1) One roller suitcase + one laptop case + one raincoat + one umbrella + one retractable sign in carrying case + shuttles from Ruggles to Back Bay + all elevators out of service at Aquarium + 30 minutes total wait times = #mbtafail.
2) Rumors to the contrary, I didn't let it spoil my day! While I arrived as the ferry started boarding (which put me at the end of the line), I got a seat, a coffee, and some writing time.
3) Badass tattoos + Hawaiian print T-shirt AND shorts = mixed message.
4) Beautiful to arrive in Provincetown - beautiful and humid and unexpectedly sunny. A sweaty walk brought me to my weekend domicile, the Accommodation, where I am ensconced in the blue room.
5) Lunch at Liz's Café with M. Davide, one half of my weekend hosts, including (to my surprise) talk about film adaptations of Jane Austen novels, and much else. I do miss Tippy Toppy, the longtime diner restaurant at this site, but this new iteration is great.
6) "Oh the humidity! La humidité!"
7) Then it was time to suit up in a office polo shirt, grab that retractable sign and a bag of swag, and ankle over to the East End to the location of the event I was staffing. Indeed, it was a sweaty day.
7a) Unsurprising observation: Bradford Street will give you a completely different picture of Provincetown from Comical Street.
8) Long story short, the event was a success, with alumni present from the 1950s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2010s. Some ferociously good conversation got going along the way! As part of my official welcome to the group I was able to offer toasts both to Aretha Franklin and to a deceased member of this alumni community.
9) Near the end, the heavens darkened and unleashed solid sheets of rain! Truly dramatic - and actually kept the party going about half an hour longer than expected. No one seemed to mind - always the sign of a good party.
10) Eventually I walked back home, paraphrasing the late Lawrence of Arabia: "The trick is not minding that you're getting wet."
11) Chez Accommodation, the traditional strawberry margaritas with candid conversation of all kinds while I was stretched out on my eponymous memorial banquette.
12) Along about eight o'clock, our house party of five sallied forth in search of some dinner, and ended up with a table on the reviewing stand at Tubular. Wonderful for me to observe the passing show. We had a bit of a sprinkle during dinner, and the air turned noticeably, blessedly cooler.
13) After dinner I struck out on my own to commit an Act of Retail and get ice cream like a naughty boy.
14) A light mist came down over the town for the rest of the evening, making my walk home a bit damp, but also strangely comfortable.
15) It's only just after 11 PM, but I'm delighted to be in bed after a long, good day.