America Concert June 21

It was my birthday this weekend and my husband got tickets to see my favorite band- America- at the ACE hotel which is around the corner from my work.   We left my car at my office and Lyfted  ( is that a word?) over to the venue.

We were WAY too early.

We got tacos at this little stand and people watched for a bit.   There were no shops to go into, so we went into the bar at the venue, Best Girl, and went upstairs for dessert and coffee.

Did I mention I am allergic to nuts?

We carefully looked at the menu to see which desserts I could actually eat.  The lovely chocolate thing had.. NUTS. I ordered a machiato ( VERY bitter)  and a Laphroaig .  A quick story about why.  Years ago, I was visiting a friend and her then-boyfriend and her landlord were sitting on the deck with a bottle between them, discussing how good this whiskey was.  Although they invited me to join them at the table, they did not offer me any as they continued to drink it and discuss it.  I did not know either of them well enough to ask for any and I suppose they didn't think a woman would want any - I did. So I tried it , it's a nice addition to what I will 'call" if I am in a bar with no Bushmills. 

We decided on the berries and cream, as it was the only thing that did not say it had nuts.  When it came, even in the murky dark of the upstairs bar, I could see... something sprinkled over the top of the dish.  "what is that?" I asked Chris  He tasted  "peanuts I think" he said.  Now I know peanuts are not strictly nuts but they are in my allergy group, so we put the dish at the far edge of the table and waited for the waiter.  He was nice and attentive but super busy.  Finally he came.  He said he would ask. He came back and said no, there were no nuts in the dish.  We asked him to take a look.  Aha!  He went again and yes, someone had put pistachios in the dish.  He asked if I had eaten any.  No, I am very careful.  He offered to leave it so Chris could eat it . We sent it back, Chris can't kiss me if he has been eating nuts!

The replacement dessert came, without nuts,it was yummy but the whole thing was super expensive. Still it was my birthday..

We went into the venue and got in line for merch.  I bought TWO t-shirts, a sticker for my car and the cd for Andy Barr's new band "Formerly Alien" who opened the show.  Saw Andy ( who I have seen a number of times when I used to be able to see Matt's bands, something I need to remedy)  He sweetly pretended to remember me.  he's a nice kid.

We ran into a fellow fan, Bob, and chatted.  The venue itself is a gorgeous Spanish Revival theater. Our seats were great.  There were a few issues as to where "Wheels" my rolling walker could go.  I actually had to WALK down the sloping aisle to place him safely out of harms way and toddle back UP.  At MOST theaters. they offer to help you with it.  Honestly, it was if they had never encountered a disabled person.  When I went to use the "powder room" at intermission, I was confronted by a staircase.  hmmm I asked the usher how I could use a restroom.  He seem... confused by the request and finally sent me down a hallway to another employee who let me out a back door and into the same restaurant we had just been in.  Ok then

The show...   Formerly Alien opened and they have such lovely voices, I really enjoyed the harmonies.  They began with an  acapella  version of "There's a place for us" from West Side Story.  They are a band with a shtick, for lack of a better word.  the whole premise is that it is 2069 and the Earth has been destroyed.  We are all on a spaceship, looking for a planet that we can live on.  The band is the entertainment in the Ship's lounge.  You get all this bit by bit and I think it would be better if they could start the show with some kind of newsreel type video to bring you into the story, so you are in on what they are talking about. I kind of knew, but some people are clueless.

I enjoyed them.

Now for my rant.  When you go to the theater, if you are LATE, you are seated at an appropriate pause in the show.  People were staggering in with their drinks and their popcorn, talking as if nothing was going on on the stage, not only for the opening act, but for the headliner.  I was miffed.  Seriously YOU are so important that you need to disturb other peoples enjoyment?  The girls to the left of us sat down then rearranged their seating order.  No one seemed concerned that they were blocking anyone while they did all of this.

  I have been trying to "enjoy the moment"  Chris says I need to work on being in the Now.  So I did .  I tried to just watch the show.  Even thought there was an announcement not to, almost everyone around me had their phones out, recording.  WHY would you want to watch the show via your tiny screen rather than the real thing??

The show was great but I honestly don't think their soundguy does a great job.  The sound on "Drivin'" was muddy as a puddle.  The vocals disappeared.  I LIKE that song.  I kinda wanted to HEAR it.

It is always  a treat to watch Rich Campbell, their bass-player extraordinaire.  At one point, I turned to Chris and said "Rich is so freaking cool"  Their new guitar player was awesome.  Steve Fekete was fun to watch and a terrific addition to the show. 

The show ended too soon and I paid the price for my enthusiasm that night and the next day. Pain level?  Intense.

I am getting my new knee on July 9.  It's gonna be awesome and I will be able to rock and roll on ONE good knee soon!

I should be writing

I used to define myself as a writer, but to be a writer, you actually have to stop what you are doing and put words on the page.

Alas, I have been distracted, tired or just too uninspired to write anything.

The current political climate scares the bejesus out of me and I don't want to be sucked down into the morass of daily complaining and whining.  I want action about this country, but I am not sure what.  We need change.  These are scary times and I fear for the whole planet, not just my little patch of the Foothills

I have been enjoined NOT to write too much about my grandson- and the one who will join the family this fall.


I am trying NOT to obsess about the upcoming surgery, but people keep telling me horror stories.  To save time here in future convos:

1. yes, I know it will hurt
2. yes, i Know PT  is important
3. yes, I know PT will hurt
4. No, I don't want to hear about the terrible thing that happened to your aunt's cousin' sister's hairstylist

Pleas just tell me I will be ok.  Offer to visit me bring me snacks.  This is daunting enough without any "advice".

I just turned 61 on Sunday.  SIXTY-ONE   How the heck did THAT happen??  Time marches on, as the saying goes.

So today, I will sing in the car on my way to work, try not to let the stresses of the day knock me flat, try more to live in the moment ( more on that if I ever get the review of the concert we went to on Friday, I have a rant and a rave in my head)

Peace.