Trav's Thoughts

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies!

Monday's suspended game 5 was resumed last night, and the Phillies beat the Tampa Rays 4-3 to win the World Series 4 games to 1.

I'm not a Philly fan, but there was just such joy in the players on the field as they celebrated after the final out. It was fun to watch.

Oh...here's a big wet raspberry to those suits who ran out onto the field immediately to hand out the championship caps and t-shirts. The players barely got 30 seconds with each other to jump around and celebrate their championship.

Who the hell were those guys anyway? Were they with the Philly organization? If so, the enthusiasm is understandable. But get the hell out of the way so the players can hug and congratulate each other. There's plenty of time for caps and t-shirts.

But if they were with Major League Baseball, then get the hell off the field and let the TEAM celebrate.

Anyway, congratulations to the Phillies and their fans!

And congratulations to the Tampa Rays for a break through season that came up just 3 games short.

Welcome to another results recap!

Cue that theme music!



But wait! Before we begin I must impart some important, very serious wisdom to you.

Are you ready? I can wait.

**whistle whistle whistle**

**fingers tapping**

Ready now? Good!



Alrighty then! Now we're ready for some encores!

Here are the group dances from all 7 seasons. Don't worry...I didn't hit you with all the video. Some are just links to the Youtube clips. Enjoy!

Season 1 began it all with a Viennese Waltz.


For season 2 we had Salsa.

Season 3 was a terrific Disco.

Season 4 brought us a rousing Swing!


Season 5 topped that one with a Rock and Roll rumble. We think this is the best group dance from the best season.


Season 6 took us to the wild west with a country number to Cotton Eyed Joe.

Now the group hip hop this week wasn't that good, but the couples had fun and that's what these numbers are all about.

Sorry about that. I just couldn't resist a little trip down memory lane. Y'all know how much I love this show.

Here's how our leader board looked after Monday's performances:

27 Lance and Lacey
26 Brooke and Derek
25 Warren and Kym
23 Cody and Julianne
23 Susan and Tony
21 Maurice and Cheryl
15 Cloris and Corky

Yup...that's Lance and Lacey at the top, not Brooke and Derek. L&L had the dance of the night, a fantastic Jive.


Naturally the couples reprise the hip hop group dance as the encore. Oh well.

It's a jam-packed show tonight. We've got Missy Elliott with the Pussy Cat Dolls. We've got ballroom kids. We've got Michael Flately in a special number. Wow! Try to keep up gang!

Let's get to some business. The first to safety are Lance and Lacey. Joining them is Cody, who will dance with Edyta next week while Julianne recuperates from having her appendix out. DUDE! It's the return of Edyta's ABS and LEGS!



Ballroom kids now!

First we have the sibling team of Craig, who is 13, and Samantha, who is 11, dancing Cha Cha Cha. Their younger sister was part of the first ballroom kids last season. That was an aggressive, high energy Cha Cha Cha. Excellent! Michael said sensational. Bruno said fantastic, and praised their vibrancy and technical ability. Carrie Ann gave them a wooooooooooooooo!

Next is Simon, who is 13, and Lucy, who is 13, dancing Samba. Simon was bribed to start dancing, while Lucy does ballet. They are junior national champions. These two are terrific performers, very expressive and precise. Carrie Ann said they lit up the dance floor with their energy. Michael encouraged them to follow their dreams. Bruno praised their extensions and lines.

Both pairs were quite advanced and equally good. Ruh roh. Guess who's back...



The judges don't listen to kitty again this week, selecting Craig & Samantha to join Kirill & Hannah and Mitchell & Maria in the finals for the junior championship.

The Pussycat Dolls are in the ballroom with Missy Elliott to perform What You Think About That. This is not my thing, but they do put on a hot show. And there were boots and very high heels and LEGS LEGS LEGS LEGS!

Oh! The results always sneak up on me. Warren and Kym will return next week.

Micheal Flatley takes the floor in a performance from his show Celtic Tiger. If you've got 7 minutes, do yourself a favor and check out the clip. It's quite good.

GAH...final results now. Brooke and Derek are safe. Maurice and Cheryl are safe.

That means Susan & Tony and Cloris & Corky are in trouble, but not necessarily the bottom two.
Awwwwww...Susan and Tony are safe, which means Cloris and Corky have reached the end of their wacky journey. She is so incredibly gracious and delightful.

Brava my dear Cloris!



Blucher!

Before we get to the Dancing, let me just say that it was two years ago today that I started Trav's Thoughts with this post. Since that post, I've written 759 posts and had more than 20,500 visits. That is mind boggling!

I feel like this blog is in a "marking time" phase. And I've decided I'm ok with that. I post what I can, when I can.

So as we head into the wacky holiday season, and a month of NaNoWriMo stress and tension, plus the continuing adventure of my certificate program, let me say a big THANKS to all of my blog pals.

Now let's cue that theme music!

It's live from Hollywood!

We're down to 7 pairs and they'll all be dancing an old school hip hop group number at the end of the show. That's an un-judged performance, strictly for our votes. These are usually wacky and a bit dangerous, but always fun.

And tonight we have special guest judge Michael Flatley sitting in for Len Goodman.



The couples are dancing all different styles.

Maurice and Cheryl dance Viennese Waltz. This needs to be elegant, flowing, romantic, and beautiful. The music to be at too fast a tempo. It was a good song to Waltz to, Gravity from John Mayer, but the band played it too fast. The dance didn't seem very musical. The movement seemed completely disconnected from the music. Plus it was choppy. That's a shame. Cheryl's choreography looked rushed and Maurice didn't look comfortable. We will give him props for his technique and posture, which continues to improve each week, but the romance was missing as was the lovely rise and fall. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21.

Lance and Lacey dance Jive. It's time for Lance to step up. Lacey gave him 15 seconds on his own at the top of the number and he nailed it. And then he was totally over the top with his facial expressions, perfectly in character with a Jive, while controlling the choreography and really performing like a professional for the first time this season. The guy is a professional entertainer and he finally looked like one. That was terrific! Lacey's choreography was outstanding and the whole performance was excellent. It was a classic Jive with the right music and the right costumes. YAY! Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.

Susan and Tony dance Mambo. She looks much more animated in this dance. She's still a bit careful in her movement, but this is an improved effort over the oh-so-delicate choreography from last week. She did very well with the character and spirit of the dance. We love how classy she is on the floor. She did look like she enjoyed herself. We thought she missed on a couple of steps, which the judges interpreted as her timing being off. But we certainly enjoyed the performance and we thought she took a nice step forward. Judges say 8,8,7 for a total of 23.

Brooke and Derek dance Rumba. Now Brooke has a foot injury. She was advised to rest for 7 days due to a tendon strain, but she's dancing after a bit of theraphy. It's good that they have a slower dance this week, although no dance is easy to do on one leg. Derek did quite a bit of dancing around her and there was more posing than we like in a Rumba. But we understand about the injury. They did create some wonderful moments, but as a whole the dance missed just enough to show that she was clearly not herself. Judges say 8,10,8 for a total of 26. Michael Flatley loved it and threw the 10. We think he looked past the injury to the connection between Brooke and Derek to score the potential if she had been healthy. We think that score is much too generous.

Cloris and Corky dance Cha Cha Cha. The rehearsal footage made us think that this might be a good dance for her, but then she missed some steps and looked a bit lost. Whoa! Corky threw her around in a spin that came out of nowhere! We thought that was a completely missed hold, and it turned into a helicopter spin! Bruno told her she was the only person in the world who could sell such nonsense and get people to buy it. She's such a delight. But unfortunately it's time for her to go. Corky is doing such a wonderful job of guiding her through, but that dance was really unrecognizable as a Cha Cha Cha. There was always going to be a point of diminishing returns with Cloris, and we have reached it. Judges say 5's across for a total of 15. That's really harsh, but it's necessary to counter the fan vote.

Cody and Julianne dance Samba. Geeez. Julianne caught sick this week and she has to have surgery to remove her appendix. Yikes! Edyta is going to step in for Julianne if she can't continue. It's a tough season for injuries and illness. We were just beginning to enjoy Cody. Julianne is doing her usual outstanding job, finding the talent and making dances that take advantage of every last drop of it. But just as we begin to like him, we get a questionable music choice that saps the fun out of the party dance. Samba is supposed to be light, but this dance was more aggressive and rough. That made Cody look a bit mechanical. Now part of that was the music, and the dance was made to fit the music. Still, we didn't think it was a real Samba. Bummer. Judges say 8,8,7 for a total of 23.

Warren and Kym dance Rumba. That was smooth, right up until he missed a step. They told a very nice story. We enjoyed the performance, although there wasn't quite enough dance in the dance. Warren's great strength in this competiton is his ability to pull the audience right onto the stage with him. Unfortunately, the footwork and overall dance was lacking this week. Judges say 8,9,8 for a total of 25. We don't understand that score. It wasn't that good. We think maybe they scored the interpretation of the Rumba, with credit for Warren's charm, and not the actuall dancing of the Rumba.

The group hip hop number is choreographed by Showtime. We have no idea who that is, but then we don't follow much hip hop except during So You Think You Can Dance. That was Lance and Lacey's dance. He was completely in his element with the choreography and the performance aspect. And she was able to completely let loose and go for it. We have to say it was their night. That wasn't our favorite of all the group dances, but the cast had fun with it and that's the important thing.

Here's our leader board:

27 Lance and Lacey
26 Brooke and Derek
25 Warren and Kym
23 Cody and Julianne
23 Susan and Tony
21 Maurice and Cheryl
15 Cloris and Corky

I think I've made my choice. All my votes went to Lance and Lacey. I thought it was their night, and I thought Michael Flatley nearly robbed them of it by throwing that 10 to Brooke and Derek.

Pam agreed that the 10 was too high. She has also made her choice...her votes went to Brooke and Derek.

I must say that we appreciated Mr Flatley for his grace and his encouraging comments to the celebrities. He was a gentleman and phrased his criticisms and praise in helpful language without a lot of posturing.

Due props to Ms Cloris Leachman, but it's time for the dear lady to make her exit. Tune in tonight for results, and a special performance by guest judge Michael Flatley.

Later gang!

Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to cruise by the new MM HQ at Manic Monday the blog. Today's theme is Ghost.

My grandmother died in 1986.

I had been living in southern California at the time. When she went into the hospital for the last time, I took a long weekend and drove up to see her. It was difficult for me. I wanted to come home.

She told me to hang in and do my best. And she told me that if it was what I really wanted to do with my life, then everything would work itself out. Of course it wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be a Marine. But that wasn't going to happen no matter how much I wanted it.

I felt selfish for bringing my own problems like that. But she told me she was at peace and there was nothing she would rather do in her final days than help her grandson figure things out.

Yeah...I cried.

Gram was always such a presence in my life. The story goes that just after I was born, they couldn't get me to make much noise. I didn't cry or fuss much...just a few random grunts. And one little fist kept escaping from the swaddle package. No matter how many times they wrapped me up tight, that little fist kept working its way free. And my eyes were open and wandering from sound to sound.

They tell me that when Gram came into the room and spoke, my head snapped to her and my eyes fixed on her. These are the words my mom has always said Gram spoke to me.

"Well hello there. I'm Grammy and of course you must be Travis."

And that was when I started to make a lot of noise. If Gram left the room, they say I "looked" for her and fussed until she came back. I had a bond with her. She was one of the three women who raised me...along with my mom and my sister. They made me who I am.

Now this is a story about ghosts, and I promise I'm getting there.

I knew the moment Gram left. I knew she went peacefully after such a long and draining battle with emphysema. I called my supervisor and quit my job. I knew I was on the wrong path and I knew I needed to go home. I wouldn't be able to get through my grief without my mom and my sister.

And even going home, I struggled for a long time as I tried to get used to the idea that I couldn't get in my truck and drive 90 miles to see Gram anymore.

One night about six months after she died, it got to be too much. I got in my truck and drove to her. She's in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno CA.

I'm not a religious man and I don't accept the concept of God. I wasn't raised with any kind of belief or study in that kind of thing. I am spiritual in my own way and it doesn't have anything to do with any ideas about religion or heaven or angels.

I believe we all come from a well of energy, and when we die our energy returns to that well. I believe that we are all connected to the energy in the well.

I'm not looking for a debate or discussion. I simply state the way I think so you have a context for what I experienced.




It was after midnight when I pulled to a stop on El Camino Real. Golden Gate National Cemetery is huge. But I knew where she was...almost as though I was being guided to the spot.

I got out of the truck and walked to the fence. I was looking down the row of headstones, and her place was about 75 yards from where I stood. She's buried there with my baby Uncle Joey who was stillborn in 1954.

It was oddly peaceful to be standing there. A lot of stuff was working itself out in my mind. I could feel her with me. And so I asked out loud, is it ok with you now? Is it better? Are you at peace now?

When I was little, Gram used to play a game with us. Every time she entered a room, she'd flick the light switch off and on three times. So just as I finished asking my questions, the lamp post over my shoulder flicked on and off three times.

And I knew she was ok. She was better. She was at peace. And I could be too.

When I got back in the truck, I felt light. For the first time since she died, my thoughts were clear and I wasn't sad. There was an overwhelming presence in the cab with me, but it wasn't oppressive at all. It was warm.

As I drove away from the cemetery, the presence coalesced and Gram was there in the passenger seat. I felt her there, and I saw her there. I told her I loved her. She rode with me for awhile. We had our real final talk about where my life was headed, until she started to fade as we approached the San Mateo Bridge.

Her ghost faded away, but her presence remained. She has been in my heart every day since then.

I've seen her ghost return twice since that night. She was there when my sister got married, and she was there on the day my niece was born.

I swear I heard her say "Well hello there. I'm Grammy and of course you must be (my niece's name)".

Hey gang!

My business trip to New York really put me behind with my certificate program. So I'm going to have to step way back with my blogging over the next few weeks to catch up.

I'll still do my Dancing with the Stars reviews two days a week. But other posts and blog visits will have to wait until I get caught up.

GAH! I just remembered that Nov 1 is coming up fast, and that means National Novel Writing Month.

I either need to organize better, or cut back.

Thanks for understanding!

Cue that theme music! Live from Hollywood...



Last night we had unprecedented head to head challenges between pairs as the remaining eight couples tackled four dances never seen on the show before. We had West Coast Swing, Hustle, Salsa, and Jitterbug.

The Hustle from Warren and Kym lacked technical perfection, but it made up for that lack by being wonderfully entertaining.


Maurice had a breakout moment with Cheryl in a terrific Salsa.


The Jitterbug was the dance of the night. Brooke and Derek were fantastic and the judges rewarded them with a nearly perfect 29.


Now the judges scored Cody and Julianne one point behind B&D at 28. But the more I watch, the more I'm convinced that the two pairs should have been tied. This dance is as good as the one from Brooke and Derek.


The thing we loved about both those Jitterbugs was that they were wildly controlled. The best Jitterbugs look frantic...like the dancers are about to fling and jump right off the dance floor. And both pairs pulled off that feeling.

Let's check our leader board from performance night.

29 Brooke and Derek
28 Cody and Julianne
27 Maurice and Cheryl
25 Warren and Kym
22 Toni and Alec
22 Susan and Tony
21 Lance and Lacey
21 Cloris and Corky

We're a bit worried about Lance and Lacey. She took some big time criticism from the judges for perhaps dancing more for herself instead of showcasing her partner. We thought the judges were wrong in their review of Lacey. But we do think that Lance did not measure up.

Len gets a break next week. Michael Flatley will join the judges' table. Yes, the Lord of the Dance will judge the dancers!

The judges have chosen as their encore the Jitterbug from Cody and Julianne.

The Brian Setzer Orchestra is in the ballroom performing Rock This Town accompanied by Louis van Amstel and Karina Smirnoff. WOW! That was terrific!

Oh...first results. Warren and Kym are safe, as are Cloris and Corky. Oh my.

It's ballroom kids now! First up we have Anthony, who is 11, and Alisa, who is 12, dancing Jive. They have been together for about a year and a half. That was a fast Jive with the quick flick kicks. Very well done. Len thought it was fantastic and full of energy. Bruno said it was sharp and clear, and he noticed the ballet training for Alisa. Carrie Ann thought they were adorable and that they have what it takes.

Now it's Mitchell, who is 12, and Maria, who is 13, dancing Paso Doble. They have been together since they were about 6 years old and it really shows. They were precise and dynamic, and very professional in their approach. Outstanding! Carrie Ann said they were fantastic with incredible fluidity and she praised Mitchell as a lead. Len loved the beautiful shapes they made, and said that they captured the flavor of the dance. Bruno praised the power and sophistication, and the excellent Spanish lines.

Do we have to choose again? No I say! You remember what kitty said last week.



But yet again, the judges must choose. They select Mitchell and Maria to join Kirill and Hannah from last week to dance for our votes later in the season.

The Macy's Stars of Dance is a true spectacular tonight with 26 dancers in a number called Dancing Through the Decades. The dance was made by Rich & Tone and showcases dancing from the 1930s, 1960s, 1980s, and the future. The ballroom was transformed into a huge playground. The choreography, set, and costumes took 6 months to pull together.

And why not? This piece is celebrating the 150th birthday of Macy's.

That was clearly taped because of all the set changes, but who cares?? It was WOW!

It's been awhile since we had some results. And with Cloris and Corky already safe, somebody who maybe shouldn't be going home at this stage is going to be out.

OK. Here we go. Cody and Julianne will return next week. Joining them are Maurice and Cheryl, Brooke and Derek, Lance and Lacey (WHEW!).

That means the bottom two is Toni & Alec and Susan & Tony.

Susan and Tony are safe, so Toni and Alec are out.



Next week, in addition to the individual dance, the pairs will come together in a group hip hop number. And remember, Michael Flatley sits in for Mr Cranky Pants on next week's judging panel.

Later gang!

Why yikes? Because the evening got away from me and now it's time for the show to start and I don't have my dance research done and I haven't found the demo clips for tonight's dances and and and...

STOP!

Just cue the theme music already! Cause it's live from Hollywood!



Wow. I'm glad the anxiety attack is over.

But we're quite excited because the pairs will perform one of four dances that have never been on the show. We have Jitterbug, West Coast Swing, Hustle, and Salsa.

Here's a boogie woogie Jitterbug that should make you smile!


You know I had to go with the champs, Benji Schwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz with West Coast Swing.


This is Gary Ulaner & Diane Nardone doing the Hustle.


Let's see the pros from Strictly Come Dancing do some Salsa. Woooooo!!! Now that's some party Salsa gang!


The pros are really under pressure this week, because some will be teaching dances they aren't familiar with. Let's see how our couples do.

First up, back to back West Coast Swing.

Lance and Lacey dance first. Now this is what Lacey grew up dancing. Her brother Benji is a WCS champion and so is she. She brought her dad Buddy into rehearsals this week. Buddy Schwimmer is like the king of WCS. We were a bit disappointed in Lance's performance. He lost his balance on one of the moves, and he didn't seem to keep up with Lacey. It looked like she was trying to pull him through it. The judges really knocked Lacey, but we think she gave Lance great choreography and he just didn't dance up to it. We don't think she danced over him, although she did dance around him because he wasn't pulling his weight. We think the judges were a bit harsh with her this week, and we thought the criticism went just a little too far. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. That's a good score, especially since Lance really wasn't there for Lacey.

Now it's Toni and Alec. We're not sure if they were supposed to do that lift, although we thought it was really well done. We're really impressed with Alec this week. He's head to head with a WCS family of champions, and he did a fantastic job with Toni in that dance. We would have liked a bit more swing content. There were a couple of spots where they had it, but then they gave in to the pop style of music and lost the WCS flavor. But we thought she danced well, even though it wasn't a completely true WCS routine. We'll give Alec a break on that. We enjoyed the performance. Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22. Well, I do have to say that Toni danced better than Lance although Lacey choreographed a complete WCS with complex content.

Next up, back to back Hustle.

Susan and Tony are up first. But poor Susan! She has fractured two bones in her foot. Apparently the only issue is whether she can dance through the pain. This has been a brutal season for injuries. She danced a bit timidly, and that's not surprising. But fortunately the beat was a bit slower and Tony choreographed the dance very well, although the judges criticize him for treating her so delicately. And I guess the prohibition against lifts has been suspended for this week. Overall we think Susan danced well, despite some stiffness in her posture. Yet again, we think she was a bit dainty in her performance although there were proper hustle patterns and rhythms. Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22. We think to get to the finals she's going to have to bust out with some real frivolous energy in one of these upcoming dances.

Warren and Kym go next. We're expecting a lot from this dance. That was like a tribute to Disco rather than just a hustle, although it did follow hustle patters on the floor. And it was extremely entertaining. I say it every week, but he is so damn light on his feet! He brought the crowd to theirs for a standing ovation. That was definitely a fun dance. It was funky, and although there was a lot of standard disco thrown in, it was still done on the hustle beat. The one thing we would like to see is less stop-and-go from move to move. It's like they finish one pattern, pause for a beat, and then go to the next move. But the big man got it done! And the lifts...wow! He's so strong and he made the lifts look effortless. He was a real leading man in the dance. Judges say 8,8,9 for a total of 25.

Let's have back to back Salsa next.

Cloris and Corky go first. Let me say again that Corky has been such a wonderful partner for Cloris. He has taught her the dances, let her go silly and wild when it made sense, and pulled her back into the character of each dance when he knew she could do it. And he made a credible salsa for her this week too. It was a combination of silly and fun. So let's get a YAY for Corky! And YAY for Cloris! She danced and had fun. But we suspect that this could be her final week. Although, we wouldn't put it past the fans to vote her through one more week. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. Well, we don't know about that score. It was a fun and entertaining performance, but she didn't really dance as well as she did last week. But what the hell! Blucher!!!

Now Maurice and Cheryl are up. The started very well on the stage platform. It was a bit awkward coming down the stairs, but then it picked right back up. He looked much more focused and controlled this week. His partnering skills were much improved. We think this was a breakthrough week for him. That was an outstanding performance. It was a fun and sexy salsa. Cheryl really cracked the whip this week. That pressure of not being familiar with how to teach salsa really drove her, and it looks like it had the right effect on Maurice. Great job! Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. That's well deserved!

And our last dance is back to back Jitterbug! My gram taught me this when I was a kid!

Brooke and Derek go first. Derek says the Jitterbug should look like a cartoon and the best cartoon wins. That's actually a pretty good description. And he's trying to make us believe he's never done this before. Perhaps he's fibbing just a little bit. If he didn't know anything about Jitterbug, he sure proved his skill and talent as a teacher and choreographer. This dance had a lot of Lindyhop and Jive elements in it, and that's ok because Jitterbug is closely related to those dances. They all come from the Swing family. That was very well done. Brooke is such a natural. The choreography was outstanding. And the performance was brilliant. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. Yup yup yup!

Cody and Julianne have their work cut out for them now. And they get it done! Terrific! That was outstanding! The best thing we can say about that dance was that it was frenetic without seeming out of control. And that's how my gram always said the Jitterbug should be danced. You have to throw yourself and your partner around the floor, but not be wild. You have to dance on the edge, and these two did exactly that. This dance was every bit as good as the dance from Brooke and Derek. These two Jitterbugs were the dances of the night. Judges say 10,9,9 for a total of 28. Awwwwww! It's a great score but that dance should have tied with B&D.

Here's our leader board:

29 Brooke and Derek
28 Cody and Julianne
27 Maurice and Cheryl
25 Warren and Kym
22 Toni and Alec
22 Susan and Tony
21 Lance and Lacey
21 Cloris and Corky

That was some good stuff tonight. We expected to enjoy this show with the new dance styles, and we did. Pam was torn. She loves Brooke and Derek, but she also enjoyed Cody and Julianne. In the end, she threw all 8 votes to B&D.

Now you know that I've split votes between Lance & Lacey and Warren & Kym. But this week I figured Warren and Kym would be just fine. I had to throw all 8 votes to Lance and Lacey because I think they just might be in trouble this week based on the judges' comments. I think they were wrong to criticize Lacey so harshly, and I think Lance needs to step up.

So there you go.

Wooooooooooooooooooo!!! The Brian Setzer Orchestra is in the ballroom for results!!! Something tells me we could see a pro Jitterbug or Jive.

Tune in tonight!

Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to cruise by MM HQ at the Manic Monday blog. Today's theme is Bite.

I missed last week due to my business trip to New York. This week, I ask you to take a trip in the Wayback Machine with me.

I present this short scene again as it was originally posted from a writing prompt. You can find the original link in my side bar, as well as the link to another part of the story.

The word Bite does not appear directly in the scene, but I think you'll find pretty quickly that the story does fit this week's theme.

I think this short bit of fiction may also fit nicely into the flash horror fiction that Charles is hosting this month. If you like scary stories, head on over to Razored Zen. Charles has some terrific pieces of his own, as well as some links to other excellent writers.

Investigating a Mysterious Ending

I see things in darkness that no one should see by light of day. So I rise early, clinging to those things of comfort I recall from when I walked in the light.

You’d think that after 400 years I’d have gotten over my life.

But this is not a night for frivolous remembrance. I lost a son last night and I’m upset. There’s a hollow place in my mind where his thoughts lately fit. I don’t know why this happened. But I know his last moments.

I know how he suffered.

The mortal who caused this ache must answer.

**

I found the alley easily enough. Erik’s essence still lingered. For a moment my spirits lifted...but no. He was well and truly gone.

I was drawn to the spot where he died, gasping out his life as his 200 years were visited upon him at once. The agony he felt would be with me for a long time.

But how had it happened? How had a glorious feeding become death to my child and life to his victim? My blood told me that the mortal had walked from this alley, and something about Erik’s immortality had made it possible.

I will solve this riddle.

The alley resonated with Erik’s death. I centered my thoughts and focused my power, feeling about the air for the remnants of my son’s aura. There wasn’t much left to work with, but this tragedy was seared in my memory. Being in this place was enough to bring Erik’s final moments forth, and I saw his victim in my mind’s eye.

With this image as a focus, I extended my senses, questing in ever widening concentric circles, searching for the visage of Erik’s victim.

And found him.

**

My instinct was to wrest him from the crowd, rise to the rooftops, drain every last ounce of blood from him, and drop his empty carcass to the pavement below. Yet I resisted. Erik had died after feeding from this young man. I would gain no justice for my child by meeting my own death as he had.

I had this troublesome riddle to solve.

So I observed.

He was a young mortal, hale and handsome, with fair features framed by a shoulder length shock of auburn hair. He was still human; not transformed as I would expect if he had traded any blood with Erik. I was attracted to him. Erik’s scent was on him, confusing and enraging me. My desire to kill nearly overwhelmed me.

I was perplexed as I followed the young mortal down a brightly lit street. I clung to the shadows, shielding my eyes as best I could from the neon brilliance. He was well known here, greeting men and women both with exuberant embraces and passionate kisses. Less than 24 hours before, Erik had him in a similar embrace as he drank his fill and left the body on the cold concrete of the alley.

I shuddered. Erik’s memory of the feeding hit me like a convulsive fever. The seduction...drawing him away from friends to the alley...mesmerizing him...pulling him close...reveling in his gradual awareness of danger...his mounting terror...and finally his struggle to escape. Then the ecstasy of feeding...

...had gone horribly wrong.

I began to weave the same spell, enticing the young man to come to me. I became the subtle predator, reaching across the distance, whispering in his mind to gradually cull him from the bright lights and the safety of his friends. I was careful in case he was on guard against such an intrusion. Would he remember what had happened? Would he understand, and know what manner of creature had attacked him? Would he even know that he should not have survived?

Did he watch my child die?

My concentration wavered. He was aware of my probe. He saw me.

And he smiled.

He let me read it from his mind. He was aware of what I was. Indeed, he knew who I was! He answered my spell, greeting me with my own name.

He had sought a creature like us; had lured Erik...hunted him! He had been afraid, but resolved to do what he must.

No! How is this possible? A mortal couldn’t know me. No mortal had ever known me that hadn’t either become my victim or my child.

Suddenly I was frightened in a way I hadn’t been in 400 years.

Before I could read more, his mind was closed to me. His thoughts faded and went dark. A human could never guard himself so effectively from me without supernatural help.

I cast around me quickly. I was in grave danger. There was power greater than mine nearby.

There! Across the street, in the shadow of an awning.

McAmis! My father of old.

"Hello Lorac," his thought gently caressed my mind.

I hissed. And then I fled.

Sebastian Janikowski hit a 57 yard field goal with 2:06 left in overtime to give my Raiders a 16-13 win over the Jets.

Woooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

I'll take 'em any way I can get 'em!

Hey gang!

This is just a quick word to let you know that I'm back home on the west coast. I've got a ton of catching up to do, beginning with my studies. I did a lot of reading yesterday and I still have a bit more to do, plus some lectures to watch. Then I need to review and take an exam, and then start on the next week's assignments.

I'm so far behind!

And I'm behind with blogs too. So today I am watching football and trying to catch up with what's been happening in the bloggosphere.

Hopefully I can get re-organized and re-energized, and return next weekend with Sports Saturday and NFL Sunday.

Cheers gang!

Congratulations to my Dodgers on battling through 30 spring games, 162 regular season games, 3 division series games, and 5 National League Championship Series games.

The Phillies are just a better team at this point. They closed out my Dodgers last night 4 games to 1 to advance to the World Series.

Rats.

Cue that theme music and let's have some encores!



Live from Hollywood!

I must show you the Tango from Cloris and Corky. This is straight out of the 1920's. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


Lance and Lacey finally got on the good side of Mr Cranky Pants. Len enjoyed this Tango, which was proper and traditional with a touch of quirky modern.


And for a third week in a row, Brooke and Derek had the dance of the night. I thought their Samba was one of the best of any season.


The judges select Lance and Lacey for the encore! Wooooooooooooooooo! How's that Starr???

We have Flamenco dancers in the house. They are called Los Vivancos and that dance was really cool. I've never seen more than one Flamenco dancer at a time.

GAH...results time. First couple safe is Susan and Tony. Lance and Lacey are also safe. YAY!

The first couple in the bottom two is Rocco and Karina. And that isn't surprising.

Mmmmmmm...I just had some chocolate melty CAKE from room service!



It's ballroom kids! This feature was introduced last season and I absolutely loved it. The kids are amazingly talented.

First up is Mitchell who is 11 and Jessica who is 10. They pinky swear that they will dance the best Cha Cha Cha ever. This is a tough age appropriate dance to do, but they pulled it off. Jessica is so cute. I loved some of the lines they hit and the extensions. Very good! Len praised the crispness and precision as well as the musicality. Bruno says they were the cheekiest, and he said that little Jessica's lines were better than Jessica Alba's. I don't think you can say that about a 10 year old, can you? Carrie Ann said they lit up the room.

Kirill is 11 and Hannah is 10. They dance Samba, another tough dance to do age appropriate choreography. These kids are terrific. It isn't often you can teach a boy that young to move like that. And she is just delightful. That was so good! Carrie Ann says they showed sophisitication in their movement and fluidity. Len loved that they captured the flavor of the Samba with their great personalities. Bruno said it was cracking and sparkling, and that they really sold the dance.

How do you pick between these two terrific pairs? I'm glad I don't have to. I like them both and I refuse to pick a winner.



But the judges must choose, and so they decide that Kirill and Hannah will advance to the finals. Awww man. Let's just have all the kids keep dancing!

Ne-Yo is in the ballroom. I'm sorry, but I don't know who this is. I don't listen to this kind of music, but I did enjoy the performance. His dancers are very good.

Who else is safe? Brooke and Derek are joined by Cody and Julianne. Toni and Alec will also return next week, as will Warren and Kym...and Maurice and Cheryl.

That means that Cloris and Corky join Rocco and Karina in the bottom two. Cloris and Corky are safe.

...which means Rocco and Karina are out.



I can't wat until next week! The remaining couples will try four new styles that have never been danced on the show. We'll see the Hustle, Jitterbug, Salsa, and West Coast Swing.

Sweet!



Well, my Dodgers face elimination tonight in Philadelphia in game 5. They were ahead 5-3, but the bullpen couldn't hold the lead and gave up two 2-run home runs in the top of the 8th to lose 7-5 in game 4 to the Phillies.

Dangit.

I remain faithful and will throw what I hope is not my final GO DODGERS of the season.

GO DODGERS!

Live from Hollywood (with commentary from New York)...

OK. So it sucks a bit not to be able to watch at home with my Lady. But the good news is that she'll get to watch with my mom. They are spending the week together doing girl stuff.

If you'll recall when we last left our intrepid dancers, Misty May Treanor was forced to withdraw with a gruesome Achilles tendon injury. She is resting at home after successful surgery.

Now Misty's withdrawal meant that nobody was eliminated after last week's performances. It also means that last week's scores and vote totals carry forward to this week. Here is how our leader board looks:

28 Brooke and Derek
25 Warren and Kym
24 Maurice and Cheryl
22 Toni and Alec
22 Lance and Lacey
21 Susan and Tony
21 Cody and Julianne
20 Rocco and Karina
16 Cloris and Corky

If you'll recall, it was Rocco and Karina who would have been eliminated last week.

Tonight's dances are Samba and Tango.

Samba is the party dance from Brazil's Rio Carnival characterized by effortless and carefree knee action, body sway, pendulum motion with light bouncing steps. One of my favorite movements is the Samba roll, which pulls the woman's body right against the man's in a rolling movement from the waste up. The step circles the dance floor. This is Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagorouitchenko.


Tango is a passionate, dramatic dance characterized by flat, level, and clipped movements with sharp head turns. In this dance, the knees should be slightly bent and the woman's head and shoulders should be pulled away from the man in an exaggerated lean. These are the pros from Strictly Come Dancing, demonstrating Argentine Tango from 2006.


Now let's see how our couples do.

Maurice and Cheryl dance Samba. We've got a little disco Samba with some funky hair. I'm not sure I like that. He's definitely loose and having a ball with the dance this week. Samba is the party dance and they captured the flavor and spirit. He had some good moments with his steps and hip action, but it was still a bit too loose and not polished enough. They had great energy, but the performance wasn't strong enough with technique. This was a case where I didn't care much for the gimmick with the hair, and the dance wasn't good enough to keep the gimmick from distracting me. And what's with covering up Cheryl's LEGS LEGS LEGS LEGS?????? Judges say 6,7,7 for a total of 20.

Cody and Julianne dance Tango. Tango requires passion and drama and you must pay attention to the technique. They missed on a couple of those steps. I've never seen Julianne stumble like that. I didn't care for the music. They did a proper Tango from a content perspective, but I didn't like the dance. I think it was the music that bothered me. And the stumbles in those turns just threw it completely off for me. The costumes were a bit annoying as well, especially when they caused the missed steps and stumbles. Judges say 7,8,8 for a total of 23. I don't understand how Len and Bruno can throw 8's on that with the stumbles. It doesn't matter that it was the costume that caused the problem...they missed steps and staggered through a couple of turns.

Toni and Alec dance Samba. Alec has gone with strict Samba choreography, including the very difficult Samba rolls. There was a rough transition from the stage platform down the stairs to the ballroom floor, and I'm surprised to see her musicality seemed to be off. She looked a little lost with the choreography. That was not good. It wasn't sexy, it wasn't hot, it didn't have good energy. They have great chemistry together and Alec did everything he could to get her through it. But she had a bad night. I think the choreography was a bit too difficult for her and when she missed, it upset the whole dance. Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22.

Cloris and Corky dance Tango. Ms Leachman is playing it traditional this week, with a touch of 1920's. Classy and dramatic. And may I say she's doing a fantastic job. Corky did an outstanding job with that choreography, and she put on her best Gloria Swanson/Nora Desmond face throughout. Ms Leachman was definitely ready for her close up in that Tango. She acted beautifully and danced wonderfully. Her flexibility was amazing too. And you know what? She deserves a good score because her technique was also very good. And there's no need to append "for an 82 year old woman" to that statement this week. Judges say 8,7,7 for a total of 22. Woooooooooooooooooo!

Rocco and Karina dance Samba. I hate that shirt. But he does get to peel off Karina's long poofy skirt and you know how I like that! He did not dance very well, but at least we get to see Karina's LEGS LEGS LEGS LEGS! He had some better moments toward the end of the dance, but I don't think that was good enough to keep him around another week. He did have fun, which I think is the best I can say about the dance. Judges say 6's across for a total of 18.

Susan and Tony dance Tango. This is a chance for her to channel Erika Kane and really make a dramatic statement. Her technique is solid with some very difficult footwork. The steps were so precise and she attacked it very well. There were a couple of times when her expression bothered me a bit...she almost looked bored rather than fierce. But there's no doubt that this was her finest dance. The dance didn't wow me, but she did a very good performance. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24.

Brooke and Derek dance Samba. Oh my. Outstanding! Sexy! Hawt! Fun! Energetic! Powerful! Technically brilliant. That is how you Samba! That was amazing and one of the best Sambas I've seen on the show. And of course Len put on the cranky pants. He didn't like it because of the gimmick with Derek and the nerdy glasses at the beginning, and then he said it was too raunchy. Pppppppppppffffffffffttttttttt! That was a fantastic sexy Samba. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.

Lance and Lacey dance Tango. Despite the wardrobe and music, this dance has all the steps of a standard Tango. Lance's frame is the best I've seen it. His steps were precise and he nailed the character of the dance. They were agressive and dramatic. Lance was a strong lead and this was the first time I saw the confident performance skills that I have expected from him. And Mr Cranky Pants liked it! Woooooooooooooooo!!! This dance brought the balance of classic technique with a quirky modern twist. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.

Warren and Kym dance Samba. He didn't have the technique working for him this time, but he did have the charm. That was a fun dance and so enjoyable to watch. I just smile every time I watch the two of them dance. Now the choreography was a bit simple. The performance was fun, but it was a step down from prior routines and not quite up to the standard set by earlier dancers. The performance was terrific, but this was not one of his better dances. Judges say 8,7,7 for a total of 22.

Here's our new leader board, with last week's and this week's scores combined.

54 Brooke and Derek
48 Lance and Lacey
47 Warren and Kym
45 Susan and Tony
44 Maurice and Cheryl
44 Cody and Julianne
44 Toni and Alec
38 Cloris and Corky
38 Rocco and Karina

Here's a funky twist. I went to do my voting and I got a message that said my time zone was closed! I have to wait and try at 11pm. So it's 5 votes for Lance and Lacey, with 4 votes for Warren and Kym. I suspect Pam will throw votes to Brooke and Derek, but I'm not sure if she'll split.

We shall see!

I hope I get back to the hotel in time for results. It's ballroom kids tonight!

Later babies!

Hey gang!

So I'm here in New York...just a bit punchy because I haven't slept more than a couple hours in the last 36.

My hotel is a block past Ground Zero. I can see one entrance to the construction site on West Street. This evening I walked back from the office, past Battery Park, and saw the Sphere. I took a picture from across the street and plan to go over and pay my respects. This is a picture I found on Google images.



When we drove in from the airport Sunday night, I was turned around a bit and not exactly sure where I was. But as soon as we got close, I could feel it.

So yeah.

I missed Manic Monday today.

Hurrah for my Dodgers who picked up a win yesterday, 7-2 in Game 3 of the NLCS against Philly. Game 4 is tonight...of course it's opposite Monday Night Football.

And Dancing!

Have no fear! I shall have a Dancing review for you! The results post is in doubt at the moment because I have a work thing tomorrow evening, so we'll have to see how that goes. But you shall have my thoughts on our dancers this week.

Later babies!

Dangit.

My guys came up short again yesterday. Now it's on to LA, and Philly has a 2 games to none lead.

We've got lots to do today to get things organized for my business trip. So there won't be much in the way of detailed sports analysis today or tomorrow.

But we do have...


And we might have...


And I know there's some...


I'm trying to catch up on my blog rounds too. I didn't get too far last night, so maybe later this evening after we get all our stuff done.

Later gang!