Long weekend. The added Friday was rough. But the days themselves were less draining. I am CERTAIN part of it was the cooler weather and rain--made it much less sicky and exhausting to deal with the sweaty heat in the main hall. Part of it is also just building greater tolerance over the years to vending long weekends. And having Renee (and sometimes Sarah, and the occasional drop-by visitors) to keep company, give me time away to pee break and shop and visit helps a ton.
I am *always* reminded at these events how lucky I am to be surrounded by such amazingly sweet, hilarious, kind, intelligent, talented, beautiful women...as part of my job no less, but as friends and colleagues and partners and sisters. What a blessing the women in my life are.
To my Unmata girls--the more time I spend with you, the more time I wish I had to spend with you. The more I meet your circle of sisters, the more I consider them part of my own. You are all incredibly talented and generous of spirit. Can't wait to see you next time... You bitches got mad skillz. You are so inspiring to me.
My Gypsy Fire girls--dayyyyyyum girls. You are fucking hilarious, and just awesome to spend time with. I feel so full in my heart and soul to laugh and share in this love of dance and life with you. I am one of your biggest fans, and look forward to every single moment we get to spend cracking up and patting each other's bums (in the night). Why oh why can't we live closer together? But absence makes the heart grow fonder. Each and every one of you is so beautiful, I ache. She puts the mango in her mouth...
To all the amazing tribal and tribal-passionate women and men I have the pleasure to know and hug tightly to me each year (Teri Walden, Palika, Tempest, The Damsels and Brandi (La Devs? ;), katie k, Brad Dosland, Cynthia Todd, Colleena, K-Lee...the list goes on), I lament every single year that we only get to meet up but once or twice every 12 months. Our encounters are always so brief and feel rushed and distracted. What I wouldn't give for a little down-time to just look into your eyes, listen to your stories, and enjoy your company for more than a moment. It is funny to call you my friends when we see one another so rarely, but I do. I feel a connection with you all, and would love to absorb more of your "being", if only we had the time...maybe someday.
And my inFusionistas. *sigh* *struggling for words* What CAN I say? *speechless* The connection we share is like nothing I have ever known, and it fills me completely to the brim with joy and contentment to walk this path with you. I am honored you are willing to walk it with me, and entrust me (and Renee) to guide you on the journey. Your trust in us, even when you are most afraid, is so amazingly humbling--and didn't it pay off? We wouldn't steer you wrong, scouts honor. Our performance together this year is a demonstration of how powerful we are if we band together, and just work hard and believe in what we create. How fucking amazing it was to find that we are more than we imagined ourselves to be--faster, stronger, and IMPROV BABY!
If I sound sentimental, it is because I feel it quite intensely tonight (and no, Renee, I am neither buzzed, high, nor PMSing--you know I get this way sometimes. Suck it up!). I am about to crawl into bed and drive the long trip home beginning early in the AM, heading back to my beloved city, but without my beloved extended family. How I will miss you all until next we meet. And how I look forward to seeing my sisters back on our home turf, to revel in our accomplishments, exchange tales of shopping treasures, and on Thursday, jam in our "living room". Thank you got all you bring to my dance and to my life.
Yeah, I am so fucking lucky...
Thank you, God.
I am *always* reminded at these events how lucky I am to be surrounded by such amazingly sweet, hilarious, kind, intelligent, talented, beautiful women...as part of my job no less, but as friends and colleagues and partners and sisters. What a blessing the women in my life are.
To my Unmata girls--the more time I spend with you, the more time I wish I had to spend with you. The more I meet your circle of sisters, the more I consider them part of my own. You are all incredibly talented and generous of spirit. Can't wait to see you next time... You bitches got mad skillz. You are so inspiring to me.
My Gypsy Fire girls--dayyyyyyum girls. You are fucking hilarious, and just awesome to spend time with. I feel so full in my heart and soul to laugh and share in this love of dance and life with you. I am one of your biggest fans, and look forward to every single moment we get to spend cracking up and patting each other's bums (in the night). Why oh why can't we live closer together? But absence makes the heart grow fonder. Each and every one of you is so beautiful, I ache. She puts the mango in her mouth...
To all the amazing tribal and tribal-passionate women and men I have the pleasure to know and hug tightly to me each year (Teri Walden, Palika, Tempest, The Damsels and Brandi (La Devs? ;), katie k, Brad Dosland, Cynthia Todd, Colleena, K-Lee...the list goes on), I lament every single year that we only get to meet up but once or twice every 12 months. Our encounters are always so brief and feel rushed and distracted. What I wouldn't give for a little down-time to just look into your eyes, listen to your stories, and enjoy your company for more than a moment. It is funny to call you my friends when we see one another so rarely, but I do. I feel a connection with you all, and would love to absorb more of your "being", if only we had the time...maybe someday.
And my inFusionistas. *sigh* *struggling for words* What CAN I say? *speechless* The connection we share is like nothing I have ever known, and it fills me completely to the brim with joy and contentment to walk this path with you. I am honored you are willing to walk it with me, and entrust me (and Renee) to guide you on the journey. Your trust in us, even when you are most afraid, is so amazingly humbling--and didn't it pay off? We wouldn't steer you wrong, scouts honor. Our performance together this year is a demonstration of how powerful we are if we band together, and just work hard and believe in what we create. How fucking amazing it was to find that we are more than we imagined ourselves to be--faster, stronger, and IMPROV BABY!
If I sound sentimental, it is because I feel it quite intensely tonight (and no, Renee, I am neither buzzed, high, nor PMSing--you know I get this way sometimes. Suck it up!). I am about to crawl into bed and drive the long trip home beginning early in the AM, heading back to my beloved city, but without my beloved extended family. How I will miss you all until next we meet. And how I look forward to seeing my sisters back on our home turf, to revel in our accomplishments, exchange tales of shopping treasures, and on Thursday, jam in our "living room". Thank you got all you bring to my dance and to my life.
Yeah, I am so fucking lucky...
Thank you, God.
