Rosanna and a Right and Left Through

The lights dimmed. The music was queued. Standing in a group of four and off we went! There were meltdowns, swings, California twirls, and a lot more in last night’s techno contra dance (although techno-cally there wasn’t a right and left through as the title of this post might lead you to believe 🫣). Using pop/techno music is a twist on the traditional folk music/ live band usually accompanying contra dances. I was only a little bit sure of what to expect because I’ve participated in just one other contra dance that featured pop music… and… last night…

The sounds, the energy, the people, the laughing, all of it was such a high. Like a great workout at the gym but with music and friends and dancing. I was talking to someone about it recently, saying how contra dance is a welcome addition to my life. I have triathlon stuff, church stuff, family stuff, but going out to dance allows me to embrace a different aspect of my personhood. If you have a chance to try contra dancing in your city, I think you should. You might end up liking it!

But then don’t do what I did afterward: on the way home I accidentally hit a possum. Very sad. In its honor, I named it Rosanna because that song came up on my Spotify playlist this morning as I passed by the scene of the incident. Rosanna… I’m sorry. I hope you had a fulfilling life and thanks for your work in the woods! You were awesome.

-Out of the Wilderness

Iam Tongi Sings Silent Night

Iam Tongi, the winner of American Idol in 2023, has such a soothing, rich voice. If you watched his season, just a few episodes into the live shows it was pretty clear he was running away with it. Crowds loved him, as did the judges, and of course his voice and his story were both fantastic. Here are a couple favorite performances he’s done, one from American Idol and another with a friend of his.

From his pre-Idol days, along with friend Eta Lauti. When he softly sings the word, secures… I basically melt into a big ol’ puddle of joy.

And just recently, Iam covered the Christmas classic “Silent Night.” A beautiful rendition that only would have been better, echoing a comment on YouTube, swapping out the piano with a ukulele.

-Out of the Wilderness

Is Tracker a show worth watching?

Justin Hartley stars as a rewardist, reward hunter, treasure seeker in a show called Rewardist Reward Hunter Treasure Seeker Tracker. He goes by the name Colter Shaw and he’s got a team of smart people around him– two lesbians, an Asian lawyer, and a black guy with prosthetic legs. How many social justice boxes did CBS check off having those eclectic characters on the team, am I right!? Kidding of course, the actors playing these parts do their job well, even if the lines are a little cheesy sometimes.

Tracker reminds me a lot of Psych. Remember that one?

That was a great show with Shawn and Gus teaming up for hilarious crime-solving antics. So in Tracker, Colter Shaw basically does the same thing Shawn Spencer (Psych) did. They both use acute observation to narrow down who did what and when, relying on a team of experts supporting their investigation.

I can’t remember all the details of Psych and I’m sure there were things I didn’t love, as is the case with Tracker. Here are a couple of things I noticed (besides the few cheesy lines of dialogue peppered throughout the episodes).

  1. Colter lives in an Airstream. Very cool. But it’s such a weird coincidence that whenever a new case comes up or there’s a break in a current case, Colter is always like, “No way, I’m like 2 streets away already!”). I know there has to be an element of suspended reality but this “lucky proximity” happens often enough that I laugh every time it happens.
  2. Speaking of humor, the show is lacking the good kind. This is part of what made Psych so good. There was mystery, intrigue, action, and yes, a decent amount of humor. Tracker has more tense scenes, but a dose of laughter wouldn’t kill anybody, would it?
  3. I’d like to see Colter setting up his campsite every time he arrives in a new location. Having travelled around the southeast living in my travel trailer, it’s a heck of a job sometimes. This could be an area to add in some of that humor, too, because in my experience there is a whole world of characters Colter could interact with in an RV park.

Is Tracker worth watching? Absolutely. It’s a murder mystery type show that will keep you guessing and I think you’ll like it!

-Out of the Wilderness

The Neighborhood Horses Eat Carrots and Watermelon

One of my favorite things to do is visit a few horses that live down the street. The family is great to let us (me, and various family members) come by during the week to offer carrots and watermelon rinds, dessert for these big animals. They’re in a pasture where there used to be just one horse (who’s since moved up to some kind of performance level– I miss you Silly!). And actually, even before Silly, there was this beauty.

The three horses there now have such personalities. One is the boss and likes to lick my hands even after the treats are gone. The other is a real good hugger. The third one, an older horse, we get to see him sometimes but he’s mostly doing whatever he can to avoid the other two bigger horses.

Spending time with them just confirms how much I love horses. Not that I’ll ever get one… because maybe they’re like boats– it’s better to have a friend who has a boat than to own one yourself.

Here’s a video from one of our visits. Comment below with your horse experience, any fun stories, or with a reason or two why I should think about getting one.

-Out of the Wilderness

Does it stink having a birthday around Christmas?

This is a question I get all the time. Even as a 45-year-old adult, people ask if having a birthday in December is kinda rough? I understand the reason they ask, thinking that Christmas– and Thanksgiving and New Year’s– overshadows my own celebration.

But I actually love that I was born in December. The whole month is already so full of cheer and festive spirits so adding the excitement of a birthday makes it more fun for everyone me. Even as a child, I looked forward to December all year long and my parents were very thoughtful to celebrate my birthday usually 2 or 3 weeks before Christmas (even though my birthday is actually after Christmas). I feel that it’s kind of special, too, that I was born the day after we celebrate Jesus’s birthday. I mean, who better to follow on the heels of than the Savior of the world, right?

Mostly I’m just full of happiness about being born in such a great part of the year. But there is one drawback. It’s all of you summer babies that really have it all. Anyone born in the middle of the year gets presents every six months. How unfair is that!? 🤪 Maybe that’s why at some point in recent history, people started making their friends and family celebrate their half-birthdays… because if there’s one thing we’re lacking is narcissism (and sarcasm). As an introvert, I actually like my birthday being overshadowed a bit. Every once in a blue Christmas moon I’ll thrive with attention but those occasions are few and far between… just like parties that celebrate me… because… remember my birthday being in December? I’m also the “baby” of the family so I have a lot of confusing paradoxical qualities.

There’s another benefit of being born in late December. Each calendar year, new year’s resolutions are also goals for whatever age I’m turning. So instead of saying, “In 2025, I want to be a better swimmer…” I’d phrase it like this: “When I’m 46, I want to be a better swimmer.”

Anyway, what are you getting me for my birthday!? Oh, you already got me something for Christmas… ok.

-Out of the Wilderness