Suzanne's 2017 "Me" challenge

[Cherie]

What Janice said!!! I used to tease my grandson about dancing. He told me once, when he was little, that he wanted to do that "Russian dance". I told him I would sign him up for dance lessons, but he would not do it. :)

[Suzanne]

Thanks Cherie and Janice. I'm very proud of him. He decided early on that he wanted to be a professional ballet dancer and left home at 14 to attend a pre-professional boarding school for ballet. He's 17 now, and lives in an apartment in Tampa with another dancer. It's still the training stage, but hopefully in the next two years he'll receive his first professional contract.

[Janice, Moderator]

That is very exciting. He sounds like he's very determined which will take him far.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 4/12 The Master's Muse by Varley O’Conner. The question (#9) What is your relationship status? I am married. The book is a novel about Tanaquil "Tanny" LeClerc, who was George Balanchine’s 5th wife. It's hard to look at George Balanchine, who discovered his dancers before puberty, groomed them and then when they were 18, pursued them romantically, and not think of sexual impropriety. Today he'd have several sexual harassment lawsuits on his hands. Still, it was an enjoyable book. It reminded me of The Paris Wife.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 5/12 Raising the Barre: Big Dreams, False Starts, & My Midlife Quest to Dance The Nutcracker by Lauren Kessler. The question (#8) What is your favorite holiday? Definitely Christmas. I love all the lights, decorations, snow, cookies, and family get-togethers. And I love Christmas music!!! This book is a non-fiction account of the author's attempt to get in shape and join a real ballet company so that she can dance in their touring production of the Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is all about Christmas, so I thought it would be an ideal book for this part of the challenge. It was also a wonderful book, by the way!

[Cherie]

I had a young woman friend who decided to take up ballet again as an adult. She had studied as a child and decided that she wanted to do it again when she was in college. She had come to work at my company on a one year internship, when I knew her. She was 5'9" and wore size 11 women's shoes. She had to special, special order her ballet slippers. She also was one of the first adults that I ever knew to get braces. It was her 2nd time. She worked so hard at her dancing! She was so outgoing and bubbly. Her name was Deanna.

[Suzanne]

That's a great story, Cherie. Reading this book almost makes me want to take classes again (I took them as a child), but I'm afraid of the major eye rolling I'd receive from my 17 year old son (who dances) if I even mentioned it.

[Cherie]

LOL! I do not know if I would have the courage, but if it were really in your heart to try, I think he would understand. Most of my friends and co-workers were shocked when I told them I had taken up Taekwondo at the age of 50+. It was really hard work, but I got my 1st Degree Black Belt.

[Suzanne]

That's awesome Cherie! I'm in awe of anyone in my age group (over 50) who takes on a big physical challenge like that. My son was invited to a Taekwondo class (friend's day), and I was impressed with how hard they worked. Do you still take the classes?

[Cherie]

No, I do not go any longer. All of the people that I had taken classes with and family that I was active with have all dropped out. The structure of the classes after you get your first degree belt are all changed too, and there is a lot more expectations that you will go to tournaments and teach and continually help out in the dojang. I did not want to be a teacher, and after almost 6 years, I was tired of going to tournaments, not to compete, but to help out and referee. I loved the atmosphere and the people I had met along the way, but I was not willing to make a life long commitment.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 6/12 - Pompeii by Robert Harris. The question (#22) is have you been in an accident? No, nothing serious. This is a novel about the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii. Very thrilling, and quite a few bad accidents happen in this book.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 7/12 - Batboy: My True Life Adventures Coming of Age With The New York Yankees by Matthew McGough. The question (#18) what is your favorite season? Mine is spring. I love the warmer weather and the flowers coming up and blooming. A major part of this book takes place in the spring, when the New York Yankees kickoff their season.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 8/12 - The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe. The question (#10) - Are you right or left handed? I'm right handed.
The book has “right” in the title. What a terrific novel! It's interesting and funny and Wolfe is an amazing author!

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 9/12 - The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander. The question (#14) - What is something you use daily? I use my kitchen daily. Book has "kitchen" in the title. This was a nice work of historical fiction about the last days of the Romanov family.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 10/12 - The Color Of Lightning by Paulette Jiles. The question (#39) – What is your birthstone? Opal. The cover is the color of the blue opals of Australia. I really loved this book! It is based on a true story of a freed black man who rescues his family after a Comanche attack in 1860's North Texas.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 11/12 - Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered. The question (#30) - Have you been to Europe? Where? Florence, Italy.
This book is about the real Mona Lisa and is set in Florence, Italy.

[Suzanne]

Part 2, 12/12 - The Ice Queen. The question (#6) - What is your shoe size? 6. This has been sitting on my shelf for a long time. It was randomly chosen out of six books.

[Cherie]

Congratulations on finishing up Part 2, Suzanne!

[Suzanne]

Cherie wrote: "Congratulations on finishing up Part 2, Suzanne!"
Thanks Cherie!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Grats!

[Suzanne]

Rusalka wrote: "Grats!"
Thanks, Rusalka!