So for my first foray into blogging, I'm leaving the darkness, depression, panic out of and concentrating on the good stuff. It's a good idea anyway and can help turn a grumpy mood into something better,... and maybe later, I'll share that other side.

For now:
It’s been a long day but a good one. Nikola came this morning at 9 and we cut wood. Well, he cut it, using my chain saw and I put most of it away. That means I threw the logs into the wood shed and stacked them. I also got rid of two trunk loads of old, broken concrete tiles that are/were in my woodshed. There are still scads more but they will have to wait until another day. It’s heavy work filling the wheel barrow, then filling the trunk then throwing them out at the other end. I’m sure, I’ll be sore tomorrow.
I managed to get the glass to replace the broken window pane. How it broke is a mystery to me and time has conspired against me in just purchasing new glass. But the temperatures are getting down to 4C at night or lower. Brrr. And a kick to fixing that window sooner! At least it’s in the atelier and only the outside pane of the two windows is damaged.

The last few weeks I’ve been quite busy. It’s good but still I am tired. I had the seminar in Bratislava – leaving home Friday and returning Sunday late. The dancers there are catching it so well. Xenia is a good teacher. She laid down a good foundation with them and they are open to learning. It’s great!
Then there was the congress in England,… going to Prag Thursday, flying Friday and returning Monday (thankfully to Brno airport where a friend happened to be getting someone else so I got a ride all the way to my car!)
The congress was amazing! I took 14 hours of wonderful classes and saw some great performances. Had a chance to perform myself – I’m posting a video now ;-). Whew! I was exhausted! Leila Haddad is my new idol. Both Rakia Hassan and Randa Kamal opened my eyes about Cabaret. There was not a single weak or coquettish movement. Sexy! Expressive! Intense! But none of this weak mushy stuff I so often see. Of course, Beata and Horacio were in top shape. Great performers and dancers. Also perfect teachers for western dancers unused to the fast I-lead-and-you-follow of the Eastern teachers.
In their Talisman show they did an interview section that was funny and so terrible because I have seen and heard this waaay toooo often. The puppet being interviewed was the so so famous dancer Aisha, Leila, Isis Gamal (or whatever it was), who has taken a 6 week course and now teaches. It’s her vast number of beautiful costumes that qualifies her to teach and so on. It was so nice to hear that from them!
Quite often during that weekend, I heard my own words echoed back to me.
I must not forget the lovely Frederique David. What a power-house. Such control. Although I am sure she just blew the audience away. Most of them didn’t even know what to think of her dark, controlled, intense and oh-so-graceful dance. The Cabaret crowd is so often expecting something that fits better into it’s little box. Just the veiled hat is enough to throw them off kilter. Awesome performance!
Goodness the list just goes on and on,…

Last weekend was a fantastic Tribal Festival in Teplice organized by the wonderful Stania Muzikova. She really did the best job! I taught 8 hours over the 2 days and did 3 sets in the show. The show had 48 dancers! Most of them in troupes, thankfully. It was a great show with everybody friendly and nice in the dressing room! Now that’s a feat! And no technical mishaps! Another feat! Really no problems other than a couple of dancers canceling at the last minute. And that was dealt with easily.
I didn’t really have a chance to watch much of the dancing. I saw snatches from the balcony above the stage (and behind). What I saw, I really liked but I can’t sit still long before performing or my energy goes down. It changes from going out to taking in and I can’t have that! So I am very much looking forward to the video.
It was another Friday through Monday job. I stayed the night there, after teaching as I know I WAY tooo tired to drive after such an event. My regular classes have started now, on Wednesdays. So I’ve had two days “off” (ha!) to catch up each week.

Soo much happening! All good stuff and really too much to process. I need to practice the movements I learned

One of the recent things that’s come in,… is a letter arriving to the studio where I teach stating that I didn’t pay for the posting of my posters! I paid for it when I contracted it – before the actual work was done! It seems the new “parent” company (waaay across the country) can’t keep track of what it’s children are doing. I’ve used the company before and we always do it this way.
So I get to mail them a letter, in formal business speak – in English. It’s rather frosty but very restrained at the same time. With a copy of the receipt.
I am very unhappy that they contacted the STUDIO where I rent space and not me! All my info is on file with the company in Brno. On the poster is my phone, my email and my web site. The only address is the studio, where I want people to go to find my classes. Just another SNAFU in life of Bri.

Speaking of,… I’m still trying to get the people/company to come clean my septic. This is a project to talk about! Ha ha! I’ve been trying all summer and Katcka was helping me. They keep promising to come. Now Nikola said he would help. He knows someone who works for them so he’ll try his contacts. But really it needs to be done before it snows or freezes. It won’t wait until Spring. It’s already waiting for 4 months while they dither about and tell me they will come!

Tomorrow morning and afternoon is full of little thingies to do, go here, go there, pay this, buy that,… But I’m meeting Hana, the lovely and kind Hanka and we are going to a party in Prague together. My friend Nick Stuart is having a party to introduce his new girlfriend to his friends (and have a good time, of course!). We’ll stay the night and I won't have to drive. Halleluiah!
I have a rehearsal with the Afghani musicians, so I will have to rein myself in a little. Dancing with bells is no fun hung over. And all that stomping, my head hurts just thinking about it.

Ok. For video fun I’ll be adding the links as soon as YouTube.com sets them up.