Life: Idiotropic

Yesterday, I started out as a responsible brunette running errands, volunteering at the girl's school, doing a 5K walk for charity, and attending a special story time with the girls.

Then the wig went on and truly, I now believe that blonds have more fun! Pink is definitely more fun than being a brunette and wearing a wig is great! I love it!

Kirk, or shall I say, Father Kirk, and I went to the CSA Carnival party at the Officer's club on the base - got there about 1745. I got home at 0120. Crazy, but so fun. A lot of our friends went -- both American and non-American. The majority of the guests were either German or American, but there as a large group of Norwegians and Italians and one Spaniard.


The costumes were amazing - some people really go all out with professional looking hair and makeup. Last year we had a lot of Robin Hood costumes. This year seemed like more of a mix. We had folks from the 20's, 50's, 60's, and 70's - the pirates, the vikings, the European period folks in Renaissance garb or Roman armor. Napolean, clowns, devils, a band of Zorros, a tiger, and a strange Mozart mix. Oh... and we had Jup and Rosie - my good friends who dressed in traditional German garb and wore blond wigs. Ya ya!

And the entertainment is great too! I love the mix of bands and dance troupes. Just when you get tired of dancing, a new group of professionals come in to entertain. Then, as fast as they came and before they could possibly get bored, they go and either a new group comes on or the band is on for more dancing. Let's see... we had 3 bands, 2 Elvis impersonators, 2 tiny little solo dancers who could cartwheel without hands and touch their knees to their ears, 6 dance troupes that I can remember (could be more), a 95 year old Carnival club from Heinsburg with their king and queen, band and dancers, and 2 awards ceremonies where they give out very fancy medals to guests of honor and important participants in the party.

We had appetizers, a huge dinner with 4 meat entrees and all the sides, then an amazing dessert spread with delicious German tortes and donuts. Most people had at least 2 if not 4 large pieces stacked upon their plates. Delicious!

And the dancing. Normally I am extremely shy about dancing in public. I don't like it. I don't feel comfortable with it. Even at International Women's events, I usually try to stay in the back where people can't see me. But with the pink wig - it was different - like being on stage and playing a character. I played an outgoing, bubbly girl who couldn't stay off the dance floor. I danced the whole night and it was great!

Funny moments: I still laugh at the music that even during this German holiday party, is 95% American from Beach Boys to Reggae, and Michael Jackson's Thriller to country western. And... the internationals seem to know it better than the Americans do. The oddest musical moment was later in the night when a tribal band got up and began to play and sing "Cumbaya" - a song we always used to sing around the camp fire at church camp each year. That morphed into "Ooga Chucka" which morphed into "A lion sleeps tonight." Crazy. It was funny to see the Elvis' together. The French '73 Elvis stood on the side videotaping the Danish '68 Elvis during the latter's first act.

I really need to sit down and talk to one of my German friends about Carnival. Each year I pick up a new bit of understanding, but the more I read the newspaper and glean bits of what's going on around the area, the less I know - or the less I understand. Each town has a Carnival Association that puts on the Rose Monday Parade, the costume ball, and the Altweiberball. Sometimes there are more activities planned, but there is always a Prince and sometimes a Princess and they dress in traditional red and white costumes. They bring with them dancers and bands and hand out medals. It's all fun, but taken extremely seriously and there seems to be a great pride there. Last year the Aachen Prince came to our party, but this year he was booked, so he sent medals and we had the Heinsburg committee come who also brought dancers and music and medals. The president introduced each group as if they were his pride and joy and told us that they were the oldest group in the region - except of course for Aachen. The Prince and Princess through roses and after all the celebrating and about 25 minutes, they marched grandly out just as they'd entered.
A dance group brought by the Heinsburg Carnival Association - The princess and prince of Heinsburg (at least during Carnival time)