08-11-2017, 10:48 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-16-2017, 12:24 PM by Drunk Monk.)
Friday's weather was weird. Overcast, muggy and stifling - it had a thick oppressive feel - very stony. RotR elicits some of the stoniest moments of anywhere. This was accentuated by Tantaka, an electro-dub band, which laid down a fat stony soundtrack at the start of the day that was really working for me. My friends and staff started to settle into place. One group of friends that used to run a popular booth got a job supplying plants for backstage. Most were live decorative flowers, but they also had some mature pot plants, including two large bushes that were days away from harvest. What a job. Another old partner-in-crime got a job with a vendor friend that has exploded. I remember when that friend was slinging tie-dyes on a blanket in the Grateful Dead lot. Now he oversees a half dozen brick&mortar stores across the U.S. and a major production facility and he just got official GD licensing, plus my other p-i-c friend as one of his lieutenants.
Psych was constantly busy and although most of the problems were solved efficiently, it never really let up. I was on the biggest takedown early - a burly dude near south beach who was agitated and confused, surrounded by maybe 2 dozen security trying to figure out how to corral him. We took turns trying to engage him but to no avail. Then he grabbed the throat of one of my protege - she reacted correctly with the stranglehold break I taught her and then we both took him down on the river rock and coarse granite gravel. It was a beautiful takedown considering the environment. No one was hurt and I was so proud to see her do exactly what I trained her to do in the field (she's now head of responders for JAH Med, but has always had great psych skillz and is an honorary JNK member). I got a little road rash as he struggled on the ground but that was minor. After which I iced it, and tried to garner some sympathy by sitting in the feckin front of main med with that dang ice bag, but no one fell for my ruse. Who cares if the old dude got hurt? That's what he does. Whatev, man, whatev.
I forgot to mention that the river completely changed shape over the winter storms so RotR lost a good two acres of camping area. The plan was to camp people across the river, and there was a point were it was ford-able. That was the old Reggae Rising site, but camping attendance was low so it wasn't so bad. The venue only felt full on Sat & Sun nights. The rest of the time, more audience was down by the river because it was cooler. There were rumors that the river was toxic just prior to the event, but by some magic, it cleared and was approved for human immersion. I didn't really think about that too hard. For years, swimming in the Eel was an annual pilgrimage, but I haven't been in for maybe a decade now as the water has gone sour. Mostly, I blame the growers who spoil the land with unregulated farming practices, dumping grow fertilizers and such without regard.
I have a note that there was a takedown in the bowl, but I don't recall it now. It must've been busy cuz I usually remember the takedowns pretty well.
Why are there so many zebra statues in Thai altars?
Want to know what happens next? Stay tuned for the next chapter.
Psych was constantly busy and although most of the problems were solved efficiently, it never really let up. I was on the biggest takedown early - a burly dude near south beach who was agitated and confused, surrounded by maybe 2 dozen security trying to figure out how to corral him. We took turns trying to engage him but to no avail. Then he grabbed the throat of one of my protege - she reacted correctly with the stranglehold break I taught her and then we both took him down on the river rock and coarse granite gravel. It was a beautiful takedown considering the environment. No one was hurt and I was so proud to see her do exactly what I trained her to do in the field (she's now head of responders for JAH Med, but has always had great psych skillz and is an honorary JNK member). I got a little road rash as he struggled on the ground but that was minor. After which I iced it, and tried to garner some sympathy by sitting in the feckin front of main med with that dang ice bag, but no one fell for my ruse. Who cares if the old dude got hurt? That's what he does. Whatev, man, whatev.
I forgot to mention that the river completely changed shape over the winter storms so RotR lost a good two acres of camping area. The plan was to camp people across the river, and there was a point were it was ford-able. That was the old Reggae Rising site, but camping attendance was low so it wasn't so bad. The venue only felt full on Sat & Sun nights. The rest of the time, more audience was down by the river because it was cooler. There were rumors that the river was toxic just prior to the event, but by some magic, it cleared and was approved for human immersion. I didn't really think about that too hard. For years, swimming in the Eel was an annual pilgrimage, but I haven't been in for maybe a decade now as the water has gone sour. Mostly, I blame the growers who spoil the land with unregulated farming practices, dumping grow fertilizers and such without regard.
I have a note that there was a takedown in the bowl, but I don't recall it now. It must've been busy cuz I usually remember the takedowns pretty well.
Why are there so many zebra statues in Thai altars?
Want to know what happens next? Stay tuned for the next chapter.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse