Armageddon Brunch

Sunday, July 05, 1998
One year ago: Expeditions

No, the title of this entry doesn't refer to the brunch at the end of the world! But the two most notable events of the day were brunch at Nancy's house, and seeing the movie Armageddon.

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I was really pleased to be invited to Nancy's house for brunch, although the occasion was bittersweet. Nancy is moving back to San Francisco, where she has lived before, so she invited some folks over. It was a potluck, so I called before I left to see if there was anything particular I should bring. "Bagels!" she requested, so I stopped up the street for flavored cream cheese and two dozen bagels from the bagel place near my house.

Nancy lives in a pleasant bungalow in the University District, which is how she was able to drag herself home after getting her knee injured at the U-district street fair in May. I found it interesting that some of the folks there didn't know each other, though they were all part of the Seattle dance scene. Hal, whom we know from the Century Ballroom, didn't know Jen from the Swing Kids! Not everyone crosses the boundaries as Nancy and I do, it seems.

There was quite a spread of food, with hot waffles (with raspberry creme honey spread, yum!), bacon, fruit, smoked salmon, and the aforementioned bagels and cream cheese. When one friend showed up with a contribution of eggs and champagne, Brian quipped, "We should make mimomelets!" (from Mimosas, a drink with orange juice and champagne, in case you didn't get that.)

We did a lot of chatting about dancing (Chris, eating the bagel, is one of my dance teachers) and non-dance topics. Several of Nancy's friends had been caught up in riots and police actions at various times in their lives, so they traded stories like some people trade childbirth or medical stories.

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Have you heard this joke?

"Knock, Knock!"
"Who's there?"
"Armageddon!"
"Armageddon who?"
"Armageddon pretty tired of movies about big rocks crashing into the Earth!"

But actually, I'm not tired of such movies, since I didn't go to see Deep Impact. But I can't think of another punchline right now.

Gary, whom I had contacted via a yahoo personal ad, was forced to cancel our meeting on Friday. So we rescheduled to this afternoon. I normally wouldn't pick seeing a movie as a first-date activity, since there isn't much opportunity for getting acquainted. But both of us were interested in seeing the movie, and I thought we'd get a chance to chat before and after.

I had called Gary from brunch, and we'd decided to see the movie at the Neptune, an older theater in the University district. So I moved my car a little closer, and waited in front of the theater. Gary knew what I looked like, but I hadn't seen any pictures of him. He arrived in plenty of time, we went in, and chatted till the movie started. Gary is busy with a business he runs, and has had a lot of computer problems lately, so we discussed that. I was surprised to find out that he knows about Vanguard! He apparently was talking to Victor Gonzalez one night at the Blue Moon Tavern, and Victor invited him.

The movie was silly fun. When I first heard about it, I was hoping for a more realistic movie, and I doubt a real asteroid would be so craggy and spiky! But I like Bruce Willis, so I just enjoyed the ride.

Gary had to leave directly after the movie, which surprised me a bit, so my idea about getting acquainted over a drink or snack didn't happen. Oh, well, another time!

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I took the bus to the Showbox this evening, and arrived a few minutes before the doors officially opened. I glanced in to the actual performance space, and saw a band setting up! I was surprised, since I had thought there wasn't a band, and that preconception had played a part in my decision to come out and dance there. I expressed as much to impresario/dance teacher Dave Atkinson, but allowed as how I understood that from his viewpoint he wants the biggest crowds possible. More people show up when there is a band, which makes the dance floor crowded and the venue hot and smokey. Not so much fun for me, but more profitable for the Showbox and Dave!

But it turned out that the band was excellent! The Love Dogs, from Boston, rocked the house! I even bought the CD. Hyper Dan was there, whom I hadn't seen for a week or so, putting his new dance philosophy in practice, along with Sterling, Mike, and lots of other folks. I asked Mike for a ride home, since that way I wouldn't have to either wait a long time at the bus stop, or drive myself nutty trying to time it just right.

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