*Poof*… ugh I left this place for too long… *cough cough* it's awfully dusty in here…wouldn't you say? *ah choo!* Geez… had I known… I may have at least come in and dusted a bit…..*click* Reading light on - Check *rummage, crumble, crack…* Ah!!! There we go! Ok….*whizzz whirr* Computer up and running- Check, *sniff*…whew! Here we go… Wait…. No.. *flip, scrape, klunk* Thesaurus present- Check… NOW… we're on our way…. 
Hi gang!
So…. What have you been up to??
Me?
Oh… nothing… much… really…
Well that's not true, I've been working… lots and lots of working which means lots and lots of mental exhaustion… do you want to know how long it takes someone who was laid off for nearly a year to NOT be completely exhausted each day when she gets home from the job she finally got? Answer: 7 weeks.
In that 7 weeks I have sat at a computer for nearly 9 hours every week day… came home, and plopped in front of the TV mostly… trying to figure out what to do with my ankle (which is still not healed) and watching the weight get packed back on and my stamina go right out the window…and I let the blog get all dusty....
THAT'S what I've been up to… ugh… and I hate myself for it… HOWEVER I have started in the last week or so to build up my energy and stamina to climb back up this mountain I seem to have fallen to the bottom of again. There have been some highlights… I started the year off (the ballroom year that is) by attending the Indiana Challenge competition with some ballroom friends, including Jem, and made some new ballroom friends while I was at it… not only that but watched the pros from Fred Astaire Buffalo Grove kick some serious butt on the dance floor… it was at that comp that I decided I needed to see all I could see of my pros, because I have a really excellent feeling about this year for them!
Mid March had ETP and a "new to the blog" friend Savvy (remember all names of people not in the public eye are changed to protect the innocent). So anyway… the three of us had a fun filled car trip to St. Louis (Savvy was kind enough to drive). The competition itself was as good as I remember last year… Largo and TNT along with STP and HFC performed very well! TSD and FAF weren't able to make it this time around, but… but… the Theatre Arts Couple from Fred Astaire Michigan Avenue debut their new routine… and it's FABULOUS… MAN this region is chock full of talent! I wish I had my pics from this event! But unfortunately… with the mess around here, I can't find my cord to get them off of my camera…
The most recent competition I attended was the Fred Astaire Chicago regional comp. I only attended the Pro/Am (aka Teachers and Students) portion for this one. Jem was competing in Latin and Rhythm and she did AWESOME. As did all of my competing friends that day. I have also been attending the parties at the studio, using them as an opportunity to test my ankle… which is now officially the weakest ankle ever! I'm really REALLY irritated about this ankle thing, and will be having my medical professional examine it as soon as my employee benefits kick in next month.
I also am now officially caught up on my bills and know what my monthly budget is… so I will be resuming my lessons with Largo in two weeks. I hope to get back to one lesson a week (when he's not off competing somewhere) and as many group classes as I can handle.
Also, my gym that is a two minute car ride from my home is now OPEN FOR BUSINESS and I plan on making myself a rather regular fixture there as well.
So…I've fallen down to the bottom of the mountain I had started to get really good at climbing… but I'm not gonna let it get me down anymore… I can't it's EXTREMELY counterproductive. I don't like being counterproductive.
Now…where's that pedometer??? *CrAsH!*…oh… there it is! J
