May 26 2005
Dancing Queen
As my summer session classes do not start until the end of June, I have been indulging in some great pastimes. Of course, you know about my knitting, and you know about my reading (not done with Time Traveler’s Wife yet, but I may actually finish before the K1R2 discussion starts… that will be a first) but I have also ventured into some uncharted territory in my spare time: something that takes some sort of athletic ability.
I have always enjoyed dancing… but that does not mean that I was good at it. As a child, I took ballet, jazz, tap, and gymnastics lessons, but since then, my dancing has been limited to the awkward prom/homecoming dances of high school, a few odd "balls" in college, and a few "tipsy" wedding/club dances.
… but now, I am a dancing queen…
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This is Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). You may have seen this game played by pimply-faced middle schoolers in mall arcades… or maybe you saw one of the parodies of it on TV… but me? I do the dancing in the comfort of my own home–and it is great FUN! We bought the pack at the beginning of April, and I couldn’t stop dancing… but I got out of it for awhile because of school obligations. Now I am back to the dancing–and I can’t be stopped! |
We bought a second pad this week, and Kris and I are having dance-offs in our basement! Little by little, our scores are getting better, but the best thing about it? It is really great exercise! There is a Workout Mode set up in the game, and you can monitor all sorts of stats–it is a great program, and I have already seen some results… I can definitely feel them!
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The arrows on the screen scroll upwards with the beat of the music, and you match those arrows with your feet movements on the controller pad. There are several different levels (Beginner-Light-Standard-Heavy) I have graduated to Light, and there are a few songs where I can do Standard. The game was created in Japan, and the graphics are cute, colorful, and poppy. The song selections are pretty good–heavy on the techno beats, but as the game progresses, you get new options, like jazz/swing and some hip hop.
Kris and I have also been gardening some more… many of our vegetables and herbs are doing quite well. Maryland has had three days of rainy weather, so the plants are ready for today’s sunshine… Our lilies are forming the buds, and these beans have sprouted and grown several inches in a week’s time. I can’t wait till these lilies bloom–they are an explosion of red and orange–absolutely stunning.
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Our patio container garden is really taking off–tomatoes and peppers, mesculin salad greens, basil, oregano, and some amazing fast-growing cat grass (not pictured). My kitty boys will love it! |
Juggling several projects right now… my project depends on where I am sitting and how I am feeling at the time. Last night, during the season finale of Lost, this was my project of choice: the Cotton-Ease pullover. I was a little apprehensive in revealing a closeup of this project, because I was embarassed about the way that some of WS stitches looked.
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 The row gauge is a little wonky in some places… okay, many places. I do not know if I should attribute this to the yarn or to my own ineptitude. After reading Fidget’s post yesterday, I did not feel so bad. She is having the same problem. I am not ready to rip it, but it does not look that great. Will this change when I wash/block it? |
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As I knit my way up to the armholes, things have gotten better, but there are still some wonky patches. I got to the armholes in the second hour of Lost (so, what did you all think about this episode? I was hoping for a little more intensity, but it was still pretty darn good!). I love the way the decreases form and make that design… it’s the simple things. |
Tonight, I am meeting up with Donna and Eilene for Knit Nite. I am planning to take my Balmoral sleeve along for the ride. We have a 4-day weekend ahead of us–Kris and I took tomorrow off from work. Looking forward to a nice weekend with my family–this will be my sister’s last weekend as a single girl.
I watched Lost (love, love, love) while I knit, and then ripped, my Tempting. Back to the beginning, both for my sweater and the show.
Thank you for explaining DDR to me — I finally saw it in action on the Santa Monica pier last week and I was fascinated. . . but not enough to personally check it out in public.
Enjoy your extra-long weekend!
I really wanted to try ddr, but I’m afraid it will take away from my knitting. Someone needs to invent a way to carry your knitting around in a little roo pouch while you jog and skate. With fairly dull needles of course.
Funkiness - but at least your armholes look beautiful! You know I had to comment; after all the title of your blog today is a song in a Broadway musical
dance on!
~christy
What a phenomenal idea! I’ve always been fascinated by those dance games, but would never do it for fear of humiliation. But in the privacy of your own home? Fantastic! And I’m sure it’s great exercise.
Your stitches look beautiful to me! Have a great weekend!
I’ve done the dance thing in an arcade this summer. I sucked! Maybe I should get the ps2 game so I can practice. Hmmm… maybe some ebay searching for me!
I WANT that dancing thingie!!! It looks like so much fun. Not that I need anything to dance around like a possesed lunatic, but that could help.
BTW, I love your garden. As soon as we get a house, I’m growing stuff. Gardening is so rewarding.
Lolly, I think you’ll find that it will even out after washing and blocking. Over time, it will even out more and more. This is especially true for cotton and cotton blend yarns that don’t felt together at all–the stitches will slide around and even themselves out.
I think my son has a PS2–I need to see if he’ll let me borrow it–if so, I’ll want to get that game.
i would love to do that dance dance revolution thing - it sounds so great and fun, but that means i’d have to buy a playstation, and that seems like a dangerous thing…
Good way to ‘get up and move”!!
Not many people have a perfect back side to their knitting. If the front looks good then keep on truckin’.
So, why didn’t we do DDR when I was there?
Oh, that’s right - we were exhausted.
Seriously, I tried DDR once and completely SUCKED at it. I’m sure my 3″ heels had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.
Keep on dancin’!
xoxo
I think this weekend sounds like a good time to corrupt your sister, heheh.
So when are you having me over to try to out DDR?
What a fun way to excercise! My kids would go nuts over that.
Have a great weekend,
Amy
I keep hearing about adults getting into DDR for exercise and it sounds so fun. I would love to have a dance-off with my Mr!
That looks like so much fun… I can’t dance all too well, but think that would be great to do with Scott.. I am sure we would end up on the floor rolling around laughing at each other!
The garden is coming along quite nicely! Have a good time tonight!
Hi Lauren
that DDR is so much fun. and what a great work out too huh? thanks for stopping by my site. Bella is actually Bella Paquita by Marnie. It is a free pattern posted on her site. Her link is to the left on my blog. It’s a great pattern, and if you do decide to CO for it, yay! I’ve only seen two finished Bella’s so far.. and would love to see more.
I liked Lost but I could have used a little more intensity too - and you know, answers, but I guess I shouldn’t be too mad at JJ Abrams b/c I’m an Alias fanatic and that was great!
OMG! I want that Dancing Queen video game! well, i will need to get a playstation first, but it’s a good excuse to get one. I could so totally see my hubby and I doing dance-offs, too :). How fun!
I’m telling you those Lost people just keep creating more questions, not answering any. I suppose that’s why we all keep watching, but really, are they ever going to answer any questions ever? Crazy…
I LOVE DDR! I didn’t know it had a workout version - I may have hope yet!
DDR is a great idea. I’ll be the first to put up my hand and say I would actually do more exercise if it was so much fun. Oh well, back to the gym for me.
I’ve seen a lot of people using DDR as a means of exercise. Nothing wrong with that, whatever works for you. That’s great that you and Kris are getting so into it.
I think your pullover will be fine. I would think that it will straighten up a bit after blocking. You might want to check with a more experienced knitter or LYS person than me, though!
mmm…. looks like some great cookin’ could come out of that herb garden!!! ^_^
I really wanna make that cotton-ease pullover as well! It looks so comfy!!
thanks for the comment on my tank too! ^_^
I love DDR!!!
Second, I always have tension issues when knitting with cotton. Wish I had some words of advice, but the best I can do is knit with wool
DDR…I must have it! But I have to tell you…my sister’s boyfriend dances along to it and thinks he’s hot shit…the dude’s 21 years old…I don’t know…
DDR sounds like so much fun! I used to belong to the Y, and they had it there in their kid’s room. You could look over into it from the adult workout area, and I always wanted to sneak in to play.
I’m working on the Rebecca Apricot Jacket in Cotton-Ease now and am having the same problems with stitches. I hope it evens out because it looks crappy in spots. I used Cotton-Ease for Tempting and it looks fine now, other than the fact it’s way too big for me!
Your little garden looks great!
Though I don’t think any public dancing will be up my alley!
Hmmm dh asked for Playstation 2 for Christmas… maybe now I have a real reason to buy it? That game sounds like fun
I thought Lost was really good, but was so bummed the teacher died! It’s driving dh crazy though– he hates all the suspense that doesn’t lead to answers LOL.
I’ve always wanted to try DDR in the arcade but have been afraid of looking like Elaine from Seinfeld. But in the privacy of my own home? Hmmmm. Have a great long weekend!
Tanya
I’ve asked for DDR for my birthday and Christmas. I think I may just have to go out and get it myself. Kris is great for joining you. My DH would NEVER do that! Happy knitting! Back to the boring backpack for me. Sigh.
You Go Girl..you Dancing Queen! I’ve played DDR w/my girls. It’s lots of fun..but tough.
I agree, I think the cotton ease will even out w/washing. Beautiful color for you, Ms. Photogenic :0)
SOOO much fun last night. Happy Weekend. xoxo Donna
I must try ddr with you…although I am so bad at things like that! It’ll be fun!
You are one gorgeous gal! First time seeing your whole face, instead of the upper left hand corner only!
Oops … just found out I put the last comment here under this post. My husband bought a PS2 2 weeks ago … in order to play the Gran Turismo 4 game. Maybe I can get the dancing pad too … I learned from tv that people actually lose weight playing this dancing queen game.
I have conflicted feelings about Lost. I loved the airport scenes, where characters intersected each other over and over again. I was so, so sad about Walt being abducted though. That was really hard to watch. And, I’m a little disappointed that nothing really was solved. I’m a huge X Files fan and years of mystery isn’t a big deal to me, but you gotta solve one thing or another every now and then. I’m also a little worried about them maintaining the quality of the show. My all time favorite show is Twin Peaks, but that show went way downhill. Of course, they also solved the main mystery after the first season, so perhaps Lost is smart to keep things going. Plus, you’ve got all those other people from the plane crash that you can add onto the show to keep things fresh.
Loz Lauren may have already e-mailed you this, but let me assure you that the CE will be just fine- it does amazing things in blocking. I have a friend who made something and there were a lot of errors- added stitches that she had to drop, etc. and it all blocked out. So don’t worry, it will look great, you just have to give it a thorough soaking.
I felt somewhat vindicated with Lost, only because I have felt really bored with it lately- too many loose ends that you forget about a lot of them and they lose their suspense. I’m curious to see what’s going to happen next year.
To keep even tension with cotton, just knit with them more frequently. Then when you switch back to wool, it goes zoom!
I LOVE DDR! The only place I can play in town is the bowling alley… but it’s SO FUN!
I love DDR! I’m not very good and I doubt I’ll ever do it in public, but it’s great fun in the comfort of your own home.
If you get tired of the American one, they made 6 others in Japan and to be perfectly honest with much better music. Even if you don’t like Jpop, there are a lot of American classics on the Japaneses DDR’s. Also some funny tracks like barbie girl and knung fu fighting. They even made two other exercise based games. One actually you set up 6 motion sensors to the floor and do armmovements while you are doing your ddr. They also did a fighting game that you actually have 9 sensors on your body and you have to physically block the blows and do round kicks. There is a 30 minute warm up that is awesome.
It is a great way to loose weight. Konami has several gyms in Japan that you rent a room to do DDR.