Adrenalin Crash!

Performed again last night!  And again, the adrenalin rush kept me up till 3AM.  It gave me warm and fuzzy feelings to see the salsa dance schools in Edmonton represent and show their support together at a single event.  This can only enrich the level of dance in this city.  As someone who trains with two dance schools, I have much admiration and respect for spectrum and variety.  Screw petty rivalry!  An added bonus was having a group of fantastic salsa girlfriends there too.

One of the "harem" took the action shot below :)

Body is beat up, but survived 7 hours of double practice today - whew!

I'm forcing myself to go to bed at a decent time tonight.  The Calgary International Salsa Congress is coming up fast, and I need to be sufficiently recharged for my first congress triple performance.

One great thing about being extremely busy is the lack of time to complain about the following current events:

-Edmonton's refusal to let spring weather in (brrrrr!)
-a not as big bonus (heck, i'm happy with any bonus!  the previous craphole i used to work at managed to weasel its way out of even giving me one despite all the unpaid overtime i worked in addition to a pittance of a salary - or respect for that matter)
-the apparent need to be more salary conscious in this hot economy. at this point i'm happy to have a fun and stimulating workplace that gives me enough to pay my bills and then some

I still wonder about Flight MH370 though :( 

BAM!

Admittedly, I think the overtime at work and the double dancing training was finally getting to me in terms of feeling run down a bit - finally.  I say "finally" because it feels like it took over half a year for me to get to this point.  In the meantime there was always a little wondering thought in my head: "when are you going to crash, Angel?"

These past couple of weeks were particularly crazy and it felt like I would blink and be in another time and place somehow (cubicle with engineering drawings ... blink ... car ... blink ... practice ... blink ... next practice ... blink ... stomach grumble ... blink ... at my fridge and feeling sad that I'm running out of spinach).

Then I find out on short notice I have to perform with the Afro Cuban group at the Thursday salsa night this week and while at the same time keep training for the Calgary congress next weekend (with both Afro Cuban and salsa teams).  I've social danced at this Thursday salsa night countless times but performing there was a totally new thing.

Pre-performance practice tonight:

 It was actually kind of nerve wracking!

There were technical difficulties and we were stuck in our beginning pose for a while during the first number.

And then ... the energy and the rush!  The local salsa crowd cheering during the music silence ... my friends catcalling.  How do you not laugh and smile at that?  So much love.  Thank God for them :)

And THEN the music started and I was in the zone and loving the rhythm.  I was as per Canadian white boy talk "givin' 'er and gettin' 'er done!!"  2 minute costume change and then the final number.  Adrenalin is pumping strong at this point and the music sounds extreemmellyyy slowww to meeeee.  Feeling it!  Only one mini-screw up and it happened because I felt like I was going to high kick audience members (the space was small).  But I kept right on going and it was smooth sailing till the ending.  BAM!

And now I'm the opposite of run down.  2AM and I'm still wired :)

I believe this is why I do this :)

Looks like it'll be Zombie Friday at work again!

Post-performance :)

The Sea is a Ginormous Place

So I'm trying out this crowdsourcing thing.  I've signed up on Tomnod and started looking at satellite map tiles (along with thousands of others) to try to locate anything related to Flight MH370.

It's a strange thing.. viewing monotonous satellite map tiles like this on Tomnod ...

... CAN GET REALLY STRANGELY ADDICTING (OCD warnings anyone?).

It's nothing but sea and clouds so far - and I CAN'T STOP CLICKING.

I really should get to bed at a decent time for a change.

Just one ... more ... map tile ...

:(

It's true ... When tragedy affects people who appear more similar to us, we are more affected.

Had this discussion recently about how race plays a factor in how richer nations view tragedies and how strong their response is.   

I admit that even though I am saddened when I hear of a disaster that strikes anywhere in the world, I tend to be even more haunted when I see victims who I imagine are like my relatives and friends.   And of course, like me too. 

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is extremely disturbing.  One can't help but read about the people on that flight manifest.  I see Facebook pictures of the beautiful Indian-Chinese Canadian couple and their little boys (I believe the boys are safe and didn't board the flight).  The quintessential modern Canadian family.  Then there's the Asian female engineer who is around my age. No pictures of her, but the descriptions people give are of an intelligent and pleasant woman with a great smile who is rising up in her company, travels a lot for work and just purchased a house on her own (apparently she is unmarried).   She could be me or any of my single hardworking girlfriends!  Most of the people on that flight are counterparts of people in my life that I encounter everyday. 

Just everyday innocent folks ... on vacation ... on business.. 

What the hell happened to that flight?  I pray and hope for the best case, that the victims are stranded somewhere and surviving.  And if this was an attempted hijack, then I hope that the victims are stranded somewhere and surviving, and that they have successfully beat the @#$@#@#$#!@# out of the hijackers. 

Lucky Descendant.

My grandma just turned 92 :)

And I have to say - she looks amazing!!!  This lovely strong woman raised ten children on her own and still runs her own household to this day.  She EXPERIENCED World War II.  As a pretty young girl, she was hidden away in a convent when Japanese soldiers raped and pillaged the Philippines.  Even now you can still see her poise and beauty :)  I have many memories of her visiting me and caring for me in Brunei and in Canada as a child.  She STILL remembers every birthday and sends me a card and letter with a "special treat" inside :)

Despite the increasing dependence we have on our phones and being "connected" all the time (even during dates and family gatherings), I am very very grateful to see how my relatives are doing in the Philippines, US and even the Middle East when I log on to facebook.

When I see their pictures, I am so happy that they are healthy and well ... but I also get a little twinge of sadness that I am so far away.  If only plane rides were as quick and easy as bus rides.

Many people here take it for granted that their relatives are here and they can have big family gatherings for birthdays and holidays.  My Thanksgiving dinners are limited to a handful of people - my immediate family.  I love this country, but I also wish I could see my relatives more, especially since both my parents come from huge families.  I have a ton of relatives and should be having big and boisterous dinners!

I never got the chance to meet my grandma on my mom's side - she passed away too early.  I have a deep fascination with her life, because I only have bits and pieces of stories about her from my mom (who was only a toddler when my grandma passed away) and my aunt.  My maternal grandma was also an amazing and very intelligent, resourceful woman.  If it wasn't for her, my mom and her siblings probably wouldn't have been able to go get the education they did.

But that's another story for another day.

I love that I am a product of incredible women like my grandmas :)  Here's to magnificent matriarchs!

Updates/Mind Farts
-yes! 12 Years a Slave won Best Picture AND Lupita Nyong'o won Best Supporting Actress (her acceptance speech was beautiful).  Patsey and Solomon are watching from somewhere..
-Ukraine and Venezuela ... so much senseless violence. at the same time too :(
-if you think about it, half of you was already a little egg in your mother even when she was a baby in her mother's womb.  you were already a little egg in your maternal grandma!  yet another reason why grandmas are magical and powerful beings :)
-decided to give Sun Warrior vegan protein a try.  it seems to be a bit cheaper than Vega One (which is what i was using).  it's delicious! i got the chocolate one :)   i recommend both brands.  Sun Warrior for more protein and less price ... Vega One for extra goodies (maca powder, probiotics, omega 3's, etc.)
-Filipinos are rocking it in customer service.  rocking it!  the only reason i upgraded my Shaw cable was because the service rep was great.  the one from a year ago was not very nice - the scheduling was totally off and i waited for a whole day for a tech to come, only to find out the tech thought it was a different day. i completely gave up and never wanted to deal with a service rep or tech again.  also had a few other experiences were the Filipino customer service rep was the company's only saving grace in keeping me as a customer

Thanks Philippine Pulp and Paper Industry!

I'm waiting for the cable tech to swing by my condo before I can leave for the office this lovely sunny but very crispy cold Friday morning.  Come to mama faster internet and Smithsonian channel!  This waiting may take a while and may throw my schedule off but hey, at least I get to sit in a sunny living room and sit down and eat a warm breakfast :)

And peruse Facebook a.k.a crackbook.

Which brings me to the photo above.  My mom has gotten in touch with some of her former coworkers and friends from back in the day when she was in her twenties and working in Mindanao.  I've only been able to imagine what her workplace was like until now.  One of her friends posted up this pic of the building she worked in.  That's where she met my dad :)  My dad is from the north, near the capital.  There is no way he would've met my mom if he didn't apply for a job all the way in the south.  She was handing out entrance exams for engineers and he was one of the applicants.  My dad the smooth yet subtle gentleman called her later on to check on his results.  She loved that he was humble about it and had a "nice voice," not to mention a high IQ.  And the rest is history!  So if it wasn't for this company, then no Angel. So weird to think of it that way.

Mind Farts
-Canada rocked the winter olympics :) yeah!
-new late night restaurant discovery: Steel Wheels.  a bluish room filled with grafitti, non-diffused lighting, a sweet Korean man with a bucket of chopsticks.  and what do they serve?  Korean food and pizza of course!  the veggie rice dish is delish - i could eat a bucket of that seasoned broccoli
-axolotls are cute little buggers
-dipping a blueberry bagel in tomato soup may sound gross but it's actually quite good.  yes, my fridge stores are running low
-apparently the sum of 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + ... all to infinity will equal -1/12.  -0.833333333!  i can't handle this new piece of info
-secret guilty tv pleasure: house hunters international

Boing!

Bounce back time.  It took 4 days of bedrest to recover and now it's back to work and dance.  Work, practice, perform ... rinse and repeat.  The sky is blue - yadda yadda yadda!

But what's this? *gasp* Another break!  Just spent the long weekend in the mountains with dancer girlfriends who don't dance as much anymore.  Another rapid transition to a slower pace, but at least it wasn't because I was sick.  It's much more fun to relax because you planned a trip with girlfriends. Not because a brutal virus confines to your bed.  Triple treat: weather, scenery, company.  Ohhh to wake up naturally (no alarms!!) and to relax with drinks and good food with constant Olympics updates in the background where ever there's a TV screen.

Spending a good chunk of time with people who aren't dancing enormous amounts (anymore) gives me a broader perspective and a gentle reminder: If I wasn't spending so much time dancing, I would have more sleep, have a cleaner condo, have more food in the fridge,  have more chances to rekindle other hobbies, have more free weekends to spend with family and friends, have more trips that are purely vacation-related as opposed to dance-related ... the list goes on and on.  Look at how relaxed we all look!

But as I've said before, I think that if you do something and you keep doing it and you are not sure why ... then all the more reason to do it!  Maybe it's something instinctual and natural that draws you.  Maybe a temporary surge of incredible energy has hit me and I should dissipate it in dance before it runs out.  Maybe I am diving too hard and too deep and will finally get stopped by burnout.  Or maybe I'll adapt instead and keep getting stronger until I eventually decide to move on to other things, with a greater sense of discipline and "oomph" in me.

At the end of these internal discussions that I have with myself, I conclude that it's ultimately my choice in the end.  Which is comforting.  It is a luxury after all to be able to make choices like this.  And the nice thing is, it seems like either way I win!  If I keep pushing myself in dance I'll just keep getting better.  If  I tone down the dancing, I'll be able to enrich the rest of my life even more.  One of the former-dancer girlfriends brought along her adorable and extremely intelligent little girl and watching them interact was pretty damn beautiful :) Also, I love toddler logic.

Mind Farts
-cross country skiing is much cheaper than downhill. talk about a good cardio session! and it's toddler-friendly too.  pulling a sled containing a toddler even adds strength training to the mix
-sometimes there is that one routine that feels sooo good to perform.  the music and the movement feel like such a good fit ... even lifts become effortless!
-or maybe acro-yoga is just helping my core strength and balance ;)
-new vegan trait i've discovered:  i get horrified when people don't finish their veggies/bread and i often offer to eat their leftovers. like when i attacked some red onions that were going to be thrown away and stashed them in my veggie sandwich instead
-hard liquor is easier on my morning-after stomach than beer.  helloo Havana Club!
-costco rice crackers = crack cocaine

-Lemony Snicket children's book: first word to learn is "bird." next is "despondent."  haha i love it. I will have to read A Series Of Unfortunate Events now