Music Madness

Big music weekend.  What was cool was that the music we saw was from opposite ends of the spectrum.

Friday night:

"Put it in the Dumpsta!"

All of the friends (BFF(A) & husband, BFF(J) & husband, myself & Xing Fu), went down to the 8X10 to listen to a New Orleans Funk band with a bunch of the Neville Brothers playing: Dumpstaphunk.  We also caught the tail-end of another great band from L.A. called Orgone.  Great horns.  We enjoyed the groove, danced a bunch, and then remembered that it was almost the beginning of Mardi Gras--(March 8th is Fat Tuesday)--even better.  It was a great time with the besties, even if we had to hike to BFF(J)'s hubby's car about 3 miles away...& me without my jacket.  


Saturday Night:

  We went to see a "semi-staged" production of The Magic Flute at the BSO.  Xing Fu had never been to the opera &  I thought that this might be a good intro as he loves Mozart (as do I) and that it was a bit condensed (narrator for the in-between bits) as opposed to the entire performance.  The leads wore costumes & it was actually quite humorous as they interacted with the narrator & at one point Papageno flirted with the conductor.  The Queen of the Night's second aria was just amazing--the skill needed for that particular piece--  After it was over, Xing Fu accused me of taking him to a chick flick---hardly--women are considered secondary supports & evil (Queen of the Night)--hardly a chick flick theme...ah well.  Regardless of his erroneous conclusions, we had a good time & met one of his friends from work afterward for dessert--finally had the flan & creme brulee we've been after.


I think Xing Fu said it best in the following email I received this morning: "Good friends, good music, good food, good times together."  Yup--my response was that we've enjoyed many such weekends & will have many more.

Just Amazing!

"Inspiration Award"
"You express your joy & enthusiasm for our school & Taekwondo every time you walk through the doors of this school. Your positive attitude is infectious. Thank you for making all of our days brighter."
--given to me at the test--

Today was just amazing! I am riding a wave that hasn't crashed quite yet--or at least the adrenaline is still coursing through me. After all my worry & stress, my black belt test was awesome! Everyone did a super job & it really was a great class of testers. The highlight for me was smashing my cinder block on the first attempt--that was...I crashed! Fell asleep writing this post so now I can pick up where I began to snore....

As for the cinder block--executed perfectly. According to one of my teachers, my face was priceless; surprise & then exhilaration when I'd realized I'd done it. My fellow testers were just as exited for me--just a reminder about the great support system at my Taekwondo school.

The day continued to be great--one of my closest girlfriends, CFW came & stayed the entire time, my BFFs, my folks were at the test & of course my son. I couldn't have felt more people in my corner than that!

After the test, my BFFs insisted we celebrate with wine tastings. Ah--such a difficult descision. So I run home, change into something relatively cute--never know who you may run into (certain massage therapists), & meet them. I must have been feeling quite full of myself because at the second tasting, a guy that I also see regularly asked me for my number...go figure!

Next, it was off to the Black Belt dinner in Catonsville. The same place I'd gone with the bull before--just a little different this time--better. I looked around at all the people I spend so much time with & was just filled with the overwhelming sense of what a great community it is. These people are so important in our lives & it so great to be part of it. Our Grandmaster was full of compliments for my son as well as for me--it just felt great.

Off now to get home & get ready to go out to listen to music with my BFFs & their husbands. Crazy, crazy trying to fit it all in, but I was determined. Plus I had a date with a new guy too--points to him for going out with all my BFFs from the jump. Getting ready meant a quick swipe of make-up & out the door. The man appears on time while my son is waiting to be picked up by his grandparents--so introductions there too--yeesh--talk about backasswards! But he is a good sport & we seem to hit it off quite well. It helps that he's pretty cute too--also a former rock musician who actually did quite well for a while. He was the drummer in a couple local bands around here. So the Drummer & I go down to the 8X10 to meet up with my friends & listen the super band: the Radiators. It was a great time, but I keep wondering about the Drummer--he seems into me but very reluctant to express that. No worries I think, dancing's awesome, I'm hanging with my best friends, & all's right with the world because I know there's chemistry--women just know these things.

So rolling forward to 2 AM & we get back to my house: The Drummer finally explained what's up--I am his first date since his divorce! He's a dating virgin. As much as he said he was attracted to me, he was just a wee bit freaked out about being back in the game. I can understand that because I remember vividly my first date after my divorce: the guy kissed me & I immediately burst into tears! Needless to say, I never saw him again..... We are in much different spaces, the Drummer & I. Maybe I'm a bit jaded by all of these adventures in dating because now all the goofiness in meeting all these men & going out with them doesn't phase me as much as it did. There have just been soooooo many frogs. But I like this guy--there seems to be potential if he can get around the newness of the whole dating thing. I need to tone down a little for him so he feels more comfortable if we go out again. I hope we do, but I certainly understand if we don't-- At least he can remember having a great first date because it truly was--he kissed very nicely too.

So I fit it all in & the day was just amazing! Thanks to everyone who is part of my life--you are the ones who make it so!

Happy Father's Day!

A Pause in the Action

Turns out that I won't be sailing this weekend. Actually should spend a little time with my BFFs since we actually haven't hung together for what seems like at least 3 weeks or so. Also have a lot going on in town too--my former mother-in-law is very sick with pancreatic cancer & the chemo has been stopped. She is in Hospice at home so I need to take my son to see her in Bethesda on Saturday because it appears her time is drawing near. I've been trying to prepare my son for the inevitable & he appears to be handling it fairly well but he'll need to see her before she loses the ability to know who everyone is, etc. My biological dad passed from cancer & the end was not pretty. He needs to see her before she looks too sick & scary. I have always had very mixed feelings about my MIL. She has always made excuses for my ex's behaviors & really never supported us when we were married but I've always maintained a cordial relationship with her--even with some fondness for her traditions. She is very British. I can appreciate her love of the Holidays--she used to cook amazing meals--love her Cottage Pie in particular. We've certainly had an interesting relationship through the years--I think she's come to appreciate me quite a bit recently since her new DIL is such a poor excuse. Ah well. At least my son will always remember her with only positives. My ex is flying in next weekend to visit her & he's planning to see our son as well so at least a visitation will happen since my son won't be going back out to Illinois anytime soon if the grandfather continues his 4 pack a day habit.

Another reason to stick around is the fitness test for my Black Belt test. I have to pass this in order to test on June 20th for my second degree. It consists of 150 push-ups, 150 sit-ups, 100 yd dash, a 50 m duck walk, & a 3 mile run. I am a little bit concerned about this--my body may not be able to do this but I guess I gotta try....

And maybe we may be able to squeeze in a little wine tasting too--haven't been in a while. Oh--and perhaps tonight going to see a great band at the 8X10--Papa Grows Funk. I really haven't done much to help my social life recently--except drink like a fish at the Miles. Which, if I recall, wasn't exactly a good way to meet new men when you are acting stupid. Note to self: don't do that again...

All this after TKD class too--maybe I do have a lot to do this weekend after all.