Snow.

We had a pretty amazing night of Halloween-time fun followed by a little sleep and the last of our series of Alexander classes with Nina D'abbracci.  You could see that the evening might have affected some of the class a bit more than others.  Attendance was low.  In the class with Nina, we worked on some new ways to stretch from the shoulders before working into our posture and walking.

You'd be surprised how many people laugh when you tell them you're spending several thousand dollars to learn how to stand and walk.  Granted there's some other things... a few other things that we learn in our time here, but, yes, we learn how to stand and walk.  What was really interesting for me was that, when she was diagnosing me, I learned that I lean way back into myself.  She had set me to a "correct" posture and I felt like I was a short breath away from falling head-over-heels on to my forehead.  It's really uncomfortable, but I've been playing with it all day, and hopefully will be able to correct the issue in the next few weeks.

I'm learning to walk.

After class, Phillip, Jeena, Ariel, Kristie, Marianna and I went to Tom's Diner (of Seinfeld fame) which is down Broadway from College Walk for a little breakfast.  I should just disclose with you really quick, that if you really feel the need to get in touch with a little Seinfeld nostalgia, this is the place to go; if not the food is less than stunning and you aren't really missing anything by passing on it.  I've eaten here a few times now and there's definitely better diners to be found in the city. We were in just finishing up with our meal, hanging out/chatting, and getting pressured to pay and leave up by our busboy when something magical happened:  It started to snow on Broadway.  I've lived here, I've seen it, but it's still impressive.  Especially since the sentence "It started to snow n Broadway" is an understatement.  It started dumping large white flakes of utter cold on Broadway might me more apt.  There was something there, though, having that experience with each other.  Having a laugh; sharing a look of wonder at nature practicing the changing of the season before our very eyes.  Hearing the breathy, gleeful gasps of fellow Californian, Jeena Yi experiencing her first winter snow in the city where she lives... it was grand, and a wonderful experience to share.

(Photos courtesy of Marianna Caldwell)

Snow on 112th & Broadway

Jeena & Kristie

Ariel & Ryan

Phillip & Jeena

Kristie & Marianna

I returned home, warmed and excited to have a few hours to myself.  To remove the cares of the program from my mind and reflect upon the week and finally curl up with a book, some hot tea and a blanket and relax beside my window that looks over on the whitening street below.  I'm about to get back to it now; the moments are too sterling to continue pass up.


"And finally Winter, with it's bitin', whinin' wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow."
-Roy Bean

-Nix

Gardening.

Yesterday, we had the opportunity for a little development outside of our prescribed curriculum.  Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Andy Talen, we were able to begin the first of three special Alexander classes instructed by Nina D'Abbracci from the Linklater Center.  I've never experienced Alexander training before.  At CSUF, we sort of dabbled in a few different techniques, but straying from Fitzmaurice was akin to sin.  I was really amazed at the simplicity of the beginning exercises and the immense reward delivered in freedom and ease of movement.  I'm really excited to continue next Saturday, and see what else is in store for us.

I was able to post the first of the Meet The Fourteen interviews yesterday.  From what I can tell, between impressions from Blogspot and YouTube, you seem to like it.  I'll be interviewing Daniela Mastropietro, (and if I'm very lucky, Mr. Kevin Tobias Johnston) tomorrow.  The interview with Daniela should be up for your viewing pleasure tomorrow.

I realized this weekend that "the groove" has finally been achieved.  I didn't feel that the transition back into school full-time was a difficult one, but I'm realizing that I've hit a good stride wherein I can really start planting the seeds of some extra-curricular projects that I've been wanting to work on.  I've sent out some feelers to get some stories from some of the class for a music and story-telling (I'm dreading the use of the word cabaret) evening that I'm hoping to develop the "script" for over the next few weeks.  If I can just make time this week to get down to NYU, I think I might be able to get the ball rolling on a charity fundraiser that's been kicking around my brain since the dayI got my acceptance call.  The excitement inside me is really buzzing right now.  The world is full of possibilities.

Sunday is always a great day to take care of all of the odds and ends that get glossed over during the week (laundry and cleaning, anyone?).  It's a bit like plucking up all of the weeds that come in while you're not paying attention, today is no different, UNLESS you count the fact that I got an opportunity to finally get down to the most recently opened BareBurger around the corner for brunch with fellow my fellow Titans, Jessica Kausen; Carly Menkin; and Graham Forden.  I hadn't seen Graham in a few weeks, butI think that at the surprise of seeing him walk through my front door this morning, I embraced him so hard that I almost broke him.  Getting a chance to catch up with some old, wonderful friends and just stroll through the neighborhood on a crisp Autumn afternoon was a sweet rejuvenation for the soul.


Since I've been out of California, I've found myself missing having a yard, a garden, a patio, anything where I can grow something.  There's something really zen about caring for plants; tending to them; letting them speak to you and tell you their needs; helping them grow.  I suppose that my loose analogy of personal cultivation got me thinking about that again and I felt I should share that.  But even though I'm not physically growing anything right now, I'm anticipating sharing with you some of these artistic projects again when the sprigs begin to poke through the surface of their fallow soil.


Now the gardener is the one who has seen everything ruined so many time
that (even as his pain increases with each loss) he comprehends - truly
knows - that where there was a garden once, it can be again, or where
there never was, there can yet be a garden."
- Henry Mitchell


Splish, splash.  Splish, splash.  I'm my own best gardener!

- Nix