Pride memories

Lots of stuff going on in the month of June for gay rights. My city's Pride falls on the same day Bruce Springsteen plays in Iowa. Sorry, but in this case, the Boss trumps parades and watered-down Bud Light. Still, for all of the activism Bruce Springsteen has done, I feel not one iota of guilt seeing him over volunteering at a booth.

Since I've attended Pride, it's been a lot like prom: A ton of buildup, and then the day after, most people shrug and try to find a highlight, but few have a "..and it ended with us totally having hot sex" story to tell friends. Like prom, it's basically "it was o.k., we danced, made out, got drunk, and that's about it..."

A few Pride memories...
2000 - My car's first road trip. I wound up driving down a gay guy with major self-esteem issues (I know, I'm totally shocked as well). He was pining over this guy who we were meeting. I spent three hours cautiously trying to boost his self esteem. When we got to the hotel, he found that guy - who he wanted to hang out with - drunk in bed with someone he just met at Pride. Dude didn't waste any time meeting new folks at Pride. It was Kansas City pride. While everyone went downtown to the Plaza, the entire scene was too loud, too annoying and the music was utter shite. I wound up seeking out a low-key bar that was playing good jazz and wound up talking with a married couple (straight) for the night. I wound up opting to go home a day early so I could listen to NIN's The Fragile in its full two-hour beauty (the first time I listened to it front to back).

2005 - I volunteered at a booth. I would like to say that I got a ton of digits and charmed the socks off of a 20-something geekboy, but no such luck. After my shift, I wound up opting for X-Men Legends on the X-Box over the disco party at Flixx.

IPod list for the day (ratings included)
"War Within a Breath" - Rage Against The Machine *****
"Narc" - Interpol ***
"Old Soul Song (For the New World Order)" - Bright Eyes ****
"Can it Be All So Simple (Remix)" - Raekwon *****
"Boogie With Stu" - Led Zep *****
"Cesaro Summability" - Tool **
"Here Today" - Beach Boys *****
"The Observer" - The Flaming Lips ****
"Doin' the Cockroach" - Modest Mouse *** (not a favorite Modest Mouse song)
"I'm Waiting For the Man" - Velvet Underground *****
"Hey Julie" - Fountains of Wayne ***** (pop perfection)
"Buddy" - De La Soul ***
"Fu-Gee-La" - The Fugees ****
"Love Dance" - Minutemen ****
"Boys Don't Cry" - The Cure *****
"The Tourist" - Radiohead *****
"Nutmeg" - Ghostface Killah ****
"Asking For It" - Hole *****
"Bathtub" - Mark Sandman ***
"Baby, Please Don't Leave" - Buddy Guy *****
"Come to Me" - Mark Lanegan *****
"Sweet Jane (live)" - The Velvet Underground ***
"Spot Rusherz" - Raekwon ****
"Holy Water" - Soundgarden ****
"Shakey Dog" - Ghostface Killah ***** (iPod lovin' the Wu today)
"Hey Boy Hey Girl" - Chemical Brothers ****
"Ed's Lament" - Cowboy Bebop sndtrk. ****
"Atonement (live)" - Lucinda Williams ****
"Jimmy Jazz" - The Clash ****
"Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" - Bob Dylan *****
"Monty Got a Raw Deal" - R.E.M. *****
"Better Version of Me" - Fiona Apple *****
"Ice Cream" - Raekwon ****
"Not About Love (bootled version of 'Extraordinary Machine') - Fiona Apple ****