Like a Valentine from your Mother

"I've got a lot to lose

And I'm bettin' high

So I'm beggin' you

Before it ends

Just tell me where to begin"

Fiona Apple

It's Criminal how good a summer I am having, and the best part is summer hasn't even really begun yet. I hate to sound like a broken record but I am having so much fun, playing so much volleyball, and seeing so much amazing music. I got a new camera, a new pink and blue shirt, a new laptop, and a new reservation for Fitness Ridge. I will be heading by car to Utah on August 24th with a stop at Red Rocks Amphitheater on the 25th in Denver to see Jackson Browne, a weekend in Vegas and then arriving at the Ridge on August 30th. I will be competing in the last week of the Battle of the Bulge competition where I am a huge long shot to hit the board. It looks like 7 or 8 weeks total for this trip. So if you want to see the greatest songwriter in my lifetime come to Denver in August and if you want to hit some volleyballs in the pool, watch I guy sweat and whimper walking up a mountain, and hang out in 100 degree plus weather you know where to find me this fall.

Thursday night I spent an amazingly enjoyable night with 4 friends at the Jenny Lewis concert and then followed up that show by joining Jacky for two more bands at High Noon Saloon. Jenny Lewis was fabulous, Her openers were pleasant surprises as well, especially The Sadies whom I thought would be a little too country for my taste but turned out to be a fun little rock-a-billy band. It's a little hard to pigeon hole Jenny Lewis' music. Part acoustic singer-songwriter, part country, part gospel, part rocker chick. And her fans positively adore her and with good reason, as she is mega-talented, smart, funny and the definition of a sexy red headed siren.







Wanted to wish a happy birthday to Jon who wore the most appropriate shirt of all time to the Jenny Lewis show on his birthday. And a huge shout out to Allison who may have better musical taste than me, is more lyrically proficient, and who gets the task of lining up next to me 4 days a week in the sand.

Following the Jenny Lewis show I went to meet up with Jacky who was seeing her favorite local Madison band 'Steez'. I got there at 11:30 and was surprised to find the second opener still on stage and then they surprised me even more by staying on stage for 40 more minutes. I was starting to feel my age at this point but sucked it up and made the 12:40 start for my first taste of Steez. Now, yes I own the hippie store in town, but hippie music and extended jams are not my thing. Give me a girl and a guitar or piano and Jimbo is a happy camper. 5 bands, one night, and how bout my new found confidence in my ability to break out the pink :)
















I snuck up to Ho Chunk Indian Casino for some off track betting. Cashed the last of my Rachel Alexandra winnings and bet a decent amount of it back on Charitable Man in the Belmont. Came back down to Madison and spent a wonderful early evening picnicking at the Capital Brewery Beer Garden with some good friends. You can't really tell from this picture but this place gets packed each Friday with in interesting combination of live music, families with kids running wild, guys and girls on motorcycles, beer connoisseurs and virtually every drunk yuppie in the city. But you can bring your own food, listen to good music over the din of 100's of people talking, and soak up the sun and suds.

Let me wrap up the rest of the week. Sheryl Crow and Harrison Ford were the answers to last weeks questions. I haven't gotten on the scale for an official weigh in this week yet but "eat less, exercise more" seems to be working out okay. I thought you might get a chuckle out of my current volleyball standings. Same stuff this week, our friend Meiko is back in town Friday, 4 more nights of volleyball and after a week off a night of trivia. More interval work, more miles on the paths, hopefully some more tennis, and of course more time with my friends. Best.Summer.Ever. Peace and Lots of Love, Jim