The Moxie hosted a goth-themed party.
Parties make me nervous. They always have. It's not that I don't like the idea of parties... but the idea of a party I have in my head is an amalgamation of various scenes from John Hughes films. But try as these movies might, its difficult to truly capture how awkward the social engagement aspect of parties can potentially be for the awkward.
The overly long pauses in conversation. The accidental glances one makes trying to find something to say, that can lead to even more silent pauses. The words you wish you could unsay because you felt compelled to speak to avoid or escape the silent pause only to end up worse for speaking.
A party is rife with awkward opportunities...
or maybe I am only speaking for those of us who carry our awkward along like Pigpen does his cloud of filth.
But in spite of my anxious nature, I feel a strong pull toward the idea of facilitating community. A pull that is rooted in the depths of my formative years.
I always felt slightly off-kilter and struggled to find a place where I fit.
This is a struggle that the majority of us at the Moxie have felt at various times in our lives. It's something that bonds us together. And it's also what fuels the mission of the salon outside of just doing good hair.
We want to create and foster an environment that people can feel seen. A safe and welcoming place. A place where people can be themselves without judgement. A place outside of artifice.
Some of us found comrades in musical movements that fell slightly outside of the mainstream.
Enter Goth, a music that carries its outsider spirit proudly, much like its spiritual predecessor, punk. A music for the awkward. A music that allows one to be a wallflower. A music that finds beauty in the overlooked or avoided. A music that has influenced a large portion of what our salon playlists consist of.
So, we had a goth-themed party. Mostly for ourselves. But also for anyone who wanted to join us. And it was beautiful.
There was a fog machine, a slight bit of dancing, good conversation and an overabundance of karaoke. Sooo much karaoke. Everyone in attendance was supportive of each other regardless of ability.... which then encouraged several people to sing in public for the first time in their lives. At one point in the night, I was told by someone that the salon was the only place in the area that they could be themselves completely... a comment that meant the world to us.
I didn't want the night to end. It felt special. And almost made me believe that I enjoy parties. almost.