k8et's ramblings

(post title due to my musical tourettes… never actually heard bjork’s version of this, but Charlotte Martin sings part of it with one of her other songs.)

This weekend was full of wonder and joy and love and music and adventure…

Friday I helped take pictures of the Morristown Critical Mass bike ride.

Full flick set here.

The art show afterwards was fun as well, despite the heat (an ice cream from the ice cream truck helped ;o)

Saturday, Random and I had an adventure in NY – Figment was going on, an arts festival run by burners and artists on Governor’s Island. It was the second year for it, and apparently Saturday they broke the record for the most visitors to the island on one day! While we didn’t get there until early afternoon, and we ended up staying in one area (Just like at Burning Man, when an event is limited in time, you always miss something really cool and feel like you didn’t do/see enough!), I had such a blast. 

There were art installations everywhere, the rose petal pool was in action again, and we settled down at the Disorient sound stage. Groovehoops had hoops out for everyone to enjoy.  I didn’t bring mine, thinking I wouldn’t use it enough to warrant carrying it.  Well I was wrong… The music was perfect – mellow yet you wanted to move to it, and picked up in energy a little later in the day. 

Now I’ve been learning the hoop, I obviously enjoy it when I pick it up, but often I am discouraged by the lack of “tricks” that I know, or that I can’t keep still facing one direction or the hoop will fall (I dance/move with the hoop).  But a combination of the perfect day, perfect music, perfect mood.  I LOVED hooping there.  Even with hoops that were too small/light/slippery (no gaffers tape) for my taste.  It was seductive, it was sexy, it was… pure joy and love.  And seeing the crowd of people hooping, from hoop dancing pros to hoop virgins, it was so wonderful. 

I think this woman couldn’t waist hoop, but she was so joyful just hooping above her head like this!

With poi, I’ve moved into a place where I’m more into the flow and dancing with it.  And there are times that energy feels really great. But the hooping I experienced that day just had a different energy to it.  I’m sure it was a combo of many things, the music, the energy, my emotions… I plan on bringing my hoop (new collapsible! yay) many more places with me.

See the resemblance?

When we weren’t hooping/spinning/sticking (Random is getting amazing at devilsticks!) we lounged and watched/listened, or chatted with friends. I enjoyed spending some time with Scratch – who I’ve met twice at NYC Santacon and friended on tribe, but finally got to have a real conversation with him.

Thumbnails (click for larger version) – first meeting with Rudy-tooty (Scratch) was a pic with a stranger in ’06, and running into each other on subway in ’07. Missed getting a pic with him this time! 😦

I loved Figment because while it totally had the burner vibe, it was a public event and it was clear people were there who didn’t know what was going on and it was their first experience with anything like this.  I wish that every town, every park, every city was more like this.  Artwork surrounding you and found in every crevice when you looked carefully.  Strangers smiling and laughing with each other over hooping attempts, the weather, anything.  Back on Manhattan it was hard to repress the openness to strangers and urge to smile and hug everyone.  Which could be dangerous there.  But Figment gives me hope that this “vibe” I keep mentioning IS possible in more areas of our lives, and not just at events like Burning Man and regional burns.  

So yes, it was time to leave the island… It was getting close to the end of the event, and we could smell/feel a few raindrops.  By the time we reached the ferry, it was a full blown thunderstorm.  Because it was so hot and humid, and we were dancing/playing around, it felt really nice actually.  From the ferry we could see that the NY waterfall installation was blowing so hard in the wind, it was adding to the “rain” people fought through to reach the boat!  Wanted to take a pic, but moreso wanted to keep my camera as dry as possible…

In Manhattan, we grabbed an awesome dinner (Beckett’s bar & grill, Stone Street, NY) and went to the afterparty at Castle Clinton in Battery Park. The band was good, but didn’t fit the mood I was in so much (what??? I’m preferring house over a live band? I’m being brainwashed…. ;o)  Of course they were back to the DJ by the time we decided to head out. But the party would be wrapping up and moving to Brooklyn, and I did not have the energy for that late of a night.  Played with poi (and soyboy’s triangular hoop! that was a blast) and taught someone else some basic moves, and then we wandered home.

Damp from rain/sweat, drained, but still smiling from the amazing day.

(All Figment pics here.)

There’s so much more to this amazing weekend, but that’s all I can attempt to put into words for now.  But next year?  Get your ass out to Governor’s Island.  It’s worth it! (Free ferry to the island and no admission fee for Figment. MORE THAN WORTH IT!)