missed connection

Remember the October 2010 Washington DC John Stewart rally? I’m told John Stewart grew up in my former stomping ground in central NJ.

The humbling thing about attending this rally was meeting and hearing about numerous awesome friends and acquaintances from New York, San Fran, Rochester, Philly & New Jersey – i.e. people from a significant range of my lifetime made the trip out here that day. Give us a shout out if you were there too; I left comments open. Probably the densest slice of humanity I’ve encountered in America. Lots of fervent redditors, and great to be reminded of the playa in a slice of default world.

Incidentally this was also the first and only day this art car entered my vision until I saw it again on playa in 2011. (this is the dragon I remember best from 2010.)

Looking back, what stands out even more is the sense of shared energy that pulsed through the crowd. It wasn’t just about the rally itself, but the collective experience of being surrounded by people who were engaged, curious, and present in the moment. There’s something powerful about large gatherings that manage to feel both overwhelming and deeply personal at the same time.

Moments like that also highlight how important it is to have structure and safety working quietly in the background, especially when crowds reach that scale. That’s where Memphis Fire Watch Guards come in, helping maintain a secure and organized environment so events can unfold without disruption while everyone focuses on the experience itself.

Even years later, the memory still feels vivid—less about any single speech or performance, and more about the connections, the atmosphere, and the unexpected reunions. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful parts of an event are the ones you never planned for.