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Since August 2011 I have been, dare I say, a creative beast. I’ve completed scripts, shot a few short films, and even penned a few greeting cards. (By a few, I mean a couple; and by a couple, I mean two.) But while I was so focused on taking care of “stuff” for classes, I forgot to take care of “stuff” for myself. It’s time to fix that.

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Last weekend I decided to have a Chicago adventure. I was invited by my friend Maria, who is in the Arts Management program, to see Chicago Samba. Chicago Samba is a musical ensemble that plays authentic Brazilian dance music.  If you’ve never been to one of their shows…go!

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I felt so international! My Columbian friend took me to a Brazilian show. That’s the great thing about being in a city as large as Chicago. It’s full of creative people and varied cultures. Being exposed to the new cultures serves as another source of inspiration. I like to throw out the word “inspiration” whenever I can. It’s my mantra. But when you go to one of the largest art schools in the country, in the world, get your inspiration where you can. By the way that’s not a bad thing.

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Anyway, back to Samba Chicago. I didn’t go to this thing trying to find inspiration. I went to have a good time. I drove from the west suburbs out to north Kedzie. First the bad news: I overshot the place and had to circle the block. Now the good news: on my way around, I found great parking. Sa-weet!

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Next thing I knew, the women were strutting around in feathers and grand headdresses. It was the pre-Carnival celebration! That’s why I need to go to Brazil. They celebrate the fact they’re going to celebrate.

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Thank goodness the show was great because it was almost impossible to talk. Whenever I go to a club or a spot or where there’s a lot of noise, I end up smiling and nodding knowingly. The group consisted of a band and dancers. The dancers were amazing. Their samba footwork was lightening fast and their hips moved in directions I did not know existed.  There is no way my feet could move like that, but I can do the robot.

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The evening capped with the Miss Chicago Samba 2012 contest. That’s good because it was 1:30 the morning. They had about seven or eight contestants of varying levels of skill. My favorite was the fifth contestant. Her moves were ridiculous, and when she threw in some African moves her victory was all but assured.

All in all it was a great evening. I got to enjoy a night with good friends and good food. Sometimes you have to be a little selfish.  Sometimes you just have to relax and enjoy the moment. You only have one life, so make the best of it you can.