End o' Week Musings

It was an emotional week for me. McGinty's Gallery at the End of the World held its final show... and what a show it was!

Friday night I danced with my drummer Ric Sarabia on djembe and my friend Joe Velosa on dumbek. The gallery was packed so I couldn't even step off the stage and work my way through the crowd like I usually do. Still, people seemed to enjoy the show. Chico's Bail Bonds and The Subs also played and had the crowd dancing all night. But the art.. .ahhh that was the thing. There was such a nice variety of media and styles!

I simply had to return to the gallery on Saturday. Altadena was also holding a small business holiday event in the street and alley next door. The alley's hill was covered with snow and the kids were busy sledding down. I convinced my artist friends Annie and Kate to take a run and we got in line. I was surprised at how fast I flew on the sled! What fun!

Sunday I started my day at Howeeduzzit Gallery in Alhambra. I danced on an outside stage, backed by two drummers and a flute player. It was a different groove than my usual, but it worked. I danced for quite a long time and, just when I was getting tired, it started to rain so we had to stop. The audience was pleased though and had to talk with all of his as we huddled inside the gallery keeping dry.

I changed from my sparkly, jingly, dance outfit to warm sweatpants with my Emily the Strange sweatshirt and hopped in the car for the last bit of the last soiree at GATOW. When most of the visitors left, the artists and other gallery denizens gathered to share our thanks and thoughts on the closing of GATOW. It was hard to keep the tears back, but it also made me proud to learn how much my friend, gallery owner Ben McGinty, had meant to everyone and how many lives he had changed for the better just by being supportive and opening his venue to people who might not otherwise have an opportunity to show their art.

Last night I went to the Pasadena Playhouse to see Leslie Uggams "Uptown/Downtown." She was phenomenol! Leslie shared stories from her life in between songs that she had performed or been influenced by. She had so much energy and warmth.

Tonight I'll be dancing the blues... yeah, you read that right. I will be bringing my swords and veils to dance with the Bobby Bluehouse Band and Joe Walla. Here's the info:

8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10

Arcadia Blues Club

16 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia

$10 cover

http://www.arcadiabluesclub.com/

Come for the blues, stay for the swords! If you do come out to the show, please tell the doorman that you came to see Nocturra. I'm hoping that this leads to a regular gig for me.

Saturday I am joining Carin and Tom and their neice Megan for Esotouric's East Side Babylon bus tour. It's the last outing offered this year by Esotouric, but their popular tours on themes such as crime, architecture and literature and perhaps some new ones, will kick off in January. Check out http://www.esotouric.com/ and get out!

I won't be in the office Monday and Tuesday, as I have to use up some of my vacation time, but no fear, that only means more adventures to share.

In rotation this week: Julian Shaw-Taylor, Terrible Things, Seti-X and Bernie Pearl.

Photos we got 'em: A couple of cute pet pictures and one of me in my dance duds sitting in Dave Lovejoy's booth at McGinty's Gallery at the End of the World. He had gussied it up by adding cogs and gears to make it look like a giant clock ... or perhaps a secret time machine?? I dubbed his creation "A Clockwork Lovejoy." See more of his cool stuff at http://www.lovejoyart.com/

Thought o' the week: Get off the couch. The holiday season is upon us and it adds all kinds of stress- shopping, relatives, cooking, eating, an over-full calendar and so on. It makes most of us want to curl up on the couch in front of the television and let our mind go. It may feel comforting for a bit, but you'd do a lot better going for a walk.

A walk allows you to clear your mind and calm your body. Once you're relaxed, you're sure to see solutions to the stress, plus you'll work off some calories from those holiday goodies. Best of all, a walk is totally free and you can wander far or just trot around the block depending on your mood and how much time you have.

It's dark. It's cold. It's excuse here. My mom and I bundle up with a white colored sweatshirt on top and take our flashlights for our evening outings. If a walk just isn't doing it for you or you really, really can't miss what's on TV, consider one of my other tricks. I work out during commercials.

Keep handweights, a weight ball, a big ball, a balance board or any other equipment out on the floor by the couch so you can see it. When the commercial comes on, get up and exercise until the show comes back on. If you don't have equipment, then jog in place, do yoga, dance or anything else~ just move! It's kind of like interval training and it makes you feel good.

No matter how busy you are, make time in your life for the most important person in your world~ you! You can't help anyone else if you don't take care of yourself first. Now, stop reading my blog and go out for a walk.

Keep on rockin'

Mickie