New York, Wed AM: Left at 6, Jay drove me to the airport in my car, to get to Detroit for my tour with Jon Rajewski (the w is silent: www.myspace.com/jrajewski). I'd gotten to sleep at 4:30 am, for just a few minutes, struggling to pack my meager bag, as I haven't done laundry in a wile and it being July, what do I really need but jeans and a few shirts--though I will have to go to a Meijer or something and buy some Fruit of the Loom supplies.

I'd gotten tacos at 3 am, but as it was light out, I figured I'd do my part for the local LGA community and buy some breakfast. Also, it was the only hotbed of activity in the airport, I was intrigued by their seven-person staff led by a slightly stooped older gentleman. I assumed he was the leader of this merry band, alert in maroon and gold uniform, as he wore a civilian shirt (designating that his presence made any garment, even the most lowly, the mark of his standing), held a wooden spoon and seemed to be constantly asking what was goig on. Eggs came, I et. Then had a beer.

A woman sat in my just-changed window seat. Her gentleman friend offered me his ticket in a cushy seat up front. I gladly deferred to the couple and took a seat next to a 13-year old girl who'd never flown before. We had a good time, me with my jellybeans and New York Times, her with Teen Magazine (glossy large Jonas Bros photo inside!), excited and a little nervous about flying for the first time. I told her about how you can see the curvature of the earth on the horizon, how we fly above the weather. "Do they ever fly through a cloud?" she asked. Yes, I said, told her how I've sometimes flown through storms...it was a fun trip, talking about the shape of houses on the ground and looking at sandbars on the shores of the Great Lakes.

Jon picked me up in his Jeep, and we drove to Dearborn for Middle Eastern food. "I figured we would go to La Shish", he said, the best in town, "but the place has been shut down due to accused ties of money laundering to Lebanon." Weird. Lots of accusations flying. not sure what to think. Luckily, there are many fine Middle Eastern establishments and we supped heartily on bread and olive oil and various sandwiches.

The show was fun, we played for an attentive crowd at The Intersection, a great rock club in Grand Rapids, supporting Joshua James (www.myspace.com/joshuajamesmusic) and Corey Chisel (http://www.myspace.com/thewanderingsons). Seems too that old pal Amber Rubarth (www.myspace.com/amberrubarth) Was on the tour but couldn't make it, which was a bummer. But cool that she's out with these guys--she's great and they're great and it looks like they've got a great tour planned. Good fun set--Jon's great and his buddy Steve joined us on banjo. I'll be rockin Betty Lou and his sweet burgundy Strat through a blonde Vox AC-15 the next couple of days...good tone.

Had some great beer and sammies at Founders, followed by pool with a couple of Jon's boys...a terrific brewpub, oastmeal stout, mmm... afterward rolled back at 80mph with John Prine and The Beatles blasting, talking philosphy, me passing out Embree-style on the couch, him trying in vain to get me up to make the bed, waking up in my jeans to birds singing....

Tonight at Jacoby's, I play a set and back up Jon: http://www.staticrecords.com/shows.htm . With Steve Leaf and Chris Bathgate. 9 pm