Birthday, Hippy Wedding and Cosmic weekend

We had sushi and saki on my birthday. And vegan cake. Kevin, Heather and Maggie disappeared as I lay on the couch, reading a book. I smiled behind the pages- my dear friends were not so secretive. They all emerged in a clamorous parade, Keven running down the stairs and presenting me with a sheet of paper, grinning. "You won't believe it! It's so cosmic, I can't believe it!" On the piece of paper was my Mayan Calendar Lunar Sign, with a few symbols and a poem that shockingly accurately described me:

I pulse in order to beautify
Realizing art
I seal the store of elegance
With the solar tone of intention
I am guided by the power of flowering

Maggie and Heather then presented me with a beautifully hand-made pouch to keep the crystals that Kevin gave me earlier that day. It was beautiful. And I was radiated.

We had dancing, and encounters with up and coming rock stars. Toubab Krewe played on my birthday, and we rocked out. Kevin left the house dressed in full dragon get-up (left over costume from last year's burning man, no doubt). They insisted I wear a daisy headband, and of course I did. We arrived late, as to be expected, and the guy at the door couldn't believe the parade infront of him. Kevin, jumping up and down head to toe in dragon gear, hugging everyone and then thrusting me in between them shouting "It's her birthday!". I, laughing and blushing, agreed, and got hugs from all kinds of strangers. It was fabulous. In between the sets, Maggie introduced herself to one of the members of Toubab Krewe, and insisted he say hello to me (being my birthday and all). So he approached and I felt silly. We sat down and talked. I don't know what it is, but I'm most comfortable around poets, musicians and artists. And so by the end of our conversation, we had traded numbers and made tenative plans to meet up in california during the following week. And when he got back on stage, he joined in the "lets-embarass-Jess-party" and insisted everyone sing happy birthday. It was hilarious and awkward, and possibly one of the most memorable birthdays ever. I got a phone call from the twin, obviously partying it hard core across the country in Boston, and two phone calls from Matt (one for my birthday in the east, and one for my birthday in the west).

The next day we took off for Truth or Consequences, NM to attend a beautiful wedding. The ceremony was gorgeous, and although i typically don't like weddings, I felt happy and vibrant, although a bit out of place. Maggie and I were just about the only two girls there without dreadlocks and really hairy legs, and although everyone was friendly, at times I felt a little judged because I didn't look like the rest of them. We met a beautiful young man named Jodie, his wife Emily and their beautiful son, who wobbled around curiously the whole time. We participated in a drum circle to welcome the summer solstice, and then after sundown, well, everyone got naked and sat in the radium hotsprings. I succumbed to peer pressure and joined in, and instantly was glad I did. Guests with guitars sang and played and we sang along, laughing and observing that it was the second night in a row that Jupiter and venus lined up with the moon. We went to bed happy, in a tent pitched out in a field. There was a bright solar flair, and I thought it was a piece of space junk, but Kevin insisted it was a shooting star. whatever it was, it was beautiful. Later that night, I heard a loud
"SNFF SNFF SNIFFFFFF"
I groaned.
"SNFF SNFFF SNIFFFFF"
Heather woke up too
"what is that"
I didn't know. I tapped the side of the tent. I heard a scuffle, and then silence.
I rolled back over to fall asleep
"SNFF SNFF SNFFFFF"
Annoyed, I flipped on the flashlight and stuck myhead out of the tent.
I was face to nose with a pack of cows, staring at me indignantly for shining that bright light in their faces.
I laughed and fell asleep.