Handstands, Uno, and the city of Munster

Good news. It is harder to cry while doing a handstand.  

I am thinking that it is much less a gravity thing and more a distraction thing.  I am concentrating so much on the hand standing that I can’t really give my emotions much thought.

So, getting better at handstands should help me cry less.  It’s like the expression “killing two birds with one stone” but far less violent. More like, “achieving two goals with one handstand,” or maybe just “grow a pair!”

Oh yeah, I also worked on pointing my toes for anyone who noticed the lazy feet.  How embarrassing.

Now I just have to figure out how to take this handstand off the wall.  

But enough about me. 

How about Munster?

Munster is the city we have been in these past ten days and just may be one of my favorite German cities.  It is the bicycle capital of Germany  (I am not even sure what that means, but I like it) there are a ton of students, it is easy to get around, and it is pretty liberal.

On our first day here, Brent, Jane and I walked around the city to do some “recon” for New Year’s Eve.  Jane and I had done this last year in Essen and it seemed to work pretty well.  We scoped out a bunch of bars,analyzed deliberated, then made a very informed decision on where to ring in the new year.

You see, the maturity and intelligence put into the decision making process makes the immaturity and silliness of the actual night okay.  It’s a wash.

This time, during our exploration, we found a cool-looking and eco-friendly clothing store, which led us to a cool-looking and eco-friendly guy, who then made us a list of cool-looking (and possibly eco-friendly) bars.  Jackpot!

On this list was a bar very close to our hotel, called SpecOps.  We knew it wasn’t a place for New Years, but a good place to grab a drink at some point.

That point came the following night, with Brent, Paul, Charlene, Michael, Michael’s parents and Michael’s very first skating coach.

As we walked in, we noticed was how quiet the bar was.  There was some pretty great music playing, but that was it; no one was talking.

We thought, “Oh sh*t, we are going to be the loud Americans” (who dragged a poor French girl with them.)

Then we realized that at every table groups of friends were playing good old fashioned games-- board games and card games (note- NOT video games.)  Behind the bar was an array of games to choose from.  

It was pretty nice; there didn’t seem to be a smart phone, computer, blue tooth earpiece, or social networking machine in sight, and although there wasn’t much conversing going on, everyone was participanting in some group activity.  Face to face.  Crazy, right?!

One point for you, Munster.  

So we grabbed Uno, some chips, salsa, drinks and made ourselves comfortable.  

And I feel it necessary to mention--for any of you that might place bets on Uno games-- that the “older generation” (as in Michael’s parents and skating coach) kick a** at it.  Watch out for them.

Ringing in the New Year in Munster

Happy 2012!  

We had a fun night out in Munster, Germany to ring in the new year.  

Something I have learned about the Germans is that they love fireworks.  Not the big professional kind, but the smaller ones we typically buy for the Fourth of July.  These here must be really safe though, because there is zero caution used with them.  They are lit with cigarettes, thrown over people heads, and into buildings.

Craziness, but super fun.  

So, something I learned about myself this past week is that I apparently have this goal for tour: 

I WILL NOT cry on the job.  

Last year was an emotional roller coaster.  We couldn’t quite find our confidence within the show, we were coming to terms with a nomadic existence, and we encountered entirely too much behind the scenes drama.  

This lead to some crying.  Yuck.

Since last year I have realized a lot about this job. And learned a lot about life.

And boy, if anything is clear to me, it is this:  no tears should be shed while wearing a snake outfit, or really any skating outfit (unless you are laughing of course.)

So, last Monday we were a bit tired, and we took a fall that scared me.  And disappointed me too, of course.  And I was tired, as I already mentioned.  But in that moment, in a moment where some therapeutic crying would have felt so good, I was surprised to find myself using what energy I had left to hold it all back.

As my boyfriend has often advised me to do, I just pushed my emotions way deep down.

You see, crying is sadly something that comes easy to me.  I feel like my tears are always right there, on stand-by, ready to reveal themselves at any possible moment.  You know those cool friends who are down for anything, always looking for a good time, and always ready to party?  Well, my tears are just like that, except exactly the opposite.

It sucks, but I do know I am in good company.  I have a friend (true story! I don’t pay her or nothing!) who has the simple goal of not crying on holidays. Kinda like me with my job!  She has started with baby steps, tackling Grandparent’s Day and Labor Day first, but once she builds up her confidence I am convinced she will make it through Valentine’s Day and New Year’s tear-free.

  

On a lighter note, I did come up with another goal a few weeks back.  I would like to be able to execute a handstand by the end of tour.  I see people do handstands all the time and it looks like tons of fun.  Plus it makes for such a great Facebook profile picture.

Jane has agreed to be my handstand teacher and I must say, so far so good.  She has assigned me the homework of doing three handstands per day, with the assistance of the wall.  

Actually, first she had me try one handstand with a few people spotting, to asses where I was with my goal.

She assessed zero.

So, I have my homework, I have been doing it, and my handstands are getting more comfortable.

But here is my question:  Will all this hand-standing make it difficult to achieve the no crying goal?  If my tears always on the verge of spilling out, will they spill out easier if I turn upside down too much?

Sounds like I need to take this question to the streets.  And by streets I mean the dressing room.

Merry Christmas!

I saw my last Christmas markets of the year in Nuremberg, Germany and for the first time saw how festive Sun Valley is with all it’s Christmas lights.  Overall, it has been a good Christmas season.

Christmas makes me think of gifts and gifts make me think of this:

Recently, I have grown a likeness for, let’s call it, “item matchmaking.”  I like to find things that already exist in my life, and give them to people that might like them.  

For instance, when I was cleaning out some things in Germany, I ran across a DVD of Happy Texas, the movie my uncle directed and co-wrote.  Knowing I wanted to bring a thank you gift to friends in Sun Valley, I grabbed it to give to them.  We had talked about the movie this past summer, so I thought they’d like to see it.

And when I was cleaning out my old room this past fall, I found a pink and white Hello Kitty scarf.  A few days later, I visited my brother’s family and found out my niece’s  bedroom is completely decorated in Hello Kitty stuff.  So--*spoiler alert, Diamond!*--I have left this scarf for her as a Christmas present.

But before I go patting myself on the back, I will admit that I don’t actually know if this is a good thing. Is it really nice to give someone something I found in my suitcase or my old bedroom?  Or is that mean? Or cheap?  Or both mean and cheap?

If the answer is yes to these last  questions, I would like to clarify that I do not participate in this item matchmaking out of meanness or cheapness.  Okay, maybe a little bit of frugality gets the better of me sometimes, but I do know that my motivation lies somewhere else.

This habit has manifested as a by-product of this gypsy lifestyle.  Because I have such limited space to store things, I don’t like accumulating a bunch of stuff.  Absolutely everything in my suitcase must have a purpose.  This is key.  

Therefore, there is nothing more maddening than running across something-- say a sweater, book, make-up brush--on a daily basis, knowing that you haven’t used it and most likely will not.  I feel I am just basically giving this object a free European vacation without it giving me anything back.

Unfair.

So, this is how I have picked up the habit of matching items to owners.  And, isn’t it a win-win if I can find someone who might use this sweater, book or make-up brush?

Makes sense to me.

But let me tell you about the things that can’t find a purpose or appropriate owner.

Some of us skaters have been lucky enough to inherit trunks.  These trunks travel in one of our several trucks that transports the show (the props, costumes, etc) from city to city.  This is our one source of storage outside of our suitcases.

And what seems to happen is that you stuff your trunk with things you might need, but obviously don’t use (or else it would be in your suitcase, right?)  So, when you come across one of those items that you aren’t using--that slightly itchy sweater, that kinda wordy book, or that odd-looking make-up brush--and there is no obvious home for it (like someone who would actually appreciate it) you put it in your trunk.  Just in case.

And then what happens to it?  

Well, at some point, you throw it away.  It is a bit of a  drawn out process.  Suitcase--trunk--then eventually trash.

Yep, our trunks are like traveling garbage cans.

But, like I said, that is for the items that don’t get matched.  The ones that do find loving owners with my help avoid this whole sad story!

Which leads me back to the part where I hesitated to pat myself on the back.  I think I will accept that pat now.  I think what I am doing isn’t so bad after all.  :)

Merry Christmas all.  And, you are welcome for those old and dusty gifts.

Every Day Cannot be like Valentine's Day

I am not a fan of Valentine’s Day.  And for no other reason than that I just don’t care about it.  On a few occasions, when I have said, “I am not a fan of Valentine’s Day” I have been met with “I know, because every day should be like Valentine’s Day, right?” 

Wrong.  Every day should not be like Valentine’s Day.  For starters, it just can’t.

I thought about this a lot this weekend.

Very quickly the show has begun to consume my whole day.  We had our first 3-show day on Saturday, which is of course pretty tiring (as each show lasts 2 1/2 hours) but also borderline mundane.  You check-in, put on your make-up, warm-up a bit and then... skates on, costume on, costume off, skates off, skates on, next costume on, costume off, skates off, skates on, Christmas costume on, costume off, skates off, skates on, next costume on, costume off, new costume on, costume off, quick change into next costume, costume off, quick change again, costume off, skates off.  Repeat. And repeat again.

Within this show cycle there are the numbers of course, the skating.  That fortunately takes a little bit of focus.  A saving grace of the day, possibly.

Also within the day are these things we call “goodies.”  They are little moments you have with other skaters, like a point, look, high-five, secret handshake, little dance, etc. They can be backstage, in the dressing room, on the ice.  And here is the main thing: they are consistent.  Once you have a goodie, you do it every show.

Because this is now our second year performing the same show, and our principal cast has stayed the same, there are many goodies that have carried over from last year’s tour.  For example, I always look at Andre in Bolero right before our bracket step and give him a little nod or wink.  I did it last year, and now it is just part of my choreography, whether I like it or not.

And in the opening, right before Brent and I do our 3-turn step around each other, I look over my left shoulder and give Michael a little point, and he gives a smile.  

Again, we did this last year, so instantly we did it this year as well.

A few night ago, we had a moment of truth.  A heart-to-heart let’s say.  Maybe we said we felt bored in the show, maybe we said the drinks at the bar were too strong.  Who knows.  This is what I do know:  Michael turned to me and said exactly what I felt.

 “I F#$%ING HATE OUR GOODIE!”

And it felt so good to get the truth out.  We had done that goodie so many times.  It wasn’t genuine anymore.  I didn’t want to point at Michael.  He didn’t want to smile back.  It was a faked goodie, and it felt awful.  It made us both angry.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why every day CANNOT be like Valentine’s Day.  Because, even when something starts out fun and with some meaning, after you do it each and every day, it will loose its luster.  It will become boring.  And worst of all, it won’t be genuine.  It won’t be genuine until the day someone turns to you and yells in desperation,

“I F#$%ING HATE VALENTINE’S DAY!”

We usually have travel days on Monday, like today.

I realized I like travel days for this one and only reason: I feel like I am moving forward.  Which is funny, because if you were to plot all the cities we go to on a map (like someone did last year) you would see that we are just traveling in circles.

And, after only one week of performances down, the feeling of progression couldn’t be more welcomed.  Even with a break, it feel as though we haven’t missed a beat with the show.  We basically picked up where we left off.  We are now on month 10 of the show.  

Brent put it pretty well when he said, “I don’t know my mom’s phone number or my parent’s address, but put that music on and I will do exactly the right steps.”  Sad or not, this is the truth.  So it feels a bit (as in, it feels a lot) like it is back to groundhog’s day. 

But let’s stick with the travel for a second. I have learned from last year.  Learned from my mistakes, and just learned in general. I have learned to not care which bus I am on (there are two,) who is on my bus (because who cares?) who has saved seats for whom (because no one has for me, so it’s none of my business,) and if I am the first off the bus to check in to the hotel (because, let’s be honest, the hotels aren’t usually gems, so we don’t need to make a mad dash to confirm this.)  

Most importantly, I learned to come prepared with DVDs.  And this has made my life all the better.  Not only do I feel as though I am moving forward in space, but I am moving forward in the Ugly Betty (television show) plot line.  Double the false sense of productivity.

There are other things I have learned from last year’s tour.  Other things I am incorporating into my tour “re-do.”

For one, I learned that I like some alone time.  I like exploring a new city by myself, getting the lay of the land without relying on others, and only having to confer with myself whether I want to go left, right, or straight at the next intersection. So, another goal on tour:  having a balance of being with people, and being by myself.  

I also learned that it is really stressful to worry if a group of 50 people “like you,” not to mention completely self-centered.  I don’t plan on tripping my co-workers on the ice, or purposely stepping on any crew guy’s foot while wearing my skates.  I realize that shouldn’t merit likability, but at least I can go to bed knowing I am not evil at heart.

Something else, a small thing, I learned from last year:  never check to see if your blades are dull.  Guess what? They are.  Between skating on poor ice conditions, feathers and sequins, and running around on carpet or the accidental piece of cement, they will become dull. So, not so much a goal as a new rule:  I will not check my blades.  I will go as long as I can before getting them sharpened, and I am guessing “as long as I can” means skate until I fall 90% of the show.  

Hope no one is watching when that day comes.

My blogging-once-a-week goal is already proving challenging.  Internet connections are spotty in our hotels, especially when forty of us are trying to get on the internet at the same time.

So yes, I am already making excuses.

But, moving on.  Here is a quick story of what happens over the course of 9 months in small European hotel rooms with a roommate:

Month 1:

Roommate puts on Britney Spears music.

Me:  “Oh my god, I love Britney Spears!  My boyfriend NEVER plays Britney Spears in the apartment.”

Month 7:

Roommate puts on Britney Spears music.

Me:  “If you play that Britney Spears music one more

 f%#&ing time...”

This is what happened last year.  But it has nothing to do with Britney Spears or my roommate.  It has everything to do with 9 months in confined spaces.  I trust this time  will be different.

Speaking of hotel rooms, Brent had a great idea that we should start the hash tag #thingsIfoundinmyhotelroom.  For normal, non-twitter people:  “things I found in my hotel room.”

It would be similar to shitmydadsays, which, from what I understand, is one son’s record of all the funny things his father says.  It has become so popular that there is now a book (totally recommend this hilarious read) and a television show (don’t know anything about it, sorry.)

And so far, with one hotel down, I found this:  a chestnut.  It seemed to have rolled from under the bed.  I kicked it on my way to the bathroom.  And yes, it disturbed me.

Now we are in Basel, Switzerland.  I haven’t found any chestnuts, any strong internet connection, nor anything that resembles a decent bed or pillow.  But I will be sure to keep you in the loop.

I am not sure how this happened, but I am back in Germany.  Brent and I are back on tour.  I gotta be honest; when you do something over 240 times, you aren’t really caring to do it a 245th time.  At least not us.  But one thing led to another and here we are.

But this time around should be much more manageable.  For starters, tour is 4 months long, not 9 months.  We are in each city longer than a few days.  We are in Berlin for 3 weeks in March!  And, here is a biggie:  we know what we are getting ourselves into.

We know that there is little privacy.  We know that there is unavoidable drama (hoping this will be slightly curbed as both my roommate and partner are “off the market” this time around.)  We know there is little sense in not having fun while we are working.  

And, if there is anything I have learned these past few months, it is that life is unpredictable, so enjoy what you have while you have it.

Speaking of these past few months-- months during which I have questioned many things--I have made some big decisions.  One is this:  If I like a song, I will download it from itunes, BUT if I like a whole album (which is more unusual,) I will buy the vinyl.  

Huge decision, right? Here is how I came to it: I ran across a lot of CDs while I was going through boxes and cleaning out things.  Each time I did, I got surprisingly annoyed.  Turns out, CDs are cumbersome and just not very pretty.  Records, on the other hand, are kinda artistic.  So, some day when I figure out where my home is, I will proudly display a handful of records.  Good life decision work, Kim.

This summer I took a “how to blog” writing class and one thing I learned was that you should really blog at least once a week.  So, I have some lofty goals for myself this European adventure, round two.  In no specific order:

• Blog at least once a week

Wish me luck!