So, I have now officially entered the Houston Swing Dance scene...and I bought soap! [laughs] Full story is that because Amy couldn't do tango on thursday or friday, I agreed to take her swing dancing on saturday. Her brother was supposed to come, but skipped it for aggie football [rolls his eyes]. We went to a big band event, mostly older people with a few people I knew, including a ballroom teacher that is trying to get into the tango scene, young guy named Jeffrey, pretty cool, has his own studio and everything. Anyway, we had enough fun that, since we didn't have LifeTeen on sunday (we only have it when there is school on monday), we'd go swing dancing on sunday as well. Sunday, I woke up at 2pm and got online, to see Kat on. I asked when she was going to come back to Houston, and lo and behold! she had arrived saturday night. So, I picked her up for church and then dancing. Amy, of course, I met at (after) church, along with her mom. And Michelle, aggie friend of Raph's who is now in the choir, remember? She apparently was planning on going out drinking with a friend Andrew for the express purpose of getting drunk, because of a stupid boy (which I will not go into). So, it ended up being all 6 of us that went swing dancing, after getting food at Sonic. Well, I am used to going dancing places and being one of the good dancers, and being complimented at least once. Even though Amy had never done swing with me before saturday night (much less foxtrot, waltz, cha cha, or jitterbug), we were one of the top 5 pairs in the room, for the most part. Sunday night, however, I was made to feel like a total beginner. A) the crowd was actually young, a big surprise to me, but it was because it was co-hosted by the Houston Swing Dance Society (HSDS) and the Rice Swing Dance Society (RSDS), so it was a lot of college students. B) they were not playing foxtrots or any other ballroom. It was strictly different styles of swing music the entire night. C) the girls and guys were not shy, and all of us were asked at least once to dance (except Michelle, because she had twisted her bad ankle on the way in and wasn't up to dancing). D) they were dancing things I have never heard of. One girl was very nice, named Lisa. After I was slightly frustrated by my inability to do west coast (which I have not yet even become fluent in, with the normal wednesday crowd that puts up with a lot), she tried to teach me Lindy Hop but wasn't too sure of the guy's part. I couldn't figure it out at all, not from what she said and not from watching. And no, it was nothing like the Lindy basic that we learned for Jive...the feet may have been similar for a particular move, but, as she put it, I'm supposed to move the girl, not just move around her. Heh! so much for that. She then tried to teach me some Charleston, and from what I've seen my lovely girlfriend do, I thought I was halfway there. Not even close. I could barely do the basic...the syncopation was too much for me. I mean, really, what's up with kicking and stepping and stepping and kicking and stepping? I can fake it now, but I doubt I'd be doing it on the right beats. She then pointed out a really good dancer doing balboa...yah, I haven't even heard of that. I've heard of zydeco, but I couldn't point it out to save my life. What about west coast, you ask? yah, a few people I danced with could do some west coast, but much much better than I, and east coast isn't exactly foreign so much as boring...it's like doing a basic bronze foxtrot when you could be doing an international foxtrot or a gold american foxtrot. None of them wanted to stick to a 6-beat swing at all, and only did because I was leading...thank goodness for that, at least! [laughs] Anyway, Amy and I just danced what we knew, i.e. what I could lead since she knew nothing but could follow well. I danced some basic swing with both Kat and Amy's mom, and they were both fun but had trouble getting beyond the basic. Anyway, I bet you've forgotten about the soap, haven't you? [laughs] Well, I said goodbye to Lisa, having no idea when I'll see her again since my sundays are usually not free, and she gave me her email, i.e. her business card, to let her know when I'd be out dancing. I said, "oh, you have your own business cards!" and she replied, "yes, I make soap." I then said, "really? I'm almost out of soap." She said, "what kind?" I said, "Rosemary," to which she said, "Well, I have Rosemary Mint. It's in my car, if you'd like to come smell it." [laughs] Long story short (too late), I got a bar of Rosemary Mint and a bar of Woodland Pear, and Amy's mom got a bar of Rasberry Lemonade. Lisa also commented how much the burt's bees soap is a ripoff, she has all the ingredients and could make it for much cheaper. [laughs] So, now that I've talked up her soap, her website is www.fetosoap.com (feto being greek or latin or something for "fetus", www.fetopia.net being her friend and colleague's site. no, I don't know why they named it that). Anyway, the rest of the evening was Michelle and Andrew heading over to Wild West, a country dance bar that I've heard about and driven past and so recommended for further dancing and getting drunk purposes. I took Amy and her mom home, then came back with Kat, and there was much dancing. Kat is fun to dance with, but is not very good at keeping her feet under her with a couple drinks, which is ok, because I am good at holding people up. Michelle didn't get totally smashed, which is good, since it was a good drive home and I didn't want puking to happen (Andrew lives in NE houston, way the opposite direction from the other three of us). It didn't, so that was good, everyone had a good time, lots of dancing (Michelle's foot felt better after having stayed off it for a good while), everyone home safely, and to sleep, and I got home from work shortly before I started writing this [laughs]. Anyway, Kat wants me to watch some movie at her house, the name of which I have no idea but it has subtitles, and we are going to see 4 Brothers, along with Michelle and possibly Charles, at some point tonight. So, I will let you go, blogger. Oh, and p.s. Grace, darling, I'm going to call and try and remind you, but before you leave Ohio, get some buckeyes for Kat's dad. It's late summer, meaning early fall; I'm sure you can find a tree to steal some from. [grins] Ok, au revoir, blogger. I'll tell you how the movie(s) go. p.s. havarti dill is good, but better after the second bite, when your mouth has acclimated to it, so don't give up after one bite!