I am the cockroach of ballet students, etc.

A thought that ran through my head yesterday. Like a species that won't take a hint, crawling back above ground after nuclear apocalypse, eventually I always find myself back in a dance studio.

(I'm not doing this right now, but the impulse has been occurring to me.)

Lately I find myself wanting to email my favorite ballet teacher from my teenage years, who also shepherded my mid-twenties comeback: Guess what, I'm obsessed with circus classes these days! I ponder whether I would send him a short video or not - a little brassy for my taste but could be a good idea so he knows what the f*ck, specifically, I am talking about. I imagine saying, And guess what, ballet helps with that too! - even from underneath the years that bury it - even if not one smidge with the upper body strength - my feet chronically if imperfectly pointy, my eye sensitive to line, my preferences leaning towards the shapes that most closely echo an arabesque.

Let me get down to it: I think I am also the cockroach of bloggers. I've been using this very account, off and on, for nearly as long as I've been in and out of ballet classes. The impulse comes and goes but is hard to eradicate. Eventually, always, I find myself online again typing to friends and strangers. Here I am again, hello. I've missed you all.

Recipe: Sun River Banana Bread [updated]

Reposting with updates, because we are all making banana bread, apparently.

I declared this my favorite banana bread recipe nearly a decade ago. It makes for smooth dense bread, with just the right amount of sweetness and a beautiful crust. No oily feeling or over-crumbliness.

I am vegan now, but I still use the same recipe - just substituting vegan yogurt and butter and egg replacer throughout.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened*
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs or vegan equivalent (I like Ener-G egg replacer best)
2 overripe bananas (you will need 2/3 C mashed)
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt**

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash your bananas in a small bowl with a fork. In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs (one at a time) or egg replacer. Blend in banana pulp. Add baking powder, soda, and salt and stir. Alternate adding the flour and yogurt. Pour into a well-greased and floured loaf pan. Bake on the center rack for about one hour (or if you choose to do muffins, about 20 minutes). Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Makes one loaf.

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*If you don't have pre-softened butter, don't despair and don't microwave your chosen shortening into a sad puddle. Stay calm and do as this blogger says. Works like a charm.

**If you don't have yogurt, do this: pour 3/4 t white vinegar or lemon juice into a 1/4 C measure, then fill it the rest of the way with milk and let it stand 5-10 minutes before using, until slightly thickened and curdled.

Adapted from the Sunset Cook Book of Favorite Recipes (1973).