A long, hard, cold day and a very special 10 dollar bill.

So today's brilliant idea, was to catch the morning commute crowd in the subway. I'd never done it, and decided it was time. Hundreds of folks hustling and bustling into work would love to hear me play, right?

Wrong. 

If I'd have thought this through a little more, I'd have realized that if it were me on my way to work, the last thing I'd want to hear at 7 AM was some jerk off playing Oasis in the subway. It's 7 am dude. Go back to sleep, and let me walk in my half awake, coffee infused, nope I am definitely sleep walking to work - state.

The long and the short - is that over 5 hours, I pulled in 41 dollars, including a 10 dollar bill from, just the nicest man - which, I'll get to later. This is by no means a terrible day - but considering it was 4 degrees for the most of it, and I was on 3 hours of sleep - She was rough.

However

(Thank you Mom, for the unfaltering optimism you've instilled in me) Some wonderful things happened today.

1. I witnessed a man in a TSA jacket smile - actually smile when he saw me jogging in place while playing Wagon Wheel to keep warm.
2. I met Andy Jacobson, who dropped me a dollar, said he loved my sound, and sent me an email from his phone right then and there so I could put him on my email list
3. I made 41 dollars, that I did not have when I started
And 4 - I met a man who gave me a 10 dollar bill in January - which in unheard of.

---- I don't know his name. But he dropped me a 10 - and said, "My son played guitar. He was murdered 3 years ago, and he played guitar just like that. Keep on playing, you're just blessing me." He asked me to play Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash... and I played Woody - he being the only one I know.

The fella just smiled and sang along. He stayed for a couple of songs, and then left with a hearty goodbye. And - it was hearty. In every sense of the word. The way he chewed the words as they came out. "Thanks again." And left, singing down the steps to the Blue Line.

I made 41 dollars today. - And I made that man's day. I know it. Funny part is - whether he knew it or not - He made mine too.

Worse things in the world to do at 7 am then play guitar in 4 degrees you know...

Thank you Chicago. Your dollars will all go to the Zipcar I have to rent to get to a fundraiser I'm playing at for the Beverly Arts Center this Saturday. I couldn't do this without you.

I love you all -
Ryan