Houston (Patreon)

Last night I sat amongst a tangle of colored string lights as various people shuffled in and out of the drafty warehouse space above a dingy but well frequented bar. I could smell the turpentine from cloths flung over work lamps rising into the drafty space as someone wondered, "Is that acetone?" Another, "I think it's a chemical." "Turpentine?" And one man, a bandanna flapping wildly on his head, ran over, whisked the towels off the lamps and said, "These are my painting cloths...I thought they would add ambiance." A group of artists eventually gathered, and the drawing session began, accompanied by the street noises - the yells from a protest reverberated through the streets for a while, later overtaken by the bass from a band a few blocks down. I could feel the floor shake beneath me. The musical guest seated next to me during this gathering began drinking a bit heavily and would disappear in the bar downstairs, the thumping floor ticked out the seconds of each pose. ..... I've been in Houston for three days, and am now fifteen minutes into the fourth. I've met some really lovely people so far, and hopefully more during my last three days. I do miss my bed (myself pictured in said bed, above), and my fur bebes, but I am intact and rumbling my little self around this sprawling city in a little hatchback car complete with my green backpack hurtling around the trunk on each highway curve. After this trip, I'm headed home and then on to Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Dayton, back home, Austin, and for my final trip of the year, Philadelphia. I will try to update again before leaving Houston. And will be posting photo sets from Baltimore next week as well.