CLUBBING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE CHILDBIRTH. Laila is a babbling six month old who is now sitting up on her own, eating pureed veggies and even throwing mini-tantrums. She's the absolute love of my life, and while I'd rather spend most nights hanging out with her - this past weekend I hung up my mommy sweats and danced the night away in my brown leather wedges in a Baltimore club. My friend turned 28 this weekend, and another came down from NYC to celebrate, so a gang of us made the most of the occasion by 'warming up' in a bar first, then dancing the night away in a downtown club. The Chikee of old came back in full force. My entourage occupied the dance floor the entire time - I don't think any of us sat down once. A nice kick-start to my desperately needed (and yet implemented) work-out program. Come to think of it, this might be my first club experience as a married woman. A few things occurred to me since I was last on the club scene. 1- Nothing much as changed. At all. Of course there's the inevitable door politics that ensues if the price or dress code isn't favorable. First there's the appeal to the doorman for a break, quickly followed by the whipping out of trendy luxury communication device, formally knows as a phone (essential for intense and rapid texting to an inside contact, of course). Women are still coming across as desperate (i.e. dressed in their skivies, while it was quite literally 20 degrees outside) and the obligatory storming of the dance floor by a group of trannies. Ladies were granted free admission at this club... I wonder if they had to pay? 2 - The pressure was off. We girls enjoy dancing alone or with each other, usually in a circle. But eventually, Random Dude will appear behind one of us for a dance. Random Dude almost never politely walks away after a song or two. He wants to dance through the entire Reggae set and beyond. The longer he stays, the more we ponder his approach to get the digits. Will it be a drink offering? The 3rd degree? And why am I too nice to walk away? I was rather content just dancing with my girlfriends. All of those feelings were moot for me last night. Mainly because my husband was there to serve as a spirited dance partner all night. Random Dudes did approach my friends though, and I could just see the wariness build as these guys stuck around for consecutive sets. 3- I actually had a great time. I must say this surprised me the most. I didn't know how starved I was for a completely adult evening out with my friends. I must have danced liked this would be the last time. Actually I kind of felt it might be. Who knows when I'll make it the club again. My friends are so spread out geographically, or tied to their offspring as I am. In a way, I don't want to engage in nights like this too regularly. I feel it might spoil the fun of it being a treasured, well-deserved night to cut loose amongst friends. Well, that - and I just don't find going to the club to be all that interesting. This was my attitude even when I was single. To me, the funnest part was getting all dolled up with my friends, and deciding which cocktail to consume (if I drank anything at all). I mean, let's be honest - we all know the music rotations by heart. It's only a matter of time before we hear the Jamaican "Chi-Chi Man" song which is met with same exuberance each & every time we hear it (Although it's no longer a hidden fact that this song is horrendously offensive as it rallies for the violent & indiscriminate persecution of gay males, yet it gets us running to the dance floor every single time. Even gay males). When all's said and done though, I much prefer a comfortable evening sipping hot chocolate in a bookstore with Laila in tow, or staying home and entertaining our friends. Still, there's nothing wrong with marathon booty shaking when the spirit hits. Live it up!