The March
2009 SSQQ Newsletter Issue Four
Written by Rick Archer
The April 2009 SSQQ Newsletter
Issue Four
Written by Rick Archer
dance@ssqq.com
APRIL DANCE PARTIES
SSQQ has been described over the years as naughty and nice.
Although most of the time we are Apple Pie Nice, April is the month
where we lean towards the 'naughty' side. Including the DIRTY
BACHATA CRASH COURSE at the Salsa Party and the SLEAZY BAR WHIP
CRASH COURSE at the Whip Party two weeks later, there will be some
serious hip to hip contact in April. Circle the dates now.
MUY CALIENTE SALSA PARTY ON APRIL 11
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party07caliente2.htm
Beginning Salsa - Ulyses
Intermediate Alternate Exits - Teresa /Noe
Merengue Moves - Olga/ Luis
Beginning Cha-Cha - Martin
Dirty Bachata - Morris/Angelica (cpls only)
2 SENORITAS FOR EVERY HOMBRE - Dakota
(each man must register with two ladies; no exceptions)
Please note Dakota is teaching a very interesting crash course - two
girls for every guy. Now there has been some confusion on this
class. The printed schedule says "Two Hombres". Well, that's what
happens when you let a guy who failed Spanish do the schedule.
For the record, Dakota's class is "Two Senoritas for every Hombre",
but if you want be perfectly correct, I suppose that could also be
"Two Senoras" or "One Senora and One Senorita" or "One Senorita and
one guy in drag". Sorry, I don't know the Spanish on that one.
Whatever.
At the last Latin Party, Dakota put on a sizzling exhibition where
he danced with two lovely ladies at the same time. This of course
looked like so much fun that the spectators asked if they could
learn how to do it. And now you know where this class came from!
As always, this party promises to be a huge bash. Linda Cook had
one reminder - bring food. The more food, the later the dance will
go.
............
SLEAZY BAR WHIP AND WESTERN PARTY ON APRIL 25
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party08.htm
More about this next week.
............
MARIO ROBAU'S WEST COAST SWING INTENSIVE AT SSQQ DURING THE WHIP
WEEKEND
Friday through Sunday, April 24 - April 26
By the way, Mario's Intensive at the end of April is now 67% full.
If you are interested, check out the write-up.
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/mariorobauintensive.htm
............
From: Marla
Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 4:02 PM
To: Marla Archer
Subject: 2009 SSQQ Conquest Cruise
Hello Everybody,
I have some terrific news pertaining to our Western Caribbean Cruise
aboard Carnival's Conquest sailing on August 23rd, 2009.
After an hour of negotiations with Carnival during my recent
vacation in Colorado, I was able to get Carnival to agree to modify
our rates to a recent "Group Super Saver" program. The new rates
will reflect a $100 to $120 savings per person.
The new rates are as follows:
Inside Category 4B cabin is now $515 per person double occupancy.
Oceanview Category 6B is
now $635 per person double occupancy.
Balcony Category 8B cabin
is now $805 per person double occupancy.
In addition to the fabulous rate reduction, we have been given an
extension on our group space until April 25th. On April 26th our
rates will return to the prevailing rate, SEE CURRENT RATES BELOW IN
RED.
If you have a friend who has been sitting on the fence, now is the
time for them to come onboard. It won't get any better than this.
I guarantee you that!
As of Wednesday, April 1st, 2009 the PREVAILING RATES are as
follows:
Inside Category 4B cabin is $665 per person. $150 MORE
Oceanview Category 6B is now $785 per person $150 MORE
Balcony Category 8B cabin is now $955 per person $150 MORE
For all of you 64 passengers who have already signed up and
supported our cruise, YES, you will be charged the lower cruise
rate.
Although I prefer not to talk about my side of the business at
length, I want you to know that I always have your best interests at
heart. This change of the Group Terms has cost me a whopping
$1673.
The easiest way to say 'thank you' is to keep going on the cruises.
Your support means a lot to me.
By the way, if we get two more people for Barcelona in September, we
get a free cocktail party. Airplane prices are as low as I have
seen them in a long time. So who will be our special "Cocktail
Couple"?
http://www.ssqq.com/travel/barcelona2009.htm
Marla Archer
SSQQ Dance Studio
marla@ssqq.com
http://www.ssqq.com/travel/conquest2009.htm
.............
REVISITED FROM LAST WEEK: THE INTRUDER SUES RICK ARCHER
THE DEFINITION OF 'INTRUDER'
"To put or force one's way in inappropriately, especially without
invitation, fitness, or permission. A person who enters a place
without permission. "
"To come in rudely or inappropriately; enter as an improper or
unwanted element."
In last week's Newsletter, I reported that I was being sued for
libel suit in response to the story I wrote about the woman who
crashed our cocktail party on last year's Conquest 2008 dance
cruise.
This woman's behavior definitely hit a nerve. Before every cruise,
we have inquiries people who wish to bypass Marla and book
elsewhere, but ask permission to still be included in our group
activities. Even though Marla always says "no", her message doesn't
always seem to work. Indeed, we have had incidents on 8 of our 14
previous cruises where people tried to participate anyway.
In last week's issue, I wrote about how the cruise industry is
trying to cut the Travel Agent out of the middle.
Thanks in large part to aggressive direct discounting on the part of
the cruise industry, all SSQQ cruise guests (including myself) are
sent one or two emails a week from the cruise lines offering
"special one-time only bargains." These bargains can only be
achieved if you sign up directly through the cruise line.
In last week's issue, I explained the incredible headaches that
Marla has incurred defending her turf against the barrage of
discounts. Over the past several years, the combination of the
changing business practices of the cruise industry and the perpetual
desire to save $20-$30 on the part of potential cruise customers has
created an absolute nightmare for my wife Marla.
One woman, Adriana Breidenstein, who is a travel agent herself,
wrote to comment on my explanation of the cruise industry's attempts
to force out Travel Agents. Adriana, a former SSQQ dance student,
is the woman who helped Marla and I get started in the cruise
business back in 2003.
From:
Adriana
Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 10:09 AM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: Your description of the Cruise/travelagent
busienss
Hi Rick,
Wow! You just described, in a very human way, how today's Travel
Agency operates. Plus we deal not only with Carnival but with the
whole array of Vendors who direct market to the client's e-mails
and addresses that we have to provide to them and their accounting !
On top of that we try to solve all these problems they create -
taking reduced commissions after re-faring what started out like a
nice booking. The cruise lines just want to get people on-board
their ships - revenue comes from on-board spending . We'll never
see a penny of that .
Cruising is fun and it's great what you are doing since your
business is tied to people bonding and having a good time but yes,
what is your hourly rate, stomach upsets and the point of getting
sued. Grr, Best of luck with this!
Marla's problems are very much par for the course and are
multiplied exponentially for us in the Travel Profession on a daily
basis because we deal with Vendors and economic situations and
banking all over the world.
On the other hand - that is what a Travelagent does! To solve the
problems and make it "easy" for the client.
To give the clients the best - take them thru the maize and make
things go seamless and as pleasant as possible therefore ---
A good client is a client committed to the relationship!!!
Yes, I remember reading the original Intruder article. Yes, you may
print my letter. You may use my name and state our relationship and
how we started it all.
Best wishes!
Adriana Breidenstein -
Universal Travel
.........
These discounts are tempting, to be sure. Everyone wants to save
money. That's human nature. But the lure of spending time with the
SSQQ group is also there. As I have documented many times, there is
great fun to be had spending time with lots of friends. In fact,
it is the fun of joining the SSQQ group that usually gets people
interested in taking each particular cruise in the first place.
The woman who is suing us told Gary Richardson she knew about the
SSQQ group before she signed up to take the trip.
If you couldn't care less about rewarding my wife for her work
organizing these trips, the perfect solution, of course, is to grab
one of those discounts and still find a way to hang with the SSQQ
group.
This would mean bypassing Marla as the agent of record and cutting
her out of a commission. Most people in our group would never dream
of doing this. They are loyal to Marla and appreciate the hard work
she puts in organizing these trips.
But newcomers or people on the periphery of the SSQQ group could
care less about Marla. They want their discounts and they want to
see their SSQQ friends too.
I first encountered this problem during our Jubilee Trip in 2003.
Three women mysteriously showed up at our Cocktail Party on the
first night of the trip. I noticed them out of the corner of my
eye. Since there were 144 people aboard - a record that still
stands as of 2006 - quite frankly I had no idea who a lot of these
people were. I got distracted and did not have the opportunity to
talk to the three women.
Later that evening during dinner a couple who were definitely with
our group came to me at my table to complain that there was no place
to sit at their assigned table. I asked Marla about the problem.
She told me to inspect their boarding pass ID card to look for which
table they were supposed to sit at. I identified the table and
glanced over at it. By coincidence, the same three women were
sitting there plus there was one empty chair. Hmm, now that's
suspicious.
When the time was right, I asked them what the story was. Yes, the
three ladies signed up elsewhere, but decided to join our group.
And why not? They read our web site and didn't see any rule that
said otherwise.
That is when I realized I had to draw a line in the sand for our
future cruises. You can't have both. If the discount is that
important, fine, but stay away from our group.
The rule has worked for the most part. Until the 2008 Conquest
trip, there have been six minor problems and only one major
problem.
However, no one has ever quite made their presence known to the
extent of last year's woman in question. After I granted this woman
permission to remain till the end of the party, I also asked her to
leave us alone for the rest of the trip. To my surprise, this woman
proceeded to weave her way in and out of our activities for the
remainder of the week.
Marla and I were upset. We did not appreciate having her barge in
on our activities. Angered by her refusal to leave us alone, she
became a topic of conversation at our dinner table every night for
the entire week.
As we pondered the situation, it was obvious the woman had done
nothing illegal. Intruding on cruise activities may have been rude,
but it was no crime. So what was I supposed to do about the
problem? Ignore it and let it continue? That didn't make sense.
So I decided to document it. What other recourse did I have?
When we returned to Houston, I wrote a story about the incident on
the website. No surprise there. I write a story about
everything. Titling the story "The Intruder", I explained in
detail the activities of the woman in question and our response to
her.
The woman didn't like the story.
So she called my friend Gary Richardson, the DJ and our
photographer, to complain about the story. She objected to having
her pictures used.
Over the years, I have published thousands of pictures on my web
site. Once or twice, people have objected to the use of their
picture. The only example I can remember was the woman who became a
Christian and no longer wished to have a picture of her in a bathing
suit posted. When she objected, I have removed it.
So when Gary relayed the message to me, I voluntarily removed her
pictures. All she had to do was complain and the pictures were
gone.
I let the story stay. After all, what I had written was the truth
as I knew it.
A few days after the phone call regarding the pictures, I received a
threatening letter from a lawyer. The lawyer specifically said I
had three days to remove all objectionable material including the
story. So I took down the story too and replaced it with the
lawyer's letter. After the woman objected to seeing the lawyer's
letter, I removed it as well. All of these actions were finalized
on Friday, January 16th, in order to comply with the
three day limit imposed on me by the lawyer.
On March 30th, I was served notice that I was being
sued. My question is why did the lawyer tell me what I was supposed
to do to avoid a lawsuit, then turn around and sue me anyway?
AMERICAN JUSTICE
There is saying that "American Justice" is an oxymoron along the
lines of "Military Intelligence" and "Religious Tolerance". The
wags contend that in a lawsuit there are always two losers. Only
the lawyers win.
Horror stories about lawsuits abound. For example, who can forget
the infamous $67 Million dry cleaner lawsuit from a year ago?
The way our legal system is set up has troubled me for years. A few
years ago, I heard a story here in the Heights where I live that
scared me to death. Some kid climbed a neighbor's fence to use the
neighbor's swimming pool. The neighbors were out of town at the
time. The kid fell from the fence and hurt himself. The parents
sued. Something about the fence being constructed of sub-standard
wood.
When I asked a lawyer about that, she said she doubted the parents
would win, but the family still had to defend themselves.
The craziest story I ever heard was about the guy who was drunk and
climbed the fence to get into Sea World in Florida. He climbed into
Orca's fish tank and drowned (1999). His parents sued Sea World.
I saved the news clip:
"The parents of a man found naked and dead on the back of a killer
whale at SeaWorld Orlando are suing the marine park, alleging the
dangerous orca was portrayed as a huggable stuffed toy, a lawyer for
the family said Monday."
The point I am making is that anybody can sue anybody.
The cost of defending myself will likely run into the thousands of
dollars. Any money that Marla has made over all these years of
organizing cruise trips will vaporize in a cloud of smoke.
The lesson to be learned here is there is no such thing as "free
speech" even in America.
Now I have a question. What if the plaintiff were responsible for
paying the defendant's court costs if the decision went against the
plaintiff? After all, the plaintiff expects me to pay HER LAWYER'S
FEES. Why shouldn't that door swing both ways?
Who in their right mind wants to go through the misery of a
lawsuit?
The effects have been immediate. Neither Marla nor I can sleep. We
walk around like zombies during the day sick in our stomachs with
worry. I sit and play computer chess all day long because I don't
have the enthusiasm to attend to my business. I just go through the
motions at the studio. Marla and I lose our temper at each other
almost daily over the smallest things. Why? Because we are
incredibly tense.
No one enjoys the thought that all of our hard work is going down
the drain to a woman who had the nerve to crash our party and then
had the nerve to sue us when we complained about her behavior.
THE ORIGINAL INTRUDER STORY
Now that I am being sued, there is no point in hiding the original
Intruder story any longer. They told me to take the story down, I
took it down, and they sued me anyway.
It is all going to come out in court, so we might as well read the
story again and see what she objects to.
One more thing. If this goes to trial, they will ask me if this is
the truth and the whole truth so help me God.
We don't have to wait for the trial. Everything I have written
below is the truth. The story is exactly how things happened from
my point of view.
............
THE INTRUDER
Story written by Rick Archer
September 2008
This is the story about the lady who refused to leave. I do not
know her name. We called her Marilyn Monroe due to her obvious good
looks. I suppose that's as good a name as any.
Marilyn was not part of our group. Nevertheless she felt entitled
to join us whenever she saw fit. Marilyn not only crashed our
private cocktail party on the first night, she continued to join
other activities time after time despite being asked not to.
Marilyn was not the first person to ever try to join our group
without permission nor will she be the last. But Marilyn
distinguished herself from the pack by her continued presence at our
activities despite being told in no uncertain terms that she was not
welcome.
I have discussed the issue of "Party Crashing" for on many previous
occasions. In our RULES section, there are 40 pages... repeat... 40
pages of articles and anecdotes related to people who have attempted
crash the party over the years.
40 pages of stories and people like Marilyn still try to hitch a
ride. So what good are all those stories? Good question.
Marilyn - The Woman Who Would Not Leave
On Sunday night, the first night of our trip, heads turned as two
attractive blonde women in white dresses graced our Cocktail Party
with their presence. The men's eyes bulged. Where did these babes
come from?
Marla noticed them fairly quickly. Actually, everyone in the room
noticed them. The men in our group flocked to the two women
instantly. Soon both women were on the floor dancing.
Finally the women left the floor. This is when Marla attempted to
give the two ladies their name tags. The other woman was the
spokesperson. She informed Marla they were not with our group, but
were there at the invitation of one of the men in our group. Marla
frowned and then came to get me.
As the two women sat on the couch, I approached them. I asked them
if they were with our group. The shorter lady said they were sort
of with our group and repeated that one of the men in our group had
invited them.
I pointed out they had no right to be in this room. No one had the
authority to invite them to this party but me or my wife.
Then I said they were welcome to stay for the rest of the party.
But once the party was over, I did not want to see either of them at
our dinner tables or at any of our ten group activities scheduled
for the rest of the trip. And that is where I left it.
I allowed the women to stay because I did not see any point in
embarrassing them in front of any friends they might have in the
room. Nor did I wish to ruin the party with an ugly scene. It was
better that the women be allowed to leave quietly.
It is important to note that one of the two women got the message.
After I spoke to her, I never saw her again on the trip. But
Marilyn clearly didn't get the message. As the week continued, we
couldn't get rid of her.
The sad thing is the two women were not in this room by accident.
Members of our own group can be thanked for their presence. I did
not appreciate the poor judgment that led to inviting these two
women to our party.
But why would someone invite them there in the first place?
Beauty does strange things to men. It makes them go gaga and not
think clearly. The problem was we had at least 20 more women than
men. At the Cocktail Party, the women in our group wanted a chance
to dance too. Instead they were left sitting there twiddling their
thumbs while these two outsiders in their low-cut dresses
monopolized the attention of practically every available man in the
room. Imagine how our women would have felt if they discovered that
Marilyn and friend didn't even belong here! And what opinion would
they have formed of the man who invited these women to be here?
After the Cocktail Party, later that same night Marilyn showed up at
Alfred's for our After Hours Dance Party sponsored by Gary
Richardson. Mind you, there was a sign at the entrance that said
"Private Party". Marilyn had crossed the line. Her presence in the
room made it obvious that she had not listened. Perhaps she couldn't
read either.
It wasn't until dinner two nights later that I found out that
Marilyn had crashed the SSQQ After Hours dance party. I was livid.
I had extended the courtesy to allow both women to remain at our
cocktail party with their dignity intact. But Marilyn obviously had
ignored my warning. Now what do I do?
By coincidence Joe Lachner left the table for a moment while we were
discussing Marilyn's story at the dinner table. Apparently Marilyn
had made quite an impression that day at the hot tub and we wanted
to know all the details. When Joe returned, he reported overhearing
a conversation outside the dining room where Marilyn was telling
someone she intended to come dance with our group again that night.
I decided this would be the night I would visit the Late Night
Dancing and explore what part of No she couldn't understand.
When I got to Alfred's after midnight, there was no Marilyn to be
seen. It was pretty obvious that several men in our group were
waiting for her because I saw them watching the door like hawks and
even walk to door on repeated occasions to look out in hallway. It
appeared to me they were being stood up.
Had someone warned Marilyn I was there? Perhaps. Or maybe she just
found something else more interesting to do. Marilyn never appeared
to lack for attention.
While I was there, I wondered how I was going to solve this
problem. It was fairly obvious the men in our group were part of
the problem and definitely not willing to be a part of the solution
either. That's when I noticed a row of five women sitting together
on a couch opposite me. Sad to say, they were waiting for a chance
to dance because there were more women than men. I decided to go
have a talk with them.
I crossed the floor and pulled up a chair so I could address each
lady in the group. I explained that I had a problem and that I
needed their help. I said there was a woman who had been told to
leave us alone, but kept showing up anyway.
All five of the women immediately knew whom I was referring to.
They were surprised to learn that Marilyn was not part of our
group. After all, Marilyn was practically a fixture at our events.
One woman exclaimed, "Of course I know who she is. That woman has
been out on the floor for every song for two nights in a row! The
men make fools of themselves. They practically knock each other
over lining up for the next dance!"
I replied, "Well, good, I am glad you know who I am talking about.
Now I have a favor to ask. This woman is a major headache. She is
the reason that you ladies have to sit while she dances with your
men out on the floor. Do me a favor and come get me the next time
she makes an appearance in this room so I can escort her out of
here."
The women all agreed they would be more than happy to help. Now
that the cat was out of the bag, the word of Marilyn's activities
spread through the group like wildfire. Soon every woman in our
group was keenly aware of Marilyn's antics. She was a hot topic
indeed.
The following evening Marilyn got word that I wasn't at Alfred's and
tried to enter the room. To her surprise, she was immediately met
by a reception committee formed by our women. They told her in no
uncertain terms to get lost.
Unfazed, Marilyn entered the room anyway and walked over to fetch
one of the men in our group. She asked him what time he wanted to
get together with her later. Noticing that she was surrounded by
the Get Lost Committee, he said to go outside and wait for him on
the steps. He would be right out. That got Marilyn to leave the
room. Sure enough, she was spotted waiting on the steps in the
hallway. But the man in question decided to leave her there and go
have 2 am pizza with the SSQQ group instead. Interesting decision.
When was the last time Marilyn came in second to a slice of pizza?
The next day, a very curious thing happened. Marilyn approached
Gary Richardson and asked to speak with him privately. Marilyn
said she was astonished at how mean the people in our group were.
She said that all day long, people from our group had harassed her
and treated her badly.
She was very surprised at this kind of reception. She had expected
to fit right in! After all, didn't our people realize that she had
the ability to light up a room whenever she entered?
Now I suppose you think I am making this up. I will simply say that
Gary's story about his talk with Marilyn was heard by ten different
people at our dinner table.
Next Marilyn informed Gary it was too late now. Marilyn would never
dream of joining this nasty group of people on any future cruises!
What a bunch of snobs!
Gary pointed out that her mistake was not signing up with our group
in the first place. To Gary's surprise, that's when Marilyn
admitted she knew the "Rules" ahead of time about booking with the
group. Marilyn said that she had called Marla, but since Marla was
out of town on our July cruise to Greece, there was no one there to
help her. She didn't want the cruise to sell out; what else could
she do but sign up elsewhere?
Somewhere in the conversation Marilyn changed her story. According
to Gary, when the subject came up again, Marilyn said she had
actually spoken to Marla on the phone. But since Marla had been
very rude to her, she had decided not to give us her business (for
the record, Marla said she never spoke to this woman).
This tall tale about Marla undermined the woman's credibility.
Unfortunately, Marilyn tends to fib a bit. For example, she also
told Gary that she and her girl friend never drank anything at our
cocktail party. Not that I care, but I can refute that. I saw both
women with drinks in their hands when I went to confront them.
Gary concluded the conversation by saying it would be better if
Marilyn stayed away from the After Hours Dancing. Apparently Marilyn
didn't listen to Gary either because later on she attempted to crash
the party again. It appeared she was simply looking for someone.
However since the SSQQ Get Lost Committee was giving her the evil
eye, she bounced off and moved on.
The following day we heard more bizarre news about Marilyn. She and
an SSQQ gentleman announced that they had just gotten married on
board the ship. I was extremely skeptical. After all, this was the
same man who had chosen pizza over this woman the night before.
Sure enough, it turned out to be some sort of wacko joke.
I had three minor skirmishes with Marilyn on Friday night. Friday
was the night we had our Group Picture taken down in the lobby. To
my surprise, I noticed Marilyn one level above watching our entire
proceedings. So I went upstairs to ask why she refused to leave us
alone, but she dodged me.
Later on during dinner the same night, I excused myself when a ship
photographer came to our table to take everyone's picture.
Personally, I hate having our dinner conversation interrupted by
these rude photographers. Leave us alone! But as Marla pointed out
to me, not everyone feels the same way I do. So I left the table
for a while rather than lose my temper.
Outside in the hall, to my surprise I ran across the Wedding Couple
themselves standing there at the edge of the dining room watching
people eat. I had no idea what they were up to, but decided there
was no reason to be uncivilized.
I politely congratulated them on their marriage and said I would
like to take their wedding picture. Just as I began to shoot, as
you can see, Marilyn suddenly turned shy. Now that's a first.
When I went back into the dining room, rather than go straight back
to my chair, I made the rounds from table to table making
announcements. When I got back to my table, everyone was staring at
me with the funniest looks on their faces.
They asked me why I didn't speak to the infamous Wedding Couple.
What? I was perplexed. I had no idea what they were talking
about.
Marla was the first one to figure it out. She knows that I am blind
in my left eye. Apparently while I had been talking at one of the
tables, the Wedding Couple had come up from my blind side. Then
they stood directly behind me for a good five minutes like a pair of
ghosts. Then they left. Too weird.
I never even knew they were there. Who knows what they wanted? In
retrospect, it is likely one reason we couldn't get rid of Marilyn
was because she had one of our men in her gun sights. Obviously
Marilyn got her man. More power to her.
PARTING THOUGHTS
So who was Marilyn and why was she so obsessed with our group?
Sorry, but I don't know anything about her.
And what was up with the Wedding Story? You might be surprised to
learn that Marilyn's eventual "husband" was not the person who
originally invited her to the cocktail party.
Marilyn was reported to have been seen in the arms of several
different men during the course of the trip so she obviously had a
wide choice of potential husbands.
So why pick someone from our group? Someone suggested that the Faux
Wedding was perhaps Marilyn's odd way of putting the SSQQ group in
its place... "I'll show you. Your women can be rude to me, but I
can have any man I want."
The incident with Marilyn and Husband shadowing me at dinner does
indicate she had a point to make. Unfortunately I have no idea what
it was. Perhaps she will contact me and share.
For the record, Marilyn's intrusion marked the 8th incident of party
crashing out of 14 trips. But Marilyn is in a category of her own.
Marilyn distinguished herself as the only person in the history of
our cruise trips to defy my request to leave us alone.
There was a couple on the 2006 New England Cruise that also crashed
our activities. Hope and Joe were not students, but rather
outsiders. They wanted to go on this trip because they had four
close friends within our group. They were told repeatedly that they
needed to sign up with Marla, but apparently as "returning cruisers"
they were able to obtain a significant price discount from the Royal
Caribbean cruise line. The money was more important.
What made their story bizarre was when they decided to have their
cake and eat it too. Marla and I were stunned to discover they had
gotten someone from Royal Caribbean to seat them at dinner with us!
Not only were they sitting with us, but they had even gotten our
seating arrangement changed behind our backs! Now that takes a lot
of nerve.
However, since Hope and Joe had friends in our group, out of respect
for their friends, I chose not to confront them directly. I did not
want to risk an ugly encounter that would impact our group's
morale. Plus they pretty much knew they had crossed a line because
they kept their distance. I decided to leave them alone. That
said, I did write The Fascinating Story of Hope and Joe as part of
the cruise recap. If you are curious, it is a very entertaining
account.
Marilyn therefore joins Hope and Joe as the only people to ever
deliberately crash our group activities when told not to. Even when
Marilyn wasn't crashing our activities, she always seemed to be
hanging around - at the hot tub, at the photo shoot, at our dining
tables, or loitering in the hall outside of Alfred's. You would
think a woman this beautiful could find something else to amuse her,
but she seemed a bit obsessed with us. Maybe no one had ever told
her to hit the road before. That sort of thing sticks in your mind.
So what ever happened to Marilyn's sidekick? Curiously, Marilyn's
friend from the Cocktail Party on the first night gave us no further
trouble at all. I never saw her again nor heard any stories about
her. I showed my appreciation for her cooperation by deliberately
omitting her picture or her name in the subsequent story. I am only
a jerk when it is called for.
I was disappointed in the man from our group who invited Marilyn to
join us in the first place. That was none of his business. Don't
bring this headache into our house. No one has the right to invite
outside people to our private group activities without permission.
If he wanted to spend time with Marilyn and the other woman, it was
a very large ship with plenty of alternate venues.
On the other hand, frankly, I could not have been more proud of our
women. They solved the entire problem for me on the spot. I think
they were just as disgusted with this woman as I was. Who did
Marilyn think she was to have the nerve to keep showing up after
being told she wasn't welcome?
I am fairly certain our women did not appreciate being forced to sit
and watch while she monopolized our men. There were 3,000 people on
this trip, at least 1,200 of whom were men. Why couldn't Marilyn go
find some men somewhere else? So these ladies decided they didn't
need to come get me; they would handle things their own way.
Watching them close ranks was one of the highlights of my trip.
Their names will remain anonymous, but these ladies were my unsung
heroes.
I imagine the incident with Marilyn will not be the last time I have
to deal with intruders. 40 pages of stories is a pretty good
indication this will always be a recurring headache. Oops, make
that 50 pages.
SO WHAT DOES THE LAWSUIT ALLEGE?
This is the lawsuit I was served with on March 30, 2009
"In December 2008, the Plaintiff was
approached by an acquaintance who asked her how she felt about the
Intruder story posted on the Internet about her. When the Plaintiff
replied that she was unaware of it, the acquaintance described the
site -
www.ssqq.com - as promoting Defendant
Archer's business, a dance school, and the trips that he and his
wife had organized for their dance school clients. As part of
promoting his business, Archer had written and posted a story about
the Plaintiff being present on a cruise ship hosting one of his
parties.
At her first opportunity, the Plaintiff accessed the website to see
for herself what Archer had published about her. She was stunned
and sickened by what she saw. Archer had written and published, via
the Internet, a story and multiple photographs, claiming the
Plaintiff had committed the crime of trespass on multiple occasions,
and through these false statements, innuendo and implication,
portraying her as a sexually promiscuous sociopath.
On the website, Archer included a picture of the Plaintiff kissing
one man in the pool (her fiancé) and embracing another man (a
long-time platonic friend) on the dance floor. Archer described her
wearing "low-cut dresses" and "monopolizing the attention of
practically every man in the room." He claimed that the Plaintiff
"had made quite an impression... at the hot tub" and had "been seen
in the arms of several men during the course of the trip." Therein,
Archer falsely attributes her with the quote: "I can have any man I
want."
The publication communicates to the reader that the Plaintiff is
mentally ill; a sociopath prepared to do anything to get what she
wants, conspiring to ruin the trip for others, bragging about her
sexual prowess, acting without remorse and displaying a brazen and
cavalier attitude as to how it might affect others - classic
indicators of Psychopathy. The collective intent and effect of
Archer's publication was to defame her by portraying her as a
mentally ill, sexual deviant prone to breaking the law - and to use
this salacious portrayal of the Plaintiff to build interest in his
business by attracting visitors to his website.
Since first learning what Archer was doing to her, the Plaintiff has
been contacted and approached by dozens of people that know her,
inquiring as to what she had done to be portrayed in such a
manner. She has been referred to in public by strangers as "the
Intruder", and then laughed at.
LIBEL AND LIBLE PER SE THROUGH IMPLICATION AND INNUENDO
The Plaintiff repeats each and every Paragraph of the facts as
though fully set forth herein.
Defendant Archer published written statements and photographs that
referred to the Plaintiff. Archer published written statements that
were defamatory and false that referred to the Plaintiff. The
statements and photographs were intentionally designed to defame the
Plaintiff - to portray her through implication and innuendo - as a
mentally ill, sexual deviant prone to breaking the law. As a direct
result, the Plaintiff suffered injury.
Archer's statements are libel per se under the common law
definition. Archer's statements injured the Plaintiff in her
profession. Archer's statements injured the Plaintiff in her
occupation. Archer injured the Plaintiff by publishing a statement
that imputes sexual misconduct by the Plaintiff.
Due to the nature of Archer's acts, the Plaintiff's damages are
presumed. The Plaintiff suffers damages in an amount within the
jurisdictional limits of this Court. Plaintiff prays that she
recover from Archer her presumed damages, statutory damages, general
damages, special damages, nominal damages and/or punitive damages,
reasonable attorney's fees, expenses, costs of court and all other
relief, either general or special, at law or in equity, to which he
may be justly entitled, in an amount to be determined by a jury at
trial.
APPROPRIATION OF NAME OR LIKENESS
Plaintiff repeats each and every Paragraph of the facts as though
fully set forth herein.
Defendant Archer appropriated the Plaintiff's image for the value
associated with it. Plaintiff has suffered injury as a result of
Archer's appropriation.
Due to Archer's acts, the Plaintiff suffers damages in an amount
within the jurisdictional limits of this Court. Plaintiff prays
that she recover from Archer her presumed damages, statutory
damages, general damages, special damages, nominal damages and/or
punitive damages, reasonable attorney's fees, expenses, costs of
court and all other relief, either general or special, at law or in
equity, to which he may be justly entitled, in an amount to be
determined by a jury at trial.
JURY DEMAND
Plaintiff herby demands a jury trial on all issues that can be
submitted to a jury.
PRAYER
Plaintiff prays that:
1. Defendant be cited to appear and answer herein;
2. Plaintiff be granted judgment against Defendant for
her damages;
3. Plaintiff be granted judgment against Defendant for
post-judgment interest at the maximum legal rate;
4. Plaintiff be granted judgment against Defendant for
reasonable attorney's fee and costs of court.
5. Plaintiff be granted such other and further relief,
special or general, legal or equitable, as Plaintiff may show that
he is justly entitled to receive."
THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION
To me, this woman's lawsuit is an act of aggression.
This is where we will leave things for today. If you wish to
comment, I would appreciate hearing from you. You can assume that
everything you say will be kept private including your name and your
comments. If I wish to publish your letter, I will ask you
permission first.
....................
LET'S CHANGE THE SUBJECT
RICK ARCHER'S NOTE: One of my favorite movies is "Soapdish". This
was a 1991 comedy film which tells a backstage story of the cast and
crew of a popular fictional television soap opera. The film is a
send up of the silly plots and characters on daytime dramas and of
backstage shenanigans. The plot twists were so unbelievable that
you couldn't help but grin.
Now we have another interesting legal case, certainly one far more
amusing than my own, that seems taken from "Ripley's Believe it or
Not". This story is so bizarre that I am forced to admit that even
the Fictional "Soapdish" script would be challenged to top it.
Yes, I checked it out on the Internet. I am absolutely stunned that
it appears to be legitimate.
WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE
Contributed by Jim Dulaney
Apr.01, 2009
In Stuttgart, Germany, a court judge must decide on a case of
honorable intentions in a situation where a man hired his neighbor
to get his wife pregnant.
It seems that Demetrius Soupolos, 29, and his former beauty queen
wife, Traute, wanted a child badly, but Demetrius was told by a
doctor that he was sterile.
So, Soupolos, in a desperate attempt to calm his wife's protests,
hired his neighbor, Frank Maus, 34, to impregnate her. Since Maus
was already married and the father of two children, plus looked very
much like Soupolos to boot, the plan seemed good.
Soupolos paid Maus $2,500 for the job. For three evenings a week
for the next six months, Maus tried desperately, a total of 72
different times, to impregnate Traute.
When his own wife objected, Maus explained, "I don't like this any
more than you. I'm simply doing it for the money. Try and
understand."
When Traute failed to get pregnant after six months, however,
Soupolos was not very understanding. He insisted that Maus have a
medical examination.
The doctor's announcement that Maus was also sterile shocked
everyone except his wife, who was now forced to confess that Maus
was not the real father of their two children.
Now Soupolos is suing Maus for breach of contract in an effort to
get his money back, but Maus refuses to give it up because he said
he did not guarantee conception, but only that he would give an
honest effort.
...............
FRIDAY, APRIL 17 IS OFFICIALLY WESTERN WALTZ NIGHT AT SSQQ!
This month, Sharon (Crawford) Shaw has another enormous Western
Waltz class. There are a hundred people crammed into Room One from
one wall to the next. However I haven't heard any complaints.
They appear to love every minute of Sharon's class.
On Friday, April 17, thanks to a visit from a former SSQQ celebrity,
I have decided to have a special Western Waltz night here at SSQQ.
Every seventh song will be a Western Waltz. You have my promise on
that.
WE ARE CELEBRATING A VISIT FROM THE WALTZ KING!
From: Bill Stumph
Sent: Sunday, March 29, 2009 9:45 PM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: Visit Friday, April 17
Hi Rick!!
My lovely wife Diane (Huber) and I will be in Houston and would like
to come by the studio for Practice Night on Friday, April 17. We
are hoping you will be there so that we can say Hi and catch up on
the last 17 years or so. Will you be at the studio that night?
We still live in San Diego and are still dancing. Hope to see you!
Let us know.
Bill Stumph
(aka, THE WALTZ KING!)
..........
RICK ARCHER'S NOTE:
Long ago, back in the days of the Winchester Club, Gilley's and
"Urban Cowboy", Bill Stumph was the undisputed Waltz King here at
the studio. We are talking about 1981.
Bill was way ahead of the rest of us guys and that includes me. We
had no idea of the awesome effect that dancing a Waltz had on
women. There were no Western Waltz dance classes in those days.
Bill must have taken a Ballroom Waltz class or something behind our
backs and figured out how to adapt it to the Western floors.
There was no denying his success. Women pestered Bill all night
long for a Waltz. We would have a party. All night long women
would ask me when the next Waltz was coming on. They would announce
to me that they were "Waltz girl number six" on Bill's dance card.
What a racket! The seriousness in these women's eyes made me
realize Bill was really on to something. In my idle moments, I
wondered if he was charging for each dance. Maybe I could get a
cut. Play some extra Waltzes, get a kickback.
You know how you say to yourself, "If I only knew back then what I
know today?!" Such a lament! Gee whiz, Bill cleaned up with his
Waltz ability. He only knew a few steps, but that still put him
miles ahead of me and everyone else. Bill is a pretty nice guy, so
I think he will forgive me for saying this, but I don't he knew any
super-duper Waltz patterns to compare with Sharon Shaw's modern day
course. I think "Crossovers" was his biggest go-to move. But that
was enough to put him way ahead of the rest of us stiffs.
It didn't matter than Bill's Waltz moves were Intermediate at best
because the rest of us were too stupid to even learn the basic
step. It's like the old joke about the two men in the tent with the
growling bear outside. As one man puts on his shoes, the other guy
says, "What are you doing? You can't outrun a bear!" "Maybe not,
but all I have to do is outrun you!"
Bill was the first guy I ever met who understood that all women are
transformed into Cinderella at the Ball whenever a Waltz comes on.
Women absolutely love to Waltz and they are helpless to resist the
Mythology!
I was so amused by Bill's prowess on the dance floor that I later
wrote a story about him on the web site. That is when I named Bill
the "The Waltz King". You guys in particular should go read the
story! It will definitely help you with your love life.
http://www.ssqq.com/stories/advice1.htm
Another man who was pretty famous at SSQQ for his Waltz dancing was
JOHN JONES.
In the mid-Nineties, a friend of Sharon and mine named John Jones
began to study the Western Waltz in earnest. Thanks to a fledgling
new industry known as "dance tapes", John ordered Western Waltz
videotapes from around the country. Every Wednesday night John
would practice his new moves with his wife Mary down in Room Three.
John quickly became the greatest Waltzer in the history of SSQQ.
He was more graceful and knew more patterns than any man in studio
history. However, John was a complicated guy. He never danced the
Waltz on a social basis like his counterpart Bill Stumph. Bill
clearly used the Waltz in the same practical way the Three
Musketeers used their swords. Bill enjoyed the attention of the
Fair Sex and realized the Waltz was the perfect vehicle to gain an
advantage. John Jones, however, might dance with Sharon and Mary
and no one else. John wasn't shy, but he was kind of a loner.
That didn't keep the rest of us from noting how good John was.
Whenever I would go to the drink room, I would see two or three
people lingering in the doorway to watch in awe as John and Mary
danced around the floor in Room 3. Mary of course looked like
Ginger Rogers. What amazing dancers John and Mary were and what a
lovely dance!
So many people asked John Jones about where he had learned so many
awesome moves that he decided to suggest to his friend Sharon that
she teach a course. And that is how Sharon (Crawford) Shaw's
wonderful Western Waltz program got its start. Sharon will be the
first to tell you that John deserves much of the credit. John Jones
was the inspiration!
Sad to say, John passed away a couple years ago. He was the
toughest guy I ever met. We are all in great debt to John for
helping Sharon create the SSQQ Western Waltz program. I miss him
and I know Sharon does too. To this day I think about him whenever
I dance a Waltz at the studio.
http://www.ssqq.com/stories/rip%20johnjones.htm
Today thanks to Bill Stumph, John Jones, and Sharon Shaw, today's
SSQQ Western Waltz program is enormous. That is quite a legacy.
So who will be the next SSQQ Waltz King? Drop by Friday, April 17,
and decide for yourself.
....................
REVISITED: WHY I AM SENDING OUT THE SAME NEWSLETTER TWICE
In last week's Newsletter, I reported that I have a couple people
who say they can't read the SSQQ Newsletter in the format I am
using.
For example, a lady named Debra with an 'oplink.com' email address
wrote this:
"I can't read this one either. I wanted to know about Mario's
classes."
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
</head>
<body>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">The March
2009 SSQQ Newsletter<br /> Issue One<br /> Written by Rick
Archer</font></div> <div><font face="Arial"
size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">MARCH
SSQQ DANCE SCHEDULE <br /> </font><a href="http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=NFKVZ&m=1ZJzWAtXR64iI9&b=aYDr_.ghFmUcSIWvMrRLXw"><font
face="Arial" size="2">http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/schedule.htm</font></a><br
/>
<font size="2"><font face="Arial">............</font></font></div>"
So I sent out two Newsletters and asked people if they could read
both and which one was better.
I would estimate thirty people responded to my experiment. All
thirty people said they could read both. Most people said either
one was fine.
Of the people who did express a preference, HTML was chosen by about
60%. So the winner of the Newsletter Format election is HTML. Ho
hum. Not quite as exciting as the Obama-McCain race, was it?
Thank you for your help.
.........
APRIL 12-19: SSQQ LOST AND FOUND WEEK
-----Original Message-----
From: Maggi Dodds
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 5:49 PM
To: Rick Archer
Subject: Lost and Found
Rick, what do you think about a note in the newsletter about all of
the clothes that are in the closet and under the counters there at
the studio to be laid out on a table for one week and then whatever
isn't
claimed then will be donated to the Star of Hope Women's and
Children's Shelter. Fathers stay there also with their children so
they can use any kind of clothing articles. If people would like to
bring in extra used clothing, I would be happy to deliver that to
the shelter also. It was just a thought so the closets can be
cleaned out.
RICK ARCHER'S NOTE: This is a marvelous idea. We will place
everything on a table in Room One. It will remain there for one
week. Come take a look. Whatever isn't claimed will go.
Please note you can bring some old clothes of your own. Put them in
a cardboard box and set them under the table for distribution.
One more thing: thank Maggi for having the initiative to think of
something this practical. She is a dear soul.
...........
SPEAKING OF OXYMORONS
Contributed by Jim Dulaney
Oxymoron: A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory
terms appear side by side; a compressed paradox. Adjective:
oxymoronic.
Top 45 Oxymorons!
45. Act naturally
44. Found missing
43. Resident alien
42. Advanced BASIC
41. Genuine imitation
40. Airline food
39. Good grief
38. Same difference
37. Almost exactly
36. Government organization
35. Sanitary landfill
34. Alone together
33. Legally drunk
32. Silent scream
31. Living dead
30. Small crowd
29. Business ethics
28. Soft rock
27. Butt Head
26. Military Intelligence
25. Software documentation
24. New classic
23. Sweet sorrow
22. Childproof
21. "Now, then ..."
20. Synthetic natural gas
19. Passive aggression
18. Taped live
17. Clearly misunderstood
16. Peace force
15. Extinct Life
14. Temporary tax increase
13. Computer jock
12. Plastic glasses
11. Terribly pleased
10. Computer security
9. Political science
8. Tight slacks
7. Definite maybe
6. Pretty ugly
5. Twelve-ounce pound cake
4. Diet ice cream
3. Working vacation
2. Exact estimate
1. Short SSQQ Newsletter
................
LOS ANGELES SALSA INSTRUCTOR ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
By Ari B. Bloomekatz and Kenneth R. Weiss April 6, 2009
Alex Da Silva, a salsa dance instructor and choreographer for Fox's
"So You Think You Can Dance," was arrested Saturday on suspicion of
sexually assaulting four of his students, according to a statement
from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Da Silva, 41, is accused of assaulting the students in his two homes
in the San Fernando Valley over the last six years, police said. He
is being held in lieu of $3.8 million bail.
Alex Da Silva, of 'So You Think You Can Dance,' accused of rape.
Authorities said the four victims were all students of Da Silva at
the time of the assaults.
"The victims allege that he lured them to his homes in North
Hollywood and Van Nuys," the statement said. "He then used a ruse to
get them into his bedroom, where he raped them."
Da Silva won the World Salsa Championships in 2002 and 2007 and
teaches at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood and the
Mayan club in downtown Los Angeles, police said. Because Da Silva is
a well-known figure in the salsa and dance communities, news of his
arrest traveled quickly.
"It's big news in the salsa scene," Darrell Alatorre, owner of Mama
Juana's restaurant and dance club in Studio City, said Sunday.
"Everybody knows who Alex Da Silva is if you dance salsa regularly.
He really was respected. That's the shock you're going to hear."
Alatorre said Da Silva taught at his club for about five years
before he left about five months ago. Alatorre said Da Silva didn't
always let him know if he needed to miss a class and would send a
sub-par substitute.
Alatorre said Da Silva carried his head high "because he's the world
champion." He would often be seen teaching celebrities he had
brought to the class. "The girls all knew him and the girls all
talked to him. He was a guy who didn't really have to go after
girls," Alatorre said. "That's just the type of guy he is, he's
well-known in the scene," he said.
Vicky Ngo, 33, a psychologist who lives in Los Angeles, said news of
Da Silva's arrest was "scary." Ngo took about four lessons from Da
Silva a few years ago and said "he's pretty big in the [salsa]
community." Anyone with information about possible assaults
involving Da Silva is urged to call Van Nuys detectives.
(RICK ARCHER: As a rule, dance teachers are a law-abiding bunch.
There was some guy up in Conroe who impersonated a famous former
dance instructor in order to get a job. He was convicted in 2008 of
carrying on a five-year relationship with an underage dance student.
Other than that, I have never heard much in the way of criminal
behavior among dancer instructors. Still, there are bad eggs
everywhere. The thing I don't get about the story above is why this
man would use force. The story indicates he was attractive enough
to do things the right way.)
............
ELIZABETH EATON PASSES AWAY
From: Frank Ybarra [mailto:fybarra@usa.net]
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 11:15 PM
To: SSQQ Newsletter
Subject: Elizabeth
Rick,
I have some very sad news. I felt I should tell you, because your
classes were the start of it all. My darling wife Elizabeth passed
away three weeks ago. We are both in our sixties, but dancing kept
us young at heart and active. I met Liz there in the C/W classes
and just fell in love with her. We married and have had the best
five (almost six) years of my life. She and I just clicked. She
was my love, my friend, and the absolute best wife a man could ever
ask for.
I tell you something. What we learned there wasn't wasted. We
traveled extensively until about three months, ago when her illness
just dominated our time. But we made it a point to dance in every
new place we went to. That became our little mantra. "We must
dance at least once here". And, boy did we dance, occasionally in
some very strange places and towns. It was so much fun. I'm not
that good a dancer, as you guys surely know. You taught me to dance
a little. She taught me to enjoy it a lot. Don't get me wrong, I
tried very hard to remember our lessons. My feet are like bricks,
and my head is twice as hard. But like Liz always told me, we'll
just keep doing it until we get it right or we get tired. Either
way, it was a lot of fun and she was such a good sport to put up
with me. Always had a smile for me, so pretty. We came back here
for a class from time to time. We really liked your school. She
always wished we had more time to take more lessons.
I took her to Lexington Kentucky to rest in her family plot. I will
have a memorial service for her on March 15th here in Houston.
There will be snacks and a little music. A chance for friends and
family to share a little time with all the wonderful memories that
this great woman left all of us. She will be missed.
The Medical Center is starting the "Dr. Elizabeth Eaton Fellowship"
for interns, I'm not absolutely sure as to that title, but it will
be something along those lines. I know this is not the kind of
story for your newsletter, but consider it between friends. I just
wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff. You
are all talented, gifted, kind people. I will always have a special
place in my heart for all of you. You started it all.
Thanks again, Frank Ybarra
(RICK ARCHER'S NOTE: Frank and Elizabeth met at SSQQ in 2004. They
were married in June 2005. Last year, Frank sent me a very moving
story about his return to Vietnam. He and Elizabeth retraced some
of his steps from the war. It was tough on him to relive some of
the memories, but he said he cherished the experience.
There is a bit of mystery surrounding Frank's wife Elizabeth.
Apparently she was very humble. I really liked her. Elizabeth had
a real spark. I could tell she was very bright. Whenever I got
nosy, she always told me she was a librarian. So each week I would
ask her some stupid book question in class. She always answered
with a smile and seemed knowledgeable.
Then Frank's story mentioned the "Dr. Elizabeth Eaton Fellowship for
interns". That's when I knew I had been had. Elizabeth was
obviously an extremely talented physician!
I don't know about you, but that was an incredibly moving letter
that Frank wrote about his love for his wife Elizabeth. It is very
obvious that the time they did get to spend together was a wonderful
experience. Very sad and very
beautiful.)
............
BAYOU CITY MAKING TWO BALLROOM APPEARANCES IN MAY
From: Andy Wright [mailto:Andy.Wright@lyondellbasell.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 4:44 PM
To: Rick Archer
Subject: Bayou City playing for dances in May
Rick,
Our band is playing a couple of dances in May that I wanted to let
you know about in case your students would like to come:
" Friday, May 15 - St. Luke's United Methodist Church -
Armed Forces Day dance - 7:30 to 10:30 - $10 or $15 per person (not
sure of exact admission price)
" Saturday, May 30 - Friendswood United Methodist Church -
5th Saturday dance - 7:30 to 10:30 - $10 or $15 per person (not sure
of exact admission price)
..................
REVISITED FROM LAST WEEK: WHAT'S IN A NAME?
One of the most flattering things in the world is to find out
someone has named something special after you.
In last week's Newsletter, I reported that I was the victim of a
cruel practical joke. To refresh your memory:
"Speaking of the Name Game, Gina Nelson, sister of the infamous Joy
Joy Al-Jazz Dancer who cheats at capitals, is cooking a belly dancer
in her tummy as we speak. That's right, a new member of the next
generation of SSQQ Nation is on the way. I am positive that kid is
listening in dance class. I see him shifting around at the same
time I give my best footwork suggestions. I have spoken with Gina
repeatedly about perhaps paying half-price for the kiddo, but she
steadfastly refuses to pay unless I can find him a partner.
I thought this crack deserved an Octomom retort, but resisted the
urge.
So my thoughts turned instead to naming the kid. I told Gina I
would be more than happy to sponsor a Newsletter write-in campaign
to invite suggestions on the new name. Gina politely put the kibosh
on that bright idea.
Then I suggested she name the kid "Rick" and save herself some
time. Or "Rickie" if it's a girl. Wouldn't that be a nice name?
You might be surprised to know I have had my name used before. Last
year my next neighbor named his new cocker spaniel "Ricky Dog". I
guess you have to take your honors in this life where you can find
them.
I figured if Gina would just listen to me, it might a nice upgrade
on "Ricky Dog".
Two days ago on Wednesday, I saw Gina waiting in line for water
during Break. Noting her belly had grown a bit, I was instantly
reminded to start teasing her some more. "Hey Gina, have you
decided to name the kid after me yet?"
Gina burst into smiles! "Yes, Rick, I did. I talked my husband
into naming my son after you. He's all for it. I hope you are
happy now!"
I grinned. "Gee, that's great! 'Rick' is a great name. Good
move! You can't go wrong!"
That's when Gina's sister Joy Joy Al-Jazz Dancer snuck up from
behind, kicked me in the butt and shouted "April Fool's, you Fool!"
I never saw it coming. They got me good."
It is with mixed feelings that I now report on an unsettling
development from the past week. SSQQ Newsletter readers were so
amused by my story that they have begun to stop Gina and ask her
"how is Little Ricky doing today?"
Just in case you aren't as old as dirt like I am, back in 1952 the
entire nation was obsessed with the birth of "Little Ricky" on the
"I Love Lucy Show". Noting Lucille Ball's real life pregnancy, the
show's writers spun off one script after another involving Ricky
Ricardo's son-to-be Little Ricky. It didn't matter to the writers
if Lucy's baby was a boy or a girl in real life. As far as the show
was concerned they were going to have a boy regardless (fortunately
they did end up having a boy). Soon the watch for "Little Ricky"
became a national pastime unrivaled until the Obamas, our nation's
current soap opera, decided to search for a dog.
Unfortunately last Friday I think Gina was taken a little off-guard
by the sudden interest in her own "Little Ricky". Alas, I haven't
seen her in a week!
Do me a favor... no more "Little Ricky" jokes for a while. I miss
Gina.
..................
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE CONGRATULATES FRAN ZANDSTRA AND GUS
DONNELL ON THEIR WEDDING!
Gus and Fran were married on March 21. Unfortunately Marla and I
were out of town, so I don't know much about the wedding and I don't
any pictures to share. Maybe Gus and Fran will send me some
pictures when they get the chance.
In the meantime, I think they are wonderful wonderful people and I
am super-happy for both!
.............
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE CONGRATULATES AMY ADAMS AND GERRY
FRANCES ON THEIR WEDDING!
Gerry and Amy were married on March 28. Unfortunately my camera
stopped working. So I used OJ Bowman's camera... but she hasn't
sent me the pictures yet. So your intrepid reporter is feeling
more insipid than intrepid. As soon as I get the pictures, we will
have a good story!
In the meantime, I think they are wonderful wonderful people and I
am super-happy for both!
...........
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE CONGRATULATES ADAM LATHROP AND RENEE'
LANDRY ON THEIR ENGAGEMENT!
-----Original Message-----
From: George Parker
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 11:05 AM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: add another notch to SSQQ's cupid arrow
Hey Rick & Linda & Jamie,
just thought ya'll would want to here about another couple that met
at SSQQ & are now engaged to be married. Adam Lathrop & Renee'
Landry are the happy couple. Adam is a friend & co-worker who I
talked into going to SSQQ shortly after he moved to Houston. He &
Renee' met the second night he was there. Adam asked for Renee's
hand in marriage this last weekend at a hill country vineyard north
of Austin. They are still working on the date.
George
PS - here is a letter about the engagement from Adam.
" A little over two and a half years ago I had recently accepted a
new job in Houston with a large engineering firm. Shortly after I
started work I befriended a tall MacGyver resembling fellow by the
name of George Parker.
He was a great friend and encouraged me to join the local dance
scene. I have to say I was slightly taken back at first but knew I
enjoyed learning and the proper technique in country western dancing
only seemed natural to learn in Texas. So after a month of hounding
me I finally gave in and joined up at the best little dance studio
this side of the Mason Dixon. The first class seemed fun and
everyone was very friendly. A month came and went and I found myself
intrigued by all the technicality of proper positioning and foot
work, Second class here I come!!! By this time it was early November
and the first class of the month was behind me. I didn't know at the
time but there was a certain dark haired amazingly beautiful woman
that had been coming to class with an old double left footed friend.
The two of them had been taking classes on other nights and it just
so happened that on the second Wednesday class of the month their
schedules aligned with mine. As far as I was concerned this night
was unlike any other. I was eager to learn more about two step and
eager as well to have Linda and Jaime spin me around the floor in a
blur of arms and legs akimbo!
I had showed up a little early checked in and walked through the
dimly lit hall of destiny. I entered the main room and surveyed the
couches, as they always were so very comfortable and reminded me of
my grandmothers back home. It was then that my heart literally
skipped! In my quick scanning of the couches my eyes fell upon an
absolutely gorgeous woman with a red knee length skirt, tan
turtleneck top and her hair pulled back into a headache inducing
bun. Nervous and honestly quiet weak at the knees I wobbled with
spaghetti legs in tow to the bathroom to collect my thoughts and
compose a quick a pep talk. Pep talk firmly in pocket I exited the
bathroom head high and chest out! Had I been born a bird at that
point I would have been a peacock because buddy the show feathers
were out!! I walked ever so gracefully toward the couch where this
mystery angel happens to have fallen. I'm not sure how I mustered
the courage or even if my first words to her were completely audible
at all but before I knew it conversation had been started and the
memories had begun. Class soon started and I learned absolutely
nothing except how not to lose your lunch when Jaime and Linda used
you as a spin trainer for other persons in the group. You see my
head was still in the clouds reliving the encounter I had just had
with the angel but I digress. Dinner and pride intact, class soon
took its first break and I happen to walk up right behind the angel
again. Imagine my excitement as well when I noticed that the tightly
kept bun (very librarian-esque if you ask me) was now gone and
replaced by beautiful long locks of wavy brown hair. As break
carried on I danced with said angel for what seemed like only
seconds. I was keeping my cool very well. Some other men had taken
the angel (who at this point I had realized was in fact a real woman
and not an imaginative figure) out on the floor.
I spoke with my good friend George whose wisdom was beyond measure!
I was on edge with anticipation with what words he might utter that
would help my situation...."be cool" he says. Wow! I thought wiser
words might never have been spoken. Break ended and for the next
couple weeks the angel and I courted, slowly growing on each other.
For the next two and a half years we danced, we laughed, we loved we
fought and I lost. Through it all though, we stayed true to each
other. The Angel I've spoken of so dearly is in fact my dear Renee.
The love of my life and keeper of my heart, that angel will now soon
be my wife and I couldn't be happier with how everything has turned
out. I look back on all the decisions in my life that lead me to her
and one always stands out above the rest.
Had it not been for SSQQ's top recruiter (George "The Dancing Queen"
Parker) or the wonderful staff there at SSQQ I would never have met
my Boo. I would like to send my sincerest of thanks to everyone
there at the studio especially Rick for opening the studio and Jaime
and Linda for making every class so much fun. You all hold a special
place in both Renee and my hearts.
Picture:
http://www.ssqq.com/romance/romance2009.htm
(RICK ARCHER'S NOTE: Isn't that a great story! Many thanks to Adam,
a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac to be sure, for writing such an
entertaining account on being smitten. If his engineering career
ever wavers, I see a future in romantic fiction.
I just have to add one thing... did your eyes perk up like mine did
when you saw the passage 'George "The Dancing Queen" Parker'?
Wouldn't you love for me to delve into that one!)
..................
GEORGE PARKER HAS MORE TO SHARE!
(RICK ARCHER'S NOTE: George Parker is currently in dance exile.
George is one of our absolute top Western dancers. After Becky
Bratton was promoted to instructor, she asked George to be her
assistant. Then after they would dance... and dance... and dance.
For the latter part of 2008, every Wednesday and Friday, George and
Becky Bratton would burn up the floors dancing the Western Swing.
All the girls were mad because they wanted to dance with George
too.
Then suddenly none of the girls got to dance with George. He was
sent to Chicago by his company Fluor on a major building project on
a six-month project.
So what did George decide to do with his free evenings? Take dance
classes, of course!
Here is an account of his adventures. I hate to say this, but
reading between the lines, oh my gosh, I am super-worried that
George might be learning to line dance! I am very suspicious.)
-----Original Message-----
From: George Parker
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 11:51 AM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: Hey from George Parker
Hey Rick,
Congratulations on getting Mario on your staff at the studio. I've
heard his name a bunch up here. He's like a god to the really
advanced dancers I've met. I've kept in touch with a few people &
it sounds like things are going well at the studio despite the
current financial problems in our nation's economy. That's no
surprise to me. SSQQ is a special place.
I've become a regular member of two studios up here. Neither one
comes close to having the warm friendly feel that SSQQ has.
I do miss it . . .
the creaky floors, the smell of popcorn, the couches that swallow
you up when you sit in them, your corny jokes, random male screams
coming from Daryl's room, people smiling & having a good time.
Anyway. The project I'm on has cut out all overtime. This gives me
lots of free time. Hence the double studio attendance along with
two nights a week at the club.
I've been taking Hustle & West Coast on Tuesdays and Double-two on
Wednesdays. Fridays & Saturdays are club night. Got in with a
group that really likes to "hit it hard" on the floor between all
the line dancing sets. I had to start from the beginning at both
studios. Tried to keep a low profile but they figured out real
quick I'd been exposed to this stuff. The West Coast instructor has
been trying to fix my "Texas Tug" as she calls it. According to
her, Texans have too strong of a lead.
I've been working hard at following her instructions. The therapy
seems to be working 'cause last night she actually gave me a
compliment.
So that's about it. One of these days I'll get back to Houston for
good. When I do you'll be sure to see me at SSQQ. Oh . . . and
tell Holly I said Hi. She's still the only girl that ever lost her
gum while I spun her.
Later, George Parker
.............
NEWSLETTER STORY REVISITED: A SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS
-----Original Message-----
From: M
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 12:03 PM
To: Rick Archer
Subject: Article
Rick,
Words cannot explain how moved I was when I read your article "A
Small Act of Kindness". I was moved to tears. I really
appreciated you sharing your story with all of us.
The story shows how a person can truly open up and show their human
side with all of their frailties and problems and how one person can
truly make a difference in another person's life.
You truly were blessed by God when he sent the right people to you
at the right time to encourage you in life.
I too have been the recipient of a kind word at the exact moment
when I needed it most.
I later told that person how much that kind word meant to me at the
time. I do not think that they even realized how much it meant to
me.
Keep up the good work.
May God bless you. M
From: H
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 1:11 PM
To: SSQQ Newsletter
Cc: Hans Hofmeister
Subject: Re: April 2009 SSQQ Great Story
Hi Rick,
Thanks for writing the great story about your inspirational meeting
and overcoming difficulties. It reminded me of my own high school
days in some ways, as I sacked groceries and mowed lawns too, with a
mower I bought myself. The value of the inspirational meeting is a
great theme. Another theme that your story brought to mind is how
easy it is for someone that age to have a frustrated attitude versus
a winning attitude. Mentors can make a big difference. If my career
path ever leads me to be a teacher I will especially keep this story
in mind.
Thank you, H
From: K
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 12:35 PM
To: SSQQ Newsletter
Subject: kindness story
Wow, what a story, and what an amazing lady, along with your
"adoptive" parents at St. John's.
I would comment on your sperm donor parent but I'm not allowed to
use obscenities here. Suffice it to say that the sweetest revenge
is your many successes.
Thanks for sharing the story. K.
RICK ARCHER'S NOTE:
Besides the three notes above, I would like to thank the many people
at the studio who have taken the time to discuss the story with me.
The "Small Act of Kindness" story revolves around an incident from
my Senior year in High School. On a spring afternoon in 1968, the
mother of a classmate coincidentally ran into me at a remote
location. To my surprise, this lady struck up a deep conversation.
Her insight and warmth literally lifted an enormous burden from my
shoulders.
You would have to read the story to understand why this moment was
so important to me, but take my word for it that this unlikely
conversation meant the world to me at the time.
I wrote the story because there is an important lesson in it - a
small act of kindness can just possibly turn a life around. One
warning - this is a not a pretty story. However, it is an
interesting tale to be sure.
http://www.ssqq.com/stories/advent55.htm
...............
TWO JOKES TO SEND YOU ON YOUR WAY
(RICK ARCHER'S NOTE: With the famous Masters tournament underway, I
thought you golf fans would enjoy one of my favorite stories. I
believe this is a true story. I read about it in Sports
Illustrated.)
THE FAMOUS GOLF PRO AND HIS SON
Submitted by Rick Archer
Sam Snead is a famous golf player. His heyday was in the 50s when he
dominated the Professional Golf Tour much as Arnold Palmer, Jack
Nicklaus, and now Tiger Woods have done since.
One of Sam's sons, Chip, was good enough to become a professional
golfer in his own right later on. I have heard a rumor that Sam's
other sons were named Putt and Drive, but find this a little hard to
believe.
One day Sam and his son Chip were playing at the famous Masters Golf
Course just for the fun of it. No tournament, no hoopla, no fans -
just Father and Son playing a round of golf like millions of other
ordinary human beings.
Apparently there is one particular hole on the Masters Course that
makes almost a 90 degree turn. Although I am not a golfer, I have
heard that a hole with this design is called a "Dogleg".
As Chip was preparing to drive off the tee, Sam asked him to stop
for a moment. Pointing to an impressive wall of pine trees, Sam
said, "You know, Chip, back when I played the Masters I used take a
gamble and loft my drive over those trees. I always shaved one or
two strokes off my score and not once did I get burned."
For those of you unfamiliar with golf, this meant despite the fact
that Snead could barely see the hole through the cracks in the
trees, he lofted the ball over the trees directly at the green as
the crow would fly. His other choice would be one drive down the
fairway, turn left, and then hit again.
This idea had not even occurred to Chip. He stopped and surveyed the
pine trees. They were tall and majestic. They formed a barrier that
in Chip's mind must have seemed just as daunting as the mighty
Himalayas themselves. However Chip was not one to recoil from his
father's challenge. He was too good a golfer in his own right to
back down from a Father-Son competition like this.
So Chip turned his stance and aimed his drive right at the trees.
Boom! The ball didn't even come close to clearing the trees. In fact
it hit only about halfway up. Frowning, Chip tried again. No better
luck. Chip drove for a third time, putting every ounce of strength
into the swing. Although this was his best drive of the three, the
golf ball hit only about 2/3rds of the way up, knocked a branch
loose, then disappeared into a clump of bushes.
Chip shook his head. To think a golfer would try a shot like this
in a tournament would be akin to professional suicide.
Disgusted, Chip threw down his driver and turned to Sam Snead who
had been watching in silence as his son tried to match his father's
feat. "Dad, gee whiz, I know you are in the Hall of Fame, but how in
hell did you ever get a drive over those damn trees!!!"
Sam stared at the trees for a while, permitted himself a small
smile, and then turned to face his son.
"You know, Chip, now that I look at those trees, I bet they weren't
quite as tall back when I was playing."
....................
HUNTING SEASON
Submitted by Jill Banta
A truck driver hauling a tractor-trailer load of computers stops for
a beer.
As he approaches the bar he sees a big sign on the door saying:
"NERDS NOT ALLOWED- ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!"
The truck driver smiles. He hates nerds too. This place is okay.
He goes in and sits down.
The bartender comes over to him, sniffs, frowns, then asks him what
he does for a living. This doesn't sit well with the truck driver.
Looking the bartender straight in the eye like a real man would, he
replies, "I drive a truck. You got a problem with that?"
The bartender says the driver smells kind of nerdy. He keeps
sniffing. Now the truck driver starts to understand. He says,
"Calm down, buddy, that smell is from a bunch of computers I'm
hauling. I don't like it either."
The bartender looks him over a little longer, then says, "OK, you're
no Nerd. Besides truck drivers can't always choose what they have to
carry. Here's your beer."
As the driver sips his beer, a skinny guy walks in with tape around
his thick glasses, a pocket protector with 12 kinds of pens and
pencils, and wearing a belt at least a foot too long. In a whiny,
nasal voice, he asks, "May I plug in to your wall to recharge my
Laptop?"
Without a single word, the bartender pulls out a shotgun and blows
the guy away. Then he mutters, "Guy can't even read. The only good
nerd is a dead nerd."
The dead nerd lies there on the floor in a pool of blood. Shocked,
the truck driver asks him why he did that. The bartender says,
"Don't worry about him, there are Nerds everywhere. This is
California. Nerds are over-populating Silicon Valley and there
simply are not enough geek jobs for all of them. Half of them are
on welfare because they aren't fit to get real jobs. They will
starve if something isn't done. Nerds are in season now and the good
thing is you don't even need a license to shoot one."
Now that makes sense. Nodding with agreement, the truck driver
finishes his beer, gets back in his truck, and heads back onto the
freeway. Suddenly he veers to avoid an accident. The load shifts and
the back door breaks open.
Now the truck's computers and accessories spill out all over the
freeway. Cars on the highway screech to a halt everywhere and
hundreds of people come running up. A little shaken, the driver
slowly climbs out. He is stunned to see a frenzied mob surrounding
the truck grabbing up the computers.
Oh my gosh, it is a scene straight out of "Night of the Living
Nerd"! What a horrible picture!
They are everywhere. Engineers, accountants, and programmers all
wearing the nerdiest clothes he has ever seen. They are literally
foaming at the mouth grabbing monitors, modems, terminals,
keyboards, chips, hard drives... anything they can get their hands
on! They are making little geek noises of excitement. They can't
help themselves. Grab grab grab. This is awful!
The truck driver can't let them steal his whole load! Remembering
what happened at the bar, the driver pulls out his gun and starts
blasting away, felling several of them instantly.
A highway patrol officer comes zooming up. He jumps out of the car
screaming at the truck driver to stop shooting.
The truck driver says in exasperation, "What's wrong, Officer? I
thought nerds were in season. Look at them! They are all over the
damn place!"
"Well, sure they are," answers the patrolman, "But that doesn't mean
you can bait them!"
..................
And that's a wrap. Only 33 pages this week. A lot of electrons
displaced. I hope no one notices I am a grown-up nerd.
See ya. Rick Archer
End of April 2009 SSQQ Newsletter Issue Four
