A Perfect Moment
The last time I remember having a noted perfect moment was I think in 2000. I lived in Los Angeles and we lived in this big Victorian we called NeoTexMex. (Inhabitants: Me, Sylkia, Jon McDonald, Audrey Maker, Matthew Maker, and our attic big kitty, Damon.) I’m not sure what had happened the day before, but I’m guessing it was a party because this was Sunday morning/afternoon. All the windows were open and the light was perfect and I think we had just eaten brunch and as cheesy as it sounds “Time of My Life” by Natalie Merchant was playing and I specifically remember our ginger Lesbian (but not for long) Carrie dancing. And I breathed in and knew that in that moment I was right in the middle of a perfect moment. I loved everyone in my home. Gigsville was still new and we were so in love. I lived in the City of Angels. My family was healthy and happy. There were things in my life that weren’t perfect, but at that moment I knew they didn’t matter. I was exactly where I was supposed to be and that is my definition of winning.
I got to have another one on Sunday. I was invited to go to a girl’s sleepover with the Camparet/Dive Bar girls. Although it was the weekend before Flipside I had missed the last one I had been invited to and have been wanting to get to know these women better. Saturday Sylkia went with me and we headed off for an adventure. We wound up at a magical property for an incredible time. The property owner normally rents out the space for events, but she had a cancellation so she decided to have a girls weekend. It was basically two groups of friends. The property owner is probably in her 60s, and so she had around 15-20 friends in her age group. Through previous rentals my friend wound up becoming friends with the property owner, and she invited her to inviter her own group of ladies mostly in our 30ishs to come as well. The property owner catered the event fully, with food and more booze than you can shake a stick at squarely.
We arrived around 7pm. All of the trees contain strings of mirrored disks, and when the wind flows through it’s like a disco ocean. We ate dinner and took a look around to see the river access and the little lit paths. It’s so much goodness. (You can bet I will be planning an event here in the future.) We checked out the cabin/houses which are filled to the brim with arty walls. Then the night just flowed with good conversation with good women. More than a few stomachs hurt due to too much laughing. (And I admit mine hurt from too much champagne.)
Once upon a time that was one of the revelations of Gigsville. Although most of us had grown up being those girls who normally are better friends with men, we managed to find a whole group of women we admired, respected, and most importantly trusted. And while I am still glad that I decided to move back to Austin, and have the best women friends a girl could have in this town too, I was so delighted to have found a whole other pack of new vibrant, funny women who I think I feel the same way about. That’s not even mentioning the older ladies who were also so awesome, and so much our future.
After getting a good night’s sleep where we slept in the car with all of the doors open because the weather was impeccable I made my way back into the goodness. While eating breakfast a few of the older women started to play. They were a 3 piece of guitar, stand up bass and violin. And 2 of the women sang together that morning with folk tunes about families and outlaws and pain and love.
And sitting there among the music and giggling women drinking mimosas we had our own little gospel lady brunch. The gospel of gorgeous people and a gorgeous day on gorgeous land. And I knew. I breathed in another perfect moment.
There are still things that aren’t perfect, but they don’t matter. I’m so pleased to be exactly where I am right now. I’m in love. I’m healthy. I have so many amazing people in my life. (The past few weeks have been especially ridiculous with the outside world validating us. Tim Walker was declared a ‘most fascinating Angeleno by LA Weekly. Audrey and the Epic Unicorn project (Austin Art Authority) are making it to the cover of the Austin Business Journal. Heidi and Nate won San Francisco’s small business of the year award for the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen and Nate got a write up in the Huffington Post.) My family is thriving. This week I head to Flipside with my new love and later this summer Burning Man. Kat and Bustin have a new baby coming. Girlie and Travis has a new house. Sylkia gets the big girl job and it looks like future cheesy goodness. In fall Russ and Xtian will move in. My sister’s getting married next year. Etc. Etc.
Yesterday parts of Oklahoma were destroyed by nature. And I know that it can happen that fast. Everything can change on a dime. So today I felt the need to write it out, to take a moment and be grateful and testify that on May 19, 2013 I had no doubt in my heart about who, what, or where I was. Perfecto.
I got to have another one on Sunday. I was invited to go to a girl’s sleepover with the Camparet/Dive Bar girls. Although it was the weekend before Flipside I had missed the last one I had been invited to and have been wanting to get to know these women better. Saturday Sylkia went with me and we headed off for an adventure. We wound up at a magical property for an incredible time. The property owner normally rents out the space for events, but she had a cancellation so she decided to have a girls weekend. It was basically two groups of friends. The property owner is probably in her 60s, and so she had around 15-20 friends in her age group. Through previous rentals my friend wound up becoming friends with the property owner, and she invited her to inviter her own group of ladies mostly in our 30ishs to come as well. The property owner catered the event fully, with food and more booze than you can shake a stick at squarely.
We arrived around 7pm. All of the trees contain strings of mirrored disks, and when the wind flows through it’s like a disco ocean. We ate dinner and took a look around to see the river access and the little lit paths. It’s so much goodness. (You can bet I will be planning an event here in the future.) We checked out the cabin/houses which are filled to the brim with arty walls. Then the night just flowed with good conversation with good women. More than a few stomachs hurt due to too much laughing. (And I admit mine hurt from too much champagne.)
Once upon a time that was one of the revelations of Gigsville. Although most of us had grown up being those girls who normally are better friends with men, we managed to find a whole group of women we admired, respected, and most importantly trusted. And while I am still glad that I decided to move back to Austin, and have the best women friends a girl could have in this town too, I was so delighted to have found a whole other pack of new vibrant, funny women who I think I feel the same way about. That’s not even mentioning the older ladies who were also so awesome, and so much our future.
After getting a good night’s sleep where we slept in the car with all of the doors open because the weather was impeccable I made my way back into the goodness. While eating breakfast a few of the older women started to play. They were a 3 piece of guitar, stand up bass and violin. And 2 of the women sang together that morning with folk tunes about families and outlaws and pain and love.
And sitting there among the music and giggling women drinking mimosas we had our own little gospel lady brunch. The gospel of gorgeous people and a gorgeous day on gorgeous land. And I knew. I breathed in another perfect moment.
There are still things that aren’t perfect, but they don’t matter. I’m so pleased to be exactly where I am right now. I’m in love. I’m healthy. I have so many amazing people in my life. (The past few weeks have been especially ridiculous with the outside world validating us. Tim Walker was declared a ‘most fascinating Angeleno by LA Weekly. Audrey and the Epic Unicorn project (Austin Art Authority) are making it to the cover of the Austin Business Journal. Heidi and Nate won San Francisco’s small business of the year award for the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen and Nate got a write up in the Huffington Post.) My family is thriving. This week I head to Flipside with my new love and later this summer Burning Man. Kat and Bustin have a new baby coming. Girlie and Travis has a new house. Sylkia gets the big girl job and it looks like future cheesy goodness. In fall Russ and Xtian will move in. My sister’s getting married next year. Etc. Etc.
Yesterday parts of Oklahoma were destroyed by nature. And I know that it can happen that fast. Everything can change on a dime. So today I felt the need to write it out, to take a moment and be grateful and testify that on May 19, 2013 I had no doubt in my heart about who, what, or where I was. Perfecto.