Gaskells!

At last my feet have swept across the ballroom floor of the Gaskells hall. I was so exhausted after a night of shopping… Tele is thriving, and very, very draining around the holiday time. I can’t believe I’ve been there twice this weekend, no three times! Though, today was only to get candy. Shush! *Puts finger to lips* don’t you go telling my secret Santee. Oblivious is best.

Despite my desire to slump onto my fluffy bed and rest, I knew that I would regret missing yet another ball. I keep hearing about them but I never get it together enough to actually go. Juju was with me and she was egger to see the scene, so we got ourselves together. We dug around in the basement for costume ideas, Juju pondered whether to go as a lady or a gentleman, and I began the fight with my hair. I though about being a gentleman, but decided against it for two reasons. First, I don’t have any gentlemanly clothing (except for a 60’s marching band jacket that dear Lilith lifted for me), and second, I like being a lady *wink*.

To make things easier on myself I wore my Halloween costume, which more or less fit the period of regency-1950. I think vampire fits in there somewhere. It was insane to try to fit my hoopskirt in the car, while I was wearing it. The whole ordeal was very unladylike, if I do say so myself :D In order for the hoop to fit I had to flip it up, exposing my stockings… and so on. Hehe. How did they do it, I wonder?

The moment I walked into the ballroom, I felt as though I had been transported back 100 years. The room was filled with spinning floolfy dresses and tailcoats, the colors as bright and layered as foreign candies.

I walked delicately through the crowd and noticed immediately the different use of language. People were saying things like, “how do you do?” and “very well.” Of course there were also people who were not trying very hard, like the guy by the punch who screwed up his face and said, “Need punch before insides implode!”

I hade a lovely time but found out quickly that about 75% of the participants are creepy old men. I danced the something-something with a creepy guy, but he worked there and was teaching me, so it was okay. He was a good leader, and I’m thankful because in that dance I might have come to my death through trampeling. Well the guys weren’t so bad, it’s more like I’m not used to people being so formal and polite. I even wondered to myself, what’s wrong with all these people? Why do they come here so much? But it was great, some people really love tradition and forality. Most of the time if someone would ask, “may I have this dance?” I would reply in a squeaky voice, “um…well I need some punch actually,” or “no, I can’t dance,” or “actually I’m married, sorry.” Lilith even made a ring for me so that we could be “married,” though that was unbelievable for several reasons. *Giggle* Guys would actually get up and offer their seat, and if you were standing alone they would ask if you needed to be escorted somewhere. It was creepy, and sweet, and very sexist in the best sense of the word. So I found that to have a really good time, you might want to bring a non-creepy date with you :)

I loved waltzing, though I still don’t understand it completely, and I haven’t gotten past the stage of needing to stare at my feet (I couldn’t see my feet under my hoop). It’s scary on the dance floor, as the leader must avoid collisions. Lilith, you did fairly well, I’m proud of you, indeed.