I’ve been reflecting a lot on my days in college and, more specifically, as a member of the UConn Marching Band drumline lately. I’m not sure what caused this need to walk down memory lane, but right now, I’m kind of grateful for it.

I’m doing something I once swore I’d NEVER do after I graduated college… I’m traveling to an away football game. 

So, yeah, you heard it here: Ms. I Hate Football With a Holy Passion is traveling to The Big House for the UConn/Michigan game.

Of course, my return to Ann Arbor is more about eating at BD’s Mongolian BBQ and seeing my fellow crazy UCMB friends, but I’m still headed to Michigan. For a football game.

Expect pictures. Of the band.

What? Did you think I was going there to see the football game?!?!?

When times shall have severed us far, and the years their changes bring, the thought of the college we love in our memories will cling. For friendships that ever remain, and associations dear, we’ll raise a song, to old Connecticut, and join our voices in our long cheer…

And just because I can - For Vizma:

Is it hockey season yet?

Is it now?

*sigh*

I did something nice for some friends in a band.

I bought two different domains and pointed one to their MySpace.

I didn’t do it because I wanted to be thanked.

I didn’t do it for the warm fuzzies that the resulting text messages caused.

I did it because I believe in their band.

I did it because I want them to succeed.

I did it simply because I wanted to. 

I just don’t learn my lessons, do I?

God, I love Texts From Last Night. I love them more when they’re in my Google Reader and include ads.

In case you can’t read it: It’s all a bunch of faces and I remember what the floor looked like. I LMAO, though, when I saw the Google ad beneath it. Sometimes, the Google ad placements are better than the actual texts…

Before I get into the entry proper - I love the few friends I have who took the time to point out that I posted a picture of Pony violating Moo in the same entry where I mention keeping this blog clean. Yes, yes, I did do that on purpose. Thanks for being concerned, ya’ll. You make me laugh…

Now to the juicy stuff:

One of the suggestions out of the several that were made regarding the work environment was to move out of the area I had lived in and take over Teh Intern’s Desk. There were 4 people in a tiny room, cell phones, regular phones, conversations, etc. The noise! It was ridiculous. It made it hard to concentrate on all the stuff I do. Stuff that really needs my full concentration. So I moved out over the weekend.

The silence is amazing. It’s not 100% quiet, but I’m distanced from the noise that had been driving me bonkers over the past few months. Sitting with the “cool kids” - the company I spend 99% of my time working for - was killing me. (There are other issues, of course, there are ALWAYS other issues, but the noise/proximity was a major headache. Literally.)  I miss the Boy Wonder, badly. I don’t miss the rest of it. It’s a fair trade, I guess. It’s just a desk at a job. It’s not my life, even though it tries hard to be…

We’re on Day One of this experiment, but already I feel better. LIke a huge weight is off my shoulders…

*happy sigh*

I gave someone one of my personal networking cards. It has this blog’s URL on it and it’s not really someone I’d want reading this.

*facepalm*

I keep this blog clean for a reason - for when I do stupid things like that.

—**—

We got Chinese for dinner tonight. Wouldn’t you know, my fortune had to say, “When things are getting you down, turn to work.” Uh, WTF?!? Work is what’s bringing me down. Seriously?

Well, a picture of Pony making new friends always lifts my spirits. How can you look at Pony humping Moo and NOT laugh?

I finally got my jacket and mask. With my glove and foil, I finally feel like a real fencer. I noticed on Thursday (my first day wearing them), that I fenced better. $215 for the fencing classes and $160 for the jacket and mask… this is getting expensive! It’s a good thing I really like it.

Tonight is part of Da ‘Brook’s “Old Home Days” celebration. At 9 PM, we get to watch fireworks from the comfort of our very own front yard. It feels like 4th of July in Connecticut when we used to watch the fireworks from either the front yard or the swimming pool.

OK… I guess I’m done stalling. I brought some work home and I should probably start it since I’ve done everything but all day.

What a wild ride last weekend was!

For starters, we got free tickets to see the Goo Goo Dolls at the Meadowbrook Theatre. I couldn’t think of a better place to spend a Friday night, but I didn’t realize I was quite so spoiled - or so old - when I saw that we had lawn seats. I’ll admit, I missed the seats. Sitting on the ground a half mile from the stage is overrated. Also, WTF is up with concert goers today? Every one had those collapsable folding chairs and they sat in them the entire time. No one danced. There were no people playing frisbee. I didn’t even smell any pot. (Not that I condone that behavior, but really!)

Other than that, the show was good. They sounded great and I loved the new tunes. I can’t wait for the new album to come out.

The big news is that I am no longer a Ren Faire virgin!

Sunday, my friends and I journeyed to the NY Ren Faire. I got to meet The Ginger Pirate, “my friend” Kristine, visited with old friends and made some new ones. There’s so much to write about, but in an effort to protect the not-so-innocent, I’ll try the ol’ bullet list.

• Boobie roses!
• Puss and Boobs…
• Swords shoved into to bodices are probably even more uncomfortable than they look.
• Reunited with Pony and it feels so good.
• Random ex-boyfriend sighting resulted in a THANK JEEBUS! moment
• The gay man made me wet!
• Frozen chocolate covered bananas are good for hours of entertainment and VERY amusing photos. (Can you say password protected photo gallery, boys and girls? LOL)
• Discovering even more members of The Dead Parents Club
• Who knew I would have an addiction to swords? I’m on the hunt for the perfect rapier!
• ...and maybe a better bodice…

I just wish I wasn’t working 10 hour days again… Yeah. But. I have the ear of people that matter and they know how I feel about the situation. Things should change… maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But they will. I just have to remember to be patient. Which I’m really not good with.

Gah.

All it took was one little line in an email:
BTW, when are you coming back to London? You really need to.

Some would say I’m a spoiled brat. I mean, I’ve been to London three times now and it’s just not enough for me.

I know, right? Poor baby’s only been to London three times! WAAAAAAH!

But damn, I want to go again.

My love affair with London started in high school when I got to go on a European tour over spring break. Out of all the cities, London spoke to me. Like Boston, it just feels like home. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Paris and Berlin, thought Amsterdam was odd, and kind of liked Brussels, but London? More, please!

Sometimes, I think about moving there. I wonder what becoming an ex-pat would require. Could I leave everyone and everything I love behind (again) for a fresh start in yet another new country? (Yes, Ohio counts as a country. Dude, have you ever been there?!?!) I just don’t have it in me… I don’t know if I ever could do it again, but I like to think about it from time to time.

Of course, it’s even more tempting when you have someone on the other side of the pond who wants you to visit them.

*sigh*

I guess I know what our big vacation in 2011 is!

Two completely random things before I get into the meat of the entry:

I do love me some Jensen Ackles.

Today is I Will Dare’s 10th birthday!!! Congrats, Jodi! Here’s to another 10.

——-

I’ve been in a buttload of meetings the past week with the CFO from Hong Kong. Trying to figure out the financial reporting they want to see for the two different companies I currently work for. Working, revising, pulling hair, revising, cussing, and revising The Budget From Hell. It’s hard to create a realistic budget off of unrealistic numbers. Unfortunately, we have two years of numbers we can’t really trust, and well, garbage in, garbage out. The Budget From Hell discussions actually caused me to say “Aaaaaand drink” in front of Big Boss # 2. I don’t think he got the joke, but it was definitely an “and drink” kind of moment. *sigh*

To put it mildly, it’s been a weird week at work. I’ve spent a lot of time this week trying to determine my place in their world, defining who my “real” bosses are, discussing my new space in the office, and thinking very hard about what I need vs what I want. (It’s very important to me to feel like I’m part of a team instead of “just” the bookkeeper, and I just don’t feel it… it doesn’t leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy about heading into the office, you know? I’m not quitting, but I’m doing a metric shit-ton of thinking. Things need to change.)  I had to break up with a software vendor whose software is like 10 years old and still shouldn’t be out of beta. He knew it was coming, but I was still upset. I hate breakups and after all we’d been through, he really had tried to make me happy. I respect that. His software is terrible, but he’s a decent guy. Then there’s been other stuff, too, but I can’t talk about it.

Let’s just say that I really shouldn’t have taken off for Saratoga last night. I ended up driving straight home and as I write this, I’ve only had an hour’s sleep. I’m about to take a nap so we can stop by the office on our way to dinner. The aim is to have some time tonight to look at one of the larger clusterfucks I’ve been dealing with for the last few weeks. Then maybe some office time tomorrow or at least some quality time with Excel and The Budget From Hell at home.

But, Saratoga was definitely worth it. I got some quality time with friends and made some new ones. Took lots of pictures. Shook my booty. Told every one who asked me about the band that they should buy CDs. (It was an outdoor show in a bar/restaurant’s outdoor patio area with a lot of people.) SO many people who’d never heard of BMS and were amazed that I knew all the words. It was the Cleveland R.E.M. show all over again.

Ah, Cleveland. The show where the guy tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I knew all the words to all the songs. Um, yeah. I’ve only been a fan for my entire life.

But anywhoo, It wouldn’t be a night out at a bar for me if I didn’t get accosted at least once by a random drunk guy. Last night, this guy and his buddy didn’t like my Sox cap. I ended up putting my best Boston accent on, telling him it was just a hat and that I don’t like baseball. After he became a super-ass, I told him it belonged to my cousin who died. (The bar version of two truths and a half-lie? I did have a cousin who died, but that was in 1982… ) He let up after that, but we ran into each other again, and he still gave me a hard time. The bouncer was standing right next to me, so he was a little nicer and left me alone a little quicker.

The two rules of going to bars? Always tip your bartenders and (if you go alone like I always seem to) make friends with the bouncers. Bouncers good. Drunk guys bad.

I also ended up tripping over myself and had some guy tell me that I probably shouldn’t drink anymore. Um, yeah. I was dancing and I don’t know what exactly happened. Normally, to avoid looking like an ass when the bars are not crowded, I don’t really let loose, but since I was deep into the crowd during “We the People” (my new favorite song), I decided to just shake my rump, then I managed to trip over myself, bounced off two guys and was cut off. Which was funny, yes, but was made even better when I told him I don’t drink. At all. Then he told me I needed a beer. *sigh*

It was good to not think about anything but the music for four hours.

It was good to have an eight hour road trip (Yes. Eight hours. Round trip. Didn’t I tell you I was crazy?). I thought about a lot of things, and nothing at all. I managed to mentally outline this year’s NaNo. I even learned most of the words to The Maine’s new album. There was also some very loud singing along to “Whistling in the Dark” (which is all Rollz fault!).

Although I haven’t slept, I am feeling refreshed and am in a MUCH better state of mind than when I left work to head to Saratoga.

Still not looking forward to Monday, though.

Aaaaaaaaaaand drink!

I’ve got wanderlust and I have it got it BAD.

I’m itching to just get in the car and drive as far as I can go, as fast as I can, with the windows open wide.

Can you hear it? That seductive whisper of the open road?

I can’t block it out.

I was going to lay low this weekend and rest up for next weekend’s insanity, but I just can’t stay at home this weekend. I’m itching to move, to do something.

(What’s next weekend, you ask? Next weekend, I’m going to my very first Ren Faire. In New York. The Boy Wonder was very amused by this when I told him about it this afternoon. I threatened to poke him with the unprotected end of my sword if he didn’t stop laughing. Guess it’s “Bring Your Sword To Work Day” tomorrow.)

A few hours ago, I decided that I’m going to Saratoga to see my friends in Black Mountain Symphony. Screw work. Screw the stress I’m under. Screw all of it. I need a road trip.  Yesterday!

I shouldn’t be going. A trip that far requires a hotel stay and I lose a lot of time on the road. I have stuff to do at home. I should go into work. I should bring work home and do it at the lake while J takes the kayak out. I should stay late tomorrow night so I don’t have to go in on Saturday… or Sunday.

But I have to do what I have to do. My body is longing for the tactile pleasures of the car seat against my back, my hair blowing in the wind and my mind is aching for the solace that a road trip and live music can bring me.

So, really, what else is there for a girl to do except pack her bag, get her ass in the car and drive?

You’ve given up on fun, and work so hard you slave. Youth wasted on the young. You say you justify your ways. Wait around and you’re gonna be right back here tomorrow. Tear the world apart, my friend. When you find yourself be sure to let me know… - “Stop Stopping”, Black Mountain Symphony

It’s official!!

I am feeling better.

There’s been a definite change for the better in all aspects of my life and I’m expecting it to continue down this path until next Monday.

Next Monday will bring an unwelcome change to my state of mind, but I knew that was coming. Some of this week’s perfectness is temporary, which sucks, but it may become permanent. You never know. *fingers crossed*

That said, there’s one teeny, tiny black cloud hanging over my head this week:

It looks like Black Mountain Symphony won’t be playing in Portland, ME next week like they were supposed to so…

I’m Albany-bound, baby!

Road trip & live music, FTW baby! w00t!!!!!!!!

I’ve spent a good chunk of today cleaning out digital camera cards. Yesterday, I found some old fiction that I had written.

I was struck by just how creative I can be when I really want to. A lot of the new people in my life know me as the logical accountant. They don’t really know the person I was before the events that irrevocably changed who I am. It was after I changed that the creativity just went *poof* and vanished. It took a long time for me to get the creative juices flowing again. Sometimes, I don’t think they’re flowing as much as they used to…

I read a book after we finally got my cocktail right that explained how mental illnesses (bipolar, anxiety, OCD, and addiction) were related to epilepsy. (I think both of my meds are for epilepsy. I know for sure one is. Blows my mind…) There was a story in there about an attorney who wrote brilliant briefs and whatever else it is that attorneys write. One day, his depression moved in, and he lost his ability to write. I went through much the same thing in 2001. I can’t recall if he ever rediscovered his ability to write, but I’ve found mine. I like to think that the incessant blogging I did back then kept me connected to that part of myself.

Going through the photos and reading that nightmarish attempt at NaNoWriMo in 2004 gave me a bit of a boost.

My last two successful attempts at NaNo reminded me that I *can* write. Maybe not particularly well anymore, but at least I’m writing.

That whirlwind year following Instrument all over the face of the earth ignited a new passions in me: photography. Instrument also reminded me that road trips and live music are the kind of therapy that helps me the best. Although I’ve stepped back from being That Person That Goes To EVERY Instrument Show because of work, I’m forever indebted to the boys for giving me the opportunity to discover photography, and for providing hours upon hours of therapy.

Reminding myself that I could be creative again, that I AM creative again, gave me such an ego boost. 

I feel more like myself today than I have since the end of May. 

Maybe I have this latest bout of depression on the ropes…

This is not the entry I thought I’d write.

This is not the entry I wanted to write.

Then, I read this: “Let it flow, let it go” by Miss Banshee, and it hit me hard. If you were (un)lucky enough to know about That Blog I Used To Have, you know, the one where I was open, brave, reckless, stupid, mean, etc., this one may feel like a bit of let-down. I know it does for me some days. I don’t feel like I’ve been true to myself for a long time. That blog, that domain, wow. It created a shit-ton of havoc in my life and an equally large amount of hurt feelings. That was the price I paid for being me, uncensored, without a net.

But I miss it.

I keep coming around to the fact that I want to remove the self-imposed gag order… that I want to dust off that domain and be ME again. I don’t know… Right now, I can’t. Or I don’t want to. I haven’t decided…

I stumbled upon Miss Banshee when one of her entries popped up on that BlogHer ad thingy I have on my sidebar. She blogs the way I used to, but in a much more family-friendly manner. I’m not that polished, nor disciplined, and I don’t want to be, but that doesn’t have anything to do with anything. Nope. This is related to her openness and honesty about her past. It’s something I used to be, and it started some very good dialogues, both online and off, about bipolar, depression, suicide, and the other fun aspects of being me.

Which is a very roundabout way to get to today’s entry…

The title of this entry is my official diagnosis. Bipolar with a side of borderline personality disorder. I think I’m bipolar I, but I don’t remember for sure. I do know that when I start to “slide”, I tend to live in a mixed state. I used to be severely manic… then I started taking my cocktail, and life calmed down. Literally. I’m not sure what I think about the borderline label. I’m sorry, it’s “emotionally unstable personality disorder” according to the fine people at Wikipedia. Because that’s SO MUCH BETTER.

Seriously.

Spend enough time with me - you’ll know that I’m emotionally unstable, but do I have to wear that obvious a label? Isn’t it bad enough that I’m MENTALLY ILL?!?!

Ugh.

Anyhoo, back to the point of this entry…

I’ve been in a weird place since coming back from my MIL’s funeral. It’s tended to slant toward the depression, that deep, dark, soul-crushing variety that only truly depressed people understand, and that’s pretty frightening. I’m self-aware enough to know that’s where I am mentally, and I’m trying desperately to not cross that imaginary line I have in my head. The one where I go from functional to completely withdrawing from everything. But I have withdrawn. I barely tweet and I’m never on Facebook. I’m just not interested in life online, and that’s (unfortunately) my most obvious symptom. I’m the last person to pick up a phone and call someone on a good day. But I definitely won’t pick up the phone if I’m in The Bad Place and need to hear a friend’s voice, because calling them and saying “I need you” just isn’t me.

So I sit here, trying to keep my head above water, and not let anyone know I’m drowning.

It’s fun.

You should try it.

I’ve had a break from all the doom and gloom several times, though. I live for those manic episodes, when I’m just completely in love with the world and I just want to experience more of it because it’s so wonderful andIcan’tbeleivehowgoodthisicecreamconetastesheylet’sgoshoppingorsomethingbecauseIcan’tsitstill. Yup. I look forward to being out of my mind. That’s what it’s come down to, lately. I wish I could control the mania, both in terms of scope and in terms of when it occurs. If it were as easy as forgetting to take my meds, I would have been off of them for the past two months. Anything to take the edge off of this depression…

I hate feeling like this and I hate being aware of what’s going on with me.

I hate that I can’t just “get over it” and that it’s not “all in my head.”

I hate the fact that I will be on meds for the rest of my life.

I hate that there’s no quick fix and I’m running out of patience… 

I’ve spent the last few hours moving files from an overcrowded back up drive to roomy new digs.

Of course, sorting through the hundreds upon hundreds of photos I’ve taken over the past few years was exhausting. I found some I’d forgotten I’d taken. Some that made me laugh. Some that made me cry. Some that made me go “WTF?!?!”

Pony.

There are *so* many pictures of Pony it’s amazing. Scratch that. It’s scary.

I found a lot of things - screenshots, word documents filled with bits of IM conversations, Letter(s) Never Sent (HA!) - that I don’t ever want to see again. But I’ll save them. They’re part of my life, and I’ve been embracing the warts and the toxic crap I’ve been finding. I remembered - while looking at a picture that made me burst into tears - that even the shitty parts of my life have value. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am.

That said, I was reminded of BiG MiSTAKE several times through my clean up.

This one’s for you, BG. Because, well, you destroyed the scene.

friendships - you thought were strong
torn to pieces - they didn’t last too long
and now - with nothing to hide
expose their faults - and make them see your side

now it’s time - to mend this scene
unity among us - would be real keen
friends forever - just having fun
this scene of ours - will be redone

lyrics by Ted Wohlsen
© 1989 BiG MiSTAKE

Just because I love you guys: You Destroy The Scene.mp4 (Don’t be a dick - right click!)

So…

I had my last beginning fencing class this week. I was the only one that showed up so I got to bout with both the teacher and some random British dude that was there.

I don’t know why I’m surprised, but I did very well. It’s a very logical sport… yes, it’s physical, but it’s also very logical. I’ve seen it referred to as “physical chess” and I guess that’s kind of right. There’s a beauty to it and there’s also a nice bit of violence to it. Not like punching violence (hockey), but the fact that fencing has its roots in combat. It’s very stabby. I like stabby.

I’ve got a month to kill (HA!) before I start the intermediate class and I’m going nuts. I’ve got to teach J how to fence so he can practice with me!

Anyhoo, last weekend was LEGEND - wait for it - DARY!

I always have a good time when I head up to Albany. Black Mountain Symphony is made up of some of the most talented musicians I know, and some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. I am never disappointed when I get to spend time with them. The music’s rocking and the atmosphere - I don’t even know where to start. I can’t even… there are just no words.

Best non-musical moment of the night: hanging out back with the band, Orion spitting lemon seeds at Bill. Bill gets pissed and says, “I will end you, Lollipop Guild!” Rollz says “It’s true because he’s small!” (I love Rollz. The more I get to know him, the more I like him.)

I woke up early Saturday and headed to Connecticut. I ended up taking a detour and wound up at WEBS in Northampton, MA. Eh. I don’t get the hype. Patternworks in Center Harbor, NH is much better. Didn’t stop me from spending too much, though. I almost laugh until I cried when I overheard two women talking. The first one asked if her friend was buying any yarn. The second one replied with “I have more than enough yarn to last me my entire life, OF COURSE I’m buying more!” Ah, women and SEX. There’s just something about going on Stash Enrichment eXpeditions that’s so much fun. Plus, I found a Latvian Mitten pattern book written in Latvian and English. How cool is that?!?! I had to get that. And there was a lot of sock yarn on sale… yeah. I can run my own yarn store off my stash. It’s part and parcel of being a knitter, I guess.

Once I got done at WEBS, I headed to Wickham Park. It used to be one of my most favorite spots in Manchester when I was growing up. It still has a lot of it’s original charm. I have a picture of my parents in the Oriental Garden area and just walking through there made me cry. I wasn’t expecting that. I spent a lot of time, and a lot of money (sense a theme?!) feeding the ducks and squirrels at the duck pond. It was healing and heartbreaking - just the way it should be.

I’m finding that most of my trips to CT now have the power to make me feel so good and so shitty at the same time. I guess it’s just part of coming to terms with everything that’s gone on, has been going on, will go on in my life. There’s a reason I don’t live in Connecticut. Why I will never live there. I thought I was over the worst of it, but Connecticut, and its ghosts, aren’t done with me yet.

Further proof of that was my surprise guest to the All Crazy show Saturday night.

My ex, the high school honey, texted me to see if I was still going to the show. I had a major foot-in-mouth moment when I asked him, good naturedly, how the wife was. Yeah. They broke up. WHOOPS! Other than that, he has moved out of his mom’s place, gotten a great job, and is doing well. Like me, he needed a little musical therapy. Like me, he had a blast. (I LOVE WHEN I’M RIGHT!)

Soup and Skinny hung out with us for a bit. I taught Josh about “SPARKLEHORSE \nn/” and it seemed that the evening’s refrain was “See? They’re not douchebags.” There were very few hookers in attendance which made me kind of sad - he didn’t get the full Up or On the Rocks experience. I got a very nice shout out from the stage (“My friend, Tam, in the pigtails…”) and the music was insane. THEY were insane. I couldn’t stand still and Josh kept up with me all night.  I was amazed by his stamina (insert dirty joke here). Seriously, it was like 100 degrees in there. I don’t know how I kept going and I was riding a pretty good manic high. Better living through chemistry? Ha. Body beats science. Again.

It’s weird being with him. Even after all this time, I still feel a certain connection with him. I shouldn’t be surprised. We were together a while and well… there was a reason we were together. There was a reason we got back together after we broke up. And there was a reason we broke up. Twice. Of course, he’s not that person anymore. I’m not either. But what’s happened has happened and the people we are now still get along very well.

At any rate, it was a successful weekend on so many levels.

I do so much better when I take the time to keep myself happy…

The beautiful thing about blogging is that, no matter what you write, you can reach people.

The shitty thing about blogging is that, no matter what you write, you can reach people.

Unless you specifically call someone out and say, “X, you blah blah blah turnip an octopus”, everyone will think they’re “X”. Shit, everyone will think they’re “X” anyway, like “X” is a code name for them. Even if they’ve never turniped an octopus. Having the entire world think they were “X” never bothered me before. I used to be brave. Fearless. Stupid. Reckless. Back in those days, blogging was awesome. I felt like I was doing some of my best writing.

Whatever it was - good, bad, ugly, riot inducing - it was real.

Now, I’m tiptoeing around.  I’m afraid to say what’s on my mind because I know someone will take it wrong.

I don’t know when I started to care, but it’s gotten old.

There was a blog entry I wanted to post, badly. I needed the closure that putting it out for the world to see would give me. (Nothing’s real unless it’s on teh intarweb, right?) But, I can’t. Too many people would think it’s about them. Some of them would be right… and I don’t need that level of drama.

I’m not working nearly as much as I had been and I’ve found that the fencing is great mental and physical exercise. I’m spending less time on the computer after work and I don’t find myself missing it nearly as much as I thought I would. All around me, things are changing… I’m changing.

I’m happy with who I am and where I am right now. 

I’m - dare I say it? - enjoying my life.

I’ve been bouncing around for the last two weeks after I realized that I can do s00per d00per wicked FUN things this weekend. Tomorrow, I’m off to Albany to hang out with Annie, Bear, Bill, Chris, and Orion (aka Black Mountain Symphony). Saturday, I’m CT bound- I’ll spend the day lounging around and visiting some of my favorite haunts before heading into the Insurance Capital of the World to hang out with Soup and Skinny.

Two days, two of my favorite bands, and a whole lotta highway.

I couldn’t ask for anything more.

The husband just said this to Apache:
“You are our number one, behind our number one. Which makes you number two, and that’s why we call you The Poo.”

Truer words were never spoken.