Yesterday, Ledcat and I were trotting up Liberty Avenue to grab some dinner with our friends Tom and Harry after wrapping up our PrideFest activities when I saw her.  Sitting at the City Theatre table.  Actually, I saw the sign first "Meet Lauren Weedman, Goddess of All that is Funny and Smokin Hot" or something like that. 

It took Ledcat and the guys like 3 blocks to realize I had completely abandoned them (Honey, that's why we have cell phones!). 

Then I saw Chris Young talking with her about Obama.  I waited impatiently for about 4 minutes, trying very hard to carry on a conversation with the somewhat taciturn City Theatre folks. When I send staff out to outreach events, I encourage them to talk to the people -- especially if they want to sell something. Like tickets. Whatever.  Finally, I used the hips God gave me and sent Mr. Young on his merry way (he was very cool about it). 

Then I talked with her.  I told her that her show revolutionized my life.  She told me she had read my blog post at the Pgh Women's Blogging Society.  I swooned.  I broke a cardinal rule and bought her book "A Women Trapped in a Woman's Body:  Stories From a Life of Cringe" and immediately felt guilty because I had told the Carnegie Library folks that I couldn't check out a book because I was holding myself to a two book limit to avoid any further $56 payments in late fees.  Seriously, at home waiting patiently for me were the final chapters of Faye Kellerman's latest mystery and a book about John and Abigail Adams.

Did not matter.  I broke my code and slapped down a $20.00 for a trade paperback book.  Which my new friend Lauren signed for me "The Power of the Blog"  !!!!  She then gave me this complicated order of chapters in which to read the book.  Which I promptly forgot and could kick myself because that was clearly intended to be a secret message about the meaning of life.  I asked her how many people under 60 came to her show and she admitted that not as many as she hoped.  What's up with that, CT?  I guess you missed my suggestion about inviting bloggers to all of your shows for people under 60.  I mean I enjoyed our show, but it felt like a race for the early bird special when we walked out the front door. 

Finally, Ledcat dragged me away.  She hates when I gush, especially over straight people.  Plus, she was hungry and we had to walk to Station Square.  I clutched my book to my bosom the entire way.  It was raining.  $20 is a lot of money for a book. 

Then I came home, finished the Faye Kellerman mystery and laid the new book on the nightstand to crack open tonight.  It is just waiting for me. 

The sad thing is that Lauren is a cable personality.  She was on the Daily Show which I've never seen.  She has a new show coming up on Oxygen which I don't get.  We get CBS, NBC and Fox. 

My entire appreciation for Lauren is based on her one woman show, Bust.  On her talent.  Not her ability to play nice with the boys.  Not her appeal to the homos.  Not her being a hottie.  On. her. talent.

So I am probably not going to get to see her again until she returns to Pittsburgh in two years. 

Meeting Lauren in person was pretty cool.  She is definitely the kind of person you wish you could go have drinks or coffee with.  I would love to invite her to hang out with Johnny Mac, Gab and me at Hoi Polloi.  I'll invite Ledcat, too, as long as she doesn't smirk at me for being gushy.  Ah well ... maybe someday when I'm a blogger with 200 readers a day, that dream will come true ...

Bust runs at the City Theater through June 29.  You should definitely check it out.  I'd like to go again b/c it was a really moving show. 

The Dyke March.  Was. Awesome.  I was very impressed with how well the ladies pulled off a switch from Oakland to the Downtown area.  From our vantage, the event was smooth and made quite an impact on the multitude of downtowners watching us march past.  I think the switch was good and added more visibility to the whole affair.  The women were in high spirits as the delicious Betty Hill speech kicked things off.  It was really cool.  We attended two years ago and it was completely different -- I felt much more welcome and part of the group this year.  Maybe it was the location switch -- being out of the university environs and in a more diverse atmosphere. The "Don't Sell Your Pride" theme was very appropriate downtown. Regardless, the dyke organizers did a terrific job and here's looking forward to something even more spectacular next year.

PrideFest was a good experience for me.  My agency had a booth so I had shade, a seat and a great view of the crowd for the first however many hours.  I missed the parade because of set up, but I certainly heard it.  There was a huge crowd and people were in a really good mood.  Many friends, old and new, stopped by to say hello, including Doug Shields and Michael Lamb.  Doug was in a really good place and kissed my intern -- she was really stunned b/c she had no clue who he was.  I was pleased when Michael Lamb recognized me (or my name at least).  We had an interesting discussion and I have to reiterate that he impresses me.  So much that I've reconsidered a campaign donation I was planning.  Overall, Pride was pleasant. The kids area was busy. We walked around at the end of the event and I managed to walk away with no new flyers, papers or handouts.  We stopped for a minute near the food/beer garden end of things and that was a little less nice.  It makes me appreciate the park and having a place to plop down.  I think moving the event to West Park on the Northside and maybe utilizing the Garden Theater for inside events would be great.

Kudos to the PrideFest Committee for a job nicely done.  The folks who helped us get our booth set up and address some related issues were really nice and helpful.  I appreciated that.  Thank you.

How was your Pride experience?