I remember why I hated Middle School!

Today was my first day leading groups at a Pflugerville middle school. And oh.... my... word.... I thought I had blocked it completely from my mind, but I now remember why I hated middle school.

For Real.

I have 3 groups of 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. The age range with the most drama, the most hormones, and the most attitude. 3 things that I have no patience with. I think that this semester will truly test my patience and strengthen my character, or it will kill me. :o

Middle school was awkward for me. I was smaller than everyone, kind of nerdy (although I wasn't that great of a student), and everyone seemed to either use me or pick on me. My 'friends' used to catch me right after carpool and tie my shoelaces to the handicap parking sign around the corner from the gym. This would cause me to be late to athletics. They would also deem random days "Pick on Britt Days." This would entail lots of tickling, lots of snapping of bra straps in class, and lots of teasing when a cute high school boy would walk into history so my face would turn red. Thank God I didn't come out in middle school! I really would have gotten it.

So when I come into my new middle school I think I still carry some fear, not to mention they all look like college students in middle school now, and have experienced just as much sometimes. I couldn't seem to find the right middle ground to meet them, and it frustrated me. I hope to really make an impact on this group. I want to help them to learn what a healthy relationship looks like and that they should only expect and accept the best. They deserve to be treated like queens and respected like dignitaries by men.

Its going to be a really tough semester. I'm nervous and fearful, but hopefully courage and confidence will come soon. Otherwise they are going to walk all over me!

Dancing with the stars here we come!

So I'm really excited!

Jessica and I have joined a salsa class!! Its a same sex partner friendly class, which has its good qualities and its bad qualities.

Good Qualities:
1) They are promoting equality and open mindedness.
2) We get to meet people who are similar to us.
3) I have the best dancing partner out the entire class.

Bad Qualities:
1) This is my first time leading. I'm not that great yet, so there is a lot of stopping to find the beat.
2) We are the youngest couple in the class by far. I danced with a lady who was my grandmother's age and she was giving me googly eyes.
3) There are lots of ladies who are just as bad at following as I am at leading so my toes hurt.

I'm just kidding about the bad qualities, the class is a blast! I'm so excited that we are doing this together and its fun to learn. I did this class because Jessica is the such a wonderful dancer, its hard to keep up with her and to muster up enough courage to even ask her to dance :) So I wanted to get better at partner dancing so when we go out on the town I don't look like a complete fool with her.

Now this lack of skill in dance isn't all my fault. I mean I've got all the parts to shake my money maker. Believe me, I've got the hips, the butt and the big feet. I attribute it to few different things.

1. I was a tomboy as a kid. We had community dances when I was in elementary school but I was soooo not interested when I was that age. I went to play basketball with the boys and to down as much free sugar as I could.

2. My middle school and high school years were filled with a total of 2 dances! We weren't allowed to have dancing at my school, its a grand sin supposedly. Huh, who knew that when David danced God was frowning. So much of this is due to what I like to call "The Tin Man Syndrome". My dancin parts haven't had any practice, the oil can hasn't seen them as much as it should have.

3. I lack rhythm. Now this is my fault. For some reason I hear different beats and sounds that are not in the song being played. It's like I'm moving to a completely different tune.

Do these things stop me from shakin my groove thang tho? Heck No! I looove to dance! You thought Ellen DeGeneres was the only white girl loved to dance that much... Well you've met her match! I love it! I love it! I love it! Often I'll break out in many of a Target, Kohl's, or dentist office. I don't even need a song, many times I'll just ask Jess to dance when there is no music playing. I can't stop myself!