Dancing Queen

Young and Sweet, Only 17


Once upon a time I loved going to dances. We used to drive to Raleigh for the once a month YSA dances, and they were a blast. You would get dressed up and do up your hair and makeup and then go see if there was anyone interesting to meet. It was the mormon version of clubbing. If there was someone interesting, you were always trying to separate yourself from your girlfriends so that the guy wasn't intimidated to come ask you to dance. Sometimes, if you were bold, you would ask him to dance. There is something about music that just gets inside my bones and I want to dance. I am not a good dancer, but I just like to dance.
My friend called me and asked if I wanted to go to one of these dances. It has been a long time since I have gone to a dance, so at first I was like..... hmmmmm...... dance or stay home and sit in my comfy recliner and watch the Office........ I caved and went to the dance. I put on my "Mary Kay Dramatic Eye Makeup" look, a cute tuxedo style top and my trouser jeans. When I got to the dance I felt way overdressed. It wasn't at all like I remember dances from college. So either my memory is faulty, or things have changed. What I remember is the entire gym at the Raleigh Stake Center being full of people at the dance, it was so hot you were automatically drenched in sweat when you walked in, the refreshment table always had sugar treats and drinks on it, and there were a few chairs, but for the most part, only a few people hung back on the wall. Now the dance takes up half the gym in the Apex Stake Center, and it is pretty empty. Although, I am told that what I consider pretty empty is a good turnout. But then the music started to play, and I just can't stop my feet from doing the DDR dance. Then they played NSync, and I wanted to do the video dance to Bye Bye Bye. Later they did a fabulous 80s song, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. At this point, I am thinking Karaoke might be more fun than a dance. Karaoke is a solo activity, and it probably doesn't have the awkward slow songs to interrupt the fun songs. I enjoy singing along to good songs, almost as much as I like dancing to them.
I had made up my mind after posting about telling someone I work at IBM and having their eyes glaze over that that wasn't going to be my problem anymore. If people are amazed at what I do, great. I am not going to try to downplay what I do anymore. So someone asked me to dance. He happens to be quite a bit younger than me, hasn't been to school after high school, and is a salesman for an electrical company. He asked if I was in school, and I said no I work at IBM... as someone who writes software programs.... His response: you must be one of those really smart computer people then. Yes, I am. So what kind of software? The kind that manages information, keeping track of changes to the assets in your business..... Wow. So did you get your education in that? Yes, I went to Carolina to get my degree..... At this point he walks away. Jokingly. So I said, oh, you are a State fan. He said no, at the moment he is an ECU fan. I didn't really think we had a rivalry with ECU, but whatever. Anyway his eyes were totally glazed over, but it might be because he realized I was older than his oldest brother :) hehehehehe
Bottom line, while it wasn't the dances I remember, it wasn't the worst way to spend 45 minutes. And my recliner probably could use a break from me sitting in it :)