Adventure on December 14th
I went on an adventure this evening to the Davenport Hotel, the oldest hotel in Spokane. OUTSpokane had a holiday party (it's the committee that puts on PRIDE every June) and I bought a ticket to both support and be a voyeur.
A beautiful hotel, restored to turn-of-the-century elegance. The Spokane symphony has a tree raffle that brings in a lot of dough, so the place was packed with folks buying raffle tickets and putting them in big plastic boxes next to the trees (you win cash prizes, vacations....it's a big deal) so I pushed my way through star-struck families and fake-tanned girls-night-out-groups to the ballroom where the group of gays were gathered.
The guy at the lectern was proud that over 200 people bought tickets, and that this year's Pride event will attract almost 25,000 people. The supporters were mostly middle-aged, mostly coupled, and it had a church-type feel to it. Lots of people greeting each other, old friends and acquaintances, celebrating the season.
An older, drunk lesbian couple arguing, one huffs and storms out of the room with the other following; a muscular 25-year-old muscular man beautifully wearing a backless sequin gown; the promo video and DJ and photographer creating magic. A group of people who've learned to trust each other.
Then ventured to the Blind Buck, the local gay/drag bar, and saw my first show here.
Nova Caine is the hostess, and she introduced the show featuring 1980's Christmas music. She talked about going to high school in the 1980s, and by a show of hands, most of the crowd wasn't even born yet. She made old jokes, talked about decay, how nobody would look at her sexually because of her age....it was the Universe welcoming me to my 60th year.
I turn 60 tomorrow.
You've heard Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton. I was in my 20s when it came out. When the queen lip-synced the song, I was surrounded by memories from my past. Holidays with people I loved. People dead.
And the decision to come to Spokane finally hit. Not knowing anyone A wave of sadness hit me. I wanted to leave. And cry in the car.
But a voice through the sadness made its way through. "Aren't you excited about starting over?" it asked?
Yes, I admitted.
"And while you bought a fuckhole house with mold and ratshit and decay beyond description, aren't you going to make it amazing?"
Again I answered, yes.
"And while the people and situations that brought you here may be fading away, aren't you happy you're here? And the ghosts are fading away, too."
Ghosts are slowing fading but still here, I'm just getting used to Murray growling and things missing and things getting knocked over in the middle of the night and weird shit happing just in the edge of my periphery that happens a moment before I see it. And finding out the previous owner died in the bedroom 3 years ago.
And yeah, 2.5 months in, it'll work out. I miss friends and laughter and hugs and parties, but I know the Universe will keep those relationships alive and bring me more.
A good way to celebrate 60 circles around the sun.
A beautiful hotel, restored to turn-of-the-century elegance. The Spokane symphony has a tree raffle that brings in a lot of dough, so the place was packed with folks buying raffle tickets and putting them in big plastic boxes next to the trees (you win cash prizes, vacations....it's a big deal) so I pushed my way through star-struck families and fake-tanned girls-night-out-groups to the ballroom where the group of gays were gathered.
The guy at the lectern was proud that over 200 people bought tickets, and that this year's Pride event will attract almost 25,000 people. The supporters were mostly middle-aged, mostly coupled, and it had a church-type feel to it. Lots of people greeting each other, old friends and acquaintances, celebrating the season.
An older, drunk lesbian couple arguing, one huffs and storms out of the room with the other following; a muscular 25-year-old muscular man beautifully wearing a backless sequin gown; the promo video and DJ and photographer creating magic. A group of people who've learned to trust each other.
Then ventured to the Blind Buck, the local gay/drag bar, and saw my first show here.
Nova Caine is the hostess, and she introduced the show featuring 1980's Christmas music. She talked about going to high school in the 1980s, and by a show of hands, most of the crowd wasn't even born yet. She made old jokes, talked about decay, how nobody would look at her sexually because of her age....it was the Universe welcoming me to my 60th year.
I turn 60 tomorrow.
You've heard Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton. I was in my 20s when it came out. When the queen lip-synced the song, I was surrounded by memories from my past. Holidays with people I loved. People dead.
And the decision to come to Spokane finally hit. Not knowing anyone A wave of sadness hit me. I wanted to leave. And cry in the car.
But a voice through the sadness made its way through. "Aren't you excited about starting over?" it asked?
Yes, I admitted.
"And while you bought a fuckhole house with mold and ratshit and decay beyond description, aren't you going to make it amazing?"
Again I answered, yes.
"And while the people and situations that brought you here may be fading away, aren't you happy you're here? And the ghosts are fading away, too."
Ghosts are slowing fading but still here, I'm just getting used to Murray growling and things missing and things getting knocked over in the middle of the night and weird shit happing just in the edge of my periphery that happens a moment before I see it. And finding out the previous owner died in the bedroom 3 years ago.
And yeah, 2.5 months in, it'll work out. I miss friends and laughter and hugs and parties, but I know the Universe will keep those relationships alive and bring me more.
A good way to celebrate 60 circles around the sun.
I am in awe of you. Of course it's all going to be amazing. Because you are amazing.
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