Yes, after almost two years of talking about it and scheduling and rescheduling and unscheduling and thinking and rethinking–today, I went to a tattoo place here in Buffalo, after doing extensive research, and booked an appointment. For tomorrow. I’ve never had a tattoo before so I’m kinda nervous, but maybe more excited. MAYBE. I don’t know. This blog post is kind of like collateral or something–I’m leaving it out in cyberspace so that I can’t chicken out tomorrow.
But I’ve given myself enough time. The tattoo that I want, I’ve wanted since sophomore year. And I haven’t wavered. So it’s finally time!! Can you tell I’m overthinking this a little?
Last Wednesday, Tom and I left Philly at 4:30 in the morning ( ), and arrived in Nashville that night, at around 8 central time. (Hint: that’s 15 hours on the road!) We were driving an old Volvo 240 that I’m borrowing from my uncle and his family (thanks guys!!), and it was awesome.
We arrived at our hotel in Nashville, which I highly highly highly recommend if you feel like splurging on a 4-star hotel. (We decided it was worth it because we’d be spending the next 3 nights in tents and, as it turned out, a less-than-perfectly-clean motel.) Then the next morning, we set out for Bonnaroo at about 10.
This was our first mistake. Though Manchester, where Bonnaroo is, is only an hour away from Nashville, Bonnaroo traffic made our wait in the line seven hours long. NO I’M SERIOUS. We sat basically still in the car for seven hours. It was brutal. And insane. And insane-making.
But then we made it to Bonnaroo!!!
Below, the entrance to Centeroo (where all the stages and whatnot are), the ferris wheel (which we actually went on this year), and Tom and me looking ridiculous as usual.
Now how shall I sum up the awesome experience that was this year’s Bonnaroo…
Bonnaroo 2009 highlights, lowlights, and crazylights
Highlight: When the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had such technical issues that they stopped performing “Maps,” then started over and decided to do it acoustic.
Lowlight: When my phone ran out of batteries like 10 seconds into the trip, and then when my camera followed. And then when the charging station at Bonnaroo didn’t work.
Crazylight: When this guy existed:
Highlight: When Okkervil River performed. Amazing as usual. I want to marry Will Sheff.
Other straight-up great performances included Bon Iver, the Dirty Projectors, and Elvis Costello.
Lowlight: When Tom and I slept through MGMT. We heard varying assessments of the performance, but it was still a bummer to miss out.
Highlight: When we spent hours admiring and critiquing the zillions of tattoos that people were showing off on their half-dressed (if that) bodies.
Yeeeah Philly!
Crazylight: When I went to the Samosaman samosa booth so many times (5 times in one day, to be precise) that they asked me if they could video-tape me saying how much I loved the “braco” samosa.
Then Tom and I got in the car and drove as far as we could Sunday night before we got tired, stayed in a slightly-shady-but-less-shady-than-the-others motel, and then drove like 11 hours the next day to get to Philly.
Oh, and now I’m in Buffalo for the summer. Will talk more about that later. Now time to nap.
Hi, my name is Elizabeth and I'm 22. I'm spending the year as a New York Public Ally. Otherwise, I play video games, read genre fiction, draw, and watch and rewatch Buffy. More?.
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I’ve never had a tattoo before so I’m kinda nervous, but maybe more excited. MAYBE. I don’t know. This blog post is kind of like collateral or something–I’m leaving it out in cyberspace so that I can’t chicken out tomorrow.
), and arrived in Nashville that night, at around 8 central time. (Hint: that’s 15 hours on the road!) We were driving an old Volvo 240 that I’m borrowing from my uncle and his family (thanks guys!!), and it was awesome.
