You're here but I'm alone

I've had so much on my plate (out-of-town family wedding, moving in my first house, a show with my own band) I'd totally forgotten that Wide Mouth Mason was playing a show right here in Winnipeg, tonight.  And sadly, I will not be attending with my usual partners in crime, my cohorts, what we like to call, the Winnipeg Hardcores.  It's actually a bit depressing, as I haven't ever been to a WMM show without at least one of them in tow!  But alas, with major school projects, shift work, and THE CUTEST BABY EVER (aka, my nephew), I'm on my own.  well, sort of...I know of a few people who will be in attendance, but pretty sure I won't be there with anyone who would laugh as as I a) attempt literal dance moves ("and the rain *rain falling* fell down..."), b) bring out a shaker I've snuck into the venue to play percussion with a particular song, and c) dance as insanely as possible until you want to pass out [but you keep on dancing].

It should be an adventure though!

And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a quick nap before I head out (I'm getting old, you know!)

 

jumpin' jack

I biked 16km today.  I'm planning to do the same tomorrow.  Bitchin'.  Will I have to buy new pants to encase the rippling thigh muscles I should have at the end of the summer?  only time will tell.

night, is the time, for the hunger...

Haha, so on my last night of freedom this week (I work double shifts for the rest of the week), I choose to spend it doing a few things.

• Listening to music on my computer.  As someone who is pretty much always on the go, this is a very strange thing for me...my process is usually rip, file CD away, sync to phone, and GO.  Sometimes, it is just nice to press shuffle, kick back, maybe sing along, and relax.  Of course, if I take the bus, I can also jam along to my song (as long as I abide by the 5 metre radius rule*).  It's unfortunate that I can't listen to music more while I am at work, but such is the work of a front desk person at job #1 and ticket seller at job #2.  I can't even attempt the 1-earbud thing, as so much of my stuff is in stereo.  I end up missing the vocals or one of the guitars.
• Along with being alone, listening to music, I end up thinking, oh, I want to play that song! In comes the guitar, I open up Ultimate Guitar, and struggle through the majority of the song until I give up/add it to our future busking setlist.
• started cleaning up some really old files...I'm talkin' 2005 here people...and found some old demos I recorded on my very first mp3 player.  Holy fudgicles.  Actually, some of the lyrics were not terrible!  maybe if I'm feeling extra courageous one day, I'll post one.  Haha, but not tonight.

Alas, the night is done--I have a lot of work ahead of me this week, followed by a double shot of the ARKELLS on Saturday (Free in-store, Music Trader, 4pm on May 26th; show at the Garrick that night!).  Sunday is the first bridal shower I'll attend where the person isn't related to me/a neighbour...I've finally reached that age, where I know people who are getting married!

 
*yes, this was an "entry within an entry"...I thought, why explain it here when I could put it in the definitive guide?

excellent! reasons why I love my sisters

To give you a frame of reference, I showed these pictures to my sister R:

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/waynes-world-babies_n_1214326.html

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/waynes-world-kids-halloween-costumes_n_1069459.html

R: Omg i love them both! It would be so funny if those babies grew up to be those kids! Wouldn’t it?

Me: yes lol. OK so now our goal is to have kids around the same time so that we can do the waynes world thing. WHAT ABOUT DRESSING THEM UP EVERY YEAR so we can have WW through the ages!

R: Okay! I want my kid to be wayne though. Camera 1, camera 2.

NOT EVEN A QUESTION.  I love you R!  Now if only you'll agree to name our band Rocklitar! 

Boring, boring

Whee, another post from my phone! That means, my HTC Desire Z is great for Facebook, twitter, texting, blogging, acting as a remote for our new media server (XBMC ftw!)...ya, just about everything except for...drumroll...phonecalls. ya. I'll have to look into that. I think I need a new radio for it?

I'm kind of in a slump, and as a result, I don't have a lot to talk about. Concert season has slowed down quite a bit---last concert was the Arkells in November, and I don't have anything again until February (Hanson: version 3:0!!!)

Maybe 2012 will bring some excitement! Some potential with the Stones band, other band things with Rachael, a wedding in Ontario, and maybe even moving into a house? Maybe? A girl can dream...

turn the radio up, push the pedal to the ground...

So.  HANSON.  Where to begin???


My lifeblood, AKA, my 2 sisters and travelmates for this trip.   We made a "no negative energy" pact for the trip and I think we were quite successful.  I think I may put this into action for any future trips I take.  I think we forget how much stress comes with driving, driving instructions, meeting hotel check-ins, finding restaurants, getting to places in-time, and all in a strange city.  And we're supposed to be having a good time?  Luckily there was very little of that, and for what we did have, one of us would say "stop.  Stay positive.  it's HANSON!!!".

We are the three best friends that anyone could have...

 

Casino Regina had an actual show room, versus Winnipeg's Casinos, which just utilize the bingo stage (and close it off from the rest of the casino) for their shows.  Say what you will about a band you love having to play a casino instead of a music-specific venue, but think of the pros:

• Lots of security on-site
• new venue=great sound
• non-sticky floors
• CLEAN BATHROOMS

Security told me ahead of time that if I wanted to stand/dance, I'd have to do so on either side of the stage as to not block anyone's view.  Well, as soon as Rach and I got up to dance, a few people at a time joined us until we kind of spilled out to the center of the room, and then all rules were thrown out the window.  Despite starting the dance party, R and I didn't end up quite at the front.  Rather, we were behind two flippy-hair girls--you know, those girls with mid-back length hair that instead of pulling back their hair, rotate their entire head as to hit the person behind them?  Yeah, those girls.


As part of Hanson's Musical Ride Tour, fans were given the chance to vote on what Hanson album they wanted to hear live...and Middle of Nowhere was chosen.  Though I did want to hear Underneath, it was still awesome to hear MON, in its entirety!  With You In Your Dreams?  A Minute Without You?  Thinking of You!  that's Gold, Jerry!


Here are the keepers:

I just don't like moustaches.

See shirt: done.

portrait!

squee!

 Solid other awesome Regina activities:

• Riding in H's friend's retro VW Bus
• Meeting new babies and kidders
• Brunch --with Eggs Benedict--and  Free Bird (Brewster's--they like playing classic rock, even at 11am on a Sunday!)
• "Swag Swag" and Troll sing-alongs

We've gotten word that Wide Mouth Mason will be in Regina in November...anyone in???

waiting for this

Ok, yesterday was just weird.  I did manage to squeeze in some extra special nail polishin', just in time for the weekend. 

Cute, huh?  My toes are the same--though my right hand is not.  I've learned over the years that my left hand is just not as steady at stuff like painting tiny designs on the opposite hand.  See here for my reference point: That's right.  Hanson.  Live and electric (or at least for most of their set), TOMORROW.  the fangirl inside me is squeeing so hard right now.

Anyways, back to yesterday:  So I'm a pretty fairweather commuter cyclist, but since I only bought bus tickets (vs. a limitless bus pass) I was determined to use as few as them as possible, and decided to bike to work despite the pretty crappy weather--rained all night, bike was soaked, and it was super humid and muddy.  But it wasn't quite raining, so I put my rain jacket (that I've barely even worn--oh yeah, we've pretty much had a drought all summer!) in my basket and away I go.

Well, luckily I keep a towel in my work desk drawer to wipe my face down after a ride, because I also needed it for my legs which were covered in little gobs of mud.

Fastforward to leaving job #1 for job #2 and I realize that I don't remember bringing in my jacket when arriving at work.  Which means it was lost in downtown Winnipeg on busy commuter streets.  Which also means there is no way in hell I am getting it back.  I considered riding up and down the streets I took on the way to work, but with the murder of crows (read: bumbling drunk downtown dwellers) that were congregated by one of my intersections, I said farewell to my jacket and came home.

This terrible experience did have a silver lining (not white, like my jacket's lining): attached to my bike basket was a note, scribbled out on an old cigarette package saying "just wanted to let you know that your front wheel's forks are backwards" with an illegible signature.  Since I have no idea what forks on a bike are, I asked another cyclist that happened to be unlocking his bike at the same stand--my WHEEL has been on backwards.  And since I haven't changed it since purchase, that means Canadian Tire put the wheel on that way.  I managed to change it around right then and there, and it seemed to ride much better after that.  Boy do I feel like a n00b.  But how awesome is it that some stranger took the time to write me a note to let me know about my wheel?  Friendly Manitoba comes to life.

Quite possibly the worst part of yesterday (there's more?)  was my shift at a certain witchy musical.  One person in particular happened to take the name of the musical to heart in her dealings with Ticketmaster, which was most unfortunate.  No, you cannot pick up your husband's tickets, because that is technically credit card fraud.  I don't care if you can use it online to buy stuff, it is still fraud.  Oh, he is coming tonight, just parking the car?  Well then hang tight for 10 minutes.  She did hang tight for 10 minutes alright, but her husband never came to my window.  She stayed there, ranting and raving, filling up the air around us with negative energy and threatening me.  Luckily everyone behind her heard EVERYTHING and were especially nice to me!

So I'm hoping that my weekend ends up a bit more happy than yesterday, and how can it not?  Being with my 2 sisters=2 best friends that anyone can have, one of my favourite bands, road trip, EAST SIDE MARIO's.

Have a good long weekend, friends!

I'm writing this on my phone...cool!

So thought I'd post an update, since I'm stuck here at work with no access to my google reader (well, I can read it on my blackberry, technically, but who wants to read interesting tech articles on a tiny screen? Not I).

R gets home tomorrow from her big European vacation and I'm so excited. There have been so many instances in the last month of me thinking 'oh, I need to text her about this!', whether I saw someone we both knew, heard a song we had an inside joke about, or just plain missed her. DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!!!

Also, think I am buying a new cruiser bike, which means I will have to retire the Red Baron--sad face, I know. But), let's face it, you are a challenge to ride, and not quite as carefree as a cruiser would be.

Well, I guess I should get back to work...