Dancing on a Swing

A year ago, well, actually, a bit more than a year ago, I wasn't in the greatest mindsets... ever. Without the details, and the plethora of personal information being spread out on the table, I'll just say that last year was a year of massive mistakes, and massive growth. During that time I had decided I wouldn't do a particular hobby anymore, but it held too much pain for me.

What's amazing to me is how certain events can shape a persons core. Typically, I've always believed that a person's core can't be changed. The person they are is in a solid shape at that point. Instead of changing, it morphs. I imagine this small golden ball, that slowly has pieces of tape, fabric, and foil, that all stick (like a magnet) to the ball and add layers to it. Each layer being a new level of personal growth, and achievement. Everything that a person has experienced is there; life, death, love, loss, win, lose, mistake and failure, and accomplishments and goals.

When an event comes around, you don't realize kind of impact it's going to have on you. How it might change you, or form you, or what the outcome could be. It could be nothing, it could be massive. Who knows? It's the risk of living life.
I had come to a point in my life where I was no longer going to swing dance. Yes, if I haven't mentioned before on this blog, I swing dance. I lindy hop. I am, what some call, a Lindy Hopper. I actually do kinda lindy when I hop, and I for sure like to swing out on my dancing. It wasn't so much a sad moment, it was just... a moment. Sure I enjoyed it, I made some good friends who I would be able to keep seeing outside of the "scene" and "venues" that I had frequented. But for multiple reasons, I had made the choice to stop.

Now at this point, I always like to put a disclaimer here before going on, simply saying that "MY" personal beliefs and faith reside in the Christian beliefs. I am, and will always be, strongly religious on this front. This doesn't mean, by any way shape or form, that I'm going to judge you, or hate you, or dislike you, because you disagree with my beliefs. Actually, far from it. I embrace all those that differ from me, I like to know and learn and... well... heck, who am I to judge? Right? Believe whatever you want to believe. I got my reasons, you got yours. It's cool man. So, with that said, I'll continue on.

Apparently, God wasn't done with me here. Through some random turn of events, I had been invited to help out with a documentary that would be filming at a major swing dancing event in Los Angeles, called "Camp Hollywood". It lasts for about 4 days, contains some of the most incredible dancers from around the world. Again, keep in mind, that I wasn't planning on doing any dancing. BUT, since I had been out of work for... oh... I don't know... 2 years?? I thought, "Hey, this'll look great on a resume". So, with the invite being on the table, and going to this event for free, I said "Sign me up!".

Just prior to hearing about this, another option came across to me, to help behind the counter at a local dance venue, where I would get free dancing. Again, I thought, "I'm not dancing, but that'll look great on a resume"... "SIGN ME UP!".

So with my resume starting to look better, I thought life was actually starting to turn around. Little did I know what would be in store for me.

The event in Los Angeles, not only took me by surprise, but twisted my core in a 180. Let's see if I can paint this picture for you. I'm standing in the "Camera Box". Not many people could stand in there as it was very limited to, well, professionals. Here I was with a borrowed camera, getting ready to film some Amateur Dance competition, and some Professional Dance competition. Oh, and let's not leave out the Team Performances, and some of the Showcases (a couple showing off a personalized routine). All of these individuals are there because of their passion and drive for something that speaks directly to their heart and soul. I have to admire that. Everyone has something, and for these individuals, it's Swing Dancing.
So here I am, standing directly behind the judges, filming and watching, and feeling this weird sensation in my chest. I'm in awe. I'm locked in place and watching Amateur swing dancing. But, let me explain something here. These are no amateurs. These people can dance. I mean, really, dance.
The live big band performance is underway behind them and everyone is just going to their choreography that is being played inside them. One after another, regular, everyday people, are stepping up their game, and their skills to the wondrous melodies all because of their love for it. It. It... everything. Everything that would encompass this venue; the music, the steps, the moves, the rhythm,  the people, the energy, the smiles, the laughter, the cheering, the clapping. All of IT.
So, what was this twist to my core? Inspiration. The realization that I could do that. Not only could I do that, but I now had resources at my finger tips allowing me to finally break past my own skill barriers and move forward on my quest to get better. I no longer wanted to stop. I no longer felt like I couldn't. I was anxious, excited, and most of all, inspired.

Hard to believe a year had past. Did I continue on my quest? I did. Even after severely spraining my ankle, I still held on to my goal and accomplished it; just compete in one competition. Of course I wanted to win, but realistically speaking, being out of the game for about 14 weeks doesn't help ones ability or skill level improve at all. And quite honestly, I really just wanted to get on the dance floor and see and feel what it was all about.  And let me say, it's pretty nerve racking. Massive high fives to everyone who does it regularly. I definitely can see the enjoyment in it, once the anxiousness wears off.

But what's most important is this: I still had fun.

I still would like to improve on my skills, possibly make finals. A lot has changed, that's for sure. So here's to another year.

Congrats to all my dear friends who competed, got into finals, placed, and/or won. You're all an inspiration to me. Keep going, don't stop... "get it get it"... ya, I couldn't help that last part.

Nerdism

I'm a nerd. I'm a dork. I'm an intelligent individual who knows lots of "fun facts" about specific "Nerdism" categories. I know comic books. I know video games. I know movies. I've seen star wars and star trek, but I don't know that much about the world of "sci-fi". I'm not a huge MMORPG player, and if you don't know what that is, don't bother looking it up, you'll just continue to fall deeper into a horrible rabbit hole. I don't play "magic: the gathering" or whatever card game (if you can call it that) nerds are playing now. I've worked in the game industry, I collect comics; including, but not limited to, Japanese comics... aka, Manga. I also watch Japanese Animation, aka Anime. I'm a fan of cartoons and most animation in general.

Now that I've established exactly how incredible my "Nerdism" is, let me continue on to my main point. I've been to Comic-Con in San Diego, more times that I'd like to admit. Every year, up until a few years ago, the amount of disturbing looking people was something of a "car wreck". You know what I'm talking about, you can't help but look and stare, although you know you shouldn't? Simpsons got it right with the fat comic book store owner.
Let me clarify something before I go on. I'm not a self-loathing nerd. I appreciate my roots in that culture, and I'm pretty proud of it. BUT, I will not start talking about the ins and outs of the current Batman comic, or the direction a Video Game company has taken with total strangers, or for that matter with people who don't entirely care. At least I try not to. I do a fairly good job at least, I think.
I try and be understanding of most everyone's hobbies and skills and interests and not judge. But for some reason, nerds irritate me. The over the top super nerd drives me up the wall. Add to that my nausea for idiots, well, we have our self a right good time then!

I still haven't gotten to my point, but I felt it was important to explain all of that before proceeding to it.

Like I've said, I've been to Comic-Con. The people there are weird, and different. But since Hollywood took over, it'ts become more of a public any person kind of event, without the over excess of real nerds. Twilight fans are NOT nerds. They are horrible individuals who are funding the idiocy of my culture. Morons.

I digress. I went to the Anime-Expo yesterday (Japanese Animation and Comics). It was great. There was one solid, huge difference between this convention and the comic convention in San Diego. Not just the subject matter. It's the fans. There was only ONE, ONE!!! person who smelled horrible. Wait, wait... look... I don't go around smelling people, that's weird and creepy. No. But when you are in an exhibit hall where the room between the booths is way to close for comfort, well, you smell people.

Early this year I went to the Long Beach Comic-con. It's a fairly small event, with hardly any vendors and room, but there was a decent turn out. First thing I noticed of course upon walking into the convention hall? The smell of nervousness and failure. It was horrible to my senses. I think if Old Spice, or Axe, had set up a booth, they could have made a KILLING! Seriously, how are they still living at home with their parents not aware of their stench??
The Anime nerds had none of this. In fact, like I said, only one person the entire time burned my nose hairs with their foul odor.
The other amazing thing was the amount of costumes, dress-up, or as it is more commonly referred to as, Cos-Play. The amount of work these people put into their costumes, is nothing short of amazing. I was impressed with the delicate work they did on their makeup, their high tech gloves, the use of neon lights, hair, ect ect. It was quite amazing. For all of this, I can appreciate the Anime-Nerds more than the comic-book nerds.
Unfortunately, the one thing that seems to be inescapable, are the idiots. I swear I almost smacked this guy's phone out of his hand and punched in noise hole. He spent about 15 minutes explaining how to find him at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't, at any point, say that he was standing next to the base of the 'up escalator'. So when his friend finally showed up, he chewed him out, the other guy shrugged like it wasn't his fault and his directions were solid. Idiot. I know it shouldn't bother me so much, but basic common instincts, to me, should dictate how to describe your current location using some important noticeable landmarks.

Idiots annoy me. Super-nerds annoy me. And uni-brows. If you have a uni-brow... sigh... don't get me started.

All in all, yesterday was awesome. I'm just saying, Anime nerds are better than Comic book nerds.