Thorny friends and parking meters

1. A close friend and I have a deal where we take each other to concerts we want the other to see. I took him to Dan Bern and Melissa Ferrick last month. This month, he added the surprise element to it; I didn't know who I was seeing at all. I just knew I had to be at Wolf Trap in Virginia at 7:30. I got there, and was pleasantly surprised to be seeing Mississippi singer/songwriter Paul Thorn, a funny guy with a Forrest Gump accent while talking and a soaring voice while singing. I listened to his two hours worth of tales of infedility, relationships, and struggle, and was thoroughly entertained. Not bad for a blind concert. It's my turn next.

2. Before the drive down to Virginia, I worked at the restaurant all day. It was pretty busy, and I did alright money-wise, but I got a parking ticket and that soured the day a little. It was one of those unavoidable things - there was nowhere else to park besides meters, all I could put in was two hours worth, and I couldn't leave to feed more money because I was too busy. It sucks to grind out nine hours and make eighty bucks, only to see twenty-three of it sail away.

3. One of my oldest set of friends in Baltimore moved back to Michigan on Thursday. We had a little get-together at Midtown Yacht Club to see them off. It's sad and all to see them go, but I'm happy for them, and honestly I'll probably see them just as much now - they moved about 25 miles from my parents' house, so I can visit when I go back to Michigan for visits.

4. I am so looking forward today to my non-plans. Basically, I really need a day to get my own shit together. I need to go to the gym, clean the house, grade some papers, and not be beholden to anyone else for a bit. I'm looking forward to chilling at Barnes and Noble for a good chunk and reading all the political magazines I've been looking at all week in checkout lines but not having enough time to read.