My Blog

Yemeni bracelets for sale

lauren_liora — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:20:02 GMT

These just didn't work out for me - didn't like them as much as I thought I would. Payment accept via paypal, check, or money order. Genuine antique Yemeni bracelets (like Mardi Love & Zoe Jakes wear) - 9.4" inner circumference. These are heavy! $150 + shipping

My article in Jareeda!

lauren_liora — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:14:32 GMT

My article is in the newest issue of Jareeda - "Tea Parties & Tribal Style" - check it out! www.jareeda.com

Teaching at Southern Fusion Fest!

lauren_liora — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:29:45 GMT

I'm so excited to be a part of the upcoming Southern Fusion Fest this summer - I'll be teaching a beginning/intermediate zills class and a costuming tricks & tips class. The best part, though, will be taking everyone else's classes. I'm still trying to figure out how to be in Mardi Love's, Moria Chappell's, and Tamalyn Dallal's classes all at the same time. :) Which, by the way, I got to take Tamalyn's workshop in Greenville, SC last weekend and I just have one thing to say...AMAZING! Tamalyn is a beautiful, humble, gentle, and kind spirit. She is a fantastic teacher and I felt so wonderful just being a part of her class. If you ever get the chance to take her class, you MUST! Cabaret, tribal, fusion...it doesn't matter...just take her class! http://www.southernfusion.net

Ansuya is coming!

lauren_liora — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:19:37 GMT

I am so thrilled! Ansuya is coming to Georgia and I get to co-host her with my pal, Fatina! Ansuya has been on my top ten list of bellydancers who I must study with before I die since I started dancing 5.5 years ago. I love her flashy style and how she makes all those difficult moves look soooooo easy! I heart Ansuya! It's funny...I left cabaret behind 3 years ago and I sold all but one of my cabaret costumes to make way for the fabulous tribal wear and I decided I would only attend tribal bellydance workshops, but for some reason now I'm interested in learning cabaret style again. I'm not so much interested in performing it as I am learning it again and incorporating it into my own style of tribal fusion. It's kinda cool that my interests and learning is not static, but always changing and re-forming. Coolio!

Gift Card Exchange

lauren_liora — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:50:54 GMT

I started a new tribe because I need a place to hock some gift cards. :) Come visit me! A place online to buy, sell, or trade gift cards without worrying about paying commission. http://tribes.tribe.net/giftcardexchange Thanks! Liora :)

Inspiration has returned!

lauren_liora — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:26:46 GMT

Yep, for some reason I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and finished 5 sewing projects this weekend that have been hanging over me. It's either that there's only 3 weeks left in the semester OR that I'm finally getting my cortisone shot on Wednesday. Either way, the sun is peeking out from the clouds. :)

Teaching another workshop!

lauren_liora — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 02:08:11 GMT

I'm so excited y'all! I will be teaching my next workshop in the Ringgold, GA / Chattanooga, TN metro area - courtesy of the lovely Jillana and her Merry Bellies! Too cool, y'all!!!! I'll post info as soon as I get it. :)

Having a hard time

lauren_liora — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:30:50 GMT

I'm having a hard time staying on top of everything - grrr. 60 English essays to grade, 35 Latin tests to grade, and one English test to write. It's definitely affecting my ability to get anything done bellydance wise - new choreography, sewing projects, etc. I cannot WAIT until Thanksgiving break! 5 days of no work!

Grading papers and writing tests

lauren_liora — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 15:44:44 GMT

Ahhhhh, I am caught up on my emails/messages through August 20th...getting closer every day! What a weekend I have for myself - grading 60 English essays, writing one test and two quizzes, plus I have to figure out how to teach Native American Literature by Wednesday....hmmmm...should be an interesting weekend! No matter, though, I am enjoying what I'm doing!

I'm on youtube!

lauren_liora — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:32:33 GMT

Yay! I have been waiting on my new laptop so I could load a couple of clips, but somone beat me to it (thank you!)! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsOegkR-UXI Not too shabby for a pinched sciatic nerve - couldn't do much lower body work and what I did do, I shouldn't have done. :) I'm so excited! BTW, the chiropractor I went to turned out to be a total quack...on the hunt for someone else...

To the chiropractor

lauren_liora — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:05:50 GMT

I'm am off to see the chiropractor, the wonderful chiropractor of Oz... :) Yep, I have been to the massage therapist twice, I am chock full of ibuprofen, I have soaked in Epsom salts, I have cooked under the heating pad, and now am adding the chiropractor. I've never been to one before but I got a recommendation from one of my dance students and will be heading over to the Atlanta Natural Health Clinic on Monday. I get x-rays and thermal scanning for free as a new client - yippee! I love freebies! :) Hopefully this will help as I'm not sure how much longer I can go with the shooting pains. :P I'm getting revved up for Southern Fusion Fest and hope I'll be in good shape for it! Must concentrate on resting... :)

What a weekend!

lauren_liora — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:57:32 GMT

Boy, what a weekend this turned out to be! My family came to visit and I was prepared to divide my time between home improvement and time at the Moria Master Class in Athens. Then I did something to my back on Friday while moving heavy furniture - my spine was on fire and my back was throbbing all night. I think I only slept a couple of hours that night (bless you, Tylenol PM). My back only got worse on Saturday and exhaustion set in, so I didn't make it out to perform in the Moria show at the 40 Watt - major bummer! I didn't make it out to class on Sunday either - I just could not make myself get in a car. The upside is that I have new carpet and new paint and have a lot of crap cleaned out of my house - which I can admire from my position laying on floor. :-D I think this clearly is me attempting to do way too much. I tried to straddle and commit to two things during the same weekend and it totally did not work out, mostly because I wrenched my back but also due to sheer exhaustion. As much as I try not to, I always find myself over-committing. I may need a 12-step program to help me learn how to set limits!

I'm free!!!

lauren_liora — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 16:18:17 GMT

"Heaven helps the man who finds his feet...Love's the only thing that keeps me here...You're the reason that I'm hanging on...My heart's beatin' and it won't be long...I'm free!" To quote from a song from the movie "Footloose" :) I'm free at last! I had my last day yesterday and my boss worked me until the very last minute of the day. To answer JaeJae, it is like a divorce, kind of. I've been at this school for 7 years and everyone is like family to me. I wouldn't leave except that my boss is seriously insane and I just cannot work for her as her assistant anymore. I'm leaving on a positive note, though, and I feel good about that. Okay, so the agenda for the weekend - today is shopping, sewing, and celebrating with my sister at Kyma (fancy Greek restaurant) and tomorrow is emailing and sewing...and lots and lots of sleeping! :) I think I hear my pins, needles, and thread calling me...not to mention ye olde sewing machine! Lots of love to you all for helping me through this! Liora :)

One more day!!!

lauren_liora — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:54:28 GMT

I am counting down the minutes until 3:00 PM tomorrow afternoon, then I'll be a free woman! Now I know why in the movies people declare, "You can't fire me! I quit!" and dramatically exit the scence - it is such a pain in the ass to properly leave a job. 24 hours to go...24 cans of beer in case...coincidence? I think not. :) And, thank you all so SO so much for your support! It makes me so happy to read all your comments!

Why Liora has disappeared for 4 weeks...

lauren_liora — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:30:01 GMT

I figured that, instead of trying to message/email everyone that I need to be in touch with and explain my disappearance of about 4 weeks, I would post a wee message here as to what I've been up to and why no one's been hearing back from me lately... I swear I'm not trying to overshare, but I want my pals to understand that I'm not flaking out, I'm under tremendous pressure and I'm trying to work through it... :) I am in the process of leaving my current job at one high school where I've been struggling with my one full-time job which is actually two full-time jobs, which is in the process of splitting into two full-time jobs. I am attempting to train my two replacements, cater to the whim's of my principal, wrap up the school year with students and teachers, cater to upset new parents and old parents, process final grades and final transcripts, do new student schedules and old student schedules, etc. I get 30 voice mails and 40 emails a day which I can't answer within 24 hours which gets me in trouble. The president of the board of trustees had an emergency meeting with the head of school and my principal b/c he wanted to know why so many parents were upset... I am going back to teaching in the fall and have two department chairs touching base with me wanting to know how much progress I've made in my readings and lesson/syllabus preparations and when can we possibly meet so you can show us how much you've done? My grad class has started already and in the three weeks, I haven't been able to do any of the readings. I skipped class Wednesday night because I started having dizzy spells and needed to go home and rest. I'm a witness in a custody battle and am trying to write my affadavit. I have 6 major sewing projects that I can't finish because every day I come home and cry and then get into bed and go to sleep. I can't sleep at night so I'm taking Tylenol PM. My mother wants to know when I'm going to order the carpet because my family is coming into town in 4 weeks to help and haven't I picked out paint samples yet? I teach 4 bellydance classes a week, which right now is my only joy. My house looks like an earthquake or hurricane has struck. I sleep with piles of clothes in my bed. I have night sweats. And my little black toy poodle has turned into a walking giant afro. I have not run off to Mexico and am drinking margaritas with a cabana boy (I wish!). I'm holed up just trying to make it through one more week at work. I truly, truly appreciate everyone's patience with me, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you thank you thank you.