My Blog

Giving up tribe....

Tracy — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:00:32 GMT

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am going to cancel my tribe account shortly. If anyone is on Facebook (and we haven't connected yet), look me up there and "Friend" me. I am Tracy Balsan Noel. I don't remember what username I picked. I usually have a bad connection on Tribe, and so rarely come that when I do, all my tribes have over 300 posts in them. Hope to see you on Facebook!

Pt 2 of my exciting weekend

Tracy — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:30:57 GMT

So...I forgot to mention that I was entered in a Medical study before I left the hospital. I think it would have been the only way to get out before midnight since they wanted to check for a stone and then possibly ultra sound it to break it up. Anyway..Friday was a pretty good day. I slept really well, what with all the drugs I was given the previous day (they even took away my strained foot pain for the day). Took my pills and proceeded to finish packing for the trip to Long Beach.Loaded up the truck, picked up Heather and headed North! When we arrived in Long Beach, we checked into our room, I have to say that our desk clerk was very nice. He let us pick our room, gave directions all around town, offered us maps and eatery suggestions. What a wonderful first 5 minutes. Heather and I hauled our stuff to our room, then decided to walk to the event location so we could time our walk and make sure to allow time for ourselves to get there. So according to our map, we were to go to the Terrace Theater. Easy enough, we walked there in 10 minutes. After reassuring ourselves that we had the right place and time alotted we explored the few blocks around and went shopping for bathing suits and food. After dinner and shopping, we went back to the room and got our bags ready for the next day's event. Watched a little TV, cleaned up and tried to get some sleep. I don't think either of us slept well. It wasn't because I was nervous, because I KNEW that we HAD this competition. I just wasn't used to going to bed before 2 am. Since we had to get up at 6:30, we had to go to bed earlier than I was used to. That, and the room was really cold. We wake up on Saturday, really excited that this day has finally come. Get showered, dressed, eat a little bit, and start doing makeup. I am little nervous about my pain, and hoping that the excitment won't get it started up again, but all was well and the pain pills aren't that far away. I just don't want to take any Vicadin, and be unable to dance. So our third troupe mate, Val, shows up at the room with food and her friend Mikal. We finish getting ready and head off to the Theater. We are walking up to the theater..and..no one is thee to check us in. Here comes freak out mode. Where the hell is everyone, we are a little early on purpose, but WTF?! There is no one that even knows where the event is. The map says here, but where is everyone? 10 minutes later we find a security officer who knows that we need to be at the Convention Center, 2 more blocks up the road and up 3 flights of stairs. HOLY HELL!!! So we all start bookin' it another 1/2 mile up the road to try to check in on time. ARRGGH!! We finally get to the check in desk, get checked in and sent back down the hall to go to get ready. According to the rules, we are supposed to be dressed and ready to perform at 9:30 (if I recall correctly), and we are getting into our stuff to change into costume at 9:24. Good thing we weren't the only ones who got confused by the map...LOL Pre-performance they want us to fill out all this paperwork, photo release forms, vote for Miss Congeniality, pick a number to determine when we are going to perform. So Val was the determiner of our destiny....we were number 10 out of 17 groups. We weren't allowed to watch anyone who performed before us, so we sit back stage waiting for our number to be called. Finally we get our turn....AFTER intermission. We didn't know it at the time, but not everyone was seated in the audiance, and they didn't really give everyone time to get back to their seats before starting us. WE WERE GREAT!!! Better than ever before with this choreography, and the judges didn't look the least bit excited about it. Well, a few of them smiled at certain points in the show, like when we made eye contact, but one judege had his poker face on for sure. He looked so unpleasent, an not very entertained at all. We wxpected the stage to be carpeted, which of course it wasn't, and it wasn't put together very well as the center stage was uneven. Even with all the discouraging p[oints, we kicked butt!! It was over so fast we didn't even have time to be tired. After the category was over we did a little shopping and awaited the announcement of who went to finals. Finally the big announcement came....4 troupes go to finals....but not us. I felt many emotions al at one time. I was worried that it was something I did (or didn't do), then I was mad that we weren't even in the top 4, then I was even more upset when I realized all the troupes that won were all Cabaret style dancers. I thought for sure that the judges would have been relieved to see something refreshing and different. I guess they really only wanted the overly happy, shiney girls (which we could have been, but decided against since there would be a lot of those there already). Later that afternoon, Heather and I were sitting in the audience talking about the last dancer that had danced and how good she had been when one of the co-ordinaters made the announcement that our troupe, Maha Dansari, had in fact won an award after all.....Miss Congeniality!! The next we returned to to competition to pick up a pair of Isis wings that I paid for the previous day, only to be told that I would need to buy a ticket to walk in and pick them up. I was a little upset, and refused to pay the $20 (I think) to enter a room 10 steps to pick up an article and walk back out. It was worked out in the long run, altho I never did step back into the auditorium. In (competition topic) conclusion, we are in fact, an award winning troupe who performed at Bellydancer of the Universe Competition. We went with a winning attitude and came away winners. There is yet to be a conclusion to the medical....I am taking pills, waiting for the dreaded "passing". I wish that I could schedule that...LOL I have another performance coming up next weekend. (Crossing fingers hoping that the universe waits til after to reclaim it's stone....)

My exciting weekend (Pt 1 of 2)

Tracy — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:27:44 GMT

So my weekend actually started on a Thursday this week. I had an entire day planned around clients and dogs, only for some reason I wasn't able to sleep. As I laid my head down to rest my eyes, my stomach wrenches and I feel as if someone is stabbing me. I can't lay down at all. Usually a little pressure applied to the belly helps...not this time. The usual problem is an upset stomach and a few minutes in the bathroom; however this time the universe decided I wasn't allowed to sit down, kneel, lay down, or even breate comfortably. After about 15 minutes the pain subsides enough that I can lay down, albeit I still can't sleep. A half hour later it starts all over again. No position is comfortable, I can't breathe , and this pain is unbearable. I am sure the neighbors thought I was dying; heck I thought I was dying. I go to the computer to look up anything I can find about the appendix. What side of the stomach is the pain on? Where in the belly is the pain? What does the pain feel like? ANYTHING! Sure enough, everything I am felling in my body is confirmed by the descriptions on all 5 pages I looked at. So now I start freaking out. It's 4 AM, I have a pain that I can't will away like usual, and my husband is working the midnight shift and won't be home for 4 more hours. Me being me, I try to stick it out and hope that it's just gas. An hour later I call my husband to tell him all that is going on. He starts to worry and says to call an ambulance if it gets worse, and that he will try to get someone to cover for him so he can come get me. I am not sure how I made it through the next 4 hours, but I managed with will power and 5 minutes rest breaks between pain episodes. My husband comes home at 8:15 and we are out the door to the hospital (30 minutes away due to morning traffic commuters). So we get to the E/R at Naval Medical Center in Balboa, where I am (eventually) taken back to get doped up on Morphine finally sent off to sleep. Wierd that the Morphine only killed the pain for an hour and then they gave me more. I am also told that I am going to get an I/V, a CT Scan (which includes drinking a "yummy" pina colada drink, and I/V of "light em up" juice AND a rectal insertion of the same juice. WHAT FUN!!! So I get the CT Scan, some more drugs, nausea (and then some) and they still aren't sure if my appendix or or a kidney stone. They say that they want to admit me to run more test, since I may need surgery to remove the appendix....and get this...I tell them that they can't...I have a competition this weekend, and I have to dance. LMAO. The doctor was agast. Him: "Do you really think you can dance in that much pain?" Me: "With the right pills I can do anything. They won't refund my money and my troupe needs me!" The whole nursing staff was asking if I understood that I could die if they didn't get to run these tests. So they took x-rays, put me back in my room talked a while and concluded that it was more than likely a kidney stone and that I could take some pills to help pass it, and gave me some Vicodin for pain. The drive home from hospital...colorful to say the least.

Here's hoping that this gets around.....Free Audio Webcast/Teleclass About the Elections

Tracy — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:17:36 GMT

Free Audio Webcast/Teleclass About the Elections: A Non-Partisan Guide to How to Decide Join non-partisan integrity analyst Dr. David Gruder for "A Non-Partisan Guide to How to Decide: Practical Tools for Assessing the Candidates." “I didn’t take the time to listen to anything that past candidates had to say during debates or interviews. I would always ask around to see what everyone else thought and base my decision on others. “Recently, I was taking calls from retirees who are having trouble with medical coverage. Many of them worried about how they were going to pay for living expenses with the small amount of social security and pension that they were allotted. These conversations really made me wonder what MY future is going to be like. “Thanks to Dr. Gruder, I am finding ways of becoming more informed about the issues, and to evaluate and decide for MYSELF. I am feeling more confident in my decisions because they are educated decisions.” ~Tracy~ If you are looking for powerful way to evaluate the candidates that go beyond their political party and their ever-changing stances on the issues, do make a point of attending this one-time free event. Dr. Gruder will NOT be talking about who you should vote for. He will be answering the questions you, and others attending, submit to him about how to best assess the candidates, allowing YOU to more confidently decide who you will vote for. This free 60 minute audio webcast/ teleclass will occur only ONCE: Tuesday October 14, 2008. For more information, and to participate in the teleclass, either online or by telephone, please visit: www.thenewiq.com/citizen-savvy-elections-gruder Please have the question that you would like to have Dr. Gruder answere ready when you register. This is one discussion you won’t want to miss. David Gruder, Ph.D. is a seasoned psychologist with an unusual and much-needed specialty: integrity development. Gruder is an international speaker, trainer, and consultant as well as a multi-award winning author. His latest book, The New IQ: How Integrity Intelligence Serves You, Your Relationships and Our World, and its companion, The New IQ Integrity Makeover Workbook, are groundbreaking how-to manuals teaching the life skills required for personal, relationship, business, societal, and leadership integrity... and integrity-centered life fulfillment. Learn more at www.TheNewIQ.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE9m6H3-Ae8

San Diego Pagan Pride Day

Tracy — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:40:45 GMT

San Diego Pagan Pride Day is this coming Saturday, 20 September 2008. 9 a.m. to about 5 p.m., Balboa Park, 6th Avenue and El Prado. It's free! (But bring a donation for Mama's kitchen and/or for the Humane Society if you can.) Come on out and catch a show (like Maha Dansari performing at 2:45pm. ~~shameless plug~~) There will also be some workshops all day. Need that perfect ?? Do some shopping at the various shops. Stop by and have lunch. Come and hang out. Who knows, you may pick up a few things you didn't have (or know) before. More details at www.sdpaganpride.org

Happy Birthday!!!!

Tracy — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:58:39 GMT

So I opened the box my dad had sent to me, and I he sent me a shoulder wrap (Irish style) with pockets...LOVE IT!!!! Head off to work, easy traffic. This day has been wonderful so far. Work provided a farewell breakfast for me, it's salad day, and I get CAKE for my birthday. Plus I had my exit interview (which went wonderfully). What a wonderful birthday gift I gave myself by putting a two weeks notice. I start my new life next week (that's a blog in itself). OH AND I bought myself yet another pair of melo's today. I finally have a green pair (or will as soon as the payment clears). I am LOVE, LOVE, LOVING this birthday so far!! I even get to spend part of it dancing!! What a wonderful way to celebrate ME!!! I wonder who I can convince to meet me at Asian Bistro for a late dinner......Eat For Life is tonight too.

Job Opportunity

Tracy — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:55:54 GMT

So I have been given this great opportunity ti help manage a business for a man to who recently moved to Minnesota to start another branch and be closer to his son. He has asked me to take over the clients he currently has, as well as managing new clients to the people best suited to help them. This job would be paying slightly less than I currently make, since this is not a guaranteed amount if work hours a day. However, I am still able to schedule jobs around what my current day consists of (classes, performances, practices, ect). Currently I work full time (guaranteed paycheck amount a payday, no worry about if someone pays so I get paid) as an administrative assistant. However, I do more administrative work than assisting. And this job seems to be more stress than I get paid to take on (what job isn't right?). I think that there is a job for everyone that is right for them, ( this one got me through two years of bills, but with the consequenses of gall bladder issues, irregularity causing fertility issues, and stress related sleep disorders) however, the one I am in isn't the one for me. So now my situation is...do I take this opportunity and risk the monetary stability, or do I stay where I am until my husband returns from deployment and risk what may have been a great opportunity to help others and TRUELY help others with their current needs. I am supposed to talk to this man this weekend, and he wants to come back into townt o introduce me to his clients so they are familiar with me. I am so excited that this has been offered to me, and scared to step into the unknown at the same time. Feedback appreciated, taken into account, and I will update you more on the situation as things occur!! Have a great weekend!

I am frightened and appalled

Tracy — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:35:59 GMT

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/28/india.beating/index.html From CNN's Tess Eastment NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- An Indian woman accused of being a witch was tied to a tree and beaten by a mob, with television footage of the incident aired in India on Friday Nishant Tiwari, a police official in northeastern India, said a journalist who filmed the beating called him Thursday to report the incident, which took place in the village of Dumaria in central eastern Bihar state. He arrived to find the woman tied to a tree, her hair partially cut and her complexion ruddy from being being slapped. She had no serious injuries. "I was appalled at what I saw because people should be more socially responsible than to do this," Tiwari said. Authorities arrested six people, including the man who admitted to hiring her services as a witch. They were due to appear before a magistrate on Friday. Ram Ayodhya, who could face up to seven years in prison for his role in the attack, told police he was justified in beating the woman, Tiwari said. Graphic content warning: Villagers beat woman » Ayodhya said he paid her to use magic and prayer to improve his wife's health When his wife's condition deteriorated, Ayodhya accused her of performing black magic, Tiwari said, and a crowd soon gathered and tied her to the tree. The woman seen being attacked is expected to testify when the suspects appear before the magistrate. Tiwari said he was disturbed by the fact that a journalist filmed the incident before contacting authorities. "The media filmed the incident, then called the police -- instead of the police first," Tiwari said. CNN's partner network, CNN-IBN, reported that the incident took place close to the local police station. It reported that there had been other such occurrences of mob justice in the state. In Bhagalpur district in August 2007, a man caught trying to snatch a woman's chain was beaten up, with police looking on, and later tied to a motorcycle and dragged around by a police officer. In September, in Lucknow's Wazirganj area, an angry mob beat a man to death after a two-and-a-half-year old girl was allegedly found sexually assaulted and murdered in his house.

HOT DATE TONIGHT!!!!

Tracy — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:58:37 GMT

I got a hot date tonight!!! I am so excited!!! First I get to meet up with my women and dance the night in at Stell's Coffee House, then off to some club to dance the rest of the night away with my new man for the weekend....BEORN!!! We are gonna have so much fun tonight, laughin, dancin, takin pitchers...I mean pictures. I am almost too excited to do my 4 hour work day today.... Have a great weekend everyone. Blessed Ostara!!!

Life after retirement

Tracy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:51:44 GMT

So, my husband retires from the military in October. I get an e-mail on Saturday morning to decide where we are going to live after he retires, and oh by the way," I need to know before Wednesday because I have to turn the paperwork in that day" (Thursday his time). Kinda hard deciding where I want to live in a matter of days. I have so much going for me here...friends, troupe, dance, work. But then again Florida seems to be pretty good too...no state taxes, close to families, cheaper cost of living. I am torn. I don't want to leave, but can we really afford to stay in San Diego on his pension and my income? I know, the Goddess will provide and answer, but I need that answer 2 days ago. I told him yesterday that I want to stay here, and he said alright (even though I know that he doesn't want to stay here at all). No disussing it last minute, no are you sure, just "San Diego it is then." Only this morning I felt like something wasn't quite right, and now I am second guessing what may be best for us. I am just not sure what to do. Sometimes you just wish you could see the future from both sides (like Sliding Doors) and decide what outcome you like best. I kinda left the door open to him with an e-mail today. I wish I had more time so I could meditate more and get more opinions from friends. If anyone has anything to offer, I am open to suggestions and opinions. I can e-mail him tonight and hope that he gets it before handing in his retirment decision.... Love to you all!!

Lost Keys

Tracy — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:53:28 GMT

I got my Level 1 Reiki attunement on Saturday!!! Thank you Valera!! We ahd a wonderful day. Healing; being healed, followed by wine a dinner with great friends. After dinner we went back to the house and I figured it was time to go home and walk the dog. It was then that I realized....I had lost my keys. I have never lost them before, misplaced them for a few hours, but never lost them for days. I still have yet to re-obtain my keys. My beloved truck sits in a safe place, but I cannot start her up, driver her around, and I am not sure what I would have done if I didn't have a spare truck sitting at the Navy base. If the husband wasn't on a "business trip" this weekend and into this week, I would have my truck already (seeing as how he has the spare key). Along with my truck key are my house key and the pool key (both of which the apartments will charge me if I ask for a replacement). I am hoping that someone will come forward and say, Oh I found these in your front yard, do you know who they belong to? BUt alas no such conversation has taken place at the house where she sits. I really don't feel like playing hide and seek right now....I really just want my keys. Hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend!!!

Carrot, Egg, or coffee.....which one are you??

Tracy — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 03:03:23 GMT

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and when everyone around you is crying.

more Recommitment Ceremony Pics

Tracy — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:31:17 GMT

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellydancepix/sets/72157601756654665/

Ceremony Jitters

Tracy — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:56:36 GMT

This is my final week to get everything done!!! I am not sure I can pull this all together. My budget doesn't allow to hire anyone to do things for me (photo's, video, make-up, hair...) I have a co-ordinator who is going to help set everything up, pick up stuff, and get stuff to the area. I could pay someone to do the other stuff, but not as much as most places would charge me. I hated asking my guests to help me, and I am thinking I may just tell them not to worry about helping out, just enjoy themselves since that's what they were invited to do. So if anyone can spare some miracle energy...I need a few minor details to fall into place and then I can make my descent back into calm. Yeah, I am becoming a wreck slowly, and I will be in a panic as soon as Thursday comes and I still don't have everything done. See you all soon!!!!

Ex husbands....

Tracy — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 06:41:21 GMT

So I go onto MySpace and find new messages. I am so excited that I have messages (knowing that most are going to be spam). So I don't read themessages first, I check out the profiles to see if they are worth reading from. Well, my ex-husband, the man who tried to kill me, has found me. Through my cousin who has me as a friend on his account. He tells me "congrdulations" on getting remarried, and wants to know if I still want a copy of our wedding video. Well, yes I do want a copy, since my grandmother is on there. Not many pictures or video of her before she died, so yes I want this. Only he won't give it to my mom so she can have a video of her mother, he has to give it to me. ARRRGGG, he is so aggrivating. I haven't heard from him in 10 years, haven't thought about him in that long either (at least not nice thoughts), and I really don't want him knowing where I phisically live. I am so afraid that he is going to call next. I mean, my account has me listed as being in San DIego, and I am sure my cousin (who this man has found me through to begin with) won't think twice about giving him my "new last name". I do not look forward to going home for the holodays in December now either. I am just so damned pissed about him acting like we should get along since its been 12 years. He actually sent me a friend request on MySpace. I am getting tired, and the babbling will start to be worse in a few minutes, so I am going to go. Just needed to vent.

Dancing tonight

Tracy — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:38:33 GMT

I am getting so nervous!!! This would be my first complete improv performance with a group larger than just me and Heather. TONIGHT!! Julie Lively's Improv Class performs at the Kava Lounge!! Show starts at 8:30, free cover, organic wines, bellydancers...what more could you ask for?? I am excited and already getting butterflies at the same time. Well it helped to get it out there. I hope some of you can make it. We are going to have so much fun, and drink some wine to help with the nerves...LOL

No House

Tracy — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:46:20 GMT

So, I am not good enough. They said that because of the collections I had on credit report (both of which are well over 10 years old yet have not been removed for whatever reason) we aren't going to be moving onto the house. THey said that they ran another report the same time they ran mine and my husban's, and the other one was better. They waited 3 days to tell me this when they had the reports back days ago. They really wanted to get my application as soon as possible because they "Really Liked Me, and wanted me in the house". Now I am not good enough. It's pretty depressing to know that my teenage years caused this much of a problem. So, I am trying to find the good side of this, and I am sure the Goddess will show it to me when she is ready. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Anxious Energy

Tracy — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 17:46:05 GMT

I have been looking for a house lately. Nothing fancy, just big enough for the bird cages, and visitors (if we get any). Well I handed over the application for a house in Mira Mesa....4 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, huge kitchen area, and a backyard!!! Now I am anxious. What if the paperwork goes through and the credit isn't good enough. What if I have to move alone because of the ship my husband is out on maneuvers for the weekend. I really want this place. Just feelign the pressures of the "what if's" Just needed to write it somewhere I guess. My stoache is feeling a bit better now. But I am sure the butterflies will come back..... More when I get the call back from the Hopeful Landlords.

Pictures from ETR and Clair De Lune...hope the link works....

Tracy — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:02:52 GMT

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7302469@N04/

Last night!!

Tracy — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 20:39:42 GMT

Wonderful!!!! Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!! FUN!!!!!!! Last night was so much fun. The recital went smoothly and almost flawlessly. Everyone that came that I invited said that they were astonished at how easy we made it look. They said that everyone was beautiful, and performed greatly. I look forward to doing this again, maybe with a choreagraphed solo, so I am not hoping that I am in time with the music and moving the right speed...LOL

Today's performance

Tracy — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 04:57:17 GMT

Holy Cow!!! I hurt all over. I should have warmed up more I think. I had a good time today, I wish i could remember to look up tho. I have a bad habit of watching the floor....really going to work on that before recital day!