Wolf Howlings

“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.”~George Harrison, English musician

Today is my husband’s birthday, and Words of Wisdom from a musician is fitting. He loves music, being both a trumpet player and an audiophile (from dictionary.com: “a person who is especially interested in high-fidelity sound reproduction”). Music is a part of so much in life. For me, quiet is unsettling. I need background noise, music preferably, when crafting at home or driving in the car. You would think that being a CZT I would enjoy the silence, but even Zentangle proper uses soothing music to chase away the cobwebs of stress.

Music fills this weekend of THON. It is a dance marathon, after all, and music plays constantly to fill the background behind the chatter. Larry Moore was the DJ back in my day, and he’s still on the floor rocking with a good mix of 70’s, 80’s and 90’s tunes. The best music played in The Line Dance, an hourly song-dance move combo played about every hour.  You can’t really use that as a time keeper; you’ll never remember how many times it’s been played by the time you reach the wee hours of whatever day.  Still, no matter how tired you are, dancers look forward to the line dance.  It’s the one thing everyone shares and is a guaranteed pick-me-up.  Besides, you prove to yourself just how well you know the moves…or not.

In my undergrad days, we did moves to an actually song, one song, played all the way through. I wish I could remember mine. In the 2010 Line Dance, a mix of songs lends inspiration for a summary of the past year’s events.  It’s a wonderful time capsule.  Looking back, I still remember my favorite parts:

Those favorites:
–The “ESPN Jock Jam” is a pumpin’ way to start the line dance.
–I felt so bouncy with the lyrics “Party in the BJC” (at 2:13).  I didn’t know that the lines were a take on Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A. ,” but I did check out the video afterwards (the line pops up at :55).
–I loved the honking the horn move when the lines “Thousands bus to NYC /Battle for the NIT” are sung (at 1:30).  I saw an overhead shot of the 36 chartered buses driving 4 1/2 hours from State College to New York City to see the Nittany Lions play in the NIT.  Amazing.  Just amazing.  This long line of bus after bus after bus.  And who didn’t play at driving a car as a kid.  I know I did.  Horns were cool.

–Perhaps the coolest part is the very end.  “This is where Love Belongs” and the diamond hands.  It is the perfect way to end.  It mirrors the logo.  It’s a positive attitude.  There’s the dramatic pause, to this day still catches my breath.