my hair dryer and diffuser ($20 a la Costco with free attachments) and see what I could artist up.

A quick head under the faucet action and I was good to go. After about 20 min. of me hanging with my head upside with a giant satellite-like plastic dish stuck to it I figured I was doing good. I pictured Nicole Kidman circa Far and Away. This curly hair thing is soooooo easy!

Au contrare mon frare

Please excuse the myspace-esque camera-in-the-mirror shot

Turns out I would have been THE hottest chick EVA if I had been in high school in the 80s. Watch out boys, I'm a total babe, cowabunga! Even though I may bear a slight resemblence to:

Nicole really let herself go after the band broke up

Consolation Prize??? Me thinks no.

I called the boy today and told him to read the blog.

Joe: So uh... I read your blog... didn't see that coming
Me: haha
Joe: I'm uh... a little upset.
Me: Are you mad at me? In my defense, I told you to read it the day before I posted that entry.
Joe: I know! But did you ever think about a follow-up reminder?
Me: Pi-shaw
Joe: Whaddaya think of a consolation prize?
Me: Consolation prize?! You didn't even come close.
Joe: I was planning on reading it tonight, but you beat me to the punch.
Me: Whatever, it was over yesterday.
Joe: Oh sure, sure. So does that mean you're not going shopping?
Me: No
Joe: Not stopping anywhere on your way home?
Me: No
Joe: What I, uh, take you out for sushi on Thursday? We'll have a sushi feast, then will you at least think about buying a mini skirt of my choosing?
Me: Sushi? All riiiiight...
Joe: That's a yes! Yes! I'm holding you to that.

You Get an F... for Flunky

It's been a week. No mention of the post from the boy.

I'm going to tell him about it tonight. No doubt there will be protests. Oh well... see what happens when you don't read my blog!! SEE!!!

Follow-Up

It's March 11th and still no mini-skirt...

Oh Joseph is going to be soooooo mad at hisself...

Nicole Tries Ballet Part 5

I got the face today!!!!

I was doing rom da johns (yah I have no clue either) today, that's when you're at the barre and you point your toe and move it in a half circle from front to back and then reverse to go from back to front, and I got the face. Yep. I looked behind me and my teacher was making the face at me. THE face! I am heart-broken. What did I do wrong? I don't know... I'm going to hope that she was making the face at the person in front of me and I got caught in the cross-fire. Sure, sure, that's it! I got caught in the cross-fire, definitely. ::sniff sniff:: Be still my broken heart.

We did some new things at the barre (at least they were new for me since I missed last week), a lot of stuff where you lift one leg off the floor. Then we moved to the floor and did some new stretches. She had us do the spread eagle one, and I really don't like it. My knees are double jointed so they're more flexible and when we sit like that they start bending sideways because gravity starts pulling them. It starts getting painful, I don't think that I should be feeling pain in my knees, groin yes, knees? I'm not going to do that stretch anymore.

So it seems while I was gone last week the rest of the class learned a routine. A ROUTINE. When put together it lasts approximately 30 seconds, if. And it is the most complicated thing ever. Since the majority of my choreographing experience lies in Square Dancing 101 from 6th grade, I was basically at a loss. I'm supposed to just throw all these arm movements together and get the feet right at the same time? AND she wanted specific HEAD MOVEMENTS! Say WHA?

Ballet instructor: We start on the floor, legs crossed, arms on legs and you're sad look down, open to the front, brush the floor with the right hand, oh look down you're still sad, and get up! And step one and look to the front and step and reach up you're trying to get something! Aw you didn't get it come back and look down, and reach to get it! Yes you got it! To the front! And p.k., p.k., step clasp hands, hands to the chest and push out! And you're up! You're getting out of this! And to the back, turn turn, and doooooooooown...
Me: Oooook, so when you start is it left foot over right or right over left?
B.I.: And let's put it to the music!
Me: !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Needless to say I flunked. But it was kind of fun to have a routine. Unfortunately, right after I thought I was finally getting it, she took it away and said we'd work on jumps for the next couple weeks. Jumps! I wanted to practice the routine and come back and WOW her and then that way I could pay attention to what other people were doing and find out... once and for all... if the face was meant for me.

The mystery continues... next blog entry....

p.s. Do you think this routine means there will be a recital?? hmmm...

Boy Test

It's come to my attention that the boy is not reading my blog. In fact, I don't think anyone's reading it except for a special few ;), but he's obligated!! I expect him to be waiting in anticipation at my every entry! Or at least just check in every week or two. So here's a test for you Senor Joseph. I will buy a mini-skirt if you visit my blog and see this entry. In a certain amount of time... hmmm how long shall I give you? If you don't say anything to me about this in a week, no mini-skirt. If you do, I'll buy one in whatever style you choose. If you exceed my expectations and mention this within the next two days, that's by 12a.m. on the 8th, I'll buy two. The gauntlet is on, good luck to you.

Bus Fashion

There was a girl on the bus today wearing **jazz pants**. If I am a trendsetter why couldn't they pick up my love of hats? Or obsession with jeans? No, it's **jazz pants**. ::sigh::

It's a Revolution Baby!

Unfortunately, yesterday was my mom's birthday and we went out to dinner. I missed my class ::sob::. No amount of mushroom risotto will ever replace it. But it can still try. So instead of talking about ballet, this time I thought I'd talk about another dance craze (yes ballet is a craze in some parts of the world... like Russia). Although I'm a little late jumping on the bandwagon I'm still pretty sure that people of my generation and older have no idea of the compelling power and hypnotic rhythm involved in..... dum dum DUUUUMMMM!!!! DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION!!! ::cue background bass beat::: If I could find, and knew how to insert, Bodyrockers "I Like the Way" I would do so right ................................................................

here

What is DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION you ask? We-ell, it is a video game. Remember those pads that you got for the first Nintendo so you could play that Olympics game? And when you ran, your little guy ran? It's the same kind of pad, except with arrows on it. You choose a song, and a level (beginner, light, standard, etc.), the song plays and arrows scroll on the screen showing you what arrow to hit with your foot. There's also vertigo-inducing graphics and a scary warning at the beginning insisting to leave the lights on during play and to be careful not to disturb your neighbors (yes for reals).

When did the obsession begin? I blame Heather, my friend Joanie's friend. (Did you catch that?) Who brought her playstation, two DDR games and two pads down from MSU (I'm cutting out some details here, but you get the drift). I started on 'beginner.' It seemed like I had a knack for the beat. Dirty Vegas playing in the background, my little anime girl who looks like she's in a g-string but it's actually a g-rated pair of pants with a belt, and me in my polka dot pajamas jumping like a fool and throwing up my hands in weird motions. By the end of the night, I had moved onto 'light.' And Nicole's DDR obsession was born.

Fast forward to four days later, my DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION EXTREME game arrived in the mail (as opposed to DANCE DANCE REVOLUTIONMAX or DANCE DANCE REVOLUTIONMAX 2) along with two dance pads. I rushed over to Joe's and stole his PS2, which he let me take only because his two roommates have theirs and he wanted to play DDR with me.

Scene for the past week: Nicole's apartment. Carpet rolled back in the living room. Dance pad stuck to the floor. Cats curiously memorized by the blinking lights of the TV and perhaps the infectious beats? Nicole dressed in whatever old pit-stained t-shirt she can find, pants optional, hair pulled back in a pony tail, jumping LEFT RIGHT BACK FRONT, LEFTRIGHT, BACKFRONT, BACKRIGHT, HOLD!

You laugh now, but you just wait until the beat gets ahold of your body and you can't stop!!

dum DUM
dum DUM
dum dum dum dum dum...
There are so many things I like about you
I just don't' know where to begin
Uhhhh ok well
I like the way you look at me with those beautiful eyes
I like the way you act all surprised
I like the way you sing along
I like the way you aaaalways get it wrong
I like the way you clap your hands ::Nicole claps::
I like the way you looooooove to dance ok now this is getting long
I like the way you put your hands up in the air it's almost done I promise
I like the way you shake your hair haha Joanie, who does that remind you of?
I like the way you like to touch ok what does that even mean?
I like the way you stare so much usually when I stare people protest
But most of all
Yah most of all
I LIKE THE WAY YOU MOOOOOVE!