ONE YEAR

Friday, May 8, 1998

Today is the one-year anniversary of this journal. I didn't want to get frozen in the headlights, blocked like Lance was at Experience #100, so I haven't planned a super-special entry. But I do have a few things to say.

I got the urge to begin Anita's BOD because of the journals I was reading. Looking through my sent mail in the spring of 1997, I see I was corresponding with Scott, Nigel, and Lucy. I think I found Archipelago through Lucy (I was reading many of the member journals), and I found her through fannish connections. I decided to write publicly on a regular basis, to complete that loop. If other folks were talking about what was happening to them, or what they were thinking on various topics, and I was commenting on that, then I wanted to do the same. It seemed fair!

One way this journal has changed my life, beyond connecting me with other writers and readers, is that it has helped me be more emotionally open. I think my writing is deeper, when I have something deep to write about. I think I'm more self-aware, too, if that's possible. I already was inward-looking! I like writing about funny things in a funny way, and life often amuses me.

My life has taken some unexpected turns since the journal started. Not "interesting" in the Chinese proverb sense, though. Jason said to me that I liked drama in my life. I really disagree! I prefer a calm and settled atmosphere. I don't poke at things just to stir up trouble and excitement.

I had no issues about the private/public boundary in my journal when I began, since I really had no private life to speak of! I've taken action to develop one since, so that's an area I'm still experimenting with. I've also acquired a new hobby -- dancing -- and met lots of new folks that way. A change for someone who still thinks of herself as a sedentary person who spends lots of time alone.

I'm planning a second issue of the print version of this journal. I'll be including entries covering the period from the beginning of 1998 up till now. If there are any entries that have especially moved, amused, or horrified you, please tell me about them! Or if you have anything else to say about this journal that you'd like to see included in a lettercol.

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Fantastic dance tonight! The Swing Kids, the swing dance club associated with the University of Washington, put on their spring swing dance. This was open to anyone with a university ID, but the general public had to get on a guest list. "Cat Daddy" Chris and "Hep" Jen, whom I take lessons from on Thursday, had announced this at our class, and said we could all sign up for the list.

I dressed up in my new short black skirt, black net top, and black bustier and stockings. I drove over to campus. The guy at the gate kindly asked where on campus I was headed when I paid for parking, and pointed me to the garage where I'd be close to the HUB. (The HUB is the Husky Union Building, the student union.) I parked and started walking up the hill, and met up with some students. I knew they were on their way to the dance because the guy was wearing a fedora! So I said hi, and we walked together. I wasn't too clear on where the HUB was!

The ballroom was up on the second floor. It was huge! about five times the size of the Russian Center, which is about the size of a regular junior high school gym. I got there just as the pre-dance lesson was starting. I took the lesson with a young man who knew a little bit about swing. He bore patiently with my instructing him in addition to Chris and Jen demonstrating from the stage. I do wish they had rotated partners during the lesson, but maybe they felt that there were too many people there. There were several hundred folks there for the lesson, and many more arrived when the dance began.

There were two bands: Monty Banks and the High Rollers, and New York Jimmy and the Jive Five. Both are good, though Monty is better for Lindy Hop. He plays more medium-tempo songs, while Jimmy's sets are faster. All the band members like to chat with the people that they see regularly when they play, which is understandable. We talked out on the balcony during their breaks, when I went outside there to cool off.

Most of the folks I dance with regularly were there, and I danced with a few new people, too. I've danced with Paul at least once before. He does the handy swing events calendar. I danced with one guy, new to me, who said he mostly dances contra and Hungarian folk dance. He was good, but had a stronger lead than I'm used to. He did successfully lead me in some new moves, so I'm not complaining, but I feel a bit of soreness in one arm where he gripped me.

The dancing was non-stop, except for a dance contest and fashion show that took too long. I did enjoy the performance by the swing kids performance group. They rocked! Great energy and skill! I got my fill of exercise and music, and only skipped the final encore because I'd already taken off my dancing shoes. It was thrilling to look over the hall and see so many couples getting down and stepping out!