Friday Dance Party: Bye Bye Vi

Lots of changes are afoot these days, for myself and several of my friends. One day soon, I'll cover all the goings-on in my life, which has been action packed for the past month. Just as I am preparing a pretty significant addition to my own life, I've learned that my best buddies in Los Angeles, with whom I stay every December for some holiday cheer, are also undergoing some changes.

These guys have been enamored of Nature Shit, as I have often called it, ever since they got together a whopping 28 years ago.

This interest has manifested itself by their purchase of a huge RV, which for a long while, they took on the road about half of the weekends every year. That routine has slowed down in the past few years, as expenses and other considerations prevented their popping into the rig and hitting the road with all that frequency.

And let's be honest here, when I say these guys are interested in exploring Nature, what I really mean is, they hook up their monster vehicle to a power source and a sewage system at one of the area's trailer parks, and they settle in for a long weekend eating, drinking, and watching DVDs.

Occasionally, I believe, they venture out of the luxury condo-on-wheels, and take a healthy bit of a walk to their favorite nature spot.

Ah well, whatever makes people happy. They nicknamed the vehicle "Vi," over my objections, of course. One of my biggest pet peeves is assigning human names to inanimate objects, but these guys never listen to my opinion so, whatever. My friends have loved their time on the road, enhanced by the ability to take their pets with them when they travel, which is a must for them. I learned this week that the guys have made the very sensible and adult decision to sell their 8-year old RV, for some very logical reasons which are none of my business. Anyway, I know they part with the rig with a lot of sadness, even as they recognize that it was time to close that chapter of their lives.

Before their final goodbye to their mobile home, they made the video which is this week's Dance Party. I had no idea these guys had such musical talent, and please note the cinematography. The entire song was recorded in a single shot, on a cell phone no less. But the clip gives you a good idea of the layout of "Vi" (and I hope that is the last time I'll ever have to call it that), and is a fitting tribute to the many years of service the old gal gave the boys.

OK, I lied. The above clip is actually from a duo called Killer Paisley, one half of which is my friend Vaughn Irving (he's the tall one who gets naked). I still think this is a pretty swell piece of film making, and a catchy tune, too. But other than the fact that it was shot in a Recreational Vehicle, it has nothing to do with my old California buddies' life on the road.