Why Connection?

I'm most curious to ask, has the connection theme of your book been something growing inside you your whole life?  Did the connection drive kick into an even higher gear when you began Tango in 2009? writes Paul Stieger of Boise, Idaho, USA in reference to my book, When 1+1=1: That "Impossible" Connection.

 

Connection.  I think you're right in the fact that this theme of connection is something that has been with me all my life.  I was six years old when we left the then Soviet Republic of Moldova for a distant place, to build a new life.  I still remember the image of my cousin chasing the train on the platform as we pulled away.  On our way out of Chisinau, we passed by the hill behind the apartment where I spent the first six years of my life, and that is...

Cars and Women

Like driving a car, when dancing with a woman, you want to treat her with care.  Pay attention to the way she responds to you when you give her a little more power, when you shift gears, when you take the turns.

"I've heard men compare women in tango to cars -- 

Patience

grapes from my Mama's yard

Every direction I turn in these days, I'm reminded of love and patience.  Any and everyone worth having in our lives is worth our patience.  So here are some musings about patience...

Patience is slow,

it takes time,

it comes when it's ready - 

when you're ready

to take a minute,

stop your running,

Gabriela's 2012 Book & Tango Tour - US & Canada

Join Seattle author and tango teacher Gabriela Condrea as she dances her way around the continent, visiting 70 cities in 34 states and connecting with people through tango, writing, and food along the way.  Life - like Tango - is About the Connection.

This is the synopsis.  More videos and pictures from Gabriela's 6-month cross-continent adventure coming soon, right here at Invisible-Ties.  You can also find more information about Gabriela's book, When 1+1=1: That "Impossible" Connection, her teaching, and other projects at www.GabrielaCondrea.com.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who made this journey possible!  Please share and spread the word!

See the entire route/schedule here: Gabriela's 2012 US/Canada Book & Tango Tour

Start Shopping!

I just went to a website with dresses on it and right away this box popped up - SIGN IN! 

I just wanted to look... I didn't even have time to decide if I was interested in anything I saw and you already want me to sign in? 

Big turn-off.  No thanks. 
 

Processing, Processing...

Processing, processing... My status bar is moving as fast as when you stare at the screen, hoping that your staring will get the number to change and the bar to fill up.  The more you stare, the slower it inches across.  Downloading, uploading, updating, saving - in progress.  That's me: in progress.

Superior DONUTS at The Bathhouse!

After traveling all around the country and meeting so many wonderful people in amazing spaces, it's exciting to discover and share some of the gems in my own backyard right here in Seattle.

Strolling around Green Lake on a pristine afternoon, admiring ducks and reflections and the vivid fall colors against a blue, blue sky, still trying to figure out how to slow down without crashing, I ran into none other than writer, actor, and renaissance man, Cole Hornaday!  And Cole took me on a tour through a small, unassuming brick building I had passed many, many times - a little treasure that is the Bathhouse at Green Lake.  Won't you join us?

Seattle Finish Line - Press Release

Gabriela's US Book & Tango Tour

FINISH LINE Party October 9, 2012 from 7-9pm at Chocolati Greenwood in Seattle!
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Gabriela's Tour Route

Seattle author, Argentine tango teacher, and student of life Gabriela Condrea is tango dancing her way literally around the United States and Canada with boxes of books and a yellow hippopotamus.  By the time she reaches the "finish line" at Chocolati Cafe in Greenwood, Seattle on October 9th, she will have journeyed approximately 17,000 highway miles, visiting more than 60 cities in 36 states, sharing her exploration of connection through her writing and her teaching of tango - Tango is About the Connection - and at Open Mics and Poetry Slams along her route.  The video below explains her project and the events leading up to this US Book & Tango Tour. 

 

A full press release is included below.

   

The COUNTDOWN Begins!

With just under a month left, the COUNTDOWN begins!   

11. Nashville
10. Memphis
9. St. Louis
8. Kansas City
7. Lincoln, Nebraska
6. Denver/Boulder
5. Salt Lake City
4. Sun Valley, Idaho
3. Boise, Idaho
2. Spokane, Washington
1. Ellensburg, Washington     
 
SEATTLE! 
 
See you at the FINISH LINE Party on October 9, 2012!

* For details about each stop on Gabriela's US Book & Tango Tour, please see the schedule.

Feed the Hippo... please : )

Lauren Nuñez and the crew at the NeoTangoZone Milonga in Northampton, Massachusetts suggested that I make a sign saying "Feed the Hippo."  At the end of the evening, as I put the remaining books in my bag, I noticed a small collection of candy - chocolate kisses and mints kindly set aside for The Yellow Hippopotamus.  Ask and you shall receive.

Give and Take

Some of the best things are those we can't acquire or procure.   

They come only in the shape of gifts.

Try this with someone: Stand facing each other, palms open and touching.  See if you can walk around and stay together, maintaining contact hand to hand.  With palms open, you can't pull your partner toward you - you just have to meet her halfway and be open to accepting the gift of his presence.

Celebrating ONE Year with my Book!

At the Santa Monica International Tango Festival (SMITH), California. 
Photo by Vladimir Estrin: www.TangoAfficionado.com.  May 4, 2012.

Please help measure the reach of my book by adding any city, state, country you know it has made it to as a comment on this post or on my Facebook Page, When 1+1=1 by Gabriela Condrea.   
A ver, ¿hasta donde llegó ese libro mío en su primer año de vida?  Por favor, agrega una ciudad, una provincia, un país acá abajo.

One year after publishing my book, When 1+1=1: That "Impossible" Connection has been to at least 16 countries on 4 continents...

An Ode to Cheese!

An Ode to Cheese - salty cheese, sweet cheese, smelly cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese! - turned into a dance party with Tanti Selia.  Hearing the music I was playing around with for this video about syrniki - a most delicious ode to cheese - Tanti Selia couldn't help but be moved to dance.  And so what started as a celebration of the wonderful aspects of cheese in the form of this delicious dish, turned into reliving the times of Selia and my grandparents' youth... 

US Tour Videos: 1st Episode - Portlandia!

Thought my first video from this US Tour deserved it's own separate post, especially since it's taken three months to process.  Come with me through Portland, catching up with friends, discovering live music, and more!

0:00 VooDoo Doughnut*
0:49 Driving through Portlandia*
2:39 Champaign for brunch?
5:45 Jam Session hosted by Ron Steen at Clyde's Prime Rib - "In A Sentimental Mood"

PLUS, my theme song!

Southern Oregon: Making my way down I-5

Tricia and Holly with Grandma Liz Budbill: Look!

After four straight days and nights of dancing and socializing in Portland, I made my way south down I-5.  A contrast to the non-stop adventure in Portland, Beth (a friend from Jobies - we go back at least 15 years!) and Chris Robinson welcomed me into their home with their adorable daughters, Holly and Tricia, and Beth's mother (and grandmother!) Liz Budbill, who was down for a visit.  Kids' giggles, TV, computer virus remedies, catching up, and home cooking - I was delighted to take a night off from even one of my most favorite things: dancing.

Home in Philly *Pause*

Russian-Moldovan dinner - first course

"Home" in Philly at my adopted family's house, I'm being a hermit for a few days and taking some time to align the past three months - reflections, photos, and videos, too (coming soon!) - with my present.  Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew.  Not necessarily meaning that we can't chew it at all, but just that it might take a bit longer and a little more effort than anticipated to process.  And if the object of one's biting and chewing grows in the meantime and blooms into something even bigger than expected, well, it might take even more.

But it's do-able, it is.

Being Your Own "Bad Guy"

Working for yourself means freedom, it means the luxury of choosing how to spend your time, it means being your own boss. It also means that you have a commitment to yourself and your ideas.

It happened.  I snapped.  I snapped at someone who really had very little to do with my issue.  But she triggered it, touched a sensitive nerve.  After I had been waiting in the reception area of my dentist’s office for 50 minutes, I approached her and asked if maybe I should come back another day if they are too busy.  I know she tried to squeeze me in to do me a favor, so that I could get someone to look at my tooth.
   “When do you need to leave?” she asked me.

Battery Power Low...

I just posted the following status to my Facebook:

"battery power low... #GabrielasUSTour"

And why share a not-so-positive status update, you might wonder? 

Elasticity

Duet with Sol at Gene Harding's Jam Session,
every Monday night at La Maison in New Orleans

Elasticity is

the middle ground between
strength and flexibility,
grounding and flight,
dreaming and living the reality of each day to day moment.

Elasticity is
the ability to be both
fluid and sturdy,
malleable and solid,
tough and soft all at the same time.

Support Gabriela's US Tour

Since April 12, 2012, I've been dancing and driving my way literally around the US.  This adventure truly could not be possible without the support of so many helping hands - offering places to stay, collaborating on events, providing me with tips, advice, and information, buying books, and even giving me extra gas money along the way.  

A To-DO List a Mile Long

I have a to-do list a mile long,

And longer.

And today I’m thankful for that –

for the long list of reasons to keep going,

for the long list of reasons to get up in the morning,

for being able to put things on this list myself.

And for being able to push my list aside when I need to.

Starting Strong! (Portland) - US Book & Tango Tour

I arrived directly to Elizabeth Wartluft's Beginner's Mind Practica in Portland - my pre-funk to the Norse Hall Milonga just a few blocks away.  Elizabeth creates such a warm, welcoming environment for dancers of all levels of experience - a beautiful place to begin my US Book & Tango Tour.

The Adventure Begins! (STP) - US Book & Tango Tour

On Thursday, April 12th, I took off from Seattle to Portland, my first stop.  Testing out my Personal Camera Crew and the ideas that Jolene (The Meeting Maximizer) gave me, I was able to take a picture of myself in the car...

Move over, Hippopotamus!

Apparently, the Yellow Hippo was occupying Firby's (will have to check on the spelling) favorite chair.  No problem; he just pushed his big yellow rumpus over a bit and curled up like, That'll teach you.

Getting Ready to Go...

A HUGE thank-you to everyone who pitched in to help me get going!  This US Book & Tango Tour is definitely a group effort, and I couldn't do it without your support.  Here are some key players who sponsored my take-off and journey:


   DIY Lettering
   Honda of Seattle
   Taskar Garage
   Personal Camera Crew
        
...and my first video with said camera crew!

The Star Card

Last Tuesday, I ended up at my friend Kendra Hayes' Workshop (at her Tin Can Studio), mostly because she told me it would be "awesome."  It was much more than awesome.  But what I didn't realize was that it was about Tarot.

Now, I was ok with the explanation of the Major Arcana: the Fool, the Empress, the Priestess... but when Kendra told us that we would each draw a card from the deck - shuffle it until it feels right, she said - I came face to face with myself. 

Author, Teacher, and Student of Life

I'm so very excited to have completed this video compilation touching on the major events that have led me to this point of embarking on a journey literally "around" the US - an adventure into the unknown, yet somehow familiar.  Please help me spread the word by sharing and passing it on.  Thank you for your support and for helping make my visions reality!

US Tour Schedule/Route

With a couple boxes full of books, a sleeping bag, my tango shoes (of course), and no, I won't forget the Yellow Hippopotamus, I'm hitting the road, literally around the US.  Here's the outline for my US Book & Tango Tour so far.  I'll fill in the details as I move along.  I want to take full advantage of the fact that this is a road trip, so I'm flexible about making stops along my route.  If you have a recommendation for a place I should stop

When 1+1=1

When people see the title of my book, they usually comment on the last 1, but the first two 1's are also important.  Here is a video excerpt from my book presentation elaborating on this idea.

When 1+1=1

when the limits of our bodies

become obsolete and insignificant,

This is OUR Home - Trayvon Martin

The investigation is under way, but regardless of the conclusions, it would behoove us as a society to take a deep look at how a teenage boy could be shot and killed by a volunteer neighborhood watchman in his own neighborhood between his home and the convenience store, carrying only a pack of skittles and iced tea.  George Zimmerman's 911 call shortly before he shot Trayvon Martin.  As of March 23, 2012 the shooter has not been arrested, nearly a month after the February 26, 2012 incident.

A Floating Sensation

"Even with the world spinning dizzyingly around us, we can feel like we're floating."  (When 1+1=1, p. 19)

 
See excerpt: "A Floating Sensation"

This is an excerpt from my interactive book presentation at LUCID Jazz Lounge in Seattle on March 5, 2012.  A huge thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this event possible! 

I Knew It!

Yup, ever since I started thinking about starting this blog, I've had the urge to write.  Don't get me wrong: I usually have the urge to write, but the ideas come at me with more intensity some times than others.  They're back, especially when I'm driving or in the shower - situations in which I can't write.  I think they do it on purpose - the ideas - so that I have to mull them over and let them slow cook and simmer... or make a mad dash for pen and paper, dripping water all over the floor or, stop showering.  Nope, that's not an option.

Next up: 
somewhere between vulnerability and possibilty - or maybe i'm staring them both in the face...

My first Interview! (by Terry Benioff)

Terry Benioff interviews Gabriela Condrea about her writing process, her approach to learning, communication, and of course, the yellow hippopotamus, followed by questions from the audience.

March 5, 2012 at LUCID Jazz Lounge

Setting the Stage

(And yes, there is a yellow hippopotamus
sitting on stage)

I've done a couple of book events in Seattle and I am so very thankful for all the love and support!  This is new for me.  Know that your positive energy and encouragement is powerful and that you are contributing to my spreading wings.

I'm looking forward to doing more of these interactive book presentations around the country as I embark on my US Book & Tango Tour on April 12, 2012.

EVENTS before leaving Seattle:

Wednesday, April 4 at 7:00pm @ Parkplace Books (Kirkland)
Friday, April 6 at 6:30-7:30pm @ Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park)

PLUS on Sunday, April 8 from 6:00-9:00pm, Silvio and the Union Cultural Center are hosting Un Cambalache to Send Gabriela on her US Tour! potpourri variety show to promote my book tour with what promises to be an exciting line-up of performances - everything from capoeira to belly dance to live music and more!  I'm so excited to have this fantastic opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful creative things happening right here in Seattle!  And especially before taking off to seek the same around the country... joyful : )  Come on out and enjoy the show!

Welcome!

Welcome!  I'm excited to start blogging and sharing excerpts from my book, When 1+1=1: That "Impossible" Connection, videos and pictures from my book events and tour, and to have a place to publish my musings about life.  Thank you for joining me on this journey.  

@ Chocolati Cafe in Seattle:  The revision and editing process of When 1+1=1 involved many long hours accompanied by lattes, chocolates, and bacon, cheese, and green onion bagels.  If you stop in, say "Hi" to Anne and Thomas and all the other lovely people there.