Send 'smooth-sailing' sentiments to Spirit_Healer!

@rav3n , I haven't been to a dance class for about a year. And the last time I went to a social was early August. It's been bad timing, with the socials I like happening when I've either been sick (I've had two colds in two months) or had other things on. The other difficult thing about dance events is that they usually start at 9pm and end around midnight or 1am. And this tends to muck up my sleeping patterns, especially because I'm an early sleeper, and have difficulty sleeping in. So if I've had a week of bad sleep, I decide not to go.

I feel like my ability to follow in salsa and bachata is good enough that I can follow about 80% of moves, without needing to go to more classes to learn more new moves. Some dancers say that dance teachers have a vested interest in teaching overly-complicated moves because doing so keeps students coming back. It sounds a bit cynical, but I can understand how this could be true.

I've got my eye on my two favourite monthly events for November, hopefully I'll be able to go to at least one of them!

@tyme

ohh i never realised how late (and long) these dance events were! @Spirit_Healer good on you for prioritising your sleep!!

i'd say knowing 80% of the moves is really great! as long as you know the basics, i imagine you could even practice at home from watching youtube videos?

fingers crossed you get to attend those events next month!! ✨

Heya @Spirit_Healer ! Great to hear from you! I'm sure things have been super busy for you. Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling that well and the kiddos arking up! Of course they would!

Is your school up to Year 12?

Hey @tyme , @rav3n !

@rav3n I still have a collection of about twenty videos of my dance teachers demonstrating the routines they taught us in the classes I went to, before covid. I find it difficult to copy the moves without a lead, especially as these were intermediate level moves that I hadn't learnt before. I find that good leads, usually dance teachers, are so clear in their connection with me, and good at estimating my ability, that sometimes I'm even able to follow a lead for a move I haven't done before. These are the dances I enjoy the most. They're not overly complicated, yet can keep me guessing, not too predictable.

@tyme Yes, up to year 12. My year 11 students from last year sat their final year 12 English exam on Tuesday. I feel sad that I won't see them around at school after this exam period is over. But it is likely that I will still see some around from time to time, in the community.

Salsa dancing is so hard, but once you get into the rhythm of it, it is so therapeutic @Spirit_Healer ! I think I would feel odd practicing it myself at home.

It's must be bitter sweet to see your kids graduate and move on. It's always a wonder what they will do next in life!

Do you still see your gym instructor?

I know what you mean, @tyme , even just the fact that my home has carpet and is cluttered in front of the TV makes it difficult to practise dancing at home, plus the vibe is different. It's kind of like how psychology teaches us to prime our brains: bedrooms for sleeping, dining room/ meals area for eating, dance floor for dancing, etc. Train yourself to know what behaviour is required for each venue/ room and recreate the conditions for how it will be when you need to 'perform' at your best. (I hope I'm making sense. )

I still see my fitness instructor every week or so when I go to his classes, although I haven't stayed to go out to eat with him lately. I keep finding reasons not to because my schedule is already packed. Nevertheless, we are good friends now. We have exchanged numbers and social media. It's good to be able to share how things are going in our lives, especially because we have the same day job. And the cultural similarities mean we can empathise with each other. I told him about my bipolar and he noted that I'm doing well to be able to hold down a job. His friend who also has bipolar can't because his illness affects him too much. It's nice to be acknowledged, I don't get that much because I generally don't share my diagnosis with people.

Sounds amazing. I can hear that life gets pretty jam packed when things are moving on eh? @Spirit_Healer

Hope work has been okay for you. How do you feel being back at home now?

You're right, @tyme . Keeping busy seems to be how it is most of the time for me these days. I actually have to make the effort to 'skip' things on my schedule, here and there, to give myself some breathing room and slow things down. So, this has sometimes meant skipping a fitness class, or church, or both, on weekends.

Work is good. I've received a tentative allotment of years 9 and 10 English for next year, which should be good for me. Hopefully my classes next year will be easier to manage than this year's was. We have exam revision, then exams, then we start the new academic year after that (during the last couple of weeks of 2025), so I'm counting down the days with this current group.

I've settled well into living with my parents again. My relationship with each of them is better than before I relapsed. My treating team is encouraging me to schedule in regular social events with friends as well. When I count church group and support group as social time, I realise that I'm 'socialising' more than I did last year. So that's something positive. I had been getting worried because I still feel as though I haven't individuated from my parents. Little steps though, eh?

And I've set December as the time that I plan to go back on the dating apps. I've been a little lonely in that aspect, but I need to have the emotional reserves and time to do that first. It can get a little bit wild with the influx of attention when you first reactivate your account.

So yes, I'm busy and managing at the moment! Thanks for checking in 🤗

Thanks for sharing @Spirit_Healer . It's pretty powerful to be able to follow your progress and take this journey with you.

I hear there are ups and downs along the way, but it's always great to hear from you - progress and all.

I'm glad to hear that your relationship with your parents has been better. I haven't seen my parents in 2 years or so. I really need to make time to see them or at least talk to them. I was going to contact them a few weeks ago, but I lost track of time and never got to speak to them. They live interstate.

Do you and your parents talk much?

@tyme I talk to my parents every day. Even this evening, I was following my Mum around, chatting even while she was busy! I debrief and problem solve about work with her.

If you want to talk to your parents more, it might help to make a regular time to talk to them for example, the second Saturday of every month at 11am, etc. Or you could just arrange a time in advance the day before.

What's your relationship with your parents like?