What a great couple of days..

Ok... this picture will be much more awesome by the end of this post.

Monday, Memorial Day, all plans kind of fell through, and I was talking (texting) with a now-former coworker from Adega, who was trying to build furniture in her new apartment in Philadelphia. I jokingly asked if she needed help. One giant "what the hell" later, and I was on the road.

We spent Monday night drinking delicious Belgian and American beers, staying up far too late, and somehow managing to make it back to her place, where I pulled off the feat of sleeping on a hardwood floor.

Today, after some much-needed water and Aleve, we wandered the streets of Philadelphia for hours. It was fantastic. Spent a lot of time in a record shop (she does vinyl), where I convinced her that, especially for 99 cents in the budget bin, Chicago's "Chicago Transit Authority" was something she absolutely had to own.

We eventually made it back to her place, to find that her newly-installed deadbolt had failed. We then discovered that you can climb into her place via the window on the fire escape. City living.

We put Chicago on the record player, and good lord, if you haven't heard this album, you must. Go. Now. Just do it.

Sidenote: about a month ago, Megan (the coworker) and I agreed to trade mix cds, after a Belgian-beer inspired conversation about music at the Quarry House. On one of the ones I made her, I included a song by a local DC rock band called "The Bicycle Thieves," the lead singer of which, Jon Kaplan, I had heard play an accoustic set as the opening act for a then-unknown Blue October at IOTA back in...good lord..2003? I think it was 2003. /end sidenote

Leaving there, I met up with Colin, one of my friends from college and a member of the Colonel's Men from day 1. We had a few beers in a bar that has won "Worst Service" awards a few years running. It fit their M.O.

I drove back from Philly in time to catch a quick shower and meet the band at Austin Grill for a few songs. The band before us, who are also regulars at Austin Grill, invite the guy who runs open mike, Jon, up to play guitar on a few songs. At one point, he says he's going to play one of his own songs.

And I'll be damned if it isn't "Loser of the Year," the first track on the Bicycle Thieves' album I bought five years ago at the Blue October concert.

So, the picture above, my friends, is Jon playing "Monuments" (from the same CD) after I requested it from him.

And my world shrinks just a little more.

What a fantastic couple of days.