U G H

There aren’t many things that intimidate me, and if there are, I am pretty good at faking it until I’m making it. Contact improv is one of those marvelous things that intimidates, and flat out scares me. Being required to get involved in an actual jam didn’t seem scary until the day I showed up. It’s hard for me to let go of that sense of “being right” when it comes to dance. I come from a place where you must “do everything correctly” or you are a “horrible person”. So needless to say the fear of failing in public scarred me to death and made me so nervous I couldn’t stop shaking. However, having made it through three successful improve jams, I am here to say that there is nothing better than contact improvisational dancing. The initial movement scared me. Many people jumped right into it after warming up, and I had to stretch a little longer than I normally do so I could prepare for what might lay ahead. As I slowly made my way toward the crowd of people I started to over a...

Dear PaPa, I want you to know how much you mean to me. Not just because you are my grandpa, but because you are an amazingly positive, hard working, successful, honest person. I have always felt that whenever I see you there is a light that surrounds you, a glow that never fades (even when you did have cancer). Also whenever you speak it’s almost as if there is a microphone echoing your words into the distance for all to hear. Your pressence is never overlooked and never taken for granted and for that I am not only proud, but honored to know you. Everything you have ever said has always had so much wisdom and positiveness that I have often felt like I needed you in my life more. I am completely thankful to not only have you in my life, but have your blood flow through my veins. There is no other person that is as wise, hard working, giving, humorous, organized, focused, successful and honest as you. If I could only have one or two of those traits more in my life I feel like i...