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Friday, April 14, 2000
Two years ago: Tap Brothers
I was recruited to help out in a Savoy Swing dance class on Thursdays, partly because I work on the east side and the club has been branching out to Bellevue this year. They were short on follows and had too many leads. I made my way to the Bellevue community-center place in good time, of course, and chatted with Guy Caridi and Jonathan Garrigues until it was time for class. We even started a few minutes late because -- there weren't enough leads! We think they were late partly because of bad traffic, and partly because some of them gave up on the unbalanced class after the first session.
The class, taught by Jodi and Jonathan, was fine. It's intermediate lindy, so the material wasn't difficult for me. I concentrated on following and blending with the leads. This was a challenge, because most of them were unfamiliar to me, and most of them were barely at the intermediate level. It's a good reminder, to meet up with a collection of very odd quirks in their dancing: one who never looked at me, one who only looked at our reflection in the window glass, one who waggled his left hand as he led me forward, in a way that almost threw me off balance!
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The market took a beating today! And Microsoft stock was down around the level where Jack had said he'd want to buy it. I sent him an email alert to that effect, and he rushed home, opened an etrade account, and made the purchase! He said, "I have been following the market for years, but never before have I had a chance to apply my intuition as to which stocks will do well over the long run despite how they trade right now..."
At one time Jack and I had considered me taking the train up to Bellingham. That way he and I could ride the motorcycle here on Sunday. But it looks like the weather won't be great this weekend, and he hasn't gotten the Goldwing running recently, so he told me I should probably drive.
I had to make a stop in Seattle before I could set off -- I needed to pay my electric bill at the Neighborhood Service Center on Jackson. This is a good feature of Seattle, I think! They have satellite city offices in various neighborhoods, to pay bills or find out about government programs.
Jack had warned me that he'd be working late, so I stopped at the mall on the way up there. I'd been so pleased that the between-the-legs pillow I'd bought him before had helped his back, then bummed when he'd lost it when travelling. So I went to the same "as seen on TV" store. Too bad they didn't have the exact same thing, but I bought two of a similar brand. That way, if he likes the replacement, I'll have one at my place. I went to the Yankee Candle Store, too! But I restrained myself to a small jar-candle in a discontinued scent (so it was on sale; "Fireside"), and a car fragrance thing -- like one of those pine tree hangers, but smelling better and shaped like a jar cutout.
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Jack was home when I got to his place. He was so wrapped up in his computer that he did not come downstairs when I came in. In fact, I don't think he got up out of his chair when I came upstairs. I didn't hold it against him, though.
He suggested that we should go have dinner at the Kyoto Japanese Steak House. I was up for this! Somehow, the grilled food thing is a theme for me -- company lunches at Benihana, the Mongolian Grill, and a Japanese place in Redmond where you grill your own at an in-table hibachi. We had a grand feast tonight! I especially liked the squid steak. The young chef did a good job, and chatted us up a bit.
We were stuffed and drowsy when we got home, but we put in a video anyway. Jack and I had both bought some used videos at the grocery store a few weeks ago. He'd bought Kafka on my recommendation -- so I felt semi-responsible for his enjoyment!
Soderbergh had such a big hit with Sex, Lies and Videotape that he must have had a free ticket to make whatever movie he wanted, next. Kafka was a big contrast to the first movie -- a costume drama/adventure spooky thing, filmed in Europe, with big star Jeremy Irons and other name actors. Sex, Lies and Videotape was mostly in one house, and had a small cast. I've always been fond of it, and I like Kafka, too. It was a big box-office flop, though.
It's a strange movie, though. It's tough to follow what's going on, but the eerie, suspenseful atmosphere is great. The movie is a fantasy based on some elements of Kafka's life and writings. It's mostly in black and white, with a central color sequence (like Wizard of Oz, perhaps?). I did nod off a few times, but stayed awake through most of the film.
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