She'll eat anything

I'm pretty sure I might not want to use this as a checklist... at least not while I'm dieting...

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Now I'm hungry...

Ahh sweet sleep

Sacrificed clean laundry for early bedtime last night. Definitely a good choice. Let's see, major points:
- After all my sweating and thrashing... the big meeting (and accompanying deliverables) were moved a week later. All in all, I'm glad - it means I'm not early/on time, not late/on time and have time to fix tweaks and not run my reviewers ragged - always good.
- Had class with jezebelpussycat we were both really happy to start class again. Class has a wonderful feeling of making progress associated with it. Especially the early months/years of Indian dance. There is so much to learn, and every hour feels like you're taking/imparting a big bite of knowledge. You can do hard, sweaty physical things when your brain is sore, and do memory, fine-detail things when your body is tired... so you maximize your potential. In many ways, it's a very different energy from the 3 weeks of Baby Doll Intensity we have both finished, and we were both thrilled for the chance in pace. On the technical side - Alarippu (the summer choreography) survived nicely. We reviewed other stuff that has suffered from lack of attention, and brought it all back up to speed.
- Practiced today - in tribute to class last night, I did a whole bunch of basics myself - it is always good to return to basics, and it seemed like a good way to reintroduce my body to Indian dance. So... I did all of Tattu Adavu, and the first 1/3 or so of Nattu Adavu - doing the first series that Padmae is working on, and into the second series, so I can run ahead of the ball. My knee is awfully sore... this seems cyclical, I think I need to keep track of it.
- Got shower. Due to traffic and needing gas, was 5-10 minutes late. Dammit. But managed to get in in time for our monthly ESR. Everything is on track, apparently. I'm apparently a Good Monkey again. Sadly, the next thing for me to do is to write the System Test Plan. Not surprising. This is a small project and the person who does the Requirements and Design docs typically does this, too. But... sigh... this is my 3rd straight document assignment... usually there's some actual development in there. I think in my winter evaluation meeting, I will point out that I am neither doing management, nor doing technology, I'm just writing and writing and writing. I am willing to step down my management ambitions, if it means I get to do some technology. I'll give it another year - as otherwise I owe back tuition - and if nothing improves, I'll have my ear to the ground starting next summer.

Shopping Extravaganza

As sometimes happens after a busy spell, I look up and realize that I have long finished the last new book, and have no other books around that suit my particular mood. The last really great book I remember being enthralled by was Geisha by Liza Darby. I'm a huge Geisha goob - I don't really do much with it, or try very hard to dig really far down into cultural anthropology or developing much artistic depth on the topic, but I really fall hard for books about Geisha. It all started with Memoirs of a Geisha and I've read another 3 or so books since on the topic. Liza Darby's is pretty awesome. She actually worked in Gion as a geisha doing her research, and so offers an insider perspective but with a great sense of Western-translation. She's amusing, has interesting narratives, and colorful, evocative descriptions.

But... I couldn't find another Geisha book that suited me, so I moved on. Now that Burlesque has become the latest obession, I have leaned heavily into the dance zone of the enormous NE mobile book fair (book addicts anonymous):
- Burlesque: Legendary Stars of the Stage by Jane Briggeman - goes over a nice collection of the Burlesque stars of the Golden Age of Burlesque. Seems to have a strong leaning towards The Golden Days of Burlesque Historical Society - a group focused on reuniting and researching the performers of the early-mid 20th century. Has a interesting picture of Mimi Reed in pretty much exactly a Bharata Natyam costume - although it doesn't have the upper "drape" part that is more typical today. And she's in a mettu aramundi pose with an alteration of miyurako hand mudra, looking for all the world like she's gonna do a Bharata Natyam number. I am intruigued...
- got a silly little pocket guide to Swing dancing, to refresh my swing skills.
- got two books as little presents for fellow dance & India geeks I know. It makes me smile that I have friends just as geeky as me, who will like books that I think are neat, but have no practical use for myself. :)
- got Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card - because a girl can't just fill her head with nekkid women, there needs to be some good sci fi in there too.
- got a book on tape about the Kama Sutra (for modern loving) by Wendy Donniger. It doesn't sound in anyway historically useful. But it's a book on tape... it simply gives me something to think about besides road rage when I am on the way to O.S. class. Besides, it was $10.

Whee!! Must remember - OS book, first, fun books after!