For the last couple of nights I’ve gotten in the bed really early; I’ve just felt a little congested and tired and sinus-y and whatnot. However, since I’ve struggled a little bit with insomnia lately, I didn’t worry too much about the fact that I wasn’t feeling quite normal because THE SLEEP, OH MY WORD THE SLEEP, IT HAS BEEN SO GLORIOUS. In fact, last night it wasn’t even 10 o’clock when I drifted off to sleep while listening to the melodious sounds of Alyssa Milano talking about a lather-free shampoo hair care system.
And yes, that totally means that I was watching an infomercial. Aye, and proudly.
However, in my defense, I have long been drawn to infomericals that feature exciting new hair care products. For example, does anyone remember the Lori Davis system in the 90s? I never ordered it, of course, but it appeared to work miracles in the areas of de-frizzing and manageability. Plus, Cher was featured on the Lori Davis infomerical, and her presence alone was enough to make a believer out of my early-20s self. I mean, hello? Did you see Cher’s post-makeover hair in Moonstruck? It was SPECTACULAR.
Anyway (SWEET MERCY how I ramble), when I woke up this morning I wasn’t feeling well at all, and by lunchtime I had a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad headache. I typically only get headaches when I have a sinus infection, so I decided to go ahead and call the doctor like the grown-up I am and make an appointment for him to drill holes under my eyes in the hopes that that would relieve a little bit of the pressure. Not that I was feeling a sense of urgency or anything. And I certainly wasn’t going to insist that he drill holes under my eyes. I would have been just as happy for him to make good use of a small but effective anvil.
I showed up for my appointment a little early, and thankfully the nurse called me back right away. A few minutes later my doctor came into the exam room and grabbed his trusty head lamp and some sort of prong-y implement so that he could see what was going on with my sinuses. He initially looked so alarmed by the state of my sinus cavities that I halfway wanted him to scream “SWEET FANCY MOSES” just to lighten the mood a bit, but it only took him about six seconds to figure out that I do indeed have a mighty lively sinus infection. Even better was the fact that when the doctor was trying to see what was going on, he used the prong thing to press down on an area that must be really swollen because, y’all, when I inhaled I felt a WHOOSH of air surge through my right nasal passage, and I’ll tell you what: IT WAS REFRESHING.
LIKE A COOL MOUNTAIN BREEZE, IT WAS.
Long story endless: I got a shot and a prescription and my head feels so much better already. As much as I don’t like taking medicine (a trait I come by honest, thanks to my daddy), it’s just the nicest thing ever when the medicine starts to work. Very grateful for that.
And if you’ll bear with me, I’d now like to share something that’s completely unrelated to all that stuff that I just told you. Not that the lack of any sort of cohesive narrative structure has ever stopped me before.
I was in junior high, I think, when “Footloose” came out. I remember going to see it at the theatre with my youth group, but the main thing I remember about that night is that my youth group friends Hallie and Beverly talked ALL. THE. WAY. THROUGH. THE. MOVIE. And I don’t mean that they whispered. I mean that they hooted and yelled and laughed hysterically. I have a vivid memory of Hallie turning around to have a conversation with someone who was about three rows behind her, but the movie? Sort of foggy. As much as I adored the soundtrack and knew every single word of every single song, my only lasting mental images from the movie are John Lithgow screaming the word “PIT” in his sermons and the last dance scene. The end.
Inspiring, isn’t it?
Well, yesterday someone reminded me of a real “Footloose” treasure – A TREASURE, I TELL YOU – and when I watched it I was overcome with delight and joy and merriment and thanksgiving. Oh, today’s movies might have more sophisticated scripts and better special effects and superior production values, but I dare say they cannot touch 80’s movies in the area of The Angry Dance. They can’t come close. Because this angry dance? From “Footloose”? IT IS EPIC.
Please do to enjoy.
That’s poetry in motion, my friends. Poetry set to the music of a sah-weet saxophone.
It just doesn’t get any better. And personally I think we should all walk away from Kevin Bacon’s Angry Dance and feel a renewed sense of determination to perfect our aerial (and also one-handed) cartwheels.
It’s the least we can do to honor his Angry Dance legacy.
IT’S THE LEAST WE CAN DO.
Love,
Me
Well, first off, I hope your sinuses get back to normal soon. I don’t take meds very well either. Makes my husband made as fire.
Secondly, my younger sister LOVED Grease and Footloose. To say she played those albums 100 times each would be an understatement. So I usually stay as far away from those movies as I can. But can I just say that was refreshing? It was. I laughed out loud. I had forgotten how…um, corny that movie was!
MAD as fire. Not made as fire. What does that mean? Sorry.
There’s a scene in one of the High School Musicals that is a complete, total ripoff of the Kevin Bacon angry dance. I love me some Zac Efron, but his angst is nowhere near the level of Kevin’s angst.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kze5Eo39lzA
FYI: I’ve ordered said hair product, will letcha know how it works!
Did Kevin Bacon have a dance/gymnastics double for that routine? Because WOW.
I fear I may have a similar situation going on with my sinuses but am still in the denial phase.
Despite its many obvious charms, the main reason I loved Footloose was that Kevin Bacon bore a striking resemblance to our preacher’s son Patrick, who was in my youth group and on whom I had a desperate crush. He drove a 71 VW bug (but his was light blue) and needless to say the movie provided me with endless fodder for my teenage daydreams. I may or may not have done my own angry dance when he chose Vicky Fowler, who was kind of a slut, but I did not have access to a cool warehouse nor was I able to do a cartwheel, one-handed or otherwise.
My friend. That was a SAH-WEET arial. Howev, it was a one-handed ROUNDOFF. Not cartwheel.
And now I have justified the many many many years of gymnastics that my parents paid for.
Awesome.
Oh my heavens.
This post was all I needed it to be. The full blown sinus descriptions. The detailed footloose reference?
Greatness.
Now, if only you had spoken of mannequin or how great the z-pack works with bouts of bronchitis.
I’m going to bed fulfilled tonight. And for that, I thank you.
I completely agree with Janet. This post is true greatness.
Also, I have always declared and will continue to do so… Footloose is the Best. Soundtrack. EVER.
Thanks for the memories! :)
Have you heard they are making a remake of Footloose with Dennis Quaid playing John Lithgow’s part? Someone named Kenny Wormald is playing Kevin Bacon’s part. Eager to see if he can do “the Angry Dance.”
Take care of yourself!
I found your blog through BigMama’s and have enjoyed it so much. You have completely won me over with your description of the sinus infection. I’m on my third one of the winter and am pretty sick of it. Not ready for the anvil but close. Footloose is my very favorite musical film and I couldn’t be happier that you wrote about it today!! More gals need to be exposed to the wonderfulness of Kevin Bacon’s dancing and that great music. Thanks for starting my day out so well in spite of the angry sinuses. I wonder if there is an angry sinus dance?
I’ll give you a dollar if you wear those jeans. ;)
My FAVORITE part of the whole “angry dance” is the unbelievable ability for his little car stereo to be so loud that he can hear it the whole time while dancing.
But, you know, sometimes you just have to dance.
I felt uncomfortable watching that dance….lol SO awkward. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that movie all the way through.
My husband does the BEST impression of the dance that Chris Penn does in Footloose.
Don’t you know he felt better after all that dancing!? I still remember the ESPRIT sweater I wore to see Footloose on my first ‘date.’ I must also say, in my humble opinion, that Kevin Bacon needs to step away from all the Botox or whatever anti-aging products he has been using.
Feel Better Mama !
And how much do you love the commercial where he is mocking himself and is dressed like an old mine??
It’s creepy funny all in one.
Happy Breathing today!
Um…This. My. Favorite. Movie. Ever. And it’s the very first movie that I remember seeing in the theater.
My kids got the VeggieTales Bob and Larry sing the 80’s CD for Christmas, and I must say that listening to Bob sing “Footloose” is one of my favorite parts of the CD.
Also, I wonder what Kevin Bacon thinks when he looks back at that angry dance….
thats my FAVORITE part!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and I could recite the entire movie I saw it so much! the memories of going to the movies at the theatre on hwy 31 (where homegoods is now) and having my momma drop us off around the corner so we would look cool (never mind that 12 year olds can’t drive and everyone knows that) oh those memories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am certainly excited by the number of !!!! in this post!!!! way too early for 830am!
I do love that you are a child of the ’80’s along with me. And that soundtrack is one of the best around….although my mom wouldn’t let me listen to parts of it.
And what happened to Lori Singer? Anyone?
Yes, I do remember the Lori Davis Hair System. What I remember more about it was on SNL when Chris Farley played Lori Davis and Christina Applegate played Cher.
PURE. GOLD.
Or, I could say, “Hey, remember that time Chris Farley played Lori Davis and Christina Applegate played Cher? Yeah, that was great.” Thus, remembering TWO Chris Farley sketches in one statement.
Joy from Charlotte, NC
Oh how I needed the angry dance today. I’ve been in a funk this last week or so, and completely unable to articulate it.
ah, if only we all had an empty warehouse, and a sterio in a VW bug that is so powerful it can power the MOON!
I love KB….I also love Christian Slater. Remember him? mmmmmm…..yummy. He didn’t age too well though…
I too love KB’s new commercial…
I used to rewind the kiss at the lockers where she gave him the Bible with marked verses and he goes, “Com’ere…I wanna tell you something. (smooch) Thanks.” THOUSANDS of times. You must Netflix-ify this predicament ASAP until you know every word of dialogue by heart. “That Ren is such a fox.” “Amyeeee!” “Are you serious.” “No. But we did dance. We danced our @$$es off” “Do they sell men’s clothes where you got that hat?”
And as for the angry dance move where he makes a “z” motion with both hands? I’d like to see Ursher attempt such bold choreography.
P.S. This would make a much better commercial for “pajama jeans”
Gotta say, the part where he slides down the stairs holding onto the railings scares me to bits! Not the sliding action or anything rational like that.Uh uh…Its the What If. What if, WHAT IF there was a splinter on those raillings?!?! Every dingdang time I watch that movie I worry that he is going to get a metal splinter in his palm sliding down those railings.
Sadly, everytime I take to the dance floor, it LOOKS like I`m trying to recreate Kevin`s Angry Dance, and as good as it is, people just don`t appreciate it these days, especially at weddings!
Holy high pants! That was awesome, thank you!
Hope you feel better soon!
My three year old said, “Dat boy’s gonna get huht. Is that in Texas?” We’re moving temporarily to TX soon, so he’s fascinated with all things TX (sounds like a durn commercial). I’ve been known to break out a Deniece Williams “Let’s hear it for the boys” since I have three of them, and also the foot dance (I’m so uncool I don’t even know what it’s called but it’s the part with Chris Penn!). Oh, happy memories today! Thank you and do feel better (I’m with you on the small holes drilled under the eyes, but I am usually begging my husband to play Jael to my Sisera, my temples hurt so bad!. (How’s that for obscure Bible reference? :)
So funny, the other night when I wasn’t sleeping (insomnia last 2 weeks for first time ever in my life) I watched a rerun of Will&Grace on tv and Kevin Bacon was on it and did a little impromptu dance with Will to Footloose. It was the first time I’ve thought of that movie in forever! You should youtube search it and watch the clip. Hilarious!
Thank you SO much for sharing that video! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find an empty warehouse so that I can slide down a staircase using only my arms on the bannister, swing wildly from a rope and throw a beer bottle with all of my might.
Sah-weet, indeed.
:)
we all know why kyra married the man. plus he has his own band, can laugh at himself (recent commercials)… i choose to believe all the gymnastics are him, even though the lighting screams body-double.
glad you’re feeling better!
Firstly, I get a tad mad at myself when I realize 10 minutes into an infomercial that I have been watching it with all the rapt attention one should reserve for an M Knight Shyamalan movie. That’s usually when I throw the remote.
Secondly, I have never seen footloose.
And who is Kevin Bacon?
Oh, you oldies.
Ha!
I watched Footloose for the first time a few years ago with my friend Stella. And during the watching of that movie, my dog went outside, apparently ate a bird, come back in, and threw it up countless times all over the living room. So clearly, I understand the feeling of not so much remembering the actual movie. Stella and I can’t hear the word “footloose” without thinking of that trauma.
Hi There!
While you’re on the topic of Kevin Bacon thought you might enjoy this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyQb192-CPQ
Thanks for keeping us in stitches.
Oh my. I had truly forgotten this. Kevin Bacon is like the gift that keeps on giving all these years.
I do hope you feel better. As a sufferer of chronic sinus issues, I feel your pain. Like I could almost feel the sweet breeze when I read the “whoosh.”
I have been stalking your blog for some time now, and it took the Kevin Bacon Angry Dance to pull me in from lurk-dom. I had to sneak in to see Footloose when I was a sassy and defiant teenager, my mom still doesn’t know.
As for sinuses, I have requested my doctor surgically remove my face so I can breathe already. Good Luck :)
i still haven’t stopped laughing………..love.
This “angry” dance cracks me up! He is so BAD in his little VW bug! haha My favorite is the last dance scene and Kevin teaching his friend how to dance…Priceless! “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” I love it!! This all takes me waaaaaayyy back.
Prob someone else already left you this in comments, which I’m not reading. But just in case, have you seen the Flight of the Conchord’s version, Brett’s Angry Dance? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjgSkfQPSY
LOL you and your ANGRY dance have MADE MY DAY! I had such a frustrating day yesterday and this has made me smile.
I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not, but you’ve inspired me to request that from Netflix… you can’t even watch it on demand!
I’m pretty sure we played some of that music in pep band when I was in high school, but I didn’t know anything about the movie.