Happy Birthday, Barb!

just this: it's nearly 3am, just into bed after a night of celebrating Barb's birthday with some of my oldest friends. we did some math early in the night and decided that we'd all known one another for more than 15 years. toasted Barb's birthday, Georgia's film success, my editing gig and a few things best left unremembered. toward the end of the night my pal e. and i waxed sentimental, pointing out that each of us was the other's first friend made in the dawning days of grad school, 1996.
some of the funniest and most creative people i know were out tonight wishing barb a happy birthday. these are the people i've been spending my holidays with for the last 8 years.
threw down quality moves to both Stevie Wonder (Superstition) and the Stone Roses (Fool's Gold). came close to requesting Ohio Players, but never did.

final note: stripper in a Homer Simpson mask. "niche market" o_0

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BARB! you're tops!

i might just get out of bed to make some toast right now.

it's what the kids call a barn burner!

**ok, so this isn't a letter. but i just got home from this fantastic fun night and wanted to add it to the page.**

worked a little late tonight *cough* but managed to get to the old crow medicine show only about 10 min late. they were playing two sets with no opener. i passed up the bar to get down on the floor. the place was packed and people were dancing. a lot! lots of whoops and hollers from all around. this crowd did not need any warm up time.

this band ripped it up! i danced my socks off and sang along. boy howdy.

here is the bonus bit: during the second set david rawlings came out to play with ocms. "wagon wheel" --> "tell it to me" --> "cc rider" --> two more songs i can't remember. holy cats.

then. for an encore: david, gillian welch and jakob dylan joined the band for "the weight." man alive, the whole room was singing. wonderful!

additional, side bonus: i was wearing a gillian welch tour shirt that doesn't have her name on it. it's a cool shirt, i get compliments on it, but no one has ever recognized it as a g.w. shirt. tonight 2 people at this show commented on it and one man said, "you must have been stoked tonight!"

yep!

fun facts from tonight:
--i made a friend! met another woman during the set break. we shared some hollers and high fives and looks of "hell yes!" when ocms pulled out some amazing songs.

--met a couple from tennessee who'd just moved to los angeles. they'd seen the band several times back in tn and were excited to their guys in their new town.

--the guy next to me dropped his full beer getting quite a bit of it on my arm, shirt and right shoe. i danced in a beer puddle the rest of the night. somehow, it seemed kind of fitting. :)