Ever since Shauna has moved in, she has hinted at my blogging potential. Recently she told me she couldn't wait to see my next blog. Since I am a little tired right now, I might have to use this as a starter blog that will reach its full potential later. With that exculpatory clause, I'd like to dedicate this blog to Shauna--my mentor in so many ways.

You know, not many things bring me more happiness than driving around with my roommate Shauna. Not only is she the most organized, dedicated, self-motivated, carpe-dieming person I know, but she's also--a car-dancer. That is right.

It takes more skill than you probably think it would. Car dancing requires dancing from only your waist up. Now I must confess that prior to my car rides with Shauna, I believe I did have some budding, raw, undeveloped dancing skills. As I've referenced these skills in prior blogs, I'm sure you have no doubt that I am quite an impressive dancer (please see Chantal's testimonial in the blog post prior to this one; since she is impeccably honest, you can trust that she is 100 percent accurate in her assessment of my dancing skills). With Shauna's help, however, I've expanded my performance to new frontiers, allowing me to become the polished car-dancer that I am today.

I've learned through this mentoring process that, as you car dance, you (1) don't make eye contact with the people next to you at the stoplight or passing you on the highway. If you do, you might make them feel less than adequate about their lack of dancing skills; they might feel challenged by the eye-to-eye contact. That's why they glance uncomfortably around when you look them square in the eye--they know they can't live up to the standards set by the dancing aficionado in the car next to them (that's you); (2) however, if you don't make eye contact with your envious, green light-awaiting, or highway-speeding, neighbors, and you use your best dance moves, they can't help but laugh in uncontrollable fits as your dancing example thrills them. They realize that they too can become car dancers--you have instilled hope in them; (3) in order to reach your highest potential as a car-dancer and achieve your best moves, you must sing at the top of your lungs to Eternal Flame by the Bangles, Dancing in the Moonlight by Van Morrison, or She's a Man Eater by Nellie Furtado (please only dance to this one in honor of Colette Rozelle); and finally (4) practice makes perfect. Even when you aren't feeling like car dancing, you've had a bad day, or your lower back hurts from prior car dancing experiences, you must persist in your newfound skill--that is the quintessence of becoming a successful car-dancer.

Like Van Morrison says, "You can't dance and stay up tight."

Thank you.