Maybe happiness is this: not feeling like you should be elsewhere, doing something else, being someone else.
I think that’s kinda what we’re all working toward, right? Finding the type of life that really resonates as right, where you’re where you want to be, doing what you want to be doing, and you’re the person you’ve always wanted to be. I think for me that type of happiness comes in waves. Luckily, I usually feel like I’m on the right track or exactly THERE most of the time. And when I don’t, I reevaluate errrrthing and figure out what’s amiss.
Usually it’s just my perspective, or I’m overworking. <dees happens a lot more than it should. But it’s cool, ‘cause I love what I do.
Speaking of!
Last week (or two weeks ago, or whenever) was Pensacola Pride!! This is my very favorite time of year as a go-go dancer/burlesque entertainer/hair-whipper extraordinaire. It’s like Christmas for Ivy! Weeee! And this was my 4th one! I’m totes a veteran now. Hurrah! Lemme just give you a quick synopsis of what Pensacola Pride is all about:
- Road trip!
- 10,000 gay peeps
- Miles of beaches, filled with rainbow flags, hot pink tents, barbies stuck in the sand in compromising poses.
- 3 nights of shows + go-go dancing in front of 3,000 lesbians
- Kristy Lee & other fantastic musicians
- New fans, new friends, old fans, old friends.
- Sand in every single orifice available on the human body.
- Bonding with my fellow entertainers.
- Meeting people from all across the country (Iowa girls, I’m lookin’ at you!)
- Dancing my ASS OFF.
- Whipped cream wrestling.
- Amazing DJs.
If you’ve never been, start making plans for next year IMMEDIATELY.
Here’s just a quick visual on the craziness (way more photos on my Facebook and oldies but goodies on my Myspace [hahahaha remember Myspace? Yeah, me neither…])
My security team!! Well, not MY security team. That would be freakin’ awesome. But these were the peeps keeping all of us safe. [but I kinda think I’m their favorite…every year I get massive bear hugs, high-fives, pictures and time spent catching up with them all…I heart these boys!]
Side-note: We auctioned off my shirt for $100 to go toward the lesbian couple in Tennessee whose home was burned to the ground by their homophobic neighbors. We ended up raising more than $1,000 to send them! Woohoo!
The Aftermidnites!
IT’S THE BEST TIME EVER AND IT’S SO FLUFFY I’M GONNA DIE!!
Seriously, though, Pensacola Pride is my favorite.
So it’s always weird to come home and have GayDays be the next weekend. GayDays never seem to compare. But I spent this GayDays being super gay: hanging with the bunny, watching Arrested Development, and not going to a single GayDays event other than Revolution on Saturday. Ahhhh the good life! I tend to feel über gay all the time, anyway, so having one weekend to celebrate it doesn’t really make sense to me. I feel like to make my life any gayer I’d have to actually do a unicorn. And I’m not really into that.
I celebrate this shit daily. I’m 1,000% happy with myself, who I am, and who I love. Word.
