Special Events
Spirit Week 2012
This is my favorite week of school: Spirit Week. Granted, I love celebrating Halloween; so this is almost the “warm up” to that. Monday was “Crazy Hair Day.” Most days, I fight with my hair to minimize its craziness. On this particular day, I upped the ante. Several Halloween celebrations ago when I still lived … Continue reading
Twice 21
Every birthday is special since I can measure where I was the previous year and where I currently am. It’s just amazing the things I’ve done and looking forward to doing since the last birthday. This time around, I scanned the paper and saw that one of my favorite Brazil bands was playing at a … Continue reading
Two Stars Are Born
Recently, an indy filmmaking friend of mine sent out a casting call for extras. I forwarded the email to my capoeira group, my professional writing group and my Austin PR list. Out of nearly 200 people, only one other person answered the call for yesterday’s shoot at the Republic Square farmers’ market. When I introduced … Continue reading
Culinary Carnival
This weekend, I actually challenged my culinary skills by trying out two new recipes and getting a private cooking lesson. For my friend’s upcoming birthday party, I chose to make a cheesecake. Since her capoeira nickname means “pomegranate” in Portugese, I looked up the recipe for a white chocolate and pomegranate cheesecake. For my private cooking … Continue reading
Bollywood Tango
Last night was a confirmation of just why I love life in Austin. One pivotal member of the tango community, especially the part of the community that takes classes at EsquinaTango, has been suffering health problems along with the accompanying exorbitant costs. As a creative fundraising idea, one of our regular milongas was turned into … Continue reading
All in the Family
This year’s family reunion had a wonderful surprise: pictures of the original twelve Strange siblings, especially my guardian angel since I’ve been traveling around the world and living in Austin, my Papa, Floyd B. Strange. And I was especially moved to see my grandmother, who married into the Strange family, was the first Avon lady … Continue reading
Lunch with Amiri Baraka
There are some fabulously creative people here in Austin and occasionally, several of them get together and do wonderful, enlightening things. One such occasion was the special lunch that I attended this past Thursday at 11th Street Station. For the second weekend in a row, the Black Arts Movement festival had lined up a selection … Continue reading
Graduation Day 2012
Usually I only attend a high school graduation if there are a significant number of seniors who I know are walking. After teaching at the same high school for the past three years, my advisory class has finally grown up and walked across the stage. For some seniors, they had one of my science classes … Continue reading
What’s in a Name? Austin Writers Roulette
http://www.facebook.com/events/303758879712204/ Back in December 2010 when I self-published my first novel, Tribe of One, I naively thought that after seven years in the making, the book would be easily promoted through email, blog and readings. I enthusiastically bought audio equipment, talked with my friends, Monica and Gustavo, at Esquina Tango about hosting my reading debut, “Cupid’s Naughty Secrets,” … Continue reading
2012 Batizado e Troca de Corda
For most capoeira groups, the yearly batizado e troca de corda is their biggest event. A batizado is a capoeirista’s official induction or baptism into the Brazilian culture of training capoeira. A troca de corda is a change of cords, going to the next highest one as recognition for all the training that a capoeirista as undergone … Continue reading