SYTYCD Season 8 - Top 8 - Melanie & A.S. Neil - (Mandy Moore) Contemporary

SYTYCD never fails to make me completely and utterly aware of my lack of grace/rhythm/coordination/talent in general. This is my favorite girl this season, Melanie, doing my favorite dance of any season ever. The way she leaps into his arms about half way through the dance--she totally trusted Neil with all of her heart to catch her, to break her fall. At this point, I really wish I could do that. I think that's why I like this one so much.

7/25

This weekend was kind of gross. Way too hot, way too humid weather made for a terribly lazy schedule, and multiple shifts at the Hut left me with one too many convenient, greasy employee meals. It's so good to be back on schedule, and with the heat advisory gone I'm ready to come out of my heat-induced coma.

Mom and Dad are flipping out over college stuff at a pretty constant rate nowadays. Whereas last year they would eagerly engage in conversations I started about schools that interested me, now I can hardly get a word in edgewise without it becoming something that concerns higher education. For example.
"Mom, could you pass the ketchup?"
"Sure, as soon as you finish your common app."
"But the common app isn't released for another week."
"Why don't you try the mustard then."
Okay that didn't really happen, but it's not far-fetched at this point! Sometimes things get kind of emotional on their end though, like this one the other morning (6:30am, no less).
"Have you picked a school yet?"
"Nope."
"Still looking at Loyola?"
"Yep. I'm also kind of interested in UNC now too."
"UNC?! What the hell, where did that come from?"
"I don't know, I read about it, it's supposed to be a really great value. Plus it's in a good location."
"But why would you want to go to UNC?"
"....because it's a great value--in a good location."
"Don't be a smartass. I'm just trying to have a conversation."
Right, my bad.

Anyway, I've got my run for the day behind me, plus a bike ride, and the temperature is still safely below 100 degrees. It's looking like it's going to be a nice day!

7/23

So today my alarm clock was set to go off at 6:15am. Naturally, this means I woke up at about 5:50 to my mom sticking a glass of water in my face telling me to "stay hydrated, forgoodnesssakes...". So began the prerace jitters.

Dad and I left 40 minutes later for the Park, which, upon arrival (2 detours later), we realized was basically a field of mowed grass in the middle of nowhere. In its defense, it did have a very nice port-a-potty on site. I wasn't seeing a very exciting race course in this joint to say the least.

So the gun went off at 8, and I set off with two girls I recognized from a rival school, even though in my earlier attempt to spark some friendly conversation at the line before the start they made it very clear they hated my guts. (I don't have a drop of competitive blood in me, so sometimes I forget that running isn't all about making friends all the time.) After a while I passed them, thankyouverymuch, and I even ended up finishing as the first female in the race. Nevermind that a boy in the 12-and-under age group kicked my butt, at least he was nice.

Awards were kind of fun. As Dad pressed me to decide my future by proclaiming my college decision right there in the Park, I found entertainment watching a nest of baby birds hidden in the roof of the pavilion taking crap-shots on one of my fellow runners a couple tables down. Don't worry, we told him before the baby birds' aim got too close.

Now I get to go to a teammates pool for the afternoon until work, then a night run with a friend. It's going to be a good day.