I have been everywhere but at the computer for the last two weeks.
#1: New York City
I went to NYC for the first time and it was like spending an entire weekend inside of a very hot, crowded aquarium. I did originally have hope because I had read that the heat wave had broken over the city's asphalt shores, but failed to realize that a heat wave breaking for New Yorkers is still fifteen (500) degrees warmer than any day in Seattle.
Also, my hotel, courtesy of my employer, was right in Times Square, the WORLD'S WORST PLACE.
Complaining aside, it is important to note that I didn't die, but I did go to 24 gay weddings in Central Park. It was an event called Pop Up Chapel, which was put on by eight of our ULC Ministers. Astoundingly beautiful and touching, this event, at least temporarily, helped me find some humanity and decency in the Marriage Equality debate.
Look:
I literally cried the whole time, or it was sweat. I can't be sure looking back because it was one big, happy, protest free blur. The only time we thought we saw a protester was actually a man selling bike tours and the conversation went like this:
Me: Why don't you agree with gay marriage?
Bike Tour Salesman: Bike tour?
Me: Bike tour.
Looks to me like NYC no longer cares about queers going to get hitched because even when we spent all day rubbing it in everyone's sweaty faces, no one cared. Or maybe it was too hot.
#2 SHAMBHALA (Nelson, BC, Canada)
The second trip I went on I left for just days after I arrived home from New York City and it was JUST AS HOT. Seattle must have the coldest summers of all time. This was more of an undertaking as it was a fourteen person, international road-trip to what can only be describe as "some serious hippy shit."
Shambhala: Canada's premier electronic music festival.
Getting there was quite the adventure. I'll spare you the details, but just know that we got stuck in some two-bit horse and buggy town called Princeton for awhile and found out that beer in Canada is like $12 for the worst six pack available.
No booze but everything else was welcome. Not being much of a raver or a hippy, I was a loving and benevolent (swearing and slave-driving) DD. While I would love to tell you that I had a great time plastering myself up against some sub-stacks while I let the sound own my soul, that didn't happen. I did see someone doing that though, they had pupils the size of Jupiter's moons.
Overall, it was a great trip. The sun would come up and in fifteen minutes you would burst forth from your tent almost naked and dripping sweat, scrambling to find sunscreen so you could drag yourself over to the river and plant yourself in it.
I am also not much of a schedule master, in fact, I didn't look at it once. Shambs is a 24 hour musical festival (well, 22, the music was off from 10AM-Noon, which left the campgrounds eerily silent) so the schedule was awful confusing to look at. This is my way of saying I didn't really see any of the big names, but I did see some music, cause I was there.
Two people you don't know about but should:
ill-esha
dj laura/lowriders
Blow them up, because more hot chicks should be on stage.
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