A Dudek Family Christmas!

So there are some Christmas traditions that always happen for the Dudek family - all of which I'm appreciating so much more this year since they were missed last year. (We had a last minute Christmas in the SLC condo/University of Utah Hospital.) I like to think of myself (and my family) as being pretty eco friendly peeps... but there are 2 traditions my mother refuses to give up.

1- Refusal to use LED lights... they seem too cold. My mom thinks they look more blue than white and therefore do not convey the appropriate feeling of a warm, candle- lit Christmas... therefore they are not used on the Dudek house.

And 2- the yearly purchase of a real tree. That's right, none of that plastic mess for the Dudeks! I think a large part of the reason we insist on this tradition (mom especially) is because we have so much fun going to pick it out. We all must go together, and stage a tree-hugging photo shoot. Because all four of us must be present, that means we are usually getting our tree very last minute. Only after finals are over and my dad and I come rolling back into town do we venture to the tree shop. Classic moment of today... the tree man says that trees are %30 off.... Dad then says, "and by 30%, you really mean 50%, right?" Yes... my father is an expert in tree bargaining.

A third Christmas tradition... Many of my years growing up I spent at least a good solid day at my dance studio learning a competition routine from one of my favorite teachers- Sarah Mizushima - only in town from Southern California for Christmas. Tonight, my sis and I went to a class taught by Sarah... such a blast! Spending my Christmas break dancing her movement just felt right (we even did our develope combination to the song we performed her choreography to when I was in 8th grade... and I felt very old!).

And tomorrow to continue in the true Dudek Christmas tradition, I will begin my Christmas shopping- yes I am well aware I only have 3 days to complete it, but this is my method of crowd avoidance... no one else waits this long to do their shopping...

YAY CHRISTMAS!

Some Wisdom from Maya

My mom was in town for my birthday this week. So nice to have her around, even though a lot of our time was spent with her knitting (jealous) and me studying (ick). She and I have been determined to experience the world through art (fiber art most specifically) and reading this year. She gave me a positively splendid book for a birthday gift called Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou.

This is the second book of Maya's that I have read... the first being All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes, which interested me because it was while she lived in Ghana. In actuality, Maya and I have a lot in common. Of course, I'm not a black American, but I am a dancer, a people lover, and a fan of Ghana... just like her. Maya's quotes have inspired me (scroll to the bottom of my blog for my favorite Maya Angelou quote!). I have been lucky enough to find even more inspiration in my latest read.

I know, I know... it's finals week, but this is the perfect book to be reading while studying. Each little chapter is separate from the last and only a page or two long making it the perfect thing to pick up real fast before bed, when needing a study break, or waiting for a ride... love it.

So here is some wisdom I have gained from Maya this week...

In her introduction... " You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution. Never whine. Whining lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood. (Please pretend I never wrote a blog solely devoted to whining about my birthday...) Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity."

" The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm or amiable seas. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed."

"All great artists draw from the same resource: the human heart which tells us all that we are more alike than we are unalike."

"The human heart is so delicate and sensitive that it always needs some tangible encouragement to prevent it from faltering in its labor. The human heart is so robust, so tough, that once encouraged it beats its rhythm with a loud, unswerving insistency. One thing that encourages the heart is music. Throughout the ages we have created songs to grow on and to live by. We Americans have created songs to embolden the hearts and inspire the spirit of people all over the world."

" If we tolerate vulgarity, our future will sway and fall under the burden of ignorance. It need not be so. We have the brains and the heart to face our futures bravely. Taking responsibility for the time we take up and the space we occupy. To respect our ancestors and out of concern for our descendants, we must show ourselves as courteous and courageous well-meaning Americans. Now."

And from her convocation speech...

"Are you prepared to work

To make this country, our country

More than it is today?

For that is the job to be done.

That is the reason you have

Worked hard, your sacrifices

Of energy and time,

The monies of your parents

Or of government have been paid

So that you can transform your

Country and your world.

Look beyond your tasseled caps

And you will see injustice.

At the end of your fingertips

You will find cruelties,

Irrational hate, bedrock sorrow

And terrifying loneliness

There is your work.

Make a difference

Use this degree which you

Have earned to increase

Virtue in your world."

Well put, Maya Angelou.

Two Words...

Looking for a good time in SLC?

I have two words for you...

Samba Gringa.

Best freakin time you will ever have.

What is there not to love about loud brazilian beats, sexy costumed dancers, high energy drummers, and a crowd going wild.

One big dance party, and the time of your life.

They play at the Urban Lounge. You should go... and bring your dancing shoes.

Become a fan on facebook.

A Whine Session

I'm a 23 year old whiner... all the reasons I don't like having a birthday on December 7.

1. Pearl Harbor Day. I know that's not the first thing people really think about on December 7 anymore, but when you do, it becomes a little more difficult to celebrate.

2. Finals. Yesterday was my birthday (yay). I spent it studying because I have finals this week and next (boo).

3. The Nutcracker. True- this is not a worry anymore, but ALL the years I was growing up my birthday always always fell on the week of the nutcracker which meant I was totally stressed out between end of school projects and dress rehearsals, lighting, spacing... when I was lucky enough to have my birthday fall on a weekend I inevitably spent the whole time in dressing rooms and on stage.

4. Christmas. I love Christmas, and EVERYONE is in the Christmas spirit... which makes a birthday hard to remember. I love that excited feeling building up toward Christmas... but I don't let it start until after my birthday. That means I have about one week less of holiday cheer time than everyone else. Sad day.

5. The Winter Brain Conference. My dad studies the brain. The winter brain conference ALWAYS happens over my birthday and he has been required at the conference for the last 25 years or so (I'm only 23... guess what that means...). I don't remember ever having a birthday with my dad around. True as a "grown up" I should probably get used to that... but now that my dad is the only family member I live close to, I really do enjoy having him around. No matter how old I get, I will never get sick of family time. (In all reality though... to show how great my dad is... the year he won the award for best basic scientist we got to join him at the conference and he wished me a happy birthday in his acceptance speech and made sure I knew how much he hated missing my birthday each year... thanks, Dad!)

6. Snow. I've grown up around snow, should be used to it, but in all truth I really don't like it. I'm determined to take up snowboarding with the hopes that it might help me like snow more, but so far snow is still a frustration. In the unpredictable weather of the mountainy west, it will be absolutely beautiful weather... until my birthday when inevitably it gets crazy cold and a crazy storm hits making it difficult to go anywhere (or celebrate). This rule also holds true for our spring breaks.

7. BAD BAD Birthdays. I have a history of having really really downright terrible birthdays. It's just about at the point where I prepare myself for the worst. For example... this time last year I was driving through the crazy snowstorm to pick my mom up from the airport. She had just been discharged from the hospital in Fort Collins and was flying to Utah not to visit her daughter on her birthday, but to prepare for brain surgery. (She got the staples out the day after Christmas.) Needless to say, I was terrified and really was in no mood to celebrate something as minor as a birthday. 2 years before that I had the stomach flu and a final on my birthday amongst a slew of other really terrible things...

All in all, compared to birthdays past, yesterday could have been much worse. It was actually quite enjoyable considering I spent it studying physiology. Clearly, no matter how old I get (23... wow...) I probably will never stop having brief, childish, and selfish moments like now when I feel the need to complain about completely trivial things. On the plus side, I have a large group of ridiculously awesome and thoughtful friends and a family that spoils me more than I deserve. Yay birthdays and thank you!!!

Happy Holidays. Drive safe in that crazy snow. Good luck on finals.

ART and life.

As a gal with a BFA... who is no longer doing much of anything fine artsy (except the Art Market this weekend which was a moderate success)... I feel the need to have musings on all things fine and pretty and emotionally stimulating.

As a girl who grew up in a house of science, I respect all that it has to offer and all that it does for our lives. Science, business, politics.... it's all completely crucial to how we live. AND... I'm studying science now... BUT the arts are the WHY in our lives. The ability to create something that makes us think, feel, and emote is what makes us uniquely human. Author Ellen Dissanayake argues that we should be referred to as Homo Aestheticus rather than Homo Sapiens because populations of humans have survived without any understanding of science or complex business or politics, but not a single population of humans has ever existed without some form of art. Art is what defines us.

I stumbled upon this quote today - "If we as citizens do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the alter of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams." -Yann Martel

When science can't be understood, and there is so much disagreement in politics, and we are in a complete economic slump... there is always art. It gives us empathy and understanding. It helps us think outside the box and gives us hope and appreciation for life when we have none. It brings beauty and thought to our lives... if only it were more appreciated.

Those who do not see art, experience it, think about it... they are missing out on such an important part of life! They are missing out on what makes us human - and in that way we might be losing a part of our humanity.

Ok... it's the end of the semester... and I have been studying physiology for far too long (clearly), I had to give art's horn a toot. Go see a dance show.

Novemberrrrr... the good, the bad, and the ugly.

November is an odd month in Utah. After mormons, and the Sundance Film Festival, Utah is known for its outdoor adventures. It's cold in November, so no more rock climbing, hiking, or boating... but the snow has not come yet... and my snowboarding pass doesn't begin for another week. So it is a bit of a restless time here in Utah.

Luckily- or unluckily?- I have been keeping pretty busy anyway. I have had at least one test a week... and will continue to have a test a week until the end of the semester, some on the same day. The latest test was physiology- by far the most stressful - which had added stress because it was the same time as opening night for our dance show. Panic set in last night when I realized my professor forgot the arrangement we had made so that I could both take the test and be on stage on time... oh man. Thanks to a helpful TA, it worked out, glad that's over. So November has been divided between doctors visits with mother dearest, library marathons, and dance rehearsal... With dance show ending life should be settling a little bit...

So changes happening in November... some good, some bad, some ugly...

- no more dance rehearsal

- signed up for a rock climbing class

- ski season begins

- new medicines for mom

- preparing for an art market

- getting information for sailing lessons next summer

- getting information for volunteering abroad next summer

- hoping beyond hope I can talk my way into anatomy class

- and... I am no longer a blonde.

Before.

After.

One Hell of a week ahead...

Show weeks are always really stressful! Spacing rehearsal, lighting rehearsal, tech run, dress run, show Thursday, Friday, Saturday plus any other last minute rehearsals the choreographer needs. (Everyone come to see The Odds: A Dance Concert with Things on a Stage this Thursday, Friday Saturday at the Marriott Center for Dance, U of U campus, 7:30 where I will be performing in a work by Shannon Vance- my first time on stage since graduating with a BFA!)

Test weeks are really stressful. I'm not a scientist, although I'm trying my best to do well in my science classes... it just is really hard for me. Class, quizzes, reviews, library marathons... STRESS!

What's really awesome is when show week and test week happen to be the same week. Ha- yeah!!! Thank goodness I was able to rope my professor into letting me start the physiology test an hour early (while missing another class) so that I can be done in time to have a full 30 minutes to run across campus throw some make up on, change, warm up, and hop on stage!

Of course... all classes and review sessions for test will be missed because of tech, dress, etc...

Thanksgiving can't come soon enough.

My heart starts pounding every time I think about this week more than one day at a time... systemic capillaries, systemic venules, systemic, veins, superior/inferior vena cava, right atrium, tricuspid (atrioventricular) valve, right ventricle, pulmonary semilunar valve, pulmonary trunk, pulmonary artery, pulmonary arterioles, pulmonary capillaries, pulmonary venules, pulmonary veins, left atrium, bicuspid/mitral/atrioventricular valve, left ventricle, aortic semilunar valve, aortic artery, systemic arterioles, systemic capillaries and all over again... sooooo much studying to do!