Blogging again...

...but not here.

New food blog: Trouble With Toast

Enjoy!

Fare thee well.

During a delightful dinner with two of my favorite DC damsels, the subject of blogging (not surprisingly) came up. In response to my lamenting about having nothing to write about, one of my gal pals said, wisely, something to the effect of “I can’t force myself to write. I have to be inspired. It has to just hit me.”

I remember when blogging was like that for me. I would see something, hear something, read something—and a post would begin rumbling around in my head. More often than not, that spark of an idea turned into a piece of writing of which I was proud (some more than others, of course). Occasionally, those pieces entertained and provoked others, igniting debates and kindling friendships.

Lately, though, nothing has made that light bulb above my head start burning bright with creativity. There are many things going on in my life, but none of them move me to write. And if I don’t have any desire to write about something, I can guarantee that folks out there in the blogosphere—myself included—won’t want to read it. My passion for “Drawn to the Rhythm” has waned, and I feel guilty every time I visit the site and the date of my last quality post is farther and farther in the past.

Therefore, I have decided to put an end to this blog, in an attempt to exit gracefully and with some artistic dignity in tact. It was not an easy decision—this little site has meant more to me and done more for me than most of you will ever know. It helped me through many a heartbreak, introduced me to some of my most treasured friends, and challenged me in ways I never could have imagined.

I could take a hiatus, but that would merely be delaying the inevitable—and I have more respect for this blog and its role in my life than that. I must recognize that this relationship is over without denying its past importance. I must recognize that every exit provides a subsequent entry, and that, as my favorite poet (T.S. Eliot) wrote, “The end is where we start from.”

I suppose all of this is a bit melodramatic, but after two and a half years, dozens of happy hours, a few heated controversies, and countless laughs, I couldn’t just shut down the site without a teensy bit of explanation. So, there it is—thanks for everything, and I’ll see ya on the flip side.*




* My only remaining writing-related passion centers around food, so I hope to christen a new blog with that theme in mind. To be continued…

Breakthrough.

I did something today that I never thought I would do. It forced me to leave my comfort zone, it stretched my abilities to their limits, it required significant patience and concentration, and it had the possibility of causing me great humiliation.

I used a sewing machine.

It may not sound like a monumental accomplishment, but anyone who knows me understands what a huge deal it was. And I didn't completely fuck it up!

Just thought everyone should know. Move along, nothing to see here.

Guilty.

Pleasures, that is. We all have them--the shameful things that bring us joy, but only if we can keep them a secret from those we respect. But what really makes these indulgences so heinous and humiliating? Guilty pleasures are not inherently bad. What makes them so seemingly wicked is the fact that someone else might judge us for our choices.

Judgment is a funny thing. We all judge others, whether we're honest about it or not. We're human beings, we're fallible, and we like to put things into nice, neat little compartments (so our brains can handle the vast amounts of information we receive every day). So how do we function without constantly fearing the judging finger of another, pointed in our direction?

We find comfort in those whose weirdness surpasses our own.

So, in the spirit of helping my readers, I present to you my current compilation of guilty pleasures...I hope this list makes you feel better about yours.

* McDonald's--Yes, I know I'm supposed to be a foodie, and I'm supposed to cook Julia Child-esque meals and dine only on foie gras and truffles. But come on, I work for the government. And dammit if those McNuggets don't have crack in them!

* "One Tree Hill" reruns on the Soap Network--I just can't help myself! All of the characters are so pretty, and the gals are all sassy and sexy, and the guys all spew romantic drivel whilst staring at their loves with deep, expressive eyes.

* 80s music--They were a long time ago, but I refuse to acknowledge that the 1980s are over. Between "Endless Love," "Maneater," and "Call Me," it's a wonder I have any new-ish music on my iPod at all.

* "Bring It On"--I own it on DVD, and I find a way to watch it every time it's broadcast on ABC Family. I think my adoration for this movie stems from my desire to be a cheerleader, a dance troupe girl, or even a flag corps member in high school. I did none of those things, though. I was a chorus and theater nerd, so the football field was off limits for me. Sigh. I did get to sing the National Anthem from the press box, though.

I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg. But I hope it sends you into your weekend feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. If nothing else, this post got me--in a VERY rough and ugly sense--back into the blogging game. Whew!

Committed.

It's official--I have registered for the 2008 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Washington, DC. Want to join me? Shoot me an e-mail! It's an amazing experience that you won't soon forget.

For those of you who'd rather put your money where your feet are, feel free to donate! My fundraising page is here, though I haven't really had time to personalize it yet. To be continued.

I've been crazy busy with work and rehearsals, but I have so much to say. I hope to get some writing done soon...I've been neglectful of the ol' blog (and its four whole readers), but I'm definitely not throwing in the proverbial towel.

So, I'm reaffirming my commitment to fighting breast cancer and to blogging. Seemingly unrelated, but in my funny little brain, it makes perfect sense.

Thursday is the new Friday.

It's been a long week already--not only did I have an upsetting semi-tiff with my boss at work, but I had two dance rehearsals in a row and our director decided to treat us to "trenches" (dance steps consisting of slides back, alternating from one foot to the other, and swinging the arms 180 degrees in a windmill fashion--VERY tough on the quads). Don't get me wrong, I patched things up at the office, and the choreography looks incredibly cool, but I am plumb tuckered out.

No matter--I am taking the day off tomorrow and flying to the Volunteer State for a little bit of R&R, reminiscing, and rowdiness. To wit, THIS is where I will be sitting (with my hunny, of course) at 3:30 PM on Saturday:



Yeah, buddy! Nothing like some SEC-on-SEC action to really rev up the weekend, especially with seats right on the 50-yard line of Neyland Stadium. Add some tailgating, dinner with a beloved professor, reuniting with long lost friends, and honky-tonking in Music City USA (the second half of the trip will be spent in Nashvegas), and we've got ourselves one helluva vacation. Woo hoo!

Enjoy the long weekend, folks!

In honor of October

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many of us in the blogosphere have been touched by this terrible disease, and it is crucial that we do everything in our power to improve access to quality care and to strive for a cure.

Last year, I participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer here in Washington, DC. The Avon Walk is a marathon and a half walk spread out over a Saturday and Sunday. You can walk as far as you choose, but if you walk the entire distance, you will travel almost 40 miles total throughout the weekend. Walking doesn't sound very challenging--we walk every day, and it's no big thing--but trust me when I tell you that it IS a big thing and it IS very challenging! However, with proper training and a little can-do attitude, I was able to finish the entire distance (and it was an incredible feeling of accomplishment).

In order to participate as a walker, each person commits to raising a minimum of $1,800 towards the fight against breast cancer. It sounds like an insurmountable feat to raise that much cash--but you'll be surprised how easy it is. Not only will you have the help of an Avon Walk staffer, but you'll also notice that your family and friends are eager to help you reach this impressive goal. After all, there's no one out there who DOESN'T want a cure for breast cancer! I ended up raising over $2,200, and all I did was send a bunch of e-mails. Piece of cake!

The most important thing to note about the Avon Walk is how you'll feel while you're participating. The people you meet along the way--staffers, crew members, fellow walkers, survivors, and community members cheering you on along the route--are the most kind, generous, and wonderful people you will ever encounter. I've been participating in cancer fundraisers since my own diagnosis in 1999, and very few are as life-changing as this one. There's truly nothing like it.

On this October 1, I pose a challenge to my friends out there in DC Blog-land: sign up for the Avon Walk with me! It's May 3-4, 2008, so you have plenty of time to train and fundraise. I will be signing up regardless, but this year I'd really like to experience this event with others.

Feel free to e-mail me with any questions--and if you cannot join me, I hope you'll consider donating to the cause through my personal page, which will (hopefully) be up sometime this week. Thanks for your support!

Uh...what now?

It's 8:30 AM. I've already worked out, showered and dressed, watched the news, dried my hair, put on full make-up, fed the cat, packed up my lunch, gotten a smoothie, and arrived at the office.

Does that mean the day can only go downhill from here?

Here's to maintaining my morning productivity...