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thepnutgalleryWoke up at 8, petted Lady Miss Friday, started my day. Two cups of coffee, hit up the 99c store and big lots, ran home to finish making everything, get cleaned up and head down to the picnic. Because of the last minute trips, I didn't get there until 11:45, which was just after Christina and Brad, but we got everything reasonably set up.
There was a homeless man in the park, and in better times, he'd have been extremely handsome. His pants were literally falling down because they were so big. He came by as we were setting up, I offered him food/water and a belt, which I happened to have in my car. Yay being a packrat! He nearly cried asking for something to drink, and gratefully accepted the belt.
I realized I'd forgotten my phone at home, so I ran back for that. Only missed a few messages. Dave and Eliot were there when I got back, Tim and Pupple joined us shortly thereafter, as did Gabe from Family Health Center, and much later, Keagan and Chris.
The homeless guy from earlier briefly started shouting at nothing. He was still holding his pants up with one hand, but holding the belt in the other. Brad explained that with schizophrenic people, they often have trouble with follow-through. So he knows his pants are falling down, and he knows he has a belt, but he can't make the connection and put it on. Or something. He also tried to steal one of the sunbather's bikes. Twice. I happened to know the sunbather as well, and presumed he was calling the cops, though they never showed. I have a bit more sympathy, because even if he'd successfully stolen the bike, I guarantee he's going to have a worse day.
It was hot as fuck out, though Christina had thought ahead and brought a blanket that she set up under the shade. People also really loved the tofu salad sammiches, so that's good. I did have a good talk with Gabe, and even with my other board members about what SWoRN is, so they can talk to people as well. We'd largely conceded that people weren't coming, but were still talking politics when the homeless guy started shouting at us. Particularly at Christina, but definitely at all of us.
When I was younger, I had a particularly terrible personality trait of going straight for the emotional jugular. No escalation, no warning shot. If you tried to hurt me, I would take whatever information you gave me, at whatever close range, and use them for the gag, and the bind, and the ammunition round. It took everything to not unload on the guy, and I'm very glad I'd already pointed out to someone else earlier that whatever he says to us, we're going to end up in a better place than him at the end of things.
I missed it, but apparently later he came by asking for cookies. I'd probably, but not definitely, have still given them to him, but whoever it was declined. So of course he threw the plate of cookies on the ground. Later, when he started shouting again, Chris took the bait and shouted back in his face, though thankfully there was no fight.
We got everything packed up, Tim joined me back at my place with Pupple and "fixed" my tofu salad. I've since tried it, and while the addition of chives and celery are great, he also added about a whole onion, so it pretty much just tastes like raw onion. Tim is a much much much better cook than I am, but in this particular case, I'm glad I didn't have his help before the picnic. I asked Sam if I could borrow his laundry key again so I could make copies, and went shopping for Matt-stuff while I was there (regular cola and rum).
Matt came by just after Tim left. He'd initially been going to try to come for the picnic, but got caught up playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2?), so didn't end up getting there until after 9. He wanted to know what the plan was, which is frustrating when I don't have one, but was actually delighted I'd been playing Chrono Trigger while I waited for him. Bryan Riley offered Brick Bar, then Matt Harris suggested a 4 way instead. Neither Matt nor I could make up our mind, finally decided on Brick Bar for one drink, but by then Harris and Riley were at my door. Well, that decides that. We all bottomed for Harris, with Matt and I flipping next to Riley & Harris, then they went home.
Matt and I stayed up drinking and listening to music, but finally went to bed.
There was a homeless man in the park, and in better times, he'd have been extremely handsome. His pants were literally falling down because they were so big. He came by as we were setting up, I offered him food/water and a belt, which I happened to have in my car. Yay being a packrat! He nearly cried asking for something to drink, and gratefully accepted the belt.
I realized I'd forgotten my phone at home, so I ran back for that. Only missed a few messages. Dave and Eliot were there when I got back, Tim and Pupple joined us shortly thereafter, as did Gabe from Family Health Center, and much later, Keagan and Chris.
The homeless guy from earlier briefly started shouting at nothing. He was still holding his pants up with one hand, but holding the belt in the other. Brad explained that with schizophrenic people, they often have trouble with follow-through. So he knows his pants are falling down, and he knows he has a belt, but he can't make the connection and put it on. Or something. He also tried to steal one of the sunbather's bikes. Twice. I happened to know the sunbather as well, and presumed he was calling the cops, though they never showed. I have a bit more sympathy, because even if he'd successfully stolen the bike, I guarantee he's going to have a worse day.
It was hot as fuck out, though Christina had thought ahead and brought a blanket that she set up under the shade. People also really loved the tofu salad sammiches, so that's good. I did have a good talk with Gabe, and even with my other board members about what SWoRN is, so they can talk to people as well. We'd largely conceded that people weren't coming, but were still talking politics when the homeless guy started shouting at us. Particularly at Christina, but definitely at all of us.
When I was younger, I had a particularly terrible personality trait of going straight for the emotional jugular. No escalation, no warning shot. If you tried to hurt me, I would take whatever information you gave me, at whatever close range, and use them for the gag, and the bind, and the ammunition round. It took everything to not unload on the guy, and I'm very glad I'd already pointed out to someone else earlier that whatever he says to us, we're going to end up in a better place than him at the end of things.
I missed it, but apparently later he came by asking for cookies. I'd probably, but not definitely, have still given them to him, but whoever it was declined. So of course he threw the plate of cookies on the ground. Later, when he started shouting again, Chris took the bait and shouted back in his face, though thankfully there was no fight.
We got everything packed up, Tim joined me back at my place with Pupple and "fixed" my tofu salad. I've since tried it, and while the addition of chives and celery are great, he also added about a whole onion, so it pretty much just tastes like raw onion. Tim is a much much much better cook than I am, but in this particular case, I'm glad I didn't have his help before the picnic. I asked Sam if I could borrow his laundry key again so I could make copies, and went shopping for Matt-stuff while I was there (regular cola and rum).
Matt came by just after Tim left. He'd initially been going to try to come for the picnic, but got caught up playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2?), so didn't end up getting there until after 9. He wanted to know what the plan was, which is frustrating when I don't have one, but was actually delighted I'd been playing Chrono Trigger while I waited for him. Bryan Riley offered Brick Bar, then Matt Harris suggested a 4 way instead. Neither Matt nor I could make up our mind, finally decided on Brick Bar for one drink, but by then Harris and Riley were at my door. Well, that decides that. We all bottomed for Harris, with Matt and I flipping next to Riley & Harris, then they went home.
Matt and I stayed up drinking and listening to music, but finally went to bed.
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