#ok I am just very proud of this Miss. Piggy costume

[fat-worthy-wonderfulll]

“There is only one Miss. Piggy, and she is moi!”

[vsenpaiii-writes]

October 31, 2019 & November 1, 2019

I woke up the morning of Halloween not feeling the best - it was a struggle to get out of bed because the moment I woke up, I remembered that the ones I love the most are not there anymore. I obsessively check my phone to see if any of them has messaged me, and become depressed and sad when I don’t see anything from them. It makes me feel so alone. I don’t want to bother them anymore so I don’t message them first, which has been absolute torture. I want to see how they are doing, what they are up to, and to tell them that I miss them. But self control is something I’m practicing. 

I texted another best friend of mine blocks of texts just venting out all my feelings. I never got a response, which made me curl up in a ball for a bit. My withdrawals are getting worse and worse - I read that trying to detox on your own is actually life threatening because you’re all of a sudden depleting your body of what it was so dependent on that your body doesn’t know how to handle it. I made an appointment for next Tuesday to receive medical assistance on detoxing safely, so I hope that will help with the withdrawal symptoms. 

I had plans to go to a rave for Halloween, but even that was hard to look forward to. I sat staring at my Neko-Chan Nezuko costume for hours wondering whether it was worth it to go out, even though I was so looking forward to wearing it out and to rave again after so long. And then at the absolute perfect time, my best friend from California, who I have not talked to since I left, sent me an encouraging and positive text reminding me to love myself, because the moment I love myself is when everyone else will love me too (if you’re reading this, which I know you are, I love you very much <3). This is the positivity I need to keep going. 

And so I put on my costume, though half-assed because I was a bit lethargic after spending all day in my mind (like I didn’t even put on the sash or ribbons or anything lol I was like eh..it’s a rave, not a convention). And then I went.

And it was one of the best decisions I’ve made during this recovery period.

I received so many compliments on my costume and so many head pats it was ridiculous lol. I would walk around and someone would scream “Nezuko!” and then ask for a picture with me and then give me a head pat. Or if I was just chilling and dancing, random people would come up to me and just pat my head. Or if I was walking by people, I would get random hugs (and moaarrr head pats teehee do u see why I’m so happy I fucking love head pats). I felt like I was at a convention bc I don’t know how many pics I took that night with people or how many people walked by and yelled “I love your cosplay!”

And I met so many cool people that night too. A girl in a Sailor Moon costume spotted me and freaked out hahaha she was like “HOLY SHIT IT’S NEZUKO” and hugged me for like a minute and wouldn’t let go lmao. She then actually started tearing up?? Bc she was like I love Nezuko so much holy shit you’re so cute I loveee Nezuko and took like 5 billion pictures of me and with me. We’re now friends on Instagram :)

I also met like 6 Tanjiros too LOL (but surprisingly no other Nezukos or Demon Slayers?). They were all so nice and sweet. One of them chased me from half way across the venue bc I was walking toward the bathroom and asked for a picture with me. He then stayed with me for a bit and saw that I was struggling to see bc I’m short af and asked if I wanted a shoulder ride. I said no LOL bc I’m scared of heights and two wtf that’s a weird thought to see Tanjiro shoulder carry his sister (carry her in a box, not your shoulder bro). We did exchange Snaps and I got a head pat before we parted ways :)

The other Tanjiros who walked by me were also super kind. We took pictures and also exchanged Snaps and man it just felt so PLUR that I felt like I was in a state of euphoria all night. At some point, a girl walked up to me and just stood next to me and stared at me. She was so short wtf like I’m short but this girl had to look UP at me. She clearly did not look okay, and I asked her if she was alright. She just nodded, but grabbed onto my arm and just mumbled “Nezuko” over and over again. I took her with me to the bar to buy her a bottle of water, and at that point one of her friends found her and thanked me for watching over her. I felt happy that I could help someone out :D

Then at the end of the night, I was walking toward the exit when ANOTHER Tanjiro approached me. He was with a group of friends who spotted me earlier but they said they were too shy at that point to come up to me. He asked for a picture with me and it was originally a selfie, but then his friends were like dude you need to piggy back her she’s your sister. And so I agreed to that, and like 10 plus people had their phones out to take pics and I’m like am I at a rave or a convention lmao. I not only exchanged Snaps/Instas with Tanjiro but literally all of his friends too and I got 10 more head pats LMAO. I woke up this morning (I’m writing this on Nov 1) and saw that Tanjiro posted the piggy back photo on his Instagram with the caption “pats head” and I smiled :) Although it was super embarrassing because people commented thinking I was his gf and I was like IOJDOFJSOIJ oh nOOOOoooOOOO

(he messaged me and apologized for his friends and I was like hahaha its ok...but I’m still feeling very embarrassed and shy >__<)

And remember that smol Asian girl I helped earlier? I found her sitting outside on the curb alone when the rave was over. She looked 10 times better and I noticed that more than half her water bottle was gone. I approached her and asked her where her friends were and she said they were in the bathroom, so I sat down next to her to keep her company. She thanked me for watching out for her because she was rolling on something bad and lost her friends, and she didn’t know who to approach. But then she was like “Then I saw you and I was like Nezuko can’t be a bad person, Nezuko can take care of me.” And so this time I was the one to give the head pat and I told her I’m glad she was feeling better. We exchanged Instagrams before we both parted ways. I felt so warm after that. 

I’m also very proud to say that this is my first ever rave that I went to sober. And it was still so much fun and the fact that I can remember everyone and everything is such a great feeling. I woke up this morning to so many kind messages and Snaps and Instagram posts/comments from the people I met last night that I would have been so sad if I didn’t remember who they were. I was also in the right state of mind to help someone and to not make a fool of myself. There were many times where I would walk by the bar and stare, but my mind screamed no, you need to love yourself, your body needs a break since you are detoxing, you are strong and don’t need any substances in order to have fun. And I kept telling myself that, and the many people I was surrounded with last night truly kept me grounded. I haven’t been this happy in so long. The rave community truly is a blessing and I’m so happy that I went out last night (although my head is a little sore now from all the head pats LOL but it was so worth it).

10/10 would rave as Neko-Chan Nezuko again. <3

[tyleroakley-obsessed]

Tomorrow begins Memphis’ monthlong civic celebration of music, barbecue, and ridiculous good times. As is tradition, here are the I Love Memphis ABCs of Memphis in May to help you get prepared for all the festivities. A is for Art: Every year, Memphis in May releases a fine art poster commemorating that year’s featured country. Memphis artist Nick Peña created this year’s painting (below). A is also for app: Memphis in May has their very own app that you can download for Apple and Android devices. It’ll come in handy in particularly during Beale Street Music Fest. B is for Barbecue: The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a magical time when pit-masters from all over converge on Tom Lee Park to slow cook pork (and chicken and alligator and anything else that can fit on a grill). It’s happening May 17 – 20. C is for Cash: Bring some. You’re going to need it for food, beer, parking and any extras you plan on picking up. There are ATMs on site, too. D is for Don’t drink and drive: Finding a hotel room might be kind of dicey at this point, but you have several options for getting around safely if you plan to imbibe. A) Make a friend who lives in 38103 and make their place your home base. B) Program this number into your phone: (901) 577-7777 – it’s the local cab company. Pro-tip: If you’re calling a cab, call about an hour before you’re ready to leave since they’re going to be busy. C) Use ride-sharing apps Uber or Lyft. Just prepare for waiting and surge pricing. E is for Embrace the insanity: Memphis in May is a giant, month-long party, so treat it as such. There’s no point in getting upset about little things (weather, drunk people, waiting, road closures, whatever). Take a deep breath and reach a place of acceptance and tolerance for the festival’s inborn quirks and you’ll have a great time no matter what. F is for food: There are food vendors of all kinds – ice cream, vendor (not competition) barbecue, tacos, funnel cake, lemonade, Pronto Pups – at all of the MIM events at Tom Lee Park. Make it your mission to try one of everything. Last year I got to try this mac ‘n’ cheese eggroll from a food truck. G is also for galoshes, aka Rain Boots: The weather is unpredictable, and you’re not going to want to walk around in flip flops (or heels – c’mon people, use some common sense) so go with some sneakers you don’t mind getting muddy, or the traditional shoe of Memphis in May: the mighty rainboot. I’d take some plastic ponchos as well. H is for Have a plan: Don’t depend on cell service to connect you with pals, because the last few years it’s basically impossible to get through via text or phone calls, especially during Beale Street Music Fest. Instead, make a plan of when and where to meet or what to do if you get separated from your group. Some folks even bring walkie talkies. I is for International Week: It’s not the all-out party the rest of MIM is, but International Week during May 8-14 is a good time to learn something about this year’s honored country, Colombia. Check out the cultural events, performances and eating opportunities and be proud that you learned something during the festival. J is for Judges at Barbecue Fest: It’s a cruel irony when all of Tom Lee Park smells like a barbecue sandwich and you can’t technically have any of it. Due to health department rules, barbecue contest cooking team tents are treated like private parties (meaning they’re invite only, and you can’t just walk in and buy food and eat). The only people who get to sample the teams’ cooking without an invite are the festival’s highly trained team of judges. K is for Know someone on a Barbecue Team: These are the solutions to the problem presented above. a) Know someone on a BBQ team: If you do know, though, don’t abuse it. If your buddies are willing to let you in, awesome, but don’t try to bring a pack of friends with you. Also, mind your manners: your barbecue team friend is doing you a favor, so you should be as low maintenance as possible and definitely tip. b) You can also buy $15 “BBQ Alley” tickets  in addition to your Barbecue Fest admission ticket. This is new this year. Read all the fine print and get tickets here. Local festival: 901Fest, a celebration of all things Memphis, returns again this year on May 27. There’s a lineup of local bands and performers, local vendors selling art and more, and food and drink from local favorites. Tickets are $9 and the event goes from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. M is for Music Fest: The Beale Street Music Festival (May 5-7) is the official start of the Memphis in May madness. Check the lineup list here and the times and stages schedule here. N is for You Need To Bring Some Things: OK, this this probably not the most clever N phrase, but I wanted to let you know what you’re allowed to bring into the park: Read the rules about what you can/can’t bring here. O is for Overheated: You’re going to be outside in a park with little shade in Memphis in May. Even if it’s not crazy hot outside, it’s still easy to get overheated. Drink water, find a cool place to sit, and quit when your body tells you to. P is for Parking: Parking in one of the downtown lots or garages for Memphis in May can get a little pricey, so bring cash. If you’re willing to walk a bit, there might be some free parking to be had on the northern and southern ends of downtown. Don’t forget that the MATA trolley buses will be running, even late during BSMF. Check out that schedule here. Q is for Que-related Dance Contest: Don’t miss the Miss Piggy Idol contest on Thursday at the Barbecue Cooking Contest. There are costumes, there are props, there are men in dresses singing songs whose lyrics have been modified to be about pork. I am still laughing about 2014’s rendition of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” that became “Beans ‘n’ Slaw”. R is for Run, Great American: One of two new events for Memphis in May this year, the Great American River Run is a 5K and half-marathon on May 28, 201y. Learn more here. S is for Shoes, Sunscreen, and Sunglasses: Wear real shoes. Memphis in May is no place for cute footwear. No flip flops, no heels. Think old sneakers, all-weather boots, something like that. The park is a mile long, and I’ve seen many a sad, abandoned single flip flop languishing in the mud. Also, don’t be one of those people “working on your tan” and just go ahead and wear that sunscreen (and sunglasses!) T is for Tip in barbecue fest booths: Barbecue Fest team booths are crazy expensive. The least you can do is toss a $20 in the jar for the bartender (especially if the drinks are free). U is for Umbrellas not allowed: Wear a poncho or modify a Hefty Bag instead if rain gear is needed. V is for Vendors: At 901Fest on May 27, you’ll be able to shop local vendors. W is for Water: Dehydration sucks, and it’s easily preventable. Start hydrating a few days before you head to Music Fest or BBQ Fest. During the festivals, a good rule is one bottle of water / big glass of water for every big beer. X is for X-citing to see all those bands: I know I’m cheating with the X on this one, but the point is that the lineup has a lot going on. See the whole list here. Y is for You’re going to need a break: At some point, you will need a break from the festival. It’s more than ok to leave Tom Lee Park for a little bit and grab a snack (and a seat) at any of the restaurants downtown. Z is for Ziploc baggies: Put your phone (and anything else that doesn’t need to come in contact with water) in a Ziploc baggie before you stash it in your pocket or bag. It sounds low tech, but isn’t a bad idea especially if you don’t want to bother with a purse. If you’ve got any other tips, please leave them in the comments. A BBQ fest “tent”. Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? Call ASAP garage door today at 901-461-0385 or checkout http://ift.tt/1B5z3Pc

http://ilovememphisblog.com/2017/05/abcs-of-memphis-in-may-2017-edition/