Uncanning

P90X: A Woman's Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:05:00 +0000

P90X: A Woman’s Perspective

Expectations: I started P90X with the desire to become more fit, stronger, lower my body fat ratio, firm up my lower body for bathing suit wear, and gain endurance/balance for my Lindy, Balboa, Charleston, Life, etc.

Background: I’m athletic, 5’5.5” and was a healthy weight at the start of the program = generally in good shape with room for improvement.

Gear: Not much! I started with 10lb weights, a yoga mat and a borrowed pull-up bar. (These sufficed for much of Phase 1 and 2).

Before Phase 3 started, I supplemented with cushy Nike push up stands, 15lb weights, 4lb weights, a yoga block, a new pull-up bar, and new work-out clothes! (Good for more reps, better form, and renewed enthusiasm).

Work Out Confidant/Personal Trainer/Fellow Xer: Adam Speen (Philadelphia, PA)

Human Resources: Bobby White (Baltimore, MD), Nick Williams (Southern California)

Synopsis of my final thoughts:

Completing P90X has been a true feat of persistence, drive, and stick-to-it-ness. I am very proud of the strength that I’ve gained and the things that I’ve learned about how to keep my body in the best shape I possibly can. However, here are my observations and frustrations.

1. The Learning Curve

I consider myself a pretty athletic person. I was a soccer goalie for 14 years (varsity in high school, and recruited to colleges) and played basketball, field hockey, and ultimate in addition to dancing. However, without some personal training help (from Adam), I would not have been able to get the most out of all of my workouts. There are a lot of things I just hadn’t spent a lot of time doing before the program.

For example, I found out half-way through the program that I was not using the proper technique for pull-ups (something I have little familiarity with). Similarly, having only limited experience with kick-boxing, for the first two phases, I was mainly punching from my arm instead of my full body, and not using my glutes to maximize my kicks. It is sometimes difficult to understand exactly how/which Tony is using his muscles in the video, and if you don’t have surrounding mirrors, it is difficult to see your form, let alone modify! Pull-ups and Kenpo kicks are just a few of the things I had to learn, and had I previous knowledge of the best way to do these, I would have gotten much more out of the program.

Moral of the story: There is only so much you can glean from a 2D screen. Use mirrors! Or, have a workout Buddy critique your form. Take the time to watch Tony do and talk about the move before you try it, and listen carefully to his instructions! Feel free to take breaks to familiarize yourself with the material so you can do it better.

2. Legs and Glutes

The P90X workout focuses A LOT on the upper body and core; and much less on legs and glutes. If I were going to change this program for women, I would have a legs/glutes day instead of one of the shoulders/arms/chest/back days. Plyometrics (and Kenpo, for that matter) is great for your legs and butt, however, I’d prefer to also have a workout that specifically targets the glutes and legs as the main focus – not as overall endurance as the man focus. That being said, I feel like my glutes are stronger, but their strength has not increased as much as my beefcakey arms, shoulders, and back!

Moral of the story: Use Plyo and Kenpo to maximize your leg workouts. Get DEEP into all lunges and squats (add weight whenever you can), and kick focusing on the glute as the beginning of the extension (don’t default to the quads and hamstrings). Also, if you have time (and are crazy), add running. That will really help your legs/butt get leaner and stronger.

3. Weight Loss

Although I’ve been working out every day for the past three months, my weight is only about two pounds less than when I started. Granted, a lot of that weight is the conversion to muscle, and I did not measure beginning inches, but the waist in my jeans still fit, which give me an idea that I haven’t changed that much.

Did I follow the P90X diet guide? The answer is yes, yes I did, starting in Phase 2. I went for the “Lean” diet with a slight calorie deficit (500k) and a strong determination. I cataloged each calorie (using www.calorieking.com), and used the portion method with the meal options as ideas to guide my eating. Daily, I ate fresh, organic food (mostly raw veggies, fruit, turkey and lots of Greek Yogurt and Go Lean Crunch! Cereal). I did allow myself a good meal or an occasional beer, but almost no sodas (probably a total of 3 during the whole time), mainly water, tea, and occasional fruit juice (if I was really low on sugar). I ended up being HUNGRY all of the time. So, listening to my body, I started eating more. I maintained the same weight, but was STILL hungry. It is virtually impossible to not eat or to operate on any significant calorie deficit if you “Do your Best” in each workout and have extra cardio (dancing at CCB, Jam Cellar, and DC Cherry Blossom practice) three times a week. You need all of those calories (and more)!!!

Moral of the story: Don’t weigh yourself every day. Do your best in workouts, count calories (but don’t obsess about them), eat when you’re hungry (but only eat healthy things!). Add extra cardio (of dancing, running etc) if you want to increase your metabolism more and burn some extra calories during the day. If you start “bonking,” and can’t make it through your work outs, and a carb (whole grain). And, of course, DRINK LOTS OF WATER.

4. Have a Workout Buddy and Keep Pressing Play!

How do you maintain your enthusiasm for this program? It is very difficult to add an extra 1.5 hours of stuff to an already busy day. I have a full time job, I dance at least twice/three times a week, and have a pressing social calendar (like many of you, who also traveling on the weekends to dance events). At times, completing a workout was nearly unbearable (like the week between Frankie’s and Camp Jitterbug). However, I had the good fortune of fellow X-er and dancer Adam Speen, to commiserate from Day 1 to Day 90. He and I started our experience together, and called each other before and after workouts for encouragement and contemplation on how to achieve better results, use better technique, and make it through the day. Michael Gamble, another close friend of mine, started the program with us, but has since modified to work better with his schedule and reframe some weeks he wanted to commit more fully to. He’s on week 7 and chugging away nicely! At dance weekends, it’s nice to have people to do the workouts with, and I’ve enjoyed spending that time with Nick Williams and Carla Heiney (at Camp Jitterbug), where we shared our YogaX experience.

Moral of the story: Have someone do the workout with you! S/he doesn’t even have to live in the same city for both of you to benefit. However, make you and your work-out buddy follow a somewhat similar schedule, and be sure there are XRewards associated with achieving small and major goals (ie, we sent each other HaikuXs, tickets to shows, and planned a final trip for celebrating our achievement).

5. Would I recommend P90X?

Absolutely! This is one work-out program I’ve been most successful at doing, consistently, at a high intensity for a full three months. I went running the other day (I am not a runner, mind you), and for fun, tried to see how fast I could finish a mile. I ran it UNDER 7 minutes! That kind of accomplishment is tremendous.

I would recommend it to all ages, body types, ratios, providing that you have enough time to truly devote yourself to it! Part of this system is really trying to “Do your best (and forget the rest),” and if you can’t do that, then you probably should think of another way or a shorter type of work out. Anyone can modify the exercises to suit their intensity level. Even when you get Plyo down, you can always go deeper and jump higher.

6. My biggest Results

Strength:

Legs: Legs are stronger, more firm.
Butt: Now able to do side-arm-balance with a leg raise.
Arms: Beefcake galore! Do you have tickets?
Abs: 4-pack
Shoulders: People stop and stare.

Flexibility:
Nota Bene: I was NOT very flexible upon starting the program.
Hamstrings: Need a yoga block to get a few more inches in Seated hamstring stretch
Calves: Heels get much closer to the floor on Downward Dog
Inner Thigh: Yes, and yes.
Quads: About the same.
Neck: Much more flexible!
Back/Spine: Incredible difference.

FINAL THOUGHT: TAKE A BEFORE PICTURE!! You will be proud of your progress, believe me. Even if you don't share it with anyone, despite their yearning, you'll want to have it. Take pictures after each phase. :)

Hope this helps any fellow Xers. Please feel free to ask any other questions you might have!

In Memoriam of Frankie Manning

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:09:00 +0000

At Vanderbilt, I wrote this poem in a forms class as a rough iambic sonnet. "Lindy Hop" was based off of the idea I once heard Frankie say, which was to (more or less) "Fall in love with your partner for the span of the dance." He went on to joke with us that it would only have to be for three minutes, worst come to worst! :) Also, Frankie always described the beginning of the swing out as the action of "bowing to your queen."

Although the poem doesn't necessarily succeed in this form, I felt that preserving the sentiment of that time in my life (sophomore year in college) would be worthwhile to put online prior to polishing. So here it is, and with it, I send my love and gratitude to Frankie, his friends, his family, and the world of Lindy Hop that has become my home.

Lindy Hop

Eight count, then six, shoe leather spins wood-pressed,
slides, swivel-steps, tuck turns, and kick-ball-change
around the jittery bug clutter, dressed
with golden beads which swing and sway, arranged
as dripping strands of sun glass down her neck.
He bows and, offering a hand to lead,
she follows, calmly as a queen. They peck
and triple-step to Duke, and as the silver seeds
in music grow again, the Jazz entwines
the frames in rhythmic spheres around the floor,
entrancing their movement with vine-like lines
which wrap and twirl and turn around the core.
She smiles cool; he dips her low; she leaves--
to find three-minute love in new shirtsleeves.

-Abigail Browning

16 Sundry Items of Interest (as formerly seen on Facebook)

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:36:00 +0000

For your interest and reading pleasure:

1. I dislike adverbs. The English language is broad and varied in a way that allows us the freedom to choose stronger verbs! Instead of saying, “She walked slowly,” you could be more accurate and concise using “sauntered, “ambled,” “trudged,” “moseyed” or “wandered” depending on the context of the situation.

2. My mother and father died (both of cancer) before I was 14. Because of this, my sister, Anne, and I grew up with my maternal grandmother (“Granny,” who is now 83 and still plays golf every week); she’s 5’0” and strong as a hoss.

3. When I was a child, I thought that in order to be an actor, one had to be a singer. This was because I watched musicals, Gilbert & Sullivan and Disney cartoons. I remember coming to the realization one day that you didn’t have to be able to sing to be able to act. I was thrilled and pleased.

4. Old man crushes – Harrison Ford over Sean Connery. No contest.

5. Related to above -- I could quote the entirety of dialogue in the Star Wars trilogy movies in 3rd grade (yes I’m cool!), and (unrelated) I saved all my allowance to buy a Game Boy when they first came on the market.

6. I just found out that people think I’m intimidating. Not sure why, though. ???

7. I’m a writer. I was a creative writing major at Vanderbilt, and since then, I blog (on occasion), write short fiction, poetry, just started a novel, and have an idea for a memoir floating around for the future.

8. I am a classically trained pianist; I love playing Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, and Mozart. It is easy for me to improvise as well, although not jazz (yet).

9. When my sister and I were children, our fights ended in us retreating to our respective rooms, closing the doors, and pretending not to like each other. However, after a while, we would write “I’m sorry” notes, and slip them under each other's doors. These notes contained a trinket or two (like a marble, figurine, penny, button), which each person sent along as a peace offering. The notes and trinkets would become more elaborate as we made amends, until we ended up playing Barbies with each other again.

10. I have two white hairs on my scalp’s part line.

11. I have never smoked a cigarette. Neither did my mother nor has her mother.

12. My favorite quote is "To strive to seek to find and not to yield," by Alfred Lord Tennyson in the poem "Ulysses."

13. I love NPR’s “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.” And TED Talks. If you haven’t checked TT out, do so. NOW. You will thank me.

14. Once I owned a business, but now I work at the school where Malia and Sasha Obama will attend while their father is in the 44th president of the United States.

15. I like useful gifts (one awesome gift example from this year: windshield wipers).

16. I can “read” palms (or at least make up stuff in a clever way) and experience synesthesia – through music, texture and color.

She Slipped Her Berth - by Marc Browning

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:40:00 +0000

She Slipped Her Berth
-Marc Browning

She slipped her berth
To sail wind driven
White crested wave tops
Free willed and time bound
Sunset to sunset
Singing
She wings
Experience her wake
Life refracted
Through frothy prisms
Followed by spyglass
Til time takes her
Beyond our horizons

---

I found this poem as I was going through the basement collection of random mementos. It is one of my favorite pieces of family history. The poem, in fact, is on the back of my mother and father's joint headstone. I added the title, "She Slipped Her Berth," because there is not a title on the page that I can see. Context escapes me, as I have no knowledge when this was written or for what purpose, if one at all.

Bal Jam Review

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:06:00 +0000

Bal Jam
-Abigail Browning, contributing writer
(blog written for www.lindybloggers.com)

This year marked the third semiannual Bal Jam, the premier Balboa dance weekend sans workshops. Run by Bobby White and Kate Hedin, but hosted by the Philly Bal dancers, notably Jenn Scricco, this year proved to be a marked success. A well-organized event, the strongest ingredients in this Bal Jam weekend were the music, the venues, the caliber of dancers and the addition of the “Afternoon Dance Colloquium.”

On Friday, I arrived to the sounds of The Traditional Jazz Collective. With a slight Dixieland feel, this close-knit jazz band carried the dancers with upbeat tunes and improvised solos. The TJC was decent enough, however, the Charlestoney overtones and 10-minute songs were incongruous with the theme of the event. Since it was the first night, the songs allowed me to have a lengthy “meet and greet” conversation with friends I hadn’t seen in a while, but they were tiring and did not allow for much intermingling with other dancers. Instead of dancing with 15 people over an hour (with breaks), I could only dance with six. It did not help that the venue was inordinately warm and humid inside, making the long songs feel longer than they were. Despite the music, the energy level was very high, and the warmth and friendliness of the dancers was enveloping.

The overall caliber of dancers at Bal Jam was “better than at All Bal,” one participant said. Since the event is geared towards the intermediate to advanced level dancer, you can consistently guarantee that a random person who asks you to dance knows at least the basic, a come-around, Lollies, a toss-out and some ad-lib steps. Most knew much more than that. With a panel of 11 instructors available, the level of dancing increased dramatically, especially because they and the other top dancers were not tired from teaching classes or resting in preparation of evening competitions (like at All Balboa Weekend – which I still love, don’t get me wrong!).

Saturday afternoon, the organizers devised a new type of program called the “Afternoon Dance Colloquium,” with the purpose being, as Bobby White explained, to view the instructors as in “an aquarium.” A panel of notable people including Sylvia Sykes and Nick Williams engaged in a discussion fielding questions from their peers about move creation, style, clothing choices for making great lines, technique, and more, giving Bal Jam attendees (their students) a chance to be in the thick of a well-informed debate, on Balboa and Bal-Swing, by the most influential dancers of our generation. I enjoyed Kate Hedin’s discussion about how she creates new styling, and David Rehm’s thoughtful comments on an advanced follower maintaining her presence in her posture: “You see that (each of the [old-time]follows), they have a quality of the way they move; they have a character about the way they carry themselves, and that is partly in the posture...You let him lead where you are, where your weight changes are, and you let him lead the timing of how he turns you, but you don’t let him change your posture. That you should keep.” The Colloquium was one of my favorite things of the weekend, and a welcome addition to Bal Jam for years to come (hopefully).

Saturday evening, Bal Jam hired the highly anticipated The Brooks Tegler Big Band Orchestra. Tegler, a phenom on the drums (you want to dance during his solos), led a group of talented musicians in standards like “Perdido” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.” Although Brooks delivered good music, the tempos were completely off, with many slow songs (sluggish even in Lindy Hop standards). And, although I enjoyed listening, and might have raved about it for a Lindy event, I was disappointed that songs always spanned longer than six minutes.

The DJs, however, were the saving grace of this event’s music. Late nights proved to be more fun than the main dances, as the venue (up five flights of stairs!) was cooler, the floor was slicker, and the music was more consistent. At the late nights, I particularly liked Laura Windley’s DJing. During the afternoon dances, my favorite DJ was Mary Ann Carothers. She had a good feel for the energy, the music, and the level of dancers in the room, making it so that I wanted to dance every song she played.

Final thought? I wish Bal Jam would continue to be a yearly event. There has been talk about it skipping a year again (as it did after the first year in Atlanta 2005, before Los Angeles 2007), and I would be disappointed, waiting two years. I would certainly miss the affordable price, great dancing, laid-back atmosphere, fantastic DJs, and seamless organization.

Bal Jam w00t!
--AB

"The Tenth Floor"

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:41:00 +0000

Challenge #1 Heat 4:
Genre - Ghost Story
Location - Lawyer's Office
Object - Crowbar
Limit: 1,000 words, 48 hours

The Tenth Floor

On a typical day, Jason Morton did not mind the walk to work. But during the past week, a 100-degree heat wave had all but melted the tar on the streets. Eighty-degree mornings left businessmen drenched in their suits, desperately bringing extra clothes with them to change into at work. Droplets pooled on all visible inches of skin, following creases down foreheads to drip off noses and chins, each salty orb nearly evaporating before hitting the ground. Seven blocks seemed like a sweaty half-marathon; and after stepping out the door, a stream of New York's finest cuss words followed Jason down the street.

Entering the front doors of their office building, he smiled at the cool wave of air conditioning. Although Art-Deco interior failed to match the musky shag carpets, and the bellman-janitor of the building was a not a young, failed actor in search of a job but a sunken-faced man who always wore suspenders and a tidy, if well-loved, bowler hat, the building was all he and Paul could afford after they left their cushy jobs at The Gray Firm, and started McKinney and Morton, LLC.

At the tenth floor, the elevator doors creaked open. Humid, smothering heat flooded into the space.

"Don't look so happy to see me," Paul said, watching his partner trudge into the office.

Jason slapped his briefcase onto his desk. “It must be a hundred degrees in here!"

"Air conditioning's out on our floor. " Paul pointed at a box fan in the window behind him. "This is all we've got."

"On the hottest week we've had all summer?"

"When it rains, it pours..." Paul looked up from his stack of papers. "Or rather, when it's sunny...um...it's hot as hell?"

Jason wiped his forehead with his pocket square.

Paul sighed and gestured at the window behind Jason's desk. "I tried yours, but it wouldn't budge. Looks like it's painted shut."

Jason took off his gray suit jacket and black tie, and walked to the sill. Sure enough, the aged white paint was so thick that it filled in the cracks between the latch and the track. He pulled. Nothing. The will of the dusty pane seemed stronger than his.

"This is just ridiculous," he said, fingers red from curling around the metal handles.

“You could try these.” He tossed a pair of gritty deadbolt keys to Jason.

Jason rolled up his sleeves and headed to the end of the hall that housed the office's bathrooms, a small conference room, and a small door that neither he nor Paul had bothered to enter. He clicked the lock open, and the heavy door slid wide without a sound. A wave of humid air filtered across Jason's cheeks as he stepped inside.

Although stuffy from the heat, the room was immaculate. Scrubbed floors, a bright halogen light, and a whitewashed wall of empty shelves. The only items in the small space were an unopened white paint can and a crowbar on a high hook in the opposite corner.

Head spinning in the heat, Jason reached up. In contrast to the room, the metal bar was cool in his fingers. The light flickered. He tried to stand up, but the weight of crowbar increased tenfold, and he felt himself falling; falling into the swirling black of weightless anxiety.

---

“You scared the shit out of me,” Paul said. “You didn’t come back after an hour, and when I came down the hall, I saw your body face down.” He looked away. “We can’t afford to lose half of our employees, you know?”

Jason’s eyes darted around the floor as he stood up. Where was it? On the top hook, the crowbar swung slightly from side to side. He turned to Paul.

“Why’d you put it back?”

Paul shrugged. “Put what back? I just got here. I saw you. You woke up. That’s it.”

Jason reached for the top hook. The handle was warm and damp.

When they got to the office, Paul said, “It’s too hot. I’m going to go grab a Coke. Want some?”

Jason moved toward the window.

“Guess not. Good luck with that.”

Jason pitted the crowbar in the paint-saturated wood, and with two hands, pulled against the window. Pieces of wood exploded across the room, exposing termite trails that wove their way like thin, grasping fingernail scratches from one edge of the sill to the other.

Jason freed the other half of the window and latched the glass upward. Weight shifting, he jerked forward, halfway out the window. His adrenaline jolted as he scrambled to stay inside.

A cool hand on his shoulder pulled him back into the room.

“Whoa, Paul…” Before he could say thank you, Jason turned to find the bowler-hat wearing janitor. “I mean, sorry…”

“Mr. McKinney sent me to check on the temperature,” He said. “Air will be circulating soon. Want me to paint up the damage?”

“No thanks,” Jason said as he shimmied the cracked window frame closed, its rusty tracks screeching and screaming until it settled back into the ruts.

The janitor tipped his hat, and turned to the elevator.

---

“It was a good thing you asked the janitor to come up here and check the air conditioning,” Jason said, as Paul walked in the door.

“The who?”

“You know, the guy in the bowler’s cap. You Probably didn’t trust me to do my own handiwork.”

“Well I don’t. See—your window’s still closed, you made a mess, you’re bleeding and it’s hotter than it was before. But I didn’t ask anyone to come up here. Told you it was broken.”

“I just had it open,” Jason said, pulling up on the pane. It didn’t budge.

“Sure…”

Jason picked up the crowbar and hacked at the window. Sweaty in his palm, its sharp edge cut through the thick paint like a knife against skin.

The glass pane fell out of the frame and he lurched forward, weighted, falling, scraping down.

****************************

I ran out of time at the end. I had written about 1700 words and had to cut it down quite a bit, sacrificing some important details. But, since this is my first time, I know I'll be better prepared for the next prompt!

-AB

Sugarfoot...Ouch!

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:11:00 +0000

"Further Adventures into my Feet"

So...I've been experiencing a lot of pain in my feet the past 6 months - a combination of lightning fast, searing pain, and dull, aching all over my right foot. Since I have health insurance (yay), I decided it would be a good thing to see the doctor about what is going on, and here is what I found out:

I've got 3 bone spurs, 2 on one heel, 1 on the other.
The bones in my toes are drifting, causing pain in the balls of my feet.
This all equals not happy (see picture below)

Why is this happening? Well, apparently I have very tight calf muscles, which do all sorts of strenuous pulling on the bones in my feet. Tight muscles are not a new thing to me, as the doctor said they came "standard equipment." Not all people have super tight muscles, but I sure do, and they are wrecking my feet. My prescription? Stretch 20 times on each calf 3 times a day, forever.

What does this mean for dancing? Lots of Ibuprofen, frustration, lack of balance, ridiculous pain, and specially made shoes...

Sigh. On the up side, I got to see X-rays of my feet. That was pretty cool.

-Aba

My Father's Poetry

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:22:00 +0000

Imagine

Love like a snowflake is

Unique

Among thousands, crystalline expression

Of metered growth of commoner elements

Borne as by the wind one to another

a paired experience, shared a gift

Symbol and substance.

-Marc Browning

to Lyn

Memorial Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:23:00 +0000

Manassas, VA: "Memorial Day!"

Forecast: 86 degrees Fahrenheit, blue-sky sunny.

Expect: Lots of grilling (see photo, right).

In the past few weeks, I've traveled over 1500 miles throughout the southeast. In North Carolina, I drove to Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Winston-Salem; I visited Charleston, South Carolina, where I DJed at CHEX, and also Blacksburg, VA (VaTech). It was incredible to travel in the emerging warmth of summer smells and foliage, so sweet and specific to my grade-school years.

Now I'm back in Manassas. What does that mean? Good question. I've spent copious amounts of time on Craigslist lately, pining for the perfect job and a comfy apartment a little closer to DC. I'm starting job interviews this coming Tuesday, which is a step towards that goal.

I'm looking forward to CCB tomorrow, which is my general practice time with Bobby, and my chance to hang out with Kate. I feel fortunate to have them as friends in the vicinity, even if we do live in the polar opposite ends of the DC web.

Unfortunately I didn't get to go to either Camp Jitterbug or BIX, but I did enjoy dancing with David at Glen Echo last night. Tom Cunningham's Orchestra played well, even though the singers seemed a little off in comparison to the rest of the band. In fact, I've probably danced more this week than I have any other week here in DC. Jam Cellar this week was a lot of fun, in addition to small random bursts of dancing with friends. I'm excited about where my dancing is going, even if some nights are more on than others.... :)

--aba

Winston-Salem, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Mon, 12 May 2008 04:43:00 +0000

Winston-Salem, NC: "(Grand)Mother's Day"

I've been home for a few days now, after a short but lovely trip to Raleigh and Chapel Hill. For Mother's Day, my longest friend, Sara Klinepeter (first from left), organized a brunch for her family, me, and Granny. Her mother, my "Momma K, (pictured right) " is someone who I consider a surrogate mother in addition to Granny, and I was proud to be there with both of them.

While I was home, I went through some of my old journals (I have a score or two). I came upon this piece, written sometime in the winter of 2002. Although the poem wasn't originally describing my grandmother, I based it on my relationship to her struggle in raising me:

Untitled

My childhood shone into that straining back;
The purple dress sheathing,
Unflinchingly feeling
All Grandmother's body.

-APB 2002

A big thanks to Granny for the movie, dinner, and not giving up on me . :) Can you believe she raised a second family starting in 1996? Fifty years after she had her first child, she was raising two more, but this time, by herself.

-APB

Baltimore, MD

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:37:00 +0000

Baltimore, MD : "Somewhere....over the Beltway (Dreams come True)."

This past weekend, I was in Baltimore, MD teaching a lindy and balboa workshop with Bobby White (of Bobby and Kate). My involvement was sporadic and last minute, as I was substituting for Kate Hedin, who had a death in the family and needed to go home Atlanta. Dorry and Summer set up the event, which went very smoothly. Students were on time, classes ran on schedule, the venue was spacious, audio equipment easy to use, and we had a great time. I hope to be able to teach and dance in Baltimore again in the near future.

The most interesting thing about the workshop was the location. "The Creative Alliance" is in an old movie theater and is comprised of a large versatile gallery space and 8 lofts for residential artists. Bobby and I got a glimpse of one of the artist's residences, and it was pretty sweet.

From the Creative Alliance website:

"The Residency Program accommodates 8 resident artists or artist groups, one in each of the studios, for terms of one to three years. It is intended for emerging artists as well as mid-career artists whose goal is to reinvigorate their work in an intensive atmosphere. Artists are encouraged (but not required) to use the studios as their primary residence."

The dance following the workshop was in the CA's old movie theater, with Sac Au Lait, an energetic all-male dixieland band. Despite my burrito-stuffed stomach, I enjoyed dancing to "Dinah," "Sweet Sue," "Tiger Rag," and "Honeysuckle Rose." I DJed in between their three sets. The band tended towards either slow, medium slow, or super fast tempo songs. When we weren't too tired to stand up, Bobby and I managed to get a few Peabody dances in amongst Lindy and Bal.

After this weekend, I was exhausted, but happy to be able to dance so much with such a talented and hilarious lead. Thanks Bobby!

Yay dancing!
:) Aba

Magical Widgetry

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Manassas, VA.

Since I've been in Manassas, I've had many hours to ponder the life of a post English graduate, photography teacher, and dance studio owner. How is my job search going? Exciting at times, and frustrating at times.

So, most of my day has consisted of:

Editing my resume
Looking for jobs on Craigslist
Looking for an apartment in the DC area
Playing on Gmail/Facebook/random Internet goodness

My random Internet creamy nougat centers of the day were:

Simply Audiobooks online book rental.

Following the NetFlix model, Simply Audiobooks allows you to rent books via mail. You create a bookshelf of interesting reads, they send you one, you read it and send it back (in SA pre-paid shipping material). What a great way to get a number of interesting titles at your doorstep! I love listening to books, so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Mac Widgets

I'd never used widgets until I bought a Mac, and didn't start playing around with them until today. Whereas a clock, calendar, calculator, and accuweather come standard, I added a BPM counter (compatible with iTunes, so that once you tap out the BPM, you can select to add it to your iTunes library) and a Word of the Day widget (from dictionary.com). Scrolling to my right corner has never been so fun!

Fourteenth Annual West Chester University Poetry Conference

Upon departing Nashville, TN, I've since found myself around a myriad of different writerly folk. These wordsmiths range from scriptwriters (Eran), writers for impressive journals and magazines (Gena), to humor novelists (Bobby), and famous critical analysts (Tore). They have since piqued my interest in finding out more about an MFA in poetry as an option for the next few years. I spent some time researching New Formalism, and found myself linked to this poetry conference in June, only 3 hours driving distance from here. Yay writing!

In addition to these finds, I was also pleased to see that Johns Hopkins in Baltimore has a small program for an MFA in poetry.

As I'm not traveling in the physical realm, I hope these sites give you an idea of where my mind has been.

Washington DC

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:51:00 +0000

Washington DC (via Manassas, VA)

I've now been in Manassas, VA for 16 days. Most of my things are still strewn around the room or split between my aunt's house and here, but other than that, I'm starting to feel like I'm a resident.

Today included a touristy trip to the heart of Washington DC, visiting the Smithsonian museums, walking along the Mall, eating at "Mr. Smith's" in Georgetown, and seeing the monuments (Lincoln, Washington, Einstein, Iwo Jima) with David and his friend, Eran, from NYC. The below poem is the result of a combination of visiting the National Gallery's Forests of Fontainebleau exhibition, a discussion on body language, abstract poetry, and my future writing career aspirations all distilled into verse.

The Forests of Fontainebleau

-Abigail Browning

Twist your body like a wind-wrought tree,

Flap your leaves away from me,

Reach your branches to another sun,

Wrap your mind until the knot's redone.

Craggy rocks smooth themselves in streams,

Pristine marbles of effort's means,

As I will do, sharpening myself against time;

Both in action, and in rhyme.

Danvers, MA (Boston Tea Party)

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:10:00 +0000

Danvers, MA

"Home of the Boston Tea /Swing-Dance-Crossover-Event/ Party

On Dancing at the BTP:

Great event, good dancers,

Even with the West-Coast-Prancers.

Highlights:

Having the uber-suite with Marty, Nick, Ria, and David
Getting 4th place in the Jack and Jill with Andreas Divaris
Fantastic dancing with incredible leads (despite my ankle still throbbing)
Making new friends, hanging out with old friends (Gena, Sharon, Juan, Andy, Blake, Kate and Bobby)

Now I'm just waiting with anxious anticipation as to when MORE pictures and MORE videos are going to be up for my entertainment. Help please?

Oh - And a caveat: I admire a lot of what good WCS dancers can do. I also happen to think that Westie Coastie (as Marie Nahnfeldt calls it in her Swedish accent) requires a certain ability to prance, glide, bodyroll, hair-flip, and wiggle (all good things in the right context). ;)

Moving, Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:26:00 +0000

Nashville, TN: "Just a few more hours"

Most of my room is packed up, ready to fit into my Honda. Thank you so much Jenn for your packing expertise. Cross your fingers that everything fits without too much rearranging!

Tonight was my last photography class teaching at Vanderbilt. I've taught this class 7 times over the semesters, and it will be strange to leave the darkroom.

What does it mean to leave a place? To rise like Guilliver from the tiny ropes and anchors holding a giant down. Lifting up sometimes seems impossible. Yet, the earth is shallow, and we are huge. So, I rise.

A rough poem of alternating quatrains in tetrameter describing some of my thoughts on the move:

Moving, Part I

-Abigail Browning

The gravity locations hold
with tiny, strong, translucent ropes,
tied with granny and with hangman folds,
seems macro in my microscope.

The strands: my friends, VU, VR
and dancing at the honky tonks;
But now they're photos in my car,
Or thoughts soon vanishing to honks

From a horn. I can’t see out the back--
Five years in Nashville crowds inside
my car. This hermit crab has packed
her home for the mystic seaward ride.

New haunts? H&M, the Mall,
The Capitol and Dupont, the Spy
Museum, ample urban sprawl
With shops and restaurants to try.

Six hundred miles to drive today.
The destination on my GPS:
“Cecilia’s house,” Great Falls, VA.
My life: an educated guess.

Houston, TX (Lindyfest)

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:25:00 +0000

Houston, Texas: Lindyfest (and/or) "Pie House?!?"

It's catch-up time. Two weeks ago I was in Houston for Lindyfest. It is one of the biggest Lindy workshop weekends of the year. Instead of describing the city (since I'm not planning on living there), I'll give you my take on the event.

Pros:

Countless amazing dancers all in one place.
Well-tracked classes (levels)
Great show on Saturday night (23 Skidoo, Ladies of Silver Shadows, Manu & Peter)
Old timers present (Frankie, Dawn)
National Draw (people from coast to coast)
Well run, organized
Good Housing (thanks Beth and Yossef!)
High energy at the dances
Easy to meet people

Cons:

Classroom floors for workshops were hit or miss (dusty linoleum, weird spongy tile)
Workshop Classes were far away from each other
Not much time between end of classes and dances
Music was a bit too groovy for me at times
Expensive (but worth it!)

My second year at Lindyfest, I was not disappointed. This event remains at the top of my list. Even before I started coming to Lindyfest (its in its 12th year!), I was impressed by the professionalism of HSDS, due to their great organization, attention to detail, choice of instructors, level testing, competitions, and overall stylization of the event.

Classes I particularly liked:

Naomi's Body Isolation class,
Max and Annie's Badass Moves class,
Peter and Ramona's Master Class,
Max and Annie's Master Class.
Andy and Nina's Octopus Arms Master Class.

I unfortunately didn't get to classes from all the instructors due to the plethora of incredible descriptions from which to choose. Similarly, with the inconsistent workshop floors, I stayed away from classes in the odd soft-tile gym and the dusty linoleum floor which clouded up when you started to swing out.

I met some new fun and talented leads - Carlos (MN), Scott (TX), and Carl (NY) at the top of the list. Despite spraining my ankle on Saturday, I was always inspired to get up and dance "just one more." My traveling crew from Nashville (Beth, Yossef, and Kristy) were incredible people to have around, as they encouraged me to get up and take all of the classes, and stay out through the late nights.

Overall, a good time. Not a city I want to live in, but an event I'd certainly go back to providing I can still afford it!

Austin, TX

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Austin: "Keep Austin Weird"

Pros:

Funky college town = lots of young professionals too
Culturally diverse
Good food (ethnic, americana, nice price ranges)
Tons of Live Music
Outdoors activities (climbing, hiking, etc)
Fun Downtown (shops, buildings, people)
Lindy Hop and Blues scene
Warm weather

Cons:

Deep in the heart of Texas?
No family anywhere nearby
You have to fly to any major city outside of Texas
Isolated Oasis in the midst of Bush Country

Austin was an eclectic city, reminiscent of Asheville, NC in its diversity, shops, and eateries. From Trudy's Mex Marts to Amy's Ice Cream, there is something for the whole family. I particularly enjoyed some fantastic BBQ at Pok-e-Jo's with Keith, Summer, and their two children.

Also ran into a guy (forgive me, I can't remember your name right now) who looks very similar to John Mallard, my first love and high school sweetheart of four years (he's an amazing person who is now rocking out in one of the square states).

John Mallard is on the LEFT, and my new John-look-alike is on the RIGHT. Bizzare, eh?

Now I'm in Houston at Lindyfest!

Tulsa, OK

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:39:00 +0000

Tulsa: "O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, Oklahoma, OK!" (sung)

Although I'm not really considering living in Tornado Alley, I'll go ahead and state some pros and cons. And, in fact, I'm in Broken Arrow, OK, not Tulsa.

Pros:

Cost of living is cheap
Centrally located
Moderate climate
SW Airline City
Awesome sushi place called "Tsunami" (happy hour roll specials!)

Cons:

It's Oklahoma.
Flat, uninteresting landscape
Buckle of the Bible Belt
Very little cultural exchange
Invisible Lindy Hoppers?
Miniscule Dance Scene

However, I did meet a guy named Josh Miller here (pictured below) who knows as many, if not more show tunes (in their entirety) than I do! We had a great time playing "Encore" in the car together on the way to Austin.

Anne (sis), this guy would be good competition for you!

Denver, CO

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:56:00 +0000

Denver, CO: Purple Mountains Majesty

Pros:

Gorgeous scenery (mountains, yay!)
Great Airport (Southwest Compatible)
Good dancing
Friends
Dry weather, blue skies (unless snowing)
Interesting Downtown
Possible opportunity to train with a lot of fun dancers

Cons:

If cold, really cold.
Isolated from other major cities
Altitude acclimation (able to overcome)
Landlocked state
No family nearby
Cost of living is moderate
Limited opportunity to teach

This past weekend I was in Denver, CO for the Rocky Mountain Balboa Blowout. I flew in a day early to hang out with my friend Mike Shroff, a fellow writer from Vanderbilt, who was incidentally visiting a friend of his in Boulder. After spending 6 hours in the airport (which was fine since I got my NEW MAC! notice "photo booth" picture to right), he picked me up and we spent 18 hours in Boulder before I had to be back in Denver.

I truly enjoyed RMBB. Mike dropped me off at Caryn's house, a kind and easy-going organizer who housed Nick, David, Denise, Val, Sylvia and me at her home. She has gorgeous wood floors and a fabulous kitchen. She and her husband, Eduardo, are incredible cooks, and we all had a comfortable time at her place.

The event was lots of fun. Classes were great, and although the band wasn't always on, I enjoyed social dancing in the evenings. I took a couple of private lessons from Nick Williams, who patiently helped me fill in many fundamental gaps of information I had for balboa and bal-swing. The privates certainly prepared me for the jack and jill competition...which I won with Patrick Wall! As one of my first balboa triumphs, I'm excited to know I'm getting better (although competitions are not the best guarantee to understanding progress); I'm at least getting better at competing, which is pretty scary!

Post Script:

Yay for also getting to go shopping with Laura Keat and Nick Peterson, despite the not-so-awesome high waisted skirt at Express with gaudy gold zipper.

Raleigh, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:07:00 +0000

"In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina
Can't you see the sunshine
Can't you just feel the moonshine
Ain't it just like a friend of mine
It hit me from behind
Yes I'm gone to Carolina in my mind."

-James Taylor

A few weeks ago I visited Raleigh, NC. It is another city in which I'm shopping:

Pros:

I love NC, especially the triangle
Southern Weather (not too cold, not too hot)
Dancing Friends
Non-Dancing Friends
Growing Dance Community
Family nearby, close to home (Granny)
SW airport hub
Job opportunity (@ Arthur Murray)
Opportunity to teach and organize
5 hours from DC, 3.5 from Asheville, NC,
Gain back NC resident status (for possible masters/grad degree)
Good music

Cons:

I'm familiar with Raleigh (it's not a new place for me)
I generally don't like how typical dance studios market themselves, so I'm not sure I'd want to work at Arthur Murray, even though the staff is amazing!
I'm worried I won't make the effort to go dancing as much as I should
Cost of living is moderate

Ok, so to be honest, it was hard for me to come up with reasons not to move to the Raleigh/Chapel Hill area. Perhaps it is because I know the area better than Pittsburgh, PA, but perhaps because it is a strong contender.

I truly enjoyed my stay in the Triangle... After 9 hours of driving I arrived at Loafers Beach Club and danced for over an hour with Jason, Abi, Frankie, Daniel, and friends from Abi's studio. We had a grand time despite my tiredness, culminating in a trip to IHOP, and me falling asleep on Frankie's couch. On Friday, I went to Chris' dance, where I had a fun time at their Mardi Gras party (complete with crazy 80s dancing). Richard Springs, Rob Moreland, and Adam Sheltz showed up, and I enjoyed dancing with all of them.

From the dance, I met up with Joe Troop (pictured above), and we, as kindred spirits, talked until 6am. After some sleep, Joe and I ate a traditional Mexican lunch with Rob Stephens (one of the boys next door from Winston-Salem, pictured right). We went to the Open Eye Coffee Shop until I had to meet Sue Hawn for the TSDS dance that night.

At the dance, Sue had asked me to teach with him, as his lovely wife, Katie, was sick with the flu. We taught the beginner lesson and rocked out to the sounds of a high energy Rockabilly band. The beginners were energetic and curious to learn, the class went well, and I was glad I stayed.

After Raleigh and Pittsburgh, I'm in Nashville again. This coming weekend, I'll be in Denver, and then Tulsa. From now through April, I won't be in town on the weekends. My departure from Tennessee is entering into focus more each day - and despite my apprehension, I'm excited!

Pittsburgh, PA

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:56:00 +0000

Pittsburgh, PA: Land of the cold, home of the frostbitten.

Pros:

Cost of living is cheap
Southwest Airline City
Trader Joe's is awesome
Small dance community
Opportunity to teach
Kevin and Jo are here
2 hours from Cleveland, 5 from DC

Cons:

Ridiculously cold (it's snowing today, it snowed yesterday, and the day before)
Isolated, quiet city
Small dance community
Kevin and Jo won't be around a lot
Not a ton of stuff to do

This is my impression so far. And, it's probably more objective than it could be, as my experience has been a bit different than I thought it would.

On Monday, Kevin St. Laurent and Davis Thurber picked me up from the airport, and we made our way to Kevin's place - a sweet 3 story house on Woodstock Ave. In its previous life, it was a barber shop, but now it is the place where he and his partner Jo live, train, and base operations.

Unfortunately, a couple days before I arrived, Davis and Kevin decided to practice dive rolls, and Davis took a bad fall, directly on his tail bone. By the time I got here, he had been bedridden for 30 hours. So...needless to say, he hasn't been able to dance above 180 bpm for extended periods of time. Grr...

Overall, the trip here has been comfortable and pleasant. I've enjoyed getting to know Kevin and Jo, and the dancing Davis and I have been able to do has been fun. We went and helped out at K&J's local classes last night (Basic Lindy, Big Apple, and a Performance Class), and as a teacher, it was interesting seeing how they taught basics and jazz movement, along with their choreography choices.

Back to Nashville on Friday, for fun and frivolity for a week before Rocky Mountain Bal Blowout!

Snow Poem

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:55:00 +0000

I love snow! Odd really, since I hate being cold. We had quite a bit this morning. In order to commemorate the weather, my post includes, "Anchoring," a piece I wrote for the first snow I'd seen in 2007. It is a poem I wrote when I was teaching a workshop in Calgary, Canada with Solomon Douglas in November, and also one of the few poems I wrote last year.

Anchoring
-Abigail Browning

A translucent screen of flurries
Fabric their soft shield between here and there;
Between what is, and what has happened before.

Winter exhales the smell of cold rocks
and empty space-
each pause filled with white noise.

My winter is early this year.
"You are you," she says.

Pursuing a private decision,
Thick white captains pilot their course from space to ground
Or branch, or fence, or patio chair.

I, like them, may choose anywhere;
Anchoring down my invisible string to earth.

Why I'm Leaving

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:43:00 +0000

Why am I leaving Nashville, TN? Good Question.

First of all, there are many many people I will be sad to leave. I've lived in the Music City for 5+ years now, and I have gained many life-long friends and extended family. The dance community is strong and growing, and I'll be sad to miss out as it gets bigger and continues to mature. I'll miss teaching Photography at Vanderbilt and working with the Lynne and the other awesome artists in the Art Smart Program. I'll be especially sad to leave my home and my baking crazed housemate, Breanna Perry (pictured below in a stunning coat). But, sometimes when you know you've got to go, you've got to go. So, why am I leaving Nashville, TN?

1. Change of scenery.

I moved to Nashville in 2002 to start my undergraduate career at Vanderbilt University, and graduated in 2006 with a degree in English, with a creative writing focus. I've lived in 6 different locations while I've been here, from dorms to condos to houses. I'm 24, and I've only lived in two places in my life: Winston-Salem, NC and Nashville, TN. Not very diverse, eh? At almost a quarter of a century, I'm excited about having this time in my life to explore other cities and regions of the country.

2. To explore cities and get a better idea of what location is the best for me.

Since I've only lived in two places, I want to gain more knowledge about what is important for me to have in my residential location. I want to see how culture and environment affect the dominant identity of the place. For example, the "Bible Belt" doesn't necessarily appeal to me, as it is more strenuous to identify with a majority of people who explain reality through a different means than myself. This is not to say that I don't get along with people who are more faith oriented, but to live in a city or state that is defined by that kind of culture might not be the best place for me.

3. To reconcile my quarter-life identity crisis :)

Well, not really. More to help me be aware of what is important to me, who and what I need to make time for in my life, whether or not I want to make writing, dancing, or something else take the forefront of my life. Starting somewhere new is a good way to strip back down to fundamentals, exhibit the best of who you are, and pursue what you want to do.

4. To explore the world!

Who wouldn't want to explore the world if they had the chance? My mother and father LOVED to travel, and some of my fondest memories of my mother were of trips we went on as a family. Whenever I travel, I revel in the high it gives me of choosing a destination, and achieving the reality of setting foot in that place. Traveling, seeing new places, and experiencing new cultures is something I value highly.

5. To improve my dancing.

There are tons of good leaders and followers in the southeast. I am so lucky to be able to dance with all of them on a regular basis. However, in order to get better, I need to mix in a large quantity of dancing with a diverse group of people. Being in one place too long, you get used to the way people dance and start subconsciously accommodating or anticipating certain movements. As a follow, I want to be as sublimely connected and creative as I can possibly be, so I can give every lead the best partnership possible. Therefore I need to travel both in and outside of the southeast. It is too costly to travel every weekend and pay for housing in one location; my home base is just essentially an expensive storage unit. So, without a home, in April I begin a whirlwind tour of weekly traveling.

6. So I can come visit you.

Many of my best friends and family live all around the country. In fact, I have close relatives in DC, Boston, Chicago, San Jose, Seattle, and LA. Similarly, since graduation, my Vandy friends have scattered across the globe to seek their fortunes. I want to have the chance to catch up with everyone, laugh, see how life has changed, and enjoy seeing your environment. Please, please email me if you want me to drop by; I'm always looking for a new place to be.

City Shopping (or, where am I going to live?)

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:36:00 +0000

If you didn't all ready know, starting in April, I'll be spending the next 6 months traveling, teaching, couch surfing, dancing, training, and trying to find out where I want to live.

Cities from which I am currently accepting applications(East-West):

1. Washington, DC
2. Raleigh, NC
3. Denver, CO
4. Seattle, WA
5. Somewhere in CA (LA, Bay Area, Sacramento)

What I'm looking for in a city as a residence:

1. Good Leads, Inspiring Dancing, Consistent Venues
2. Accessible Airport ~20-30 min away (Southwest Airlines City Preferred)
3. Lots of cultural points of interest (museums, geological features, colleges, arts, theater, music, etc.)
4. Relatively warm weather (Cold + Aba = not fun)

Extras:
1. Friends and Family nearby
2. Specific Job Opportunities
3. Established solo and partnered swing performance groups
4. Near Ocean and Mountains

Where will it be? Tune in by August to find out, or send a self, addressed, stamped comment to suggest another location. Petition for your city by contacting me.

I'm sure there's more I want from a city, but now I'm tired and must sleep. Goodnight all!

Off to Raleigh!

noreply@blogger.com (Abigail Browning) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:53:00 +0000

I'll be in Raleigh , NC this weekend, yay!

Lots of fun people live there, too many to name. I'll probably be out at the Friday and Saturday night dances, so if you'll be there, save me a dance!

I'm going to visit a friend, Abi (strange name coincidence, one of the few dancers in the scene with my name whom I've met), as well as childhood friends Joe Troop (a fabulous bluegrass and hot jazz musician) and Jaclyn Konczal (an amazing artist who is leaving for Uganda on Monday).

And, as I pass through Winston-Salem, NC, I'll have lunch or dinner (probably at Panera) with my grandmother. Granny raised my sister and me after my mother died, and she is one of the most charismatic, energetic people you'll find. Up until a few years ago she toodled around town in a 1965 porcelain white Mustang.

(I was going to insert a poem here about Granny and her Mustang, but somehow can't find it. I hope I haven't lost all of my poetry since sophomore year!)

:)