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http://www.momsonthemove.tv/inspired_moms/fullsize/74.jpg

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Your major in college:

Hey guys,
So, I haven't been on (well, haven't posted on) here in a thousand years, and now when I do, it's not even a real entry. Well, punish me... after you've voted for the white dog in front of the window. Because I'm a dork.

http://www.competico.com/browse-competition/handsome-dog-3/1

-m.

Ingrid: Don't attach yourself to anyone who shows you the least bit of attention because you're lonely. Loneliness is the human condition. No one is ever going to fill that space. The best you can do is know yourself... know what you want.

Hey...
If anyone out there knows how to add helper apps to Mozilla Firefox 2.0 for Linux, call me! I'm afraid I'm very new to Linux, and to Firefox, and this is the last step in a very long process. I'm so close!

Oh yeah- I got a computer, finally. : ) Manymany thanks to JohnF! And, it's Windows Free! No Microsoft for me!

But... it makes getting computer help a little harder.
-m.

Date:	2006-11-16 17:02
Subject:	Atlanta Blues Associations presents: Enter the Blues
Security:	Public
Mood:	excited

Well, folks, it's for real: The (nascent) Atlanta Blues Association is hosting Enter the Blues!




In addition to the 2 days of workshop classes and 3 days of social dancing, we'll have DJ showcases, taster classes, a really-open jack-and-jill, and more! Right now, teachers include Dee Kalick and James Deen, and Dave Madison and myself. If you have an idea for an awesome taster-class, or want to dj, or just want to roll around in the buttery goodness of a blues weekend here in the South, email entertheblues@gmail.com, or check out our myspace page at www.myspace.com/entertheblues

First, off, from Jon: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=34628f9c-1cd7-4874-bbd8-c0f16f7f4795
[Note the part where it said that the dance group had better sex. ahem.]

Second off, after a distressing Sunday evening and conversation with Kristin (oh, homesickness and loneliness!), I wound up going to HotJam (hesitantly) on Monday. I'm so glad I did. Yesterday was the best normal Atlanta dance I've been to yet. For the first time, I felt relaxed, happy, welcome... I felt like I was at home. For the first time here, I got a sense of community in Atlanta. Not like Knoxville (no two communties are the same, and Knoxville's been building so long), but community- which I have been desperately needing. Everything (except my grade on that test tomorrow) is looking up. I once laughed so hard I collapsed onto the floor, and once tripped over my own feet to wind up, again, on the floor (with Patrick both times- he's such a good sport). : ) I danced a rediculously fast song with Andrew, had some really musical dances with Peter, and some great bal with Russ. There was more, but the point is that while it's only a blip on a crazy graph of ups and downs, it was a really, really good blip. Thanks, Atlanta. (And, thanks Kristin- even if it makes me raise an eyebrow. You said unexpected... you certainly meant it!). ; )

Oh- and Gina and Patrick make a rockin' DJ team- thanks, guys!

Back to studying; dinner and rehearsal tonight! *note: upon attempts to study, I found that blackboard isn't working. This could be very, very bad.
-m.

In case anyone's wondering, my mom's dog (Gracie) is still pink. She has not, as promised, faded. She was sick for 2 weekends in a row, leaving everyone very concerned (such tiny puppies can get very sick very fast). However, she was properly diagnosed the second time, and is now a healthy, albeit pink, puppy.

Since she is only a puppy, my folks sequestered her to the kitchen (tile) and took up the rugs (just in case of accidents- she's doing very well). Now this means that Gracie would have to lay on the cold tile. So mom says to someone at work (a furniture store), that Gracie needs a rug. Within a few days, the rug buyer provides an oriental rug sample in pink and blue. Gracie has a puppy-sized matching oriental rug.

Oh- and Mick Jagger's throat is giving him problems again. Why do I know? Because it changes the number of place settings at Thanksgiving, of course.

Man, my mom's so crazy- I love her a lot! : )

In the dance world, I'm currently choreographing some kick@ss charleston (very hard routine), perfecting Gina's Jazz Routine for Southern Belle, and putting together Atlanta's first blues weekend. Oh, and I plan to choreograph a blues piece by new year's. Woot!

Oh yeah- test Wednesday.
-m.

Date:	2006-11-07 10:39
Subject:	Mating Penguins
Security:	Public
Mood:	bal-y

Hey everyone! Sorry about my lameness over the last few weeks- all science and no sleep makes blahblahblah.

So here I am, again sleep-deprived, but instead of "Please die, Anna", my current lyrics would be more like, "Breeze, driftin' on by, you know how I feel." : )

So two weekends ago: AVS. I adore Frida and Skye. I really love taking classes from them and watching them dance. Not to be trite, but they really are inspirational. I learned a ton, had an awesome house full of people (Megan, Dan, AndrewS, HeatherC, Aaron), and was very sore afterward. My house was so cool, in fact, that Andrew just couldn't leave, and stuck around to travel with me to EBC.

So, here it is... deep breath.... I like bal. Yup. Invest in Satanic Sweaters, because it's happened. I had an amazing weekend; the instructors were awesome, the leads were totally followable (meaning I was finally able to follow bal), and I didn't even fall over! Plus, I wore skirts and heels- I know, Knoxville, you might want to sit down for a minute after reading that. I was girly and twirly and... and.... anyway, it was a really good first bal experience. Blues, Lindy, Bal, Tango. I don't think I'll ever fall in lvoe with Charleston, but who knows? At this rate, I might just flunk out and be a dancer after all. ; ) Speaking of which, I have a test in a few minutes that I should be studying for- I suppose I'll get back to it.

Southern Belle in two weeks!!! Who's coming down?
-m.

KLX was... wow. See my posts on Yehoodi/ASEDA/Gargleblaster. I can't describe it, and am going to have to give up trying. Just wow. A good wow.

AVS is this weekend, which I am really looking forward to. Plus, I think my house will be a fun one. Cobalt is open for business.

EBC is the next weekend, which I'm a bit nervous about. I'm signed up for beginners, though, and expect to have a lot of fun- assuming I don't get too frustrated and bal-ed out at the dances. We shall see.

Between AVS and EBC? Major presentation. Tuesday after EBC? Major test. My sanity level? Not so great. Add to that the lack of food in my apartment and money in my bank account, and I may not be the most sane person right now. But... I will get through this. All of my pounds may not. (kidding. ish.)
-m.

So, Jon "inspired" me. Everyone go to Sinfest.net, (the archives) and find the comic that please you or best describes you. I'll use the one Jon sent for me.

http://www.sinfest.net/
(today's, October 18, 2006)

Comment, or post in your own blog. This should be entertaining.
-m.

This isn't in the essay series; more of those tomorrow. This is just a quick note to say how grateful I am for the friends I have. Dan came to ATL this weekend, for no other reason that just to visit. There was no event, he wasn't required to come for anything. He's really been an awesome friend through this whole thing, and I just wanted to say outloud (or onscreen) how much I appreciate that. We had an awesome time- found the coolest playground ever, went to a bellydance dinner/dance, saw a movie with some other ATL newkids, and hung out. Most fun!

Also, the lindy girls' clothing swap was this weekend, which was awesome! Getting to know native ATL girls, getting free clothes, and getting rid of leftover salsa. All good things. : )

Oh! And lest I forget, I taught a lindy basic class w/ Alan on Friday. It's so strange to teach with someone new, in a new town. For about the first half of the class, I was like "Umm.... now what?". You'd think I'd never taught a class before! Oh well. It got better, and Alan got us through my blank-out beautifully.


Yay.
-m.

Date:	2006-09-14 18:30
Subject:	"Random Update" Essay series #1
Security:	Public
Mood:	hungry

Recently, I posted a myspace blog listing 5-ish topics I wanted to discuss. Since not everyone has both, I figured that as I write these essays, I'll post them here as well. I don't promise scintillating wit, because I'm hungry. But... here goes on number one.


1. Body issues, or "why we blame the media for things we get from our friends."

It's often said, and fairly so, that the media pressures women to have clear skin, big breasts, and nothing that jiggles. Now, I was lucky enough to have parents who believed that looks weren't important- and besides, I was a healthy weight, and not deformed, so beyond that, what's the difference? So while I devoted a normal amount of thought to "does wonder boy think I'm cute?", I never worried about my weight, my breast size, whatever. Enter friendship. I have, in Knoxville, a collection of beautiful, healthy, athletic women whom I'm fortunate enough to call friends. The men around me were starting to make me wonder, "do all men think like this? Is my body _that_ important?" Now in case anyone out there doesn't know, let there be no secret: Knoxville girls have traditionally been proud of our booties. It's true. Knoxville girls have strong legs, great curves, and awesome behinds. I looked at my peers and thought, "These women and I have similar body classifications. Different heights and builds, but the same general healthiness. These women have awesome bodies. So, my body must be awesome as well." It's true- that was how I confirmed the other half of what I was hearing from the men in my life. But ('change is coming' music) then I started to listen. Or the women started to speak up. I don't remember. And the women around me, whose bodies I so admired, began to say that their bodies were fat. Were flabby. "I have got to work out." "I need to go on a diet." "I can't have that- I'm trying to lose weight." "I need to eat less." And I looked at my body and thought, "if they are overweight, and we are the same..." And I started to worry. I got self-conscious about my clothes. I felt guilty about eating all the d@mn time (topic for another essay).

Now, I'm not going to diet to lose weight. I'm eating healthier- but it's for glucose management, not calorie-counting. I'm trying to excersize, but it's to improve my dancing. I've done a lot of reflecting, and decided that my body is the shape it is because that's what nature and nurture have created, and frankly, I'm in equilibrium: don't wake sleeping dogs and whatnot. (Interestingly, this was confirmed later by a body-fat measuring device. I'm actually just where I need to be, which (sadly) surprised me.)
But you know what? I still didn't take a bathing suit to jammin' the blues. On purpose. Moral of the story: Knoxville women, love your bodies. Larger moral: be careful where you find fault, lest others be listening.


More soon.
-m.

Just to say that I am happy.
I miss some people, but I'm happy.

I'd like a lead.
-m.

Hey everyone,
Some of you may have noticed that I've been... withdrawn lately. I'm ok, there's nothing earth-shattering. But there's a lot on my mind, and a lot of big changes are going on that don't affect day-to-day life visibly, but the effects are very real to me just the same. For starters, my mom has been diagnosed with Diabetes. It's managable with diet and excersize, but the truth is, my mom has never had long-term success with either. So I'm trying very hard to encourage her and be positive, but I'm scared. Also, my roommate prospects for ATL have all fallen through. So in two weeks, I'm supposed to move into an affordable apartment, and I don't have a place yet, nor anyone to split rent with. I have a very high tolerance for chaos- in fact, if there's a normal level of order, I get a restless. But my home is my constant, my ground. It used to be Matt and home, but... So with uncertainly as to place, I find that I'm less able to handle highly stimulating situations. I love hanging out one-on-one, but groups are not good for me right now. I also have a lot going on in my head with Matt and the Brothers. He got a job in Orlando, which is great... I guess. I want him to be happy, but there's a big part of me that says, "he's supposed to be happy With Me." But for a lot of reasons, I'm not able to be what he needs. It just sucks to watch him put down roots that are so far away. It doesn't help, too, that I know he doesn't want to see much of me right now, and I recently found out that there are some fundamental truths to our relationship that he never believed. That was a shock to learn. And then, of course, there's all this business with changing cities. I went to HotJam for the first time on Monday, and while it was fun, it wasn't home. That was hard. I mean, the people are nice, but they're not the family I have here. It's just a lot to adjust to at once. So if I'm behaving in ways that don't make sense right now, I'm seeking repetition, I'm seeking a lack of control, I'm seeking a feeling of familiarity. I'm also seeking ways to be safe from all the doubt that keeps invading my thought processes these days.
On a lighter note, I was stung by a bee on Tuesday. There's a base-ball sized place on my leg... very pretty.
Anyway, I'm still Mike, I just have a lot on my mind, and I'm dealing with things in my way.
-m.

Date:	2006-06-24 13:22
Subject:	and then I found $100...
Security:	Public
Mood:	cheerful
Music:	Kansas City Riffs, then Fell in Love with a Boy

From a thoroughly crappy Thursday, to a pretty cool Friday, and an awesome Saturday!

You know how sometimes you start telling an awesome story, and about 30s before it's over, you realize that No One is as excited about it as you were? So you interrupt yourself to add that you found five bucks? Well, on Friday I was ranting to my PI about how miserable some parts of my Thursday were, and while she was highly amused, I got interupted. "Is there a Mike Legett here?" "that's me...?" "Here you go." And the guy hands me a check for $100. No, I'm not kidding. It's the last of the Gamma Sigma Delta money (from the weekend of ATLX). Who knew that stuff actually happens??

So I come home, and Chris and I resurrect the vaccuum. Then have a beer, and design a potential schedule (minus venues) for the workshop weekend. Then I cooked an amazing dinner- from scratch, with no recipe- of sauteed baby bellas in a white wine reduction, with tomato paste, pesto, goat cheese, on angel hair... yum!! The goat cheese made it just right- I added it while the pasta was hot enought to melt it, so it dispersed, and cut the acidity just enough. MMMmmm.... So, I had a glass of white wine with dinner, and we chatted more. I even called friendX to say that I wasn't mad anymore. Then I took a nap before Christabel. Except that when it came time to leave, I decided my nap was what I wanted. So I stayed home and went to bed.

This morning, at 8:00 (12 hours after my 'nap' started), I woke up (no alarm clock). Finished my free romance novel (left in a box in the lobby of my building with a "free" sign), took it to McKays, and traded it for cash, which I put towards the 11 CD's I bought. (Mind you, I paid $9.) Now, 2.5 years ago, Matt and I were walking along Beale street in Memphis, and we heard this guy howling (literally) on the sidewalk with a guitar. He sang, "It's just the dog in me. It's just the dog in me.... bowowowowow, ar! ar! It's just the dog in me..." Needless to say, that became a running joke. So one of my songs I bought, is, no kidding, that song. The words are a little different (I've got the dog in me), but there's no mistaking it.

Found a penny walking in my building.

Best yet, I got an email from Bjorn- one of the people I was very close to at Herrang. I hadn't heard from him in about 6 months, so I'd given up on hearing from him. But no! A nice, long email. I'm so pleased.

Even my credit card people called, to say they're lowing my interest rates.

Does today get any better? I halfway think I should go to bed, and let it remain the perfect day. : )

Happy.
-m.

Date:	2006-06-23 15:32
Subject:	anger
Security:	Public
Mood:	bummed

So, I'm lousy at anger. If it comes down to be angry at someone, or let them walk all over you, I'll choose option B. I mean, I'll voice my opinion (good grief, will I). And I'll snap at someone. But as far as getting really, truly _angry_? Just doesn't happen.

Usually.

Now, over the last 2 days, not only am I mad at one person, I'm mad at two. Friend X, who I thought was retired to the world of mutual respect and kindness, has decided that it's ok to treat me like I'm less of a person. I considered posting that whole ordeal here, but suffice it to say that since he's mad at someone else (and, truth be told, too much of a flake to think about anyone's schedule beyond his own whims), it's ok to treat me like ass. And not own up to it. And my roommate? Oh. When he moved in, I gave him this LONG lecture about the vaccuum. How to clean it out (it's bagless), how to clean the filter. And most importantly, there's this red light on the front that lets you know that something is snagged on the brush. That way, you don't bust a belt, or worse, burn up the engine. I told him how important it is to do what the light tells you. You can't miss it- it's on the front. It lights up. It's red. Do I need to finish the story? Keep in mind, I have four cats. And I got the vaccuum from my parents for my birthday, or xmas (they're both in december- either way, it's only 6 months old). It's a good vaccuum. Well, it was, until I plugged it in, turned on the hose (not involving the brush at all), and it died. Dead. DEAD. Like, you turn it off, on, whatever- it's like there's no on switch. So I call him in, point out that the brush is so clogged, I can't even see the bristles, and plop my angry self on the couch.

To make matters even better, I'd originally marked that this weekend was to be spent in Atlanta, celebrating the birthdays of Heather C and Megan (two people I adore, and feel indebted to). Well, when Chris R was talking about Rebel Blues, I said as much. At which point, Megan says that the party's off, it's just going to be her and Heather chilling in atl. Ok, fine- sounds like a 2-person deal. So I make plans for Asheville tonight, and Kristin tomorrow night. Well, yesterday, I got an email saying that there was a big bday thing in ATL after all, and everyone was invited. I feel guilty, disappointed, frustrated. I wanted to spend time with heather and Megan, and instead, I'll be here. I can't go to Aville because of my ankle. I can't dance, I can't celebrate, I'm either mad at or in the wrong city for the people I miss... it's really not fun. I'm a combination of wanting to be with people, and wanting to be alone, and I'm impossible to please.

I'll have a cheerier entry later, right now I just want to go home and have a beer.
-m.

Date:	2006-06-14 13:39
Subject:	Celebrity Beertending!
Security:	Public
Mood:	excited

If anyone wants to come to Preservation Pub tonight, I'm doing celebrity beertending as a fundraiser for KSDA from 6-7 with AmyN. Jon and Megan will be there from 5-6. All tips go to KSDA, so come have a good beer for a good cause. And, see me make beer. Should be entertaining.
-m.

Date:	2006-06-12 16:33
Subject:	Teaching?
Security:	Public
Mood:	pensive

So, the more I work on my dancing, the more I realize that I've got so much to work on, and so much to learn. And I look at my own dancing, and the fact that I'm teaching, and I think, "I have no business telling people that I know what I'm doing." I'm telling them to do things that I can't even do! I feel like an imposter, you know? I think, "Maybe I should take time off, improve my dancing, really get to the point where I can resonably say that I know what I'm doing, and I'm an awesome dancer." But at the same time, some people tell me that they like my classes, and usually I'll have a student or two say they got something out of it. Plus, I don't want to work on my dancing to the exclusion of teaching, and try to get back into teaching only to find that my communication skills and vocabulary of analogies have deteriorated. I wish there were some quantitative way to say, "Yes, you're having a positive impact on the dance community" or "No, you do not benefit the students of KSDA enough." I don't want to be one of those teachers that folks will later regret having learned from. Hmmm...

AAaarrrgh!!!

"Many of us -- people like me -- we deep down do believe that marriage is not one of those things we can define any way we want to," Fowler said. "And it has nothing to do with politics, if it makes for good politics, fine. But to me it is not about politics."

White evangelicals are a major political and community force behind the proposed bans.

But opposition to same-sex marriages among black pastors is creating some odd political alliances this election year.

Pastor Henry Coles of the Word of Faith Christian Center in Nashville says some black ministers shy away from the gay-marriage debate because they do not want to offend some congregants, or because they do not want to join a cause more associated with Christian conservatives and Republicans.

But he is helping promote the proposed Tennessee amendment.

"For me, as a representative of Christ, unions begin with a man and a woman," Coles told CNN. "From the very beginning of the Bible, God introduces the relationship that ultimately has been the relationship of the foundation -- the standard of humanity: Adam and Eve."

Joan and Nancy met in Bible study in 1988, and bristle at those who bring God into the debate.

"I mean, I know my God loves me and I don't understand why that has to be -- I am sorry, I just don't understand the whole purpose of it," Joan said.

"I mean, we are in America," Nancy said. "How do you feel about it legally? ... How should we vote to include discrimination into our Constitution ever? And that is a legal question -- not a faith based question."



aaarggh!!! Freedom of religion = freedom from THEIR religion.
Jesus Christ indeed.
Bastards.

"Is this the example you want to set for your children?" A committed, monogomous, lifelong relationship? Yes.
-m.

So, it's been a good while since I've posted. I've been busy, and sick, and otherwise occupied.

Just a catch-up, Matt is gone to Florida. I knew he was leaving today, but I thought he was leaving from Knoxville. I was finally ready for this big face-to-face talk, and goodbye, and I called him... only to find out he'd already left Knoxville. There was no way I'd get to see him, or say goodbye. This was upsetting.

So much so, in fact, that I had this awful dream last night where I married some jerk. Since there was no way I'd see Matt again, I just didn't care. My spirit had just had it. His family was awful, he didn't even show up at the reception until it was mostly over, and he definitely didn't really care that I was there. A few people (including the bar tender) were like, "what are you doing??" And I said that it didn't really make a difference. I'd make it work. Do what you gotta do. Oh, and the best part? His family provided the wedding cake... which was in the form of an easter egg. Like, the kind of cake you make out of the box, then cut an oval out, and frost it in stripes. I thought, "How long ago was easter, exacly?" (time frame is the same). Finally towards the end I perked up a little- caused a bit of trouble and said, 'here's how it's going to be'- but it was about chairs, not the rest of my life. I woke up and was sad for my dream-self. One thing I'm not (in waking hours) is someone who'll just give up like that. It keeps poking my brain, though. Very vivid.

weird, and a little sad.
-m.