part I
Today was DC101's chili cookoff, featuring Switchfoot, Anberlin, Cage the Elephant, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots. Holy shit it was awesome, although it would have been more awesome if I weren't congested and with a sore throat, both of which will get worse.
I got to see some of the sexiest tattoos I've ever laid eyes on. I also got to see some sexIST T-shirts. It killed me when hot guys wore those. Oh but the sexy tattoos I got to see on sexy young men. Drool!
I went with my classmate, Callie, her husband Yann, and her friend Mary who also goes to our school whence I've graduated.
I went in a moshpit for the first time. First it was for Anberlin, and Mary and I fought our way to the front, and then someone asked if I wanted to go up, and I was like, "Sure!" thinking he meant on the stage. Oh no, it was to go to the back of the crowd. Oops. I fought my way to the front again, except it wasn't time for Alice in Chains, it was Cage the Elephant. Their other stuff is all right, but goddom, I NEVER liked "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked." Ever. It was annoying as shit and I hated it as much as I hated anything by Everlast back in middle school. So I left, and Mary left for the same reason and we hung out until Alice in Chains time where we went to the front again with the help of these two guys. Some people pushed and pushed to get to the front, which was understandable, if a little annoying. But then *in* the front, some douchebags started pushing just for shits and giggles! What the fuck? I adopted a defensive stance but I was still scared as hell of going underfoot or getting injured. Mary is rather petite, but super strong for her size, and kept me in a bear hug to prevent me from going underfoot. She even yelled at pushers - "This girl is tiny, what the fuck are you doing pushing? Don't fuck with me!"
Quite a few guys were protective of us though! And that's where I experienced thin/petite privilege firsthand. I mean, at that moment, I had the build of a damsel in distress and guys were treating me as such. Yeah, I noticed that even as I was scared for...well not my life but my bodily integrity. But that is what thin/pretty privilege looks like - men coming to your rescue. I didn't have the misfortune of getting groped, fortunately. I got hit on a few times, some times more welcome than others, but even the unwelcome overtures were just weird, not predatory. /tangent
I did make my way out of there when I found a woman in front of me also trying to get out. Mary and I formed a chain with her, and things got better. It kinda defeated the purpose of going up front for Alice in Chains if we got pushed around - it totally distracted us from enjoying AIC. And oh fitting! It started to rain when they started playing "Rain When I Die"! Their exit number was "Would" and their opening number was "Them Bones" - very fitting. Incidentally, they are the closing and opening numbers from the Dirt album. I do wish they'd played "Down in a Hole" though. Oh well.
Stone Temple Pilots opened up with "Wicked Garden." It was dark when they got on, they were the headliner after all. And I waited for them to play "Sour Girl" which they did. I predicted they'd close with "Sex Type Thing" but that was more like their teaser exit number - it seemed like that was the last song, but then they walked off the stage and back on again, and played "Dead and Bloated" and closed for realsies with that Paper Heart song.
As for the chili, there weren't that many vegetarian options. The one veggie chili was mild, and it was served by an Indian dude. WTF! If an Indian person serves it, it should be vegetarian AND spicy. Isn't that the hallmark of our cuisine? I also got to try chocolate infused with chili. Yum.
I got to see some of the sexiest tattoos I've ever laid eyes on. I also got to see some sexIST T-shirts. It killed me when hot guys wore those. Oh but the sexy tattoos I got to see on sexy young men. Drool!
I went with my classmate, Callie, her husband Yann, and her friend Mary who also goes to our school whence I've graduated.
I went in a moshpit for the first time. First it was for Anberlin, and Mary and I fought our way to the front, and then someone asked if I wanted to go up, and I was like, "Sure!" thinking he meant on the stage. Oh no, it was to go to the back of the crowd. Oops. I fought my way to the front again, except it wasn't time for Alice in Chains, it was Cage the Elephant. Their other stuff is all right, but goddom, I NEVER liked "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked." Ever. It was annoying as shit and I hated it as much as I hated anything by Everlast back in middle school. So I left, and Mary left for the same reason and we hung out until Alice in Chains time where we went to the front again with the help of these two guys. Some people pushed and pushed to get to the front, which was understandable, if a little annoying. But then *in* the front, some douchebags started pushing just for shits and giggles! What the fuck? I adopted a defensive stance but I was still scared as hell of going underfoot or getting injured. Mary is rather petite, but super strong for her size, and kept me in a bear hug to prevent me from going underfoot. She even yelled at pushers - "This girl is tiny, what the fuck are you doing pushing? Don't fuck with me!"
Quite a few guys were protective of us though! And that's where I experienced thin/petite privilege firsthand. I mean, at that moment, I had the build of a damsel in distress and guys were treating me as such. Yeah, I noticed that even as I was scared for...well not my life but my bodily integrity. But that is what thin/pretty privilege looks like - men coming to your rescue. I didn't have the misfortune of getting groped, fortunately. I got hit on a few times, some times more welcome than others, but even the unwelcome overtures were just weird, not predatory. /tangent
I did make my way out of there when I found a woman in front of me also trying to get out. Mary and I formed a chain with her, and things got better. It kinda defeated the purpose of going up front for Alice in Chains if we got pushed around - it totally distracted us from enjoying AIC. And oh fitting! It started to rain when they started playing "Rain When I Die"! Their exit number was "Would" and their opening number was "Them Bones" - very fitting. Incidentally, they are the closing and opening numbers from the Dirt album. I do wish they'd played "Down in a Hole" though. Oh well.
Stone Temple Pilots opened up with "Wicked Garden." It was dark when they got on, they were the headliner after all. And I waited for them to play "Sour Girl" which they did. I predicted they'd close with "Sex Type Thing" but that was more like their teaser exit number - it seemed like that was the last song, but then they walked off the stage and back on again, and played "Dead and Bloated" and closed for realsies with that Paper Heart song.
As for the chili, there weren't that many vegetarian options. The one veggie chili was mild, and it was served by an Indian dude. WTF! If an Indian person serves it, it should be vegetarian AND spicy. Isn't that the hallmark of our cuisine? I also got to try chocolate infused with chili. Yum.