My Woodstock

A  L  O  H  A !

I made some leather macrame belts

and sold them to a shop.

Then I bought the tickets above.

It was the Summer I turned 16

and I bought my first motorcycle. 

 "2005 Ford GT" by marco_ely is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0  

Thursday night we drove up to 
New York State from southeast Pennsylvania

in an older friend's car that I remember 

as a low slung, white Ford GT40 Link  

very like photo above. Wow! My life at 

that time sounds exciting! 

It was. 1969.

 We woke up surrounded by thousands of friends, reports of closed highways, and no fences. Tucked the tickets in my pocket and lingered till saturday when it was just too much. 

We hadn't bought food, intending to buy at the concessions. Apparently most others thought the same. People shared what meagre provisions they happened to have. I recall savoring cherry flavoured Rizzla cigarette papers. 

All was peaceful and upbeat including friendly cops directing traffic who good naturedly refused proffered joints. People all seemed relaxed 
and happy just to be there. Be cool, man. 

Who knew there were SO many freaks?! That's what we called ourselves. Hippie is an invented word by outsiders, disdainful adults, Press. Max Yasgur owner of the land summed up what many initially angry locals had to say about us:

"I’m a farmer…(interrupted by a cheer from the audience)…

I don’t know how to speak to twenty people at one time, let alone a crowd like this. But I think you people have proven something to the world — not only to the Town of Bethel, or Sullivan County, or New York State; you’ve proven something to the world. This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place. We have had no idea that there would be this size group, and because of that you’ve had quite a few inconveniences as far as water, food, and so forth. Your producers have done a mammoth job to see that you’re taken care of… they’d enjoy a vote of thanks. But above that, the important thing that you’ve proven to the world is that a half a million kids — and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you are — a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I – God Bless You for it!”

I cry reading that now, as tears have flowed watching news about
the anniversary on TV News.

Saturday afternoon, we somehow got out on rural roads. I remember mud, and huge crowds of nice people. The performances were WAY down there and tiny. The press of the crowd any closer was too much for me despite the good vibes. I do seem to remember Richie Havens (who I had seen at the Second Fret in Philadelphia Link) kicking it off all by himself with just his guitar and great showmanship. 

Yes, I bought tickets and 

so helped pay for it all. 

⃤

PEACE, LOVE & UNDERSTANDING

to YOU!

                       cloudia

ca 1980

Subversion In Plain Sight

A  L  O  H  A !

“She decided to free herself, 

dance into the wind, 

create a new language. 

And birds fluttered around her, 

writing “yes” in the sky.” 

           Monique Duval

Lies kill our spirit. 

Excellence revives our Souls.

"Woodstock (Peanuts)

Species - Bird (unknown type)

Gender - Male (originally female)*

Occupation - Secretary to Snoopy

Family - Mom, Grandpa"

 Wikipedia

Link

Linking to

Our World Tuesday

ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼ଡ଼ଢ଼

Thank YOU

Friend!

               Warmly, cloudia

*Why does Marcie call Patty sir?

Peppermint Patty's closest friend, Marcie, calls her "Sir". It is never revealed whether this eccentric habit, dating to Marcie's first appearance in the strip in 1971, is the result of misguided manners, poor eyesight, a snarky reference to Patty's tomboyish ways, or some other reason.
Peppermint Patty - Wikipedia Link

Fogerty Rocked Honolulu

A  L  O  H  A !    click all photos

Honolulu June5

 " Over on the mountain
Thunder magic spoke,
"Let the people know my wisdom,
Fill the land with smoke."

Better run through the jungle. . . "
                                             John Fogerty

Bob Malone keyboards

" I believe in God

but I also believe

in having fun

on my motorcycle.

These two things

are not incompatible.

Gas fumes

are more likely

to be around me

than incense,

but that is holy

as far as I am

concerned. "

                        The Reverend Lou Valone

" The Witness delights 
in the sheer joy 
of existence and 
knows it's power."
                         Greg Catchur 

Flashback!    1969!

Linking to

Our World Tuesday

[John is 70 years young!]

WOW!

                           cloudia

August 15, 1969

Aloha!

Welcome to. . .

click on photos to enlarge

Can't believe I saved them
 all these years.

(Disclaimer: I was underage
 though somewhat emancipated)

I remember selling macrame` belts

 to boutiques for my ticket money.


I remember the BUZZ 

that THIS was gonna be a

 "gathering of the tribes" 

and a do NOT miss event!

Arriving at the site late on

 Thursday night 

it was too dark to see much.

We slept on the ground.





But Friday morning

 was a bursting, bustling SEA of cars

 and humanity.









I'd never seen so many people in one place

but certainly never so many freaks!




(Only Time magazine,

 and news people,
 and the 'out of it'
 called us hippies)






Bob Seger struck a chord 

that still resonates

 down the corridor of years:

"Always seem outnumbered,
 don't dare make a stand,
Same old cliches:
 'Is that a woman or a man?"


It took real courage 

to let your freak flag fly.







But this was freak utopia.

The few cops looked surrendered and happy

 and just kept the cars safely flowing 

even as random people (like me)

 hitched rides on hoods and trunks

 along the slow moving line of cars.

 Joints were smoked freely 
under the open sky,

 even sincerely offered to cops 

who declined smiling. 

Some people were topless, 

others muddy, and/or nude. 

Everyone looked HAPPY!


The cops acted like real peace officers.

 Locals told the press:
 "They're good kids." 

The cops treated us like citizens 
(instead of prey) for once. 

What else could they do, but still.

It was a peaceful metropolis

 under the sky,

 no fights, no attitude,

 just unbelieving bliss.

Everybody got along.





The radios in the cars

 reported that the

 New York State Thruway

 was closed!




"We closed the highway, man!"




"Maybe
 they got us all together 
in one place
 to bomb us."







It looked like the end of the world
 as we knew it 
and it felt fine indeed!






The disorientation and sensory overload 

of being amidst so many folks in quasi-

disaster conditions

 made me feel high,

plus we hadn't brought food 

in expectation of buying it.

But fences were flat,

 services overwhelmed

 and not set up.

We sucked on those English

 flavored cigarette papers 

popular back then.

Rizzla.





Campers shared food. We got by somehow.

I still have my tickets

 because no one needed one.

 Free show, Man!

Free was a big concept then: bartering,

Whole Earth Catalogue self-sufficiency, 

communes....


A shop in West Philly at the time 

was called 

"The Free People's Store" 

which had a " free shelf" to challenge 

the whole idea of consumerism. 

Those folks were interesting

 and later morphed into

 Urban Outfitters,

 right Richard?





I can still see that ocean of people,

 and "feel" that ride

 on the snaking line of cars

 as the cops directed traffic

 good-naturedly.





I remember meeting people
 from all over the country.





I remember seeing my first
 Hawaii License plate. 
(Hawaii!)





I remember the music 
way way WAY
 over the sea of people,
and the helicoptered bands landing.





I remember me and my friends
 being overwhelmed by the throng
 and leaving on Saturday...
but I never tell that part.....

Thanks for reminiscing with me! cloudia

40 Years Ago This Weekend

I had my ticket. . . But when you got there, you didn't need one.

So I saved it all these years.

Yes, I know where I was

40 years ago

this weekend. . . .





It was a day and time when those of us who looked different, who had long hair and dressed differently were vilified and subject to rudeness, and even violence. We always seemed to be outnumbered. Suddenly we found ourselves in the largest crowd that anyone had ever seen. And it was US! None of us self-described "freaks" had dreamed that there were this many of us!

There was no sanitation, no hot food, or violence. Just people who looked like us and who wanted to celebrate

Music and Love.

What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding anyway?

Looking at footage of the crowds gives me flashbacks for sure! We were certain that the world was changing. It has in many ways. My eyes fill with tears, and I can't believe that it was 40 years ago. In some ways it seems like centuries ago. But it all goes by so fast!

Don't doubt that a single loving witness may tip the balance for good; The more loving world we thus create, becomes a new balance.

Thanks for dropping by my pad;

PEACE, Man!

Aloha, Cloudia

Read more memories of the Summer of '69 at this previous post: http://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/2009/07/40-years-ago-today.html

40 Year Summer Anniversary

Aloha!

Welcome to. . .

Waikiki?click on photos to enlarge

Can't believe I saved it all these years.

(Disclaimer: I was under age though somewhat emancipated)

"There is a way to look at the past. Don't hide from it. It will not catch you if you don't repeat it."

Pearl Bailey

Hawaiian Skies over me
today

“An inordinate passion for pleasure is the secret of remaining young.”
Oscar Wilde

First Filament BURSTING OUT

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
Sophia Loren

Yes, that's a hotel room safe on the curb.
Make up your own caption ;-)

It seems to be a Summer of Anniversaries.


Fifty Years of Hawaii Statehood.

40 years since the Stonewall Uprising

Today.




Forty years since Woodstock.






40 ****ing years?!!!!!!!!!!!


I should post this in August but

40 ****ing Years?!

I remember selling macrame` belts to boutiques for my ticket money.
I remember the BUZZ that THIS was gonna be a "gathering of the tribes" and a do NOT miss event!

Arriving at the site late on Thursday night it was too dark to see much.
We slept on the ground.





But Friday morning was a bursting, bustling SEA of cars and humanity.









I'd never seen so many people in one place(OK, maybe Grand Central Station)
but certainly never so many freaks!




(Only Time magazine, and news people, and the 'out of it' called us hippies)






Bob Segar struck a chord that still resonates down the corridor of years:
"Always seem outnumbered, don't dare make a stand,
Same old cliches: 'Is that a woman or a man?"


It took real courage to let your freak flag fly.







But this was freak utopia.

The few cops looked surrendered and happy and just kept the cars safely flowing even as random people (like me) hitched rides on hoods and trunks along the slow moving line of cars. Joints were smoked freely under the open sky, even sincerely offered to cops who declined smiling. Some people were topless, others muddy, and/or nude. Everyone looked HAPPY!


The cops acted like real peace officers. Locals told the press: "They're good kids." The cops treated us like citizens (instead of prey) for once. What else could they do, but still.
It was a peaceful metropolis under the sky, no fights, no attitude, just unbelieving bliss.





The radios in the cars reported that the New York State Thruway was closed!




"We closed the highway, man!"




"Maybe they got us all together in one place to bomb us."







It looked like the end of the world as we knew it and it felt fine indeed!






The disorientation and sensory overload of being amidst so many folks in quasi-disaster conditions made me feel high,
plus we hadn't brought food in expectation of buying it.
But fences were flat, services overwhelmed and not set up.
We sucked on those English flavored cigarette papers popular back then.
Rizzla?





Campers shared food. We got by somehow.
I still have my ticket because no one needed one. Free show, Man!
Free was a big concept then: bartering,
Whole Earth Catalogue self-sufficiency, communes....
A shop in West Philly at the time was called "The Free People's Store" which had a " free shelf" to challenge the whole idea of consumerism. Those folks were interesting and later morphed into Urban Outfitters, right Richard?





I can still see that ocean of people, and "feel" that ride on the snaking line of cars as the cops directed traffic good-naturedly.





I remember meeting people from all over the country.





I remember seeing my first Hawaii License plate. (Hawaii!)





I remember the music way way WAY over the sea of people,
and the helicoptered bands landing.





I remember me and my friends being overwhelmed by the throng and leaving on Saturday...but I never tell that part.....