A Sunday off (Complete, with comments on journaling)

what happened

Last night I went to the Standard Transmission show. It was great to see Myles, Bree and the rest of the crew. Today, I have a cold so it’s been low key

details

The question for today is “should I journal publicly?” The answer is probably a qualified “yes.” I’m reading about some journaling exercises in the book I bought today Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment. The author suggests a private journal for the exercises. When you journal publicly, you lose an essential part of spontaneity and honesty. On the other hand, it feels GOOD journaling to other people. It feels intimate. It forces me to stand outside myself and look back with a different perspective. It is usually lopsided toward presenting my best self to the world, but some of the ugly and awkward creep through often enough. I think I will try a mix of public and private journaling.

The Standard Transmission concert on Saturday was a blast. I dropped Shane off at his house. He let me come in, meet his Mom, and change into my clothes. They have a beautiful house in a neighborhood south of Camp Bowie. He’s a young, well-educated guy. His house had an air of privilege. Maybe it was the wooden floors and big rooms? Maybe it was his story about getting pulled over in Como for being a white guy in a black neighborhood? The officer thought he must be buying weed. He probably does. He’s a fantastic guy; smart, warm, and friendly. He’s been showing me how to read music and sharing his knowledge of music theory with me.

I drove over to the Wreck Room for the show. I was excited to see Myles and Bree—I haven’t seen them since they moved to Chicago a year ago. Their band, Standard Transmission plays an exhilarating mix of blues and rock. They sing originals and covers, backed by a drummer with years of experience and Bree’s Uncle Charlie playing mouth harp. Their lead guitarist is my friend Aaron Laboon. He’s a bright guy, and we always have good conversations. I helped him load his equipment into his truck after the show and we had a fascinating conversation about his work for the government. The show was outstanding! It was great fun seeing all the crowd that I’ve gotten to know over the year that I went to their shows. Daniel, his wife, and his brother were there. Chuck and his violin-playing girlfriend were there. James was there. So was his mother.

Many people from Italian Inn had talked about going, but the only people that made it were Grace and Kim. I had flirted mercilessly with both of them earlier in the night, so it was almost awkward seeing them there. Kim didn’t stay for long – something about losing her cell phone and wanting to hang out with her friends from out of town. Grace hung out for a little longer. She was clearly not having a great time, but she was a good sport about. I don’t think it was her kind of crowd. Plus, I was the only person she knew there, aside from James. She is a genuinely kind person, full of good cheer and warmth. We had worked as partners, serving a giant birthday party at the restaurant. We made a good team. I feel bad that I’ve used our relationship as a way of responding to my wife. I should be more honest. Tomorrow. :)

today I’m grateful for…

1. Good music in abundance – I have collected thousands of recordings of some of the most spectacular music of the 20th century. Creative, passionate artists made this music over many years of labor. Now, modern digital technology has put it all at my fingertips.
   
   
2. Friendly people – I am fairly extroverted and I love to talk and joke around with strangers and friends.
   
   
3. A fabulous book – I bought it from Barnes and Noble. There’s much to be thankful for here: A giant bookstore with good lighting and comfortable chairs, air conditioning, leisure time, scientists studying happiness, modern publishing, and public libraries!

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