Two very different circus-y videos

DAMN. This woman is my new hero. Yes, it's true that she's pole-dancing in a bikini, but the props hardly matter -- I look at her and see an athlete and an artist.

Watch on YouTube

Annnnd, then there's this lyra act. Stumbled on it through another site, where someone said:

This. This is what I want to do. When people say "Oh, I guess you want to get into Cirque du Soleil," I want to have this on hand to show them exactly what else is possible, how much more intimate and expressive and subtle circus arts can be.

Watch on YouTube

But um... I find a lot of that to be pretty boring, although parts of it are quite accomplished and parts are pretty. I certainly wasn't moved to tears, as two commenters were, though I did feel my eyeballs rolling a bit.

Me? Today for the first time I managed to press a headstand with my head up on aerobics step and three risers, so that's progress. If I could do four, my arms would be almost straight and then I'd probably be able to practice against the wall.

Welcome to my parlor, said the thirty-something to the sixty-something

Please note: I'm not jittery about my mother-in-law visiting because I think she doesn't like me or something.

I'm jittery because I think she sees us as kind of like two 12-year-olds who are playing house with a tremendous budget and a complete lack of taste. Horrifying to be thought of that way, but I don't see how she could see us otherwise. Probably she wants to call shenanigans on the whole endeavor. :o

T minus about an hour and counting down.