My Blog

My New BIG project

Amaryllis — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:58:34 GMT

January 2008 finds me launching my new belly dance publication. I am so excited about Shimmy This Quarterly. It has received such a warm reception. I already have lots of interest in advertising, contributing articles and subscribers. It's like everyone was thirsty and I went around with a big jug of cool water....everyone wants a drink! I finally uploaded all the info on my web site. I also uploaded info on my other project, my non-profit organization M.E.D.A.S.N. That's another very exciting project. My non profit is geared towards anyone that wants to put together an event and needs help organizing it or finding an inexpensive but killer venue for it. My hope is that I will see all of the students, teachers, professional dancers and sponsors join and really become a part of our amazing community. If anyone wants more info on either, check out my website www.shimmythis.com or email me at shimmythismag@shimmythis.com photo by C. Moran 2007

Amaryllisology

Amaryllis — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 04:44:01 GMT

MOUTH-OLOGY Q. What is your salad dressing of choice? A. Ranch or Honey Mustard - depends on my mood. Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant? A. McDonalds - for french fries & In & Out - for burgers. Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? A. Any place where the waiters look like penguins, the napkins are cloth and the waiter "scrapes" the table for crumbs during dinner - I'm a snob! Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant? A. 15% for good service, 20% for great service and 30% for 1st class service. Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? A. Chocolate ice cream, tuna salad and Doritos. Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice? A. Green bell peppers and mushrooms. Q. What do you like to put on your toast? A. Butter or cream cheese. TECHNOLOGY Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer? A. The beach at sunset. Q. How many televisions are in your house? A. 5 Q. What color is your iPod? A. What's an iPod?! Just kidding...I still own vinyl. BIOLOGY Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed? A. Right Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? A. My tonsils when I was 4, my appendix at 19 - unfortunately my stick has yet to be removed from my ass. Q. When was the last time you had a cavity? A. I have a few that I will be getting fixed very soon....they hurt! Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted? A. I could totally say something dirty (ala Amaryllis), but I'll be good...boxes with bric a brak (how do the hell do you spell that?) Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious? A. Oh yea....a couple of times...one was from a turkish drop unto a concrete floor, the others deal with headboards. RANDOMOLOGY, pt 1 Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? A. No....I'm paranoid enough as is. Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? A. I hated my name as a child, but I like it now.....but if I had to change it: Agatha (don't ask). Q. What color do you think looks best on you? A. Turquoise blue (especially when I'm tanned) Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake? A. I swallowed a fly once...it flew in my mouth...so gross! Q. Have you ever saved someone's life? A. Yes, my dad....I love still having him around to torture. Q. Has someone ever saved yours? A. Yes...several people and several times. DAREOLOGY Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? A. You can get paid for that????....if so I am owed ALOT of money! Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? A. No...too vain. Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000? A. Yep Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? A. Totally. Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? A. Not worth it...I'd spend the $1000 on Tums. Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000? A. No DUMBOLOGY Q: What is in your left pocket? A: No pocket on these pants. Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie? A. Only if you remember the 80's and are really stoned when you watch it. Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house? A: Carpet...but I'm getting a new house and it will have hardwood. (hee hee, I said "hard") (hee hee, I said "wood") Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower? A: Stand Q: Could you live with roommates? A: Hell no Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own? A: I'm counting, hold on.......I think like 10. Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops? A: Me personally...2000...bachelorette party, yada, yada, yada...The very last time, I stopped at a car accident I witnessed to help and talked with the cops...real cute BTW. Q: What do you want to be when you grow up? A: Grow up??? Oh yea...Happy. Q: Who is number 1 on your top 8? A: I am soooo outta touch, what's a top 8? Seriously! LASTOLOGY Q: Friend you talked to? A: Hazel Q: Last person to call you? A: My dad Q: Person you hugged? A: My daughter FAVORITOLOGY Q: Number? A: 69....Can't take the dirty outta the girl. Q: Season? A: Autumn...Especially cause my birthday is in October. (Hint Hint) Q: Book? A: I LOVE anything written by Bertrice Small (historical romance) and James Patterson and anything about Werewolf lore. Q. Website? A. Tribe and www.shimmythis.com (shameless plug) Q. Month? A. October - My birthday is on the 19th!!!! Q. Alcohol? A. I went from Alchy to Light weight...I like wine, oh and champagne.....I love the bubbles. CURRENTOLOGY Q: Missing someone? A: Always Q: Mood? A: Tired, somewhat stressed (usual) and kinda randy! Q: Listening to? A: My daughters bedtime stories on CD (my office is near her bedroom and it's bedtime) Q: Watching? A. My husband in his black pants....GRRRRRR Q: Worrying about? A: Doctors, test results, being poked and prodded. RANDOMOLOGY, pt 2 Q: First place you went this morning? A: Potty Q: What can you not wait to do? A.Get off the computer to go potty. Q: What's the last movie you saw? A: The Simpsons Movie (at the theater), The Howling (at home). Q: Do you smile often? A: I used to smile way more...not too much lately...gotta try harder. Q: Are you a friendly person? A: Yes...but some folks think I'm kind of a bitch. Q: Someone you wish you never met? A: I would like to say...my 1st husband David and of course a butt load of ex's but looking back, they have helped me to become who I am today....Not that I'm great or even a better person for having known them, but if I could change having met just one person in my past, it could change my entire future therefore totally changing my present....and I like my present.

What a week!

Amaryllis — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 16:38:48 GMT

Besides being "hella" busy with work, computer mostly which I don't enjoy so much, this has been a hell of a week! Michael and I celebrated our first anniversary on Sunday July 1st. With no kids in site, he surprised me with the details of the evening. We went to the Wynn and ate dinner at Tableau. The food was magnificent! The service was impeccable and the ambiance was so enchanting that it swept us away, like if Vegas was a distant memory. After that fabulous meal, Michael surprised me with tickets to see Monty Python's Spamalot. OMG!!!!! A MUST SEE!!! I heart Monty Python! I laughed so hard during the performance, that my mascara started running. For those not familiar, Spamalot is based on the Monty Python Search for the Holy Grail. John O'Hurley (who played Elaine's boss - Peterman - on Seinfeld),and an amazing cast put on one of the best shows I have ever seen. And now, to finish off my week...I'm adopting! Tomorrow, my two new bundles of joy arrive from California. I am to be the proud mama of 2 Abyssinian cats. Mango, a red Aby, 7 years old, boy and Monty, a ruddy Aby, 7 years old, boy - both come to me from a rescue situation. They are brothers and I am glad to be able to keep them together. Funny, I think it's fate: I love the Mango fruit (and the character on SNL) and I love Monty Python - I was supposed to get these boys. My son, Matt, is very excited about having new friends. My daughter, Sofia, is on vacation in Denver right know and doesn't know, I can't wait to surprise her. She is going to be so happy. But I am definitely excited. Went shopping and got all there necessities. I will be posting pics when I get a chance. I would like to shout: A BIG HUG AND BIGTIME THANKS TO TORI!!!!!! Tori, being in California this weekend, was kind enough to volunteer to bring me my new babies. She is driving out of her way just to pick them up! I am so incredibly appreciative. Thank you, thank you , thank you!!!!

Liquid Moon and My Belly Dancing Baby!

Amaryllis — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 23:14:38 GMT

This months hafla was fabulous, but it had some special meaning for me. A group of my students performed for the first time! It was so exciting! We had been talking about performing at one of the haflas for a while, but June 23rd was the day! After many complications due to "rules and regulations" of the place where I teach, we finally had the ability to get our hips into gear and work really hard toward our performance. We met up at the studio at around noon and ran through the dance until we were almost danced out. They were all so giddy...it reminded me of the very first time I performed. We all met at the hafla and ran over what we were going to do. I swear, it felt like the room trembled with all the butterflies in our tummies going berserk! We ended up being the first ones to perform. It went perfectly!!!!! They were all great, marvelous, fantastic.....I could go on and on. The best part...they all want to do it again! They're hooked. we are already talking about making costumes and new routine ideas. How awesome! My night at the hafla was really completed by my daughter Sofia. She got up to dance a duet with Samira. I went running from the food room to go watch her meet Samira's every beat, every shimmy and every step. I got overwhelmed in seeing her dance. I can't wait until the day I can open up my dance costume trunk and let her dig through all of my old costumes and try them on; maybe even perform in one. I feel really blessed to have such a beautiful, smart and talented daughter...If she is this amazing at 4, I can't wait to see what she will be like when she's older.

The 5th Annual Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive

Amaryllis — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:52:25 GMT

This year is going to be fabulous! We have put so much work into making this year spectacular, that we (the directors) are ready for some R&R.....but that won't come until this years event is done! We are working so hard to put together a weekend spectacular full of everything a belly dance aficionado could fathom...workshops galore (3 full days of them to be precise), lots of shopping (we have a great lineup of vendors that are going to be selling some amazing merchandise), the potluck will of course be a buffet of delicious temptations (don't worry, it's on Saturday night, so the Sunday workshops will help you burn off the extra calories), not one, but 2 shows this year! An amazing show with some of the top professionals all on one stage, including Suhaila Salimpour (that's Friday night), on Saturday night, the grand showcase...live drumming, spectacular dancers and of course open dancing for all (cause you can't just listen to the music, you gotta get up and dance!). I work on assisting Samira and my fellow directors put this incredible weekend together everyday, and yet it still amazes me. But what I am looking forward to the most from this huge weekend is the chance to meet everyone, the chance to see old friends and make new ones. The feeling of sisterhood, community and warmth through this amazing event that brings everyone so close. I am counting down the days until the Intensive....butterflies are exploding in my tummy with anticipation. I can't wait to see you all there.