DoSaDo in The Valley

Well The below mentioned MS dance situation is not resolved- I really cannot believe that there is not a hall till June or later- Y'know most areas pay hall rent-sigh...............anyway It's been a great holiday season- Good dances-Yay- Too many groups going dark (for no real good reason)-Sigh
A fabulous Potluck this evening where the A2 and the fledgling Plus group got to eat and dance together.
I promise I'll visit more often in 2010
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Rick

Update-Which doesn't always mean progress

Well, The below mentioned, hugely successful dance below may very likely die.
I cannot believe that some feel a round dance would onflict with a MS dance, I'm amazed that some will give up if the free hall is unavailable- Charge a bit more and rent a hall- There are few areas that have the free hall's we enjoy in the area- It's just a matter of time before we will have to pay- The bottom line is that it appears that August is the first chance that fits into no RD or other conflicts and there's a free hall..........................I wonder how many of the almost 7 squares of people that were at the first will have quit in frustration by then- sigh- I hope this area looks 110 miles north to see the future of this pattern-NOTHING is going on In the Fresno area
Happy Thanksgiving
Rick

MainStream Worked In central california

A GREAT Mainstream Event on Friday in Bakersfield, It was extremely well attended (in spite of so many folks at Indio) and only 2 folks left early (They had a really long drive)
This is proof that MS is not the horrible level that is perceived - A full MS event can be a blast, It's really up to who calls the dance and how the dance is publicised!!! We had No Rounds, No star Tips and it was held on a night that had no other dances (Fri)- The attendees were dancers from MOST Bakersfield Area Groups and they ranged from "scared to death" MS Dancers thru A2
Everybody had a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only concern I heard was "Why wait till February to do another"- That's a really good question
By the way If Rod Shuping Spends the night (He's on my couch now) and brings his 3 bird dogs- They will EAT your sprinklers- hehehe and true

Lynn's Cancer-Stuff

Hi all
Lynn's Breast cancer has been caught in time- The Lumpectomy got it all- Nothing in the "sentinel" Lymph Node-YAY
Sunday we had a fun A2 session- It was nice to see folks who haven't been in a while
The Bakersfield Class is moving along very well- Visalia is going slower. I hope to blog more now that things are settling down.
Rick

More Posts Soon

As many have asked "where's your blog"- Well it's back-sorta
After my computer crash-I've snoozed, and with the recent Cancer diagnosis for my lovely wife Lynn- I've been focusing on other stuff-
Anyway, You'll see the website is getting closer to current, The Class lists are up-There's a Lynn Medical update link- I PROMISE more opinionated commentary on square dancing soon- But with all's going on..........................I haven't seen any "too stupid" moves- I must look harder -HeHe
Thanks for your prayers and support
PS-Lee I UPDATED ::)

My computer died-website updates will be a while

Hi all
My computer has died 3x (due to a nasty "total security" virus spreader
So I cannot update info on my site- Only here- The First Danceshop will be 9/13 5:30-8pm at the Clovis senior center-Full Speed Festival practice- Open to all who can (and desire) to spend time and money getting ready for weekends
any questions email thru the website link (website works-I just cannot update it)
Rick

Fun Trip-New Grandpa

It was fun 2 days in the Bay Area-Tam Twirlers class and Sunnyvale Singles-I did have to sigh when they group announced a demo- with FOO FOO ATTIRE required- Sometimes y' just have to say no.
Oh Well
I'm a grandpa as of 9:11pm Friday Landon james 8lbs 9ozs 21" Mommy and Son are doing fine
Grandma Lynn-is sleeping off stress Hehehehe
Rick

Fun In Palmdale

It was a GREAT nite in Palmdale- A pile of visitors from the Hillbillies,Whirlaways,Mountain squares and Gandys- Lots of fun, an above average crowd and we learned-DONT TOSS 2 LITER ROOT BEER BOTTLES-THEY EXPLODE- I didn't do that-True, I watched and had to chuckle just a bit.- Sunday it's A2 in Clovis, then a normal Mon and Tues- Wed and Thurs finds me in the Bay area-I hope my kid doesn't have her kid while I'm away
Rick

A CRAZY Few Days

Let's see- A medical scare with my kid#1 and her Baby-ALLS WELL
A welcome "last minute" gig that will help Eric, and take care of a bit of the lost budgeted bucks
A dog who chews EVERYTHING
All In All I've enjoyed a couple of days off, but The Budget does not allow that luxury too often
Sat In palmdale, Sunday in Clovis,Monday and Tuesday Normal, Wed and Thurs in Nocal for eric
Full Time Caller=No sick leave, no paid vacations,work till y'die

Rick

Lousy Deal

So I've been calling the Palo Alto Ca. YMCA family camp for years, and I called to check in- Turns out the staff had changed and they booked out from under me. Now I do have a contract, and a years long relationship with the campers- But I'm out...............I could pursue legal but that would only create bad publicity so I'm screwed on this one. AGGHH
Rick

Fun day-Sad News

It has been a great few days- Visting TP's ,Hanging with the family,a little casino action , and a great A2 dance today- The sad new is we heard our buddy Don lost the battle today- Please keep Marcia in your prayers-sigh
Rick

A good tuesday-just need more folks-higher fee

It was a really good Tuesday- 100% of the folks were there to dance and 0% of the whiners
Now the dilemna for this group is how to afford rent (needed) me-or some other caller (needed it is a square dance club) and a cuer- for 5 round dancers-?? 1/6 of the attendance tonight but the SD was a lightly attended nite The RD was sadly typical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
300 bucks pays for all the above- 30 people tonite= 10 per person
I am really willing to give this group 1 more shot, I've said that before and I am frustrated will the lack of folks who view SD as the reason for us getting together...........having said that if most nights went as well as tonite did (dancers attending-socialites not) I'm willing to bend over backwards to make this work.................Tonite is a single nite and goodness knows I've been fooled before over the 10+ years I've called here.................BOTTOM LINE AGAIN........Let's Square Dance First- R/D if it's affordable and if the R/D folks stay and PAY for the SD
sigh
Rick

Great Monday

Wow , ever in the heat, we had an above average crowd- Worked a bit. played a bit
I always enjoy watching this group try to make 1 more square- I smile when I see folks practicing calls during breaks (Of course I help) and so much progress. This group travels enmasse to many events and has social events OUTSIDE of the workshop..................Now it's Tuesday.....................amazing how an hour drive can reach another planet.............I am now looking to change my 2010 schedule
sigh
Rick

Tuesdays

So I'm again an uncomfortable postion with a few in the Tuesday group...I'm a caller and some want a social director who can magically make these nice folks Plus dancers without any floor time/workshop effort??? I've noted the wierd mentality in the VASD area but I've just about have had enough................ah I feel better now, I'm sure not much will change but at least I'm (for now) still trying for the few who travel. go to dances, do well and have fun
Sigh

Heat-Rent and Thoughts

Very Hot today,yesterday, the day before ad naseum................Looking Forward to Monday- The Whirlaways have not lost their hall- Tuesday needs people and Wednesday did lose the hall but we'll be at Helens barn-whew...............The bottom line is that the Kern area s/d groups are feeling the "heat" from now having to pay for halls- $ 5 per nite is not going to work- $10 would easily, as is paid in the bay Area, My Clovis groups and many more- $20 per couple-Less than dennys afterward and will allow SD to continue- By the way all groups I know of that are at 9 or above have seen an increase in attendance
TaTa

Square Dance lessons

Ok I teach 3-4 lesson groups each season and the dilemna is what to do with 1) angels who have issues and 2) what about students who do not get it- I'm talking about forgeting circle left after a few months
In my Caller Run groups I can take care of these things BUT what do you do in Club run groups?? I have my answer waiting for your input- Again I'm still testing this new blog service
By the way- baby possums are mean- I learned that tonight at 12:40am- with my spriklers on
TaTa

Can you Read this?

OK I've got a link but can you read it, If so I'll blog here but I don't wish to have you have to sign up for something- So The Journey continues
TaTa

Cant Figure out to link

So what good id this blog if I can't link to it for you to view
OFW
Rick

Try it again-New Blog host

Well I hope that this blog host wont go away like yahoo.360 did