The Dionysian Club |
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Fill Your Cup
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My fellow libertines,
Ten days have passed since we did parade totems of Dionysos through the
streets of Alameda. Spain has since won the World Cup. Mongolians have
celebrated Naadam. My yard is finally cleaned up. Order in the universe
is restored.
Not sure if our invocation to honor the god of wine or to "eschew banality,
embrace carnality" was fully heard, but the folks you'd want to know got it.
Dismiss for a moment the blank stares, the furrowed brows, the mothers sheltering
their children; understanding is not everyone's province. But understanding came
from places expected and not; the accolades of a local cop, the knowing laughter
of an Oakland Hills resident, the cheers of a bohemian gaggle on Park Street,
our many friends, some ladies on Grand Street with a taste for the ancients
and more, a nutter with a video camera.
Whereas no formal honors were ours, rest assured, we won the admiration of
our peers and inspired friend and stranger alike. Alas, 'twas the fine feathered
freaksat Rhythmix who took the Mayor's "Best of Parade" trophy -- and from that
we can drawinspiration of our own. They, too, are a credit to their community.
Happy to say that our Independence Day procession was a welcome departure
from the standard fare. The cyclical hustle and bipedal bustle did however
obscure some of our thematic consistency: Our masks, an ode to Dionysos as
patron of the theatre; the chariot (traditional Dionysian conveyance) flanked
by banners of archetypal male and female forms, followed by the iconic goat head
(symbol of perseverance and vitality), surrounded by fur-trimmed hooves (of course),
whilst a weather balloon extolled the virtues of goats and men ("So Tasty")
and importuned "Eat Me!". And all this but prelude to the large golden goblet
that brought home this year's entry: Fill Your Cup.
Whether or not our exhortation to enjoy better living through red wine and
chemicals was heard, it was the right thing to do. We made the gods proud.
Heartfelt thanks to those hearty stalwarts in our krewe who braved blistering sun
and technical difficulties to bring laughter and excitement to the land.
'Tis noble work, indeed. Credit in particular the robust vitality of
Tanya and Dynamo Dave, as they bore our standards, on foot, for the duration.
As usual, many people contributed to pre-parade labors and post-parade festivities.
Special thanks to Oaktown Mike for papier mache, transport, and being a most handy man.
To his and our beloved Mona, for her many contributions, including four racks of ribs.
A bounty of nice racks has blessed us this season. To the fine engineering of Andy
and the The Great Shiraz, whose efforts could put the Bundesrepublik's trade surplus
at risk. To the Hammond organism for additional technical prowess. To the mask making
of The Honey Bee and Bonky Dog. Creative genius. To Susan, Eric, Amy, Ben, and Rahn
for their great leg pumping action and more. And a shout out to the young riders;
though they muddied our presentation a bit, they had a good time doing it...
and I know at least one dream came true. Finally, three cheers for our post-parade
hosts Laura and Jim, the veritable picture of hospitality. How sweet it was
to end our trek beneath a shady oak on their lavish lawn, fine Rhône in hand
(merci, Philippe), fêting dear friends.
Note that our noble work remains forever unfinished. The connection of
good people, good food, good wine,and good works is a timeless effort requiring
more energetic oenophiles, hospitable hosts, and high-minded hominids. Let us therefor
confront this task, and other problems of the day, with a vigorous application of
the hedonistic calculus. And please let me know if you'd like to do some entertaining.
Meanwhile, let it be known that I have Cameron's zip ties, Double D's cooler,
and Ian's lovely cordless Ryobi drill. (Please call to arrange pick up or delivery.)
Happy belated Bastille Day to you all.
Felicitously yours,
The Satyrical One
--
http://www.naadam-festival.mn/
http://myalamedaparade.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Bentham#Utilitarianism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicific_calculus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day
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