No longer a spectator

So I've been going to the Folsom Street Fair for the past 5 years. And each year I've been pretty much a spectator. I wear a tshirt and shorts and I hang out with friends who, for the most part, are wearing some form of leather product. But not I.

Well this year I decided to change all that. I decided to participate. I bought myself my first piece of leather. A tasteful leather vest. Now, compared to the bulk of the people at the fair, I was wearing evening attire. But for me this marked a few firsts.

This was my first time owning leather, and it was my first time ever being out in large public setting with my shirt off (almost). So, I've been recently getting more comfortable with being shirtless in group settings or at event weekends (Lazy Bear, Ptown, etc.) but I've never walked around in public at a street fair dressed in nothing but a skimpy leather vest.

I know it may sound stupid, but doing this was pretty nerve-racking for me. I know for many people they're thinking "Really, Dave? Nerve-racking? Puh-lease." But seriously, I was really panicked about this. For the 45 minutes before I left the house, I was pacing in my kitchen, sweating like a fool. I even wore a t-shirt under the vest when I left my house and in the cab ride down to the fair.

While in the cab - I decided to strip off the t-shirt so I could just get out and walk into the fair without having to do a quick change. As I walked the street, I acted like Linus and gripped my t-shirt in my fist as a security blanket. It helped. I didn't let go of that t-shirt for the first 45 minut

But then as the day went along, I chilled out and ended up having a great time spending the day with Boom, Fonzie, Ziah, Benji, Andy, and Diego. I felt like a participant of the Folsom Street Fair for the very first time. I was no longer a spectator. I realize this isn't a big moment for the planet... but it was a big moment for me. I was proud of myself. And it felt pretty damn good.