Tango Therapy

Can tango be beneficial as a form of therapy? The BBC's "The World" thinks so. Check it out.

They describe how researchers are studying the benefits that learning and dancing tango can have for people suffering from Parkinson's Disease or depression.

Money quote (this one is about Parkinson's):

“We compared tango to American waltz and foxtrot and tai-chi and found that, while there were improvements in all of the groups, the improvements in the tango group were always equal to or superior to those in the other interventions.”

It makes perfect sense. Lots of social stimulation, using your body in a conscious way, learning new things (and trying to remember old ones)... What's NOT good about it?

(Spasibo, Tamara!)

Look right through me

A little while ago a co-worker (who is black - You'll see the relevance in a minute) volunteered to help me by letting me do a psychological assessment test on her (as part of my homework for one of the clinical psych classes, I must administer and score tests for IQ, learning disability, etc.). This was extremely nice of her, since those tests take 2-3 hours, and I'm often fumbling along, trying to find the next question or worksheet. She was being an angel.

At the end of the test, I asked her for feedback. What did she like? What did she not like? What would she recommend that I do the same, or that I do differently in the future? She mentioned a few things, and then looked at me for a couple of seconds and said "actually, ther'es one more thing and, uh, I hope You don't take this the wrong way."

I promised to let her know if I think I may be taking it the wrong way. She said "Okay. Well, You are one of the only.... um... one of the only white people that really look at me. I mean, really see me when we're interacting."

This is probably the best compliment I ever received. It's also very disturbing. We talked about this for a while. She told me about the experience of being ignored in shops, while white patrons who came after her were immediately approached by sales people; about being treated rudely in medical clinics. I told her about a story I heard a few days earlier from a white friend, who said that he often feels like black people treat him as though he's transparent - "they just look right through me" (he described how once, in a checkout line at a grocery store, the black cashier had a conversation with the man standing behind him, literally talking and looking through him).

A couple of weeks later, as I was walking from the big train station on 30th St. and Market, a young black girl was walking in front of me, in the same direction as I. A large, intimidating white man walked towards her at a good pace, and shoulder bumped her as he passed. Roughly. I was stunned, and he passed by. I felt (and still feel) absolutely horrible for not saying anything, for letting fear get the better of me, for not even protesting. Next time, I will.

What a funny place, Philadelphia. It's probably not so different from many other places, but things are closer to the surface here, easier to see. Philadelphians are very proud of the ethnic integration of the City, but the implicit and explicit inter-ethnic tension is still very real, and very raw.

For my part, I was glad to have had such an open conversation with my friends. Racial and ethnic tension is not a topic I avoid, and it doesn't make me uncomfortable. I've learned, over time, that lots of people do get uncomfortable when it's brought up explicitly, and so I became more cautious about when I discuss it, and with whom. It was nice to meet people who are willing to acknowledge that it exists, and to share their experiences. There's nothing like open air for this kind of tension.

CLaP HaNDs

Sitting in a cafe in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia (too hot to be home, so I relocated here to read and write some). Suddenly a song they were playing got my attention.

I mean, commanded my attention. I couldn't ignore it, and didn't want to. I put down my book and just listened. And then went to ask the guy behind the counter what song this was.

Clap Hands, by Tom Waits.

Holy moly.

You can listen to the track here (takes a few seconds for it to load and start). The lyrics are here. And, as a bonus, after You've listened to it once, You can also see an especially freaky version here.

Man. So much power in such simple lyrics, such simple music. Gotta love it.

And, of course, You can tango to it. :-)

Building schools in Afghanistan - and the Pentagon digs it, too

So cool. Meet Greg Mortenson, who has been building schools in Afghanistan with the aim of promoting education (especially women's education) as a way of helping everyone out - and reducing world-wide violence (a.k.a. terrorism). Paul forwarded me this New York Times article about Greg, and it made me so happy that I thought I'd pass it on.

Especially happy-making for me is the fact that the Pentagon is acknowledging this initiative. From the article:

"The Pentagon, which has a much better appreciation for the limits of military power than the Bush administration as a whole, placed large orders for 'Three Cups of Tea' [EM: the book Greg wrote] and invited Mr. Mortenson to speak.

"'I am convinced that the long-term solution to terrorism in general, and Afghanistan specifically, is education,' Lt. Col. Christopher Kolenda, who works on the Afghan front lines, said in an e-mail in which he raved about Mr. Mortenson's work. 'The conflict here will not be won with bombs but with books. ... The thirst for education here is palpable.'"

And he has an interesting story.

Hope lives on. Go Greg.

Please please please

Wear a helmet

and

use your seat belt.

It's really simple.
It will save your life
and the happiness of anyone
who loves You.

The laws of physics don't care if You were cautious before some other driver crashed into You. When You hit the road, the only thing that matters is that You hit the road.

Today I learned that one of my colleagues, whom I still haven't met, was hit by a car while riding a scooter with her husband. Neither one was wearing a helmet. In all likelihood, they were two of the smartest, most caring people I would have ever met.

That did not matter. They are both in intensive care. She is slowly recovering. He is missing half of his head.

Be a hero. Save your families from having to go through a similar experience.

Please. Please. Use your seat belt. And if You have to ride a motorcycle, wear a helmet.

Please.

Paul's Visit

Paul came to visit over the weekend, bless his heart. We didn't even bother pretending to be adult/responsible/grown-up/productive, and just enjoyed our time together. :-)

On our list of activities:

• Eating tofu hoagies (thanks, Seth!)
  
  
• Testing the once-around myth on the swings (thanks, Jessica!) in Clark Park. Let's just say that Paul dismounts more gracefully than I do:

• Enjoying the July 4th fireworks with my mentor and her husband (and eating water ice for the first time. The mango flavor is good.)
  
  
• Seeing an improv show (I won the "Audience Suggestion" award! For providing a name for a TV show that never happened: Miracle in a Bowling Alley. What clever, tasteful people they are).
  
  
• Attending a milonga (and receiving a surprise brownie! Thanks, Lori)
  
  
• Hiking around the Wissahickon (Wiss-a-what-a-can?) Park (which is green and huge and gorgeous), getting lost, finding our way again, and enjoying the whole thing thoroughly.
  
  

The Big Give Wedding

Okay - Mary Murphy (who's always been cool) just got my vote for the Ultimate Human Being Award after sending out the Email below. If You have a moment, read it over. If You have some spare cash, consider donating some of it to people who don't.

(and yes, Mary asked that this Email be forwarded)

Congratulations, Mary and Victor. :-)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mary Murphy
Date: Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 8:02 PM
Subject: Our Big Give Wedding

Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues, 

I hope this finds you well and I'm writing to ask a favor. Many folks participate in runs or walks for charity, but Victor and I have had a brainstorm that we hope you will support. Inspired by Oprah's Big Give television show, we have decided to throw a BIG GIVE WEDDING in which we've challenged ourselves to raise $30,000 for two charities.  Because our wedding is in September, we chose charities that target back-to-school time—providing weekend meals and school supplies to low-income Chicago school-kids who would otherwise go without.

We are asking everyone we know who might feel a connection to a charity drive that raises funds for kids' weekend meals and school supplies, to donate.  Of course, in lieu of all weddings gifts and registries, we're also asking our guests to give to these charities too. Together we hope to reach our fundraising goal. Please read about our charities below or at our website and, if you are able, please donate at www.ourbiggivewedding.com. Donations flow directly to the charities (described below) through their secured websites. At just $2.50 for weekend meals, and $17 for school supplies and backpacks for a year, we can all give. Any amount gets us closer to our goal!

Our first charity is Nourish for Knowledge, a program of the Greater Chicago Food Depository.  On Fridays during the school year, the Food Depository provides take home bags of food to children who would otherwise go without over the weekend.  $2.50 feeds one child for the weekend.  Our goal is to sponsor an entire Chicago Public School's program for one year. To give to Nourish for Knowledge, please click here.

Second, Kits for Kidz helps organizations provide school supplies and backpacks to low-income children.  $12 buys school supplies for a child for one year, and a backpack costs just $5.  The Erie Neighborhood House and its charter school will receive these school supplies and distribute them to its low-income, predominantly Latino and African American, students.  Our goal is to raise at least 800 backpacks for the Erie Neighborhood House and Erie Charter School. To give school supplies, please click here.

We need YOUR HELP to make this give BIG!  We hope this will have a direct impact on improving the lives of needy children, feeding them and readying them for the school year.  Not only are we asking for your donations, but we're also asking you to reach out and get involved.  FIRST, please VISIT Our Big Give website: www.ourbiggivewedding.com.  Using the tabs at the top of the page, read about our charities, sign the guest book, and please give.  NEXT, please FORWARD the message to people you think would be interested in supporting these charities.  

In Chicago, the two of us are pursuing leads with several corporate donors who are interested in supporting these causes as well. Our charities have agreed to give recognition to organizations and business that give big through this project.  We have also been in contact with the Oprah Show, which has given us the green light on OUR BIG GIVE WEDDING, and we've promised to keep them apprised of our success.  So, together, we're off to the races!   

Please let us know on the website what you think by signing our online guest book! 

We're so excited to be able to begin our marriage in this way.  

Thank you for helping us to GIVE BIG to these kids,

Mary Murphy