My Blog

Inspiration? someone? please?

arielarielariel — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:07:39 GMT

The problem with being a professional writer/journalist is that you need a constant stream of inspiration. Your boss says “give me a story” and you have to be ready to propose exciting ideas at all times of day. Today, I’ve spent 7 hours trying to motivate myself to write an article. I have my idea, I have my notes, I have Microsoft Word open, and I just can’t force myself to write. I search for words and come up with air. Empty empty air. And so, in place of an article, I have written this lovely blog post. And consumed about a gallon of herbal tea. Great…

Davul/Zurna CDs?

arielarielariel — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:11:10 GMT

Looking for suggestions for some good Turkish music CDs with juicy, gooey slow 9s. Specifically interested in CDs that feature davul/zurna with no/few other instruments. I guess I'm looking for the backbone. But dern it, I know it's out there, cause Artie plays it in class sometimes. (And I plan to ask her, but she's in Japan right now).

I have a webpage!

arielarielariel — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:32:46 GMT

www.arielbellydance.com Thanks to Shems for the awesome design skills! I'd love to exchange links with people. Please add me and I'll add you back! (If I know your website address, I may have already done so).

Selling pink Sim...

arielarielariel — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:50:35 GMT

Selling gorgeous pink Turkish Sim moda designer costume. Almost new! $550 Comes with arm gauntlets (not shown in picture). Bra fits up to 36''. I'm a C cup, would probably be fine for a B. Hips up to 36''. Skirt 39'' long. It’s a really beautiful, well-made costume, it just doesn’t quite fit me right. Picture at: http://people.tribe.net/arielarielariel/photos/74e1703d-634e-460c-af24-9776d39ea44c PM me if you’re interested.

Selling Tribal Fest 8 classes!

arielarielariel — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:24:23 GMT

I'm selling the classes I purchased for Tribal Fest 8: New Urban Tribal Combinations - Heather Stants - Friday morning East Coast Tribal - Sera - Saturday morning I can't go anymore because I'm going to Egypt this summer. :-( Well, ok, the "going to Egypt" part of that statement is more like: :-) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If anyone wants to purchase them, send me a tribe message.

April 6th: Workshop with Ariel at Studio Artemis

arielarielariel — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:33:13 GMT

I'm teaching a workshop! at Studio Artemis in Silver Spring, MD Sunday, April 6th, 2008 11 AM – 1 PM Lines and Geometric Shapes: A Guide to Carving Your Place in Space Dancers create lines and shapes with their bodies as they move through space. This class will teach you how to frame your movement to suit the aesthetic your dance aspires to. We will discuss how to—use lines to define and accentuate a movement, effectively use the space on a stage, create interesting shapes on stage with other dancers, create shapes to compliment a musical phrase, cater movements to a certain style or mood. Class is open to all levels, although at least 6 months of study is suggested. $35 preregister/$40 at the door To register, contact Ariel at: arielbellydance @ graffiti.net Stay tuned for an upcoming workshop at Studio Artemis with Miasia!

I'm in DC Tribal Cafe - This Sunday!

arielarielariel — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:01:50 GMT

DC Tribal Cafe at Asylum Lounge featuring Mavi, YaMeena, and Ariel Sunday, February 24th 6 PM - 9 PM $10 2471 18th St. NW Washington, DC I will be doing some new Turkish-tribal fusion! Come out...specials on drinks and food. It's gonna be awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read an electronic book?

arielarielariel — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:11:33 GMT

OK, I'm curious. Will anyone enjoy reading an electronic book? I think I'd find reading a book on a computer screen ungodly annoying. Not to mention that staring at a screen for too long can make you more nearsighted (according to my optometrist, at least). Clearly Steven Jobs seems to agree with me (see article), although I disagree that "people don't read anymore." Ride a metro in DC and 70 percent of people the train have their noses buried in the midst of a book or newspaper. But online reading? Reading a newspaper article or blog online, sure. They're short and not optically painful. But a book? Does anyone think the Kindle will successfully encourage book readers? My experience in school was that people tended to print out anything posted online to read... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/business/27digi.html?ref=business For me, I plan to stick to my hardcore, tree-killing ways. Although I mostly frequent libraries, so you could say that I recycle.

Thank you, Gloria Steinem.

arielarielariel — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:38:43 GMT

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/opinion/08steinem.html?em&ex=1200114000&en=f7ff1506bb86d225&ei=5087%0A

Dieting?

arielarielariel — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:14:55 GMT

No, I'm not, but I thought these ads were funny. More in my profile pictures.

NC and Asheville for the XMas holidays

arielarielariel — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:42:16 GMT

Visiting relatives in NC (near Asheville). If you're around that area and I haven't already talked to you, and you want to say hi... send me a message.

This Thursday: Bellydance Extravaganza at the Palace of Wonders

arielarielariel — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:26:11 GMT

Bellydance Extravaganza! Enjoy an exciting evening of gothic, tribal, and experimental belly dance, with DC's finest belly dance stars: Asharah, Mavi, Belladonna, Ariel, Sammati, Kaihea, and Bella Quattro. Thursday, November 29th (this Thursday!) at thePalace of Wonders 10:00 PM Price: $8

Selling out...

arielarielariel — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 16:42:17 GMT

Ok, so I joined myspace. Despite the fact that I hate my space, I keep hearing that tribe is shutting down, and it seems the most logical place to go. So um...add me, if you want to... Errr. Rar. Sigh. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=281980154

Fake blood

arielarielariel — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:51:51 GMT

...tastes really gross. Kind of like sour chalk at best. Seriously, Shems and Miasia and I had a tasting of several brands the other night, and I almost wretched. Ew...can we say flavor, people? The Belly Horror Show is sold out, but you should come beat down the doors trying to get in anyway...this Friday the 19th and Saturday the 20th at DCAC in Adams Morgan. Here's our bio, so you know what you're missing (since Mavi already posted): Puncturing many of the unsuspecting and innocent for thousands of years, Ariel and Shems became undead after experiencing the fangs of Dracula, the the very sexy dark lord and master. They enjoy taking long romantic walks in misty cemetaries, slaughtering small children, seducing virgins, and watching scary movies. They are interested in people with blood and necks. Miasia is a succulent and juicy virgin. She probably has lots of blood. Delicious.

I hate driving.

arielarielariel — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:57:04 GMT

I hate driving. Especially in cities like DC. So stressful. I'm always scared some crazy driver is going to kill me. Very scared of driving since my near-death accident a few years ago, and living in DC only makes it worse. I had a flare of terrible road rage during rush hour today when someone held down their horn and flipped me off for no reason except that I was in a traffick-y line in front of them and they wanted the line to go faster. They pulled around me to drive on the shoulder and tail the person in front of me, nearly smashing into me. Fortunately, all I did was honk at them. Omigod. I need to move to a city where I don't have to drive.

Intimidated by music?

arielarielariel — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:54:24 GMT

I've been going through this debate in my head recently, over a piece of music I just found that I like. A lot. And it intimidates me, because of its' speed and complexity. And part of me wants to try to tackle it and part of me thinks I should just find something without so much instrumental improvisation, complex melody, fast pace. Does anyone else ever feel intimidated by musical findings? Often I plunge right in, but this piece scares me. Probably means I should work with it... But I'm really scared I'll just butcher it. *whine* nerves...nerves...

Ah...PennSIC.

arielarielariel — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:23:50 GMT

I wrote this soliloquy to PennSIC on Livejournal, and since then I have edited it for deweirdification purposes ('cause I'm an editor) and decided to stick it on tribe. 'Cause most of y'all PennSIC kids are on tribe.net rather than LJ. Here 'tis: PennSIC was rainy. And alternately boiling hot. And I enjoyed it, I loved it. I felt like I knew a lot of people this year, felt that I could wander and find people who were interesting and raucous and fantastically personable. I think the PennSICness...the "ah, yes, now I'm here" didn't really start until Meg arrived. And this makes me realize how deep my college friendships run internally. Similarly, I loved the time I spent with the people in Concusare (my camp) and Dalhradia (twin camp). Some of my best moments involved wandering. Meeting people I didn't know on the road, walking off with them to camps of other people I didn't know, finding something or someone new. I met, among others, a magician, a cowboy, a few merchants, a few musicians, a few dancers, a few crazies, a few homemade liquor merchants (ok, a LOT of those). Other moments involved being in the company of people I know and love: DC peeps, Meg, Baz, (aka. Oberlin peeps), the Concusare/Anglesey/Head clan boys, people from Folktours (like the Turkish Band Camp All Stars!), people who I really want to get to know more (like Olivia and the other Zafiras, or some of Hil's three skulls friends, DID people)... Other moments always involve happening on really good music, dancing until all hours of the morning. It took me a long time to relax this year. I kept panicking about work, about my dying car, about mundane life, about living in DC. Had a deep set realization that I'm not where I ultimately want to be and that I should start working on what to do about that. I did relax eventually, all too close to going home. Work doesn't give me enough vacation. No, Taog, I'm not moving to Long Island... In the end, there's always that one morning when the rain has lifted and the sun is blazing, your pillow has grown some sort of unclassifiable mold, all your clothes smell like campfire and rain, you can't get the woad and mud off of your skin (despite repetitive showering in a useless camp shower), you've finished off the last of the pineapple tequila (and probably the Jameson), and you look up and think "there's just no place I'd rather be right now...no place in the whole world." I think maybe that's PennSIC love.

the songs that get stuck in my head...

arielarielariel — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:46:16 GMT

today's head stuck song is "I'm Ugly," by the Muppets. I wasn't listening to it. But I did watch 300 last night, and there's a rhino and some elephants in it, and I guess the idea of animals got stuck in my head? Anyway, lyrics below: I'm Ugly by the Muppets Monster 1: I'm ugly, I'm ugly as sin, But beautiful's out, ugly's in. If you're ugly like me, you're in good company. There are millions of us who are ugly. Monster 2: Take the case of our friend the crocodile. His bite is much worse than his bark. In fact his behavior is juvenile, Monster 1: infantile. Monster 2: Why can't he just sing like a lark. Crocodile: Roarrr... Monster 2: Though he's not the prettiest to be found, He's a useful and happy reptile. Crocodile: I'll gobble up anyone left lying around, And that gives me my permanent smile. Monster 1: He's ugly, he's ugly as sin, But beautiful's out, ugly's in. If you're ugly like me, you're in good company. All: There are millions of us who are ugly. Monster 2: Take the case of our friend the warthog. He must be the ugliest by far. In every page in the ugly catalog, Of all the ugly ones he's the star. Monster 3: His tail sticking up like a flagpole, His tusks and his warts and his bristles. Warthog: Whenever I decide to take a stroll, I'm never bothered by any wolf whistles. Monster 1: You're ugly, you're ugly as sin, Warthog: snort snort Monster 1: But beautiful's out, ugly's in. Warthog: snort All: If you're ugly like me, you're in good company. There are millions of us who are ugly. Monster 2: Now if you're bad looking you're the lucky one. There's no effort at all to being ugly. But if you're beautiful by comparison, It's really a catastrophe. Monster 3: Ointment and make-up and all, That you smear on your body daily, Then you wipe it all off and you put on some more, So be thankful that we are ugly. All: We're ugly, we're ugly as sin, But beautiful's out, ugly's in. If you're ugly like me, you're in good company. There are millions of us who are ugly. There are millions of us who are ugly. Grunt grunt.

Vive la Decadence! Special Bastille Day show at the Palace of Wonders!

arielarielariel — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 02:13:52 GMT

This Saturday, July 14th, at the Palace of Wonders...Let them eat cake! Presenting Vive la Decadence! A French variety show hosted by Monsieur Paco. Featuring gogo hula hooping by Strange Powers, burlesque, according playing, special appearances by Monsieur Paco, and some French-themed belly dancing by me, Ariel! And maybe some cake! Oh, it will be very, very French. oui. and oui again. 1210 H St. NE Washington, DC Doors at 8, show at 10, cost $10. Costumes encouraged.

Thoughts on Love, Death, Being, and Nothingness...

arielarielariel — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 03:00:53 GMT

Some poems that have been occupying my thoughts lately: Psalm by Paul Celan No one moulds us again out of earth and clay, no one conjures our dust. No one. Praised by your name, no one. For your sake we shall flower. Towards you. A nothing we were, are, shall remain, flowering: the nothing-, the no one's rose. With our pistil soul-bright, with our stamen heaven-ravaged, our corolla red with the crimson word which we sang over, O over the thorn. *** An Adoration by Robert Cording Because his wife is a dream he's working to wake from. Because the sun brightens and expands this passing hour At their breakfast table, and because the husband Never asks himself what he is looking for but moves blindly In the delight of her being, giving all his attention To the way her blouse gathers around the roundness of her Breasts raised up by her arm. Because he sees as well The delicately tapered index finger of her left hand And the faint pressure it makes against her cheekbone. Because her eyes, under the crown of her hat, show her Bemused, throwaway glad-to-be-sketched smile. Because she knows how her new husband wants to keep These minutes from ending and because there is no thought Of forever in this early morning drawing--silverpoint On prepared vellum---which is perfectly content to idle On the topography of her hat and the shadows it offers. Because this drawing is a pact between them and because He toils with the borders of her lips and eyes without crossing Their boundaries. Because he is patient and waits for The imperceptible to become clear, for each provisional Line to bring her closer. And because this sketch, So attentive and attendingg, includes the inevitable news Of the already drooping flower his wife holds in her hand. Because of all these things, and because those who delight In ironies will be quick to point out that in two years the couple's first child will die in one of the worst plagues, And Saskia, the woman in Rembrandt's sketch, will go her way In three, this little drawing must be seen for what it is: An adoration, the third day after our bethrothal, 8 June, 1633. *** Reading Donne by Robert Cording Reading Donne again, I'm reminded I know nothing About death, nothing save that one irrefutable fact: I will die. And that means I'm bound to project My sorry thoughts beyond death, cheerfully imagining The self I call my own as still alive--though dead Of course to everyone who knew me---jubilizing With family and friends in a sunny field, hardly missing At all a missing God. It's immortality I crave instead, That museum of ten thousand things stockpiled beyond Our fleeting earthly hours. Why keep on with talk Of flesh made spirit?--Donne already knew we balk At anything less than ourselves, the one ground Of all our hopes not God and eternity, that unseen end, But the self curled comfortably around itself again.

I need a website! Help!

arielarielariel — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:25:59 GMT

I have decided that I'm working enough to warrant investing in a website. But I need help! I don't know anything about graphic design. I've worked on websites for work, but mainly as a writer and coordinator. I doubt most bellydancers know HTML, and somehow think my knowledge of it is useless for this. So here are some questions: 1) What do you look for on a dancer's website? (aka, what do you want to know about me, what does a customer or website gazer need to know?) 2) What are some examples of dancer's websites you think are really well put together? 3) What's the best place to purchase a website? 4) How do I design pages? Who can I hire for a reasonable price? I'm willing to tinker around myself, but I'd love to have someone check my work, at least. 5) How do I upload pages? Is there some "websites for dummies" book out there? I'd appreciate any help. Thanks!

Physicists and invisibility.

arielarielariel — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:25:29 GMT

I liked this NY Times science story. Physicists are researching ways to bend light, and sometimes it can result in invisibility. A 21st century discovery with relevant parallels to the invention of the magic lantern or phantasmagoria?: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/12/science/12invis.html?th&emc=th

Jiri Kylian

arielarielariel — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:46:46 GMT

Jiri Kylian inspires me::: See his "Sarabande": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS8hCuDXLiU&mode=related&search= "Sleepless" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETf9qPJYyWk&mode=related&search= and "Blackbird":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOsyutGsx_0&mode=related&search=

Native American Hoop Dance!

arielarielariel — Tue, 22 May 2007 03:53:46 GMT

I used to want to run away and become a hoop dancer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3FKri1qPvg&mode=related&search=

Flashbacks from 4th Grade!!!!! Late 80s Early 90s Pop Icons!

arielarielariel — Tue, 15 May 2007 03:40:16 GMT

I just found clips of my favorite band in 3rd and 4th grade (I was 7 or 8, ok!) on YouTube, called "The Party." Spinoff from the Mickey Mouse Club. So 80s! Super dorky! So psyched, and now I have to find the CD. The start of my undercover pop addiction? Possibly. In case you want to watch... I Found Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbWbL3P5MCA Summer Vacation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnkG0DxFB_E&mode=related&search=