Voodoo Fest: The Aftermath

So, I don't normally post about the day after shows...but, I guess if I was going to do one - this would be it. Especially considering, how much happened...


My flight out of New Orleans was at 7:00 am. I got up at 4 after only two hours of sleep and was in the airport at 5:00 am. So it was early.


I thought a lot while I was waiting for my flight. I was looking at my bracelet thinking again how wrong it would have been for me to have gone back. I kept trying to explain to Tess and Kayla, why I don’t want to see the band. I love the band, I love TR, but I’m afraid. I don’t know. I failed at explaining it all weekend, but, I guess the closest thing I can come up with is, it’s like bubbles. They’re beautiful and amazing, and you can stare at them all you want, but if you get to close – if you touch it, it breaks and it’s over.

So, I tends to be afraid to see them outside of Rail/Stage situations. Or at least, Formal Meet and Greet situations…there will always be a barrier and thus safety…that said – the flight home was almost….


(Still dark from the plane.)

So, kinda random, awful awkward moment, when I’m getting to my plane and um…I don’t know why, or why such thigns happen, but, JT, (Head of security) was on my flight. It was really awkward because like, I didn’t know what to say… Um, it was like 5 am. And like, I didn’t want to be all annoying and say hi – but mostly, I’m scared in such situations. But like, you know, I didn’t wanna not say hi…

And like, pretty sure, he knows who I am, cuz like, I’ve been at decent amount of shows this tour, and I talked to him once or twice, and like, god knows he’s rescued me in the pit more then once…. So, and even if he didn’t, I’m wearing a damn Nails hoodie so, like, yeah. Doot doo doo… but, I’m getting on the plan and I walk past him and we both say hi. So…yeah.

So, I fly out of the city – at which point its supposed to be over…but I’m on the plane with like official NIN people so, that was different. Same time, I’m on the plane and theres 10 days to go before I leave again, which at that point, for me is like officially pre-show, so, I couldn’t even be post show sad. But I got to sleep a little on the plane, which was nice since I didn’t do much of that over the weekend, plus like – if any mosh pit situations were to have broken out on the plane, you know, got to know that JT was around and like, he coulda handled that you know…So I had that going for me, which was nice.

OK, now I’m being really silly! But like I love JT I think he's great – so, yeah. Dude it was really really awkward.


So I get home, the warmth of New Orleans to cold New York Fall, but the leaves are beautiful. All the trees here are so magnificent at the moment.

I also came home to the most wonderful news!!!


KAYLA AND TESS MET ROBIN!! I was so happy for him. They found him riding his bike around the city on Sunday after the show!


He was so cool with them! He posed for photos and chatted a while and that just made me so happy! You can read more about it on Kalya’s blog here:

http://slavecage-slavecage.blogspot.com/


Look Kayla, I took this for you – I’m wearing pants!

So – in between shows this time – I didn’t have much time. I drew, I worked on The Harp, which I’m doing in the photo. I’m sanding it now with 36 grit sand paper- the shit rips up my fingers almost as much as it does the wood, but I love it anyway!


I washed out my 12Ghosts dress, cuz you never know…I might need it for something within a week….


So – thanks to Erin, my mask made it home from New Orleans. I was so excited after the show I completely forgot and left it in her car. She was so awesome and mailed it back to me – what would I do with out everyone?

I was so happy too – I finally saw the YouTube video where TR chats with her about the sign. I heard from Babs and she and everyone else had an awesome show during the week– and all that made me so happy.

One thing though, I’m getting really sad about as this tour ends – I’m realizing with each passing show – I’m not going to see everyone after this. That’s just devastating….

Oh also, The Day We Do Not Speak Of took place during the week. And even though I tried to forget - Everyone was super cool – I loved all the Myspace comments and messages and that made me happy.


I worked on a dress too…


…cuz you never know when you might need it…


But all that was small potatoes. Yesterday, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. My alarm when off a half hour earlier then usual on a work day. Unlike normal work days – I woke up – not tired not pissy – I was fucking happy and excited as all hell.

Today is THAT day. THIS is the day we have been fucking waiting for. We are ALL up we are all going to do lines today and we all know why.

This day, is all about Him. This day is all about taking back the country.

I drove to the polling place first thing in the morning –


No line drama, just do it. I got in the booth. I pulled the lever. I just stare at it. Pulling that thing felt so good beyond belief. I had to stand there a few extra moments to take it in.


So I’d done it – I voted for Barack Obama. It was the greatest feeling.


I kept taking photos as I drove to work. I don’t know, the day just felt so monumental.

Work went by. We talked about it of course. I ran home, I was glued to CNN all day. I packed, I made playlist on my iPod did everything I would normally do before leaving to see Nails – I was on fire – but it was so much more then band– I felt nerves more intense then anything. I ran outside at one point, just electrified. Was I really understanding in full what was actually going on!?!? No really – do you understand what’s happening!?


I was nervous at one point, I cried at one point, because I was afraid. But as more states came in, I went back to singing the Fleetwood Mac song I’d been singing the past few days as I have been surrounded by Republicans “Took my love, took it down. Climbed a mountain and I turned around. And I saw my reflection in a snow covered hill, till the LANDSLIDE brought me down!”

My god – it’s really happening. Watching CNN everyone in Grant Park where just a few months earlier – we all stood for some tiny little concert. Now it is so much bigger – the whole WORLD is in the streets - Celebrating
Ohio! OHIO!!! There’s no WAY we can’t win this. It’s really happening. I was SO happy – I started e-mailing, Myspacing and PMimg people I was about to burst – and then just as I was clicking send -


!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!

I was jumping up and down I ran I called a friend and we just – then we both had to get off the phone. I was on my knees for at least ten minutes sobbing uncontrollably that we’d finally finally – and god what this means to the African American community – all this time we couldn’t talk about it it – we had to speak in euphemism for fear it would not come true but it has it has it has!!!



It’s real! We have a good man for President. We pulled together from Myspace and lines snake around we waited hours to vote for THIS man. It was meant to be. The world was in the streets celebrating it was just the most divine night. I wish I’d been out – but I knew the next few days I would be with everyone. And yet even alone in my room – I’d been on Myspace, I’d been in contact with everyone – we’re all watching the same thing – we are all linked - we ARE all together now!

For the first time, I am happy to be an American.


I woke up this morning, just before I did, I was dreaming I was reliving the moment when CNN was just about to announce that Obama had become president. My alarm went off and as I woke up, I realized I haven’t slept – THAT well since – I don’t even know. I am SO happy right now. I’m about to leave – to see everyone. I’m so happy.