Guacamole beer dinner

That's an okay dinner right? I can make some good things. Honest.

But seriously, Ben's been gone for 9 whole days, and I just made this guac fresh, and I found a little brown hair in it. Like I need to be reminded of how Italian Ben is.

In an hour I am playing a show with Congress of Starl1ngs at Uncommon Ground. I'm excited because lately whenever I am trying to decide what music to listen to I reach for Albedo. I've been really digging their music, and I have it in my head all the time. And then I think, hey, these guys are my friends! Awesome! And then I think, hey I'm in this band sometimes!! So awesome!

We just played a show last Saturday in Milwaukee at the Gay Arts Center. I was able to go to Lizzie's graduation party and then met Andrea and Aerin at the gig. It was a small crowd (my parents, sister, and six middle-aged lesbians) but a very fun show. Earlier that day Andrea said to me, "You should play some of your songs tonight!" And then when I got there she said, "Aerin and I worked out some harmony parts for one of your songs in the car! If you don't like them, I guess after the first chorus just.... kick your leg or something." If I didn't like them? I'm singing a song I made up and I get to the chorus and it suddenly bursts into lush 3-part vocal harmony? It was like my song was alive. I smiled so hard I almost peed my pants. It was a great night. I love those ladies.

Sunday was Pride in Chicago, and Emily is in town for a few days so I went to check it out with her. (Side note: Emily is living in Nashville for a month, learning about how the music bizness works down there. She says it's very biznessy. Sad: I can't visit her. Awesome: She took my old bike that I gave her for Christmas and uses it to get around Nashville.) So I'm biking north on Halsted with the aim to get as close to the parade as possible, when suddenly I realize I'm coming up on a bunch of floats all parked on the sides of the street. Cool! This is where they start the parade! I'm biking through, and it starts to get a little busier with people walking around and stuff, and I'm looking at all the people dancing and drinking and rainbowed out, and then right about the time I passed the guy in the thong on the unicycle I see that there are barricades set up along the curbs to stop people from pouring into the street. And behind the barricades are crowds of people 6-deep or so. The barricades are hooked together and continue right over the cross streets. I'm trapped in the parade!!! I biked real slowly alongside the floats, but there were lots of people walking around, waving and handing out condoms and beads and noisemakers, and lots of hands reaching from the sidewalk for said freebies, and I just moseyed along as best I could, smiling at the spectacle. I was probably trapped for a mile and a half. It was exciting.

And then I finally found Emily and she bought me ice cream and beer! And we had nachos! It was a good afternoon. That night I had a gig at Duke's, and Emily finally came out to see Baba Man0uche, and everything was great.

Monday: Taught worms, shopped for sunglasses, sweated like crazy at yoga, went to guitar class, went to Open Mic at the Store. Awesome open mic! 2$ pints of everything! You get to play 3 songs and when you're done they give you a CD of your performance. It was a last minute decision and pretty rad.

Tuesday: Brunch with Julie B at Cozy Corner. Then shopping at Brown Elephant for alterable items. Mid-checkout I got a call from Ben! He's in Sicily, and it's really hot, but he sounds pretty good. They went to Mt. Etna. And are eating yummy stuff, and having fun driving around in their rental car. He misses me. I miss him too. I spent the rest of the afternoon altering my finds and then braved the super thunderstorm to go to work. Both me and Kevin worked barefoot all night since our shoes had gotten soaked in the rain. Standard fun Tuesday.

This living alone thing is 85% good, with about 15% crushing lonliness. One of the main differences is that I keep staying up as late as possible before I completely crash and can fall into bed. But the TV has stayed off and I don't have to feel self-conscious about my puttering, and I can come and go and do as I please. And wake up at my own gentle speed each morning!! I realized that I feel perfectly happy when I wake up in the morning, unless there is a more-awake person present in a better mood to reflect against me and provide reason for irritation. But at my own speed, I am like a peaceful sunrise, gracefully gliding from a glimpse of morning into another bright day.

Ha! Gracefully!!

Guac is almost gone; I gotta brush the garlic outta my mouth and head to my gig! Later dudes.