August, finally and the Dragon Boat Festival. The continued reflections and musings of a summer past.

The Dragon Boat Festival, is all about racing. Gonna resist the obvious pun here and look for a less obvious one later. Yup, Bemidji is up to the 4th Annual and it seems to be sailing along pretty well. Of course, there is a built in audience which ain't so dumb. The event has been conscripting something like 50+ teams, and with 20+ in a boat well you've got a thousand tars down at the waterfront right off the boat. In addition a lot of friends and relatives of participants come, or co-work mates as most teams are made up of employees from local business. Quite a few folks come down for the food, music and hornpipe, which is a pretty good reason to go somewhere or anywhere for that matter.

This year neither Barbara nor I participated as a racer. But the last three years, one or both of us did. It's kind of fun, but it is a lot of work. It requires a burst of energy and rhythm for several minutes, which as we all know, not everyone has one or both. And the older we get, well I think I've still got rhythm, but the energy seems a little harder to come by...but I'm working on it okay? So some teams take this stuff seriously, and to some it's a lark. It's sexist in the sense that you have to have a certain number of women, but not a certain number of men. So you can't have a boat full of old men, but you can have a boat full of athletic women. But they pay me no mind and sing, "I worked the seaways, the gale-swept seaways; past shipwrecked daughters of wicked waters; uninspired, drenched and tired; wail on, wail on, sailor."
A couple of Dragon Boats. Each boat has a drummer, supposed to help keep the rhythm of the paddlers with their paddles in the water. Listen to the rhythm. That's a cool word, rhythm. A poor and unrealistic method, but a cool word.
Most people came by car to the event, but Gregory came in a Yellow Submarine. "And our friends are all aboard, many more of them live next door, and the band begins to play."
The Editor wears a yellow arm band after dark in respect of submarines. Yes, now it's dark. Time for music and dancing. The submarine races are over. Or are they? How would a person know?
Yes, and the band began to play. Apparently women love to dance so much they do not need men. Note, no men in this photo. I hope they don't figure out they don't really need men at all these days. Point: be nice to women and dance once in awhile. Advice: Simply say, you're right, I'm wrong, I'll change.
Auditioning for the Rockettes. It is not only cold for August 1, as one might guess by the clothing worn, but it was RAINING cats and dogs. Still fun though, rock 'n roll under the big top.
One man apparently from Hawaii and thinking he's just a bit cool, but obviously not not cold at all, decides to get out on the dance floor. He wants to remain viable in this world of women. "I got rhythm, I got music, I got my (wo)man who could ask for anything more?" Aloha nui loa kuu ipo. Hmmm, anyone know what that means?
He apparently knows what steps he intends to make, she seems unsure. Isn't that great how women can "follow" a man dancing, but that's where it stops. A man thinks he can't follow a woman, but only at dancing. He follows her everywhere else, and that's the truth...although sometime takes awhile afore he knows it, and then it's too late.
The music fun and well done, and well....done, and so it deserves applause. And I applaud dancers, yes I do. Music and dancing and aloha that's a big part of life. Yup it is, and as Don Henley in a standing ovation for a dancer once said,

And all she wants to do is dance

And make romance
She can feel the heat
Comin off the street
She wants to party
She wants to get down
All she wants to do is
All she wants to do is dance

ALOOOOOOOOHA!