mercy.
OK here we go. The time has come for me to recall all the amazing events that have happened since I wimped out on my last blog posting, because I was all amped up and ready to roll on the big Walt's Across Texas Tour. (oh yeah, and was probably packing)
It has taken me a few days to come down from the great time we had. In fact, I would venture to say that I have been fighting something since our return to reality, early Sunday evening. A lurking, sneaky, evil something. A depression, if you will. Oh, not the kind you see on TV..where they make the actors look like semi happy successful people, just in the middle of a mid life crisis, needing a bit of a pick me up. No, this depression looks like sweats, bad food and no shower. It is not pretty and can not be helped with a tiny pill. This might be a case of A1N1. artist, one? not one.
One day we are picked up in Luckenbach with 30 of our finest friends and fans and the next day I am in line at the dreaded W, behind some guy name Butch, arguing about the price of his Waleration H.
Click your heals, little Tina. Your Chippewa Boots have magic in them and can take you back to that bus trip to West Texas. Remember? The one you were nervous to go on, because it was 4 days and 3 nights with people you liked, but were not sure if they would like you..longer than the length of an hour show. There it is...that bus filled with laughter, Republic of Texas Tequila and random snacks. The 7 hour drive seemed like a breeze. The chilly air of the bus was filled with the singing of Karaoke..usually something to avoid, but felt like the joy of children singing Christmas carols on this trip.
Mystiquero guitar player, singer and songwriter, John Greenberg, planned everything. He was a believer. He knew that people would love great travel, great food, great accommodations and hopefully, 3 great gigs in 3 nights. The price was not cheap. In fact I thought I for one, would go to Vegas and see a Bette Midler show for that dough, but John believed. He organized everything. He did research on the finest West Texas restaurants and hotels. He was sure that it would be a great adventure..not only for the guests, but for us, the band and band wives as well. (I get double billing) (only one seat though).
It was a bit like a wedding or a family reunion. We were going to spend time with friends and family, for an extended period of time, with a lot of anxiety and alcohol present..where the conditions were ripe for a fight. But to my surprise, these people were actual adults, who paid actual money, to be shown what it was like to live like rock stars and go on the road. Thanks to John and our cruise director Marti Perkins, we did live like rock stars. Not at all like we usually do on the road..no cramming into a van or taking separate cars and driving 7 hours to play a gig to 10 fans and 5 people who had nothing else to do on a Thursday night in West Texas. We played The Gage Hotel in Marathon. The Pisano Hotel in Marfa and The Railroad Blues in Alpine. We stayed in hotels with thread counts of 500+. We ate quail, jalapeno cilantro soup and sweet asparagus fresh from the garden. The sound and lighting was already set up and ready to go, when we rolled into the next town, by our Lao-Tzu of sound, Mike. The staff and all the hotels greeted us with flowers and chocolate..OK well maybe with just smiles and keys, but it felt like something more. The restaurants were beautiful and service was outstanding. One waiter fell in love with me and asked me to leave my life in Cedar Park and move in with him..after he poured me my 4th Jack Daniels. The food. Holy God was is good. Sure I have to start my 1/2 marathon training all over again..from mile 1..and catch up to 13.2 in 6 weeks, but it was worth it. Maybe I will train for an iron man mega woman marathon that takes us from Austin to the actual Marathon to meet my sweet admirer. Maybe I should switch to soda water for awhile.
The gigs were meaningful, wild and wonderful. We not only had the Ray, Bill, Johnny and Walt of The Mystiqueros, but also Mike Blakely for a night, Jason Eady and Jimmy Davis for all 3 nights. We had a special surprise when we stopped in the middle of nowhere to have lunch in Lajitas, TX..right outside Big Bend National Park. Our friends Shan and Annie were there, set up and ready to sing,while we ate.
We think we saw the Marfa lights one night. This is supposed to be some phenomenon that occurs out in the middle of the desert, in this one spot, at certain times of the night, not necessarily while drinking. Truthfully, I just think that some teenager made up this story so he could take some geeky science fiction loving girl out to the dark and make a move. I'd go.
Some of us went to Balmorrea Springs to swim. Some of us stayed back in Marfa to rest and contemplate what jobs we could create so we could just set up a camp and not go back to our lives in the suburbs. And somehow talk my mom into driving 8 hours to drop off Luke.
We were diverse and united. Powerful and guided. Filled with abounding joy and togetherness. We were all becoming friends, like camp. Camp with beer. Hell, we even had a chuck wagon breakfast the day of our return back home, in the yard behind the Maverick Hotel. Prepared by real cowboys in chaps cooking over campfires. Is this Heaven? No, it's Texas. Alpine, Texas.
Karaoke was sung again on the way home. Trivia, stories and bad jokes were sweetly tolerated. Next year we will have "no jokes on bus" in the waiver. Prizes were given away for the best poems, singing and participation. Good prizes. I'm talking boots. Good boots. We could not win. I was bitter for a moment, but remembered that I did not actually pay to go on the trip.
So let's say we do this again next year? Johhny? Marti? Lao-Tzu? C'mon, whattya say??? Why is no one returning my calls these days? Were we not bff a day or two ago? Did we not sing On The Road Again, 12 times..with our arms around each other, with tears in our eyes?
Ok..maybe I'll wait a month and try again.
It was amazing y'all. Hope you can join us next time.
www.mystiqueros.com
11:38 pm no wine left. start tomorrow on my no bread, no sugar, no fun training schedule.
It has taken me a few days to come down from the great time we had. In fact, I would venture to say that I have been fighting something since our return to reality, early Sunday evening. A lurking, sneaky, evil something. A depression, if you will. Oh, not the kind you see on TV..where they make the actors look like semi happy successful people, just in the middle of a mid life crisis, needing a bit of a pick me up. No, this depression looks like sweats, bad food and no shower. It is not pretty and can not be helped with a tiny pill. This might be a case of A1N1. artist, one? not one.
One day we are picked up in Luckenbach with 30 of our finest friends and fans and the next day I am in line at the dreaded W, behind some guy name Butch, arguing about the price of his Waleration H.
Click your heals, little Tina. Your Chippewa Boots have magic in them and can take you back to that bus trip to West Texas. Remember? The one you were nervous to go on, because it was 4 days and 3 nights with people you liked, but were not sure if they would like you..longer than the length of an hour show. There it is...that bus filled with laughter, Republic of Texas Tequila and random snacks. The 7 hour drive seemed like a breeze. The chilly air of the bus was filled with the singing of Karaoke..usually something to avoid, but felt like the joy of children singing Christmas carols on this trip.
Mystiquero guitar player, singer and songwriter, John Greenberg, planned everything. He was a believer. He knew that people would love great travel, great food, great accommodations and hopefully, 3 great gigs in 3 nights. The price was not cheap. In fact I thought I for one, would go to Vegas and see a Bette Midler show for that dough, but John believed. He organized everything. He did research on the finest West Texas restaurants and hotels. He was sure that it would be a great adventure..not only for the guests, but for us, the band and band wives as well. (I get double billing) (only one seat though).
It was a bit like a wedding or a family reunion. We were going to spend time with friends and family, for an extended period of time, with a lot of anxiety and alcohol present..where the conditions were ripe for a fight. But to my surprise, these people were actual adults, who paid actual money, to be shown what it was like to live like rock stars and go on the road. Thanks to John and our cruise director Marti Perkins, we did live like rock stars. Not at all like we usually do on the road..no cramming into a van or taking separate cars and driving 7 hours to play a gig to 10 fans and 5 people who had nothing else to do on a Thursday night in West Texas. We played The Gage Hotel in Marathon. The Pisano Hotel in Marfa and The Railroad Blues in Alpine. We stayed in hotels with thread counts of 500+. We ate quail, jalapeno cilantro soup and sweet asparagus fresh from the garden. The sound and lighting was already set up and ready to go, when we rolled into the next town, by our Lao-Tzu of sound, Mike. The staff and all the hotels greeted us with flowers and chocolate..OK well maybe with just smiles and keys, but it felt like something more. The restaurants were beautiful and service was outstanding. One waiter fell in love with me and asked me to leave my life in Cedar Park and move in with him..after he poured me my 4th Jack Daniels. The food. Holy God was is good. Sure I have to start my 1/2 marathon training all over again..from mile 1..and catch up to 13.2 in 6 weeks, but it was worth it. Maybe I will train for an iron man mega woman marathon that takes us from Austin to the actual Marathon to meet my sweet admirer. Maybe I should switch to soda water for awhile.
The gigs were meaningful, wild and wonderful. We not only had the Ray, Bill, Johnny and Walt of The Mystiqueros, but also Mike Blakely for a night, Jason Eady and Jimmy Davis for all 3 nights. We had a special surprise when we stopped in the middle of nowhere to have lunch in Lajitas, TX..right outside Big Bend National Park. Our friends Shan and Annie were there, set up and ready to sing,while we ate.
We think we saw the Marfa lights one night. This is supposed to be some phenomenon that occurs out in the middle of the desert, in this one spot, at certain times of the night, not necessarily while drinking. Truthfully, I just think that some teenager made up this story so he could take some geeky science fiction loving girl out to the dark and make a move. I'd go.
Some of us went to Balmorrea Springs to swim. Some of us stayed back in Marfa to rest and contemplate what jobs we could create so we could just set up a camp and not go back to our lives in the suburbs. And somehow talk my mom into driving 8 hours to drop off Luke.
We were diverse and united. Powerful and guided. Filled with abounding joy and togetherness. We were all becoming friends, like camp. Camp with beer. Hell, we even had a chuck wagon breakfast the day of our return back home, in the yard behind the Maverick Hotel. Prepared by real cowboys in chaps cooking over campfires. Is this Heaven? No, it's Texas. Alpine, Texas.
Karaoke was sung again on the way home. Trivia, stories and bad jokes were sweetly tolerated. Next year we will have "no jokes on bus" in the waiver. Prizes were given away for the best poems, singing and participation. Good prizes. I'm talking boots. Good boots. We could not win. I was bitter for a moment, but remembered that I did not actually pay to go on the trip.
So let's say we do this again next year? Johhny? Marti? Lao-Tzu? C'mon, whattya say??? Why is no one returning my calls these days? Were we not bff a day or two ago? Did we not sing On The Road Again, 12 times..with our arms around each other, with tears in our eyes?
Ok..maybe I'll wait a month and try again.
It was amazing y'all. Hope you can join us next time.
www.mystiqueros.com
11:38 pm no wine left. start tomorrow on my no bread, no sugar, no fun training schedule.
Damn! Shoulda got a loan from Randy Quaid and jumped on the bus!! Sorry we missed the fun!
ReplyDeleteYou're adorable. :o) Sounds liks a BLAST. Did you take pictures??
ReplyDelete