Oh yeah, it's wednesday.

And it's a good thing. I seem to have gotten up in a better mood this morning. Must have something to do with NOT having to get gas this morning.
So, Panic Red rocks pre-sale happened this morning. How did we do you ask?? Well we got two for saturday night and that was it. We still need friday night, and sunday afternoon tickets and then one more for Saturday for a friends birthday. There is another pre-sale tomorrow though the local radio station, so i will try again there for tickets before main on sale on Saturday. Yesterday my boyfriend called and asked what we should do for the Kansas City Shows and that there were tickets on pre-sale on Panic's site yesterday. I thought they would last a while, so I said not to worry about it and we would just get them when i got home. Well then common sense kicked in and I started trying for tickets. We got two for the Tuesday night show, but the wednesday night show was already out of pre-sales. Those are going to be gotten on Saturday as well.. this is the cycle of the music fan. Buy tickets, wait, see show, get back from shows, buy tickets again, wait again....Welcome to my world.
That's it, just laying low today...
here's what you really came here for...

The Great American Grump Out is today. Smilemania asks America to go 24 hours without being grumpy, crabby, or rude. (Yeah right, good luck)

Today is National School Nurse Day.

Today is National Roast Leg of Lamb Day.

Today is Mother Ocean Day, a time to celebrate the wonder of the ocean.

Today is National Nuzzling Day.

Today is Experience the Awesome Stomach-Churning Wonder of a Thrill Ride Day.

Today is Day of the Soldier in El Salvador.

1985: The first pig racing season began in Tulsa, to culminate 10 weeks later with the Arnold Ziffel Sweepstakes. First-year favorites included Marvin Hogler and Bruce Pigsteen.

1986: Joan Rivers began a late-night TV talk show on the Fox Network. It flopped.

1991: A bandit tried to hold up a Jacksonville, Florida, supermarket wearing a paper bag over his head with eyeholes cut so he could see. But when he moved, the bag shifted and he couldn’t see. While he adjusted the bag it tore, exposing his face. Which a checker recognized as one of the store’s regular customers.

1998: The parent company of Mercedes-Benz agreed to buy Chrysler Corporation for more than $37 billion.

1998: A Pasadena, California, couple returned from vacation to find over a thousand birds inside their home. The flock of small migratory swifts had flown down the chimney. Firemen helped the couple clear the birds out in about two hours, but cleaning up the mess took a lot longer.

2000: Mike Hennessy of West Springrfield, Massachusetts, celebrated his 50th birthday by jumping out of an airplane 50 times. Hennessy had logged more
than 5,800 jumps in his life, and spent 46 hours free-falling. But he had never done more than 19 jumps in a single day.

2002: Triple Crown winner "Seattle Slew" died at age 28. It was 25 years to the day after his victory in the Kentucky Derby.

AND THE BEST ONE OF TODAY IS:

2003: A man wanted for trafficking and possession of cocaine was arrested when his parole officer spotted him kissing his girlfriend in a live crowd shot displayed on the scoreboard at a Cincinnati Reds game. The suspect and his parole officer attended the same game when the smooching couple were caught by the "Kiss Cam" at Great American Ball Park. The parole officer and a police officer arrested the 24-year-old man in his front row seat.

Chicago- Revisisted

Here is a little ditty i found on Youtube.
This is Panic from night two (saturday night- sore throat- etc)
This is Jack, one of my ALL TIME favorite tunes by Panic. It's a little ballad that is BEAUTIFUL and this night is no exception.
Take a listen to this, I believe the audio is from the Chicago radio station that simulcast the show on the air- live.. so the audio is amazing...
Take a listen, it's only 6 minutes of your life.

For you non-panic fans, here are the lyrics so you can read along..
See if you understand the references.. It is mostly about a poker game and the guy has a pretty good hand, from what i can understand.
JACK:
Jack was really a jester
Who held his one good eye on the queen
And there sat the king beside her
He's pointing his sword up and down with every scene
And the wizard's in the corner
Catching peanuts between his teeth
And the dogs lying in the shadow in the archway
There's one good dog sleeping filled with good ol' dog dreams

He slipped next to the wizard
Whispered something deep, to the bottom of his ear
A little joke, the one about the farmer's daughter
How she was stomping on grapes, coming up with blue feet and beer
And he slipped behind the queen
Where the fools go the rich don't mind
Lately the king's (k)nights have turned a little rusty
And his halo - I mean his crown - has gone and slipped around his eyes

The wizard's in the corner
Pulling lizards between his knees
And the dog he been long gone
Gone to pitch for the winning team
Fifty-two, I mean fifty-four bicycles on the wall
Ready to ride, ready to ride until the last of them falls
Jack's been cooking in the kitchen
Whompin' up some biscuits for us all
For us all, For us all
Ready to ride, ready to ride, ride

it's friggen snowing

that's right, April 10th and it is snowing.. We are expected to get about 2-4 inches. It doesn't seem to be sticking to the roads yet, but the grassy areas are pretty much covered and layering up. I hope all the weak new tree branch growth can take the heave spring snow. But i hope this might take some of the tree allergy causing agents out of the air, my nose hurts :(

Today i am staying at home and getting things ready for the trip. we leave in about 24 hours. Very exciting. But the crappy thing is that this storm that we are getting now will only be moving east and hitting chicago just in time for us to get there.. it will be snowing some in Chicago also. Nothing like following the storm across the country. crazy... And the folks here in denver will get to enjoy 60 and 70 degree weather this weekend.. something just doesn't seem fair.

But we have lined up media credentials for the aquarium and the Sears Tower. I have never been to Chicago, so it is all new to me. We are also going to try to get into the Art Museum at some point too. But the main attraction will be the three panic shows that we will be seeing each night.. Can't wait.. oh and that reminds me, we need to check set list from last night, so hang on...

Set 1 - Lil Kin, Can't Get High, Pickin Up The Pieces, Boom Boom Boom > You Got Yours, Flicker > One Arm Steve > Jam > Solid Rock
Set 2 - Good People > Bears Gone Fishin` > I'm Not Alone, Goin Out West* > Drums** > Jam > Blight > Greta, Walkin
Encore - Up All Night > Porch Song * w/Ben Ellman ** w/Stanton Moore

Not bad, good solid set. looks like they started pretty slow, with the can't get high and pickin up the pieces, but not bad... boomx3 is a new one, pretty catchy and i can see where it could get big in the middle, and then the rest is pretty solid (flicker is new too)
second set, good people is fun and bears gone fishin is a great, classic tune. Going out west (well i guess Cincinnati/Chicago is more west than The east coast, so ok. and there is my greta that i should have gotten for my birthday, but now that wont happen. the soonest they might play it is sunday night, but totally not going to play it tomorrow. and walkin is a good solid song.
well those are my thoughts on the sets...
hope everyone has a great weekend...

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it...

I can't wait, the count down is on.. Four days of work and then off to see some Panic shows!!! We were watching Panicstream.com this weekend as the show in NY was going down, OMG they played an amazing set list. Some times you can't tell the show from the set list, as what might look good on paper may not have played out that well on stage. but with a set list like Saturday's, it made me really kick myself for not being there...
OK, so there is this song, Big Woolly Mammoth, that i have not seen played live since something stupid like 2003. I have been wanting to see it. They don't play it much and it isn't my favorite song, i just would like to be at a show where it is played at some point. My friend Cal seems to get the song whem he travels to see shows, (because when he is home seeing shows, I am usually with him and of course we don't get the tune) so anyway, Saturday night, i log on to check out the set list of the show that had just started and Cal IM's me and tells me that I should have been in NY and what i thought. I take a look and the boys OPENED the show with Big Woolly. Man, I thought catching some shows as early into the tour as Chicago is, but NAAAAW ~they had to play it two nights ago... Well take that off my list of things to see.
So, we were doing some checking around for other things to do while in Chicago, like other bands playing and such and came upon the info that JB (the lead singer and rhythm gutarist) is singing the National Anthem at the White Sox game this Saturday. Though the weather looks like it is going to be nasty, if they are playing the game, i want to catch the National Anthem. so that is on our list of things to do. And then we are going to check out the Aquarium since it will be nasty out, we needed something that wasn't sight seeing. That will be accomplished on Sunday, when they say the weather will be a touch better. At least not snowing :)
With that being said, i am doing my homework as instructed by my friend Cal. He said that i need to get the new album and get to know the tunes, so that is what i am doing thin week while going to and from work. More musing to come as i try to procrastinate my way though the week :)

Game day #3

wqe have all been praying for rain and snow, because everyone seems to be too tired to has other things they want to do today. And i guess all of us are on the short list to H-E double hockey sticks, because it is sunny, warm and no sign on snow at all..
DAMN!!!
But i am pretty sure they are not going to make me pitch, so it doesn't really matter to me. I'll go play, what the heck..
The Roickies are down one now with a loss to the Cardinals last night. We can still pull out the series with a win tonight.
They are painting the town purple. Well ok, not the whole town. Well not even a whole street, but for about 4 blocks in front of the stadium they painted a purple stripe bow the road in celebration for the season opener tomorrow. I wish it wasn't a day game, but it is. The celebrations start at about 11am downtown and go until 2. the game is a 2:35 start, i think. I was considering taking the day off and going down to help support my favorite baseball team, but i think i am going to come to work instead. Don't worry there is nothing wrong with me, and yes i checked, I don't have a fever... I am just not sure that i want to go down there at 11 and then what am i going to do at 2? I don't have a ticket and it is sold out. Last time i tried to get into a sold out game down there, i ended up having my camera stollen. I learned my lesson, yes sir-ee bob, not going to make my parents buy me a third camera.. I mean really. there is a line. :)

We never made it to the artist yesterday. nope, didn't go. I didn't feel like it, my boyfriend didn't feel like it and we were starving. So we went to the grocery store instead and got the makings for a great homemade pizza. He makes the best pizza crust.. and watched Big Brother. I can't believe that Adam (for one) is still on the show. I would have pegged him for a short timer for sure, and that he is the first to get a double HOH. I think it was great if they kicked Josh out after a week of letting him think he was staying. But something tells me he had an idea it was going to be him. He was a little too rehearsed with Julie after the eviction, I think. but he is a little sneeky boy and I am glad he is gone. I know Chelcia was probably bummed to see him come in. I guess he didn't take her advice from when she was leaving.

And I can't believe some of these contestants on the Biggest Looser, I mean they look like totally different people. The woman in Pink is going to win i think. and it remember that she did most of her training at home seeing she was kicked off like the third week or something. She look amazing and she has lost over 100 in like 12 weeks.. crazy!!!

One week from tomorrow we will be on a jet plane to see the panic boys rip it up.. which reminds me, i have not seen the set lists from the past two nights.. must go check, you can wait here. I will be right back.
Oh you didn't think i would leave you hanging did you??? good, i knew you trusted me..
here they are for the first two nights of tour.
04/01/08 (Tue) Warner Theatre - Washington, DC
Set 1: Walk On The Flood, Angels on High, Driving Song > Three Candles > A of D > Driving Song, Machine > Barstools and Dreamers > Driving Song, Dark Day Program, All Time Low

Set 2: Boom Boom Boom, Pusherman > Drums > Her Dance Needs No Body > Pigeons > Free Somehow, Already Fried, Greta, Up All Night, Flicker, Fishwater
E: Tickle the Truth > Ain't Life Grand

04/02/08 (Wed) Warner Theatre - Washington, DC

Set 1: Red Hot Mama, Thought Sausage, Travelin Light, Dont Wanna Lose You, Time Zone, Rebirtha > Pilgrims > Dying Man

Set 2: Disco > Diner > Ribs and Whiskey > Low Spark of High Heeled Boys > BofD > Impossible > Bust it Big, Chainsaw City E: Tallboy

Yeah, I am sure we all thought the same thing, Boy night one was full of new tunes. I think they played the whole Free Somehow album that night. but holy guacamolie, did you see night two, well scroll back up and take a gander. They knew they dropped some pretty heavy flies with all the new tunes, so they shot out a home run on night two.. But i am a Ribs and Whiskey, Low Spark, Thought sausage fan.
Although i wouldn't be upset if i got a Gretta on my birthday. But speaking of my birthday, I am a little nervous that they are going to do the same kind of thing in Chicago.. Play all the new stuff on night one, which any other time would be fine, do them get them out of the way for the next two nights, but not for MY BIRTHDAY!!! But i am counting the whole weekend, but my actual birthday show?? don't want it to be a complete throw away..
So, anyone with a direct line to JB, let him know the deal with that.

In other news. Here's what else is happening~

Today is Armenian Appreciation Day. (sure, why not..)

Today is Tweed Day, a day to consider the cost of political corruption. Always on the birth date of William March Tweed, the New York City political boss whose "Tweed Ring" stole millions from the city in the mid 1800s. (and it is still happening, anyone see the pork barrel budget report yesterday???)

Today is American Circus Day. (YEAH, who doesn’t love the circus)

Today is National Chocolate Mousse Day. (Friggen right, I am totally on board for this one)

Today is National Find a Rainbow Day. (just head to SF J)

Today is Mule Day in Columbia, Tennessee. (that just seems wrong to me)

1982: Roger Mudd and Tom Brokaw became the co-anchors of "The NBC Nightly News," replacing John Chancellor.

1995: General George Custer’s personal Civil War battle flag brought $165,000 at a San Francisco auction.

1996: Rapper Hammer, formerly M.C. Hammer, filed for bankruptcy.

1996: The FBI raided a Montana cabin and arrested former college professor Theodore Kaczynski, accusing him of being the Unabomber whose mail bombs had killed three people and injured 23 more since the 1970s.

1998: Michael Jackson became a father the second time when wife Debbie Rowe gave birth to Paris Michael Katherine Jackson.

1999: An Arkansas man blew a hole through his roof in Berryville when a large mixture of beans and rice packaged with dry ice exploded. The man wouldn’t say why he was storing the mixture, but officials warned that dry ice is just frozen carbon dioxide and can build up gas pressure fast when confined.

1999: An 80-year-old Japanese man was saved from choking to death in Okaka by a fast-thinking 911 dispatcher. When the usual life-saving steps didn’t dislodge a piece food, the dispatcher told the man’s granddaughter how to insert a vacuum cleaner tube into the unconscious victim’s mouth. She flipped it on and out came the food. The dispatcher said vacuuming was the absolute last resort.

2003: An Oklahoma couple finally got married after 77 years of living together. Zyness O'Haver, 95, and Sallie Warren, 94, decided to make it official in a ceremony at the Oklahoma County courthouse. When the judge asked, "Do you?" Sallie responded, "I sure do!"

2005: A study prepared by U.S. Defense Department advisors said that "Muslims in dictatorial regimes" do not yearn to be liberated by the U.S
That seems like a good note to ponder for a Thursday...

Friday's Tune

(STARTS 32 SECS in)

So, after a little messing with my video i shot at Vegoose two years ago, here is some Widespread Panic playing Climb to Safety.
Little side note, this was on my dad's birthday the same year he passed. This is my favorite song and this was the first time i got to shoot this band. This song is a second set song, so if you can understand the power if being right under their noses listening to this, first song out of the gate..I guess even if you can't imagine, watch it anyway.
Well, enjoy..even if you don't know the band, give it a listen, the audio is great.
Have a wonderful Friday.

Oh, kiss the mountain air we breathe

Good-bye it's time to fly.
Sparrow climb, the air is thinner,
Open wings cast this valley in the shade.


OK, I know i have used that one before, but seriously, can you blame me? it's a great song... But I am not only using those lyrics (to Surprise Valley by Widespread Panic) to celebrate my upcoming birthday shows that we got the last of the tickets we needed this morning. OR to use it because i am soo excited that we found this special deal on a room a the Affina Chicago Hotel. THEY HAVE A PILLOW MENU. No I am not kidding, you can pick what kind of pillow you want to sleep on. You can change it everyday if you want. I am going to start with the Buckwheat pillow and then maybe move on to the Swedish foam pillow, ending the weekend with a plush down pillow..:) I can't wait!!!!




But that is not the reason i was using this song and those lyrics. See last night my boyfriend and I were watching Celebrity Rehab on VH1. and after a commercial break, they came back to the show and the music they used was Surprise Vally by Widespread Panic. I looked at my boyfriend immediately and said "that's panic". We backed it up, turned it up and sure enough, i know my boys....
We were really enjoying watching the world series this past year (if you have been reading my blog for a while, then you may remember) not only because my team was playing but they would ALWAYS play panic going in and out of commercial breaks this past series. We even had friends that made World Series Set lists from the songs they played and at the end of what inning, too funny..

So, you never know where you are going to catch a tune to two.. keep your ears open.

I am glad it is Friday. I feel that i have to apologize for not updating everyday, but this was a complete no energy week and even less to say. so i didn't say much at all. Yesterday's snack was chocolate chip or M7M or sugar cookies. I didn't eat one and I even took Watson for a walk yesterday. getting exercise is good..
I'm out, have a great friday and weekend...
TTFN

And for those keeping score....

Pre-sale for Chicago Panic over my birthday weekend was this morning and i am pleased to say that we got tickets to two out of the three nights.
We will be in the venue on Friday night for my birthday for sure.. We don't have Saturday tickets just yet, but regualr on-sale is saturday though ticketbastard, so we might have some luck then. AND we got Sunday tickets as well. so we are set to try and find a cheap flight to Chicago for my birthday. I have never been to the windy city and am very much looking forward to ringing in my 35th with the best band on earth.
And my boyfriend promised that we can get pizza, well CHICAGO pizza for my birthday.
Now you want to know the BEST part of this whole thing? the show is all reserved seating. It is good in that we don't have to be sitting in line all day waiting to get in and get a good spot. we have our seats waiting for us, so we can play in the city all day and not worry about it.
Good times, good times.. :)

It wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest,. it was the low spark of high heeled boys.

Well Widespread Panic announced their spring tour. As always i checked it out and was REALLY excited when i saw the the band will actually be playing on my birthday. I have waited my whole life to see a show on my birthday and here my favorite band is actually going to be picking up their instruments on that day.
My boyfriends birthday is on Halloween, so we are always seeing shows of his favorite bands on that day. I mean everyone and their brother are playing that day, so it just depends on how far you are willing to travel for the show. In years past we have gone to New Orleans, San Francisco, Virginia (well Hampton Colosseum) and i am sure many more that i am not remembering. Not to mention the number of years we have spent at the Filmore here in Denver for a show on his birthday. So, this is my year. My birthday is actually going to be on a Friday AND PANIC is playing in the continental United States.
We talked about it last night, and again this morning and i think i really want to go to Chicago. So, we are going to try to work it out.. I can't believe it and am so excited. Tickets (well pre-sale) go on sale tomorrow AM. I hope we get tickets.
I can't really think of a better way to turn 35 than with JB singing to me all night, and then again the next night and then again the next night...

More work has been done on the puzzle and it will be finished up tonight. that is a guarantee.
I am almost done... it looks really cool. I will put some close up shots up here to show you how hard it really is.

I am also starting a patch work quilt with my new sewing machine. I plugged it in last night, got the bobbin put in, threaded, then messed it up.... start over.. got it back in, threaded, messed up...started over.. --- please stop me if you've heard this one. If you have not then you have never tried to teach yourself how to sew. After frustrating my boyfriend, i took a few deep breathes and tried again. finally i got it going. and was able to move from page one to page two of in instruction booklet. look at me go.. Now i know how to 'end my seams' or what ever it is called and i am able to sew two patched together without them ripping apart right away.. VERY EXCITING..
So, my quilt that has been on hold for about four years is back on the forefront. I have some really cool ideas that i want to try when i get the hang of this project.
I can't wait to go home and sew while watching Wheel of Fortune.. (yeah, i am so an 80 year old in a 34.8 year old body :)
have a great tueday and as a dear friend says at the end of most of his emails...
PANIC ON!!!!

Birtha never ever talked too much, Had those television eyes

Sorry for the doubling up on the Rebirtha lyrics, but i just got an email from friend and apparently we freaks that can't get enough Widespread Panic aren't the only ones.
So last night the Indians and the Red Sox went at it again for the 6th game to see who will play the HOT ROCKIES in the World Series.
There must have been some major Panic fans working the music at the game because this is what went down at the inning breaks...

Surprise Valley - 1^st inning break (this song has been a blog title for me "spirit move in all things")

Disco - 3^rd inning break (this is an all instrumental otherwise I would have used anything from this wonderful song!!)

Action Man - end of the 5th inning (one of my favorites to see live and we did get in this past weekend " Fire inside, blaze of glory, space in time.... Hearts of gold, limbs of steel, man-of-war"

Surprise Valley - 6^th inning game summary (again, they must really like it)

Thin Air – 7^th inning break.(very appropriate seeing someone will be coming to the thin air, i guess after tonight's game...")

So keep your ears out, i am sure there will be more panic played tonight..

Well something else special happened today. I woke up a little early and Watson, my dog, wanted out. I let him out the back only to be greeted by falling snow. When i looked out it was only falling but nothing was sticking, but when i got up about 30 minute later to let him back in the grass was all white.

i don't expect it to stick around like last year as we are going to get back into the 70's next week, it is pretty to see and hopfully enough to scare those sox into loosing to the Indians.

Since it is snowing i got the fixins to make a slow cooker chili this afternoon and i also got a few pumpkins to carve while sipping beers and watching baseball.. LOVE THE POST SEASON!!!!

I also have some plans to put up some great pictures i took from my parent's visit a few weeks ago. There are some great pics i snapped that i would like to share. And one more goal for the day is to figure out the video on this thing so i can share some great stuff i have in that department too. Who knows you might be able to watch Panic playing Surprise Valley as i shot that song in Vegas this time last year...

Off form morning rituals :) and then my day can start..

Start wearing Purple, wearing purple

Time to jump on the bandwagon, why not everyone else is, but the Rockies are on FIRE!!!! did you see that hit my Toryalba last night, are you kidding me. That's our catcher!
So, i will be up at the top of the stadium tonight, but at least i will be there. I was offered a Face-value ticket last week and took it with no hesitation. And tonight will prove to be an exciting one, that is for sure.
Our team still looks strong. We are ready to take it all the way tonight.
So, here is the low down from the great weekend that was. The Great American Beer Fest was all what i expected. We had some wonderful beers like Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Green Flash West Coast IPA and New Galarus. They are all good. We did find new great IPA from Steelhead. It is the Double Play IPA. Great beer!!!!
So the best part of thursday was drinking Bell's beer while watching the Rockies in October.. that was great. Then friday and Saturday we saw WIDESPREAD PANIC. Jimmy Herring is the man, Jojo is getting balder, JB is still FUCKING HOT!! Schools is a house, Suny doesn't ever stop smiling and Todd was, well Tedd.. They set lists were good, but Saturday was a better show overall. And i got a Jack. i love that song. But it was strange leaving a little early Friday to look for some TV sets around the stadium to check the game. I can't believe we won by a walk. Panic is big into baseball too, so the next night they played Walk On in the first set. I know it was for the game winning walk..
Yesterday my boyfriend and I drove up to the mountains to eat some crab legs at one of the casinos. We watched it snow the whole time. so cold.
And the Rockies are one win away from sweeping the Diamondbacks. Last night they played in the cold and rain... and most media outlets are playing off the "And it was Foggy last night" because our pitcher that did a great job starting was Fogg. so heehe, very obvious, but there you go.
SO, i will report tomorrow that we will be going to the world series...
Wear your PURPLE!!!!
GO ROCKIES!!!!!

Doctor, Doctor, give me the news....

OK, so i went back to the doc today. she gave me my report from my blood draw that the lady hurt me on. And i am healthy as a horse, what ever that means. She says that all my levels are Fantastic!!! Sounds great to me. That's what i wanted to hear.
Sounds great to me..
Well, this week, i am anticipating it going very slowly because there is a TON of stuff going on this weekend that i am super excited about. This is in order of activity, not necessarily in order of my excitement level for that particualr event, although all are going to be great!!!
First, Thursday is the Great American Beer Fest. And this is a massive event at the convention center. We are excited because this is the first year we are able to ride the Lite Rail to the event and not have to worry about cabs and driving... perfect! This event is big in the beer world because it is the only fest that awards their awards by blind tastings. Meaning that the judges don't know the brand of beer they are drinking when judging. All beers are judged on how they fit to the exact specifications of that particular type. For example lets say we have three Porters (dark, black heavy beers) and lets say that beers one and two are brewed with a slightly different taste than what a perfect porter is supposed to taste like and the third one is on the money. Maybe beers one and two are a crowd favorite, but they didn't have the specifics, then three will win.. SO, it doesn't matter, except for crowd favorite award. So, some breweries really like it and some don't but it is the truest, non biased tasting there is...
But for us, plain old festival goers,. we can see what we are drinking and pick for ourselves... WEE go on Thursday but the event goes all weekend.
Then Friday and Saturday is WIDESPREAD PANIC BABY!!!!! Can't wait to see the boys again and hear some head bending tunes with Jimmy Herring.. SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!!!
Then starting Sunday, the baseball boys are back in town to hopefully clinch the league series.. we will see. I am thinking i am going to be soo worn out by Sunday i won't be able to get off the sofa, but i would like to think that i would go try to get a ticket downtown. If i don't go on Sunday, i will most likely try for Monday's game.. I will go alone, but i am OK with that...
So, that is the deal, oh snack time, string cheese and mini éclairs. I have been walking at the gym every night and i think i am going to stay away from both. Good habits come from good decisions. right???

Monday monday....

Today is a slow one for me. We have had two very busy weekends with parent visits. They were all great, but just lot of activity all weekend. So it will be nice to rest tonight and have no obligations.
I am going to hit the gym and then have an easy night.
Rockies start the next run on Thursday. Which isn't that great of timing for me. We are going to be at the Great American Beer Festival. That is one of the best events of the year. I sure hope they have a large screen TV to watch.
Then Friday and Saturday is WIDESPREAD PANIC!!!!!
Hell yeah!!!
so, pardon the short update today. I am tired...
oh- Animal crackers for snack..
have a good monday night and watch Dancing with the Stars and vote for Mark Cuban....
he needs our help!!!

Are you ready for the summer....

that was in homage to the movie meatballs that i watched last Friday instead of freaking out and getting my Friday Panic tickets that i needed so desperately. They went on sale at 10AM and i was on the couch relaxing for our trip to California later that afternoon (story is in previous blogs) so then about 10AM i thought maybe i should go check my emails and see what is happening in the world of famous people in the gossip websites i visit. And then it hit me that i needed to get tickets. I am glad it hit me then, because i was able to sign on to a local radio station's website and buy their super secret super stash of tickets. So we are set for that show in October.
For now, i am back at work and trying to find the grind. I have been in the groove for about a month now and sometimes it is hard to shake the groovy ways and get back to the grind. Know what i mean? But i love my job, so i am sure it wont take me long.
Well thats about it for now. I am going to heat up some lunch and keep watching some tapes.
Not a bad day... hope snack is good.
Oh, so i was out at the garden yesterday, which, by the way isn't doing too good. We have a bunch of tomatoes, but not nearly the amount we had last year, and same for the zucchini and squash. I hope i didn't just jinx myself, but we are not having the harvests each night that we experienced last summer. We have about 4 small watermelon, they are the size of golf balls right now... guess we should have planted them early in the spring, but we get a long winder, so we planted them as soon as we could. Note to self, not a good Colorado crop. And the eggplant yeilded so far only one eggplant, but it is pretty. Our beans dies, the peas are done and we planted more that are starting to sprout. The carrots went crazy but are just little stumpy things, so we are letting them go longer. The cucumbers are great and i am eating them as fast as we are bringing them in. which isnt as fast as i would like, but they are coming. Green peppers and hot peppers are actually doing great.
Ok, now that's it...
off the get lunch :)

Big Whooly mamoth going to wear that coat, in the middle of the summer time...

does it ever end??? i mean really.... my god. Maybe if i had a different addiction it would be better, maybe it would be worse, but either way i spend WAY TOO much $$$$ on music...
So, this past weekend was the end of the String Cheese Incident. That was ok with me in that (1) i know they will be back. and (2) i needed my bank account to replenish itself. Kind of like a star fish, if you leave it alone, the broken off arm will grow back. BUT if you keep fucking with it, it will stay short and broken. Well, the jam band community keeps fucking with me and my account is staying short.
Widespread Panic is coming back to Colorado. See, usually they do a big "end of summer blow out" in colorado, but i guess this year, they are keeping it just to fall tour. We get two nights in the most unwelcoming, unfriendly, unattractive place in the whole state. The Budweiser Events Center in Loveland. The kicker is that it is neither on the ski hill of Loveland, that is beautiful, but it is no where really close to Denver either. It is about 40 minutes away.
There is some talk amongst us addicted, that we should get a 'party bus' to take us to and from the show. But i think it might be too expensive for a ride to the show. I think i might just drive myself and meet up with my friends..
Well, i best stop blathering on, i have to go buy some tickets...
UGH!!!

Wanna carry my life in a bag...

WOW!!!! what a weekend. Well the huge hassle that i wasn't looking forward to worked out perfectly. A friend knew someone that works the VIP entrance this season at Red Rocks, so we didn't have to wait in line at all. That was the biggest help out. By the time we get in the door, i have usually had a full day in the sun, with beers and whiskey, so my attitude reflects that. And by the time all my "friends" come in, they push me off my space that I have saved all day.
So, that didn't happen this year. We didn't have to do the line, nothing. My friends went in at door, though the VIP entrance, got our space, and didn't have a lot of trouble. Jeff and i entered the venue AFTER doors and wandered to our spot, waiting for us. PERFECT!! no stress, nothing...

The shows were spectacular, mainly because i was so relaxed. The boy were hot!!!!
I saw a few new stickers that i liked...
1) Bye George... the band's back. (it even gives me chills typing it)
2) I like what I'm Herring..
for the Widespread Panic-ly challenged.. here is the brief history.
Michael Houser- original guitarist- nicknamed "panic" in college. He met a guy that could play the bass (JB) and the rest became the band Widespread Panic... In 2000 Milkey was diagnosed for Pancreatic cancer. The band kept recording and touring.. non-stop almost. It is what Mikey wanted. They came to RR about 3 months before Milkey passed and it was the saddest show i have ever seen. He was so small and weak, but his guitar was Smoking!!!!! he could still play his heart out. Mikey died. very sad...
A new guitarist was picked, though a lot of rumors of how it came about. George, oh George. I read an article in rolling stone or relix that likened George to a Dialysis machine. It got the band though, but not on it's top legs... There was a time that i actually broke up with this band due to George and the badness that the band was producing at the time..
Well all hell broke loose about a year ago... George and the band had a fight, on their way to a gig in Austin, they swung my Mississippi and dropped the fucker at his doorstep. Good riddance we didn't need you anyway.
They the gates of heaven opened and Jimmy Herring (Almond Brothers, The Dead, Phil and Friends) came our way. The band is back. Jimmy plays with all emotion and power that the songs were written and composed with. Again, just typing this makes me so grateful that i have this reaction to live music and this band!!!!
So, back to the dialysis analogy, Jimmy is the transplant that gives life back to the ill.
WE GOT THE BAND BACK!!!!!!
So, we were in row 10 the first night (that's really friggen close) and then row 12 the second night. Both nights set lists are great. It seemed they came on stage friday, asked all 9,000 of us to turn around and bend over, because they spanked the whole crowd Friday... what a great set, and it hear the songs played correctly and have the guitar jams that only jimmy can add, what a great show..
Saturday didn't disappoint either... We had a great crowd of people. Lots of friends all enjoying what is Widespread Panic.... I gave out some cut up watermelon at set break. It is such a hit at that time of the show. Everyone was grabbing pieces and giving me hugs for it. Too much fun.
Oh and i got a I (heart) JB button!!!!

Friday and Saturday the doors were at 5 and show at 7 (or there abouts). Sunday is like church. doors at 2 show at 4. the whole thing during the day, which is a strange way to see panic. But i don't go to church regularly, and this is my spiritual reprise. Sunday Panic, don't miss it.
But by the time Sunday rolls around, most people drop off. It is a hard day to get up for if you let it all go Saturday night. So, we stumbled there right at doors, 2pm, and found our friends. We were way back at row 22. Not bad for Sunday not trying. The show was good. a lot of slower songs, but it goes with Panic in the day light. They have a song, not one i really like, but it is called Flat Footed Floozie. great name. Well i was sitting next to some friends of friends that i didn't know and noticed one guy had a cool beer koozie. It was blue with some bare feet on it (grabbed my attention being barefoot and all) and i looked closer and it said "Flat Footed Koozie" Fucking loved it. so i started asking about it, he introduced me to the guy that made them. He said he sold them all a few years ago, but always gets comments about the one he has. The suddenly he reaches in his back pocket and grabs one and gives it to me. I was SOOOO excited... I even used it last night on my beer that I drank playing ball with my dogs.
I wish i was on my way to LA (three nights starting tomorrow) then SD.. and a bunch of my friends are heading to Vegas next Tuesday for the show...
I will be here, waiting for my trip to California for another band String Cheese Incident.. Completely different kind of band, but same emotions it brings me. more on them later
and i need a weekend to recover from this last one...
(by the way - i took this picture of JB in the chicken suit at Haloween in Vegas last year)