School started on Tuesday so I'll be working a little less in the coming months, as usual. I'm really happy about my classes this semester.

Yesterday was a really pleasant day, not as busy as last Friday but still pretty good. I was surprised to come in and see this sign on the walls: "Our sister club in Houston is having a party all week for the Super Bowl. Entertainers are needed. Talk to Wayne." I had assumed that all of the clubs in town would be full of girls already and had given up on the idea of working in Houston next week, but I'm definitely going now. I think Divine and I are going to drive down on Monday to get our licenses (you have to get a license to strip in Houston) and then I'll go back down after class on Thursday to work the weekend. Turns out that the company that owns XTC, Rick's, is opening another XTC in Houston, and I guess they want to make sure they have enough girls. They aren't charging house fees and one of the managers is one that used to work here.

I talked to a really interesting dancer yesterday named Ruby. She works on the day shift and is a very vivacious blonde woman. Turns out she's a photographer, too, which excited me to no end since I have been looking for a female photographer to work with. Hopefully you'll be able to see the fruits of our future collaboration.

I can't believe I forgot to write this, but there was one really positive note to my Saturday - I got to meet an internet friend who came in to see me early in the evening. We had a really terrific time talking and did a couple of dances, after which he told me that it felt weird for him to go from talking to me to having me naked. To me that's not so weird, but it seems to be that way for a lot of guys. I'll get in to that more later.

What a weird weekend. Friday day was terrific. Because of the rain, we were packed and I stayed busy all day long. I also had a bachelor party that night for a bunch of really young guys; I wanted to ask them if they were old enough to have a stripper. While I was dancing for the bachelor, a couple of his friends kept shouting "Bite them!" Bite them? There are many things a man can do with a pair of breasts, and friends, let me tell you that biting should remain off that list. Everything except looking at them (or squirting some body paint on them) remains off that list when I'm dancing (well, if you're another dancer you might cop a feel) , but when I'm with someone, and I believe I've written about this before, the last thing I want on them are teeth. I hope those guys aren't trying to bite titties when they are getting a little action.

I went in to work Saturday night which turned out to be a mistake - it was very slow in there. And Sunday, which is usually my busiest night, wasn't much better. I wasn't really in the mood to work, which didn't help, so I spent most of the night hanging out with this nice young man from Wyoming. He's the first guy I've talked to who owned his own teepee. Though I've met plently of guys at work who've pitched a tent.

School starts up on Tuesday and I fortunately have a very light schedule this semester. I only lack six classes to graduate, but I can't take one of them until next fall, so I won't graduate until December. Watch this space to find out when I'll fulfill my fantasy to strip out of my graduation gown.

Once again, I am involved in Burlesque for Peace, (the website hasn't been updated yet but should be soon) a benefit to be taking place on February the 14th (Valentine's Day, natch) at Arts on Real. For those of you who's like to see me shake it old school, I'll be keeping you updated in this space.

What a slow week - I've heard it's been quiet all over town. I'm eagerly anticipating the weekend at this point.

Tuesday there was a fight in the club between some customers, which fortunately was taken outside quickly, but it was kind of scary and a bunch of us were huddled back in the dressing room. It was a really unpleasant night - lots of rude, grabby customers and just drama in general. I was all set to get out of Dodge when a young guy comes up and tips me on stage and tells me he remembers me from the Show Palace and that he thought I was his all time favorite stripper! I remembered him (he has a pretty unique name, and we'd had a great conversation about bands I don't usually get to talk about at work) and got to hang out with him for most of the rest of the night, which was relaxing and fun - completely saved my mood for the night. I wonder if customers like that really know how great they are, how they can totally make a stripper's night just by being laid back and fun to talk to. There are several that I can think of off the top of my head, that when they walk in the door, my mood instantly improves because I'm thinking, "Here's someone who I can interact with like a real person! Yay!" There's a couple of girls like that too.

There's some fairly serious remodeling going on inside the club right now since they've torn down the wall that separated the expansion room from the rest of the club - you can now see into the rest of the club without feeling cut off from the action in the main room. Should be very nice once it's finished, but it's a disaster area right now.

Steve, the lighting and sound guy, had read my wish list and noticed that I had a circular saw on there, and guess what? He brought me one! I'm so excited, now I can get to work on those new bookshelves I've been wanting to make. It was so sweet of him to bring it to me.

I had a nice long vacation for the holidays, during which I saw some hockey in Mexico (well, practically) and saw the White Stripes and the Flaming Lips in Chicago for New Year's Eve. I also got a KitchenAid for Christmas, an appliance I've been coveting for years. Told you I was good this year . . . now does anyone want to get me the attachments for making my own sausage?

So the post-holiday hangover is apparently in full force, judging from the club tonight - it was very quiet. I'm sure this whole week is going to be pretty dead, not that it'll keep me away as I need to work before school kicks in again on January 20.

Dave the DJ is back - he was working at XTC when I first started there (nearly a year ago now!) and returned right before Christmas. I am so happy he's back. He's a cool guy, interested in obnoxious rock bands and keeps me entertained in the booth. We looked up union suits online after he asked me where we might find "one of those one-piece things that little kids wear, with the two buttons in the back, but for adults." I'd just been contemplating knitting one, oddly enough. He'd been doing a search for "adult baby playclothes" which as you might imagaine lead him to some interesting websites.

I ran into a guy who recognized me from the Show Palace from a very very long time ago, which was flattering, and he said, "Wow, you look exactly the same," and completely made my night - almost as much as being told I was beautiful by one of the new girls did. I mean, I love the compliments I get from guys, don't get me wrong, I just know that women are much harder to please and therefore their compliments get more weight.

We have a new doorguy named Bubba.

Oh, Dave being back is partly the result of Matty the DJ being fired/quitting - there was some huge altercation between Matty and Wayne the manager last month that I haven't bothered trying to find out all the details on. From what I've heard it involved a snippy comment being directed towards Matty's girlfriend, and evolved into a physical fight (!) but who knows what the real story is.

Let's see, there will be $5 dances Monday nights from 7-11 pm now - I'll be interested to see if that helps, and will certainly be there next Monday to find out.