Brazilian Bruises

I bruised myself today. Did a rather stupid thing by standing on a swivelly chair due to my lack of a full-length mirror. As a result, I'm sore all over and have gradually purpling bruises on my arms and legs. I am very clumsy, and actually rather uncoordinated.

I used to dance when I was little; starting off with traditional Sri Lankan dancing, referred to as Kandyan dancing, and then proceeded to ballet. Or maybe it was the other way around. Nevertheless, I think I used to be quite good, as I did do a couple of solo performances on stage. But either I have grown out of it and am just unable to channel any form of rhythm anymore.

Last year Helen and I started street dance lessons, after signing up for the Dance Society rather enthusiastically. The lessons were interesting, well to say the least. The music was urban and who doesn't love a bit of booty-shaking on a Tuesday evening to take your mind off work. We went to streetdance for fun, but I think that mindset was limited to just Helen and myself, as everyone else at the classes thought they were auditioning for a Beyonce video or something. They would put so much into it. Some could dance, some could not, but everyone tried. And then there was Helen and me, at the back, taking the piss. We did however learn some pretty funky moves, which we brought to full use at Oceana. Armed with a beer jacket, we busted up some pretty hot moves in the Ice Room. Good 'ole Oceana days.

This year, we tried out Afro-Samba. This was in our renewed effort to be Brazilian. I don't think I've written in this blog about my penchant for all things Brazilian, well most things Brazilian. Wax strips of a South American nature aren't really something I yearn for. Anyhow, my penchant for Brazil is somewhat confounded. I do come from an exotic place, so you'd think that I'd settle for Sri Lanka, but it just doesn't sound as cool as Brazil now does it. When I think Brazil, it brings to me gorgeous bronze Adonises lying on sandy beaches, beautifully beaded bikinis sported by an lusciously skinny me, sipping some sort of exotic cocktail. It brings to mind latino-jazz and that effortlessly cool, laid-back vibe. Come to think of it, Sri Lanka has pretty much all of that, well, minus the deliciously bronze Adonises and a lusciously skinny me, throw in some sleazy Sri Lankan oglers and some potent arrack tossed into that cocktail, and you've got a delightful Sri Lankan weekend.

I think when I am at home, I don't make full use of the beaches. And when I'm in ole Blighty, I long for my beach fix. This December I plan to make more use of it. I think a long weekend in Unawatuna would just be the fix. Deshal's post on Unawatuna (http://oneonethings.blogsome.com) made me really dhola-dhuka-fy (pregnancy cravings) for a good ole Down South fix.

Anyhow, am going to see Amy Winehouse tomorrow at the Academy. Very excited about that indeed. Apparently she's quite minging and a bit scary, but that just adds to her gutsy, I-don't-give-a-shit appeal. Will fill in with more details post-concert. I think we might be off to Po Na Na for a good indie/motown fix after the concert tomorrow. It should be good, I need to give myself a good dose of good music at clubs before heading back to Colombo where you can only expect to hear 50 cent and trance playing in the same set over and over again. It's sad that we don't have more house/beachy music in Colombo, although I have heard many great things of the Offshore parties, which sadly I always seem to miss. Brazilian Beats this Thursday as well, good time to try out my Afro-Samba skills, after a few VodkaLemonades maybe!! I was actually THE most uncoordinated person in that class! The teacher actually felt sorry for me. My hopes of being Brazilian were shattered after that first and last Afro-Samba lesson. Sigh.

Musically Speaking

I knew this was going to happen. I have been struggling to finish a post, for hmm about seven months now, and only when I am stressed, overworked and exhausted, do I find inspiration to finish writing something, well anything other than the essay I need to get done by 9am tomorrow morning.

I think I am the strangest person I have ever met. I wonder if that is a valid statement, because surely you don't ever meet yourself. If it were physically possible, then I would actually be the strangest person I have ever met. I tell myself I work best under pressure. However, the past few weeks have disputed that. I started off this year well, being very conscientious with the tutorial prep, and things have been running rather smoothly, overlooking the daily panic attacks. Then our lovely tutors decided to surprise us with a 2500 word essay, and I am sitting here two days before the deadline, still on my first skeleton plan. Bugger. I can see myself falling into that vicious last-minute, panic-attack inducing, fattening (I do consume far more wotsits per hour during all nighters), and just generally unhealthy cycle. I'm consoling myself with the fact that this is merely a practice essay. The real coursework kicks in first week of December, and then I plan to be far more organised. Well I plan to be. Now that I have written it down, I am going to hold myself to it.

This post isn't really about anything specific, and I doubt anyone is even going to bother reading it. If you did, then I appreciate it. Really, I do.

There are however, two things that I did want to mention. Actually, make that three.

Firstly, I have an obsessive, compulsive disorder of iTunes shopping. I think I must have dished out about thirty quid on random stuff. Although, the new John Legend album is stellar, and I would recommend it very strongly. It has a lovely, motown'esque feel to it. Slow Dance is particularly old school. He brings together a strong jazz influence to it, which complements his soul genre. I've noticed how a lot of artists are reworking jazz and motown, which I think, reiterates that the Jazz andMotown years were the best years for music.

I've stumbled across some of the works of Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. The latter is more commercial, and not as talented as the former. Although I only noticed Allen's lack of vocal talent when it was pointed out to me by a friend. She's quite tongue in cheek though, and brings together a rather eclectic mix of jazz, and ska. I particularly like her reworking of 50 cent's Window Shopper, with Nan, You're a Window Shopper. Urban music is so standard, it's hilarious. Don't get me wrong, I'm an urban music junkie, but it does bemuse me. Lily Allen captures that precise perspective. I doubt she is going to be one of those artists who produce consistently good music, but hey I could be wrong.

Amy Winehouse on the other hand, is a right laugh. I listened to some of her music last year, and really enjoyed it. She has a stronger jazz influence than Allen, and a lot of her tracks have the 'big band' feature, which I think compliments her masculine, almost Nina Simone'esque, voice rather well. I have taken a fancy to Me and Mr Jones, which is a spin on the Marvin Gaye classic, in a more feminist take. It is marvellous, and I would call it one of my favourite tracks of the year. It has got this brazen cheekiness to it, similar to Allen, yet in a grander fashion. Thikshana had seen Amy Winehouse on the Charlotte Church Show, where she and Charlotte Church performed a rendition of Beat It, and apparently Winehouse had been sloshed off her face. I found that quite hilarious, and like her even more.

The next thing I was going to mention was the new Borat movie, which I was dragged along to. Yes, dragged. Honestly, Borat doesn't amuse me as much as everyone said it would. However, I'm going to leave that for my next post, as I really do need to get back to my essay.

PS - Apologies for the rather unimaginative title, but I couldn't think of anything random enough to stick on there.