Sparklette #1

It's a new year, and that means time for some new blog categories. I've just added my first new category for 2010 - Sparklettes - and its first entry is happening right here and now - you are literally watching history be made people.

What the heck is a Sparklette? In keeping in line with my love of all moments ordinary yet sparkling, I'll be posting almost-daily Sparklette entries (I say almost-daily because if I commit to doing one every single day, the first day I miss an entry I'll feel like a failure, so I'm giving myself room to be a slacker now and then.) A Sparklette is going to be just that - a tiny snippet, thought, question or observation. A little bauble to give you another perspective on some of the things that flutter through my brain. I was thinking there wouldn't be any images to accompany these entries, but I kind of like the idea of a little handwritten introduction like I have here, so I might have to run with that idea.

I now offer you my very first Sparklette EVAH:

I recently read an article in the Fall Issue of Uppercase magazine about bonfires, and it mentions Summer Solstice as one time of the year when many cultures celebrate with a bonfire. It got me thinking about the Summer Solstice Parade in Santa Barbara, which was always my favorite day of the year there. The Solstice parade is like a family-friendly Burning Man, where instead of creating art installations that cruise around the Playa in the middle of the desert, they are pushed, driven and carried up State Street. In 2003 I made a dream come true by being in the Solstice Parade as part of a Brazilian dance troupe (seriously!)

A few weeks after the parade I was out to dinner, and our waitress looked at me and said, "I remember you from the Solstice Parade, and you looked like you were having more fun than anyone."

I still think about that moment and smile, happy to know someone felt my joy, joy at dancing in a grass skirt up State Street behind a group of people dressed up as clouds.

January 11, 2010 at 11:01 AM | Permalink

Comments

ha! i love this story and it totally sounds like one that belongs to you!

Posted by: pixie | January 12, 2010 at 09:52 PM

This made me smile. :) Thanks for the lift!

Posted by: Sarah | January 12, 2010 at 07:01 AM

may we all "look like we are having more fun than anyone"

sparklettes are perfect---just like sparklers on a summer night when children and adults dance like fairies....
I love fireworks, but I'll take a sparkler/a sparklette any day, any time!
( p.s. perhaps one night at squam, perhaps after the fire at squam, we could all walk through the woodpaths with our lit fairy wands.....
( wouldn't that make a photo!!!!)

Posted by: eliz needham | January 11, 2010 at 06:42 PM

So excited for Sparklettes! :) Saw your comment on Carolyn's blog. You, your book and blog have been a magnificent addition to my life. Thanks for all your inspiration. Truly grateful Christine.

Posted by: Leana | January 11, 2010 at 06:21 PM

seriously! you always have a card up your sleeve! grass skirt...in front of the clouds...girlfriend!

Posted by: Linda | January 11, 2010 at 05:46 PM

A Sparklette! You are full of sparkling goodness. One of my favorite moments was dancing with the salsa crew in the famous Cuba St Carnival in Wellington. More fun than you can shake a stick at. I reckon I could give you a run for your money in the 'having fun' stakes. Together we'd be unstoppable.

Posted by: Marianne @ Zen Peacekeeping | January 11, 2010 at 05:08 PM