Durandemonium 2013 part 3
The next day, we awakened to trek out to a local movie theater that was rented so we could view the most recently released live concert footage DVD, "A Diamond in the Mind", on the big screen. This was kind of the Comic Con moment since those who were hosting the event as well as those who had just finished some creative projects (related and unrelated to DD) were presenting a showcase for their work. While sitting there listening to their presentations, I could not help but think of something in the recent past. I managed at some point during this busy weekend to approach our cohosts, R and A, and told them that I too had hosted a fan party in my hometown in 05 for my a-ha group, and I knew the time and effort and tremendous stress involved in events planning and I commended them for their undertaking. But I also backed off as well, because there are times that you as the host are so frazzled by all the craziness and organizational skills called to arms that there are times you feel like screaming and you want to be left alone but you can't. This past spring, I was attending my 20th high school reunion and watched somewhat on the sidelines how something fell apart. One was supposed to host a playdate at her house on Saturday morning. The week before, she had created a thread on Facebook asking for a final head count so she could make arrangements. I was the only one bringing a handsome, fake trophy husband with me. I was making a statement by bringing C with me, it said "You see THIS? You all are old, fat and divorced and I'm hitting this sweet thing TEN YEARS my junior! Yah hey!" Some kind of drama went down (which was not fully explained to me, oddly yet typically enough) and it was cancelled without so much as a notice. The hostess did not cancel it herself, but rather just threw up her hands and pouted in the corner somewhere. And she blocked me over it. My, how classy. Still, I wanted to tell them that I understood their pain and knew what an undertaking they had decided upon.
After seeing DD on the big screen, a rather hilarious episode went down. Me and the little group that I had become a part of broke off and was trying to find a way back to the hotel. We tried to hail a taxi back to our home base, but no cabbie wanted to pick up a party as big as us. While we were trying to figure out what to do and our group was on the edge of panic in a strange city that we didn't know, my hero / leader vibe took over. I commanded all of them to come before me and I would take care of it. A rather hilarious series of phone calls on my cell took place where I was talking to someone at a call center in India at one moment and then someone locally in order to bring a cab to us. Text messages came to my phone saying it was ordered then canceled. Craziness. Then, one brave cabbie pulled over and we somehow managed to squeeze everyone into the minivan, also checking out the $50 vomit fee. What a nightmare, fortunately it was only a ten minute ride from our place of origin to our hotel again.
I put my make up artist talents to work on the girls in the party room for our costume party. C got false eyelashes glued on her and a full coating of silver make up on her face, neck and chest, F got her wig pinned on correctly thanks to my tips on how to do it with a pair of pantyhose and bobby pins. They became Lady Ice and Medazzaland thanks to my help. Never let it be said that I am not helpful and that all those years being a fag hag didn't pay off. The main party was at Harry Carey's steakhouse across the street from the hotel, and it was delightful. It was a costume party but I chose to spend on my Halloween costume rather than this event. When others asked me who I was, I said "I am someone you should know". They all thought that was hysterical. I participated in the raffle, I put all my eggs in one basket for the paperback version of the John Taylor book In the Pleasure Groove because it was signed by JT himself. I regretted the fact that I could not go to see/meet him myself on his book tour the past year, but it was not in the cards. I did not win the book even though I put $20 worth of tickets in the basket. Ah well, it happens.
The next morning, we sat around in the party room and talked while some nursed their hangovers from the night before. I bowed out of the late night jaunt to the Late Bar, I have been to many bars in my life and I have reached a point where I have been to all of them and have nothing else to do or say within them. Not old, rather maturity has taken over for me. Plus with my financial situation, it's best to not spend so much on overpriced drinks that are all ice anyway, even if it's non alcoholic or even simple tap water. There were a few hilarious moments where we thought we weren't going to make it to the bus stop, but we managed after a few crossed wires to get a lift from a nurse who works in the Chicago prison systems. The hike home went quite smoothly, no hang ups or mechanical troubles like on the way there. I also ate McDonalds again on this trip because I had no choice in the matter. Glad to say I did not repeat it since then, as I am a changed and declared junk foodholic. While I will never be cured I can only take it one day at a time.
As I have always had others ask me exactly what the point of this foolishness is, I can only say that the point is that it's about having a good time. We all want to eventually travel to foreign lands and meet eccentric people, and I certainly have in my lifetime and will continue to. But we all need a catalyst in order to do so, and this is mine. I once again revert back to that woman I was talking to years ago who when asked what her dreams are/were, she said she figured whatever would happen to her would happen to her. Misery for some, dreams for me and others.
After seeing DD on the big screen, a rather hilarious episode went down. Me and the little group that I had become a part of broke off and was trying to find a way back to the hotel. We tried to hail a taxi back to our home base, but no cabbie wanted to pick up a party as big as us. While we were trying to figure out what to do and our group was on the edge of panic in a strange city that we didn't know, my hero / leader vibe took over. I commanded all of them to come before me and I would take care of it. A rather hilarious series of phone calls on my cell took place where I was talking to someone at a call center in India at one moment and then someone locally in order to bring a cab to us. Text messages came to my phone saying it was ordered then canceled. Craziness. Then, one brave cabbie pulled over and we somehow managed to squeeze everyone into the minivan, also checking out the $50 vomit fee. What a nightmare, fortunately it was only a ten minute ride from our place of origin to our hotel again.
I put my make up artist talents to work on the girls in the party room for our costume party. C got false eyelashes glued on her and a full coating of silver make up on her face, neck and chest, F got her wig pinned on correctly thanks to my tips on how to do it with a pair of pantyhose and bobby pins. They became Lady Ice and Medazzaland thanks to my help. Never let it be said that I am not helpful and that all those years being a fag hag didn't pay off. The main party was at Harry Carey's steakhouse across the street from the hotel, and it was delightful. It was a costume party but I chose to spend on my Halloween costume rather than this event. When others asked me who I was, I said "I am someone you should know". They all thought that was hysterical. I participated in the raffle, I put all my eggs in one basket for the paperback version of the John Taylor book In the Pleasure Groove because it was signed by JT himself. I regretted the fact that I could not go to see/meet him myself on his book tour the past year, but it was not in the cards. I did not win the book even though I put $20 worth of tickets in the basket. Ah well, it happens.
The next morning, we sat around in the party room and talked while some nursed their hangovers from the night before. I bowed out of the late night jaunt to the Late Bar, I have been to many bars in my life and I have reached a point where I have been to all of them and have nothing else to do or say within them. Not old, rather maturity has taken over for me. Plus with my financial situation, it's best to not spend so much on overpriced drinks that are all ice anyway, even if it's non alcoholic or even simple tap water. There were a few hilarious moments where we thought we weren't going to make it to the bus stop, but we managed after a few crossed wires to get a lift from a nurse who works in the Chicago prison systems. The hike home went quite smoothly, no hang ups or mechanical troubles like on the way there. I also ate McDonalds again on this trip because I had no choice in the matter. Glad to say I did not repeat it since then, as I am a changed and declared junk foodholic. While I will never be cured I can only take it one day at a time.
As I have always had others ask me exactly what the point of this foolishness is, I can only say that the point is that it's about having a good time. We all want to eventually travel to foreign lands and meet eccentric people, and I certainly have in my lifetime and will continue to. But we all need a catalyst in order to do so, and this is mine. I once again revert back to that woman I was talking to years ago who when asked what her dreams are/were, she said she figured whatever would happen to her would happen to her. Misery for some, dreams for me and others.
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