Yoga, ballet and belly dancing are excellent for posture and learning proper body alignment. I learned to remind myself to keep my shoulders back away from my ears, to not put all my weight on one leg when standing in line or on the metro, to sit up straight at my desk, and to think tall. Once you make it a habit, slouching will start to feel uncomfortable.

Sitting on one of those big bouncy medicine balls instead of chair also MAKES you sit up straight to keep your balance.

DH and I also crack our backs with a few partner-yoga poses. Feels sssssoooo good.

Does anyone like the 2 albums produced by Will I Am...Timeless and Encanto?

Anonymous wrote:

zumbamama wrote:I haven't heard the new song...can't find it on iTunes! I must hear this new song so I can see what is so bad about it.

BEP's Mas Que Nada was voted best hip hop song in my class. Of course it is a remix of a very popular song, but I LLLLOVE it. I also love Hey Mama, because it has that samba rhythm I crave. It makes me WANT to move. But to each her own.

Dear Zmom, I'm one of your biggest fans but have you ever heard of Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass-they are the ones who originally recorded this song and without even hearing the BEP's version, I bet theirs is better. Start looking at music as an art as opposed to a product and open up your mind-and, in turn, I will consider (not actually do, but consider) taking a Zumba class. Not because I want to, but because you're my hero on this website.

I thought Sergio Mendes was the original artist of Mas Que Nada. But I will look up your suggestion! I am very open minded with music...hip hop is not even my main specialty. Latin is my love...new, old, original, remixed, underground, unplugged, you name it. In fact, I am most drawn to any music that has strong African-based, tribal percussion in it...it's like my drug.

I don't think Fergie is that talented though...I was disappointed with her lack of real dancing skills in the video and on the stage performances. Not one samba step in such a good samba song.

Since BEP uses so much samba rhythm, I think they would benefit from teaming up with someone else like Daniela Mercury.

I haven't heard the new song...can't find it on iTunes! I must hear this new song so I can see what is so bad about it.

BEP's Mas Que Nada was voted best hip hop song in my class. Of course it is a remix of a very popular song, but I LLLLOVE it. I also love Hey Mama, because it has that samba rhythm I crave. It makes me WANT to move. But to each her own.

OnyX is what we use to maintain our Macs.

Too many files stored on your hard drive can also slow it down. You can transfer files to a back up drive and then clear the space out of your Mac to free up some memory. I like to back up both on disc and on drive.

Warm temperature can also slow it down. Turning it completely off everyday will help it cool.

Too many open files or programs can also slow it down.

If you use a lot of fonts, fonts are notorious for causing problems. I stick to buying only from Adobe and other big vendors. Stay away from free fonts!

Yesterday, I saw a woman pushing a baby in a stroller down the double yellow line of Route 50...in the middle of rush hour traffic. No median strip...she had cars zooming past her 60 mph, a few feet away on both sides, and the next intersection was at least a mile away. WTF! How could she not be scared for her life?

very favorite? That is so tough.

I love a lot of the ones all ready mentioned.

Here's some of crowd pumpers.

Krazy, Anthem, Calle Ocho, by Pitbull
Mas Que Nada, by Black Eyed Peas
Run the Show, Whine Up, by Kat de Luna
Capoeira de Brasil, by Sergio Mendes
Ojos Asi, by Shakira
Pegate Un Poco Mas, Drop it On Me, La Bomba Unplugged, by Ricky Martin


Sean Paul, Fat Boy Slim, Eminem, Prince, Michael Jackson, INXS, White Zombie, Aerosmith the whole Get A Grip and 9 Lives Album, Missy Elliot & Ciara.

I think many of us felt that way when we had to go back...I cried dropping DC off at daycare the first day. It is so tough. Is it possible to build in lunch dates with your DC? That REALLY helped me get through the day.

While you may have to go back to work next week, you can maybe explore potential options that might allow you a more flexible schedule with your DC down the road.

This looks like a good one: http://www.artomatic.org/artists/resources

Also check out Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria...a big artist magnet.

http://www.iasg.blogspot.com/

creative mama here. what is your medium? I'm media/fine/performing arts. Here are a few of my resources:

www.mediabistro.com (mostly media arts, writing/illustration seminars, contests, networking events, newsletters)

www.adcmw.org (art director's club)

Arlington Arts Center

You might check The Corcoran School of Art to see if they have anything going on.

www.aiga.org (graphic arts)

Martin Luther King Library is always looking for community exhibition pieces.

Have you thought about teaching? I know many moms who teach what they used to practice, in various fields. It might not pay as much, but you'd still be connected to your field and could set a more flexible schedule for yourself.

You can dwell on the negative or explore the positive in any city. That's what I keep telling DH, who complains about DC all the time.

Personally, I love it here. I grew up here, lived away from here and moved back. I love the architecture, my commute with a view, the creative job market, the art scene, the hundred of people I meet from all over the world, the little Asian delis, the music in the streets and memories everywhere I turn.

Sure there are rude and crazy people, but I don't let them get me down when there's so much else going on.

Someone in one of my colleague's class actually complained to the fitness director that she played Thriller in dance class. She was offended by a Halloween song but not any of the explicit hip hop!

I am grateful for each day I have to live, for my super-awesome village of a family, a fun job and good music.