Mish-Mash Part 2

Yes, I know I said I was taking a break from blogging.....and lately there has been a rash of blogging from yours truly, well, what can I say? I gots stuff to say. Nothing poignant or earth shattering, just randomized BD related stuff, if you care. Hence another mish-mash post.

like the generalized space-filler pic I chose?

First, geez, I have needed/wanted to do this for a long time. Pimp my new fave blog. It is called The Occidental Dancer, and I just Lurve it. The blog is very well written, smart and entertaining. Check it out, laydeez.

Also for some blessed reason Zaghareet! magazine decided to print TWO of my articles in one issue. They are called " Sour Grapes", and " Because of a Cookie". ( in the most recent issue). By some fabulous mystery woman named Tara Swaim....whomever she is.
AAAAAND, Shimmy magazine ( couldn't get the link to work...:( ) is printing my article in the Summer issue, not the Spring as I had previously said. I know, you were anxiously waiting for that information. Aren't you glad you can go on with your life now?

Oh dear. My hatred turned ambivalence of silk veils, has turned into OBSESSION.

Miami Flair veil from amirasbelly.com

On a whim I bought the above veil called "Miami Flair" from Amira's Belly.com. For those of you who know me well, pretty much my entire dance wardrobe is black or red. I love black, I love red. Power colors. Strong colors. Kali's colors.

So what on earth possessed me to buy a silk veil that is yellow, hot pink and orange? Who knows. Wild hair up my ass, I guess.    When said veil arrived I gingerly took it out of the package and noticed it was scented. I untied the ribbon that someone had taken the time to neatly tie around it. I read the handwritten note that came with it. Then I started playing with the veil, and promptly fell in love. Oh yes my friend, in love with a gorgeous luxurious piece of silk. I guess it escaped my consciousness that since veil work is essentially playing with a piece of cloth, if you love the look, feel,and color of the cloth, then you are going to enjoy it a hell of a lot more than if you say, for instance, buy some cheap utilitarian black piece of wannabe "chiffon".
    I can't stop touching my veil. I want to play with it all of the time. My husband is getting jealous.

In other news I am going to give directions for my long awaited,not at all bellydance related " How to open a beer bottle with your forearm", from this post.   For what it is worth, I very unsuccessfully tried to get some good pics while my husband and I were engaging in some illicit behavior. The pics sucked. I was too drunk, and it shows. See?   Bags under eyes? Check. Dazed "where am I?" expression? Check. Pet snake around neck? Check. Nice double chin shot? Check. Residual makeup from that morning migrated down my face? Check.

This is a skill that all bellydancers must have....really.

O.k., no video, because our computer is being temperamental right now, and besides that, if I did a video I would have to put some makeup on and do my hair and I am not that ambitious...but I did take that above pic and that will have to suffice. I will give a thorough tutorial on this very important skill. This is the skill that will ensure the growth and progress of further generations....I am so very thrilled to be committing it to print. No one can ever say that I wasted my life.

First thing you have to know about this trick is that it looks badass but is not at all. Get a twist top beer bottle,( most domestic beer is twist top, it looks like a bottle cap, but you don't need an opener)) flex your forearm muscle ( important to make a big show out of it), and make sure the skin of your forearm has a good grip on the bottle. ( this takes practice, and make sure the cap is dry, and skin is slightly damp, or cap is slightly damp and skin is really dry ).....You want to to POP. If you don't have the grip right it won't make that POP sound we so desire.

Then flex the muscle as you twist slightly so that it makes a POP sound. Obviously too much twisting and it doesn't look as cool.....you want Crocodile- Dundee-I drink-beer-in-my-sleep sort of thing. It is even cooler if you do it without looking at it, a skill that I used to exercise regularly with a cig dangling from my mouth, like it was all just no-big-deal. When I used to do this regularly I waited tables and had gorilla like monster forearms from lifting all the trays of food.Now zilling keeps the ole forearms in shape but they are not as buff as they used to be.

The best part is that this trick leaves a sort of purple mark on your arm not unlike a hickey. Do it too many times in one night and the purple mark lingers for a while. A round, cap shaped purple mark. It is a shame that I know these things.

Let me know if anyone tries this, and if you have any luck with it.

Cheers! Prost! Knock it Down!