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Saturday's 18th Anniversary Bembe
Aug. 20th, 2008 04:20 pmWell, I said I'd write up the Bembe but I don't really have much to say. Our House chorus rehearsals have recently changed from once a month in San Jose to twice a month, once in SJ and once in Oakland. So Friday night Chris & I made the trek to Oakland. We had a great meal at Tropix Caribbean and then went to Edoras. Somehow in the change of venue, no one had thought to mention that household includes four cats. I did my usual "oh, I'll be okay" and breathed myself into an allergy/asthma episode. *sigh* We moved outdoors and I managed to stay for most of the rehearsal but it really banjaxed my lungs.
Saturday morning Kurt & I coordinated and took my desk up to Etherius in Berkekely. Yay! The desk is gone. And Monday night I ordered an exercycle. I'm hoping to stop being such a slug.
So I headed on to the House with some trepidation. My chest was sore from the attack and I was afraid that the cigars would be bad since I was already triggered. Nine Exus took the floor and proceeded to smoke. Yep. I'm in trouble. I hang out in the always no-smoking food tent. I do not dance for Ogun or Oxossi but they have plenty of mediums on the floor. Somewhere in there some wonderful person gets the idea of setting up a fan to provide an air barrier between the floor and the food tent. And someone convinces me to use my inhaler. That makes a difference. I dance about half of Pomba's time before two Exus light cigars. Back to the food tent.
I did manage to hang in there and dance Oxumare and Brigitte. Oxumare was amazing. I haven't danced him/her in way too long. I managed Brigitte for one song. Oh! And I had an interesting experience when Ghede handed me a plastic skull. I got a hit from a spirit who said he was "The Major" and that he was an Revolutionary War Hero and an ancestor of the House. I couldn't get him to tell me how that might be, but he was very glad to be there. Okay. I seem to get random spirits who really want to be a part of us. I introduced him to a couple of people in case they want to talk to him too.
By 5pm we're not quite halfway through the xere and I'm exhausted and sore and decided that the hour drive home was about on the edge of my capacity. Mama walked me to my car and I went home and collapsed. Bah. I missed the wonderful pork and rice feast Jess was making and all the visiting and hanging out I had been looking forward to. The Orixa with whom I interacted were all concerned about me. Omolu and Oko in particular sent me energy which helped me stay as long as I did.
Note to self - yes, you really are severely allergic to cats. It doesn't matter that you love them. DO NOT HANG OUT WHERE MULTIPLE CATS LIVE!!!! Esp. when inhaling to sing with nice deep breaths.
Saturday morning Kurt & I coordinated and took my desk up to Etherius in Berkekely. Yay! The desk is gone. And Monday night I ordered an exercycle. I'm hoping to stop being such a slug.
So I headed on to the House with some trepidation. My chest was sore from the attack and I was afraid that the cigars would be bad since I was already triggered. Nine Exus took the floor and proceeded to smoke. Yep. I'm in trouble. I hang out in the always no-smoking food tent. I do not dance for Ogun or Oxossi but they have plenty of mediums on the floor. Somewhere in there some wonderful person gets the idea of setting up a fan to provide an air barrier between the floor and the food tent. And someone convinces me to use my inhaler. That makes a difference. I dance about half of Pomba's time before two Exus light cigars. Back to the food tent.
I did manage to hang in there and dance Oxumare and Brigitte. Oxumare was amazing. I haven't danced him/her in way too long. I managed Brigitte for one song. Oh! And I had an interesting experience when Ghede handed me a plastic skull. I got a hit from a spirit who said he was "The Major" and that he was an Revolutionary War Hero and an ancestor of the House. I couldn't get him to tell me how that might be, but he was very glad to be there. Okay. I seem to get random spirits who really want to be a part of us. I introduced him to a couple of people in case they want to talk to him too.
By 5pm we're not quite halfway through the xere and I'm exhausted and sore and decided that the hour drive home was about on the edge of my capacity. Mama walked me to my car and I went home and collapsed. Bah. I missed the wonderful pork and rice feast Jess was making and all the visiting and hanging out I had been looking forward to. The Orixa with whom I interacted were all concerned about me. Omolu and Oko in particular sent me energy which helped me stay as long as I did.
Note to self - yes, you really are severely allergic to cats. It doesn't matter that you love them. DO NOT HANG OUT WHERE MULTIPLE CATS LIVE!!!! Esp. when inhaling to sing with nice deep breaths.
