To the seat with the clearest view

So I was at the David Bowie is party last night and had a fabulous time. I did NOT chicken out of doing full makeup, which I'm happy about; I'm really grateful to the people at my work and the old friends on my Facebook who egged me on. I'm so glad I did that. I just felt this tremendous excitement and anticipation getting dressed in sequins and a bright skirt, blazer and feather boa (camp as a row of tents, remember?) and dousing myself in glitter (which will probably be stuck on me for the next three weeks as glitter makeup is murder to get off - but worth it). And when I put on the Aladdin Sane flash, I just felt so confident and thrilled, it was amazing. I felt delighted rocking that look on the streets, at the bank machine where I had to get cash and on the way to and from the museum - no funny stares at all (I was almost disappointed, although one little girl seemed to think it was cool and seemed to be trying to work out how to do it), and it was just an incredible experience sort of walking in the footsteps of David Bowie. As someone who hasn't really lived through the vast majority of the music she loves, this was just a wonderful, almost once in a lifetime opportunity. (Also felt like I was literally living in my favourite ever movie, which was nice too... Hence 'like the video films we saw...')

The party itself was amazing too. They had a DJ spinning Bowie and other music, but also the opportunity to go into the exhibit and to view/take part in some other activities like fans' collections of Bowie memorabilia that were on display, or to draw self-portraits of ourselves as Bowie. (I guess 'David Bowie is within us all,' or something.) I was worried about dressing appropriately but really this was just a great opportunity for people to be themselves, do what they wanted and present themselves how they wanted, which is totally appropriate. There were a number of other people with Bowie-esque makeup and as I was walking in, one girl who had the Ziggy Stardust trompe l'oeil disc on her forehead high fived me. So cool.

It would have been better had I had a friend of my own with me to share it with; that's the one downside. (And parties are not good environments to start talking to people and trying to make friends, especially not for shy introverts like me.) But I was still among fellow fans and therefore friends broadly speaking; I also went in there phone blazing and wanted to document some of the experience for others. So here are photos and comments/explanations/whatever.

( The streets of London are ablaze with sparkle makeup and glittering frocks... )

Addenda:
1) The makeup was itching me when I first put it on, so I carried an 'in case of makeup emergency' bag with an army of cotton balls and Kleenex. I had that stupid bag under my feet in the last picture, but was able to successfully Photoshop it out.
2) It was a little awkward not being able to touch half my face all night, but I didn't make too big a mess of my hard work, happily.
3) I love those platform shoes, but I went way over the time limit for wearing them; I nearly collapsed multiple times, and was about to freak out having to walk down the ramp to get to the coat check to get my sneakers. When I got the sneakers on that literally gave me a new lease on life. I've a love-hate relationship with those platform shoes...
4) Again I reiterate: if you're into Bowie or want to get into him or just experience something awesome, and you're in Toronto/coming to Toronto/have a random trip to Toronto plop into your lap, come with me!
5) How the eff do I reformat/edit this post for the Tumblr environment? The point of documenting this experience was partly to share it with other Bowie fans, and Tumblr has the widest audience, but I don't know if ginormous personal blog posts are on the cards there...

Seriously, just had the most amazing time at the exhibit. (Members Only preview, as it only officially opens tomorrow - am so glad I took that membership.) OMG so fabulous, and so much Bowie memorabilia and music and videos etc (not to mention merchandise in the gift shop after) it’s actually a bit disorienting; it’s like an orgy of David Bowie stuff. Too much to take in at once, which is fine for me as I took an AGO membership so I can go multiple times, and am totally going again at least once. And have a whole Bowie party on Friday night - still need to pick up some of my accessories for that.

The one problem was that I am alone in this city and was alone at the exhibit, which meant I had no one to share it with. Seriously, I had no one to squee with, or to notice that I was wearing this great Thin White Duke-esque outfit (having come straight from work and therefore needed a Bowie-esque outfit that was also work appropriate), or to take pictures in front of the posters. That was the one downside - that and that they didn’t allow pictures in the exhibit, though I kinda expected that. Really would have liked to show you guys some but I wasn't feeling brave/rebellious enough to risk it among all those people. Maybe I'll take some when I go again.

Seriously, if someone is in Toronto, coming to Toronto or what have you, and you want to go to this thing, maybe we should arrange a meetup?

I just bought my Art Gallery of Ontario membership. Free admission to the David Bowie Is exhibit!

... I just have to call Monday to try to figure out how long it takes for the membership cards to arrive and what address to ship it to, since I am moving from Ottawa to my sublet in Toronto and then to my actual apartment in Toronto (which comes available 2 weeks after I start this job). So basically I have three addresses in the next six weeks, and the billing address on my credit card is my parents' house in a different province, which puts the total to four addresses in the mix. Also, I really hope no one gets me in trouble for presenting a University of Ottawa student card when I will go to this exhibit a few times in Toronto (and wonders, you know, how can I be hanging out at the David Bowie exhibit so much yet purportedly be a full time student in a different town...)

1) My inner talk in my brain is starting to sound just like Matt Smith - his voice and accent and mannerisms. Apparently that's what comes of catching up on the last two Doctor Who episodes and then immediately afterwards, watching half of Christopher and His Kind...

2) I have had precious little time for anything in the last couple weeks thanks to the bloody end of term (hence the above-mentioned getting behind on Doctor Who). However, I do want to do a David Bowie themed fashion post in honour of what is, for me, the start of the second - let's call it - Bowie Month...

( Continuing with Bowie Month, fashion blends inspired by some of his various regenerations... )

Wow, I need a flipping David Bowie support group so badly right about now - can anyone point me in the direction of one? Seriously? What with the new album out and my excitement over the Victoria and Albert Museum exhibit on David Bowie Is, which I tragically cannot pop over to the UK to see, this has just been a month for overactive Bowie feels. Heck, unfortunately, even shopping the V&A Bowie merchandise is a little impractical for me as their overseas shipping would come to something like $30 Canadian... Bah. (I hate being made to feel like I live in this colonial backwater where the cool things just do not come.)

Need support group. Now. Very much. XD

Also, in less fun news: I have a dentist appointment in about two hours, need some minor restoration work and will probably need a needle for the freezing part. That is a horrifying thought as I just hate needles. Seriously, I wish they could just sedate me completely for every little thing so I wouldn't be aware that there's a needle near my body...

1) Had some real winner dreams this week. In addition to the back to high school one I mentioned a few days ago, I also had one in which I was on another cruise (took one with the boyfriend and his family over the holidays), this time with a water skiing tabby cat mascot on board; in another dream, I was time traveling and got to meet Kurt Cobain a la the Marc Bolan "drive carefully, 'specially in Minis" scene in 1.04 of Life on Mars.

2) Have been staying in the home town since Wednesday afternoon, when it was the boyfriend's birthday - which gave me an opportunity to meet up with an old friend today. Now I am usually a terrible hermit; however, I've been feeling kinda lonely lately which finally caused me to realize just how important keeping in touch is. We met up and went tea bar hopping and window shopping, caught up on school/life/nerdly interests, etc. I must do this more often.

We also touched on both of our respective recent trips to Boston, and I got to use my quip about the T's experimental rock-style distortion that always reminds me of the Velvet Underground - especially the Green Line, and especially Boylston. I swear, someday I will use that line and someone I am with will actually get the reference(s).

Also also - we ducked into Urban Outfitters just to kill time, and the background music in the store immediately started playing 'my' song, i.e., Bowie's Life on Mars. Such an awesome moment. So perfect.

3) Ugh, I spent much of October through December trying to avoid writing a fan fic story that I feared would be pure pointless depressing-ness and angst. Naturally, around my holiday in December I caved and wrote up a draft of that story. Now my imagination wants me to go even further and to develop an original story drawing elements from this fan fiction but changing names, setting, etc (basically Fifty Shades of Gray-style) - but go further and somehow make it even more depressing. Why, brain? Why?