most unforgetable experience

[Black Sheep]

Dear Story tellers,
What is the most memorable experience of your life?
My Grandchild, Natane asked me this question several weeks ago, and although, a few came to my mind, recallng this one that took place coming down a 70 mile straight lumber road from Idaho into Colby, Montana in 1963, will always bring nostalgic tears to my eyes.
At the bottom of this 70 mile slope I was going over fifty and did not see
the right angle turn at the boottom of the road before I came onto it.
Before I started this cross country traveling sales job, selling films to TV
stations across the Northen States. I promised myself for my own safety,
that if an animal crossed my path on the road, I would not swerve my car at high speeds to avoid hitting the animal and thereby lose control of my vehicle. This was a sensible decision I had to make, no matter how much of an animal lover I am.
Just as came barreling down this desolate logging road in my gold
convertible 1962 Coup Deville, I cut the sharp corner, drifting to the far
left shoulder of the road in a cloud of dust. I hit my accelerate to
increase the traction of my tires too avoid spilling into the desert shrubs.
And in an instant a young dog ran right in front of my vehicle. My heart
stopped beating as I ran straight over the doom animal, having conditioned myself to do so in that given circumstance. As I slowed the car down to a stop about a hundred yards away. I pulled over to the left shoulder, and looked through my rear view mirror back to where my victim should be laying on the road with bloody broken bones. But the road was clean of any objects.
I slowly began backing up my car, hoping to find the injured dog and give what care would be necessary. As I continued to check my rear view mirror, suddenly the dog popped out from the roadside desert shrubs onto the center of the road. 'That dog will surely get hit by the next car coming around that sharp curve', I thought to myself.
I stopped the car not 50 yards away, not wanting to frighten the animal back into the miniature jungle of thorny sage brush which was impossible for me to enter, and alighted from my car slowly.
In my childhood, I had acquired a lot of experience recapturing the many
family dogs that often broke away from our yard, so I knew before hand it was going to take time and patience before I could get close to grab, what looked like a lost dog.
Two hours later after some aborted attempts with the young pup running back into his cover of a thorny tangled sage brush jungle, and a lot of sweet talking cajoling, he came close enough to smell my opened hand beneath his nose, and with one swift move I had him by the scuff of his neck, dangling in the air with his teeth trying to snap at my hand holding him from above; he couldn't have been more than five months or so old.
Getting a rope around his neck from the trunk of my car took time as he
seemed to settle down. I tied him to a sturdy shrub; rolled down the top of my convertible, closed the windows, and gently and cautiously half pulled and half dragged the dog into the back seat.
A mile or so down the road I came a gas station in front of a general store and as I refilled my near empty gas tank after that 220 mile trip from the last gas station, I asked the gas attendant, if he knew whose dog it was in my back seat. He took one look and said, "That ain't no dog. It's a Coyote. They ain't no good. You might as well throw him away."
I had caught a wild Coyote with my bare hands. And I never threw Mr. Colby the Coyoty away!
Now you tell me your most memorable experience?
Black Sheep, did I lull you to sleep?

[d nice]

Thats a great story! I had no idea where you were headed with it. Lucky you didn't get bit, talk about some nasty things.

I'll have to think for a bit to pick one of my own but I wanted to say that was a great one.

[Black Sheep]

D'nice,
Thanks for the 'left handed' compliment about '"that's a great story!'and then you add a nasty tag like, '"talk about some nasty things"?
What in heavens name did you find nasty in my 'Most Memorable Experience' story?
You give a compliment and then you make a demeaning remark about my story stating, "talk about some nasty things".
That is what is known as a 'left handed compliment'.
Is that your nasty 'vernacular' style of moderating?

Black Sheep, always alert to sly slights

[pygmalion]

I think he meant that coyotes are nasty, which, from what I hear, they are. You could've gotten really hurt, but instead, you ended up with a most memorable story! Really cool. :D I'm searching my memory, but can't come up with anything that even begins to compare.

Hahaha, that was rad. The story was cool too ;) got any pictures of the coyote to share?

-FF

[MissAlyssa]

D'nice,
Thanks for the 'left handed' compliment about '"that's a great story!'and then you add a nasty tag like, '"talk about some nasty things"?
What in heavens name did you find nasty in my 'Most Memorable Experience' story?
You give a compliment and then you make a demeaning remark about my story stating, "talk about some nasty things".
That is what is known as a 'left handed compliment'.
Is that your nasty 'vernacular' style of moderating?

Black Sheep, always alert to sly slights

He was most definetly talking about the coyote being nasty. Just like I went on a tangent calling your other post rude, I really find it innapropriate for you to comment on how d nice moderates this site.

[Swing Kitten]

Joe,

When I read d'nice's post it clearly ment to me that the nasty things where if you were bitten-- that could have been awful... leading to infection, rabies, who knows-- those sort of nasty things.

It seems very much a "right-handed compliment" to me. I understand that you seem to feel automatically defensive over anything he may say but I think in this case it is not nessessary. It's a good story. We ALL like it. :)

[d nice]

Joe, "nasty things" was in reference to the possible coyote bite and what would have gone with it.
How come everyone else was able to understand what I was saying and not you? Let go of your anger and suspicion friend. Just because I disagree with you on various swing related things doesn't mean I have some sort of vendetta against you.
Who has the time to devote that kind of energy into negative feelings? Certainly not me.

[pygmalion]

Gotta say I agree with you, d nice. This forum is such a cool place to be, and even more so when we all keep it positive.

There's so much fun, kindness, experience, and knowledge to share, it would be a waste to spend even a minute on negativity.

[Black Sheep]

FunkyFreak,
Since you asked, I have some excellent photos taken the month after Mr. Colby's capture and several photos of him at two and three years old. I'll mail them to DanceMentor to put them up on the forum. They will be in the Monday mail. I might be able to scan the photos.
DanceMentor has a Photo albumen I mailed him with another half Coyote I raised for 14 years, She was also born in the wild. The photo is on the last page of the Album. If anybody is interest, I'll tell that story.
This post has been moderated by Dance Mentor.
Issues of concerning moderators or their decisions will not be discussed on the public forums. Kindly contact one of the 7 moderators we have here at Dance Forums using the private messaging system.

I'll still send the Coyote photos.
Black Sheep, a born teacher who loves to share.

[Swing Kitten]

Whoa!!

The story I posted does not deserve to have any derogatory statements attached to it.
You're right... but need I point out that it DOESN'T have any such statement attatched!!!???? Read the posts between your previous two posts in this thread! His intentions are clear and they are not derogatory-- now it becomes solely a question of your interpretation which no one execpt you can do anything about.

I can't post a commentary without hippity hopalong flying Lindy, Texas Tommy desecrating it with his snide remarks, some might call differrences of opionion, I call them 'rude'.

This is a fine example of name calling (something I have yet to see d'nice resort to). Am I the only one who sees the irony that you are calling him names in the same sentence that you are calling him rude? :lol:

I realize some of you will find fault with my attitude, but why should that stop you? but I don't think moderators should have the privilege of editing my commentaries unless they have obscenities or contain libelous statements about any individual commentator.
He is not editing you! Is there a part of your story missing?? There's not a footnote documenting such which leads me to believe the answer is NO. The most libelling on this forum consistantly seems to come from you directed to d' nice as an individual-- this is my observation. The fact that I have even seen these comments of yours suggests that not much editing goes on here.


D'nice has mis Quoted me several times where I was able to catch.
I have yet to find one of these misquotes please direct me to the thread (and page number) of this gravous injustice. I'm very interested in reading it.

In my code of ethics, distortions by misquoting is worst then plagiarizing. It redefines the author in a negative way.
:lol: again! the irony? anyone? :lol:

I vote to have D'nice removed as a Moderator. I find him harmful to the friendly atmosphere we had on this forum before D'nice came on board with all his verbose critiques.
I have found his posts to be consistantly insightful and educated... have you read the Biomachanics thread? It makes so much sense and it is this type of thinking that has proven most beneficial to my own dancing. Frankly, I would not spend nearly as much time here if it weren't for his posts. When it comes to lindy, there are few people I would trust more.

He also does not go out of his way to promote himself here... which I find to be a wonderfully respectful characteristic! But his qualifications are not difficult to reveal. I would recommend entering his name in Google and find out a thing or two about the man you are wanting to ostracize!

[MissAlyssa]

Blacksheep, you seriously need to let go of your grudge against D'nice. He has stated in this topic EXACTLY what he meant by his statement (which happens to be exactly what the rest of us thought was what he was saying) it's YOU that chooses not to except it. If you can explain yourself when someone takes your comments the wrong way it's only fair that you give the rest of us the same courtesy. Don't be a hippocrite! I honestly can't believe you have the nerve to call D'nice names and try to "vote him off the island". So what he disagrees with most of what you say? Are moderators NOT supposed to have an opinion? I have the same request as swing kitten when I ask that you provide links to these so called injustices you speak of.

In a side note, as the other moderators know, just as you say that D'nice's posts (or presence here) makes you not want to be a part of this forum I SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT YOU. I felt backed into the corner when I stated my opinion only to have you rip it apart with your long winded 'knowledge'. You my friend, are not the only one who has felt this way. Sit and think on that.

[pygmalion]

Here's my view, and I'm not going to use anyone's name.

1. There are rules of engagement in this forum. We should all respect them, and each other.

2. Everybody here has something to contribute. For some of us, it's personal experience. For some, it's in-depth technical knowledge. For some, it's years of research and historical accuracy. Even the newest dancer has something to offer -- questions, and curiosity. Each of us needs to bring his/her own piece with honesty and integrity, as much as possible. Then we all benefit.

3. The purpose of a forum is to share ideas and to engage in healthy debate. Debate is not warfare, and it's not personal. Everybody here is intelligent enough to "listen" to the ideas expressed and draw their own conclusions about the validity of what's being said.

[Black Sheep]

MissAlyssa,
The word 'Grudge" does not define my attitude toward D'nice.

This post has been Moderated by DEance Mentor
I've said it befrore and I'll say it again. Kindly speak to a moderator using the Dance Forums Private Message system if you have problem. Issues of moderation will not be discussed in the open forum. Period.

Thanks for working on the photos, Joe, I'm looking forward to them! Coyotes are gorgeous animals, and can be faithful pets.

-FF

[MissAlyssa]

Blacksheep, maybe d'nice didn't say what he had so say in the "right way" but I'm fairly confident he didn't mean to put you down in a sly manner. He said it was a great story. Maybe you two should try not to respond to one another, I can't think of any other way this is going to get solved. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing/seeing "he said this" and "he said that". I'm not putting blame on you blacksheep, just so you know. You two bickering is putting everyone in a sour mood in the forums. Everyone is entitled to their opinions...but maybe sometimes they are better left unsaid. I also think you should cool it with the campaign to "fire" d'nice, unless you feel like you could and would do a better job.

I took it to mean the whole experience was a 'nasty thing' since grammatically it was tagged at the end of his statement not after the word 'bite'.

I don't want to be questionable or non-supportive of this, but physically and grammatically "nasty thing" came at the end of the sentence AND after the word "bit", which was the only verb or noun in the sentence.

Anyway, this is a great topic idea, I'd vote for hear some more people's adventures 8)

-FF

[d nice]

When I was living back east I attended the Rochester Mini-Lindy Exchange (a lindy exchange is a weekend long social dance event, no competitions, no classes, just great music, friends and dancing). After a great thursday and Friday night of dancing, and events all Saturday day and night everyone was feeling what we call "lindy love". That joyous feeling where you feel connected to all lindy hoppers on and off the floor, every song is wonderful and every dance magical.

I was sitting out one of my favorite songs, "Blues in Hoss' Flat" by Count Basie. Not so much for a lack of partners, but I was just having so much fun watching others dance.

That was when I spied a little girl off to the far side of the "Liberty Pole" Park. She was bouncing around to the music and dancing next to and around her mother who was pushing her stroller. She was the perfect epitome of the event. Moved by the music she was one with the rhythm... yes this two year old was on beat and so obviousely enjoying herself I just had to go and watch her closer.

I approached and she looked at me her eyes flashing, her smile contageious, and her kitty-cat face paint nearly breaking my heart. She and her mother were coming from a fair a couple of blocks away, and were just cutting through the park. I turned to her mother and asked, "Would you mind if I danced with her?"
"If she says yes you have my permission"
I asked and held out my hand and she said yes. It was transcendent. Proving that the Lindy Hop is not just some collection of learned steps and intellectual technique she moved with me as a partner should, freely interpreting the music but always watchign and listening to me.

I thought that being across the park the dance would be private. Just the music and us. Not so much. When the osng was over there was thunderous applause as the little girl recieved a standing ovation. So very beautiful, children, laughing and dancing to such wonderful music.

This story could never do the experience justice, but here was a picture taken.

http://www.wonderland.com/~dormouse/damonnchild.jpg

[pygmalion]

Great story, d nice.
Here's mine -- nothing to do with dance, though.

The first time I went to Ghana was in August 1994. I had friends there, who were relatively affluent by local standards, so they hired a car for me and protected me from mostly everything. I had a great, full, typical tourist itinerary. Lots of fun. Good food, great crafts, nice people everywhere. Akwaaba (welcome) everywhere you went.

About day six or seven, we were scheduled to visit two of the slave castles that dot the coast of West Africa (not just in Ghana, but in Cote D'Ivoire and other countries). I wasn't prepared for what I'd find.

When I got to the slave castle, the tour guide took me and my friends inside one of the "holding tanks" where slaves were kept for months, waiting for the next voyage to America. It was awful. Dark, and dank, and small. I stood there in the silence and semi-darkness, and in a moment, I knew for a certainty that the reason I'm alive is that one of my ancestors had been in that place, or a place just like it.

I can't describe how I felt. Stunned, and awed, and small. The reason I'm here is that, whoever they were, they survived the unimaginable.

I've heard that a lot of people weep, or faint, or break down, in that place. But that day, I gave thanks to my unknown ancestor. And I also took away the knowledge that if they could survive that, I can survive anything.

Wow. This story is hard for me to tell. I'm literally shaking as I type. Nothing happened, but everything happened to me that day.

[d nice]

That is an amazing story. Feeling that presence of history and your place in the chain of life is such a humbling experience.

[Black Sheep]

D'nice,
When you came on board, I resented your contradictions of my statements in my documentaries, and I still do. However, after reading your story, I saw another human being than I had envisioned, and this D'nice, I have to admit I like. All your confabulations were not my cup of tea because as Alyssa said, 'I had a 'grudge' that developed from what I saw as your unwarranted contradictions of my documented reports.
After reading your story, I realize I had a grudge against a shadow I thought was D'nice, and not the person you now have become in my mind.
Apologies are only words, but accept my regret in having gotten the wrong impression of you from the start. Your story got to me.
Thanks for sharing it.
But don't think for a heart beat that I'm buying that Texas Tommy Swingout crap?
Black Sheep, the last of the loners. [/quote]

That was awesome, hahah! You both make my day on here all the time, I'm glad to have you both.

And more on topic:
Nothing happened, but everything happened to me that day.
Aren't those always the most marking moments! Excellent story, very powerfully shared.

-FF

[SDsalsaguy]

Nothing happened, but everything happened to me that day.
Aren't those always the most marking moments! Excellent story, very powerfully shared.
Ditto. ...and thanks for sharing.

[pygmalion]

Thanks for being so supportive, guys. :D That really was hard to share.


Jenn

[youngsta]

Very, very deep. One day I will make that journey...

[Swing Kitten]

Thank you both for your stories-- truely awesome.

Thank you for sharing something that was not easy to share, pygmalion. While it will never reach the magnatude of your experience, we all have something to learn (or strengthen confirmation) from your story so I thank you for sharing it.

And D nice... that's just plain ADORABLE!!!

[Swing Kitten]

I have had tons of memorable experiences... they are of a different sort. When I think about it no one thing jumps to mind (at least nothing I'd want to post on a public forum :wink: )

I look at things... and when you look at things-- really look-- you start to notice things, you make discoveries. Discoveries about things that are always there and ready for anyone to discover.


I love details. Last Feburary I took a short walk through a wooded area
near a remote building where I was working for school. I had heard that there was a ropes course there and since it was still daylight I figured I'd check it out.

Yeah, the course was quite limited but the woods were beautiful with a fresh blanket of snow, soft and smooth-- this was my first winter with snow EVER so I had a lot to take in! Interrupting this smoothness, I noticed what appeared to be mouse tracks in the snow.

I couldn't tell if they were coming or going but that didn't stop me from following them. It was wonderful tracking the course of this little mouse. They started (or ended)beneath a rock then it darted in straight lines from tree to tree. I could see where it had used a fallen branch for a bridge and where it had jumped off (perhaps fallen? I mused) and continued back in straight darts from tree to tree until the tracks lead me to the main road several yards away from my entrance. This is where I slipped down the snowy bank and where I left the little mouse footprints along with my own.

My memories work more this way... tons of them waiting for me to notice... serving as a reminder how each day is a blessing and has something wonderful to offer and it's only waiting for me to do my part and look, appreciate, and admire.

[pygmalion]

That's really a beautiful account, Swing Kitten.

There's so much beauty around us, if only we slow down, take a minute and look. It takes a special person to see the world that way. :D

[Danish Guy]

This is where I slipped down the snowy bank and where I left the little mouse footprints along with my own.


So the Swing Kitten never caught the mouse, but enjoyed the chase.
In some strange ways, this makes perfect sense. :wink:

It’s a gift to enjoy the small wonders around us. 8) :D 8)

[MissAlyssa]

Well, as most of you know I haven't had many years to gather 'life tales' but I am going to share one of the most wonderful moments in my life.

This is back when I was about a Sophomore in high school. I came home from school one day to find my younger sister (who was in the 5th grade) sitting at the kitchen table talking to my mom. She was scolding her for not starting on her essay that was due the next week (she had a parent/teacher conference that day). My mom, determined to get my sister started on it at that very instant, demanded to know who my sister was writing her essay about (she was to write an essay on her "hero"). My sister refused to give my mom an answer and wouldn't tell her why. My mother was fuming! She sent my sister to her room and that was the last I heard of it. The following week I came home from school just as I always did. I went to my room to change my school clothes and put my backpack away when I saw some papers on my bed. I'm thinking to myself "Please, if there is a god don't let this be a bad report card"...it wasn't. I picked up the stack of papers and on the front page it read

"My Hero"
by Robyn Cherry
5th Grade
Mrs. Bravakos' Class

I was momentarily confused. I flipped the page. I WAS IN AWE....the paper read something like this:

My hero isn't a basketball player that makes lots of money and it's not a famous singer or actor. She isn't on tv or the radio, she isn't even old enough to vote. My hero is my big sister Alyssa....

I can't explain to you how awesome that was. I always figured my sister despised me. After all I hardly ever let her hang out with my friends and I, or even take her to the park if she asked. I guess I got so hung up with my social life that I didn't realize that the one that really needed my attention was literally "next door".

[Black Sheep]

FunkyFreak,
There are two photos of Mr. Colby the Coyote in color on my web page:
Look under Galleries Page 2. One he is sitting on the Cady Convertable Coup D'Ville that we came cross country in, the other we are walking acrooss the street. These were taken about six monthe after his capture. I have several more colored photos of when Cody is a mature 3 year old that I will include shortly. <WWW.LINDYBYLANZA.COM>

Black Sheep 'To own a Coyote is to know love' Joe Lanza 2003

[bouncybouncyweee]

I really know what you mean Miss Alyssa. I didn't realize just how much my sisters admired me until I left for college. It is a shock, but a sweet one as well.

And that is the absolute cutest thing in the whole wide univere, D nice!

I also haven't had many years to experience, but I can easily pinpoint my favorite moment. I'm Hispanic, so when I turned fifteen I had my quinceranera (Forgive the abscense of the proper N). I got 28 of my high school friend, 14 boys and 14 girls, into frilly lavendar dresses and tuxedos, and we choreographed a "waltz". (I put that in quotes because we did it to the Blue Danube, and if that bunch of adolescent freaks were doing anything on that wooden floor, it certainly wasn't a waltz.) But anyways, the day of the Quince, the "watlz" was over with, and all my friend were in a U shape around me, the girls on their knees, and I was in the center with everything quiet and nothing happening.

At this point, I should say that I have this little obsession for the movie Beauty and the Beast. My dress for the Quince was modeled after the yellow Belle dress, that's how much I loved, and still love the movie.

So, there's absolute silence, and then the them from Beauty and the Beast comes on, and I look to the left, and out of the "mist", a person in a Beast costume comes out to dance with me! My friends say they never have seen my mouth open so wide in surprise. They all knew, I didn't. It was absolutely classic.

I have another moment, but it involves a story my Great-Grandmother told me about her life, and I've already written one thing, and it's waaaay too long. But I still have to mention her.

Lily

EDIT: By the way, if anyone doesn't know what a quinceranera is, it's basically the coming of age party for a hispanic girl of 15, comparable to the bat or bar mitzva, or a sweet sixteen. I think most people know what that is, but I had to add it.