a different kind of warrior

The end of the term is often accompanied by a strange mix of nostalgia, excitement and the desperate need to cram 27 breakfasts, drinks, dinner parties and costume parties into the four days between finals week obligations and summer plans.

The warrior party was one of the greatest uses of time in the last few days before summer is officially here. The theme was open to interpretation, the party: sure to be full of design students with crazy ideas of what 'warrior' might mean. With 5 hours notice i thought for a while, continuing on with my work until only a couple hours were left to decide on a theme and a costume.

The process is usually a fun one. It often involves trying on my entire wardrobe in inappropriate ways, and searching for tools, string, wax, footwear, hair accoutrements from the shed or searching for other ordinary things to use in unordinary ways. I was simultaneously searching for stray bike parts for Julie's bike warrior costume as I thrashed my bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, tool shed and living room for my costume.

My black skirt became a cape. A belt became a warrior shoulder sling. Another belt was a knife sling for the upper thigh. The outfit was designed around the need to wear my grandma's 1960's red retro roller skates. I wasn't sure if I could in fact remember how to roller skate, but as I searched for the rest of my costume, I stumbled around the house spinning or running into walls to stop my momentum for practice.

Jerry was confused.

The party itself was a hit. Warriors of all kinds everywhere. Bike warriors, a whole clan of Q-tip warriors, sexy warriors, traditionally painted warriors, 80's warriors. I was cut by a real machete, I could have been taken out by a seriously deadly bike warrior weapon in battle mode. I was bruised by my own knife.

we look fierce, don't we? :)

I could lie and say it was a very tame sort of warrior party, but I should admit that there was wrestling, sword fighting, dancing, roller-skating, singing, beer pong and general mayhem.