Sunday, November 20

some days are better than others


Yesterday was nearly a perfect day. As nearly as I’ve had in a while, anyway.

Today was pretty great too, full of late lingerings in bed and hikes in the snow, but there was a mishap on the other side of the bridge that backed up traffic for two hours, a retaining wall, a brand new one, collapsed at the sight of a new overpass. That meant that I couldn’t go to aikido this evening, which sucks. Of course, it also meant that I had time to come here, to a favorite haunt, get a pot of green tea, and write.

So see? That silver lining shit works sometimes.

Anyway, the imperfect part of yesterday included no time to write and the fact that it started with a shift at the casino. It was a short shift. They have this thing called EO (early out) that allows them to save payroll expenditures in a sort of cooperative serendipity venture with staff; if they don’t need you, you get to go home early. I really, really wanted to get out early, so I showed up well before my shift and went on the list.

My shift was 45 minutes long. But even 45 minutes in hell is a damned long time.

And then I was free and loving it. I had to stop by the local super-drug store to pick up some prints I’d promised Mom for her memory book. There was one of my brother Travis and his wife, Kate, from their wedding in April. Yeah, that one was kind of late. And one of my bio-Mom so Mom - adopto-Mom - can have a reminder of what she looks like. And there was a print of Gena, my new bestest friend, from when I brought her over for dinner last Monday.

Of course, Mom doesn’t remember last Monday. She doesn’t remember meeting Gena. She simply doesn’t put days together at all any more. I make dinner twice a week now, trying to shorten the time between visits to help with continuity, but it isn’t making a difference. Most times, somewhere in between visits, she calls to tell me how much she misses me and to lament how long it’s been since she saw me.

The pictures and the memory book work were good though. When she goes through the progressively longer compilation of pictures, diary entries, and brief histories, it always triggers good stuff. In it, she finds a sense of herself, of the time she’s lost. A light goes on in her eyes, however briefly, and the warmth of the remembering lingers long after the book’s been put away and she’s lost the specific remembrances.

And then it was homeward for a quick stop before meeting Gena for a night-o-music. I mean a wow night of music. We had tickets to see Matthew Good – cue video:


It was amazing, even if the crowd wasn’t as fun as at the Sam Roberts concert last month. Good also writes a blog that I love, an aware, political, edgy, honest expression of opinion that is refreshing in a musician, especially one as talented as Good. It was a powerful, sonically stunning experience.

We rolled out of the concert at around 11 and walked a few blocks to a place called The Habitat here in Kelowna, one of the local live and indie music spots. There we saw Larry and his Flask. LAHF is hard to describe. Without doubt, they are ridiculously talented, switching instruments at will, nailing harmonies, rocking out of control. Maybe hillbilly punk? I dunno - you watch and decide for yourself:


Whatever they want to call it, it was amazing. The video doesn’t do their energy justice. I’ve never seen anyone play a stand-up bass as if it were a telecaster in the hands of a punk god until last night. Mandolin, guitar, the big bass, banjo, trumpet, trombone, bassoon, all played a punk pace with punk energy, studio-quality chops, and giant hearts.

All that live music made my heart expand, like in that scene in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas - the cartoon, not the crappy live action version - where his heart grows. I like to think mine wasn't shriveled like his to start, but still, it grew. It was swollen with life and my head was full of stars by the time we headed home.The streetlights were brighter, the air purer. In the presence of that much creativity and talent, it's hard to worry, you know?

So yeah, a near perfect day. I like to think that, if I hadn’t had to work, I could have written early before Mom’s. Then it would have been perfect. But I don’t mean to brag…

How was your Saturday?

Comments (7)

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Hi Michael,

Talking about the Grinch just yesterday during a discussion on Dr. Seuss. I wanted to blog about him and discovered he lived not far from the town I live in now.

Beautiful line: It was swollen with life and my head was full of stars by the time we headed home.The streetlights were brighter, the air purer.

glad you got off your shift early, too much of life wasted at work, too much of our strong years when we ought to be out doing what you did yesterday.

Thanks for the story! G.
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1 reply · active 697 weeks ago
Is that the Grinch, or the Newt GingGrinch? I'm ridiculously happy I got out early. I wish I could get out permanently. :) All things in good time.
The Matthew Good video, wow. I feel certain I would have loved that concert. A very full day indeed!
1 reply · active 697 weeks ago
I have a hard time imagining anyone not enjoying Matt God concert, but I'm biased. Simply one the smarter, more passionate lyricists out there. As an aside, he's bi-polar, a condition that he's written about (an earlier disc is called "Hospital Music". I'd happily recommend him to anyone.
This time, I clicked. Holy cow I am in love with Larry and his Flask. They were even better than my coffee this morning and that's saying something. They're smart, crazy energetic and so, so talented. I'm gonna go find more of them. Thank you, Michael.

As for my Saturday, it was awesome. It even involved music, though not live; amazing, hilarious, insightful friends; homemade veggie pizzas, great red wine, and poker (with The Boy even). And, just to be clear, there are few things funnier than watching me try to play poker (complete with a cheatsheet so I don't forget which hands win). So... I'm only a little jealous that you got to see Larry and his Flask. (I'm lying. I'm a lot jealos. But thank you for introducing me!)

p.s. I didn't win at poker, but my loss was truly spectacular.
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1 reply · active 697 weeks ago
I know, right? They were insane on stage.

Sounds like you had a pretty cool Saturday too, what with all the pokering and wining and pizzaing and friends. Really, the friends make any day glorious. everything after that is icing. Sadly, I have to say that I don;t find your poker loss too shocking; I have a hard time imagining you with a poker face. ;)
I agree because there are days that are lucky for us and there can also be days that are bad for us. Thanks for sharing it.
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