Which is to say that I did. Last night. In the middle of Kate's living room.

For someone who never took gymnastics, or was a cheerleader, or has any sense of grace or balance whatsoever, I have a few odd moves I've picked up along the way in my almost-31 years that my stubborn Italian demeanor refuses to shake loose of and grow the hell up already why don't you, Erin?

One of these things is the backbend. And you know, it's not something I whip out on a regular basis. I don't stand around at parties or bars and all of a sudden just end up with my back arched out and flipped around. But, like the splits and the trick where I put my left leg behind my head while balancing on my right leg, it's one that my brain performs before my body has the chance to stop it. My brain remembers me doing it, mastering it, even, at some point in my life, before also remembering that despite yoga and various other forms of athletic activities I participate in, I am no longer a nubile, flexible 12-year-old girl for whom such things were a snap.

So yeah. Last night, as we got back to Kate's, her sister, Liz, throws on DJ E-Z Rock and Rob Base and before you know it, you really can't blame my brain for forgetting that it resides in an almost-31-year-old body because everyone knows that "Joy & Pain" is the best song to jam to at the St. Mary Nativity sock hop, Go 1989!

The first backbend was excusable - we'd just got back from the bars, Candace remembered all of the words from the song and clearly a dance-off was happening. The second was a gift to Kate since she was in the kitchen for the first, heating up another pizza, and missed the spectacle entirely. It was her night, everyone wanted me to do it again, and who was I to disappoint her?

It was a great night, and I'm lucky to have such wonderful friends. Really, really lucky. But I think next time we all rent a trolley and go bar hopping all night, I really need to remain upright. I hurt in places that I didn't even know existed.

Posted by Erin at 04:22 PM | filed under: Random Stupidity