25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 4 - Mom Wisdom

 25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 4

Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.


Need 1080

Below Goal: 61
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 5.75
Over Hours:
Days off taken - 1

For Today
Goal: 60
Actual: 63
TIME: 5.25
WHERE: Grand/Chicago
CD's Sold: 0 - gave 4 away
Temp: High 18, Low 18, Current 15, feels like - 12
That - Friends - is a 28 degree wind chill right there. Twenty - Eight.

So this morning I woke up at 7:40, just - poof - awake. 20 minutes after sunrise, and I saw this.

My little patch of lake. My little sliver of sheer joy - lit up by a yawning sun, whispering good morning with the breeze.

When I was younger - 14, 15, I was an Emo, depressed little rebellious shit. :) And like we all do, I put my parents through a good bit hell.
 I remember one morning, my mom was driving me to school, I was probably late. And something had happened - I don't know what - but I was extra down this day, extra angry at the world, swearing that no matter what anyone said, or did, I would hold my ground - and stay angry. And my Mom, who can be seen with my Dad, ------------------------------------>    Here

says,
    "Ry, just try and find one little piece of something that makes you happy in the day. It could be something tiny, like the sunrise. But just find one little thing."
And I stayed angry that day, but I still remember that sunrise. I forget everything. Everything. I've got like 3 years, and then its gone. Poof. But not this. This, Golden pink, Rocky Mountain sunrise has always been with me. I've never forgotten it. Or what my mom said. And the sunrise this morning, was a lot like that one. But instead of a great mountain range - There's a Great Lake.


I feel like I could talk for days today. About music, how I'm feeling about this month - I'm listening to my old album this morning, which, you can find here -  http://ryanwestwood.bandcamp.com/ - And it, combined with the sunrise is making me wildly nostalgic.

But - I'm just gona go play. I finally have gotten up early enough, to play a full 5 hours today. I'm not going to be ready for it. It'll be the longest I've played in months and months, but It's on. And I'm excited.

Thanks Mom. For the sunrise. And for working your secret Mom magic, and making me the die-hard-to-a-fault-optimist I am today.

Ryan -

EDIT:

SO MUCH HAPPENED TODAY.

Popped to Lake - and Ron and Malique were there. it was 2:30 - and you can't usually play at lake before the guards go home at 5. But I also don't know a lot about playing on Saturdays. So I figured if they're at lake - Then I can prolly get away with grand. So I bolted to the bathroom and shot to lake.

So I play for a bit, and this homeless dude with an eye patch shows up. And I've seen him before. He's around. one of the regulars - But he's terrifying. He can't speak well, and - well - they eye patch. He's selling Chicago hats today. And the trouble is, when he's around, no one drops any money, because they don't want him to see they've got money. So I hang tight, because if I play he'll stay around for the music.
And this is where I have a conflict - because I want to play so everyone can hear it - and that should include eye patch dude - but He puts a stop on any income - so its a rock and a hard place. But - I stop playing, and after 10 minutes or so, he rolls out.

Enter Tom and Sharon -
So I'm playing Fire and Rain, and this fella rolls up, stands right next to me and starts singing along. So I know I've got A winner. He drops a 5 spot at the end of the song, and I hand him one of my CD's. And then He, his wife Sharon, and I start talking like we're old pals catching up. Where are you from? where are you playing these days? hows the cold? what part of town are you in? They're Polish and we talked about Portage Park, the pool, the bungalows. Just - lovely, lovely conversation. The kind of thing that reminds me how incredible all these strangers are. And if we just - say hello. If we just start talking, they'll talk back - and - it'll be great. The train comes - and the're gone with a promise to read the blog - So - Hey you two. :) Hope your night was wonderful.

I helped a pair of Spanish speaking ladies find the Macy's. Nuff said. Giving people directions in this town makes anyone feel like a superhero.

And then, after a bit of a dry spell - I had a really wonderful experience.
 ----After the money has been dry for a while, I start to sum up people as they walk by, and get upset if it looks like they have money to spare - and aren't dropping any. And its a battle I constantly fight. To just love and give and give, and not judge them - and not expect anything.
because people deserve that. Right?
these 3 girls walked up - took videos, and didn't drop a dollar - and - that just erks me. It's just - and thing - I have. If you're gona take a video of me - I'm definitely good enough for a dollar. So I was working through that, and after they left - I wrote this text to myself.

     " So there's a stero type. There's 3 20 year old girls, all i phones. All Lulu Lemon, Victorias Secret bags hanging from their arms, Starbucks in their hands. They walk up, phones out - saying "Sing it" (For my camera) and you know, from the bottom of their soul, they are further from dropping a dollar than the homeless dude scraping the trash for food - and I don't know if its all the tie I've spent down here or if it happens to everyone - but I know it. I know it with all of me. And I don't know if this is just my insecurities about living month to month and I'm just projecting them on what are seemingly trust fund babies - but the real lesson here is love - That's the only answer. So I played and smiled, and I hope they have and incredible night, despite the fact that they tweaked me a bit - Here's to you stStarbucksirls. have an incredible Saturday."

Yes - that's a huge, freaking text.

But I realized, as I was typing it - I was apologizing to them - I was apologizing for judging them, forgiving myself for doing it, and moving on. I typed it out for the blog, and realized it was actually - one giant set of me working through being frustrated - Which, got me thinking - There's no way on earth I would do all this - if I wasn't blogging about it. Because its incredible to share all these stories - But - Its also about me working through it. Day in ad day out. I need it. So - Thanks. To all of you. For giving me that.

A violinist named Mo came by, and played with me for about 30 minutes. I can't upload videos tonight - so I'm going to talk about it later on. It was incredible.

Eventually, I gave up grand to Alex, another guitarist and singer I've known for about a year - and I went to Chicago for 30 minutes. There I met Venesius and Prucilla. I'm prolly butchering your names :)

They strolled up - and, just as the sense I got with the Starbucks girls - I got the opposite with Prucilla. You can tell - When someone is drinking in every note you sing - you can feel it in your bones. And it changes everything. You sing for them. Solely. Every note - every lyric - comes out directed entirely to that person, and the song just shines above the mountains. That happened with Prucilla as I was singing Charlotte Mae.

She and Venesius dropped me a 5, I gave them my CD, talked about the blog, and I hope they're reading this. Because they ended my night with a 5 dollar bill - and had they not - I wouldn't have made my 60 dollars today. So thanks you two - Your five dollar end to my night - was incredible.

This post was huge. I apologize. And there are no pictures. I apologize for that too. I'm on Lindsey Tandall's computer, and she doesn't have the kind of plugin that my camera uses. So there were a lot of words. I hope you all made it.

What an incredible day. Just with Mo alone, which you no nothing about yet. And then all the rest was icing on the cake.

It's 11:11, tomorrow is a Day off, and will be a french toast day. So - as far as I can tell - Everything is great. :)

Thanks again - for reading - So I can work through it all - So I can love it all - So I can do it.


Another performer said something incredibly unexpected to me as I gave him my spot and left for the night, and I'd like to pass it on to yall

"Bring the glory of the stars into the hearts of men" - Christopher

Ryan

25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 3 - A Man With a 2 Guns

 25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 3

Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.


Need 1080

Below Goal: 64
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 6
Over Hours:
Days off taken - 1

For Today
Goal: 60
Actual: 23
TIME: 2
WHERE: Monroe
CD's Sold: 1
Temp: High 10, Low -4, Feels like -14
This is the last of it folks. for now. Weather channel says we're in the double digits for a week!

Last year - my brother Doug sent me these in the mail. 

Thermal Underwear

Life changing. 

Thanks again Doug. 

Today'll be the last day for a bit that I need to put em on, because if I wear them with everything else over in over 10 degrees, it gets real hot. At least that's what I think I remember - we'll find out - Either way! I wanted yall to see the glory. 

Today is a pretty action packed day. I'll be in the subway by 12:30, leave at 3:30 to go record some music with a friend of mine, Sean Nagata, who I met in the subway 2 years ago. I'll leave at 6 to go see the Hypocrites production of  HMS Pinafore at The Den at 8:00, have a drink with Nathan Scheetz and Ashley Spessard afterward and then ride home on my beloved subway to call er a night. 

This will, put me further behind my 25 hours / weeks that I'm attempting to maintain - so - I'll have to get crafty, come up with some Ideas. Macgyver it up a bit. But I'll make it happen. 

OH! CD's! I gotta print out more CD's! I ran out 2 days ago and had to turn a 5 spot down. Trouble. 

Ok - I'm off - catch up with all you winter adventurers tonight. 

Ryan

EDIT:

OK - so some serious shenanigans went down in the Subway today.

1st of all - Joe, a nice fella in a bears cap came up, recording me on his phone, dropped a dollar and said "I just had to turn around man. what a voice!" He saw my sign about CD's for 5 bucks, bought one for 8 and smiled as he left. So thanks for that Joe. You dropped about half the cash I made in my tiny little shift today.

Mom and dad - this is one you should just skip over. Just - skip er. It'll be ok.
So - at almost 2pm exactly, I hear some men shouting at the end of the platform, coming from the stairs. Next thing I know this college age girl is jogging down the platform. For a moment I thought she was being chased, but she was just jogging. So I keep playing.
2:05 we'll say, I hear commotion on the escalator and someone yells "Stop The Train!!!"
2:07 2 cops run down the escalator and head down the tunnel toward Jackson.
2:09 2 - 4 more cops come walking, fast - almost running, but walking, as to not cause a scene, from the other end of the platform. "IS he under custody?" one says as they speed by.
30 seconds later there are sirens blazing on the street above. At this point, I figure its prolly a good idea to pack up - because the CPD don't give me trouble, but if there's alot of them - and there's already trouble - the last thing they want is some dude playing some "Fire and Rain" while they're slamming cuffs on some dude.
2:10 - CTA tracking signs say - Delayed. All of them. Every train. We're at a dead stop. No trains running. The signs say - "trains delayed due to Police activity"

2:15 - All trains running as normal with Minor delays.

Now - SOMETHING happened. SOMETHING went down. but I've no idea what. Until........ a CTA employee walks by me, I'd learn later his name was Matthew, I smile, and say, "dude - that was crazy right?"

And he goes off -
    "Dude came screamin in, jumped the turnstyle and went down the stairs. I think he stole a purse or something. He touched the 3rd rail man, but didn't ground himself. (The third rail carries all the electricity the trains run on - Its enough to fry you out flat as a catfish in a Louisiana fish fry) He came down the stairs and bolted down toward jackson, and was hiding between poles and shit. From the police. I was chasin him, but then they said he had a gun, and I was out. Nuh uh. He had 2 guns, this dude. He jumped into the subway and fell over - then the cops got too him and they kept saying, "Put your hands up" but he just layed there. and then, about 2 minutes later, he stood up - and took off running again."

I guess they caught him - because the trains started running again. But good heaven. A dude - with 2 guns - Ran through my subway stop today.  Things my parents shouldn't read. All is well in subway land. No guns went off, no one was hurt - but it was scary in there today. Its never been like that before. Crazy things have happened - but - no guns.

On a happier note - after that, I headed over to Sean Nagata's place and laid down three preliminary tracks to what may end up being some really nice stuff - I'll keep you updated.

Lastly - I ended the night here - 

With Nathan Scheetz In the Pillow Pit of Hypocrites production of HMS Pinafore. 

Which, is just what it sounds like. A pit, of pillows. There's a slid attached - and yes - you can go down it as many times as you like. 

Its late - I'm very tired, and ready for a rip roarin day tomorrow where I'll put down some hard hours, and hopefully make some legitimate money.

Cheers lovers - 

Ryan 

25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 2

 25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 2

Need 1080

Below Goal: 27
Above Goal: 0
Under Hours: 4
Over Hours:

For Today DAY OFF
Goal: 0 DAY OFF
Actual: 
TIME: 
WHERE: 
CD's Sold: 
Temp: High 10, Low 5, Feels like -9 - Light snow
Its been a good day to sit and watch the snow fall down.

DAY OFF

1st things 1st - 

Remember T Rell from Yesterday? Here's his video on Youtube. 

Check this out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_bDwubk18c

I don't know if I explained days off in my initial post. 

I'm technically only playing 18 out of these 25 days - so, that like a normal person - I can have days off. A whole weekend off if I planned it right. Like a big kid. ;) 

So - Today was not scheduled to be a day off - but - thus is the beauty of making your own schedule. When the girl you like calls you at 4 am, and you somehow end up talking until 7    - 19 minutes before sunrise -     You can make the call to sleep till noon :) 

Despite it being a day off - several things happened - still reeling from my early morning conversation,  I hopped a shower,  ran to the 711 in a whiteout blizzard to buy 2 lbs of flour, 2 cups of milk, and a 2 liter of Mtn. Dew - I baked two sets of bread, rolls and a loaf to eat on the go over the next coming days, and got a load of laundry in the mix. Its now 3:52 - which leaves about 37 minutes to write this blog, 12 minutes to cower under my electric blanket - and just enough time to get to rehearsal. :) So - a good day off. Things happened that will set me up for success over the next few days. 

A bit of an update on where I'm at - 

Since last year - I moved 3 blocks closer to the lake. I now live about 70 feet away from the sand, and have the great fortune of walking down the beach to the train every day. Which means, I get to watch these form.

Ice Banks

This is along the beach, about 200 yards south of my apartment. The waves come in, Freeze as they recede, come in again, freeze on top of what already froze - and basically form this 4 foot bank of ice that slowly over the course of the winter, moves further and further into the lake. I'll keep you updated - as - this is prolly the neatest thing on the planet. 

Also - My room looks out over a tiny portion of the lake. A little sliver between buildings. 

This photo, however, was taken during the snow - so you can't see it at all. You can, however, see my little basil plant - which is just barely hanging on and prolly won't last the draft coming in through these windows much longer. He's trying though - and that's what matters. 

My time is nearly up. This will be the only post for the day - as there will be nothing to update later. :) Thanks for reading. The bread needs to go into the oven, laundry needs folded - and I have a rendezvous with an electric blanket I dare not miss. 

To being inside for snowstorms. :) 

Ryan 

25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 1

 25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 1

Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.


Need 1080

Below Goal: 27
Above Goal: 0
Under Hours: 4
Over Hours:

For Today
Goal: 60
Actual: 33
TIME: 2 hours
WHERE: Jackson
CD's Sold: 2
Temp: High 3, Low -7, Feels like -19
(This is where I pretend to be all cool, but really, its gona be frigid.)

Here we are - The beginning -
How this works:
I post in the morning before I leave for the subway. THEN! I update the post at night, so yall can see what happened during the day.

In a check-in before James and the Giant Peach rehearsal last night I said,
    "I'm really trying to embrace the cold with a loving heart and open arms - because, that's the only way I'm going to get through it."

STORY TIME

2 years ago I was working at The Signature Room on top of the Hancock building. It was June, and it had been above 100 degrees for 4 days. I was in my first apartment in Chicago - a 3 month sublet - and there was no air conditioning. I was living with Justin Mangrich, Nick Ostrem, and Sean Gath - In a two bedroom, paying approximately 80 dollars a month in rent, going to the food bank up the street every other week. I slept on the porch, Nick and Sean on the couches, and Justin in the bed. You'd think we'd have fought for the bed - but - It was a really good porch :) :)  I was walking to work, muttering and sputtering a chain of expletives about the weather, akin to Ralphie's dad in Christmas Story when I was struck with a thought.
    "The only way I'm gona get through this, is if i decide, right now, to love this heat with everything I have.          Every time I want to complain, I'm going to get excited instead." Crazy? Who knows. But it worked.
It worked! Something clicked, switched in my brain. After a few weeks, I DID love the heat. I actually loved it. I asked for more, I challenged the summer for more. I decided Summer was my new favorite month, went to the beach every second I could, and did my best to stay hydrated as I sweat at least 6 gallons a day playing in the super heated subways.

Now,                  - - - There will be no challenging Father Winter for more cold - - -

Just want to make that clear. 

But I am going to love this. I am going to get excited about this. The best that I can. Because if there is one person who can get excited about absolutely nothing - It is me folks. -Very - Excitable.

Cheers from 1101 W Pratt Blvd - To warmer times last summer - 

I'm late. Its noon. Should have left an hour ago.

Fairwell until tonight. I'm off to make several PBJ's.

UPDATE:

So I got a little lost with some life admin as I was leaving and ended up getting to the station at about 2. I went to Monroe and ran into a man named T Rell. 

    Now - Its always hard - when you roll up to a spot you want, and its taken. You find every reason possible, and illogical, to hate the person standing there performing. You automatically find every flaw they have. Everything they're doing wrong, that you could do so much better. 

T Rell was standing in front of a backpack, holding a laptop with earphones in, singing accapella.

I have to work, every day on loving people. alot of it just happens. I'm a lover. Its who my mamma made me - but - love is work. simple and plain enough. So as I'm staring at T Rell I force myself to smile - which, changes everything. And I start listening - and he is killing it - I mean killing it. 

    This dude - has a voice. one of those voices where if you stop, focus, and listen for more than 2 seconds - he has you. Has you locked. He owns your ears - and that's it. that's all he needed was 2 seconds. He had me in two seconds. But I had to open my heart up first. 

I wonder if people have to open their hearts to me before they drop a dollar?

Or do I open their hearts? 

Or are their hearts just open, and ready to love?

    The long and the short, is that I don't know - but I'm so glad there's people out there that listen, and I'm working to be more like them as best I can. 

T Rell sang at Monroe - and I rolled to Jackson, which, was miraculously open. There's always someone there - because its one of the 2 stops that its actually legal to play in. I guess no one was quite as insane as I was today. Playing in "feels like -19" weather. 

And while I'm on the subject - so I give no one the wrong impression - This blog makes it sound like I'm playing in frigid cold - but - 

SECRET TIME:

This is the inside scoop. Something you may never notice unless you read the blog of a crazy dude who decides to freeze his Hiney off every winter. 

The subway's are on a delay, of about 1.5 days. The cold takes time to get down there - to the tune of about 36 hours. So the temperature is always on a delay - its at least 10 degrees warmer down there -  And there's no wind. Don't get me wrong. I still wear thermal underwear, two pairs of socks, a t shirt, a wool jacket, a cotton hoody, a wool overcoat, gloves, a hat that makes me look like i live in Fargo and a scarf. BUT. its better than the street level. 

Do me a favor? Tell no one. Then everyone will keep on thinking I really am a viking. 

To bed. Lovers, friends, and cats alike. To bed - with electric blankets. 

Ryan 

25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 0

 25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day Zero - Planning

Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.


Need 1080

Below Goal:
Above Goal:

For Today - Day Off
Goal:
Actual: 
TIME: 
WHERE: 
CD's Sold: 
Temp: High 17, Low -1 - Feels like -5
Good thing its a day off :)


Its January 6th - this whole scha-bang starts tomorrow - and I'm beginning to remember how much I love this, and how terrified I am to begin. Last time I was ignorant to what I was actually going to do. And this time - I know exactly what rabbit hole I'm going down.

I can't explain fully why I've decided to do this again. Its insane. Its crazy.

Its like how I explain why Chicago Summers are the best out there.
"Because people who live in Chicago go through the Winter. They do it together - they put on their 7 coats, trudge through the snow and wind, hate it with the whole of their souls, TOGETHER. And then Summer hits - and the town explodes and says, WE MADE IT! THIS IS THE BEST!" They have the best summer on the planet, because if you made it through our winter, you would too. :)

I know how hard this is going to be - and how incredible it will be once I've completed it.

I think back on last February and I believe it was one of the most rewarding 30 day periods I've had in my life. How hard I worked, how much I loved, how open to the world I was - It was a beautiful, difficult, perfect for all of its ups and downs, time.

Motivation is a huge problem for me. I make a huge deal about how incredible it is to be my own boss, but I'm actually terrible at it. The hardest part about busking isn't playing, dealing with people in the subway or the weather. Its Leaving. Leaving to go to work when I don't have someone to hold me accountable - is near impossible.

That's where yall come in. The only way to actually make this happen, is to blog about it. Because if I commit to that - the Blog is my boss. And I am accountable to it, and to everyone who reads it. That was one of the biggest lessons I learned last year. That, and that drinking water, when you're playing at -4 degrees, if paramount.  If I don't write, I'm not going to play - that's all there is too it. So here it is. The beginning.

If you're new to this blog, welcome. Check out some of last February. If you're an old-timer like my parents, welcome back. :)

The whirlwind begins tomorrow on what is predicted to be the coldest day of the year so far....

It's on Father Winter.

I'll officially start this blog again tomorrow - with goals, stories, and jokes.
For today however - it's the only way I'm going to get out the door.

I woke up with all intentions of leaving at noon for the subway. - Then I slept till noon, looked at the - 5 temperature - and cocooned in my blankets for another hour.

I'm not ready for this - I mean I am - because with this challenge, comes so many incredible, wonderful things - but looking back through my blog last year, and remembering what a beautiful, beautiful struggle this is - is daunting.

So I'm only going to be out for about an hour today. Its 3 now, I'll leave by 3:30, get there at 4:30, assuming a spot is open, and leave for rehearsal for James and the Giant Peach at 5:30. Its only an hour. I'll make somewhere between 8 and 25 dollars. But today, its just about going. Its just about seeing -5, putting on my thermal underwear, tossing a smile on my face, gritting my teeth, and going -To prove to myself I can do it - for 1 hour.

As I look back on 2014, and look forward to the new year - February last year, was of my favorite months. It was the hardest month, and the most rewarding.

So - full disclosure on my plans for the month are underway - but for now -

Its on Father Winter. You and Me. Fightclub style. In the Subway. Today. High Noon. (Really 4:30pm - but thats not nearly as cool)


EDIT:

Beggar in the Morning by the Barr Brothers is on. I listened to it a lot last year while I was writing these blog posts. I just re-found it.
Today was a lesson learned, a stroke of luck, a gift, and another story.
By the time I got to the tracks it was 5pm - I had to leave at 5:30.
So I played a few tunes, ripped into Charlotte Mae, and a fella dropped me a 10 spot at about 5:15 - and aside from fifty one cents, its the only tip I got. Reminds me that anything can happen down there. That its all different, everyday.

You know, people are interesting in January. Because the air is different. Holidays are over, the temp drops 20 degrees - and its all business. Onto the new goals. The new year. Get through the winter. bundle up. walk fast. But people still listen. People still smile. and People still love.

Cheers to a new year. To new goals. new opportunities. Another winter - and at least another month of blogging.

The big post is coming. Get ready.

DAY 9 March 14th, 2014 - 26 days, $1495, And Pulling Out Of The Worse Winter - Ever

DAY 8 March 14th, 2014 - 26 days, $1495, And Pulling Out Of The Worse Winter - Ever

Goals: Make $1495 in the month of March
          Play 2 shows in March
          Book 1 show for April
          Memorize 2 covers a week
          Blog every day
          Cut a new Demo to sell in while on the street
Bills: Rent 350, Internet 15, Phone 30, Food 120, Fun 60, CTA 232, Grace 20, Nathan 60, Misc Debt 687

Current Funds: (Not Counted Toward Goal)  53.00 - Allocated 20 for Fun, and bought 33 CTA pass
                        77.00 from Day 1
                        68.00 from Day 2 (Allocated 30 for food)
                        88.00 from Day 3
                        22.00 from Day 4
                        54.00 from Day 5
                        00.00 from Day 6
                        69.00 from Day 7 (allocated 50 for food/fun)
                        71.00 from Day 8

Need: 1046.00
Below Goal: 71.00
Above Goal:

Day 9 of 26

Goal: Make 65 dollars by any means possible.
Actual: 
TIME: 
WHERE:
CD's Sold: 
Temp: High 51, Low 29, feels like 51
Well - the lake is darn near melted.

I'm having a hard time this morning. This afternoon. You know those days where you wake up, and not only is there not enough time to get half of the things done you'd like to, but you're also still exhausted even though you got plenty of sleep, and then you lost half the time you did have procrastinating?
- That's today. :)

This is the kind of day I would totally just take off if I hadn't promised 3 people I'd be at Monroe with CD's from 3-6 today. So, thank god for them.

I'm headed to a triple header birthday party for Molly Bunder, Lindsey Dorcus, and Julie Ritchey tonight at Filament so I'll only get to play for about 3 hours. So - we'll see what happens!