The Spanx It Ain't yo Mama's Girdle Anymore

I found my outfits for the wedding yesterday. I now have to figure out a way to pay for them but I will worry about that tomorrow. Like most woman of more ample proportions the idea is to try to hide or disguise your ample-ness. I personally was excited to discover that the Muumuu (or MOOMOO..depending on just how big you are) is back in style. This news flash is according to People Magazine. I can still see Liz Taylor back in the 70's bedecked in her jewels and her Muumuu... and she looked just wonderful. The only problem with the Muumuu is that if you have cankles(fat ankles) they still show. I remember in junior high school having to wear a girdle to hold your hose up. Man I hated those things because they rolled at the waist and they were just plain miserable. I gave up girdles in the 70's and never looked back and swore to myself that I would NEVER squeeze myself into one of those things again. Flash to the present. I tried on many dresses yesterday. I found myself looking for the long jacketed loose items that would 'disguise' the fact that I only lost about 20 lbs on my quest for the 100 that I PROMISED myself that I would lose. I was waited on by a wonderful salesperson at Dillards. Ms. Phyllis Guidry is the BOMB. She was honest about the loose fitting items and basically told me that the only person that I was fooling was myself and that I needed to wear fitted clothes that were in style. I found the courage to try on really fitted items and found the best things. She suggested that I might be more comfortable with my appearance if I would only unbend my 70's promise to myself and try a Spanx to take care of the bulges. I agreed and she brought me one. Dear God it took me at least 5 minutes to get the thing on. I have problems with my hands anyway but I had to drag that thing up my legs over my butt. The lady in the next room was giggling at my grunts and swearing. She finally laughed out loud and asked me if I needed help. I declined stating that I had to learn to do it myself because I don't have a dresser to help me at home. I swear it sounded like two pigs mating. I grunted, swore, grunted, swore and finally got it up. No joking I was broken out in a sweat and my hands were cramping. Ms. Phyllis was right it made a significant difference in how the outfits looked. Once up it was really comfortable and it goes from your knees to just under your boobs. I only have one concern.... at the wedding how am I going to pee.

OMG!!!!!!

I was sitting at work with my feet kicked back( no lives to save or pain to relieve) and had a genuine OH MY GOD moment. I was casually looking at the schedule and realized that the wedding is in 7 weeks or 53 days. I have not lost my 100 lbs and I think at this point it is fruitless. I am however getting my teeth bleached. Hopefully they will be so white that the glow will dim the size of my butt. Not only do we have a wedding BUT a week later Cornerstone Dance Theatre is having a performance benefiting the ALS local chapter. We are having a silent auction AND the last number of the performance is our dancers and 3 local artists... doing live paintings to offer in the auction. I have just one tiny question.... how do you run a silent auction?

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Kodak and Hands Don't Lie

I have had an ongoing war with the mirror. I am able to look in the mirror and pretty much see what I want to see. I am sure that any of you have had the experience of seeing a picture of yourself and thinking(if you are honest) 'I can't believe I look this bad,fat, old,tired, etc..... you get my drift. Mirrors are a reflection of yourself colored by who you think you are, your feelings about yourself and who you want to be. But I got to tell you all, Kodak doesn't lie. Years ago when fuchsia was a big color in the 80's, Stan and I went to a party. I bought a dress that the MIRROR told me was just beautiful on me. It was a clingy fuchsia number that made me feel really good about myself. I remember Stan telling me that I looked nice. We went to the party and I had my camera in tow and someone borrowed it to take a picture. The picture was of about 10 women sitting on the back of a very long couch... basically a butt view. When I had the pictures developed they had a violet tint to them and as I was scanning thru them I stopped at the pic of all the girls with their butts up against the back of the couch. I just couldn't place who the cow was in the purple dress.... I just knew she had a HUGE butt. I took my brain about 30 seconds to process that the COW was moi. I was horrified. I was not that huge. That's when I realized that mirrors lie and as stated earlier, Kodak doesn't.
Hands are also truth givers. My sister Barb used to pinch the top of her hands and the skin would sort of stay in the pinched position before it slid back down to the top of the hand. She would lament that it was a sure sign of aging. I look at my hands and see the swollen, misshaped joints and it reminds me of my mom. My hands hurt because of arthritis and I wake up after sleep and have trouble making them work without running them under hot water. Yep, despite what my mirror says my hands let me know each morning that I am getting older. But you know something, it really isn't so bad, these misshapen hands of mine. It is a visible reminder that I have spent years taking care of my family, writing volumes of nursing notes, knitting untold numbers of blankets, taking care of the sick, easing the pain of others, holding the hands of loved ones, clapping for my offspring's achievements, and last but not least held in prayer.
When I go out of my house feeling good about myself after looking in my mirror, it okay that I see someone different than what Kodak sees. I feel good about me and that is just fine.

Elite's 2008 Summer Intensive

This year Josh and Des gathered together some of the best talent in the country to provide a meaningful summer intensive workshop for our students. They covered modern dance, hip-hop, ballet, Latin, and tumbling. The fun part for me is that I got to be the hostess to these talented young men and women. I went every day to drop instructors off and stayed to watch. The wonderful thing was watching them work with our kids and how are kids absorbed everything they were taught.

When Josh danced in New Orleans his roommate

was J. R. Kirchner. JR married Diana Stetsura a

Russian ballerina. She has

gifted us with her

instruction for 2 years and

the kids love her. Diana is prima ballerina with Milwaukee Ballet Company.

The pic above is of JR and Diana. JR works for UBS and spends his time making investments for his clients. JR still dances on a part time basis especially around Nutcracker Season. JR has been a part of our family for years and now we get to add Diana in the group! The picture on the right is Al Blackstone from New York and Diana with the senior group. Al is originally from a family of dancers from New Jersey. He taught Broadway dance to a group of very receptive students!!

This is a pic of Diana, Al, Des and Joshua mugging for the camera.

The picture on the right is of Adrenaline Dance Company's own Ryan Warren. His speciality is Hip-Hop. He spent time with Elite's Jazmyn Harmon to give her private instruction and work on her solo. Without a doubt Jaz is the best in Lafayette and we have to go out of state to find someone advanced enough to instruct her.


What can I say about Tennessee's Hip -Hop phenom Keith Fitzpatrick except that he is a wonderful house guest, a gifted teacher and an all around great guy. Keith is with Dancer's Rock and seems impressed with our crew.

The pic on the left is our first week's teachers. From left to right is Elite's tumbling instructor,Seth Aymond( Seth is a Cheerleader with UL), Dee Aubrey- Latin/Salsa instructor, Keith Fitzpatrick, Joshua and in their arms is Jessica Touchet- with Smuin Ballet Co. in San Francisco. Jessica is also an old dance mate of Joshua's.


Here is Desiree Doucet, Co-owner of Elite and her most understanding of husbands, Patrick.

On the right is a picture of Walter Hull from Houston, Texas. He is the founder of Urban Souls Dance Company and a superb Modern dancer. The girls had him last and came from the room sweating. He worked them hard but they learned so much!! Thanks Walter!!!

Keith and the juniors.


Jessica Touchet and the seniors on the right.

And when all was said and done, their feet were burning but their spirits were high. They all said that it was the best intensive yet.

Substitute Dancer

Every once in a while I get a chance to take a picture that makes me smile. The picture below is of Charlotte, Desiree and Patrick Doucet's youngest daughter. She decided at the last minute at the dress rehearsal that she was not going to dance at all. She didn't stamp her feet, whine or cry. She was resolute in her decision that "I am not going to do that" I was holding her and told her I loved to see her dance and her response to me was " I know but I still not doing that". Des and Josh both tried to get her out there to no avail. Joshua thought if he put on her hair garland and danced with the other little girls it might convince her to perform. Charlotte just looked at him and shook her head.
Des and Patrick..... she is a such a sweet baby.... with a iron will behind that sweet little smile. You guys are going to have such fun when she is a teen!!!!!

Elite Dance Program June 12, 2008 "ENIGMA'

Well, they did it again. Elite put on the best show this year and included on stage their "baby classes" I remain in awe at the talent of our dancers.

I am also in awe at the dedication of our

parents. They have made many sacrifices so that their children can dance. This is just a sampling of pictures of the review and the after party. If you would like
to see the rest I can make you a copy or email them to you









I am so thrilled when our Elite kids perform. Anyone who would like to see a tape please contact me and I will send one to you on loan

Iowa vs. Louisiana and the Flood

First of all let me say before I start to rant that I love my state. Louisiana is as varied a place as you can go. We have such cultural diversity and a wealth of history that rivals my number one favorite state of Texas. The food, the music, the joy for life is apparent to all who live here. The people are generous, they work and play with equal vigor. My only association with Iowa is thru my sister who lives in Riverdale outside of Davenport and with my son's 'people'. Joshua's father is an Iowan as is most of his relatives. Many years ago I met these people and appreciated the down to earth practicality and work ethic that they represented. My sister Patti is with the Red Cross in fund development and I am as proud of her as I can be. The Red Cross has been tireless helping those along the Mississippi while the waters have ruined homes, farms, and businesses. She has kept me informed of the more personal side so that I can understand the turmoil. My son has cousins in Parkersburg, Iowa which if you will recall was destroyed by a tornado, just prior to the flooding. Red Cross is still there helping. I am transfixed watching the news especially when they interview local people..it makes it more real to me and brings home the similarities and the differences between the two areas. Note that New Orleans was nearly destroyed by the levees breaking after Katrina... many levees have broken all along the Mississippi in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Homes were underwater in both places, people displaced after losing all they have, friends dying and jobs gone. The similarity ends there. I took care of evacuees from Katrina as they filtered thru my area in need of medical care on their way to other shelters or to homes. The complaints about what wasn't done to help the evacuees made the news for weeks with blame being placed up the chain to the President. Still today in the news you hear a pocket of people complaining that they haven't been given enough. I will be honest the largest complaints are from those who have by and large been taken care of by the government all their lives. I keep waiting to hear those same complaints from the people in Iowa. It may come later but for now they are too busy taking care of EACH OTHER, helping those who have nothing. They are neighbors taking care of neighbors. Apparently they don't know how to loot in Iowa.... maybe they need to get lessons on how to take advantage of a natural disaster to line your own pockets with illegally obtained goods. Don't get me wrong, during our disaster there were many people out in boats helping to rescue the stranded victims, doctors and nurses gave of themselves to help others, many opened their doors to evacuees, food was donated and money was given. Mistakes were made, some of them colossal as we watched the horror unfold in New Orleans. Today the devastation is still obvious in many areas. Many of our citizens have been scattered to other parts of the country. Louisianians gave of themselves to help our people but still there were those who wanted more and expected the government to continue to take care of them and did not feel that they had to work towards a goal of self sufficiency. We need to learn from the news. We need to watch those people up and down the Mississippi as they drag themselves forward and make a new life from the ruins of the old one.

Please contact your local Red Cross and give money to provide for those people who have lost everything. You can earmark your gifts for a specific purpose if you want.