Christmas dos can be dire affairs.
Mediocre food, boring company, a disappointing secret Santa ( don't go there John)
I've done them all.
Last night I drove for over an hour into England to go to the Christmas do of the Prof's Western Campus staff .
Now we're sat at a table which included two much younger gay married couples and so after a few bottles of Prosecco you can imagine that there were much shaking of 30 inch hips.
I've told you before that the Prof is a talented dancer and so in these kind of situations he would shake his booty with the best of them but without the safety net of a gin and tonic and not knowing anyone I managed to hide away with the other wall flowers and chatted about holidays.
At one point the husband of one of the academics bounced over during a particularly energetic rendition of the Weather Girls it's raining men in a kind effort to drag me up onto the dance floor
He looked shocked when I informed him that I couldn't dance with an overly surprised expression that said
But ALL GAY MEN CAN DANCE!!!!!!!
Sadly , not this one baby!
Having said this, they were all such a nice bunch that I thought next year we would go on the arranged bus rather than drive. After a couple of gin and bitter lemons, and as long as they had a bit Abba playing. I'd be up with the best of them!
And boy would that do the Prof's credibility any good at all? Hey ho!
May I humbly suggest that you take up dancing lessons before the next academic shindig? After all, you don't want to torpedo Chris's stellar career. The Inferno Dance Studio in Rhyl have some vacancies.
ReplyDeleteFab idea, solo performance with splits and cart wheels next year.
DeleteI'm practicing with long glittery ribbons on sticks!
DeleteRaining Men did not get you up onto the floor? Yes, indeed next year, get a bus or a cab.
ReplyDeleteI can't even skip in time to a tune
DeleteI love dancing...in fact after a red wine or two I am raining men a dozen fold... I can swing my hips and knock everyone else out of the ball park... but of course... in real time it is all a bit stumbley mumbley.. awkward... but .. at the time I am wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteJo in Auckland, NZ
\
I will,have to do some practicing on my own me thinks
DeleteYou would be great whatever you do and however you dance x
ReplyDeleteWanna bet?
DeleteNow John, You know Prof's credibility doesn't depend on you being a wall flower during dancing. However, I'm sure it got a boost from your natural sense of humor during dinner talk
ReplyDeleteI can hold me own indeed
DeleteI join you in being a gay man who can't/won't dance. I know when I am making a fool of myself even after a few drinks.
ReplyDeletePeter
I make a fool of myself ...BEFORE the drinking ... heh.
DeleteWhat got me was the fact that all of the other men were sooooo talented in the move department .
DeleteThat is your most disturbing moving clip to date. Well done. You came over the bridge and didn't call in on me?
ReplyDeleteI was dealing with enough stress
DeleteThat video clip is obscene.
DeleteThe word is "awesome" not "obscene", Tom!
DeleteYou are not the only one who is shy about dancing, as Zorba said, "you gotta dance man!"
ReplyDeleteBut he knew how to have fun, how to live
DeleteHave you ever been to a Ceilidh... They are cracking good fun and pretty much everyone will muck up at some point during the evening
ReplyDeleteOh yes I love them and I use daily to dance years ago when I was young and fey
DeleteO, John ..please do not be so cynical.
ReplyDeleteDecember 2456, is a Northern Hemisphere "MidWinter Festival". Saturnalia - if you wish. Enjoy the festival.
Odd, when i sit here in Australia ... at 'midsummer' ...
I'm not a cynic
DeleteIt would take a LOT of gin to get me on a dance floor.
ReplyDeleteBut what a mover when you start?
Deletesomeone was stereotyping...you may not be john travolta, but you ARE julia child!
ReplyDeleteWith two left feet
DeleteI'm with you there John. Can't and don't dance. No rhythm what so ever!
ReplyDeleteThank god im not the only one
DeleteFor me to get up and dance it has to be slow, it has to be dark and there has to be wine.
ReplyDeleteYou'd be a right laugh in a wine cellar
DeleteI'm shy but I'd also be up dancing if Abba were playing.
ReplyDeleteNow I can't get the song Dancing Queen out of my head!
Greetings Maria x
That's my gal
DeleteI'd be hiding along the sidelines myself John...no dancer here I'm afraid. Some folks have two left feet....I may have three.
ReplyDeleteI have one ..just one
Deleteand the Prof has not taught you to dance?
ReplyDeleteOver they years he has tried but alas to no avail
DeleteAll gay men dance is such a total myth! I can shake booty but I always hated that I was pretty much the only guy at school dances who would get up. I was so excited when I first started going to gay bars with gay friends but... without fail every single one so far does not dance, no matter how much liquor I put into them! Lol, ABBA is my happy place.
ReplyDeleteAbba is my happy place too. It reminds me of when I was a student nurse dancing badly at the Leadmill
DeleteI live across the street from a gay bar whose clientele appears to be men over the age of 55. There's a front porch on the bar where they sit around drinking beer on the weekends.
ReplyDeleteEvery time my parents visit me, they comment on the fact that it doesn't look like a gay bar to them, even though it's all men.
"There's no dancing and all wearing clothes like your dad would wear!" my Mom says. I always think of that when I read posts like this here, as well as you're "People don't think I'm gay... I'm too bloody scruffy!" thing on your sidebar.
Not that I'm saying you're over 55 - I don't know how old you are. But the idea that not every gay guy is 26 and dancing in a body-fitting shirt is something that seems to surprise a lot of people.
Although you like ABBA, so I guess they're not taking your card away...
Ok it's nice to get vindication that I'm still in the club.........just!
DeleteI don't dance either, John, and never had. It's not an exclusive disgrace. In fact, it's not a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteAlan doesn't dance much either ... well he does sometimes ... but it's the same dance no matter what song is playing ;-)
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean you missed the Strictly final then?
ReplyDeleteYes was it good?
DeleteHa ha, your posts always garner the best comments in the blogosphere!
ReplyDeleteABBA!!! Anyone can dance to "Does Your Mother Know." But maybe you were thinking "Dancing Queen"?
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine the Prof dancing, it seems so undignified. Esp to Dancing Queen.
ReplyDeleteRicky Martin - happy memories!
ReplyDeleteOne of my most favourites
DeleteHi John.
ReplyDeleteChristmas and New Years Eve party's always sound like hell to me I never want to go but I usually end up enjoying myself it's the expectations that get in the way of things.
It sounds like you had a good time as you sounded a bit apprehensive before on a previous post, with your gift of the gab you can overcome anything, here's to next year.
It was hard work ......but it was ok
DeleteYay! I"m so glad it was "better than expected" - I hate such social events, even more so now that I am seriously deaf, but if I can find someone to talk with in a corner, I survive. Introverts of the world unite!
ReplyDeleteGlad you found it pleasant. My stomach knots up just thinking about an event like that. (And I would have had to turn in my Gay Card, too.)
ReplyDeleteJohn, if we lived closer I would gladly/gayly give you some lessons!! But I would have to lead!! i am sure the Prof has tried...right?
ReplyDelete