Shimmy

I might have mentioned that I will be taking part in a belly dancing competition during the second week of May. I might not have mentioned it - it was too far away at the time.

Deadlines.

I had all the time in the world and then, like a surge of water from a fire hydrant, the event that was planned is now imminent. If you count the manoeuvres I undertake each morning to get my jeans on, then yes I've been practising. Alright, that's not entirely true. I do in fact go over the routine in my head while taking public transit but due to cold, rain and a very small house I could not find the space.

Excuses! You might scoff. And I would have to agree with you there, my friends.

The good news: I have a costume. I have a routine. I have various appointments for hair and nails. And, as I may have said - I have three weeks to show time! If anyone needs me I'll be under my bed with a blankie and teddy bear.

My past experience on any stage is limited at best. I was always part of a troupe, whether it was concert band, choir or a dance group I never found myself alone on stage. My younger sister is actress enough for the two of us; while she trod the boards in every school play I was tucked away sketching, writing articles for the newspaper or practising my clarinet (I'm cool).

In three weeks I have to dance alone, for the first time in my twenty-one years on this planet, in front of hundreds of people and judges. Je dois me calmer. I must remain calm.

As a side note, I am in fact going to commit to posting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with a possible weekend bonus. Habits are easier to form when you start small, I'm told. I'll be posting pictures of my glorious purple costume in the coming days and hopefully I can scare up some confidence. In the meantime I've been turning some digital pictures into Polaroids using Photoshop and this tutorial. I'll leave you with one of these spare-time creations. I call it The Lad and the Sea.