START OF THE HEADLINE STORIES SECTION

THE FEBRUARY SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/schedule.htm

PRACTICE NIGHT IN 2005 SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WILL BE FREE.
VIOLET STEPLIGHTLY DECIDES TO COMMENT!

• Insiders (i.e. people taking classes at the studio each night) will get in for free.
• Insider/Outsiders (i.e. ssqq students with current month Class Receipts but who were not in class that night) who arrive after 9 pm will be charged $2 to participate.
• Guest (i.e. people not currently taking ssqq dance classes) will be charged $3 to participate.
• Our regular Friday Dance Night will stay the same as the old days. It costs $3 for Insiders, $4 for Insider/Outsiders/$5 for Guests. 

We have installed a vending machine in the Drink Room so you can purchase soft drinks from it at any time you wish. Probably sometime late in February we will add a second vending machine and stock it with bottled water.

The popcorn is still served at no charge and of course the water fountain is always be available.

Initial results from the change have been promising. There were several nights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in particular where the dancers stretched wall to wall. Ballroom Practice has improved on Mondays and Whip has definitely picked up on Sundays. We will keep you posted.
 

VIOLET STEPLIGHTLY WRITES ABOUT PRACTICE NIGHT

(Editor's Note: Ms. Steplightly is one of our dance students who also loves to write. She has an interesting style of penmanship as you will soon see. In response to some pointed queries about Ms. Steplightly, I would like to reassure all of you that this is NOT a "nom de plume" for a certain Mr. or Mrs. Archer.  You have my word of honor on this. RJA)

Hello fellow dancers! I hope 2005 is treating everyone well so far.

Although the year is still young, I can already tell it will be a great year for dancing at SSQQ. Last year I lived for Practice Night. I am a dance junkie, what can I say? So when I see Rick has announced they are free, I am ready to jive in Zero-Five.

But surprise surprise, my social life is picking up! I met a boy, but I won't say where. You might have me pegged. Let's just say I have not been able to attend as many Practice Nights as I had expected to. Although my dance skills are eroding, my heart is aflutter. Nevertheless I still keep a close pulse on ssqq happenings and I have heard that the attendance has significantly increased from last month.

I wonder why? Perhaps people made New Year's Resolutions to spend more time on the dance floor. Perhaps people just wanted to take some time off during the holiday season, although I cannot imagine why anyone would want to do a silly thing like that. But here's my theory. Maybe people are staying for practice because they no longer have to pay for it.

That's right. Students don't have to pay. What about that? Personally I thought this was a great idea, but then I don't drink beer. I hear the beer drinkers would cry in their beer... if they could only get one!

So sad. No beer, no cheer, what are we doing here? I bet I know - chasing the babes!  C'mon boys, dancing is not about drinking beer. Save it for football. Dancing is about making the girls happy, making them pant and smile. You don't need beer for that, now do you?  Just a few dance moves and a little rhythm will go a long way!

I like free Practice. In the old days I had to skip Practice a few times because I either forgot to bring any money or the hall monitor did not have change for my twenty. Rather than sit and wait for her to accumulate change, it was easier for me to leave. This was difficult because I love Practice Night, but you can imagine how easy the "I don't have cash" excuse is for someone who just does not want to stay in the first place. After my first January class, I polled my classmates to see if anyone was staying for Practice. The general response was "Sure, why not? I mean, it IS free now." One excuse down.

I am a bargain shopper. When I grocery shop, I compare prices, product weight, etc. When I pay for a dance class, I show up for all the parallel classes. When I pay $2.00 for Practice, I drain every last drop out of the night. I am fortunate enough to live near the studio, so I can be in bed ten minutes after I step off the dance floor. However, I know others who live in the Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Cypress, Sugarland, Bay City, and Pearland, and they all have to work in the morning to support their dance addiction. Dancing all night is not the most energy-friendly option when working a nine-to-five, and these people are bargain shoppers too. They could not see the value in paying to dance only five or ten minutes, even if it was only $2.00. Whether you stay for one song or one hour, anyone can see the value in dancing for free. Two excuses down. I have a couple friends, an older couple, in my class. Actually they aren't that old, just older than me. They live in Bellaire. Now that's a tough drive.

They said they were too tired to dance after class. I looked at them and said, "You have got to be kidding! It's free, for crying out loud. Stay for a dance or two. You're going to forget everything you learned otherwise." When I left at 10 pm, there they were out there dancing their heads off. I think they are a mess.
Before the new Practice Night policy took effect, I was sometimes successful in convincing unwilling friends to pay for practice, but it often ended poorly. Most of the time, the problem was that I could only manage to convince women to stay, and then there would be a shortage of leads. One disappointed woman said, "We can chit-chat in the parking lot for free." Touché.

Last night one of my girlfriends wanted to tell me something about a boy. We stood right there in the middle of room yapping away. Guess what? Not one person came to tell us to pay or go. Don't think I didn't notice. What a pleasure it was to have a pleasant talk on a couch instead of sitting on top of someone's car wondering if I'm going to get busted. Did I mention I like free Practice Night? After the talk I went into Room 1 and managed three dances before I decided to call it a night.

Other incidents involved paying for Practice Night the next morning. I have received several angry e-mails from someone ranting (you know who you are, and YES YOU WERE RANTING) about how they were falling asleep at their desk after staying up too late. For the record, I did not twist your arm to stay at practice, then go to Wild West, and then go home with some random cowboy. What kind of dancing did you do there? Yes, I said it!! I can't say more or there goes my secret identity; oh we can't have that happen, can we? Another great change about Practice Night is that I see more instructors in attendance than I saw last year. I know the staff members are all tired after working a day job and then helping the rest of us remove our extra left foot in class, but it is great to see them stick around after class.

If nothing else, it is inspiring to see such experienced dancers as the SSQQ staff when they really let loose and flaunt their talent. Some of those people can dance!

So, friends, if you have not attended a Practice Night this year, do it. It is a great way to get to know your fellow dancers, and it is the best way to make use of your classes. Grab your buddies, get some popcorn, and join the fun in Room One. And as for you men, be sure to ask as many women to dance as you can. Who knows, one of them might be me! You will be in for such a treat. I smile a lot when I dance.

Yours in dance,
Violet Steplightly

Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's looking...

As you know Joel and Victor have been practicing since the first of last year in anticipation of going to Worlds. We have attended various competitions throughout the year in order to qualify. Overall we did very well. We won or placed in the top three at many of the events, but in addition to the victories we had a great time at these events competing and meeting new friends.

This was Joel's first year on the circuit. Many of the other pros were raving about him. Joel was indeed the golden boy!
He was so incredible at every competition. Since Victor had been on the circuit last year, it was old hat for him! He had to move to a harder division and he still did remarkably well. Victor has received many compliments from the other pros on the circuit. I keep hearing some of the guys refer to Victor as "The Man" since he is such a natural performer!

By the time Worlds got here, we were going out of our minds with the anticipation!

Unfortunately things quickly got crazy… First, our flight was cancelled; Joel called me en route to the airport to tell me. As luck would have it when we got to the gate Southwest put us on an earlier flight that was late in departing. I called Joel and Ruth and they came scurrying over to the counter to get on the same flight. I'm thinking, SWEET, this turned out to be OK, until we got to Nashville…and our luggage was still back in Houston! I would have panicked, but I'd been down this road before so I knew that when you compete, you NEVER check your costume or your boots. At least I had those with me!

When we got to the hotel I gave my hanging bag with the priceless costume/boot ensemble to the bell captain to take to our room once we got checked in. We get checked in with no problem. I called Joel, who was not feeling too well by the way, to see if he wants to go down to the ballroom and do a quick run through on our routines. He says OK so I decide to go get my hanging bag, well guess what, they can't find it. Panic sets in. WHERE IS MY BAG! They look and look as I stand there with the claim ticket in hand. I know Joel is waiting for me, so I call him to let him know that I need my bag so that I can retrieve my boots. Well it turns out that Joel had the hanging bag all along. WHEW!

OK, we go practice when, uh oh, we discover Joel is SICK! Not just a little cold, no, Joel has a fever and a glassy eyed stare. Even worse I lost my composure when I realized Joel was so white I could see through him! Joel made Casper the Friendly Ghost look like a surfer at Malibu. We go through runs and Joel disappears to collapse until the next day. Victor gets in and we run through his routines and now I'm thinking of two things, "Joel's sick and where is my luggage?!"

As many of you know I have had a problem with the joint in my ankle for quite some time. Prior to leaving for Worlds I visited with my doctor about having corrective surgery and we set a date. I have been limping now for months. I can't run, I can barely walk, and I dance in pain. I want this surgery so bad I can taste it! I am sick of Rick calling me "The Cripple". Now I'm mentally prepared for the surgery and the recovery time when guess what, my Doctor calls (right after the lost luggage and Joel sick incident) to tell me that he is canceling my surgery to go treat Tsunami Victims. All right, he is being noble and the poor flood victims are suffering a lot more than I am, but I've been in pain for six months waiting for this moment and now I'm getting even crazier. Lost Luggage, Joel sick, surgery postponed, I can barely walk much less dance, OK, I'm panicking!

I retreat to my room with tears in my eyes to continue the quest for the lost luggage when finally at 8:30 (after a series of phone calls to an automated voice mail system) it arrives.

AAAHHH, now I can sleep and tomorrow, competition day, will be great!! WRONG… I toss and turn all night. Nightmares of everything that can go wrong on the dance floor have me scared to death. I wake up coughing. Oh no, am I sick? Joel, I'm gonna kill you! Please don't let me be sick! I find a cough pill and somehow drift back to sleep again.

It seems like the moment I fall asleep the alarm goes off and the phone rings. I roll out of bed and prepare for the next six hours or so of competition, first with Joel in the Crystal Newcomer division, then after that with Victor in the Crystal Novice division. (Crystal is 30 - 40 years old) Yes things are SOO much better than the day before. I am busy drying my hair 15 minutes before I need to be in the ballroom when suddenly the room goes dark. There is NO POWER!!! I could go into a lot of detail here, but let me just say as I stood in the dark with droplets of water from my hair forming a puddle on the floor, I began to wonder what I had done to get the gods so pissed off at me!! Why Me, Zeus?

Then I think about the Tsunami people fighting for their lives and figure if they can survive, so can I. My bad attitude improves ever so slightly.

OK, I made it to the ballroom, Joel was wondering where in the world I was. I took one look at him and I knew it was going to be a rough day for us. Joel was so feverish!! Then he took one look at my hair and thought, "She looks worse than I do!"

Competition requires concentration and good health! We had neither! It probably requires good hair too. We don't have a chance. We managed to make it through his rounds. Believe it or not, Joel - bless his heart - did remarkably well, sick or not!! After we finished, I noticed Joel's fiancée Ruth was sick too. My paranoia kicks in again. Oh no, what if I am next? Now I had something else to worry about. Joel left after his competition and I did not see him again until the next day. He and Ruth spent the better part of Worlds hiding in their room trying to recuperate from their illness. It's just as well they disappeared. Dancers are a notoriously superstitious lot to begin with and probably would have treated Joel like an escapee from the Leper Colony.

Victor and I competed after that in the Crystal Novice division. Mr. Victory was on fire! I knew it was his day! I want to mention it was about this time I noticed that SSQQ instructor Randy Winfrey was dancing with his pro over in the Diamond Novice division (Diamond is 40 - 50 years old). Randy was on his game too! In fact I have never seen Randy dance better. I was hoping Randy would win, but then I started to worry he might compete against us later in another division. Oh great. Another thing to worry about! I was a nervous wreck.

We had to do it all again the next day, competing in what's called the "open" category. "Open" is just what it says, anyone can compete, regardless of age within their Division. So I had Joel in Open Newcomer and Victor in Open Novice. I tossed and turned the whole night worrying about Joel. He had worked so hard all year and to be this sick was heartbreaking.

The next day Joel felt a little better. Overall he danced much better than the preceding day and Victor had a good day too. Sure enough, it turned out that Randy had decided to join Victor in the open division competition. As I watched him dance, I could tell he was looking really good! This was going to be close!

Later on we gathered in the ballroom at 11:30 that night to get the results of the previous day's competition…this is so nerve-racking!!! The way they announce the results is to call the names in reverse. You just keep hoping that they don't call your guy's name, which literally means that he's the last man standing.

Well, all three of our men were the last men standing! Can you believe that! Yes, Joel and Victor and Randy each won his particular division. First place! I was elated, especially for Joel knowing what he had to overcome.

Fast-Forward to the next night. It was time to hear the results for the Open category. Both of my guys really wanted this one!! Joel ended up coming in second; I was ecstatic! Then it came Victor and Randy's turn. They kept calling names, no Victor, no Randy, no Victor, no Randy…It finally came down to just the two of them standing. Can you imagine, do you know how big America is? Then add guys from Europe and Mars and the other continents and the last two guys standing in the Universe are from SSQQ!! What are the odds of that happening?

All these people training the entire year to compete against each other and now two guys from the same dance studio in Houston are all that is left? What a remarkable conclusion! This is how they do it in the movies, but here the true story unfolds the same way! I am so nervous; I suddenly realize all my nails are gone. Who cares?

In the end they called Randy's name first. This meant Randy had placed second and Victor had won. We were all happy for each other. We hugged and shook hands and congratulated each other on our victories. There was a large crowd in the audience from Houston and they were all applauding for us. Once we got on the podium I whispered to Randy, "Wait till Rick Archer gets word of this!"

Victor, Randy, and Joel were amazing, but their success was not the only Local story up at Worlds. I also want to mention that we have quite a few ladies who are currently at SSQQ or who started here that did very well in their divisions also.

Christine Sandal came in third, Cher Longoria came in seventh (First Place in Twostep!!) and Priscilla Hamic came in ninth. And I just remembered that Gary Thorpe came in fourth in his category, but he's not a girl, is he? Okay, so what, we'll mention him too. Then Christine danced with her honey Victor and they finished fifth in the couples division. What an amazing group of dancers we have around this studio!

I have told these guys again and again what a privilege and a pleasure it has been took work with Victor and Joel. I have loved every minute of this experience with them. What a joy it has been to be their coach. I am so very proud of them. They both worked so hard and they deserve their titles completely, totally, and undeniably. Victor and Joel are AWESOME DANCERS!
 

(Editor's Note: Anita Williams is too humble to state the obvious. It is an amazing fact that Anita has coached Victor to two consecutive World Championships and now Joel to his first. Nor are Anita's accomplishments limited strictly to the "Coaching Realm". Back in 2003 Anita was a vital member of the SSQQ Heartbeat Dance Team that won the World Team Championship. At the same competition Anita won an individual Championship in the West Coast Swing division.

Add it up. Anita Williams is a Five Time UCWDC World Champion!

That is pretty impressive folks, especially when you see that she is practically crippled with her ankle problem. Fortunately she dances much better than she walks, but to perform as well as she does on that ankle and to have the strength to block out the pain is downright incredible. This is a very talented woman.

Another thing you may not realize is that when Victor and Joel are out there achieving all their glory, Anita is out there too! These competitions are Pro-Am. Joel and Victor are the amateurs; Anita is the Professional. No matter how much she hurts, for these men to win, Anita has to put on a show as well. Anita is quite a dancer in her own right!

For example, Houston Comet Coach Van Chancellor may have seen his US Women's Basketball Team win the Olympic Gold Medal last summer in Athens, but he wasn't out there on the court shooting the ball. By contrast, Coach Anita was out there on the floor dancing her heart out with both men. Joel and Victor could not have won without Anita matching them step for step and looking wonderful in the process. The point is: not only can Anita coach, the girl can also dance a lick or two.

Switching topics, did you know that Joel and Ruth are getting married on Saturday, January 29th. I would say they are having a busy January!
And Randy is getting married to the lovely Melissa Gauthier on Saturday, April 30th. Look what all this dancing does to these men! It makes them so romantic….

And what about Coach Williams? Anita says her ankle surgery has been rescheduled for February 4th. After she heals, Anita says she will be fast enough to chase men again sometime around April. If you're a guy, my attitude is "why wait?" After all, the girl can dance, but heck, right now she's a sitting duck!

Switching off of Romance and getting back to Dance, I would like to mention Scott Ladell has begun training ladies to compete in the Western Pro-Ams just like Anita has been coaching the men. Scott is a pretty gifted dancer in his own right and his classes are extremely popular due to his teaching excellence. If you would like to compete or at least talk it over, contact Scott at scottladell@houston.rr.com

Bryan Spivey, the current Texas State Swing Champion, is accepting students to dance Pro-Am with him as well. If you want to get into the Competition West Coast Swing Game, contact Bryan at bubbamotion@yahoo.com

Coach Anita should be up and running in April. If you are ready to let her work her coaching magic on you, contact Anita at anitawilliams1@juno.com 

I would like to conclude by saying how grateful I am that SSQQ has been graced with the presence of so many talented people! My hat goes off to Victor Marquez, Joel McClesky, Randy Winfrey, Coach Anita, as well as to Cher Longoria, Christine Sandal, Gary Thorpe, and Priscilla Hamic. You all have opened the door and set a standard of excellence that will likely encourage many others to follow in your footsteps.
 

 2005 CRUISE NEWS - THE ALASKA TRIP IN JULY IS UP TO 50 PEOPLE AND THE SAME TIME NEXT YEAR RHAPSODY CRUISE IS UP TO 25 PEOPLE

In 2005, Marla and I have two trips planned. In July we take a dream trip on RCCL's Radiance to view the magnificent beauty of Alaska. Then in late September we have our Same Time Next Year Rhapsody Reunion Cruise.

THE JULY 2005 SSQQ CRUISE TO ALASKA (SATURDAY, JULY 16 - SATURDAY, JULY 23)
(THIS TRIP ALREADY HAS 50 PEOPLE SIGNED UP!)
http://ssqq.com/information/alaska2005.htm
 

CONTROVERSY!!  THE ALASKA TRIP HAS GENERATED THE MOST BITTER COMPLAINT OF THE MONTH!
WHAT COULD THIS STORY BE?   CLICK HERE

THE SEPTEMBER 2005 RHAPSODY REUNION CRUISE - SAME TIME NEXT YEAR!
(THIS TRIP ALREADY HAS 26 PEOPLE SIGNED UP!)
http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2005.htm

A trip as magnificent as the one we just completed has the makings of MANY SEQUELS. The easiest way to get an idea of what's ahead is to read again what just happened.

As most of you know, Marla and I got married aboard the 2004 Rhapsody Trip. This special event set the tone for the most spirited group we have ever seen. I cannot begin to explain all the trouble these characters got into. There was SO MUCH MISCHIEF it took me nearly two months to write about all the crazy things that happened. I completed the write-up on the Rhapsody Cruise just recently.

Including stories about the infamous "Elevator Ride", Da Jammer, the Attack of the Zombies, Champagne Night, Wedding Fiascos, Tales of the Captain, and of course the Legend of Mr. Handsome, the trip write-up makes for scintillating bed-time reading. Just pop that laptop onto your belly with a 20 foot Roadrunner Cable and read deep into the night!

PLUS in addition to all the vicious RUMORS, we have PICTURES of people like Mr. Handsome, Center of Attention, The Great Gabino, Lollobridgida, Grapevine, the Goldmine, and all the Usual Suspects. We have the Beatles Story, the Bloodbath Volleyball Match at Cozumel, Bar Hopping, Zizzling Birds and Bees Gossip, and best of all the Steamy Gatorade Hot Tub Tales. Do you want to hear some juicy scandal?? Do you want to see pictures of Mr. Handsome strutting in girl's? Do you want to see pictures of the Great Gabino sucking the blood right out of… well if I write more this email won't get past any of the spam censors, now will it??

Read for yourself! Then decide if you want to be part of the lunacy on the next trip!

Last year: http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2004home.htm
Same Time Next Year. http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2005.htm

 

THE ALASKA CRUISE HAS THE DISTINCTION OF RECEIVING FEBRUARY'S MOST ANGRY COMPLAINT AWARD!

"To be included as a part of the SSQQ group, you must book your cruise through SSQQ. NO EXCEPTIONS!"

Where do rules come from?  Usually one jerk does something so utterly stupid that they ruins things for the rest of us.

A simple example are Stop Signs in the middle of nowhere. We have one on a corner in the Heights where I live. One day there was a terrible two-car collision. Some idiot who ran a stop sign. So they added a Stop Sign in the other direction as well and made it a four-way stop. As a result for the past ten years I have to slow down and stop even though I see at most one car a month coming from the other direction. I might add that car always stops anyway because there is a Stop Sign on the other street. As I said, it only takes one jerk... 

People hate rules!  So do I for that matter. I am one of the biggest rebels on earth. But in my position as owner of SSQQ, I find myself making up rules all the time! 

One of the reasons I make up rules is to protect my business from predators. I am stunned at the number of people who continually try to exploit our business. Just as a simple example, practically every week our students leave the studio only to find flyers on their cars promoting a competing dance event. 
 

You don't believe me?  Last Spring in 2004 we had a very ugly incident when a man named Salsa Eddy repeatedly came to our studio to recruit our students for his dance program right on our own floor. He also enjoyed putting flyers on our cars. And back in 1997 we had the humiliating experience of having a dance team stolen from us, teachers stolen from us, and our class syllabuses stolen from us by an organization known as HSDS.  As if that wasn't bad enough, just to rub salt in our wounds, they sent "agents" over to the studio to pass out flyers to our students right on the dance floor!  These incidents were so exasperating that they led to four solid years of bitterness between our two organizations. If you are curious, go read the "HSDS-SSQQ Swing Feud" at http://ssqq.com/archive/vinlin14.htm
Now we have yet another organization trying to muscle in without permission. For the last several weeks, the United Salseros have been gleefully announcing their activities by leaving flyers on the hoods of all the cars of our students. Here's the latest flyer from Tuesday, January 26. However I have to hand to these guys. They are throwing an angle at me that is unprecedented. They actually had the nerve to email me a thank you note for giving them permission to do this. You don't believe me? Read for yourself.
-----Original Message----- From: United Salseros Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 10:43 AM To: dance@ssqq.com Subject: Thank You from United Salseros I would like to say thank to SSQQ for allowing United Salseros to invite your students to our salsa events.  Our goal is to have a place that caters to the dancers.  We wanted a place that played great salsa music with very little/no interruption.  We wanted a place that would not increase the cost of water simply because salseros do not drink very much.  We wanted a smoke-free environment with plenty of space and a great floor at little cost to the dancers.  I know that SSQQ students make up part of this crowd.  We are in no way trying to intrude on your classes or events.  We feel that purpose of teaching someone to dance is so that can use those skills outside of the classroom.  At this juncture, you are the only studio that allows us to disseminate our information.  And for that we are truly grateful.  (No Name)   -----Original Message----- From: Rick Archer Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 11:14 AM To: United Salseros Subject: RE: Thank You from United Salseros For your information, no one with authority has given you permission to advertise your events at my dance studio.  I request that you stop immediately leaving flyers on our cars in the parking lot.  I have received many complaints from my students who do not appreciate this practice. Thank you.  Rick Archer   -----Original Message----- From: United Salseros Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 1:15 PM To: Rick Archer Subject: RE: Thank You from United Salseros Thank you for the response, although disappointing.  I have spoken with quite a few students from SSQQ and get quite the contrary.  Many posted messages that they would like to be approached and want to interact with dancers from other studios, clubs, etc. Would it be a problem if we contacted you directly and left flyers with you for those that are interested in the events?  (No Name) -----Original Message----- From: Rick Archer Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 1:32 PM To: United Salseros Subject: RE: Thank You from United Salseros Please just leave us alone.  We mean you no harm. I would like to add it is very disconcerting to be dealing with a nameless, faceless organization. What do you have to hide? I at least use my name. Rick Archer

These various incidents have taught me that it's a dog eat dog jungle out there and we have to protect ourselves. If we don't, then as we have learned the hard way, people like the "United Salseros" will walk all over us.

There was a bizarre incident last summer where a couple had emailed Marla several times about going on the 2004 Rhapsody Trip. Then for reasons that still make no sense, they bypassed Marla and signed up for the trip with another travel agency. Oddly enough, they paid $170 more for their ticket than if they would have paid by booking through Marla.

Don't ask "why?" because I have never figured that one out.  But they did immediately ask if Marla would arrange their seating for them at our tables. They definitely wished to be part of our group. Since I did not have a rule forbidding this action and because I actually LIKED both people, I told Marla to make them feel welcome. But I decided this was this last time.

There had been several previous incidents along this line, but this was the incident that made me decide to put my foot down. Now you know where this rule came from:

"To be included as a part of the SSQQ group, you must book your cruise through SSQQ. NO EXCEPTIONS!"

This week I discovered it turns out that someone out there doesn't like this rule one bit. He complained bitterly about the injustice to an SSQQ Staff Member who passed his tale on to me. Here's the story:

THE DISGRUNTLED GENTLEMAN WHO WANTED TO SAVE $49!!

As Julius Caesar once said in his Gallic writings, "Omnes viae Romam ducunt." Translation: "All roads lead to Rome".

However JC had very poor handwriting. For years no scholar was able to understand what his next sentence said. Just recently Caesar's mystery text has finally been deciphered. It turns out this is what it said, "All complaints will eventually reach Rick."

What an Amazing Prognostication!  And how true!  I get more complaints than you could ever imagine.

Recently I found out Thru the Grapevine that a certain SSQQ student was very bitter about our new cruise rule: "To be included as a part of the SSQQ group, you must book your cruise through SSQQ. NO EXCEPTIONS!"

The student was very bitter about this rule because he thought he could book next July's Alaska Cruise at a cheaper price than we had listed on our web site. It turns out this student had discovered a travel agent who in his opinion was selling the same trip at $49 less than SSQQ. He related this story to an SSQQ Staff Member who then passed it on to me.

I have no idea whether his claim is correct or not. My source preferred not to share his name or where he thought he could get a better price. All I heard about were the sour grapes.

Why do you suppose this gentleman was interested in this particular trip in the first place?

After all, there are a dozen cruise lines operating in the Alaskan waters and literally hundreds of trips to choose from next summer. How do you suppose out of all those infinite choices our Disgruntled Gentleman (DG for short) managed to choose this particular July trip to be the one he wanted to go on?

My guess it that he chose this one-in-a-hundred sailing because he knows a group from SSQQ is going. He knows this will be a great trip because SSQQ has a well-established reputation for putting together terrific group trips. He wants all the benefits being part of our group, but doesn't want to pay the extra $49. He figures because he has taken a dance class here at SSQQ, he should get included in the group automatically. Sorry, DG, the dance classes will get you some free popcorn at Practice Night, but that's on land. This is Sea we are talking about.

So let's analyze his thinking. What if DG was part of our group?  What would his benefits be?  My guess is DG wanted to come along because he heard being part of a large SSQQ Group has many advantages!!

As it stands, the SSQQ July 2005 Alaska Cruise has turned out to be a great idea. In the old days, I used to schedule our Summer Cruise Trips in January and announce them in February. Now that we actually have someone with some brains involved, Marla suggested scheduling the trip in October.  Why didn't I think of that?  As a result, we already have 50 passengers signed up in January and a huge buzz behind that solid number.  

What will our eventual numbers be? Let me just say that "100" is not out of the question. This may be an expensive trip, but it has turned out to be a trip a lot of people have wanted to take all their lives.

The whole reason most of us have never made it to Alaska before is because most of us were waiting for the right person or the right group to share the experience with. Traveling with a group like ours means you can always find a friend for any occasion.

Who on earth would want to take an exciting train ride deep into the heart of the magnificent Alaska forest alone?

Or what's the point of visiting the famous Denali National Park all by yourself? Eagles, caribou, grizzlies, and moose wander everywhere. Half the fun of seeing these animals is the chance to point them out to a friend or loved one!

What's the fun of witnessing the grandeur of the massive Hubbard Glacier or magnificence of America's largest mountain - the towering Mt. McKinley - all by yourself?

What's the joy of hiking rugged trails through glacial waterfalls outside Juneau alone?

And who would dream of taking a sea kayak trip on the protected harbor of Tongass National Park without a friend to share the boat ride?  

I suppose some people can be happy reflecting on the rugged beauty of Alaska all by themselves, but most people would rather have a friend to share this magnificent experience with.

One nice thing about our SSQQ Groups is how easy it is to make friends.

After a full day of excitement, Dinner Time becomes marvelous fun when you travel with a group like ours. People in our group become friends quickly. After turning everyone into stew in the hot tub and wining and dining them at our first Cocktail Party, the slows and the quicks all start to move at the same speed.

From that moment on each evening offers the chance to share stories of the fantastic adventures of the day. Imagine what the trip would be like sitting with a bunch of strangers all week. It is so much better to hang with a close group of friends who you will be able to see again back in Houston. When you travel as a Loose Moose instead of with the Herd, anyone you meet on the trip likely becomes "Here Today Gone Tomorrow". But when you travel with our group, a friend found in Alaska could become a friend for life.

If it is possible for the sightseeing to get old, SSQQ Dancing becomes another marvelous reason to be a part of the group. Let's face it, when SSQQ isn't around, dancing DOES NOT happen on these cruises - at least not the way we are used to dancing. We become instant Cruise Celebrities simply because our group brings so much energy to each trip.

And the trip doesn't end when you return home. There's an "After Trip" Party. There's the racy Trip Story. After all, what if you do something spectacularly naughty? How is the whole world going to find out without our cheerful gossip about the Trip? And what about the countless pages and pages of incriminating pictures to take you down memory lane that will stay on our website forever? Just imagine how amazing the Alaska pictures will be!

And what about Romance? If you are a couple, what could be more romantic than a spectacular adventure like this? Do you know that lots of couples like to go with our group? The proof is in the pudding - we literally have over a dozen couples that try to make each SSQQ trip they can. And the success of our trips with Singles is legendary. Who can take one look at our record-setting hot tub-stuffing parties and not immediately conclude that the birds and bees are way out of control?

There are many other advantages to traveling with a large group like ours that you would never get if you traveled alone. Due to the size of our large groups, we get free cocktail dance parties, we get champagne, we get dance lessons, and we get free room upgrades. And gosh, I bet those ship cabins sure get expensive without a roommate. SSQQ Cruises always make the "need-a-roommate" problem conveniently disappear.

The reason we insist you book with SSQQ if you intend to hang with SSQQ is as plain and simple as "Frontier Life". Back in the days of Cowboys and Indians, if you were afraid of the Indians, you lived inside the Fort. Or you lived near town. Or you lived near other people. A few close neighbors meant safety. It's called "Community". But it also meant you had to risk your own neck once in a while when the Community was attacked.

In other words, if you want the benefits of a group, then you must contribute to the group and accept the rules of the group.

After our last Rhapsody trip I wrote at great length why it is important for each person to stick together and be part of the SSQQ Group. If there is any doubt in your mind, please read what I had to say: http://ssqq.com/information/travelquestions.htm  (Travel Questions).

But when it comes to our Disgruntled Gentleman, I suppose it is the nature of the beast to want to have your cake and eat it for half price. After listening to the story of DG, the thing that made no sense to Marla was that he claimed he could find a way to improve on our prices. Marla did a quic