Harold Siroonian Dancing in Hamilton July 15 2022

This is a video taken today by my friend Pat F. in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is of Harold Siroonian, otherwise known as "The Hamilton Dancing Man." I've posted videos of Harold dancing in previous blogs. However, for the past two years Harold has been missing from the scene because of COVID. In fact Harold caught COVID but survived which is somewhat amazing because he does have medical issues and is now eighty-nine years old. 

Pat has sent me several videos of Harold dancing which I find great pleasure in viewing. Harold was a scientist by occupation. Of course he's been retired many years now. He is a widower and has two grown children. He is of Armenian heritage. 

I did have the privilege of meeting him in person a couple of years ago, while he was in the hospitable. Of course he was a gentleman of great class. Humble and interesting. He has inspired others to street dance. Even me (once in Palm Springs!). 

I often watch his videos when I want to relieve my stress. And things have been stressful around here lately caregiving for Bill which is why I haven't posted for awhile. I'll catch you up on that part of my life in future blog postings. But for now, I'm enjoying watching this video of this classy man enjoying life by doing what he likes to do. 

Welcome back Harold!

Dancing In The Streets of Palm Springs California

While walking on the main street (North Palm Canyon Drive) of Palm Springs during our annual visit, the live music was so compelling that I just had to put a few moves on in public. Of course being the shy, retiring guy that I am I could only do a minute or two before I handing my iPhone over to Pat to really show us how to dance. 

Always so much fun to visit Palm Springs, time to let my hair (or what is left of it) down. I love to dance. Of course I realize I "Elaine Dance" but hey, I enjoy dancing none-the-less. Watch out for next year. I really plan to let loose. 

Ron Dances!

I've always liked to dance. Slow dance, fast dance. I've never considered myself a particularly good dancer but I do enjoy dancing. This folks is my "Elaine" (see Seinfeld episode) dance.

This week has been particularly trying, especially after loosing my neighbor and good friend Barbara. Now who am I going to gossip about the neighbors with?  Another chunk of my life gone. But of course my loss is nothing compared to her husband's loss. I see he still has company over there. I've told him that Bill and I will help him out whenever he needs us. 

Tuesday the rug cleaners are coming by. I want to have the rug in our basement also cleaned. But first I had to finish gong through my accumulation of things I don't need over the past fifty-five years. Things that I find very hard to get rid of but I am making progress folks. Today I made a lot of progress. Thus a little dance show for you all.

Humpty Dumpty Falls Again

None of my quarterly adventures with Pat is complete without a fall.  

During my recent stay in Canada with my Canadian Travel Buddy Pat, I had a couple close calls but didn't actually fall until we visited a bar with a live band.

Pat took me to Port Dover, Ontario to visit his friends Paul and Deb and their new house (which was lovely).  After having dinner at Paul and Deb's we topped off the night by visiting a local bar with a live band.  The place was the Norfolk Tavern and the band was the Jack Sith band.  

The band was great! 

I had a ringside seat to listen and videotape the band and the dancing. I even danced later (a video of which I will post in a future blog post).  

While videotaping Pat and Deb dancing, I attempted to stand up to get a better view of Pat and Deb which was being obscured by a blonde dancing in front of them. As I stood up I lost my balance and fell backwards into the crowd behind me.  You can see my tall chair hit the floor. I almost hit the floor but was saved from injury by a shaved head burly man who placed his hands under my shoulder blades and lifted me back up.  You can hear me yelp.  SO EMBARRASSING!  

Thank goodness he caught me just before I hit the floor. Of course my iPhone was running the whole time and captured the sounds of my humiliation if not the video.  It's a shame someone didn't video me falling, that would have been a You Tube "moment" for sure.

I continued to video tape Pat and Deb dancing and stayed in my seat, still so embarrassed.  

Thank goodness I didn't injure myself and thank goodness that man's quick thinking. I was lucky this time. 

I have to admit that it is funny listening to this video though even though at the time it wasn't so funny. 

More adventures coming.

Smooth Moves

I can't dance. 

I love to dance but I can't dance. 

Not that I don't want to dance but I just don't have the "moves." 

I'm one of those quintessential white guys who has ZERO rhythm. 

Three years ago, when we (Pat and I) first visited Los Angeles, we went to disco night at Oil Can Harry's.

Oil Can Harry's West Hollywood, California

There, under the glittering lights of a disco ball, I fell flat on my back while trying one of my signature moves. There was a collective "GASP!" from the other dancers on the floor as they parted (like the Red Sea in "The Ten Commandments") as I lay flat on my back on the floor. My dance partner, a cute Hispanic mustachioed man wearing a wife beater T-shirt, looked down at me, this old man who has totally humiliated himself by falling while doing his moonwalk (who was I kidding?)  Unfortunately, Pat, who was videotaping the dance floor (he was enthralled by one guy who DID have the moves) and missed my fall completely. If he had recorded my fall I'm sure that video would have went viral on You Tube.

But here is someone who can dance. Very cool Pat. Oh how I wish I had natural rhythm like my talented friend Mr. Pat of Toronto, Canada.  Oh well, some do and some don't.

Pat and me at our favorite eatery in West Hollywood, the Veggie Grill on Sunset Boulevard

Relaxing

Finally, time for relaxing.

The past month has been busy.  My annual birthday trip to Philly. The shock of the election results. The hours and hours getting all of our ducks in line for Bill's cataract surgery.  

Each day it seems all my waking hours are chore filled.  Yesterday I decided to treat myself.  

I went down to the Bose outlet store in Rehoboth beach and brought one of those cool WiFi speakers.  This was a combined birthday/Christmas gift from me to me.  Oh I do treat myself well these days.  No more putting things off until "later."  "Later" is here now.  

So I had a little fun this morning. The video above is one I took of Bill listening to the polka radio station I created for him.  Bill loves polka.  I do too.

The video that follows is one that I posted to Facebook this morning.  I never did learn how to polka dance.  But I had fun anyway. I may have turned 75 years old a few weeks ago but I'm still young a heart.  I will never act as an old man.  Except of course when I first get out of bed in the morning, getting my arthritic body moving.  But once I get started, watch 

out.

My Canadian Adventure Continues - Zippers

Yes folks, I did it.  I visited THE gay club in Toronto last night.  It's called Zippers.  I wasn't planning on going but My Host has never been to Zippers or any other gay bar (with the exception of his Philly visit last and that didn't really count for reasons that I can explain later).  I wanted to show my host what a fun place a gay bar is when the dancing begins.

Now folks, I haven't danced since . . . . . . um . . . the 1980's.  I wasn't sure if this old body was up to all those gyrations required to qualify to step on the dance floor and shake my booty.  Guess what?  After a few missteps I fell right into the groove.  Now granted I do the "Elaine Dance" (refer to the Seinfeld episodes where Elaine THINKS she can dance), I did it!  Of course My Host was a bit surprised by my energy and abandon but I cleared the dance floor when I did my Michael Jackson moon walk.   My Host even whipped out his . . . iPhone to video the massive display of ego he was witnessing right in front of his very eyes.  

Look closely folks, and you can see yours truly getting on down in his Mr. Rogers "It's All Good in the Neighborhood" tee shirt. How about those electric lights zapping all over me?  Way cool.

So what did I think of "Zippers"?

My Host and I out in front of Zippers last night

 I was impressed.  Only two complaints.  The drinks at $6.75 (a very modest gin and tonic, my Bar Drink) was a bit pricey.  And the piano player singing Broadway show tunes (what is this fascination of gays with Broadway show tunes anyway?) was in a word: AWFUL.  Loud isn't talent.  Other than those two minor distractions (and the hunky   Indian - or Muslin security guy), we had a wonderful time.  And even better, we didn't have to drive back to My Host's home, we took the trolley.  Ah yes, I remember the days when I first came out in Pittsburgh (1963) and I used to take the trolley home after a night at the A.V.A., THE Pittsburgh gay bar.  Back then after a night of shaking my booty I didn't ache as much as I did this morning.  Time marches on and I can still act like a fool but I am having a grand old time.