Anything But Work
Whoo-ee, I am procrastinating like a banshee today (little-known fact:
banshees actually hate shouting). I am supposed to be doing my Portuguese
homework, but all I'm doing is editing this week's 'WeeGee Wayback Wonders'
and playing Nethack. Hey, I'm retired!

We went to see a modern dance show last night at Sociedade Musical Capricho.
It was our first time in that big building, which is an interesting mishmash
of old architecture with worn stone steps that must be over a century old
and somewhat shabby 1970s-style theater architectures.

We went to see Oniscidea Dance Company, about which we knew nothing. I enjoy
dance particularly since coming to Portugal because it's not in Portguese!
It's just dance. 

Anyway we're watching this dance, and I'm saying to myself "Huh, that move
looked a lot like an aikido move." I studied aikido for a couple of years
back in the late Nineties, in part in order to encourage my son Leo to try
it. As the dance went on, again and again, I'm like "Wait that was an
iriminage."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP43kd4A-T8

I really enjoyed aikido because it was purely defensive. It wasn't all about
kicking and hurting people, but focused on disarming and immobilizing an
attacker. 

Anyway today I looked up the dance company, and found out I was right. In 
its "About the company" video the director shows many clips of aikido
practicioners dancing on stage. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHRnbPJ5iIU

That was a lot of fun, and afterwards Joy and I walked home. It is SO NICE
to live in a town with so many interesting events, located so closely that
we can just stroll home afterwards, through a town where we feel safe out
at midnight. 

And I've successfully procrastinated a little more!