Got Funk

I've been waiting a long time to get to a computer and have some blogging access. Each day that goes by without me being able to blog, or at least write something down, gets me all antsy. Even if nothing substantive happens, I feel the need to think about getting something up every two or three days. Mostly, I think, it's because I've trained myself to be on this semi-regular blogging schedule for years and years so whenever I don't get the chance to be near a computer for an extended amount of time, something inside me goes panicky. I could give up cigarettes easily but never the blog I guess.

So I'm in New York, been here for a week, and it's just been an absolute blast. The official occasion was for Pierre and Amy's wedding but with a book draft due the following Monday, I decided that it was time to get out of San Diego for a second and just book an open ended flight. If I didn't leave SD soon, I was probably going to go crazy. It turns out I'll be here for about a month, with a planned four day trip to DC, and time is already flying by. I really wanted to do daily recaps of New York and what it's been like but that seems pretty ambitious now since each day tends to start late and end sometime near sunrise. Last year we were here I think we saw the sunrise every day for ten days straight. We're gonna blow that record out of the water on this trip. James and Victor touch down from the West Coast next Thursday. That's like three moblogs on one trip. Events will practically be in 3-D.

Let's rewind and take it back to the wedding. On the list of best weddings ever, there's only one wedding that belongs up at the top. To be honest, it's not even a list because this wedding stands so far above the pack that it's essentially gained immortal status. Eric and Anna's wedding in 2003 was epic. Coming a few years after most of us had left college, it was the first wedding that felt like a reunion. Tons of people everywhere, great music, amazing dancing (and a dance performance), open bar, and incredible love in the room all around. Since it was the first, it'll always remain the best.

But PZ and Amy's wedding is going to give it a run for its money in the years to come. What felt different about this wedding is that five years later, people realized that not all weddings will be amazing. I think there have been some really great "in the group" weddings recently but nothing where forty people were being brought together. With the mindset that all the ingredients were there for an off the charts weekend, there was no wasting time. Get to the hotel in Great Neck and stay the heck awake.

I'd love to do a blow by blow recap but to be honest, Eric already did it on his blog, and he does it so much better than I ever could. So go read his ultra-long but encompassing post. Yeah, go right now.

"So even though I told myself I wasn't going to dance no matter what because I didn't have the energy or time to commit to it, there I was, practicing a routine I hadn't practiced for about 6 years... I was so glad to have a tiny little part though because I loved seeing everyone slightly nervous. I love the feeling of being nervous and seeing grown professionals clearly nervous also. some six figure freaks that command board rooms are worried again about 8 counts.... amazing all the aspects of dance physically and mentally...

There in a small alcove in a corner tucked away on the outside of the mansion, we did what we did so many times over in college. Sweated and crammed and got silly and serious before a big gig. At one point, Aileen asked me, 'Is this how it was in college?' At that point in time, Shao was practicing with a drink in his hand while Jason and Dann were smoking while rehearsing. I said, 'Yeah, but in college we didn't smoke and drink as much during practice.'"
-Human Amoeba-

Now that you're back, the experience couldn't be encapsulated better than by how early people were ready to have a great time. Eric talked about dinner time karaoke at the tables even before food was done being served. Four tables of dancers were placed right next to the speakers and of course the music was amazing. Sam is a party unto himself and he pretty much got his own music video -- the camera people and videographers asked him to keep singing so they could keep shooting. The Asian parents in the room must have thought some liquor got snuck in early or something. But who needs liquor when you got good music and friends? Here's some short clips of the dinner karaoke (1, 2). Now imagine that pretty much happening at four tables.

While I'm here, there's two more videos (all footage courtesy of the Jenny). One, people definitely showing more school spirit than I'd ever seen from this particular group, and two, the dance performance. Let's talk about that for a minute. For most of these weddings, there's a dance choreographed and featured during the reception. It's probably tradition at this point but also just about people wanting to be together and moving as one again.

Steve usually takes the lead and then knocks out and organizes the routines and the performances always end up injected amazing energy into the night. At Martin and Aileen's wedding, Martin even joined in on the MJ part. This time around, funKtion and Got Soul? got together to do pieces that PZ had choreographed. I literally was woken up the day of the wedding -- after getting two hours of sleep -- hearing Amit eight counting it out for people in the hallways. Of course, you can't be practicing in the hallways of some hotel so Got Soul? then took it outside, tucked into a parking garage to avoid the pouring rain, and used a car stereo to blast the music. This was just the first practice of the day. Immediately after the reception, there was a good hour of practicing by everyone involved wearing suits and dresses and still going all out. Unbelievable really.

The video of the performance doesn't do it complete justice because there's just no way to capture the energy of the room. Plus, half the dancers were already blitzed or well on their way there, which is amazing because from where I stood, front and center, it was one of the most exciting performances I've witnessed from them. PZ was doing the routines in his chair the whole time. It was awesome. I really need to learn a few more superlatives. I'm overly reliant on my A-words. There's twenty five other letters of the alphabet to utilize. Bodacious?

I think people realized (now that we're older and all wedding veterans) that a chance like this might not come around again for a long while. People didn't want to sleep, they were all down to hang out, and Eric was pushing for quality time like no other. For me, the wedding was just a blur from Friday until Monday. I slept maybe three or four hours every night because I'd pull double duty having fun and then sneak off after everyone had gone to bed for a bit of work on the draft. But I didn't feel tired at all. With that many incredible people around, with so many fun things going on, the only thing I was worried about was keeping it all in my head.

That's why I wanted to get something down here, because recently memories seem to fade so quickly. And for some reason the good ones are as fleeting as the bad ones nowadays and the only way to tilt that balance is to wallow in the great times. I'm gonna stop here and just try to reconstruct some of the week.

Steven Tyler said it: "I don't wanna miss a thing." Coincidentally, the number one movie we'd want to swede would probably be Armageddon.