at first i was just imagining the amazing possibilities of clip-art collections to build worlds like this, but by the end i was ready to just sit and cry.

truly some amazing work.

as a bit of a preface, several months ago i was bouncing along the interwebs, as i do, and discovered that one of my all-time favorite musical groups from the roaring 80’s was coming together for a brief reunion tour. unfortunately at the time it was just a dozen or so shows in the UK at the time, so i was happy to see them touring, but not so happy that it was not in the US. then, a few weeks later they announced US dates – including one here in the Bay Area! a was just a buzzy little monkey! needless to say we got tickets!

well last night was the show – and so i finally got to see Yaz perform – and in their actual first-ever performance here in the US! they were scheduled to show in Vegas the night before, but i read that show was canceled, so we were the first!!

MUNI and BART cooperated all the way there – we exited in Oakland just a block from the wonderful Deco-perfection of the Paramount Theatre – the doors were open already so no wait in line outside at all. the pre-show DJ was spinning up a storm with lights zooming and flashing all around the main performance hall. a short wait for a couple of well-made cocktails, and a bit more of a wait for a couple of t-shirts (required) and then off to our seats.

and those were next to perfection. not too far so we could really see what was going on, and not so close that the level of sound could potentially blind us. and we sat with nervous anticipation noticing how simple and bare the stage was. one simple microphone on one side, and a simple computer stand with an Apple PowerBook and a small-ish keyboard right below it.

only a little bit after we settled into our seats and were watching the extremely boy-heavy crowd, the DJ ended his set and took a quick wave before walking off stage to at least polite applause. we were primed and we were ready – bring ‘em on!!! and a few minutes later – there they were!

no hesitation – they just jumped right in and the crowd exploded. and we danced, and we sang, and we clapped along and were filled with memories, sound and emotion. i was finally seeing one of my all-time favorite Divas belt out her best and i was in my own little slice of heaven. i will admit that Alison was a bit over-miked and the reverb was a bit much, but the sound hit me full in the chest and i was just vibrating.

and i had so much fun along with my dancing around like a mad man just watching Alison. in the beginning she barely did a back-and-forth sway to the music, but after a while she seemed to get more into it and started dancing. i knew those classic 80s moves – i did those classic 80s moves. at the very end of the show she kind of “cut loose” compared to earlier in the show, and i just laughed and smiled and sang louder and danced harder.

the show was pretty short – they after all did only have 2 albums to pull from – but it was paced well and timed out really well. i don’t think i could have asked for more – well i could have but i was so happy to have what i got that i would not have done so.

getting home with all the other boys crowded onto BART and then MUNI was as smooth a trip as i have ever had. and i was right back in my room with iTunes ready and playing Yaz remixes until i finally crashed for the night. …sigh.

one more of my Divas to see – anyone know how to stalk Kate Bush?

something i have not blogged about before is that i have started an initiation path with the folks of CAYA, on my way along with several others to become one of the community of priest/preistesses for the coven. although our first initiation starts in February of the coming year (and then goes on for a year-and-a-day) we “pledges” were asked to be the ones to plan this years Yule celebration and ritual. so many wonderful ideas were brought to the table, and so much inspiration came in to help us adapt and figure out how to make as much of the ideas work. well i don’t think that it could have worked out any better than it did.

all of us new folks had our nervous jitters and apprehensions, but we made it through – and with flying colors! we were all expecting about 20 to 25 people, and we had over 40 to 45 arrive! a great deal of new faces were there, and some friends that were so very nice to see again. even with the added crowd, we just clumped in closer together, re-focused ourselves and put on a wonderful and magick-filled event.

one thing that has me all a-glow today is what happened after during the social/cakes and ale afterwards. our founder and high-priestess, Rabbit, stopped the celebration for a moment to make an announcement that pretty much too me by surprise. she wanted to tell everyone about the brand new CAYA website that i put together in iWeb (with some incredible writing on her part) and had just made fully live the day before. that was so nice, but she did not stop there. she then talked about how involved in the ritual i had been that night and all through the planning, all of the little bits and pieces (some i did not know she even knew about!) that i had done to get things ready – and then led a round of applause – FOR ME!! and guess what, i did not freak out or sink into the floor or feel a need to run out the door. pretty amazing, eh? i have not felt this good or smiled this much in a very long time.

it is hard to write about how being involved with this group has been like for me. such an outpouring of love and acceptance, opportunities for growth and change and a real sense of community that i really feel like i belong to. funny that at this moment i flash back to some of the old days at the Alabama Theatre in Houston and my days doing the Rocky Horror Picture Show. those days were magickal in their own right, but this is so much better. it is really like coming home. i really have made the right decision to be a part of this group.

so to anyone/everyone out there – the long winter darkness is coming to an end, the Sun really is coming back to the world. i can really attest to that right now.

made me smile this morning.

a couple gets all the way through TEN YEARS for aluminum? WTF!?!

not sure how it happened – but sure am glad that it has. we seem to be getting better and better all the time, and i am so very very happy and blessed by the gods that i have this person in my life.

i loves you more and more each day hunni bunni! Ten is just the beginning!