Aw. What a guy.

Hey, this is a big deal. If I crap out every time there's a festival in town I'm never going to shoot any pictures. Retiring in two months with an aching head that keeps me timid and hiding in the apartment could be the reality, you never know about these things, but I'm not looking forward to it (the funky head hiding out bit, not the retirement). Photography is like any skill, you need to practice to make progress toward whatever dufus thing it is that's causing you to lug all that equipment around in the first place.

So I headed for the city, got off at the Civic Center stop, walked the five blocks to Howard and 11th, where the How Weird Street Faire was being held, paid my $10 entrance fee ($5, if you came in costume) and started shooting. Three hours later (interrupted by lunch), some two hundred photographs later, I was feeling pretty good given all the concerns I'd had when I started. Tired, of course, you expect that, but the head was OK, so I'll take heart and do it again.

So what was the ”How Weird Street Faire”?

Reminded me of the How Berkeley Can You Be parade: a big costume party. Not a bad place (if you're a lot younger than I am) to meet interesting women. At least interesting looking women. It was warm (in the 80's) and everyone was dressed for the weather. There were a whole lot of people in costume: half of them sitting or standing against the wall on the shady side of the street watching the other half dancing to the music. It seemed like a good time, a big crowd and there were still people streaming in as I was leaving.