dancing AND

When I listen to music, I dance. When I cook, I listen to music. Ergo, when I cook, I dance. Consequently, cooking can take me much longer than it should. Sometimes, I can dance in one place and chop veggies at the same time. I can definitely stir soup and dance. Sometimes, though, the music takes me and I find myself dancing all around the kitchen, over the dogs and around the kids. (I do try to remember to put the knife down first.)

The kids don't appear to think it's out of the ordinary, and I suppose, for them, it's not. I've always danced while cooking. Occasionally, they will join me. Liam likes to do the running man, and Aisling will jump around with me all over the place. They usually poop out on me, though.

Tonight, I discovered that dancing is a great way to shake up a can of coconut milk. Just take one can in each hand and wave those arms around while dancing. It's a fantastic workout, too.

I also dance and drive. I'm sitting, sure, but that doesn't stop me from boogieing in my seat. [Aside: I am not sure of the correct way to spell boogie-ing. This is what my computer suggested, and I have accepted it.] Fortunately, dance-alyzers have yet to be invented; I would fail every time.

When I walk for exercise, I plug into my ipod and dance in my head. It is hard to dance and walk at the same time, and I am, as yet, too self-conscious to dance down the sidewalk. It does affect my walking, though, at times, giving me a bit more hip-swiggle than an ordinary walk calls for. It makes me wonder what passing motorists think. Am I trying to attract attention? Do I think I am hot stuff? Do they even really notice? (It has been a long time since I've gotten a wolf whistle.) I notice people walking. Does that mean other people notice me walking? (I think I see a new blog post shaping up here.)

I used to dance while trying to clean. Unfortunately, I get very little housework done while dancing, so when I am serious about it (which I rarely am), I have to turn off the music.

I have said that I may love dancing more than I love reading, and some people who know me well have disagreed with that. After all, I spend almost all my free time reading. I certainly spend more time reading than I do dancing ... that is, if you don't count the time I spend driving and dancing.

So which do I love more, dancing or reading? I've decided it's a matter of place. When I read, I escape. I am no longer in the "real" world. I am away, I am absorbed. When I dance, I am in the moment, right there, in my body, sweating and moving, not thinking, just letting my body inhabit the music. I spend so much time in my head, thinking, thinking, thinking, that dance, ironically, grounds me while also somehow setting me free.

When I listen to music, I dance.