Monday, August 12, 2024

OTO Sunday, and Goodbye Maine Monday

It's always a drag when a 3 day festival of your favorite band comes to a close. It was so lovely to spend time with friends, and really love on our band. But the day had to begin somewhere so let's go!

Sunday we woke up to be on time to get to what they billed as the Storyteller event. 

Five years ago at OTO Sara and I had submitted a story that the drummer ended up using a part of for his closing story. It wove in wonderfully, and, well, we made him cry. 

This year, Sara submitted a story about her cat and how Spicy V (pictured here, the magical being that he is) somehow worked some magic and made her a love bug. She was stunned that Brian accepted it, he called it "weirdly moving." 

Several people shared amazing stories, I noted all of them were women. Strong voices from strong women, woven with hilarity and tears.  (EDIT: Linda reminded me that there was a guy who presented, and somehow I forgot about him even though I spent 45 minutes talking to him after at Thompson's Point about Boston Rock Radio, WBCN/WFNX, etc).

Our friend Jana read her story of her dad dying from Alzheimers. Linda had submitted a story about our dad, too, and Brian let us know that while it was great, Jana got the "Dead Dad" slot in the presentation. 

Brian also lost his dad very recently, so he got up and once again, cried. He shared some beautiful thoughts about if you know someone that you should reach out to, you should do it. 

And he brought his dog to the event, and this good boy and his good owner are just my favorite things ever. 


Jess noticed Brian's T-shirt was Frog and Toad and we both literally died at how spectacular that was. It is literally impossible to adore this guy more. 

Ash was such a good boy, that while the weekend was so outstanding and wonderful, getting the chance to meet this dog and scritch him under the chin, well. That made this weekend 900 times better.

Sara nailed her reading, everyone did such a good job. We hugged and cried and just loved one another. And Brian. And Ash. And then we had to get ready for the final show. 


We went back to the hotel, got our blankets, foodstuffs, and headed back over to Thompson's Point. First act on the list was Sunny War. I'd attended her Tiny Desk Concert in 2019 and thought she was amazing, so it was cool to have her at On The Ocean! I rushed to the rail to stand with my friends and told them how much I love her. They watched her play with amazement and awe. 

I then headed over to our crew in the VIP section where we found the literal only shade anywhere on Saturday and repeated our land grab for Sunay. Our friend V got in early due to his volunteer work, and so we were hooked up with our spot. I saw Sunny walking around with her drummer, and went over to say hi. I told her I worked at NPR and enjoyed her tiny desk. I asked her if she remembered wanting to steal the Master P action figure that was up on the shelf and she laughed, she recalled it well. "I still want one of those." 

I asked her if she was familiar with Guster and she said no, she'd never heard of them. But she accepted the festival invite and was happy she did. She was impressed with the fans and the vibe. 

By the way, when you are at your grossest, nastiest, sweatiest, you gotta take a picture with someone as cute as Sunny. 


We were treated to lots more music through the day. The Dip and Grace Potter both rocked everyone out. Guster came out and performed in its entirety their album "Lost and Gone Forever," which is one of my favorites. The energy in the crowd was amazing. 10x more than the night before. Really a fun time. We hung out and danced with our small group of friends, content to be away from the rail (but honestly wouldn't it be fun!) and the shorter beer line. 

I did a big walk around and thought about squeezing myself in on the rail with my friends but, nah. You can see and hear from everywhere. 


It isn't good for taking cel phone pix from a distance though. So I didn't bother after one or two. 

The show ended earlier than most rock shows do, Guster saying that it is helpful so people can get up and head to work in the morning. How kind of them. Really. 

We went back to our hotel room. Jess, Linda, Sara, Sean, Henry and I hung around talking. Henry got to go up to their hotel room to watch TV solo for a while, and we got to talk and laugh and be silly, until close to 1am. 

Ugh. 

I took some Zquill gummies at about 11:30am and they hit me like a freight train. I slipped into bed while Lin and Sara were still talking. I just couldn't stay awake any longer. 

Monday, the plan was check out of the hotel and go get food. Because both Linda and I had work responsibilities, I checked with the front desk to get late check out. They gave us 2pm. Jeeesh! Ok! 

We did our job things, went to the pool and got some swimming time in. Hen and Sara came down at about 1, and I knew we were cutting it super close to get ready to check out by 2, but we did it. Success! 

For lunch we went to Becky's Diner, where Lin, Ginger and I went 2 years ago. Had a great meal even though it seemed to take forever to get to us. But. Worth the wait. 

Around 4:30pm, our friends left to head back to Maryland, and Lin and I went to C's. She left us wine and snacks and food an so much stuff. Mmmmm. We had some snacky snacks of cheese an crackers, wine, blueberries, and waited for her to get home from work. 

C and Lin are sleeping and I should be too. There is a small grey gargoyle snoring next to me in the form of a little Frenchie. But I am looking forward to coffee and chillaxing tomorrow in the greatest porch in the universe. 

Digits below. Whew.

Monday digits

exercise: 10/12 hours.  Missed 4pm by accident, and missed 8pm by a few steps. 6100+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:30am: 176 
6pm: 201
11pm: 169

food:
coffee/water
I think I took metformin at 11am. 
3:30pm: broccoli and about 10 scallops. some of linda's pancake. a few of Henry's french fries
7pm: metformin+jardiance
8:30pm: a lil' char"cute"erie board with triscuits, 2 cheeses, blueberries, pepperoni
some chicken piccata C brought home.
wine


Sunday digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  No measured exercise but 12k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:30am: 148 
6pm: 198
midnight: 176

food:
coffee/water
10:30am metformin
I think I ate one of those hotel souffles and some sausage. I know linda and I split a cheesesteak. That's about it all day. didn't track times. 
I had 2 beers at the fest. 
7pm: metformin+jardiance
At the hotel after the show, around 11pm: cheese, crackers, a lot of chocolate covered pretzels, some reeses peanut butter cups. Wine. 

No comments:

Post a Comment