SquidRoad

Echa pa' lante: How not to join a conga line

How does that toddler underwear TV spot go--I'm a big kid now" or something like that? Yeah, that's me.

I'm embarrassed to admit I finally attended (strictly as a guest anyway) my first fund raiser recently, for a local Hispanic nonprofit agency. I won't lie though: I was in it 150% for the extracurricular activities. When I first promised a friend I'd go and do my part for a good cause, let's face it--that cause was the live band--a conjunto in Latin terms.

And let me tell you, this gig was most definitely on Latin terms. Hallelujah! Let the fiesta begin.

The week before the event, I asked my friend who the band was.
---Ahh, sabes qué, Nydia, we couldn't get the band after all. We could only get a DJ.

Whaaat? What did she mean they could only get a DJ? Didn't they realize I was rounding up troops for a friendly shimmy-shimmy showdown? What was I going to tell my invited guests?

It's a good thing most of them didn't show. They'd only have gotten my rebellious side.

It's like this. I've never been a stellar conformist. Probably because I've always been the 'different' one:
- The one with dark hair (in the more or less pre-Hispanic Midwest)
- The minister's kid ('priest's kid' when we moved to South Texas...I'll never get that one)
- The one who was a little too 'white' for some friends, and a bit too Hispanic for others (Oreo syndrome, whatever--it's No Man's Land)

That night at the fund raiser, my nonconformist took over.

It was a great event--packed agenda, for sure. Cultural dances, exquisite Latin cuisine, fashion show, more dance exhibitions, auctions silent and not so silent.

And then finally, 10pm struck. The fashion show runway got rolled up. Podiums stashed away. Brooms came out to get the grit off the quasi-parquet surface that was about to let me be me. The parranda got going just moments before my friend and I were about to exit the scene for a more vigorous Plan B.

As often is the case, an oldie but goodie known to salsa dancers everywhere built up slowly over the speakers. (Good sound! Sweet.) It was Grupo Niche's Una Aventura. (Think: "More cowbell.")

It wasn't long before we were rumba-ing to loads of classics, one right after the other. Great stuff from a DJ who knew his crowd of music-hungry Latins.

That's when I got swept up in a conga line.

I don't DO conga lines.

--Vamos! Come on--jump in! they kept yelling to me and my friend. And they would. Not. Give. Up.

My brain told me to run, but I couldn't do that--it would be rude. So I did the next rudest thing. Reluctantly, I joined the line (God help me), took it a few wild directions...and then bailed in a personal detour. But not before I took half the bunch with me, leaving the tail-end of the rumberos feeling a bit decapitated.

I caught a few sneers at first. (That'll show 'em not to recruit a rebel next time.) Lucky for me, I made some friends anyway that night, and we're already making plans for our next fiesta Latina.

Do as I say, not as I do: If you ever have to join a conga line, make sure you really mean it.

Finding great Latin music

If you want the most authentic Latin music, Descarga.com is the place to go. Music reviews are thorough and show the depth of knowledge of veteran reviewers like Bruce Polin and Peter Watrous. These folks know their stuff about Latin music and its roots.

Of course, I use that info to shop the iTunes store and download my music there. Sorry, Descarga. :(

Here's one example of a great body of work: Rústico by Pedro Luis Ferrer. This Cuban artist has no doubt encountered trouble with Fidel because of his lyrics, but the arrangements and vocals are absolutely gorgeous*. Clean, slimple and clever. This album has been quite instrumental (no pun there) this week in lowering my blood pressure.

As my old friend Bruce Garrison used to say, "All good music is from God." Amen, brother!

*Notice the Carole King-like female vocals in places on this album. Nice stuff.

DWS #4: Look ma, all hands!

That Lisa Rinna chick is smart to have her hubby and kids around, because her partner is all hands and fingers. The kind of partner no girl wants. Girls: he's the boy your mom warned you about (and that's BAD, BAD--not good, BAD.)

But tonight, I gotta admit: Lisa nailed it. Quick moves, great head-snaps. I guess she was a "good bull" (they did the paso doble tonight, the 'dance' between a matador and the bull).

Hmmm...watch her go.

DWS#3: Beyond halftime

<<<  How long are this girls' legs???

Holy cow...one thing's for sure: they're longer than I am tall. Which, I'm sure could still add up to a squatty body, but look at THIS!

DWS #2: P's not making friends

Do you think contestants get more $$ with every new stage they reach? That goes to a charity of their choice?

P's said time and time again he's doing this competition for the folks in New Orleans, the survivors of Katrina.

I'm guessing the show managers are going to revamp the scoring system for next season, yah? Else torture the viewers, and a-clickin' they will go.

Live blogging Dancing with the Stars

Some watch Survivor, I watch Dancing with the Stars.
Some folks blog football. I blog chick shows. So here goes.

I'm really hoping Master P goes home tonight. Nice guy, but not ballroom material.

Heck, neither am I. But it's time, folks. It's time...

In the mood for Christmas?

Okay, so I'm not really in the mood...yet.

But we've gotta wake up, folks--Christmas is less than 6 weeks away. If you can't get your head around the holidays yet, this little ditty might help. Sing along if you like.

I know it brought great joy--or something--to us. Just thought I'd share it. Ahh, my first gift for the season.

p.s..: If you find this offensive...there's gotta be a Sense of Humor sale somewhere near you. ;)

I'm so far behind, I think I'm in first

If I've used this title before, it's probably because I've felt this way before. You?

I was in the mist of a guilt trip last night regarding whether I'd accomplished anything lately. So I decided to take stock. It'll be mostly work stuff because frankly, all I've done the last several weeks is work.

-Coordinated one conference, hosting 20 internationals
-Survived an office reconfiguration (and got a bigger office in the process :> )
-Conducted 5 phone interviews to assist two international offices to hire staff for our team
-Gave my first board presentation
-Attended another global conference; gave a couple of presentations as part of training
-Gave an orientation to new managers
-Modified a job description for my replacement; I'm now in the process of gathering resumes
-Drafted my first budget proposal (for international staff; haven't started budgeting for the US office...that's next)
-Took care of the neighbors' guinea pig, Herby; the tadpole, Lydia; a bunch of guppies and a beta fish--all while our neighbor friends were out of town
-Tried to maintain our heirloom tomato crop while Mikey was out of town

Hmmm...still to do:
-Interview candidates from one more country for a field staff position
-Interview internal candidates for my replacement
-Draft outsourcing guidelines
-Build supporting documentation for my budget initiatives
-Take a planning day (this Thur....yay!)
-Take a public speaking training (Jan 06)--this one should be fun, and hopefully I'll get over my fear...finally!
-Rewrite our team's manual (blech!)
-Ensure two new--no, three--field staff are trained once they're hired
-Network, network, network to learn, learn, learn

It's all good. And it might better with this: Charlie Peacock, one of my favorite artists (he's a Christian), has just cut an album--first in nearly 20 years, I think. Very interesting first attempt at blending acoustic jazz and electronica--I think I like it.

Do the famous really die in threes?

An odd weekend in terms of deaths of famous people.

Between just the passing of Buena Vista Social Club's Ibrahim Ferrer and Peter Jennings, 22-year anchorman for ABC News, the end of an era has passed.

Well, maybe two eras--the end of an era of genuine, earthy music from the people. This is what Ferrer was known for, even though his music wasn't heard for many years when Ry Cooder rediscovered him shining shoes in Havana. Cooder was looking for a way to bring back to the U.S. a Cuban sound, and the rest is history.

With Jennings, who would regularly tick me off with some of his so-biased reporting, he rounded out the Big Three with his departure from anchoring four months ago, just after Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw called it quits. A suave man with big ideas and that ever-present big ring on his pinkie, his presence on-camera was huge. Not too hard on the eyes, either.

Anyway, both of those are big losses to the contemporary world of media and music, and I'll genuinely miss both of these legacies.

n.b. There *was* another death of a famous person, but I can't remember who it is nor did I recognized the name. Bad me.

Wiped out and in the mood for music

I'm in a music mood tonight.

Tired from a heckuva work week. I think there should be a rule that no more than 50% of one's schedule can be meetings. Not that I had that many meetings this week, butt some weeks are like that. And I expect it might get worse.

Anyway, also played an hour of volleyball last night before hitting the tennis court for an hour or so. Then we had this sort of corporate volleyball tournament today during our lunch (two) hours, so I played another hour or so. Which leaves me inarguably pooped.

So I turned on the TV, watched a little news, then started scanning for something fairly mindless to watch while I wait for Mikey to come home from his fishing trip (at least, I think that's where he is...who knows? He can be a slippery little sucker sometimes).

When you have DirecTV, you can record pretty much anything you want, and every weekend the DirecTV network features something called a FreeView concert.

Tonight is my lucky night. Two of my favorite artists--Wynonna Judd (man, that woman can sing!) and Bruce Hornsby--are featured on FreeView.

Hornsby is a helluva pianist. I knew that, but I didn't know he was so well versed in jazz. But he's so innovative on the set of a show. Incredibly spontaneous when he performs, and equally adept at directing his band. Didn't realize that his storytelling style of song comes from having grown up in Virginia. I'm mesmerized just watching him and his band.

Good stuff. And I'm thinking that this means sushi for dinner. But I'm thinking I might be too lazy to drive out and get it. Maybe it's a Nyd's-night-out. Then again, maybe it's time for eggs, toast and bacon...and bedtime.