This past weekend I thought I was going camping on the Russian River. So I packed all my little camping necessities and bunches of squirrel food cuz I didn't have a stove or anything. Turns out out I was going GAY camping. I should have known being that it was Guerneville and all, the North Bay gay resort.

The 'camp ground' was a relatively small, consisting of nicely manicured lawns with a picnic table per every few camp sites. The sites were about 10X10. And instead of redwoods there were fruit trees scattered about. I made sure not to pitch my tent on the plum guts lying about and at night I heard the sound of apples plunking to the ground. Also there were no fire pits in sight although I read that there was a group bonfire night which I didn't attend. My friends who were camped out further down the way were kept up all night by the techno dance party churning out the gay faves.

Aside from the shock of my sissy surroundings, I was glad that the bathroom was nearby, there were hot showers available, I was forced to make friends with my nelly neighbors (complete with rainbow flag and leather body harness hanging off a tent, and all the queers one could ever hope for. I'm just never around enough gay people in San Francisco.

There was no seclusion to be found and my friends got caught with their pants down in what they thought was a secluded nook. But I'm sure they weren't the only ones trying to cop a feel as there was travel lube packaging on the asphalt pathway.

On day two we got kayaks and made our way down stream. My partner purchased an inflatable kayak which supposedly is great for rapids, but apparently is not so fabulous on placid shallow lakes. So, we trundled along leagues behind our gang. The slightest wind sent us spinning in circles and the river offered us to aid in reaching our destination. There were people paddling upstream as fast as we were paddling down, or as fast as P. rowed. I was little help. I was more of a hood ornament. Best part of the trip. The scenery was gorgeous, and well worth having to listen to P. complain. :)

I have a tendency to speak before thinking. It's a huge fault. Anecdote to follow:

The other day I went to see Erin McKeown, who I think is fabulous. During the show I became more and more convinced that I wanted to discuss her career trajectory. So, after the show I went to her and I asked her why she wasn't playing bigger venues. (She's been playing small clubs for years, and I think she's destined for bigger things.) She said that I should talk to her manager who was sitting nearby. Well, then I asked her a final question. Did she have a problem courting the gay media. (I didn't ask if she was gay. I figured that question would answer itself.) About the media she said that she didn't have a problem with them, but they rejected her because she refused to talk about her personal life. At this point I had mentally written her off as one of those closet cases unworthy of my promotional efforts. But as I was leaving, and against my better judgement, I went up to her manager and had words. Because why make one enemy when I could make two. I told her manager basically the same thing. She got so upset she started to speak heatedly about how I didn't understand how hard it was, how hard they worked, etc. So, I started to feel badly and back-peddled... I did understand yadda yadda. But maybe I didn't understand.

Basically, I think Erin should hitch herself to a little gay star and milk it for all it's worth. Hey, if she's happy doing what she's doing then I can't fault her for that, but there are two issues here. The age old to-come-out-or-not-to-come-out morality question and then the how to get famous question. I discussed the latter with a straight musician friend of mine. She was all for it. In fact she had patronized the Lexington trying to recruit an audience. She butched herself up for the event, but she said that they could see through her and that they knew she wasn't gay. It was a bust.

I know this is a cynical view to take, but it's practical. Lesbians are hella loyal, and one would be lucky to have them on your side. Erin's crowd was a bunch of staid middle-age bores who didn't dance to anything. Why would anyone chose that kind of demographic. Now the Gossip show a few days later... but we'll get to that later. So, I left feeling horrible. I was really trying to do something good, but I just made everyone feel badly. My friend said that maybe it was a good thing and maybe Erin will re-consider her pro-closet stance. I don't know. whatever. I'm an evil person. Right now I'm listening to a stream of Erin on Morning Becomes Eclectic. She's so cool. Not my type though. ;)