No Gaskells for me

About a week ago I tweaked my shoulder, I don't know how. It's been getting steadily better, and it's almost back to normal, but I don't think I want to try and maintain frame on it all evening. Sadly, that means I'm skipping Gaskells.

*sigh* I'm really not getting enough dancing in these days. I'm jealous of miss_emelia, who seems to be dancing every other day (and about 5 times this weekend).

Oh, and speaking of dancing, our annual tradition of dancing to Tempest in Mitchell Park is coming up soon. Here are the details:

It's that time again - time for the annual Tempest concert at the
Mitchell Park Bowl. This is a lovely picnic and dancing opportunity
for free. The show starts at 6pm. Dancing starts whenever we get
enough bodies there. It's usually warm, but not hot, and well shaded
with lots of trees. Bring a picnic blanket and some shoes that will
handle dancing on the concrete.

Date: June 20th, 2006, 6pm
Location: Mitchell Park Bowl - 600 East Meadow Dr., Palo Alto, CA
Dancing: Yes!

Of nephews and traffic

I hadn't had a chance to give y'all a wrap-up on my trip to DC. In general, capricious_k and I had a wonderful long weekend with both our families, filled with ceremonies, big wigs, picnics, boat rides, and DC metro traffic. Yes, traffic -- because it turns out that every Memorial Day about a gazillion Harley riders decend on the city to honor Viet Nam vets, and clog up all the freeways beyond belief.

I didn't mind, however, that it took us over an hour to circle around the city center. I spent the entire time in the back seat of my brother's car getting to know my nephew Kylan better. Isn't he cute?




Since he's only three months, he doesn't do much other that look around in wonder at the world, grip any pinky finger that's offered to him, and sleep. That was plenty for me this time, but I'll look forward to more in-depth interactions with him over the next several decades.

Pants Off Dance Off

My TiVo is, like all TiVo's, a smart box. It's been well trained to record all of the scifi shows, fantasy movies, police dramas, news programs, and documentaries that by torvo and I could ever want, and it usually gets it right. There's got to be something about the TiVo algorithm, however, that occasionally throws in some random show just in case you'll like it. Today I discovered Pants Off Dance Off in my TiVo suggestions. Will the wonder that is American cable TV never cease?

This is a very low budget program, probably out of NYC. On this show, a half-dozen people dance in front of a blue screen while their favorite music video plays behind them. While they dance, they strip naked (although the fun bits are censored at the last moment). The audience can vote for their favorite on the show's website. It's important to note that these people aren't picked to be on the show based on their dance ability, or their attractiveness. Anybody can be on this show. It can be... painful.

The show's own website proudly proclaims "...it's been called the dumbest show on TV by no less an authority than TV guide." I won't argue that statement at all. Sadly, like many forms of televised entertainment, there's something hypnotically addictive about it. As in, "Help me! That last girl was really really hot, but I can't stop watching this ugly fat guy shake his hairy gut at me! AIEEEEEEEEEE!!

Don't believe me? Check out some videos of some dancers from the official site. Or you can read the Wikipedia article.