Hannah Rae's Blog, page 35

Back in the 'Burg & the (School) Building

Even though the past two days haven't been occupied by crossing state lines or watching live music, they've ended up being fairly eventful. I got my turn signal taken care of, for starters. Big thanks to Scott from AutoZone for hooking me up with a new bulb. Not only did he sell a replacement to me... he installed it for me!

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I shared with him that my friends and I had been in Connecticut for a music festival this past weekend and confided that I'd been without a right turn signal since right before crossing into Connecticut. I said, "I only got honked at once, but I've been feeling very reckless these past couple days." He thought that was quite humorous!

Anyway, the signal is once again working and the folks behind me are being made aware of future right-hand turns.

In other news, I returned to school and had so much fun with my students! I had much to share with them, seeing as they'd heard absolutely nothing about Old Crow Medicine Show or Sound on Sound. I filled them in on all the bands, shared some clips from the concerts, and got the scoop on the Homecoming Parade (which I missed this year).

Many of my students do not listen to folk music, so it came as no surprise to me that there were several comments along the lines of, "How do you dance to this, Ms. Meeson?" and "How much did you spend on this ticket? Sixty dollars?! You could get, like, so many Big Macs with that!"

I don't eat Big Macs and I'd rather see Old Crow any day than consume McDonald's... but that's just me, I guess.

The fun part was watching the kids who weren't complaining appreciate a type of music they wouldn't normally listen to. I've got this one student (we'll call him Mr. Personality) who bopped his head to Caamp and determined, "Now this right here? This stuff is catchy." He then proceeded to stand up and play an invisible guitar, suggesting that next time I allow him to accompany me to the concert so he can climb up on stage and perform alongside the musicians.

While listening to "Wagon Wheel" in fourth period, quite a few students sang along. These guys were also really proud of me for distributing so many business cards over the weekend. I gave them a sneak peek at the map on my website and it's obvious that my efforts are paying off. We are international, folks, and New England is lighting up blue! Later this week, I've gotta get with Mr. Read Aloud and the gang to come up with a "Christmas Goal." (This is, as the name suggests, a goal that should be accomplished by Christmas and has something to do with blue dots on the map.)

I had a lot of fun recounting my weekend to fourth period -- especially because my one student, Poseidon Jr., was so into hearing about the different bands. Even though I don't play a musical instrument, I sure do like to talk about music with people! And Poseidon Jr. is a fun person to talk to about music!

Agent B is in my sixth-period class and she's recruited an assistant agent: Agent S. Both agents are going to give me a TikTok tutorial on Thursday, which should be eye-opening. I feel as though I haven't a clue what I'm doing on that particular platform.

Regarding the music, however... I confessed to my sixth-period students (among other classes of students) that I have such a crush on Cory Younts of Old Crow Medicine Show. Agent B told me that had she been in the venue, she would have gotten his number for me. I was like, "He's a rockstar, Agent B. It's not like you can just approach him and say, 'My teacher thinks you're cute.' He was on the stage." Agent B has a lot of faith in herself, though, so if Cory's still single when Agent B graduates from high school, I'm taking her to an Old Crow Medicine Show show.

Period seven was perhaps the biggest surprise of the day! In general, this class is very quiet. Conversing with them is sometimes very similar to conversing with a chalkboard... or a wooden chair... or any other inanimate object, really. But today was a completely different story! When I confided the truth -- that a man holding a guitar is approximately 100,000 times more attractive than a man not holding a guitar -- Doodlebug threw his hands in the air and exclaimed, "Right?! I know!!!" Flower Child and Boots McTalkin' shared that they find Taylor Meier from Caamp to be pretty cute and I admitted that I think this too. The more I listen to Caamp, the cuter he gets...

So that was my day with students. A bit of schoolwork was also completed -- it is school, after all -- but so much bonding occurred! I loved every minute of it and I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow. We'll be reading a bit more of Something Wicked This Way Comes, which I'm sure the kids will grumble about, but they grumbled about Old Crow and Trampled By Turtles and Caamp and The Lumineers too, remember? And then they ended up bobbing their heads, tapping their feet, and singing along. A few even played imaginary fiddles! It makes me think Ray Bradbury stands a chance.

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My teeth are so clean right now.

In my forty-one years of existence, I have come to find that people do not love visiting the dentist as much as I do. This is weird to me because I love the dentist. I mean, my dentist (Dr. Mike) is super cute... but in addition to that, my dental hygienist (Bre) is amazing!

The last time I went to the dentist, there was a scheduling SNAFU and it was awful for everyone involved. When I say "everyone," I do mean Bre and me. I had things to tell her, you know? I had gotten a kitten (Harvey) and I wanted to tell her all about him!

Fortunately, I have Bre's cell number so I was able to text her with the pertinent information, but it was a grade-A bummer not to be able to talk to her face to face about my precious long-haired wonder.

Whatever. Let's focus on the positive, shall we?

Today, Bre and I were once again reunited. We had a lot to catch up on... and I'd like to point out that this is a challenge when one person (Bre) is pretty much required to have her hands in the other person's (me) mouth. Despite these difficulties, we made it work. And now I'm going to tell you all the reasons I love Bre and why your dental hygienist isn't quite as stellar as mine.

First of all, Bre reads my book. She encourages her husband Jake to read it as well, but he has yet to board the Hannah Rae Bandwagon. It's not that he doesn't read; he just prefers a different genre. Nevertheless, I think he'd like The Way Back because it's an adventure and he knows me.

Jake, if Bre has gotten you to read this, I'd like to point out that I recommended some really solid music (Caamp) that you apparently enjoy. Therefore, can we not deduce that you'd also love some really solid literature written by me? Hannah Rae? Um.. the answer is "yes."

Back to my book.

Bre loves the fact that it's chunked. As a mother of a small child (Layne is nineteen months), she is overwhelmed by an entire novel sitting on her nightstand. She loves the chunking of The Way Back, though! I've had so many busy moms share this same sentiment with me.

So... I'm planning to post 2/3 of the novel and then release the final third in one go (for cheap; don't worry!) because my stopping point is so suspenseful (in my opinion) that I think folks will be angry if I don't just release it right then and there. So... is it a marketing ploy? Maybe kinda-sorta? But I'm not making money on it. I'm making exactly ZERO DOLLARS on this endeavor. I just want to get my manuscript out there and share my characters with the world.

Let's get back to Bre.

Other reasons that I love her include the fact that she was listening to Caamp in her kitchen after I recommended them and Jake, her husband, walked in and was like, "Who's this?"

And Bre was able to say, "This is Caamp. Remember Hannah? Arlo's owner? She recommended them."

Of course Jake remembered me! How many patients have dogs the same age as their German shorthaired pointer (Oakley) who are cool enough to meet at Appalachian Brewing Company for "yappy hour"? I actually don't know the answer to this question, but I hope it's not many. I like to think I am unique in this regard.

Here are some other noteworthy things that occurred at today's appointment:

Bre used not-great-tasting toothpaste on my teeth, but she did it in a really sneaky way because she was doing an experiment. As she coated my teeth with this weird fruity-tasting concoction (it almost tasted pink, if that makes sense), I thought to myself, "Why is this not mint?" And then when she finished cleaning my teeth (which feel unbelievably clean, mind you), she asked, "What'd you think of that flavor?"

I said, "Well, I didn't really like it."

She admitted it was supposed to taste like bubblegum but I thought it tasted like fruit punch. Bre said she had another patient say it tasted like Fruity Pebbles. I told her that I've never tried Fruity Pebbles and she thought that was unbelievable/hilarious because Fruity Pebbles is her dad's favorite cereal. I think the fact that a dad's -- any dad's -- favorite cereal is Fruity Pebbles is ridiculous! So we laughed over that.

Another great thing that happened is that I tried a new fluoride flavor. I'd normally opt for mint (though the other flavor -- caramel, maybe? -- is really good too), but today I chose melon. It tastes like cantaloupe, friends! You've gotta try it. If you don't already go to Littlestown Dental Associates to get your teeth cleaned, you're going to want to switch now so you can 1) experience melon-flavored fluoride, and 2) have Bre clean your teeth.

I really do adore that girl. You're going to adore her as well. She's amazing.

Sound on Sound, Part Three: The Final Chapter

Having eaten next to nothing all day on Saturday, we devoted Sunday to culinary delights... and let me tell you: some of the culinary delights we found were beyond delightful.

Our first stop? Bella's Cafe. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, this adorable restaurant was rumored to have the best breakfasts in the area. And guess what. The rumor is true! The place was hopping when we arrived, but we only had to wait about fifteen minutes to be seated. While we waited, we met a nice man (Robert from Boston) who was also at Saturday's concert. He shared all the same opinions we did regarding the venue, bands, and fans... He was bummed to have missed some of Caamp's set, so I gave him my business card and told him to check out my blog since I'd posted some videos. The best part is that he did check out my website because he sent me a nice email letting me know!

Back to Bella's, though. We were seated very quickly and the entire waitstaff was so kind and friendly. I had the most delicious pistachio latte. In fact, Jody and Erin also had pistachio lattes and we all loved them immensely. They were sweet, but not overly so, and were served in giant mugs that were fun to drink from.

For breakfast, I had these incredible salmon cakes served with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, potatoes, two poached eggs, and a delicious maple-mustard sauce. It was served in an adorable wrought iron skillet-type thing on a wooden platter. The presentation was great! The taste was even better!

Erin got some eggs, bacon, potatoes, and a GINORMOUS croissant. She then proceeded to cut the croissant in half, stuff it with the fixings on her plate, smile brightly, and exclaim, "Look! A breakfast sandwich!"

Jody opted for eggs, sausage, potatoes, toast, and a short stack of French toast.

We all tried the French toast.

Guys, my mom makes really good French toast. My mom, in fact, makes really good everything. But I'll be honest: Bella's Cafe serves the best French toast I've ever had in my life. The texture was absolutely perfect: soft in the middle, slightly crispy on the outside. And the taste? The taste was out of this world. If you are EVER in New Haven, you MUST go to Bella's Cafe and order the French Toast. You won't regret it.

Jody was really taken by the potatoes. Even more so than by the French toast, I think. She asked the waitress about the seasoning and the answer was "Adobo seasoning." Jody has determined that she will now "put Adobo on [her] mayonnaise." You'll have to ask her about this; I don't usually season my mayonnaise, but apparently Jody does.

Afterward, we walked down the street and stopped for lattes at a coffee house called Pistachio Cafe. Erin and I both got small pistachio lattes, wanting to compare them to Bella's pistachio lattes. Both were good, but Bella's served the better latte, hands down. Jody got a cardamom latte that tasted like Christmas. It, too, was tasty.

From there, we drove past Yale just so we could say we saw Rory Gilmore's alma mater, and then we got on the road to head back to New York. We needed to drop Jody at her house, but on the way... we stopped at Angry Orchard!

I'm not a big cider person. I can drink it, but I don't love it. When in Rome, however, one does Roman things. I was at Angry Orchard, so I drank cider.

We each got a flight. Jody and I chose three dry ciders; Erin got three sweet ones. There was a mango-raspberry cider in Erin's flight and I gave it a try. It both smelled and tasted like Haribo gummy peaches. (This is a compliment because I like Haribo gummy peaches.)

Jody and I enjoyed our dry flights for the most part. One was called New Post (I think), another was called some other kind of Post, and the name of the cider in the middle escapes me at the moment, but it was disgusting. To quote Jody, "This smells and tastes the same way I imagine a lavatory might." We didn't finish that one.

After Angry Orchard, we dropped Jody at her house, said hello to her pups, exchanged several goodbye hugs, and then Erin and I got back on the road. It was a lot of driving... Four hours to her house, forty more minutes to mine.

At five o'clock, as a sort of mobile-and-legal happy hour, we each had a little square of pistachio baklava that Erin purchased at Pistachio Cafe. Now let me say this: even though Bella's had the better pistachio latte, Pistachio Cafe's pistachio baklava is one of the best things I've tasted in a long time. Flaky... sweet... crunchy... gooey... Oh. My. Goodness. I'm drooling just thinking about it!

So think about that decadent dessert for a moment... and then imagine how less-than-delicious our dinner was when, needing very much to empty our bladders as we navigated the highway through the mountains, we found the only restaurant around: an incredibly sloooooooooow fast food joint known as McDonald's.

I'm not going to critique this meal. It's simply not worth my time.

On the way home, we hit some of the worst rain I've ever driven in. It was comparable to the deluge that I drove through when Kristin, Kristin's husband, Kaila, and I went to see Dispatch at Merriweather Post Pavilion. THAT was the worst rain I've ever driven in, and the rainstorm lasted for the entire day. This storm only lasted about twenty to thirty minutes, but it was a little extra scary because my back right turn signal went out on our way to Connecticut and I haven't had a chance to fix it yet. (I didn't put this in the blog yesterday because my mom reads my blog and I didn't want her to worry, but it's on my list of things to get fixed tomorrow.)

Anyway, we survived the deluge and Erin got home and then I drove down to Gettysburg and reunited with my pets and now I'm writing this blog before crashing on the couch to watch some mindless television and snuggle the pups.

Before I sign off... Mad props to the Jeep for getting me to New York, then to Connecticut, back to New York, and then back to Pennsylvania. He may be eighteen years old, but he's still a trustworthy little champ. I love that guy!

And last but certainly not least: many, many thanks to my two favorite students of all time, Scotty and Nate, who made sure the pups and kitten-faces were cared for in my absence. I hired Scotty to housesit and Nate came along for the ride, sending me an adorable picture of the four of them (Scotty, Augie, Nate, and Arlo) in my kitchen on Saturday night. I love those boys!

Sound on Sound, Part Two

New morning, new energy. Let me tell you about yesterday…

The Venue

Sound on Sound was located in this big park beside the sound in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The area was beautiful, but this is the first time the festival was hosted and I definitely think there will need to be some tweaking of logistics if they try for a second year. The lines to get food and beer were insane. Erin and I tried to run for both in between Trampled by Turtles and Caamp, but after standing in line for ages, I made the executive decision to go back empty-handed because I absolutely refused to miss Caamp take the stage for the second time in a row.

By the time we did get food, the vendors had sold out of a lot of stuff. We dined on spring rolls and the pretzels we brought from home. Needless to say, all three of us are starving this morning. The plan is to find a diner and eat something substantial.

The really unfortunate part about the area was that there was zero cell reception. When Erin and I finally found and reunited with Jody in the sea of FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE, Jody was so disappointed that we hadn’t brought food or beer that she ran for supplies. I was fairly certain we’d never see her again; she missed Caamp’s entire set.

The People

Of all the concerts I’ve ever attended, I think the folks at Sound on Sound were the nicest group of people I’ve been around. Not just the fans, but the event workers too! Everyone was so incredibly kind!

I am finding that if one says, “Are you a reader?” at a folk show, the answer is “Yes!” 99.9% of the time, and since my period-four students are determined to help me grow my readership, they gave me instructions to distribute my business cards while in Bridgeport. Jody and Erin were up to the task as well and Jody, especially, was quite good at it! Both she and I gave away all the cards we were carrying and then I went back and restocked.

We met so many college students and teachers and just generally wonderful people. The folks we ended up standing with for the majority of the show were newly-found friends as well: some were from Chicago and some were from Boston. They met while waiting for Trampled by Turtles to take the stage (I think) and remained friends all night. I’m betting they’ll meet up again for day two.

Erin, Jody, and I are not staying for day two, though, and we are actually thankful for that because we are worn out. I think I could do a second day at a different venue, like Merriweather Post Pavilion, but I could not do a second day at Sound on Sound.

The Music

The music was incredible; every single band that performed brought their A-game. I was there for Trampled by Turtles, Caamp, and the Lumineers, but I discovered The Revivalists (I knew about them, but had never really listened to them before) and Father John Misty (he puts on a terrific show!).

I’d never seen Trampled by Turtles before and I guess I didn’t realize that they’re comprised completely of strings. No percussion, just string instruments. I desperately want to see them in a smaller venue… maybe XL Live in Harrisburg!

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My favorite part of Trampled was when they invited their friends from Caamp onto the stage and they all played “Alone” together. Here’s a little sneak peek onto The Way Back’s playlist: “Alone” is one of the songs.

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Remember when I saw Caamp and the Lumineers at Merriweather with Erin and Emily and Brock and my concert husband Phil? And Emily, Brock, and Phil wouldn’t staand for Caamp? And I temporarily divorced Phil because I was so annoyed with all of them? In my opinion, that’s like giving the double bird to the performer. I mean, if they’re up there putting on a show for us and we can’t even staand for Caamp…? Rude. It’s just rude. I stood.

This time, EVERYONE STOOD FOR CAAMP. And do you know what? Caamp’s energy was so incredibly different from their energy level at Merriweather. Taylor was dancing around the stage, Evan was singing, they played some Ozzy Osbourne in the middle of one of their songs… and I know the song, but I can’t come up with it right now. It was excellent, though. The performance as a whole was beyond excellent.

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Here's "Mockingbird Song" by Caamp:

"Oh settle down, my friend / To kill a mockingbird's a sin / I have lost and found / And lost it all again."

You know how I love To Kill A Mockingbird, and on top of that, I once read an interview in which Taylor and Evan claimed "Mockingbird Song" is their favorite song to perform live... so this was a fun way to end their set!

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Luke Bryan played next. He was on the Sunset Stage and we were set up in front of the Seaside Stage because all three of the bands I wanted to see were on the Seaside Stage. I was hoping that some people would filter over to see Luke Bryan because I know he’s kind of a big deal… and some people did head over to see him, but only about five of them. Approximately five hundred people joined us for the Lumineers, though! It got tight really fast. Yikes!

As per usual, the Lumineers were outstanding. They put on such a good show, and when they played “Gloria,” I actually cried. I guess I didn’t realize that song is about addiction. There was footage of a woman being projected on the screen behind the band; she was spiraling out of control and it just made me think of my brother, you know? And then I really started to miss Pip. So… that was both a sad and powerful moment of the show. I can only remember one other time that a band made me cry while at a concert and that was when I saw Dispatch at Wolf Trap. They, too, played a song that reminded me of Pip and it just got to me.

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"Where we are / I don't know where we are / But it will be okay."

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Overall, the Lumineers was a happy experience and I will continue to see them again… and again… and again. Hopefully they, like Stevie Nicks (who headlined last night), will still be taking the stage when they’re in their seventies and Erin, Jody, and I will be the folks who hang out ‘til the end, dancing up a storm as all the youngsters filter out of the park.

That's a wrap, folks.

We're off to find a substantial breakfast and then we have a lot of driving to tackle. Wish us luck!

Sound on Sound, Part One

I have a lot to say about what occurred during today’s music festival… but it is currently 11:08p.m. and I am lying beside Erin in a queen-sized bed in a Best Western in New Haven, Connecticut. Therefore, I am not going to go into detail about everything just now. I will touch on the bands, the venue, and the food tomorrow once I have returned home.

What’s important for you to know at the moment is that Erin potentially saved two lives today. Let me explain what happened in chronological order:

While watching Trampled by Turtles, a man suddenly passed out. People called for a medic and because Erin is essentially Meredith Grey (maybe more like Carol Hathaway since Erin is technically a nurse… but her skills are equivalent to Meredith Grey), she ran over to assist. It took forever for the concert medics to appear and while waiting for professional medics, Erin kept the unresponsive fellow alive.

Over an hour later, we were enjoying Caamp (everyone was staanding) and another person – this time a female – suddenly collapsed. Once again, people frantically waved their arms in the air and shouted for a medic. Fortunately, Erin was available and quickly rushed to her side. She knelt there for quite some time, performing medical magic until more help arrived.

Speaking of life-saving measures… Jody’s genius idea to create necklaces from pretzels and yarn proved to be invaluable (and potentially life-saving) since the lines to procure food stretched from Connecticut to Massachusetts. That particular issue will be addressed in tomorrow’s blog. However, thanks to Jody and Snyders of Hanover, we had dinner. It consisted of pretzels. And pickle chips in the car. (I didn’t actually eat any pickle chips because I was chewing gum, and then when we got to the hotel, I brushed my teeth.)

The end; I’m going to bed.

We made it to New York!

And so begins the second portion of this weekend's musical experience...

Eager to begin the weekend's festivities, Erin awaited my arrival with a G&T in her hand. The problem was that traffic in Gettysburg was INSANE! And on top of it, I kept bumping into people I really, really like.

First, I stopped at my favorite coffee shop (Eighty-Two) and got to talking to Chad. He was like, "You're going to Sound on Sound this weekend, right?"

I told him I was.

We got into a discussion/argument about The National. He and his girlfriend Alex are seeing The National tomorrow in Harrisburg, but The National is also playing in Connecticut at Sound on Sound on Sunday. I am not a huge fan of The National, however, and so we are only going to the Saturday portion of the festivities: Trampled by Turtles, Caamp (we will staand), and The Lumineers. Chad accepted this, but didn't understand it, and that's fine. Don't worry: no fight was officially fought.

Then I went to the post office because I made a sale on Etsy and had to put something in the mail. While there, I learned that the postwoman likes to read and so I gave her a business card. She's going to check out my online novella.

From there, I went to Giant and pumped some gas. I also cleaned my windshield, which was dirty. While cleaning it, my former student Jake appeared and was all like, "Hey, Ms. Meeson!"

And I was all like, "Hey, Jake! I'm cleaning my windshield and then going to New York to see my friend Jody who lives in the woods and is letting my friend Erin and I stay with her overnight before all three of us head to a music festival tomorrow. It's going to be so fun!"

Jake told me he's been reading my blog and enjoying it. I enjoy Jake! He's a wonderful student who graduated last year and was a joy to have in class. As a freshman, he was squirrelly; as a sophomore, he was a gem. He continues to be a gem and now I know where to find him to have future conversations!

It seemed to take forever, but I eventually made it to Erin's house... and she and I made it to New York in really good time. I told her to document the car trip since I was busy driving (the Jeep and its new AC compressor are doing great, fyi) and although she missed the sign that welcomed us to New York, she did capture this:

From there, we continued on our way to Jody's house, which is located on a dirt road that has a sign warning trespassers not to trespass. I wasn't sure if we were trespassing and so we risked it... and it worked out well.

Jody has a beautiful log cabin with many rooms and bathrooms. Erin and I are staying in this log cabin overnight (Jody is staying in her other house, which is located just through the woods) and we each have our own room and bathroom! Plus, Jody has stocked the fridge and cabinets for tomorrow's breakfast. Also, before we head to the music festival tomorrow, the plan is to create pretzel necklaces that we will wear into the show under our hoodies. The high is 70 and the low is low for tomorrow's temperature. We'll munch pretzels when we get hungry and snuggle in our hoodies when we get cold. Genius, yes?

Once we got to Jody's extra house (the log cabin), we had a bunch of appetizers for dinner and I texted my mom to let her know I was safe and I texted Scotty (my housesitter) to find out if Augusta ate him when he arrived. She didn't. Everyone is good and that gives me great comfort to know that Augusta, my terrible terrier whom I love very much, has found a new friend whom she trusts.

Now I am writing this blog and then I am going upstairs to share it with Erin before bed. And after that, we will probably both crash in our separate rooms with individual bathrooms and sleep soundly in preparation of Sound on Sound... because we are going to see Trampled by Turtles and staand for Caamp and then rock out to The Lumineers tomorrow night! Wahoo!

Trivia Recap: 9/22

The Players: Hannah (English teacher), Kristin (English teacher), Mary (English teacher), Ben (social studies teacher), Brock (complicated web design/art career), Victoria (veterinarian)

Opening Category: Old Crow Medicine Show

Hint of the Day: Kangaroo

Spoiler Alert: WE DIDN'T GO TO TRIVIA! Instead, we went to see Old Crow Medicine Show at XL Live in Harrisburg. It was wonderful.

Round One:

The team (sans Victoria; she drove separately since she didn't get off work until later) met at my house around 4:30 and I told them the plan: Get as close as possible, toss a copy of The Way Back onto the stage, hope it gets picked up, and -- if we're lucky -- we'll get a picture with the band. You see, what I'd done is ordered a few copies of the novel before its 10/20 release (I can do that because I'm the author). I then wrote a long, handwritten explanation in a card (homemade stationery, mind you!), explaining to the band that I was tired of being rejected by agents and was attempting to secure my own following... which will hopefully result in an agent or publishing company eventually pursuing me instead of the other way around. I also told them I'd be writing a blog about their show, but that it would be called "Trivia Recap: 9/22" because I was up to something clever, and so maybe they'll read it and maybe they won't. More than this blog, I hope they read my book. Fingers crossed, eh?

The car ride to Harrisburg was fun. Kristin had created a halftime sheet that she meant to bring, but forgot. I talked about how I had the idea to bring a stack of Trivial Pursuit cards, but forgot. In the end, we mostly just talked about life and I did some whistling. Kristin was very impressed by my whistling, which made me proud.

Round Two:

We ate at Millworks in Harrisburg. If you've never been, you should check it out because it's a fun place. It's a brewery/restaurant/art studio. Artists can rent studios on the top floor and their work is sold in the shop downstairs. The food is good, the beer is good, and the ambiance is good. We started out on the rooftop bar where we got drinks (Brock and Kristin got HUGE Oktoberfest beers that were low-alcohol and big quantity!) and DELICIOUS pizzas. We ordered three pizzas to split among the five of us: a basil and tomato pizza, a white pizza with pesto, and an insanely good mushroom pizza (that was my favorite). I had a cute man with a man-bun take our picture to document the event.

After we ate, however, we headed inside because there was a storm a-brewin'. It got really windy -- I'm talking Mary Poppins- or Something Wicked This Way Comes-windy -- so we went back down to the indoor restaurant and hung out there for about half an hour because it was only 6:30 and doors weren't going to open until 7:00.

Halftime Sheet:

The drive to the venue was mostly uneventful (at least for the purpose of this blog post) but I will say there was a lot of laughter. Kristin was driving and I was navigating and neither one of us is especially good at directions. Plus, Kristin struggles with right and left so I had to not only say "right" or "left," I also had to point.

And we are seriously both directionally challenged: When we left the restaurant, we both turned the wrong way to get back to the car. Brock expressed concern and then, fortunately, proceeded to navigate from the backseat. It was very helpful and eight minutes later, we found ourselves parking at XL Live.

Round Three:

The venue is sooooooo tiny! It's like the Anthem in DC, but a fraction of the size. I was on a mission, you know? Mary had my book in her purse (I had marked the page that mentioned Old Crow Medicine Show, placed a sticker beside their band name, taped a business card inside the cover, signed the first page, and secured my card with two of those rubber bands that are used to clump asparagus together in the grocery store) and I booked it up to the stage. There was only one row of people in front of us and I wasn't about to push my way to the very front. But I did make friends with the folks standing in front of me! Their names were Stephanie and Zach.

Stephanie is a third-grade teacher who is going on a field trip tomorrow (now today) to collect water samples and other scientific things at a stream. Her husband, Zach, is a high school psychology teacher who took a personal day so he could sleep in on Friday. They are apparently, like, forty-eight years old or something, but they look like they're in their thirties! More importantly than that, they are crazy nice! I told Stephanie and Zach about my book and how I intended to throw it on stage and Zach told me I could stand in his spot to do so. I tried it out, just to make sure I'd be able to do it, and then I gave his spot back and said I'd let him know when I needed to move to the front.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_b4af6e37d0634aa38558a179c9296dc0/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

6-4-2:

The opening act was called Never Come Down and I really liked them! The lead singer had an amazing voice and the long-haired guy was adorable. They ended up playing an encore with Old Crow at the end of the night and it was really fun. There were five members in that band and they were from Portland, OR. I probably should've tossed a business card on stage for them, but I didn't. I did, however, give Stephanie and Zach my business card, along with two very nice women standing behind me (Holly and Barb) who had beautiful hair, and two other very nice women standing behind me who happened to be in the library field! I'm gonna see if I can get this right: One is a librarian and the other has something to do with the library board. One is named Addie (that's the right spelling) and the other has a name, but I didn't record what it was because Old Crow took the stage right as I was asking about it and you know how I like to watch bands come out. It's one of my favorite parts of the show! I got distracted...

Round Four:

Old Crow, as per usual, was outstanding. They arrived on stage with absolutely ALL of the energy and proceeded to be insanely energetic for the entire night. During the first slow(ish) song, I turned to Mary and said, "I think I should throw the book up there at the next slow song, don't you?" She didn't agree. Mary thought I should wait 'til the end... but that's not what my gut said to do and I've grown to trust my gut. I mean, I am forty-one years old at this point and my gut has steered me in the right direction much of the time. So I listened to it and during the next slow(ish) song, I tapped Zach on the shoulder and asked if I could swap spots with him. We switched, I waited until the end of the song, and then I tossed The Way Back on stage and it landed PERFECTLY! Tyler, one of the band's guitar techs who also happens to (I think) have been a major in high school or college (he can twirl a baton like nobody's business!) came out and grabbed it. I am hopeful that he'll give it to the band and they will read my note and then my book and maybe give me a shoutout on social media. That's asking a lot, though; I've only had one band do that before, I believe, and I am saving my blog entry about them for later. It's a good one, though! I dare say it's the best one...

Anyhow. Old Crow was incredible and so was Zach. He didn't want his spot back! He let me stand beside Stephanie for the rest of the night and I was RIGHT UP FRONT!!! It's the closest I've ever been to the stage and every second of the experience was incredible. My legs are going to be sore tomorrow; I danced so much! And bounced! I am such a bouncy dancer!

I think it's worth noting that I have such a crush on Cory Younts. Of all the musicians in the world, I do feel that he is probably the cutest. It's his boyish charm, I believe, and his fast-moving feet. I just can't get enough of him. Ketch is absolutely adorable... but Cory is adorabler. I took several videos of the show because my vantage point was so unbelievable and I want to share the footage with my students when I return to work next week. Period four, especially, is expecting an update! Admittedly, I often zoomed in on Cory. I just like to watch him, you know? He's captivating. Here he is whistling:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_7f726f900f144098ae27f7a065159ce1/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

And here are some more videos of the show:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_beb9230a76dc4462a3c5a1f692fd03bc/1080p/mp4/file.mp4https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_64d57dd4b5bb497caccce2c1e2fdbc3f/1080p/mp4/file.mp4https://video.wixstatic.com/video/58cc22_9a98dc7d97d1445aa2480925868a6bd0/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Final Category:

At the end of the night, we did try to meet the band and get a picture... but it just didn't happen. Tyler was tidying up the stage and we called him over. I said, "I'm the one who threw the book up on stage. Is there any way -- and it's okay if the answer is ' no' -- but is there any way we could get a picture with the band?"

Tyler disappeared to converse with the band and came back a few moments later saying they'd already left. This was, of course, a lie. Cory Younts could be seen slipping out the back door as Tyler was speaking these very words. But you know what? My trivia team didn't hold it against me that we couldn't get a picture. I just wanted it for the purpose of this blog, after all. And ultimately what's important is that the band got the book. I know it made it onto the stage and I know Tyler picked it up. It's not as if the novel is lost in the mail somewhere... so whatever happens will happen, right?

Cross your fingers that what happens is Old Crow reads The Way Back while traveling to their next show and they recommend it to all their friends! And blue dots continue to pop up across the country!

Oh! While waiting to hear if the band members would have their picture taken with us, I met two women from England and gave them my business card. They, too, like to read. It seems that Old Crow has the most educated, literature-minded fans imaginable!

Bonus Category:

Darren texted and said that he had insider knowledge (thanks to his trivia contacts) that the answer to tonight's opening category was "Bob Dylan," the Street Sharks won, and next week's opening category is Hocus Pocus. So... that'll be next Thursday. But for now, I'm relishing the memories (and the footage) from tonight's experience!

Much love to Old Crow Medicine Show and The Educated Friends. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

The Way Back Playlist: Nicely bearded & nicely voiced

Don McCloskey is relatively new to me. Like Rayland Baxter, he’s another Instagram find, and though I haven’t listened to a ton of his stuff, the stuff I have listened to is catchy! In doing a bit of research about him, I’ve found that he’s from Philly. I’ve already told Phil that I’d like to see him in concert at some point; his live footage on YouTube makes me think he and his band put on a fun show.

Another thing about Don McCloskey that I personally find very appealing is his appearance. He’s cute! Not only does he have a beard, but he’s got a nice voice. I am such a voice person. If someone has a voice I don’t care for, I struggle to be in that person’s company. There have been times when my friends have introduced me to handsome, kind, available men with less-than-pleasing voices. Don McCloskey has a great voice, though! I wonder if he’s single…

Okay, so back to the music.

As I listen to Don McCloskey more and more, I have come to love the song “I IV V,” which appears on his most recent album The Chaos and the Beauty. There’s something about the lyrics and the melody that remind me of Paul Simon. I can’t find a live version to share, but I’m including the studio version of the song so you can give it a listen and maybe hear what I hear.

I’ll write a better blog about Don McCloskey once Phil and I have seen him in concert. Until then, just know that one of his songs (I’ll tell you which one in a later post) really meant a lot to me while I was writing The Way Back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H0Fy2AGLA4

My Mom (the person) & Friday Night Lights (the show)

My mom doesn't watch American television.

No. You read it correctly. She DOES NOT WATCH AMERICAN TELEVISION. I mean, she's probably seen all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls at least five times, but that's the only American TV show I can think of that she likes.

British stuff is her jam. I love the American crime dramas, though. "They're so fake," she says to me when I try to rationalize my love of Blue Bloods or Law & Order: SVU. "Everything's wrapped up within the hour." And yet... have you ever watched Midsomer Murders? It's British, and it's set in the tiny "hamlet" or whatever of Midsomer, and every single crime is wrapped up within a single episode and the show, which is in its one billionth season, has approximately fifteen murders per episode. For some reason that makes zero sense to me, however, my mother loves Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and has no problem buying into the the absurdity that occurs within his precinct (or whatever a precinct is called in Britain).

So now you have an idea of my mom's taste in television. Imagine my surprise when I received a text message from her last Thursday stating, "I'm watching something that you love, but I couldn't imagine watching. First episode had me sobbing."

Sidenote: My mom and I love guessing games. We always have. Most times the game begins "You'll never believe who I saw at the grocery store..." or "I bet you can't figure out who I bumped into at TJ Maxx yesterday." I am generally up for a guessing game, but when I received her text about watching a television show that I love and never imagined her watching, I was at trivia. Therefore, I couldn't offer proper participation.

I gave it a go, but ultimately ended up waiting until Friday, when Harvey and I walked down the street and had dinner at my parents' house. She made salmon, Tracy's Favorite Potatoes (this is a future blog post; I'll make a note), and salad, in case you were wondering.

While hanging with my mom on Friday night, I asked some poignant questions and got some helpful answers.

Me: It's an American show?

Mom: Yes.

Me: And it's not on anymore? Like, you're watching it on a streaming network?

Mom: Yes.

Me: Is it a thirty-minute show?

Mom: I don't like comedies, Hannah. I don't watch thirty-minute shows. You know this about me.

Me: I know, I know... I just really like Modern Family and so I was checking. Um... Is the main character a girl?

Mom: No.

Me: Huh. Okay. Is it a medical show?

Mom: No.

Me: A crime show?

Mom: Nope.

Me: Does it take place in a school?

Mom: Yes!

Me: So is the main character a teacher?

Mom: No.

Me: A guidance counselor?

Mom: No.

Me: A coach?

Mom: Yes!

Me: Friday Night Lights?!

Mom: YES!

She's watching Friday Night Lights, folks! One of the greatest shows ever created and one that I RAVED about when I discovered it on Netflix. I binged the bejeezus out of that show! Tim Riggins? *swoon* Matt Saracen? Adorable. Coach Taylor? OHMYGODILOVEYOUSOMUCH!!!

I needed a blog for today and I was puzzling over what I should write about. I told Mary (you remember her: she's my marketing manager) that I might write about my mom's unexpected love of Friday Night Lights. I said, "She doesn't watch American shows, you know? But she's loving Friday Night Lights."

Mary's reaction was, "Your mom doesn't watch American TV?"

I tried to explain.

I knew that the blog would be better if I told my mom I was going to write it. And do you know what? I was right. I called her around five o'clock and said that I intended to write a blog about her love of Friday Night Lights. "Oh my gosh," she said immediately. "Do you know how many times today I've thought to myself, 'After this, you can just go home and watch Friday Night Lights? You're going to finish season one tonight!' I still have five episodes -- I should have started earlier -- but I am so sucked in, Hannah! I love this show!"

She then proceeded to tell me that it's not a show she ever thought she'd watch, but she'd just watched two ridiculous things (one of them was Devil in Ohio; I watched it too and you probably shouldn't waste your time, but it's a hell of a lot better than Echoes) and was looking for something mindless. So when she saw Friday Night Lights and remembered that I liked it, she decided to give it a chance. "I didn't expect to like it," she's since confided, "but I can't stop thinking about the characters!"

My mom loves Tim Riggins and THAT makes me very happy. She also loves Matt Saracen and Coach Taylor. For possibly the first time ever, we love all the same characters! She detests Buddy Garrity and is conflicted about Jason Street. I was like, "YES! That's the brilliance of the show! You feel for Jason, and you want to love him, but he's not always all that lovable."

If you haven't watched Friday Night Lights before, you really need to. It's a phenomenal show with character development that goes above and beyond. And it absolutely cracks me up that my mother, the woman who hates American television, is totally sucked in by an American TV show that is not only set in America, but in the heart of TEXAS!

"Clear eyes, full heart, can't lose."

The Blue Dot Situation: An Update

Since my post two weeks ago about acquiring some blue dots in Hawaii, I’ve gotten three of them! Woohoo! I’ve also secured a blue dot in Alaska and one in Nevada. There have been some other states, too. Now let's hope they multiply!

I’m finding that it’s really fun to watch the dots appear up and down the east coast. There’s a huge amount of them in Gettysburg, obviously, and then they filter north, south, and west from there. For that reason, it occurred to me that I should perhaps choose another location and see if I can make the same thing happen in another part of the country.

I’ve decided to gain followers in Chicago.

At this point in time, I have one reader in Chicago. I have no idea who s/he is, but I’m glad s/he exists. My hope is to gain additional readers in Chicago over the next two weeks. If you have friends in that area, please tell them about my website and encourage them to read my serial novella, my blog, or both!

If you’re wondering why I’ve settled on Chicago, there are a couple reasons. The first is largely because of its location. With any luck, when I post an update two weeks from now, there will be several blue dots in Chicago and some additional dots floating up to Wisconsin and Michigan… and maybe further down into Illinois and over to Indiana as well. Won’t that be fun?

My other reason is because I generally love the Chicago series. Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD… I know Chicago Justice didn’t last, but I think Dick Wolf should consider Chicago Public (life in the schools; Wallace Boden’s already married to an educator!) and Chicago Vet (the veterinarians could treat PD’s K-9 unit in a crossover event). It’s just an idea.

Here’s my problem: I don’t really have any Chicago connections. Do you? And if you do, are you willing to use them?

Thanks in advance! You guys are the best. As always, I appreciate your support and your willingness to read my writing! Without readers like you, there’d be no point to write… and writing is what I love most. ❤️