Spontaneous Beach Ball Mayhem

Super Ball IX

So I moved out west and Phish had their latest festival right near Toronto in Watkins Glen, NY. Perfect. See above ^^^^^. Thankfully they were kynd enough to stream the entire weekend live on the Intertubes and I was able to catch 4 of their 7 sets. I think they played over 100 different songs throughout it all and even busted out AC/DC's 'Big Balls' to begin their last set. Always with the sense of humour, eh?

Things have really been heating up here in LV. Literally. The A/C in our vehicle stopped working just in time for the constant bombardment of triple-digit days. That's days of +100F or over 40C if you're metrically inclined.

I've been working hard on my sites and I think I've found a niche of sorts in creating Digital Art based on concert setlists. I've been doing this for Phish over at the Phish Tour :: Setlist Art website since the beginning of the summer tour and have started doing archival shows on off days. June saw my best traffic month ever for the site and July is on pace to crush June. I gotta look into how one goes about selling advertising space...

The Hip Tour Blog is doing even better. The hype surrounding the recent Bobcaygeon show surely helped in that regard. I have been hard at work for the last 4 months creating Digital Lyric Art for each and every one of The Hip's songs. I still have 3 albums to complete and I may try to redo some of my early creations as my technique has definitely evolved for the better over time. Each page includes lyrics and songs notes usually having to do with live appearances. Along these lines I began creating Setlist Art a la the Phish thing, but a major problem arose. The Hip decided for the first time in their career to start playing the Exact Same Setlist EVERY Single Night! WTF??? So many quality songs and they go to Monkeyville and bust out a Greatest Hits show night after night. Beyond not giving me much to work with art-wise, how Boring is that? Never thought I'd use the word 'lame' to describe one of my favorite bands, but when all you can play is the same thing over and over that's Lame. How about the guy that bought tickets to the 4 Ontario shows? Bet he was pissed.

So I'm running multiple Twitter accounts these days. I have a personal one that rarely gets used. I have a Phish one called @SetlistArt for that site and it gets auto-updated whenever I update the blog. I do occasionally add to it w/o a blog update. @hiptour is the one I spend the most time on because it doesn't auto-update through the blog posts yet. Once I get the remaining 3 albums worth of lyrics posted I will change this. I just don't want to hammer people with massive Twitter hits when I do a batch upload. Currently both of these accounts have less than 40 followers. I expect the Phish one to take off more so than the Hip one and this is because American are much more involved in this Twitter thing on a micro level. I have actually been holding back a bit on the Phish page promotion until I get a bit more of a database going. Not sure if that's smart or dumb. My largest Twitter following is actually for @VegasOutsider. I say surprisingly because it's for a blog/photoblog that I really haven't had much time to cultivate as having both Phish & The Hip on tour at once and trying to get a certain amount of groundwork laid out has really monopolized my time at the computer.

I have been using Facebook as well with The Hip site and it's been going great. I created a page over a year ago and recently climbed above 200 fans which is pretty good considering the collective audience size. I have resisted starting one for the Phish Blog, but I think the time is right. It's really been more because of time management and having too many balls in the air. I'm trying to do a few things really well as opposed to many thing just OK. Luckily once I get a few more things done (50 hrs of work I'd guess) a lot of this stuff will start running itself. Maybe I can even start working on The Vegas Blog, eh? I actually have a bunch of material for it. It's just a matter of organizing and editing it for proper presentation.

We just had a storm here over the last few days so the yard and the car are dirty. I'm off to go clean both plus anything else the Love of My Life includes on the list :)

Until next time here's TUBE:


Phish - 7/2/2011 "Tube" from Phish on Vimeo.

Blossoms in the Desert

We work on a garden here in Las Vegas that is unlike any garden I ever thought could exist here. The garden is owned by a couple in their 80's. The wife recently had a fall in the backyard and broke her leg. That's where we came into the picture.

It's a spice and vegetable garden and it's completely outdoors. No greenhouse. It is the type of garden one would expect to find in the mid-west or along one of the coasts or just about anywhere else than the desert. Planted in this garden are spices such as thyme, Italian parsley, rosemary, and dill to name a few. The vegetables include squash, tomatoes and onions. There's more. A lot more. There's a lemon tree. We've also been told by 2 members of the family that a particular Weed also thrives in this backyard setting.

Good to know. Good to know. If we all handled our own business we could smile as we gave the finger to the criminal element that runs the Dirty Black Market. But that's another topic for another day.

I'm the muscle of this operation (don't laugh) and my wife handles the details. I climb trees and saw off low hanging branches. I pull weeds. I blow the debris out of the yard. The wife handles the care for the specific plants. She has the knowledge base for this sort of thing. I plan to get there eventually.

So here we are in this garden in the desert that probably shouldn't be here. But it is. It's Thriving. And I'm enjoying this gardening therapy. It's physical. It's outdoors. It gives me time to think.

With proper care and attention lots of things can thrive in lots of places. That includes Me and Us. Here. It includes You and Yours. There. It includes Whoever. Wherever.

I know, pretty deep stuff. But sometimes simple stuff has to be thought, written or read to take effect. Or to energize, or to re-energize. Or maybe to refocus.

Taking care of what's around me in my garden with allow me to thrive. I think that's what I'm trying to spit out here.

What's the Word?

Wow Darren! You must be SO busy down in Sunny LV to not have posted in 2 months. And even when you did post it was only some lame pictures of old Las Vegas that you manipulated so no one could see just how shitty of a photographer you really are. So what's been happening? What's the Word mrjackstraw?

First, I don't know who you think you are to be coming on MY website and asking and demanding that I answer your questions. On what authority are you even here? How did you gain access? You know what? I don't even care. I'll play along with your little game. Just keep it aboveboard, K?

What's been happening? What's the Word?

Well, as you astutely mentioned, nothing's been happening here @ mrjackstrawsays. Lot's has been happening elsewhere though. But can I remember it all? That was supposed to be the purpose of this space. Regular entries on my life and my mind. Now it's scattered and there's no way I can bring it ALL back. Fuck.

How about some of it? The highlights to start maybe.

Shit. That's easy. I got married. No big ceremony. That's to come later. A goal we're moving towards together. 'We' being my wife & I of course. This was more to get some paperwork moving along regarding my Green Card application. I want to pay my Taxes here. Hopefully the powers that be see it the same way. So that's the biggest thing. By far. And it's pretty fucking cool too. We've been together over 7 years now and it was time regardless of the circumstances. My ring is very cool too.


Good start. What else?

Family visits. My dad and his girlfriend (I'm married and my dad has a girlfriend. See that's weird to me.) drove out here to Las Vegas from Ontario. Pretty epic. They followed the old Route 66 as close as is possible these days on their way out here. We had a fun few days here in town. We BBQ'd. Went to old Vegas. Took them to the Bellagio. It was very windy so the fountain show wasn't running. I was also able to play a round of golf with my dad in Anthem. We got on for half price. I didn't wear sunblock and got a bad burn. My ankles actually swelled up a couple of days afterwards. It was gross. They headed across to LA and up the Pacific Coast Highway because you gotta if you come this far. Their route home took them across the Sierra Nevadas, the desolation of northern Nevada, Salt Lake City, the Rockies in Wyoming, Mt Rushmore, the prairies of South Dakota & Minnesota, the finally through the forests of Wisconsin & northern Michigan.

My sister came out a couple of weeks ago. She flew. Her visit coincided with virtual my sister-in-law's 30th birthday. She came down with her friends from San Francisco and they rented a mansion. It was amazing and was a great environment for my sister to meet a lot of my wife's family for the first time.

Wow. That's pretty cool. What about day-to-day stuff?

Well generating cash while not being able to work legally does present some challenges but it's not altogether impossible. It would be much easier if I was a better poker player or maybe if I had had the Balls to play in some bigger games when I first got here. I was trying to protect what I had instead of using what I had to make more. For now I'm out of the game. When I get back into a position to play I will do it differently. If I can't bring myself to have a 'no fear attitude' then I need walk away completely. Playing for food is hard. It's mentally crushing and in no way optimal. I can't walk that edge. It's all around in this city. Some people thrive on it or maybe they need it. Having everything hanging in the balance is too much for me though.

So what solution in the meantime?

Well, I've been chauffeuring a few regular clients around. It's good for a few bills a month and basically keeps gas in our vehicle so we can run around and do our other things. Those things include a hair product that we are trying to place in salons, a gardening business that is coming along, ebay sales of stuff we get at garage sales & the Goodwill and a couple of music websites that I have been nurturing for a little while now.

Tragically Hip Tour has been picking up steam lately. The site recently had it's 20,000th visitor and is starting to gain a sizable regular following. The upcoming summer tour followed by a new album and then hopefully a large scale North American Tour should really help those numbers. Currently I have been developing word art based on lyrics and have created some designs that I'm selling through Cafepress. Maybe at some point I can sell advertising by the month. We'll see. My Phish Tour site is a newer version of the Tragically Hip website. This site has the potential for a much larger following but it also faces much stiffer competition. I'm trying to do some things with what I call Setlist Art to try and set it apart from the rest. We'll see.

Well, we're glad to hear that you're still alive and kicking. Enjoy the heat that's coming your way.

Cheers. No worries. It's a dry heat ya know.

Foolin' with Vegas Photos

Chrysler Detroit Commercial

I finally got to watch the Super Bowl ads in America instead of having to deal with the Canadian content bull shit. I sat at the M Casino & Resort playing 5-cent Keno, sipping on Heinnies with my better half.

The commercial below was my favorite because, you know, I'm practically from Detroit...

A December Post

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Etc, etc.

Landed

Well we finally made it to Las Vegas and are starting to get settled in.  I should have been adding to this in many, many short bursts instead of spewing out one long blurb.  I will end up missing a lot of the details this way which will be my own loss in the end.

The drive west was your standard cross-country while pulling everything you own in a U-Haul type of venture.  There were ups and downs.  The drive up to Sault Ste Marie was awesome.  The fall colours were peaking.  We stayed at Flash's that night in his trailer just outside of Sudbury.  It was heated and everything!  It might have been the most comfortable bed of the whole trip now that I think about it.

The border crossing at SSM was a pretty thorough examination.  It was expected since we showed up with just about everything we own.  They put the squeeze on us and then allowed us to proceed thankfully.  It was my first time on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  It's a beautiful and wild place with a bunch of friendly people.  I mean, if you're going to lose an alternator this is the place to do it.  Providing that it's not in the middle of nowhere.  What you want is to lose all power as you're coasting into the parking lot of a 5 room motel just east of Rapid River, MI.  Then you want to meet the owners who take cash only, give you their last room, call some friends who are handy with this sort of thing, drive you 20 miles into town to purchase the part before the store closes at 9pm and then have said friends install the item.  The alternator that is.

So I got a new alternator.

Day 2 we crossed northern Wisconsin as it poured down rain.  It was beautiful though.  All forest.  No interstate travel at all.  I highly recommend this.  Best way to see the country.  Once we hit Minnesota we decided to dip down through St Paul-Minneapolis to check out their rush hour.  Brilliant move that was.  Like a junkie coming back for another hit.  Two days in beautiful nature and open roads was just too much.  How could we get bumper to bumper again?  While pulling a trailer I might add.  We did cross the Mississippi though.  Fairly close to it's point of origin.  And we did drive by the Mall of America and the airport too.  The Blue Jays were in town that night but I was just looking to put in the miles.  Fuck them anyway.  I'm on board with the 51's now.

Big mistake.  We ended up in this shithole in the middle of some cornfield town in Minnesota.  Actually it was Redwood Falls, MN.  For the record I didn't notice that monthly rates were available until I took the picture.  You gotta believe me. I was quite happy to see the big water tower in the morning.  Didn't know that was there either.  I think it really adds something to the picture.

The next morning we hit up a grocery store that was in a barn.  This was just outside of a town called Marshall, MN where we stopped in to grab a morning coffee.  I had mapped our way across town and then on into South Dakota although I did not take into account the parade that was about to take place.  I got rerouted and this threw everything off except that when I got spit out of town going the wrong way we turned into the above mentioned grocery store/barn parking lot to do the U-turn.  So we went it and it was awesome.  Cheap.  Fresh.  We got cheese and fresh buns and sandwich meats and fruit.  Did I mention the Amish shop there?  We got new directions which was easy since we didn't have many set destinations.  We were just heading west.  I drove and Azure put together the snacks.

Now we did hit the Interstate once we got to South Dakota.  It was going to be long and straight and kinda boring for the first little while.  Actually about the first 3/4 of the state.  (FYI - I'm off metric).  I will say that SD was definitely the highlight of our trip.  The number of pictures will attest to that.  This is where it started to feel West, and if you've been west you know what I mean.  Open country, big space, frontierish, Freedom.

At our first stop for gas I walked in to pay.  There was an old school diner with stools at the counter and people smoking.  Time travel!  What strange land is this?  I wander the convenience store side of the operation and what do I see but a big can of Budweiser & Clamato....pre-mixed.  I enjoy this drink, but have never seen the PreB&C.  I bought 2.   Some may frown while others may ask why a roadside gas station sells singles.  I'm in the latte group.  Besides, it's the same as stopping for one.  Plus the road is wide open.  The whole fucking state is wide open.

We made it all the way to Kadoka, SD which turned out to be just perfect for us.  There was a junior rodeo going on but it had just wrapped up for the day.  We found a great little motel and an even better restaurant/steakhouse right across the street.  It was full of cowboys, cowgirls and cowkids from the rodeo.  They were sold out of Prime Rib by the time we entered.  No matter...we just took it all in as we drank some beer. I had a steak and ate a lot of olives from the salad bar.  I've been on a real olive kick since June.   They had a little casino room with about 6 slot machines in it.  I gave Azure $5 and she made enough to cover out tip playing video blackjack.  I think our 6 beers cost us $13.50 and that included a few from the top shelf.

The next morning we got up early.  This was going to be one of our big tourist days and it was more about seeing some sights than laying down miles.  Our first stop or rather drive-thru was Badlands National Park.

The Entrance

Inside Badlands

This part of the journey was a little rough on The Jimmy or Runaway Jim as I like to call our esteemed vehicle.  This was to be the first of many uphill battles and when it started kicking in that maybe we had more packed into our U-Haul than our towing capacity.  I'm not sure how you weigh it once it's loaded?  Whatever.  Obviously we made it or I wouldn't be writing this.

The Badlands National Park was unlike anything I have ever seen on this planet.  And I like to think I've seen my fair share.  Just completely unexpected being that it is surrounded by plains.  I think they came up with a fitting name for the place.  It was an incredible drive except that we were pulling too much.

The road through The Badlands deposited us in Wall, SD.  We had been seeing signs for "Wall Drug" ever since we entered South Dakota and it was getting to the point where the signs were becoming annoying and kind of a blight on the landscape.  We ended up stopping there so I guess they worked.  Thankfully it wasn't tourist season because it was already too busy for my liking.  It was a tourist trap.  A bunch of overpriced shit.  We bought postcards there.  Never mailed them though.  Sorry to those who didn't get any.

From there we headed to Mt Rushmore in the South Dakota Black Hills.  I was really looking forward to this part of the drive.  As we got closer to Mount Rushmore the road was getting steeper and steeper and the Jimmy was jumping gears more often.  I think I did something to my 2-Low gear in the Badlands because I was getting almost no torque from it.  We barely made it to the top and up to the entrance when the overheating light came on.  Apparently a lot of folks overheat getting to the top as the ticket-taker told it.  I was concerned and it really took away from my experience at Mt Rushmore which was too bad because it was a perfect day.  These were basically the first hills we had encountered and I knew that we were going to be doing mountain travel from this point until Vegas.  I wasn't really sure we could make it.

Rushmore

After spending some time with the Dead Presidents we added some water to Runaway Jim and headed for a gas station.  Luckily it was downhill for the most part.  I got some proper coolant and a gasoline additive to hopefully help with some extra horsepower.  This helped a lot.  As we headed for Wyoming on a windy 2 lane road we almost died when a semi heading the opposite way around a sharp bend decided to use most of our lane.  That felt like the turning point though.  Jim was running good and he was spry and agile too.  We crossed into Wyoming and headed down a beautiful and very lonely road for about 200km.  The sun was slowly setting and a drank a Labatt Blue.  I think we may have passed 5 cars the whole way.  Our destination was Interstate 25 where we would hoped to hole up in a town called Douglas, WY.  Super 8 needs to look into the standards maintained under their brand at this particular location and fast food restaurants should stay open past 10pm even if it is a Sunday.  Just sayin'...

On Monday morning we had to make the 1st of 2 or 3 mountain passes as I judged it between there and Las Vegas.  After the previous day's experience with the overheating, etc, I had decided to forgo some of the more scenic routes I had envisioned for the more direct, flatter and boring Interstates.  It really killed me to do that, but sometimes practicality must prevail.  The pass that we took went from Casper, WY down to Rawlins, WY through a place called Muddy Gap.  This was the mountain pass.  Never buy gas at Muddy Gap.  It's about $1/Gal more expensive than anywhere else.  Of course when you need gas, you need gas.  The inside of the gas station has been signed by most if not all who've passed through.  I'm back near the shitter.  Hopefully they don't repaint.

We had finally made our way down to Interstate 80 and we would be on these four lane disasters the rest of the way.  Interstate 80 is called the Loneliest Highway in America and with good reason.  Large chunks of it run through a bunch of nothingness.   No exits.  No truck stops.  No towns.  No farms or even houses for that matter.  When we missed a rather large service center because of the off-ramp being under construction it didn't seem like that big of deal at first.  Even when we got down to a quarter of the tank it was easy to shrug off.  It was when the "Low Fuel" light came on that things tensed up a bit.

There was an episode of Seinfeld where Kramer and a car salesman tested the limits of a car once it hit the Red Zone of the fuel meter.  I know that seems 'gutsy' but consider that fact that they were surrounded by civilization with a gas station not too far away.  We ended up playing this game in the middle of Red Desert Wyoming it what I believe is known as The Great Basin.  We got deked out by a big sign that said GAS with what looked like a small town nearby.  We exited only to find that the gas station was closed and the town was abandoned!  Eerie is how I would describe it.  There was a sign stating that no one was to proceed into the cluster of homes, their windows all smashed out black.  I wondered if we were being watched.  This was about 10 miles into our Low Fuel status.  We got back on the Interstate.  What else could we do?  We came to a rest area that was in very bad shape.  And no wonder!  How does anyone make it out there to even maintain it?  I asked a couple in an RV if they had any gas.  Nope.  They were very nice and tried to use their cellular GPS to figure out how far we had to go.  Turns out cellular doesn't really work in these parts.  They did however, offer to follow us until we either hit a gas station or ran out.  We made it.  I think we drove 40 miles with the Low Fuel light on, so that's good to know.

Monday night brought us to Park City, UT just outside of Salt Lake City.  It's where they held the alpine events for the 2002 Winter Olympics.  It's the most liberal part of Utah so it seemed like a good fit.  Amazing scenery.  The best part about the Internet is that you can find a hotel, log on to hotel websites in their parking lot and then go in and ask for that rate.  They know you can just stand there in front of them and book it.  They are more then happy to give it to you since it cuts out the middle man.  We got pizza from Papa John's and brought it to our room.  A hot breakfast buffet was included.  I made a kick-ass waffle and had lots of bacon.

Tuesday morning we drove down into Salt Lake City and went to Temple Square.  I have always had a theory that Utah as a state is pretty much a cult and everything I saw only helped to confirm this.  This LDS stuff is big business.  And they are always recruiting!  Young ladies walked around in pairs and were very friendly and helpful.  They always seem to be wanting to get folks to watch a LDS video with them.  Maybe they work on commission.  Anyway, they have invested  the 10-15% of each member's salaries that they receive over the course of all of their lifetimes wisely it looks like.  Who knows what they own in this world, but no expense was spared on the grounds.

The Temple

Visitor's Center

The families were all dressed very neat and proper.  The whole thing kinda freaked me out.  I guess my thing is, if you're a kid and born into this and have like 6 or 7 brothers and sisters, what happens if you want to bail?  Are you still welcome in the community as a non-believer?  What if you're born gay?  I mean that can't be ideal under these circumstances.  Maybe this isn't possible.  If it's the only life you've ever know and are born into it can one even think beyond those boundaries?   What if evolution starts making sense?  Quantum Physics?  The threat of the Next Life holds so many hostage during this one.  I sometimes wonder if we would be better off not being conscious of our own deaths?  I digress....

It poured rain pretty much the entire way through Utah.  I mean poured.  MY wipers don't work so hot on the really fast level.  The driver's side one starts going a little too far to the left and then never fully recovers.  I was actually scared it was going to go flying right off.  I stopped to fix it and gas up.  I also grabbed another one of those pre-mixed beer & Clamatos.  I was a little disappointed that we had to take the Interstate (I-15) but it wasn't so bad missing the better scenery of the two-lane highways since it was raining so hard.

We decided to make a run for Vegas.  When the storm cleared the sky was amazing.  We had mountain scenery with the sun coming through different cloud formations and it was starting to set as well so multiple colours were involved.  Our camera was dead at this point.  Sorry.

There's a part of the I-15 that cuts through Arizona that is one of the most insane stretches of highway to drive.  The Interstate winds down through sheer wall red rock canyons.  It would have been better not driving it at dusk with a trailer and people flying by as I tried to hold my lane.  The canyons create massive wind gusts which are mentioned quite frequently on all the warning signs.  I remember driving this stretch of road in my Green Van and almost getting blown across two lanes into a truck.

There is always a glitter when you cross the state line into Nevada.  They want you to know it's alright to throw down and slot machines and neon await.  It was an awesome sight (not captured on camera) when we crested the hill coming into Las Vegas.  It's just a huge sea of lights.  And I'm not talking about The Strip.  I could barely make out The Strip amongst it all.  I think we were able to see the entire area at once from an elevated viewpoint and it was pretty awesome.  I am going to make a point of going back up there some night to snap a few off.

We arrived at out house and emptied Runaway Jim.  I was so zonked.  We blew up the air mattress and crashed.  Home sweet home!

Pictures from the trip...Dancin' Across the USA

Toronto > Las Vegas

Things have been happening fast and furious lately.  I feel like I've been so busy doing stuff that I haven't had time to do any stuff.  Does that make sense?  Maybe there's just so much stuff to do?  

We are moving and it's a big one.  Toronto to Las Vegas.  This was something that was always in the works but recently got put on an accelerated schedule do to unforeseen circumstances.  Maybe it was just the kick in the butt we needed though.  

It's a leap of faith and one I am happy to take.  I'm jumping from a place of certainty and security off into the unknown.  It's scary and liberating at the same time.  I don't know how this is all going to shake out, but I do know that the results are in my hands.

I am really looking forward to getting to know the other side of my family and getting to know them beyond the level you know someone from yearly visits.  There are lots of kids which is something I don't have currently around my family here in Canada.  So that will be different and pretty cool I think.

The logistics of this whole operation are immense from my point of view.  Moving is when you are faced with the harsh reality of how much you have actually accumulated over time.  When you have to pack and lift every piece.  I like to think I at least partially fall into the Minimalist category, but now I wonder...it's crazy how much our society consumes and consumes and consumes.

I will miss my family.  I will miss my friends.  I will miss Toronto.  I will miss Canada.

I have always left for new places and then left those place for other new places.  I take comfort in this because to this day I can draw straight lines from those places past to where I am today.   I have been fortunate enough to make many, many great connections and shared in many great experiences that have bonded me with others for life.  And because of this I know that will hold true going forward.  And that gives me strength.

Toronto > Las Vegas

There's going to be lots to miss here in The Big Smoke.  My family & friends most.  The city though is a pretty special place.  The nieghbourhoods and cultures.  The music and arts.  The festivals.  The markets.  The food.  The drink.  Bike lanes.  Caution Jam @ Grossman's.  The safety.  The streetcars.  And the fuckin' CN Tower baby!  

I wonder what I'll list when I leave Las Vegas?  I guess that will all depend on the experience and the path I take.  Looking at my list above it's quite apparent that most of those items are not a part of Vegas with the exception of Food & Drink.  I generally love Food & Drink everywhere and am down with whatever the local experience is.  I probably shouldn't have even put it on the list since I guess in my case it goes without saying.  Or maybe I had to say it this one time so that it will just go without saying in the future.  From this point on.

It's hard to really wrap your head around the Las Vegas experience.  It really is something different to everyone.  A fantasy land.  Everyone is always so excited to go.  My better half says that there is no happier vibe than on a flight to Las Vegas.  And none worse than on the flight home.  Ha!  

But all that assumes you're going for a quickie.  Not as a permanent move.  To live.  To shop.  To do the daily grind.  What will that be like in this Boom Town of boom towns?  A city built so fast that its own culture could not be developed.   In a city of 1.2 million people everyone knows it for The Strip.  Maybe old downtown Vegas too, but that's it.  Ponder...when someone mentions New York City, San Francisco, Boston or Toronto people who have experienced them are flooded with visions and memories of the many neighbourhoods within these cities.  Like squares on a quilt it takes more than one to make a finished product.

What am I excited about that will come with being a local?  Family and new friends first and foremost, but quite a bit beyond that actually.  Stuff that you "tourists" never seem to have time for.  Yes, you degenerate gamblers, boozers, eaters and general over indulgers.  I 'm talking to you.  Show some restraint for Christ's sake.  Take in some nature.

Some may not have noticed, but Las Vegas is surrounded by a shitload of natural beauty.  I am looking forward to this.  Red Rock Canyon.  Hiking, biking and rock climbing.  I don't currently rock climb, but maybe I will.  Frolf.  That's golf with a Frisbee.  They have a few Frolf courses scattered throughout the city and some have weekly tournaments.  If I'm going to find a fellow Deadhead this may be the place.  At the very least I'll meet people who have an interest in throwing stuff which is as good a bit of common ground to start on as any.

Frolf makes one think of golf.  There was a time when I could really play that game.  It's not cheap, but perhaps there is motivation to be found there?  Yes, I think there is.  

I have a few business ideas.  Actually we have a few.  I , we and she.  Quite a few.  It's as good a time as any to throw down on those.  When they come to be you will be the first with the info.  It's important to have support, you know?

Poker, Vegas.  Vegas, Poker.  I really enjoy playing poker in Vegas.  Is there an opportunity there.  Yes.  Is it reasonable that I should ever gaze on such a game as anything more than a hobby.  Nope.  I will play of course, but it won't be for anything more than my personal entertainment.  I have no interest in playing cards for food. None at all.  If however, over time, I am able to build my hobby into something more significant than so-be-it. 

I gotta get back to the grind.  More to pack.  More to post on Craigslist.  More to do.

Happy Birthday Jerry!!

Yes, the Fat Man would have been 68 if my math serve me. So below we have a monster 1973 show from Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ courtesy of Archive.org

Promised Land, Sugaree, The Race is On, You Ain't Woman Enough, Bird Song, Mexicali Blues, They Love Each Other, Jack Straw, Stella Blue, Big River, Casey Jones Around & Around, Mississippi Half Step, Me & My Uncle, Row Jimmy, Dark Star-> El Paso-> Eyes Of The World-> Morning Dew, Sugar Magnolia; E: Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad > One More Saturday Night

The Row Jimmy through Morning Dew is the generally acknowledged meat and potatoes of the show and Jerry is on fire.  The Bird Song from the 1st set  is a good example of why many jazz fans become drawn to The Dead.

After seeing his former band-mates in June, I like many others I'm sure, can't help but wonder what could have been if he never started chasing the dragon.  Aah well, philosophy for another day I think.  Today we'll just sit back and Smile, Smile, Smile...

RUSH Tonight @ the Amphitheatre

I guess since it's a T-Dot show, there's only one song to show...





They are playing 2 sets including Moving Pictures in its entirety. Plus they have the greatest drummer in Neil Peart. Period.

I'm way behind on my concerts updates, but I'm sure there will be a story in this somewhere...