Eddy goes to the Chinese New Years Parade

(from Eddy's blogger)

After conducting his morning salutations, jumping rope, and giving his nephew tips on how to catch a baseball, Eddy set out for San Francisco to watch the Chinese New Years Parade. He walked to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and met up with his friends Alicia & Weyland. Alicia was working at a family summer festival organized by Department of Children and Youth Services. They had a deliciously meaty meal of imperial noodles, garlic noodles, filet mignon, and roasted & lemon chicken at Mangosteen, and set out for the Chinese New Year Festival in Chinatown. Eddy was looking forward to seeing Reverend Fong, constant supporter of Eddy's fight for freedom, whom he found singing oldies on stage with his band Jest Jammin'. With a few shout outs to Eddy, Reverend Fong belted out some old and new classics, while Eddy happily bopped his body to the rhythm. Another one of Eddy's supporters and friends, Jane Kim, met up with Eddy as well. Having left his VIP passes from Rev. Fong in the car, Eddy bolted back to the parking garage, dodging people, small children, and strollers. He found some seats in section A-2, across from S.F.'s celebrities (including former S.F. mayor Willie Brown).

The parade began with a slew of cars filled with local politicians and officials. Some of them were Eddy's supporters; among them were Tom Ammiano and Eric Mar (there were several more). Then came the school marching bands, benevolent associations, police associations, school groups, and martial arts clubs. The only floats were sponsored by large corporations, like Southwest Airlines, Ford, and Cathay Pacific. Children were dressed like pink pigs (some with wings?). One float, called "Party Pigs", include a group of dancing pigs who jiggled their pink tails to "Let's Get it Started". The queerest and most perturbing display was the marching troupes of smiling young teenage girls. Following a their school band, they were mostly dressed as expected: mini-skirt, go-go boots, & (strangely enough) lacy garter belts. Their behavior was most inexplicable; with wide plastic smiles, they abruptly jerked their head left and right, like little mechanical dolls. No one in the crowd could explain this creepy tick.

Going to the parade was memorable, and Eddy was content being a spectator of this excitement.

Most common question for Eddy this day:
"How does it feel, Eddy?"
"Are there any kinds of foods that you want to eat?" Eddy says he'll eat anything on the table - all of it is good, & he's hardly picky.

"This is the first time I've done this in...20-some years..." included
- walking through a revolving door
- sitting on the grass & relaxing in the sun
- throwing little new years gunpowder poppers
- more to come... Eddy has to add to this list...