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Love Dogs
Thursday, July 9, 1998 I'm trying out a new (to me) "community" web site, Six Degrees. Interaction there is based on personal contacts: friends, acquaintances, family, business associates, and their friends, acquaintances, and so on. I think I can see the potential here, but I'm trying to build up my contacts to a reasonable number to find out if it's worth it. One cool feature: you can set your preferences so that responses to your posts in the bbs area are emailed to you, and you can email your response in turn, or post from the web page. The email reminds you to check the site, which I think is handy! So if you are a member and would like to add me as a contact, or want me to add you (it's free to join), just let me know!
Wednesday night I was dancing again to the Love Dogs at the Century Ballroom. Hallie, who runs the place, is trying to promote every other wednesday as Queer Swing night (though straight folks like me are welcome too) so I laughed when Michael was dancing with me, and Hallie pulled him aside and asked him to ask some men to dance. I ended up staying till the very end; the music was great, and it was Nancy's last night with us for a while. I did end up dancing with a few partners that I'm not thrilled to dance with. There is usually a debate on this topic on the rec.arts.dance newsgroup. What's the best way to say "No, thanks!"? (Punctuation strung together in honor of Andrew "Coredumps" Denyes returning to frequent posting.) I don't mind dancing with beginners; I'm not that advanced myself! Everyone starts somewhere, and I don't mind if a guy doesn't know very many moves. But with these guys, it's uncomfortable to dance and just no fun. I see no evidence of them improving, either. But then I think, what if guys that I ask to dance think that about me? yikes!
I'm finally getting caught up on a few things at work, after the holiday and jury duty disrupted my workflow. I listened to the Love Dogs CD I bought Sunday night at the Showbox, and played it several times. I love the opening number, and would like to make it my personal theme song: Big and Hot (Real audio sample; big Wav file; medium Wav file). I'd only need a few lyric changes, since I'm not six feet tall, more like five feet. But the rest applies! I really like my walk to the community center where I'm taking Lindyhop lessons. I've lived in this neighborhood for years, and each block is familiar to me. One of the things that please me about Capitol Hill: the lots are just that little bit larger than some other neighborhoods, so there are more trees. I have a theory (sort of a corollary to the Tragedy of the Commons) that Wallingford and Ballard are shade-free neighborhoods in Seattle, because the yards are small. Anyone who plants a tree will find that it shades their entire yard, so no one wants to be the one to plant one. This leads to an entirely treeless neighborhood! It's truly the Seattle summertime. The dance hall was steamy and warm. Many folks stayed out on the sidewalk and practiced steps, instead of coming inside and dancing. I joked to Chris that that's how those clubs get in trouble in Pioneer Square; when the crowds hang out on the street around a bar or club, and gang trouble and brawls start happening. I don't really think that's likely with our crowd, though. But we really need some high-powered fans in there!
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