You know how sometimes the anticipation of something far outweighs the actual event? That was not the case for the show last night at the Blue Light. There was an enthusiastic crowd out on a Tuesday night, and even more so, they were there to listen. There was also the added bonus of a Charlie sighting. He joined us at the table and couldn't be distracted when McClure was singing. He kept me laughing when he was talking about the new cd. For the past few weeks, he's been saying it'll be two weeks. I've been through this before. A few years ago, when they released Orange, it felt like the talk of the upcoming cd release went on for a year. Here's our exchange:

C: What day is it?
V: The 23rd.
C: No. I mean what day?
V: Tuesday.
C: OK. It'll be out on a Tuesday.
V: Wow, could you be a little more vague/cryptic?
C: Hey! You can't rush this...

He said I would know whenever he got them in the mail... I'm so happy for them and I hope that a lot more people jump on their bandwagon.

McClure was outstanding. I think my favorite of the night was Yesterday Road or Out of Here Tonight or maybe Fightin' For. I'm awful at this. How about I just say I was crazy happy.

I can see clearly now...

I love new contacts. I wasted about forty-five minutes looking for frames, however. No glasses for me today. I might end up going with the rimless glasses I saw online. I hate glasses because I inevitably end up breaking/bending them out of shape (not to mention the fact that my ears are crooked, lol).

I'm off to take a nap and then head out to see Mr. Mike McClure. It's been WAY too long.

Quiet weekend

Friday, I was so tempted to drive to Ft. Worth, but thought better of it. The snow storm never quite materialized. I'd say we got five inches, at the most. The roads weren't bad until this morning, which was treacherous only on the small side streets. The highways were completely unscathed.

The calls I got Friday night made me smile, though! I don't remember laughing so much at DDs. I also don't remember hanging on that long for a show... They sounded like they were having a great time (the band and everyone at the show). I LOVE you guys!

I finished the Klosterman book. Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas is basically a collection of his previous columns in Esquire, SPIN and the like. I hadn't read the majority of them, so it was pretty much new to me. There's a few chapters that are all new...and they pose some pretty introspective, yet inane questions. This didn't keep me from thinking about what I would do in the situations. I'd have to recommend the book to anyone who's read and enjoyed his other books.

I also watched M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water. It was by no means as great as Signs or The Sixth Sense. It's not in the same vein as his other movies, but that doesn't mean it's not worth seeing. The Night Listener was next.


I really liked this movie. Here's the synopsis from imdb.com: In the midst of his crumbling relationship, a radio show host begins speaking to his biggest fan, a young boy, via the telephone. But when questions about the boy's identity come up, the host's life is thrown into chaos. The story kinda freaked me out. This could also have something to do with the fact that I had the house to myself, and the satellite service went kaput while I was watching the movie. So, the eerie hangover from the movie lingered longer than it probably should have. I couldn't keep myself from thinking about the actual people affected...and the fact that something like this actually happened. I'm a sucker for a movie that gets in your head without being graphic or outlandish. Mission accomplished with this one.

Looks like it should be a good week:

Monday: Maybe Charlie @ the Blue Light
Tuesday: Mike McClure (acoustic) @ the Blue Light
Friday: Charlie Shafter Band @ the Goldenlight
Saturday: Ryan Turner @ the Blue Light

Is it August yet?

I am one to plan ahead. This weather is not conducive to that habit.

Snow Jan 18 | Jan 19 | Jan 20

It looks like instead of staying in tonight and finishing some petitions for work, I'll be headed to the store to stock up for the weekend. Outside of my parents' house, I doubt I'll be going anywhere. Perhaps the shows at the Blue Light will still be on; if so, I'll get to see Matt Martindale's new show. If not, I'll be in the market for some DVDs.

I love the cold weather. I hate the driving conditions that come along with it. I much prefer the fall; which it seems like we never really experienced here. It's gone from scorching heat to this frozen state, with no transition in between.

I'm ready for the BBR again. Is it too soon to be looking that far ahead?

*cough*

*I can't get to sleep. I haven't set foot in the office since we got back from Steamboat. I don't think tomorrow is going to change that fact.

*Congratulations, June! Completing the marathon is a great feat! I love the breakdown you've been writing.

*I found some sort of peace tonight at Charlie's acoustic show. Is it wrong that I feel more at home at that bar than at my house?

*To add insult to injury, I woke up this morning with what looks to be pink-eye. Unfortunately, the length of my attention span is affected by the cold medication and I've not been keeping my hands off the affected eye. I just hope I don't wake up with it in both eyes tomorrow.

Being cooped up in the house this week, I watched a few DVDs:
*Superman Returns - could have been better, but I still liked it.
*Strangers with Candy - not as good as the TV show. I'd pass on it.
*Ant Bully - cute.
*Munich - Second time to see it, I liked it more this time around.

can't control the weather...

So, what was in the plans this weekend? Reckless & Ragweed? No go. Motorcars? Again, a no go. The roads were just too bad to make the drive. I'm sure that I could have made the drive to Amarillo last night and been fine. I just would have had to stay the night, and since I've just been back a few days, I'm not ready to sleep in a bed other than my own. I gave Justin my ticket and made him promise he'd stay with his brother for the night. He reported back that I would have loved the show, but it was freezing and I made the right call. I don't know if he's just trying to be nice or what, but that's why we love him. It would have been no favor to my health to go to the show; the cough is still hanging on.

This afternoon, I was almost certain I'd make the trek to Odessa. The roads weren't bad at all. However, the weather forecast for the night did not look good at all. I'm better off playing it safe and waiting until next weekend. I'll be heading to Fort Worth Friday, so why not see the Motorcars at the Aardvark?

I went with my sister to take Lex to get her ears pierced Friday afternoon. I couldn't watch. I'm not sure how moms do it. I went to visit my little cousin Christopher in the hospital a few years ago and it was awful watching the doctor and nurse manipulate the IV in his little hand. The piercing went off without a hitch, and there was a minimal amount of silent tears afterwards. Lex was so happy though, after the pain subsided. She announced to anyone that would listen that it was her birthday and that she'd just gotten her ears pierced.

To make up for the weekend at home, I'm all over Monday night at the Blue Light. It's been at least a month since I've seen Charlie's acoustic show. I can't wait.

I hope everyone had a safe weekend, I'm looking forward to this front moving out of the area and getting some sort of respite from being cooped up in the house.

Still in recovery mode...

I'm trying to will myself into feeling better so that my ticket to Ragweed & Reckless does not go to waste. I've also got a pretty important sixth birthday party to go to on Sunday afternoon. Which reminds me that I've also got to leave the house tomorrow to find Lex something at the toy store. I always try to buy her something educational. In other words, nothing she asked for. I just hate buying something that I know will not be wanted in six months, when the wooden puzzles I bought years ago, she still plays with frequently.

I've been doing a day by day recap on my myspace blog and quite frankly, it's getting a little hard to remember some things.

Here's some of the things I do remember as musical highlights of the trip:

The afterparty with Josh Grider, Jesse Fritz and Jeremy Plato - in a word: awesome!
There were also a couple of guys from a band called the South First Band.

Ryan Bingham's shows at the Grand and Bear River - moving

Adam Hood's set - unbelievable crowd reaction and unforgettable sound

Dedringers - great and funny (I think I love their banter more than anything else)

Stragglers - worth everything we went through to get in the show

Kathleen O'Keefe's set - beautiful

Micky & the Motorcars/Reckless Kelly (MF Finale) - you can't go wrong with this one

With any luck, tomorrow will find me without a fever and standing in a converted hangar listening to RK. Have a good weekend!

be it ever so humble...

It's so good to be home. I brought an itchy throat and runny nose home as souvenirs. Also, my body seems to be rejecting sleeping for more than four or five hours at a time.

Great time, can't wait to do it again next year.

Up this week:

1/12 - Reckless Kelly & Cross Canadian Ragweed at Aztec Music Hall
1/13 - Micky & the Motorcars at Dos Amigos

New Year...

It got off to a GREAT start...as was said many times in the hotel room: Best New Year's Eve EVER! I'm glad I got to spend it with some great friends and family (that was a late surprise). Mike Mancy Band was great, Brandon Rhyder fantastic. I took it easy on the drinking. All the better, since it was such a memorable night.

The trip to Oklahoma was just what I didn't know I needed. I held baby Ellie from the time I got in the door. Such a sweet little baby. I realized when I got there, I'd left her Christmas present in LBK...I guess I'll have to send that off tomorrow before leaving Wednesday. Jamie regaled us with some hilarious stories and Watkins was a great host, as always. The trivial pursuit drinking game backfired on them, however. I wiped the floor with them...hahaha! Two tequila bottles gone after the game... We also played Scruples, talk about a revealing game! No matter how well you think you know someone, you're sure to learn something new about each other.

Yummy Victoria's and a good movie were other highlights of the trip. Saturday afternoon, Watkins and I walked down to a new pizza/coffee shop down the street from the house in the arts district. The pizza was great, the two hour excursion was not. It was not the shop owners' best day.

The drive home was uneventful. I am hoping for an early day tomorrow to finish up laundry and packing. I'll also do some shopping for the condo and apparently host some sort of guitar jam in our living room. (I'm praying they mean actual guitars and not guitar hero.)



I take off to Steamboat in ~36 hours!