Stairway to Heaven

As it turns out, it was a mistake to quote Led Zeppelin on the discussion board for my community development subject.

Not everyone is into drawing on rock anthologies to explain how communities rally together around a particular issue. Indeed, it seems as though my reference was completely lost on my audience of around 170 fellow students. So, the lesson for me here is that sometimes it is not so good to stand out from the crowd. If Molly Meldrum was in my class, my comment might have been a hit. But he isn't. It's just a bunch of people who like to talk about harmony and ideology and 'harnessing community spirit'. The risk did not pay off this time! A shame it happened at the beginning of the semester, how do I recover from this? (Not by dismissing entire class as bunch of rock-less souls .... at least not to their face).

A sign that I have approached a certain age: the 90s is back in fashion. It was long enough ago to be considered cool by 16 year olds now, but still feels close enough to me to be a little bit cringy. I remember my Mum shuddering at the 70s vintage I would parade around in when I was an undergraduate, for her it was all too close and horrific. I thought her comments just made her sound like an old person. And now ... well, the world has rotated a few more times and da-da! I am old too. But really - those little cropped blouses that tie up at the front and the big back packs and long floral skirts ... not great then. Don't look that much better now. The same can definitely be said for 100% polyester shirts (the really really thick ones with the belt in the same fabric that ties at the most unflattering part of the waist) - but because my Mum said it to me, and I was 20 years old - it was simply not a valid comment at the time. Now I understand.

However I look at it, I just can't see the 90s as 'vintage'. If I find a checked baggy shirt on a second hand rack, it is not embraced as good find. It is discarded for the smelly rag that it is. For anyone who is starting to think the 90s was kind of cool - I refer you to Jerry Seinfeld. Please look at those jeans, and get back to me. Not good then, kind of worse now. I keep repeating to myself that the 90s was now 20 years ago, and I admit that almost enough time has elapsed to enable me to pull out some of the key trends that marked that decade.

The next challenge 2000-2010? If you want to stay ahead of the pack, you better start tailoring some hot new vintage look circa 2005. Confusing? Yes? How do I make something look retro and now, that is actually still kind of part of what I wear, but just a little bit old?

I think that's basically the recipe of the fashion cycle.

Don't throw anything away, just keep wearing it, give it 10 years and recycle it as vintage. (But you can probably let the hyper-colour t-shirt go.)

Lipstick in my handbag and a party on the dance floor.

So anyway, I went to a nightclub recently. I know! It felt like something so deeply etched into my past, that I wanted to refer to it as the 'discotheque'.

I got so carried away by nostalgia for a life lived long ago, that I found myself even reaching for a cigarette. And had it not been for the fact that the best I could get my hands on was a Winnie Blue, I may have actually smoked it (and no doubt vomited five minutes later). My body has been a nicotine-free temple for many many years ... probably best to leave it that way!

There was a band, my boyfriend, a nice cold beer in my hand, lots of people making merry, and no missed calls from the home front on my mobile. Perfect conditions for an hour or two of fun, shaking our tail-feather and gossiping about the dance floor. Just like the good old days!

The trip down memory lane continued right into the toilet. I closed the cubicle door and read signage about up and coming events at 'the nightclub' with interest (and a deep-seated understanding that I would in no way attend). I looked at the dirty floor and smiled fondly, thinking of all the filthy nightclub toilets I had ever been into (not sure when this became a pleasant memory, but I think it has).

Considering that using any public toilet for me now generally involves bringing my small companion, and that she will invariably open the toilet door after she has finished (but I have not) as she is bored; dirty old nightclub toilets with no toilet paper look pretty good.

Oh how the years can change perspective!

In sum: it hasn't been that long in the scheme of things, but we have turned into the couple who seem to have a disproportionate amount of fun (and drinks) to the event itself. The reason being: don't get out that much anymore!

People of this ilk used to completely mystify me. Why were they so drunk? Why were they having so much fun? Why were they dancing to that shit song? The answer: because they have to.

You never know when your next discotheque is going to roll into down!