Driving back into Washington, DC from Maryland, one time, along New York Avenue, there was a sign on a store that caught my eye. “Purveyors of Fine Porn,” it said. This was the first time I’d ever seen the word purveyor, and it stuck. I checked the dictionary, and anytime after that, when on New York Avenue, I looked hoping to see that sign again.

My first outing with Team GV was fun. There’s no other way to put it. Not surprising, either, given that the setting provided an immediate connection – or juxtaposition – of my career in the media and newspapers and this new, emerging role . . . and recollections of the word purveyor.

The outing was to accompany colleague-down-the-hall to the 40th Anniversary Party of The Bay Area Guardian. An anniversary is about the same thing as a birthday, usually, so let’s have a little song here.

Arriving, I recalled my once-upon-a-time (back-in-the-day) partner and mentor had spoken often with great fondness of The Guardian’s publisher, Bruce Brugman. She’d speak of what a hell raiser she thought he was and she’d chuckle in her characteristic way. Bruce, well, I could see immediately that he still is a hell raiser, and in fact, I happen to know that she is too, both of them in the tradition of great muckrakers. Read Bruce’s Blog.

There was Bruce. Live, in person. A great bear of a man, and his photos were everywhere, on posters, rack cards, magnets, buttons around the newsroom. In one section, there were staff and volunteers from the First Amendment education project Bruce supports. He’s all about freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of expression. That’s who Bruce is.

So, I introduced myself and told Bruce I’d heard of him through my once-upon-a-time. He smiled and said he’d received a congratulatory plant from her that very day. Then I told him I was there as part of Team GV, and he smiled again and said that GV has been an advertiser in The Guardian for decades. He said how happy he was to have the GV booth over there on the editorial floor as part of this Anniversary party.

I told Bruce about my activism in the LGBT community and the service known as “Betty’s List.” There was a guy standing with us, from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, whom I’d first met back in 1990, but hadn’t seen in a long time. He was listening in. Bruce allowed as how it probably would be necessary to explain to this mutual friend of ours from Sacramento what the letters LGBT meant. We both grinned, knowing it was an outing-of-myself moment, and of the three of us, only he and I got it. A tiny bit of good-hearted glee and connection with this legendary newspaper man.

Across the way, my-colleague-down-the-hall and teammates, three of them in all, had the GV Wheel of Fortune set-up for action. This Wheel, I learned, is a popular party tool partygoers can spin and possibly walk away with in hand one or the other of GV’s goodie bags full of product samples. Quite a lot of activity ensued, and a considerable line appeared of those waiting for their spin.

I wandered, my name badge marked “Good Vibrations,” and had the chance to chat with Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, Supervisor Bevan Dufty holding his new babe, and also an executive I’d known during my days working at the SF Chronicle.

A goal of this wandering was to observe how partygoers might respond upon seeing my GV name badge, identifying me as . . . well, yes . . . as a purveyor. With not a single exception, all were warmly receptive and positive. Without exception, being from GV turned out to be not just okay, it was a good thing. A very good thing.

What a community institution this is, I realized. What a legacy as the “Heritage Brand” in the adult entertainment industry. What a team I’ve joined, and relished in the thought, realizing this was a highly revered team . . . and also, a cadre . . . of fine purveyors of fine sex toys.

One might ask how much of a “good thing” my GV name badge might be were I crawling around the newsroom of some lesser newspaper than the highly alternative Guardian. But for that one evening, I’ll use a recent quote from our Mayor Gavin to explain and say, “I needed that . . .”

Leaving The Guardian’s building, I overheard a young woman out front talking about how happy she was with her bag. Yes, it proved to be her GV goodie bag she was talking about, so I asked if she’d say more. She said she would be very happy to tell the world what great things were included in her bag, especially the edible panties. I knew I’d learned a lot that evening, but with her words, it became clear how much more there is to learn . . . about the GV catalog and the collection of fine toys it offers. What fun awaits, now that I’m a fine purveyor too?

Stay tuned. Come back. Same bat time. Same bat channel . . .

(More from Betty: “The Betty Blog”: www.bettyslist.com)

PHOTO Feature on Betty’s List: SF Bay Guardian 40th Anniversary Party

READ Betty’s “How I Told My Brother I’d Be Working with Team GV” in The Betty Blog.

Recently:

Treasure Hunt–GVTV Style
My First Blog Entry
high tech musical condoms?