Filed under: Vespa, Fun — soleilsundance @ 10:44 am
Yes, this is my helmet! YES, I rode over the Golden Gate Bridge this morning with it on!!
Pictures in action to come!
UPDATE: More Pics and a video!!!
MORE UPDATES: The real story unveilled…
As Bri commented, I failed to mention that this was NOT my Vespa, it was Justin’s. Mine is baby blue, and super hot, but not for a witch! However still, I titled the post saying “ride my Vespa”… Well, I suppose that I was such in character and needing so much black that it very much felt like my own for a minute (and it’s the same power, same model (LX150), just slightly newer…essentially the same to ride).
We wanted to dress Justin as a fairy or a princess riding my baby blue Vespa, but never got to making a costume for that. Maybe next year… as I think this one will be my recurring Vespa costume for all eternity. Why? Because I haven’t sewn this much in a verrry long time and I don’t intend to do so in a verrrry long time!
That’s right, to make the helmet wig secure, it took a lot of work. I actually wish I took photos of the step by step process because man, it was a PROCESS!
~ First, I was given a black t-shirt I could just cut and tear. This was for the base of the masterpiece. I put it over the helmet made sure it could go through the visor and under into the inside of the helmet.
~ Then I put the wig over it and stretched it tight. I sewed (by hand!!!) the entire circonference of the tightened wig onto the t-shirt.
~ Then, I took a piece of bright orange felt and figured out how to make a cone,…by trial and error. I secured it with safety pins and sewed the entire circonference of the cone hat and the seem up to its tip.
~Last, I found a jack-o-lantern witch pattern online, which I cut out into black felt and glued it on the side of the hat.
~When I was ready to ride, I left enough fabric to stay inside the helmet, so my head would act as a safety pin, but I also safety pinned it at 6 various spots on the helmet foam.
When you ride with that thing at 55mph, it definitely gives resistance and you don’t want anything to fly away or distract you from the road.
Mission accomplished!
I come to work this week and what’s laying over my keyboard? An open Bohemian newspaper (the North Bay cousin of San Francisco’s Guardian). I look again, and I’m like: “Oh my goodness, it’s Vicki!”
The Bohemian newspaper did an article on Santa Rosa’s Dance Center emphasizing their non-competitiveness.
The Dance Center is the studio I used to teach at full time and seeing my former director Vicki in the center page of the Bohemian, brought back lots of happy memories and, well, felt a bit of nostalgia.
This studio is the biggest of its region and probably the biggest of most regions! I’ve always admired Vicki for her love for the art, and the ability to run such a studio for all these years!!! How do you do it? It takes some pretty darn solid dedication!… and patience with parents :)
Even though I’m really happy about how my life is “laid out” right now, I do miss teaching a little, coming up with choreographical concepts, being creative and feeling like I contribute to a younger person’s life in a positive way.
But I can’t complain! I have a very fulfilling job, that is at a higher level than I could ever imagine myself capable of handling, I get to dance in an awesome SF company, I get to travel and do cool stuff, and the best… I live with the man of my life. Believe me, my life is NOT boring!
So I guess it’s one of those moments when I look back at my life and say, man I lucky! I did pretty awesome things in the past and now I’m still doing awesome things, even if they have a different face.
Dance is definitely essential in some shape or form in my life. Creativity is too. So, even if I’m still on my teaching sabbatical, it doesn’t mean I’ll never go back to it. The crazy thing is that I think that I could do it all. I just need to be in the right mindset. I need a little more time.
Bravo Vicki for sticking around and enabling great instructors to share successfully this very weird and challenging passion that is dance!
What is Blog Action Day?On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.
So, here’s the topic I’d like to bring up about the environment:
Smoking in National and State Parks
Justin and I just came back from a road trip in Utah, visiting many breathtaking National parks. We stopped at many overlooks and vista points, went on hikes, took pictures, sat down and had snacks, camped. Why did we do this? To appreciate the great works of nature. To feel like an ant in the middle of a giant rocky landscape. To remind ourselves how important, precious, delicate and strong nature is.
Apparently, intentions or appreciations weren’t the same for everyone. Practically in every short hike (or longer as a matter of fact), or highly trafficked vista point, there was someone smoking. Even while hiking! I thought to myself “How can anyone smoke in such a scenery?”
And I’m an ex-smoker. I smoked for 10 years! I know what it’s like to feel like you gotta light a cigarette as soon as you step outside the car, or while you’re waiting for anything. But never, NEVER would I have smoked in the wild or in obviously preserved lands. I have too much respect for nature to even pollute its air. Not even talking about polluting other people, just the air.
Ok so even if we skip the “polluting the air” part of the disgrace. Once you’re finished with the cigarette, where does go, huh? Where? That’s right, on the ground or flicked behind a bush. And what is that called? Littering, polluting!!! I don’t know any smoker who would put out the cigarette and save it for the next trash can. Why? Because the cold ash smell stinks too much even for a smoker to bear. Do you think the land and animals can bear it better than you? Grrr.
PLEASE NEVER SMOKE IN NATIONAL AND STATE PARKS. They are parks for a reason! And do yourself a favor… hike with clean air and keep the air clean for others.
Today was the official first rainy day since I got my Vespa (in May). I actually am really happy it rained, nature really could use it.
The only thing is… riding in the rain. It wasn’t that bad this morning, as I was mentally prepared not to ride too fast, not to go in between car, not to turn on painted areas and just to be extra-cautious, as I know some drivers freak out when there’s water on the road. Drivers, think about it, you’re protected! I’m on 2 wheels, with no roof or windshield wipers and still on the road!!!
The only uncomfortable thing was getting my legs wet. I need to get some rainproof pants. My thighs got wet on top and my jacket was dripping right into my crotch… the wind made everything so cold that I felt like it was burning!
Luckily, I was smart enough to bring a change of pants to work, so I could ensure being dry all day. Yipee me!
PS: “Flic Flac Floc ” or “Flic Floc” is apparently a French only way of referring to rain or puddles… how is it in English?
I’m playing with a new tool… Picasa. So, here’s a mini-slide show of pictures I took of stage rehearsal in Salt Lake. I chose the blurriest ones, because I thought they actually were the most interesting.
Of course a show doesn’t come without rehearsal, warming up and making adjustments. Here are a few shots of what it’s like a few hours before curtain call… (pics are taken by Owen Donnelly and Sandy Lee).
Getting warm and feeling out the floor.
Sandy and I have the same smile :)
Laura
Eric giving directions and notes.
Josh, floor sky-diving.
Skits and funny hair whipping.
I have more pictures on my camera… The only issue is that I have absolutely no desire to unpack right now and consequently won’t find the USB adaptor in my suitcase. You’ll just have to wait!
