Amy Lu's View

Deciding what to consume at the State Fair always causes me at least some anxiety. So it’s no surprise considerable time and thought went into my decision to try a Martini beer. But once I finally decided to take the plunge and purchase the beer (I wanted to try at least one oddball fair offering and I do love salt) I had to again reevaluate my choice–my beverage was garnished not only with an olive (yay) but a piece of salami (boo). 

Yes, I had already decided I was going to play in the pescatarian space and had ordered a salmon wrap (I know, not on a stick but yummy and not greasy) but I was not prepared to embrace mammal consumption.

And yes, by my standards, the salami slice qualified as partaking in the carnivore lifestyle because it was actually in the beer–so the beer was infused with meat (or at least, meat juice). 

Okay, not much meat juice, but I was trying to have some consistent standards–I don’t eat soup or gravy made with chicken or beef broth, after all.

So all this and more was swirling around in my brain, but I pretty quickly decided “Oh f%#@ it, I’m going to take some photos for possible content and then drink this puppy.” And that’s what I did, (after tossing the salami) and it was yummy and salty and weird, and just the Fair experience I was hoping for. 

Full disclosure, I only drank half the beer, because I had already enjoyed two glasses of wine, and I wanted to increase my chances of finding the shuttle bus and then my car. 

Going to the Fair was a mosaic of interrelated decisions–not only about what to drink and eat: 

• Where to park: the first Park and Ride spot I tried was FULL, as was the second, but then I found moderately close street parking by that lot
• What pictures to take: So many quirky photo opportunities…and of course I wanted to get the iconic shots to prove I was at the Fair! But, I also wanted to actually experience the Fair and not just take photos.  
• Where to take selfies: I basically threw in the towel on this one, and just took a lot of selfies, even if I looked tired and sweaty, and even if I didn’t have something on a stick. I did try to limit myself from stopping traffic or getting in other people’s way.
• Whether or not to wait in line for seed art: After years of being married to Chad, I have learned to despise lines. Nothing is worth more than a five person line. BUT…the line wasn’t too out of control, and I had to have some of those iconic shots after all.
• When to wear a mask: Definitely on the bus, definitely while viewing seed art. 
• What free music to listen: Ended up just catching a couple of tunes at the Schell stage, and I think I saw Turn Turn Turn…which OMG I just learned while Googling them features Adam Levy (very “famous” Minneapolis musician)
• How long to stay listening to Styx: I’ve heard of people just hanging out outside the Grandstand to hear the concert for free, and I actually could hear the music really well from the entrance near the West End. I don’t consider myself a Styx fan, but they definitely have nostalgic appeal for me, and it was so lovely hanging out and slowly making my way out of the fair and listening to “Come Sail Away” and “Mr. Roboto” and…joy of joys, “Renegade,” a cherished song from my childhood. 

All this decision-making was both easier and a little bit scarier because I was attending the fair solo and making decisions by myself. While I do make decisions by myself all the time (I am a bona fide adult after all), I don’t usually make them when it comes to navigating large scale events and outings. So I felt pretty accomplished after successfully maneuvering my way through the crowds and choosing where to go and what to eat/drink and what to do without any input. 

I also felt surprisingly relaxed. I tend to agonize over decisions (maybe not the typical ones or even big ones but certainly frequent and inconsequential ones) and spend way too much time thinking about how my actions affect others–even, or especially, when they don’t want me to. This “concern” for others doesn’t usually stem from altruism or generosity or empathy–it’s just me centering myself in other people’s stories, usually when they couldn’t care less. 

So I just embraced being the star of the Amy State Fair Show, and it felt grand. Too much fun and drama and excitement to fit on a stick.