Bonnaroo or Bust

Well, I think I've finally settled back in to the big 'ol apple after 5 days spent travelling to / being at / and coming home from Bonnaroo (for more information on what Bonnaroo even IS click here: http://www.bonnaroo.com/info/information.aspx) It was a little rough at first, you know, staying awake and making it to work on time (EEP!). But, I spent a night in on Friday, catching up on TV and zoning out, and I feel like a million bucks (Canadian) now!

The whole 'Bonnaroo thing' was a step outside of my normal box, (Yes, I live in a box. This might surprise some of you since I seem so free and unstructured and creative. I mean, you're right. But, really, you must not know me that well. I definitely live in a box. A rainbow and glittery box, but a box all the same.) but when my former coworker / friend, Dan, asked me for the fourth time if I wanted to meet up with him and his friends in Tennessee, my resolve was broken and I said 'yes'.


The thing is, I've always wanted to go to a music festival. I've always wanted to be a hippie. And, let's face it, I'm not getting any younger. As it is, I find myself yawning and fantasizing about my bed when it's past 9 on a weeknight, and past 11 on a weekend night. I need a good nap more often than I probably should. So, I figured if Dan was going to go, and I could meet up with him, and I've always wanted to do 'the festival thing', and here was an opportunity to see some bands that I liked (Arcade Fire, Florence & The Machine, Scissor Sisters)...I should do it.

And then I waited....and no one wanted to come with me. Or, sorry, 'no one was able to come with me'...right? :p Somehow, after asking around, I convinced my friend Drea from AU to risk the trip with me. Later on, my coworker, Ben, saw via the interwebs that I was going to Bonnaroo and we decided to carpool together. OK. COOL. I had a group to travel down with, and a group to meet up with. I washed all my tank-tops and gym shorts. I was ready to go...but really, for something like Bonnaroo, can you ever really be ready?

Things about Bonnaroo

1) I didn't realize that by going back 1 time zone, I would actually be traveling back in time to 1966. Actually, to be honest, I didn't even realize I'd be going back a time zone until I saw signs for Birmingham and remembered gaining an hour when I went to visit Ashlee last year. But anyway...joints everywhere, people counting out mushrooms (because even though the website said 'No illegal substances' that was obviously just so the Bonnaroo organizers could have a clear conscience...and say, you know, 'for the record' that they told everyone not to be blazin' up at 9 am), tie-dye, nudity...you name it and it probably went down at Bonnaroo. My mom would have loved it!

2) The food was pretty good. I was a little worried about what would be offered at the food stands, but I partook of some tasty samosas and sweet potato fries and lemonade and soft serve...and let's not forget the magic and wonder of eating beer covered hot dogs at 9 am!

3) IT WAS HOT. OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT. I have this thing where in between seasons I forget about the seasons past. Like, for example, each time I get chapped lips in winter I'm surprised...as if chapped lips are some fluky thing when, in reality, they're something (it's something? there are two lips but I'm talking about the lips as a whole....hmmmm) that I get every winter. Same is true with humidity and hair frizz...

(I know this photo had words over it which is annoying but...it's such a good shot!! tee hee)

Well, I'd forgotten about what it feels like to be disgustingly hot. Tennessee reminded me. WOOF. Sweating through clothes at 9 am, when showers cost $7 and involve waiting in a line, is really not the best. Friends who had gone to Bonnaroo in years past warned me about waking up at 7:30 am because of the heat and sweating, sweating, sweating. It's not that I didn't believe them, I just couldn't tap into what it FELT like to be so uncomfortable and hot. BOW WOW

4) BANDS! WOW! THERE WERE SO MANY BANDS PERFORMING! Highlights for me included The Arcade Fire, Scissor Sisters, Florence and The Machine, Whiz Khalifa, Eminem, !!! (yeah that's a band name...how about it) and...others. However,

5) HIPPIES. This kind of counts under bullet point 1 but ARGHFEST, hippies are really annoying. You know, I used to think that hipsters were the most annoying group of people ever...with their obscure interests and aloofness. But now I'm second-guessing myself. Because hippies, especially hippies from my generation that wear tie-dye and smoke and lay around without actually believing in anything or supporting a cause, are a major wompfest. Maybe I just don't like groups with a 'hip' prefix. HIPsters, HIPpies, HIPpopotamus' (jk. <3 you guys). Anyway, the reason I bring this up in relation to 'BANDS!' is because in some cases, if you weren't all up in a band's personal space, and there were drugged out hippies standing near you, it was a bit hard to hear the music playing.

6) CAMPING. OH YEAH. I slept in a tent...nbd...or rbd? I used port-o-potties and drank water that smelled like sulfur for a few days. I am a bit prissy...um...maybe that's not true. I mean, I can rough it and make the best of situations. But, I do like my amenities...and prefer a daily shower and to straighten my bangs and to put a little eyeliner on before I leave the house. I mean, should those things not come to pass it's not like I'd die but...I'd be unhappy. Remember Honduras?

7) SILENT DANCE PARTY. OH EM GEEZ. Who wants to go to one of these with me? The idea is thus: a dance party where everyone listens to the music through headphones...so that to passersby the dancers appear to be dancing silently. SUPER FUN.

In conclusion, try everything once...but know your limits.