Getting Dolled Up!

So as I'm sure you can tell life has been keeping me so busy that I can barely catch up let alone blog. But today as I have barracaded myself in my apartment for some studying and such I am taking a short break to post a little of what I've been up to.

A few weeks ago CSU's ASAP and CSU Swing Society hosted a concert with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy as the headliner! It was wonderful and while swing isn't my favorite it was a lot of fun dancing the night away. Gab's and I even ventured to dress up vintage for the event!

On the 23rd of this month I attended the Wild Goose Masqarude Ball with Gab's and some friends. This was much more to my taste as far as dancing goes... and I love polkas and fast waltz! But a note to self make sure you get the dress done well ahead of the day. Sewing on trim three hours before is no fun. And my hair was delightful!

Yesterday our tiny apartment was filled to the brim with Japanese exchange students and Japanese language students for a pumpkin carving/Halloween party! It was lots of fun and I will post pictures in another post early next week.

Tonight in North Carolina is Mr. Marine's last USMC Birthday Ball, this time next year he will be a college student and working towards becoming an officer in the Air Force. Its so odd thinking that soon he won't be a Marine anymore... well officially, am I ready to make this transition and such a big life step with him? I honestly can't say, I'm pretty scared for the future, but I really should focus on today, and maybe just tomorrow and let things come as they may.

Well that's really all I have time to chat about, its time to hit the books yet again! And I'm thinking of changing the name of this blog... any suggestions?

PS: It looks like I'm gaining weight... I need to get back into the gym.... sigh.

Chaji

Yesterday, like many of my Saturdays I woke up early and did some errands with Gabs, this weeks errands were these, lovely cream gloves for the traditional Ball on the 23rd of this month. The local vintage store had a lovely gold pair however they were just a tad too tight. These will go perfectly with my rich crimson dress (which I still have barely to start on)

And then the afternoon. I ventured to my Tea Ceremony teacher's house where there was a a couple of fantastic surprises, not only were Sara, Zelly, Tony, Roy and Mike there, the wonderful Christy先生 from the San Francisco tea group was there and we were all dressed to the nines in kimono. It was a wonderful experience to practice the most formal tea gathering a Chaji together. It was something I had never experienced before and while it was a dry run so all of our lovely meal was effortless and invisible I still found much to look forward too. My eyes were opened to lacquerware and how extensive the amount is needed for this event, and all new ettiquete even two different types of chopsticks.

It is always a magical experience learning under my teacher and then the added treat of Christy先生's overflowing knowledge practically astounds me. She has the perfect answer for almost any situation and there is always an exciting story to go with what we are doing. Not to mention how involved she is with tea, she's met people in the tea world that I can only hope to sneak a peek at. Doing tea with her makes me want set everything aside and apply for the Midori Kai Tea School, maybe I will save for a couple of years and then apply... it seems like such a wonderful way to put a solid foundation to my tea studies. I miss basking in the knowledge of others.

The practice while knowledgeable was exhausting as well. I have little bruises (battle wounds) from sitting seiza, but that is part of the territory and the aches afterwards are always worth it. Yesterday I also had a wonderful suprise, a member from our group Tom recently spent a few days in Kyoto, and Mike先生 presented me with a Kobukusa that Tom had selected (Tom couldn't be there yesterday) It was beautiful I actually teared up it was so suprising to be given such a lovely gift when I felt I did nothing to deserve it. It is overwhelming the amount of kindess and respect that people in tea have, I can only hope to gain some of that and bring it into my own life. I need to research the name of the gorgeous pattern 先生offered to tell me but it will be more meaningful to me I think if I look it up myself, my group has done so much for me already