OCTOBER 2002 - (Please note there was no Newsletter for October)
NOVEMBER 2002
The SSQQ Halloween Party is this Saturday, October 26, starting at 9 pm. We have an awesome 7-foot Frankenstein waiting for you in the Haunted House. We haven't fed him yet
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party20.htm
Good news I: Assistant Bellaire Police Chief Byron Holloway will return again this year to patrol our parking lot and keep things safe for us. In these troubled times, we are indeed fortunate to have him.
Good news II: Chief Holloway has given us permission to park our cars on the side of First Street where there are "No Parking" signs. I want each and every person attending the party to personally thank Chief Holloway for helping us again this year. Bring him some cookies, shake his hand, give him a hug, whatever it takes to let him know how grateful we are to have his presence!
NO STANDING IN LINE - SIGN UP ON-LINE
https://ssl10.crystaltech.com/ssqq/index.cfm
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NOVEMBER SCHEDULE OF SSQQ DANCE CLASSES.
Classes begin the week of Sunday, October 27.
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/schedule.htm
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOVEMBER SCHEDULE
Sunday afternoons in November (starts October 27th, 4:30 pm) marks the return of a favorite course: SLOW DANCING FOR HOLIDAY PARTIES. Christmas and New Year is the only time of year many people dance at all. This special course covers 'the Lost Art of Formal Dancing'. The ability to Slow Dance gracefully is very important. Rick Archer will cover Foxtrot, Waltz, and 2 forms of Slow Dancing. You will easily be the best dancer at your Holiday Party! (Partner not necessary).
JUMP JIVE AND BOOGIE WOOGIE is a new class taught on Sundays by Judy Archer. In a sense, it is a 'Swing Buffet' class as it covers 4 different Swing dances. One week you will learn the Latin Hustle, the next week you will learn the Carolina Shag, the following week comes Balboa and the final week will be Boogie Woogie. All four dances are close relatives of East and West Coast Swing and can be used to a wide variety of Swing music.
Sharon Crawford presents INTERMEDIATE WESTERN CHA CHA in November. Western Cha Cha has become a big part of Western dance competitions. Used to romantic slow Polka music with a Latin feel to it ("Neon Moon", "Tequila Town"), Western Cha Cha is a pleasant alternative to Polka. Cha Cha is easy to learn, fun to watch, & joy to dance.
The BEGINNING WHIP/WEST COAST SWING SUPERCLASS is back!! These two fascinating dances are taught side by side on Monday and Thursday. Whip and West Coast Swing are danced to Disco, Blues, & Rock music. They feature fancy footwork, sexy hip motion, and flashy spins. We will have you dancing West Coast in time for your Christmas Party!
Rachel Seff, also known as the Midnight Zephyr, will teach a lady's only BELLY DANCE Crash Course on November 9. This ancient dance discipline needs little description, but we might add it improves your hip motion in Whip. Hmm! Interest in this class has been phenomenal so far among our ladies. Sorry, guys, beat it. Ladies only.
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THIS MONTH'S THEME: HALLOWEEN
As you may know, here at SSQQ we take Halloween very seriously. Our 24th Annual SSQQ Halloween Party will be this Saturday, October 26th, 9 pm till 1 am. Last year we had 250 people join us. It was a fabulous party and it will be even better this year.
If you don't believe it, go see the pictures for yourself and start counting!
Good news I: Assistant Bellaire Police Chief Byron Holloway will return again this year to patrol our parking lot and keep things safe. In these troubled times, we are indeed fortunate to have him. (Yes, I know I repeating myself. I just want to be double sure you know.)
Good news II: Chief Holloway has given us permission to park our cars on the side of First Street where there are "No Parking" signs. I want each and every person attending the party to personally thank Chief Holloway for helping us again this year. Bring him some cookies, shake his hand, give him a hug, whatever it takes to let him know how grateful we are to have his presence!
Good news III: We have a professional photographer to take pictures this year. Tim Knight, Gary Richardson's talented assistant at TFW Computers, will be on hand all night to snap your photo. Here's a suggestion: Make sure he gets your picture!!
Here are the items on the SSQQ Web Site related to this year's party:
HALLOWEEN PARTY DESCRIPTION:
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party20.htm
HALLOWEEN PICTURES FROM LAST YEAR'S PARTY:
http://ssqq.com/information/halloween.htm
HALLOWEEN MOVIE TRIVIA CONTEST:
http://ssqq.com/information/halloweencontest.htm
9 BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUMES OF 2001:
http://ssqq.com/information/halloweenbest2001.htm
TALES OF THE SSQQ HALLOWEEN PARTY:
http://ssqq.com/information/advent26.htm
(Includes these 4 stories -
1. Tales of the Crypt
2. The SSQQ Haunted House
3. The Longest Night of My Life
4. The Story of the Monster Mash
GREATEST COSTUMES IN THE HISTORY OF THE SSQQ HALLOWEEN PARTY
http://ssqq.com/information/hallocostume01.htm
(Editor's Note: this article is my project for Thursday, October 24. Look for the complete article soon)
We answer these intriguing questions:
1. Who is the lady who has hands down the Best Figure in the history of the party?
2. What famous Star Wars character mysteriously shows up each year?
3. Why doesn't Rick wear a costume any more?
4. Which are the most creative costumes over the years?
5. Which is the Best Halloween Costume ever?
6. Two SSQQ Staff people have won the Best Costume Contest. Who are they? How did they win?
7. Which are the most famous coincidences of people wearing costumes that match someone they have never met before?
8. What are the favorite costumes of women and why?
9. What was the most outrageous dance costume ever?
And more!
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SSQQ DANCE PARTIES IN NOVEMBER
On SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, we will have our annual BLACK AND WHITE PARTY. At the party we will have Swing dancing in Room 1, Latin and Tango in Room 4, and Belly Dancing in Room 5. Obviously the theme colors for the party are Black and White. Negative people love this party.
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party21.htm
CRASH COURSES 7 - 9 pm
BALBOA SWING - Gloria
BEG LINDY HOP - Patty O
BRYAN'S FAV SWING PATTERNS! - Bryan
ADV MERENGUE - Linda
BEG LATIN CHA CHA - Judy
BEG SALSA MAMBO - Anastasia
BELLY DANCING- Rachel the Midnite Zephyr (ladies only)
9:15 - Midnight
BLACK AND WHITE
SWING/LATIN PARTY!!
(SWING, LATIN, REQUESTS)
Wear Black & White or Sit Down all Night
Rachel Seff, also known as the Midnight Zephyr, will teach a lady's only BELLY DANCE Crash Course on November 9. This ancient dance discipline needs little description, but we might add it improves your hip motion in Whip. Hmm! Interest in this class has been phenomenal so far among our ladies. Sorry, guys, beat it. Ladies only.
On SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, we will have our annual HEARTBEAT TURKEY TROT WESTERN PARTY AND LIP SYNC SHOW. We will have Western dancing in Room 1 with Whip/West Coast Swing in Room 4.
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party22.htm
CRASH COURSES 7 - 9 pm
BEG TWOSTEP - Leo
BEG WESTERN SWING - MG
BEG WESTERN WALTZ - Susie
JITTERBUG ACROBATICS - Paul (cpls only)
DIRTY DANCING - Rachel/Wil
WESTERN LINE DANCES - Mae
ANITA'S FAVORITE HIJACKS - Anita & Rick
9:15 - Midnight
HEARTBEATS TURKEY TROT WESTERN PARTY
(MUSIC WESTERN, WHIP)
Dress Hot to Trot or get Ignored a Lot
The Heartbeat Turkey Trot November 23 Party is a favorite here at the studio. It is called the 'Heartbeat Party' because the members of the Heartbeat Dance Team serve as your hosts and hostesses throughout the night.
The Heartbeat Dance Team is preparing feverishly to participate in the World Championships sometime around New Year. They have some wonderful dance routines to perform for you that will knock your socks off.
Then later in the evening the various Heartbeat members perform with other SSQQ Staffers and students in our Annual Lip Sync Show. In the Lip Sync Show we do our best to parody famous performers with offbeat skits. Some of these acts are so funny you think your sides might burst!!
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SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OCTOBER NEWSLETTER??
There was no October Newsletter this year. When it came time to put the October issue together, I came up with a huge case of 'Writer's Block'. There were two things that were bothering me quite a bit and what little creativity I have just shriveled up and went to hide.
Issue Number One was my discovery of nearly 2,000 useless email addresses on our Newsletter Email list. At the time it seemed to me like the entire studio would rather not read the Newsletter. Just like it is tough to act for an empty audience, it is tough to hit the keyboard if no one is reading. This realization locked me up tighter than a drum.
I began to lighten up when I discovered the real reason for all the useless email addresses. It turned out many students kept opening new accounts every time they used Walk-in Registration. Since they knew we already had their email address, they told the Registrar not to bother. The discovery of several thousand duplicate records wasn't pleasant, but at least I didn't feel quite as bad about the email address problem.
Issue Number Two was a mild depression I experienced related to our recent Caribbean Cruise. For some reason, it bothered me tremendously to see how poorly the social dancing was handled aboard the Rhapsody. It was a strange depression - the year before, the Carnival Celebration had barely lifted a finger to promote dancing on the ship, but it didn't bother me as much. This year the Rhapsody had far better dance facilities including the 'Shall We Dance Lounge' and the Robert J Band in the Atrium area. Plus they had day time dance lessons and even special nights dedicated to dancing such as Caribbean Night, Western Night, and Sock Hop Night.
In other words, they were trying to promote social dance. Nevertheless nearly event was a disaster. The best I can do to explain my glum feelings is to give an example. Say that you are an excellent surgeon in a specialty field and you watch a colleague with all the ability in the world botch an operation you could have handled with ease. That's how I felt about Rhapsody's treatment of their dance program.
This month I feel better and I am writing again. The SSQQ Newsletter isn't done yet, but it will be in a day or two. The Newsletter and the Email Newsletter used to be identical, but when the Newsletter grew too big, I realized I now had two entities - a shorter Email Newsletter to keep our customers informed about the upcoming dance semester and a much longer Newsletter that lives on the website. Be sure to check the web site for the completed Newsletter in the next couple days as I have lots to add.
SSQQ ACCOUNT IDs.
As I mentioned previously, we have discovered literally thousands of duplicate records. After doing some research I found that students like Cathy Bryant and Art Williams have 4 and 5 different accounts. This causes a problem for SSQQ, but it also means I can't issue any frequent dancer bonus points because I can't get an adequate class history for most of our student body.
Therefore we have cooked up a scheme called "Account IDs". I will copy the text from our On-Line Registration page that I wrote to explain the problem and the solution and let you read it now
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WHAT IS AN ACCOUNT ID?
It is an ID made up of your first initial, full last name, and the month and date of your birthday. So if your name is Richard Brenner and you were born on September 4th, 1960, then your Account ID is RBrenner0904. We don't need the year.
We will create an ID for you. All we need is your birthday. Once we create your Account ID you can use it for all of your future online and walk-in registrations. For now just enter your E-mail address to continue with registration.
Next time you register, enter your Account ID and E-mail address to access your account.
If you forgot your Account ID just remember to enter your first initial, last name and month and day of your birthday. You can always use your E-mail address to access your account.
WHY SSQQ NEEDS ACCOUNT IDS
We must find a better way keep our records organized.
After two recent identity-confusion snafus, we did a data-base audit. We discovered we had multiple accounts for nearly 33% of our repeat-business students due to misspellings, changed email addresses, and the use of formal names one month and nicknames the next (e.g. 'William' and 'Bill').
Not surprisingly, we have begun to have problems. One problem is identifying which account to use. For example, by accessing an incorrect account we had one 'Smith' whose credit card paid for another 'Smith'. We caught the mistake and corrected it, but with better Account IDs we would have avoided the mistake entirely. Then there was a certain Ms. Brown with more personalities than Sybil. One day her credit card was rejected because we used an older account. This was when we found out all 4 Browns were the same person - Cathy, Kathy, Katherine, and Katy. She had two different credit card numbers and three different email addresses. I'm sure it was only a matter of time before 'Catherine' joined the group.
The time has definitely come to bring more order to the records. Account IDs should solve the problem.
WHY SSQQ STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM ACCOUNT IDS - COURSE HISTORY
It is common practice for organizations to reward their customers for repeat business. Here at SSQQ, the original thought was to build everyone's history for a year, then play games like 'Take 5 Ghost Towns, get one free' and similar promotions for Zoot Suit Riot, Martian Whip, and Advanced Salsa. Since our business is very healthy, we thought it might be a nice gesture.
If we kept these kind of records by hand, it would be an administrative nightmare. We generated 8,000 accounts in 2002 alone. However the use of a computerized Registration system means one simple look at the computer screen will allow the Registrar to issue a much-deserved free class.
Furthermore we hoped to resume our use of the 'Repeat' feature for On-Line Registration in January, 2003. Using a student's class History, the computer would be able to determine whether he or she had previously taken the course. If there was a match, the student would be allowed to register On-Line for the same class at half-price.
Unfortunately as it stands many of our students currently have their 'Histories' spread out over 2, 3, and even 4 different accounts. And finding these different accounts is not easy. Putting Humpty-Dumpty back together for 1,000 multiple different accounts is for all practical purposes impossible.
Once we begin to establish unique Account IDs, we grow closer to the moment when we can utilize the Registration system in many sophisticated different ways to benefit our customers and reduce our headaches at the same time.
UNIQUE RECORDS
We originally hoped to have one unique record for every student with a simple means of identifying that record. If we did we could:
1. Have a central place for a student to maintain his or hers information; like e-mail address, partner information, credit card information, etc.
2. Build a history of classes for student to allow us to:
3. Offer the aforementioned Ghost Town/etc repeat-business specials.
4. Offer the half-price discount to students repeating classes who wish to register On-line.
Easier said than done.
We ran into all sorts of problems trying to create these unique student records.
We tried using a student's e-mail address to create a unique record for each student, but quickly found out this did not work. To our surprise, many SSQQ students do not have an e-mail address.
And email addresses change constantly.
And some students with multiple e-mail addresses have managed to create multiple student records with one from work and one from home and one from their new job and so on.
Next we tried using a student's name, but quickly found out how unreliable that was. For example, Arthur Smith can register as Art Smith, A Smith, Arthur Smith, and Arthur Smith Jr which creates a new student record each time (this example actually occurred).
So we began to brainstorm. Phone numbers are like e-mail addresses, they change too. Assigning a student an ID number that is hard to remember would end in disaster. Using even a part of a student's SSN would invade his privacy.
Finally we decided that every student has a first name, last name, and a birth date he or she can remember, so why not make an Account ID out of that.
So the Account ID of Arthur Smith born on December 9th becomes ASmith1209. Then when Arthur Smith comes in and says he is Artie Smith, we simply ask for his Account ID and quickly find his student record. Plus now he or she gets a Free Practice Night any night on the week of their birthday as long as he is willing to hear the SSQQ Happy Birthday Cha Cha song. Nothing is free
Once the man with multiple names, multiple credit cards, and multiple e-mail addresses has a unique student account, then we can maintain his information and build an accurate class history.
ABOUT E-MAIL ADDRESSES
SSQQ needs your email address for several reasons.
For starters, SSQQ is the most complicated dance studio that has ever existed. It is a living, breathing, 3-ring circus. There are over 1,000 people a week who come through the studio. The only way to keep a group this large and diverse informed of the details and things that happen at the studio is through our Newsletter. Plus if there was a fire, flood damage, or any of a wide variety of unanticipated problems - knock on wood - email is the way we would spread the word quickly to a group this size. Having your email address could save you an unnecessary trip or possibly prevent a headache like the time the Door Warehouse started towing cars without warning.
Group communication is not the only reason we need your email address. As a business, we must have a way to contact our customers on an individual basis. We don't ask for your phone number. We don't ask where you live. So that leaves email. Email is the only system that makes sense in our type of business.
When we ask people to teach for us, we contact them by email.
When we need someone to volunteer for a class, we contact them by email.
We use your email address to send you Registration information.
We connect people who are trying to put together an event like the Honky Tonk Tours. However even if we though you were interested, we would not give out your address. We forward everything and let you handle it from there.
There are many things that crop up that cannot be anticipated. For example, sometimes we have a problem with a student. On several occasions when we have received a complaint that a student is too rough in class or has done something inappropriate, we have explained the problem to them by email.
However due the ridiculous proliferation of Spam email, viruses, weirdos, and Big Brother on your back about receiving email at work, many of our students are justifiably concerned about giving us their email address.
You have our firm word of honor that no one is given your email address without your permission. We have never sold our list to anyone and never will. Plus we guard your address carefully. For example, if someone asks us for your email address, we simply forward the request on to you and let you make up your own mind.
There are active minds at work at this studio. No one is asleep at the wheel. Like any large organization we do make mistakes, but we do everything in our power to clean them up when we make them and to make changes to avoid making them again. In order to accomplish this goal, you can help us a lot by sharing your email address and your birthday with us.
Thanks, Rick Archer and David Schroeder (SSQQ Information Tech)
(Editor's Note: Assuming you read the article about Account IDs, I welcome any feedback. dance@ssqq.com )
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THE STORY OF LAST AUGUST'S SSQQ CARIBBEAN CRUISE IS FINALLY READY
http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2002.htm
We have 10 pages of pictures, a find-the-missing-person contest, and three pages of story complete with new pictures ready for you to read!
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THE NOVEMBER JOKE PICTURE OF THE MONTH
This month's picture is a dog who definitely has his nose in the wrong place.
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/jokepicture.htm
HALLOWEEN MONSTER TRIVIA CONTEST
On the SSQQ web site we have 40 pictures from famous and not-so famous Halloween movies. This month we had 4 winners:
Krista Johnson
Anita Bath
Chris Holmes
Misty Carson
Thanks for playing!!
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE -
MARK YOUNG AND ANGELA HENNAN GET MARRIED IN SEPTEMBER!!
Proud Mom Kasandra Hennan spilled the beans the other day. She told me her vivacious daughter Angela Hennan had gotten married to her boyfriend Mark Young on Saturday, September 20. They took their honeymoon in Galveston.
Mark and Angela met in my Beginning Twostep class all the way back in January. Angela was quite a character. She was always cutting up in my class and giving me a hard time, but I didn't mind because I liked her spirit.
Mark was one of those guys to whom dancing doesn't come easy, but I admire him for his persistence. He got some much instruction from my Assistant Gillian Tilbury that Angela accused Mark of messing up just so he could dance with Gillian.
Mark actually became a fairly good dancer after all the abuse he took about his two left feet. He wasn't doing too bad a job in West Coast Swing with Angela, but then he suddenly disappeared from the studio. And now we know why!!
My congratulations to both.
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THE SSQQ NOVEMBER JOKE PAGE IS READY!
We have several classic jokes ready for you to read on our November Joke Page.
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/jokes11.htm
Here is a great joke from the November Joke Page. I would think it was funnier if there wasn't a fairly good chance it is actually a true story.
November 01 : The Ancient Scrolls
contributed by Robin Wagner
In an ancient monastery in a faraway place, a new monk arrived to join his brothers in copying books and scrolls in the monastery's scriptorium. He was assigned as a rubricator on copies of books that had already been copied by hand. One day he asked Father Florian (the Armarius of the Scriptorium), "Does not the copying by hand of other copies allow for chances of error? How do we know we are not copying the mistakes of someone else? Are they ever checked against the original"?
Father Florian is set back a bit by the obvious logical observation of this youthful monk. "A very good point, my son. I will take one of the latest books down to the vault and compare it to the original."
Father Florian went down to the secured vault and began his verification. After a day had passed, the monks began to worry and went down looking for the old priest. They were sure something must've happened to him.
As they approached the vault, they heard sobbing and crying. When they opened the door, they found Father Florian sobbing over the new copy and the original ancient book, both of which were opened before him on the table. It was obvious to all that the poor man had been crying his old heart out for a long time.
"What is the problem, Reverend Father?" asked one of the monks.
"Oh, my Lord," sobbed the priest, "The word is 'celebrate'!"
NOVEMBER VOCABULARY WORD OF THE MONTH - SYNESTHESIA
Contributed by Jane Downs
SYNESTHESIA (SIN eh STEE zhuh) noun 1. A condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color.. aka "joined sensation"
Example: An example of synesthesia is back in childhood when the smell of Mother's chocolate chip cookies would evoke the feeling of my brother grabbing the back of my blouse in a last-ditch effort to reach the top of the stairs first.
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PS: Answer to the ONE DOLLAR Brain Teaser:
The price of the room was switched from $30 to $25 so you can't use the $30 any more in the math. Use the $25 figure instead. The bell boy kept $2 for himself. The men paid $27. $27 - $2 = $25 which is the new price of the room. The men overpaid by $2 due to the bellboy's shady handling of the refund.
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