Dance Advantage listed an article recently on dancers and injuries. Specifically the idea that injuries can take away dance from your life. I am familiar with this, having been on and off battling a severe back issue, and more recently knee problems surfacing, and my foot issue which will require surgery I cannot afford at present, which leaves me in pain every day just walking around, let alone dancing.  I have had to give a lot of thought to the possibility that I may not be able to have dance as my career any more, and how betrayed by fate it has made me feel over the past few months.  This is something I am really really good at--the first thing that really resonated with me so deeply, and was validated in the opinions of my peers as well. To imagine it not being my profession any more was impossible to contemplate, and yet I had to give it some serious "face-time" in my meditations this summer.

So this article is somewhat encouraging in its tone and message. Summing up the message in one line:

"As a young dancer, I felt pigeonholed into thinking that I only had two options (dance or don’t dance), when plan C was as simple as being a barefoot dancer who wears shoes – and it took me six years to figure that out."

In trying to figure out where dance fits into my definition of self , this article presents the idea of creative experimentation with the ways dance slots into your life when factors seem to push against that possibility.

In other news, I started Music Monday a few weeks ago, and pre-loaded some posts to release on Mondays. Then didn't go back and check to see if they were posting. Oops! I had them in the queue, but hadn't released them for posting. So keep an eye out for Music Monday NEXT Monday, and hopefully I will have that all cleared up and ready to post for your auditory enjoyment.

So last week I had my physical therapy and chiropractor appointments. The PT really made me sore as hell--thighs and abs. Abs are still feeling it today from last Thursday, that's how sore. It was good, though. Moving. Feeling strong (or recognizing my weaknesses and resolving to strengthen them) felt good.
Saturday we had plans for brunch and the 3.1K Greenwood-Phinney Gumshoe walk with Amy and Erik. We started at The Library to fuel up, then drove up to the community center to start the walk. The walk is kind of a scavenger-hunt type stroll through the neighborhoods of Greenwood and Phinney Ridge. 3.1K isn't far, but with copious hills and my weakened state of being lately, it felt like plenty to me. The walk took us aaall over, through the residential areas, down alleys, and briefly through the shops areas. Some of the lovely gardens and funky little artsy homes were so inspiring of both motivation and guilt for my own home and garden. Loved that part. Some of the clues were interesting, others a little boring. Mostly the company was the fun part. It has inspired Chris and I--scavenger hunt lovers and long inspired by The Game. Hrm....

Saturday night was mellow. We head to Stanford's early for the tail end of early happy hour, then home to chill out.

Sunday morning Chris made breakfast, and then we almost immediately head out to see a movie. Originally we were going to see Transformers, but we were nearly 10 minutes late in getting there for it, so we opted for Stardust instead. It was really enjoyable. We both thoroughly enjoy Neil Gaiman (I am reading Neverwhere right now, which just NEEDS to be a movie, like, NOW). Afterward we hit the mall to grab some essentials, and ran into Bren and got to chat briefly and hug n hug. The mall was closing shortly, though, so it was brief. Then over to Claim Jumper to get my blue cheese iceberg wedge craving out of the way, and eat far too much food (there is NO need for an appetizer at Claim Jumper, not EVER). We rolled uncomfortably home, and settled in to a little WoW before retiring to bed and watching half of 300. Sorry, that movie bugs me immensely. If Chris hadn't been massaging my hands to keep me from shutting it off, we woulda' only made it about 1/4 of the way through before I would have insisted on stopping. The cinematography and finish-work on the film is so gratuitous, it detracts from the storytelling for me. Sorry for those of you who liked it. I could not watch the second half and be juuuus dandy.

In any case...it was a weekend of doing and being. And I am happy. My back isn't hurting, just weak and sensitive, if you will--mentally. I am still not allowed to twist or forward bend, but I feel more strong and stable and confident that I am healing fabulously. HOORAY!!