Good Morning My Confidants!
Happy Fat Tuesday! Are you celebrating today?
Or maybe you are like the me that for most of my life said, "Celebrate? Why? And what in the world is 'Fat Tuesday'?"
Well, apparently it reflects "the practice of the last night of consuming rich, fatty foods in preparation for the fasting season of Lent." Mardi Gras festivities are in full swing in the Big Easy and other places around the globe the last Tuesday before Lent — the six-week period from Ash Wednesday leading up to Easter during which Christians fast, repent and pray.**
But you see, I was raised Baptist and we never celebrated Lent or Ash Wednesday, because that was something those "idolatrous Catholics" did. In fact, I had never even heard of any of this until...well I don't know when. I certainly never saw a kid with ash on his or her forehead when I was in high school. I was blissfully ignorant of all of it.
However, I had heard of Mardi Gras, which sounded like a whole lot of fun, especially when I learned it was a party that was more than women flashing their breasts, but men flashing what lay below! Oh my! And here I am at 63 and I have still never been to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, and since my husbands don't drink, I doubt I ever will. Darn.
Notice I didn't say we will never go to New Orleans! We can do that and I want to. I love that city so much and it has been 30+ years since I have been there. I can go on vacation and not get drunk. In fact, I rarely do, especially the older I get. The following day simply isn't worth the price. But once in a while? Sure! At least get to feeling a good buzz and not caring what people think about what I do, and that's a lot easier where no one knows me.
(and please note if you want to see the unedited version of this flasher, there is a link below, but I changed my mind about showing nudity on my blog)
LOL!
And here is something I didn't know until this very morning when I was looking all this stuff up. Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday!
Who knew?
(I bet a lot of you did!)
The Mardi Gras festival season varies from city to city, as some traditions, such as the one in New Orleans, Louisiana, consider Mardi Gras to stretch the entire period from Twelfth Night (the last night of Christmas which begins Epiphany) to Ash Wednesday. Others treat the final three-day period before Ash Wednesday as the Mardi Gras.*
I guess what it is, is that since you aren't allowed to have any fun for six weeks after, that people were having six weeks' worth of fun in one long weekend? I would rather skip that whole Lent thing altogether. I don't believe I need to prove myself to God by not doing something for six weeks. If I choose to honor such a tradition by participating (because I try to honor all traditions), it will be for me and my inner journey.
But this is getting way to serious! Mardi Gras is fun! So....
The act of throwing beads might be one of the most prominent activities that take place during Mardi Gras. What is known by locals and Mardi Gras goers as “throws,” happens when beads and other eye-catching trinkets are tossed from parade floats into crowds. This tradition is believed to have started in the late 19th century when a carnival king threw out fake gems and jewelry to his supporters. Mardi Gras parade revelers have a blast catching the beads all in fun. In fact, every year, over 25 million pounds of Mardi Gras beads are thrown from floats.**
Purple, gold, and green are the official colors of Mardi Gras. These vivid colors represent justice (purple), power (gold), and faith (green). It's possible that it began in 1872, and they became official during the "Symbolism of Color" parade 20 years later in 1892.**
And what about masks?
It’s believed that in the beginning of Mardi Gras, people wore masks for a sense of freedom and liberation. The anonymity allowed them to mingle, be themselves and have fun without class constraints. Today, the sentiment remains.
And what am I doing tonight?
Well, me and my dear friend Linnea are going to two bars that are located pretty close to each other (more than walking distance for me right now, but next year? Maybe!) First, a "quite" bar just to sit, have a cocktail, chat, look at pretty men. It's a classier place, back patio (although it will be too cold for that), you can see, the music isn't so loud you can't hear yourself think.
Then the second bar will be the place that I based my OtherWorld bar that I call The Male Box. It could be busy/packed or it could be nothing. Their website and Facebook page doesn't say anything at all. However, I am going to be wearing this over-the-top outfit that I made mostly myself about 30 years ago that consists of hundreds of strings of beads and makes me look like a colorful lion!
And we are limiting ourselves to three to four cocktails, because we don't want to feel like shit the next day and we want to be able to drive. They even have coffee, so we might do that before we go home.
Remember I've been feeling mortal lately. I have no plan on the posts made tomorrow on my Facebook page being made by my husbands telling you that something terrible happened to me! But I do want to have a good time because...well...that whole feeling mortal thing! Some joie de vivre, you know? Love of life, of being alive!
I hope that you find joy in being alive. We only have this life right now. There is no future or past. I for one want to regret what I did that what I didn't do! I've had both, and I am pretty good with that!
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Namaste,
BG "Gentle Ben" Thomas
PS: Link to the very naughty picture below....please do not click on it unless that is what you want to see. No complaining if you see something you weren't wanting to see!
* Mardi Gras: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras
** 10 Popular Mardi Gras Traditions and the History Behind Them: HTTPS://WWW.GOODHOUSEKEEPING.COM/HOLIDAYS/G38924391/MARDI-GRAS-TRADITIONS/?FBCLID=IWAR2-V0K5CRAODPYNG2H3NV35NKSU3IPA_CRHIT-U36MMR046A2VEKTEZCQE
And if you want to see the unedited photo of the man flashing his private bits, you can find them at the link below. I originally posted it here, plus a few others, but I have changed my mind. I want this to be a safe place for people to go.
Happy Fat Taco Tuesday!