Sitting on the couch with my laptop, connected wirelessly, using TightVNC to remotely access my desktop in the other room. Had to reboot other machine after latest round of Windows updates [quelle surprise], so was logging back into other machine from wireless laptop.
Freaky to hear the Windows startup sound issuing from an empty room...
...but I did score a set list!!
Oh yeah, that's right, baby...Night Ranger, playing the San Mateo County Fair. San Francisco boys, come home to rock, tonight, tonight, tonight, this boy needs to rock. Scary how names and lyrics came to me: Jack Blades, Brad Gillis, Kelly Keagy. Songs I hadn't heard in *twenty* years [eep!], and the words came pouring out of my mouth. Ye gods...brain cells that I'm never getting back.
I love my friend Susy [hiya, Sus!!]. We were shameless, rocking out, singing to each other, arms around each other swaying to the ballads. There was much of all of that tonight...and yes, "Sister Christian" was the first encore [of course]. They rocked it. <grin>
The whole night was awesome. Great conversation, heart-to-heart talk and sharing of frustrations and wishes and futures and life. Indulging in FairFood: sharing giant onion rings and a truly giant polish sausage before the show, and snarfing the world's best funnel cake after [with cinnamon sugar, hot and fresh and decadent and an orgasm on a plate]. Indulging in shameless, fist-pumping, standing up dancing, head bopping, full-on ROCKING!! WHOOO!!! DUDE!!
The boys were having a blast. They were laughing, rocking, having a great time. A few bad notes, some missed beats, but overall: yup, still got it [a nod to The Doctor there <wink>]. Three of the four original members, playing all the old favorites, a new song, plus a Damn Yankees song [set the Waybac Machine, Sherman...you might remember that Jack Blades was in Damn Yankees with Tommy Shaw [of Styx] and Ted Nugent [the Nuge] once upon a time].
There was a tribute to "na na" songs...the sing-along "na na na" bits that every band seems to have in at least one song. Journey, that "Na-na-na-na, hey hey hey, goodbye" song, and the quintessential "na na" song, "Hey Jude". The obligatory keyboard solo while the band went backstage to do whatever bands do backstage mid-set. The "bring out the chairs and the acoustic guitars" part in the middle, where they slowed things down a bit...Kelly Keagy did an awesome away-from-the-drums job on "Sentimental Street", the aforementioned Damn Yankees song ["High Enough"]. And one that actually got me all choked up...I'd forgotten how much I loved the song "Goodbye", and how it triggered flashbacks of emotions ["And it's hard leaving all this behind me now, like a schoolboy so lost, never found until now. And all this could be, just a dream, so it seems...I was never much good at goodbyes"]. I've always loved the phrase "memory-go-round"...
They seriously rocked "4 A.M." ["Four in the morning, came without a warning, everybody's got a place to be"], "Secret of My Success" [totally forgot that they did a theme song to a Michael J. Fox movie]. Not that they didn't rock the other songs, mind you...oh, heavens, no! They rocked! Verily, they rocked.
And the encore. Ah yes, the encore. As Jack put it: "if you do the math, you know there are at least two songs that we haven't played yet that everyone wants to hear...encores are a joke, you know we aren't leaving until we play these songs." :^)
"Sister Christian"...ah, memories. One of my favorites, and a crowd favorite as well. The band let us sing the first stanza all by our little lonesomes, then they joined in and played and sang the hell out of it. Last song of the night was "Rock in America", more anthem rock as was required by law during the 1980s.
Then it was lights up, and me scooching up to the front to try to score a drumstick or set list. Big, big thanks to the guy on stage who checked with the band and the roadies to be sure it was okay, and on getting the thumbs up, made sure I got the first one. Thank you, my anonymous, helpful, and very sweet benefactor...
Flush with the victory of scoring the set list, we made our way out to wander the midway and revel in cinnamon-covered funnel cake. Sweet, sweet indulgence and a rockin' evening. Thank you, Susy!!! You rock! We rock! We rocked! Night Ranger rocked! w00t!!
[ps -- you've gotta love the typo in the set list... :^) ]
I know, I know, it's actually tomorrow, but wanted to get a head start on all the birthday wishes. Happy birthday to one of my two favorite nephews!! :^)
Love and hugs --
-- stacey
Got together with my "support group" from my last job tonight...the gang that helped keep me sane [okay, a little less insane] and made it possible for me to keep smiling. I will always be thankful to Code Green for the friendships I found there...folks that I really want to stay in touch with, who are worth making the effort for.
I'm a lucky person.
My 'artist edition' of the latest and greatest Sheldon book [http://www.sheldoncomics.com]
is on its way...hurrah! The special thing about an 'artist edition'? Dave Kellett [the artist in question] numbers the first 250 and includes a full sketch on the inside front cover. Last time, I got number 17...wonder which number I'll get this time??
To quote Flaco: Squeee!!!!
...is sitting down and relaxing at the end of a brisk two-hour walk/hike.
The worst feeling in the world is standing back up again... :^)
You know what I hate?
Being awake to hear those 5am birds start chirp-chirp-chirrurping.
Frickin' birds.
Pepper is sleeping on a robe at the foot of the bed (put there explicitly for him), Bean is lying on my legs purring away.
Didn't take them long to fall back into the bedtime pattern...
