Sometimes, the awkward, bullied grade-school nerd in me shows himself, his tiny, insignificant self-image forgetting that he’s a full-fledged grownup male who has traveled the world and negotiated multimillion-dollar deals.

As I’m oft reminded, a simple “thank you” for a compliment means more than a humorous attempt to act modest.

The awkwardness has declined with time and maturity but appeared this weekend.

So, too, saying thank you as a compliment is not easy for me in realtime, despite my frequent use of gratitude in this blog.

I can’t go back in time but I can record here my thanks for the hard work that Jenn put into not only the hours of practice she provided for our dance routine, but also the great effort she put into a costume for our performance.

It’s been rare to find such a good friend in someone like Jenn, who’s willing to play grownup pretend (or cosplay, in today’s parlance) for a public show, purely for the sake of fun exercise.

I appreciate her husband’s and my wife’s patience during the past couple of months.

Here’s our video, posted for posterity and eternity on the Internet, turned rightside-up, with titles and credits to identify us when we’re old and gray (and a little forgetful — “You mean that used to be you, Great Uncle Rick/Great Aunt Jenn?” “That’s what they tell me.”):

Lindy Hop fun!

Here’s hoping that we can find the time and energy to put another routine together.