sittin here watching fists of fury in canada. this movie is never less than entertaining.
woke up on a plane in vancouver today…i vaguely remember a dream of waking up, getting on the bart after 17 minutes of waiting, running through the airport and begging to be let on the plane, making it on as a result of miracle and muscle. i have the faith of the constant traveler – i run late but quick, breathe deep, stay calm with each of the people i need to help me get where i’m going.
about to crash out for some sleep – was up late last night at the leftist lounge party. i went with daniel alarcon, who i like to call the new latin voice, because that’s what he’s called on the back of his book of short stores – and because i believe he is the next best writer in the world. i got to glimpse his completed novel, meet his kitten, and watch him eat pie. love that kid! i’ve been reading his work since my sophomore year in school and remain an avid fan, as well as friend, if friendship can be avid.
he drove me deep into oakland, asking if i had any hook-up to get in. i didn’t, i had just heard it was cool from e’erbody, and marty from ruckus was djing. so we hop in line, and my dear sweet friend hobbes walks by and plucks us out of the masses and we’re on the fast track into the heart of the party. turns out the space is her home/warehouse, the center of activity her living room. plenty hot big party. my biggest memory is daniel looking on with joy as i samba, and then my ankle realizing mid-samba that it was still sprained you dumb bi-atch so stop the fcuk moving! i spent the rest of the night looking for elevation.
daniel picked me up from the brower youth awards, one of the most inspirational nights i’ve had recently: all these groundbreaking under-21 young people who, between them, are saving urban wetlands, sea turtles, building international community in 16 countries, creating respectful spaces with Native peoples in Arizona, saving salmon’s natural habitat, and fighting for (and winning) comprehensive sex education in New Mexico. mind? blown! i had the honor of presenting two young women – jessica rimington and la constance shahid. i was entertained by zander, amazed by andrea and dan, and adored erika and kayla. i’ll put up speeches as i get them. (www.broweryouthawards.org)
between these two events i got to spend the evening with klee, evon and dan from flagstaff, julia butterfly hill (from the tree called LUNA) and van jones, the crown city rockers, hannah + jc + rachel + marty + john from ruckus, adam mansbach (the other other white novelist), brooklyn’s own coco and the lovely dancer sasha, lovely leaguer natasha, ibrahim the everywhereman, shayna who used to be at DPA, i could go on an on, such a nice convergence. klee laid me out and did some traditional chiro work on my ankle and alignment that he learned from his dad, who is a medicine man. for this reason and his turquoise earrings, i heart klee. also got to have lunch with the brower folk and evon and i sat and built the bridge of our introduction with stories of the people we love in common. then he broke me off inspiration to start a walking meditation. the world is infinite and tiny.
i want a maltese puppy! baby and dan are on their way to bangalore india with a maltese puppy and i love it – perfect size and weight to be my travel companion. they have the air of adventure about them and i cannot wait to visit!
and finally, weird timing but i’m having this moment i think might be described as proudly chaste. usually when approached on a physical tip, regardless of where i am in my head, i just try to get my mind into it. not the goodies, just some hot kisses, wrapping an evening up. i feel like i’m always trying not to disappoint anyone, plus i am fairly good at – you know…whatever. so i just do it. but that’s wrong, that’s a corporate approach to intimacy, and disingenuine, and no fun for anyone – especially me. so i was able to break with that behavior this week. the bay has exactly 534 people in it that move some part of me and several of those were kickin the ill-type game. but i no good at math!! so i set my boundary and held it, in part i think cause of the maturity of folks i was kicking it with, but it was so nice to just turn off that betty boop adrienne and just chill. i’ve been in this space before for days, even weeks. but usually i just turn into quiet asshole, or rush them through, to opt out, so this time i am proud cause i spoke up.
so three cheers for actin grown!!
and three cheers for naptime!!