I got soul but I'm not a soldier

A few months ago, I wrote a guest post on Lacey's blog about hip hop dance classes and the things you can expect to find in them. I also briefly mentioned the fact that I have no flava. This is a topic worth exploring in more depth since, during my wonderful NYC winter break, Lacey and I went back to our old stomping grounds, Broadway Dance Center, for a hip hop class.

Let me first clarify something. I am NOT a white girl who can't dance. I can dance. I fully admit that I am not, by any stretch, the most awesomest dancer who ever lived, but I am definitely coordinated and I possess at least some measure of rhythm.

The thing is, I do not look cool doing hip hop. I'm pretty sure this would stay the same even if I dressed like the other people in the class. Which is to say I would wear baggy sweatpants with one leg rolled up, hair down, huge earrings, an off-the-shoulder top, and boots that are definitely not sneakers.

During my senior year at Tufts, one of my sorority sisters joined the all-female a cappella group on campus that sang songs "from the African diaspora." I use quotes to show their phrasing, not to make fun of the African diaspora, obviously. You have probably already realized that the bulk of the people in this group were (and probably still are) black. My sorority sister, on the other hand, was decidedly not black. She was, in fact, very white and very from Missouri. Though she definitely had a great singing voice, she lacked the soul necessary to really pull off a lot of the songs the group sang.

I am the white girl in the black a cappella group. I lack soul.

At one point in the recent hip hop class, the instructor told us to put some "stank" into it. Seeing as the majority of my dance background comes from being in competitive gymnastics which is on par with ballet as far as prim-and-properness is concerned, I did not have any stank to put into the move. Not even a tiny bit. I am stankless. Which is unfortunate, because I really enjoy hip hop.

I wonder if I can somehow gain some stank. What do I need to do? Can I buy it? Do I need to start listening to even more rap music? Tell me WHERE OH WHERE CAN A WHITE JEWISH GIRL FROM THE SUBURBS GET SOME STANK?

Suggestions welcome.

A slice of NYC heaven

Anyone who has read this blog pretty much EVER is well aware of the fact that I hate living in Boston and wish I could get my ass back to New York A to the SAP. So I am not going to use this time to tell you yet again why NYC is superior to Boston or any of that.

I am, however, going to tell you one little reason why not living in New York sucks. And that, my friends, is because I am there ALL THE TIME.

Do you know what it's like being in a city on a semi-regular basis, knowing its ins and outs and having plans with a variety of people as if you lived there, yet not actually living there? It's a pain in the ass. You constantly have to find a place to stay, and carry around a big bag with your toothbrush, pajamas, and whatever changes of clothes and shoes and blahdeeblah.

Because the majority of my good friends live in NYC, I spent a lot of this glorious month-long winter break traveling back and forth between my parents' house in NJ and the various abodes of my peeps (I believe I stayed with no fewer than 4 different friends over the last month). And its frustrating knowing you can't randomly decide to change your predetermined outfit, or that when it randomly starts raining you can't just throw on your galoshes because your closet is not at your disposal.

Despite this, I am obviously very thankful for the many people who put up with me being on their couches (or taking up the other half of their beds), and thankful that New York hasn't gotten less awesome in my absence. Since this was a particularly wonderful month off, let's recap NYC Winter Break 2009-2010.

- A lovely spa trip
- Grand opening of an inappropriately pimp club in NJ
- Night out at a gay bar for a birthday party
- New Year's Eve insanity
- 3 days in not-as-sunny-as-I-would-have-liked-it-to-be Florida
- HARRY POTTER FESTATHON
- Daily Show taping and being 25 feet away from Ringo Starr
- Getting my makeup done for free at Bare Escentuals with some fabulous sorority sisters
- Visiting my friend's adorable tiny puppy
- Fondue and spicy walnut pepper spread (HEAVEN) at my favorite Hell's Kitchen (and possibly all of NYC) restaurant, Kashkaval
- So much more.

Last year my winter break got cut short because I had to come back to Boston to do some work. This year I got a full 4 weeks in and it was beyond fun and exciting and magnificent. The end.

I will leave you with a picture of my friend's puppy because IT IS SO CUTE AND TINY. EEEEEEE!

Whatever, I'm on break and so is my brain

Sometimes I am very smart.

Lauren: what r u wearing to britts
Arielle: yeah...dunno
Arielle: i mean, actually i dont even have that many going out clothes here
Arielle: so either what i wore to motown, or the green and black dress i wore in vegas which im sure you dont remember but i have pics haha
Lauren: i cant go on fb can u email me a pic
Arielle: yeah hold on

Pause.


Arielle: okay i like cannot locate my vegas pics
Arielle: haha i have no idea what folder theyre in on my comp
Arielle: oy
Lauren: haha good job
Arielle: oh i found them
Arielle: in the folder called "vegas"