My Fifth Anniversary as a Twirly Girl

I really can't believe I have been on this pole dancing journey for five years.  On December 2, 2009, Rita and I walked through the doors of Twirly Girls and we never left.  Not long after, Bel nicknamed me the Twirling Viking Warrior.  This has been a really difficult week, so I would have otherwise planned a longer tribute to my family at Twirly Girls, but I think pictures speak louder than words, so enjoy a few photos from the last couple of years of my journey.

I'm turning 10 today

No, not really, but kinda. On this date, ten years ago, instead of drinking beer for St. Paddy's Day, I was knocked out on the table having my guts rearranged. What have I learned in the last ten years? That my stomach wasn't the problem. It was always my brain. And that I wish I had taken care of that problem a long, long time ago. Food was my drug of choice until I could no longer eat, then I turned to shopping. When that was taken away from me four years ago, I turned back to food. So here I am, almost 80 pounds heavier than my lightest post-surgery weight, wondering how the hell I fucked this up.

HERE is my update from year nine.  I feel like nothing and everything has changed in the last year. I had my foot surgery and got out of a job I absolutely hated. I am fully aware of my issues, yet I can't make them go away. I continue to be at odds with half my family, and fully expect I will never speak to most of them for the rest of my life. Yet the thing that keeps bothering me most is the war I've waged up myself - upon my body. I have spent my entire life hating myself. I really wish I could make that go away.

I'm in a weird place in my life right now. I am unhappy with my appearance and lack of strength (working on it!!).  But I am stoked to be in new job with a healthier atmosphere. However, my boyfriend is interviewing for jobs that will move him out of the area. And his cat keeps pissing on all of my stuff (so then I may not be so sad he's going to move). I am trying to write for the PDBA and keep up on various projects. I have my own blog, which I'm not managing well. I am trying to teach at Twirly Girls, take classes and keep up the social media stuff for the studio. I also have other projects in the works. I could not have even guessed the mountain of work that would come with putting on NCPP. My weekend to-do lists are so long that I never get to everything, and yet I also don't get to relax so I don't get to rejuvenate before the next week is upon me. I don't know. I know I sound like I'm bitching -- probably because I am -- but I sometimes wonder why life is never easy for me. I guess I'm the one making it that way. 

So yes, in the ten years since I had gastric bypass, I have learned that food was never my enemy. I was always my own worst enemy. I'm almost 40 years old, so I certainly hope I can figure this out and end the war.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. It means a lot to know I have so many supportive friends in my life.

Confessions of a Twirly Girl Turns Two!

Happy bloggerversary to me.  A little over two years ago, I wrote my very first blog.  Ever.  Confessions of a Twirly Girl has given me an amazing outlet.  Enter the Twirling Viking Warrior.  Also known as lolorashel.  And a monster was born.  :-)

Here's my very first post from January 29, 2010:  http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2010/01/tales-from-pole.html

Here's my first anniversary post:  http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/03/yer-mom.html

I am now up to 73 "followers" on Blogger.  However, I have 2,000 Facebook friends and over 1,200 followers on Twitter.  I am on tumblr and pinterest.  Between all of the cross-posts, I have had over 60,000 hits on my blog.  I average 300 hits per day.  I apparently also have Klout (today my score was up to 62...whatever that actually means).  I am writing for Twirly Girls and a couple of other shall-remain-unnamed studios.  I am also writing for The Pole Dancing Shop.  I have written various guest blogs for other websites.  I am working with Social Sonar and I am their main blogger on social media topics.  I will soon have published articles in Vertical Art and Fitness Magazine. 

I swore that I was going to brand myself, and it certainly seems to be happening.  Projects for other companies have morphed into starting Lorita Productions so that Rita, Andrew and I (GO TEAM HONEY BADGER) can work as a team to produce videos and photos for the pole community. 

I am not only blogging about pole dancing but I am now teaching two classes at week at Twirly Girls.  I still have my day job, but I am otherwise immersed in pole.  I have met some really awesome people and have checked out some fun studios and events.  I feel very lucky to have the opportunities being presented to me now.  And I owe it all to Bel, Twirly Girls and this blog. 

I have learned a lot in the last two years.  About pole dancing.  About people.  About blogging in general.  Although its very exciting to have a blog that receives 200-600 hits per day...writing provides me with a much-needed outlet, which I would still receive if no one was reading anything I wrote.  However, it is so satisfying to meet people at events or receive e-mails from people who hear my voice and feel their own story is being told as well.  It is fun to talk to pole-celebrities, but I am very much interested in the everyday pole dancers who are like me. 

So thank you to everyone who has made my blog a success.  I look forward to some traveling so I can meet even more pole friends.  Please let me know where you are so I can add you to my map of planned pole travels!