THAT 80'S THING - THIRTY YEARS LATER AND STILL KICKIN'

Last night, Himself and I treated ourselves to about 5 1/2 hours (we left a half hour earlier than closing because we are not fans of The Fixx) of crazed dancing to a couple of 80’s bands who performed for a local fundraiser. Close to thirty years later, I still love to bounce around and rock out, though now I’m a lot older and have to last out there on the dance floor without artificial stimulants. I’m feeling a bit tired this morning - Himself and I got home just before midnight, which is really late for him. My neck is really sore from looking up at the bands from the dance floor. But heck, I got to see and dance to live, in person, Bow Wow Wow, English Beat and Berlin.  Missing Persons cancelled due to a Dale Bozzio health issue. Damn, they were missed. Especially when the fill in band was Gene Love Jezebel. So not Missing Persons.

Dancing straight through Bow Wow Wow, and then English Beat, I was sweating most unbecomingly, but I was having such a good time. The place was like a sauna inside, and was packed full of people mostly in their 40’s-late 50’s. Quite a few dressed the part as well, though outfits that were kind of punkish back then, made several women last night look more like “been there” hookers.  

As usual, super long lines for the women’s restroom, though several women went en masse into the men’s room, where they startled the men standing at the urinals. Oh, just like the 80’s...

Getting back to just how sweaty I was...when I pulled down my leggings and sat on the toilet, the paper seat cover stuck to me, and started to disintegrate right there and then.  Which is what they are supposed to do...when they are in the toilet. Seriously, I was quickly pulling off strands of paper seat cover off my butt and thighs.  

I really needed to get my sopping hair off my neck and back. No, I didn’t bring any hairbands (didn’t really think it was something to put in the purse). Being a resourceful person, I tried to figure out what else I could use. Looking down on our table I saw these long tie things. These were bright orange lanyards advertising the company supplying the beer on tap (what purpose you would use these lanyards for escapes me). My pride took a backseat as I braided my hair and used the lanyard to tie it up.  The little metal hook thing - cool metal thing- (again...what the hell are these things designed to do?) dangling on my neck. Quite a look, but since it was behind my head, and I couldn’t see it, I really didn’t care.  

Other than the sauna feeling, and the obstacle course you had to go through to get through the crowd to the bar or outside air, there were the usual crowd pushers...those people who cram themselves into the already crowded section in front of the stage and then jam in front of you, like you’ll never know they are there, or won’t do anything about it. Well, not me. I demand and defend my hard won space to dance, and I kept them moving if they stopped in front of me. Sometimes that involved tapping on the shoulder and gently moving them along.  One big guy that I tried to keep moving along, out of my view, actually turned around and pushed me!  Like what?  Did he think I was going to get into a pushing match with him.  What an ass!  Likely he was an ass in the 80’s too.

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Highlight of the evening, other than great live music, was when Himself and I touched hands with Terri Nunn from Berlin as she was carried through the crowd on the shoulders of a security guy. The closest I’ve ever gotten to “one of them” (rock stars, not security guys). I can report that Terri Nunn has very soft hands (or rather, left hand).  Hmm, I wonder if Himself is remembering how soft her hand was...probably not.