wherein I feel the Pride and get a sunburn

[floatingleaf]

I went to the Gay Pride Parade today. All by myself. I wasn't really sure until the last moment if I wanted to go, so I didn't tell anyone. Besides, the friend who went with me twice before hasn't been in touch lately - I had called her repeatedly within the past few weeks, but she never picked up her phone or called me back. She does that sometimes - simply disappears for weeks/months on end (I've had some news of her through another mutual friend of ours, so I know she's not dead or anything - just not feeling up to socializing, perhaps; see, some of my friends are a lot like me in that respect - which probably explains why we're still friends, despite not having talked for months... lol). And I don't really know anyone else here in Chicago who might be interested in going. Besides, I hadn't gone for so long (since 2006) that I didn't really know how I was going to cope with the crowds, or with being outside in the heat/humidity for several hours. So I figured that if I go by myself, at least I won't be disappointing anyone if I suddenly decide it's all too much and I just want to go home. Anyway... I actually stayed throughout the whole thing, even though I couldn't really see much except for the tops of the highest floats (I am short, and all the good spectator spots were taken by the time I got there). I was mostly just people-watching - which was fun in and of itself, LOL (all those skimpily dressed, fresh-faced gayboys and baby dykes...;P). At first it felt really weird to be there (as in, OMG everyone's 25 or younger, what am I doing here???) - but then I noticed some older people too, and that made me feel better.:D It was reassuring to see couples holding hands, little children carried on their parents' shoulders wearing rainbow-colored beads, random strangers 'high-fiving' each other (and me) as they passed... just soaking up the atmosphere. Even after eight years of living in the US, I still find it amazing that there are so many people out there willing to publicly display their "queerness" and/or support the gay lifestyle. There are no gay parades in Poland - at least there weren't before I left. Still, there also didn't seem to be as much religious batshittery as is evident here of late. By the way, there was some street preacher situated by the onset of the parade route today, shouting through his microphone about sin and abomination. He had a long list of offences displayed on a board that should be "punishable by death" according to the Bible - which included, among other things, adultery, theft and, of course, sodomy. As far as I could see, no-one paid him any mind - and the few policemen standing nearby looked bored. It must be tough to be a hate-monger on a Pride Parade day.:P

So, all things considered, it was fun, and I am glad I went. However, I hadn't been out in the sun for so long I'd actually forgotten how frightfully easy it is to get a sunburn. A really bad sunburn, at that. My face and arms have acquired a vivid shade of hot pink, and it fucking HURTS. The face will recover, I think, since it has already felt a little bit of sun this summer - but the arms & shoulders are a frightful sight, and they feel like the first taste of the fires of hell.:/ The funny thing is, I have this nice big straw hat I could have been wearing - but I wasn't, because it was actually raining at the time I left. There was a massive thunderstorm in the morning, which had stopped, but left the sky completely overcast - so it didn't even occur to me I might need any protection from the sun. I had brought an umbrella instead - which I also could have used against the sun, as some other people were doing. But somehow that didn't seem necessary. Oh well. I'll be wearing long sleeves for the next two weeks or so, I suppose.:/

To end on a positive note, here's a picture of my Aragorn "action figure" with his new standard. As you can see, he totally supports Teh Gay. Especially when it comes to the Elves, you know.:P

Comments

[alliwantisanelf.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you went!

I sunburn incredibly easily, and I can remember my grandmother soaking cotton balls and paper towels with Witch Hazel and applying it to the hot pink places. It's an astringent that's good for bruises as well, so most people keep it in the medicine cabinet alongside the alcohol. It's very inexpensive compared to all the lotions and gels they sell for sunburn pain. Take the heat out with cool cloths and an application of Witch Hazel, and then liberally apply moisturizing lotion all over!

King Aragorn looks very pleased with his new standard there.... :-D

[dissonant-dream.livejournal.com]

I hope you feel better soon because that is horribly painful. *hugs* But I'm glad you had a good day and yay for Aragorn! ♥

[ptychu.livejournal.com]

There's going to be Europride this year in Warsaw. Can you imagine? http://europride2010.eu/

[illuins-lair.livejournal.com]

Oh no!!! - sunburn is the_terror!!!! Poor you, it does hurt like HELL =(
*freaks out and squeaks in sympathy and fills up bathtub with cold water*
*smears you up with Aloe Vera/Yoghurt/Aftersun-lotions/icecubes, along with other obscure housewifey decoctions*
*calls you in sick*
*runs to buy icecream*
*feels somewhat useless*
*entertains you with silly jokes*
*adds more lotion and feeds u icy water melon*
*calls self in sick*
*waves Pride-flag while inventing frosty Pinacolada-looking coctails*
*fans you with slashy pr0n*

*stops for a moment to hump the Pride!Aragorn with additional Squee-y outburstsmoochingz due to extra Elessar-points*

(*repeats whole procedure from beginning*)

[illuins-lair.livejournal.com]

*RAINBOWLOVES & PRIDE!BOUNCEDANCESSS*
Yay you for going! *appropriately sparkleshowers you with glittery soapbubbles*
A date with yourself! What a wonderful thing to do.
Sometimes, doing things alone like that makes a much greater impact somehow, it´s like being able to concentrate on the reason and significant details all the much more. (or perhaps that´s just me again, assuming that everyone does or generally should)
As in; - I see you there in the crowd and it makes me really bouncyhappy all the way to my sparkly little silly heart.
(despite the forgotten sunscreen..)

all those skimpily dressed, fresh-faced gayboys and baby dykes
LOOOOOOOOOLL

It was reassuring to see couples holding hands, little children carried on their parents' shoulders wearing rainbow-colored beads, random strangers 'high-fiving' each other (and me) as they passed... just soaking up the atmosphere.
*embarassingly gets a little sniffly & blames it on allergy*

there was some street preacher situated by the onset of the parade route today, shouting through his microphone about sin and abomination. He had a long list of offences displayed on a board that should be "punishable by death" according to the Bible - which included, among other things, adultery, theft and, of course, sodomy. As far as I could see, no-one paid him any mind - and the few policemen standing nearby looked bored. It must be tough to be a hate-monger on a Pride Parade day.:P
*orgasms/dies from laughter* Bwhahahhahahaaa!!! oh god... TEH SINNERS ARE OUTZ ON TEH STREEEETZ!! *helps preacher count the followers of.. uhm ZERO.. wtf?*
Oh, he must be so fucking envious.. the closet-gay of Closet!Gays announcing himself to deaf ears - what an incredible joy! I wish I was there, I would have probably tried making him strippy-dance.. (yeah or perhaps not to witness *that* but totally just KJAJÄkLÄLFKajGFLÖJgllrpåo5... and yes, probably he wanked away all night afterwards anyway - all that sin and abomination-thingie richocheting back to him and all..)

*SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE & HEARTZZZZZ*