Thanks to R&R and her magic AMEX – front of the line ticket access baby – we have tickets to go see Leonard Cohen on April 25th. Well, I’ll have a ticket once I pay her for it.  Can’t wait. I’ve loved Leonard Cohen’s writing and music for years and was disappointed when he didn’t come west while touring parts of Canada last year.  Now all is well with the universe.  Even better, less than two weeks before Cohen is in town, I’ll be watching and listening to Gordon Lightfoot.

Completely shocking news when it comes to my co-workers today. I’m still in my mini-limbo waiting to see what will happen on the job hunt. I did send my resume off for a student internship position but it’s a long shot. I’m enrolled at a different university and the group hiring isn’t sure if they can interview “outsiders”. I’m hoping that they’re willing to go out on a limb and consider me. The intership could last as long as 16 months. While it pays less than my current position, it’s not a huge difference. Best of all, it’s in my field and would help give me some great experience while I continue working on my degree.

I was hoping today’s mail would bring the letter Drew wrote to me. A nice Valentine’s day message. No joy. I wonder if the last package and/or letter I sent to him has arrived in KAF yet?

Monday is a holiday here and I’ll be spending the day working my way through readings and my Stats homework. I’m a bit distracted when it comes to school at the moment but I really need to get back on track before my whole semester starts going off the rails.

Tonight’s TV treadmill time is sponsored by the return on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Joss Whedon’s (he of Firefly and Dr. Horrible fame) new show Dollhouse. I’ll be getting lots of exercise tonight!

Here’s hoping next week is an improvement on this one.

Vacation plans are starting to shore up and I’m quite excited. We’re not actually going anywhere until the middle of summer but it’s nice to know things are starting to fall into place. Plane and ComicCon tickets are purchased. Pet sitters are already identified and ready to pamper all of the beasties.

When I was first starting to plan the trip I sent an email to a US military friend of ours re: military lodging at bases in the area.  I’ve got some contact information for locations in San Diego so once we’ve firmed up when we want to be in SD vs. when we want to be at Disney, etc., I’ll call around to see if they have any rooms available and what the going rate is.  The cost of accommodations during ComicCon appears to be through the roof so any way we can make a portion of the trip more affordable will be very welcome news. While we’re at it we may be crashing at his place for a few days which will also play a part in decreasing overall costs and might bankroll a car rental and trip up the coast to L.A or San Fransisco. Or east to Tucson.  South to Mexico.  Or north east to Vegas. The possibilities are endless at the moment.

The early planning stages are pretty fun since other than a few days of the trip (specifically the dates of ComicCon and our flight dates) everything is still open to negotiation.  Where we go.  For how long we’re staying in each city. What we do and who we do it with.

As long as I get to volunteer with the SoCal Browncoats I’ll be in vacation heaven.  I think Drew feels the same way about breakfast with Mickey…

Enough about ComicCon and vacation planning for the moment.  On to other events that I’m hoping someone somewhere will plan… Specifically, I’m hoping someone in the Edm. area will step up to lead the hosting of a CSTS screening.  I don’t have the organizational skills to manage trying to lead a project like this while juggling school and work but I’m more than willing to volunteer if someone else is at the helm.  I can follow orders real good.

I know of a few people who have been considering taking on the project lead but last I checked no one has stepped up to the plate yet. You’d think the home town of  Captain Tightpants would have a packed screening every year – however, that doesn’t appear to be the case.  There wasn’t one anywhere in Alberta in 2008.

Perhaps this year…

Thanatos/Grendel – the male pilot as opposed to the cats – says “Hi Drew” and is looking forward to seeing you in July.  You two can talk shop while I bask in the sun. Wait a minute.  I’m not lizard boy. You two can talk while I complain about the heat, my sunburn and associated peeling skin (likely nose), and beg for liquid refreshment of the iced variety.

Last year Drew and I – with much help from Drew’s best friend S’s wife K – went on vacation to Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper National Park.  It was the first non-camping/non-family/non-wedding related vacation we’d ever had. We’d never had a honeymoon.  We’d never gone anywhere together that didn’t involve a family visit or wedding in some way, shape, or form. It took us nearly 13 years to vacation together.  Alone. In complete control. Do the things we wanted to do. Or, more accurately, could afford to do.

So why did it take so long to go on vacation together?  Some of it was related to our jobs. We spent a lot of time apart while one (or both) of us was working out of town or out of country.  But let’s be honest.  99% of the reason we never vacationed together was because we couldn’t afford to do both the family/wedding visits AND personal vacations. Guilt piled up. Family won out. We visited.

Until last winter.  We took the 4 day trip to Jasper and had a fabulous time.

This year we’re going to San Diego Comic Con.  4 day passes to the Convention have been purchased. I used my NWA airmiles to arrange for our flights.  Hotel reservations have been made and we’ve joined the SoCal Browncoats brigade of volunteers. We’ll be soaking up the sun in Southern California for 2 weeks. A visit to Disneyland is on the horizon. Now we have to save a boatload of $$ for the hotel. *squeee*

We’ll likely miss a family wedding or gathering this year. And I don’t care. I suspect Drew doesn’t either. We can’t afford to do both and it’s about time we got to do something we really want to do.  It’s taken 13 years for us to start putting ourselves first.   Like my parents before me, it’s often us who does all the traipsing around to visit others. Not this year. Our firm message to the family will be – You know where we live. We have a spare room. Don’t ask or expect us to visit you. It’s your turn to jump through the hoops.

Just don’t plan any visits until Drew returns.  Or in July.  Or at Christmas/New Years.  We’re not available ’cause (finally) we’ve got plans!

Sometimes even the best need help. If, after you’ve donated to Damian’s Afghanistan fund, you can spare the time and a bit of change please consider donating to Sonny Rhodes’ health and expenses fund.

Sonny’s Bio:

Clarence Edward Smith was nicknamed Sonny Rhodes as a child and it stuck, bringing him recognition on his journey from Smithfield, Texas to the world stage as one of the most acclaimed Texas bluesmen and legendary status for his proficiency on lap steel guitar. Nominated numerous times for a W. C. Handy Award, Rhodes was honored for his cultural contribution to the arts by the Smithsonian Institute in 1976. Rhodes cut his teeth in the blues alongside Johnny Clyde Copeland and Albert Collins in Texas clubs as a teenager.

Sonny was born Clarence Smith in Smithfield, Texas in 1940. His early musical influences include T-Bone Walker, Mance Lipscomb, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. In the late fifties and early sixties Sonny played bass behind Freddie King and Albert Collins, and became based in California around this time. He went to Europe for the first time in 1976 and has been back each year since. Sonny enjoys touring in Europe saying that the BLUES are revered over there, and the financial rewards are good too.

Sonny has recorded several albums over the years. Sonny also recorded the theme song for the Fox TV series “Firefly”, a Sci-Fi -Western set 300 years in the future, which is probably a good omen for the long-term prospects of the BLUES!

You can help by clicking the Donate button at Sonny’s MySpace Music page.  Sonny’s health update is available here.

c/p: Dust My Broom, home of the Friday Night Blues and Beer