Gay Pride Parade Walk #3

Making my way through the pride parade crowd

Half naked people on a float

I walked down into the belly of the beast today! The heart of the madness of the West end of Vancouver…Pride Parade day!

It took about a half an hour to walk a 10 minute walk as I fought my way through the crowds of people. I was left with this feeling of get me the fuck outta here now!

I saw a bunch of floats and naked people wandering around…men in very tiny shorts, so tiny I’m not sure how their balls stayed in place. I guess it’s all in good fun but I just don’t get it. As with most celebrations and parades and displays of fireworks, it just never has tickled my fancy. I often wonder why people even bother…all that wasted energy on getting down there, hooting and hollering like a crazy person, making your way through the hoards of people…I don’t know why these types of things are considered fun!

So, with much cynicism, I worked my way through the crowd as quickly as humanly possible while trying to keep my anxiety at bay. You know the stereo type about old people? How they are grumpy and miserable and don’t like anything…well that’s me! I have been that way since I was a teenager….I was born a grumpy old person! I don’t foresee that changing any time soon, if anything, it has gotten worse over the years.

I read somewhere that sometimes people with anxiety problems and panic disorders have other traits other than the panic and anxiety…they get moody, angry, irritable, forlorn etc. I definitely display those traits any time I have to leave the house…every little thing gets on my nerves. Like the guy who sits in front of me on the bus every morning who repeatedly slurps his coffee as loudly as humanly possible, or hearing a child crying or a dog barking or hearing the rustling of plastic bags can really send me over the edge into a full blown panic attack because of the rage I feel inside of me that I am afraid to express because I will most surely look crazy if I do!

Anywho, it’s no wonder I have difficulty leaving the house when such trivial things irritate the fuck out of me….I’m working on it…slowly, slowly, step by step.

Fireworks over English bay

till tomorrow,