Summer has officially begun!

Why? Because it's hot? No.
Because school is out? No.
Because it's past Memorial Day weekend? No.

Give up?

It's because today is the first of the Dave Matthews Band 2008 Summer Tour!!!

Summer, for the most part, is not really my time of year. But a little DMB touring action makes it so much more bearable. Now, why would I be excited about a tour where the show I'm going to is not for another two months? Well, DMB does something many other touring acts do not.....they play a different setlist every night. Of course there are songs that get pretty heavy rotation (if they've released a new album and whatnot), but it's fun to watch the setlist and see what that night's audience is getting to hear.

And, let me tell you, this setlist thing is serious business. First of all, the roadies actually have a real time page where they update the list as.it.happens (which was brought about because so many fans wanted to see the list as.it.happens). Second, there is a game. Yes, a game. Fans have up until an hour before the show to enter what they think the setlist will be that night and are given points based on how close they get. They do this all summer. I have not crossed over to that level of crazy. Yet.

As stated above, the shows I'm going to aren't for another two months (56 days to be exact). My friends Sarah, Rachel and I will be driving 5 hours to just outside Indianapolis to see the boys at Deer Creek. I used to just go see them here. Until they closed our amphitheater (Music City, my ass). Deer Creek is reasonable driving distance, is a two-night stand and has a larger audience of hard core fans. We camp at the venue, so easy walking back and forth (no parking lot traffic jams!). Plus it's nice to chill on Saturday and get to know other freaks like us. Good times.

This year will be concerts #18 and #19 for me (been going since 2002). I keep track of the songs I get to hear which is always good conversation for those of us who have no life ("You got Seek Up? Man, I've been to 15 shows and never gotten it!" or "I've gotten Where Are You Going over 20 times....they could really use a year off from that one.....") I even have a spreadsheet. God, I am such a dork.

So in a few hours we, the crazy community of DMB faithful, will get our first taste of what the boys have in store for us this summer. (Dave, if you're listening, I would really love to hear Dreaming Tree. PLEASE!)

Vacation? Not so much.

So my friend Malinda and I were all geared up to take a fun European vacation this year. It's been almost two years since I went to London and I am itching to go back. We poured over travel guides and narrowed it down to Berlin, Prague or Krakow (we were set on Eastern Europe....what can I say?)

So I've been checking flights almost daily and playing around with all kinds of scenarios ("we could use frequent flyer miles to get to Paris and then buy a ticket to Prague"). It's been so fun! Ummmm....while it lasted....

News alert: Our economy sucks. Now I am doing ok so far. I drive a nice little Honda Accord that gets great gas mileage and I only have to drive 14 miles roundtrip to work. I only have to worry about me.....my groceries, my clothes, my lunches out. I'm tightening the belt just a little....but I haven't had to spend hours pouring over my bank account wondering how I'm going to pay my bills. Yet.

I do not think it is in my best interest to plan a big time vacation right now (it hurts me to write that!). I have some dental work I didn't expect that needs to be done. My high school reunion is in August and there are plane tickets, hotel rooms and rental cars to book. And I don't think there are too many people in this country that can brag that their jobs are completely safe from the chopping block. I keep waiting for my good friend, Charles Gibson, to tell me that things are slowly but surely starting to look up. But so far I am getting blah, blah, housing market, blah, blah, gas prices, blah, blah, unemployment......and ending with "and I hope you had a good day." Thanks, Charles!

So the vacation is on hold. If things start to turn around, perhaps we could at least do a weekend getaway somewhere here in the States. Maybe I'll meet my sugar daddy by October. It could happen!

Bittersweet

It was a great run. I honestly didn't expect them to go so far (most people didn't). We shook off Monkey #1 by making it past the first round (and beating the reigning Stanley Cup Champions). Then we moved on to end the hopes of expert favorites, San Jose. In both rounds we came out strong, sputtered, but pulled out all the stops in Game 6 (including a brutal 4OT win....I'm still recovering from that one!)

Then there was Detroit. It was tough from day one. But we came back after being down three games AND we won one IN Detroit....taking care of Monkey's #2 and #3 (winning in Detroit as a team and Turco having NEVER won ANY game at the Joe).

But we had to do what hasn't been done in 33 years.....come back from being 0-3 and winning four in a row. It was not meant to be.

I was at Game 6 at the AAC last night. The place was electric at the beginning of the game. Our mantra this year is "Believe" and you could tell the standing room only crowd did. That is by far the loudest I have heard us scream "Stars!" during the National Anthem! Unfortunately, the first Detroit goal signified the beginning of the end. I'm not sure where my Stars were those first two periods....it was not the way I wanted them to exit.

We did get a goal in the third and the crowd was rejuvenated from there on out (even though we needed 3 more just to tie). When the two-minute mark hit, we stood......we cheered......we swung our towels and (at least I) cried. We did that until the last player headed down the tunnel.

I am so proud of my team. I am sad that our season is over, but I am so thankful that I got to watch them play until mid-May! And the last time we lost to Detroit in the Western Conference Championships?? Well, we came back the next year and won the Cup! That was 10 years ago. I think we're due!

THANK YOU, STARS!!!!

The Mad Hatter

I cannot wear hats. Well, I can....but it's very hard for me to find a style and size that look good. I have an odd-shaped head. I'm not sure of the particulars, but getting hats to fit me front, back and sides is a challenge that I'm not sure is worth the frustration.

But that doesn't stop me from knitting them! (and they're not for me....such a bonus). I am on a crazy hat-knitting tear and am just churning them out. I love knitting hats for oh so many reasons:

1) they are fast (usually 3-4 hours). I have self-prescribed ADD. I am an instant gratification kinda gal.

2) they are easy. I cast on my circulars and just go. I love how I get a stockinette stitch by only knitting. I am not a huge fan of purling....it's too slow. See #1 above. I have done so many hats that I have many of my patterns memorized (a miracle since my memory sucks). If I finish one hat, I can easily get started on the next without having patterns or books on me.

3) they are portable. Because they are compact, I can throw a WIP in my purse and have it for long lines, heavy traffic, waiting rooms, etc. This helps immensely with my extreme lack of patience.....though sometimes I do get annoyed when things move quickly and I have to put my knitting down (I'm just never happy, am I?)

No, I am not driving! Good lord, I'm dangerous enough
at it as it is....

4) I can experiment. I love trying new patterns and seeing if they translate well to hats. Some, like the basketweave below, I think look really good. Others, like a dropstitch hat I tried, are horrid (but, because it only took about 2 hours, I didn't feel bad having to frog it in the end).

I would wear this if I could wear hats!

I have been using Caron's Simply Soft recently because it's affordable, comes in every color known to man and is...well....soft! I usually get a little over 3 hats out of a skein....so it comes to about $1 a hat. You can't beat the price! And my "clients" need their hats as soft as possible....so it's a win-win. :)

Anyway, it keeps me busy through the "dry" hot weather months when you're not really thinking so much about sweaters and scarves. Though occasionally the hats take a back seat when yet another friend announces that a baby is on the way (I have stopped drinking the water....I think it might be contagious). But I will always come back to the hat. It is my friend and loves me just as I am. You can't ask for more than that!

HATS!!!

Decisions, decisions

*sigh*

My Stars.....my beloved Stars....only gave yet another half-hearted effort last night. We looked REALLY good in the first ten minutes. And we did score twice. But again I found myself screaming more than once....."How did that not go in!!!???" You know, guys, it's not very likely that the puck will go in the net when you shoot STRAIGHT at the goalie's belly. But, you know, I'm no expert.....

So, onto the decision. My parents have partial season tickets so, therefore, have tickets to all the playoff games. My dad asked over the weekend whether I wanted to come to Dallas for Game 4. Of course I said yes! Now....maybe not so much. I love my Stars. I've been with them since their first season. But do I really want to take a day and a half of work, fly to Dallas, and see them bow out of the playoffs? (I'm a realist....what can I say?). The only thing that actually makes me think I might go is we have three older players whose retirements may be around the corner (Zubov, Barnes and Modano). Barnes is out with an injury.....but what if this is the last game Zubov and/or Modano play? What if they retire after this is over? (note: I have not heard any rumors. This is simply based on age (all three will be 38 this year) and injuries (Barnes and Zubov are out a lot) ). I would never forgive myself if I had the chance to see Modano's last game and I didn't. I have already said that come hell or high water, I WILL be in the building when they retire his number. I am saving my money now.

What to do, what to do. Stupid Stars!!

The Cup is in sight......

I am cynical by nature (and perhaps by nurture as well). Which is why I am more nervous about the Stars tonight than I am excited. I did not think we would make it this far (and I wasn't alone!). We pretty much stunk up the place the last month of the season. But we pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps and are getting it done.....though I have had a few heart attacks along the way (lay off the 4 overtimes, guys!)

I don't pay much attention to stats. I'm not really reading what the "experts" say. I woefully don't know that much about Detroit. I am simply waiting for tonight's game to determine my attitude from here on out. If we win, or even if we come out playing with everything we've got and lose, I will be the first to say "we can do this!". If we come out like we've never seen ice before (and it's happened.....)....well.....then.....

Right now I will just be happy if we play well. Winning or losing doesn't much matter. I do think we will probably take this to 6 or 7 games (I do NOT think Detroit will sweep). I just hope that if this is the last dance for us that I can at least say "We didn't leave a damn thing on the ice."

The puck drops in 3 hours......God help my poor heart!