Daaaaaaance the night awayeeee

Well, this week I think I came as close to being a depressive as possible. Ok, that sounds really overdramatic, but you have to understand I'm typically decently upbeat, and getting too depressed can be really disturbing, mainly because you don't always know how to get out of it.

It's been a hard little break. I don't think it could've been any other way, since I would inevitably become bored unless I was working, and working would've stressed me out. Ach, this is all babble. On to the good stuff.

I panicked because I thought that I was way behind on getting things lined up for research/work during the spring semester. I talked to Sarah, who's also going to be in the lab, and found out she was in the same boat. I know we all think it so fantastic to be independent thinkers, to follow what we think is right in our hearts. . . but sometimes it's just good to know you are in the same position as someone else, especially someone you respect. So things are better there.

I went to a party thrown by some of the older kids in the Microbiology program, and actually had a really good time. Started out not knowing anyone but the 1st years, and inevitably met a *few* new people. Not many, but it's a start. Also got to make a great joke about the pineapples soaked in rum by saying "I'm a little soaked in rum myself" or some other nonsense. But I made some girls laugh, so that's pretty impressive. I can be happy being the goofy one. I don't think I have much of a choice anyway.

I also learned that I'm much better at doing the hustle if I'm tipsy. But not too tipsy, because that dance involves alot of spinning around, ala Saturday Night Fever. For the 2nd night in a row, Roger and Andy and I have gone out dancing at The Cardinal. Last night was salsa night, which made for some challenging dancing, because I don't have much ballroom/couples dance experience. Sure, I can shake my booty, I can even get the steps right--but trying to follow somebody's lead, that's hard. Last night we had dancing pro's Andy, Jess, and Sharon. Of course this lead to the slightly awkward girl/guy ratio of 2 guys to 3 girls. Tonight was 80's night, and it was tremendously better for me. First off, 80's dancing is great because you just need to sort of bounce and flail about--white people can still look good at this dance. And it's versatile because you can bounce or do the twist or just. .. .well flail about. Good example of this is the dancing scene in "The Breakfast Club."

Anyway, apparently you can do the hustle to almost any 80's dance, and apparently I'm pretty darn good at this dance, at least if I've got andy to lead. Although admittedly I won 50 points for knocking his glasses off. I really want to get better at all these dances, not just because it would be fun and I'd have some activity in my life, but also because it would really help these dance nights if I could take someone who couldn't dance and show them how, just as Andy does. I can follow, but that means that Andy has to teach us all every night, and Andy's not dancing with the guys. I strive for equality! Also, I'd like to be able to dance without having to always be thinking how to anticipate the next move and not clothesline the guy. My deadly accuracy for the neck isn't as useful outside of Jiu Jitsu.

Mini Rant: We, the youth of america, have somehow missed out on social dancing. Any european, and perhaps south american person typically you kick your ass when it comes to dancing. To them it's all so natural, and we have all these hangups about it. What went wrong? When did we get it into our heads that only pop stars and cheerleaders dance? Dancing is FUN. Social dancing is fun on several levels, because you:

1. Get out of your house
2. Get to dance to the music (aka be active, which I'm trying to do more of)
3. Get to act like HOT STUFF

Really, I'd say only 25% of dancing at the most is about actual dancing skill/ footwork. Ok, rhythm is pretty important too. But the great majority of dancing, imho, is having a good time and letting it show. Even if you dance like Elaine, if you dance with a sense of humor it doesn't really look that bad. Carry yourself like hot stuff that's having a fantastic time, and you've got it. Unless it's industrial techno, or moshing. . . but that's a whole other story.

Anyhow, I'd like to keep up the dancing, as well as get more people involved in it somehow. I'm just really tired of feeling my body go to crrrap before my very eyes, you know? Ech, anyhow.

I drove home with the roads covered with ice! I RULE!!!