So it is not that I have limited things to say these days, rather, its that I haven't really slowed down long enough to get them on the blog. I'm back in Athens, getting settled back in to life as I knew it a year ago, sort of. I have just finished writing lectures for the course I'm teaching in the fall and am quite relieved to have that process, at least for the moment, done. I have moved all my stuff (including King Andrew) back to the house and LP and I are happily a block away from each other.
With all that said, two stories that should be shared. LP and I took a little journey over to Scotland in the early part of July for a mini-break and a conference presentation. The conference went quite well and LP and I got to experience our relationship in a foreign land: street maps, the intricacies of Edinburgh with Princes Street shut down, train tickets and short layovers as well as an angry French woman on the return flight who thought we tried to cheat her out of her seat, a bird we named Rupert, CapriSun on the window's overhang to get it cool, lots of walking, and, thankfully, no illnesses (so glad you made it, John) or explosions of small appliances. Overall, an excellent adventure and despite the above stresses we came back together and are going strong. Some of the hundreds of pictures are on Facebook, if you're interested.
Upon our return, a really good friend who was, sadly, unable to use her tickets to see Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan presented LP and I the opportunity to see these legends over in the ATL. LP, the day before the concert, discovered her new job would require some evening service and my good ole' buddy Jim graciously stepped in to her spot. There are plenty of things that could be said about this experience, but I will do my best to hold back. A quick summary will suffice for most of you, I think: journeyed over to Verizon Amph via the blue monster; grabbed a bite to eat at 5Seasons (pretty good white pizza); got to the concert at 5:50pm (it began at 5:30pm) and Willie was already on stage, where the warm-up act disappeared to, who knows?; Willie was great; bathroom break (Mellencamp was on); headlining...Bob Dylan, as this was the "Bob Dylan Show." The story would naturally climax here; and maybe it would have if I had seen Dylan 20, I'll even give him 5, years ago. The man we saw was a shadow of his former self, if that. I am NOT hating on Bob (so you people out there who were thinking...oh, just wait 'til I respond to this whipper snapper, don't, or do, I don't really care).
I am not the concert-goer who wants the cd performed exactly as was recorded; Willie didn't do it, and I loved it. The difference? I could tell that it was Willie Nelson performing. And don't give me the age and/or drugs argument...Willie is almost 10 years older than Bob and has had just as rough an on/off stage life. So what was my (and Jim's and over half the audiences' who left 2 songs in to Bob's set) problem? Bob showed up on stage, spoke his lyrics with words that were unintelligible even for Dylan, never once acknowledged the audience, played guitar on the opening song only, and blew the harmonica for maybe 30 seconds. I love Bob Dylan and am glad I got to see the man before he departs this world; I just wished a brighter image of the legend would have shown up.
Comments, as always, are welcome.
Cultivate peace.
TCH
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
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