Week in a day.

Between vacation recovery, freelance work and... I dunno, sometimes I feel kind of hermit-y... I didn't blog at all last week.  But it's never too late to do anything. So, I present:

WEEK IN A DAY.

Media Monday:
Countdown to the Muppets is hitting single-digits.

Is anyone else tired of Fake Amy Sedaris as the spokesperson holiday-shopper for Target? (I'd never be sick of Real Amy Sedaris.)

I'm not embarrassed to say that I looked forward to Twilight. Not because I particularly like the series, but because Tom and I enjoy a good ironic watching... plus, it's our tradition to watch the fans freak out. 


Weigh-in Tuesday: 
I was down 2 pounds last week.  Between very good exercising and cooking for myself, I have felt like taking care of myself.  But after the weigh-in, the week felt like a harder fight.  More on that soon.  In other news, I just read another weight loss blogger comment upon her "before" pictures.  She called herself disgusting.  I'd like to say to my before pictures: thanks, baby.  You are strong, and you're starting out on a journey that is neither easy nor short-term.  And you don't deserve any negative self-talk, any more than I do.  (We are actually the same person.)


Adventure Wednesday:
Had a wonderful time celebrating my anniversary with Tom.  He took me to dinner at The Little Door.  The space was beautifully designed, the food was creatively cooked, and the celebrity-spotting was amusing, what with Ricky Schroeder (yes, Silver Spoons Ricky Schroeder) seated around the corner from us at the bar as we awaited our table.  Our weekend writing retreat was fun and productive, and the plot is really taking shape.


Themeless Thursday:
I finally caught the weight loss documentary, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead.  I'd been putting it off, because I was a little nervous that the film - which advocates juice fasting - would convince me that I should try to lose my weight rapidly, as do the subjects of the film. 

As it turns out, it didn't convince me of that, because my own convictions and experiences with weight loss and motivation were strong enough to feel secure in my own path.  I think the juice fast might be very helpful to 'reset' the palates of people who eat a lot of junk food and very little produce.  I, however, eat a lot of produce, and have not eaten junk food in... wow, I just realized.  In a week, it'll be 11 MONTHS since I've had fast food.  And I don't purchase processed junk food, and try to limit processed non-junk food. 

The side effects of rapid weight loss - like mental disconnection and hair loss, both of which I've already experienced at my relatively slow pace - makes me think that if I tried to lose weight any faster, I'd make myself incredibly sick.  So my goal is to continue on the path I've already plotted out... but with the possible addition of a home juicer, so I can add some additional veggie nutrients to my daily intake.  I really do enjoy it, and my body seems to respond well, too.

I don't own a machine yet, but I do pick up the occasional serving of freshly-pressed
veggie juice as a treat.  Isn't my carrot-ginger juice vivid and pretty?

Fashion Friday
I tried my AdoraOm outfit in action for the first time, while working out at Slimmons.  The pants were possibly the most comfortable ones I've ever worn while active.  I'd never had flat-seamed exercise pants before, and I was doubtful that it would really make a difference.  IT DID.  (I do wish the rise on the pants would be a little higher, but that's not a deal-breaker.)  The shirt was very cute and I got plenty of compliments on it.  The only down-side was that it would ride up a little when I lifted my arms, but I know they company has been very active at soliciting feedback, and I'm sure that it'll only get better from there.  Considering how great I felt after the workout - how well it cooled, supported, and wicked away sweat - anything else is gravy!

Here I am, in my AdoraOm outfit, accessorized with Richard in a tutu.

OK.  I feel better for having blogged.  How are you feeling?  Are you taking care of you?

Adventure Wednesday... Texts From (Last) Horror Night

This Adventure Wednesday post is rated H, for fans of Halloween, Horror, and Heidi's writing.

So... here's the thing.  We haven't really told many people, but Tom and I have slowly been developing a screenplay for a horror film.  Horror scripts can be a good toe-in-the-door for screenwriters writing on spec (or, for free/as writing samples) like ourselves.  We also needed a little break from the TV spec writing, and I'm close-but-not-quite-ready to finish my Yoga For Fat Girls spec screenplay.  Plus, both of us dig a really clever horror flick.  So horror it is.

Tom and I first thought about collaborating on a horror script four years ago this Monday - Halloween 2007.  I'd gotten out of work on time (for a change) and Tom came to pick me up for a date.  We had planned to head down to Disneyland to see what festivities were happening, but this was before Disney realized what a goldmine Halloween can be... and the park was closing at 8 PM.  One of us suggested we check out Universal Studios.  We'd both heard they did something called "Halloween Horror Nights," but we didn't know much about it.

When we arrived, the crowds were thick at the gate, so we sprang for a "Front-of-the-Line" ticket, like a Disney Fastpass, but for purchase (and without waiting.)  We walked through the gates... and our lives were never the same.

No, really.  We had so much fun during that first trip that we've gone back to Universal's Halloween Horror nights every year since.  And it inspired Tom - who, in turn, inspired me - to write a horror script.  Tom describes the experience as feeling like you're actually in a horror movie.  The mazes are so well-designed and executed (much like the characters, heh) that you end up feeling like a scream queen, heart pounding, eyes darting from this dark corner to that door ajar, nerves crackling with the fear of knowing that any second, something is going to burst through and scare the living dead daylights out of you.

Plus, I had a photo opportunity with Norman Bates, in front of the really-for-real Psycho house.
What could be more life-changing? He told me I looked like someone he could "bring home to mother."

This year, since we're working on the horror script, we decided to focus on our annual trip to Horror Nights for inspiration and discussion.  We had so many ideas and observations from the mazes that we started to forget some of them, so halfway through the evening, we sat down to text each other our shorthand thoughts.  Here are our Texts from (Last) Horror Night, in bold - with a bit of explanation for each.

**

Things that are inherently creepy: photos, children, churches, dolls, illness.
One of the new mazes this year, La Llorona, is based on a Mexican legend about a woman who drowns her children.  It includes so many inherently creepy visuals and concepts that I bet I'd even be spooked by it without any scare-acters.   It might be my favorite maze ever.  (It might even beat the Halloween maze from 2009, a lovingly faithful tribute to my favorite horror film.)

Misdirection.  
It's the key to surprise.  The Alice Cooper maze made great use of it, placing one gruesome duo at the end of the hallway.  I couldn't help but stare at them - after all, they were gross, and they were going to turn and scream at me or something, right?  But partway down the hall, two other scares popped out at me from either side.  All the scarier because my attention was focused elsewhere.

Big and small spaces.
Opposite use of space can be scary. Very big spaces have all kinds of nooks and crannies from which spooks can emerge... and you can't focus on all of them at once.  On the other hand, in very small spaces... if something comes at you, you have nowhere else to go.  And you're very, very aware of this.

Variation - keep 'em off balance.
For a long-form scare, there must be lots of different kinds of surprises.  For instance, silence or darkness punctuated by noise or light is most effective.  If you repeat the same kind of gag - say, guy jumps out from a door - people will start to suspect the scare and disengage.  You want to keep them engaged - and to do so, you gotta keep them on their toes.

Know your audience.
You need to calculate their fears... what they will be thinking, and how they will be reacting.  Some people might be scared by someone jumping out at them.  Some people might not... so how do you scare them?  One brilliant scare-acter realized that Tom and I were smiling at him, not scared by him.  So instead of moving on to someone else, he changed his tactic.  He walked straight up to us and stopped inches away from our noses.  We stepped to the right, and he mirrored us.  We stepped to the left, and he mirrored us without stopping.  This was actually far more unsettling than any jack-in-the-box startling.  And a good horror film should have as much "unsettling" as "startling."

A single, iconic villain.
One very creepy main antagonist will always be scarier than a variety of less-compelling ones.  The "torture porn" mazes are hardly scary at all.  Sure, bloody bodies and crazy trap-like contraptions aren't exactly Hello Kitty, but those depictions can verge on comical, and aren't scary, just gross.  Gore has its place, but it will be most effective when it follows deep emotional connection, tension, and terror.

A safe place.
The characters and the audience are always looking for a "safe place."   A spot where they know that nothing is coming to get them.  Denying them that is deeply unsettling.  Movie characters, like maze-goers, would try to move quickly from one safe space to the next, rather than at one pace.

The first scene.
What we see at the beginning of a maze (or a movie) shapes how we see the scenes that follow it.  For the very effective La Llorona maze, this starts before you even enter.  Three signs are placed within the maze line, which tell the story of La Llorona.  Then, when you step into the maze, you're in a Mexican church - a funeral, all flickering votives and memorial photos.  You're immediately drawn into the maze - and surrounded with several of the "inherently creepy" items listed above.

Emotional connection is what drives everything.
For effective horror, there needs to be some sort of emotional connection - fear of the antagonist, identification with a protagonist, witnessing things with inherent emotional content, etc - for it to really work.  In a film, it makes people a part of what's happening, not just an audience member.

**

Our night at Univeral was very well-filling, so to speak.  We've since been flush with ideas, and meeting for daily writing sessions before Tom leaves for work.  I'm having a lot of fun.  I really need to remember that I'm at my happiest - and the days that follow are most productive - when I start the day writing.

One other fun thing I noticed that night is that... I'm stronger!  I suppose it should have been obvious to me, since I work out so regularly (and so hard!) but I was still surprised when I hiked up the hill next to the Psycho house, and, for the first time ever, I made it up without stopping, and reached the top without panting.  I guess that's what comes of taking care of me!  And I hope you'll take care of you today.

If you're local, and a horror fan, definitely check out Universal Horror Nights, which runs through Halloween night.

A no-plateau Weigh-in Tuesday! Plus a "burning question" about being fat and fit.

This morning, I'd like to start with a little good news.  I have officially beaten my plateau.  This week I lost three pounds (including the two pounds I had gained, plus an additional pound) which brings my loss to 60 pounds!  I started at 366, and I'm at 306 today. I take a progress photo every 20 pounds, so I'm due for another one now.

It feels great to know that I've made it past the stalling.  The surgery and ensuing rest period has been a bummer, but I've done well with food this week, and I was able to take walks and to work out at Slimmons.  Soon I'll be able to get back in a pool, and I'm incredibly excited about this. I didn't realize just how much swimming meant to me until I wasn't allowed to do it.  I feel energized to hit the full week of workouts, and happy to know that my next mini-goal is only six pounds away!  That's right... seven more pounds (less, actually) and I will be under 300... for the first time in probably nine years.  To most people, I realize that 299 sounds like a lot.  It is.  I'll still be morbidly obese, with quite a few mini-goals until I reach plain-ol' ordinary obese.

The question of weight categories brings to mind an article I read in the July/August issue of Health Magazine.  Their pro/con column, "The Burning Question," asked "Can you be fit and fat?"  Two different doctor-professors weighed in on the matter, one on the side that overweight people who are active have half the risk of mortality of normal-weight people who don't exercise at all. (He makes the case that it only applies to overweight people, not the obese.)  The other doc-prof says no; exercise isn't enough - you must also watch what you eat.  Well, duh.  I watch what I eat.  I exercise and am in reasonably good shape.  But am I healthy?  I guess that's the question.

Seems to me like they were replying - though not directly referring - to the movement known as "Health At Every Size" (or HAES) - which I was first introduced to through the Fat Acceptance movement.  There are three main precepts to HAES:

1. Self-Acceptance: Affirmation and reinforcement of human beauty and worth irrespective of differences in weight, physical size and shape.
2. Physical Activity: Support for increasing social, pleasure-based movement for enjoyment and enhanced quality of life.
3. Normalized Eating: Support for discarding externally-imposed rules and regimens for eating and attaining a more peaceful relationship with food by relearning to eat in response to physiological hunger and fullness cues

I feel like I really address all three of these.

I accept who I am - I know where I've been, what actions I've taken in the past and presently.  I know how I got to this weight.  I still see my beauty and worth at this weight - and my weekly Fashion Friday posts are an effort to highlight that for myself, for the times it's harder to remember.

I am active.  It sometimes goes beyond social, pleasure-based movement, because even if I am not specifically enjoying the exercise (as is sometimes the case) the pleasure I feel after a workout, and the energy it gives me for other things, definitely enhances the quality of my life.

I work very hard at normalized eating.  In the past, I have had difficulties with moderation, and with behavioral/emotional eating.  In fact, that's not in the past.  I think it's likely I will have those difficulties all my life, but the difference between my behavior now and my behavior before is that I am up-front with myself about those struggles.  Instead of avoiding discussion about food choices, I seek it out.  I lay out plans to help avoid the less-healthy choices I make when I'm tired, bored, or simply don't have a road map for my food.  Plus, the KIND of food I eat matters.  I'm eating lots of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, plus lean protein and healthy fats.  I don't eat out much, and I don't eat fast food at all.  I do count calories, which is not something recommended by HAES - but I don't punish myself for over or underconsumption if I'm hungry or full.  It's merely a tool I use to keep my behavioral eating in check.  It never fails - after a couple of days of not recording calories, and I begin to slip into behavioral patterns again.  It's all about being mindful, and calorie-counting helps me do that.

When it comes to Health's "Burning Question," I think I have a better answer than either doc/prof:  each body is different.  It's ridiculous to generalize.  We don't need generalizations from magazines.  We need to work directly with our medical teams to find out the specific ways we can improve our health.  I do that - so there's a good chance I'd live longer than some average-weight fella who doesn't exercise and eats fast food all day.  Or, who knows, maybe I'll get hit by a bus.  So it's not just about the length of a life, it's about the quality of that life.  The point is that I know I'm worth taking care of - and I'm taking care of myself as best as I can.  And I hope that you will do that for yourself, too.

Suck it, Yoda.

It's Tuesday, which usually means a trip to the scale and a weigh-in report here.  But since I've been flu-y, I don't want that number to be artificially low.  So I'm skipping the weigh-in this week and hopefully once my body is more recovered next week, the number won't be out of whack either.

During Tom's fever-induced naptime this weekend, I happened to stumble upon a Star Wars marathon on TV.  So I listened to The Empire Strikes Back while doing some photo editing.  And as Yoda schooled an impatient Luke on Dagobah, I found myself getting pretty pissed off.

Let's be clear.  I love Star Wars - and have ever since my brother introduced them to me one at a time, on his trips home from college.  And boy howdy did I respond.  I was a pretty nerdy kid.  For my eleventh birthday, my hair was done up in the Return of the Jedi double braid crown.  The first essay I ever typed on a computer (around the same time) began with "I know everything there is to know about X-Wing Flyers." Yoda is my favorite character, other than my schoolgirl crush on Luke. (Don't be surprised that it's not Han. I also prefer Raoul over Erik, Riley over Spike, and young X over young Magneto. Though it's impossible not to prefer Rhett over Ashley.)

Anyway... as I listened to Yoda's fatalistic platitudes on Sunday, I found myself thinking he was full of crap.

Wrong, you are.  Full of the force, am I.  Filled with crap, I am not.

Wrong again, Yoda.

Here's the thing.  You ask Luke to lift a whole ship out of a mud-laden swamp with just his mind.  You say...

"Do or do not.  There is no try."

It has, in fact, become one of the most popular quotes to come from the movie. (Next to... that one.  You know the one.  "Scruffy-looking nerf herder.")  And, like Yoda, it is full of crap.

Now, I'm not saying Luke can't do it.  You and I both know he can.  But Luke needs practice.  And what's another way to say that?  He's trying.

My first day working out at Slimmons - my first minute, actually - I was struggling.  The aerobics was kicking my ass, and I wasn't sure I was going to make it through all 90 minutes.  And, in fact, I didn't.  Within 20 minutes, my heart was pounding so hard that I felt nauseous.  I had to do the rest of the workout sitting.  I was humiliated.  The road ahead of me seemed not just challenging but completely impossible.

But Richard, and the kind people at Slimmons, encouraged me.  So I came back to the next class, and I sat down before I felt nauseous.  I kept attending.  The more I worked, the longer I could make it before needing to sit down.  And within a month, I made it through all 90 minutes.

On the journey to better health, you'll face all kinds of challenges.  You won't be able to do everything you want to do, right away, so try to be patient with yourself.  Sometimes you'll be your own challenge, and a food choice or a missed workout you regret will make you want to throw it all away - because you've been told all your life that you're supposed to be perfect.

Well, no one is perfect.  And all we can do is take that regret and transform it to wisdom.  NO DAY is a lost day, if you don't let it be lost.  If you missed your workout after work, can you talk a walk with your family after dinner?  If you overate at lunch, try thinking about it, talking about it, and letting it go.

There's too much pressure on us (from ourselves, mostly) to perform perfectly at everything from moment one.  The ensuing shame and fear will only make it that much harder to try and keep trying.  Remind yourself that you're not perfect, and then take a moment to be mindful.  You don't have to wait until tomorrow.  You don't have to wait at all.  Every minute is a new minute for you to take care of yourself.  And taking care of yourself takes practice.

You say "there is no try"?  Well, suck it, Yoda.  I say...

Try or try not.  But there is no do without try.

Friend Makin' Monday, plus a weekend recap

We had a bit of a crazy weekend, full of interesting and unusual outings, so I thought I'd kick off the week by recapping our fun, in brief:

• Tom and I went with Alexa from The Curvy Nerd to catch a Friday evening showing of X-Men First Class. I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed it.  I thought the history parallels were clever, and found the characters and their relationships compelling.  (I could've done without the actual members of the first class, but there was enough Charles/Erik to keep me involved.)

• We kicked off Saturday morning with a trip to Slimmons, where we wore our swimsuits for Richard's "Life's a Beach" dance party.  You can see us dancing to "Beach Baby" early on in this video from class...

• Saturday was also my mother-in-law Jean's birthday, so we spent the afternoon with her - introducing her to our new kitten Lon, seeing the very zen documentary Cave of Forgotten Dreams at the Sunset 5, and enjoying a light dinner at the nearby Veggie Grill restaurant. 

• Our friend Samantha, who is an excellent and fun artist, had a show at Space 2710, so we ended the evening checking out her adorable felt pug-in-hat portraits.

• I'd been invited to check out a Curvy Closet Raid from the lovely local plus-sized fashion icons, Danielle, Reah and Monique - so we hit the road around 7, hoping our early-bird arrival would make for all kinds of wormy fashion.  Well, that metaphor's terrible, but you know what I mean!  I ended up scoring a lot of beautiful pieces from each of the women, all which will help fill out my closet as my wardrobe is starting to shrink (while I do.)  Thanks, ladies, for the excellent threads!

• While on the road, we took the opportunity to check out some local estate sales.  We love the chance to peek at LA real estate (and find cool vintage scores!) and it's cheap entertainment, too.  We found one excellent treasure that I'll be using for a blog entry soon!

• It was Gay Pride Day in Los Angeles - and Tom and I are big supporters of gay rights, so we went with some of our gay friends to watch and cheer for the pride parade and attend their party.  While there, one singers from of the marching choruses spotted me singing along to "We Dance" from Once On This Island.  He hopped out of line to come invite me to join!  I love singing and haven't done it with a group in quite a long time... so I'm actually giving the offer some consideration.  I need more showtunes in my life.

• Exhausted, we headed home to play with kittens and listen to the soundtrack for Trey Parker and Matt Stone's new musical, The Book of Mormon, for the first time before watching it sweep the Tony awards.  If you're curious, it's on sale at Amazon today for $1.99 - that's how we purchased it.  Huzzah for sales! It is hilarious (and very irreverent and explicit, so listen at your own risk.)   It turns out that our satellite was knocked off alignment and won't be fixed until later this week, so thank goodness for streaming TV online.  

Man! That was a busy weekend.  No wonder I slept in today (and took so long to post my blog entry!)

It's still Monday, so of course I've got a Friend Makin' Monday question to include...

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts.

FMM: If you lived in a movie, which one would it be?  And which character would you play?

Oh, the first one that comes to mind is Amelie, from Amelie.

  
At least, she's who I aspire to be, in ways.

I love the gentle, peaceful sort of whimsy of the film.

  

I love that Amelie creates adventures for herself.

And that she encourages others to embark on their own adventures.

She's shy, but she overcomes that shyness to do good deeds for other people.  And she sees things that no one else sees.

  
OK.  I've got a to-do list as long as the day, and half of the day to do it in, so I'm off to work on that.  I hope that your day is lovely and fun, and that you spend it taking good care of you.  Til tomorrow!

Adventure Wednesday in 1950s Downtown

We go adventuring every Wednesday in order to treat ourselves for self-care well done, to help us refill our creativity wells, to feel a part of our city, and to explore what it has to offer.  But this week, in celebration of my fist 50 pounds lost, Tom surprised me by whisking me off downtown for an overnight adventure.  So we indulged in everything that beautiful 1950 has to offer.

Or, well, it felt like the 1950s, because we snagged an unusually reasonable room at the Biltmore Hotel, a Los Angeles landmark.

We're collectors of vintage Los Angeles postcards, and we have one just like this.

Here is the hotel, today.

You might know it as an early host of the Academy Awards ceremonies.  Or you might know it as the place you first encountered Slimer in Ghostbusters.




Or perhaps as the place where Betty Draper floated down the staircase in Season 2 of Mad Men.

If you come back later this week, you might catch me floating down this same staircase on Fashion Friday.

Dramatic!

We chose to celebrate my negative 50 lbs in 1950s here, and not only because we love the retro aesthetic. It gave us the chance to do some adventuring with food and exercise, plus it helped us focus on writing together, as a creative retreat.  We're coming close to a particular writing deadline of ours, so we the took the time to be collaborate while cooped up in luxury (and away from distracting cats and friends and chores and TVs.)

We started out with lunch and tea in the Rendezvous Gallery.

It came with a vintage tea set, complete with tea cozy.

My tea was called "Green Passion," and it was delicious.

Especially with a touch of floral honey. Yes, I admit it. I took these home. They were too cute to abandon!

I lunched on - what else? - a Los Angeles vintage classic, the cobb salad.

It doesn't have to be an unhealthy choice, as long as you leave the majority of the bacon,
half the avocado and bleu cheese, and 99.9% of the dressing, which was in a pitcher the size of my fist.

Following lunch, we explored the hotel a little bit.  After all, we had it all to ourselves.  Except, of course, all of the Red Bull employees.

And the cast & crew of True Blood.

No, we didn't see the actors. Even though we found a call sheet that someone had dropped on the ground, so we knew what time they'd be arriving.  I'm not paparazzi.  (And I don't watch the show.)

We were especially excited to check out (and make use of) the lovely Biltmore Athletic Club, which is free for all guests.  I've visited in the past, and the swimming pool is hands-down my favorite indoor pool in Los Angeles.   I spent over an hour doing snorkle-laps and absorbing the atmosphere.

Don't you just want to jump into your screen?

We even did some excellent brainstorm work while enjoying the perfectly hot-bathtub-like whirlpool.

I loved the lounge chairs. I felt like I was on the deck in "The Lady Eve."

They had a tremendous number of treadmill and elliptical machines, all with personal TVs.
There were also weight machines and free weights. A great gym for a hotel!

We managed to finish a nice chunk of our script, and even caught a movie before bed (Josh Radnor's writer/directorial debut, HappyThankYouMorePlease - which I definitely liked, but didn't love.)

In the morning, we took a few blocks' stroll to breakfast at Clifton's Cafeteria - the oldest surviving Los Angeles restaurant.

Man, I hardly recognize my silhouette anymore!

Once part of a chain of Southern California cafeterias (each with a different elaborate theme), the downtown Clifton's is the last that remains of the bunch. 

It's jam-packed with woodland kitsch.

Legend has it that the crude robotic raccoons and the (kind of) immersive theming
inspired Walt Disney in the creation of Disneyland.

Even the food offerings are retro-kitschy. 

Though very plentiful, and very affordable.

Our breakfast, which included an egg white/veggie omelet with potatoes,
pancakes and grilled potatoes, two servings of whole wheat toast,
strawberries and a bottle of water, came to a grand total of $14.

Worth a trip, whether you're a history buff, a fan of things strange and corny, or just a little light in the wallet these days.

All in all, our celebratory trip downtown was both relaxing and productive, which was exactly what we needed to be.  Now we're tucked back into our Hollywood condo, trying hard not to be distracted by the kittens or the laundry while we finish up our script.  Wish us luck!

I'll be back tomorrow with a bit of honesty and a request for you all. Until then, I hope you'll find some adventure of your own... and take care of you while doing it!

Adventure Wednesday at Dance Downtown

We were so happy to welcome Shrinking Kenz and her formidable pal Kent to our home yesterday - we've had an excellent time hanging out with them since their arrival, including a trip to Slimmons (a photo of which you can see on her blog.)  She'll post more about the experience once she is able to summon the words, so keep your eye out for it.  Today looks to be an equally lovely one.  And, of course, today is Wednesday, which means adventure is on the horizon.

This Adventure Wednesday, the adventure is also on the horizon behind us.  I'm trying to get ahead of my blog schedule, so I'm working on writing pieces in advance.  Today, I got as far as taking photos in advance.

This week's adventure is an outing we took downtown. Where all the lights are bright.  Downtown.

And one of the gems downtown is the complex of fine arts buildings known as The Music Center.  We've seen a lot of theater and music performed here - we're happy arts patrons whenever we can afford it - but there's a program run by the center that we've never managed to attend before, called Dance Downtown.  Every other Friday night during summer, The Music Center has a live band and a dance floor, and welcome people to come and enjoy themselves for free.

We arrived shortly after the program started, at 6:30 PM.  It was still light out, and the first of three half-hour dance lessons was underway.  The night's theme was Cumbia, a European and South American dance style that I'd never heard of before.

Our dance teacher for the evening leads the group in some introductory steps.

We grabbed an open spot on the dance floor and quickly learned the basics of the dance, which was fun but surprisingly aerobic!  We were both sweating and feeling the burn.

There's a lovely view of City Hall from the dance floor.

I thought that the paper lanterns hanging above the dance floor
were elegant, but I had no idea how pretty they'd be after nightfall.

After the lesson, the band started up and the floor became filled with dancers cutting a proverbial rug in the breezy, open air.  After an hour of open dance (or open sit, as we indulged in) they came back with another half-hour lesson teaching a few more turns and steps to build on the basics we had learned.  Then, open dance again!

See how beautiful!? Imagine stepping out with your loved one - or your gang of friends -
in the evening summer breeze?  It was completely lovely.

The final half-hour lesson of the night was a preview of the next Dance Downtown theme, Salsa.  (It reminded me of some of the steps we do with Richard!  In fact, we kept commenting throughout the night how lucky it was that we were working out and dancing with Richard, because we were less tired and quicker to catch on than we might have been this time last year.   It's a very playful and fun way to be active and burn some calories.

We definitely burned our calories for the day.

We certainly sweated, at the very least.  Phew!

It's a very welcoming and open atmosphere at Dance Downtown.  It was attended by people of all age, ethnicity, size, orientation...  and so terrific to see them all communing on the dance floor.

We think we'll be back for as many sessions this summer as we can attend.  Are you kidding?  Free dance lessons? Cheerful live music under the stars? Feeling like part of the larger Los Angeles community?  I think we'll try to attend them all.  Here's the schedule:

May 20 - Salsa/Cha Cha Cha
June 03 - Line Dance/Two-Step
June 17 - Lindy Hop/Swing
July 01 - Bollywood/Bhangra
July 15 - Argentine Tango
July 29 - Disco
Aug 12 - 60s Night
Aug 26 - Zydeco
Sept 09 - Samba

A few tips for attending:

• Wear danceable shoes. We saw some women in spiked heels and they looked miserable by the end of the night.
• If you bring a bag, it should be small and somehow hands-free (I like cross-body bags for this purpose)... or you should plan to check it in at the bag check.
• You can take public transportation, but don't overdo it dancing if you have a long way to walk afterward!
• You can park at the Center for $9 - so carpool if you can, and split the parking fee.
• If you take all 90 minutes of the offered classes, and if you dance any beyond that, you will be quite thirsty.  Water and snacks are sold in the courtyard, at the various outdoor stands, but it's pretty pricey.  Come with cash, or with bottles already in hand(s-free bag.)

Dance Downtown is part of the Music Center's program to encourage non-professional artists/dancers/musicians to express themselves creatively - called Active Arts.  It has a bunch of very cool, creative, and inexpensive offerings, including some summer sing-alongs at Disney Hall, a photo exhibit by non-pro photogs, and sessions to help former instrument-players brush up on their old saxophone/violin/etc skills.  You should definitely check it out if you're in the area - or if you're visiting.  And let us know if you go... we'll probably be there, too!

On rewards, bicycles, and dresses

There's a trend in the weight loss blogging community to reward yourself with something tangible for each milestone hit.  Some people reward every 10 or 20 pounds.  Some people start small (like a pedicure for 10 pounds lost) and grow gradually with each increment.

I like this idea, but our budget just doesn't allow for it right now.  Two freelancers between gigs equals "let's not buy anything new that isn't completely urgent."  (In other news, if you happen to need the services of a freelance writer, or a film/tv editor, by all means let me know.)

I have found this journey to be reward in and of itself, but there's something nice about the idea of working toward a fun goal.  So I've decided, in the hopes that our next gig comes in, that I will be working toward two different motivational rewards.

At 100 pounds lost (that's my current goal) 
I'd like to purchase a bicycle and some accessories.

I haven't biked since my last one was stolen in college over ten years ago.  So this week, I stopped into Orange 20, a local bicycle shop, the other day.  They were very nice, and very helpful, but it seems like they're focused on selling to the long-term, bike-crazy mindset.  And most of them seemed out of my price range at $1,000+.  They did help me to understand what I'm looking for, considering where I live and what I hope to do.  I'll want a multi-speed cruiser bike with a hand break.

If necessary, I'm sure I could find one on Craigslist or Ebay.  If I have the available funds, though, I have my eye on a few different options that fulfill both my aesthetic style and my laid-back approach to biking.  (I'm no racer or off-road explorer; I just want to enjoy another fitness option with a mellow ride on bike paths or to the Farmer's Market.)

This is the Electra Coaster. I love the retro styling,
and it's gotten great reviews from other riders

This is the Schwinn Jenny 7.  Clearly I have a thing for classic bike styles.

And, of course, if I'm going to go retro, I'm going to need a wicker bike basket.
This one is by Electra.

Plus, huzzah, they've come up with cute bike helmets since I last wore one!
This adorable number is by Yakkay, which has several different hat looks for their helmets.

When the time comes, I'd love some bike advice from the avid bikers. (Especially from you, Bro J)

At my final weight (I don't know what it will be) 
I'd like to purchase a Kate Spade dress.

I haven't locked in a final goal, because I think it will really be up to my body.  No doubt I'll plateau at some point down the line.  In order to reach what's considered a "healthy" BMI, I'll have to lose another 100 pounds from my first goal... but I don't know if my body will make it all the way, or make it farther.  I have seen the pictures of my ancestors, ladies working all day in the fields who are still pretty heavy.  I mostly want to make sure I'm healthy and active and not having to restrict or over-exercise to get to that weight.  So I won't be purchasing any "investment" dresses until some time after I've reached that final weight - so I know that I can maintain it.

I'm not a "label" person - I don't care about wearing logos or being loyal to a particular brand.  But every season, I see the beautiful colors and shapes in the windows of the Kate Spade store as I walk past, and I think "hey, that's what I'd wear every day if I could."  Something about the classic full skirts and the retro patterns calls my name, and I hear they're constructed really well.  It's nice to have a few long-lasting investment pieces in a wardrobe.  (It feels weird to be letting all of my investment pieces go; very little that I was wearing last year fits now, except the things my mother-in-law tailored.)

Here are a few cute examples of Kate Spade dresses:

It is all just, you know, pipe dreamin' at this point, but I look forward to the day that I hop on my little retro bike, in my little retro sundress, and coast off to the farmer's market to buy a bouquet of flowers to tuck in my bike basket.  Can't you just see it?