This entry started early this week: What a gorgeous day. I had half expected that we would get cheated out of beautiful autumn days, like we got cheated out of nice spring days, this year; cold and rainy for months, then BAM, hot and humid.

I took a walk around the office complex to get outside for a little bit. I brought my lunch today, so I didn�t have my normal field trip to the grocery store. I like bringing lunch to work sometimes. I used to bring my lunch all the time and it felt bothersome and annoying. Now that I usually go out to get food, when I bring my lunch, I feel efficient and economical.

I could stand to be a little economical, considering that I just registered for yoga teacher training (which is a pretty penny) already bought my ticket for next year�s salsafest, and I�m seriously considering signing up for regular dance classes. Trapeze lessons were also paid for recently, which are not exactly at bargain prices, either. When I start yoga teacher training, I�m going to stop karate for those few months, which will at least save me my tuition for that time.

Of course, when I was at salsafest, a vendor was selling sequin mini-dresses for 50% off. Clearly, that meant I had to buy two, right? From now on, I no longer can excuse myself from going to salsa because I have nothing to wear.

Oddly, I now feel less confident about going dancing. Now that I have a few formal classes under my belt, I have higher standards. Usually, when it comes to ballroom style dances, I�m decent at following, and can fake it fairly well. This is the one and only time the patriarchy has benefitted me in any way. However, now adhering to some standard means something to me.

Dance classes are actually fairly cheap, so that�s good. I also have a �one week of free classes� coupon from the dance studio. Do I have time to take advantage? That�s the other question.

I think the trend here clearly shows that trapeze will not be an on-going thing. For one, travelling to DC to take lessons is a bit ridiculous. Second, it�s a pretty limited activity. I need a trapeze and other people who have done it. I can�t go out to a trapeze club on Friday and Saturday evenings for some social trapezing.

I wouldn�t say that salsa is my first choice when it comes to dances, but it seems to be the current trend. If a guy is going to know a dance, it�s most likely going to be salsa; or maybe that�s not the case at all and I�m just that out of touch. Regardless, there is definitely no shortage of salsa clubs in the area.

I think my preference would be ballet, since it�s so much more athletic, but again, no ballet clubs, to go out in the evenings to dance social ballet.

This doesn�t mean I won�t take other dance classes while also taking salsa. The dance studio offers plenty of other alternatives, many of which are more athletic than salsa. Salsa can be an athletic dance, but it can also be a very slow, old person kind of dance.

Speaking of ballet, tickets for this year�s performance of the Nutcracker are available, right now. Considering the holidays, karate, dancing, yoga, Japan, blah, blah, blah, I�ll probably have to skip it. I know that it�s only a few hours out of my life, and really not that expensive, but there�s all the planning, ticket buying, transportation, dinner, etc. that goes with something like that. It�s an indulgence that can wait until some other time when my life isn�t brimming over with indulgences.

I also completely missed Madame Butterfly at the opera. That will also have to wait until some other time.

If I feel that starved of fine art, nothing is stopping me from going to the art museum, and if I don�t want to spend money on it, I can go on Sunday, when it�s free. If I�m tired of the art there, I can go to New York and take advantage of those museums. If I don�t want to go to New York, I can go to the Smithsonian. It�s astounding to me how much is available to me.

I never get tired of the thrill of having these things within a reasonable travel distance after having lived in the middle of nowhere for nearly a decade. I�m was lucky that Minneapolis is so cosmopolitan for a city as small as it is, so when I moved there, its art was available to me then, as well.

Ok, that was written two days ago, and I never got around to finishing it.

Last night, Adam said something to me about not getting to NYC much, lately. I told him that he can always visit any time, and he agreed, but not enthusiastically. Then I suggested that we go this weekend, no visiting people, no obligations, just go and do whatever we want. We haven�t yet determined what �whatever we want� is, but we�re getting there. I checked the weather, a high of 53 and sunny is predicted; more perfect fall weather! There is a Japanese Mandala exhibit showing at The Met, too.

I don�t feel like driving up (after having just driven to CT and back, via NYC), so I suggested either the train or the Chinatown bus. Of course, with the public transportation strike, there�s no way to get to the Chinatown bus.

Anyway, NYC is such great fun when you have nowhere to go, but it can quickly become a nightmare as soon as you have an agenda.

I�m really excited. Every time I feel the pressure to plan, I immediately release myself from any responsibility. No, no, no. We will go where the wind takes us.

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