Maybe that's "weiner"...

Or whiner...

But anyway, my co-worker Matt (who cleaned up big-time in the National Arts Program competition -- his photos took 1st place and Best of Show) brought me photos today that his dad took at the awards ceremony. I post one here because the city cut me out of the televised awards ceremony -- they showed my winning watercolor, but edited out my getting the check and ribbon.

Of course, they also edited out the sound of the entire program, including (embarrassingly) the mayor's remarks, the names of all the Honorable Mentions, the thank-yous from the Lincoln Arts Council representatives.... Pretty amateur all the way around.

Anyway, here's the picture:

The other major event of the week was seeing Steve Earle play at the Rococo Theatre last Friday. His wife Allison Moorer opened the show and sang a few tunes with Steve, who also played some songs with a DJ adding beats. Otherwise, a solo show. He played guitars (including some jazzy riffs on a National Steel), bouzouki and banjo -- to my surprise, no mandolin -- and did some of my longtime favorites ("The Devil's Right Hand," "My Old Friend The Blues," "Little Rock'n'Roller") as well as more recent material.

My friend Laurie McClain turned me on to Earle a couple decades ago. A wonderful singer-songwriter (look her up on MySpace), she moved to Nashville several years ago. But when I turned to leave, there she was! Her daughter Anna, who lives in Lincoln, had a baby recently and Laurie, like me, wouldn't miss a Steve Earle show.

Best line of the night: looking out at the palatial Rococo, Earle quipped, "Wecome to Hogwarts!"