When I have a brand-new hairdo
With my eyelashes all in curl
I float as the clouds on air do
I enjoy being a girl!

Okay, not really. But following sure is fun! Specifically following in a dance. And even more specifically following in lindy hop, which is what we did today in Social III because the Dance Master figured we'd all be rather tired from the time change, and therefore didn't want to do more hustle straight off. Wise in all the ways of social dancers is the Dance Master.

My enthusiasm for Social Dance had been flagging of late; wherefore I do not know. I suspect it had to do with my general lack of enthusiasm for school this quarter - last night I told Marion that I'm getting more and more ready to be back at school, and she asked when I go back. Case in point, ayia? But at least I am getting ready to be back. Two girls in a row told me they were the best guy they'd danced with when we did that. Which of course made me feel good, but more importantly made me feel on a level with other people in that class. Call me silly (I'm doing it) but I have hitherto felt rather inadequate in Social III. I just haven't felt like my dancing is good, and while I do enjoy hustle, it's not a dance I have as much of a handle on as swing or waltz. So it was particularly good time to get a compliment on my dancing today.

I'm also enjoying Music 19 more the more I go to it. Which is good. When I signed up for a section the professor asked me if I could read music. I wasn't sure how to answer. Sure I can tell you what the notes on the page are, and if you give me enough time I could tell you what the intervals were, the key, and maybe do some rudimentary analysis of the piece. But is that really reading music?

What I mean is this: what good does it do me to be able to read music if I can't speak it? If I can't sing the piece in front of me, how can I prove to you that I know what it says? When I can do that I will consider myself a singer. But I can't right now, which means that in my mind I can't read music. Then again, I'm probably being a little unfair: I can't speak in Attic, but I can read it if you give me enough time. Just because I can't explain to you what I'm reading in the language it was written in doesn't mean I can't read it. Isn't that analogous? So basically I'm setting my standards too high. But (despite the figure of speech) I'd say that's not such a bad thing.