i haven’t
written much lately, so here’s my make up.  enjoy – i was enthralled
tonight with 24 on FOX and immediately after the show, the 10 o’clock news came
on with news of terror alerts here in the US.  The news gentlemen stood on
one half of the screen explaining to the viewers things they need to buy to be
prepared for a terrorist attack while on the other half was a large bullseye
with the huge words terror alert and a red background all the while insisting it
is not meant to frighten the public.

want frightening news?  they continued to explain that the US is under
the 2nd terror alert after the 9/11 attacks over a year ago.  that an
attack is more than likely going to happen at the end of this week, when some
holiday of theirs ends.  and it will happen in multiple locations.
new
terror alert

so my adventures this past weekend.
Friday night i ventured to Chapel Hill to see my friend pretzel boy and
associates play their 2nd gig at The Cave.  i didn’t get any signed CD’s
this time, however.  maybe that will change soon?  Well, I had never
ventured onto Franklin Street before.  To those not from here, Franklin
Street is the place thats very close to UNC Chapel Hill college, and within
about a 2 mile stretch there’s about 999 burger joints, soda shops, bars,
clothing stores, whatever.  with everything so jammed packed, and the place
i’m trying to find really being a cave.  I drove up and down all around,
trying to find this The Cave.  never found it.  gave up.  so i
parked somewhere at random where i saw a bunch of people, got out and figured id
find it quicker if i walked.  so that i did.  too bad i picked the
opposite end of the 2 mile stretch to park on than my destination.  and
also too bad i started out going the wrong way.  so as i walked down
Franklin Street, i passed shop after shop.  bar after eating joint.
groups of people after strange individuals.  i saw everyone saying hi to
each other, giving high fives and all to their college buddies, and here i am.
25 years old, luckily i look like i’m 18.  walking alone.  down
franklin street.  a small group is ahead of me and i watch them pass by
another group of people.  a girl standing on the sidewalk with dyed red
hair hits one of the passerby’s with her pocket book.  they laugh and
continue on.  i was soon to follow, and as i passed by, she reached around
and slapped me on the ass with her pocket book.  i was about to turn
around, but what would i say?  i just laughed and continued on until i got
to the last stoplight where there’s actually not another bar across the street
so i turned around.  i walk back up franklin street looking at the numbers
on the buildings trying to establish some sort of pattern so it would help me
find my way.  and of course, i pass the same lady again, she hits the
person in front of me, but she’s too distracted laughing to hit me as i pass by.
i was kinda disappointed.  come on, that’s probably the first time a girl
has touched my ass in over a year.  dont laugh.  of course hindsight,
i should have said to her, ok you slapped mine, now i get to slap yours.
but alas it didnt occur to me at the moment.  so i walk and walk and i pass
an old black man on the street.  he says spare any change?  i said to
him no thanks and quickly continued walking.  and i walked and walked and
walked and actually got too far that i decided not to turn around and find my
car because i thought the walk back would be longer than the walk forward.
i passed another lone black elderly man.  he says excuse me sir.  i
said no thanks again, and continued on.  i heard him behind me, no thanks?
what the hell’s that supposed to mean?  i continued on.  HEY he
screamed.  forcing the people in front of me to turn around too.  i
didn’t, just continued on.  finally, i see ahead the sign for The Cave.
i would have never found it driving around.  i mean, it’s in the basement
of some other obscure shop.  you have to walk down a crack in between two
buildings where they managed to place some steps, you get to the bottom of these
steps to a dead end.  you immediately have three options.  a black
door on your left.  a black door on your right and turn around and go back
up the steps.  with no sign on either door, when i got to the bottom the
only clue i had was the blaring music coming from the left door.  so i
ventured into opening the left door.  a large thump hit my chest as the
music filled out into the city air.  i had to duck to enter the door.
the place was very dimly lit.  i felt like i was walking onto the stage.
the door is right beside where the artists play.  this place is very small,
and with the crowd it gets, it’s even smaller.  the ceiling and walls are
covered in misshapen plaster.  it’s very small, really like a cave.
there is a small bar.  they serve water, beer and Doritos.  that’s it.
i find pretzel boy sitting at a closeby table, along with Berb, Jason, Marsha,
Mike, and Sue.  (in no particular order).  i went over to greet them
which took all of about 3 steps.  and i realized i was blocking the view of
the table behind them.  so i sat down on the floor and enjoyed … some
other band.  sorry.  but if pretzel boy was right, some of the members
from Squirrel Nut Zippers was in it.  3 man band, 2 acoustics and 1 bass.
i liked the music.  then it was time for freak boy to jump on, so that he
did and played and played.  and i remembered all (well almost all) the
songs from years ago when he introduced me to his demo tapes.  it was nice
to hear them fledged out with drums and bass and all.  and to be heard
played live, by a band.  but i never pictured freak boy to be in a band.
sorry.  guess that’s like i never pictured myself doing the dj’ing i’m
doing.  so anyway, Sue actually took the first two pictures on my camera,
and Mike the last 2.  #4 is the best, you can see everyone there.  so
anyway, the band played, they ended.  and after they packed up, we all left
so the next band could get up.  it was then that i realized most of the
people in the cave of The Cave was the to see pretzel freak and friends.
the place cleared out quick.  I mean, John even showed up during the last
song, so that made 8 of our group, and the other band members and quite a few
people there too.  i bet the next band felt kinda silly getting up there
with no audience.  we left there and as we climbed the mountain of stairs,
there was another elderly black man asking for money from all of us!  freak
boy said i dont have any money, i’m a musician.  and the guy just stood in
awe and disunderstandment.  we walked to almost everyone’s car.  john
parked elsewhere since he came in very late, and i of course didn’t know where i
parked.  but somehow we managed to take 4 other cars to find my car, and
then we had a 5 car caravan to Dimpsey’s house.  its amazing we all stuck
with each other through chapel hill and I40.  anyway, we get there, we just
kinda strolled on in and met the other people there, some i had seen at The Cave
earlier.  took up seating arrangements in the living room and i confessed
to Marsha that i felt wierd just coming into someone’s house i didn’t know,
seating down and taking a break.  but, that we did, and we mingled along
and looked at Dimpsey’s wonderful tile patio work.  admired his recording
studio and things of the sort.  finally we left there, and went on home.
late, got home about 1:30 or so.  stayed up on the computer browsing round,
checking email and the like.  went to bed.  woke up at about 9:30 in
the morn and made peaches and cream oatmeal and commenced to watching the sat
morn cartoons.

Saturday, February 8, 2003 – 2:01 am – so
i got in a while ago from seeing a great band, Down By Avalon.  Was at The
Cave in Chappel Hill, NC.  pretzelboy (Alan) was the front man with
acoustic guitar and vocals, and performed wonderfully along with Dimpsey (bass),
David (drums)  and Jeff (electric).