After a triple header the day before, I took the Ernie Banks route, Let’s Play Two!
April 4, 2025, CIFF shift then an evening at the art museum. Don’t ask me (not that you would) to explain the Mix themes, I am just being the essence of Mix, a small piece of the fabric of this fabulous institution!
CIFF was wonderful. It certainly didn’t hurt to be in that dress the entirety of the day. I was, as usual, noticed and very positively so. It never, ever gets old. It is never, ever taken for granted. Different from the entirety of my work at CIFF (all in the morning), we had two lengthy queues. Lines out the door. That means activity, smiles, donations, people, happiness. My face almost hurt from the smiling. You all see my pictures. Those are not fake. As I told someone at the Plexus event the night before, have you ever not seen me smiling? And as Kandi, you never will. Joy squared, more accurately, joy cubed. In that dress and heels for about 12 hours, walking on concrete all day (my runner’s calves helped this day).
My CIFF shift ended, and I will give you three guesses and the first two don’t count about what I did… Old fashion time! I plop my oversized behind on a barstool in a mostly empty bar. I am into drink number two and a gentleman who looked pretty much like his profession (repairing crash damaged cars) sits next to me. It wasn’t long before we got into a music conversation. He is a heavy metal guy, me, not so much but I do have a handful of favorites. He recently moved into town.
I am always interested in why someone would move to Cleveland (anyone should, second largest theater district in the country; me; THE world class Cleveland Orchestra; my beloved Cleveland Museum of Art; me; two professional, well run sports teams and the dumpster fire known as the Cleveland Clowns; an enormous craft brewing industry; me; restaurants on par with any city in the country; CIFF, me; the super-spectacular Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; me; beaches and a very reasonable cost of living). He was principally from Texas. He moved to Cleveland because (true) of our high crime rate! It was a Chamber of Commerce moment. Why? Dude lives downtown, handles crashed automobiles, bikes (pedaled bike) and simply doesn’t want to be fucked with. He figured with a high crime rate, the po-po have enough to deal with. In no other universe doesn’t anyone like me have this conversation, while getting shitfaced, looking like this!
Did I mention Cleveland has me? Come visit, you too Sherry (🥰).
Oh, that was just the tip of the iceberg! I walk into the museum for my second obligation for the day and as I am walking in, someone walking out gushes about my dress!! Head inflated…as if my bloated ego isn’t big enough. The configuration of the atrium was changed for an event the following day. This resulted in almost no traffic my way for the entirety of the evening. As a result, I drank (don’t judge me, I am a deeply imperfect and fucked up human being) and spent almost three hours talking to so many amazing people. Not a single one gave a rat’s ass about my attire, lovely as it was. Satin (like the material, not Beelzebub, I asked) and I talked at length. Hugged. Brian and his wife and I talked for a long time. He is a bassist, music, so you know how that goes for me. Hugs. The other Brian, a retired teacher who has taken some international trips (felons like me are not allowed this privilege) chatted at length. Both Brians always make a point of stopping by to say hello. This Brian has taken to traveling abroad with no plans, that even includes no hotel reservations. Ballsy, for sure, but not my style.
There were at least three other extended conversations. Hugs all around as I worked through the dance floor before Grandma got her Galley Boy at Swenson’s (better than crack) on the way home. I floated out of there and the hangover the next day was, who am I kidding, the hangover is a daily occurrence. Maybe one day, I beat that demon. Or maybe the demon beats me. Not sure just yet. 🍸🍷🍻
I have mentioned time and again, the size of our theater district. You have seen the run of my CIFF photoshoots now. I have complete freedom in this amazing and historic space to snap away. How fucking awesome!
That yap of mine is pretty amazing except for actually putting my beloved Mrs. and I in retirement.
#🏢’til I 🪦 (as if I even understand the whole # thing, this means “work until I die”).
Wasn’t I cute this day? As the great, great, great Bill Murray once said in one of the greatest movies ever made “At least I have that going for me!”. A free Kandi’s Land subscription if you can identify the movie…
7 Responses
Fantastic dress, cute shoes, many hugs and compliments, and the ever-present Kandi smile makes for a “good day”. For me, that would be an all-time highlight of my entire life!
Goodness girl you did have a day and in those heels, honey I could never ever do that
Love the dress and that heavy metal dude, very interesting.
Hope you have a blessed Easter
Rach
Caddyshack!
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
I rather have lobster!!!
Been out gopher hunting this week, too.
Caddyshack … which is nice. Big hitter, the Lama.
The way the text is written makes it difficult to understand. It would be helpful to review it before publishing.