I learned a new word the other day by reading Janice's blog: svelte. I don't even know how to pronounce it! But I had to look it up on dictionary.com to find out that it means slim, or thin. I know this embarrasses Danny, the fact that my vocabulary is weak, that I have different ways of pronouncing words, and that I don't know some American idiomatic phrases. Sometimes I'll ask after using a big word - what does that mean? And Danny's like, how can you use the word if you don't know what it means? It's just that I like the word, and guess the meaning by using it the way I think it should be used. Then I clarify. Nine times out of ten I use the word wrong.

About four year ago, I saw a can of soup in Danny's apartment, and I said, "Ooh, minestrone!" But the way I pronounced it was MINE - STRONE, two syllables. Danny gave me an incredulous look, and said, "You're kidding, right?" I said, "What! Whatcha lookin' at?" He replies, "It's MIN-E-STRONE-EE, four syllables." I truly believed that I was right, and we even got a third party involved. I was moded. Faced. Owned. Oh well. Who likes minestrone anyways?

Speaking of getting worked, I went to my first modern dance class tonight. We didn't leap like a deer, like I had imagined. We pranced like a horse. I wasn't sure whether or not to laugh out loud in the middle of class, or just get really into it, and reap the benefits of pure cheeziness. I have to admit, though, it was fun. If you're a cynical person, modern dance is not for you. I have a slightly sarcastic personality, and I was struggling not to let that get in the way of getting in shape and sculpting my body. But if you're full on sarcastic or cynical, you might not get into it. When the instructor yells, "Prance like a horse, turn around, jump, hop, skip, fall, and leap!" you just have to do it. Inhibitions let go...

He made a comment tonight that I liked. There is no rhythm in modern dance. You go to your own inner rhythm. I like that. Danny would hate it. He's all about being on beat and having GOOD rhythm. Modern dance is definitely my style: slightly weird and out of rhythm.