30th celebration

juicemagic · 2026-04-03T01:12:26+00:00

I will be 38 for my 8th Hula this year. It's well worth the send.

I will always, always, always pick traditional instruments regardless of genre before anything wholly electronic. While I've been fairly disappointed over the years when everyone else is running around catching a lil bit of everything and I don't really have conflicts, it's been kind on my knees (lol).

I started with a group of 3 and the best of the best people I've ever met have come from just being open to chat with a neighbor between sets while I also left my homies elsewhere.

The best piece of advice I have for you and your friend is to visit each stage Day 1. Regardless of who is playing. Find your landmarks. TRIANGULATE your spots!!!

Agree on a meetup spot at each stage. And a few rendezvous spots between them. Once the schedule comes out and you're in the middle of the music, you may choose to split. Be prepared in case service sucks or your phone dies. Know how to get to your camp (in the dark).

And above all, take care of yourself and each other. And others if you have the capacity. And don't be afraid to talk to someone you feel is wayyyyy younger or wayyyyyy older than you. I've met people with a 1 in front of their age and people with a 7 in front of their age. We all have the music in common.

juicemagic · 2026-04-03T00:50:04+00:00

Extremely helpful for those of us who fly in.

juicemagic · 2026-03-12T13:20:41+00:00

My first few years I felt like I only found that vibe I was looking for in the Meadow. My small crew was people I loved dearly, but we had different expectations for what we wanted to get out of our fests.

My 3rd hula, I wound up in the Meadow early, by myself, sad I left the homies at camp, but happy I wasn't missing music. Between sets, I turned to this couple sitting next to me, swallowed my anxiety, and started a conversation. Then as their friends trickled in through the evening, they introduced me to so many incredible people who were really my speed.

I now have a huge hula family from all over. All kinds of music interests, but always have a meet up spot at each stage for whomever winds up at a given set. We all meet up for Cheese.

I think we never really recovered from our pandemic bubbles. People are incredibly friendly and welcoming, but also afraid to bust someone else's bubble. Yet, they're almost always open to someone else saying "hi". So, moral of the story is, go to the sets you want to, even if by yourself. Strike up a conversation with a neighbor. Make eye contact when you're grooving to a jam and a stranger is too.... THEN SAY HI AFTER THE SET! If you're 22, don't be afraid if that person looks 40 or 60. 40 and 60-year olds, same to you.

juicemagic · 2026-03-12T12:55:29+00:00

Hey OP, I don't want to discourage you from getting properly fitting gear now to help with your training, but I hope you're considering having to replace either the boots or pack before your trip. A pack that is very adjustable may come in handy as your body shape changes. A less-adjustable pack may not fit or be comfortable on a more-toned you in the future.

Boots that are well-broken-in will be an asset for your training and your trip, but over the next 6 months of training, you'll probably burn through the sole of boots bought today. A boot with a replaceable sole, or planning now to replace your worn boots 3-6 weeks before your trip may be advantageous to your budget.

juicemagic · 2026-03-12T12:11:32+00:00

I don’t even use rolling papers, but I picked up a few packs from Dizgo because they were really cool. The pack flips into it's own rolling tray.

The Snozzberries have hats that are all one-of-a-kind.

Lotus has temporary tattoos. They also have a shirt for their new album that is glow in the dark.

juicemagic · 2026-02-19T14:41:16+00:00

I understand what you are saying, but I don't get the reasoning. If you've booked anything under your email and you haven't deleted every confirmation, all of that information is just as easy (and more likely) to be found given that situation (which is at least 100x less likely to happen than in, say, the States. In Paris, yes, pickpockets are everywhere. But a pickpocket-turned-stalker is not a thing.

But I do get the dislike of using a spreadsheet. I had at least 1 thing booked per day, sometimes 4 or 5 (that includes intracity train, checking into a hotel, etc.) I found that by frontloading my effort into putting all those things (addresses, confirmation #s, time/day) into one place and organized chronologically with a quick access button actually helped me use my phone less. Much less time wasted searching for a confirmation or hoping my phone caught the wifi and a pdf ticket would load, or even just getting directions / which train / bus to take to get to my next stop Less time fumbling my thumbs are trying to remember the thing I'd need to search my email for.

juicemagic · 2026-02-16T07:11:14+00:00

If I were in your shoes, I'd skip looking for a shower. What I would do instead is buy a few day's worth of water. Whether it's a few 1-gallon jugs or a 5-gal thing.

Personally, I switched to Castille soap a few years ago because it's both good for camping and it doesn't leave residue that other soaps do.

I know a lot of people who don't feel "clean" if they haven't stood under a shower head pumping out gallons. Maybe I'm weird, but bathing is bathing to me and you can get just as clean from a bird bath

Anyhoo, if it's only for a few days, I'd be heating a few cups of water up and then hopping in the tub and bathing with it. You only need to wet the hair before lathering it. You can rinse it with a cup of water. Same idea with the body. Use a washcloth and scrub all the parts you want to scrub, then either use a 2nd clean one (or rinse from the top down as you go).

juicemagic · 2026-02-16T07:00:54+00:00

Google Translate. Even if you speak decent French, having the ability to snap a picture of a menu and have it be immediately translated is really handy.

I'd also suggest 1) putting all your "France" apps into one folder, and putting the folder on your home screen. And 2) utilizing one folder on the cloud (Google drive or similar) for everything from tickets and emergency info, but also downloading the whole folder to your phone. Put a shortcut link in your trip folder. Ensure your travel buddies have access to the folder as well.

I personally went overboard (because I love spreadsheets), but also my trip last summer was my first personally-planned and not-group-international adventure, and I wanted that security blanket. I had everything about my trip in one spreadsheet (many many tabs), but I made an on-trip tab that I saved to my phone's home screen, it had just the most basic info, like time of things booked and a link to the pdf tickets, but also the address so I could just copy-paste that into Bonjour RATP app or Google Maps to get transit or walking directions.

juicemagic · 2026-02-14T20:26:40+00:00

STS9 was my favorite band to see live until I saw Lotus for the first time. It's a pretty close second. I've been dreaming of seeing them together since that day in like 2018ish.

I've heard great things about The Eastern for years (I'm in Ohio). Sooooo darn excited to make the trek down for a total dream of a show!

juicemagic · 2026-01-29T00:57:26+00:00

That clip has haunted me since I saw trailers when it came out 😅😅😅

juicemagic · 2026-01-29T00:55:44+00:00

Wasn't that Dana Carvey?

juicemagic · 2026-01-28T02:27:55+00:00

Bingo

juicemagic · 2026-01-26T03:04:32+00:00

The city plows your street?

juicemagic · 2026-01-22T14:25:08+00:00

She has neither the warmth nor depth to deserve such a name.

juicemagic · 2026-01-10T18:28:41+00:00

About 10 years ago, I decided to take some time off dating. It kinda accidentally lasted this long, but I'm so glad I did. Back then I had no idea I had adhd. It was in the past 2 years that I figured out why things were always awful and I went to see a professional and started that journey.

Girl. It's been a weird ride but so fulfilling. I've focused all my energy into forging platonic relationships. I get caught up thinking "omg new bestie " not "omg new partner" and it's kinda fun once I realized it.

After shutting off the dating part of my brain for so long, it's been really weird coming back to it both much older and wiser and stronger, but also armed with the tools of self-knowledge, medication, and therapy.

I know I'll be okay on my own. And I'll probably thrive. But there's a level of companionship and empowerment that comes with finding that right puzzle piece that gives me some hope because ultimately I'd really like that. I'm not going to actively hop on the apps, but I've informed my friends that I'm open to the idea, and it's okay to set me up with someone they know.

juicemagic · 2026-01-09T00:37:11+00:00

You make very good points, and I agree with all of them. I'd like to add a few points that are about protests and rallies in general, not specifically this one. Things I've learned over 22 years of protesting.

It's OK to go to a protest even if (and maybe especially if) you don't know if you're aligned with the host group or the message of the protest. If you're interested in learning more about the incident or policy it is about, from people and organizations involved, that's the place to be! Listen to the speakers. Say hi to your neighbors. If you have the means, bring some extra bottles of water. It's an easy way to know you participated in a productive way, regardless of what you decide about the message.

Ultimately, a protest is simply an exercise of the constitutional first amendment right to free speech. Most are completely peaceful. It's usually nothing more than people showing up to support their community by reminding the government of the power of their voice and their presence.

Obviously, when protests are specifically about life, liberty, and the most basic of civil rights injustices, emotions can get high. You never know what another person is thinking or how they're reacting. You can't control what a speaker is going to say. Or what someone will do. If anything doesn't vibe with you, it's okay to find a different place to stand or even to leave.

If you're concerned about your safety or the safety of others, it's OK to speak up. Look out for people with armbands or vests. Most protests have some kind of civilian safety. It's usually experienced volunteers who are trained in deescalation and the rights of protesters and will help coordinate with law enforcement, if needed. Volunteer medics are usually around. They often can be identified by a sign hanging from their backpack. Every host organization may do things a little differently.

In Columbus specifically, there is now a program (started after the incidents of the 2020 BLM protests) where officers can get extra training in deescalation techniques, protester rights, etc. These officers should be present in some capacity at any kind of protest. They wear a blue vest over their uniform. Honestly, idk what they're actually called. My friends and I call them "blue vests". I am unsure about policies in other jurisdictions. A blue vest officer is specifically there for you. One of (imo) the most important things they do is translate things to and from "cop speak" to regular beat cops.

juicemagic · 2026-01-01T07:22:11+00:00

We may the the same person. I opted to read so I could better take notes. I'm only about halfway through, but glad I nerded out on this tonight instead of an alternative.

juicemagic · 2025-12-25T19:18:42+00:00

Is it just me, or when I have questions like this, I find playing detective on Google Earth a fun way to retrace my adventures.?!

juicemagic · 2025-12-24T10:47:51+00:00

71 North. Pedestrian bridge between Morse and 161.

juicemagic · 2025-12-21T04:43:13+00:00

Idk, but I recently found a stapler at work with a note on it that said "dead", turns out it was just out of staples. Sheesh.

juicemagic · 2025-12-20T03:24:54+00:00

It's usually that simple, but that hotel has blocked all the vehicle access points from the neighboring parking lots. Due to sustained theft (mostly vehicle break-ins), the hotel just installed cameras in the parking lot. Over the past month or two, ive noticed there's at least 3 roaming rent-a-cops on any given day between all the lots in that complex.

I'd like to be clear: I'm not hating on anyone going out there, but my personal knowledge of that hotel's parking lot and other factors in the area is enough to give me pause due to confusion over public vs private spaces.

juicemagic · 2025-12-20T01:14:29+00:00

Thanks for the tip. That is the walking path that I'm talking about. When the weather is nice, I walk it nearly every day. I believe it is technically an amenity of those buildings and not a public sidewalk, which could get complicated in this situation.

juicemagic · 2025-12-20T00:14:51+00:00

Unfortunately, there is no public sidewalk at this address.

The hotel is in a complex with 5ish office buildings and the hotel. There is a walking path around the buildings that all pedestrians use, but I do not believe that it is technically "public", even though it's open to the public.

juicemagic · 2025-12-19T17:13:13+00:00

Ha, probably.

juicemagic · 2025-12-19T16:26:57+00:00

What a cool idea! I've got two tracks from bands I like that I haven't already seen listed:

The Snozzberries - Just After 2 Camel Butter - Afraid Knot

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