dance...and "events"

This weekend I went contra-dancing.
It was majorly fun.

Here's what happened on the ride home (we'll call my friend L)

Me: I noticed there were at least five guys wearing skirts tonight. That was just a bit awkward, huh? 

L: Oh yeah, haha, I guess they like twirling too!  Did you see the transvestite? 

Me: *feeling naive* Ohh, really? I thought that was just a really looks-challenged individual... I danced with it! ...I think I'm going to be sick. 

L: haha, well, we can change the subject. 

Me: No really, I'm going to be sick.
...and the contents of my stomach were in my lap. Luckily it was just water and banana, but still. Gross! I got myself cleaned up, and the conversation continued... 

L: I'm so sorry! I didn't know it would actually make you sick to talk about transvestites! I won't ever bring that up again.

...

Contra attracts a VARIETY of people, a real variety. It's not a bad thing -- they're all nice folks, but, um, they just have a different way of doing things.

Ok, ok, ok. I'll just say it. There was a person there who looked like neither a man nor a woman.

And I danced with him/her (let's just say it). Not as a partner, but when you're going through the line, you get a turn dancing with everyone. 

I danced for three hours Saturday night. Every dance (except for the 10-minute-intermission when they played polka music. I know it's shocking, but I don't know how to polka) was danced. Because your brain is thinking about the dance moves and what you're supposed to be doing next, it ignores your body telling you to take a rest.


8:00-11:15. Oh yes.
It doesn't sound that intense, but it was, believe me.

When you do contra, you're always moving. 50% of that moving involves spinning, which I love.  When they tell you to swing your partner, some guys get the centrifugal force working for them, and the world becomes a blur. I loved spinning when I was younger (what kid doesn't?) and dancing and spinning is awesome.

Fast forward --> The dance was over, I was STARVING and tired.
I had chugged my nalgene of water throughout the evening, and happily, I had packed a banana and a granola bar for when I got hungry.

(I get hungry a lot. I'm going to say it's because I'm running often and this Saturday is the HALF MARATHON! yayyayyay!)

 I was really hot (and really sweaty--well, let's say I was "glowing"), but I was chilling fast. My body's temperature was unstable. I had a major salt imbalance. (When you sweat glow, you lose salt. I suspect I over-hydrated.)

I decided that I should try to eat my banana, so I would have some nutrient to process.

Bad, bad, bad idea. My body told me so. It was much too busy trying to take care of the exhaustion I was feeling. (Exhaustion, I might mention, that was well worth it) I'm sure the conversation between my brain and my body was a full-out fight.

Brain: Body, you need food. 
Body: Since when do you know what I need? You ignored me while dancing-- I told you to stop...
Brain: But you enjoyed it, didn't you? Now, digest this banana.
Body: Yes, I liked it, I just needed a break. Digest a banana? Right now? Not happening. 

 10 minutes after eating my banana, it came right back up. I'm so glad that banana was all that was on my stomach, and that I didn't vomit all over my friends car.

It was a crazy coincidence that we were talking about something that made me feel sick emotionally.

...or was it a coincidence?

So now I know: to be on the safe side, whenever you're around me, just don't bring up transvestites.

Please. For both of our sakes, just don't talk about that.
...or else who knows what will happen.

{Don't let this story deter you from trying out contra-dance. It's not nearly so odd as I depict it; I'm sure you're smarter than me and you would know when to take a break.  One of my friends went, and he liked it, then his sister went the next time, and she liked it, too. 
So, know that not everyone who does contra is crazy like me. Want proof?? Look at his blog post! Click here to see the post that proves my point}