Okay, let’s start this off with admitting that I’m so dead tired, it’s not even funny. I have NO idea where this ramble is going to go …
One recap: I had stitches put in my head a few weeks ago. I’ve been trying to get them taken out for about 10 days, but have been getting the royal run around. No doctors are taking new patients, it would seem, and my doctor had left private practice.
A couple weeks ago, I joined the SF Zen Center’s group on Facebook. It’s an open group, and anyone can join. Shortly thereafter, a plea came out to volunteer for the Zen Center at Pink Saturday (for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence), and to volunteer as a safety monitor for the Parade. I thought about it, and volunteered for both.
I’ve had no prior connection with the Zen Center, and while I consider myself a Buddhist, my practice is quite lapsed, and I’m hardly Zen. This seemed like a good group for whom to volunteer, and while admire the group I’d volunteered for before, slinging alcoholic beverages for a group that does community outreach in a poorish neighbourhood dealing with things like substance abuse seemed … odd.
Flash forward to Friday night … the training for Contingent Monitoring on the float. I’m heading down to the Women’s Building on 18th. The Castro/Noe Valley area is packed. I’m running into people I know, and get down to the Dolores Park. There a little festival going on … it’s a Tranny Festival. I walked around it a bit – I was in desperate need of a porta potty, and they had a bunch set up. They seemed to be having good fun.
I’m going to leave the most of the one-on-one personal stories out of this piece, or it will be a mile long. (To be clear … no, no sexual encounters for me this weekend.)
The training was quite different than the one I’d done 10 years ago. It was pretty humourous, but leave it to SF Queens to keep to the stereotype of telling people to show up early, and then run 15-30 minutes late. Ugh. In the history of SF’s Parade, there has been *one* fatality. The trainers make the presentation fairly fun and silly, but they are VERY serious about the safety of everyone. Hats off to them.
I left the training, and connected with some friends who were finishing dinner. We ran into MORE friends. I was planning on getting home early. I finally walked through my door – waaaay tooo sober – at 11:40PM. Ugh. I chatted until about 12:30AM, when I finally ran out of steam.
I had a tough time sleeping, Saturday morning. I still couldn’t have the windows open because of the smoke, and the place was stuffy. I stumbled about, and decided to NOT volunteer for a third event (the Festival). After slothing about, I moved into some meditation for an hour, and then headed into SF, dropped off my stuff at a friends place, let someone take my stitches out, and went to the party.
Yes, someone took my stitches out at home. After getting the royal run-around from the system, a friend who’d done it many times offerred. I finally accepted. We sterilized everything, and in 2 minutes .. boom … and out. As wonderful as the Emergency Staff at Davies was, every other person I dealt with in the medical system in SF was uniquely unhelpful. I may blog about that another day.
Prior to the Pink Party, there was a dinner party with friends from chat. (Thank you, Roc, for being a gracious host.) I’d met several of the people there at our Sunday brunch gatherings, but there were many new faces.
And several new penises …
See, this group includes several people who enjoy not wearing clothing. Strictly speaking, I’m told, it is not illegal to be nude in SF, it’s “lewd conduct” that may violate the law. So, we had three people who were not clothed and not uncomfortable about it. After the first 2 seconds, I wasn’t either.
One guy was a chat buddy whom I’d never met in person. That’s an interesting way to meet someone. “Hi, I’m <name> and this is my penis.” Not your everyday occurrence.
<smile>
We all made our own pizzas, which were scrummy. I then wandered down to the Community Center for yet another training with the Sisters. I’d never really worked with the Sisters before, so I had no idea what to expect.
Let me tell you … for all the Camp and Fooling Around that the Sisters are stereotyped for doing, and even being somewhat stereotypical in running late with second shift a bit, these people are First Class. Other than timing, everything was professional and friendly and fun. I met many nice people there.
I thought I’d be working the gate. Instead, I wound up working Security at the Castro Theatre Dance Area. I was paired with a woman from the east bay … super nice … we got on great. She stood near the DJ area, and I was standing under a tree in front of All American Boy.
I saw many friends, including several chat buddies I’d never met in person. Most did not recognize me, for a variety of reasons including the hat … and the fact that I looked like a GLOBE. I had 3 layers on, and they I had a “Safety Orange” vest on. I was like a little planet with hands, feet, and a head.
For the most part, that dance area was mellow. The Bank of America area and the MUNI stop had more drama. The biggest problem we had was with people tripping over detrious in the street and broken glass. Glass is forbidden at Pink Saturday, but residents come out with bottles in hand.
Two people tried to fall in front of me. I caught one guy, who would have fallen backward, head-first into the street. Unfortunately, the second person was too far away, and three of us tried to catch her, but she fell and hit her nose and face on the sidewalk. She started walking away, but my partner convinced her to stop and wait for help. I called for help, and had a Sister come to help within a couple minutes.
They tell you in training how people come up and thank you for helping out. I thought it was fluff, and that people would ask for directions and toilets – which they did. I have to admit, though: Stone cold sober people came over and said very, very nice things to me. Several “thank yous” just because we were there. It was very rewarding. I hope I’ll be able to do it again next year.
My one true regret was not being able to say hi to some people that I knew from chat, particularly Jase. Next time, though … watch out!
When it was over, I got my tshirt … and then we poured my one friend into the cab with us and went home. I finally got to sleep at 1:30, and was awake by 7:00. Late for me. I ran late, too, but got to the Zen Float in plenty of time.
Prior to Sunday, I knew *no one* there, other than speaking with one of the coordinators by phone. With one exception, everyone I met was so so so *very* nice … even when I had to scold one of them during the parade for getting an entire contingent behind us. They were a little confused about how I got there, and when I told them the story (a few times), everyone’s face lit up. I’m not Zen, but I really liked the group of people there (again, with one exception). Everyone encouraged me to join them at either the Center in SF, or at Green Gulch.
The parade was FAST! For the first year, there was NO cross-traffic on Market Street. In the past, traffic breaks were allowed on a couple of streets. This year, there were none. We left about an hour earlier than we would have last year, I think. We rarely stopped. One contigent member chose to leave at the halfway point. It was that kind of fast.
I saw a lot of people en route that I know. It was really a lot of fun. I also got some great feedback later and on line this morning (Monday) about how the SF Zen Center contingent brought a moment of calm to the parade.
I then connected with my friends, and we walked the festival for a couple hours. I bought a $20 lunch at the festival that consisted of an Gyro/Falafel, deep fried artichokes, and a 20 Strawberry Smoothie. OUTrageous, but I was ready to gnaw my arm off. Credit where due: the Strawberry Smoothie was VERY good.
The other “must mention” was Claire, and I hope I’m spelling her name right. Gods, it was good to see her. It had been ages. Wonderful, funny, beautiful woman …
Around 3:45 I ran into the naked guys from the dinner party. They were posing with people on some beds that were set-up at the Festival. I’m sure folks were taking pictures to caption as “Only in San Francisco.”
We left at 4:30. Two of us were dead, the fog had come screaming in, and I needed to get my stuff. I managed to stumble to the condo, grab my stuff, and catch the 5:27 bus home. I fell asleep 3 times, and woke my own, sorry self up with my snoring. LOL
When I stood up from the bus seat, I could barely walk. Grabbed some food from the store, came home, and plopped at the computer. I had a good chat, but everytime I stood up, my legs were like, “Oooooh, NOOOOO, Lucy!” I kept looking down expecting to see Vivian Vance hiding in each thigh …
I finally crashed into bed, who knows what time. I slept until 7 … very unusual for me.
I’ll write more about the people of the weekend next time. But, for now …
Ed Dead … but I’ll be back soon. J
