it's over now

I sat waiting for weeks for the 23rd of June to arrive. Now it has come and gone, seemingly in the blink of an eye. Last Wednesday after work, the girls and I packed our bags and descended upon McDoogal Hall for one final night of partying in Dupont before we flew out to San Francisco for Pride the following morning. Chuck, Nick and I tore it up at hip-hop night at Chaos until close. Then we came back to Chuck's for a little beauty shop and Broadway musicals. Nothing screams gay like make-overs and Aida!

By 5 AM, we were all dressed and hitting the streets to Dulles. Stress Me Out Sue made her first of many appearances that morning. Man that bitch can move! Anyway, our journey out to San Francisco was largely uneventful. We got to Chris's house in Berkley around 1 and were back in San Francisco by 3 that afternoon. We walked around downtown for a bit and then decided to head over to the Castro for happy hour before going home to change and then go out for the night.

That never happened. Two for one happy hour is all I can say. I know that we started at The Bar. I vaguely recall walking into Daddy's. Next thing I know, I'm waking up Friday morning on a mattress in Chris's basement. The large gap that I am missing from that night goes something like this. Blah blah making out with Jess blah blah turning green on BART blah blah miraculously throwing up in trash can on BART platform at North Berkley blah blah passing out on floor. Good times!

Friday morning we all woke up pretty early to head back into San Francisco for a day of sight-seeing and shopping. That night we were all excited to go out, but at the last minute it almost didn't happen. We gave the fans what they demanded though. There may have been some flirting and then shaming at Daddy's. There may also have been some juniper berries consumed throughout the night. We finished the night at the End Up, a club that opens Friday night and doesn't close until Monday morning. I'm sure you can only imagine the crowd there. It was fun, expect for all the whackos that decided we looked like we needed a new best friend.

Saturday was more shopping and sight-seeing during the day. That night, we went to the Pink Party in the Castro. It was unreal. There were so many people out and about in the streets. I loved it for the spectacle, but it was damn near impossible to get into any bars, much less get a drink. Nick and I parked ourselves in the back of Daddy's and actually had a great time people watching and dancing to an eclectic mix of music.

Later, we met with Chris and Chuck to head to the Opening Party, along with the cousins. Those bitches are so evil. They were all whispering for us to act up. When Deborah hit the stage at 2 AM, I was only about eight feet away. It was at that point that I decided that I really needed to give it my all. Boy did I ever. I was dancing harder than Deborah's back-up dancers on stage with her. I was dancing so hard that I apparently knocked the Gatorade from someone's hand. All I remember is that I was en fuego the entire time she was on stage. It was phenomenal.

From The main party, we headed over to an after hours party, after a brief unintended foot tour of downtown at 6 AM Sunday morning. The after hours was fun, but we were all pretty spent from the main party so we only stayed about two hours. That was plenty of time for us all to stare at the amazingly hot bartender in nothing but a Speedo. Yum. I get a little weak in the knees just thinking about him! ;)

We went back to Berkeley, at 9 AM on BART, still in our club clothes, as the rest of the world is starting their day. After a disco nap, we got back up and went back into town for the street festival. The festival was even more amazing than the Pink Party. It was about fifteen blocks of downtown San Francisco blocked off and full of people, booths and stages. Deborah performed again, and was as fantastic as the night before. Love her and can't wait for some new music!

After a few hours of people watching, we were ready to head home and gear up for the closing party. After dinner, everyone laid down to relax and take a short nap. Those short naps turned into full on sleep. When everyone finally got up after 11, we had less than an hour for all four of us to get ready and out the door. Somehow we pulled it off. We got to the closing party, cousins in tow, around 1 AM. When you walked in the door, it was like walking into a locker room sauna. It was a mixture of sweat and humidity you can't find anywhere else. By the end of the night, we learned that they didn't turn the AC on at all that night. I'm sure you can only imagine how hot it was.

Regardless, we danced that night like our lives depended on it. I have NEVER danced so hard in my life. I don't think that even my girls were ready for the moves that were pouring out of me. I am not sure what it was, but for the first time in my life, I completely let go of all my inhibitions and just tore the shit out of that dance floor. David Knapp was an awesome DJ. There was not one song that I wasn't getting into. We finally left the club shortly before 6 AM.

When we walked out into the grey light of morning, we were completely drenched in sweat. My jeans were SOAKED from top to bottom. It looked like I was just emerging from a swimming pool, with all of my clothes on. We walked down to BART to start our final journey back to North Berkley. The rest of the world was starting their Monday mornings, coming into work. I can only imagine how pretty we must have looked!

After a shower and a nap, we woke up around 11 and packed everything to leave. We made it to the airport and found the flight before ours had been delayed. We managed to get on this earlier flight (which ended up taking off at the time of our scheduled flight). After over 12 hours of dancing in 24 hours, a five hour plane ride is not fun, to say the least. We finally touched down at Dulles at midnight. Almost two hours later and I was walking in the door to my apartment.

I still think about little things from the weekend and crack up laughing. There has only been one other vacation that even comes close to how great this one was. I had the absolute time of my life and I couldn't have asked for three better friends to share it with. Love you girls!!! Thanks for making my first true Pride magical and memorable!