Also, it occured to me in the middle of rehearsal tonight that Erroll Garner and Johnny Burke were writing about stalking the object of the song "Misty."

• This photograph was taken (poorly) at the camp I'm teaching in Clint0n, S. Car0lina. I like to call it "What Time Is It In Clint0n, Madame Prime Minister."



• The webcam at the camp I'm teaching.

Brevity via Bullets

I could ramble for days about the current contents of my mind, but there is simply no time. Here are glimpses without much substance. I hope to return to full emotional nudity in about two weeks.

• I am about two solid days from being finished with arranging and drill work for a while. I have never been more ready for some time away.

• My official unofficial relocation date will be August 11, 2007.

• I am concerned and confused about Ron Mexico's current debacle. On one hand, it seems like we fail to learn from the situations that should have taught us about the dangers of presumed guilt. If you know what an indictment is, then you know that no guilt has been proven. On the other, I have to think that the NFL has pretty good reason to believe that something is up.

If he's guilty, I want him to spend the rest of his life in a cage. If not, I want him to learn how to throw and how to keep his middle finger retracted as he leaves the field of play.

• After a couple of days in Athens starting on Wednesday, the activities on tap include two band camps and one wedding. As much as I don't miss having to live it every day, I do miss teaching very much. M and I spent a bit of time talking about that this weekend, and it began to occur to me how much of who I once was sits almost completely dormant for all but 1.5 weeks per year. I'm not sure that's how that's supposed to be.

• I am thinking that a post-rush trip to Ikea is in my future. Desk.

• I am also beginning to think that I may be a better cook than I have given myself credit for being.

• I lost near my entire music catalog to the jackasses that robbed me. The bad news is that I have to pay to replenish it. The good news is that I can replenish it however I choose. I am open to suggestions of individual tunes, full albums, or entire genres that may not necessarily have been on my "most played" playlist. Among the list of things of which I didn't have enough the first time are Beethoven piano works, Delbert McClinton, Pink Floyd, Nanci Griffith, Radiohead, Steve Reich and company, latin jazz, and Stephen Sondheim. You know what to do.

• Life remains incredibly good. So much to tell you, so much work to do, and miles to go before... whatever.

New Smile

I spent a long weekend working, watching drum corps, meeting friends new and old, and being comfortable in Athens. Other than meeting Meghan's sister (who reminds me significantly of an old friend that many of us knew through marriage, adore to death, but don't get to see anymore) and brother-in-law, there weren't too many out-of-the-ordinary details that warrant publication.

That, for me, is the most enjoyable thing about all of this; that the otherwise seemingly mundane is anything but. Though there will be singular moments in the future, I suspect that the time I will continue to most appreciate is the clockwork moment on the walk through the parking lot into Target when the space between my fingers is slowly filled by those of someone who matters. The arms then sway, the pace advances into something dangerously close to a skip, and the boring task ahead becomes secondary to what "the pleasure of the company at hand" describes insufficiently.

As I was driving back to Nashville last night, I was singing along to one of the CD's that have been the staples of my travel listening since the begining of June. Somewhere around exit 300 on I-75 North, I noticed that I was singing full volume, which I tend not to do. Then I noticed that my voice seemed to match perfectly the timbre and intonation of the vocalists on the recording, which never happens. And then I noticed that I was smiling an unreserved, non-manufactured smile that I don't remember smiling before. That probably tells you all you need to know.

It is hokey, campy, and mushy, with puppy dogs, rainbows, green grass, and probably an effing leprechaun thrown in for good measure. And for once, that doesn't seem to bother me... except for the leprechaun, which is downright creepy.

Belated Bullets

This truly is the busy season, and there simply hasn't been a lot of time in which to update. There is a lot going on, however, so I revert to the much duplicated bullets.

• The insurance claim on the burglary is underway, and I expect to be able to replace the computer with something more practical. The Playstation will likely not be replaced, unless Kip wants to loan me his. Otherwise it looks like everything is going to be fine, with the exception of the lost effort and time and a few pissed off band directors.

• Well, that's not entirely true. Another result is that I am far busier than I wish I were right now. I lost several days worth of work, and I suppose that's just tough.

• My family is engaged in a slow migration north. My brother and his wife and kids just moved to Nashville last week. In fact, my sister-in-law has recently become an avid reader of this little journal. Hi, T@nnis!!!! (I'm not sure that she knows that I know that.)

• Just as this migration is happening, I think I am going to change venue myself. My family has been gracious enough to offer me spare rooms in their homes for the next year, while my apartment manager seems to think that I would like to pay $30/month more for a property that clearly isn't safe. Not happening. So, if you want to find me after August 15, you will need to look in Nashville and Athens. But it is a better idea to call my cell phone rather than look. I have been known to be rather stealthy.

I plan to return to Nashville full-time in a year. Stop worrying. Now. I swear I am a big boy, even though I don't always act like it.

• The previous bullet offers news of a pretty significant change. That's certainly not the only one. In the last ten days, I have also acquired a new belt, a new pair of sunglasses, a new cell phone, and two (2) new pairs of jeans. Strange days, indeed. Most peculiar, Mama. (Sorry, Mr. Lennon)

Oh, and I am growing my hair out.

• More than most things in the world, I truly wish that I had ready access to a recorded performance of the "Du, du, duhh" sound effect that they play on Jeopardy which indicates that no contestant has responded in time. I could make sooooo much use of this, mostly toward myself.

• Ok, ok. Gunner called yesterday. Based on the previous entry, he theorized that I had gotten a dog. Well, I haven't.

"Someone who matters" is named Meghan. She loves football. She cooks like Paula Deen. She can kick my ass. She likes things clean and organized. She seems to believe in the truth, spoken as sarcastically or brutally as necessary to get the point across. She is a musician and a teacher. She is a Georgia Bulldog, by God. She is a brilliant combination of beautiful, smart, funny, cynical, hopeful, and compassionate. She is none too aware of any of the above. She also happens to like me.

Believe me, the feeling is mutual.

I have been trying to be cool and pretend that I am not excited about this. It clearly isn't working. As I write, I have a grin on my face that wraps all the way around my head... well, and it's there pretty much all the time right now. But to keep on telling you about it would be to pretend that I could tell you how amazing this feels. But I can't.

Anyway, between being completely busy with work, completely distracted in the most pleasant of possible ways, and completely over dealing with the minutiae of an insurance claim and a temporary change of scenery, I now appear to be the one who isn't updating. I'm kinda sorry, and I'm kinda not.

No place

The group whose tour I have been managing for five days has just departed Chicago for Georgia. This has been a more exhausting week than any in recent memory and, for at least that reason, I am glad it's over. I should be back at home by 1:30 PM local time, and I can not wait.

As life has changed over the last month or so, I intentionally have been either cryptic or quiet about many of the things that are closest to me. It has been necessary in order to respect the feelings of many with interests in the events of that time. And frankly, musing mostly to myself and very limited others rather than to the world gave these changes the best chance to settle in as I prefer... slowly.

I can assure you that I soon will not be so guarded. Trust me, I still have a lot to tell you, and I anticipate having a lot more to tell you. But I will do so on my schedule. Just know that life is very, very good... or it will be in about seven hours, when I am at home in Nashville with someone who matters. Now more than ever, there truly is no place like home.

For the thirtieth time... the DeS0t0 Hilt0n is not in Chicago.

Seen at Gin0's East on N. Wells St., Chicago, IL.

Hecan'thitHecan'thitHecan'thitHecan'thitHecan'thitHe Sssssswiiiinnnngggg Bataaaaaaah

There is very little that I can tell you about our experience at Wrigley Field yesterday. I can describe the way tradition seizes you the second you exit the Addison L Station, but you won't feel it. I can suggest how much better a $6 Budweiser goes down when it is consumed five rows from the top of Section 525 on a perfect day for baseball inside the Friendly Confines, but you won't be able to taste it. I can narrate the friendly ribbing between opposing fans, the roar of approval after Scotty Pippen released the final note of "Take Me Out To the Ballgame," or the sweetness of a fortunate bat's crack, but it would be useless.

So, I will post a few pictures for your perusal. Just know that they do the experience no justice. Everyone should do this at least once. I will do it again. Apologies in advance to Knight (who's team is the subject of a great jab on a pictured t-shirt) and to Russell (who was there, but isn't pictured at all).

























When you do it make sure you pick a game that means something, root root root for a team (even if it isn't your normal team), and take good company with you.