Saturday, October 11, 2008

319 Days of Sunshine, Except . . .


There are some things in this world you can count on like the time told by a Swiss clock. Like the arrival of a German train. Like the inability of Italians to tell you how they feel without punctuating their opinions with flying hand gestures. I won't list them all here. Just this one: when the International Balloon Fiesta comes to town the first two full weeks of October each year, our weather cooperates with absolutely gorgeous, sunny, warm weather during the week and drizzly, cold, windy weather on the weekends.

I was born and and raised here, so I've had my fill of the fiesta, but I still get chills at the beautiful, preposterous sight of hundreds of bright orbs bobbing merrily in the skies over Albuquerque. I also like thinking about all the millions of happy-hearted folks from around the world who arrive here each year in anticipation of the fun they'll have at the major weekend mass ascensions and Glow-Deos and chainsaw carving competitions. So what if the service in restaurants is tense and the lines at the grocery stores are long? To say nothing of fiesta "fashion" (brrrrrrr). Albuquerque during balloon fiesta is filled with the kind of happy-to-be-here/happy-to-have-you energy that buoys my own heart. And then sinks it, when I realize that it can all be dampened by days like this.

So here's a song for y'all. It cropped up for the first time on my iPod yesterday during a particularly crappy three-mile run. I forgot how much I like these guys and their lush, melodic compositions, slightly melancholic, but not in a deadly serious, hey, which of you buzz killers brought the Joy Division records? kind of way. More in a sun will come out tomorrow but for now I'm floating around in my bathrobe and contemplating my belly button kind of way.

14 comments:

h said...

Everybody wants to rule the world. But only GATORS do!

Jenny said...

Ahhh, this is when music videos actually made sense and told a story, rather than over edited, pices of krap. Great thing to start my day.... which isn't about beautiful balloons and wonderful weather, but still.... I'm wandering around with coffee and contemplating the belly button too. Have a great weekend.

Big Shamu said...

You'd think that festival would be better held in DC with all that free hot air floating around. But the food, Moi? What about the food?

moi said...

Troll: There, there. I'd pet your head and tell you it's going to be alright, Tiger Bite won't hurt a bit. But then I'd have to kill you and turn you into a handbag.

A.B.: Just you and the Chihuahauas and coffee and contemplation! Sigh. Lucky you. I came home from dog class to find S.B. taking apart a picture window. And you KNOW how I feel about home improvement.

Shamu: Hah! Good one. But, yes, the food. It rocks. Breakfast burritos of the highest order - that's what most folks come for.

Jenny said...

That will teach you one thing; don't leave him alone with power tools.

Bwahaha to Shamu - and YES, what about the food?

Bretthead said...

Ohhh, it's those kinds of balloons! I thought all the clowns came to Albuquerque and made animals out of blow-up balloons. Now I get it!

:)

ThursdayNext said...

shamu is one after my own heart...sadly, for foodies any festival equivocates food. you can have the most amaaaazing festival of balloons or classic cars or art...and all we wanna know is what the food stands are like. :)

Wicked Thistle said...

Yah, the weekend take-offs showed a mere 25% success rate this year, which I think is 'bout what it was in '07. That, combined with Crappy Old Man Mortality's visit, took the joy right out of the fiester. There's always next year, though--there's always next year.

The Poet Laura-eate said...

Presumably they pack their balloons away into a jet plane to return to whatever corner of the world they have come from AFTER the festival though...?

Must be quite a sight!

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