Thursday, February 24, 2005

Have Oven, Will Travel

This weekend we will be out on our first 2005 event for my concession business—the Newport Wine and Seafood Festival. Heavy on the "Wine…"

This event is basically one big drunken party. Long queues of festival aficionados arrive two or three hours before the doors open, and the faithful are willing to stand in line for hours (usually in some form of precipitation, since this does take place on the rainy Oregon coast…) to gain admission to the inner sanctum. In anticipation of this long wait, most of them have liberally partaken of some kind of fortifying alcoholic substance before arriving. Even after the doors are opened, only something like a couple thousand folks are allowed inside the building at a time, so after the first rush of patrons gets in, everybody else stands in line and...waits some more, until people start to leave. One in, one out. And, by God, those stalwart folks will stand out there and wait. Personally, I don’t understand the attraction. But if crowds of people are that insanely dedicated to getting in somewhere to eat and drink, I want to be there pushing my wares in their faces.

For the past two weeks, I have been working on building my food inventory, cleaning up equipment, sprucing up the booth, and re-vamping the signage. Everything has gone so smoothly so far, that I’m almost certain something really disastrous is going to happen. The transmission in the van has been cranky lately…I have visions it giving out halfway up one of the hills in the coast range, where the cel phone gods laugh in your face and say, "Signal? You don’t get no stinking signal!" Oooh! Gotta snap out of that little reverie! Think…only…positive…thoughts….

Wish us luck, and, while I’m gone, I’d appreciate if you would ponder something for me and give me your input. For some time now, I’ve been thinking about renaming this journal. When I started it, I WAS "Coming to terms with middle age," and that was what the journal was about. But it seems to have morphed into something quite different. I do feel a sentimental attachment to the name. (If something is in my life for more than two days, I get attached to it. I can become attached to a spider living in my bedroom window…) But the name just doesn’t seem to describe the things I’ve been writing about lately—most notably my penchant for political ranting. What do y’all think? Should I change the name? Any suggestions for a new name? I’d run a contest or something, but what would I give as a prize? One of my political opinion entries printed in gold on expensive vellum?

Help me out here. See you all on Monday!

17 comments:

  1. I hope the event is a great one.  I wouldn't change the name of your journal.  Middle age is about more than the years in your life, it's about seeing things as they really are and making decisions about what you will and will not do, what is worth it, what isn't.  I vote for it staying.  I'll be sending vehicle and cell phone mojo your way.

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  2. It's hard to believe that people stand in line to get into a festival.  I assume all the Oregon vinters are there.  I hope your travels go smoothly and it's a great event for you.

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  3. BTW - I agree with Cynthia.  Keep the name.  Part of middle age is coming to terms with what you can and cannot change and the frustration of coping with that.  I think it still works.

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  4. That must be some great wine!! We are attached to your name!  But if you want, really want to change it ...........

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  5. Good luck in Newport and keep the name. Or you could go with Trying to etc. I think that covers just about everything. Have fun with the fishies and grapes. LOL

    Jackie

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  6. Cynthis is one smart lady.  I agree with her.  I understand your desire to want to change the name, but I think it works well.  I'll come read no matter what you call it.  

    dave
    http://journals.aol.com/ibspiccoli4life/RandomThoughtsfromaProgressiveMi

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  7. Cynthis is one smart lady.  I agree with her.  I understand your desire to want to change the name, but I think it works well.  I'll come read no matter what you call it.  

    dave
    http://journals.aol.com/ibspiccoli4life/RandomThoughtsfromaProgressiveMi

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  8. Personally,i love the name,that's why I put you on my favorites list.
    Did I miss something,what is it you are cooking for this festival? What do you sell? I love a party!
    Marti
    http://journals.aol.com/sunnyside46/MidlifeMusings

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  9. Oh, don't be so hard on us happy, drunken food and wine lovers.  We're a cheerful and amiable lot, on the whole.  Surely we don't deserve the "pushing my wares in their faces" approach, although I'm sure I'd enjoy being "tempted by your many marvelous delicacies."

    I've always liked the name of your journal, and I think it was the title that first attracted me.  However, if change you feel then change you will; how about just "Coming to Terms..."  It suggests an open discussion of many and varied subjects, and you wouldn't be giving up something that has meaning for you; just streamlining it.  Just a thought.

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  10. Hope you have a very successful weekend. Sounds like a great festival!

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  11. I know you will have a wonderful time at the festival and will bring back lots of money to top it off. I like your journal's name. I think it is very appropriate even with your political commentaries.

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  12. Man, don't change the name!!  I blame all the ranting on the hormone highs and lows..... Kristi

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  13. I like your journals name, just the way it is.

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  14. the festival sounds like alot of fun....I'd be all about the wine and food too...as for your journal name...I don't know, I like it the way it is....and can't think of anything more clever than that!

    ~JerseyGirl
    http://journals.aol.com/cneinhorn/WonderGirl  

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  15. I'd keep the name, and change the description of your journal now and then to fit your mood or focus....

    Neil

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  16. Personally, I think the name is great. I was going to suggest..."Coming to Terms" but I see Gigi beat me to it. :-) ---Robbie

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