Please Stand By For These Important Words:

So I've been to quite a few places since last we were together. I'm not sure how much I could go into about how I even got on this tour without boring you..

I've seen some of Indiana, and a nice suburb of Chicago called Villa Park (habitated by the brother-in-law and sister of the guys I'm traveling with), who for CHURCH RUNNING CHRISTIANS, are as nice as the ones who talked me into/helped-me-into Baptism. I've met these guys' mom and dad, and also the drummer's wife and kid (M and O), AND EVEN HER PARENTS (in KOHLER, WI); all these places I've stayed, and at the very least, with THIER family who felt so much like my own in my first week away from home.

I am cooking as much as I can. For everyone who'll have us over. Carrying babies off as much as the blessings would let me.

Talking to each and everyone aside, and the whole time being asked to travel only for the sake of my abilities to play music (and wash clothes).

Now I'm making ten-bucks a day for all my "band-mother" duties: cooking, laundry, and general handling of the band's collective absent-mindedness.

We are presently mixing down a demo (of which I am ALSO in charge of) that we recorded with some of the best recording/playing equipment I've ever seen, and in a place where I feel a certain part of my childhood might still be missing (Cassville, WI).

I've been to Eau Claire, WI, a small, though musically supportive town in itself, and went skinny-dipping (nearly) at dawn in a river; though had the BEST time when I met Mali, from Menomonee, WI, who took us to the river-bottoms (Chippewa?). I saw brothers (mine) connect after years. I made a long-overdue friend. I threw myself further into the river. I sat IN the current (literally). From where I sat with Mali digging rocks and transversing the current, I saw a boy plunge tens-of-feet off the train truss-ell (bridge) with my companions (brothers), only he didn't come back up, and after long hours of searching, we found out days later that his body was discovered in the dam, down-river.

The sun was shining when he died. The weather was beautiful and people all around him were holding each other and discovering their own mortality.

We drove on to other gems: Minneapolis. Fargo(where I'd finally been able to pick up traces of friends who'd played there before and gave me a show ( a good one with the FILLERS and LONELY H and Blind Joe (the best damn country singer I know) because of it..) Bismarck, where we met the BEST friends of the so-far trip, Elijah and a supernatural group from Minneapolis called "Spirits of the Red City". A family band, whom I don't mind admitting, were the result of any hard dreaming and listening I've done inside myself for so long.

SOTRC are a gorgeous, supernatural-sounding, seven-piece, led by Will Garrison, (who's done his time in Louisville and Minneapolis, AT LEAST). There are a pair of classically-trained fiddle players (BROTHERS) (one little, one big) who not ONLY COOK (WELL), but who play like they were playing each other's wedding/funeral, and who play along side one Rachel Overby (Double-Bass, Vocals) AND her adorable sister (whom you might equally fall for), Alyssa; both of who grew up in one of the biggest folk tribes of the Northwest. I met them and ate with them, and then after my time in Billings, Montana, caught up with them again in Missoula, MT where we were greeted like old friends and forced ourselves into next-day hedonism (foods/hammocks/
mango-mimosas), and for the rest of the day proceeded to cook, cook, cook. Two names not yet mentioned are surprises for you. But know this tribe is not only RELEVANT, but talented as any sing-along you or I could ever muster.

I am in love with all of them, equally, for seven different reasons.

I played a show in Missoula at the same house party. I was told I made a boy cry (which was always a true gauge for me, ask my new friends).

I played with Will and smoked with Anthony, and amazed all with an after-hours-Swiss-Chard sauté, stacked with GARLIC and more-garlic-rooster-HEAT, left-over diced, fried potatoes, PEANUT-BUTTER and RAISINS (of all things). IT WAS "AFRICAN". YUP. "AFRICAN". AND THEY LOVED IT. OVER SPAGHETTI. Then as a digestive/dessert, I served fresh-watermelon sprinkled (secretly) with sweetened lemonade mix. I was blowing minds. Forget about the girl that blew me off that night, though would've married me the night before. Nice teeth, yes. Good ears, maybe. Poor sleeping skills, indeed.

I made some mistakes, coming onto girls(one or two, sisters of mine) with several different reactions (not regrets, but forgetting myself).

I made friends and can't forget the hitchhiker we picked up between Billings and Missoula that we took all the way to Butte. Crazy Fuck."..my ugly wife..I can say that cuz I love her" Dave transcribed the whole thing..I snuck a picture.

I slept as many sleepless nights as I ever have. I had a nightmare hitting Idaho. (ask me about it), and woke up screaming as Steve drove and Dave wondered even MORE about me. They finally understood (or maybe not) why I DON'T SLEEP MUCH.

I've seen Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington for the first time and fell for each of them.I saw Seattle for the first time today. Another religious pilgrimage of sorts (nearly L.A.).

I played Seattle for the first time today.

I may see Christa in the next coming days.

I am alone and OKAE..

I miss you, too..

GeneJr