How-to Tutorial

The Struggle Is Real

Up and Coming

Aloha and Mahalo

September 28, 2020

April 5, 2020

Dear Friends,

Today my family and I would have flown to Hawaii for our Spring Break vacation.  Like all of you, our plans have changed.  Dramatically.  Instead, I am sitting in the same "lounge" outfit and robe, eating sweets non-stop, and obsessively working for literally the 150th hour on why it is so hard to sync good audio with visual for a livestream dance class.  WHY???

This is the start of Week 4 Shelter-In-Place and let's be honest...

Have you ever gone into the ocean when the waves were just a little too big?  Maybe you were body surfing, or boogie boarding, but the wave came and instead of being on top of the wave, it took you under?  For a brief few seconds (which feels like eternity), you get caught underneath the wave and you find yourself tumbling?  Do you remember feeling terrified and completely out of control?  

Yes, that's about where I'm at right now.  My husband explained it perfectly this morning after I tried my 15th variation of teaching my Zoom dance class and still had problems.  He said, quoting perhaps Albert Einstein, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  

Is anyone else feeling insane too?

If so, you're not alone.  It's the Groundhog Day analogy.  We're doing a similar routine each day and we are going a little stir-crazy.  We get annoyed, we get frustrated, we feel stuck.  We are allowed to feel down.  Let me repeat, we are allowed to feel down.  I am definitely experiencing that moment tonight, as I re-evaluate Zoom's effect on my insanity levels and part of me just wants to give up on online teaching.  I am full-on tumbling under those waves right now.  But you know me and I know you...

Come up for air and breathe.

Yes, change is happening and yes, we are getting knocked down in so many ways.  But after you allow yourself to complain and vent and sulk a bit, it's time to kick those legs and come up for air and breathe.  Let the wave settle and prepare yourself for the next one.  Try a different technique.  Try a different mindset.  Try something new so that you can go after the next wave that comes and learn to ride it.  

Testing Testing, 1... 2... 3...

Next up for today's Sunday, 4:30pm PST #StopDropAndDance class?  We're giving VIMEO Live a shot.  I've been holding on tightly to Zoom the past 3 weeks because I absolutely love the face-to-face connections.  However, the trouble with syncing Spotify and the delays in audio/visual are just not acceptable when it comes to a dance class.  Tomorrow, if you're interested in testing out VIMEO, please sign up on https://www.stopdropanddance.com/classes and I'd love your feedback - please please - at info@thepowerwithgrace.com.  Depending on tomorrow, I might be going back to ZOOM, or possibly moving to Instagram Live @stopdropanddanceofficial - stay tuned!

General Troubleshooting:

  • Anything streaming will cause more delays, i.e. Airplay.  Ideally hook to your source if you can, for example, I am using an ethernet cable now to connect my desktop to the router.  Or use an HDMI cable to connect directly to your TV.
  • Dance close to your router and make sure nothing is blocking it.  For example, if I am in my living room I am good, but if I go to the master bedroom, my connection is slow.
  • Close all other applications that might take up bandwidth - this also means what other people in your house are using (TV, phones, laptops, etc).
  • Do a speedtest on Google and make sure your download/upload is fast enough.
  • Perhaps consider boosting your WiFi or setup - here is an article for suggestions https://finance.yahoo.com/news/improve-internet-speeds-wifi-connection-183111345.html

Aloha and Mahalo

In the spirit of the Hawaiian Islands, I want to finish by saying a huge, loving, "Thank You" to all of you.  I hope you and your families are safe and well.  We are riding the waves together.

Love,

Grace