Happy Earth Day!

Days 4-6

In Spartanburg(not Spartan(S)burg) I was the guest of Mary(a friend I met last year in Atlanta during a showcase I had at The Atlantis Music Conference), Anne(her twin sis), Andie(her St. Bernard) and Milo(her sis cat). They were most gracious hosts. Mary thanks for letting me commandeer you room while I was there. It's all your's again. Thank you guys SO MUCH!

Before I left Nashville I ordered an iPod from Amazon to be delivered overnight to Spartanburg. When I woke up and went out to my car it was there. Whoo hoo! Just like Christmas and junk. I brought it in and continued to get ready for the day. Mary and I got to talking about iPods and such and she mention that she and her friend Kristina(who is so rad but I will tell you about later) have these players called ZEN from Creative labs. We discussed the pros and cons about iPods vs. ZEN. I'm not against iPods or anything but they are a bit constraining when it comes to where you can download or add music from. I don't mind paying for tunes but if my friends have some cool music on their computers it would be nice to be able to share that. iPods also have issues with their batteries and can sort of just quit working for no reason. Of course a ZEN can too but I made my decision to go and see about this ZEN.

Where Mary lived she could not get cable only a dish so no high speed internet. I know, I know how did I function without my myspace for those few days. We fortunately Mary is finishing up school and her college was a few blocks away so we would journey over there and get our internet fix. And I saw Jen, another friend that I met in Atlanta who is also a student at the same college. Jen was getting ready to head out of town so she wouldn't be able to hang with us that night but I'm glad I got to see her.

After we left the internet We make our way to one of the three Wal-Marts in Spartanburg and Mary's friend Kristina was working out front. She is a producer for the CBS affiliate Ch7. They were doing an organ donor drive. We made our introductions then when inside Wal-Mart of all places to find ZEN. There's something very wrong with that last statement. Mary and I make our way back to the electronics section, spot the case with the music player in it and found someone with a key. The woman with the key, Michelle?, was a tattooed, Chrissie Hines from The Pretenders look-a-like who had a thick southern drawl, that would rival the man who brought me my gas at the rest stop, and pretty sour demeanor. She seemed a bit perturbed that she had to quit rearranging the batteries or wherever she was doing and come help us. Anyway she gets us the ZEN and Mary and I are discussing the pros and cons again and our new friend just busts in with a 'Y'all gone git it?' I thought to my self " I reckon so' I paid in the back and we walked out front where we chatted with Kristina who mentioned she had her Zen in the car with the adapter and everything. I was like go get it so I can check it out while we're still here and if it's just I can take it back inside. I had my laptop in the car and there were outlets conveniently placed in the wall at the front of the store. I tried them but they were not working. Kristina offered up an extension cord from the CBS workstation van. It started to sprinkle so I moved in side the van. I figured out the download proceeds by adding a song to her Zen and I was sold. I packed everything up and Mary and I said our goodbyes and headed back to the crib to get ready for the drive to Charlotte to see Amos Lee in concert.

Anne, Mary and I got ready and drove to Kristina's place to exchange cars for the drive. I got to meet Kristina's husband Jamison, a local musician. Kristina is so funny. She's very outgoing and definitely gets the party started. We piled into Kristina's SUV and picked up one more friend Tiffany and headed to Charlotte. It was raining but Kristina got us there safe and sound and kept us laughing the whole way there as she challenged and hurled curses at all the truck drivers who tried to box her in or splash up on her windshield. So the place where Amos Lee played was called Amos' Southend. I wonder if he booked there just because of that. It's still raining as we make our way into o the venue. It's pretty good size room. High ceiling with a horse shoe shaped upper deck that wraps around the room. Three different bars and raised stage. So you had a pretty good view wherever you were. I started getting hungry so I check the bar for popcorn or chips anything. Nada. I went to the door guy to ask about leaving and re-entering and said cool. He also said we could bring our food back to show and eat there. I was like 'Bet!' Mary and I walked around the building to a restaurant named Jillian's. It was like a Dave & Busters with the video games and such. We ordered some grub to go and headed back to catch the ending of the opening band. I won't mention their name but I wasn't feeling them. So I focus on my white chili nachos. The show started and the girls pushed to the front to get a better look I headed to the back by the side bar because I didn't feel like being that guy to push up front. Girls can get away with that besides it actually sounded better the farther away you were. After the show Mary has Amos sign the shirt she bought and we gathered up the troops and headed back down 85 South. The drive put me to sleep so when we got back I journey to the back bedroom and called it a night.

Day 5
I woke up to a terrible stomach cramp. I mean it woke me up. What the hell is going on I thought. I got up and dealt with that and got back in bed but could not get back to sleep. So I went and got my ZEN, which had been downloading and charging overnight, and began adjusting the settings and organizing the play lists. I was on Jay –Z "Ain't No" and it froze. What. I know what you thinking. Haha shoulda stuck with iPod. But I don't give up that easy. Besides I can still send iPod back on Monday. Well that meant once I heard Mary stirring around in the front room I would tell her we needed to make another trip to Wal-Mart.

We go ready and headed out. We went to a different Wal-Mart because I remembered the first one with Miss Congeniality didn't have anymore. We "World-Mart" #2 didn't have any at all. So I had dude call around. He sent us to the first one we went to and as we were walking the electronics I told Mary I bet we see our friend and sure enough there she was. She took us back to case and said " 'member we ain't got no more of dem" She was gonna take one of the display model sand put it with mine I said forget about and we went to Wal-Mart #3. I was instructed that I had to go immediately to the customer service desk. I told the woman at the counter what was going and she said something back and I literally had to lean in and say "What?" I don't know what the hell she was saying. You remember the guy on the old Cosby show cartoon. Mushmouth. That's kind of what it was like. I say ok and headed to the back. Mary went to get supplies for the going away party for her sister later that night. I got my new ZEN and took it back to customer service. Again she was just mumbling and she was messing up the receipt and stuff. I was waiting for the manager or whatever she was to stop gossiping long enough to turn the key so she could try it again. With the transaction finally complete and I was certain everything was in order we headed back to the crib. I took a little nap while the Zen charged up.

The guests started arriving about 8:30 or so. Everyone was cool. I spent majority of time talking to cool couple who had done a lot of traveling in Europe I was getting the skinny on some things. About 10 or I started the show and Kristina's husband played some tunes as well. House concerts are always fun. We set up in the kitchen and played a mix of songs. I good time was had by all. Mary and I had planned to go to Ashville and check out the scene there earlier that day but with all the Wal-Mart shopping we decide to get up early on Sat and make the drive. After all the guests left I headed to the back room and went sleep.

Day 6

I got a few things out of my car, loaded them into Mary's and we headed out to Ashville. It was a perfect day weather wise. The drive up was cool because Ashville is in the mountains and it was clear day so you could see all of the trees. We parked the car and decided our first course of action should be to find some food. We went to The Tupelo Honey Café. And let me say they did not disappoint. She had grilled cheese and tomato soup and I had the grilled free range chicken breast. After lunch we walked to find to shops. See I was looking for a cool ring. See the Friday before I let on this adventure I bought the coolest Native American turquoise and red coral ring ever at Cheap Thrills on 15th st. But when I woke up Sat morning it was gone. I don't where I lost it but I didn't even have it 12 hours. Oh it sucks but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. So whoever found my ring you're welcome. Take care of MY PRECIOUS…….. Anyway we walked for a bit and went into a pretty cool shop and they had some dope turquoise men's rings. I found one o my liking and we dipped. I went back to car and grabbed my guitar and set up on the street near the parking garage with some cds and began to play. I didn't get to do it very long cause I needed to get back because I was driving on to Raleigh that night and it was about a 4 hour drive from Spartanburg. I did pretty good for an hours worth of work. We headed back home.

When I got back I put my gear back in my car, rearranged some things and headed North 85 to I-40 E and on into Raleigh to meet my friend Lindsey, An Oklahomie from way back. I was a little tired but I watched the Ray dvd on my laptop all the way there so it went by fast. I got there in about 3 ½ hours. I got acclimated with Lindsey's place and we headed to local bar. Her place is centrally located to all the places I would need to go. It all pretty much in walking distance. I met her friend Elizabeth and her boyfriend Cal. We hung out for a few drinks(vodka) and went back to the crib. We started watching Sin City and she called it a night first. I almost passed out on the couch but I made it back to my room and went beddy-bye.