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July 2006 Blog
Rick Hampton Square Dance Caller

July 5th
I hope ALL had a Great 4th- My Tuesday club voted to dance last nite-We didn't- Lack of folks, So Mirdza had an extended Round Dance Class and I went home and worked on sprinklers (at night). I had Rod Call Monday for me as I got overheated (I had nearly a heat stroke last year-Can't take heat anymore). I was working on sprinklers in the daytime. I'm calling a one niter for a Clovis Church Friday and I'm off sat and sun then it's calling 17 of the next 20 days. My kid has got her apartment and we're moving her in Tomorrow (Yay, sad but Glad) . If you haven't heard my old bud Bill K. is better but in need of meds- Insurance will kick in in 2-3 months but it's 400 bucks a week until then. If you would like to help EMAILME

Rick

July 6th
Well I'm now the proud (98.9% of the time) parent of an independent, responsible (I hope and Pray) Adult. JH is in her 1st apartment-Like most moving days, the movee is sometimes grumpy at the movers. GOOD LUCK "Doodle" and Mom and I are rooting (and Praying) for ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (all prayers VERY welcome). ..................Back in S/D land , the American Callers Association once again mentioned our "SharpShooter Youth Music Project" in a press release and It will be featured in "American Square Dance Magazine"  I hope the other organizations will someday help us get the word out on this "non-Profit-Trust me it's No Profit-Just another big check to write" endeavor.  But the owners of the label ALL agree-IT'S WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!! (if you want info-You can buy your caller a subscription)- CLICK   $125.00 is the price and the caller MUST agree to the terms listed at the site-

Rick

July 11th
The Visalia group had a nice evening tonight. I REALLY like the new hall-Good Parking-Good A/C-and a new attitude- Now the group needs to re-build-We're actually (finally?) Workshopping to a decent speed plus level-A great R/D class and a fiscally prudent hall. YAY!!!  JH is learning that rent is a monthly recurrence, as are Gas/Electricity- Food lasts longer if you don't feed every teenager in sight and that as an adult-If you misplace the car-You lose it (I found it)-Not so as to the keys-SIGH- I'm looking forward to a fun/full weekend in So.Cal- I'm really curious as to how any folks will brave record heat to stop by at Valley Trailers- I hope the a/c is on and I hopeyou'll join me

Rick

July 17th
Record heat and still s/d goes on- A fun COOL nite in Torrance, Good A/C in Northridge (along with a film crew to record our feet-yep feet-It's for a Billy Bob Thorton Movie- Warm C1- Warm Plus Tonite and I'm looking forward to Visalia with FABULOUS A/C in the new hall.  Thursday it's Norm and I in Oakhurst, Friday Riverside, Sat. La Mirada the what may e the last Clovis A2 on Sunday- "We want dances-We can't make it a priority to show up"  well I'm driving 250 miles to make it, can't one take a 2 hour break from ???????????? and stop by-  AGGHH the Fresno "we don't really want to dance-just attend classes/workshops and gripe about no dances" mentality- This DANCE is going bye-bye without some folks-Choose please, I'll decide Sunday

Rick

July 20th
A FUN night in Oakhurst- It was actually cool in the hall (107 today-cool hall-same hall as the Oakhurst Fall Festival-No Worries) If you subscribe to ASD Magazine-look at page 7 The picture was taken at the Palomino/Hanhurst booth at the San Antonio Nationals (check out the "hottie" talking with Jerry and I if Not)-CLICK (Why is my hand on my nose-again...........aggghhhh No wait it's not on my nose I'm either eating or doing the "valley girls-gag me" LOL) Also be sure to read the ACA viewpoints page 16-CLICK-Talk about mixed publicity-(Maybe no one will recognize me) hee-hee...........Riverside, La Mirada and Clovis make up this weekend

Rick

July 23rd
A GREAT (albeit hot and muggy) trip- Cowtown is a neat hall...........Benton Middle school was well cooled and Clovis A2 was a nice cool day with most all regulars there- I give up on the "currently dark" Fresno workshoppers... too bad , I wonder what will happen when the group has no where to go??   4th Sundays I'm back to fast paced full A2 w/C star tips as that is what the area DANCERS (as opposed to workshoppers ) want

Rick

July 25th
Good Monday Workshop-We so appreciate the interaction of the "Dam" Dancers and Whirlaways- Join us for plus DBD workshop-Tuesday was a GREAT success-Cool Hall-Lotsa South Valley Visitors-and a few Fresno folks....WC caller was was received by the group (atta boy Wes)....................Now back to the usual V area BS......... I'm concerned that the only club in the 5th largest city in California has chosen to go dark 2 weeks in a row.  I'm sure a "day of" substitute caller could have been easily arranged last Friday (in fact I'm positive-and not me-I was working in Riverside)-Now a late cancellation of a guest caller for a Party Night (The V area's version of an actual dance and again not me)- Add to this the fact that 2 weeks off=Lost class.....................Yep it's hot...........even hot without the scheduled and advertised event-PS why was the guest caller not mentioned in the ads anyway??????????????? -as it urns out good thing so he wont be tarnished by this debacle.......BTW... I worked with said caller recently and it was a HUGE FUN success-..........."so called club leadership" needs to quit bringing their prejudice to the mix.........be it a Sunday A2 DANCE or a V-area party nite.....AGGGGHHH Someone asked me tonite why I mostly call away from the V area-I just smiled

Rick

July 30th
A really FUN trip to SoCal- The barn in San Marcos is neat- The FineTune Advanced mini-weekend was well received and we're going to do it again.  Hi to ALL the Blog Readers I met this trip-Thanks for visiting- In the V area things keep marching on-Status Quo remains and elsewhere folks are trying (although I am really going to up-chuck the next person who tells me they're doing a demo in s/d foo-foo clothes) STOP IT we need people and that approach has failed.

Rick