START OF THE HEADLINE STORIES SECTION

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

MAY DANCE CLASSES BEGIN THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, APRIL 24TH
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/schedule.htm
 

Note to SSQQ Students: May 2005 will go down in studio history as a month in which we made some very significant changes in the Whip/West Coast Swing program and in the Salsa program.  We think you will like the changes very much.  However we do need to explain what is going on for it to make any sense.

The problem with both programs is that they have grown so big that a huge gap has developed between the lower and higher levels. Most graduates of the SSQQ Lunar Whip class struggle mightily entering our Martian Whip program.  Most graduates of Intermediate Salsa find Advanced Salsa bewildering. A few do well enough to make it, but many others get frustrated and quit.

Consequently we are taking steps beginning in May to help our students bridge the yawning gap a bit more gracefully. We have added a new level called "Martian Whip Technique I" to the Whip program on Sunday and Thursday.  We will explain this class in more detail below. For Salsa we have made two changes. We added a second Intermediate Salsa class in April and in May we will add a third class as well. The fourth Intermediate class will debut in August. This will give our Intermediate students four months of seasoning if they so choose instead of the previous "one month" before starting Advanced. The other change is that we split our Advanced Salsa classes in two. Tuesday Advanced Salsa has become our Honors Salsa class. With that in mind we added a new Adv Salsa class on Saturday that will run parallel to the Adv Salsa class on Thursday.  The Thursday/Saturday Advanced Class will still be difficult, but not as hard as Tuesday. Plus with two chances to practice, things should get easier. More info below. We hope you like the changes. Please send your comments to Rick Archer, dance@ssqq.com

Here are the Descriptions for the classes in May:

• Gloria Sanchez will offer the final level in her Lindy Hop series on Sundays in May at 4:30 with  Super-Advanced Lindy Hop.

  The last time Gloria taught Lindy Hop, the class was so popular it continued for nearly half a year!  2005 has witnessed the same phenomenon. Come discover the magic of America’s 1st Swing dance, the Lindy!
   

• Scott Ladell has worked the same magic with his Hustle class that Gloria Sanchez has accomplished with her Lindy program. Scott is preparing to teach the first SSQQ Level 5 Hustle class in history on Sundays at 4:30. Known as "Latin Hustle" when it first appeared back in the "Saturday Night Fever" Disco era, Hustle is used to Disco music and soft R&B hits.  A very smooth, flowing dance, Hustle footwork & timing is very similar to West Coast Swing. However its patterns are more similar to East Coast Swing. These two elements make Hustle a unique dance all of its own.
   
• The Beginning Whip/West Coast Swing Superclass returns on Sundays and Thursdays in May. We start with Sundays at 4:30 and add our parallel class on Thursdays at 7 pm.
  
  We call this a "Superclass" for five reasons. 
  
  First SSQQ has the only program in town that allows you to take the course on 2 different nights for the price of one.
  Second, no other program runs for two hours like ours does. While all other classes meet for one hour a week, if you choose to come both nights, you will see progress far more quickly with four hours of instruction!  That is "Super" right there, but there is more.
  Each night after class we open up our studio for an hour and a half of practice. The other programs are so limited that THEIR students come over to SSQQ to join our practice. Best of all, this class has four levels.
  No other program in Houston combines Whip with the West Coast Swing like SSQQ does. The Texas Whip was the only game in town for forty years until West Coast migrated in during the mid 90s. This posed a loyalty challenge for many instructors. It became common for teachers to teach one system or the other. SSQQ teaches both Whip and West Coast Swing side by side and we show you how easy it is to merge the two systems. Pretty soon you won't even know they are two different dances. 
  Fifth, each month your group will graduate and be able to move up to the next level with the same two night a week offer for four months. Two nights a week, two hours a class for four months. Throw in our free Practice Night and you will be groomed to zoom when you graduate!
  
  No one ever said Whip and West Coast Swing are easy to learn. You will soon discover the four hours a week gives you a fighting chance to catch on to these two complicated dances. Flashy footwork, sexy hip motion, intricate patterns, and eye-catching turns make Whip/WCS a popular option for all dancers seeking new challenges.
   
• Sunday night at 7 pm introduces a brand new Whip class at SSQQ known as Martian Whip Technique I.  That's a pretty big title so let's shorten it to Whip Technique.  In conjunction with a parallel West Coast Swing Technique class on Thursday, the two Technique classes can be taken for the price of one.
  
  Furthermore if you wish to bypass the Whip class and just take the WCS Tech class or vice versa, that's fine. Both classes are completely independent of each other, but serve the same purpose - the Technique classes were designed to give graduates of Lunar Whip a place to get more seasoning before taking on Martian Whip on Fridays.
  
  Taught by Rick Archer, the Sunday Whip Technique class will concentrate primarily on polishing the women's Whip hip motion so that it is graceful.  Many women fail to master the hip motion because it is so difficult to learn the first time around. Well, guess what?  The second time around should be the charm.
  
  In addition to polishing the hip motion for the ladies, Whip Technique will concentrate on the flashy two-hand double resistance leads. This important feature of the Whip is NO LONGER TAUGHT as part of the Beginning thru Lunar classes.  It is so difficult to do well, we dropped it from our program so the classes could move faster. Whip Technique offers the perfect opportunity to bring this important Whip move back. Have you ever noticed that almost all West Coast patterns are led with one hand?   Interestingly, most Whip patterns are led with two hands!  We will show you how the two dances fit together like a glove.
  
  Have you ever heard of the Stray Cat Strut?  Or the Sleazy Bar Walkaround?  What about the Snaparound?  Or the Hook Step?  These are all major two-hand Whip patterns that we ignore in our earlier classes because there isn't time to get to them. These patterns are just some of the many features of the Whip you never see taught anymore because West Coast Swing is major game in town. 
  
  And did you know there are a half-dozen Bump exit patterns we never cover in levels 1 through 4 that you will learn in this class? 
  
  Suddenly all these patterns are ready to be brought back to life in the Sunday Whip Technique class.
  
  Please note that we reserve the right to expect a certain skill level to take these classes. The two Technique classes are for graduates of Lunar Whip or an equivalent class elsewhere. The two classes are meant to form a bridge between Lunar Whip and Martian Whip.
  
  One more note: there will be a Technique II class on Sundays and Thursdays in June if you wish to continue, but we go back to Tech I in July. This program is limited to two-months.
   
• We will have a Beginning Ballroom class on Monday evenings at 7 pm in May with Tracy and Jill.
  
  You probably have not a clue how complex learning to Ballroom dance can be. For starters, there are two major categories (Smooth and Latin) and two major styles (American and International). Then there are "Street Dances" and "Nightclub Dances" that are spinoffs of the Ballroom dances.
  
  The "Smooth" Ballroom dances include Foxtrot, Waltz, and Tango as the most famous three dances. For experts, you also have Quickstep and Viennese Waltz. 
  
  The "Latin" Ballroom dances, also sometimes known as "Rhythm Dances" include Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba, East Coast Swing, Mambo, and Bolero.
  
  However depending on what part of the world you live in, Mambo could be replaced by Salsa, East Coast Swing could be replaced by Jive, Tango could be replaced by Argentine Tango, and Twostep or Slow Dancing could be substituted for Foxtrot.  Is your head spinning yet?
  
  Fortunately we simplify everything in our Beginning Ballroom class by sticking to four dances - Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, and Rumba. In other words, this class gives you a pretty good overview of Ballroom Dancing in just one short month.  Foxtrot is the dance for Sinatra music, Waltz is considered the most beautiful dance in the world, Tango is the dark and mysterious dance of Count Dracula, and Rumba is a marvelous dance perfect to use to sensual slow Jazz rhythms. 
  
  Right after each Monday class we have a free hour-plus Practice Night where you can spend some time mastering your patterns and footwork as well as spend time with the other students and instructors.
  
  Then once you learn enough about each dance to make some educated decisions, the next month we will have follow-up classes that concentrate strictly on one or two dances.
   
• Beginning Tango will be offered by Rick and Marla Archer on Mondays at 7 pm. We will the American style of the dance.

  Tango is a timeless symbol for the dark side of romance. The music is haunting and mysterious. In fact the unusual rhythms are so eerie and brooding, you almost want to look over your shoulder for Count Dracula. It doesn't help of course that we teach the class with the lights very dim...
  
  With songs like "Jalousie" (Jealousy) and "Ecstasie" (Ecstasy), Tango takes it place in legend as the dance of powerful passions.

  Stylish and very dramatic, Tango combines sleek, hip-locked gliding steps with abrupt stops into fans, flicks, flares, dips, and lunges. The eerie music, sultry motion, and the haunting sense of dark moods barely under control make Tango a truly fascinating dance!
  
  American Tango is more structured than its Argentine counterpart. Using Basketball for example, American Tango relies more on "set, predetermined plays" while Argentine Tango is more improvisational, make-it-up on the spot. Most insiders consider American Tango vastly easier to learn and more practical for the occasional dancer to use. Once you get serious, you can always drift over the vastly more difficult Argentine style for a tougher challenge.
   

• In May, YJ Pu and Jenny Shen will offer the first Super-Advanced Tango Class (Level 4) taught at SSQQ in over 3 years. In April we had 8 couples deep in concentration over the Fallaway, the Double Cortez, Advanced Fans and Lunges, plus syncopated footwork. Now in May this same class is poised to become experts at this challenging and intriguing dance!
   
• On Tuesdays in May, Steve Gekas and Danielle Lam will introduce SSQQ to the first-ever Advanced Salsa 11 class.
  
  Salsa first exploded onto the scene in 2000 with Ricky Martin singing "Living La Vida Loca" against the backdrop of the Bush-Gore struggles down in Florida. Since then Bush has been re-elected and Salsa has grown to become the most popular single dance style in America today.
  
  Steve and Danielle spend so much time dancing in the clubs and practicing at the studio that they have come up with their own style of exciting and complex Salsa patterns.  Since their students are mostly very experienced dancers, Steve and Danielle work hard to stay ahead of this talented group. As a result, Salsa dancers from around Houston flock to the studio on Tuesday to see if they can the challenge of this "Honors" Advanced Salsa program. Indeed, the Tuesday Advanced Salsa class has become so popular our biggest room regularly fills up with classes that approach 100 students. If you can handle the heat, this class can't be beat.
  
  Now in May Steve and Danielle introduce a new Advanced level consisting of new patterns and new challenges. Don't miss it!
   
• Sharon Crawford and John Jones continue their Lord of the Waltz Saga with Intermediate Western Waltz scheduled for Wednesdays in May. Several graduates from previous years were planning on joining in this month. Welcome back!!
   
• Thursdays in May mark the start of two major changes in the Salsa program. Starting with Advanced Salsa 6, a parallel to this course will also be offered on Saturdays at 4:30 pm. Although the pace will be more sympathetic than the frantic Tuesday Adv Salsa classs, this level will still teach the original Level 6 syllabus that has been around for several years. In other words, the class will be difficult, but with two chances to practice the material, it should be easier than Tuesday.
  
  The other change is that we will rotate instructors on Thursdays and Saturdays. This means that Jill Banta will teach the Thursday class and Martin Anderson will teach the Saturday class. 
   
• As mentioned earlier, the Beginning Whip/West Coast Swing Superclass returns on Sundays and Thursdays in May. SSQQ is the only place in town that allows you to take the course on 2 different nights for the price of one. Flashy footwork, sexy hip motion, intricate patterns, and eye-catching turns make Whip/WCS a popular option for advanced dancers.
   
• Thursdays marks the start of Texas State Whip Champion Bryan Spivey's new Martian Technique class I. Bryan's Thursday class will concentrate strictly on West Coast Swing. The West Coast Swing is a national dance. If you were to take our classes anywhere else in the country, you would not hear a word about the Whip. WCS would be the only game in town.
  
  So we are going to pretend you live in another city. You will take this class as if the Whip never existed. One immediate advantage will be that you will learn how to dance with someone who only knows how to West Coast (which is 98% of all Swing dancers in America!).
  
  For example, do you know how the Closed Basic is handled in West Coast Swing?  Here at SSQQ we use primarily the Whip version of the Closed Basic. But after you finish Bryan's WCS Technique class you will discover how the West Coasters handle this important pattern.
  
  Bryan's WCS Technique class will start with everything you learned in the first four months of SSQQ Whip/WCS and cover the WCS aspects again in fine detail. Not only will the ladies learn their ball-crosses and passing steps all over again, they will learn more about the "And 1" WC Basic, they will learn six variations on their passing steps, six variations on their anchors, when to hijack, how to hijack, plus flicks, dips, lunges, and every other footwork trick in the book.
  
  And what will the men learn?  They will improve their footwork dramatically as well as their leads, master the difficult two-hand "Rock and Go" patterns, learn to lead lunges and dips, and much more. And don't forget the ultra important Tarzan and Jane patterns - ask Bryan to explain!
  
  In a nutshell there are so many fundamentals in West Coast Swing that all we can do is give you the highlights in the first four months. Now in West Coast Technique I and II, Bryan can polish what you know and introduce many new dimensions of the dance as well.
  
  So you graduate from SSQQ Lunar Whip. Here are your new options:
  You can go straight to Friday Martian Whip and skip the Technique level.
  You can take Friday Martian and the Technique classes simultaneously.
  You can wait on Martian Whip and stick to the Sunday-Thursday Technique program while you get your skills up to speed.
  
  The Technique Program is a very sophisticated new feature of our dance program. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how rugged these two classes will be while we polish old skills and introduce new areas you never even knew existed.
  
  And you can take BOTH for the price of one. And you can repeat them for Half-Price at any time further down the road.
   
• Advanced Western Swing returns to Fridays in May. Adv WS used to be taught three nights a week including Sundays and Wednesdays. In recent months we have bypassed this class to offer some of the alternate Western dances like Western Waltz, Night Club, Triple Two, Western Line Dances and Western ChaCha.  You can expect those classes to return at some point, so we can't promise you Adv Western Swing will be on Fridays every month. However here it is in May. Please take advantage of it.
   
• Ghost Town 12 w/ Scott Ladell returns on Fridays. Scott has developed a reputation as a phenomenal teacher for upper level Western dancing.  You should enjoy this class thoroughly.
   
• In May, the SSQQ Martian Whip class will only be offered one night a week on Fridays. Taught by Texas State Whip Champions Bryan Spivey and Lisa Palmer, the pace of the class should pick up for two reasons.
  
  First, dancers who aren't ready for Martian Whip now have another option to turn to (Martian Technique) for seasoning.  Once these students polish the things they already know to the point of excellence plus learn the new dimensions to West Coast and Whip, they will catch on to the faster pace of Friday Martian with greater ease.
  
  Second, now that the Thursday class is gone, people will no longer divide their attention between two nights. Bryan and Lisa will be able to expect more consistent attendance and can build on previous week patterns with more confidence that each student will be able to remember what they did the week before.
  
  The size of Bryan and Lisa's class has been steadily increasing. Expect the Friday Martian Whip class to capitalize on the recent momentum and move to another level in May!
   
• Intermediate Salsa 3 comes to Saturdays in May. Taught by Linda Cook, this is the first time this class has been offered so you will be the pioneers. Fortunately you are in experienced hands so the class should be a slam dunk success. Enjoy!   In June, we will offer Intermediate 2 again. In July, we will offer Intermediate 3 again, then in August we will complete our expansion of the Intermediate Salsa program with Level 4.
  
  Please note we will make all 4 levels roughly the same difficulty.  This will allow students who finish Beginning Salsa to take any one of the Levels first. In other words, they can start with 3 just as easily as 1. Another nice feature is our students can stay at the Intermediate level just as long as they wish for more seasoning until they are ready to move up to Advanced Salsa.
   
• As promised, Advanced Salsa 6 will be offered on Saturdays at 4:30 pm as a parallel course to the Thursday Advanced Salsa 6. You can attend both nights for the price of one.  Eventually we will iron things out so the Thursday-Saturday program will have 6 Levels (1-6) and the tougher Tuesday Advanced Salsa class will offer levels 7 through 12.
   
• Zydeco is a dance from Louisiana that is taught by two phenomenal teachers Willie Bushell and Ronnie Alexander.  This class is one of the great undiscovered joys of SSQQ. These two men pack their class wall-to-wall, but everyone has so much fun I never hear anything but compliments on the class. Plus they take their students out on the town after their final class. Laissez les bon temps roulez!
   
• Bachata will Luis Castillo and Merengue with Jill Banta are two Salsa dances that will also be offered on Saturdays at 4:30 pm in May. Considering the exciting Int Salsa 3 and the Adv Salsa 6 classes will also be taught on Saturday, we expect the House will be Rocking on Saturdays in May!

VIOLET STEPLIGHTLY WRITES ABOUT HER FRIEND TWO-TIMIN' TESS!

Hello dancers!

As usual, I've been hanging around Practice Night keeping my eyes and ears open for a good scoop, but I managed to find inspiration in our very own newsletter.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the February logic puzzle about Casey Casanova. In case you've forgotten, Casey was taking dance classes five nights a week, and each night he romanced a different woman. All was well for Casey until his girlfriends decided to take more classes, and Casey had to take evasive action to avoid being caught in his tangled web of deceit. Several months ago, one of my SSQQ classmates found herself in a very similar situation. As much as Rick loves intrigue, I tend to wonder if he knew about this story when he chose the puzzle. It was such a coincidence.

Her name is Tess. Like so many others, Tess started taking dance lessons after a heartbreaking divorce. Actually, her marriage was much more heartbreaking than the divorce, so you could say she is now dancing to celebrate. Nevertheless, she turned to SSQQ to find the companionship she was missing.

Tess was bitten by the dance bug during the Swing Revival of the 1990's (by watching a certain television commercial that inspired so many of us), but her overbearing husband, Jason, wouldn't let her take dance lessons. To make a long story short, Jason had no interest in dancing, so he refused to support Tess's ambitions. I wonder if he knew Will? During the remaining years of her "marriage", Tess's desire to Swing Dance burned deep inside her, but she kept it secret to avoid arguments.

Let me explain why I said "marriage" the way I did. I define marriage as a loving partnership between two people. Let's examine Tess and Jason. Tess worked to pay the bills, and she considered getting a second job to help make ends meet. Jason refused to work, and he spent what little money Tess made on things to entertain him. Tess was expected to come home right after work, clean up any mess Jason and his friends made, have a full dinner on the table, and "perform" whenever and wherever Jason demanded it. Jason would often deny Tess the basic necessities for survival, so forget about providing her with something that would bring mere happiness. Loving? Partnership? I think not.

Fast Forward: Tess finally decided enough was enough, so she obtained a divorce. For once, Jason's laziness worked to Tess's advantage. Jason was too lazy to hire a lawyer, not that he could have afforded one, so the divorce went uncontested and rather smoothly. In a matter of weeks, Tess was single again. Jason's behavior challenged Tess's spirit for years, but it didn't break it. Freedom brought Tess out of hibernation, and she was ready to live again.

Tess never forgot about her desire to learn Swing dancing, and she wanted to meet men who liked to dance too, but she wasn't sure where to take lessons. Luckily, Tess mentioned her dilemma to a friend of hers who knew Rick during his days as a Social Worker, so she enthusiastically pointed Tess directly to SSQQ.

I don't have to tell you what Tess's first days were like. You've all been there, so I'm sure you can relate to how nervous she felt among strangers, how frustrated she felt when she couldn't follow a pattern correctly on the first try, and how excited she felt when she finally perfected her rock step.

Tess was thoroughly in love with Swing Dancing, and she managed to meet a man. For now, we'll call him East Coast Ernie. Tess and Ernie just started out as dance partners. During Practice Night, they'd find a spot in a corner of Room 1 and practice their moves. Ernie is a good dancer, but he lacked the confidence to really dance. Tess was sweet, so she was patient with Ernie's shyness, and she made every effort to encourage him. Tess and Ernie grew closer, and they eventually started seeing each other outside the studio.

Dating Tess was good for Ernie because they could practice their dance steps between classes, and his confidence grew with each passing day. Dating Ernie was good for Tess because she was finally interacting with a man who liked her and dancing enough to want to do them both on a regular basis. Oops, did I just say that? Holy Freudian Slip, Batman!!
One night, Ernie wanted to take Tess to Wild West. Tess didn't know how to Two Step, but Ernie offered to teach her, and he assured her they'd have a chance to Swing. Tess proved to be a good student, and Ernie led her through Two Steps, Polkas, and Cha Chas. True to Ernie's promise, Tess got to Swing. She never imagined she'd have so much fun at a Country Western club because she's never been a fan of the music. Tess decided the dancing was enough fun to make the music tolerable, so she signed up for Beginning Two Step right away.

Ernie was already a pro at Country Western dancing, so Tess didn't ask him to take the class with her, but she did wish she'd have someone to practice with after class. Her wish was granted as she walked into her first class, and she met Western Wayne. Much like Tess, Wayne had gotten a taste of Country Western music, and he was coming back for seconds. Wayne was experienced with Ballroom dancing, so he had no trouble with rhythm, frame, etc. The other men in the class were adequate dancers, but something about Wayne's confidence (and the way he looked in blue jeans) drew Tess in, and she decided that he was going to be her practice buddy.

Tess really should have seen this one coming, and I suppose I could have warned her, but things developed with Wayne exactly as they had with Ernie. They started out practicing in the corner of Room 1 after class, then they'd practice outside the studio, and then finally Wayne was asking Tess out on actual dates.

Poor Tess was so taken by having attention paid to her that she didn't ever consider the consequences of dating two men at the same time. In her defense, she never allowed herself to get too intimate with Wayne since she was already on that path with Ernie, but she also never told either man what had been going on. In a nutshell, Wayne would get Friday nights, and Ernie would get Saturday nights/Sunday mornings. This arrangement actually went painlessly for a couple of months, but then worlds collided.

Ernie's sister Ellen was turning 40, and she wanted to have a huge birthday bash, so she extended invitations to all of her family, friends, and coworkers. The party was on a Friday night. If you recall, Friday is Wayne's night, but Ernie put so much pressure on Tess to accompany him that she agreed to go. How could Tess turn down Ernie's sister's birthday?

Tess explained to Wayne she had something to do with some girlfriends on Friday, an innocent-enough explanation. Wayne was a little disappointed to lose his usual Friday night with Tess, but the thought of seeing her on Saturday instead made up for it.

As best as I can understand it, Tess did not know that Wayne had also been invited to Ellen's party. Nor did she spot him at the party. There's one thing I forgot to mention about Wayne. He apparently likes to make an entrance when he goes anywhere because he's always "fashionably late". Ellen's party was no exception.

The time came for Ellen's birthday cake celebration. All the guests gathered round to sing "Happy Birthday" to Ellen. That is when Tess caught sight of Wayne at the exact same moment Wayne caught sight of Tess standing unmistakably close to Ernie with his arm around her.

Tess had no idea Wayne was even at the party. The look of shock and dismay on her face left no room for wiggle room.

Uh oh. Busted. Wayne walked straight out the door.

Ernie witnessed the incident and no longer wanted to stay at the party. On the trip home, Ernie exacted a confession from Tess. After Ernie unceremoniously dumped Tess back at her apartment, she phoned me two minutes later.

Tess broke down in tears as she talked about it, and I never got much more out of her than "(Whimper) Wayne left . . . (squeek) . . . and Ernie . . . (gasp) asked . . . (quiver) . . . "who was that guy?" (Wheeze) I didn't . . . (high-pitched, unintelligible sobbing) know what to do!"

Okay, Tess, calm down! In between the tears and sobs, I never did get the complete story. But I at least gathered that neither Ernie nor Wayne were too thrilled at the discovery that Tess was dating both of them at the same time behind their back.

For the next week, Tess engaged in phone diplomacy, but it didn't do any good. Ernie, the guy she had been intimate with, no longer trusted her. Wayne, the guy she broke a standing date with to see Ernie, no longer trusted her enough to try again. Probably the only thing Tess accomplished was discovering how she got caught. A man who worked with Ellen was also taking dance classes. In fact it had been at Ellen's suggestion that both Ernie and the guy from her job had wandered over to SSQQ in the first place. Ellen wanted some of the SSQQ crowd to come to her big bash, so she asked her friend at work to invite people from the dance studio to the party. That's how Wayne heard about the party. He didn't give it a second thought until suddenly his Friday evening opened up. He would have to go stag, but at least it gave him something to do.

Casey Casanova may have dated 5 SSQQ girls on five different nights in the logic puzzle, but this was the real world. Tess learned the hard way that in SSQQ social circles, the odds of getting caught were probably a lot higher than she realized. You can only take classes at SSQQ for so long before you're socially connected to someone in another class. Think "Six Degrees of Separation", but add music.

So both guys checked out her life and I inherited her for the interim. For the past couple weekends Tess has been spending Friday and Saturday nights on my couch watching chick flicks on cable and eating ice cream. Each time she goes home I have to clean the makeup off the couch from all her crying.

I truly believe that Tess was never trying to lead Ernie and Wayne on. I think she threw herself into dating too soon, and she didn't know how to handle it. She was used to an absentee husband, so she couldn't help but make the most out of two attentive men. I think the part that bothers Tess the most is that she lost two terrific dance partners, but she finally started talking about taking lessons again. Hopefully Tess learned the value of communication and honesty, and hopefully she'll deal with her partners one step at a time. So, if Two Timin' Tess ends up in any of your classes, do her a favor and remind her she's just there to dance.

Thanks for reading my latest twisted tale. I hope you enjoyed it. Swing by next month and find out how Mr. Shilly-Shally strikes again, and this time he's contagious!!!!

Violet

GARY RICHARDSON NEEDS FULL OR PART-TIME HELP AT HIS COMPUTER STORE

(Editor's Note: Story Nine of this issue deals with Gary Richardson's computer store and all the things Gary has done to help the studio. With that in mind, I would like to help Gary a little so he can go on our Alaska Cruise (someone has to mind the shop!!)

"Rick, if you know of anyone who needs a job, and has some computer building/repair knowledge, I would be interested in talking with them and discussing a position that I have open.

It is a Monday thru Friday position from 1:30pm to 6:00pm and Saturday 10:00am to 3:00pm position. This is the maximum hours the position would be for. However, in the beginning, three or four of those days I would not need help. I anticipate training the person and if he/she can handle the job it would expand to more hours relatively quickly. The days that I would need someone, for sure, is Tuesday and Friday and maybe Monday.

The job would be repairing, upgrading and building computers. I am willing to train, but the person does need to have a pretty good basic knowledge of Windows overall."

713 461 8660
tfwcomputers@houston.rr.com

 2005 CRUISE NEWS - THE ALASKA TRIP IN JULY IS UP TO 72 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 HAS 72 PEOPLE SIGNED UP!)
http://ssqq.com/information/alaska2005.htm
 

Trip Status as of April 15, 2005
We still have space, but it is only a matter of time till we run out.  The trip is practically sold out.  Our contract says at this point if Royal Caribbean wants to reclaim the unused space we have left, we have to give it to them. When this happens - tomorrow? one week from now? - not only will it be hard to find a spot, you will have pay several hundred more dollars to go.

I am not going to fib and say this trip is cheap. In fact, this is an expensive trip. What I can say is that right now the SSQQ price for this trip is $200 to $500 a person below market price. This discount is available because we booked the trip back in November! 

IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU WANT TO GO, WE ADVISE YOU TO DECIDE TO JOIN US THE MOMENT YOU READ THIS ARTICLE OR FORGET ABOUT IT.

WE NEED A $250 DEPOSIT FROM YOU NOW

Please note that you can still back out of the trip and get a COMPLETE REFUND UP UNTIL MAY 7th.

So there is no reason not to lock in a cabin at a tremendous bargain by acting now.

Act now!!   Email Marla Archer at marla@ssqq.com or call her at 713 862 4428.

By the way, don't forget about our September Rhapsody Cruise. See the next article below.
Same Time Next Year. http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2005.htm

THE SAME TIME NEXT YEAR SEPTEMBER RHAPSODY CRUISE IS UP TO 32 PEOPLE

Late last September we had the best cruise in studio history with 120 people sailing aboard the Rhapsody. This trip was wild beyond imagination. Our misbehavior is well-documented with lots of steamy pictures as proof. Visit Rhapsody 2004 to read and see what happened with your own eyes!!

This year's numbers are slowly beginning to rise. The glamour of our Summer Alaska Cruise has obscured this year Fall Rhapsody trip to some extent.  Nevertheless the key players in last year's adventure are climbing aboard for another round of mischief.

Almost all the Usual Suspects are back for another round. Mara Rivas and George (Mr. Handsome) are in training for a week of misbehavior. Center of Attention Phyllis is announcing to everyone who will listen that she plans to cause more trouble and that she has a NEW CAMERA. Is that a threat??  The Grapevine is coming again and so is Eva Blue. We also have Last Year's Mischief Rookies Stephanie I and Stephanie II. Maureen is coming again. All we need is the Great Gabino and we know the Rhapsody is in for serious trouble. Last year the Great Gabino narrowly missed unseating the Mischief Champion Mr. Handsome. This year Mr. Handsome has a girlfriend and has been a model of decorum. That is so boring!

Surely Mr. Great will have no trouble out-trouble making Mr. Handsome. But will he even try?  Hmm. Why don't you ladies start putting some pressure on Steve and see if you can get him back on the ship.

In the meantime, to guarantee a place on the September Trip, it is time to make a deposit since May 28 is a deadline. I will not say it is the "Final Deadline", but I will say the ship is practically sold out and we are at great risk of losing our Group Space. Why take a chance?  Lock in your spot with a $250 deposit and then you have till July 15th to make your final decision.

Call Marla at 713 862 4428 or email her at marla@ssqq.com 

For a look at this year's list of people who are going, click Rhapsody 2005
 

THE INFAMOUS SSQQ SLEAZY BAR WHIP PARTY

As most of you know, April marks the Annual SSQQ Sleazy Bar Whip Party. This year Bryan Spivey asked me if he could teach a Sleazy Bar class featuring his own thoroughly horrid moves. I explained that Ben was already down for the course, but there was no reason we couldn't have one taught by Bryan two weeks earlier at the Broke and Penniless Party. 

Over the years, Ben Liles has danced to the mantra 'Damn the morals, full sleaze ahead'!! For all these years Ben has been the unquestioned legendary SSQQ King of Sleaze, but he may be softening a little. It is tough for a happily married man with a great wife, a terrific son, and another child on the way to be out there keeping his tools of sleaze sharp. And look at the advantage Bryan has - Bryan is young, virile, powerful, SINGLE, and unimpeded with the conscience and guilt that traditionally goes with the institution of marriage. 

But don't count Ben out just yet. Ben is just so naturally SLEAZY!! And his beautiful wife Diana understands just how harmless his shameless behavior really is. I know Bryan will give Ben a run for the throne, but I don't think Ben intends to give up the title so easily. I fully expect Ben to not only touch upon the line of indecency, but perhaps even completely cross that line into the realm of totally disgusting, immoral dance floor debauchery. 

I think any person planning to dance lewdly and lasciviously at this year's party has much to learn from both men. I suggest you take both classes, then give me your opinion. 

As always, Ladies, I suggest you wear several layers of clothes to both classes. You are clearly in the danger zone and subject to horrible collateral damage in the struggle btw these Titans of Sleaze. Whatever happens, definitely do not come to me whining about what occurs behind the closed doors of the infamous Sleazy Bar Whip Workshops. No one will feel sorry for you. The only thing I want to hear from you is the facts. Just stick to the facts and check the tears. 

In the May Newsletter we will report back to see which man won the 2003 SSQQ Sleaze Championship, a true honor. We shall find out whether experience and guile can defeat energy and enthusiasm… 
………………..

IF YOU LOOK POOR, DON'T WORRY, WE WON'T SHOW YOU THE DOOR!!
Music Swing in Room 1 plus requests, Salsa in Room 4 plus requests.


THE INFAMOUS SSQQ SLEAZY BAR WHIP PARTY 
Saturday, April 26, 9:15-Midnight Cover charge $7 
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party08.htm

Wear Red and Black and Watch Your Back.
Check your Guns and Knives at the Door; Leave your Morals at Home...


CRASH COURSES 7-9 pm 

BEG C&W : TEXAS TWOSTEP - Melissa 
INT TWOSTEP: CIRCLE TURNS - Ann 
BEG WESTERN WALTZ - Brian 
SHAGGIE JITTERBUG - Rachel 
EAZY SLEAZY WHIP - Rick 
BEG WEST COAST SWING - Charlene 
DISGUSTING SLEAZY BAR MOVES- Ben cpls only

Music: Western, Waltz in Room 1, Whip, WCS in Room 4, and whatever is asked for in Room 6.

 

adventures of a dance teacher: THE YEAR RICK ARCHER WENT WHIP DANCING 201 NIGHTS IN A ROW

Adventures of a Dance Teacher is a series of different stories written by Rick Archer about his various ups and downs in the World of Dance. As of March 2005, the total is up to 46 and there are five more stories just waiting around till enough free time opens up to write them all!

201 Nights of Whip Dancing

In 1986 over a seven month stretch I was crazy enough to go out Whip Dancing for 201 nights in a row. I never missed a night of dancing the Whip the entire time. You have my word on that.

Each night after I finished with my teaching, I would leave the studio to practice the Whip at various clubs around Houston.

The Streak began as a solution to a very deep depression. My personal life hit a rocky note.

In April 1986, I ended a stormy two year relationship. I had always believed that "communication" and good will could solve any problem between a man and a woman, but now I knew differently. I had discovered the hard way that sometimes no matter how hard you try, a relationship cannot be saved. I was crushed.

I turned to dancing to deal with my pain. The Adventure that followed changed my entire life.

To read the entire story, visit http://ssqq.com/information/advent42.htm

JACK BENARD

GARY RICHARDSON'S TFW COMPUTER STORE IS ABOUT TO SELL
ITS 100TH COMPUTER TO AN SSQQ CUSTOMER

Rick Archer Note: In this issue, Gary asked me to add that he has a job opening at his store. Help-Wanted

For more information about Gary's Computer Store,
website: TFW Computers
phone: 713 461 8660
email: tfwcomputers@houston.rr.com

(Editor's Note: Throughout my career there have been several people who were instrumental in taking this studio to its next level. I would have to say that Gary Richardson ranks in the top three people.

Back in early 1997, Gary and Betty Richardson started taking Western dance classes here at the studio. Gary wasn't a natural and he wasn't even sure he liked dancing, but drawing on some natural tenacity he stuck with it. Pretty soon he started to get the hang of Twostep and Western Swing and began to enjoy his classes more.

Due to a similarity in age, Gary and I struck up a friendship. Once I found out he owned a computer store, I wound up asking him questions about computers each time I saw him in class.

As I got to know Gary, he told me of the many things a computer could do to help me in my business.

I said I had the money to afford a computer but was clueless at figuring out how to operate one. What was the point of buying a computer if I didn't know how to use it??

Gary felt sorry for me and said he would help me get started. With that encouragement, I went ahead and bought my first computer from Gary in October 1997.  I took the plunge!!  However the computer just sat at his store. Rather than pick up and take it home, every day for practically the entire month of November 1997, I would drive over to the Floppy Wizard (later renamed TFW Computers) and hang out for a couple of hours. Whenever Gary had a free moment he would help me himself or assign one of his assistants Tim and Rick to help me. I knew Gary didn't have the time to help everyone like this, but I think he took pity on me. Slowly but surely I developed enough skills to be able to take full advantage of my new computer.

Finally I bravely decided to take my computer home. I labeled every cord and every port on the back of the computer. Plus I took a photograph to guide me. I was very worried I would get the keyboard and the mouse and the modem and the monitor and the scanner and thisthatandtheotherthing all plugged into the wrong spot. That is how bad it was.

More than anything else what I remember after I took my computer home was that Gary would give me help over the phone whenever I would get stuck at home. Many times Gary rescued me from the depths of despair with a helpful hint that went way past the call of duty.

My goodness did I ask some stupid questions!  The dumbest question ever came when I bought my second computer. The damn thing wouldn't turn on!!  Yes, it was plugged in!  It had just worked at the store. Why wouldn't it turn on?

That is when Gary explained that there was another switch in back. Try turning it on. I'm a moron.

Fortunately not one time did he ever lose his patience with me. I would never had gotten that kind of help from any other computer store in the city.

Since then Gary has helped SSQQ take full advantage of every technological development. We were the first dance studio in Houston to have a web site, the first to have On-Line Registration, and the first to use computers to play music. Plus Gary has used his long-time joy in photography to add wonderful pictures of each SSQQ cruise.  After we combine my love of writing with Gary's love of photography, it is little wonder that our Travel Web Site is phenomenal fun.

Now you know why I am so grateful to Gary Richardson.

A couple years back, Gary was fond of telling me how so and so from the dance studio had come into his store to buy a new computer. After the numbers started to grow, I suggested to Gary that he keep track. Ever since then Gary emails me every time a new computer is sold to an SSQQ Customer. 

In the past couple weeks Elizabeth Carillo, Mike Blaha, and Linda Cook has pushed the overall total to 98.  There is a better than even chance that April will be the month that SSQQ and TFW Computers hit the Magic 100 total. 

Since April is also the birthday month for the store (the store will be 22 years old on April 29), I asked Gary if he wanted to make a special offer to Mister or Miss SSQQ One Hundred.  Gary said he would be happy to make an offer, but preferred not to make it exclusive to just his hundredth customer because that might lead to some bickering.

Gary said that for the entire month of April, any system ordered in the month of April we will give a FREE DVD burner (NEC 3520a Dual Layer...the best burner on the market) installed in any new system ordered in April.   That is better than a $100 savings on a system.  This offer is for SSQQ students, teachers and their referrals.  He added however that you have to mention your SSQQ connection or he won't say anything.

One more thing: last month as I had the idea to write this story when Gary hit 97, I asked some people to say a word about Gary and his computers. You may not recognize some of the names, but their comments are very accurate.

Gary has a heart of gold and does anything to help people when they get stuck with computer problems. He is like a "computer lifeguard". Just when a virus or a hard drive failure or spyware is about to drag your computer down, he will come to your rescue in a way you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

The only thing you have to watch out for is his lousy sense of humor. Gary loves to tease. He may save your computer, but he is pretty tough on your self-esteem.

The first story involves the notorious Ann Faget, a NASA engineer who just happens to be the reigning SSQQ Logic Puzzle Champ. Unfortunately she is also on the SSQQ Hit List for her indiscriminate use of puns around polite company, but that's another story.

GARY STORY ONE

From: FAGET, ANN L. (JSC-CC) (SAIC)
Date: 02/23/05 12:58:38
To: tfwcomputers@houston.rr.com
Subject: Help!

Hi Gary - I am a regular at SSQQ on Wednesdays, and I have read a lot about your computer store and everything you have done for Rick in the newsletter.  I hope you can help me.  I have a Dell Inspiron laptop, which I bought in late 2001.  Last week, out of the blue, it wouldn't boot up.  When I open the top and press the power button, nothing happens, the screen stays blank.  I believe it's getting power, because the green light is on.  I will bring it to your store if you think you can help. 

Thanks, Ann Faget
 

-----Original Message-----
From: TFW Computers [mailto:tfwcomputers@houston.rr.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 1:10 PM
To: FAGET, ANN L. (JSC-CC) (SAIC)
Subject: Re: Help!

Yes, bring it to me so we can diagnose.  Sometimes (often) the power supply is putting out only enough power to light up a LED, but not the system...so it may be just a bad power supply.  Gary.

From: FAGET, ANN L. (JSC-CC) (SAIC)
Date: 02/23/05 13:23:57
To: 'TFW Computers'
Subject: RE: Help!

Thanks for prompt reply.  I could come by this evening.  I will be coming from the Clear Lake area, leaving about 5:30, not sure I could make it by 6.  Could you stay open a bit late?  Thanks, Ann
 

-----Original Message-----
From: TFW Computers
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 1:33 PM
To: FAGET, ANN L. (JSC-CC) (SAIC)
Subject: RE: Help!

Maybe 15 minutes I can stay as I have to be somewhere at 6:30pm, but it is close by. Do you have a cell phone you can keep in touch with me with?

From: FAGET, ANN L. (JSC-CC) (SAIC)
Date: 02/23/05 14:02:52
To: 'TFW Computers'
Subject: RE: Help!

I'll just come by now, and then stay and work late.  I should be there between around 3:30. 
Ann

(Editor’s Note: Gary told me he fixed her system within five minutes...no charge...courtesy.)

Follow-up Letter from Ann Faget:

Hi Rick - I'd like to add to your collection of Gary Richardson stories. 

My Dell laptop quit working earlier this month, and I had no idea what to do.  I remembered you had recommended a computer store, so I researched it on your web site and found out about Gary and TFW Computers.  Despite the fact that I live in Clear Lake and his store is in northwest Houston, about a 45 minute drive for me, I preferred to go there based on your strong personal recommendation. 

Well, in the end, the problem turned out to be easy to solve.  All he did was plug it in, take out the battery and power it on.  It booted up no problem.  Then he shut it down, put the battery back in, and started it up again, and it worked like a champ.  Apparently this has something to do with resetting the battery.  Although this was quite simple, the point is that he knew what to do, and then he was gracious enough not to charge for his time.  So just add my voice to the chorus of admiration for Gary and TFW Computers.

Ann Faget

GARY STORY TWO

It's late and I gotta get to bed.  5:00 am makes for a short night. 

I will tell you that my experience with buying a computer from Gary Richardson has been nothing but pleasant in every way. He truly goes out of his way to make sure his customers are happy, including the moronic computer illiterates such as myself.  His patience with me after the sale, especially when it came to using the ghosting program he sold me, was "above and beyond the call of duty". 

When I get ready to buy another computer, TFW's is my first and last stop.

Rob Abbott

GARY STORY THREE

I have to admit that Gary has been a vertebral magical worker.  Between myself and Joseph my partner who had a penchant for doing even dummer things to his computer that I have been know to do to mine.

I am basically computer tolerant and I know that they know that I do not like them and they do not like me.  Gary repeatedly made peace with the computer god (without having to find a vestal virgin (it they still exist) to sacrifice.  All kidding aside, Gary has been a good friend and a patient computer mentor for many years...and one cool dude.

Michael Bunch
Architect

GARY STORY FOUR

I never thought I wanted or needed a computer. You mentioned TFW to me so, I went to see Gary and he explained everything I needed to know did not try to pressure me in any way. Now I am on my second computer, have digital cameras, scanners, printers, MP3, etc!

Gary and his staff have patiently answered every single one of my stupid questions over the years without making feel that they were as stupid as I knew they were. He regularly sends computer update info. Most of which I don't understand, so he kindly explains it to me...I have referred my friends and co-workers to him and feel confident that they will be as happy as I am with whatever they get.

I love my computer:)

Maureen Brunetti

GARY STORY FIVE

About five years ago I asked Gary at TFW to build a computer for me.  I never had a computer with Windows.  He recommended a server for my new Windows 98/Outlook Express.  I was ready to go big time. I had questions from time to time and would go by or call Gary.  TFW was very helpful.  I just had Windows XP and DSL installed, and I'm still using the original tower.......that's what happens when you're on social security.  Computers are exhausting, but I have Gary to help me out.   Sue King 

GARY STORY SIX

“Where is your back-up?  What, you don’t have one??  Well, we will just have to restore to the original Ghost Image. I TOLD you to back it up!”

I have heard those words before. And often in the shop… They are words to cringe by!!

No doubt that Gary and his assistants Tim and Rick have been a lifesaver on many an issue. I have bought well over 10 machines and paid for 5… er 8 er 10 (can’t remember hehe!!) since I have known Gary. Always friendly and helpful on a phone call and you can’t beat the personal service and turnaround time.

No… and I mean NO OTHER COMPANY… has his service record. 

Congratulations on your new record of 100 computers for SSQQ!

Bruce Bain
Attorney

GARY STORY SEVEN

I purchased a state of the art system from you about four years ago.  Since that time I have experienced several small problems and you and your staff have always been courteous, prompt with your service and always willing to explain what has been done.  When the system was new the modem failed and it was replaced promptly without any cost.

I purchased a scanner and took it home and could not get it to operate and thought it was faulty.  In the final analysis I had not properly uninstalled the old scanner, which prevented the new one to function.  During this process the scanner was replaced and later I was advised how to insure I had properly uninstalled the old scanner.

I purchased a DC5000 Kodak digital camera, which has provided great pictures.  My daughter, a music teacher in the Katy school system, has used the camera to record many of her concerts and school performances.  I purchased this camera on your recommendation and it has exceeded our expectations.

The service I have received from TFW Computers has bee outstanding.  I would recommend your organization to anyone looking for a good place to purchase a computer system where you would receive reliable support after the sale.

It has always been a pleasure to do business with your organization.

 Charles Underhill

GARY STORY EIGHT

Rick, I'm one of the many who have experienced help from TFW.   I asked Gary to "build" me a computer a couple of years ago when I couldn't spell XP. I have since had occasion to ask for help and in most cases it was "cockpit" problems. Gary and staff have responded promptly and graciously to my requests. (I won't list the specifics for fear of embarrassment - to me, not TFW). I would, and have, highly recommended TFW to others.  Thanks for asking for my experience.

Randal Rockett

GARY STORY NINE

So you want a collection of experiences suffered at the hands of the "NEEDLER" more commonly known as Gary Richardson, owner of TFW Computers?  Well, let's see what we may have in the ole storage vault of treasured moments at TFW.

As many of Gary's customers would relate there are numerous incidents of advice on booboo's over the phone, computer malfunctions that are handled in a similar manner and always in the most professional manner.  As long as you are at phone length you are safe from the needle, however, once you enter the "domain" you are fair game.  Once having suffered myself into opening what I thought was an email from Microsoft (wrong) I or I should say the computer became infected with a worm.  Chaos and all sorts of mischief were plaguing my computer.  But once again TFW to the rescue for a small hourly fee.  The computer and I were saved by the white knight on Gessner.

All jokes aside, TFW has been most reliable and helpful whenever I have had problems.  If you just want to chat (not possible) or drop off a sick computer, Gary and his staff, are usually able to assist you.  Lord help you if you go in with just a small problem on your mind for you may come away with an estimate for the latest and greatest or you may come away with a new machine and a lighter wallet.  Over the years (since and including the Mall) that I have associated with Gary, Rick and Tim

I have always,well, most of the time enjoyed my business experience with TFW Computers.

Hank Wenzler

GARY STORY TEN

My friend Jim Bohli took many dance lessons at SSQQ and even met his wife there at the studio!  They got married I think in 1998. Jim was the one who referred me to Gary and his computer shop in 1997 or so.  Jim and I have been friends for about 17 years.

Gary built a very efficient Jaguar for me and I’ve been hooked every since.  TFW built my third machine over the 2004/2005 holidays and, of course; I’m more pleased than I was with the previous two.  I have two machines set up in a Local Area Network in my study with a hub that I can plug the laptop into and share all of the resources.  I receive a wide band signal via Dish Network.  The system is fast, reliable, and very flexible when it comes to sharing files and resources.  The nice thing is that I always have a backup CPU.

Gary taught me a couple of important lessons about maintaining home-based PC’s.  The first was the lesson about the wireless mouse.  When I purchased the first Logitech wireless mouse and keyboard, Gary told me, nonchalantly, that if my system looked like it wasn’t working right that it might be the battery in the mouse.  Sure enough, I didn’t keep that little comment in my mind.  After a year or so my machine was not responding to those little mouse clicks…it just seemed to take forever to get the CPU to respond.  I thought I had gotten a virus in the software or firmware and went to some lengths over a week’s period to detect and remove this phantom virus.  After much hard work and frustration I thought I would have to take the machine back to Gary and have him help.  Over the weekend, I shutdown and unhooked the machine, put it in the car, and was ready to take it to Gary’s for troubleshooting.  On Sunday while I was thinking what an idiot I was because I couldn’t figure out what virus had gotten in there, I remembered Gary’s comment to me about the mouse.  I was now really embarrassed to think that was the problem.  I got the machine out of the car, hooked it back up, and replaced the mouse battery.  Guess what??  Life was perfect again.  Oh Gary, I wish you’d been a little more emphatic about the mouse battery and that I’d paid a little closer attention to what you told me.

The second, and probably more important lesson, was about using Norton Ghost to back up programs and data.  Not too much to be said here except that I wasted a lot of time and spent too much money on other back up programs when Ghost was the perfect solution.  Before I began using Ghost, I did experience the loss of some data…the worst part being some digital photographs I had stored.  Some of these were family memories which are gone forever.  Gary’s solution using Ghost and two hard drives to back up both programs and data has proven valuable.  I only recall having to retrieve Ghost back up data a couple of times, but it sure was worth having it available and the restoration process is easy to perform.  Thanks Gary for this good solution to a pesky problem with home computers.

I also receive many good software/hardware references, funny stories, and unique pictures of the world from Gary’s email distribution.  I always look forward to them each day.  I know he’s a junkie…his e-mails are sometimes time-stamped in late or wee hours.

One of my hobbies is fooling around in the stock market on line.  Gary’s computers coupled with good hi-speed access have made that a comfortable hobby for me.  It’s really good to have capable technical tools that give you a competitive position with the pros.

Last and most important is e-mail.  My better half uses her computer for e-mail and greeting cards.  Both are very important to her and even though she’s not a techno, she is proficient with both of these.  She feels connected to the world and is very impatient if her machine is not working correctly.

So there you have it.  I hope this helps add to your list of TFW Computer stories.  Gary’s business is a gem and I wish him and the staff the best of luck.  I look forward to the next generation of computers and software and know that Gary will be there to help out.

Respectfully,
Grant Smith
Bay City, Texas

For more information about Gary's Computer Store, click TFW Computers

AGING, SOMEWHAT WASHED-UP OVER-40 BASKETBALL PLAYERS NEEDED
FOR SATURDAY MORNING PICKUP GAMES

written by Rick Archer:

Every Saturday morning I play basketball at a very beautiful gym over in the Memorial area. We start about 8 am and play till 10 am, sometimes 10:30 am when we have more players.

We are all over 40 and three of us are over 50. The one exception is a high school senior who played at Memorial HS this season. He eats us for lunch, but he's going off to college at A&M so in September it after the summer it will just be a bunch of old guys.

One player runs a travel agency, one player runs a dance studio, two players are Shell tax attorneys, one guy is an executive for a building management firm, two guys are welders, one guy is retired, and one guy is a high school baseball coach. The baseball coach just turned 40, but he is naturally slow anyway so he fits right in.

Our group of ten (including the high school whiz kid) is not always sufficient in generating our minimum of three on three for our games. We need at least one new regular, even better two more. Many of us travel a lot or have family commitments which means from one week to the next we never know if we will have a game or not. 2 on 2 at our age is tough, believe me.

The tallest man is at most 6' 2". We aren't sure how tall we are anymore since all of us appear to be shrinking. I was once 6' 1", but now I barely top six feet. Even worse my daughter is still growing. I live in constant fear she will catch me as we both grow in opposite directions.

We are mere shells of our former selves. Inside our brains are confused kids who can't understand why we don't jump on our jump shots anymore or dive recklessly on the floor for loose balls.  However we can all hit an open shot, make college 3 pointers, pass, set picks and play defense.  We don't play rough, but we do foul on an open lay-up sometimes. We are good basketball players who operate at half the speed we used to.

The best news is we rarely get hurt (I just knocked on wood). The only player to really get hurt was Sam, the high school kid, who actually dove for a ball and bashed the back of his head on the wall. He had a headache, but was back playing with us the next week. The point is that the games are not cut-throat.

If you are a really good basketball player, forget it. If you can touch the rim, forget it. If you are really bad, forget it.

But if my description of our players also seems to fit you, why not email me (Rick Archer) and think about joining us some Saturday morning?  Our gym is really beautiful and we have it all to ourselves in the morning.
dance@ssqq.com
 

THE BIRTH OF THE SSQQ EXCEPTION RULE AND OTHER POLICY CHANGES
Written by Rick Archer
http://ssqq.com/information/exception.htm

Starting in March 2005, we have a new rule.

Here is the SSQQ Rule for Exceptions: "Each student gets one Exception per year. Your exception can be to let a friend come watch a class, start a class in the third week, switch a class to another month, or make up some missed classes for free.  Your Exception must be approved by Rick Archer in advance via email.  He reserves the right to deny your request if it seems unreasonable.  If you show up at the studio to ask for your exception, you will be unsuccessful.  The only way to get an Exception is to email dance@ssqq.com and ask for it in writing."

As anyone in business knows, many organizations succeed or fail based on the quality of its Customer Service. 

The number one axiom in Customer Relations has always been "The Customer is Always Right."

What if the needs of one customer conflict with the needs of another customer??

However no one has ever come up with an axiom that covers this idea: "How to Decide Which Customer is always right".

As a business owner, I am often forced to make tough choices between sticking up for studio rules or bending the rules to make a customer happy. Now I have a question: "How does making an exception for an individual benefit the students who have already cooperated with the rule?"

Ever since our talented Registrar Susan Schroeder suddenly resigned at the start of the January 2005 dance semester, I have personally being handling much of her old duties along with a lot of help from Marla Archer.

The task of handling Susan's complex duties nearly broke me in half. Finally I realized I would have to restructure the job or go nuts in the process.

Did you know SSQQ students change their minds?  All the time!
Did you know things come up that prevent them from finishing their classes?  All the time!

The problem is not that I get very many unreasonable requests. The problem is I get Hundreds of Requests!  The sheer volume of all the people who have concerns is what staggers me the most.

So I had to go back and simplify our rules.  One rule that seemed hopelessly out of date was our $5 rule. This rule said a student could take any class he or she didn't finish for $5. We took their word for it. Then Marla showed me a situation that clearly illustrated how this rule was being abused.  That was the end of the $5 rule.

In its place I put the Exception Rule. 

We will see what people's reactions to this rule are for a month.

SSQQ HOUSE RULES:

1. ADULTS AT PLAY: NO CHILDREN  ( http://ssqq.com/information/children.htm )
2. NO GUESTS/NO WATCHING  ( http://ssqq.com/information/watching.htm )
3. PLEASE SWITCH PARTNERS ( http://ssqq.com/information/switchpartners.htm )
4. PLEASE TURN OFF CELL PHONES  ( http://ssqq.com/information/houserules.htm )
5. NO REGISTRATION AFTER WEEK TWO ( http://ssqq.com/information/houserules.htm )
6. BRING RECEIPT EACH WEEK  ( http://ssqq.com/information/houserules.htm )
7. REFUNDS OR CLASS CHANGES MUST BE DONE ON FIRST NIGHT OF CLASS
( http://ssqq.com/information/refund.htm )
8. BE NICE TO THE HALL MONITORS. ( http://ssqq.com/information/houserules.htm )
9. SWITCHING CLASSES ( http://ssqq.com/information/switchclass.htm )

To Ask for an Exception, email Rick Archer, dance@ssqq.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Did you know there are a bunch of SSQQ kids out there? 

SSQQ has assisted in creating many wonderful marriages. Beautiful children such as Ali Armstrong pictured below are a terrific additional blessing of these marriages

Ben and Diana Liles have two children. I have a daughter. Jeff and Tracy King have a daughter.  And Rachel Koenig just announced she is going to have a child soon. And these are just the children of the Staff. There are many more children born to the students who met here and married.

We are all very blessed. Daryl and Joanne met at SSQQ back in the mid 90s. In addition to this pretty girl, Daryl and Joanne also have a son named Austin who is probably about seven now.  The only sadness about Daryl's family is that Daryl doesn't cause nearly as much trouble as he did back when he was single.  He was quite a character. These days with his ponytail gone, his earring gone, and even his Hawaiian shirts starting to seem respectable, he just isn't the same guy I used to know. But then the same could be said about me. Settling down definitely is the theme here. And when you have lovely children like Ali, who cares!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: WHY IS THERE NO ADVANCED WESTERN SWING ON FRIDAYS??

-----Original Message-----
From: kent carson
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 3:13 PM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: Advanced Western Swing

This is not really a complaint, but a suggestion/plea. Several members of my "group", including me (we have been attending together Sun-Wed-Fri beginning with 2-step) were concerned and disappointed that Advance Western Swing was only offered on Sunday and Wed. and not also on Friday. Several of my fellow members attend church on Wed., so they will only come on Sunday. In my case, I have joint custody of a child (every other full week) so I can only come every other Wed. and every other Sunday.

I just thought you might want to take this into consideration in the future.

I love to attend every class, crash course and practice that I can make it to. My frustration is being a guy and having to learn to lead is somewhat difficult even if you attended every class and practice. For example, last week (Friday, I took a private from 6-7, class from 7-9 and practiced from 9-11:30, Sat. I took the Sweethearts of the Rodeo crash course (Linda Cook taught this and she is an awesome teacher) and stayed for practice until 11:30, and Sunday I started Advance Western Swing and some of the moves are somewhat difficult and would be easier to master with another weekly class scheduled. Needless to say, Monday morning, I could hardly remember the crash course pattern I learned on Sat.

I am aware that we have been spoiled by being able to take 3 classes a week for the price of 1. I am eternally grateful that your studio even exists. Your instructors and helpers are always supportive. I have met many nice people and I look forward to someday taking every class your studio offers.

Thanks for listening.
Kent Carson


Rick Archer Reply
Subject: RE: Advanced Western Swing
03/05/05 04: 05 PM


Your request makes sense from your point of view and I respect it. However from my point of view you are asking me to put back a class on Friday that does not make much extra money for the studio.

Here are four numbers for you: 32 63 77 95. As of Saturday, beg twostep has 95 total people registered, Beg western swing has 77, intermediate has 63, and advanced has 32. The demand for Advanced is very weak.

Your class may be offered in the future on Friday, but I am in business to make a living. The numbers did not support having Adv Western Swing on Friday in the final months of 2004.

When the numbers come back, this class will come back. You have my promise on that.
Rick Archer


Thanks for the explanation. I guess that most do not share the passion for dancing that I have found while attending classes at your studio.
Kent S. Carson


(EDITOR'S NOTE: There is a possibility we will restore this class to Fridays in May, but please be aware we consider it an "option", not an "obligation. We need to pay the rent, don't forget. Two classes for the price of one is still a pretty good deal.   RA)

STAFF TRANSITIONS:

In March 2005, Donna Tillery resigned her position as Registrar. No reason was given.

Sad to say, Charlene Tees is moving to Austin, Texas. The Sleazy Bar Whip Party will be her final night at the studio. Charlene is a real estate agent for Century 21. She says the agency in Austin has more homes for sale than qualified agents to sell them. She firmly believes this is the chance of a lifetime!  A close friend of Sharon Crawford (or should I saw "Sharon Shaw"?) Charlene has been with the studio for two years. She is very popular and will be greatly missed by me and by the students as well. And of course Charlene will always be given her job back here. All she has to do is snap her fingers and say, "I'm baaack!"   Just say the word, Charlene.

Alex Schamenek has been assisting Maureen Brunetti with her Salsa class on Thursdays since the start of the year. He has proven to be so reliable and helpful, it is time to promote him to Staff.

Kelly Boyer was hired sight unseen. I have no idea what she looks like!   Jim Coulter nominated her for promotion, so here she is, the newest member of our Tuesday Salsa Staff.

There is an old joke that it takes two men to replace one woman.  This is actually the case on Thursdays.  In May we welcome Trent Haynes and Eric Montes to the Thursday Whip Program in Charlene's absence.  Trent is Michelle Wann Haynes' husband. He is also a long-time Whip teacher over at the Southwest Whip Club. We welcome Trent with his vast teaching experience!

Eric Montes will be in the same Beginning Whip class with Michelle and Trent. Eric is such a good Whip dancer that he has entered many dance contests. He is a terrific dancer!

Both men have an unusual connection to SSQQ. I taught both of their mothers how to Whip!  Yes, Jeannie Haynes and Helen Villasenor were a big part of SSQQ back in the 80s. I have actually watched Eric grow up into the fine young man that he is now. That's the good news. The bad news is how old does that make me?  Hmm.

Jaime Mabry has been helping Linda Cook teach Western for nearly six years as a Volunteer. Don't you think it is about time someone this faithful and reliable gets a promotion?  I heartily agree. Jaime is on the Staff.

Unfortunately Willie Ellis doesn't have email, but if he did I would tell him he is "hired" to help my friend Willie Bushnell teach the Saturday R&B Twostep class.  Recently Willie Bushnell had to go out of town and Willie Ellis volunteered to step in for him. Rumor has it he did a great job!

FORBIDDEN LOVE