June 13 &14th 2009 Baltimore

Good morning Baltimore,
I made myself a Baltimore CD with music from musicians who grew up there or called it home, and listened to it as I drove.
It was a Saturday morning, and before I left I ran a preschool autism group with my friend Pat, and headed out for Baltimore right after it finished. I knew there was a good possibility I would still be late, but it was worth it. I had a fairly well packed car with IBC Cream soda, tequila, my drums, a hip scarf, blueberries, art supplies, a few other tricks in my bag and a BIG smile on my face. I usually get really excited about traveling and seeing people, and after my trip in May I felt like I had missed the lightheartedness and joy of traveling and seeing people where you can guarantee big bear hugs and joy and that feeling of being loved.
LOTS of people went to Baltimore for the Unbirthday party. It was like half the party was our own personal Hartwick reunion and half was Trinket and Dave's friends from the Ren Faire's and Faerie festival/performance people.
So my bag of tricks was put to good use throughout the two days.
When I walked in carrying the drums and tequila, within about 2 minutes I made a new friend who asked me if I wanted to be in a gypsy band. I thought that would be really fun, but one heck of a commute getting to Maryland.
To a certain extent the groups mingled, but there was also a whole lot of times in which the Hartwick Alum just spent catching up with one another. This was with good reason too, as many of us are scattered.
Corinne (who initially hid making the picture even cuter) came from NY where she runs an organic farm. One of my favorite college Corinne memories is probably on my 21st birthday her wrapping her baby ball python snake around my arm and walking about the party with a live snake bracelet. Also a few years ago I happened to run into Corinne while she was working at King Richards faire (the Massachusettes Ren faire) and she said "Hey what are you doing here?" and I commented that I lived in Massachusetts, and she lived in NY so it made sense for me to be there, but her being there was a total surprise. She now knows my friend Chad from Worcester from working there.
Meggie came from Michigan where she was still finishing up her dissertation. I sort of surprised a Meggie who didn't know I was coming, and got off the phone with her girlfriend for near tackle hugs. We just kept coming over and randomly giving hugs throughout the day because it seemed kind of unreal.
Marc came from Rhode Island, where he continues to be a computer genius who could probably hack in and take out all my punctuation if he saw fit.
However there was a decent sized Hartwick contingent in Maryland including the lovely Ms. Kate.
Kate is the reason I brought the IBC. We had a tradition in college at parties that at a certain point in the night when I got around to manning the door either Kate or our friend Jackie would come up with an IBC cap and propose to me. I would always say yes, because who could refuse and IBC cap. So I proposed to her that night and she of course said yes.
Then there is Patrick
Patrick is an amazingly tough man who in my head always smells of linseed oil. Patrick is an artist who works in wood and metal, and makes lots of stuff out of chain mail. He taught a number of our friends how to do that as well. He does gorgeous stuff. http://www.etsy.com/shop/armourer
He also was holding down the whole wrestling fighting on the college field thing before most of my friends got there. We quickly joined in though.
And then there is Vic and Bethel.

Once upon a time I was supposed to help Vic find a girlfriend, and I failed miserably, but Bethel found him anyways which was just about perfect. I stayed at their house and played the next morning with their adorable kids. They live close to DC, and let me tell you DO NOT MESS WITH PEOPLE'S PARKING IN THE DC AREA. I came in close to 2AM and parked in the wrong area from their designated spot, and was towed by 7am the next morning. kinda sucked, but still even with the money I had to put into the towing and the ridiculously long drive, the party was totally worth it.
I don't even remember what I talked about, but I wished I could have stepped out of time and stayed there for a while.

I did at one point make a drawing for Dave and Trinket. I think they liked it.
I think Dave was just wicked happy that I decided last minute to come. Yeah so was I. I was also thrilled to meet Trinket in person instead of just sending her drawings and notes like i did the year before.
(the lady trinket holding court)
Also after chatting with everybody I got to play. Because there are performers there they had juggling equipment and I got to try to practice club juggling. I failed, but managed to not hit myself in the head, which I consider a success.
I think a girl named Katie borrowed my hip scarf for part of the night. I remember lots of friendly people including Gumby and Landon our Hosts, and the lovely Tiger.
(this shot is actually form the following day)
At the end of the night, people were milling around in the living room with just about everyone staying later than they actually planned. We took a group shot of the people who went to Hartwick (also adding in Christy, Patrick's wife, just because she is very cool)
(also I have to credit Kate because I yanked two of these photos from her.)

The next morning we all went to Tiger's house for breakfast. She was thrilled that I had randomly brought blueberries and made everyone blueberry pancakes. I always enjoy parties that have breakfast the next day at someone's house components. Breakfast was great, and again, wanted to stop time and not leave, but I had to get back so I left at noonish. Back to Worcester I went feeling like the lightness of travel and the joy of old friends had been returned to me.