Living the dream

It's a good thing.I am too busy living counterclockwise to write about it. At least this week.I just returned from 5 days on the road with the Eugene Ballet Company. We -- yes, I am (temporarily) part of the company -- are touring The Nutcracker for the holiday season. We just did 5 shows in 5 days in Washington and Idaho. Tonight and tomorrow we are in Salem. Friday, Saturday (matinee and evening) and Sunday we are at the Hult Center in Eugene, Oregon.Those of you who follow me on facebook know I've been preparing for this for a while, going back to my childhood passion for ballet, going first to community classes and then company classes, rehearsing with this company of talented professionals -- and now performing and touring. I'll be writing about this in a new book, Raising the Barre, about shaking it up mid-life, going back to the beginning of the learning curve, challenging myself while ecapturing old dreams. Right now, though, I have to put on my stage make-up, gather my tights and leo, my character shoes and headpiece, my protein bars -- and leave for the studio to catch the bus up to Salem.Thanks for stopping by the blog today. I promise a nice, meaty post next week.(photo by Cliff Coles)