2002-06-09 - 11:25 a.m.

Great Goth Naval Battle 4.0

Yesterday as San Francisco's 4th (and my 3rd) Goth Naval Battle in Golden Gate Park. Every June flocks of the perki Goths rent paddle boats on GGP's Stow Lake (affectionately named Duck Soup Lake by the goth community) and drag out buckets and super soakers. There are a few rules, such as (1) no shooting people who aren't armed, (2) no firing from the sidelines (talk about lazy assed people), and (3) don't stand in your boat. There are some common sense rules too, like don't shoot the ducks.

Though I am in no physical shape to paddle or be bounced around much, I still took advantage of an offer from Firefly and BunnyStomp to hang with them Friday night. They have a new place and it is incredible! The amazing thing is I can see where their two different decorating styles merged. They just recently moved in together, but damn they do seem to have a solid relationship.

So Saturday, Firefly drove us from Mountain View up to the city, and he armed me with his camera. I just walked along the shore with all of the 30+ year old women (for some reason about the only people who don't directly participate are the older women � who were dressed to the nines). There was one exception � my ex was there as well. I guess she was there to see her friends battle it out, but getting dirty is so not her thing. But her excuse for not getting in the water is good, she brings expensive camera equipment and takes shots of her friends.

Overall I had a great time, something I've not had on that scale in a very long time. It was difficult seeing her there, but I just ignored her. I still have mixed feelings. I do not want to see her, much less even consider her a friend again. She did too many selfish things for me to really forgive her. But there was a time I did love her, and apparently a part of that is always going to be with me. I guess this is a good thing.

I just wish that since I've not done anything at all except for one concert in April with the local goth community in months that she'd just hang out with one of her boyfriends somewhere else. It isn't like her pictures are going to be of anybody but her current group of friends. In fact, when we were dating, she rarely took pictures of me at these events. I did model for her, but one of my constant complaints about her, was that I was her closet boyfriend � when in public she'd never give me the time of day. I hope that someday she has a boyfriend who does this to her, as it is an amazingly crappy thing to do to somebody.

Good Part

The good part is that everybody else was happy to see me. And the battle was great. Basically people spend about 1 hour on the water. The amazing thing was that non-goths were coming up to me (perhaps I looked like a leader type) and were asking me what was going on. One of the guys who asked me said he and his wife were at the battle last year and watched the whole thing. They loved it. Another woman asked where she could read more, so I told her to use google to search for SF Goth Naval Battle.

This year one of the team captains (yes, there are teams) hid sock monkeys around the lake and the first few teams to find the sock monkeys won pies!

Overall, it was a great experience. I got to hang out with BunnyStomp and Firefly whom I've not seen in months (and it was comforting to hear that they are sort of burned out on the local club scene as well), I saw many other people all having a blast, and on a more personal note it was pretty easy to ignore my ex walking around. It is sad, but the emotional pain of a broken relationship was nothing compared to the physical pain I was in. Currently I'm a bit sore from driving, but damn, Friday night I had a waterbed to sleep on! *Rawr*

LISTENING TO: Inertia Positive Angel

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