I cannot recommend them enough....

I was afraid I had started to become a little jaded with all of the shows I see at Old Town.
Then, these guys and gals played a show on Saturday, and I am h o o k e d.
And, I might add, they are incredibly nice people.

So, take a listen, and if you like - go buy some of their tunes.  You will not be disappointed!
They are Sweetback Sisters, and they are amazing.

Go figure

Huh.
So, apparently some strangers do not appreciate my humor.

I had a lady go all passive aggressive with me on the train this morning.
BZ and I were running our usual color commentary on the annoying people on the train.

Ahem.

It's not OUR fault that we cannot sit together, and therefore have to sit across an aisle from each other.

It's not OUR fault that the aisle fills up with self-serving ignorant people well before we are close to the station.

It's not OUR fault that we are HIlarious.

I guess it is BZ's fault that she called the people assholes, but that's what they are.

So, this chick next to me went all P/A on me.  What did BZ do when she figured out what was happening?
Well, the P/A lady called us ignorant, so BZ hops around with her hand in the air loudly saying "Ignorant! Ignorant!"

See, we really do not care.  And when we hate days, like today, it's best to stay quiet and leave us alone.

I'm going to guess that little miss P/A will be sitting in a different car from now on......

My day

I am all fried out on the sugar today.
Like, I got a little dizzy before lunch - hopped up on the goods.

It's Secretary'sAdministrativeAssistantsProfessionals Celebration day.

And I got stuff.

First, I got a card with an iTunes gift card (they know me so well).  Then I got a cake pop.  Then I got a cupcake.  Then I got lunch at Capital Grill.  Then I got some candy.

I don't have the heart to tell them I'm a coordinator, and not a secretary....
LOL

A little office humor there.

And no, I didn't eat all of the things I mentioned.

Happy Day to all of those that are behind the scenes, keeping every one sane and running the show.

We rock.

Slowed

Sometimes, my body has to tell the rest of me to slow the fuck down.

And that's what happened yesterday.

Body gave me tummy troubles late Sunday night into mid-day Monday.

This kept me home from work, and on my couch.

I looked around and said "Hey, my apartment looks like this! HEY! This IS my apartment!"

Back to work today.

I survived my three day in a row thing at Old Town.  I didn't love it, actually.  I need to remind myself to not do that again.

I'm feeling better today thanks.

I have the need

to live vicariously through all of you.

My normally awesome life is slanted a little towards the "responsible adult" side of things this weekend.
Here you go:
Tonight, working a show at Old Town.

Saturday: Breakfast with VonMom, guitar class, working a show at Old Town.

Sunday: Brunch with my little fluff ball*, working a show at Old Town.

So, the ratio of responsibility to awesome is skewed in the wrong direction, alas.

Instead, please tell me all of the fun things YOU are doing this weekend. M'kay?




* My little fluff ball.  Sigh.  I'm going to need to write a post just about her.  She's a 23 year old little clinger I have acquired.  She is damn persistent on the "let's make plans!" front, hence the brunch.  All kidding aside, it's nice to have a minion.

Damn it, Chicago

So, on the twitter thing, I've been spending a lot of time following and promoting the food trucks of Chicago.
Sadly,
I dropped most of them today.
I wasn't feeling the love, except from a few, so I've kept those.  I've also decided to keep following other tweeters who's entire feed is food trucks.

Since I don't want to take the shunning silence too personally, I think I know what happened.

The darn police.

Unfortunately, Chicago has no love for food trucks.  The restrictions are ridiculous here.  They cannot cook on the trucks.  They cannot park ANYWHERE.
And now, they're cracking down even further.
Stupid stupid stupid.
You'd think they don't have anything better to do?

So, I'm thinking since this crackdown, the trucks have been circling the wagons (see what I did there? I am so clever!) and not building too many relationships with random tweeters.

Too bad.

Kinda nice to hear something nice.....

I received two very nice letters (ok, emails, but still) on the same day.

A little back story - I take great pride in my work. Whether I am at day job (working for the man) or night job (working for musicians), I always try my best. You see, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have not one but two jobs that I LOVE. 

Ok - here you go.
Letter #1 back story:
At my last day job (that I had for 10 years, and left 5 years ago), there was a dude who was a "fixer" he pretty much came in to companies and fixed all of the things that he could.  He was intense.  Like a tornado.  Whenever he came to our office, I'd be exhausted for days after he left.  But I admired him, and he taught me many many things that I keep in mind to this day.  About how to be a professional, how to earn respect and security, how to be a "fixer".  SO
I sent him an email on linkedin the other day and let him know he made a real impression on me, and that I appreciate all that I learned from him.
He wrote me back super quick, and here's a snippet:
Thank you for your note.  Sometimes in life you never realize that you make a difference.  I am grateful to you for pointing this out.
I am pleased to hear you are doing so well.  However, I always knew with your brains, heart and tenacity that you would go far.

Um, squee!!! Huge compliment.  I was very young and not always professional there, but I worked my butt off, and someone very important saw that!

I didn't think the day could get much better, then I got
Letter#2 back story:
Friday night I worked a show. This is not news, I work a lot of shows.  This show was Graham Parker (OMG!!!), with Gretchen Peters as the opener.  OMG part two.  Gretchen happened to write one of the most important songs to me, "Independence Day", and she also let Sarah Palin know she could not use her song ever ever ever.
Anyway.  I got all nervous on my drive to work that night.  Asking myself 'Should I tell her? Should I just say thanks?'  All the while getting more nervous to meet her.
So, of course, the producer asked me to keep an eye out for Gretchen and her husband and take them down to the dressing room.
OF COURSE
Gretchen shows up all lovely and awesome, with her husband - also lovely and awesome.  I grab her hand in both of mine.
"I AM SO NERVOUS RIGHT NOW. YOU JUST DO NOT KNOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SONG OF MY LIFE. LIKE EVER"
Kinda said it loudly, but more just word vomited it.
Gak
Then I took her husband's hand in both of mine (you know, like, I do this ALL THE TIME) and said so nice to meet you.
Two days later, got an email forwarded from my boss:
To A, T, R, D, Von and all the gang,
......Thanks to your kind hospitality, we had a really great night
From Barry and Gretchen.

Um, double squee!! Not only did I not scare them off with my over eager ness, but I did good work.

I have printed both of these emails out, and plan to keep them around me.  When I get down on myself, I'll just pull them out and remember that other people think I don't suck, so I shouldn't either.