Year to Date

While reading the latest headlines on the Brookings Institute site I realized that it is International Women's Day. This day, one year ago, I was rushing around like a crazy person meeting vendors, city partners, planning my business plan for the Q Center Farmer's Market, and prepping for an evening of IWD events that we were hosting at the center. I met someone for lunch at a thai place downtown to compare market notes and decided that I would get a run in before heading back up the hill to shower... On my run I began to suffer from what I later realized was a severe allergic reaction to something in my Pad Thai. My face was swollen and I was pounding Benadryl like it was my job. I never once feared for my safety, but instead was stressing beyond belief that I would be unable to help that evening at the event, now only hours away. As soon as my face began to look slightly less like a puffer fish I got my tranquilized ass to North Mississippi Avenue for an under attended and over staffed celebration of women. The speakers were inspiring and moving and the audience was entertaining.

That night I also met one of my first real "friends" in Portland and was introduced to the idea of a queer dance party (see earlier posts).

What a bizarre year. I went from being one of what seemed like a million gays in my sector to being one of three. The funny thing is that I feel like I spent my whole first year scrambling. I had 3 jobs before March. I was running around like mad soaking up all that was Portland from event planning and working to learning zoning codes involved with farmer's markets, to training for a marathon. I was even told to slow down by many. I didn't run myself ragged, in fact in many ways I improved as a person, however now I am in a down to the minute routine and I am unraveling for the first time.

I feel like Chris in Northern Exposure. I am not so much suffering from too many feelings per se or even deeply longing for anything in particular, I am just in a perpetual state of ridiculous reflection over where I am, have been, and where I want to go. It will be interesting to see how this year pans out.

Please note that access to sun is something I will never take for granted again. Ever. Florida with it's terrible politics and failing educational system could lure me with its sandy beaches. I love Jimmy Buffet and floral printed shirts.