1...2...3...KICK!

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul.” – Martha Graham

I love dance. Everything dance. All kinds of dance. I like ballet,ballroom, line, urban. I like the "dancing-in-front-of-your-mirror" kind of dancing. I like "yay-I-found-cupcakes" dancing. I think dance is such a beautiful expression of music. And everyone expresses it differently.

But my favorite kind of dancing is Greek folk dance. The country my family is from is so rich in dances, it’s amazing. I started learning folk dances when I was young and continue learning to this day. I was in a competing dance group with some of my oldest and best friends. We made some of the best memories practicing for hours together, raising the funds to travel to competitions, and competing together. Our group dissolved a couple years ago, as many of us were getting jobs or leaving for school, but we still all love dancing and continue to learn on our own.

I’ve been very lucky in finding a man who loves folk dancing as well…he knows more than I ever could AND he’s so good at it. Hot! 

Here’s a performance Jordan and his friends put together for a competition in Chicago in 2009:

Love these boys!

This next video was taken in California last month. It’s in the lobby of the hotel that the competition was hosted at. This is the 3am interpretation of this dance. The guy at the end of the video is playing the Greek version of a bagpipe...it's a dead goat...turned inside out...Greeks are LOONEY TOONS. Jordan is the tall stud playing the drum, and I’m the one bouncing around in the black dress with the short hair (and my bra strap showing…HA!) Please ignore the fact that I start dropping-it-like-it’s-hot…that is not part of Greek folk dancing! ;)

I am just always amazed when I go to workshops or competitions around the U.S. and seeall these other Greek-Americans from both big cities and small towns who all love Greek folk dancing just as much as I do. It really brings us all together in a way that nothing else can. We share this dorky thing in common - a love for keeping this part of our culture alive – and it’s so much fun! 

I'm still here!

I wasn't kidding when I said these first few months are always busy, busy, BUSY!

We had Superbowl, Greek festivals, our week-long trip to California (more on that in a bit), birthdays, weddings…and then, in between,work…obviously.

But let me tell you, as exhausting as these past few weeks have been, it has been so much fun!

Today is Jordan’s birthday! Last night we celebrated a friend’s wedding and then tomorrow I have an event starting at 4am (*sob*) and Jordan has to work, so we’re keeping it low-key tonight and doing our favorite thing – dinner and movie!

California recap: We flew into San Fransisco and stayed with our friend again (thanks, Dean – we love you!) The weather was gorgeous, so we spent one of our days walking around Union Square, Ghirardelli Square, riding a cable car down to Fisherman’s Wharf, watching sea lions, eating Dungeness crab(y-u-m), admiring tons of street musicians, and of COURSE – hunting down red velvet cupcakes! Later that night, we had dinner with friends on a quadruple date at a Persian restaurant - yum!

The next day we drove across Golden Gate bridge to see the Redwoods in Muir Woods and then headed to Napa, where we shared a bottle of delicious wine and a delicious picnic lunch on the grounds of V.Sattui Winery. Two beautiful spots in one day - I'm blessed!

After a few days in San Fransisco, we drove down with Dean to Anaheim, where the big Greek folk dance competition was being held. Two of our friends from back home flew over to meet us, in addition to all of our friends from all over the U.S. (literally) - so we had SUCH a blast being with our friends, dancing, and hanging out. It's always such a bummer when the weekend is finally over.

Tasia & Mark (our FL friends), Jordan, Peter, me, John and Dimitri in front

However, I did get to scratch a couple of things off my “101 things in 1001 days” list!

9. Have wine in Napa – V.Sattui Winery

74. Move out

93. Try 10 new restaurants (2/10) – Shalizaar Restaurant and Fog Harbor Fish House at Pier 39 in San Fransisco

101. Attend another outdoor concert in Mizner –FeBREWary with All American Rejects (hello 2005!)

I think checking off 3.2 things a month after I made this list is not so bad!

I’m looking forward to seeing what I cross off at the end of this month.

I promise to try and update more regularly!

And if you’re reading this, I thank you! =)

 

24 hours in a day

What a weekend! 

The first few months of the year are always a whirlwind for me; there is just so much going on.

You would think after the holidays, life as we know it would quiet down and allow us to recover from our Turkey comas, but not for me – not for as long as I can remember. But I wouldn’t have it any other way!

January and February are jam packed with Greek festivals – every Greek Orthodox church does a festival sometime every year. It’s just a weekend of enjoying Greek food, music, and dancing under tents while browsing trinkets that vendors come to sell. Down here, this all happens in the first two months of the year – so we spend our weekends festival-hopping and hanging with friends.

We had a nice little break this past weekend and went out for a dinner and drinks date on Saturday and then a Super Bowl party on Sunday with some of our friends.

Life gets so hectic that sometimes it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day. It’s easy to neglect friendships and relationships and responsibilities and you don’t even realize it until you’re getting the silent treatment from everyone. Sometimes my body and brain just pack up and peace out and I’m left in a heap on the couch watching the Jersey Shore until I am fit to join society again – and for that, I apologize to my people!

It’s important to take time for yourself to recharge, reboot, refresh. I may not be slaving away hours and hours or have three or even one child to care for, but I do get worn out. I have so many things running through my mind every day – things I have to do, people I have to call, stores I need to run to – that I by the time I get home, I feel like my brain has stopped working.

Thankfully, my fiance gets it and he doesn’t expect me to drop my bag by the door, grab the broom and get to work (though sometimes I do, in the rare case that I’m so wound up that I need to keep going until I crash).

But really, I’m not complaining, because I woke up today, and yesterday, and the days before that – and for that I am thankful. Everything in life can be managed and dealt with and I’m just grateful that I get the chance every new day that I’m blessed with to handle all God has to offer me – good and “bad”.

I hope you have a great week and count your blessings, not your troubles!