(no subject)

woke up with a headache, or possibly a faceache. it keeps moving.

today is Norwich Pride http://www.norwichpride.org.uk/
but not for another 7 hours for the opening ceremony and another 4.5 after that before the parade.

something in the hall or possibly another flat is going CHEEP at intervals. I think it's a smoke alarm that wants its batteries changed. It isn't mine. It's driving me a teensy tiny little bit nuts. I can't go hunt for it because it is three in the morning. Yesterday's three in the morning involved people having a loud and slurred discussion. I'm not a big fan of three in the morning outside my flat.

Somewhere in the underfloor car park area there keeps being thump bumpy stuff going on. At irregular intervals. In the small hours of the morning.

About all I can do is ignore it all.

I may end up listening to audio stuff with the lights off.

I may just end up thinking with the lights off.

*sigh*

rainbow parades

I went to Norwich Pride http://www.norwichpride.org.uk/
I looked in the Forum and bought a rainbow bracelet with Norwich Pride on it and also a whistle on a rainbow neck thingy. I figure it can be retasked to hold my college ID if I get bored.
Then I went and had a picnic in Chapelfield park, where there was music and lots of people making mumbly speeches that I liked better for not hearing them and more music and lots and lots and lots and lots of people with rainbows and more rainbows. Also rainbows.
There were all the people. Tiny people in prams and elder people in wheelchairs and all in between. Wheelchair people of various ages, or people with scooters, and people with two sticks, or one stick, or a white stick, or hearing aids. Also me. Also black people and asian people and quite a lot of white people. All the people. Much variety. Is good to see. It's like the rainbow, all the many different.
Also some people wore assorted costumes (as well as all the rainbows. I saw rainbow socks and hats and gloves, which I have, and rainbow shirts and waistcoats. I must find.) There were assorted uniforms, some of them in shiny or leather, and there were spectacular sparkle dresses, and also there was a chariot pulled by two people with a person in the back. It is quite difficult to make a more detailed description of the chariot group. The outfits involved stringy rainbows, but also turquoise, pink, and fur. There were funny hats involved. They might have been horse shapes. They were all the colors. The chariot had bunches of grapes up the side. Also great big rainbow flags streaming behind it. They did laps around the park letting different people stand in the chariot. Shiny.
So then there was a parade. Lots of banners for unions, a great big floaty balloon, some people accompanying a giant chicken that said something like 'come out to nandos', more banners for teachers and more unions, some police t-shirts, UEA Pride, lots of students, people in face paint, people with rainbow flags, and more people. Also great big flag things in all the colors, sort of f shaped but without the -. Those were pretty.
The town crier announced the parade and the lord mayor did a speech and there was a great big rainbow knitted scarf along the front of city hall, and the mayor went out and stood next to it and waved.

And then there was going to be more stuff but there were all the people and now in a smaller area with no benches or trees or space. So I went away again.

This year I prioritised breathing and not getting all wound up until I got the horrible awful sinking feeling. This worked. I had a nice day.

For most of today I have been smiling. Also, so has everyone else I could see. Win.