First, a confession. Not only have I been doing Irish dance, but I went totally outside the comfort zone that's located even further outside the uncomfortable zone occupied by doing Irish dance in the first place. This uber uncomfortable zone is the one where you dress up and perform. In front of crowds. With makeup.
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| The second time I've worn eye shadow in my entire life - for our school dress rehearsal. The first time, when I was 12, actually was pretty similar to this, and involves a story of great parenting by my still-still-relatively-newish-at-the-time stepmom. |
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| This was the third time I wore eye shadow: when my instructor left it up to me to apply my own makeup. |
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| The Landmark Center on 3/17. It's going to be a mad house today. |
I've really enjoyed getting to know the others in my adult beginner class, the super nice people from the adult intermediate class who are are partners for our paired dance, the amazingly talented and hard-working intermediate and advanced (so cool) dancing teens and tweens, and the very dedicated parents of all of the kid dancers.
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| The performing subset of the adult beginner class, after our four performances on 3/17. |
"If you're Irish, it doesn't matter where you go - you'll find family." Victoria Smurfit
After our day of dancing, Stacy and I went, in our dresses, and marched in the parade. We couldn't wear our dance shoes, so I had tennis shoes on. Also, what does one do with her ID, phone, and keys? I wore mine in a flat fanny pack from 1992, strategically placed under my dress. However, when you go to the bar after the parade, you can't be lifting up your dress to pay for your pint of Guinness. You might, but I won't.
I was carrying around my fanny pack, and these nice guys encouraged me to wear it. With my shoes it was quite a sight to behold. One could argue that they, too, have fanny packs, but their purse/canteen things were super cool. These nice guys ride bikes, we learned. We're going to cross-invite each other to our rides.
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| The guy on your left, my right, has a seriously Irish name: Rory McCabe. |
So, after a long day of kicking up my heels (okay, let's be honest, sort of faking my way through all of my dances), I slept for about six hours, got up, and spent all day Friday prepping for our trivia fundraiser on Friday night.
I don't have many photos because I was working my butt off that night, and really wish I had a photo of my family's team and their matching shirts identifying themselves based on their relationship to me. I am glad that the half of my parents drove here and guilted my brothers and sisters-in-law into joining them - I really like my family.
We raised $2,144 for the MS Society in those few hours, which is so, so cool! We'll split that up among the volunteers to help them meet their individual fundraising goals for the MS150 bike ride in June.
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| Stacy's Cycling Supporters team members and volunteers - we had a lot of team members play trivia, too! |
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| I didn't get a photo when everyone was shouting and waving their arms in the air, or putting their hands on the heads and butts for the "heads or tails" game, but like the reflective looks. |
“Despite the forecast, live like it's spring.” Lilly Pulitzer
It's time to put on the garb and head down to the Landmark Center for the Day of Irish Dance. I still am surprised, even though I'm the one who signed up for it!
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