Tapping today....

Tap, tap tapping.... to be precise.

Not only on my key pad... though it taps a quietly rhythmic tune.... tap, tap, tap-tap-tap

No, and I'm not a "so you think you can dance" kind of tap-dancing gal either... I just love music, and I've been skipping my "Song of the week!" a lot lately.

So... just for a change.... Prior to trying to regain a routine....  I thought I'd share with you a few songs I love to dance too.  I might even let you in on what kind of dance I do, or even share a "gold" Joce making herself look silly moment... read on to find out!

Tap one: No, not the hot-water tap, though music in the shower is good...  First it needs a beat.  Drums, bass guitar, thumping keys... check?

Tap two: Chords... or is it cords??  The intro... those telling couple of chords or notes that tell you to get off ur butt (or put aside that job)... the next few moments are dedicated to...

Tap three: Tapping!  Do you sit and tap you foot?  Do you slap your knee?  Do you click your fingers, or even clap your hands?  You do!  That's tapping part one....

Tap four:  Another use for joints... Neck? (No, I'm not a headbanger generally)....  Shoulders, elbows or wrists? (Well if your clapping or clicking you're in already)... mmm What about your back, hips, knees, ankles?  Many would say this is where the music ends and the dancing begins..?!  Tee, hee... I "won" an award as a primary schooler for my "groovy hips"!!

Tap five: hopefully no one is watching by this point... is there a partner to hand?  A towel, broom, mop, vacuum hose... or even a mirror... The chorus, or the riff is especially important...

And you bow... or give yourself a round of applause... and and encore?  Gotta love the CD player.  Though like the old LPs it can skip a little is you get too enthusiastic!!

What do you like tap, tap, tapping to??  Or more appropriately... what CAN'T you help tap, tap, tapping along to.  The best thing about doing it alone... no one laughs at your daggy moves!

Here's a few songs I enjoy tapping to:

• OK Go's - Oh, lately it's so quiet...
• Spearhead's - Stay Human (All the freaky people make the beauty of the world)
• The Cat Empire's - The Rhythm
• The Sleepy Jackson's - Good Dancers 

Too much thinking!  The CD player is prepped and the volume is... loud enough!  So it's tap, tap, tap-tap-tap till next time. Tshuss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjNCSw41QSA&feature=related  (Sleepy Jackson)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb8MvKvPVYw  (Spearhead)

There's a great clip of The Cat Empire and OK Go's iconic routine of tredmills you can search and view at youtube as well... have fun... dance like no one is watching!!

Five Words... and a few more

One of my favourite bloggers did this... so I asked them to send me five words too:

1. Fragrance - Breathe in - sun ripened peaches, fresh air dried laundry (especially wool wash), and my favourite frangrance of all: Australian Rain (see water) - Breathe out.
2. Compassion - To wear my heart on my sleeve, and to never forget why I am here or where I am either.  To remember how blessed I am and how that blessing can be shared.
3. Home - I am a South-eastern Australian, I was born here, I live here now, I feel like I belong here (most days).  However, Home IS where my Heart longs to be... and so I won't get home for a good while yet I hope.  I have a home, but I am also homeless, I am on a journey destination known... route less clear!
4. Goals - In Australian Rules Football = AFL = Footy! - There are four goalposts - 2 short ones on the outside and 2 long ones inside (in a straight line).  "Kick it straight" = 6 points (a goal) "anything that is outside including any post" = 1 point (a behind, don't ask!).  My goals are much like Aussie Rules Footy: If they're aimed straight they produce blessing, any other goals less so... oh and if you kick it wide - it's "out on the full" and possession goes to the opposing side.  I could say so, so much more about goals, with more analogies of various ball games... Aim for the stars, if you fall flat the view is still interesting?!?!  Goalsetting God's way is fraught with difficulty.
5. Water - my country is among the driest on earth and has been so for a long, long time... only now are we realising what a precious resource water is.  Humans are 75% or so water.  Melbourne (city) water tastes the best in the world - really, it does.  Grass goes from vivid green & flowering, though yellowing to brown and patchy, through to dead and dusty.  Humans and other living things complete this cycle much, much more quickly and fatally.  And yet, one of my old, old (97) patients suffered hyponatremia last summer, she recovered and was sent back to her own home to live independently!  Lastly, I love the taste of water, the smell of expectant and recently fallen rain (it has something to do with the dryness of Australian air, I'm told, as well as Australian plants, I'm sure.  It's always my top-missed fragrance when I am O/S)  The feel of cold water running down from lips to stomach (on a hot day) and also the warmth of a hot beverage warming from lips to gut.  I am so, so fortunate to have grown up in a place where water is what it is (and is cared for).  Now it is also treasured and that is good too.

I see a picture (sorry I can't find one, so you'll have to go with me here.....)

It's a beautiful Melbourne (note 1 Melbourne is situated at the top of a natural bay of sea water and fed by springs and a river from the hills that surround it, many, many years ago it would have looked a lot more like a wetland, than it does today!) It is a beautiful "Melbourne" day and I'm here beside the Yarra River (note 2 It's well known for flowing slowly with a colour closer to brown/grey than blue or green) alongside the free gas BBQs.  All my family is here with me (Roger, Gaynor, Tim, Amy, Glenda, Tom + any others too).  We're having a BBQ/picnic... I have so, so many good memories attached to this place, I could stay here for ages (note 3 the Yarra and parklands beside it host a wide variety of interesting things to see and do).... but now it's your turn.  Read the instructions and then give it a go.  I'd like to hear about what you "see"....

Find a comfortable place to sit.  Minimise distractions, like music, telephones, TVs, etc.  Take a deep breath in and breath out slowly.  Close your eyes.  Breath in - Picture green grass and moving water - breath out.  Breath in - what do you see? - Breath out (What do you hear, smell, etc repeat as required and until you have a vivid picture).  Breath in - are you alone or with others? - out, in - if yes, who? (if no, what's there with you?) - out, in - what are you doing? - out, in - stay here for a little while, take it in, enjoy it - all the while breathing in and out slowly with your eyes closed.  Now it's time to pack up:  Keep breathing slowly but as you feel comfortable open your eyes and return to your chair in the room you started. (Insert smile)

That cycle should take a minimum of two minutes and a maximum of 10.  Feel free to return here any time you need to.  I'd also like to hear if it worked, and what you saw, but only as you're comfortable......