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January 2007 Blog
Rick Hampton Square Dance Caller

January 1st
A VERY FUN "Ring in The New Year"- One word of caution- ALWAYS BRING THE HALL CONTRACT WITH YOU!!!!  That way the "psycho pms custodian from hell" won't screw up the beginning and end of an otherwise perfect evening.
The Club will be requesting a refund from the hall- sheez -the hall forgot to provide the chairs for a sit down dinner (chairs were procured from another venue-20 miles away)  we were basically thrown out at 12:05am (Contracted till 1am)... Oh well despite that it was one of the best New Years Parties I've ever called, Thanks to Wes and Rick for helping call ( 4hour dance) and even my "favorite" cueist behaved for a change.  I kick off 2007 in Visalia Tuesday (a source of great humor to Mr. B) and thanks to Dan/Debbie/Rich & Fran of the few Visalia folks who travel- I REALLY Enjoyed having them at the "ball at midnight" along with some 85+ dancers.....11 Squares.....  Rod had a 15ish Square party in a city that escapes me, Jet & Phil 21 squares in Roseville, so maybe these GOOD crowds (based on average attendance of the respective areas are a good start to 2007)

Rick

January 2nd
A really fun night for the 33% who actually danced any given tip. I was told the group has scheduled 4 Saturday dances so far in 2007 (That's good) 3 of which are opposite dances which our MAIN visitor base club holds (That's unbelievably stupid) So this "V" area group, who has greatly benefited from "U" area visitors has decided to blow off the help from the actual dancer we get REGULARLY from the South-Instead let's cater to the North, when and if they show up . This is sad, The club is starting a class next week, and what will the students learn-Sit out and BS??
Oh well, that's a NCP -ask me what that means, you can even call me as I'll VERY Likely be driving soon-Say June.

Rick

January 3rd

What a JOY to see folks wanting to dance, The attitude in areas that dance, not just the endless class/club on a weeknite cycle, is dramatic. In fact a very recent transplant to the "U" area said tonight............"wow look how many clubs there is" It's all about Dancing...............Why learn to "Do" something if you never (or almost never) "Do it"???
Meanwhile The overall s/d picture is looking good in all areas that DANCE... Numbers remain down and that will eventually have to be addressed with an image change (say no dumb clothing, a more reasonable time to learn and less "club chores") but for now, in the MWSD world, it's going to be a better year!!!!!!......How's this for a class ad in the sports section..Guys- Does your wife bug you to go dancing, but you hate dancing?- Square Dancing is for you!- Sports Illustrated called S/D a "Semi contact sport" and you will like the mental stimulation-Think that your "learning a playbook" Plus your wife will be nice, when you take her dancing and after too. (Don't tell her it's not really dancing-she won't notice)  THINK ABOUT IT

Rick

January 9th
Fun on Monday (1/8) we had a nice, youngish former dancer join the Sept. Class- Welcome!!! This group is moving along and will be ready (they're already excited) for the 2007 Festival Season- Wing Ding-Fiesta-State Convention-Nationals (Nope I didn't miss any that September Classes are welcome at-In California)...........Tonight we started a new class with a very sick Rick ( 2 repeat Men and 9 New Women) So we danced 2-3 Squares during Class ( with 2-3 Squares sitting out) Mostly it was more sitting than dancing (Not the new folks) The new ones are excited, Some of the club musta been sick-they didn't dance much- The fellow who had a recent Quadruple Bypass danced while other regulars sat.   - I guess I must be missing something, or maybe I was sick tonight and imagined it all, Maybe I've imagined the whole last year, Maybe I'm a social director and will wake up from this S/D Calling Nightmare soon
Maybe I'll just wake up, Maybe! (They are Nice people!!!- I just wished that S/D was a priority to the R/D Class and R/D between tips) Or maybe the "V" area tries to much to do in a single weeknight????????????? I hear Ricky B has a class starting Friday- I sent him a couple who were unable to make the 80 mile round trip on Tuesdays- I hope they have better luck.

Rick

January 13th
Dang it's COLD- The Fresno Friday group also had a lukewarm class turnout- Boy oh Boy does S/D need to remake its image (sounds like an A2 Call) ....One More slow week- Just Tues/Wed/Fri/Sat then off to the races. Did I mention it's cold, I also wonder how the "V" area's biggest dance of the year (Tonight) will go- Me, I'm watching movies.  I also wonder if all will go well, if all who are expected will show up in Taft Tonight-Me, I'm watching movies.

Rick

January 16th
I heard an interesting tidbit about one of the "V" area's leadership (??) . My Gosh, If true (And I can really picture it) I have faith that The "V" Festival is toast and the "leader" had better pray no one sues her. (Then again can you sue for rude and stupid?) Just another episode of days in the V. We had a pretty good turnout for the 2nd open class tonight- I TRULY have mixed emotions about that. What will happen to these nice folks after a few weeks of the Tuesday Status Quo- I already saw the confusion- (Why won't these club folks dance/promenade with us or for that matter Shut Up?? Why are these men hitting on me (Female question) I hope the other option I've been given works out- Or maybe the COS Algebra Class I need would be time better spent? After all I am ready to rebuild s/d in this area once the current crappy, dysfunctional and in the "tidbit" mentioned above physically abusive nature around here dies. Oh yeah Don't forget to go to Squarama (1 month away and they have less than 250 people registered, Multiple Thousands in the hole and yet another tidbit has that ribbons cant be sold at the Fresno Friday Group), I'll be in Roseville calling (The FIRST time I've EVER booked this weekend- I guess I'll miss the fun , for the first time in 35 years)

Rick

January 19th
I'm looking forward to a Southern California swing this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!! Ichabods are always a great evening and I'm excited to be calling for the Activ'8'rs for the first time. I'm going to stop in and see a good friend (Just outta the hospital) on Sunday. It will be nice to get out of FreezeandAllergyVille for a day or 3-It's been a cruddy 2 weeks, I'm back on Antibiotics. The downside is I'm going to miss seeing kid#2's Formal evening-But that's why camcorders exist- Still I will miss it (As I did for kid#1's) I sometimes wish I'd gone to College out of High School and had a real, money making job, all along- But this do-see-do is FUN (Mostly-except round these parts-in the "V" but that is why I drive) A LOT!!!

Rick

January 25th
A FUN trip to SoCal, A nice visit with an ailing "Ol Rocky Tops Caller Booker"-He's on the mend!!!!!!!!!YAY
An addition of 6 people to the Monday Group- It really Pays to have an accurate internet site- and Some new young folks at the Tuesday class.........That's what is GOOD...............As far as the "Usual" The "V" area chief mucky muck, has for the 3 or 4th year in a row has NEGLECTED to pay attention and would've screwed yet another group of new dancers at the "V-gee we're 20 grand in the hole-can the clubs pay for it" festival. For the 2nd time I was able to inform the callers whazzup and I have full trust that the few new folks will have a great time!!!  Perhaps the "V" area reps should spend less time doing damage control when one assaults another and pay a little attention to Square Dancing???-Naw , why bother, it's really and truly over for the "V".....  That is why I'm ready, and have a serious group of Square Dancers (Y'know those who actually dance) ready to re-build this flipping goat rope that the "V" has created ,the damage that has occurred in the 5th largest area in California- Enjoy (and it will be a decent weekend)  the (hopefully) last "V" festival and be ready for GREAT THINGS AHEAD!

Rick

January 30th
A GREAT kickoff to the 4th Sunday Advanced Dances-Lots of old friends and many new folks- More than one joked
"you should've raised the price a year ago"  Monday we have 3 new regulars- folks who've moved to the area and found accurate and up to date info on the web- Does your site provide that- If not you're missing out on the way that more and more dancers find dances when traveling/moving!!  Tonight it's party nite-so we should have folks who want to dance- If they drive, they usually dance- That will be refreshing. I hope so as I did not take my youngest to see a musical-ONE NIGHT ONLY event tonight  ...................I got the "V" newsletter today- it's says "Squarama will be one to remember"  I gotta agree with that- It also says one of the callers is "Jay Roberts"- must be a new guy, I wonder if he's as good as Jet?

Rick

January 31st
A light night- so many are sick with the creepy cruddy San Joaquin Valley Flu- Only 2 squares + 2 couples- A good workout, as those who made it, appreciated the extra focus on specific requested calls!!- Back at the Hampton Mansion Kid # 2 has the above mentioned flu (99.8 fever- a low grade for most but since she's related to Lynn- both have below freezing normal temps 96 ish) Kid # 1 is staying here for a few days during her transition from the first apartment ( The one I co-signed for) and the new one- She did on her own-(well almost but I didn't sign a thing YAY)
Last night I asked the "V" area Prez- "so how's the presale for Squarama- 3 times- Ask Jim E.- no answer- My "spies' say some 206 people are pre-registered for a festival that budgets a break even point at 800??????? when the heck were there that many people there ( I know the last time I called the weekend there were over 900-but that was a long time ago) It was nice to see a readable full page ad in Open Squares for this- Too bad it was in the FEB. Issue less than 3 weeks before the event-(Hmmmm didn't I mention that last year-That the February ad should invite walk ins and tease for the next year??) I'm sad to say that I hope this festival bankrupts the VASD and after the folks who did this to S/D go away- Far away- We can start s/d here again
By the way- My tuesday club, who has started Sat. Dances- (that's good) but has scheduled all of them opposite "U" area dances, had a party nite last nite- 2 1/2 Squares from Bakersfield visited (as they do regularly) NO FRESNO/CLOVIS/HANFORD dancers were there (as they also do not do regularly) Yet the Visalia Club wants to not "offend" those who never visit and blow off those who visit regularly -Here's the bottom line- Without the "U" area regular visitors the S/S of Visalia are dead and without a caller- Without the "V" area visitors the S/S of Visalia are having a normal day- AGGGGGGHHHHH  Finally I haven't heard that the "V" festival chief has NOT slapped anybody at a workshop lately- not for .....3 weeks now. 

Rick