A Little History

I don't talk much about my personal life and will continue to not do so. But I will tell a you a little about my past.

I was a hardcore Deadhead, I mean every spring, summer and fall I saw as many shows as I could. I worked in between, but only for money to go on tour. In spring it would start in Atlanta at the old Omni (right near the CNN building by the way) and it would progress to Hampton, VA, then Philly (always a Shakedown Street as my beautiful wife points out), then the Garden and so on. I'd come home when the money ran out or I couldn't get by on my wits.

I'd spend my summer catching the outdoor shows at RFK, Merriweather Post, Foxboro, JFK or Rich Stadium in Buffalo. Nothing better than playing hackey-sack (a past time my son has taken to) all day while downing a multitude of beers then seeing 10,000 Maniacs open up before the Dead came on.

Fall would see me trek from North Carolina to the Cap Centre in Landover before ending at the Spectrum in Philly or the Centrum in Worcester, MA (how the hell do they get "Wooster" out of that?)

It was a great time, even for an already Republican. I met people and talked about the big issues of the day with dudes on five hits of acid and girls who thought they lived in Milwaukee but really weren't sure anymore.

I discussed why the first gulf war was a good idea with a dread-locked guy from Frisco and the good points of Reagan with a girl sucking down her fifteenth nitrous balloon of the afternoon.

It was a great education and I learned how these people think, especially at Jerry Band shows which was a higher brain function group.

I'd discuss the Dead's lyrics and how the line "if I had me a shotgun, I'd blow you straight to hell" was not exactly peaceful or that Dylan didn't really buy into the whole peace thing and didn't want any part of it. That would get some of my fellow Deadheads spitting out their veggie stir fry.

Anyway, the main reason for this post was simply because my writing has been entirely too serious lately. I looked back through my archives and I was a much funnier writer in the past.
I hope to get back to that and will make a conscious effort to do so.

Anyway, I saw a hundred shows counting the Jerry Band and Bob Weir and had a blast. I soon after joined the Navy. I met my wife at a Dead show in Philly and it was finally time to grow up and get real.

I still listen to the Dead alot as they were never the same twice. Phish and Widespread panic attempted to capture the magic but couldn't quite reach the vibe (sorry, Bro).

My daughter still lays in my arms and falls asleep to Peggy-O.

So to sum up this rambling post...well, there's absolutely no point to it other than a reason to just write something without much politics in it. Just a little reminiscing if you will and a warning to all those on the left and right: Your politics are what they are, if you're in college, enjoy the experience. Enjoy the diversity of opinion (except continue to rail against the looney left professors) and the camaraderie of your fellow students. Before you know it you'll be in the real world and missing the fun.

Have a beer with people you know and those you don't. Anyone who has been removed from it will tell you the same.