Debates and Dancing

First of all, I want to say thank you for all the supportive comments that everybody left after my last post. I'm glad that people are reading and enjoying this blog and want me to keep writing, and I was touched that people took the time to tell me so. Thank you!

The last couple of nights here in NYC have been varied and interesting and I feel compelled to report about them. Last night for the presidential debate, I was invited to a debate watching party hosted by a gay pro-Obama group called "Obama Pride" held at a swanky bar in Grammercy Park. The listing in Time Out New York read "don't miss the chance to hiss at John McCain in good company", so how could I refuse? The bar was one of those fancy places with dark hardwood floors, modern glamorous furniture and huge pink chandeliers, and was PACKED to the gills with hot gay guys in tight jeans ready to yell and scream at the huge tv screens set up all around. People were even given these small nerf balls to throw at the screen for when Mc-oldy said something particularly hideous. I hadn't ever watched a debate in such a public setting, and it felt more like a sporting event than a political one, which was really fun. I groaned with all the gays when McCain repeated his same old talking points, and especially after about the 12th time he accused Obama of "not understanding" something, and together we all cheered at the few zingers Obama managed to get in. But the best part about it was the feeling of lightness and humor that I was able to take away from the setting and the company, which prevented my head from exploding in frustration as it might have if I would have been watching the debate alone. I just want Barack to say "shut your effing mouth you lying old geezer!" just once. Please?

Tonight I had the opportunity to do something completely different. I was invited by a friend who had an extra ticket to something called the "Fall for Dance Festival" which brings together different dance companies from around the world to perform one piece each at NY City Center. My friend Marina, who invited me, is a dance expert, and so in going to dance concerts with her I am getting educated about the history of dance and getting entertained in one evening. There were two modern ballets in tonight's program that really affected me - the first was a dance choreographed by Twyla Tharp called Sweet Fields set to traditional shaker hymns, and the last piece was a piece called Esplanade which is apparently a famous dance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company. I'm not well versed enough in dance to write about it intelligently, but those two dances in particular elicited a bunch of emotions in me and were both beautiful and stunningly athletic with little bits of humor. I felt something and that felt good.

Now I've gotta go watch Tina Fey impersonate Sarah Palin. Tina Fey should totally be the vice president. Who's with me?