Truth or Consequences... New Mexico. That's really the name of my second stop this tour. I had romantic notions of what the name referred to but turns out it has to do with some game show from the 1950's. Riverbend Hotsprings hosted a concert for me; I walked around and there were already flyers in all the funky spots. Small towns are good like that. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Dan Bern but no such luck. It' s dryer than dry here and I've been soaking in the tubs, trying to let the lingering murkiness of life maintenance leech out of me.

Internally I've been in chaos. This was the first time I couldn't wait to hit the road leaving Austin. I'll just say that financial responsibilities, negotiating business relationships, and boundary setting were all challenging.It's just the normal freaking life stuff that throws me. I think I thought that if I just drove far enough and sang hard enough I wouldn't have to grow up and deal. Not so. I've been stretched and my fingernails are at an all time low.

The final stop of my last tour was New Orleans. I felt the underbelly of that city lurking just below the pretty French porticos. I was taken. I sat in jazz clubs and closed my eyes. I ate fried shrimp and oyster po-boys. I watched barges chug up the Mississippi. The city cooked me and everything my eyes landed on churned me up. Ho w inspiring to be part of the big electric mix of things!

The desert, by contrast, is emptiness and boredom. It dries me out and kills everything inessential. The wind kicks sand in my eyes and the sun beats my arms and I sit. It is a strange relief.

Tears come when I am grateful and when I am confused, when I'm angry and surrendered, sad and inspired. I guess it's all good. My friend Greg likened life to a movie; where ideally you care about the characters and what happens to them but are not so wrapped up that you have a panic attack from the comfort of your easy chair.

But yesterday a bee stung my face and I look part-chipmunk, and that feels very real...