For the love of dance

 I have written a lot about dance - it's power to heal, it's mood lifting effect, it's sense of community, the science of dance and it's many other benefits for wellbeing..  Hell, even when I do karoke, I tend to throw in a dance for good measure. I am not a good dancer. I don't even know my left from right. I'm that white person with no rhythm the trope is laughing at. And I'm old. I just love it so much, and the serotonin it gives me (dopamine? I'm also not a doctor or biology student or clearly that smart), that I just don't care. Dancing is the quickest route to joy.

Walking to the restaurant to meet my friend before Hot Potato Band the other night, I was flooded with endorphins and getting high in anticipation of dancing. I said on arrival, 'the next best thing to the high you get dancing is the feeling of anticipation that you're going dancing!' And for me, it's true.

The next morning, my husband sent me this article with the preface 'it's not for the bit about hating your body, it's for the dancing bit'. He is not a dancer. At weddings, I'm allowed one dance with him. He warns me to choose the song wisely. He prefers seated concerts, where as I prefer to stand up the front in the crowd. My widowed brother-in-law is now my main dance partner at family weddings, because he likes to dance or doesn't know how to say no. I don't really understand people don't like to dance. I realise there's a self-conscious aspect, fear of looking stupid etc but if you give yourself over to the music, you just don't care. The serotonin released (or whatever) is worth it. In fact, as I've mentioned before, I'm sure there's footage of me on youtube being mocked for the way I dance...I just hope I never stumble across it.

Back to the article, Julia Baird sums up the regret people have late in life as their body physically declines '“If I had only known,” they would say, “I would have danced more.”' and she concludes "But for now, when alive, when upright, when walking through days with purpose, without pain, they [your body] are vessels for adventure, for sleep, for song, for dance, and a place where we experience joy." (full article is worth reading here). Dance is the most immediate path to joy in my opinion.

When in lockdown, as the weeks rolled on, I would be filled with existential panic, mainly about how I only had a limited time left to travel and dance, and do all the physical things I like to do. If people were talking about lockdown, I'd tap at my wrist and say "Tick tock! I'm running out of time". They'd laugh and say that I could still do all that but I don't think they realise what's involved. You need a certain amount of agility and strength to be able to throw yourself fully into the experience. And that, I know, is running out with age as my body physically declines. (And I accept all accusations of lockdown privilege. It's a fair call. Worrying about getting old when people are dying makes me a jerk, but this post is about my love of dance - because it is something I truly love. I stuck by the rules and still mask and sanitise but I will whinge away).

If you're a little lethargic, get up and dance. If you're down in the dumps, blast some music and dance hard. If you're in a crowd, focus on the stage and tune everything else out. I promise you, there's a shift. 

I have nothing on the cards until Duke Dumont hits our shores but I am counting down the days! In the meantime, I'll just have to settle for my morning dancing while I get dressed to Daily Drive....(another post on how much I love Spotify pending).

As for you, if you don't dance, I challenge you. Give it a go. Get your dirty boots on the floor!

 "A’a i ka hula, waiho i ka maka’u i ka hale." Dare to dance, leave shame at home.

In other news, I'm getting a new phone cos this one is dying and as you can see, can barely take photos anymore. What should I get?

Linking with

An ode to band stamps

Nowadays, when I see bands, I tend to show tickets or get wristbanded. For some reason, last week I went to two venues where I was stamped. The next morning in the shower, trying to wipe off the ground in smear, I was reminded of my youth where most weekends I had a black blur on my inside wrist to remind me of the fun I'd had the night before. It made me feel very wistful for that lost time.

I know menopause is making me extremely sentimental but this inky mess filled me with nostalgia.  As terrible as it looked, I like the idea that the stamp won't immediately wash off, a constant reminder of the fun the night before. A brief tattoo of enjoyment.

Someone reminded me of the UV stamps, that became big to stop people sneaking in with copies. I'd forgotten all about those. I guess that was when the wristbands came in...

It is a funny thing, nostalgia. Often doing the thing makes you think of the thing that feels like a lost time. Even though you just did it.

I see a lot of bands now, ironically probably more than I did then. So what exactly did these stamps make me long for? I don't know precisely.

I guess I'll need a few more stamps to find out!

Do you have any nostalgia triggers? What are they and what do they make you miss?

Linking with #TrafficJamWeekend  #AnythingGoes and #HappyTuesday because it's funny what pleasure you can find in the smallest of things...

Housekeeping

 

I'm going on holidays from the blog for the school holidays (and end of tax year...ugh). 

Will be on Instagram, as always.

And should be back around the 20th July sometime.

#Allseasons will run as usual.

Take care and have fun everyone!

People in Europe & UK, Jeremy Loops has a tour starting so go along and send me pics - he's so great (I'm sulking that we are 13 weeks into waiting for a passport!! We're not going ANYWHERE!)

Linking with #Skywatch

Share Four Somethings - June

This is more PG rated than last month so everyone can breathe easy (or sigh in disappointment).

Something Loved: This month saw the end of VIVID and the Biennale, both of which have added a lot of colour and festivities to my days and nights! I feel there is a lull in the next week or so but I'm sure I'll find something to take its place. Regardless, my INSTA is beautiful and I've loved every minute of what Sydney has been offering us. Not to mention the sunshine! After 6 months of rain, it might be chilly but it still feels fabulous!

Something Gleaned: Some people, who never lost their smell or taste with COVID, have lost their taste for coffee after recovering from the virus. If you know anything about this, let me know. I am most curious to start researching this (and terrified of having this happen to me). Of my poll so far, it appears to be just coffee, not other things, which is weirder still. I do feel it's my mission to get to the bottom of this.

Something Braved or Saved: I braved performing this song for karaoke. I am not a good singer but the theme was America  (in honour of our US friends visiting) and I think of Gospel when I think of American music. What I lack in talent, I make up with gusto. I also don't have to listen to myself so I guess that helps too. Anyway, I love this song because I adore the JJ Grey and Mofro version from a squillion years ago but the Lost Frequencies version hit to coincide with our first 2020 lockdown and I spent a lot of time lifting my spirits with it blasting while I watched the sunset or the world outside my bedroom window. It has a comforting feeling for me, there's an emotional reaction to feeling less isolated from the vast and distant rest of the world. I still sometimes here the song in my head if I stand at the window for a moment.

Something Achieved: I forgot to enter a NYC Midnight competition because I thought I had, only to discover I was not on the list when the tasks were sent out. I was disappointed as I'd also skipped the Furious fiction the week before because I was too busy. However, I was delighted to learn I went through to the second round in a competition I'd entered a few months ago. I ranked higher than 57 other people in the group, so while it wasn't a stellar story, it was good enough. I had 24 hours to write a Sci-Fi story but actually only had 2 hours today to write it and submit it due to a very busy weekend with too many commitments. But submitted and happy so I will celebrate that achievement.

All the photos are from a day on the Harbour, and I tried to take the Opera House from different angles that I didn't usually photograph it from. Our other attempts at boat day this year have all been washed out, so while not swimming weather, it was still pretty fabulous!  

#WildbirdWednesday

Linking with #ShareFourSomethings #HappyTuesday #WeekendCoffeeShare and   #FriendshipFriday

Writers festival reading list

 I am slowly working my way through the books by the authors I saw at the Writers Festival. I've already reviewed The Promise. I loved it so much I've picked it as my book club selection. (My other book club has picked Disgrace (coincidently another South African Booker-winning novel) which I've read and can't recommend enough, so I will continue with my Roobis tea drinking and Jeremy Loops on repeat to keep in the South African mood.

I read She is Haunted, by Paige Clark. She was very interesting at the festival and her discussion of the short stories made them seem more interesting than I found them. I liked the collection but didn't love them as much as I'd expected to after hearing her dissecting one of them at the Festival.

I am halfway through Talking About a Revolution by Yassmin Abdel-Magied. This collection of essays I am thoroughly enjoying. It's political, feminist, and charming. Amidst the more serious topics are funny anecdotes about her hobbies and passions. A brilliant love letter to the demise of the petrol car is my favourite and her attempts to get into F1 (she got remarkably close!) pepper a few of the essays. Well worth reading.

I also listened to Prophet's Prey by Sam Brower on Audible as I'm reading Under the Banner of Heaven and they cover the same people, though the Brower book covers more into the court process and rescue operations. It's eye-opening.

I also read The Maid by Nita Prose for bookclub. It's a beach read, fun crime. Not a must-read but if you're wanting something fluffy and fun, this could be it.

I'm a little slow in the reading stakes this month but enjoying what I am reading, and loving that the festival introduced me to so many authors I'd never heard of nor read.

What's on your bookshelf this month?

Linking with #Whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge #FriendshipFriday

#TrafficJamWeekend

Some iconic Cape Town scenery in the clip below.

Roses in Centennial Park

 Arriving early to meet friends, I strolled through the rose garden in Centennial park - literally taking time to stop and smell the roses.

Sometimes the smallest pleasures warm the soul.

All Seasons is open from Friday through Wednesday 5pm, Sydney Time. 

1. Please link one  'seasonal' post a week. 

2. Make sure you link back to this  #AllSeasons post.

3. Please comment on the post before yours and the hosts. Don't dump and run or I will delete your posts. It's rude.

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Centennial Park

I haven't been to Centennial Park since the lockdowns began, so well over two years. When a friend suggested we walk there, I only agreed as I hadn't seen her in ages.

However, the location was lovely and the experience made me wonder why we didn't do it more often.

Time and laziness, or habit, I guess.

A good reminder to try and do things a little differently, in small ways, as it dusts off the cobwebs and re-energises the mind and soul.

Linking with #SharonsSouvenirs

VIVID at Central

The Goods Line has proved a very popular addition to VIVID, making it a fun walk from the interactive installation at Central, down to the restaurants at Darling Square. 

There is live music in the station on some nights. check the website for details.

The infinity pods are spectacular, and this week's #WeekendReflection.

 

The Frank Gehry building's display is one of the best in the city. (Linking this photo with #BlueMonday and #RubyTuesdayToo)

The queue to be the dancer and get your image projected on the tower weren't too long compared to other installations around town.

That's me, not posing for photos....

It's not Sydney without a celebration of the bin chicken!

Note if you have any Dine(& Discover) vouchers left to use before 30 June, you can use them at Spice Alley.

We saw The Morrisons at Central and they were great - keep an eye out for where you can catch them!

Linking with #WanderingCamera #WordlessWednesday #ItsYourMoment #KeithsRamblings

#Therandom and on the Theme Green with

for all the green lasers.