LET’S DANCE

She’s nearly 6-years-old and out-dancing the many artists in wedding attendance.

A real ‘whirling dervish’ – a piece of slang from my childhood, meaning: Frenetic, spinning, perpetual motion.

Though as I research that piece of slang – and get blank stares from friends I’m asking about it – it may have been withdrawn by the Colloquialism Board. Another sign you’re old, when slang from your childhood has timed out, and is no longer in AI searches.

But I’m still using my “Unlike kids today (shakes fist angrily!) who are stationary dervishes, with all their phone time!”

As an aside, colloquialisms do time out, as I learned when I used “6 of one, half dozen of another” leaving our son with a confused expression. He ‘loved’ it, but I never heard him use it, so there’s that.

Expressions like:

“A dollar forty two for your thoughts” – the inflationary version of a penny – gone, along with cash;

“Wicked good”, now “Unimpeachably, Count on it, No doubt about it good”, the intent to stamp out wickedness – but the length killed it wickedly;

“F*ing Amazing”, which can’t be stopped, because with the F word removed, most Netflix series would shorten from 8 to 2 episodes. 

We return now to our regularly scheduled post.

The occasion, our nephew’s wedding in Santa Cruz, presenting the opportunity to see Ella, our granddaughter.

And her parents too, of course.

So, a double fun time.

The bridal couple a sculptor and a ceramicist/art teacher, both very creative/artistic.

Her parents a sculptor and a professor of ceramics, both very creative/artistic.

And the crowd full of their artist friends, who all seemed very creative/artistic.

Certainly creative dancers – – approaching Alvin Ailey choreographed.

There were probably 20 guests dancing throughout the night – along with Ella – and they were great old people entertainment.

We ‘olds’ have all been there, after a few dances and drinks early on, retiring to watch the ‘youngs’ ‘cut a rug’ – the modern evolution of whirling dervish – while we compare body part replacements.

But this was like performance art: Dancers spinning, laying on the floor, forming geometric shapes – the latter illegal in parts of Utah – and generally ‘cutting loose’.

As another aside, that last thing an idiom, and don’t ask AI how that differs from a colloquialism…

But Ella held her own. She too is creative – taking after her mother – and loves to dance, which she did until heading for home. She was the first to incorporate the parasol – creatively decorated – we’d each been given into her twirl, soon to be followed by what I suppose was an artist – I’d seen him laying contorted on the floor moments before – copying her.

My only dancing regret: No one did the Fried Egg. I would have, but the only thing harder than getting on the floor at my age is getting back up off the floor.  

But it was an amazing 5 days in Santa Cruz.

Seeing Ella and her parents the highlight of course, with limited time together, we savor every moment.

It was a My Captor’s family reunion – but siblings only, no cousins, our son invited by dint of geography. Please don’t tell anyone – eye blacked in all the photos.

California an amazing place to visit, and we made it to the beach – and even better, a brewery. Twice.

And of course, weddings always an optimistic event: Silvie and JP on the doorstep of their life together, pledging their love and eternal commitment.

In self-written vows concluding with “I do”, a phrase familiar to us old marrieds, not some soon to disappear colloquialism…  

For 308 more posts like this –each with a wish for a cha cha – go to beersatthenifty.com. Your phone will display every post, and you can waste an hour or two.

ENHANCE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS POST, PAIR WITH THE FOLLOWING ‘AGING HIPSTER MUSIC’:

First Aid Kit a Swedish sister folk duo, with a cool sound. Oddly, their song Emmylou is our daughter’s favorite. Added to the BATN playlist – enjoy.