2004-06-24 - 8:48 p.m.

rock chick on the loose

So here�s what I�ve been up to lately.

Beginning Monday the 14th - worked a five day work week, eight hours a day. No days off, no leaving early or coming in late. Will wonders never cease.

After a �regular hours� week (which never includes going to bed early), I got up at 5:30 Saturday morning, drove four hours west and picked up a friend and a rental car. The two of us drove about seven more hours west and south. Actually that was all highway driving so she did the rest of the driving that day after we got the rental.

Got up 8am Sunday morning, drove what should have been an hour into a big city for lunch. It turned out being closer to an hour and a half because of what I call my �spiral driving.� There was construction going on, and detours, and two sets of directions (one from a computer, one from a human) both of which diverged a bit from road reality. So what happened is I�d realize we went too far, then turn around, realize we went too far the other way, turn around, go too far again but realize it sooner, turn around, etc. Spiral driving. We only did three turn arounds, and under the conditions, I thought that was pretty good.

Had lunch. Drove another hour and a half to the hotel. Again, should have been about an hour, but this time it was all construction delays. No spirals. All that driving was me because she gets freaked out by city driving. I only get truly freaked out driving in New York City. Other cities - whatever. Well Chicago driving isn�t great for me either but that�s different.

Went to a rock show, which was the point of the entire exercise, as if you didn�t know. Five bands, six hours. Incredible.

Talking after the show in a group of five friends and one was playing a game of one-upsmanship. I hate that game so even though I could have topped her on a couple, I just let it go - hoping my traveling friend wouldn't give me away on some of them she knew about, and she didn't. She asked me about that later and I told her I don't bother playing that game - doesn't amuse me even when I win. Then the first person started in on some bragging that was hurting some feelings among the other three. So even though I don't usually play, since I had a trump card for that particular hand, I used it. Oopsie. Didn�t make the others feel better about what she said but they got to see her get a taste of her own poison. Yeah, I know, bad me.

Got up at 7am the next morning, drove the seven hours back to her house, picked up my car, attempted to drive home. I say attempted because I was 15 minutes away from her house when I realized I had left my wallet in the rental car. Not exactly the kind of thing you can call and say �just mail it back to me.� Unfortunately I was already on the tollway, and I had to drive about ten miles to the next exit, to turn around and drive back. Extra hour onto my trip for forgetting to flip the DOOFUS switch in my brain to �off.� Got home about 11pm.

Back to work Tuesday. Normal hours. Got home and suddenly realized I�m away from home Wednesday evening too. Good thing I didn�t bother to unpack. Swapped out underwear so clean stuff is packed again and left everything else in the suitcase. Took time out and watched Joe Schmo 2. I miss Matt. But I think it�s completely hysterical that they use his �What is going on????� from last season as the sound when they show the Spike TV logo at the end of the show. It�s much cuter than �sit, Ubu, sit.� I think I went to bed early - like 1am. I think. Maybe not.

Planned to go in early Wednesday. Already said I�d be leaving at noon, but hoped maybe if I got in early, I could split even earlier. Early? Yeah right - got there a whole whoop de doo half hour early. Didn�t matter anyway because I had a �short� meeting at 11:00 that lasted 45 minutes while I sat there screaming in my head I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE WILL YOU PEOPLE JUST MAKE A DECISION?

Finally did leave so that I was in my car and on the road at noon. Stressed out because I had a five hour trip to make and only eight hours to do it in (show started at 8pm). It may sound like that�s a lot of leeway and therefore no reason to stress, but I had no idea how many construction delays there might be (let alone other unforeseen things), and even if all went as planned, my schedule would put me into Manhattan at 5pm. Who made this plan?? Plus, just the fact that it involved driving in NYC - see above reference to things that freak me out.

So I drove down, made good time. All the traffic delays were in the other direction. Even made it through the stress nausea that accompanies City driving. God watches over crazy rock chicks. Even though one road was called by a number on my directions and a name on the signs, I made it there and it was stupid easy. Scared me that it was that easy getting in, since I�m a bit superstitious. But it was just as stupid easy getting out. Thanks, God.

I had no business going to this show, as you can see by the crazy schedule before it and as you�ll confirm when you see what I�m doing in the next few days. If I had any sense I would have let this one go and gotten some rest. In fact, many people were surprised to see me there because I had said about this one, �I just can�t.� But they haven�t seen my translation list. Still, some of them knew me well enough not to be TOO surprised - especially when they saw where my seat was. It was my favorite spot. How could I say no?

Went to a dinner get-together for fans before the show. Got in a momentarily loud "discussion" with another fan who disagreed with me on an opinion STRONGLY held by me. The argument was not over the point itself as much as it was because he wouldn�t do the �agree to disagree� thing that I repeatedly suggested. He kept thinking he�d convince me I was wrong.

He doesn�t know me.

The two people at the table who did know me just a bit better than he did let me express my opinion, then when I quieted down, told the other guy they agreed with me. Didn't shut him up but I felt better. Later on in the evening this guy almost got thrown out of the show for arguing with security repeatedly. Does he not learn? They're even more stubborn than I am. And they've got guns.

Not really. Ace Frehley Phantom of the Park moment there.

Even later on that evening, after the show, same guy insults another fan's job. Okay, so she works in fast food. It pays the fucking bills. Which without the swearing is what she told him. He backed down but come on - that's a jerk.

Back to the show. Out of the ordinary and even more fantastic than usual. Got snubbed by a couple people for whom I did favors, but - I wasn't doing them for payback so I got over that quickly. Fan politics can be mind boggling and are just not worth the energy. Got a couple of cool souvenirs, and hugged the drummer. Hour and a half drive back to the hotel. Stayed up two hours after that catching up on email and boards.

Had a three hour drive back to work this morning. Said I'd be in at 10. Finally dragged my ass out of bed at 8am just as if I were home. Flux capacitor in the little green tour bus not fluxing, so since time travel was out, I didn't make it in until noon, but I called my boss at 10 and gave her the ETA and she was totally cool with it.

Stopped along the way and wasn't really hungry but wanted something - picked up one of the Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso canned drinks which I love, then decided to get two. One for Glen! and one for Roy! Was going to get a candy bar but then saw that they had maple sugar candy and I love maple so I got that.

Two espressos and a two ounce hunk of solid sugar on top of the leftover adrenaline from last night. I wasn't wired at all, nope, not me.

Tooling along the highway, beautiful weather, going a safe speed and matching traffic but possibly maintaining a speed a tiny bit higher than the limit. Glanced up in my rear view and noticed that the car behind me, also tooling along merrily at a normal following distance and minding its own business, was a state trooper car. Where was that "DOOFUS-OFF" switch again? Changed lanes (possibly slowed down just a bit) and Mr. Trooper continued on his way, striking guilt into the hearts of other drivers but not stopping anyone. God does watch over crazy rock chicks.

Made it to work about 12:15 - suddenly realized that I do not have tonight to crash and relax before I go again, because today is Thursday (that day coming right after Wednesday as it tends to do), and I have a plane to catch early Friday morning. So tonight is laundry and some repacking. Transferring stuff to the bigger suitcase if nothing else.

I will be so glad to be on the plane in the morning. I really need the sleep. I have a feeling this may be one of those trips where I get to my seat, sit down, buckle up, sleep through takeoff and wake up when the plane touches the ground at the other end.

Friday evening hang out with the clan, then Saturday morning my sister and I take off to drive three hours to a rock show. Who'da guessed, huh? Sunday morning, drive another three hours to another show, which the entire family is attending for the first time - that's hopefully going to be a blast and not a blowup.

Monday spend the day taking our time traveling back to my parents' house. Oh did I mention - all of the driving from Friday on, being done by someone who isn't me. Thank goodness. But I won't sleep. I'll navigate and besides we'll be talking non stop.

Tuesday afternoon back on a plane, and Wednesday back to work. Same for Thursday and Friday.

Well - I'm pretty sure about Friday. Get back to me.

Exhausting? Better believe it. Worth it? Better believe it.

my mood -

the mood of the whole world wide bleepin' web -