Have to apologize in advance for not being much of a picture taker. I'm not a fan of having my picture taken so I don't tend to take many of people at all.
Opening weekend of VARF was pretty miserable for a number of reasons. It was nice to see faces I haven't seen since pre-covid but covid was always poking at the back of my brain. Add that constant worry to the constant worry over the diabetes and my brain is fairly occupied with horrible things that don't leave room for much else.
The weekend started by me falling over a tree stump in the dark while trying to get from the RV to the house to use the privy. Banged up my leg pretty good.
The rough parts of the weekend were really rough. One of my favorite people ended up leaving the festival in an ambulance & being hospitalized. I'm sending all the good vibes out for a positive outcome. That one is a light the world needs.
And then ...
One of the acts we share a stage with decided a diabetes joke was a good idea. He's probably been making the joke unchallenged for years. I don't bother watching his show so I'd never heard it when we've shared the stage in the past. Unfortunately for him it was a quiet, overcast day and he decided to mic himself so I could hear very clearly from backstage. I took it as well as one would imagine. After his show (because advocacy happens everywhere) I asked him if the diabetes joke was necessary and he replied, "What if I said my father died from diabetes?"
Y'all might be proud to know I kept my composure but did ask, "So that makes diabetes funny? This is me, as an insulin pump wearing diabetic, telling you the joke is inappropriate."
He tried to make it sound like he was raising awareness about diabetes by making THE very trite, stigmatizing, and false "joke" that sugar causes diabetes. We've heard these idiotic, non-witty jokes a million times. OUR DISABILITY IS NOT YOUR PUNCHLINE.
He did say that while he couldn't promise me anything he would consider his material. In other words, he isn't going to change a fucking thing. Might need some cat poop in his tip jar. I left things cordial because I have to apparently share a stage with him for the next 4 weekends. Just adding further confirmation that this will be the last year I work or attend this show.
Hopefully the rest of the weekends go a bit better.
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